NADIA REIFER-LAFLOUF is a typical mum – juggling work and home and making sure her toddler son is developing well.
Nadia wasn’t leaving anything to chance when she found out she was pregnant. She and hubby Joseph wanted to know the sex of the baby to be “better able to prepare for his arrival”.
“I never realised what a crucial role mothers played in preparing their daughters for the arrival of a baby and what a crucial role they would play after. I guess I know what it means not to have one around for this type of journey because my own mother died several years before I had my son. There are many things I wish she was around for me to ask. And some I wish she could see.
“I’ve been blessed, though, with other women I have become close to who I can look to at times for support and my mother-in-law has been very helpful.”
The 33-year-old optometrist and director of Enhance Vision Optical, is still trying to master that balancing act of juggling work and family, “but support from my husband and family is getting me through”.
“Jacob is toddler so what I find most stressful is time management. With kids his age, even a small issue can throw off your entire day or routine, where normally you have a limited time to get responsibilities that aren’t child-related taken care of. Discipline is also a stressful thing. I consider it necessary but stressful at times because there are so many different approaches to it and you never want to make decisions that could seriously impact your child’s development.”
Jacob is two and a half years old (“I love biblical names and my husband and I narrowed a few favourites down to our top three. When he was born and we got to see him, we picked the one that fit best”) and loves cartoons.
“I love doing things that help him discover or learn new things like exploring the garden, going to the beach, reading books, and arts and crafts.”
Nadia and Joseph have a routine set out for Jacob, which doesn’t always go to plan.
“It usually starts with him waking mummy and daddy up very loudly. Then, bottle of milk and cup of tea in hand, we take a short walk outside to greet the dog or take a stroll in the garden. We sing fun songs that help to tackle breakfast, bath time, getting ready for work and school. That is on a good day, but in reality, quite a few mornings there is a bit of a fight to get him to the bath and or follow instructions that would affect us being on time.
“Bedtime is the most challenging because my son is a ball of energy even after an entire day at school.”
Nadia told EASY that she normally heads home after work to prepare dinner.
“I rarely have time for myself. Those who know me know I always find joy in dancing and I love a good Zumba class. My schedule doesn’t always line up with the classes though, so gardening is a new joy I have found and my son loves to help.”
Nadia said she has changed since becoming a parent: “I’m definitely a more patient person and I don’t sweat the small stuff so much anymore. My most precious times are watching him grow, seeing his little personality develop, and getting to know him at each stage of his development. Of course, I can’t leave out what a priceless gift it is to experience the love of a child.”
Nadia stressed that while Jacob is at daycare, help from family and friends is what gets her through her day.
“I have an awesome husband and sister, and my mother-in-law is very helpful as well. A lot of my friends have children and I find that having them available for play dates and bouncing parenting tips off of each other is not only helpful, but it’s great emotional support knowing that you aren’t alone in the daily challenges of being a parent.”
Nadia is already instilling values in Jacob, passed down to her by her parents: love, forgiveness, kindness and compassion towards others, hard work and the belief that whatever you put your mind to can be achieved.” (NS)
