Mama overwhelm can happen at any stage of the parenting game. I remember like it was yesterday when my first-born was just a babe. Having a complete cup of tea to myself was heaven!
Now’s she’s about to turn eight and the youngest one is four and everything does feel like it’s barrelling along at a very fast pace. For me though, it is those simple things that really make the difference to my day and one of my number ones is still…
A CUP OF TEA
There is something so lovely and ceremonious about a cup of tea. Even if chaos is all around me, it’s like the cup of tea can transport my mind to somewhere else where everything is tolerated and there is peace within the chaos – at least for the time it takes to drink it!
I go in phases regarding what type of tea I like. When I was studying Chinese medicine I loved those little tiny tea pots and the whole tea ceremony on the tray, where you pour the boiling water over the tea in several little instalments, each time the green or oolong tea tasting a little different. That was fun and sometimes I do that with my kids, which they love. But if it’s just me, I tend to go for some sort of herbal blend, or a good old-fashioned Irish or English breakfast tea with a dash of organic milk.
The tea cup is important too. I like to use a beautiful one, usually fine China. This also helps me to feel like I’m indulging myself. It’s the little things.
A BATH
I do love a bath. I’ve always been attracted to water. I love the ocean and can watch it for ages. Again I love the ritual of running the bath, choosing some oils and scents to pop in. I usually make myself a cup of tea to have at the same time and sometimes a snack so I can stay in there for longer. It’s one of the only times of the day I can be alone and I just adore it. It feeds my soul.
A WALK
Sometimes you just need to get out of the house. A walk can be quite therapeutic as I feel like I’m on some sort of mission, blood is pumping through my body, I’m breathing in fresh air and suddenly everything feels more okay. What I love about a walk is yes, if you’re lucky you can go on one by yourself to clear your head but if you can’t and you’re pushing the pram, that feels okay too. I guess it feels good if you’re a doer and that’s what I am, so when I’m feeling stagnant, or the kids are, that’s one of my solutions.
DEEP BREATHING
I would have laughed if I had read this when my first-born was little. But I have found it over time to be true. It took me a while to reconnect with all that beautiful meditation and yoga I had done prior to having a baby. I was in a state of shock for some time afterwards and something as simple as meditation or yoga didn’t seem enough. It has served me well over time though and I’ve taught it to my kids too. It’s good to have a reminder that most of the time there is no emergency. Let’s all do some deep breathing and now let’s talk about the problem.
BEING IN THE MOMENT
I feel most grateful for all my years of yoga practice and meditation as it taught me this – to be present in each moment. That’s where life happens. In the beginning of having children I used to feel so frustrated that I couldn’t do a salute to the sun every day. I had lived and breathed yoga for years and loved it. I loved it so much I became a teacher, right before my daughter was born. So to be faced with not feeling able to do what I had always done was a huge challenge for me. In the end, I stopped fighting with myself about it, stopped feeling bad and realised that what I was doing was yoga of mummyhood. I was being as present as I could for my children.
I was thinking and feeling from their perspective. I was learning about emotions and what impact they have on us and I was then teaching my children about their emotions and feelings and how to manage them. Mothering my children has really changed me and stretched me beyond myself. I haven’t taken anything for granted and I’ve sought to change for the better and am open to being curious about myself and why I do things. I’ve made a conscious decision to let go of what I think should happen in a moment and be more open about what is and face that and deal with that. And that is what gives me peace.
I’d love to hear what gives you peace in your day… drop me a line below.
If you’d like to learn natural solutions for keeping your kids healthy, then check out our online course for mums, The A to Z of Home Remedies for Children’s Health. The number 1 thing you can do as a mum to reduce mama overwhelm is to ensure that your children are as healthy as they can be. Remember, it’s the little things you do each day that will help you and them discover peace and your happiest, healthiest selves.