Brought to you by Bupa.
As we sat around the table, eating tacos, I asked the kids what their favourite thing of the day was. It’s something we do regularly, and one of my favourite little family traditions. When it got to little Lulu, I wondered what she might say, because with four years olds it’s really anyone’s guess. “I love when you did that crazy dance in the kitchen today!”
I laughed. That? She picked that? It was a fleeting little boogie as I prepared dinner, but it had her belly laughing big time, and it was a fun little family moment.
I’m going to be quite frank here; I’ve been giving myself a bit of a hard time about the parenting gig lately. I feel like if parenting was a test I’d be getting a solid D- of late. The end of the year starts to get crazy. I’m juggling all the balls, just like every other mother in the world, and we’ve had some family stuff going on. Our calendars are filled with end of school discos, projects, family events and a tonne of work stuff I have. I’m rushing from one task to the next, answering emails on the fly while drowning in laundry. I’ve not been a fun mum, at all. I’ve been thinking of the kids, and thinking of next year, promising myself that we’ll book a holiday in April and it’ll all be OK. We’ll have quality time them. The holiday will make up for everything.
But then that taco moment happened and I was swiftly reminded that life is happening right now. It won’t wait. And while holidays are grand and fun, and create amazing memories… what really matters is those little moments. It’s the conversations over dinner. The dancing in the kitchen. It’s the swimming in the pool together, or going for a quick walk after dinner. The little moments matter. They actually matter most for connecting as a family.
My friends at Bupa are kicking off a family challenge to help us embrace those little moments more. When they ran this idea by me, I think I might have clapped. I love it! Bupa is giving us really sweet tools and guidance to help us make the most of the little moments we already have together, to help us connect and raise happy, healthy and resilient kids. There’s lots of cool stuff happening with the family challenge, and it’s all so doable and beautiful for your family {such small, teeny things that make a big difference!}. It’s not about adding more pressure, or taking more time to do grand activities. It’s all about soaking up those little moments and making them work for your family. I’m excited.
Will you join me and my family in embracing the little moments? I hope you will. Click here to register {it’s free, of course!}.
I’m with you on the parenting guilt! But I do try to remember that a bad parenting moment doesn’t make me a bad parent. You remember that too x
That’s such a good point. I will remember too. Thank you. x
Love this initiative and I think we all need to appreciate those little moments in our day whether we or not we have kids/partners because at the end of the day, it’s the little things that make a big difference! Love the video too 🙂
It’s so true Sammie. They matter, no matter who we are. xx
I hear you about appreciating the little moments – the way our kids know how to best! I’ve felt a bit of guilt being exhausted and in the third trimester of a not-so-glowy pregnancy. But I realise that the extra little cuddles, the funny jokes on the couch or on the car ride home from school, those are the things that matter.
They are the things that matter most.
I can’t believe you’re in the third trimester! You’ll have a baby soon. xx
Oh I love this. Little, unexpected moments are the best. Being on it as a parent all the time isn’t the answer, one needs to roll with the punches. Hang in there – it’s nearly Christmas!! x
Yep, gotta be fluid and roll with the punches!
We are the first to feel the guilt ourselves but the first to tell others they are doing a great job.I had some advice recently to go easy on myself sometimes good enough is good enough