Piggle

Daily Rhythm

The first time I became aware of the concept of daily rhythm was through reading Montessori and Waldorf inspired blogs.

I am sure that I was aware of the rhythms that take us though our life before this but it was reading these blogs that brought it further into my consciousness.

I now realise that it is the small things that we do each day the same that give us consistency and comfort in our lives - regardless of how old we are.

So we awaken and the little one and Dada have breakfast together - they have their own little breakfast rituals - little things like fishing the cereal straight from the box so the little one can eat that while he is waiting for Dada to get the milk. A breastfeed and a snuggle with mama after breaskfast. A morning play followed by a nice walk outside in the sunshine. Then home for a nap. An outing for the day - perhaps to the shops for a look around or just to the park. Home for lunch and then a nap. Afternoon play and a snack - a bit more play - usually outdoors. Dinner, Bath, book, snuggle with Mama, the tucking in game and sleep.

I have noticed for myself that staying within our daily routine provides us with a calm contentedness, a nice balance of home time and being out of the house - we do not feel rushed or flustered on the days we have our routine going smoothly.

I have also noticed that when the routine is in full swing it seems to have an energy of it's own and give us a good positive energy. Everyone is happier and our das run smoothly.

There are other rhythms to our lives as well - the week in week out rhythm that helps us to stay organised and flow in the daily rhythm, and the ryhthm of the seasons - which I am still getting to learn and love.

I really hope things such as rituals and yearly special festivals can become of higher importance in our lives over the next few years.

I am so grateful that having a child has brought all this learning into my life!

This post was written for the Steady Mom 30 minute BLog challenge in 27 mins!

Our bit for the Environment

I must admit that it is taking me a while to get around to being 100% environmentally conscious.

In fact - it didn't even occur to me until I had a child and I started to think about things like chemical exposure more seriously.

It all started with me reading an article on the dangers and potential side effects of Bisphenol-A (BPA) - so I switched everything to glass, stainless steel and BPA free plastics - although I must admit that every now and again I forget.

Then I decided that cloth nappies were an important step for me to take - both for financial reasons and environmental. I just could not get over the amount of nappies we were going through. I do get a little blase becasue I cannot use Cloth when the little one is at childcare (they insist on us providing disposables and they use 5 - 6 a day so biodegradeable disposables would get expensive) - but whenever I can at home I try to use cloth.

We try to buy locallly produced produce as much as possible.

We travel by plane very infrequently.

We try our very hardest to dress for the weather rather than to use electricity/gas based cooling and heating.

We recycle as much as we can. 

I breastfed my baby.

I try to limit our consumerism of petrochemical based items - especially plastic toys! I buy Natural Organic skin care and hand soap.

My latest thing is attemting to make my own Laundry powder and in the coming weeks (once I get the hang of the Laundry powder), diswashing liquid, general purpose cleaner, and toilet cleaner.

I have only used it a couple of times but so far so good - it seems to get the clothes nice and clean. Here is the recipie I have used:

Laundry Powder for Clothes washing

2 Cups of pure soap flakes (I used Lux brand but you could also use a pure soap that you grate/shave from a bar)

1 cup Borax

1 Cup washing soda

500g Bicarbonate Soda

Mix all together thoroughly in a bowl and then transfer into an airtight container.

You only need to use a scant 1/4 cup for a large load of washing. Apparently if you have a more heavily soiled load of washing you can put it on the pre rinse for 1/2 an hour with 1/2 a cup of Washing soda added.

The thing I love about this is as I was pouring mine into the bowl I thought to myself - this would make a great gift for someone who was environmentally minded. I put mine into a 1 Lt Preserving Jar and it would be great to put a lovely label on it, tie a ribbon around the seal and add a cute wooden tablespoon or measuing cup.

Environmentally friendly things I still need to work on!

Composting!!! I really should be doing this and need to buy a composting barrel!

Sorting Peas

What DO you do with a hungry toddler and 5:15 pm in the afternoon when you are trying to organise both his and the rest of the family's dinner?

Give him Frozen peas!

These made a surprisingly great toy and kept him entertained for enough time for me to get dinner finished and on thetable.

I just gave him about 1 cup of frozen peas in one mixing bowl, an empty mixing bowl and a scoop - and off he went. from one container to the other and then some for the mouth!!!

Self Matters

I am a girly girl - and a bit of a gym bunny.

Why am I making this revelation you may wonder?

Because these are two of the things that suffered during the time I was pregnant and in the first year of Master H's life. The reasons they suffered were varied - close relatives dying, moving accross the country, illness and pain due to pregnancy but most of all and especially after the baby was born - feelings of guilt and selfishness.

The reason that it is in line with the title of today's post is because I am a big (huge) believer in the concept that you absolutely need to look after yourself before you are able to look after your child or you entire family to the best of your ability.

I believe that it is really really important to remember to be a bit selfish every now and again - and that your partner shold heed this and give you the capacity to achieve it.

For me that means taking the time during the day to wash and blow dry my hair (if fact this was one of the things that helped me to feel human again in those first few weeks after giving birth), shave my legs, paint my nails and let them to dry and to take the time to get dressed in cliothes that make me feel good about myself. Not all of these things every day of course - but just something small each day. Sometimes it means ignoring the pile of washing up on the bench or the fact that there are clothes to be hung on the line!

I also go to the gym and run - quite a bit - although this is something that has only really started happening again regularly in the past couple of months. Although I did recommence going to the gym when Master H was only 8 weeks old. I wasn't fazed by leaving him with the carers at the gym to take the  hour or so for myself. It gave me some sanity it gave me some 'me time'.

Neither am I worried by glamming it up and heading out with some girl friends for a nice dinner and a quiet drink.

I do all these things because it helps me to have a little of that independence I had pre baby back again and for that little bit of time I feel like me.

I have a bad habit of comparing myself to others (I am working on that) and when I am out and about I often look at other mothers who seem around my age. I do notice that there appears to be many many mothers out there who don't seem to take that time to care for themselves - and I'm not just talking physically - I believe it helps mentally as well.

While becoming a mother changes your expercience and perception of life and your opinion of what is most important irrevocably - I don't believe it changes who you are deep down and I wonder if there are many mothers out there who begin to define themselves by their new role in life.

Do you ever catch yourself saying - I'm a mother now - I can't do, wear etc that?

If you do then perhaps you need to question your thinking?

I beleve that it is good for both you and your family to retain a little of the old pre- baby youthfullness in there..

I am not denying that it is not difficult to let go of the guilt and selfishness associated with giving yourself something back - it is hard - but the rewards you get back from taking that little bit of time are well worth it.

Your family will have a happier mom and you will be setting a good examplle for your children.

This post was written for the Steady Mom 30 minute blog challenge.

(I also just read this georgous post on the same topic by Soulemama - that'll teach me for ignoring my reader!)

Forced Slowness

We have had a nice day today - enforced slowing down through the onset of illness. The boy isn't really all that unwell - just contagious - so he isn't allowed at childcare!

So today we went to the park!

 

and played on the swings and chased Pigeons.

I actually feel like I accomplished a few things at home because I had no agenda - I don't usually get to stay home on a Thursday!

Feeling good again!

Slow Moments and Politics

 

This Steady Mom 30 minute blog challenge is turning out to be a blessing for me - it means that I am actually making the efferot to write here once a week (sometimes more!) - although today I did have a thought that as march progresses slowly for us - I may have a few things to blog about.

One of those being Slow Moments.

Slow Moment of the Day

After the little one woke from his unusually long lunchtime sleep today he snuggled into me as though he was really still tired and wanted more sleep. Normally I would pick him up from his bed and walk straight outside with him, ready for some more play and a snack.

Today I was trying to be very mindful of just having stillness and savouring the moment of ordinary things. So I sat down on the nursing chair with him snuggled into my arms and just sat with him for ten minutes.

He lay there awakening from his slumber slowly and I sat and thought about the gorgeous little creature that is my son. I stroked his head and felt how his hair - so fine and blonde - is beginning to grow thicker and become more like that of a little boy. He changes before my eyes daily.

Finally he looked up at me as if to say, ' thank you for that snuggle Mama - it was just what I needed'.

I think I will find much joy in this not rushing business.

And now onto the more serious part of this blog post - Politics!

I am not really one to get involved in Political matters - not really one to become passionately embroiled in an argument of any kind really. However, I have recently come to the realisation that the decisions that our political leaders make now are those most likely to affect my children in the future. If major changes are made to the Education system or the Healthcare system - it is my kids who will benefit and/or suffer.

Now it's not the actual reform that I am really all that concerned about. Australia has an excellent education and healthcare system and the basic structure and elements are things that I hope are only built on and improved.

The reason this has come to my attention is because the current Australian government is on the cusp of delivering education reform that will make a vast difference to the education that my child recieves as compared to what I recieved. That reform is the introduction of a National Curriculum. I agree with this concept - do not get me wrong - I most definitely agree that the basis of the Australian education system should be cohesive across all states and territories - it would most certainly make it easier to understand in some cases. However, it is the process by which this will be achieved that intrigues me most.

I will digress to  Healthcare for a moment.

Australia has one of the best healthcare systems in the world - subsidised medical care for all and a free public hospital system that provides state of the art facilities in most instances. I may be biased - I work in one of these facilities. With the whisper of major health reform on the political agenda - I am nervous. There are many flaws in the Australian healthcare system and I wouldn't hesitate to say that not many of them are concerned with the frontline delivery of this service - unless - that frontline delivery is affected by limitation of service  through access (Read: Waiting lists) or through poor allocation of resources. In my opinion - it is the latter that is one of the biggest issues. Now if this healthcare reform comes in the form of a Federal government takeover of the presently state run health services - it will be very interesting to see just how it all pans out!

You see - it is not the reform that I am concerned about - i am sure that those thoughts and ideas are all well considered and thought through by numerous policy advisers and political bigwigs. It is those policy advisers, political bigwigs and numerous other levels of beauracracy that the reform has to go through to finally be deliviered to the public - that is where my biggest fear lies. While I am sure that many of these people do their job well, I do wonder just how many of them have ever worked in a frontline healthcare situation? I have it on good authority that there isn't all that many and those that did - did so many years ago.

My question is - How is it possible to make decisions that will affect generations of future Australians when those people making the decisions may have never had to really think it through and seen first hand how the choices they make and the boxes they check will affect everyday Australians?

It is a very difficult situation but one that I believe needs consideration.

I know that this is a very Australia centric post - however in light of the proposed changes to the US healthcare system perhaps some thoughts are relevant. If not - I hope you enjoyed my Slow Moment of the day!

A little treat

Slowing down for March

 

February is such a speedy month! It arrives and then before you know it - it's all done and gone again.

As we hasitliy apporach March and we enter my absolute favourite time of the year - Autumn - I have been inspired by Emily at Ready to Wait.com to make March the month of Slow.

As the days get a little shorter, the mornings and evenings become darker and the leaves begin to change colour and fall.

I need to learn to become more intentional and live in the moment - worry less about what is going to happen down the track.

So for March we focus on Slow.

There will be slow food. Slow walks to the park, Slow long runs (as I am training for a half marathon), Books about slow creatures.

Slow is our theme for March.

Now if only I cold get my hands on a bottle of Sloe Gin......

Scales belong on fish

I often talk about work-life balance here on my blog and that is possibly because it is something that is new to me and I am still trying to figure it all out.

Since returning to my profession in a part time capacity I have noticed that I do not feel any different to how I felt when I worked full time. In fact, I feel as though I am better at my job - I am far more organised and make a point of being a good communicator to my colleagues to ensure that any problems which may occur on a day when I am not there are able to be dealt with. However, in recent weeks I have had the feeling that my contribution is valued less because I am  part time. I feel as though I am given less challenging work and that my workload is vetoed more stringently to ensure that I can 'manage' the load. While I am sure that in some cases this is necessary, I feel that I am being held back ever so slightly.

I am the first to admit that our pregnancy was not well timed. I was most definitely not where I had planned for my carrer to be when I fell pregnant. In fact, I was three weeks into a brand new  job and it was quite literally the worst timing that was possible. Like many things that we don't think we will get through - I got through it. I came out the other side and I am OK, but I don't think my career progression is. Now I feel like I am paddling through mud and feel as though unless I go back full time, I may well be paddling through mud for years to come. Especially considering I am planning on having more children.

At this point dear reader you might be thinking - so what - what does it matter if you are going to have more children? Work will just become less and less important to you - right? Possibly - yes. However I am pretty sure that as long as I need to go there each day, I am going to want to be stimulated and challenged during the hours that I am there. You see - I am not someone who can just go, do a job and then come home again. I like to get involved, make a difference and be really fulfilled in all aspects of my life. My brain cannot sit idle for too long...the ticking starts to annoy me after a while.

Is it too much to ask to be given opportunities to do exactly the same work as you would do if you where there 5 days per week when you are only there 3? I don't think so - I know I am certainly capable of it. I do think it is a form of mild discrimination.

I must admit that I do have it very good. I have a very good employer and have been granted to blessing of being able to continue to breastfeed my child during working hours (He attends childcare onsite) and am not disadvantaged in any other way because I work part time. However, it is this small  aspect of capability that irritates me and leaves me wanting to leave altogether. Why should I be valued less because I choose to do a little for me (Work in my chosen field) and also be a mother?

I have noticed this topic of work life balance come up in a number of different forums in the past few weeks and I was reminded of it by an article by my favourite journalist in her column this past weekend. She writes about the virtues of this post feminist world we live in and how the generation of young women encroaching on childbearing age have a path paved by their feminist predecessors which has given them the freedom of being able to "have it all". We have these wonderful employee poilicies that promote and allow work life balance and disallow discrimination on the grounds of being a woman. However, the path for true equality in terms of career progression without sacrifice on some part is still quite murky.  Is it really possible to take 12 months off work to spend with your child during a time when they are so vulnerable to attachment and then return part time and expect to still achieve those same things you had dreams of achieving before you had the baby? From my own person experience I think not. ( You can read the full article Here!)

An even more disturbing aspect of this reality was brought to my attention by Amy Tieman (Mojo Mom) in her podcast entitled "Mojo Mom and Paula Spencer of Momfidence and Caring.com" who talks about her experience of hearing that young university women had decided to not have children altogether because of the impact it wuold have on thier future career and the fact that the working world  is not very inviting and inclusive to working moms.

It is sad that young women are growing up in a world that values work more than the beauty and fulfillment of granting human life.

I agree in entirity that there needs to be balance between work and life. I also think that it is important for mom's who choose to work for their own sense of self are able to do so. But at what expense because it seems to me that something has to give.

For me - well it is time to reassses my work values because I know that I value my family and my child far more highly.

So off I go to work to simlply do my job and be happy while I am there - anything else that happens along the way is a bonus. My more important job and the one I need to invest more in is at home.

This post was written for the Steady Mom  Mom's 30 minnute blog Challenge.

Scales belong on fish

I often talk about work-life balance here on my blog and that is possibly because it is something that is new to me and I am still trying to figure it all out.

Since returning to my profession in a part time capacity I have noticed that I do not feel any different to how I felt when I worked full time. In fact, I feel as though I am better at my job - I am far more organised and make a point of being a good communicator to my colleagues to ensure that any problems which may occur on a day when I am not there are able to be dealt with. However, in recent weeks I have had the feeling that my contribution is valued less because I am  part time. I feel as though I am given less challenging work and that my workload is vetoed more stringently to ensure that I can 'manage' the load. While I am sure that in some cases this is necessary, I feel that I am being held back ever so slightly.

I am the first to admit that our pregnancy was not well timed. I was most definitely not where I had planned for my carrer to be when I fell pregnant. In fact, I was three weeks into a brand new  job and it was quite literally the worst timing that was possible. Like many things that we don't think we will get through - I got through it. I came out the other side and I am OK, but I don't think my career progression is. Now I feel like I am paddling through mud and feel as though unless I go back full time, I may well be paddling through mud for years to come. Especially considering I am planning on having more children.

At this point dear reader you might be thinking - so what - what does it matter if you are going to have more children? Work will just become less and less important to you - right? Possibly - yes. However I am pretty sure that as long as I need to go there each day, I am going to want to be stimulated and challenged during the hours that I am there. You see - I am not someone who can just go, do a job and then come home again. I like to get involved, make a difference and be really fulfilled in all aspects of my life. My brain cannot sit idle for too long...the ticking starts to annoy me after a while.

Is it too much to ask to be given opportunities to do exactly the same work as you would do if you where there 5 days per week when you are only there 3? I don't think so - I know I am certainly capable of it. I do think it is a form of mild discrimination.

I must admit that I do have it very good. I have a very good employer and have been granted to blessing of being able to continue to breastfeed my child during working hours (He attends childcare onsite) and am not disadvantaged in any other way because I work part time. However, it is this small  aspect of capability that irritates me and leaves me wanting to leave altogether. Why should I be valued less because I choose to do a little for me (Work in my chosen field) and also be a mother?

I have noticed this topic of work life balance come up in a number of different forums in the past few weeks and I was reminded of it by an article by my favourite journalist in her column this past weekend. She writes about the virtues of this post feminist world we live in and how the generation of young women encroaching on childbearing age have a path paved by their feminist predecessors which has given them the freedom of being able to "have it all". We have these wonderful employee poilicies that promote and allow work life balance and disallow discrimination on the grounds of being a woman. However, the path for true equality in terms of career progression without sacrifice on some part is still quite murky.  Is it really possible to take 12 months off work to spend with your child during a time when they are so vulnerable to attachment and then return part time and expect to still achieve those same things you had dreams of achieving before you had the baby? From my own person experience I think not. ( You can read the full article Here!)

An even more disturbing aspect of this reality was brought to my attention by Amy Tieman (Mojo Mom) in her podcast entitled "Mojo Mom and Paula Spencer of Momfidence and Caring.com" who talks about her experience of hearing that young university women had decided to not have children altogether because of the impact it wuold have on thier future career and the fact that the working world  is not very inviting and inclusive to working moms.

It is sad that young women are growing up in a world that values work more than the beauty and fulfillment of granting human life.

I agree in entirity that there needs to be balance between work and life. I also think that it is important for mom's who choose to work for their own sense of self are able to do so. But at what expense because it seems to me that something has to give.

For me - well it is time to reassses my work values because I know that I value my family and my child far more highly.

So off I go to work to simlply do my job and be happy while I am there - anything else that happens along the way is a bonus. My more important job and the one I need to invest more in is at home.

This post was written for the Steady Mom  Mom's 30 minnute blog Challenge.