My free spirit needs routine?

I love to read. I always have. I can read anything that keeps my imagination and concentration in high gear. Being a mom has left me reading the ingredients on food labels or airfreshner cans or baby products because frankly I just don’t have the luxury of reading as much as I used to. Reading is part of MY routine. It calms my inner rebel. It allows me to escape to a wonderful world of truths and non-truths.

Being a student most of my time was spent reading prescribed books for modules…what a way to kill my creative spark! I’ve never liked the idea of conforming to societal norms. Think of me as a free spirit, also why I decided on the blog name Spirited Mama. Some might say I’m rebellious but this is ME. I can only do ME.

Even parents need ROUTINE

I love making lists. Do I get to everything on my to do list? Uhm, NO. I’m a parent, wife, employee, student, etc…oh and of course you know life happens in between.

I function best when I have routine. Even my kids thrive on their routines. There are days when my routine is out the window and then I get all anxious and just become overwhelmed until I decide to breathe, calm down and just do one thing at a time, albeit small and insignificant. Believe me it makes a huge difference to getting myself back on track.

I CAN perform very well under pressure But I prefer NOT to work under pressure ALL the time. Deadlines, deadlines and more deadlines.

As far as family life is concerned, we have a routine. ALL of us. We know what needs to happen and when. Even Troll gets out of sorts when the routine is not kept to. We are not a rigid family but I try and keep to routine as far as possible. With Dudie being 8 years old it is somewhat easier to “break” his routine from time to time, Troll not so much. But that being said as long as I have food and milk on hand the baby is as happy as a pig in mud.

A routine in draft mode

As we were nearing the end of 2017, things got a bit manic with deadlines and the last of the to do lists…you know the wind down period. So here is when I pat myself on the back for getting myself and my family ready for a new year and new adventures. The new year brings about a senior in Foundation Phase, Dudie is going to Grade 3! How even? It literally feels like I became a parent the other day but now I have a 8 year old who is very independent and opinionated. Troll will be a senior in his class at nursery school. Me – no longer a student! I’m taking a break from studying and will most likely enrol for postgraduate studies in 2019. What will I do with my “free” time? I’m going to sleep at a normal time like most people do. Why? Because as a mom/wife/employee/student etc I studied when everyone was in bed already – you know that life doesn’t stop just because you are studying…Life has to go on and you still need to fulfil your other commitments. Dude might be studying in 2018….

A major shift in my routine

On the work front, there is a major shift. I am moving to a different department! Cost saving and what not were all the reasons I was given by HR. At first I was extremely apprehensive about this shift. I mean I am NOT unhappy where I currently find myself so why would I want to leave? Let’s just say that the situation could have been handled in a different and better manner. I have prayed and thought about it, weighed up the pro’s and con’s but I can say that I am calm and at peace with what is to come. I’m choosing to look at this as an opportunity to grow. Finding my silver lining here, remember I’m doing 52 lessons for 52 weeks this year. If you haven’t seen it, click here With that said, I knew that we do not control what happens in life but we can choose how we react to what happens. No matter how much you plan…

It’s YOUR choice….

For now I need to get Dudie’s and Troll’s school things sorted. And we may sneak in a quick trip to Cape Town before the school year commences 🙂

How’s 2018 treating you thus far?

Spirited Mama