Learning Nutrition from T Colin Campbell and Men as Au Pairs

It's all too easy for the life of a SAHM to slip into a rut.  But it's time for some ch-ch-changes!

Nutrition course
I've been messing about with being vegan for about 15 years now and learning a lot about it, but I have absolutely nothing to show for it - except greatly improved health and a bunch of wonderful friends, and a great blog.

But that isn't enough anymore!  For my 40th birthday I asked DH if we could budget for me to take Dr T Colin Campbell's Certificate in Plant Based Nutrition from eCornell.  It's flexible enough even for a SAHM to work into her schedule.  And I have now Signed Up.

I dream of becoming a health consultant and helping people learn how fantastic plant based eating is.  There are some great people working on this in New Zealand, but not enough.  Wish me luck and lots of learning!

Help from abroad!
(well, not from a broad, from a young man...)

Through our local vegetarian network (in fact, to the lovely Alice Leonard who runs the vegan specialty shop Angel Food and will ship anywhere!) came a polite request in admirable English from a father in Germany.  His son wants to work for a year as an au pair in New Zealand for a vegetarian or vegan family.  It occurred to me that we are a vegan family!  A few "wunderbars" later, and we may actually be doing this.

Largely due to efforts to reduce our stuff, we can make a room available for a handy helper. As well as the obvious lure of having an extra hand on the child-taming job and an on-call babysitter, other advantages are:

• More male influence for the children
• Exposure to another culture
• Exposure to the German language (Alex's school does IB German!)
• Tennis lessons (this young man is the next Roger Federer :-)

We're currently working on turning our office into his room.  We're still on the before pictures, but I'll keep you all posted.  See the hers/his office setup below.

       
Stay tuned!

Make a statement!

No, how can I help YOU?

 Have some fun and spread the word too.

1. Pick a cause.  Any cause, or as many as you like.  You may already have several favourites to choose from.  If you are already fundraising for something worthy, even better.
2. Collect a pile of free handouts from that cause (or fundraising materials)
3. Position them near your front door.
4. When someone comes to your door (uninvited) wanting you to do something for them, listen politely and then offer them your cause's pamphlet(s) or ask if they want to buy from your fundraising promotion or donate small change.

Personally, I wouldn't pull the fundraising stunt on someone else trying to fundraise, only companies trying to sell me something.  But everyone at your door is fair game for pamphlets in your interest, at least.

This is especially good for those of us who are at home for our jobs, but unsolicited visitors happen after hours too.  At least this way, your time answering the door will benefit you instead of only the person disturbing you.

Wish me luck! I'll give you a full report later, and if you try it, let me know how it goes.

Investment in joy ...

Reaching the end of this two weeks' school holidays, far too much of which have been spent in various levels of illness - my own, DH's, and both kids.  And not enough in fun and excitement for anybody.

• DS has just been rushed to the last opening moments of the local White Cross to confirm an ear infection.  Oh joy - antibiotics!  I suppose, at least, this should mark an improvement.

 We all deserve sparks in our lives - in face we all need these sparks, these little moments that quite frankly make it worth getting up in the morning...or in the night.

It can be extremely hard for mums to find these - we spend so much of ourselves in service to the family that often there's nothing left for treating ourselves well.  And as a minimalist mum, I may fall even deeper into this trap:

1. Attachment parenting philosophy certainly includes the mother taking care of herself, but with needy immature loudlings on tap all day and every day, it's not obvious how this blossoms from theory to reality
2. My frugal side doesn't turn on and off like a switch - it's hard not to see extras as just that: extras and therefore unnecessary and therefore foregone!  Many of my compatriots speak of budgets containing "play money" for them, but I don't have a primping account, just our usual scrimping one.  
3. So not for me the casual trip to the cafe for that pricey steaming scented cardboard cup or the hairdressers for a cut and colour of my coif, or to the jewelers to add to my bling.  And I don't actually want it - I'm not forcing myself to be minimalist by denial. 

But if I skip the usual suburban housewife's fare, I still have my own tastes and pleasures to indulge - and I neglect them to the whole family's peril.   When I watch myself (like in the past few days) becoming inappropriately and uncontrollably resentful, I know I've been missing out on my sparks.  And at a pity party, you don't have to share the hors d'oeuvres, but...

My treats

1. Off-duty time.  I'm tempted to put this at numbers one and two!  I'm reaching the end of the years when Nadia is with me basically always.  From next week, she starts two mornings a week (and they can't call in sick).  When I don't get a consecutive hour or two actually off duty, the tension mounts....
2. Reading.  My tastes have devolved away from anything serious and I devour chick-lit.
3. Writing - this helps get bubbling ideas out of my head.  Bubbling ideas are very uncomfortable
4. Anything tasty that I can prepare with some care.  Hot cocoa in a special cup with sprinkles, yum!  Special note - in the pursuit of gratification, stuffing of food in mouth without care and preparation happens.  It never works.  It's totally unsatisfying.
5. Bathing or grooming (thankfully hasn't included any nitpicking for some years) - sometimes as basic as trimming toenails or as fancy as painting them.  Moisturising my feet.  A bath or shower with time to dream....

Now it's your turn - treat me to your nicest treat ideas!

The minimalism of the stay at home mum

Being the proud mother of two children and only one point of view, I see the choice to stay at home with my young children as the ultimate minimalist mum decision.

But I also think we do what we want and then justify it :-) I was exhausted and suffering from PND and PTSD after my son's birth, and even after a year of maternity leave I still couldn't face a part-time job.

I know, I know... "We can't afford to do that" or "I don't/didn't want to be a SAHM"! Since becoming a mum, I feel a combination of awed respect and heartfelt empathy for all other mums, regardless of their parenting choices. But focussing on your children as your occupation while they are small and needy seems less complicated to me. Not necessarily easier, but simpler.

I mean, do I really want to

- find that "high-quality but affordable childcare" that everyone wants
- pack children regularly to care - like it or not
- go out to work where generally they'd rather not know about your home life
- earn enough to pay for the care
- manage somehow when the children are sick
- maintain separate wardrobes for my double life
- get in as much quality time with my children as possible when we are together

My routine is: wake up and figure out what the kids and I are doing today - also whether I like it or not :-)

At home, I've been able to do the cloth nappies (and even homemade cloth wipes), more home cooking and networking with other mums to pass on clothes and other gear.

We also have the freedom to let the children self-wean, since I am always available. New Zealand's 20/20 is going to feature our family among others in a piece on extended breastfeeding on Thursday, May 20, 2010. I have mixed feelings about this - I feel very strongly about promoting this option, yet I'm wary of the possible negative attention.

I'm very keen to hear other mums' views on all sides. Mums who work out of the home, is it as complex as I imagine, or am I exaggerating?