The one about Encouragement....

I'm sure a lot of mums, stay at home and working, will no doubt agree with this one: Motherhood is a very rewarding, yet seldom rewarded, job (don't worry, I'm not going down the slippery slope of "Stay at home mum vs working mum" or even "woe is me, stay at home mum is under appreciated", so you can all keep reading). I have never worked in the "corporate" world and only towards the end of my illustrious retail career did we have formal written appraisals. So today I  am thinking: What if  I had an appraisal for my current role of at home mum. A role I rather arrogantly like to refer to as "GM of the House (all encompassing)". Of course it would come down to those in charge of scoring me. Let me go through my "superiors/bosses/management team" (whatever they are called nowadays) and the daily feedback I get from them.

My Husband: He gives me praise and pats me on the back often. Whenever he remembers to do so, which is often after i have pointed out x, y or z that i have done. He does however give me a bad report if I a)spend too much, b) spend too much. Maybe he should comment "further training in budget control needed" after his tsk-ing and actually follow through with his training? Oops...Not telling you how to do you job honey xx

Miss S: I really do get more complaints and tantrums from her than I do praise. As I'm  sure (please) many mums of two and bit year olds do. She is the toughest critic. Not liking what I put out for her to wear to complaining about me taking to long ANYWHERE. This all means diddly squat mind you because often, at least once daily, I get the best reward:  "mum, guess what? I love you".

Miss E: Don't let her small size and young age fool you. Miss E is up there with Miss S. She doesn't even need to use words for me to know that she is unhappy with things, just a "BAAAAAAA" and I am back on track and working up to her high standards again. She has a very interesting management approach though. As quickly as something displeases her ("BAAAAAAA"), something pleases her and she is all smiles and giggles and love. She is tricky!

Oh my goodness! Did you see that they are the only people who are allowed to judge me in my role?! Did you notice that I didn't add the disapproving women in the supermarket who think Miss S should be on a leash - better still- in a cage? Or the other mothers in the park who believe that Miss E should be crawling, walking, doing cartwheels and juggling? I noticed. And it made me feel good. I love my family's encouragement and I absolutely relish their praise.

On a side note (somewhat relevant to the topic), there has been a lot of jibing since my little project* began. Mostly in jest. Actually, all of it for a laugh and i Have a very thick skin. I'm not sure what I expected. I never really thought about what I was going to write or the consequence of writing in such a public arena. I just sort of started writing. 

My husband for one has been flitting around, asking with a childish giggle (that only he can do)  "would you with two like dinner/to go out/go to bed etc hehehehe" (Oh, look, he is a poet and he didn't know it!!) *insert rolling eyes here*. I have the well meaning moron who tries to make up his own version like "Me with Tree" (HAHA! That one was last night and after he said it, he very sheepishly said that in actual fact he really enjoyed reading this. Thankyou xx) and I have one certain follower  who is so keen on being included and blogged about that he insists on saying appropriate things just so I will bitch and moan about how inappropriate he is (he isn't at all mind you...a more selfless gentleman i am yet to meet). Then there are some people who I know would have read it, but clearly just think this is all just Me dribble and hence don't comment (fine by the way, you are dead right. Definitely Me dribble).

I am pleased I make some people laugh, some nod there head and some roll their eyes. Praise all the same. Encouragement. Again, a part of me that has not changed. I loved praise as a me and I love praise with (and from) my three.

*just for the record, i am no longer calling this a blog. It really doesn't sit well with me and it's not even "technically" a blog. I don't want to upset any real "bloggers" out there (as if they are reading!!) Some people paint. Some people sew. This is my creative outlet.  A real blog has pictures and photos and inspirational quotes etc. Even though you mostly know who i am, i like the anonymity that i have tried to create. So from now on "Me with Three will be known as a: project; Creative outlet; insight; thought process etc etc you get the idea.