Where were you 10 years ago?

What were you doing?

What advice would you give yourself 10 years ago (knowing what you know now)?

The Sharing Parenting team are taking it in turns to reflect on their own experiences over the past 10 years ….

Nina

Around ten years ago, I was pregnant with my first child. I spent a long time researching what the best baby products were to buy, now I realise the best things for my children are not things that can be bought, but my time spent with them.  

Michelle

10 years ago I was about to embark upon my journey as a Mum, I was filled with excitement and nerves and so my advice to myself would be: accept help, trying to be a superhero and doing it all does not win you any prizes. Enjoy every moment of your time with your new bundle, it really does go so quick.

Ginny

10 years ago my children were 10 and 8 years old so we (they) hadn’t even started secondary school and now they have both left school!

The advice I would give to myself 10 years ago (knowing what I know now) is:

“Support your children through the up’s and down’s of friendships, school and exams as much as you can but don’t forget to have fun together, playing games, visiting parks and save a little bit of money so you can occasionally go to a café and share a hot chocolate together. I know it ‘s a cliché but it really does pass quickly!”

I would also say “be prepared for your children to want to spend less time with you and more time with their friends – and this is normal (not something you have done wrong!)“

I would advise myself to “go to Sharing Parenting’s ‘Raising Teens’ course to gain tips and strategies” to help me through the teenage years!

I would remind myself to “take time out for myself (to fill my jug) and ‘model’ this to my children so they remember to do this for themselves when they are parents too!”

The whole of this year in 2019 we will be celebrating our 10^th birthday with lots of events and ideas.

If you have any of your own please do let us know – we would love to hear them. Watch this space for more on this …..