February Blog, Take Two. More from Me.

I haven’t been very well this week, I wont bore you with the details, I’m feeling much better today. Because of this I don’t feel completely happy with yesterdays blog about laughter. It’s a good blog, well written and very well researched, (if I do say so myself) but I just feel that it is missing the vital ingredient of me. That is why this morning's blog is Take Two, I don’t have a plan for this blog and it will probably be a ramble from me but it will be ALL me.

I’ve been thinking this week how lucky I am to have older children, George is 20 years, Ella is 17 years and Elizabeth is 12 years (13 years in 18 days! WOW i’m going to be a mother of an adult and teenagers!). Feeling unwell but having older children is a lot easier, I don’t have to get anyone dressed, take anyone to school, I’ve had offers to help with dinner and to clean up after dinner, I’ve been able to go to bed anytime I like because the girls are more than able to get themselves ready for bed and into bed at the right time. I’ve been thinking to myself, “how on earth did I cope when the kids were little.” I guess the answer is, I just did, I didn’t have a choice. Parenting is hard work, we often don’t have a choice we just get on with it.

However in saying all of this it makes me realise how important the things I say to parents of younger children are.

Children are wise little creatures and we often don’t give them enough credit for their wisdom. When we aren’t feeling on our top game we need to let our children know this, whether physically or mentally unwell. We owe it to our children to let them know we aren’t feeling great. Often we just try to get on with the business of parenting and overload ourselves so much that we end up being the “shouty” Mum and our kids have no idea why.

The next time your not feeling on top form let your children know, ask them for help no matter what age they are.

Remember the ‘Good Enough Parent’, when we are feeling unwell we are only capable of being as good as we can. If our children choose their own clothes for that day, if we don’t get to school on time, if they eat instant noodles and biscuits for their tea, it was good enough for that day.

Children are full of empathy and are often capable of much more than we give them credit for. Let them know you aren’t feeling well. It shows them that Mum or Dad often need help too, building family bonds and the idea that we work together, to take care of each other in our family.

Take care of yourselves everyone. Happy February!