This is my first summer holidays since becoming a Mindful Parenting Coach.
Even though I know that the aim of mindful parenting is to be ‘imperfect,’ I sometimes feel the pressure that, because I teach this stuff, I have to be perfect at it all the time.
I even said to someone the other day that I would never put my business sticker on my car because people might see me getting cross with the kids and think "well she wouldn’t be a very good mindful parenting coach."
Isn’t it funny how we put these expectations onto ourselves even though we know they are not realistic?
So, back to my original question - how am I feeling about the school holidays? Truth be told, I’m feeling a bit apprehensive.
My mum and dad arrived in town on Saturday and are staying with us for three weeks, which I am really excited about. Hubby is taking the same three weeks off, which I am also really excited about.
It’s the time after mum and dad go home and after hubby goes back that I am feeling worried about. I’ll be left at home looking after the three kids. It’s gonna be hot, we’re all gonna be a bit tired and sad that Grandma and Grandude have gone. We’re gonna miss having Dad around. And looking after three kids by myself is HARD!!
How am I going to manage it without losing my s**t all the time? How will we fill in the days?
Now, full transparency, the boys will be in day care/vacation care two days a week, so I do get to have a bit of a ‘break’ from full time parenting, which is something I need - and my business needs it too. Being so new, less than a year old, it’s not really feasible to take 5 weeks off just yet!
So….. I’m gonna make a plan. A plan for me and a plan for the boys.
Firstly me. I have found in the past that over holidays I tend to forget my mindfulness practice and put it on the back burner…. Well, my plan for these holidays is to do the opposite and step it up a notch. With extra help around over Christmas and new year, I intend to meditation for at least 20 minutes a day on most days (and 15 minutes on the other days).
I intend to spend one on one time with each child, something we very rarely get to do. We might go to the park, out for a babycino, who knows - but they get to decide.
And finally, I am going to get back into using my gratitude journal and bring some warmth and fuzziness back into my heart.
As for the kids…. We are going to sit down and chat about what we reeeaaalllly want to do once grandma and Grandude leave.
We’ll schedule in some pyjama days, some day trips, some play dates. We’ll spend some time each day watching the tv or playing the ipad. We’ll have some mindfulness fun, maybe go for a nature walk or do some yoga together?
Hey, you know what? Even just writing this list (as I’m sitting in bed listening to everyone have breakfast in the other room) I really feel like some of the apprehension has lifted. I am feeling a little calmer. Now that I have this (very loose) plan in place it seems a lot less daunting and scary.
Sometimes I surprise myself.
So as the school holidays begin, I invite you to think about what you can do over the next 5 weeks to help bring some calm to your days? Calm to your mind? Calm to your kids?
Share below, or tag me on Instagram and use the tag #calmerlifestyle.
And if you are stuck for ideas, I invite you to check out my new Create a Calmer Lifestyle Masterclass (which used to be a live webinar, and now you can purchase and access it anytime - awesome!)
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