Getting Real with Kira Hazledine
We are currently in England visiting my in-laws, and it is a fantastic time. Hallie is playing with her cousins for the first time and we are spending valuable time with family that we have missed dearly. It’s not often that we get across the pond, so when we do, we like to make the most of it.
That being said, guest status for two weeks is hard.
We all have our own routines, and every household is run differently. This is not the first time I’ve visited my in-laws, but this time is very different now that I have a toddler. These are the challenges I have noticed most about my child living in someone else’s household.
My child is a picky eater.
In our house, Hallie is simply particular about the food she eats. It’s still pretty easy to find something she likes, because we happen to live with my dad who is a fantastic chef. Hallie is treated (spoiled) daily with delightful meals catered to her specific tastes. Now, I’m her personal chef, and I’m not half the cook my dad is. Also, flavors are different here, and Hallie has noticed. While her cousins are scarfing a delicious meal, I’m struggling to get Hallie to take a few bites.
My child is no longer weaned during the day.
We had successfully weaned Hallie from breastfeeding during the day, because honestly, she was killing me. Every hour she would be begging for titties and I was just over it. Combined with the confusion in time-zones, the stress of traveling, and the UK cold that Hallie and I are rocking, we are back to nursing on demand. Yay me.
My child demands alone time.
Hallie has been forced to be a little self-sufficient, because I’m a work-at-home mom. I do spend a lot of time with her, and we play together for most of the day. But there are moments where I have to decline some coloring and tell Hallie that I have to work. She is used to this, and goes to play by herself. Hallie has always enjoyed some alone time, even when she was little, and now is no different. In a different household with 9 people and 3 pets, there is no such thing as alone time. Hallie is struggling, and I can tell she is relieved in brief moments where she has some play time to herself.
Hallie has absolutely loved playtime with her cousins and singing songs with her Nanny. When we do finally head home, there will be a lot of tears. Still, Hallie will be glad to have her own toys, her own space, and her own routine, and I’m sure my in-laws will feel the same. Being a guest is always an adventure for all involved, especially with a toddler who likes to make her presence known. I’m sure that we will return to previously routines, and hopefully that includes getting this child off my boobs.
