It’s a bit of a stereotypical joke now isn’t it? Being a Mum means you are either exhausted and reaching for their Costas or gagging for a glass of wine at the end of the day, as their little monsters darlings have driven them crazy all day long. My Insta feed is full of it and I love to like these pictures just like the rest of you.
I’m not disputing either of this reasons for the record! In fact some bloggers and writers have made a fortune on this concept. Hurrah for Gin for one. Parents can relate to this, it’s funny and it’s true and we need to feel validated with the rest of the world.
But I think we need to look a bit deeper into the wine (alcohol) and coffee (cuppa) love affair us parents seem to be embroiled in.
Go back to your pre-child days. You had ALL the time in the world and honestly (be honest), you didn’t appreciate it. That’s fine. You didn’t know what being a parent would be like and took it for granted as so many of us do with things that are just there all the time. A cup of tea was had in a rush in the mornings or in front of the screen at work. That glass of wine was drunk in a noisy bar whilst you were gassing with your mates or swirling around on the dance floor. Yes that’s me with the Reflex balloon.
Did you sit and really appreciate those beverages then? I’m not really sure I did. They weren’t really a treat, something to sit and savour. A friend of mine recently said pre-kids a treat had to be something grand; a designer bag, a trip abroad. Now she had her son? It can be a film and a gin and tonic. A cup of tea with a friend. So simple, yet so appreciated.
I think for some, having kids means you actually wake up and smell the coffee. You realise life is precious. I am in charge of a human being. Me. Things change and your perceptions of everything around you changes. When did the top of a head smell so delicious? How can a little smile make you melt?
Mindfulness is such a hot topic at the moment and I believe it really can be the key to happiness and relieving stress and worry. Do you sit and actually savour the moment? Or are you thinking ahead, just to the next task and not appreciating the now? It’s a really hard thing to do all the time as we are all so busy but it is worth trying.
So for me a cup of tea or that glass of Sauvignon Blanc or Prosecco I may have at the weekend, isn’t because I’m gagging for it and proving the stereotype right. It’s because it’s a small thing that I can enjoy. I like the TASTE of the wine and yes it makes me feel fuzzy. The time it takes for me to drink it, I want to savour and appreciate it. It’s a little moment of free time I want to enjoy. The conversation I have with my husband is lovely and uninterrupted.
So I don’t think a Mum enjoys a caffeinated or alcoholic drink because if they don’t, they won’t function (well not always). I think for so many parents, they have come to realise like me, that the simplest pleasures in life are the best.
These are my reasons.
What about you?