I am so pleased to share Kiddothings with you today. She is a wonderful writer, a supportive blogging friend, and a wonderful mom.
Yesterday she shared that family history is a wonderful post called Family Tree. It is a great example of why I love to read her work and why to follow her blog.
My Pause Button
I am a SAHM to three – a 4-year-old boy, a 2-year-old girl, and an 8-month-old blog. I have to admit that I’ve been spending a considerable amount of time blogging ever since I started my blog in February. It was pretty tough in the first 3 months because I was at that stage where everything was new to me. I felt like a new mother – I slept late, I poured hours into writing posts, visiting blogs, commenting, and designing my blog. I nurtured my “new baby”. As a result, my attention was drawn away from my real kids. My daughter was watching way too much T.V because that was the only way I could get some time off to fiddle with my blog. My son was playing a lot on his own. I burnt the family dinner twice in 2 days. I certainly felt like a failure on the domestic front.
Then, I stumbled on Deirdre’s blog and her feature called Pause Life for a Moment. I developed a ‘pause button’ from reading the wonderful posts here that were reminders for me to pause life for my kids and family. I have had many pauses since then and these are instances where my ‘pause button’ was pushed when I happen to be blogging or preoccupied with something else…
When my son says to me…
“Mommy, can you play with me please?”
“Mommy, can you read me a book?”
“Mommy, can I tell you a story?”
When he tells me he misses his grandmother “veeeeery much”.
When I notice that he has been playing alone for a while.
When my daughter asks to watch Barney.
When she is being a rascal to her brother.
When she calls out to me “Mami come!”
When there’s a great opportunity for family bonding.
When the kids have been watching too much T.V.
I pause to give them the much-needed attention during these times because I am reminded that these moments will not last. The times when they want me. The times when I am needed as a playmate, a storyteller, a peacekeeper, a confidante, a listener. The times when I can truly be a MOTHER in every sense of the word. I know these times will pass too soon.
And I want NO REGRETS.
I don’t want to stop blogging either because it has given me an avenue to express my thoughts and feelings. It has allowed me to interact and learn from others I meet online who share the same experiences as a mother. It has given me a much-needed me-time.
And my ‘pause button’ helps me to achieve some BALANCE.
Please stop by Kiddothings and read more of her work.
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Thanks so much Deirdre, for having me over. It’s such an honour! 🙂
Excellent advice and so important. It can be so hard because the new blog is so exciting and as a SAHM to two little ones you need something just for you (or at least I did).
Blogging can definitely be a distraction that you need to turn away from sometimes.
I think balance is the hardest thing for everyone!
I need a pause button – I’m exhausted!
You are so right , I also hit my ‘pause button’ regularly, because my tot is in the adorable (or naughty) stage only once in this life.
@Sorta Southern Single Mom – Thank you! It’s a challenge finding that balance.
@Lisa – it’s a major distraction but family always comes first!
@The Blonde Duck – Oh yes, in everything, balance is so difficult to achieve but so needed in our lives.
@Alison – I think we all need one 😉
@Mommy’s Paradise – that’s great! Yes, they are only that age once in their lives and you wouldn’t want to miss it for the world!
I’ve had prolonged pauses recently and I’m not regretting it one bit. Pausing every so often is also necessary to avoid blogging/social media burn out.
Congratulations on the guest post, Germaine =)
Great post. We need to remember to hit pause once and a while to give time and attention to all of our loved ones. Too easy to get caught up in day to day life and miss those moments
Love your guest poster today! I also don’t want to look back and have regrets as a Mom, though I’m already piling a few up.
Nurturing our IRL lives is so important. Plus without an IRL life, what would we blog about? Haha.
Yeah – great feature and post by one of my absolute favourite bloggers. LOVE her!
I was happy to be on “pause” the entire holiday weekend. Seriously…3 days without any blogging. I didn’t even sneak a peek. Though I am thankful for the wonderful bloggy world I have discovered, it was lovely to spend time with family, giving thanks.
No mother would ever regret spending more time with their kids, but they would regret not spending enough!
@Janie – Thank you! I might have to go on prolonged pause soon too! 😉
@Paul – Thanks! Our loved ones always have to be the priority and yes it’s so easy to get caught up with being busy with everything else.
@Janae – I guess all of us will not want regrets in our lives. It’s good to pause and reprioritise sometimes.
@Alex – you’re right, LIFE is blog fodder, without it where will our blog be 😉
@Leslie – Thanks so much friend! I heart you too! That’s so great to get a weekend off the computer and just spend quality time with your family.
@blueviolet – those are very wise words.
Wonderful post, Germaine!! I just wish there was a pause button in real life…it would make things so much easier 😉
I love the idea of a pause button – can’t wait to read more 🙂
Those are such sweet moments…I try to be off the computer as much as possible when my kids are awake. The LAST thing I want them to remember is me with my face in a laptop!
If I start feeling like I’ve been on the computer too much, I usually designate a whole day or whole time period when I stay off the computer and just play.
That needs to be there in the “Intro to Blogging” handbook that no one hands out but they should. “Get a Pause button!”
Oh Germaine. I am a lousy mom too for putting my girl second to my blog when I first started and still do occasionally now. GUILT GUILT GUILT! I must have the pause button too. These precious time will fly by fast and in no time, our kids will need us less and lesser.
Cheers to pauses!!
Nice post Germaine 🙂 I want a Pause Button too.
@Jen – Thanks dear! I have an imaginary pause button. Works like the video control pause button haha!
@Just Cherish Today – Thank you for your comment!
@Jessica – I try to be off the computer when my kids are around too. Time with them is too precious.
@Kristy – That’s a great way to compensate 😉 Also, I try not to blog on weekends so that I don’t get distracted by the computer.
@Julie – if I ever write a handbook on “Intro to Blogging”, I’ll be sure to add that in 😉
@Catheryn – I’m so glad I’m not alone on this one!
@Barbara – Thanks. We can all use one! 🙂
I agree, blogging is a much needed me-time…but at times, we do need to pause, step back, enjoy our children (because they grow so fast, don’t they?) and also look for new inspirations in our daily lives.
Lovely post, Germaine! =)
I wish we could pause the kids from growing up so fast! But yes we have to have a break from blogging to make sure we are enjoying time with our families. Great post Germaine!
G, I have an eight-month-old blog too that takes attention away from my four-year-old. I feel you! I did as you did at first. Staying up late. Writing killer content that almost no one was reading. It’s tough to find balance sometimes. Thanks for the reminder to pause.
Such great advice! I started my blog the same month I had a baby. Totally crazy. Like you said, a new blog is just like a new baby. I’ve cut back to posting just once a week so I can “pause” to be with my family.
Beautifully written! I struggle with this too between wanting to catch up with the blogosphere and spending time with my boy. Thank you for this reminder. Just what I needed to read.