Out of Shape

When I say I’m out of shape I’m not talking about fitness and exercising. I’m talking about parenting the second time around.

I did my part years ago and my children are now grownups with families of their own. But it seems that I am starting all over again. No, my friends, don’t roll your eyes. I’m not expecting. LOL. But my daughter works thirty-hour-long shifts at the hospital NICU as a neonatologist. 

During these long shifts guess who takes over picking up the kids from school, driving them to gymnastic lessons and other after-school activities, helping with home work and cooking dinner, controlling what they watch on TV or their iPad? I’m even supposed to control who they call on their

iPhone. What a joke. I just got my own iPhone and I’m still faltering through the icons. Heck, the ten year old set it up for me and the eight year old downloaded her apps!

After dinner, I have to remind them to take their shower and brush their teeth. When they are finally ready to sleep, the eight year old invariably asks, “Can you lie with me?” Of course I do and I try not to fall asleep myself. 

The next morning, the alarm wakes us at 6:30 am. Have pity, I retired a few years ago and was delighted to turn off all the alarms in my house. But duty calls again. After I get dressed in a record time, I gently--very gently--wake two sleepy girls with a kiss on the forehead. And another, and another, until they finally get out of bed. Then we have a race against time, while they rush to the bathroom, dress up, comb their hair. They shriek and and claim that I pull it if I help. 

Super fast breakfast of a few coco puffs swimming in a lot of milk that I end up throwing because “we don’t have time”. Of course I have to remind them to take their vitamins, their jackets, while I prepare the snack bag and fix a quick lunch to take to school.

Ready to go and brave the early traffic, the 15 mile school zone, and morning cold temperature.

Why? Why? Because I love them to death. 

Young mothers, if you need advice from an expert on how to raise your little monsters, come to Nonna. Many of my romance novels include babies, toddlers or small children as secondary characters. 

WEDDING SURPRISE, (Holiday Babies Series Book 4), an emotional romance novel sprinkled with humor, is available at Amazon, Kobo Books, iTunes and B&N

 

 “Mona Risk knows how to pull a reader into the minds of her well-crafted characters. Her work takes us on a journey be it local or overseas.”~Night Owl Reviews.

A USA Today Bestselling Author, Mona Risk, has garnered an Outstanding Achiever 2013 Award at Affaire de Coeur Magazine. She’s also a Best Romance Novel winner at Preditors & Editors Readers Poll; Two-Time winner of Best Contemporary Romance Novel at Readers Favorite, EPIC’s Ebook Award Finalist, and is in the Kindle Top 100 Bestselling Author.