Motherhood

Motherhood - what an incredible journey in which no two moments are the ever same. A rollercoaster of joy and tears, challenges and cuddles. As well as treasuring each moment with my children and the family unit, I have recently encountered a new joy to the game - sisterhood. 

Friendship is something that appears to have passed me by most of my life - coming and going like the ebb and flow of the tide - so I had no aspirations for founding lasting friendships when I became a mother. Over the first five years of motherhood, I dipped in and out of playgroups and children’s classes so knew a lot of people to say ‘Hi’ to. But struggling to get a grip on the unpredictability and uncontrollability of my 14-hour mother-shifts and years of sleep deprivation, I steered away from making friends.

When my eldest started school I started to talk to new Mum’s at the school gates, this grew to messages, coffees and the occasional night on the tiles. Every exchange unveiled a new gem, a new snippet and new strength in these women. I have always believed you should be human-kind to everyone, you never know what’s behind that brave face they show to the world. Interactions with my new friends confirmed to me how everyone has their own battles to fight and how we really are all in it together. Every mother, every father. We all have the same child-rearing challenges and we all have other life-issues to juggle. 

Launching this business that I feel so passionately about, has shown me yet another side to motherhood - the challenge of juggling being a full time Mum and a full time employee. Learning to know when to stop and sleep, when to prioritise your children above the “just one more job to do”… It’s also strengthened my feeling of belonging to a strong, supportive group of friends. They have really stepped up in holding my hand, giving up their time to help me succeed and getting me out of my cave (office) to sit around a table and watch the children play (sometimes with my head on the table crying!). 

I am excited for the children too, my beautiful daughters, during this new phase of our family life. They are ready to learn to be more independent and that Mummy cannot do everything for them. I lost myself a little - consumed by the determination to be the best mother I can. I now find it a little easier to do something for myself knowing they will have a better Mummy for it. 

There are many mothers out there who run their own businesses and there is a huge network of support and inspiration once you start looking. Chance encounters and unplanned conversations continue to buoy me, like the one I had with the fabulous Emma last week, founder of Me ’N’ You Vs The World.

Since last year (my 40th!) I started to find time to give back to the world again in various small ways. This Mother’s Day, as well as wishing for a lie in past 5am, not having to plan meals that deliver nutrition with every bite, and not ironing my husband’s shirts, I have asked for another #GoodTee to add to my collection. Molly Gunn and her Selfish Mother blog founded a tribe of likeminded women experiencing one common theme - Motherhood. I embrace it, relish in in, roll with it - all the while winging it. I love motherhood, I love my daughters, I love my family. 

Happy Mother’s Day to you all 💐

Natasha 👸🏻