Another year is coming to an end, so it’s the perfect time for some new year’s resolutions. Let me just say; I’m not a massive fan of resolutions because I’m not very good at sticking to them. Come the middle of January and all the plans for losing weight or whatever resolutions I made, are long forgotten. I guess I’m just not taking them too seriously. If I feel motivated to a change in my life, or improve on something, I like to do it there and then, not wait till 1st of January. Saying that, I’ve come up with these new year’s resolutions for all mums who live abroad. Because life in a different country comes with some unique challenges, so I’m hoping you can improve your day to day expat experience with these small but powerful changes. Happy new year to all of you! Visit home as much…
We know kids are all different, with their very own individual needs. But even though, it never stops to amaze me just how different the journey of each and every parent can be. All new parents struggle, and all in a totally different way. Some kids sleep through the night very early on, while others can wake up every single hour for months and months on end, without very little improvement. Hello sister. You never know just how hard parenting is until you find yourself in that situation. Throughout the pregnancy, you envision your new life with the baby and all the excitement and anticipation is almost too much to bear. Those nine months of waiting seem to go on forever. You count the days down and can’t wait to finally hold your new bundle of joy. Then, your baby arrives and you realise very early on that your expectations don’t…
Isn’t this parenting gig a funny thing? When you have a newborn, and you don’t remember when was the last time you had more than two hours of uninterrupted sleep, you wish your baby would be at least a toddler. Then, once you have a toddler, that constantly on the move toddler, who would rather (no kidding) bang her head against the floor than sit still for more than 30 seconds, you finally understand why these mums with older kids were telling you to enjoy the newborn stage of baby’s life. And then you hear people talking about the terrible twos and how having a threenager is even worse than the terrible twos. And you start to wonder how on earth you are going to get through all of these stages. So here it goes, baby vs toddler. Which years are actually the worst? Ok, I can’t really talk about the terrible twos or the…
Before you become a mum, you have at least some idea of what type of parent you want to be. You know, all the things you envisioned during your pregnancy. You’ll start to think about the things you want to do, but also about everything you don’t want to do once you have a child. And then you foolishly expect that everything will go according to a plan. How silly when I think about it now. How many times have I shaken my head at some of the habits and behaviour of other kids and parents I witnessed? Why don’t they just get a grip? Well, now that I’m a parent I know why. Because all parents do what they have to do in those not-so-easy-to-handle situations. Here are some of the things I thought I wouldn’t do as a mum before I had my baby. But then I changed my mind.…
Summer is the ideal time for outdoor play with a toddler. I try to take our one-year-old out every day at least for a couple of hours. She enjoys outdoors, as she gets the much-needed space and freedom to walk around and explore, which she doesn’t get indoors. Playgrounds have become almost like our second home. During these early years, children are naturally curious, so I think it’s the best time to create a daily habit of going out and let your child play outside. When the weather is nice, we like to visit local parks, woods, playgrounds. Even when the weather isn’t ideal, which isn’t uncommon in the UK, we get out most days, even if it’s just for a short walk around the neighbourhood. We love spending time outdoors and here are the reasons. Good for kid, good for mama It’s amazing, what a bit of fresh air…
My baby will have a different childhood than I had. Being a mum makes me think about how much has changed since I was a child. I think it’s fair to say that before the Internet and all the latest technologies came along, things were a lot simpler and carefree. I have some great memories growing up, playing hide and seek with friends, spending weekends outdoors, only coming home for lunch. It’s hard not to think about some aspects of my early years that my one-year-old will never get to experience. Childhood is different now in so many ways. Add to it the fact that I raise my family abroad and things get even more exciting for Little E. Yes, it will be different than my early years, but there is also a positive side to it. How exactly then will things change for my baby? Read on to find out. Terrorism…
After a full year of calling myself a mama, there are some things I would like to share with new mums or mums to be. I don’t consider myself to be an expert in this motherhood journey, but I think I am in a position where I can offer a tip or two to those of you who are just starting this amazing adventure. Life is about to change in a way you won’t really understand until you are actually there, doing that all important mama job. So, let’s dive in and find out what this mama has got to say after a year full of joy, love but also struggles, tears and countless sleepless nights. You ARE a good mum The most important thing to remember is that you are doing a great job, no matter what comes your way. You are a good enough parent to your baby. You…
It’s almost here. Your first birthday. My very first year of being a mama to an amazing little girl. We’ve made it. Oh, how things have changed over the last twelve months. How much have I learned? And you? You learn, grow and change every day, right in front of my eyes. You’ve grown and changed more than I can really comprehend.
For the past week, we’ve gone through a fever, a runny nose, sore throat and cough with my baby. It’s the first time; she’s been this sick. She only had a mild cold previously, and it was a walk in the park compared to this time. I’m just relieved that she is almost back to her normal self now, apart from a little cough she still has. But let me tell you, caring for a sick baby is no fun.
When you are trying to figure out why they are crying for two hours straight at night, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Is it something serious? Is she in pain? Should we call an emergency? All these alarming thoughts go through your mind that you completely overlook the simple symptoms of a blocked nose. So, when the light bulb finally went off, I sent my partner to a late night pharmacy to get a nasal spray. No, I didn’t have one at home, as my doctor advised against using them on small babies. But this time, as my baby is almost one and was crying inconsolably, we decided to try one of those saline nasal sprays for babies.
It’s been eleven months since my baby was born. It’s been an emotional roller coaster, but it’s been an incredible journey at the same time. Life has been pretty busy and hectic, so it’s no wonder I’ve been craving some me time for quite some time.
My pre-baby carefree life seems like a distant memory now that I’ve become a mum. Do you remember those days off when you could do absolutely nothing? If that’s your way of relaxation. Those trips to the cinema, shopping trips, those date nights you used to have with your partner, it’s all fast forgotten when you become a first time mum.
There is suddenly someone else who has higher priorities than your own needs. Your focus and responsibility shift in a whole new direction. It’s so easy for us mums to forget about ourselves. We don’t have time to take a shower sometimes, never mind having time for the perfect mum retreat.