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My Shit Day As a Mum – We All Have Them Right?

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You know those days where by the end of it you are completely and utterly exhausted? Those days you can barely holding it together? Well this was me yesterday.

I am usually a very laid back person, it takes a lot to break me. But I can say with all honesty that I have never in my 9 years of being a parent ever had a day that shit! I was woken by fighting kids, breakfast everywhere, my kitchen resembled a holding cell for untamed animals.

I thought once I dropped the boys at school surely my day would improve. I was wrong. So unbelievably wrong! My 2 year old daughter seems to have embraced the terrible two’s with open arms. There was just no letting up. She is a very strong willed child which I’m hoping will be a benefit in her older years but for now, she is driving me to breaking point. I ask her to do something. No. Please do it. No.

I am not typically a parent who resorts to bribing my children to do things (toilet training excluded, they can have whatever they frigging want if it means they will crap in the toilet!) however yesterday I was at my wits end. I did not know what to do. I was stressed, time deprived with my husband and I cannot remember the last time I left the house to do something for myself or by myself.
I’m just tired of being tired.

As the afternoon went on it didn’t improve. Homework arguments, racing the clock for swimming lessons because their class times had changed. Rushing out the door with an extremely overtired 2 year old, 3 month old baby and the boys, only to get there and be told they changed our lesson time to the next half an hour slot which meant I had to entertain the devil child, I mean toddler, for an hour instead of 30 minutes in what can only be described as a sauna. *It is a heated indoor pool in a shed that is ONLY for lessons.

By this point I was barely holding it together. I made dinner and was counting down the hours until my husband came home. He walked inside and asked me how my day was – I couldn’t contain it any longer – “It was fucked!”. There was no other way to explain it. The tears started flooding my face and as my husband comforted me, I fell into a messy sobbing heap. He asked me what had happened to make it such an awful day and as I told him, the crying got worse. But as I talked and cried, I began to feel lighter, less stressed, less irritated (possibly less irrational).

My husband being the wonderful man he is reminded me that everyone has bad days. It is ok to not be on top of everything every single day. Not to bottle it up until breaking point and that tomorrow will be better! And like always….. He was right.

Have you experienced days like this too? How do you prevent it from happening?

Get a Break From the Kids This Christmas Holidays

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So as you are running around like mad preparing for Christmas with the kids, have you ever imagined the possibility that you could have all the fun, with someone else doing all the work for you? If you are tired of the Christmas experiences where you spend most of your time running after the kids, getting them food, drinks and keeping them occupied, while missing out on having any fun for yourself, then a cruise might be just what you need.

There is no time like the present to start planning your next Christmas with a family cruise where you will really have the chance to actually relax, sit back and smell the roses (or the fresh ocean air, as the case may be!). The great thing about cruises is that everything is catered for you, and Christmas cruises are that little bit more special because they have the whole Christmas thing going on, and you don’t have to lift a finger. On a cruise ship, the staff are trained for one purpose – to ensure that you are having the time of your life. This means that they will be in charge of looking after all aspects of the planning of the time. They have dedicated staff to look after your kids, which includes every aspect of keeping the little munchkins happy, whether that be with activities, baby sitting or food. They cater to children of all ages, so there are things to do for everyone, including you! For the older kids there are games and activities to suit them, and the younger ones will be delighted to be able to spend their days hanging out with kids their own age. No matter who you are, or what your interest is, a cruise will have something to suit every taste.

Christmas is supposed to be a time when the whole family gets together to enjoy each others company. But if you are finding that you are stressed and working like a dog to keep everyone happy then you aren’t going to be the best fun to be around (which kind of defeats the purpose of even having Christmas). On a Christmas cruise, you get to be everyone’s favourite person because you are super happy while the staff take the worries out of every aspect of organising and executing the big day. While the kids get to spend their time swimming, dancing, cooking, playing and generally doing whatever it is that kids like to do, you will be able to sit back, relax, and enjoy doing sweet nothing.

Aside from the fun of having everything done for you, the cruise will also pull into various ports along the way, where the kids will have the chance to see other cultures, explore exotic lands, and see the way other people live. They might even start to get ideas about living more simply, and maybe next Christmas they won’t have a present list as long as your arm, as they will have a better idea that ‘things’ are not such an important part of life! For info about Christmas cruises head to the Cruiseabout website.

STRESSED? Take the test and see + Your chance to WIN!!

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Stress is absolutely everywhere! Well things that cause people to stress anyway. The main causes are often money problems, uncertain job security, being overworked, rude people, road rage and traffic, conflict, relationship complications and the one most of us deal with on a daily basis – KIDS! When you have kids how can you not feel stressed at some point? Wagner knows and understands that everyone can feel stressed; they know it doesn’t matter if you’re a man, woman, teenager, mother or father – sometimes you just need that extra bit of help to relax which is why they have a wide range of products to assist. Stress can cause physical, mental and emotional side effects. Headaches, high blood pressure, chest pain and trouble sleeping are common physical results of stress. It can cause anxiety, depression and irritability along with over eating, under eating and social withdrawal. Some people just don’t know how to deal with stress and it builds and ultimately causes them to become distressed which is an even greater cause for concern. Seek help before it reaches this point; please.

I personally find that when I am feeling particularly stressed it is the appetite, irritability and the sleep that is most effected. It is a horrible cycle really, the kids stress you out from their fighting, complaining, whinging, etc. and then you get frustrated at them because you’re stressed. There are however some very simple things you can do to help relieve or even avoid stress.

  • Go for a walk and clear your head, the fresh air will do wonders for you.  
  • Slow down! Don’t rush through everything, take time to enjoy life.
  • Breathe – Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths.
  • Ask for help. It sounds so easy and yet many people think they can’t.
  • Turn up the music. Sing and dance it out. (You’ll also be getting some exercise!)
  • Do something for YOU! Get a massage, have your hair done, see a movie, etc.
  • LAUGH!! Laughter is quite simply the best medicine and it’s free. 

Wagner is currently running a campaign to make people more aware of their stress levels. Pop over and take the stress test here. Oh and just as an extra benefit for liking the Wagner Facebook page and taking the stress test you will go into the draw to win an absolutely amazing prize – well actually 1 of 11 amazing prizes! Major prize is a weekend away for 2 to the all-inclusive Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat on the Gold Coast, with return economy airfares; or 1 in 10 Endota Spa vouchers valued at $110. How could you possibly be stressed after winning one of those prizes? Once you’ve done the test I would love you to let them and Mad Mummas readers know how you did. Come back and leave a comment – share the love!

This is a sponsored post for Wagner Health and Digital Parents Collective.

I’m A Mess No More!

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I’m a Mess No More!
A few months ago I broke down. I was a spluttering mess, tears that wouldn’t stop and snot bubbles that would give the Blair Witch Project a run for its money. If it wasn’t so pathetic it would have been hilarious.
I had not long gone from being a full time stay at home mum to my boys and wanting another baby to going back to school, going back to work as a chef, building a house and having so much study to do that I barely left my desk. I hardly recognised my life anymore with so much going on. It seems I missed out on so much time with my kids. In retrospect; I wasn’t missing out that much. My eldest started school this year so he wouldn’t have been home anyway, my husband was still going to work as does and my youngest … well he is really the only one who it has had a reasonable effect. He now gets to go to childcare/preschool 2 days a week which has been a great benefit to him because he is gaining incredible social skills that he wouldn’t have gotten at home.
I however seemed overwhelmed. My life had changed so much, so quickly.
 When did that happen? How did that happen? What was I thinking?
Even as I write this I’m shaking my head in disbelief. There was no logic in why I was so upset. What mum doesn’t want some time to herself? Some independence?
Normally however my idea of time to myself is getting my hair done or going out for lunch. Mind you I would settle for an empty bathroom that I can go to the toilet in peace in but as all us mums know that happens about as often as the cleaning fairy visiting for free or just plain visiting!
I don’t typically get overwhelmed or tearful. I’m tough! Or so I thought. My husband hugged me and gave me the support I needed, we talked and I cried and then I cried some more. I later came to the conclusion that I had yet again under estimated my ability. I had myself believing I couldn’t do it all.
I CAN!
I took a step back, wiped my eyes, popped those snot bubbles and got on with it. I am exceeding any possible expectation I could have dreamed of. Don’t get me wrong it isn’t easy; it is extremely hard work but since that night I have let my stress go (or as much as one can) and have taken on even more.
What else? Well…..
I also started this little blog. When I get the feeling of “please everyone just get the hell away from me and leave me alone” I start to write. I write for my blog, I write for you wonderful fans, I write for my sanity. I write for me! It is my release.
For this I am grateful.
What is your release? How do you cope with or overcome stress?

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