Home life

Home with children

Many diarists were looking after children of various ages. These are extracts from the diaries of a few of these.

• Cleaned and tidied living room and kitchen then sat down for a quick coffee before getting the boys up for school and making their lunches and drinks ready for them. After that many "Come on, you'll be late" s I lost count. They were eventually washed, changed and fed ready for two to meet the bus at 8.20am to Llanfair High School and one to meet the taxi at 8.40am to Castle Caereinion Primary School. Among all this I got the baby up who had decided to take off his disposable nappy and had weed all over his bedding. Took him downstairs to wash, change and feed him. When the two eldest had gone to school helped number three with his last minute homework which was just about done by the time the taxi came into the yard.

  Now all the mayhem is over went and stripped al the bedding out of the cot and put the mattress outside to dry. ……. Strapped baby into his pushchair and went into the garden and picked runner beans that were ready. I don't think there will be many more to pick. After a quick lunch I spent the rest of the day weeding and tidying up the garden. ….. Baby had a great time watching the cars lorries tractors and trailers going up and down the road before falling asleep for half an hour.

  Number 3 son came home from Primary School at 3.40pm and put his school things away and settled down to do his homework tidy for a change. The two eldest were home from High School at 4.15pm and also got on with their homework. In between all of this I got the tea going ready for hubby when he got home at 5pm. The boys then all got changed and had a spell playing football in the garden, while I did the washing up and making a fire in the living room - It's starting to get colder at night.

  Gave the baby a haircut. He wriggled and squirmed all the while but I got it done eventually after which I gave him a bath and a bottle of drinking chocolate and tucked him up in his dry cot with his favourite toy dog 'Woofer' for the night. I called the boys in who got washed and had a drink and were in bed by 8.30pm. Peace at last, so I spent an hour relaxing in front of the TV before getting hubby his bate and lunch ready for work tomorrow. I checked the guard was over the fire and was in bed by 10pm. Absolutely shattered.

• Got up at 6.30am and showered and dressed. Carwyn (my 7 ½ month old baby) woke at 6.45am and played happily in his cot until 7am when I got him out. Gave Carwyn a bottle of milk and cereal with pureed apple. Played with Carwyn and had my own breakfast - Ready Brek. Put Carwyn down to sleep as normal at 9am but he refused to sleep so played more and then took him out for a walk in the pram. Walked around New Road and through Lymore Park. Returned home.

  Gave Carwyn his lunch and then ate my lunch with my husband who was working from home for the day. We ate quiche and salads. At 12.45 Carwyn and I walked to the recycling bins to meet other mums and babies. We all took part in a 'Toddle Waddle' - a walk around Lymore Park in aid of the Meningitis Trust. Returned home at 3.30pm. Had a conversation with our next door neighbours. Gave Carwyn his tea, got him ready for bed - he went to bed at 7pm.