Time

I have been a mother to one for six and a half years, a mother to two for four and a half years and a mother to three for nine months. In the past few weeks I have learned a valuable lesson about motherhood (I may have been a little slow on the uptake!)

The best thing I can do for my kids is to take a little quiet time for me.

Time when I am not wiping bums or snot.
Time when I am not breastfeeding a baby.
Time when I am not pouring drinks, vacuuming carpet, washing, hanging out or folding clothes.
Time when I am not answering a million annoying super important questions.
Time when I am dishing out consequences for undesirable behaviour.
Time when I am not breaking up fights or banning kids from the trampoline.
Time when I don't have kids following me to the toilet.
Time when I don't have to think about everyone else first.

I need to take the time to breath, to finish a thought from start to finish all at once.
I need to take time to recharge my batteries so that I stand a fraction of a chance of keeping up with my kids.
I need to take a little care of myself so that I can take a lot of care of everyone else.

What are your needs as a parent?