I don’t often have many good words to say about myself. Part of the reason is a really bad habit that I have gotten into of running myself down. Sometimes I don’t even believe what I am saying but I might just say it for comedic effect. Other reasons are low self esteem and lack of confidence but there’s nothing funny about those attributes so we shall swiftly move on.
Those things aside one thing that I really like about myself is that I’ll give anything a go. I have a phrase that I live by
Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway
That usually applies to life decisions and roller coasters but it can be applied to my parenting activities from time to time. Pinterest has a lot to answer for.
For those who don’t know Pinterest is a virtual notice board where people share ideas of common interests. They are bunched in categories and you can look till you are blue in the face at beautiful images that will inspire you to get up and create something beautiful.
So good aul ballsy Ellen is fearless when I come across something I like and I will give it a good go!
Here’s the thing though. It never goes to plan. The activity always starts off full of hope and joy of the creation about to unfold beneath my finger tips. The excitement of gathering all necessary equipment. Organising my work space. Gathering around the children because it’s all about them at the end of the day.
Half way through all hopes are fading faster than the red dye in my hair and tempers are beginning to fray. The willingness I have to allow the children to do as much as possible are being replaced with screams of
‘you are doing it wrong’
‘I’ll let you do it at the end’
‘don’t move till I hose you down’
‘don’t sneeze over the bowl’
Everyone starts off happy and towards the end the faces are usually like this:
Cooking and crafts are my two favourite activities to cock up. I’m a good chef ( wow another compliment I’m on a roll ) but presentation can be an issue. So the same problem flows over to my crafting. The vision that I have in my mind my body cannot recreate.
In between the tears and tantrums and that’s just me not the children I do enjoy creating things. I just wish that I was better at it. Oh and that there was someone else to clean up after me.
I once knitted a scarf all by myself. The thing is so ugly I left it behind me in D.C.U one day, returned six weeks later and no one had bothered to take it.
I won’t let my poor results dampen my enthusiasm or initial belief that it will in fact turn out picture perfect. When the disasters occur at least I can laugh and say that I gave it a good aul go!
Blush, Belly and Babies 