Rejuvenate Archives - Page 3 of 9 - Not another slippery dip

The app to help your family eat healthier

August 16, 2016 By Michaela Fox

A healthy approach to family life

If you’ve been following this blog for a while now you’ll know that I follow the “good-enough” method of parenting. I also subscribe to the “anything in moderation” approach to most things – screens, sugar, time spent at the park! I am fairly relaxed when it comes to my kids’ health. They are allowed occasional treats, but I present a balanced and nutritious diet during the week. I don’t really say ‘no’ to any food (apart from Sherbert, which if I find in a party bag it is instantly binned) but rather I restrict how much they have of ‘sometimes’ food. But recently I’ve noticed how sugar is sneakily creeping into our diets more frequently than it should. And I want our family to be healthier. Foods that used to be occasional have snuck into the every day variety.

Not all of this is my choice, mind you. Send them to the grandparents for the weekend and sugar is in abundance. But grandparents are allowed to spoil their grandkids and when they’re on their turf, they set the rules. But every weekend seems to present yet another kids’ birthday party and in most cases these events come with plenty of fun, and sugar!…

Why ‘good-enough’ parenting is good enough

April 19, 2016 By Michaela Fox

Good-enough parenting is good enough!

A couple of years ago I had somewhat of an epiphany. I was reading Sheryl Sandberg’s memoir, Lean in, a deeply absorbing read, and I came across this paragraph:

“Trying to do it all and expecting it can be done exactly right is a recipe for disappointment. “Aiming for perfection causes frustration at best and paralysis at worst.” As someone who strives for perfection in many areas of my life (professionally and personally), I am also happy to fall spectacularly short in other areas (such as dusting, folding fitted sheets and reverse parking).

The “Done is better than perfect” maxim is prolific on social media but it tends to be in more of a business context. It suggests that if the quest to do something perfectly inhibits you and interferes with you getting started, then it’s pointless. If I aimed for perfection in every blog post to go live on this site I would never post a thing. It’s usually after I have pressed ‘publish’ that the typos and grammatical errors become glaringly obvious!!…

Why every mum needs to take a “mama retreat”.

January 10, 2016 By Michaela Fox

Time to relax and take leave from parenting…

As mothers we are skilled at many productive things, but we are especially skilled at putting ourselves last. We prioritise our kids’ needs ahead of our own, and we constantly look out for others, neglecting to replenish ourselves. We too often forget to fit our own oxygen masks.

It’s no secret last year was a rough one for me. I seemed to jump from one disaster or disappointment to another. I don’t want to bang on about it, as I don’t think it’s helpful to dwell on the negative, but I do think it’s important to listen to your body, and your heart, and recognise when you need a break.

Towards the end of the year I felt like I was going to combust. I felt drained; emotionally, physically and mentally. I went to my GP and asked for blood tests to try and uncover a medical reason for my unrelenting fatigue. The blood tests came back normal. I was disappointed. I wanted a medical explanation for it, like low iron. I’m a vegetarian after all so that would have made sense. But my lovely GP assured me that there was indeed a medical explanation for it. Exhaustion. Burnout. She suggested a strange concept called “rest.”…

How to get a better night’s sleep

November 18, 2015 By Michaela Fox

**Sponsored post**

Ah, sleep. It’s a wonderful thing, isn’t it? And it’s something that mums don’t ever seem to get enough of. And never do you value something more that when it eludes you.

I first experienced insomnia when I fell pregnant with my first child. At the time I most needed rest, it deserted me. And it didn’t improve on the other side. My baby was not one of those rare creatures to sleep through the night at six weeks of age (and if you are the mum of one of those perhaps you should stop reading now). But she wasn’t a terrible sleeper, either. She began sleeping through the night at around 8 months of age, right around the time I went and got pregnant again. Cue: insomnia! Given I was already in a perpetual state of fatigue, I went and did the same thing again. Having three children in less than three years meant that sleep was merely something I dabbled in. In those days if I got more than two hours of uninterrupted sleep I called that a victory!

But nothing lasts forever, right? Nowadays my three young children sleep soundly through the night, so that should mean I do too, right? Wrong. While they enjoy the never never land I wrestle with a mind that does not stop. Let me repeat that. It. Does. Not. Stop….

My greatest tip for a happier family life

October 19, 2015 By Michaela Fox

Slow parenting is going where the moment takes us…

Do you find yourself rushing from one activity to the next? Is “busy” your default answer when someone asks, “How are you?” Do you feel like there’s so little time and so much to get done? Yep, me too. And I don’t think we’re alone.

Modern life is fast and furious. We are over-committed, over-scheduled and over-connected. But it doesn’t have to be this way. We have a choice. We can create space. We can slow down. And it begins with a conscious shift and a willingness to say “no” to busy and “yes” to leisurely.

About a year ago I read a fascinating book that had a major impact on how I parent and how I live. Carl Honoré is the author of Under Pressure – rescuing our children from the culture of hyper- parenting. He’s the man who coined the term Slow Parenting and he’s all about putting the child back into childhood. If you are in Australia you may have seen the recent ABC series in which Honoré guided three families, stressed out by hectic lives, towards a slower life. Before I finished the first chapter I was sold. Sold on the theory of slowing down. Sold on the theory of Slow Parenting. Sold on not overscheduling my kids’ lives. And sold on living life, rather than racing through it. I immediately made changes to my lifestyle and exchanged busy for slow by moving to the country and living a Zen existence. Well, not quite….

But I did become more conscious of the harried pace of my life and I made some significant changes. I implemented Slow Sundays and I want to share this with you today. During the week it is hard to find down time. There’s little time to “hang out” and routine dictates our existence. There is pressure on all of us to be busy, to do a million things and to maintain a pace that is not sustainable. But for our own health and well being and for strong family connections, we all need to slow down. And this is what Slow Sundays is all about.

My greatest tip for a happier family life

Slow Sundays

I am a big believer in keeping Sundays activity-free. We don’t rush off anywhere and we move slowly. The week is so busy with school, kinder and after-school commitments, it’s crucial to carve out some slow time on the weekend to replenish and recharge. By making this a weekly ritual it teaches kids about the importance of down time and of not over-scheduling our lives. The children can stay in their PJ’s till lunchtime if they like, and often, they do. It’s basically scheduled “unscheduled time” and it opens us up to going where the moment takes us. My kids adore Slow Sunday and it’s often during these slow times the true family magic happens.

We usually enjoy a creative activity on Slow Sundays. Getting out all the paints and brushes is less effort when you’ve got nowhere to be and plenty of time to create (and clean up!) Slow Sunday often involves some baking, which, with three eager assistants, is a lot more enjoyable without time constraints. These slow and relaxed days allow us more time to draw, read, ponder, and more time for lingering cuddles.

“Those who take time to be slow are the ones who are able to cope better when things speed up”

Taking time to hang out

My girls understand that these days are special and they appreciate the significance of free, unstructured play. For the most part, the children immerse and amuse themselves in child’s play. And I’d be lying if I didn’t say I enjoy reading my book on Slow Sundays, because, after all, parents need some down time too. Most of all we simply enjoy a break from harried pace of the week. And this is the perfect formula for family bonding.

“Live your life rather than racing through it”

Carl Honoré says: “Slow Parenting is about bringing balance into the home. Children need to strive and struggle and stretch themselves but that does not mean childhood should be a race. Slow parents give their children plenty of time and space to explore the world on their own terms. They keep the family schedule under control so that everyone has enough downtime to rest, reflect and just hang out together.”

“Slow” in this context does not mean doing everything at a snail’s pace. It means doing everything at the right speed. Because when you take time to be slow, you are able to cope better when things speed up. Carving out some unhurried time is one of the best things you can do for you family. And that is why Slow Sundays are the highlight of my week.

Simple joys

Are you mindful of the busy pace of your life? Do you feel like you’re always rushing? How do you find time for Slow?

My greatest tip for a happier family life

Slow Sundays

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