I know I’m not meant to complain but MY GOD, I just want to go out!!!
All is forgiven Thameslink, I miss you so much.
Sounds mad but I miss the crapiness of commuting into London. I miss the weirdo’s on the train, even the creepy guy who offered me one of his crisps that time.
I miss walking into town. I miss Pret. I miss St. Albans market and in particular Tara’s delicious vegan food <3
I miss socialising and drinking too many overpriced cocktails in London. I miss my gym!
But aren’t we all meant to be taking advantage of this “free time”?
Yeah right, I wish!
Listen people, I’ve been thinking quite a lot about this and I have a plan. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not feeling overly ambitious with all this additional time we now have. If anything, I most certainly have less time than before. With three very different children to “educate”, entertain, slave for, cook, clean, wash and answer to every day, plus of course my own work which I’m meant to be fitting in, it’s virtually impossible to incorporate anything drastic. But we need to look after ourselves.
Aren’t we all meant to be doing daily meditation, learning new skills, etc. Pah! No chance.
Parents of special needs children have the extra concerns that many may not even contemplate. Meltdowns, daily routines, the closure of McDonalds or whatever fast food chain your child relies on. We need SPACE, order, our daily schedules to not be shifted in any direction but forwards. And sometimes we need to take our children out for a long, long walk.
Now this has happened and we’re all a little bit screwed.
Just for us
So fellow parentals of special needs children and anyone else who is feeling a bit frazzled. What tiny things can we do just for us, that won’t infringe on our responsibilities, but may keep us going in a positive light?
Here are a few of my suggestions:
- Exercise. There are so many really short workouts on YouTube that are possible to fit in during the day. I’ve been following a yoga class and they’re only 20 minutes long which is just perfect. It’s not something I do every day but I try and get it done a few times a week. Even grabbing a few planks or sit ups here and there will make you feel better. Do it!
- Stories. If you can’t find time to read then audiobooks are a real treat. Audibles, Loyal Books and so many more platforms are offering free audiobooks for you to download. You can listen during the day, when you’re cooking, when you’re trying to block out the noise…
- Food. If you’re fortunate to find a few moments spare and feel creative, why not bake something super, SUPER simple. Mug cakes are awesome and literally take minutes. Here’s one recipe I love. Or if you don’t like the sound of this one, simply google (vegan) mug cake recipe and there are tons to try out.
- Caffeine. Pimp your coffee, grab your take away cup and pretend you’ve just visited Costa. Instead of milk, try adding coconut cream, perhaps throw in some vanilla essence or even drink it over ice. Whatever you can do to make it feel super spesh.
- Bath. Now ok, I appreciate this one is a little ambitious. I for one have not managed to lounge in the bath during these last four weeks or however long it’s been so far. BUT for those fortunate enough to find a bit of time, take the opportunity to use up those bath bombs, bubble baths or special oils loitering around in the cupboards. Ahhhh bliss.
- Moisturise. My goodness, this makes me sound like a weirdo but anyway, here goes…Something I’ve been making sure I do each day is moisturise! Perhaps it’s my ever increasing age or the changing weather, I don’t know, but my skin is so flippin dry. Every morning and evening I now moisturise and it feels so good!
- Get dressed. Ok, I know I’m really scraping the barrel of basic hygiene now but it’s a good one, I promise. Get dressed as if you’re going out for the day. Not the tracks bottoms you’ve been living in…some jeans, a nice top, brush your hair, put on some make up et voila! It’s almost like normal again. It really makes me feel better. No idea why, perhaps it’s a little vain but pfff, whatever works.
- Take up a project. I don’t mean the ridiculous ones that have been thrown around the internet recently…learning Mandarin and all that nonsense. Nope, remember our expectations are realistic and not ambitious! Examples could be, taking on one of those little sewing kits, knitting, tackling a flower bed you’ve been meaning to weed for months. If you just focus on one tiny thing that will only take a short bit of time each day then it’s more likely to get done. Look at the smaller picture and the rest will grow.
- Music therapy. There’s a reason are children often get music as a means of therapy. Because it’s so wonderfully magical! Put the radio on, listen to an old album you used to love. Enjoy the nostalgia or discover something new. Whatever floats your boat. Just don’t wallow in the silence, it can be so damaging.
That’s it for now but I’ll be sure to add to my list. Please let me know what you’ve been doing to help yourself too.
A x
