Rush Hour – by Jessie Weiss

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It used to be work around the clock, on weekends, on long event-filled evenings. It was the traveling, the experiencing, it was the constant appointments. Later the children, 24/7, more intense than ever before. At the same time, renovating, building a house, constantly restructuring and adapting to illnesses, hobbies, driving all over the city, organizing an intensive everyday life in addition to independent work.

I’ve been answering questions about how I’m doing for almost 20 years. Non-stop. I’m in the middle of it Rush hour of life. That defines it Federal Institute for Population Research 10 years ago like this:

The rush hour of life decisions primarily affects academics. Within a short period of time of 5 to 7 years, decisions are often made simultaneously about starting and establishing a career, as well as about a shared household, marriage and starting a family.
The rush hour in the phase with small children describes the intense strain of work and family for fathers and mothers. This can be seen quantitatively in professional, domestic and family working hours as well as in the resulting conflicts in doing justice to these areas of life.

So there is an end in sight, when the children are “out of the woods”. Although it feels different as you get older. Big kids, big problems? Feels true to us, at least on an emotional level. Physical exhaustion caused by pregnancy, breastfeeding, lack of sleep and stress is slowly but surely decreasing. But navigating through school, friendships, emotions and growing pains is a challenge on all levels.

We were, are and somehow always will be first-time parents.

I always consciously try to slow down the noise of rush hour. On the weekends, for example, when the boys aged 9 and 7 still cuddle up in bed with us. The big one walks over my shoulders and can carry my shoes, the little one often just throws his school bag at home and runs to his friends in the neighborhood. How long will this closeness last? Luckily we still have our little daughter. But even then the number 5 is already knocking, the toddler-like thing is slowly but surely disappearing.

I’ve decided to stop answering “there’s a lot going on right now” when you have a lot on your mind. Simply because it reflects ongoing reality and has become normal. And I don’t want there to be less going on. Or I have more time for other things. I love life as it is – and I don’t use the sentence as an excuse:

That I just started with Substack and pretty much stopped straight away.

I’ll just leave it at that and am happy to give a little summary of the last few weeks.

2 out of 3 children can now ski! An amazing feeling.
Despite not having enough time, I’m always looking for new challenges. Am I ready for a greenhouse yet? Our garden is slowly growing and thriving and I’ve been dreaming about it for a long time raised bedswild flower beds… and yes, our own cucumbers and strawberries 🙂 I’ve looked at a lot of greenhouses now and like them this one very much:

3. “New in the online shops” used to be the name of my Monday category on Journelles. I took over the truffle pig search for all the exciting new arrivals and presented my highlights. I now make it regularly again and love it! If you click on the pictures you will get to the links: