01 Feb Enjoy a Less Stressed Motherhood
Who says you have to be Little Miss Stressed-Out all the time?
You may be approaching motherhood with high expectations and are arming yourself with not just a ‘to-do’ but a ‘Must-Do’ list that will take up about 120% of your energy.
“It’s going great!” you say.
Until you crash and burn with a screaming baby, an exasperated husband and a mountain of chores that won’t go away.
Here are some basic yet effective steps we learned from mummies, to enjoy your motherhood journey, and build the family life you’ve always longed to have.
- Build Your Community
It takes real effort and initiative to build a support network in our time-strapped society, but the payoff is immensely rewarding. We encourage you to spend time with your extended families, or build strong friendships with like-minded women who are able to support and encourage you in your parenting journey. Often, these support networks are able to offer great help and healthy advice when you meet challenges.Note that your community doesn’t always have to consist of married women with children, or women of your age. The plus of diversity is the wisdom and creative solutions of women from all walks of life who are dealing or have dealt with the same challenges! - Take Care of Your Marriage
You may be someone who slouches on the couch, reminiscing those ‘first love’ moments when you held your husband’s hand.
Yet now, they’re filled with babies, the handle of a stroller, a bottle and diapers. That’s when you realise: “Oh no. We don’t feel like husband and wife anymore—we’re partners in parenting!”This unhealthy pattern of neglect could ultimately undermine a marriage. But all is not lost! Once you recognise this, take the time to have date nights with kid-free conversations and truly connect with each other. Find a routine that works for you—it could range from the weekly date nights, to chatting about your day before going to bed each night. Making time for each other intentionally could really strengthen your marriage. - Slow Down
With homework, exams and kids’ classes, it can sometimes feel like our children are one more item to tick off on our Must-Do list. Worse, our children also feel like they are simply rushing from one task to the next. In many homes, this becomes a recipe for frustration and flared tempers.Learn to limit your family’s extra-curricular activities and maintain a rest day each week. Take time to enjoy your children and savour the time you have with them. Opting for a slower pace also ensures you get more rest.
Above all, be kind to yourself. Laugh it off! Rather than give in to self-doubt and the worry that you could be doing more, or better, for your children. Resist the ‘mum-guilt’. Remind yourself that you are doing the best you can each day, and that your children love you just the way you are—their loving, imperfectly perfect mum!
