Hi-ho, hi-ho....

Off to work I go.

No, I don't have a real job. Mel's work is ridiculously busy and I made a throw-away comment one day about how he could put my multiple talents to good use and give me a break from toddler-taming by letting me do some admin work. Well.. he made the same throw-away line to his colleague, one thing led to another, and here I am catching the tram into the city with the normal people for a change!

It's only for this week - and I'll give away about 60% of my pay in daycare fees and tram fees (and my non-negotiable morning coffee) - but I figured it was a good chance to get out and meet some people and also to get some practice at the whole "job" routine. You know - getting up and dressed and putting lipstick on and delivering Annabelle to daycare and catching public transport and getting somewhere at a reasonable time in the morning (i.e. other than the gym at 10.30am!).

So far, so good. Miraculously Annabelle is sleeping and waking at decent toddler hours and we've all got to where we need to be when we need to be there.

What I hate is how little time I'm getting to spend with her. I know it's only for a week, but I do want to get a real job and I fear that this is what it will be like all the time when I do. This morning she got up at 7am and I had to drop her at dayare by 7.50am to get an 8am tram. The poor little chicken had barely rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and I was frantically changing, feeding and dressing her, and tossing her into the car. Then I pick her up around 5.30pm, we get home, cook, she eats, has a bath and is settling down for bed by 8pm.

This is not parenting in my opinion. I know I'm not cut out to be a full-time stay-at-home parent and that she does really love daycare. I know I want more than anything to get a part-time internship and get my psych registration and that will involve working 3 days per week at least. I'm sure we'll slip into a routine and it will be fine, but I really have trouble with the idea of my child spending more time with paid carers than she does with me.

I don't know what the balance is, but I hope I manage to find it. Until then, bring on Friday.