Growing A Mother

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Poetry

Is it just me?

2 Comments November 6, 2018 Being Your Mummy

Is it just me who loves being a Mum
But also wishes I could have more fun?
Is it just me who finds it so tough,
Day in day out, it can be so rough. Read More

A bed time poem

Leave a comment October 24, 2018 Being Your Mummy

Bed time has lost its loveliness

Bed time has lost its loveliness, I’m really sad to say,
I’ve started to dread that time that comes at the end of every day
I used to read books to you, sitting together on your bed
Now that’s been replaced with lots of tears instead. Read More

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  • Eco-anxiety and the World as a giant rubbish bin
    Eco-anxiety and the World as a giant rubbish bin

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“You’re being silly,” are the words that I instantly regretted saying to you tonight as you refused this cup for your water and insisted on that cup instead and ran away from me but then tried to follow me downstairs almost slipping as you rushed to join me, knowing that being able to sneak back downstairs after bed time is, in fact, one of the greatest adventures that exists for kids. “I’m NOT silly,” you said, instantly offended and hurt by my words, feeling that well known sense of injustice that kids just get so well. Regret. Guilt. Words that hurt your feelings, diminished your sense of worth and ultimately were critical of you and not an expression of love. And for what? My impatience for you to fall asleep because I’m hangry, there’s clearing up to do and aims for an early night? What a thing to do in a rush. I pick you up and hold you close. You hug me back and your body melts into me. You sigh. “I’m sorry darling. You’re right. You’re not silly at all, you’re fantastic. Mummy was just feeling impatient and I’m sorry. I think you’re brilliant and of course you’re not silly. I’m sorry.” Outpouring my heart. Genuine remorse. Humility. Acknowledging my mistake but also labelling my own emotions for her to understand. Detaching from ego and power and engaging in mutually respectful interactions. My words hurt you even if they weren’t intended to. You told me how you felt and I honour your ability to do so. I responded with love and respect just as I would do if it had been an adult friend whose feelings had been hurt. You’re not silly my darling. You’re a magical, fantastic, intuitive, sensitive, justice-seeking almost 4 year old and I should’ve known better. I love you sweet girl. Sweet dreams and....I’m sorry. #growingamother #parentingishard #gentlemama #gentleparenting #respectfulparenting #positiveparenting #consciousparenting #mindfulmama #mindfulparenting #veganmama #veganmother #jasminehannah #detachfromego #humilty #imsorry #bedtimeroutine #amotherslove #emotionalintelligence #teachingemotions #motherhoodunplugged #honestmotherhood #gentleparentinguk New on the blog: my recent experience of eco-anxiety and what I’m doing to combat it. Writing this blog was triggered by reading a post by @lesswastelaura about how major UK supermarkets deal (or more accurately, don’t deal) with their waste. Food waste in landfill is a huge contributor to climate change because packaged food or even just waste food surrounded by unnatural materials, cannot break down naturally, therefore creating gasses that become trapped and contribute to rising temperatures. So not only is it important to dispose of food waste into compost systems (contact your local council if they don’t provide food waste collection systems) but supermarket bosses and government legislation need to make these sorts of practices illegal as they are elsewhere in Europe. Here’s an excerpt from the blog.... “My brain tells me, “the world is running out of space,” because when I think about (and I do it too often) the sheer volume of waste produced around the world daily, what I can’t understand is how every inch of the world isn’t already covered with rubbish. I know that the Earth is big, really big in fact, and I know that even a population of 7 billion people takes up a fraction of the actual space the Earth offers. But when we, the human species, have been generating waste for centuries and that this waste is only increasing in volume due to our consumerist habits, reliance on convenience and disconnect from Mother Nature, in my head, it feels as if the world by this point in time should be overflowing with rubbish and waste.” Blog link in my bio 🥰 #climatecrisis #combatclimatechange #climateactionnow #ecoanxiety #anxiety #mindfulmama #mindfulness #meditation #motherearth #noplanetb #veganmama #veganwoman #veganmother #growingamother #gooutside #timeinnature #thenaturefix #extinctionrebellion #veganfortheplanet #foodwaste #supermarketsdirtysecrets #foodwaste #landfill #livingzerowaste #lowimpactliving #earthmama #ecofriendly My 2020 word of the year: Potential 💫 How many of us are truly fulfilling the potential we hold within us or are we living each day without realising what we are really capable of? Do you feel like you’ve got more inside you too? I believe that so many of us, if not ALL of us are capable of achieving and learning so much more in our lives but our habits and beliefs about ourselves and our place in society hold us back from transformation and change. We stay mostly the same year after year despite so often feeling and knowing we have more that we can give. To ourselves, to others, to the world. 💫Potential💫 How can I use the precious gift of time that is given to me each and every day to the best of my ability? How can I make choices that are going to push me forward and not keep me still? How can I tap into my unique abilities, my values and my passions to be of even more service to the world? How can I push past limiting beliefs to uncover more of what I can give to others? How do I want to FEEL at the end of each day, each week and each month and how can I ensure that I feel fulfilled, satisfied and challenged? What is the potential of this very moment and what choices can I make here and now that will influence who I am becoming? Potential is not about pushing myself to the limit or striving for unrealistic ideals about life. (I’m not going to become an ultra-marathon runner anytime soon although I’m sure if I believed it enough, I could achieve that too!) Potential is about trusting in what I know already to be true about what my mind, body and soul are capable of and working, gently, slowly and consistently to tap into the unknown and discover how it feels to live as the best version of myself that I can, today, tomorrow and the day after that. Potential. I like it. Do you have a word of the year? Let me know what it is! #wordoftheyear #wordoftheyear2020 #2020 #personalgrowth #personaldevelopment #growthmindset #potential #growingamother #morethanamother #joyfulmama #joyfulvegan #veganmother #veganmama #consistency #habittracker #writer #writersofinstagram #motherhoodthroughinstagram #spiritualawakening #raisinggirls #girlmama #awakening Isn’t it about time that corporations such as @mcdonalds or @burgerking start being accountable for their impact on the planet? Isn’t it about time that businesses who contribute so dramatically to the climate crisis are called out? Isn’t it about time that what the science has been telling us for years matches up to what we, as consumers, see and have access to buy everyday? Isn’t it about time to raise the tax on meat, knowing it’s not only harming our beautiful Earth but also our health? Isn’t it about time that products that are linked to deforestation, animal abuse or causing cancer come with clearer information so that people can actually be more informed? Isn’t it about time that new, vegan, plant based businesses are given grants or subsidies to get started, knowing that greater access creates more education? Isn’t it about time steak restaurants go extinct rather than another few thousand species? Isn’t it about time our governments took the future of our planet more seriously than their own egos? Isn’t it about time we stopped murdering millions of animals each DAY and started prioritising education, reducing waste and promoting a circular economy? Isn’t it about time that we see a rise in vegan products from big companies for what it really is? (Hint hint, it’s all about the 💰) Isn’t it about time we actually tried to save the Earth? 🌍 I am not an expert in politics, economics, farming or climate science but what I do know is that our current society does not reflect what the science already tells us to be true. And even when more and more people are changing their individual habits for good, what we still need is systematic change across the board. What change would you most like to see happen this year? #veganism #climatecrisis #fightclimatechange #eatingforchange #veganfood #veganmother #climatecrisis #mcdonalds #calloutculture #meatfree #dairyfree #veganfortheplanet #veganfortheanimals #ethicalvegan #sustainability #plantbased #eatmoreplants #awakening #ahimsa #peacebeginsonyourplate #cultivatecompassion #steak I feel as though I haven’t written about Motherhood properly for some time now and I really miss doing so. I’ve actually been writing about it all the time in my head as the joys and challenges of each day unfold and as Jasmine and Summer both leave and enter new stages of their lives before we’ve even had a chance to realise they’ve changed! It’s been a beautiful time in our life as a family with so much joy, laughter and happiness surrounding us (and a good mix of struggles too!) and a real sense of contentment. Mostly though, I think being with my girls is the absolute BEST antidote to a time in my life that also feels a little turbulent and scary, with the future of our planet potentially changing forever and with the constant stream of bad news taking up a lot of space in my brain. But these two know nothing of all that and although I believe we’re raising them to be Earth conscious and compassionate little vegans, they truly live for the moment (and make me do the same), unaware of the extent to which I am determined to actively fight for their future ✊🏻🌍✌🏻 ~ So for now, my space here may be a little “save the Earth” themed (really, save the Earth) but you can be sure I’m busy Mothering behind the scenes and in particular I’m enjoying Jasmine’s discovery of real cups of tea and biscuits, in my Grandma’s china tea set no less, and Summer has discovered that if she stalls her own bedtime, I’ll bring her into Jasmine’s room for extra books and snuggles. It’s all so magically beautiful and I’m so grateful for the JOY these two bring me every day. I truly couldn’t live without it 🥰 #motherhood #growingamother #raisingdaughters #jasminehannah #summerjacqueline #teaandbiscuits #englishtea #veganfamily #vegankids #veganmother #veganparenting #earthconscious #raisingvegankids #fightingforthefuture #climatecrisis #combatclimatechange #joyfulmama #motherhoodunplugged #mothering #raisinggirls #girlmama #ukvegan #bedfordshirevegans Did you know that global demand for meat is actually at an all time high? Did you know that animal agriculture is the single biggest contributor when it comes to the climate emergency yet the numbers are going UP? I think with the success of Veganuary and the ever increasing numbers of TV shows, public adverts and articles written about how we must start eating less meat (AND DAIRY) we are being lulled into a false sense of security that things are really changing. Whilst I’m thrilled to have so many friends and family doing Veganuary or making a huge conscious effort to reduce their consumption of animal products, millions of animals are still being killed each and every single day to fuel the global demand. In fact, in Eastern cultures, meat is increasingly being viewed as a status symbol (thanks to its portrayal in the West) and in some bizarre twist of fate more and more animals are now being killed for their flesh, despite what seems to be a global increase in awareness about the damage this does to our Earth. So yes, here in the UK we are doing better than before but we are far from solving the crisis, and whilst I’m pretty sure once again I’m speaking to an echo chamber here, the reason I continue to do so is this.... Our collective actions to solve the climate crisis must be drastic and big and they cannot be delayed. Yes, meatless Monday is a great starting point but I’m afraid to say it really isn’t enough. The science speaks for itself here, not just me and my “vegan message.” So if we are sitting in privilege and we are able to do better (not everyone can) then we need to start today. It is our responsibility as citizens of the Earth to do our part and learn from and support each other too. Change isn’t easy but it is necessary. For me, the next steps are to move away from foods that are imported huge distances and to eat more whole food meals with locally sourced produce, avoiding unnecessary packaging whenever I can. I’m almost 4 years into being vegan so the day to day eating isn’t a challenge but there is still room for improvement. Nobody is perfect nor is anyone expecting perfection. How is your Veganuary going? Are we prepared to answer the questions our children and those of future generations are going to ask us about the climate crisis and what we did about it? Whether we like to admit it or not, and it seems like for governments, it’s a not, the climate crisis is happening as a result of the actions of one single species....us. We need to choose NOW to be on the right side of history, so we can admit our part in causing the problem but also be able to say what we did to remedy it (before it is too late). Today, in the wake of over 500 million animals who have already lost their lives to the Australian fires, the green light has been given to deliberately kill over 10,000 wild camels. Their crime...drinking too much water. This is literally a punishment of the innocent and it breaks my heart and blows my mind that this can be justified. If the animals are walking into people’s towns drinking water, that is their survival instinct. They presumably have nowhere else left to go and no other source of water to find. We do not have the right to do this to them! How will we be able to look our children in the eyes and tell them that this is how governments responded to a crisis? To kill MORE animals. To not admit fault and hold their hands up (to say the least) but to insult the animal kingdom and Mother Earth HERself by murdering yet more innocent. Is this the value we place on the creatures we share the planet with when unimaginable numbers have been lost their lives already? My heart was well and truly broken before but now I’m not sure how it’ll ever mend. WE are animals. WE are of the Earth. WE have the choice to do better and do it quickly. WE will need to answer our children’s questions even when the decisions were not directly made by us. WE need to detach from our egos, and quickly. This is the climate crisis This is speciesism This is injustice This is a crime against Mother Nature This is a slaughter of the innocent This should be considered a crime against the planet Rise up ✊🏼 You deserve to find joy in the everyday 💗💫🌸🌍 For the last 48 hours and more, I’ve been sucked into reading and sharing so many posts about the current disaster and emergency situation in Australia. The incomprehensible scale of what’s happening there (and elsewhere across the globe) creates this strange desire not to look away, even when what I’m looking at is causing me to hurt. Remember when the Boxing Day tsunami struck in Thailand years ago and it felt uneasy to continue Christmas celebrations in the wake of such tragedy? This feels similar to me. I’ve wanted to write about my 2020 word of the year or about some Motherhood anecdotes and yet it almost doesn’t feel right to do so. There’s a guilt (again) that comes up for me in that if I dare to stop reading, learning, sharing and speaking up, then somehow I’m doing the planet, the animals and the world a disservice, after all, these “issues” are becoming more like work to me than anything else I do. But I have to question now what my other choices are when these fires are likely to rage for months. Is that how I’m going to spend all my precious time? I vowed to myself this year that I’d look after myself with more kindness. To focus my emotions into inspired ACTION that amounts to more than just reading the same messages over and over again and doing my bit to share them. There does come a point where focusing on myself IS in fact a positive and essential step to take. The girls are back at nursery today which has given me some much needed time for focus and creating space and whilst I’m so grateful for that, I’m also so grateful for all the moments of joy we created together these past few weeks. Spending time with my girls and being present with them in all that we do is the best antidote to feelings of sadness and helplessness. They are my absolute motivation in life and I’m determined to show them that you can be joyful and present whilst still passionately working towards a better future for us all. Thank you for the constant source of JOY you give me, I am forever grateful. Ps: the vegan chocolate cupcakes came out more like gooey brownies but we all still ate them! If you are able to If you have the choice If you can learn a recipe If you have the privilege Then making steps towards or just adopting a vegan diet is the single BIGGEST change an individual can make towards lowering their impact on this planet and helping to drive down demand for meat and animal products which enormous industries are heating up the Earth. If you are able to It is not that difficult It is a few simple swaps It is a little more planning, at first It is NOT a lifestyle of deprivation Watch @cowspiracy on Netflix. Watch “meat: a threat to our planet?” on @bbciplayer. Watch any of the multiple documentaries available for free to educate yourself on the numerous benefits about veganism. What are you waiting for? The time is now or it will he never ..... #veganfood #veganism #veganmama #veganmother #veganuary #noplanetb #govegan #cowspiracy #veganforlife #veganfortheanimals #climatecrisis #actnow #veganfoodshare #plantbased #eatmoreplants #meatfree #ditchdairy #dismantledairy #ethicalvegan

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