Dear Fun-Loving Penguin,
Once upon a time, back when you were just a toddler and I was a slightly more put-together adult. We had a morning ritual that flowed like clockwork. You can read about that neat little era here. But then, real life came knocking.
As my work started taking shape, the ground beneath our routines began to shake. With client calls clashing with breakfast, cash flow hiccups keeping me up at night, and time juggling that would make any circus jealous.
We were mostly surviving, not thriving.
Somewhere between invoice follow-ups and rushed tiffin packing, our once-smooth mornings became a game of beat-the-clock. Fact!
And so, as you entered your tween years, I decided to hit reset. We planned the night before — meals, homework, school projects, your after-school time, even clothes.
Mornings became a rhythm again: wake up, say the karagre vasate mantra, bathe, breakfast, and then off to school and daycare.
Still, some days, everything spiraled. And oh, the homework meltdowns (read – homework battle)! Epic scenes.
You’d sulk like a Retro age actor for an hour and then cuddle like a Sloth the next.
Me? I played the clown, the coach, and sometimes just the tired audience.
My INTJ mind likes structure, efficiency, and logic. You, dear ESFP soul, were born to freestyle, feel deeply, and dance in the chaos.
Remember that time I made a tight 20-minute study plan? You doodled through 45 minutes, daydreamed your way through definitions, and still managed to ace the test. You cheeky kid.
Somewhere along the way, I stopped aiming for picture-perfect parenting.
Because real life isn’t Pinterest, and our family isn’t a project with deadlines. I let go of that mental “ideal mom” checklist and leaned into what worked for us.
But the toll showed up in quiet ways. The skipped meals. The migraines lasted for days. The nights I couldn’t sleep because I was worried about everything — from client payments to your maths project. It was a battle. It was tough. Some days were dark, no denying it.
And yet, there were these beautiful, unexpected wins.
You started checking on me: “Are you stressed, maa?”
You began watering the plants. Made your bed. Folded laundry without being asked.
Packed your own bag.
You showed up in small, significant ways that reminded me this wasn’t all for nothing.
We still hustle, you and I. And homework battles? They’re not over. But they’re balanced now with something stronger. Mutual respect, understanding, and the kind of laughter that comes from deep exhaustion and deeper love.
We didn’t always stick to the plan, but we kept showing up – tired, grumpy, loving. And that’s the only habit I never want to break.
Do you still have any routine?
P.S. I’m not asking about your skincare AM/PM routine.
Love,
Maa
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