I have a personal rule that I have to be home every day by 5 P.M. Because our kids have no yayas, they are used to their Mama and Papa eating every meal with them, and we do all the bedtime rituals like bath time and brush-teeth time and story time and sleepy time together.
This rule makes it easy for me to decline events. Yes, even the most fabulous events. I always miss the most fabulous events because these are always scheduled from 5 P.M. onwards. I feel a twinge of I don't know what whenever I scroll down my Instagram and see my friends all dolled up for a night out, but then I see myself in bed, sandwiched by babies, and I look outside and see the horrific traffic on EDSA and I know I made the better decision. Hehe.
I like my rule. It's a rule that reminds me how lucky I am even though we aren't swimming in money. I mean, seriously now, I can dictate my hours and say no to lucrative projects and profile-raising events so I can be with my kids. How lucky am I?!
I had to break this rule a few times recently, however, because I've been busy with work (you might've noticed my absence from blogging!). The rule-breaking was unintended because they resulted from poor decisions really. First, I was exploring a project with a potential blog sponsor but after I got home at past 9 that night, I knew I couldn't go through with it. Then for two straight days this week, I got home at around 7, because I had photo shoots for Baby Magazine, and shoots can drag on for hours. I knew that so I should've scheduled the shoots earlier but I didn't so my bad. So I broke my promise (and my rule) to be home before the sun sets. The kids weren't happy with that!
So anyway, today, I had to go out again. Just for a few hours to return the products I borrowed from Mothercare and Rustan's that I shot for the magazine. Iñigo, my almost three-year-old sweetheart, saw me dressing up and said, "Where you going again today, Mama?"
"I'm going to work, sweetie."
"Again?!?"
My inner self wanted to say, "Little dude, I work out of home maybe two days a week so don't use that tone on me," but of course he's a baby and any time away from me must be eternity for him. So I reply, "Yes, Mama has to work again, but I won't be too long out today."
Iñigo frowned. "Why you have to work, Mama?"
"Well, people give me money in exchange for the work that I do for them. We need money to buy your toys and your clothes, to pay for the electricity for the TV and iPads, to buy food. Don't you like all those things?"
"Yes."
"Then Mama needs to work so you can have all those things."
"But I don't want toys and clothes and iPad and TV."
"Oh wow, really?" Really?! I should've recorded this! "Well, we'll still need to buy food. You know what will happen if we don't eat?"
"We'll die."
"Yes! So Mama needs to work so we can eat because I don't want us to die."
"Mama, it's okay. We can die together."
Hmm. Next time, I'll have to tell my little guy that I work because I like to work. This working-for-money thing just isn't going to cut it!
* * * * * * *
P.S.
Subscribe to my newsletter
Like me on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter
Follow me on Instagram
Love me on Bloglovin'
This rule makes it easy for me to decline events. Yes, even the most fabulous events. I always miss the most fabulous events because these are always scheduled from 5 P.M. onwards. I feel a twinge of I don't know what whenever I scroll down my Instagram and see my friends all dolled up for a night out, but then I see myself in bed, sandwiched by babies, and I look outside and see the horrific traffic on EDSA and I know I made the better decision. Hehe.
I like my rule. It's a rule that reminds me how lucky I am even though we aren't swimming in money. I mean, seriously now, I can dictate my hours and say no to lucrative projects and profile-raising events so I can be with my kids. How lucky am I?!
I had to break this rule a few times recently, however, because I've been busy with work (you might've noticed my absence from blogging!). The rule-breaking was unintended because they resulted from poor decisions really. First, I was exploring a project with a potential blog sponsor but after I got home at past 9 that night, I knew I couldn't go through with it. Then for two straight days this week, I got home at around 7, because I had photo shoots for Baby Magazine, and shoots can drag on for hours. I knew that so I should've scheduled the shoots earlier but I didn't so my bad. So I broke my promise (and my rule) to be home before the sun sets. The kids weren't happy with that!
 |
| My smart and silly Iñigo! |
So anyway, today, I had to go out again. Just for a few hours to return the products I borrowed from Mothercare and Rustan's that I shot for the magazine. Iñigo, my almost three-year-old sweetheart, saw me dressing up and said, "Where you going again today, Mama?"
"I'm going to work, sweetie."
"Again?!?"
My inner self wanted to say, "Little dude, I work out of home maybe two days a week so don't use that tone on me," but of course he's a baby and any time away from me must be eternity for him. So I reply, "Yes, Mama has to work again, but I won't be too long out today."
Iñigo frowned. "Why you have to work, Mama?"
"Well, people give me money in exchange for the work that I do for them. We need money to buy your toys and your clothes, to pay for the electricity for the TV and iPads, to buy food. Don't you like all those things?"
"Yes."
"Then Mama needs to work so you can have all those things."
"But I don't want toys and clothes and iPad and TV."
"Oh wow, really?" Really?! I should've recorded this! "Well, we'll still need to buy food. You know what will happen if we don't eat?"
"We'll die."
"Yes! So Mama needs to work so we can eat because I don't want us to die."
"Mama, it's okay. We can die together."
Hmm. Next time, I'll have to tell my little guy that I work because I like to work. This working-for-money thing just isn't going to cut it!
* * * * * * *
P.S.
Subscribe to my newsletter
Like me on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter
Follow me on Instagram
Love me on Bloglovin'