Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Physical vs. Mental

Caring for a newborn is totally a physical exercise.  It is taxing, but does not take any real brain power.  You have to wake up when they cry at night to feed them, change them when they are dirty, burp them, put them on their tummy a few times a day, and .... not much else.  It is mostly a game of timing - remembering when they ate last.

Caring for a toddler is similar, but a little more mental.  You have to be able to negotiate and outsmart them (which surprisingly, sometimes doesn't happen).  There are still diapers to change and meals to be sure are eaten and baths to give.  I'd say it is about 10% a mental exercise and 90% physical.

I was thinking about it today and realized that as kids grow older, caring for them becomes less and less physical and more and more mental.  To where once they leave home, I won't have to really take care of them physically anymore at all, but all my care will be mental, or psychological.

I think part of my problem over the last few weeks has been the lack of a mental challenge.  It's like I haven't used my brain power at all.  I haven't even been finding the time to do the crossword puzzle, something I usually make time for every day, because the physical sense of caring for Layla has been so taxing.

Even though I love this time with my kids and cherish each day (especially this time around since I know it is my last), I look forward to caring for them using my brain instead of my body.

1 comment:

CHarris said...

You used your mental power to write that one! I had never thought about it - but you are so right!

My oldest niece is getting ready for college - and for my sister it is all mental. I think we should enjoy this time now!