Smile and nod, smile and nod!

Being a new parent is daunting- an understatement. From the moment we find out we are pregnant (and sometimes before) the enormity of what lies ahead threatens to overwhelm us. If we can’t cope with a bit of morning sickness now how will we ever survive no sleep for the next eighteen years or so? Pregnancy is the easy bit so the hordes of well wishers tell us; enjoy your lie-ins now as you’ll never have one again.

As soon as you announce the happy news to family, friends and anyone else that will care to listen, you are leaving yourself open to the curse of the modern parent- advice… With the first child you are a novice and you actively seek advice from everyone from cures for morning sickness to the best position to labour in. You find that people seem to share your excitement and will eagerly tell you the best way to do things (or how they did it). You even seek out advice from outside sources such as books and the internet, eagerly joining forums and birth clubs so you can compare your pregnancy with other expectant mums. After a while you realise that you are being given conflicting advice at every turn and end up even more confused and disorientated than when you started.

When the little bundle of joy arrives you have a myriad of emotions that threaten to engulf you. This tiny human is utterly dependent on you to feed, give warmth and comfort to and so feeling overwhelmed you still seek advice: the best way to settle baby, the best way to latch baby onto breast, you rely on midwives, visiting family members, other mums on the ward to tell you how it should be done and you do it.

However after the first hazy days have passed in a blur and life becomes more normal again you start figure out what works for you and your baby and become more confident in your inherent parenting abilities. The advice becomes less welcome and more irritating. Sometimes very irritating!

So what do you do when you realise that actually you’re getting the hang of this parenting malarkey and you really don’t want to dip your baby’s dummy in whiskey/ leave them to cry/ wrap them in 20 layers in July?? You have to quickly develop the hide of a rhino and depending on your level of assertiveness either hide your annoyance when unwanted advice is offered while smiling, nodding and serenely ignoring or politely but firmly tell the advisor to butt out and mind their own business! By the time you get to baby two or three you'll no longer be on the receiving end of unwanted advice but inevitably you'll catch yourself sagely warning excited first time mums- to- be to enjoy their lie ins.....

Before I got married I had six theories about bringing up children; now I have six children, and no theories. ~John Wilmot

Walk a mile...

Through Wee Wonders I meet all sorts of mums; ones who had vaginal births, ones who had caesareans; breast feeders; bottle feeders; mixed feeders;APer's; 'Forders' and everything in between; ones who agonise about about every parenting decision and those who just get on with it. This is wonderful! Every day we meet parents who have made different choices to ourselves and perhaps have conflicting styles of parenting but we parents have so much in common: the awe inspiring love we have for our little ones; the milestones; the frustrations, the tiredness and the funny stories to name just a few. Parenting is an emotive minefield; we all struggle sometimes, we feel guilty, we have times of hilarity and of tenderness, we all want to feel that the decisions we have made for our child are the 'best'.


The hype surrounding a news story has bemused me today- the NICE announcement that women in England and Wales will be allowed to choose a Caesarian birth even if there is no medical need. Having read many discussions on t'internet I have been annoyed at the usual 'too posh to push' nonsense being spouted, that women choose caesarian as an easy option with little thought or valid reasoning. Judging, judging...


I must confess that I am emotionally invested in this debate having had 2 caesareans myself - the first an emergency after a 44 hour labour which was horrific with a 5 month recovery period and the second an elective being ten days overdue as I was desperate for a VBAC ( vaginal birth after caesarian) to allay my guilt for being a 'failure' for not being able to give birth like a 'proper woman' and of somehow harming my daughter. Actually the elective was closure for me, yes it wasn't the birth I would have 'chosen' given a magic wand but it was such a contrast to the first: calm, dignified, much quicker recovery, the fantastic consultant also moved my bladder back to its correct position and removed a lot of unsightly scar tissue.

I have spent many wasted moments of feeling guilty over a 'choice' that in reality was outside my control but in saner moments (like now) I know that how my daughters were born matters not one jot; the fact that they know they are loved and are being raised to the best of my ability is what really counts. I am sure that many parents have the same end goal I do- to produce well adjusted adults with strong memories of a happy childhood.

'It's not only children who grow. Parents do too. As much as we watch to see what our children do with their lives, they are watching us to see what we do with ours. I can't tell my children to reach for the sun. All I can do is reach for it, myself.' ~Joyce Maynard.










http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-15840743

Musings

"I had always thought that once you grew up you could do anything you wanted - stay up all night or eat ice cream straight out of the container." ~Bill Bryson

It's amazing how simplistic a small child's view of adulthood can be. My own four year old told me that she couldn't wait to be a grown up as she could stay up all night and watch the stars and even go to the park in the dark if she wanted. At what age does this childish idealism fade and the harsh reality of being 'grown up' begin? That instead of desiring to stay up all night to simply look at the cosmos you find yourself day dreaming about your comfy bed and counting down the hours until you'll be able to close eyes, relax and sleep.

I love my job! Watching a 3 month old gaze in wonder as a bubble slowly floats past their eye line ; hearing a 14 month old scream with laughter as we do the hokey cokey; observing the acute concentration on the face of a 2 year old as they stick their wiggly eyes on their creative masterpieces. But I also love watching the pleasure and pride in their parents' faces as they see their little ones really enjoy themselves and relax in the company of other children.

It really is the simple things in life that bring us pleasure and I for one have promised my own Wee Wonder that at half term we will stay up very late and watch the stars and maybe even visit a park in the dark!

It's May

Well in the words of the renowned star of tv and radio Alan Partridge, 'It's May!' and after a prolonged Easter break things are getting busy in Wee Wonders' land. From birthday parties to classes and a couple of new nuseries booked I will have to emerge from my Easter sunshine cocoon of barbeques and day trips and do some blooming work.

I am gearing up to write a rather long to do list where procrastination will not feature but organisation and time management is key. This list however will not be typed as my ever helpful eighteen monther forcibly removes my hand from the mouse whenever I try to sneak onto the computer in her presence.

I have really enjoyed working with Catherine from MacPR and her advice and mentoring has been invaluable. We were introduced by Business in The Community www.bitc.org.uk which is a really fanatstic resource for local small businesses who would like help and advice in various aspects of their business.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Wee Wonders! The first year is over and really it has flown by so quickly. Now it is time for the speech....

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the parents who have supported Wee Wonders throughout the year by bringing your wonderful babies and toddlers along to my classes or had me entertain your little ones at their special birthday parties! I have really enjoyed meeting so many new people and have absolutely loved watching the children grow and develop every week. It really is a fantastic job and much too fun to be called work!

My family and friends also need to be thanked for all their help and support both practically and by just lending an ear if I needed a wee moan, advice or a kick up the posterior! I value your continued support and encouragement!

It has been a year of up and downs (mostly ups). Starting a business is quite daunting especially in this shaky economic climate but positive feedback has encouraged me and kept me motivated. I hope to build upon my learning and strengths this year and want to continue realising my dream of making Wee Wonders a much loved household name!

Thank you!

Spring has sprung

Once again time has managed to pass me by and it is now nearing the end of March-how on earth did that happen? I am very excited that Wee Wonders will be one in April and I may just have to invest in a delicious sponge cake to celebrate! I have enjoyed the first year and look forward to growing the business in the coming years as I really love what I do!

I am currently in planning mode and have new week day classes coming up in May. I am also going to build upon the success of my summer workshops last year by providing a greater number in several locations this year; I have found that activities for babies and toddlers are sadly lacking in the summer months and would like to provide kiddies and their parents the opportunity to socialise whilst learning through fun activities!

My little one is now 17 months and is speaking much more than she signs, although when she wants to emphasise what she wants for example 'MORE BISCUIT' she says the words while also signing it furiously- she certainly knows how to get her point across!

I have been enjoying providing sessions for my eldest child's nursery school and will be taking my puppets Wendy and Will Wonder for another session based on the theme of Fairy Tales next week- I must get my thinking cap on as to which story to concentrate on.

My favourite quote of the week-

Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing up is like shovelling the pavement before it stops snowing. ~Phyllis Diller