Some days I'm the mummy who starts the day with a book in bed with my girls, they then eat a healthy breakfast of cereal and fruit, or we make a fruit smoothie together, before they run out of the door to play while I prepare some wonderfully creative activity for them to do. The day is full of play, art, reading and good nourishment for their bodies as well as their perfect little souls. Some days.
Some days none of the above happens and I've shouted at my daughters before it's 7am. Some days they get beans on toast for dinner because it's all I have the energy for. Some days the rules are broken about sweets during the week and TV before school because I've been weak and given in to the pester power. The truth is - isn't it the same for all mums? At the end of some days we can pat ourselves on the back and feel content with the fact that we got it right today and our children are tucked up in bed healthy and happy. Sometimes though I go to see them asleep in their beds and I feel guilty that I shouted, guilty that I had to stay late at work tonight, guilty that we didn't spend enough 'quality-time' together that day, just plain guilty.
I want to be the mummy who gets it all right every day, but I'm not, so what can I do? I can forgive myself, practice patience and gentleness with myself so that I can practice those same things towards the people I love. I read somewhere once that we have to be our own best friend sometimes, counsel ourselves as we would a good friend and say, "It's OK, you did your best , you have good intentions, you love your kids and that's all they really need, go to bed and get some rest and try again tomorrow." I like this inner best friend of mine, she's kind and understanding, she knows that I do have the best of intentions and that I will try again tomorrow, that I'll never stop trying to be the mummy I know my children deserve. The kind of mummy that I know I can be.
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