Caregivers of All Ages, Unite!

There's a Sandra Boynton children's song, "I Need A Nap." It runs through my head a lot, because it's catchy, and because I'm often fantasizing about a nap. After attempting to cut through the red tape keeping people from things such as health insurance, walkers that fit, and clinic visits, I'm having trouble switching gears to be Mommy Again.

I had to cut a work call short because of "my next appointment." I often don't tell the social worker or caregiver on the phone that my next appointment is to go home to the kids, so my husband can take his turn at work. Some people seem surprised, even disappointed, that I work only part-time. When I have reason to explain my hours, in order to schedule an appointment, for example, I intentionally adopt a matter-of-fact, confident tone: "I work half-time, mornings." It is not a stretch for me in my work role to advocate for caregivers, because most of every day, I am a hands-on primary caregiver. My care recipients are both under six, unlike the 70, 80, and 90+care recipients at work, but I still believe we have more in common than not. I'm excited about the national conversation about caregiving that's getting a little louder all the time.

On that note, I'm off to do dishes before the kids finish their show. (The one hour a day of TV time they're allowed seems to fly by!)