“Enjoy the little things” or “set that bar nice and high!?” I am amazed every time that so many children who have just left school for exactly 2 minutes are asked to hurry home, to cram in a sandwich, to pour down a sip of milk (without spilling ajb) to flush everything and then quickly run to swimming lessons. And then, hop, hop, hop ... also continue to go for a workout.
Pfff ... writing this alone makes me tired and I'm not even lazy (read:no rest). I feel sorry for the mothers who squeeze themselves in all sorts of ways and work up a sweat to get the day to a good end. But I feel even more sorry for the children who, at the end of this hectic day, also have to muster the courage to be nice to their somewhat busy mother.
Is it just me, am I really old-fashioned or should I start worrying that I used to be short of something? Well, that last one is definitely not! Enjoy the little things, that's what I've learned. First complete swimming lessons and then choose a sport! And even if that swimming lesson may take a long time, so be it. I don't believe that when other fun sports suddenly come along, it is very motivating to also do your very best for that damn long swimming lesson.
Maybe something will come of it; “not wanting to be inferior to others” look around the corner? Because well, Pietje is already doing karate and is suddenly so assertive, Klaasje can score with football like a crazy and Roosje ... Roosje dances the stars from heaven! Well congratulations!! I think the only thing you achieve with it is a child that is raised with a bar that is set higher and higher. Higher and higher. What's the next step?
Maybe it's some kind of guilt. Mothers who like to work a lot or perhaps have to work full-time, who want to compensate with extra activities and "attention" for their offspring in order to show the outside world; “Look, I also do a lot with my child”! Well ... that is also a choice of course. Everyone has their own thing, with all due respect, but then I personally prefer to choose that "old-fashioned bitch" who does everything in her own way.
No stress, an afternoon playing games and tinkering is really too sacred for me here. A nice outing to the petting zoo, a tour by bus to the city or just taking friends home every week, eating grilled cheese and playing. That for me is the ultimate enjoyment. Meanwhile, doing laundry and updating the household and you're done!
Here speaks a happy housewife, husband, mother, cleaner, writer, owner of a webshop plus a fun running hobby as a caterer. So even if you're a "busy" working mom, there's room for your kids to grow up without that high bar and without over-achieving. I hope that in a few years' time, our children will look back on their youth just as I did with my parents. Fuck that outside world and enjoy the little things!
