Mother’s Day Guest Post from Lisa at Raising Explorers
My name is Lisa. I’m not just an English teacher, or just a mum, or a wife, or just a great big greenie. I’m all of those things. My blog Raising Explorers, inspired by my kids, is also all of those things. So what does a twin-mum, English-teaching environmentalist, who is passionate about learning through play, have to say? Well, you’ll have to come and visit to find out… www.raisingexplorers.net
Mother’s Day: terrariums, tantrums and glow worms in the toilet
Yesterday I celebrated my fourth Mother’s Day. To be honest, I don’t really remember the other three very much. In addition to having a three-year-old, I have another three-year-old (yes, twins), so the first couple of years are a bit of a blur. Things are less foggy now. I hope to remember this Mother’s Day next year. Actually, I had a bit of wine yesterday, so maybe I won’t.
I have a photo from my first Mother’s Day, which is nice. I thought about making that an annual tradition – a Mother’s Day photo with the kids – but I forgot to tell anyone else, so it hasn’t happened again. You get that, right, mums? You never get a photo of you. You have fifty thousand photos of the kids with everyone else, because you take them, but none of you? I have resorted to taking selfies of me and the kids, which are never very successful. In addition to the fact that I have a physiological aversion to selfies (what is the deal with those mirror ones!?), there’s always someone’s head blocking someone else’s head, or someone’s face front and centre, massive and alien-like, while everyone else’s are cut off mid-forehead. Here’s a typical one:
Oh, yeah, that face painting was done by me, too. As you can see, I have many skills. But enough of that. This post is about my reflection of Mother’s Day. What happened, what I learnt, and things to remember for next time.
Now I must preface this all with that I am a very lucky woman. My husband is pretty darned amazing. He gets the kids breakfast every day, cleans more than I do, takes the kids to the Bunnings playground, and when I’m slack with my (limited) household duties, he pretends not to notice. My floordrobe, for example, is rapidly expanding and probably sheltering a family of bush rats brought inside and set free by the cat, but he doesn’t complain. He steps over it without so much as a “hmph”. Actually, he’s probably tidied it up. He’s just that kind of guy.
This particular Mother’s Day picture from Crappypictures.com (see below) has been doing the rounds on Facebook again this year, so I thought I would do my own Mother’s Day wrap-up with reference to “Crappy Pictures Best Mother’s Day Gifts.” Here goes:
1. Sleep-In – well, that depends on what you define as a sleep-in. If having two three-year-olds jump on you at 6:21am for 15 minutes, then leave to get breakfast with daddy, meaning you can try to catch a few more zzzzzz’s, then yes, I had a sleep-in. If sleep-in means you are not disturbed until 10am, then a definitive no;
2. Eat with two hands – yes! I can usually eat with two hands. This isn’t really an issue any more… Phew. (I even got scrambled eggs!);
3. Alone time – yes and no. When alone time is writing a class set of Year 7 reports, it’s debatable whether it’s a gift or a punishment (ah, the life of a teacher!);
4. Audience-free toilet time – yes! Oh, actually, no. I was interrupted and had to allow two intruders in, shut the door, turn off the light, and exclaim in delight at the sight of their glow worm babies in darkness.
And a few of my own favourite Mother’s Day gifts:
5. No tantrums – NO! Despite being told about the sanctity of Mother’s Day and the need to show their love for Mummy by being very, very good, we suffered a couple of meltdowns (well, from Miss P, anyway). Maybe next year when she’s four she might get it? (Please?)
6. Messy but adorable kid-made gift – Yes! The kids made terrariums at kindy out of softdrink bottles. They planted little seedlings inside, decorated them with pink handprints, and wrote their names and drew pictures on cards that contained care instructions. Awwwwww! (PS thank you kindy for the care instructions – I’m just not very good at potplants – hope they survive!) I’d also like to thank kindy for doing craft at all. I’m not very crafty.
The kids and their terrariums
7. Dad-bought gift presented by kids – Check! I asked for some Ugg boots as my gift. Check ‘em out! (Not necessarily what I’d choose, but it’s the thought, right? Thanks, Honey, I love them!)
What I learnt:
· Sleep-ins are not possible unless kids sleep over at their grandparents’ house;
· Buy bacon to go with eggs;
· Don’t leave Year 7 reports to the last minute;
· Use the downstairs toilet and lock the door;
· Kids don’t modify their behaviour on Mother’s Day – not three-year-olds, anyway;
· Terrarium plants require just a couple of sprays of water each day. Do not drown seedlings;
· Provide pictures of desired Ugg boots to husband, or just suck it up and love what you get!
Ah, Mother’s Day 2013. One to remember!
