Saturday 14 June 2014

The Prompt - Breaking The Rules

mumturnedmom

I'll be honest, I've never joined in with this linky before as I have never felt I have anything worthwhile to say compared to the other thought provoking posts. As this week's quote is
"Rules are meant to be broken" I really couldn't resist!

Anyone who knows me will know that I am a little unconventional. Although I stay on the right side of the law I wouldn't say I conform to the norm. From a young age I wanted to work with animals. I was very lucky to go to a secondary school with goats. For the first two and a half years I spent all my free time in the goat shed. Break time, lunch time, after school, holidays and even Christmas day I was up there. They were great and I loved the uncomplicated relationship with them.

Unfortunately, the teacher who owned them left and took the goats with her. They weren't replaced and school became a very bleak, boring total waste of time for me. There were no subjects that interested me so I started to bunk off. One of my end of year reports says "Would love to comment on Kats progress but I haven't seen her since September." It still makes me chuckle even though I know it probably shouldn't.
I went to college and studied animal care for several years and worked in some great places. Bristol Zoo being one of them. I then got a job with horses and threw myself into that until having Big made me come up for air.

Even as a parent I didn't follow the rules particularly. Now it is called "Child led parenting" but back then I just didn't know what I was doing other than making a rod for my own back. I did ok and Big is a lovely lad (when he's not being a typical teen!).

It is not that I don't respect authority. I feel there need to be rules and we have them here too. I do feel that if we were all to do the same thing we may as well become sheep! I believe in following your instincts so that is what I try to do.

I love my kids and they are a wonderful part of my life. As parents, I think we forget that they are just that, a part  of our lives. There are many who criticize for wanting to nurture ourselves as individuals. Everyone is different and we need to remember that. I need a life outside my boys. I need adult conversation and new experiences otherwise I just feel like a work horse, here to serve my ever growing family. That results in depression. I can't give my kids what I don't have. If I'm not happy or enthusiastic and have no sense of adventure, they won't have it either. If I have new experiences I will want to share them with the boys or give them similar experiences of their own. I also hope it will help them see they can do many things as a parent and not just have to fit into a stereotypical role.

I'm not sure if I have wandered off the subject a bit but hey, Rules are meant to be broken!!

2 comments:

  1. Animals are great and it's awesome that you got to do your dream job.
    The current fad for labelling everything drives me a bit mad. You do what you do to get by without going bonkers. X

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  2. I love the line, you can't give your kids what you don't have. So true and so important. I think that rules have their place, but I completely agree that we need to be individuals, not sheep. Great post Kat, and I'm so pleased you've joined in with #ThePrompt x
    PS. A weekend of birthday celebrations and Father's Day, this is the first chance I've had to comment! Sorry!

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