Keep it simple....

Parenting can be very hard. Some days can be more challenging than others. The more posts you see about it, the more you feel like you are not doing it right. But really there is no rule about how it should be done. So you just do what you feel is right, as long as you and your kids are happy with that system.

I love this quote from Jodi Picoult:

“Rest easy, real mothers. The very fact that you worry about being a good mom means that you already are one.”

You see mummies sharing these complicated recipes, desserts, matching outfits, perfect dinner table layout, home made personalised games, really messy crafts, super workout classes, the dream house decorations, gardening and flower arrangements. And here I am trying to go through my checklist!

I gave away all my plants, I don't have a single living thing in the house (except for us 5 that is). No pets, no plants. No extra work! I removed lots of decorations from the house too, my coffee table is under the stairs. Sam broke the glass top it had, so I put it away. Everything is high up out of his reach. I put away so many things, so there are less things to dust.

I have enough decorations to dust and care for

The crafts I choose to do with Jaimee are simple and don't take a lot of time to do, plus not messy. The games I do with Sam are also quite short, I don't aim high. Otherwise I won't have time and won't even start. The workouts......15 minutes, and that is also fun time with the kids. When I go to classes it takes at least 15 minutes to manage to leave the house. I only go to classes when the kids are doing an activity next door, so I don't waste time waiting in the car.

I don't have time to bake, so I buy everything ready. One day I will have time and I will do it. If I can buy something ready then that's it, done! I find that the biggest headache as always is cooking. These are my tips from a mummy in a hurry:

I keep it simple

15 minutes preparing a dish

Dishes everyone likes

Online shopping list always the same, I use the same ingredients

Lunch is very simple too

Monday I cook for 3 days, Thursday I cook for the 2 days

Checklists save my life. They keep me organised and sane. Every Sunday, I write down what should be done everyday of the week. I love crossing off the things I do, and I love writing things that are obvious too, just for the fun of crossing it out.

My list includes;

cooking lunch and dinner

grocery store list

house chores

wash the clothes

revision/reading - Jaimee (this is recent)

activities/parties the kids have

games to play - Sam

craft/painting/baking - Jaimee

playtime - Aimee

workout

choosing outfits

When I forget to write something, I don't do it. Or else something comes up and I panic. I have to allocate time for everything.

A lot of people are asking me how I find the time to write these posts. This is me time, very relaxing, with a cup of tea or a glass of wine, alone in the dark, in the kitchen, when everyone is asleep. It's normally between 1 am and 2 am.

Happy Easter perfect mama!