I am woefully bad at sticking to resolutions. Take the daily resolve not to shout at the kids. Broken by 8am usually - and thats on a good day. Or the equally frequent idea that I will not eat any cakes or chocolate for a day....shattered by a morning coffee.

But my most regular failing is my failure to avoid alcohol. I start off each day intent on having a dry one but by mid afternoon, I am looking forward to that first lovely glass of wine and the rather fudgy state it induces that gets me through the witching hours of dinner, homework, baths and bed.

Quite frankly I'm worried. You see there is a pattern emerging. Every pregnancy has induced a pretty much alcohol free zone. Baby is born. One small glass of wine indulged after that last feed as a relaxant.  And the feeding curtails the amount I indulge in...after all, babies literally drunk on breast milk is not a good look.

But come weaning time (which has I admit lasted up to 18 months), all bets are off. And the volume of alcohol indulged in seems to be growing.

Now I'm quite a little person. 2 very large glasses (recent average consumption) is alot for me. And warning bells are ringing. At which point,in the past, I have conveniently fallen pregnant, and so dried out rather quickly.

The thing is, there is no such option now. Really, five times is quite enough, especially if one is using childbirth as a way to moderate one's drinking.

Hence the daily resolve. And herein lies the rub. I can be hell bent on my goal ALL day. But give me five children 11 and under, two fighters, one screamer and one winder upperer and the mission to complete all school work, sporting activities, music practice, cooking, washing and cleaning up by bed time and its any wonder I'm reaching for the bottle.

It doesn't take much. Last night, after a full day at work, the kids were fed, bathed and homeworked by 6.30pm. Feeling like a miracle worker, I took the opportunity to help number three with her school project. Hah!! More fool me.

Within five minutes, baby had exploded out of her nappy, number four had made confetti with 987 pieces of paper and a pair of scissors and..the 'piece de resistance',number two had vomited all over the lounge, then run whilst vomiting through the kitchen, play area and laundry to the toilet.

Not much to clean up then!

At which point, there was nothing else for it. And in the spirit of only bothering to do something if you are going to do it properly, I went the whole hog. Shouted at the kids, got the chocolate out of the fridge and poured myself a glass of chardonnay.

Luckily, there is always tomorrow.

 

 

 

Comments

[Jenni Darwin]

On a revisit, I am proud to announce that the alcohol intake is down significantly. Wine and work in the evening just does not seem to go together.

[Marian]

What a hoot

[Dawn Fuge]

Laughed out loud, Jenni! Making me very glad I stopped at two... ;)