May 2016 - The Parenting Cafe

Mother holding her child wearing defence force outfit

Moments of Defence Kids

May 23, 2016/in 1 - 3 Years, 3 - 5 Years, 4 - 12 Months, Parents, Social - Emotional /by Sonja Preston

I am a mum to three kids and I am a Defence force wife. These two things can make for a very busy and chaotic life but it can be an amazing time. Don’t get me wrong I have mounds of washing waiting for me and dishes in the sink and moments when I want to lock myself in my room and not come out, but making special memories when one parent is away for extended periods of time can happen, it’s about balance. The time away and coping with kids is a whole topic in itself, but creating special family moments doesn’t take much, involving the kids is key. For example the homecoming after an extended period away – and in this case I mean months – is something to be cherished. Yes my kids have made those big, somewhat tacky, signs with pens and paint and streamers and balloons – this exercise in itself was a great time to interact with the kids and most importantly sounds out what they were looking forward too, when their Dad gets home. Read more

How to Find Inner Peace, and Eat it Too.

May 9, 2016/in 3 - 5 Years, Parents, Social - Emotional /by Sonja Preston

We’re all busy, I hear it every day and see it as people rush to and fro, mobile phones in hands so as to not miss anything. We hold dear our need to immediately respond to the constant flow of social media commentary, text messages, appointments and deadlines – I’m as guilty as most there!

And don’t get me wrong, it is important to do your part, reply to messages, schedule the car service, grocery shop; we each have our individual roles and responsibilities, but being constantly engaged and ready to pounce is having a major impact on our health & wellbeing – we’re becoming more stressed with an alarming and costly 3 days on average, a year lost to stress and mental health concerns.

You Do What You Gotta Do

May 2, 2016/in 1 - 3 Years, 3 - 5 Years, Parents /by Sonja Preston

‘You’re a booonk head iPad! You’re not my best friend ANY more’.

Possible response: ‘That’s not very nice calling me that, and I like being your friend’.

Actual response: ‘Good’.

The response generally depends on the time of day, day of the week time of the month, number of coffees consumed, the weather, time of wake up that morning and especially what it is in reference to. Example: I’m a ‘booonk head iPad’ because I have carelessly put the grapes into a blue bowl instead of a green one, and they are purple grapes not green ones. You can hazard a guess at the response (with a possible expletive muttered under the breath).

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