Our day begins around 8 a.m. Earlier if Ehlana decides it’s time for me to get up.

I go in to get her out of bed, and then have to wait while she decides how many books and toys she wants to bring downstairs, which are then promptly abandoned on the lounge once I present her with her morning bottle of milk.

Once she’s finished, if I’m lucky, she’ll decide to take the empty bottle to the sink, or leave it lying around whilst she goes and plays with her puzzles, or something I’ve forgotten to put safely out of her reach. I always seem to miss putting that one particular item away before she comes downstairs. Oh well, I suppose I’ll learn one day.

Sometimes, being a single parent is hard, because there’s only me, and when babies get to that walking and talking stage, you don’t have a lot of time to yourself. I do have time when she’s playing, or sleeping, but to leave Ehlana alone for more than a minute, and its hello mischief. There have been a few times when I’ve been upstairs after she’s woken from a nap, to find she’s removed all her clothes, plus her nappy. I’ve discovered that masking tape will prevent this, although it’s only a matter of time before she discovers how to remove the tape as well. She thinks it’s a great joke, but it’s not much of a joke to me as I dread sometimes what I’ll find. Do ALL young children do this?

When lunchtime comes, I try to figure out what Ehlana would like to eat. Trying to ask her, usually gets the typical response of no, followed by an approximate pronunciation of the food I suggested. Some days it’s easy, and she’ll eat whatever I give her, other days her lunch will end up all over the place. She’s yet to tip a bowl full of food over her head like other children do, but I suppose she’ll learn how to do that soon. I’ve sworn to have a camera on hand for that day. Sometimes, it’s hard to figure out if Ehlana’s truly had enough to eat, or if she’s just being temperamental. Trying to eat my lunch, plus making sure she’s eating hers as well as trying to pinch mine, can make for an interesting lunchtime indeed!

After lunch, it’s time for some play, and then Ehlana’s nap. I will admit I do look forward to a couple of hours peace and quiet when Ehlana goes to bed. With any luck, she doesn’t take long to fall asleep, but there are times when the little darling will just sit and read her books, or play with her toys, or complain about not wanting to sleep as loud as she can. Once she’s asleep though, it’s at least two hours of time for me to sit and relax, or do some housework which, I suppose is relaxing. Or is it? On the one day a week that she goes to child minding, I have from about nine in the morning till three in the afternoon to go do my shopping and other things. I love those days.

In the evening, we both settle down to watch tv. Well, most of the time. Ehlana either sits with me, or in her little green plastic chair, or finds something to play with and then, of course, she loves to talk. Most of the time I can’t understand what she says, but by the look on her face, it has to be pretty important to her. We sit and watch tv until it’s time for her evening bottle. After that, it’s bathtime when she loves to splash and play with her bathtub toys. She’ll sit there and try to tell me which is the turtle, which is the dolphin, until I become weary with it all. Most of the time she’ll get it right. I think she’s pretty smart for a two year old. But don’t all mothers?

Once she’s bathed and dressed in her pyjamas, it’s a battle royal to get her teeth cleaned. Ehlana knows where her toothbrush and toothpaste are, and she sort of knows what they’re for, but trying to keep her mouth open while I clean her teeth isn’t easy. I often wonder if my mother had that much trouble trying to teach me how to brush my teeth.

Eventually it’s bedtime. Sometimes it’s simply a matter of tucking a tired little girl into bed. Other times, she’ll want to play or read her books. But once she’s settled it’s not long until she falls asleep and peace reigns. She always looks so cute when she’s asleep. I think most children do. I just know how much of a relief it is when the little darling’s in bed and finally asleep.

Well, that’s a day in the life of my daughter and me. As I finish this, I’m watching her playing with a puzzle, and wonder what kind of mischief she’s planning for me next.

It’s now four and a half years later.

All those years have gone by and now my little girl isn’t so little anymore. Ehlana is five years old and attending her first year of primary school - called “Prep” here in Melbourne, Victoria. She’s been at school now for almost a month and I can’t belive the ease with which she handled the change from Kindergarten to first grade.

When I first saw her in her uniform, I was surprised and pleased at how grown-up she looked, and it made me think of my first day at “big school”. That was a very long time ago and things have changed a fair bit. I remember my mum taking my photo the morning of my first day, and recently I received a photo of Ehlana standing on the front step of the school, bag in hand and all primed and pressed in her uniform, ready for her big day. Big grin on her face of course, but perhaps a hint of apprehension.

Like all children, she’s a little difficult when it comes to homework, but first graders don’t seem to get much, other than reading a book and practicing words and letters. I began teaching Ehlana her letters and numbers as soon as she learned to talk, so I suppose that’s why she’s pretty clever when it comes to reading and counting. Listening to her count things or read a book on her own always makes me very proud, and when she reads me a story it’s the best thing in the world. It’s moments like that that make me feel glad to be a parent.

- Robyn Gardam
Ascot, Queensland, Australia.