A round up of some interesting reading you may have missed...
There are certain things we all "know", that all health agencies and writers on all aspects of health refer to, one is drinking at least 2 litres of water - not tea, coffee or milk a day - this is rubbish according to thehealth authorities, medics and researcher - not fact but misinterpretation of a scientist's 1970's statement purposely pushed by... yes, you've got it... bottled water companies. This is a really interesting article in The Guardian
A post by a new blogger I have discovered: Demand Euphoria opens thus...
I am not the boss of my family. I didn't hire my kids as employees, to follow my orders and make me look good. I don't have a job description in mind for them, a list of responsibilities and tasks they are expected to perform... It's more like I'm the hostess of a party. I sent invitations to my kids to join me in my life as honored guests.
It's been on my mind a lot... I like the ideas... and the sentiment. It has certainly got me thinking... Certainly it was our choice to welcome our children into this world.... But after that it makes me feel a little guilty and lesser, and not nearly so nice a mama as I should be... which is why I try not to read too much about parenting... I am not, as I regularly tell them, my children's servants, though they would love me to be. They love to sit in front on the TV and shout demands at me. No, my intention is to raise children with deep love and care... and self-sufficiency. To foster the "I can do it!" feeling and a little hard graft, at times, rather than have them rely on me for everything and get out of the habit of being able to do stuff for themselves. This is partly for my own sanity (see my previous mama bear post), but mainly because I have crossed paths with too many young and not so young adults who were waited on by their parents, and learn to expect it, which in the long run has made them expect others to do it as a matter of course.
I really liked another of her posts: Ten more ways to confuse a child but again left feeling guilty of doing most of them to my kids... oh dear, internal mama-bashing going on in my own head. But then I had a lovely day with my kiddles and decided maybe I shouldn't be retired to the scrap heap just yet!
But they are great food for thought....
And finally, for something completely different on a great site www.yoni.com...
An appreciation of breasts and the life shifting changes that lactating have on you, from a woman's perspective http://www.yoni.com/motherf/cheriesstory.shtml
No more mamaa bahsing, its called being reflective! Only by being reflecive can you move forward. We are coming over to Ireland in the next couple of weeks, how is the weather doing?!
ReplyDeleteGlorious! Really wonderful summer weather. Real warmth which is unusual for here. Hope it sticks around for you! Whereabouts in Ireland will you be?
ReplyDeleteI keep meaning to come here and respond to your reaction to my posts. I am sorry if my words made you feel guilty! That was not my intention. It's interesting to explore the idea of being a servant. I wouldn't consider myself a servant to any guests I had for a party or staying with me for any period of time. I would happily accommodate them to make sure their needs are met. This is how I feel about my kids too. Yes, for now, sometimes they shout their needs in less-than-polite ways, but I know that will not be the case forever.
ReplyDeleteMama-bashing won't do you any good! All we can do is be aware of our weaknesses (I have plenty of my own) and keep working on them. We are only human too!!
Thanks for linking to my posts. :)
Hey Vickie, thanks for stopping by! And for your response to my response!! I love it! I think the difference between us lie in the fact that I can enjoy guests for a couple of hours, 24 hours max, before feeling overwhelmed and exhausted and needing out! So no wonder I feel that too with my own kids. I am not very good at accomodating - find it all v draining on my energy... the old Highly Sensitive trait kicking in there- I can see it in both of my parents too, so I know I am not alone in it! We're all as grumpy and intolerant as each other, after the first high energy glory hours!
ReplyDelete