Parenting and actually, life in general, is something NO ONE can claim they are perfect at or have figured out how to do perfectly. Obviously there are better, wiser ways to do things, but at the end of the day, the way we do things remains subjective and there are truly a million different ways to do it.
The sad thing is, we still hold onto our pride thinking our way is best and that everyone else is wrong. Becoming a mother is really a journey of accepting imperfection, celebrating small victories, learning to be less critical (of myself and others) and just enjoying the moments. It's so easy to get caught up with doing the right thing, that you miss what's right in front of you: a little person whose only desire is to be loved, accepted and fed (obviously). I've wasted too much time worrying that I'm feeding him too much, feeding him too little, not teaching him to sleep better, not stimulating him enough etc. And then off I go, on a Pinterest binge to read as many articles as possible on the topic, in the hope of finding the perfect answer to my question. I log off feeling more confused and guilty than ever, and pretty much back where I started. When will the madness stop?? So here is my mission this year, and I hope you would join me: (I say "let's" because I need to remind myself of this daily.)
Kids have survived a million different parenting strategies. Through my time as an au-pair and working at a preschool I realized that children only want to feel heard, want to have quality-time (not just be around each other - actually DO something together) and they want to know they are secure. It's actually not that complicated. You love your child, so that's enough. Have a wonderful week - enjoy your children. Enjoy the privilege of being a mom. Remember the days when you couldn't wait to have babies and be grateful that your dream came true. Be kind to yourself. You are doing a great job!
0 Comments
Maybe it's the narcissist in me, a crazy two years that has given me A LOT to write about or maybe the boredom of being a stay-at-home mom.
Whatever it may be, I will attempt to venture into the world of blogging. Not that I have anything majorly special to say, but I do feel like we live in a bizarre world where everyone battles the same giants but somehow no one seems to want to talk honestly about it. So my hope is that some honesty from my side, would open up some dialogue for women, moms, parents and actually anyone who would consider themselves a person. I also hope to share some practical ideas, recipes, thoughts from more experienced people, and maybe even special guest appearances! So here are some facts about Charlene. (I am Charlene) I am married to Justin since April 2012 and we live in Pretoria, South Africa. (Remind me to tell you you the crazy story of how we met one day!) We have a son named Eli, who was born on 4 May 2017 (#starwarsbaby #maythefourth) with whom we are slightly obsessed. I used to work as an administrator at a preschool but decided after Eli was born, to become a full-time mom. I had a small home business called Miss Ruby's bakery that has been on the back burner for some time, but the entrepreneur in me will find some new business venture I'm sure. (Homemade baby food coming soon!) I am passionate about homemaking, people, writing, and children. Wow, this is really sounding like a resumé. Almost done. On a deeper note, I am a Christ-follower (meaning I believe in Jesus and do my best to follow the teachings of the Bible in the least weird way possible), I've known the heartache of miscarriage and the challenge of a premature baby and the NICU. I really hope that I could encourage anyone reading this. Please feel free to ignore my words if you do not agree, I am only sharing my perspective. Also feel free to comment if you'd like to chat or ask anything. (I have all the time in world, I'm just a mom) #kidding So here goes! |
About meI'm a Pretoria-based mom who works from home, loves baking, cooking and childcare.
Archives
March 2018
Categories |