With Some Grace

During my sales career in IT, colleagues would often mention my knack for reading people. More specifically, the ability to predict whether a client was for real and sign the contract or if they were just taking us for a ride.

We would walk out of a meeting and everyone would make a punt – yay or nay?

Not sure if my colleagues were right or if I just fluked it but I would usually nail it. Even I would be surprised by my own strike rate. Obviously it would totally bum me out if the deal didn’t close.

This sharp sense of intuition didn’t broaden out to my parenting skills last weekend.

Last year, I was certain that the tooth fairy would soon be paying the boys a visit.

With great anticipation, I waited and waited. And waited.

Nothing.

So, I stopped thinking about it altogether.

Even when Nunu’s gums started to bleed around his top tooth earlier this month, we simply brushed it aside (See what I did there?)

“It’s just the new toothbrush he’s using,” we thought foolishly.

He never mentioned his tooth was sore or wobbly. So why would we even think it was time for it to fall out?

So, you can imagine my surprise when I returned back to the kids after only being an hour away – my son greeted me with a gappy grin.

It’s amazing how a child’s face completely changes when there’s a missing tooth.

He looked so much older.

It’s true. Children really do grow up in a blink of an eye. Well, in my case, in an hour.

My husband was there the entire time and while showing me the tiny baby tooth, he told me how it happened while munching on some almonds.  Subsequently, he has now sworn off almonds.

Apparently, Nunu went a little quiet for a while and stopped playing. I think there was a lot of blood for a little 6 year old to handle. K-Bear even tried to make his twin bro smile and put him at ease.

Being the pathetic sop, I had a little cry, overwhelmed by this next milestone.

It came as such a big surprise to all of us but it really shouldn’t have.

So, it’s official. My intuition is completely off or temporarily on strike. When it comes to parenting, anyway. At least in the baby teeth department.

How’s your intuition? Is it always spot on? Or do you have your “off” days? What’s the going rate for tooth fairies these days?

 

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1. Follow With Some Grace.

2. Sign up to the awesome Digital Parents community ( if you haven’t already done so). DP was created by Brenda Gaddi who happens to be the creator of FYBF. She’s also created 4 gorgeous kidlets. In case you’d like to know. Or maybe not. But we’ll share that info just the same.

3. Add your post URL to the FYBF linky. Please only link up one post.

4. Grab the funky FYBF button and post it on your sidebar. Help spread the blogfloggin love.

5. Visit the blogs of your fellow FYBF’ers and share the comment love

After much anticipation, two cancellations due to wild and woolly weather, the very first Kindy excursion finally happened last Friday.

Excitedly (and naively), I responded to the callout for volunteering parents to come along to the Powerhouse Museum.

Absolutely NO clue what I was getting myself into.

There were going to be other parents to help look after the EIGHTY kindergarten students – how hard could it be?

It was pure, utter chaos.

Here are my tips on how to (barely) survive kindergarten excursions:

Prior to the carnage, dose up on caffeine.

I have happily discovered that our school canteen sells coffee – at reasonable prices – for desperate parents. Okay, so maybe I spilled most of it on my white top and one assertive (smarty pants) kindergarten girl pointed it out in front of EVERYBODY but that’s okay.

I drank enough of it to at least get me through the bus ride.

Don’t forget to pack your own lunch!

Frantically making the boys’ lunches  and making sure that I remembered to pack it in the right excursion bag (not their usual school back pack), I completely spaced out about my own dietary needs.

Some of us parents did manage during lunch break to race up to the café and pick up a chicken wrap and (another) much needed coffee but by the time we all got sorted out and returned with our rations, it was time to head off again. Gah!

Pay close attention to the teachers and help them with their needs.

Teachers man, they do AMAZING work for our children. You need nerves of fricken Superman steel and patience of the highest saint to deal with screaming, highly excited five year olds for six solid hours.

So, when our teacher, Mr M finally sat down to have lunch with his students and one of the kids went over to say she needed to go to the toilet, I thought I’d give him a break and happily volunteered to escort her. Just so that he could have two quick minutes to scoff down his Baker Delight bacon and cheese rolls.

Another parent got him a coffee.  It was like we had given him corporate box seats to the rugby.

The whole day was utter madness. But I will do it again. School excursions I discovered are a rare opportunity.

You earn brownie points with your kids. There’s also the inside jokes you end up sharing with the teachers and parents.

At the end of the day, you will have  a splitting headache and a dire need for a strong alcoholic beverage. Yes, there is a high chance that, like me, you will lose your voice for the next five days.

But hey, that’s what recovery’s for.

Ever volunteered for a school excursion? What’s the largest number of children you’ve dealt with at the one time? What’re your tips for survival?

 

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1. Follow With Some Grace.

2. Sign up to the awesome Digital Parents community ( if you haven’t already done so). DP was created by Brenda Gaddi who happens to be the creator of FYBF. She’s also created 4 gorgeous kidlets. In case you’d like to know. Or maybe not. But we’ll share that info just the same.

3. Add your post URL to the FYBF linky. Please only link up one post.

4. Grab the funky FYBF button and post it on your sidebar. Help spread the blogfloggin love.

5. Visit the blogs of your fellow FYBF’ers and share the comment love

***This post was written in collaboration with Digital Parents Australia***

Years ago, the “all or nothing side” of my personality led me to an amazing diving adventure out in the crystal blue waters of Okinawa, Japan.

Having even barely gone snorkeling, my avid diving girlfriends insisted that I join them on their trip and obtain my PADI’s license. All of them were far more experienced than me so while they went off in search of hammerheads and stingrays I would have separate beginner’s classes in the shallow shores of the beach.

But then, in two days, I went for my first dive and luckily I was with a patient, lovely instructor who didn’t even mind too much when I completely freaked out in my first attempt to dive down ten metres.

Eventually, I relaxed and we swam around the beautiful coral of Okinawa and then, we spotted him…Nemo.

It’s one of those magical moments in life you never forget. All thanks to a clown fish.

Fast forward a decade and we finally get to see our beautiful blue tang friend, Dory back on the big screen.

She is back with Marlin and Nemo. However, as the film title suggests, Dory’s forgetfulness gets her lost.

In the journey, we meet some great new characters like Hank the Octopus. Above all, we’re reminded of some touching messages like the importance of believing in yourself and your instincts.

The boys and I were extremely fortunate to see a special advanced screening of Finding Dory, all arranged by Subway and Disney Pixar.

A perfect Sunday outing where we were also treated to Subway’s KidsPak, a nutritionally balanced kids’ meal. It’s hard enough these days to find healthy takeaway meals when out and about. And even harder if your kids are fussy eaters like mine.

With the KidsPak, kids can choose what goes on their four-inch sub, which includes a variety of fresh salad vegetables. The KidsPak is available at all Subway® Restaurants.

And for you my beloved readers, I have prizes for one lucky winner and runner-up!

The winner’s giveaway list includes:

• 1 x themed Disney merchandise pack 95 (which includes a kids’ beach towel, sticker set, notebook, blow-up beach ball, cap, colouring set and beach bag).Valued at $94.65
• 1 x Finding Dory Family Pass (Admit 4)
• 1 x KidsPack voucher.

For the runner up, there’s a 1 x Finding Dory Family Pass (Admit 4).

Leave a comment on this post and tell me:

What is your favourite scene or quote from Finding Nemo and why?

Good luck!

Terms and Conditions:

• This giveaway is only open to Australian residents
• Closing date for entries is 10pm AEST Sunday, 26^th of June,2016.
• The winner and runner up will be contact via email or Facebook on the following Monday.
• If the winner and/or runner up does not reply to my email within 24 hours, another winner will be chosen.
• Entries will be judged on merit and decision of the winner and runner up will be final.

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1. Follow With Some Grace.

2. Sign up to the awesome Digital Parents community ( if you haven’t already done so). DP was created by Brenda Gaddi who happens to be the creator of FYBF. She’s also created 4 gorgeous kidlets. In case you’d like to know. Or maybe not. But we’ll share that info just the same.

3. Add your post URL to the FYBF linky. Please only link up one post.

4. Grab the funky FYBF button and post it on your sidebar. Help spread the blogfloggin love.

5. Visit the blogs of your fellow FYBF’ers and share the comment love

On the occasional Sunday, we like to go to our favourite yumcha restaurant and get stuck into noodles and dumplings.

There was one particular outing though, I won’t forget and it’s unfortunately not due to the delicious food.

With the restaurant located on the third and highest floor of the shopping mall, my livewire boys bolted out of the lift and straight to the glass railing.

An elevated ledge underneath gave my boy the leverage, his shoes gave him the grip to start climbing UP and almost over, with about a 50 metre drop.

It all happened in a terrifying nano second.

I leapt and grabbed my 4 year old. Immediately getting down on one knee to be at eye level with him while shaking in shock, tried to explain that he was never EVER to do that again.

I shudder as I type this.

As for the tragic incident with the 4 year old boy falling into the gorilla enclosure at Cincinnati Zoo, there was only so much of the horrible backlash and comments I could stomach.

We could go in circles about what happened, what should’ve happened and what didn’t but should’ve but let’s strip that all aside for a moment and get to why everyone has jumped on this story (and particularly the poor mother):

Judgment.

Remember being told, “If you haven’t got anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all”?

It seems that over the years, the old adage has caused a lot of pent up angst and judgment and social media gives the permission to spew it all out.

But here’s what I figure with leaving comments on a story such as the Cincinnati Zoo incident.

Validation:

First ask the question: “Am I making a valid point or am I just seeking my own validation?”

If someone feels they need to let the interwebz know that they would never dream of being such a negligent parent and do such a horrendous thing, what purpose does it serve? Was it just to give themselves a virtual pat on the back….until their next parenting eff up?

Judgment is simply a hard-arse reflection of ourselves.

Red-lighting:

For the moments we desperately want to rip into someone for being judgmental: Forget it.

Using the same aggressive tone to red light is just feeding into the perpetual vicious cycle of vitriol. If someone tried to call me up, I’d just feel more entitled to my opinion. No matter how many links you send to back up your argument.

Escape:

If you are caught in the midst of trolls and judgment (and I truly hope you never are), get the hell out. Don’t engage. Don’t rebuke. It’s truly not worth your sanity and dignity.

Shut that account down STAT and wait until it washes over.

And it will.

I hope the 4 year old boy’s parents realise it too.

Ever been in the throes of judgment? Is your child a livewire? Got a favourite saying about judging others?

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1. Follow With Some Grace.

2. Sign up to the awesome Digital Parents community ( if you haven’t already done so). DP was created by Brenda Gaddi who happens to be the creator of FYBF. She’s also created 4 gorgeous kidlets. In case you’d like to know. Or maybe not. But we’ll share that info just the same.

3. Add your post URL to the FYBF linky. Please only link up one post.

4. Grab the funky FYBF button and post it on your sidebar. Help spread the blogfloggin love.

5. Visit the blogs of your fellow FYBF’ers and share the comment love

Let me tell you a little about my avid surfer husband. He is funny, an amazing, hands-on dad and will even throw in a love letter when he replaces my lost wedding ring.

He’s also one of the few people I know in the corporate sales world who genuinely loves their job.

However, fashion forward he is not. And he doesn’t care an iota.

He’ll take up every opportunity to do school drop offs with me, which is so great.

While it often goes unnoticed, one morning as we were all strutting down the hill to the school gate, I took a closer look at my beloved’s attire.

It looked very much like this.

Except the t-shirt worn during that particular drop-off was bright orange with “Why So Serious?” sprawled across it. Noice.

It suddenly hit me why some mothers had asked what my husband did for a living but looked surprised when I told him he was a national account manager in financial services.

His approachable, charming demeanor fit his job role. Just the clothes didn’t cut the mustard.

So, you could literally hear the fashion gods laughing (or possibly your truly) when he announced that – for the sake of “client relationship building” – he was “obliged” to attend the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week.

With back stage passes.

Shut up.

At least he scrubbed up that night. That French Connection slim fit dark blue shirt I got him for Christmas goes places, I tells ya.

In the meantime, I had my own glamourous evening looking after children, eating chicken and corn soup for dinner and watching Netflix in my Targét PJ’s.

And his verdict?

“The models are sooooooo skinny and look so serious!”

“Samantha Harris is gorgeous in real life, though. Most beautiful model there for sure”

“Oh, and here. Thought you might like these…

In obliviousness, he handed over some swag bags filled with fancy snacks, mineral water, hairspray and fancy, shiny USB sticks with the Mercedes Benz logo.

“All my female clients were going gah gah when they got this too. So, I thought maybe you’d want one as well…”

Again. Fashion Gods. Rolling on the floor.

I don’t care. I love my fashion impaired husband to pieces.

For one, it gives me great blogging fodder…and a Mon Purse.

There’s also something very stylishly confident and cool about how he just does not give a rat’s what people think of him.

And that beats any fashion trend.

When do you go for comfort over fashion? Ever been to Australian Fashion Week? What’s your school drop off attire? Ever seen or met a famous model in real life?

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1. Follow With Some Grace.

2. Sign up to the awesome Digital Parents community ( if you haven’t already done so). DP was created by Brenda Gaddi who happens to be the creator of FYBF. She’s also created 4 gorgeous kidlets. In case you’d like to know. Or maybe not. But we’ll share that info just the same.

3. Add your post URL to the FYBF linky. Please only link up one post.

4. Grab the funky FYBF button and post it on your sidebar. Help spread the blogfloggin love.

5. Visit the blogs of your fellow FYBF’ers and share the comment love

Once in a while, particularly when a plan has been set and motivation is in top gear, life throws a curveball. Or in my case last December, a moonboot.

2016 was to be my year of the marathon. Signed up for the one in Canberra in March, levels of determination were at an all time fist bumping high.

Then came anklegate. 2 days before due to go on holiday, I tripped over an uneven footpath during a lunchtime run with my boss.

Tears, F-Bombs, the works.

Everything about my ankle was ugly. The injury, how it happened and of course, worst of all…the footwear.

Then, recovery tested levels of patience and the threshold of self-belief.

Motivation to get back running is difficult enough to muster without it dissipating when sharp pain strikes.

When physical pain transpires into emotional frustration, there’s a good chance it spirals into hopelessness.

Getting the mind and body to sync after an injury is a tricky affair. The two need to negotiate and of course, it’s then left up to you to make the executive decision.

Mine was forfeiting the Canberra marathon. Boohoo.

But last Sunday, I managed to do a half marathon. Yay.

On reflection, the journey from recovery from moonboot to medal saw little anecdotes and reminders for life in general.

Done is better than good.

The run wasn’t pretty and we shuffled with the other laggers. People were packing up the water stations. I was half an hour slower than my personal best. But hey, that’s okay. It’s done. I crossed the finish line. With ankle intact.

Don’t do it alone.

If a challenge is too overwhelming, find a support network and ask them to share the burden. It doesn’t make you weak.

Running used to be a solo caper. But then there comes a point where getting up at 5:30am on a Sunday to run 18kms solo takes its toll.

Sydney Striders are my go to posse for Sunday runs and then there’s the online comadre with Zoey and the Operation Move community, a steadfast source of support and encouragement.

There’s no other person I’m more grateful to cross that finishing line with than Brenda. She was my constant.

Admittedly she got a little emo on me at 16 kms but I told her to save the victory tears for the end, where we lost it. Big hugs and bigger affirmations to our friendship.

Changing goal posts is not failure.

I like to have a plan and stick to it. If it goes out of whack, I will beat myself up over the incompetence of it all. And man, that’s energy wasted.

Emotional or physical, life’s full of injuries, is it not? Shit happens. It’s out of your own control. But we can always jump and quickly revert to what is.

Ever been injured? How was recovery? Have friends who get all emo on you?

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1. Follow With Some Grace.

2. Sign up to the awesome Digital Parents community ( if you haven’t already done so). DP was created by Brenda Gaddi who happens to be the creator of FYBF. She’s also created 4 gorgeous kidlets. In case you’d like to know. Or maybe not. But we’ll share that info just the same.

3. Add your post URL to the FYBF linky. Please only link up one post.

4. Grab the funky FYBF button and post it on your sidebar. Help spread the blogfloggin love.

5. Visit the blogs of your fellow FYBF’ers and share the comment love

<div align="center"><a href="https://www.withsomegrace.com" rel="nofollow" title="With Some Grace"><img src="https://digitalparents.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/FYBF-new-button-MREC.png" alt="With Some Grace" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

1. Follow With Some Grace.

2. Sign up to the awesome Digital Parents community ( if you haven’t already done so). DP was created by Brenda Gaddi who happens to be the creator of FYBF. She’s also created 4 gorgeous kidlets. In case you’d like to know. Or maybe not. But we’ll share that info just the same.

3. Add your post URL to the FYBF linky. Please only link up one post.

4. Grab the funky FYBF button and post it on your sidebar. Help spread the blogfloggin love.

5. Visit the blogs of your fellow FYBF’ers and share the comment love

These days, Thursday roll around and the struggle to write for #FYBF is real.

Not due to lack of stories or stupid random thoughts in my head (they happen a mile a minute…and not always in a good way).

But it’s the day I’m a working duck, head down bum up for a solid 7 hours, breaking occasionally for a toilet break or to scoff down a gourmet lunch of 40 second quick cup brown rice and canned tuna.

It’s a glamorous life.

Tonight was not much different.

Driving to get home, Sydney traffic always beats me down and after hearing my favourite Prince (RIP) song on constant loop, what should only be a 30 minute trip, I finally get home over an hour later.

A quick hello to the family and it’s straight to the kitchen to grill some lamb chops and snags for dinner. Zap some (more) rice in the microwave while steaming some frozen veggies (third night in a row).

Just as I’m starting to wonder what it’s all for. Am I doing it all right? Which part am I getting wrong?

My 6 year old tells me to shut my eyes.

“I have a surprise. Keep them closed. Keep them closed. Okay, now open…”

Titled: “Mama with lots of love hearts”

Impressed how accurately he depicted the skin tone as well as the matching coloured lips and dress, there was a sense of relief.

Wondering if I’m getting it right will be never ending. That remains unchanged. Undoubtedly, intensify.

I’ll still bark at them to “get shoes on”, scream at them to “stop playing Ninjas on the couch.” Threats to switch off Ninjago will always be futile.

But for my son, the love hearts are still there.

And for that belief to be expressed on scrunched up paper then handed to me for proof, I think we’re doing okay.

For mums, grandmas, aunts, carers, all mum figures out there, we’re all doing okay. Hope you have lots of love hearts surrounding you this Sunday.

Happy Mother’s Day.

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1. Follow With Some Grace.

2. Sign up to the awesome Digital Parents community ( if you haven’t already done so). DP was created by Brenda Gaddi who happens to be the creator of FYBF. She’s also created 4 gorgeous kidlets. In case you’d like to know. Or maybe not. But we’ll share that info just the same.

3. Add your post URL to the FYBF linky. Please only link up one post.

4. Grab the funky FYBF button and post it on your sidebar. Help spread the blogfloggin love.

5. Visit the blogs of your fellow FYBF’ers and share the comment love