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The Supermum Myth ExposedThe Supermum myth is creating havoc in families and communities around the world. Think about it. There is so much pressure on mothers. They're expected to know what their doing with a brand new baby despite having little or no experience except a few antenatal classes and books they've read. They're expected to cope with hormones going crazy, serious sleep deprivation (used by many countries during war time as a torture technique), run a household, sometimes work full or part time, look after older siblings. And in this generation, we're often doing it on our own, we often don't have family or community support close by.Ute Fumeaux, CEO and founder of child-educational-toys.com is a mother of 3 who empathises with mothers all over the world. But she also wants to make it clear to all mothers that they are often their own worst enemies. The first message to get across to all mothers is that there is no such thing as a Supermum. Just like there's no superman, batman, spiderman, wonder woman etc etc. The best thing all mothers can do is to forget about trying to be a Supermum. Let's face it all mothers are amazing, wonderful and fabulous human beings (sorry to the at-home Dads I know I'm being politically incorrect but I'm just keeping it simple). You have to be super to go through the whole pregnancy process, child birth, breast feeding, bottle feeding, sleep deprivation, life changing, sensational and wonderful process that is motherhood. Where we all fall down is that we think we can do everything perfectly all the time. You all know what I'm talking about, before you go to bed you set up the breakfast table, start the lunches for the following day and have everything ready to go for the next day. You get up at 6, finish the lunches, finish getting breakfast on the table, shower and get yourself organised. Get the children up at 6.45, dressed and at the table by 7, breakfast finished, teeth brushed, bags packed and in the car by 7.40 . and then . Just as you're buckling in the 2 year old, you smell that smell Just when everything was going perfectly, you were going to miss the traffic, you were going to get everyone to school on time, now it's all changed. Yes, you were calm, organised and in control and then the unthinkable happens, your routine falls down and you're now running 15 minutes late (have you ever tried to get a 2 year old unbuckled, back in the house, nappy changed and back in the car in less time?), you now get stuck in traffic, you're less than calm and lets face it less than interested in the 20 minute version of last night's dream and you come face to face with the realisation that you're not a Supermum and that you're unlikely to ever be one. The reality is you're a mum who somehow manages to get everything done that needs to be done. You may not do it perfectly every time, your house may not be immaculate, your daughter's pig tails may not be perfectly straight, your son may sometimes wear a fairy dress over his clothes, but hey, your children are happy (well 99% of the time), healthy and very much loved. Let's put it all into perspective. In fact let's put it into a format most mothers can relate to - a list (after all how else can we remember to do more than 2 extra things?) Mum's Priority Checklist Are your children loved Are your children safe Are your children healthy Are your children stimulated Are your children being appropriately educated Do your children sleep well Do your children sleep enough Do your children eat healthy meals (90% of the time) Do you spend quality family time together Do you communicate positively with each family member on a regular basis Do you encourage family members to communicate positively with each other Do you and your partner agree about your discipline/parenting techniques Are you flexible with your routines when necessary Don't get me wrong I'm not simplifying the mothering role to the above things, but come on all you Supermums' let's forget about the perfect house, the perfect outfits and the perfect punctuality it's not going to happen 100% of the time, if you can do all of that even 80% of the time, you're a legend and I'll have to take it all back, there is such a thing as a Supermum. The only question I'd ask is what does it cost to be a Supermum? Do you actually have time to finger paint with your children and to clean the toilets every couple of days. Do you have time to cook 3 course meals and let your children bake cookies? Are your walls/fridge perfectly clean or are they covered in artwork you and your children have created? We all have different ideas about what it takes to be a great mum and whatever that means to you, as long as your spending time with your children, playing with them, talking to them, listening to them, letting them know on a very regular basis how much you love them, disciplining them and just being there for them, - then you have to know that you're doing a great job. Congratulations, you're a fabulous mum. About the author: About the Author Ute Fumeaux Sydney Australia Learn more about your child Ute Fumeaux is a fast-paced educator who blends the experience of raising her own 3 children with years of study and observation. She provides solid practical advice that answers many of the questions parents have about raising and educating their children. Learn more about Ute and her advice at www.child-educational-toys.com Circulated by Article Emporium Growing Pains Growing Pains By David Leonhardt Growing up is never easy. Just ask Little Lady, almost three-and-a-half, how hard it is. She'll tell you. It's really, really hard. Half way through the day, my parents are a complete wreck. She's right. Sometimes the te... The Supermum Myth Exposed The Supermum myth is creating havoc in families and communities around the world. Think about it. There is so much pressure on mothers. They're expected to know what their doing with a brand new baby despite having little or no experience except a few antenatal classes and books... The Shoemaker and the Brat At seventeen years old, I was a brat. A mixture of innocence, immaturity and righteousness. And I carried that attitude with me everywhere, including my trip to the shoemaker. Now, to understand why something as simple as a trip to the shoemaker would stay with me all thes... Learning Styles And The Home Schooler - Part III of III This is part III and the last part of this report. I hope you and your child are benefiting from the cues to their individual learning style and suggestions on how to can adjust your learning environment to achieve a successful and enjoyable homeschooling experience. Nex... Surviving a C-Section After 42 weeks of pregnancy, two days of undergoing inducement and physical stress on the baby, my daughter was delivered via an emergency C-section. Oh, it was music to my ears when my gynecologist arrived in my hospital room at 4:30 a.m. and told me they were going to do an emerg... Parenting: Ten Things You Can Do to Develop Your Baby's Language Skills The growth of your baby's language skills is an amazing process. In the short space of a year, she goes from crying to speaking intelligible words. Can you do anything to help baby along? Apparently yes. There are ways to help the baby develop her language skills more eas... A Step-By-Step Plan to a Healthy Pregnancy Having a baby is an exciting moment. However, the nine months leading up to the experience can be a bit unnerving. Most women worry throughout their pregnancy about the health of their baby. To alleviate the stress and worry that often creep up during pregnancy, plan instead to hav... Back When I Was A Kid... We must eliminate from our minds a few phrases when we are making decisions about how we will be raising our kids. They are the sayings like: "When I was a kid..." and "If I had done that when I was a kid, my dad would have..." or "Back when we were in school they used to..." ... Games to Make your Baby Shower a Success Described below are many baby shower games that will spruce up any baby shower. ABC's Have each person write down each letter of the alphabet. Everyone has to name something that has to do with a baby for each letter. This game should be timed for about two minute... Does Your Family Know How to be Safe on the Internet? A USA Today article that ran in July 2005 cited findings from a survey conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation. They found that during the school year, kids between the ages of 8 and 10 years old spent an average of 6 hours per day watching television, playing video games and/or ... Monitoring Your Teens for Drug Use without Appearing to be Spying Even if your teenagers do not use drugs, you still need to keep an eye on them. It is much better to realize that things could change, and anticipate that your teen COULD become a user. Essentially, it is not wise to make assumptions about topics such as drug use. Also, having bee... Mommy & Baby: Weight Gain & Failure To Thrive A guide to appropriate weight-gain and what to look for if you suspect failure-to-thrive: Weight Gain: Birth 2 weeks of age Regain birth weight plus some 2 weeks 3 months of age Two pounds per month or one ounce per day 4 6 ... The Characteristics of a Typical Baby Born Under the Sign of Libra Your Libra Baby.. September 23 - October 22 Libras can be really beautiful babies. Personality wise, your Libra baby will not like to be hurried and will hate having to choose between two things. Libra children often seem older than their years and unexpectedly kn... Learning Styles And The Home Schooler - Part II of III Create the best learning environment for your child. In addition to receiving and processing information, learning is affected by how the child responds to the organization of the material. Consider these four basic types. (Remember it is not a box to keep your child in..... When To Start Teaching Your Baby (1) When is it that I should start teaching my baby? That is a question that may come to mind for many first time parents; other parents may never consider the question at all, and just leave things to evolve naturally. In a way, that is an unnecessary question as, whether you...
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