Teaching Daughters...

This is Emily the Teddybear...

Being the Mother of a daughter I am ever mindful of what I am teaching her about life. I want to raise a balanced daughter who is able to make good decisions for herself. It can be a tough world out there for girls with so many pressures put on them by society from how to look to how to behave. Let's not even think about the sexuality side of life yet. Let me cling desperately to my visions of my little girl with her teddy Emily...

Food is an area I am ever conscious of. Our family motto is to eat a healthy diet and that it is okay to have treats but not until after the healthy food is eaten and certainly not everyday. We also practice 'mindfulness' This is something Dr George Blair-West talks about in his book 'Weight Loss for Food Lovers'. It discusses childhood obesity and instilling good habits from when kids are young like eating with the TV off and eating together as a family. One of his big points is to enjoy what is being eaten and to eat slowly. It is quite a good read if you are interested. Obesity is getting to be a very 'big' health issue. I have heard Dr Balir -West speak at a conference and he made so much sense!!!

I read about a book called The Butterfly Effect- a positive new approach to raising happy, confident teen girls by Dannielle Miller and ran out to buy it. Teenage girls are vulnerable and with so many pressures today, I don't think it hurts me to be more aware of them and how I can assist my daughter to view life. One thing mentioned in the book is to surround them with wonderful role models and at the moment, I am happy to say, she has some lovely friends with equally lovely Mother. So far so good.

I make this for Miss T's lunch nearly everyday. Nicely balanced with fruit and yoghurt. It is a ham and salad roll up with cabbage, carrot, celery, a sprinkling of cheese, hummus and fresh bean sprouts.  She l-o-v-e-s it! Master T has one too but at this stage prefers salami in it. Got to start somewhere... I try to make food a non issue and focus on health and exercise rather than depriving foods. 

For Miss T

I have heard savage stories about the 'teen' years and was certainly bracing myself for the roller coaster ride to come. One blogger however commented that the teen years were her favourite and with 2 girls, I assume she has had l-o-t-s of experience! It has been lovely conversing with her and getting some 'tips'! Look I know one cannot really prepare but it does make me think about what type of role model I am. What does my daughter see when she looks at me? What messages am I giving her that I am not even aware of? So, this road to self discovery continues my friends.....

 Ciao for now...
 

Mirror Mirror On The Wall...

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A little exercise if you will. Stand in front of the mirror. Any which way you like: clothed, un-clothed, in your pyjamas..... Now, what do you see? Do you see the good bits or are you focusing on what you don't wish to see? Take your time. Keep looking. Turn this way and that. Hands on hips, hands by your side.... tilt your head to the side. Take a deep breath. And look. Keep looking...

Keep looking....

Do you like anything? Say three things out loud you like.

Go on, no one is listening. Except the most important person in the world. Y-O-U

You are not to mention what you are not fond of. Only what you like.

If you are finding this hard you need to keep practicing, every day, until you are able to be kind to yourself.

And real. You have to be real. And truthful. But. You can only look at yourself through kind eyes. No criticizing.

Now, get a beautiful journal type book and write those 3 things down

Congratulations. You have begun. Your journey to you.

I am being serious here bloggers. The journey to you has begun...

Ciao for now...