Slings give you super powers. But you don't HAVE to be super woman.
So many things to juggle. So many things on the to do list.
As a mother, I judge myself harshly. I'm constantly under performance management review. With myself. Maybe it's because all through life we are judged on our successes. And criticised for our failures. And when motherhood rolled around I was sent into a tailspin of what the hell have I achieved today? What is my purpose. How can I judge if I've had a good day? A successful day parenting?
So I judge myself on how well the children have behaved. How many books I've read to them. Have the eaten healthy food? Have I had to resort to the gin before dinner? Have we done a wholesome activity? How much tablet time have they had? Have I babyworn today? How much milk has Anna had? Have I done at least one load of washing? Is the house tidy? Have the dogs been out? Have I shouted at the kids? I could carry on. Have I kept them out of harm? Have i cuddled them enough?
And babywearing helps me through this for sure. It is a parenting super power. From newborn days of need to juggling multiple children. From school run with a feral toddler, to being able to go to the toilet. It helps. Massively. I can cook and clean and walk the dog. I can run a business while babywearing. I can pay attention to my other children while babywearing. I can go for long walks to try and get in shape (haha). I can soothe my poorly baby while doing the shopping. I can continue the juggle.
Here's the thing.
I can also.... (and sorry for the swear but it's necessary) SIT THE FUCK DOWN.
At sling meet, at least twice a session a mum will say to me, "oh great, now I've got my hands free to do (name job)..."
And carol and I always say: "or you can sit down and eat some cake".
Seriously, I'm my own worst enemy with this. I burn myself out. I run myself into the ground. I think I'm super woman. And sometimes it feels bloody amazing to be able to feel like I've done everything. That the kids are happy, the house is clean and the jobs have been done.
But there are days (most of them) where this isn't going to happen.
I hear lots, and read lots, and talk lots about the mental load, the domestic load falling to mother's. And I feel it. I get it. Sometimes though I'm so done with it that I have to stop. It doesn't mean it goes away but it means I choose to stop. There is no prize for me for having a more difficult day. there is no prize for having the most children and juggling the most.
I don't have to strap Anna to me and march all the kids to Asda to get the shopping. I just call CJ and say "we're having take away." Or "I can't do dinner. Can you sort it".
So mama reading this. Sit the fuck down. When you can. Please. Use the sling. Settle the baby and then use it for 10 minutes to sit down and eat/drink/watch TV/scroll Instagram/pee! Baby is happy/asleep. Stop, sit and chill.
You have super powers I know. But you don't have to be super woman all the time.
So many things to juggle. So many things on the to do list.
As a mother, I judge myself harshly. I'm constantly under performance management review. With myself. Maybe it's because all through life we are judged on our successes. And criticised for our failures. And when motherhood rolled around I was sent into a tailspin of what the hell have I achieved today? What is my purpose. How can I judge if I've had a good day? A successful day parenting?
So I judge myself on how well the children have behaved. How many books I've read to them. Have the eaten healthy food? Have I had to resort to the gin before dinner? Have we done a wholesome activity? How much tablet time have they had? Have I babyworn today? How much milk has Anna had? Have I done at least one load of washing? Is the house tidy? Have the dogs been out? Have I shouted at the kids? I could carry on. Have I kept them out of harm? Have i cuddled them enough?
And babywearing helps me through this for sure. It is a parenting super power. From newborn days of need to juggling multiple children. From school run with a feral toddler, to being able to go to the toilet. It helps. Massively. I can cook and clean and walk the dog. I can run a business while babywearing. I can pay attention to my other children while babywearing. I can go for long walks to try and get in shape (haha). I can soothe my poorly baby while doing the shopping. I can continue the juggle.
Here's the thing.
I can also.... (and sorry for the swear but it's necessary) SIT THE FUCK DOWN.
At sling meet, at least twice a session a mum will say to me, "oh great, now I've got my hands free to do (name job)..."
And carol and I always say: "or you can sit down and eat some cake".
Seriously, I'm my own worst enemy with this. I burn myself out. I run myself into the ground. I think I'm super woman. And sometimes it feels bloody amazing to be able to feel like I've done everything. That the kids are happy, the house is clean and the jobs have been done.
But there are days (most of them) where this isn't going to happen.
I hear lots, and read lots, and talk lots about the mental load, the domestic load falling to mother's. And I feel it. I get it. Sometimes though I'm so done with it that I have to stop. It doesn't mean it goes away but it means I choose to stop. There is no prize for me for having a more difficult day. there is no prize for having the most children and juggling the most.
I don't have to strap Anna to me and march all the kids to Asda to get the shopping. I just call CJ and say "we're having take away." Or "I can't do dinner. Can you sort it".
So mama reading this. Sit the fuck down. When you can. Please. Use the sling. Settle the baby and then use it for 10 minutes to sit down and eat/drink/watch TV/scroll Instagram/pee! Baby is happy/asleep. Stop, sit and chill.
You have super powers I know. But you don't have to be super woman all the time.
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