It is nearly mothers day here in Australia and like many other countries, a day that promises to celebrate, acknowledge and honor all those amazing women. Having grown up with an incredible mum, someone who challenged the norm, delivered endless creativity and an abundant supply of unconditional love, I was very privileged to enter motherhood with a strong sense of how I wanted to do it. I also learned how I didn’t want to parent through some of the more challenging times in my childhood, but for those I am now learning to be equally grateful. Yes there are times when the juggling is overwhelming, when their emotional well being and their endless need for you to give 150%, is just all consuming, but would I give up being pushed out of my bed most nights when they want a snuggle, no way. I also wouldn’t give up sitting yet again on a wee covered toilet cause my rat bag son hasn’t lifted the seat in his eagerness to finish off his drawing. I also wouldn’t give up trying desperately to inspire my daughter to try just 1 other thing than her staple diet of about 5 different meals, of which most only 3 bites are consumed! As I shovel yet more wasted veggies in the garbage and mutter to myself how she will just have to live on boiled eggs and avocado until her pallet has matured, devastated by the time and money wasted. My daughter then sidles up to me and says, lisp included ‘ fank yu for my delisuss dinna mummy, it waz great!’ What I am willing to give up as a working, juggling, solo parenting perfectionist mummy is second-guessing whether I have made the right choices for my kids. I am also willing to let go of the guilt I feel when I take time for myself and slowly but surely take on the belief that by honoring myself a little bit more I will be an even better mummy!
I was recently asked to contribute to a Mothers day feature for Sportscraft. It was a great day with a wonderful and cool bunch of mums, a chance to take stock of just how damn lucky we are…
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