Permission to Rest

I had four days away. Four days. Not a month. Not a sabbatical. Not “I’ve moved to Ibiza and started a new life.” 😂 Just four days. And I needed them. Really needed them. I needed the break from work. I needed the break from routines. I needed the break from being the one who remembers everything, organises everything, anticipates everything and carries everything in the background. And yet preparing to go away felt like a job in itself. There was food to sort. Medication to

We tell overwhelmed parents to rest, exercise, talk to someone, join a support group and make time for themselves. All good advice. But sometimes we're missing a very practical question: what actually needs to be in place to make any of that possible? I believe in self-care. I believe in rest. I believe in counselling. I believe in moving our bodies, spending time with people who make us feel good, setting boundaries and creating moments where we aren't constantly giving to e

My energy levels were low, but I wanted to do something nice with my kids over the weekend. Nothing extravagant. Just a film, a few treats and a couple of hours together. The sort of family outing that seems simple in your mind. But I actually know what it takes to go on a "simple trip to the the cinema". This isn't my first rodeo. The planning, the checking, the packing and the mental list running in the background takes energy. Have we got the drinks? Have we got everythin