Lifestyle and modern womanhood
I remember that day like it was yesterday. My daughter Maelys looked at me with big bright eyes and a huge smile. She held the beautiful black doll I had just bought for her, touched her curls and beamed. It was such a precious moment, and one that repeated itself over and over again, as I continued to introduce more objects, books and even TV shows that featured characters that looked just like her.
Continue reading “AD – Turning bath time into a playful adventure with Matey!”
One humbling aspect of parenting is realising you can learn just as much from your kids as they can learn from you. Whether it’s small reminders or entire life lessons, children really have a way of teaching you important things, and usually at very timely moments in your life.
Continue reading “Five things I’m learning from my children”
I recently asked my friends on Instagram what sort of content would help them when it comes to life at home. The one reply that came back a few times was ‘routines”.
Continue reading “Our morning and evening routines explained”
“My son is not yet potty trained.” She said.
“Oh. Okay!” I replied, surprised.
She then sighed and went on a rant about how difficult it is with boys.
“They’re a bit slow compared to girls, when it comes to these things.” She said.
I smiled and didn’t say anything. That had not been my experience, but I understood that she had obviously been struggling with potty training. I wasn’t about to confront her gender stereotyping (perhaps I should have, gently?). Clearly she just wanted someone to talk to.
Continue reading “How much do you judge other parents?”
Our children have seen a lot, and chances are, they’ll continue to see a lot as the years go by. They see us in our cringy lovey dovey moments, just like they see us when we’re at each other’s throat. These days, for example, they see an abundance of love, affection and unity, whereas a few months ago they witnessed quite a lot of anger and pain as I struggled with aspects of my mental health.
Continue reading “Why I no longer feel bad about my children seeing the less pretty side of marriage”
If there’s one thing this year has taught me, it’s that we can never be “too hygienic”. Growing up, good hand hygiene was something my mother used to insist on all the time, and I’m glad she raised us that way. Today I find myself using a similar approach when it comes to my own children – teaching them to not only wash their hands regularly, but also keep them soft, nourished and moisturised especially in colder weather.
With the festive season fast approaching, the Childs Farm Hand care tin makes an amazing Christmas gift and is also the perfect little tool (this year especially!) to encourage the little ones to be intentional about their hand washing routine.
Continue reading “AD│ A caring gift for little hands – Childs Farm Hand care tin”
“There’s no “opt out” button. We’re responsible for three small human beings til they reach the age where they can start making life decisions for themselves, pay their own bills, have kids of their own… And even beyond that, I’ll still feel a sense of responsibility towards them. We can’t just switch this parenting thing off whenever we feel like it; it doesn’t just go away whenever you need a break; we have to deal with it, even on our worst days… and the journey has only just begun. Can you believe it?”
These are the types of words that come out of my mouth during conversations with my husband whenever the reality of our lives just hits me.
Continue reading “Motherhood behind closed doors – Fear, isolation, entrapment and guilt”
I’ve seen a lot of posts on how to keep the kids entertained this summer but most are aimed at pre-schoolers. We have pre-teens who are totally addicted to their video games and who constantly need to be encouraged to do other things around the house or in the garden. They love watching gamers on Youtube and can’t wait to try out what they’ve ‘learned’… and before you know it, you have kids who become increasingly disconnected with ‘everyday family life’ and totally uninterested in anything that doesn’t involve some sort of technology.
Continue reading “10 Tips to keep your kids off their video games this summer”
How do you feel when you see photos of babies and young children on social media? Does it make you smile, or do you feel slightly uncomfortable? Being a mother of three children with a huge passion for the digital world and social media, these are questions I’ve asked myself on numerous occasions. And when it comes to my own children, the realisation that I have reached a point of no return in terms of my kids’ online presence wasn’t an easy one to face. Continue reading “On raising a generation of babies born with cameras in their faces”
À la Waïki 