Bored But Busy While Feeding

"Sheep Feeding Lambs" by Vera Kratochvil

With an infant, I get bored while bottle-feeding him for 2-3 hours a day. However, I am stuck in one position. My brain roams around in circles while one hand holds a bottle and the other holds a book or my phone. There's only so much smiling at my kid I can do.

The fourth boy is the slowest eater of all my boys.

I have found a few things I can do while bottle-feeding: anything my smart phone can do, reading, watching TV, talking, ineffectively commanding my troop of boys, and eating.

On my smart phone, I check email, text, thumb through Facebook and Twitter, read online articles, and play games. But I can't type long comments or blog posts or create memes easily on my phone. I am so limited!

I can't stop my toddler from pouring/spilling milk or tossing everything off tall furniture. It is playtime for the third when I feed the fourth. When I am free, I am not free. I chase the other three and do chores.

I really fall into trouble thumbing through Facebook and Twitter. My brain explodes with the cultural and political events of the day. Do I read that article? Do I respond to that person's comment?

Oh, the trouble I could stir!

I don't like offending others, and I don't like always agreeing either. I have friends and family who are polar opposites on the political spectrum. Besides, I don't want to look stupid. Quite the paradox.

My former counselor wondered at how many politically-minded Facebook friends and family I have. Yes, you all are! And then you have to take a Facebook/Twitter break too like me.

Thus, I may start an alternative facts Twitter or Facebook account where I only deal in politics and current events. Have a separate space for the controversial.

Then I think of the businesses or jobs I could start: a used clothing store, writing, teaching English online at ridiculously early hours, a kids' language exchange program, a homeless shelter, earn my Master's degree, ad infinitum.

I look forward to when my infant can feed himself. Then I will have my hands free--to catch the fourth as he crawls away.