Today's guest post is from Helen Neale of Kiddycharts fame who blogs at Stickers, Stars and Smiles.
2013 was a good year.
It was the year that I finally got my KiddyCharts
blog off the ground, that Chatterbox made it into Junior school, and
that Stuntboy found a passion for reading so he would actually sit
still for five minutes.
But...it wasn't all good. It was also the year
that:
- My boobs went on strike. Not literally of course. But oddly I
thought they would stay the same size after pregnancy and
breast-feeding. They don't...and they are pretty good at telling you
they aren't happy with how
you have been treating them for the last six years
- Social media took over my life, so much so that I have had
too many late nights, and learnt that over-sharing really can be a
wee bit scary, and
- Success proved to be a pain in the arse. Being successful at
what you do isn't necessarily all that it is cracked up to be.
Particularly if you find that the blog you started to fit in with
your life as a parent is starting to take over that life....
Do you know what this all means?
It means that 2014 has to be a year when I find
the discipline that I have been hiding at the bottom of the
wardrobe along with the bloody annoying toy that I can't switch
off...
All of these problems are under my control. No
excuses, it is all my fault.
I solved the boob problem with a trip to John
Lewis. The boobs are now disciplined. I was wearing a bra four
sizes too small. That can't be good for your boobage now
can it?
Social media is a different matter entirely. John
Lewis' excellent bra fitting service is not going to help with that.
We are in week two of January.
Yet, I have already spent one evening this year
faffing on Facebook until after 1am. It was all for charity you know,
but Teamhonk can't be blamed for
the lack of organisation that mean I was sorting things out at that
time of day. Me again.
Applying discipline to social media use is not
easy. I need to wise up to the fact that I am not going to see my
kids grow up on Facebook. If I spend too long on there in 2014; I
will miss parts of their life I won't get back. I gave up work so I
could be there for them; not be on social media "absent lost in
my iPhone" when I am with them....
Finally, 2014 will be the year that I reign in my
blog.
I know that sounds counter-productive but I can't
keep up with commenting, posting, writing, parenting, tweeting,
FBing, Gplusing, and everything-else-ing without part of my life
falling apart.
I want to craft with my kids. I want my hobbies
back; to do Origami again. I need to be able to read again. I didn't
read one book in 2013. Not one. Appalling. All because every spare
minute I was on social media or writing and blogging. I set the blog
up for the kids, so I could be with them when I wanted.
What has happened is that it has taken on a life
of its own, and I want to get it back under MY control.
I am not going to have 2014 pass me by because I
have my nose in FB or in my blog ALL THE TIME.
Discipline. One little word. But one hell of a big
challenge.
Are you going to be more disciplined in 2014
too? What does it mean for you? Are you the same with social media
and blogging? I would love to know.
Helen Neale is a mum to two and owns
kiddycharts.com; a
parenting tools and advice blog where she ruminates on having kids,
as well as offering printable personalised charts for free (From mid
January 2014). Her personal blog stickersstarsandsmiles.com
is a little more disorganised (mind the toys on the floor), and
takes a tongue in cheek look at life with little people.
Occasionally, she is serious when the mood takes her too. Pop along
and see her on Twitter,
Pinterest,
Facebook and G+
if you can. She won't be on there as much this year though ;-)
