“Keep going Mummy!” and other words of wisdom from a toddler
My toddler turns 3 this week, meaning she is officially a toddler no more. On Thursday I will be the proud owner of a pre-schooler, which makes me feel a touch wistful, but it’s ok because a fortnight later my baby will celebrate his first birthday and the magic of toddlerhood will start over again.
Ah, toddlers. Teeny tiny tyrants one moment and delightfully charming the next. Honest and forthright but increasingly aware of feelings and the need for kindness. The extreme highs and lows of emotions, and emergence of vivid imaginations and wills of steel can be a bewildering experience for parents navigating the choppy waters of the toddler years for the first time. And yet, there is so much to be learnt from these seemingly irrational little humans.
The International Coaching Federation (ICF) defines coaching as: “Partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximise their personal and professional potential.”
A sage from the start, my ‘not a toddler for much longer’ is always the first to offer encouraging words to friends and unwittingly assume the role of a coach. It comes naturally to her. She’s my number one cheerleader and motivator to be the best I can. Every decision I make, personal or professional, comes back to my desire to be the best mum I can for my kids, which (for me) means negotiating flexible arrangements and being creative with how I do my work, so I can spend quality time with them in a way that works for us, while pursuing my career and passions.
I’ll always remember a particularly wearisome afternoon on a day that had dragged, when I was huffing and puffing as I pushed the heavy double pram uphill and she shouted: “Keep going, Mummy!”
I started laughing, so she thought she’d come up with the best thing ever and from that day forth she has frequently ordered me to “keep going”, and so I do.
Other things she is quite certain of and fond of saying include:
“I think you can do it.”
“Maybe you could try again.”
“It will be alright.”
“That sounds like a good idea.”
And my personal favourite - “Why don’t you have a nap?”
I find these small nuggets of wisdom extremely comforting, simple though they may be. They are always enough to encourage me to hit pause, enjoy a cuddle and revisit whatever the cause of my angst or stress might be at a later time once I’ve had a chance to reflect and re-evaluate.
Here are three takeaways from this little tale:
When it feels like you’re swimming against the tide, try talking to yourself as though you were a toddler. Be a patient, encouraging and loving parent to your inner child.
The simplest solutions are often the best ones.
Keep going, always. ‘Keep going’ doesn’t mean keep on doing the same old thing that isn’t working (because, well, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” And I can’t attribute this quote because no one seems to agree the source but whatever, it’s still a goodie). ‘Keep going’ means keep moving forward, even when it’s hard. Even when you need to adjust course, try something new, or re-evaluate and tweak the goal, keep moving forward and don’t give up.