Skip to main content

Left your brains in the delivery room?

I know that without the stimulus of work (and indeed conversation without words more than 1 syllable), there is bound to be some brain atrophy. Perhaps worrying about it will provide the stimulus I need to keep the old brain ticking...but I don't think it's working. I recently asked a friend of mind if she felt she was getting more stupid staying at home. While she wouldn't admit to that, she did say that she definitely felt "more sluggish". She tried to do puzzles for example, to keep her brain nimble. I don't think that'll work for me though, I need something more industrial-strength for the mush I think my brain is becoming, and I don't think 1st grade homework counts. But, since I haven't actually ever seen anybody with their brain leaking out their ears, I am hopeful.

My friend stayed home with her kids for 5 1/2 years before venturing back into the working world part-time. When I asked her if it was difficult, she said at first it was tough but then you get back into it. Ok, that's comforting, there may? be hope for me if I want/need to step back into the working world. I just need to find somebody willing to hire me. I can always stress the transferable skills I am acquiring - dealing with people who can't/won't follow instructions, can't/won't tell time, etc.

Aahh the joys of motherhood - not only do I lose my figure, I lose my brain too! Lest any stay-at-home parent jump all over me for that, I'll qualify by saying that there may be some who are totally unaffected by this whole process except in a positive way. Me on the other hand, I need to get cracking on those Sudoku puzzles, learn a new language and think about wonderfully erudite things to write about!
Labels:

Comments

Greta said…
Interesting post. While I can say that I was not as challenged intellectually since becoming a stay-at-home mom, I actually drew on my knowledge and skills at times to help my kids and/or their school. Parents volunteer on a weekly basis to come into my kids' class to do some project/topic (for curriculum enrichment). Last year, we went in to talk about boolean logic, and when I showed the class how to do binary arithmetic, I was happy and a bit surprised the first graders got it. Next year, I am planning to talk about design in everyday things, drawing upon my graduate studies, but I am simplifying the level of my presentation to suit 2nd graders. It will be interesting to see how that goes.
1 July 2009 at 08:08
Austin Trini said…
That's great you were able to explain a complex topic to 1st graders! You know what they say..if you can't explain your subject to a 6-year old, you don't really know it.

Great opportunity for the kids (and you) to learn something and for the kids to see Mommy in a somewhat different light ;)
1 July 2009 at 14:09
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

10 things I have learnt about my teen and language

I have just been thinking about how my son speaks and what he says. He is 13 now and here is what I have discovered: 1. He does know some curse words, although he does not use them (at least in my hearing). I know this because he knows to switch the YouTube video he is watching when he hears one. 2. His language is tempered by having a younger sibling around (and he knows he will be in big trouble if he forgets that). 3. He gets more animated when he is around his friends and especially when he is gaming with them, and he uses a different vocabulary than regular speech (see #5). 4. I should not be annoyed if I am speaking to him and he shouts back "What?!!" The decibel level gets really, really high when he has his headset on AND he is gaming. 5. I am grateful that he uses expressions like, "What the fudge?",  "Crap" and "YOLO". Usually these are followed by the terms "Die!" or "Hackers!" or "Destroy" , bec...
Post a Comment
Read more

Job Search2: Networking etiquette..

On which I have a few ideas.  As my husband keeps telling me, I won't get a job by spending hours in front of the computer submitting applications to online job postings.  The best use of any job-seeker's time is spent talking to friends and acquaintances and letting them know that you are looking for a job and what your skills and interests are. So here is what I found tricky about networking: How hard to push?  Working parents are busy, so if I asked a friend, who is a working parent, about a position I had seen at their company, do I ask a second time? How soon after? And what if there is another position - do I talk about that too?  If that friend is very enthusiastic about getting more information for me on a post then I hear nothing, what then?  Is it realistic to think they'll get back to me?  I find it difficult to broach the topic again.  I might ask a second time but for me there is no third time. What do I trade in return? In the net...
4 comments
Read more

What is your 'bread & butter' conversation?

I am anxious to get back to the playgroups with my Moms group, and talk with some of the other moms because I want to know what they talk to their husbands about at the end of the day. If I were to truly tell my husband what goes on with my day? Well, the conversation would be inane and irrelevant. Gunnar: "How was your day honey?" Big smile. Me: "You know the usual. Lucas got up late this morning and was crabby because he didn't have enough time to play before breakfast and Liam pulled off my tiny earring, you know, the one I was so excited about getting because I thought he wouldn't notice it, and I could wear earrings again? Anyways, he pulled it off, and I grabbed it from him and set it down so I could deal with him appropriately, and I forgot about it, but when I went back to look for it I couldn't find it. It might have gotten wiped off the table when I was cleaning, so I spent part of the day sifting through the garbage looking for it, then I looked ...
3 comments
Read more