Bermuda Blue: In praise of the single parent

Every now and then my wife travels overseas for work. I really dread it — not just because I miss her but also because I suddenly become a single parent of two children.

I will be the first to admit that I don’t find it easy. Getting them ready for school, breakfast, the washing, the cooking, the packed lunches, the getting them to bed, the homework, remembering everything (more often than not, it is remembering most things…. sorry kids).

I find it hard work and I usually wake up on the sofa at about 2am. 

The extended family is still part of the Bermudian culture and in my case I can call on my very gracious and ever ready parents-in-law for help.

But at the end of the day, you are still alone. You are still juggling work and children; you are battling your conscience, telling yourself that your kids will be okay in after-school care, really.

You don’t want to keep turning to friends and family for help, dropping the children off at a different place while you go to work on a Saturday afternoon because you have to, battling your conscience again…..

Everywhere you go there are deabeat parents and everywhere you go there are single parents who make huge sacrifices for their children who are always immaculately turned out.

There are single parents, who despite all the problems, work hard to improve themselves and thereby the lot of their children.

I simply do not know how they do it and they have my utmost respect and admiration.

Loathe DIY

On a completely unrelated note, I have decided once and for all that I loathe and detest DIY and if I can afford to pay someone I will.

I used to do a lot of DIY. I reckon I got to the ‘good bodger’ level, i.e. a bodged job that looked okay and, importantly, lasted.

But nowadays, I cannot face it. I have interior and exterior walls to paint, doors to finish painting, a boat hull to clean and outside patio area to paint. The list goes on and the editor would not like the space it would take.

I don’t consider myself lazy (others would disagree) but after dismantling so many homes and putting them back together again, I just cannot face DIY any more.

Am I alone in this?

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