No need for extra “mommy time”

I’ve been attentively observing some mom friends recently arrived to the city from the countryside. They’re part of an indigenous family I know for several years, and the younger sister is the mother of a toddler and a 6 years old boy.

I ‘ve always felt a bit strange among other moms with kids my age who express her desperate need for “mommy time”, meaning time away from their children. This hasn’t been a major issue for me, in spite of the fact that we’ve been together with my now 4yo boy every day of his life, almost 24 hours a day. We’ve had separations, but no more than a couple of hours, except for an occasion when we didn’t see each other for more than a day.

And I’m not tired from being with him nor desperately hoping to send him to preschool or a summer school. Kind of strange for an urban mom but not at all strange for my indigenous friend.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mean I’m making a mom sacrifice nor leaving my life in the hands of my son by not having time for myself. It’s that I AM having time for myself, but it happens that as my toddler follows me wherever I go, he’s around and present during my “mommy time”.

This may be difficult to understand  for those who don’t know a relaxed traditional mom with her  kids, like my friend, who’s not at all complaining about having to stay around her kids all day long.

I’ve found that the lifestyle difference from other urban mamas I know  is that we have continued with our adult life, and that we’re not fighting against our kids to keep them away from us. I think of myself as a monkey with a tail that goes with me wherever I go. I just keep walking and have my tail coming along as a matter of fact.

It’s nice to have my toddler as a constant company and to suddenly realize that now he enjoys similar things than myself, likes the same kinds of food, and even can keep up with my fast walking rhythm.

Longing for mama time? Maybe it’s time to bring your children closer and take them along to your interesting-adult life. It works for me and for other traditional mamas I’ve met.

photo credit: Looking Glass

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A home-made celebrity mom

I don’t need to be a rockstar or a politician. Don’t even need to dress up in a fancy way or have my hair done.

I feel as a celebrity mom no matter what.

My son keeps track of all my movements,

He follows me wherever I go,

He takes pics of me,

He makes stories, drawings and songs with my name,

When he sees me after a while he comes running to me,

He likes me

Yeah, I have the right to feel like a celebrity. A home made, eco-friendly, recyclable, reachable, unexpensive celebrity mom.

Feels good!

Choosing to Enjoy My Mothering Journey

The other day I was talking with an old friend from my mountain climbing days. I was telling her I’m not anymore into any climbing. However, I’ve carried my baby for 3 years (by then) and felt related to her in that way, as we were used to carry heavy backpacks

It made me realize one of the reasons I enjoy motherhood as much as I do is because I see it as an adventure, a fun activity, a sport. I don’t mean I don’t take responsibilities, but a good reason why I got hooked into Babywearing or Elimination Communication was my love for new experiences and adventures.

I loved taking those long day trips to La Leche League Tokyo with my boy on my back, not wearing diapers or just taking one as backup with me. I remember feeling the same excitement as if going to the mountains carrying a backpack with the upmost necessary items. I felt my legs hurt for the long walks, fixed my bags so that the important items were accessible, had to be attentive to my baby’s needs (especially elimination needs), just like being at the mountain or in an adventure trip.

I had all this with the advantage of being able to sit down, snuggle my baby and get back to real life as a simple breastfeeding mom. Or even more, with the feeling of being in an old traditional town in South America.

I try to enjoy motherhood as much as possible, refusing to see it as a job or duty. Mothering is more as my hobby that I choose to enjoy.

Can you relate your mothering journey to a hobby or activity of our pre mama life?

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