As a typical week in our house hold, I have had
star parenting moments and, well, less brilliant ones and ones that looked
sweet to start with, but turned quickly into sour.. Starting with the good
ones:
1. We enjoyed a civilized lunch in a public
place with quasi-well behaving children. The 21 times of practice in Egypt has
finally yielded promising results. I didn't even mind paying 6 euros for warm
water and it was not even accompanied with a teabag, but called chicken soup.
Bravo les filles! "
2. We (myself and belly baby boy) survived the
sugar stress test with only a minor humiliation (falling asleep for 45 min. in
the hospital waiting room while digesting all that glucose).
3. My 2-year old composed herself autonomously
after a post-nap tantrum. What a well-balanced (raised) child..
4. My 5-year old was selected to the competition
gymnastics team. I am very proud.
On to the confession part:
1. I realize, despite all the wisdom read, but
evidently not absorbed, that I have started living through my children's
successes. I found myself posting the news to three people within 30 seconds
having learned the point 4. news. Embarrassing.
2. My children are spoiled. They can ruin a
whole morning over the size of a cookie..SIZE OF A COOKIE!!!!!!!!!And we have
spoken about the people living in poverty and not having enough food, but
reminding this has absolutely no emotional impact whatsoever. I need a serious
plan to start raising the global consciousness of my children before it is too
late.
There were probably quite some other incident
this week, but my yoga teacher invited us to be kind to ourselves so I decide
to stop here. Good night all wonderful moms.
Sunday, 26 April 2015
Confessions
As a typical week in our house hold, I have had star parenting moments and, well, less brilliant ones and ones that looked sweet to start with, but turned quickly into sour.. Starting with the good ones:
1. We enjoyed a civilized lunch in a public place with quasi-well behaving children. The 21 times of practice in Egypt has finally yielded promising results. I didn't even mind paying 6 euros for warm water and it was not even accompanied with a teabag, but called chicken soup. Bravo les filles! "
2. We (myself and belly baby boy) survived the sugar stress test with only a minor humiliation (falling asleep for 45 min. in the hospital waiting room while digesting all that glucose).
3. My 2-year old composed herself autonomously after a post-nap tantrum. What a well-balanced (raised) child..
4. My 5-year old was selected to the competition gymnastics team. I am very proud.
On to the confession part:
1. I realize, despite all the wisdom read, but evidently not absorbed, that I have started living through my children's successes. I found myself posting the news to three people within 30 seconds having learned the point 4. news. Embarrassing.
2. My children are spoiled. They can ruin a whole morning over the size of a cookie..SIZE OF A COOKIE!!!!!!!!!And we have spoken about the people living in poverty and not having enough food, but reminding this has absolutely no emotional impact whatsoever. I need a serious plan to start raising the global consciousness of my children before it is too late.
There were probably quite some other incident this week, but my yoga teacher invited us to be kind to ourselves so I decide to stop here. Good night all wonderful moms.
1. We enjoyed a civilized lunch in a public place with quasi-well behaving children. The 21 times of practice in Egypt has finally yielded promising results. I didn't even mind paying 6 euros for warm water and it was not even accompanied with a teabag, but called chicken soup. Bravo les filles! "
2. We (myself and belly baby boy) survived the sugar stress test with only a minor humiliation (falling asleep for 45 min. in the hospital waiting room while digesting all that glucose).
3. My 2-year old composed herself autonomously after a post-nap tantrum. What a well-balanced (raised) child..
4. My 5-year old was selected to the competition gymnastics team. I am very proud.
On to the confession part:
1. I realize, despite all the wisdom read, but evidently not absorbed, that I have started living through my children's successes. I found myself posting the news to three people within 30 seconds having learned the point 4. news. Embarrassing.
2. My children are spoiled. They can ruin a whole morning over the size of a cookie..SIZE OF A COOKIE!!!!!!!!!And we have spoken about the people living in poverty and not having enough food, but reminding this has absolutely no emotional impact whatsoever. I need a serious plan to start raising the global consciousness of my children before it is too late.
There were probably quite some other incident this week, but my yoga teacher invited us to be kind to ourselves so I decide to stop here. Good night all wonderful moms.
Thursday, 9 April 2015
Tips for traveling with 2- and 5-year olds
I have to admit that the preparations for our 7
days holiday trip to Egypt took an unproportionable amount of energy and time.
Renewing passports, selecting family friendly hotels, shopping for summer
clothes, getting just-in-case medical subscriptions just to mention few items
of my to-do list.
The week was of course wonderful and went by too quickly. I can highly recommend the destination (Marsa Alam) for its reasonable flight time 4'5 hours, no time zone difference and tempting temperatures (28-31C) at this time of year. The snorkelling and diving are a must activity when at red sea and you can still see tens of different types of fishes just by walking at the pear so clear is the water. The girls were most enthusiastic about the kids pool, playground and next door aqua park. And of course ice cream..I was most thrilled about the meals prepared by somebody else, daily exercise and my afternoon naps! Couple of tips anyone travelling with young children should check with the hotel beforehand (apart from reading tripadviser reviews!):
- Meal times, especially at dinner time 30min. (6 pm instead of 6.30) can make the critical difference for allowing (or not) parents finish their plates before the little one starts the evening crises..
- Babysitting services. Most hotels have miniclub for kids over 4 years, but it would be nice to have a quiet evening among parents a few times during the week.
-Opening time of gym - the early bird sport enthusiasts as myself prefer doing the sports before the family wakes up..
-Cost for late departure in case later flight - in most hotels you need to check-out by noon.
-Is family room available (ours was at the same rate as the standard room, just needed to ask!)
Final thoughts, the girls 'UV sun protection suits were a must and should have ordered
second pairs for change. One of the biggest concerns less! Amazon has good deals.
Not having finished with the last laundry yet, I already look forward to our next holidays!
The week was of course wonderful and went by too quickly. I can highly recommend the destination (Marsa Alam) for its reasonable flight time 4'5 hours, no time zone difference and tempting temperatures (28-31C) at this time of year. The snorkelling and diving are a must activity when at red sea and you can still see tens of different types of fishes just by walking at the pear so clear is the water. The girls were most enthusiastic about the kids pool, playground and next door aqua park. And of course ice cream..I was most thrilled about the meals prepared by somebody else, daily exercise and my afternoon naps! Couple of tips anyone travelling with young children should check with the hotel beforehand (apart from reading tripadviser reviews!):
- Meal times, especially at dinner time 30min. (6 pm instead of 6.30) can make the critical difference for allowing (or not) parents finish their plates before the little one starts the evening crises..
- Babysitting services. Most hotels have miniclub for kids over 4 years, but it would be nice to have a quiet evening among parents a few times during the week.
-Opening time of gym - the early bird sport enthusiasts as myself prefer doing the sports before the family wakes up..
-Cost for late departure in case later flight - in most hotels you need to check-out by noon.
-Is family room available (ours was at the same rate as the standard room, just needed to ask!)
Final thoughts, the girls 'UV sun protection suits were a must and should have ordered
second pairs for change. One of the biggest concerns less! Amazon has good deals.
Not having finished with the last laundry yet, I already look forward to our next holidays!
Traveling tips with kids
I have to admit that the preparations for our holiday trip to Egypt took a surprising amount of energy and time. Renewing passports, selecting family friendly hotels, shopping for summer clothes, getting just-in-case medical subscriptions just to mention few items of my to-do list.
The week was wonderful and went by too quickly. I can highly recommend the destination (Marsa Alam) for its reasonable flight time 4'5 hours, no time zone difference and tempting temperatures (28-31C) at this time of year. The snorkelling and diving are a must activity when at red sea and you can still see tens of different types of fishes just by walking at the pear so clear is the water. The girls were most enthusiastic about the kids pool, playground and next door aqua park. And of course ice cream..I was most thrilled about the meals prepared by somebody else, daily exercise and my afternoon naps! Couple of tips anyone travelling with young children should check with the hotel beforehand (apart from reading tripadviser reviews!):
- Meal times, especially at dinner time 30min. (6 pm instead of 6.30) can make the critical difference for allowing (or not) parents finish their plates before the little one starts the evening crises..
- Babysitting services. Most hotels have miniclub for kids over 4 years, but it would be nice to have a quiet evening among parents a few times during the week.
-Opening time of gym - the early bird sport enthusiasts as myself prefer doing the sports before the family wakes up..
-Cost for late departure in case later flight - in most hotels you need to check-out by noon.
-Is family room available (ours was at the same rate as the standard room, just needed to ask!)
Final thoughts, the girls 'UV sun protection suits were a must and should have ordered
second pairs for change. One of the biggest concerns less! Amazon has good deals.
Not having finished with the last laundry yet, I already look forward to our next holidays!
The week was wonderful and went by too quickly. I can highly recommend the destination (Marsa Alam) for its reasonable flight time 4'5 hours, no time zone difference and tempting temperatures (28-31C) at this time of year. The snorkelling and diving are a must activity when at red sea and you can still see tens of different types of fishes just by walking at the pear so clear is the water. The girls were most enthusiastic about the kids pool, playground and next door aqua park. And of course ice cream..I was most thrilled about the meals prepared by somebody else, daily exercise and my afternoon naps! Couple of tips anyone travelling with young children should check with the hotel beforehand (apart from reading tripadviser reviews!):
- Meal times, especially at dinner time 30min. (6 pm instead of 6.30) can make the critical difference for allowing (or not) parents finish their plates before the little one starts the evening crises..
- Babysitting services. Most hotels have miniclub for kids over 4 years, but it would be nice to have a quiet evening among parents a few times during the week.
-Opening time of gym - the early bird sport enthusiasts as myself prefer doing the sports before the family wakes up..
-Cost for late departure in case later flight - in most hotels you need to check-out by noon.
-Is family room available (ours was at the same rate as the standard room, just needed to ask!)
Final thoughts, the girls 'UV sun protection suits were a must and should have ordered
second pairs for change. One of the biggest concerns less! Amazon has good deals.
Not having finished with the last laundry yet, I already look forward to our next holidays!
Wednesday, 25 March 2015
Yoga, good friends, lunches out
Having the mornings all to myself opened up a tremendous and even a daunting palette of activity options..The worker mom identity pushes through first and makes a proposal to finally complete the house related "to-do list": clean the kitchen cupboard, bring kids winter clothes to the attic, search a company to clean your carpets, go renew your id card at the commune.. So the first day of the holiday is quickly and productively used. How sad and unimaginative. I am disappointed at myself. Do I really not have any other identity left of me? Over the morning coffee, I challenge myself for a little brain gym to remind myself of things I really enjoy most doing.. Practicing morning yoga, going for a power walk with a friend, having a fruit cocktail at the Terrace, trying out a new organic farm and eating lunch out..Now we are speaking! Nice to meet you again ME!
Yoga, good friends, lunches out
Those are the modest ingredients of an ideal holiday week at home for this mom.
Having the mornings all to myself opened up a tremendous and even a daunting palette of activity options..The worker mom identity pushes through first and makes a proposal to finally complete the house related "to-do list": clean the kitchen cupboard, bring kids winter clothes to the attic, search a company to clean your carpets, go renew your id card at the commune.. So the first day of the holiday is quickly and productively used. How sad and unimaginative. I am disappointed. Do I really not have any other identity left of me? Over the morning coffee, I challenge myself for a little brain gym to remind myself of things I really enjoy most doing.. Practicing morning yoga, going for a power walk with a friend, having a fruit cocktail at the Terrace, trying out a new organic farm and eating lunch out..Now we are speaking! Nice to meet you again ME!
Having the mornings all to myself opened up a tremendous and even a daunting palette of activity options..The worker mom identity pushes through first and makes a proposal to finally complete the house related "to-do list": clean the kitchen cupboard, bring kids winter clothes to the attic, search a company to clean your carpets, go renew your id card at the commune.. So the first day of the holiday is quickly and productively used. How sad and unimaginative. I am disappointed. Do I really not have any other identity left of me? Over the morning coffee, I challenge myself for a little brain gym to remind myself of things I really enjoy most doing.. Practicing morning yoga, going for a power walk with a friend, having a fruit cocktail at the Terrace, trying out a new organic farm and eating lunch out..Now we are speaking! Nice to meet you again ME!
Tuesday, 24 March 2015
Scoop
I am not sure if it is the pregnancy hormones or
spring fever that has kicked in, but I have the urge to share the good news
with you: We are having a new baby in the summer ! And the cherry to the
cake: it is a little boy..I had hoped my two girls (now aged 5 and 2 already!)
would be very excited about the idea of having a little brother. In reality,
the older one is. The little one is actively ignoring any discussion of the
baby despite the growing evidence that somebody has invaded mommy's
belly..The older one on the other hand has planned it all out already: she has
a name for the baby, she has prepared list of do's and don't for the little
sister to follow..My husband is of course all proud of his growing family..As
for me, curiously enough, I feel like a narrator to the show despite being in
the very centre. The afternoons with the girls are intensive with picking them
up from creche and school, driving them to hobbies or playdates and admittedly
the pregnancy has been a bit on the side lines..In fairness, I do practice
regularly yoga and promise to sign-up for a refresher prenatal course, which I
guess can be considered as baby time..? There are days of self-doubt when I
wonder how on earth will we manage with three kids?? Will I be able to give
enough love and individual attention to all three of them?? To be seen..
Scoop
It must be the spring fever that has kicked in, but I have the urge to share the good news with you: We are having a new baby in the summer ! And the cherry to the cake: it is a little boy..I had hoped my two girls (now aged 5 and 2 already!) would be very excited about the idea of having a little brother. In reality, the older one is. The little one is actively ignoring any discussion of the baby despite the growing evidence that somebody has invaded mommy's belly..The older one on the other hand has planned it all out already: she has a name for the baby, she has prepared list of do's and don't for the little sister to follow..My husband is of course all proud of his growing family..As for me, curiously enough, I feel like a narrator to the show despite being in the very centre. The afternoons with the girls are intensive with picking them up from creche and school, driving them to hobbies or playdates and admittedly the pregnancy has been a bit on the side lines..In fairness, I do practice regularly yoga and promise to sign-up for a refresher prenatal course, which I guess can be considered as baby time..? There are days of self-doubt when I wonder how on earth will we manage with three kids?? Will I be able to give enough love and individual attention to all three of them?? To be seen..
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