Читать книгу The Health Optimist - Hanlie Combrinck - Страница 27

Today I would like to share a coping skill that has helped me through many rough patches as an ‘older’, working mom. I will name a few challenges and then share the surprising decision that changed things for me.

1 Sleep-deprived nights:When my son D was younger there were many nights I had to rise more than once to attend to him when he awoke. Thankfully this phase is over and he mostly sleeps through the night.

2 Sleep-time Struggles: There was also a pattern of the nightly strain of trying for an hour or more to get him to sleep. This is also a thing of the past, since he doesn’t nap in the afternoons anymore.

3 Refusing to eat: When D was a toddler, there were many mealtime struggles when he refused to eat. This is also thankfully a phase that has passed, since I’ve learnt the magic of timing and knowing when he would be more likely to have an appetite.

One evening, as I was sitting on the floor next to D’s bed, legs aching from sitting in one position for too long, singing to him and stroking his back to help him sleep, I remembered what a musician friend had told me. He said “remember, it is a season”. And it is true, your child’s baby and toddler days actually last a very short time. The challenges do pass and things become easier. In that moment, I closed my eyes and gave thanks that my son is normal and healthy. I gave thanks for the tremendous joy I feel when he tells me: “Mamma, I love you” , just before he falls asleep. I gave thanks for the privilege of being able to raise my son, with help from an angelic partner and hugely supportive family, like Barbara, Elizabeth, David, Wrensch and others. A deep sense of peace came over me, which still lingers.

The simple decision to be grateful for all the good things I have, is a daily choice, and a daily source of power to overcome and endure in my home life and professional life. Let’s make it our own. It may stand us in good stead. Have a healthy and positive day.