'The 6 things I genuinely thought were easy... until I became a parent.'

Thanks to our brand partner, UBER EATS

So, what's on for the weekend?

Maybe a Sunday sleep-in, a slow coffee in bed with a good book, then an afternoon walk?

That used to be my idea of a perfect weekend too.

You know that meme that's like, "Having kids hasn't stopped us from doing what we did before. We still do the same things, it's just 'ruined' now"?

It's kind of true. But honestly, I don't miss the old routine.

Sure, things like brushing my teeth have turned into a full-on event and I haven't had a moment alone in the bathroom in years. But life now is filled with plenty of laughs and those little moments — like tiny hands slipping into mine — that make it all worth it.

Still, can we just acknowledge how what used to be simple now feels like a bit of a challenge?

1. Just popping to the supermarket.

Last Thursday on our way home from kindergarten pick up, I told my son we needed to make a quick stop to grab some pasta and sauce for dinner. People walking past probably thought I'd told my son we were stopping at the dentist to have our teeth pulled out.

He went through all five stages of grief right there in his car seat.

And honestly, I'd had a day. Nothing tests my patience (or upper body strength) more than a "quick" grocery stop with a small kid. Between wrestling him into the trolley and fending off snack requests, it's less errand, more endurance training.

So, I opted for the sanity-saver that is Uber Eats and soon, I had the essentials at my door with no tantrums or checkout meltdowns. 

It's an easy way to grab those mid-week grocery top-ups when you just can't face heading out for a handful of items. Quick and convenient, it works well for those weeks when you're juggling a lot (ahem, every week).

2. Having an adult conversation with my partner.

Speaking of my husband, have you spoken to him lately?

Any attempt at a conversation is basically a competitive sport. I tried to tell him last week that the fridge needs a new water filter, but before I got halfway through the sentence my son launched into the North Melbourne Kangaroos theme song at full volume. I bowed out of the chat — and the competition — I didn't even realise I'd entered.

3. Getting dressed in minutes.

Remember when getting dressed used to be a solo activity? Now, I've got a four-year-old "assistant" who insists on helping in the frantic few minutes I have to get ready.

The same goes for makeup — his latest hobby is opening each of my cosmetics for me while I'm trying to cover the under-eye circles. It's extremely cute… and extremely unhelpful.

4. Being on time to… anything.

You're either an on-time person or you're not, and I used to be a pretty on-time person. Now? Not so much. Although, if I'm honest, half the time I'm just using my kid as an excuse. 

I think it's fair though, because the other half of the time I'm late is spent pretending to search for the rock I didn't realise was his most prized possession — the one I'd tossed back into the garden days earlier.

5. Wearing white clothes (that actually stay white).

Turns out, stain removers are a lie.

Once upon a time, stain removal was a once-a-month thing — usually coaxing a drop of red wine off the hem of my skirt — and it actually worked! Now it's more of a daily thing, and half the time I don't even want to know what I'm attempting to scrub out.

6. Sleeping in, or sleeping at all.

Honestly, I've never been what you'd call a "good sleeper". I'm the type who lies awake replaying every potential faux pas from my day.

And it seems my darling boy inherited his mother's proclivity for a midnight brain rager, so now, sleep is more precious than gold. Yep, I'd trade almost anything for it — chocolate, wine, a kid-free holiday… even front-row Taylor Swift tickets. 

The same goes for weekend sleep-ins. Before kids, weekends meant blissful, unchecked hours under the doona. Now it's a tangle of little limbs, an elbow in my boob and milky breath reciting the alphabet centimetres from my face. 

The funny thing is, I actually prefer it this way. 

Get your top up shop without the shop, through the Uber Eats app.

Feature Image: Supplied.

Get the top up shop without the shop. Uber Eats.