As many parents know, regardless of how old your children get, you are subject to sleepless nights and having to get on with it the next day. I found that when I was off of work, I would dwell on it and remember how tired I was but going to work meant that I would put it all behind me and enjoy the challenge of the day.
Recently, being at home doing the remote learning has meant it is hard to let go of the sleep disturbed nights by my little one climbing into my bed at 1am (sometimes pole vaulting- she is determined), the early mornings at 05:30 by my eldest ready to start her day as they have the little sleep gene from me, I’ll admit it. The changing the little ones clothes numerous times a day after painting, a washing hands shower, getting muddy in the garden, or even just lunch! My eldest refusing to do her schoolwork and running away, hitting a bow and suction-arrow at the kitchen window whilst I’m watching her and doing the dishes, collecting numerous crayons and pom poms from underneath or inside the sofa and finally, the constant questions of Why are you doing that? How do you do that? Can I help you cook? Don’t vacuum, I’m watching TV… It is relentless all day. I haven’t even talked about the lovely fingerprints on door frames or food spillages or just getting on with household jobs generally… and the daily run away from mummy where before we have even got to the park for our daily exercise, ‘please don’t run, come back, freeze, mind the driveways!’
There is so much going on so it has been a challenge learning how to let go. It could be seeing my husband come home and say ‘I’m shattered!’ and despite doing that numerous times, in my mind I know that it doesn’t help except making me feel more tired. It’s the dwelling feeling that I mentioned in the beginning where I am not escaping to another place to forgive and forget. It’s one of the things that I miss about going into the office and the power of the daily commute to refresh your thinking.
In my mindful time off of social media and this blog, I have learned to let go. Instead of looking at the journal list I make in the morning of things that I need to achieve for the day, I look at the things I have done and let go of the rest. Really, some of the things are not so important as I thought they were or can happen later on in the week or maybe I don’t need to do it on my own and they can be done together. Being in the moment with the children is the bulls-eye, so learning to drop the dishes for later, and squelching in the mud with our wellies in the garden may really be the priority that isn’t written on my journal. It’s Children’s Mental Health Week this week and seeing me fall in the mud may be just what would remind all of us that lockdown doesn’t have to be boring.
Skills Repeat 