Leeds, West Yorkshire
07703 015334
hello@power-of-the-parent.com

Home and away

Home and away

December 4, 2017

We’ve always had super busy weekends because of family and friends being dotted around the country, and a love of days out at theme parks. When we were younger (and pre-kids) things ran a bit smoother and with less complexity for these weekends, but we always said having kids wouldn’t change our levels of adventure and spending time with people – and true to our word, so far it hasn’t.  What has changed though is me – and my desire to spend time at home.  It’s crept up silently and probably a little unexpectedly but after a busy couple of days spent with family for a lovely early Christmas I found myself last night feeling so excited to get into my own bed.

I’ve never been a fan of unpacking – packing I can get on board with because it always involves a list sketched out with a favoured pen and the satisfying feeling of ticking things off.  Where unpacking is concerned though – I’d pay someone to do it for me and the laundry associated with it! Since having the girls though the tables are turning – I feel this immense pressure to make sure I remember everything and the lists that were once a comfort have now become things that I worry that I’ve forgotten to put something on.  Honestly the hard time I give myself you’d think we regularly find ourselves in remote locations without a supermarket or shop of some description that could swiftly be visited if (when) I leave something behind.

My father-in-law once said to me that he wasn’t a huge fan of staying over at other people’s houses and at the time I remember saying I was the complete opposite – I loved it because it meant dining out, not having to look at my own house and guiltily dismiss the inevitable housework that was staring me down. Fast forward a few years and I totally get it!

I do love seeing friends and family, but the associated logistics really do put me on edge and it’s definitely because I put far too much pressure on myself.  I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about the ‘perfectly imperfect’ post I did recently and I know that I need to consistently apply it.  It doesn’t matter if I forget something, it doesn’t matter if the kids wake up during the night (hopefully not) or super early (almost definitely), and I need to take advantage of staying with family and have an extra five minutes in the shower by myself!

I’ve never been a fan of New Year resolutions and I’m not about to start, however I am one for taking a fresh approach.  I’d always encourage others to so I’m going to listen to my own advice – it’s a busy and sometimes stressful time of the year and this time around I’m determined to go with a relaxed approach. Bring on the mince pies!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *