Me First

Step 1Self-aware

The first step to getting back genuine quality time requires some self-reflection.

Alice

Am I self-aware? How do I feel? Is this really necessary? Where do I start …? Can I lie down for this?

It’s 10 pm. I need a wine. God I’m tired. Oh dear, now John wants to talk about his day. Maybe if I just sit here and quietly sip my wine and nod every now and then and make noises like ‘oh, yes, aha, yep, no’ he will think I’m listening.

I have to remember to set my alarm for 6 am so I can make the school lunches before I head out to my breakfast meeting. I’m going to wear my white dress. I can wear it with my black shoes; that always looks hot to trot. Put phone on charger. Oh damn it, Henry has assembly tomorrow. I promised him I would go. Shit it. I’ll call Mum in the morning to see if she can go and watch. I can’t believe that email, I need to get onto that first thing. Roast chicken for dinner tomorrow. I can pick up the chook after my lunch meeting. Henry has footy training and Olive has dance (argggghhh); I might be able to share drop-off and pick-up with Suzi. Maybe I can watch football training to make up for missing assembly?

‘Yes, honey, I agree.’

Need cat food and milk. God I hate that cat. Cereal. Dry cleaning. House looks like a bomb has gone off. If I leave the dishes until tomorrow, hopefully someone else will do them. Yeah, right. Interstate next week for two days; check with Mum to do those days for me. Or maybe John can do them? Yeah, right. I need ...