As we return home from swim lessons today, four items require my immediate attention (listed youngest to oldest):
A) The baby is crying because he's hungry. It's not a hysterical cry, but he's not happy.
Factors to consider: Also feeling guilty because he's been in the car seat for a while, although I held him at the pool.
Time to complete task: 20 minutes
B) David has a dirty diaper. I noticed it as I loaded him in the car, so it's been at least 15 minutes.
Factors to consider: He isn't complaining about it at all. But we've been struggling with some nasty diaper rash, which is of course made worse by leaving him in dirty diapers.
Time to complete task: 5 minutes
C) Katy is crying because she can't find her Blankie. She's looked in all the obvious places, so it's going to require parental assistance.
Factors to consider: She's in my face crying and whining and begging.
Time to complete: Undetermined. In the past anywhere from 2-30 minutes.
D) I have to pee. It's pretty urgent.
Factors to consider: Everything else seems worse when you have to pee.
Time to complete: 2 minutes.
So, in what order would you complete these tasks? Keep in mind the time factors, i.e. if I pee and change the diaper first, the baby and Katy are both crying at least 7 more minutes, etc.
Just curious...
Jack at 16
2 years ago
6 comments:
Pee, diaper, feed baby, find blankie. I actually sat and thought about it too - and that's my order! I can put up with 7 minutes of crying but not a full bladder and a stinky diaper.
Good post Em!
I agree with Pam's ordering...I would try to distract Katy from the blanket quest with a show/movie/snack--whatever to see if I could reduce the cry time... I might have done th diaper change in the car before driving home b/c I get a little bit skeeved by stinky diapers that have been squished..even in that scenario, you'd still have the cry factor at home!
I think the two ladies above have the "right" answer, but in my house the answer would be blankie, pee, diaper, nurse. Frank, like Katy, gets something on his mind and then will not get out of my face until I resolve his issue. Nothing is more frustrating. My poor Maggie has had feedings, naps, all basic needs delayed because of a nagging Frank. Please tell me I'm not the only mom to do this.
Definitely pee first. Blankie next . . . squeaky wheel rule. Send Katy with Blankie to talk to Luke while you change David. Relax in a cone of silence to nurse. (Pee first to avoid adding a clean-up job to an already complicated list.
I agree with Anonymous that the loudest child gets attention first. It's a sanity thing.
You're hilarious.
Diaper, pee, wash hands, ;-) nurse while walking and looking for blankie.
~Charity
I'm probably w/ Pam on the order as well. You could shout out looking for blankie directions while you nurse? What did you do?
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