No More Part Time Mommy

The Bambina had her last day of nursery last Thursday and it is now "summer holidays" ... for her, anyway. For me, it is time to be a "full-time mom".

I never relished the idea of being a "full-time mom" when I was working full time as a lawyer (side note: are all those fathers who work full time "part-time dads"?). When I left my job last year, I still didn't relish the idea of spending every hour of the day keeping a two-year old occupied, much as I love her. So as soon as we got settled in Rome, I put her in another nursery for part of each day. It started out as 0900 until 13h00, but then the Bambina decided once she was home every day that she did not want to take her nap, a nap she really needed. On the other hand, if I left her at the nursery until 15h00, she would take her nap there, no problem. This was the first chip away at mommy's authority. For some reason, the Bambina was willing to nap at the nursery, but not at home. So I decided deal with things as they were rather than try to change them, and picked the Bambina up at the nursery every weekday at 15h00.

Since then, the nursery has usurped even more of my authority. Sample discussion:

Me, looking at glass beads strewn all over the floor: Please put your things away when you have finished with them.

Bambina: My don't want to put my things away.

Me: Doesn't Francesca (her teacher) at the nursery tell you that you should put things away when you have finished with them?

Bambina: But, but, but [she is in the stuttering stage], but, but, but, but, but that's at the nursery. At the nursery, my put things away. At home, my don't put things away. [Big grin on face]

All those "full time moms" now have assurance that they were right.