Three Kids and No Domestic Helper is …
[Laundry-folding time]
… possible.
As long as the little ones are trained, since very young, to be involved – in however small ways – and to help out around the house, I say.
(Of course our home is not as clean, tidy and neat as others who engage a live-in helper, but then in the end, it’s a choice, and our family chooses to not engage one, and involve our children as much as they can instead)
Some of the things that Anya and Vai do everyday that I personally find helpful because they somewhat lessen my ‘burden’ are:
– Return plates, glasses and cutlery back to the sink after mealtimes
– Shower, brush teeth, pick and put on home clothes all on their own
– Get ready when we’re going out (put on shoes, clothes, etc) on their own
– Babysit Brie
– Take out and throw rubbish bags out
– Tidy up the shoes area
– Bring dirty laundry from our bathroom and place it in the laundry basket
– Clear toys *more or less* after play
– Fold their own clothes after wearing them
– Tidy up our beds and fold the blankets (something they both need to do together)
– Help get selected groceries during our supermarket trips
– Occasionally help and fold our clean laundry (I’d put aside home clothes and baby clothes for them to fold)
…
[Helping to clear and sort our plastic containers from the kitchen cabinets]
No, they’re not always willing to help ‘happily’.
And yes, they’d often prefer to delay or play elsewhere than to clean up their mess after playtime.
But anyway, I still thank God for our little helpers.
Their involvement around our home does make a difference.
And I always tell them too how I appreciate their help, … however big, however small.
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saya 3 org umur berbeza… penattttt…tapi kalau mereka tiada, sunyi! complicated betul mak mak ni
Farhah recently posted..Ubat Sakit Tonsil Shaklee
haha … betullll sekali!
Ada anak ribut ribut, pusing.
Tidak ada anak, kangen =)
Memang merawat bayi sungguh merepotkan tapi jika kita jalani dengan niat tulus dan ikhlas akan samgat menyenangkan. kelelahn yang kita rasakan akan terbayar dengan kelucun bayi kita.
Hi … thank you for sharing … dan benar sekali … kata koncinya adalah ‘ketulusan’ (atau ‘willingness’), karena saat kita rela dan tulus melakukan apapun, walaupun itu hal yang ‘berat’ / ‘sulit’ pun kita bisa lakukan dan anehnya, ada sukacita juga yah … =)
Ci, sewaktu masa nifas bagaimana cara cici merawat 3 anak, mencuci, memasak, dll tanpa ada bantuan?
saya baru melahirkan anak kedua 3 mggu yg lalu, anak saya yg pertama umur 5 thn dan dirumah ada mama yg bantu masak dan ada pembantu yg cuci gosok (langsung pulang) tapi saya merasa cape sekali, merawat bayi dan anak, sering bergadang karena bayi tidak mau ditaruh maunya digendong terus sehingga sering sakit kepala, meriang, pilek.
Saya suka heran sekaligus kagum jika baca blog ini, dan suka heran bagaimana caranya punya bayi dan 2 anak tanpa ada bantuan? apakah waktu mengerjakan tugas, brie tidak nangis minta digendong? bayi saya maunya digendong terus jadi saya susah mengerjakan tugas lain sampe kadang saya tidur dengan posisi duduk karena harus sambil menggendong bayi.
Ci, kalau ada trik2 supaya bayi anteng tidurnya tolong di share ya, thanks.
Hello Xin,
sorry baru ngeh kalo belum reply pertanyaan kamu …
Dulu waktu setelah lahirin anya dan vai, aku ada mbak yang datang dari jakarta dan bantu2 selama 1 bulan. Lebih bantu dlm hal masak dan bersihkan rumah, dan akunya sendiri handle baby full. Ga ada ‘nifas2’ gitu sih … tapi dengan adanya mbak memang nolong byk ttg housework …
Utk kasus lahirnya Brie, agak lain, dan secara pendek kata, tidak ada mbak yg datang sama sekali, dan aku jadinya handle everything like as usual. Ga ada ‘nifas2’an =)
Terus terang kalau di tanya lagi gimana aku jalanin hari2 tanpa suami (traveling dan hanya di SG jumat – minggu), dan handle everything plus 3 kids … errr … itu benar2 anugerah dan kekuatan dari Tuhan deh. Beneran aku sendiri ga bisa kebayang handle itu semua juga, tapi … bisa aja deh tuh dilewatin satu hari demi satu hari. Tidak dengan gampang tentunya, dan ada hari2 dimana sulit sekali, tapi itu justru yg semakin menggembleng mentalitas dan membentuk daya juang?
Ada saat misalnya Brie nangis kebangun, pdhal akunya lg tengah2 masak dan ga bisa di tinggal, nah loh … akhirnya aku gendong dlm sling, sambil menyusui, dan akunya bolak balik urus dinner di kitchen (tapi ga sambil masak lagi =)
Tentang karakter bayi, memang ini ga bisa di tebak yah … Realitanya mmg ada baby yang lebih ‘mudah ditebak kebiasaannya’, ada baby yang lebih sering nangis misalnya.
(aku jg inget di minggu2 awal dimana Brie bangun2 terus tiap 1-2jam dan rasanya udah kaya ga tidur semaleman deh krn kasih ASI, dan akunya smbil duduk aja merem2 deh sebisanya smbil nyusuin =)
anyway .. by now, udah umur 3 bulanan ya babynya ? =) semoga semuanya lebih better dan lebih bisa ditebak ya rutinitasnya … =) Happy parenting …
Wow! It is not easy to take care of 3 children without helper and I am proud of what you are able to do! An inspiration for many moms – including me! 🙂
Anya and Vai are very independent to do household routines. They have succeed the cleaning the house everyday. Do Anya and Vai clean the house before school?
Anya and Vai are very independent to do household routines. They have succeed the cleaning the house everydat. Do Anya and Vai clean the house before school?
I’m really in awed on how you can cope with 3 kids (and 1 is still a a baby) w/o a domestic helper. And you can still blog and post great pictures at the same time! SUCH A SUPER WOMAN!
We are looking forward to the days when our kids will cook, mop, wash, and iron our clothes haha (a bit exaggerating).
We do allow kids to help, to get a “sense” of ownership and duties, and hopefully, they will grow up to appreciate others’ efforts, and take nothing for granted.
heheh… reversed roles =)
Yep, let’s hope for our kids to always appreciate other people’s efforts…