So, Dr. Crazy, who is one of my academic bloggy heroes, has a post up about her take on balance or, more precisely, what she terms The Wheel of Neglect. Go read it.
I am not sure in my whole life that I really can have a true Wheel of Neglect (though my lawn would beg to differ!) because my kids really can't ever be put on the back burner. But I do see myself using that concept on the smaller scale of trade offs.
Right now, for instance, I am fake-walking a boy who could be at daycare playing. And while I will not make this decision every day--I can't afford to waste my sabbatical this way--today I thought our lives would be better if he could have a guaranteed morning nap, having woken up in the five era and not really fallen back to sleep for more than a few minutes (I think--sort of hard to say for sure). But at 9:30, he's waking up, going to school, and I'm going to settle down with my manuscript. Because I really can't just be a mommy today.
I am not sure in my whole life that I really can have a true Wheel of Neglect (though my lawn would beg to differ!) because my kids really can't ever be put on the back burner. But I do see myself using that concept on the smaller scale of trade offs.
Right now, for instance, I am fake-walking a boy who could be at daycare playing. And while I will not make this decision every day--I can't afford to waste my sabbatical this way--today I thought our lives would be better if he could have a guaranteed morning nap, having woken up in the five era and not really fallen back to sleep for more than a few minutes (I think--sort of hard to say for sure). But at 9:30, he's waking up, going to school, and I'm going to settle down with my manuscript. Because I really can't just be a mommy today.
Thanks for the link. I do like the concept of the wheel of neglect, or in other words, taking an active stances towards what you can't get done, instead of feeling like a passive sloth who can't get shit done. I think it IS better for the soul. But on matters of young children, especially when they belong to you, no wheel can apply. I like that you may be able to apply the concept on non-kid-related issues.
ReplyDeleteSigh. My favorite part was "it doesn’t really matter what your asshole colleagues say in the hallway". But like your fine self, this writer still manages to do a good job at MANY things. I think I'm more in Wheel of the Single Thing I Can Manage to Care About mode...
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