John Locke and parenting

So most people into politics, or who have studied American politics, know who John Locke is. He's a philosopher whose ideas helped form the ideas of America's Founding Fathers. But, he's still a philosopher . I bet you are thinking, "What does this guy have to do with parenting?"

He said that a person recognizes himself as the same being throughout his life, but in different times and spaces.

Anyone who is a parent will feel some kinship with this quote. See, we tend to think of ourselves as mothers, wives, women (or fathers, husbands, men), workers, students, etc. And we think of these people as separate beings. However, if you take Locke's approach - these are all the same sides of the coins.

The mom who does everyone's laundry while replying to work emails and having her children color with crayons is multi-tasking - doing everything at once. Nothing wrong with that. All too often we get caught up in thinking we have to separate out the things in our lives and the roles we play, and then we stress out because we don't get everything done or cannot separate everything out.

So here's my new goal - find ways to combine everything. I am going to be mom and woman at the same time sometimes. Nothing wrong with giving myself a pedicure while talking to my son who is taking his bath (at least when I am unpregnant and can see/reach my toes again). Or doing my work typing while he's engaged in block building and doesn't want me to do anything but take a picture of him with his finished creation. Finding ways to meld all the things together will make our lives easier.

Let's stop trying to be separate people and be ourselves, our whole selves, all the time. I think it will make life easier.