Ama de Casa

Today was my first day as an "Ama de Casa" or house wife.  I'm back in overseas but not back to work.  I negotiated to be off without pay until Elsie is 12 weeks old.  I was so excited that that was approved.  Though it's quite ironic because I was off for 5.5 months with Leon and that didn't feel like enough.

But things are slightly different.  I have a baby who is more independent (meaning she's already self soothing and sleeps longer stretches alone, i.e. doesn't need to be held) and I have a staff.  You heard me.  I have a maid and a nanny.  It's very common here.  It's not me.  Don't hate me.

I have a maid who works from 7:30 am to 3:30 pm every day and a nanny who lives with me from Monday am to Friday afternoon.

Ok now that your shock has worn off.

Let me tell you about my day.  Despite having a staff I was still very occupied...buying flowers, breast feeding, reading books to Leon, baking cookies while someone else cleaned bathrooms and chopped up my vegetables for my veggie lasagna  or took Leon to the park while Elsie and I napped.  I shamelessly (well I felt a little shameful but then I saw several women doing just the same thing) went to the grocery store with my nanny, my toddler, and my newborn.  It was much easier to navigate the aisles worrying only about one of the kids or pushing just the stroller while someone else put things in the basket.

I can see how people live like this.  I remember back in my single and young days I frowned on people with nannies and maids.  Thought I'd never be a diplomat living high and mighty overseas but now that's just want I'm doing.

It takes a village to raise a child, so goes the African proverb.  That is very correct.  Perhaps your village is your spouse that works from home, your flexible job, grand parents that live by or your very well paid staff.