I’m on a roll so let’s keep going.
It’s 10:24 am and l’m still in bed. Oh I’ve not been sleeping, l’ve written in my journal, checked all my online stuff and am enjoying my third cup of coffee. Yes there are things that need doing but they’ll get done. Sunday is a lazy “get around to it” day and you know what? If l don’t “get around to it” it’ll keep till Monday.
Sure l could be downstairs with my family, l could be cleaning, there’s always that, which needs doing with a big family, l could be out in the garden checking on the pumpkin patch, or starting off that pine cone which will become a bonsai tree, I could even be changing the bedding on Star Son’s bed and his room ALWAYS needs cleaning and l’m pretty sure l’m not the only Mother in the world, of a teenage son- who complains about them not keeping their room clean but I even annoy myself listening to myself nagging him to “clean his room” I could just go and do that for him which would in the end make me happy but is it teaching him a valuable life lesson on “how to avoid things and let Mum do it” ahh the joys of parenting you don’t get an instruction manual when you give birth to these small helpless beings.
Yesterday we brought a new digital scale because when l stepped on the old one my husband said “Between …. and ….” and so I asked “am I … and a half or closer to … kilos?” in the end l gave up trying to decipher my weight and moaned “I really miss my digital scales” which will tell you- you are 76.4 kilos that .4 makes a huge difference! So we went be brought a digital scale and luckily Harris Scarfe had all theirs at 50% off- I’m frugal but I’m also a Bargain Hunter! Anyways l digress.. the Scales came with an instruction manual that you also need a University degree to understand.. a set of digital scales comes with an instruction manual BUT an brand new baby does NOT!
So you have this brand new small being. You are already overwhelmed, definitely tired, labour is hard work why else is it called “labour” and possibly even in pain and then you have to care for this bundle of skin and bones and screams. AND you just gave birth to this so you HAVE to love it! Sometimes you don’t immediately and then you might have some guilt issues to deal with also. A few days later (or six hours I know of one young Mum getting out of hospital in six hours!) you’re sent home and no one gives you an instruction manual.
Of course if you are lucky you’ll have a Mother, Mother in law or older sister to help you navigate but sometimes they’re less help than no help because their ways are so antiquated they’re useless. Like- oh this was a good one when I had daughter number one “Dip her dummy is sugared water” WT??? “it’ll stop her crying” this particular Mother told me. “Yep and rot her sweet baby teeth before they even grow!” Hmm perhaps that’s why my teeth have never been good, thanks Mum!
But sometimes what works with one child one time won’t even work the next time, and it surely won’t work a second time with the next child because they’re all so different. And then try YOUR method on a Grandchild and it surely won’t work.
But some of mine have- like the rocking and patting and then humming an old time favourite, you know when they snuggle against your chest and you sing or hum so they feel the vibration through your chest and it relaxes them, my go to song has always been “Hush little baby don’t say a word Grandma’s gonna buy you a mocking bird” it works every time and Sweetpea who is now 7 had a melt down during Coronavirus lockdown, she completely lost it. So l sat her down and hugged her super tight and sang to her- within a few minutes she was fast asleep. It STILL WORKS! Grandma’s still got it.
Because at the end of the day a hug and some kindness and a good cry fix most things. At least that’s been my experience.
Happy Sunday everyone!
Kim L Hine 