Intro
Hello, blog readers. What do you think of the name of my blog? I think it throws a positive spin on life, don’t you think? My name is Louise Barley, and I am a full-time mother, raising two gorgeous kids. Emily is 7 and her big brother, Jason, is 9. They get on pretty well and as a mother one can only hope that their relationship stays on an amicable footing through their teens. We live in a lovely house in Swindon, not all that far from Queen’s Park. And isn’t that a lovely place to take the kids for a day out, or the family for a picnic?
Pets
We have the usual menagerie in the household and like most homes when the kids carry on about having a pet, who always has to take care of them in the end? Mum, of course! I don’t mind taking the dog for a walk in the park most days, but cleaning the kitty litter, the bird cage and the turtle aquarium is a bit much. Hubby works in Swindon as a Training Manager for a large company. We do okay.
The Routine
Each day I get the kids off to school, packed lunches, a bag full of books, completed homework and, at least, looking like they are loved. Brian gets himself off to work, his rare moment of self-sufficiency! Haha, kidding. He’s a great help with the kids. Weekends seem to be a blur. Jason plays football with a junior team, and Emily is into T-Ball. When the game- times clash we toss a coin to see who goes where to watch which kid. We also entertain on some weekends with a BBQ, maybe go to visit friends, loll about the house doing nothing or go and visit my parents who live not too far away in Bishopstone.
Neighbourhood Babysitter
Being a stay at home mother is a rare feat in this day and age. Many women have to farm the kids out to family or drop them at a child-minding centre while they work. Some children are very independent; they seem to understand the necessity of mum and dad working so they learn to get themselves up and going each day. I found a little niche to make some extra money by looking after my friends’ children. I have three children come to my place after school, and I look after them until one of the parents get home. Three days a week I look after two very young kids, 3 and 4. You can imagine how full my day is with these extra responsibilities. But the kids are all well behaved, most of the time, and I have a rule of not allowing them into my own children’s rooms.
This blog is to see if there are other mothers out there in a similar situation. Maybe we can share some ideas on kids’ games or quick recipes. We all have a few funny stories about our kids I’m sure. Drop me a line for a bit of a gossip and the occasional whinge.