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I've always known the kind of Mum I want to be or felt I should be, but always doubted my ability to live up to my high hopes. I've always looked at these awesome school and sporting Mums that do so much with and for their kids and then some. I hoped and wished I could be even slightly like these mums, but didn't hold much hope for myself.... I mean there are days where getting out of bed seems almost impossible, so being an active part of my girls schooling, social and sporting lives really seemed like some far off dream.
But this last fortnight has shown me I don't need to hope and dream, I just need to keep on being me! I am a great Mum and what I do with and for my kids is working for them. I don't need to worry about what other Mums are and aren't doing, some may be more organised and capable, but what I do, I do well. (Please don't think I am tooting my own horn here. I'm not a person who thinks very highly of myself, but have come to realise "I'm OK")
At the beginning of the year I volunteered for the canteen, the usual is once a month but our poor canteen is very short on volunteers, so I offered to do once a fortnight. Loo is in care on Thursday's so it is nice to be able to give this time for my Twins at school. In term 2 the kindy classes requested parent volunteers for 'Structured Play' groups. With only having 1 free day a week (and that being booked with canteen), I didn't put my name down and my girls were devastated. I felt like the worst Mum on the planet with the tears and hurt feelings because their Mum wouldn't be in the classroom when other Mums were!!
This term notes came home from Kindy again for both Structured Play and reading groups, learning my lesson and still feeling guilty I put my name down for both! I'm lucky enough to have a young family, so even though my Mum works full time and can't help out with Loo, My Grandma and Grandad are still young enough and very eager to look after Loo :o) So on Mondays Loo loves going to GG's and Grandpa's after lunch for a lovely little visit, allowing me to go do 'Structured Play' for Moo & Boo. Reading Group is only for a half hour in the morning, so I put my name down for the Thursday as I'm already there and figure the canteen can do without me for half hour.
This past fortnight has been pretty huge for me, my first 'Structured Play' Day and the twins 1st Parent Teacher Interviews were last week with play dates and sleep overs too. This week I had Structured Play on Monday, (A funeral Wednesday making the week seem even bigger), Today was the girls 1st Athletics Carnival... I figured I'd be there anyway so why not put my name down to help out and then tomorrow Kindy to Yr 2 are performing at a Shopping Centre for Education week, so I will be Trekking up there to watch that of course :o) It has all been fun and enjoyable, but has been a lot! I'm not one that could keep up this momentum for a long period of time and I'm thankful that things will be back to normal next week!
The feedback I have received at the Interviews and from my days of volunteering from both teachers and other parents has helped me to look at myself in a kinder light and acknowledge that I do what I can, when I can and when I do it, I do it well. And that is something I should and can be proud of :o)
