Parenting Pep Talk #15 – Plutonium Sox

Parenting Pep Talk is a weekly series of guest posts all about encouraging other parents by sharing some of our happy moments, the advice that has worked for us and some positive words of encouragement.

 

Today’s post is from Natalie who blogs at Plutonium Sox.  Here’s a little more about Natalie:

“I am a freelance writer specialising in travel and law. I also write about our adventures as a family in my blog Plutonium Sox. We are a very active family and we love travel, days out and being outside. As a result, this tends to be the focus of my blog. I am also really interested in ethical issues and try to be an ethical consumer. In particular, I try to avoid products that contain palm oil. I became quite passionate about this issue and started up a second website and blog to help promote companies and products that are palm oil free.”

 

1) Tell us a little bit about you and your family

I live in rural Worcestershire with my husband and my two little girls, Libby and Lia and our two big dogs, Pluto and Bubbles. I work from home as a freelance writer which allows me to fit my work hours around looking after the girls.

 

2) How would you describe your parenting style?

Busy! We are always out and about doing things, often outside. I’m not a fan of being stuck in the house. I work when the girls are asleep or my husband is home, so I use the mornings to do something fun. This has the added bonus of tiring the girls out so I can get some work done at nap time.

 

3) What’s your favourite thing about being a parent?

I grew up as an only child and if I’m honest, I was quite lonely. So I love watching the relationship between my two girls developing. They are quickly becoming the best of friends and it’s an honour to be with them.

 

 

4) What piece of advice have you been given that you found especially helpful?

I have a friend who is a huge advocate of the ‘good enough’ approach to parenting. I think it’s really important to take a step back and remember that you’re doing your best and the children are happy. And that’s enough. If other people want to make sure they always look immaculate and their children are reading by the age of 18 months that’s wonderful and I’m pleased for them, but my children are safe, happy and have all they need. And that’s enough.

 

5) What one piece of encouraging advice would you give to a new parent?

It gets easier! We found the first couple of weeks really tough with both children. Establishing breastfeeding was difficult, they fed all the time and we were having very little sleep. But it gets just a little bit easier every day and time really does fly by. So enjoy it, it won’t be long before you’re looking back on the difficult times and realising that they only made you stronger as an individual and as a family.

 

6) Can you share one of your favourite parenting moments?

Watching my eldest in her first theatre show. She was only 3 years old, a few years younger than all the other children in her group. But she managed all the dance moves with a huge grin on her face and my youngest was so excited to see her big sister on the stage. It was a really proud moment.

 

7) Anything else that you would like to share to encourage other parents?

Throw away the parenting books, your children haven’t read them. You are the expert in your children, trust your instinct and do what you know is right. Don’t let anybody make you feel guilty or inadequate, you are doing an amazing job. We all parent differently and there is no ‘right answer’. Your children think you are the best parents in the world, and their opinion is the one that counts.

Thank you Natalie for sharing your positive parenting moments and the advice you have found helpful.

 

You can connect with Natalie on the following social networks:

Facebook
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If you’d like to share some of your positive parenting moments on the Parenting Pep Talk, then let me know in the comments below and I’ll email you with more details.