Life of a Stay-At-Home Mother

I stay home with three children

I start most mornings already tired

I do not feel in control of time

The house fills quickly with noise

Everything I do is unpaid work

I rarely think about myself

~~~

I rarely think about myself

because I am responsible for the children

There is always more practical work

Even after sleeping I feel tired

I speak over the constant noise

I wait for small gaps of time

~~~

I wait for small gaps of time

to write a few lines for myself

but the rooms stay full of noise

because I am home with the children

This makes my body feel tired

and writing becomes more work

~~~

Writing becomes more work

and it has to fit around time

I try to write even when tired

I try to remember I am more than myself

I try to stay patient with the children

I keep typing through the noise

~~~

The hardest part is the noise

The second hardest part is the work

But I chose these children

and I know this stage takes time

I do not want to lose myself

even when I am tired

~~~

I am tired

I listen to the noise

I wait for more time

I keep doing the work

I stay present with the children

I am still myself

~~~

I use my time for the children

I do the work even when I am tired

I live with the noise and keep myself