Mum vs Mum

Welcome Peabodies, I'm getting a bit deep with y'all today.

So you’ve decided not to return to work and be a "Stay at home Mum".

Congratulations Mama. 

Good for you. 

You've made a decision that works best for you and your family.

So you've decided to go back to work full time and place your kids in care. 

Congratulations Mama. 

Good for you. 

You've made a decision that works best for you and your family.

So you've decided to work part time and do a mix of daycare and home care. 

Congratulations Mama. 

Good for you. 

You've made a decision that works best for you and your family.

Ugh. Who cares? Boring isn't it?

I mean, really? 

Do you really care what other mothers have decided to do? 

Is it really that much of a big deal?

Don't get me wrong - I am interested in other mothers and their stories, their choices and how they came to a decision like that - only for my own knowledge and the potential to steal good ideas and mum hacks. But I don't care enough to judge - or think about it later.

Does anyone?

Probably not.

So if the above information is really boring, and nobody really cares, why is the media pushing for stigmas that just don’t exist? OK they do exist but only because they have told us so, and we have convinced ourselves that everyone else is thinking about it. 

When really we aren’t.

Why isn't this positive message about women making the right choice for their family pushed in the media? Because its boring. 

And boring doesn't generate clicks, or sell papers.

I do get raised eyebrows at times when I say I’m a stay at home mum. 

I do get some judgements and assumptions made about me that are rarely true or accurate 

(no I don’t have loads of money, no I don’t sit in a day spa all day and no my house is not perfectly clean). 

But mostly other mums just don't care, they have their own sleep deprived problems to sort out.

I bet Mums who go back to work get a few looks and raised eyebrows too - “oh your kids are in day care FULLTIME?” 

I bet Dads who work part time get a few comments also - “Do you wear your apron out and about or only at home?”

The truth is people who judge like that - will judge anyway. The clothes you’re wearing, the car you’re driving, where you USED to work, where you work now.

Sure those Mums are out there. Those Dads are out there. Those people are out there. Some people are judgemental and thats life.

But mostly no one cares.

I do care about other mums - as a whole person, and they care about me as a person and we are interested in the welfare of each others kids sure, and we are generally interested in each others lives and all that blah blah blah -

 but theres no judge-fest, bitch sesh, school gate gang situation going on.

Sure, some school gates can be nasty. Some school communities might be this way and if you've experienced this, I feel for you, it’s nasty and juvenile and all round a bit rubbish. 

Come send your kid to my school and we can not care about each other in perfect harmony!

This is me. Not caring.

When will the current affairs, talkback radio shows, online magazines and other media outlets stop pushing this stupid mum vs mum thing?

We all have a little judgment inside us. We are all human. 

For example: Do I think spending $1500 on your pram was a good financial investment? 

Mmmmmm not so much.

Would I have spent that much money on a pram? No.

Could I spend your $1500 more wisely? You bet!

But why should you care what I think?

You shouldn’t. 

It’s your pram. Your money, so as along as you don’t ram the back of my heels with said pram I really couldn't care.

Heartless arent I?

I’ve got my own sleep deprived problems going on. #sorrynotsorry

Judgement occurs whether you’re a parent or not.

Judgement occurs whether you’re a human or not.

Judgement comes in all forms and at some time or another we all judge others and are judged ourselves. 

It’s not an exclusive mum club thing.

At one end I feel like the grown ups are pushing the children of this generation to love, respect and crate equality for all, but at the other end glorifying stigmas (that just don’t have a big enough following to get off the ground.) to sell papers and get click rates up.

But someones should tell them no one cares.

Oh wait…….. I can tell them!

NO ONE CARES. 

So lets just get on with it and not care about each other.

Congratulations Mamas. You’re doing a good job.

Peas out

Jane.

Are Cheezels a carb? Even on Australia Day?

Welcome Peabodies to part 3 of my Paleo Peas Series

(you can read part 1 and part 2 here and here )

The year is ticking away so quickly already. Schools back, most are back at work, 

peak hour traffic is back the hum of 2015 is in full key.

We have been doing really well on our paleo adventure.

 I kept mostly to the meal plan this week which made things a bit easier in the prep for school.

There were two significant things that stood out for me this week.

1. I’m not hungry, in fact I’m eating less overall as I'm feeling full until meal times. 

The I quit sugar kids talk a little about why this is here.

2. This paleo diet uses a lot of eggs. So many eggs!! But thats ok. We don't have any allegories and the kids like egg so all goog! (see what i did there?)

So i was being a good little Pea ...That was until…….

(its mushy confessional time...)

I'll let the pictures to the talking. I’m too ashamed to type it out.

When good paleo kids go bad

thats instant noodle - Mi Goring to be exact.

OMG.

Total binge fest.

I don't know what came over me.

Ok I do know what came over me:

It was a long weekend,

The kids were having a sleepover with their grandparents so I had some freedom.

Because. Cheezels.

Plus I'm pretty sure you can go to jail for being un-Australian and not eating Cheezels on Australia day so I didn't want to risk breaking the law.

But oh…….OH.

OOOOOOHHHHH

The hangover.

Not long after  - within the hour I started to feel really sick.

I got the shakes.

And felt anxious. And gross.

I didn't even get the fun night out with the girls to make the suffering bare-able. 

Just me alone. 

Scoffing like crazy feeling like a rebellious school girl sneaking lollies into the boys dorm on school camp.

I have only been clean eating for 3 or 4 weeks and already my body can feel the difference and it doesn’t like being put in the naughty corner it seems.

Apart from this  erhum …misdemeanour….. I've actually been pretty good.

I've even lost weight,

Whhaaaaaat? Thats right. I so skinny.

Ok not super skinny but I've lost 4 kilos…. which is exciting because all I've done is cut out the processed food, sugar and kept carbs to a minimum. No pasta or rice and only a potato here and there.

Ok so our week 3 meal plan looks like this:

Monday - Fakeaway slow cooked kebabs.

Tuesday - Lamb shanks, veg, pumpkin mash

Wednesday - Roast chicken

Thursday - Pork chop, coleslaw, hand made chips

Friday - Chicken pie ( with left over roast Ill probably make the pie on wedensday and freeze)

Saturday - ok i haven’t actually figured out what to have on saturday or sunday - Ill probably just make them leftover nights and cook omelette or we will have breakfast for dinner - bacon and eggs, tomatoes mushrooms!!

Sunday- ??

Sometimes you just cant be bothered ya know?

And thats OK!

I hope your getting into the swing of the new year and getting down to business.

Don't forget to stop and shell the peas!

Peas Out,

Jane.

Raising Rangas.

Welcome Peabodies!

*Warning the post below is a bit ranty and involves some not so nice language.*

My girls have red hair

Bright beautiful red hair.

It’s handy in the playground because you can spot them a mile away.

But because they have red hair other citizens of this fine city think its ok to invade their (and mine) personal space.

It's like being pregnant again, only I never got the break from the tummy rubbing.

Just the other day a woman came across from the other side of the supermarket aisle and rubbed Pipsqueaks hair - It was like she was in a trance. Eyes glazed, arm extended, she reached across me and rubbed that curly mop - blinked hard like she was no longer possessed then turned to me, clocked my face and realised what she was doing - Apologised and backed away.

One touch of the magic hair can break any evil spell. Apparently.

Really?

You don’t know this child and your rubbing her head? She's not a Buda. You don't get a wish. She cant grant you good luck.

( I know this because we still haven't won lotto.)

It happens all the time to my girls.

All. the. time. 

Especially in the supermarket - it must happen maybe 4 or 5 times a shopping trip.

And every time the comment of “Her hair is so beautiful” - is always, ALWAYS followed with a comment along the lines of  “my sister, brother, granddaughter, godson, uncle -

( insert significant other here) - has hair that colour.”

Really?

Apparently redheads make up only 2% of the population.

Not according to the personal space bubble poppers at my supermarket.

So if your significant other has red hair then why do you feel so compelled to change direction to come and touch it?

I get it

Their hair is beautiful. It really is.

But you are changing your direction and physically stopping my trolley with your body so you can make a comment.

Way to give my girls a complex bubble poppers.

Don’t get me wrong, what parent hates hearing how beautiful their children are? 

Not One. 

I do like to hear it, and if you are behind me or in front of me in a queue and we aren’t moving along and we are just waiting  - then please comment away. Lets have a chat.

But don’t stop my trolley mid stride.

Or physically block my pram so I have to stop or risk running you over.

Or go out of your way to intercept us - Don’t you have shit to do?

There is sometimes though, when I don’t mind. 

And this happens more than I care to think about.

Every so often there is a lady (sometimes a gentleman) who stops me -

and they say “My son/daughter had hair like that.”

Had.

I see the sadness in their eyes, even though they smile, and I know that they don’t have an emo kid at home with dyed back hair schlepping round their living room.

Had. 

There's grief there too deep for me to comprehend, 

so YOU are welcome to stop me, and make a wish.

Everyone else can piss off.

Are you pregnant?

Do you have ranger kids?

Does your personal space get invaded?

Feel free to have a little rant below! 

I did!

Peas out

Jane.

Is Kale a carb? Paleo Peas part 2.

Paleo Peas - part 2

How did we go on our first week of official Paleo eating plan?

Good and bad. 

Welcome Peabaodies.

Last week I spoke about our family ( or tribe as Pete loves to say) moving to a paleo way of eating. You can read all about Part one here.

You can even find out more aout what Paleo eating is here and extra meal plans and extra info here

I should have included some more resources last week - Sorry.

Well How did we go….

Well in terms of actually eating clean and healthy we did really well.

In terms of sticking to my very carefully thought out menu plan. Pretty bad.

But thats ok. I planned and shopped for our menu so all the ingredients we had in the house were fresh and healthy.

But we didn't really stick to the menu plan for a variety of reasons - the main one being the weather.

Its been really hot here in the ‘Ol West so we spent a couple of nights eating at my mums house. She has a giant sparkly bue pool. 

and we do not. Plus the weather has been in the high 30’s.

So not only did I not feel like cooking extra in the heat for our snacks but I wasn't home for tea.

But we still ate really well, mostly meat and salad or veggies

A lot of the meals I had planned are meat and three veg.

It sounds boring and very retro but thats what my kids like.

It's simple, fast to cook and doesn't look too threatening on the plate.

 If it ‘aint broke right?

My kids eat veggies so thats easy, But I'm still having problems getting them to eat a salad.

They eat raw carrot and thats about it.

Don’t get me wrong - they aren’t freaks, its not like they are chowing down on kale chips or brussels sprouts. I'm not delusional.

(While we are on the subject of kale chips - does anyone else have trouble believing that these foodie peoples kids are actually eating kale chips. I mean beacuse. Kale.)

But they will eat peas, corn and carrot. and a bit of pumpkin and sweet potato with some persuasion.

Sometimes I can even get them to eat purple carrots and beets. It helps that its purple I think!

Overall I would give our first Paleo week a 7 out of 10. However its time for a new segment within this Paleo Peas series. Its.....

Mushy confessional time:

I did have a bit of a mental health day and got stuck into Red rooster and some coke.

But other than that I've been angelic to point of annoying everyone else around me, so I must be doing it right.

But just like our cavemen and women I discovered some things.

I feel lighter - I think this is because I'm not eating bread, rice or pasta.

Cooking with ghee brings out the natural taste in food and makes your food tastier - it also makes cleaning the pan or pot you've cooked in easier. If the food isn't sticking to the pan then its definaltey not sticking to your ribs.

I’ve lost a bit of weight! YIPPEE!

And it doesn't have to be complicated or totally to the letter to get results.

So our week 2 Menu looks like this

Monday - Sausage and Veggies

Tuesday - Butter chicken ( paleo friendly)

Wednesday - Paleo burgers (where a giant mushroom is used in place of the bun)

Thursday - Beef strog. with cauliflower rice

Friday - Chicken nuggets and veggies

Saturday - steamed veggies and Fish

Sundays - Steak and salad - Pasta for the kids.

Snacks this week include -

Paleo Lamingtons ( for Australia day)

Protein balls

Banana Bread ( paleo friendly)

Pretty simple.

I'm feeling lazy this week already, and it hasn't officially stated yet so I haven’t popped my meal plan in a pretty graphic for you. Sorry Peabodies.

You might have noticed that we are still giving the kids pasta and rice, we are slowly slowly easing them into it - but no pasta or rice for the husbeast and I.

Also this week I'm going to concentrate on doing three extra things for my health.

Lemon water every morning. You can read about the benefits here. I also feel like I’m running on all cylinders when I drink this every morning,

Yoga ( just in the lvivng room with a dvd  - nothing too fancy pants - has anyone clocked the price of yoga in Perth at the moment? Redick!)

Drinking more water - I even bought myself a fancy glass water bottle to tote around with me all hipster style and s**t. *clicks fingers*

Do your kids eat kale?

Do your kids eat Salad? I'd love any tips Peabodies on how to get them to munch on down.

Wish us luck on our next paleo week!

Peas Out

Jane.

AHA! Parenting pennies dropping like crazy!

Welcome Peabodies.

I read an article to day that gave me a HUGE parental AHA! moment.

Let me start this blog post by giving you a little bit of context..

I often get told, and I mean often, several times a day actually - that my children are really well behaved.

Yes! Thinks me - Then I give myself and the Husbeast a little pat on the back. 

A mental high five.

We have high expectations, of and for, our girls and they meet them the majority of the time. They are good girls.

The very next thought however that comes into my head after the pat on the back is - they are good because I yell at them and nag them all the time. 

I am on their case 

All. the. time.

In fact sometimes it keeps me up at night that I nag them too much.

I have been accused of being a tough mamma. “You're hard on your kids” I've been told by both family and friends

 And I wear that badge with pride. Don't get me wrong, I'm no 'Tiger Mom'. I'm more of a 'Lynx Mum'. Smaller than a tiger but still a wild animal - no domesticated puss here!

But I do know I yell too much. 

And I know I get better results when I don't yell.

So if the girls behave even better when I'm not yelling - why do I yell? 

I don't know why.

I couldn't tell you.

One of my resolutions for 2015 is to yell less at the kids and to slow down and enjoy their childhood more.

Then the other day this blog post  from Hands Free Mama came across my facebook timeline and I took the time to read it.

You too should take the time to read it.

I am my response.

Those words really resonated with me.

You are your response.

I've read many other parenting-esque articles like this with a similar message and always I've thought " yeah yeah I yell at my kids too much ......I know....."

I'm not sure why these particular words stuck a chord, but strummed they did!

I am my response.

I'm thinking of getting that tattooed somewhere……… 

Perhaps I'll just make a poster!

Lately over the last 2 years or so I've been getting grumpy at the the kids and and the Husbeast for no good reason, I won't say no reason because there's always a reason

 (lets face it ladies.....) 

But lately I've been asking myself  'is it worth getting grumpy?'

So what if the bin is full again. I'll just take it out.

So what if it takes an extra 5 minutes to put on the girls shoes?

I'll enjoy that extra 5 minutes with my kids. 

So what?

So what?

So what?

Does it all matter at the end of the day?

Once the end of the day approaches and the girls are in bed I certainly don't think - 'gee whizz I wish Miss L would get in the car quicker'

No.

 Often once the girls are in bed my thoughts are of regret.

Regret that I hurried her because of my own disorganisation.

Regret that I yelled because she stopped to look at ….. the sky, that dog, that toy, that snail.

Regret.

Regret.

All of my own doing. All from my own pressure.

so....

Lighter and Brighter.

I am my response.

Two mantras for me for 2015.

I'll keep you updated though the year with how I am going.

Are you a yeller?

Are you a Tiger Mom?

I’d love to hear your parenting Aha! moments Peabodies! Share them below.

Peas out.

Jane.

Is Butter a carb? Paleo Peas - Week 1

Ah Mean girls, That movie never gets old right?

Just before Christmas the Husbeast declared he would like our family to “Go Paleo”

Righto! I thought. Yippee.

So for Christmas I bought him (me) the Pete Evens Paleo cook book  Family Food. You can get your copy here or most bookstores.

It's an awesome cookbook with recipes that I think my kids will actually eat! However I guess the the proof is literally in the pudding, so as we go through i'll learn what the kids like and not like. 

So during 2015 I hope to track our progress with a series of blog posts - The Paleo Peas ( see what I did there?)

This isn't actually a huge jump for my Pod. We have been trying to cut the sugar and processed foods from our cupboards for over 12 months so the Paleo style of eating is the next step. We are taking a gently gently approach and we have decided not to cut dairy. I'm really not ready to give up my coffee, and the girls don't eat enough dark leafy greens to get their calcium needs. 

Plus I love cheese. Like really love cheese. Alot. I'm practically a rat.

I also went along and bought Nom Nom Paleo. You can read her blog and buy her book here.

Great. sorted. So now what?

First step I decided was to create 4 weeks worth of meal plans. Meal plans are great - they help keep me organised and when I’m organised I feel less stressed. Also it takes the thinking part out at the end of the day when my brain not so worky.

Meal plans would mean that we would have snacks ready to go - and less likely to crack open the ‘bad stuff’

Meal planning takes a bit of practise with trial and error to get it right. And I'm certainly no expert and I’m sure there's stuff I can still improve on. 

Just because I have created a meal plan it doesn't mean we save money at the checkout. Often I just write out the  meals that I like the sound of with out thinking about the ingredients or the cost.

But here are some tips for successful meal planning that I’ve learnt along the way:

1. Use what you already have. - Take an inventory of what you have in your freezer, fridge and pantry and try and create your meals around this. - I'm very guilty of not doing this and then finding I’ve got 3 trays of chicken thigh which is not only a waste of freezer space but a waste of money.
2. Use your dairy and make sure your meals fit what you have going on for each day - If you aren't walking in the door until 6 or 7 then maybe a slow cooker meal for that day - or something you can prep ahead of time.
3. Try and plan your meals for leftovers and shared ingredients. e.g. Don't buy a lettuce for just one meal - Make sure the lettuce will be used up across different meals.
4. Gather your favourite cookbooks and don't forget to use the index - this will save you a lot of flipping back and forth
5. Don't write your meal plan when your hungry. This goes for shopping too - don't shop hungry.
6. Make a list and stick to it. If your shopping with kids then plan ahead and let them know there can only be one treat that’s not on the list. This cuts the winging and the spontaneous purchases.
7. If your stuck for what meals to include go for 3 meat dishes, (chick, lamb or beef), 2 Vegetarian based meals,1 fish based meal and a leftovers night. This helps to mix it up so the meals don't get boring.

Meal Planning doesn't have to be boring - Grab your fav cook books and a snack - Paleo friendly of course!

There are loads of free printables for meal planners off the internet - just google! - 

But I use Kiki K ones (I'm a Kikki K addict) - you can buy those here.

Once we eat our way through the meal plans I’m going to check which meals and snacks worked the best, which plans fit in our budget and laminate and rotate them so our meals aren't boring or repetitive. This seems like a lengthy and involved process just for dinner but then I only have to do it once.

Laminated Meal Plans! Yep Im bringing my organisation to the next level in 2015.

Heres what our first week of Paleo Peas meal plans look like:

Monday - Fish and steamed veggies

Tuesday - Butter chicken with cauliflower rice

Wednesday - Pulled pork tacos

Thursday - Pulled pork and slaw

Friday - Chicken nuggets, steamed veggies and sweet pot chips

Saturday - Sausage and Veggies and egg

Sunday - Steak and salad.

For snacks - Seed and nut bread

         Protein balls

     Paleo Banana bread

Most of our lunches include leftovers from the night before or a ham and salad lunch box.

Breakfast I don't normally plan except on the weekend, - Hipster fruit salad ( in a jar ) and mixed berry pancakes, otherwise its bacon and eggs or fruit. 

( Its really hot here in WA at the moment so the kids don't really feeling like eating heavy foods in the heat, they are happy with just fruit mostly.)

Phew.

Educating our girls on healthy eating is really important to us, in a generation where genetically modified food and processed food are the norm. 

It’s important to the Husbeast and I that they understand where ‘real’ food comes from. And the best way to to that is to lead by example.

Ugh. Isn’t  that annoying?

So now I have to eat healthy too.

Have you made healthy New Year Resolutions? Are you going Paleo? Do you write out Meal Plans? Let me know Peabodies! - I’d love any tips you might have for me.

Peas Out

Jane.