Thursday 18 October 2012

I Am a Mum and a......

Over at Story of Mum this month, the subject is remembering your identity. Other than being a Mum, what or rather who, are you? As being a parent is such a consuming task, with every decision being made around someone else, it is hard to remember who we actually are. I was asked what I like to do in my spare time the other day. Firstly, I thought "Ha, spare time?! If only!" Then I thought about it more seriously. What do I like to do? If I had a whole day to myself, what would I spend it doing? The answer? I have absolutely no idea.
I am so entrenched in my daily trundle, that it takes an enormous effort to think outside the rut. It's hardly likely to happen anyway so why waste time thinking about it when I could be deliberating on what to have for tea....


My life before kids was taken up with horses.Every waking moment was spent with them, reading about them or watching them on tv. I knew roughly what every day would involve and bounced out of bed with excitement each morning. I LOVED it, every second of it!

Then my first little man came along and turned my world upside down. During his first few years I gradually said goodbye to my previous horse addicted lifestyle and concentrated on him. Why? If you have ever had an all immersing passion you will know how hard it is to only do it part time. It made me feel frustrated and a little resentful of his father. I couldn't be a good Mum thinking that way so I sold my beautiful dream horse and didn't look back.

I now have 3 gorgeous boys, whom I love very much. Between them they have taught me about unconditional love, patience beyond possibility, how long my tether is, that I have the strength to keep going in impossible circumstances and a fierce need to protect them from all that may harm them in this world. I have also learnt how to give them the space they need to grow and find themselves. For all these things, I will be forever grateful to them.

In becoming a Mum, I have gradually lost my identity. The title of this post stumped me for quite a while. The first word that sprang to mind was Mess. I didn't want to put that but it's all I can think of as that's how I feel at the moment.

I was running an Equestrian Center at a 5 Star Country House Hotel when I was 22. Now I can't run a family breakfast table without a huge fallout. I forget what I'm saying halfway through a sentence. My house is a constant tip. I am permanently shattered. I have been in the depths of depression. I have only a couple of friends I can turn to. I don't remember what I used to do for fun as I don't get time anymore. I am drafting this on my phone with one son hanging on my trouser leg, restraining one about to dive headfirst off the chair, while the other is busy being cool texting and watching Cbeebies!?
My life has become a single handed juggle of necessities. Where am I?  In the thick of it making sure they are all where they need to be, at the time they have to be there, with all the things they need with them.

Where is my husband in all of this? Well, it would appear it has cost me that too. Not liking the new Mum-me or able to cope with the boys, it would seem our days are numbered.

My next journey is one of discovery. I am off to find ME!! x

4 comments:

  1. Hi Kat,

    Poor you.

    Maybe try and slow down a bit
    if you are tired and depressed you
    wont be able to cope with everything that
    is going on.
    3 boys are hard work
    the house will be there long after they have
    grown up and left home
    and if it's a mess, so be it.

    I am very impressed with the fact that you can
    draft a post on your phone with a child
    hanging out of you and trying to watch 2 others at the same time!
    You can certainly multi-task!

    Maybe it's not too late with your husband
    has he read your blog, maybe it would help him to understand how swamped you feel.
    You do need support, talk, talk, talk...

    I wish I was nearer and we could grab a coffee
    but we can have a virtual one anytime you want.

    Take care of yourself.

    Fiona x

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  2. I can't imagine how difficult it is to juggle children and making time for yourself. I think you have a great attitude. Good luck on your journey. I'm sure you will find the real YOU in no time :)

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  3. Amazing post Kat, thank you so much for sharing. It's such a struggle to retain any sense of ourselves amongst the joys and difficulties of motherhood. Or to find space for the couple at the heart of the family - that's something I've been thinking about a lot recently too. Hubs and I have made more time for each other over the last couple of months, and it has helped immensely. Though we still have to work at making that time, there always seems something or someone else that's more important. Well, nothing is more important than finding you, and finding time to make you happy. And then, if there's still a chance for your relationship, make an evening a week (or more) free to talk to each other instead of worrying about the house or work or jumping on twitter (I struggle with this one!) xxx

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  4. Thank you Ladies, for your lovely comments. I didn't mean this post to sound quite so down! I am quite positive that this situation is nearing its end so things are about to improve one way or another :o) Watch this space! xx

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