10 February 2015
Humans
Unsurprisingly, things have been very busy at ours these past few months. As much as I try not to be busy always, I'm most definitely one of those people who finds it difficult to just stop. Even when I stop, I'm doing something. It's something I'm working on and it always surprises me how much the act of stopping can help change direction and set everything right again.
A few weeks ago, the Owlets and I were in town, running a few errands, on a mission to find bathers and a few other things. It was warm and busy - post Christmas sales and still school holidays… There were people about. The Owlets were excited to be out amongst it. They'd brought their pocket money and they were after some stuff. Not sure what yet. Just something. Days like this seldom go well.
I brought along snacks and water, hoping desperately to stave off multiple cafe visits. It seems just stepping outside our front door accrues a $50 minimum fee in food and transport, so I was keen to keep cafe stops to a minimum. This didn't go down well with the cosmopolitan owlet cafe set. There was mutiny afoot. Things got ugly.
Big Owlet's at an age now where she can see a little humanity in situations like this. She's starting to see cracks and that I make mistakes and feel overwhelm and all sorts of things too. She's a wise owlet, that one. An old soul… But even Big Owlet was seeing where this day was heading. She was in the middle of delivering one of her own rants on consumerism, while simultaneously eyeing off some sort of plastic toy in a gaming shop, while Tiny was crying that we didn't stay a full half hour with Peppa Pig in the ABC shop and Little Owlet wanted a sweetie… Ugh.
I felt exhausted and angry and overwhelmed and like having a shouty-cry about it all too. I make sure the Owlets see that I'm not superwoman - well not all the time. So I told them. I let them see how I felt and that I understood how they felt too. I threw my hands up in the air and exclaimed "I need a hug! Lets go and sit down over there and have a hug".
And so three owlets and I melted into a hug puddle in the middle of Hobart on a hot Tuesday afternoon. There was giggling and owlets saying "Oh Mum!" and cuddling and we all breathed for a bit. Time slowed down and we all felt much better. Then the crowds parted and Huz came along to find four smiling faces, rescued from what might have been one of those days, had we not chosen to stop.
Have you had one of those days lately?
How did you get through it?
Do your let your owlets see you being human sometimes?
Do you find time to stop? Or are you a bit like me, always doing more than one thing?
Happy Tuesday, lovely ones. I hope you find time to stop and have a cuddle this week. xo
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It is wonderful to read this post, and to know that I am not alone! I too am sick of leaving precious dollars in cafes ;)
ReplyDeleteI too, am aware that consumer culture is just too much for delicate little souls. And for me too.
My approach is to gently guide them elsewhere. My kids watch movies but so far (my eldest is only 4) I've managed to steer away from anything associated with licensed product... Yes, I know it's a long road ahead, and I know it's a controversial question in the unschooling community. (I was kicked out an online unschooling group for caring too much about it... that and eating good food!)
I've followed your blog for a little while now, and know you are an unschooling and permaculture family. So it is interesting to hear you touch on this, and heartwarming to know that it all ended in a cuddle on the floor :)
God this is gorgeous. I need a hug too! Am surely going to remember this next time we are having 'one of those days'! x
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