After being in Sweden for 2 months with my 3 kids, 6 weeks on my own. The whole family spent the first 2 weeks together, my patience is running on reserve 😉 No actually, I’m surprised how well it has gone, kids have been, well kids…..good at times, bad at times, but that’s how kids should be, isn’t it?? Even though I would love, if they were good all the time and never did anything bold. Or would I? It would be quite boring, the kids doing their “kiddy” things make it more exciting, you’re always on edge going throw a shop with loads of breakable things. Going out for dinner with relatives, you tell them before what to do and what not to do, its always the not to do, that stick most. Then you send them out to buy an ice cream, because the lunch restaurant, don’t have a 99, which the kids want (ok spoilt alert, but actually its to get a few min. peace). Which they know, they have to sit outside to eat, only for them to pick the closest possible place to the canal they can get. With me sitting in the restaurant, looking out the window to keep an eye on kids and at the same time trying to have a conversation with my mother. I then see the middle child Alvin 11 years, taking his older sister Leah 13 years, handbag and dangling it over the water, with the iPhone, wallet and God knows what in her bag. I’m ready to jump up and knock as hard as I can on the window to get their attention, but realise I’m in the restaurant and it wouldn’t look too good, and I would look totally crazy. I stay on alert ready to run out if needs be, and praying for him not to drop the bag. Luckily he placed the bag down, and it now hangs safely on her shoulder. Instead of lying on the ground, inviting her brother to take advantage. I already plan the speech they’re going to get when we get out. But saying that, these things are, maybe not at the time but after they happen, the things that makes it more fun in the end.
Thankfully I have yoga and mediation, to help me from turning into a crazy nut case! Which I sometimes still do, when the pressure is too much and kids are fighting and so on, but hey, that’s normal, isn’t it?? That is the very thing that shows me how good yoga and mediation is for me. The other day I let the boys cycle on their own, in Sweden were I’m from, we have cycling paths almost everywhere so its very safe and all drivers are aware of this and always look out for cyclist crossing the roads. I told Alvin to go behind his younger brother Emil etc. I decided to go after them in the car, to have a look without them knowing, and it was quite amusing! At first I saw Emil and couldn’t see Alvin so I thought at first he had gone ahead, despite what I told him, as I thought this thought, I saw Alvin coming down some steps, and of all places it was at the church. But hey, why cycle on the smooth path, when you can go down bumpy steps instead…after this he let go of the handle bars, cycling with his arms along his sides for ages. I drove up beside him and rolled down the window, only to get a big grin when he saw it was me. What can I say he is an 11 year old boy, and I have done it myself, maybe not the bumpy steps, but cycling without holding on to the handlebars. At least he has a helmet, when I was young we didn’t have them. I was smiling in the car as I saw him doing this and at least he hadn’t gone ahead of his brother.
Being in Sweden so long on my own has been hard, but also fun. I have more time to enjoy the kids and have fun with them, and of course I get to meet my old time friends and family which I miss very much! Look forward to coming home to Ireland and to my hubby!! As they say, ” absence makes the heart grow fonder” !!
Nina's Wellness & Yoga 