Tuesday, April 24, 2012

TAKE A DAY OFF.......PARENTING

OK so in most families I know the DAD always has time to himself whether it be , golf, poker, gym, sport, night out at the pub with the blokes, fishing, whatever it is it seems that us woman are always keen for the dads to have time out for themselves. yeah OK they deserve it they work hard bring home the money- BUT we work too, being a mother and wife is 24/7 work, very rarely do I have time to myself sometimes I just want to have a shower ALONE, and without hearing "mum, mum, mum, mum" don’t get me wrong I LOVE MY KIDS TO BITS but not being able to conduct bowel movements in private sometimes takes its toll.
BUT in saying that when people do offer to "give me time" I decline because it make me feel selfish.

 But then you come across problems, well we want to spend family time together, we want to spend time with daddy cause he has been at work so where and when do you "take your time?"

I’m lucky at the moment being an expat I have a maid whom Buddha LOVES so I can occasionally leave him with her to run errands most of the time - not exactly time for myself.
So take a read:

Close your eyes for a second, and when you open them, read the words on the next line.
A day for yourself.
Now imagine yourself taking one. For readers unfamiliar with this concept, a day for yourself is defined as a series of uninterrupted hours during which you relax, read, take a yoga class, see a friend, or skip through a wheat field in slow motion, if that's what makes you feel good. What's more, you do this without regard to anyone else's opinion, hunger level, need to be at the speech therapist, feelings of abandonment, or your daughter's desire for you to help get the yellow rubber mini dress on one of those teeny-tiny Polly Pocket dolls RIGHT THIS VERY SECOND!!

Okay, so what is the primary feeling you're having at the thought of that day just for yourself? Is it:
a) Guilt
b) Trepidation or outright worry
c) Righteous entitlement, because, dagnabit, you deserve some downtime
d) Shock at that pig flying by
e) All of the above

We all know we should take a "me" day (or at least some "me" time) every so often, and we know we'd feel less addled and overwhelmed if we did. Says Emily Bender, a certified holistic nutrition consultant from Fairfax, CA, and mom of a 5-year-old, "Not only was I calmer after I went to a weekend retreat, but being away gave me a lot of clarity about what my needs are and how I parent. It freed up a colossal amount of mental space so I could see things better."
There are myriad reasons, however, that we can't or don't take a day. Some moms believe that the whole machinery of the house would screech to a halt if they were incommunicado for that long, while others don't fully trust their partner to actually engage with the children instead of planting them in front of the TV while noodling around on Facebook. If you work outside the home, you may already feel sad that you don't see your kids enough. And, of course, many single parents have added logistical and financial obstacles that prevent them from getting alone time.

But there are some deeper reasons many of us don't take a hiatus. Melissa Leffel, a teacher and mom of two in Fredonia, NY, has never taken a real day off. She says it makes her feel selfish to leave her own kids, or her students. "It's a sense that I'm not being responsible," she says. "When I want a day off, it's usually about wanting space, or to be able to sleep until nine. It's about wanting back things that I used to have before I had kids and maybe didn't realize what it would feel like not to have anymore." The thought of wishing away your family (a notion that most moms have had, at least fleetingly, at some point) feels ungrateful and somehow reckless.

Nonetheless, Leffel's sentiments are echoed in tot lots and middle school PTAs across the country. "Nobody wants to think of themselves as selfish," says licensed psychologist Ann Dunnewold, Ph.D., author of Even June Cleaver Would Forget the Juice Box and a mom of two in Dallas. "They think, Time for me detracts from time with them. How could I not put my kids first all the time? If I don't, I'm a bad mom." By this all-or-nothing thinking, says Dunnewold, a "good" mom should always want to be with her children, and what's more, enjoy every (sometimes tedious or aggravating) second of it, regardless of her own needs. Any other scenario is a sign that you're not worthy of the good fortune the heavens have bestowed upon you in blessing you with such a lovely family.
To that, Parenting says poo. Let's help you shelve those unrealistic expectations of yourself and go get a manicure (or take a walk or go to the mall or just sleep!). Because that old chestnut is spot-on: If mama isn’t happy, ain't nobody happy.

Time-off obstacles, overcome!
Below, some of the big reasons moms hesitate to pull a temporary disappearing act -- and permission to do it anyway.

"I'm okay. I don't really need a day off." All moms need days off occasionally, and you might not realize that you're at the end of your rope until you find yourself dangling over a precipice. "Everyone is like a pitcher of water. If you keep pouring it out -- taking care of the children, pets, bills, your mother-in-law -- without filling it up again, you'll be running on empty," says Dunnewold. "Remember: You're doing a good thing for your kids if you do something for you."

"The kids will suffer if I leave them for that long." That would be true if you vanished off the face of the earth, never to return; we're talking one day (or half a day, if that's all you can swing). Your children may be upset when you actually say goodbye, but they'll get over it with ego-crushing speed. "We think that things will fall apart or something bad will happen if we leave," says Dunnewold. "But ask yourself, is getting your nails done or having lunch with your friend really going to wreck your kid?" Says Gina Osher, a mom of 2-year-old twins in Los Angeles, "I tell myself it's really good for my kids to be with other people, so it's not all about Mommy."

"My husband/babysitter won't keep her in her routine." Even if you write it all down for your partner or caregiver, there's always the chance that naps will be late or nonexistent, or that your child will not get the afternoon snack that keeps her from becoming a monster by dinnertime. But is it really such a disaster if it happens once in a while? Kate Miller, a mom in Providence, RI, has learned to let this stuff go on her weekly day off, when her husband has guys' day with their two sons. "So he lets them watch too much TV, and he doesn't wash their hair properly, in my opinion," says Miller. "It's fine. Everybody's alive." Besides, whoever's left in charge will learn firsthand why that snack and nap are critical -- and deal with the consequences. (The key here is to stay out long enough that you miss the meltdown, which may not even happen.) "This is less anxiety about the child than it is anxiety about control," says Dunnewold. Let it go.

"I work all day, so I already spend so much time apart from them." This is a toughie, but working at an outside job still doesn't give you all you need to feel human. Besides, working brings home the bacon, which is another form of caring for your children. "If you're the type to feel guilty about this, maybe you should feel guilty if you don't take the day off," suggests Miller. "You're not letting your kids see their mom in a good state. They don't get to experience you when you're rested."

"I stay home and my husband works hard all week, so I feel bad taking a day to myself." Well, you work hard all week, too, if you're taking care of kids -- some would say harder, given the zillions of details you keep track of and all the needs you must satisfy. "There are labor laws in this country," Dunnewold points out, and you can decide that they apply to you, too. For every eight hours you work, you're entitled to a half-hour lunch and two 20-minute breaks. If you're a stay-at-home mom with no help, you work 16 hours a day. That means you have 14 hours a week coming to you. If you take even half of that you're still not slacking off. Raising children is a valuable contribution to the world; you should be rewarded for that.

"I'd feel better if I used time alone to take care of things that are stressing me out." Okay, but use some of it for fun. If you have three hours off, be constructive during only one of them. And then keep reminding yourself: You will be a better mother, on all levels, if you tend to yourself.

Create free periods
You might find an hour or two while your kid's in a karate class, at a drop-off play date (return the favor to the mom-on-duty next time), or even during a kid movie you don't want to sit through, if your child's with an old-enough friend -- just set them in their seats with snacks, and sit right outside the theater doors...to read or knit or play Minesweeper.
"If I have to do something, like go to the dentist, I will try to add on one frivolous thing, like getting my nails done." -- Gina Osher
"I get up, get dressed for work, and don't tell anyone that I'm not going to the office. I work out, see a movie, and I'm home by dinnertime. And I don't feel guilty at all." -- Nancy Smith, Parenting staffer
"I take the dog for 'a long walk,' but I actually walk over to my sister's, where I sit and have coffee and chat." -- Lisa Bain, Parenting staffer

Signs you NEED a day away
1. The nail-polish remover is just where you left it: on the refrigerator door with the salad dressing.
2. You look forward to your annual Pap smear because at least you'll be able to lie down in a quiet place with no children nearby.
3. You hear your big kid warning your little kid, "Dude, steer clear. She's got that crazy-lady look."
4. Sometimes when you pull into your driveway, you don't really want to get out of the car.
5. Your unsympathetic, ass-in-chair-style boss gently suggested that you take one.

How to stop "checking in"
1. Get your nails done -- it's hard to use a cell phone with freshly painted nails.
2. "Forget" your phone in the car glove compartment.
3. Consider the fact that your husband might resent it when you check in and be insulted that you don't have confidence in him.
4. Realize that he might have questions ("Where are the razor blades? We're doing an art project") that could stress you out.
5. Give your cell to a friend to hold, and confiscate hers.
Stephanie Dolgoff is Parenting's editor-at-large.

SO THERE YOU GO SOME INFORMATION ON WHY US MOTHERS NEED A DAY TO OURSELVES REGULARLY.

PS. IT TOOK ME A FEW MONTHS BEFORE I WOULD LEAVE MY LITTLE GUY WITH MY MAID, JUST BECAUSE I'M AN OVER PROTECTIVE MOTHER, BUT IT HAS TO BE DONE AT SOME STAGE AND THIS MIGHT MAKE SCHOOL A LITTLE EASIER!





XX

HOW TO ENJOY BEING A MOTHER (OR FATHER)

OK so a lot of my friends have told me they don't feel like they are accomplishing anything and "just going though the motions" being a at home mother.
Lately i have started thinking to myself what am i doing? what am i achieving? what difference am i making?
Yeah and I'm raising 3 beautiful boys this is true, but we are not really enjoying our time as much as we could.
It not that woman hate being mums at all, its that when you dedicate your life to your children you feel like that is all you do.... so I'm on the hunt to see how we can fix this.
 I'm a true believer in that you should enjoy your life- make the most of your time-and basically I'm a pretty positive person BUT i do have my days.....


OK so first things first how to be a happier mum, i came across this :

Ask a mom if she's happier now that she has a child and she'll usually say yes. In fact, around the world, children top the list of the most enjoyable things in life.
But psychologists who study happiness  -- a new field in the past decade  -- often report a different picture. Being the mom of a young child (especially one under 3) is rich and rewarding, but also a real strain on your mood. "Moment to moment, you may be exhausted, frustrated, sometimes angry," says Peter Ubel, M.D., a professor of medicine and psychology at the University of Michigan. "You may be squabbling with your spouse more. You have more negative emotions."
The time you spend taking care of your child may not even be the high point of your day. On their list of pleasurable activities, moms rank it lower than eating, exercising, or watching TV, according to a University of Michigan study of 900 women. In fact, kid care rates only slightly higher than housework, working, or commuting!
"This finding shocks people," says Daniel Gilbert, Ph.D., a psychology professor at Harvard University and author of Stumbling on Happiness. "They think psychologists are saying you don't love your children. Of course you love your children beyond measure! And kids do bring joy. They bring transcendent moments in which you feel so happy that it outweighs all the hard work you've done. It's just that children do not increase your average daily enjoyment."
The happiness paradox
One reason for the discrepancy between moms and experts: selective memory. When psychologists ask moms in a general way if they like spending time with their kids, the overwhelming majority say they do because they're thinking of fun activities like reading a book or playing in the park. When they're specifically asked to describe their actual daily routine, they remember the hours they spent struggling to get their child dressed or ready for bed.
Maybe, though, the cold calculus of psychological science is missing the intensity of joy that time spent with your child can bring. "There are little moments that are grand-slam home runs," says Gilbert.
Luckily, those moments can overcome your daily frustrations. "Happiness is more than just that smiley feeling," says Karen Reivich, Ph.D., a research associate in the Positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania. "It's also feeling a connection to something larger than yourself. When people are in service to something bigger, they describe their lives as filled with meaning. It's not the smiley face, but when it's all over, you realize you'd do it again."
And being needed is a rewarding experience as well. "You get back tenfold everything that you put into it," says Elizabeth Howard, mom of Reilly, 2, in Anaheim, California. "I don't think people should have a child just to make them happy, but it's opened up a whole part of my heart that I didn't even know was there."

The first step to being a happier mom, then, is to value what you do  -- to feel that it's important. The next step is to find ways to make it more enjoyable. Not only will you be doing the best thing for yourself, but you'll also become a more effective mom.
Say you're with your 2-year-old and she wants her juice in the red cup, but the red cup is missing. "If I'm in a grumpy mood, I may just say, 'Drink it in the blue cup,'" says Reivich. "But if I'm feeling more positive, maybe I'll take some red construction paper and tape it around the blue cup. I've transformed something that might get ugly into something playful and fun."
The good news for all moms is this: You can learn to focus on the positive  -- and learn to make it a daily habit. Here's how:
Robert Barnett is a former health editor at Parenting.

Admit when you're stressed

Ironically, once you stop expecting motherhood to feel warm and fuzzy all the time, life as a mom gets easier. "It really helps to realize that it's okay to feel frustrated, angry, tired, or irritable sometimes," says Dr. Ubel. "You're not a bad parent. It's not even a bad parenting experience. It's just normal."
Get enough sleep
Most of us know that money can't buy happiness, but who knew that a good night's sleep just might? That's a key finding of that University of Michigan study. "Making sixty thousand more in annual income has less of an effect on your daily happiness than getting one extra hour of sleep a night," says study author Norbert Schwarz, Ph.D., a professor of psychology.
So how can you sneak in that extra hour or two? Misha Sauer, mom of 1-year-old Riley, says her husband is good about taking over on the weekends so she can sleep in or nap. "It absolutely makes a difference in the way I feel," says the Culver City, California, mom. "And I'm more willing to do something active, like take my daughter to the park. If I'm tired, the most I can do is sit there and read to her."
(Re)consider your priorities
It may sound simplistic, but one key to being in a more positive mood is to structure your day so you do more things you enjoy. "It's how you spend your time, not your money, that counts," says Dr. Ubel. "If you have any financial flexibility that lets you maximize your family time, use it now. For instance, do you really need to be the one to clean the house? How about paying someone to help out? And if that's not an option, think about how clean your house really needs to be  -- do you need to make the beds, or is bed-making time better spent drawing pictures with your kids?"
And if you work outside the home, consider exploring whether you can afford to go part-time rather than full-time.
Go with the flow
Time seems to slow down when you're doing what you enjoy, whether it's gardening or running laps. People who experience this level of engagement  -- which psychologists call "flow"  -- are happier than people who rarely do. And you're lucky to have a master of it right before you: your child. "To you and me, every leaf and ant is pretty much the same, but not to a two-year-old," says Reivich. "So try to actively notice things as your child does that ant is dragging a big piece of bread, for instance."
Bringing more of your best qualities  -- your strengths  -- to the often mundane tasks of child rearing can also help you feel more engaged. "One of my strengths is humor," Reivich says. "I was making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for my kids one day, and I started talking like it was a cooking show: 'Now I'm browning the bread, now I'm applying a thin layer of peanut butter.' It transformed a mundane task into something all of us could enjoy." One mom she knows loves architecture and got passionate about explaining the history of columns as her 4-year-old made sand castles. Her preschooler may not have gotten all the references, says Reivich, "but it was entertaining for both of them."

Savor the moment

One way to nourish positive emotions is to take a moment to appreciate, well, the moment. Just map out two- or three-minute activities that you can do that day to relish that time. In the morning, for instance, instead of trying to do ten things, take your cup of coffee to the window and sip it while your child watches a video.
Notice what's going on. Will it change your life? No, but you'll probably feel calmer.
Gilbert has an even shorter version: "Take ten seconds every hour and look at what you're doing from a higher place."
While you're at it, appreciate what a wonderful child you have  -- those chubby cheeks, the endearing things she says  -- and share that joy with someone who'll rejoice in it with you. That's another way to grab on to the good stuff and prolong your happiness.
Take the long view
Having a sense of perspective will also improve your attitude. "It gives you more patience, and it certainly awakens you to the preciousness of the moment, which is fleeting," says M.J. Ryan, author of The Happiness Makeover and mom of Anna, 9. She remembers the times when her daughter wanted to sit on her lap and watch SpongeBob. "Yes, I had other things to do. But I said to myself, 'How long will this last?' I'm grateful for that time with her."
If the drudgery is getting to you, think about life without children. "You've signed on for a hard job
it's not supposed to be fun most of the time," says Gilbert. "It's easy to get caught up in the details, but you need to step back and realize how empty your life would be without these people in it."
Reconnect with your spouse
A supportive group of friends and family is one of the cornerstones of a happy life, and for many moms, the center of that social circle is their partner. That's why it's so important to keep the lines of communication open, especially during the "diaper years"  -- from infancy to around age 3  -- that experts say are the most stressful (until your kids become teens, that is!) on a marriage.
"You can't say, 'I'll handle the relationship later,'" says Reivich. "A healthy and realistic goal is to ask, 'What are some small, manageable things we can be doing to keep our connection to each other strong during this rough time?'"
For instance, she and her husband try to have a glass of wine together at night once a week, after their four kids (all under age 9) are in bed. "It's not a date  -- we don't need a babysitter  -- it's just fifteen minutes. But it's a change to sit together and unwind, and sometimes a chance to dream."
When she works with couples, Reivich helps them figure out what they can do for a couple of hours together that interests both of them. With one couple, one partner was very curious, the other really appreciated beauty, so they spent an afternoon museum hopping. "It can be as easy as going food shopping together," she says. Once you make little steps, it's easy to move on to bigger ones, like a night out.
Even discussing how stressed you both are can help. "It's affected our relationship a lot; we've both noticed it," says Sauer. "If you can both just say, 'Raising a kid is hard,' putting it out there diminishes the strain." She and her husband are working on having more time together-by themselves. "We just went on our first date since the baby was born," she says.
Another way to strengthen your connection is to practice what shrinks call "active constructive responding." When your spouse comes home and shares some good news, don't just say, "That's nice." Ask questions that let him tell you about his day, even for a minute or two. At least for that minute, the two of you will be celebrating what's good about your lives.
Say thanks
Feeling grateful is a mood booster. It can be as simple as saying grace every night or finding new ways to acknowledge others. "When our extended family gets together for a birthday, we go around the room and say one thing we appreciate and the one thing we like best about that person," says Elizabeth Howard.
Another effective way is to put what you're thankful for down on paper: Write the three best things that happened today. It might be something positive that happened to you, your kids, your spouse or friends, or in the world. It might just be something funny that your child said at breakfast. Experts say that if you do that every day for two weeks, your feelings of well-being will increase.
Of course, even if you do all of these things, you'll still have bad days. But at least you'll be less likely to think there's something wrong with you. And the more you engage in positive thinking, the more you'll realize how much happiness is under your control. Not all of it, but perhaps more than you were aware of.
"When I started to research happiness, I thought it was a feeling, and you had to wait to have it happen to you," says Ryan. "But feelings follow thoughts  -- they don't precede them. I think of happiness as three things  -- enjoyment, satisfaction, and fulfillment. Mothering can give us any one of those at any given moment  -- if not necessarily all of them at the same time!"


NEXT BLOG WILL BE ON FEELING LIKE YOUR STUCK IN A RUT .....

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

chats with my driver

Well I have some great very open conversations with my driver, I am very inquisitive of a lot of things that I don’t understand.

Fridays is a HUGE deal here, it prey day, and if there is one thing you can do for your staff on Friday’s is let them go prey at 12.30. All the offices have extended lunch breaks and it is imperative that they go and prey.

So it occurred to me one day I only see men go to prey on Fridays, my maid never had asked to go, so I ask my driver, "why doesn’t my maid every want to go prey on Fridays?" he replies "because only men prey on Fridays Mrs." immediate response was "why" well he had no idea why, and it seem to me that a lot of what Muslims do regarding religion is just because that’s how and what they have been taught, they don’t know why and they don’t care.

So another thing I asked him was, "how does the community look at woman that don’t act the way they should?" His reply was amazing "we don’t judge Mrs., god will do that later" pretty much summed it up for me, if you believe in god any god doesn’t matter, then you shouldn’t judge people, God is the only one who has seen what they have been threw and the path they have walked, so it’s not up to anyone else to think they know.

My driver once said to me "Mrs. I notice you are always respectful to the Indonesia culture" he continues " you never wear short clothes and are covered up respectfully" well this is a HUGE compliment coming from a Muslim who's wife wears the burker, it made me feel really good that someone had noticed that I was and will always dress respectfully when I go out in the community!
I also try to speak quietly when around them and speak positively. BECAUSE WHEN IN ROME......

Pampering Gone wrong ...well then right

Ok so last week I "think" I found some grey hair, and I had not died my hair since being here in Indonesia, so I say to Zed "right that’s it I’m going to try to colour my hair" I have had several friends have theirs cut and coloured and it was a disaster, only because they don’t work with westerners hair, they have such different hair to us and they are great with that!

So a friend said to me I had a cut at majesties and he was good. By good she ment she didn’t end up with a very short mullet cut as one of our other mums did. SO off I went ok ill have it coloured just medium brown how hard could that be??? hmmmm

So I walk in and there is 2 parts to the salon the main salon where I was, then there is a door way going threw to another one for woman that wear burkers 9not sure of the spelling) and such, I thought how good is that that people accept difference that well...???

First the cut AWESOME just what I wanted, then on went the colour, then off came the colour and started drying it "oh no, I’m multi coloured" the first 4 inches was orangish, and then the bottom was exactly the colour I wanted..... And in his defense I know why this happened was because I had die in the bottom of my hair and the top was "new" hair... but all good he said come back I fix for free.

Ok so went back in and he wasn’t there, oh he will be 30 mins ok well ill treat myself to a mani and pedi while I wait...... nice!

So he came in and re coloured now it’s pretty close to perfect (as close as I think I’ll get here)

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

BAD MOTHERS GUIDE TO RAISING BOYS: POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS FOR KIDS :)

BAD MOTHERS GUIDE TO RAISING BOYS: POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS FOR KIDS :): Positive Affirmations for Kids: I feel joy in every corner of my body. I am happy. I am healthy. I am good at _____. I cho...

BAD MOTHERS GUIDE TO RAISING BOYS: BEING A WOMAN - SUCKS SOMETIMES-caution may offend...

BAD MOTHERS GUIDE TO RAISING BOYS: BEING A WOMAN - SUCKS SOMETIMES-caution may offend...: Ok so being a woman has its perks, we get to experience a baby growing in our bellies (mean while loosing our bodies), and we have a bond ...

BEING A WOMAN - SUCKS SOMETIMES-caution may offend some readers

Ok so being a woman has its perks, we get to experience a baby growing in our bellies (mean while loosing our bodies), and we have a bond with our child that can never be matched by anything.... BUT sometimes the bad things seriously out way the good.

I had to go to the doctor the other day to get a depo shot in my butt (contraception) and had been being pestered by y mum to have a pap smear as I haven’t had one since the twins were born and as you know they are nearly 6 whoops!


So the doctors had this special "think pink" 850,000 RP you got a pap smear, a mammogram, an internal examination. So I had a talk to the doctor as I had some irregularities in my cycle and she suggested having the "THINK PINK". So I had to come back at 3pm for an ultra sound (breast implants cannot go in the mammogram press) then had a pap smear. So after the very uncomfortable procedures I’m done. The doctor says because of my family history I should have Pap smear every year.... WHAT???



OK OK yes iv had children naturally, and I had like 10 people looking at me while having the twins you think I’d be over being embarrassed about someone looking at my cervix but NO it never gets any more comfortable. I must say but the blood test I had I hardly felt the Indonesians are so gentle, the ultrasound lady all I could think was "is she just making conversation with me cause she is uncomfortable" lol and the doctor that did the pap smear was gentle as well BUT it doesn’t make me feel better.

I don’t see everyone telling any men that I know that they have to go get their testicles checked every year, and even if they did that is nowhere near as intrusive as what we have to deal with.



So tell me who should get "fixed" man or woman?
Now I’ve looked at this in a very unbiased manor and I believe us woman have put up with enough embarrassing moments and been violated enough and it is very safe for men to get "the snip" these days just a lunch time procedure. ;)







Well thats my little vent about that hahaha.
Tash x

Sunday, April 1, 2012

MEAL TIMES AND KIDS

I think every parent can relate to this one.

I thought I was so lucky, the twins use to eat so well and quickly, and then BOOM all of a sudden we have to nag, and it takes like hours to finish a meal, you know they should eat it, and you know they haven’t had enough......BUT seriously how far do you have to go?
 


I came across this website today www.neat2eat.com.au, it’s a site that shows you how you can make your kids food fun.
They also sell things to help you achieve this like shaped cutters that you can use for sandwiches, fruit, vegetables, cheese, and moulds for boiled eggs. Lunch boxes you get the idea.


Ok so I’m a pretty TOUGH mum, when it comes to eating and health being from back ground of fitness this makes sense. if I make something good for the kids to eat they eat it, I don’t fart around and try and make it fun or “play” with food, they eat what I put in front of them and all of it, I wouldn’t give them more than they needed and I wouldn’t give them something gross. So is this bad parenting, is it too tough?
I believe that that is why my kids aren’t picky, I have let them leave the table without finishing but that means nothing more to eat or drink that night and no treats, junk or fizzy the following day.

I feel so sorry for the mothers that have really picky children, I am not sure I could cope. But hopefully some of you will get some help on kids lunches from http://www.neat2eat.com.au/.

We have friends of ours that little boys would only eat sausages and chips pretty much, oh and strawberry milk. This went on for A LONG time then they started dishing him up other foods (little bits) and if he didn’t try it or eat it they would put it in the fridge and if he got hungry later that’s what he would be offered NOTHING else, I have heard of this a couple times before and it seems to have worked for him. YAY!

So when I saw this website today www.neat2eat.com.au my first thought was OMG who has the time? Then my second thought was shouldn’t kids just eat because their hungry and know the importance of good food? Then I thought oh how cool is that I want to do that!!! Ha ha ha

 I do know mothers out there that would do this every day, so I hope some of you are reading my blog!!!!

Since moving to Indonesia (as you know if you have read my blog previously) its very hard to get certain foods here, bread, eggs are not the greatest, yogurt, wholemeal or wholegrain is not available :(
So its been really hard to do the boys lunches, i a very fussy when it comes to everyday eating for the children, so i will be using some of these ideas for the next term of school.
Then on the other hand i can imagine that some children would get use to it everyday and not eat normal or plain food.


I’d like you to share your children’s eating habits and problems and how you fixed them with us, comment below, can’t wait to read some J

WHATEVER WORKS AND MAKES YOUR JOB AS A PARENT EASIER IS THE WAY TO GO :)