Motivating Mum

Recently the lovely Veronica at Sleepless Nights asked the question – ‘what do you do for a break?’

I considered it. The last magazine I looked at was an online parents one – that I looked at solely for business purposes. The last time I caught up with someone in a cafe for a gas about something other than biz was so long ago I have forgotten and the closest I get to having a lie down is when I have my feet up at the desk while talking, you guessed it, business.

I had to answer – ummmmm, work. I work for a break. It sounded sad. I sounded sad.

But the more I thought about it, the more I realised it really was a break for me. God I love work, and I love it for the following reasons:

• I get to use my brain,
• I get to learn,
• I can control work – what I do and when I do it (unike the kids),
• it’s quiet when I work, and
• I see the rewards of work, whereas with kids, let’s face it, it’s often a thankless job.

That said – all work no play makes Alli a dull girl so I jumped at the chance to take a break watching mummy comedienne, Jenny Wynter, strut her stuff on stage. And even better – she sent me five extra tickets to bring my mums along!

So, if you’re a mum in biz and you need a break, leave a comment below letting me know how often you actually get a break and what you do in that period and five of you will be coming with me for a much-needed laugh. (p.s. you need to be in Melbourne and free the evening of Tue, April 10 to enter)Drawn Thu, April 5.

Cheers! Alli x

Hosted by Three Lil Princesses

My daughter started school this year and I have been crazed about getting her lunchbox just right.

Pretty pink sandwich wrappers, teeny little containers complete with bird stickers emblazoned with her name, all encased in a Tinkerbell lunchbox.

I even went as far as putting together a little weekly plan to ensure that the menu was always changing and interesting for her. And decorated it. (That said, it also helps me with not having to try and invent a new unchbox every day as I just hate, hate thinking of lunches!)

Being a little older and a little wiser now, and a certified life coach, it always interests me as to why I am driven to do particular things in life and my obsession with my daughter’s lunch was no exception. Why was it so important?

It’s because somewhere along the line I decided that to show love for my daughter was to have her open her lunchbox every day and know that I had put time and effort into it. To one day, remember back to when she was a kid, and all the kick ass lunches she used to have – replete with notes and flowery stickers. To know her mum loved her and thought about her.

And why did I think like this? Well, I can honestly say that I wish my parents had taken a little more time, been a little more involved and this is just one of my ways of showing it. Another is getting off my butt at play centres and actually playing with my gals! They’re my ways of showing I care.

How about you? What little ways have you developed?

Cheers, Alli x

Alli (Motivating Mum) and her two minxes

So what can I do?  Well, for one I’m letting go of my expectations – they only cause me disappointment.  I am also letting go of the old friends that don’t have the time for catching up anymore and am on a mission to make new ones.  And I’m going to get really good at booking loads of people in so even if 20% cancel I’ve still got an 80% I’ll get to see!

What about you? Do you feel lonely in this new stage of life?

It got to 12am the other night and I had managed two pieces of toast for breakfast and dinner, something insubstantial for lunch, a few pieces of chocolate, a coffee…

By comparison, my oldest had had her five fruit and veg, juice, a run about the park and was sound asleep in bed. My youngest had had her five or so feeds that day, a bath and was also sound asleep in bed.

It occurred to me in this moment that I always ensured my children were healthy and cared for but I wasn’t doing the same for myself. Why? Because Mums never put themselves first, or second or even third at times! We’re always so busy running about making sure everything else is going smoothly.

It got me thinking, if I was to treat myself like I treat my kids, how would my life look?

I would:

1. Make sure I eat five fruit and veg a day.
2. Not add salt to my food.
3. Get outside for fresh air.
4. Make time to play.
5. Drink water and juice.
6. Go to bed when I was tired and even, heaven forbid!, nap in the day.
7. Eat only one or two sweets, not five or twenty!

And if it’s important enough that my kids are looked after in this way, surely it means I should do the same. Now, to just finish my work before 12am tonight…!

1 house x (no. of rooms in the house + the no. of times they need to be cleaned x the no. of days in a week)
+ the no. of times you need to go shopping + the no. of times you need to run out for something you forgot
x the no. of school runs
x the ballet run
x the football run
x no. of times all the kids come to yours
double it
÷ the no. of relatives that live nearby that don’t insist they brought up their kids so you bring up yours
÷ the number of hours that hubby is at home – (the amount of time he’s not in front of the football + the amount of time he’s not in the shed)
÷ the number of breaks for a cuppa
x the number of times you break up a fight
÷ the number of arms you have
x the number of wines you guzzle at night
now double it
+ the number of times you yell ‘Don’t do that!’
- the last time you did something for yourself
+ (the no. of nervous breakdowns + no. of grey hairs) squared
x the no. of kids you have
x baby, cubed (the mathematical way, not the chopping way!)

= a Mum