Multitasking '“ even my daughter does it

There is a common opinion that mothers are the ultimate multitaskers and that it comes as naturally as walking for them.
Multitasking - it's in a woman's genesMultitasking - it's in a woman's genes
Multitasking - it's in a woman's genes

Although my manly hunter-gatherer ancestors that live on inside me would love to disagree with this view and come up with some proof that dads are just as good as mums at multitasking, I can’t.

I completely and unequivocally agree with this opinion.

I can still vividly remember Sundays as a child when I would watch my mum in the kitchen cook the family roast.

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Just a few weeks ago at the age of 31 I prepared and cooked my first roast and I admit the process needed my undivided attention.

Back when I was a boy, as well as chopping the vegetables, preparing a joint of meat and making sure all the food was ready at the same time, my mum would be ironing the school uniforms ready for Monday morning and act as a referee when me and my siblings would be arguing over the TV remote control or whose turn it was to play Sonic the Hedgehog on the Sega Mega Drive.

Now, in 2016, I’m seeing the exact same thing in my partner Serena of whom I’m often in awe.

She can easily, without fuss, make delicious cup cakes with our two girls while preparing that night’s dinner at the same time as doing the washing up and the laundry.

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It seems this feminine trait starts young as our four-year-old daughter Alyssa is showing signs she is following in the footsteps of her nan and mum by being a great multitasker.

I recently witnessed her playing the CBeebies educational app on the iPad while at the same time watching her favourite TV channel, CBeebies, on the big TV.

Her head was moving up and down between the two screens like she was a nodding dog.

When I asked her which one she’d like to watch she replied ‘both’.

I’ve been a father now for more than six years.

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In that time I’ve learnt that being a parent and being a master at multitasking come together. You wouldn’t get through the day if they didn’t.

Apparently a recent study showed it isn’t a myth and mums are better than dads at multitasking, but I’m confident I’m just as good.

For example I can play a game of hide and seek with my daughters while checking and replying to my e-mails on my smartphone, that’s multitasking. Isn’t it?

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF TINY TIM

At the end of the day, when your head is resting on your pillow, do you ever look back and review your day?

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Recently we had to do just that when a special guest came to stay.

His name is Tiny Tim and he was brought home from school by my four-year-old daughter Alyssa to spend the night with us. He’s a tiny turtle teddy.

The children in the class take turns to take him home and then write about what they got up to in Tiny Tim’s diary.

I find it a really interesting exercise because it gave me the opportunity to sit down with Alyssa and look back on our day, something we don’t usually do.

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Anyone who has young children knows they grow up so quickly and each year brings different routines.

I take a lot of photos and videos of us a family to look back on in years to come, but they don’t always tell the whole story.

So like Tiny Tim I’m pondering the idea of keeping a daily diary.

I think in years to come I’ll be glad I did.

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