You know how time and again, it is to my blog that I have turned to for solace, comfort, relaxation and sharing a blissful moment or two. But, this time, I didn’t want to bore you. But, as I browsed through the archives, I saw that this has now become my rant journal in the recent years and, hence, I don’t feel one bit guilty about adding some more entries to it now. 😉
The first half of April saw my children carrying with them all the excitement back from their short trip to India during the end of March and letting it all out in the form of crying spells, naughty acts, tantrums and unfinished lunch boxes which once again translated to more naughtiness and tantrums. The new academic year had started for S and all her close friends had moved to a different section or to a different country. So, she was in a bit irritable mood till she found some new friends. Add to it was the fact that my husband was away on a trip. And then there was the sweltering Singapore heat. By the time the third week of April ended, I was this crazy, cranky version of myself!
These apart, ever since intense heat and sweating took over Singapore earlier this year, I keep having throat issues on and off and because of that, my singing has once again taken a beating! That’s another demotivational thing going on in life.
In the midst of all this, a friendly neighbour who has recently moved told me how she can hear me handling the weekday-morning-craziness by shouting out constant reminders to the kids to brush their teeth, etc.! Mornings are when me and probably every other mom are their worst version of themselves struggling to getting their kids ready and their food ready. The very fact that somebody could now overhear me during the mornings added further to that stressed out state!
To come out of that crazy state, I started listening to more TED talks, started reading Jeffrey Archer’s Clifton Chronicles (long pending in my to-read list), ‘read’ those colourful toddler books with R and talked a lot with S on everything from my erstwhile work life to my daily workout.
Did I tell you my that my little S is the one whose tantrum is the most difficult to manage and leaves you totally exhausted and, yet, it is she who delivers the most motivational thought or opinion on a subject just so casually? Little R is the one who surprises you by his observations. He is not the one to waste his time talking about his daily experiences and tells you some learning or good observation of his only occasionally.
One other thing that I kept doing repeatedly was reread several favourite parts of mine from Sara Blanchard’s ‘The Flex Mom’. She has conveyed so many feelings and experiences of a stay-at-home mom so aptly.
Amidst all the craziness, we also had some relaxing family outings to the beaches of Sentosa, different branches of library, some temples and the newly-opened, over-hyped Jewel Changi. We also went on a long walk or two which always relaxes me.
Even as the days pass by caught up in the everyday routine trivialities of life, I continue to do my own round of self-counselling to help me in my failed pursuit of being patient. I am able to practise it only for a some length of time and not ALL the time.