Thanks and No Thanks

I hope we raise our children to be grateful. I believe gratitude has a positive impact on how we experience life. I don't keep a daily gratitude diary but a day doesn't go by when I don't feel grateful for:

-> My gorgeous family
-> My health
-> Beautiful friends and
-> The ability to live my dreams

This week though there has been a few things that I am not grateful for:

No thanks to the stranger at the shops who publicly told me to "feed the poor child" when Little A let out a little cry from the pram. Too bad he didn't see me sitting at a cafe 30 minutes earlier doing just that!

No thanks to the man at the shops yesterday who told me that my child is hungry and I should feed him. No, Little A was not crying or even making a noise. He was simply chewing on his finger which is pretty standard for him these days! "Give him something sweet, maybe some chocolate" he said (!!!)

No thanks to the same man who checked with me 5 minutes later outside the shop "have you fed him yet? Did you give him something sweet?"

Starving child? I don't think so!

What makes anybody an expert on my child or his needs when they have laid their eyes on him for all of 5 seconds?!?! Just for the record Little A is demand fed which is still about 7 times per day and he is above the 50th percentile for his weight. Trust me, there is no starving child here.

Little A does grizzle when he's hungry but he also grizzles when he wants attention, when he's tired, when the sun is in his eyes or for 100 other reasons I can list off!

The worst thing is I KNOW these people have good intentions. They are well meaning and are just trying to be helpful but seriously NO THANKS! Sometimes my gorgeous little boy will cry or grizzle but rest assured he is not starving and in a minute or two when I have tended to his needs he will be ok... NO NEED TO PANIC!

Luckily there's been a lot recently that I am grateful for to balance out this tirade of unwanted advice. In a material world there is nothing like parenthood to remind you what is important. Here are just a few gestures that have have really touched me recently:


-> Friends and family who have cooked meals for us. It is such a thoughtful gesture and in my opinion the best present you can give parents with a new baby.

-> A phone call from a friend telling me to come with Little A to her house in my running gear. On arrival I was sent off for a run while she looked after Little A. It was a real treat to have a "pavement" run and recharge for a little bit.

-> Hanging up washing, folding washing, cooking dinner, drying dishes and all the other wonderful things my mummy did while she stayed with us. It was amazing!

Thanks to all our beautiful friends and family who have offered unconditional love, support and guidance as we have started our journey into parenthood. We are so grateful to have such an amazing support network.

SO BLESSED.