Parenting Imperfectly IRL : Week 40, 2021

Here’s what the past week (week 40, 2021) was like for me on my quest to parent differently.

My intentions were:

Don’t get bogged down by Mercury in Retrograde.

Even if you feel like you aren’t making mental health progress today today - you are.

Trust the experts when it comes to telling your story.

---

Parenting last week was a bit of a whirlwind. I had my son home on Monday and was starting to have quarantine flashbacks of him never leaving again 😂but he felt better on Tuesday so back to school he went. Do you stay on track when your kids are home from school? Most of my self-care went right out the window!

I am walking 2.5 miles a day and I love it. I go right after school drop off and I am committed to five days a week — I find it to be a lot of fun to be honest. In the past, I would have counted the minutes I was not working in order to exercise (and shower after) but these days it is a concrete part of my routine, so much so that my planning for the day only begins once I have walked and showered.

I made time for coffee with my bestie this week in SF and peeked in on my book which graces the shelves of the cutest toy store in Noe Valley - Mamapundi Kids. If you are local grab your copy there and help to support another woman owned business.

I have been swept away by a wave of inspiration and am almost finished a drawing/painting of pincushion flowers - that although are native to South Africa grow along the coast of Central California and I just love their graphic nature.

We headed to Southern California for a family vacation with the grandparents - our last trip of 2021. Time to slow down a bit as the weather grows colder and evenings darker and put my writer’s cap back on. I will keep you updated on the progress of my book “Parenting with Gratitude” as I make the big push to get it finished this year - wish me luck!

My orange tabby is so good at reminding me that we all carry the ability to be still in a way that is both majestic and soul filling. I want that moment for all of us - don’t you?

-Stef

Parenting Imperfectly IRL : Week 38, 2021

Here’s what the past week (week 38, 2021) was like for me on my quest to parent differently.

My intentions are:

To be kind, to model apologies, to give myself grace

and to find gratitude in every moment.

---

Last week was a nice calm week which kicked off with World Gratitude Day AND International Day of Peace - I want to start all weeks with that much positivity!

Now that the school year is in full swing the tough mornings are back as well as the return of “hating school” - the novelty wore off quick! Do you have a child you hates school? What do you do to help them stay positive?

I am in the middle of reading the book “The Upside of Stress: Why Stress is Good For You and How to get Good at It” by Kelly McGonigal and so far I love the actionable advice offered. One suggestion in the book was to look to your values when you are stressed. So I made this for my phone background…

And when I feel stressed I will look at my values and it’s supposed to help shift my mindset away from the stress and instead towards the meaning in my life. I’m excited to see it in action!

I am yearning to be able to rest like my cat does * as needed * and have started to include 10 minutes of hammock time before school pick up to my schedule.

I hope you have a great week!

-Stef

p.s. Despite the nights getting chillier, I am still in denial about Fall.

Parenting Imperfectly IRL : Week 37, 2021

Here’s what the past week (week 37, 2021) was like for me on my quest to parent differently.

My intentions are:

To accept imperfection as the goal and not the obstacle.

To find gratitude in every moment.

And to shift my mindset from one of stress as burden to one of finding deeper meaning in the journey.

---

A kid-free reset was needed so I headed to Calistoga with my best friend for a dip in the mineral pools and the perfect recharge filled with connection and laughter.

I took some time this week to reflect on the mindfulness tools I offer to you. I have decided to add a new one to the mix - and I even got one pre-order! Thank you for supporting my small business with a mission.

I have officially been a parent for 13 years! Easy and hard all at the same time. I injured my hip on my way back from Calistoga which resulting it parenting in pain - and a few very hard and not my best evenings.

I ended up here: My kids are my everything, but I am my everything too. Parenthood is not the only thing that defines me. I do.

And the cats, as per usual, were still living their best life despite us all being in their space. Have a great week!

-Stef