A Mom Of Ten!
Ten Things I Have Learned As A Mom Of Ten!
Being a mom changes you as nothing else will! 30-year-old mom often under 12, Jamie who had her tenth child a little over four months ago, shares 10 awesome lessons motherhood has taught her.
10. – The days are long but the years are short
My eldest is twelve this month, I feel like I have blinked and I’ve lost a decade. It is so easy to get caught up in the stress of teething or tantrums and the day to day grind to forget to appreciate your time with them and make the most of it. I think it’s important to spend as much time with children as possible because you can’t get this time back. Maybe one day I will be wishing they were all young and running me ragged again. In fact, I know I will.
9 – Everything is an occasion
We have a ready-made party with all the children. It doesn’t have to be Christmas or a Birthday to have that special feel. A nice meal or a film and some popcorn make a really special day and party atmosphere. I have learned little simple things to please children just as much as lavish offerings. My children love a game of hiding and seek around our farm or monopoly if it is a rainy day and then a film and some treats just as much as a day out at a theme park. Having all the children has taught me time together and memories mean more to children than grand gestures and money.
8 – Whoever said you can’t do two things at once did not have children
I have been known to be on the phone, be cooking supper, watching toddlers, and cleaning the floor at the same time. I am almost certain I am not alone in the mummy juggle. Parents have to multi-task or there wouldn’t be enough hours in the day. I have learned to juggle since having so many children it just comes with the territory.
7 – Every child needs to feel valued.
This is a really important thing I have learned. With ten children we do a lot of activities together but I think it is really important to spend one on one time with each child every week. Even if it’s just a walk with the dog, a trip to the shops, or a cuddle and a story I always make sure each child has that time just with me to tell them I love them and make sure all is well and chat about things that interest them.
6 – I can cook for a football team
People always seem astonished I can cook for twelve daily. I have taught myself over the years to cook them home-cooked meals because their health is really important to me. It can be challenging at times to cook for them all but it’s something I like to do as I know eating well is so important. Nothing beats us all sitting around our farmhouse table for a meal and talking about our day.
5- Never take healthy children for granted
I had a real wake-up call after the birth of my sixth child Vincent. I had a straightforward pregnancy and birth but, he was born very poorly and had to be transferred to a high dependency intensive care unit in a hospital hour away from home. It was an absolutely awful time and to be told my baby is probably going to die the worst thing I have gone through. Vincent did make it and It made me realize how fortunate I am. I now really appreciate the health of all my children and have great sadness and empathy for parents who are not as lucky as me.
4 – No birth is the same
I have had such different births with all my children. Home births with independent midwives, hospital natural births, epidurals, emergency c -sections. Each one had it plus and minus points and seven of the births didn’t go to plan. Labour and Birth are like English weather the forecast doesn’t always match the day.
3 – Sometimes you do just have to laugh
There have been many occasions when things have been so dire I have just had to laugh. I remember one occasion when two of my little ones decided to pour baking flour on the floor mix it with tomato puree and water and proceed to paint my dining room with it. Yes, it was a nightmare and a major mess but kids will be kids and it was my own fault as I was distracted by a phone call and cleaning school shoes. Sometimes all you can do is laugh and carry on.
2 – You never know it all
It is a true fact there is no super mum or dad. Everyone is just blagging their way along trying their best. You learn to be calmer and confident on certain aspects of parenting with the more experience you gain but, each of my children is just so different so each one of them has sent me back to the drawing board on certain things. You can only do your best.
1 – Sleep is so important
Sleep is something my husband and I fantasize about and bicker over. In honesty, I have resented him many times over the years for his selective hearing at night. He says he doesn’t hear the children when they wake at night. I know he does. Also, I have no shame in admitting that I have on occasion deliberately disturbed him at night leaving the ensuite light on, knocking the bed to jolt him and so on. I have also been known to send him ranting voice notes to his phone during a particularly bad night to highlight just how much I had been awake that night along with just exactly what I thought of him. – that was some colorful breakfast entertainment for him (cringe). Yes I know I sound a bit mental but weeks of three hours broken sleep a day does send you a bit loopy loo.
Follow Jamie on Instagram @the_baby_lady. She blogs at thebabylady.co
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Whoa! Really can’t belive she had all 10 of them.