Keeping Sane
So it happened much quicker that I thought it would, the cracks showing, the heavy shoulders, dread and ground hog day feeling... I'm talking about summer holidays and managing it all.
I am sure we have seen some of the memes floating around social media, 'Enjoy your summer, you've only got 18 to enjoy with your children', and the like. As well meaning as they are and as true as the message may be. I saw one too many and started to get my back up about them. Now I am sure the intention is not to heap on the parenting guilt and make you feel like shit but in the 'well meaning meme' there is not mention of HOW to just crack on and enjoy the summer when you have work to do too. After all, when you are a small business owner or a working parent who needs to continue to work to fund the trips out, pay the bills and buy that new uniform in bulk at the end of the holidays, ohhh the joy of that shop, it's just not easy.
Last week I added a post to my socials, I was honest and true about my feelings. I'd had a difficult week. I had realised that I was working, mumming and trying to do it all by myself, not asking for help and as a result I was suffering with a huge amount of burn out. I was snappy tired and starting to feel resentful about everything and it was really, really exhausting trying to put a brave face on it.
So from here on in my mantra is, 'You've got this, you are doing your best and your best is enough'. I am splitting my days up, activities and work time. During work time the babysitter will do their thing *Netflix*... I will put my boundaries in place and say no when I cannot do something, I will complete tasks so that I can fully embrace the time I have with my three beautiful kiddos and I will also take the help when it is offered to me so I can get these tasks done.
So this blog is for you... the parent who is trying, the parent who is struggling, the parent having a good day, the parent having a bad day, the parent who has managed to drink that luke warm brew, the parent who has retreated to the bathroom for a 5 minute break (though I guarantee it was interrupted by a knock on the door and a 'Mummmyyyy or Dadddyyyyy) and to the parent who is winning because they have accepted that they are enough today, just as they are.
Love and stitches,
Nat xox