I’m linking up this week with the lovely Sara at mumturnedmom for her shiny new linky ‘The Prompt’. Each week Sara will provide a prompt – the rest is up to you. I’m already joining in with a few photo linkys so the idea of one focusing on the writing appealed to me and hopefully I’ll be able to join in every week. You can read more about why Sara decided to start the prompt here.
So without further ado…this weeks prompt…
Guilt to motherhood is like grapes to wine. Fay Weldon
It is morning. I hear my baby wake up and start babbling to himself. I don’t get up, I wait. He goes quiet, I turn over and go back to sleep. Ten minutes later I hear him again so I drag myself out of bed to go to him. He is happy, lying in his cot and grinning at me, but I feel guilty in case he has been lying awake and waiting for me.
I sit on the sofa, scrolling through Twitter on my phone. My six month old son is lying on the floor, wriggling and reaching for his toys. He is happy and yet I feel guilty that I am not giving him one hundred percent of my attention, that I am not down there on the floor playing with him.
My boy is in bed having a nap. I hear him wake up and call out. I don’t go to him straight away. I just nip to the loo first and get the washing out of the dryer before I go and get him. He is happy looking at the stars and planets on his wall and yet I feel guilty that I don’t go to him as soon as I hear he is awake.
We go out to the park to meet our friends. Toby is sat on my knee whilst we chat. He reaches out and tries to grab the teapot which only a few minutes earlier contained boiling water. I move it away and he is fine, the teapot was cool, and yet I feel guilty that I didn’t think to move it out of his reach earlier.
Home from the park, and it’s time for bed again. My son loves to sleep and I know he needs his nap and I yet I feel guilty as I hope he sleeps for a few hours, so that afterwards I don’t have to entertain him for too long before it’s time to go and pick up his daddy from the station.
Only an hour until bedtime. The little bear is happy playing with his daddy and yet I feel guilty for counting down the minutes until we can have some time to ourselves.
My baby is clean and ready for bed. He lies on his daddy’s knee having his last bottle before bed. I kiss him good night and tell him that I love him. He is happy……… and so am I.
It’s your very last sentence that is key for me: He is happy and so am I. Because, if they are happy and content and secure, then really – we’re doing okay and feeling guilty takes away our pleasure in the moments. I try to take each day on its merits, and some days are definitely better than others; but none of us are perfect, and our kids don’t need us to be, they need us to be there.
I love that you have taken us through your day in this way, and I am fairly sure that we can all relate to each and every example you have given! I know I can. Thanks so much for linking up to #ThePrompt xx
Thanks for starting the linky Sara – I really enjoyed writing this and I enjoyed taking the time to think a bit more about what I was writing, rather than my usual brain dump style! And deep down I know I’m doing the best that I can – I just need to remind myself of that every now and again 🙂
This is lovely Hun really really lovely!! Can 100% relate xx
Thanks – I’m glad I’m not the only one x
This is really well written and the story of my life! I wonder when it stops? As Sara said, I think we need to remember that if everyone is happy at the end of the day, we probably haven’t done anything too guilt-worthy x #ThePrompt
Thank you! I don’t think it ever stops – I think the things you feel guilty about just change! Really though we should probably just give ourselves a break 🙂
You are teaching him independence and patience – he’s happy to wait for you 🙂
Less guilt please x
Thanks – I know that really but he’s still so little that I sometimes feel I should go to him straight away!
It’s hard to find the balance of tending the needs of our children without feeling guilty. But it sounds like you have happy and content children! #theprompt
I love your take on this, everything you have said is so true. Most of us go through our entire days wondering and feeling guilty over something! Your last sentence, as Sara says, sums it up perfectly. Happy mummy = happy baby! What more could you ask for? #theprompt
You’ve described the scenarios that I would often feel guilty about when my son was younger. Now that he’s a toddler, there are other things I feel guilty about! #ThePrompt
This is lovely, and rings true. It reflects that that guilt lurks in the corners of our minds all day long, every day, though not suffocatingly so, just niggles designed to prompt us to be the best we can be for our kids. And we are, because they’re happy and we love them.
I’m sure lots of Mums and Dads can relate to this, but try and enjoy it. You have a gorgeous happy little boy 🙂
Great post, I can relate to every point you make there! Mel #ThePrompt
Aw I think so many of us can identify with this post. The last sentance is the one that should be remembered all along he was happy and so you should be too 🙂 xx