-You are good enough to exist in photographs-

You are good enough

by with 6 Comments PhotographyQuotes

There are lots of reasons why we might not want to be in photos.  And right at the top of the list is normally the fact that there’s something about the way we look that we’re not that keen on.

I know there are times that I look at photos of myself and focus on the fact that I’m heavier than I’d like to be, or that my greys are peeking through.  And I know sometimes I hesitate to smile widely in photos because my front teeth cross.

But I push through that.  

I remind myself that my children don’t care about any of those things.  When they’re older and they look back at a photo of me laughing with them, they won’t see my teeth, or my hair, or the extra pounds I’m carrying.

They’ll just see me.  Having fun with them.  Loving them.

I may not be picture perfect but I’m good enough.

So this is my message to anyone out there who doesn’t feel attractive enough, or thin enough, or anything enough to be in photos.

-You are good enough to be in a family portrait.

 

You ARE good enough.

You are more than good enough.

And your children need you to know that all they’ll see in photos of you in the future, is you.

The wonderful, perfectly imperfect person that they love.

 

Cuddle Fairy
Slow down, you crazy child

Slow down, you crazy child

by with 5 Comments QuotesUncategorized

We all say it don’t we.  Every single parent out there has said it at one point or another.

Where has the time gone?

Nerys is three today.  How is my daughter three?

Can time please just slow down a little bit!

-Slow down, you crazy child-

It may well be a bit of a cliché now.

But it’s just so true.

To both of my crazy children.  It’s such a privilege, watching you both growing up.

But sometimes, I do wish you would both just slow down, just a little!

 

Cuddle Fairy
The hardest job kids face today is learning good manners without seeing any

How can our children learn manners if they never see them

by with 6 Comments PersonalQuotesUncategorized

Manners are important to me.

It’s important to me that my children say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’.

I get really wound up when people are rude.  What message does it send to our children if adults around them don’t take a few seconds out of their day to be polite and kind?-The hardest job kids face today is learning good manners without seeing any- (1)

I came across this quote the other day, and I really liked it.

How are our children supposed to learn manners if they never see them used?

Steve and I have always been polite to each other.  Our children have always heard us saying please and thank you in conversation.

Of course, we’re not perfect.  Far from it.  And I’m sure there are times when we’re annoyed with each other and aren’t as polite as we should be.

But as much as possible we try to model the behaviour we would like to see in our children.

So that for us means being polite to each other, and to them.  How else are they supposed to learn about good manners?

Do you agree?  How important are manners to you and your family?

 

Cuddle Fairy
listen-to-the-small-stuff

Listen to the little things

by with 3 Comments ParentingQuotesUncategorized

Rhys is a talker.

Some days it feels like all he does is talk.  He’ll talk to himself as he’s playing, and he’ll talk to us at every possible opportunity.

And, honestly, some days it’s just exhausting.

Some days I long for a few moments of quiet.

Some days I don’t really want to hear about Minecraft or Roblox or Pokemon.

There are times when I have to ask him to please, just hush for a bit.  Just give me 5 minutes of quiet.

And then I feel bad.  I feel awful asking my son to stop talking.

Because he just wants to share with me.

“Listen earnestly to anything your children want to tell you, no matter what. If you don't listen eagerly to the (4)

My son wants to talk to me about the things he’s passionate about.  And is it his fault that I’m not passionate about those things too?

No.  It’s really not.

At his age, it’s not his job to edit what he talks about.  Or how much he talks about it.

It is my job to listen to him.  To at least try to be interested in the things he cares about.

It’s not easy.

And I hate to admit it but there are times when I let my lack of interest show.  There are times when I sigh at hearing the words, “Mummy, can I tell you something?” for the 20th time that hour.  Because I know it’ll be another thing about something he’s seen in Minecraft.

But I am so aware that I need to listen more.  And to listen with interest.

I need to listen now to the things that matter to him.  Because I need him to know that he can talk to me and that I will hear him.

As he gets older I want him to be able to open up to me.  To tell me what’s on his mind.  To discuss his hopes and fears and dreams with me.

If listening to his endless chatter about Minecraft now means he’ll talk to me about the big issues when he’s older, then surely it’s worth it.

I just need to remember that it’s also ok to take breaks every now and then, even if it’s just leaving the room to put the washing on, or make a cup of tea.  Just to relish the quiet for a second!

 

Cuddle Fairy
cure-anything-salt-water-quote

The ultimate cure

by with 6 Comments QuotesUncategorized

I’ve lived in Swansea for nearly 17 years now.

That’s 17 years of having the sea right there.  And it still makes me feel better every time I see it.

In a recent Living arrows post I wrote that I think there’s something special about sea air.  And I really do believe that.

Something about a walk on the beach soothes me.

The sound of the waves.  The gentle rhythm of the tide.  The salt in the air.

the-cure-for-anything-is-salt-water-sweat-tears-or-the-sea

This quote really makes sense to me.

The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears or the sea

If I’m feeling sad, or angry or any other negative emotion then I know that one of those three things will help make me feel better.

Working up a bit of a sweat, having a good cry or breathing in some sea air can do wonders for me.

How about you?

 

 

Cuddle Fairy
no-act-of-kindness-no-matter-how-small-quote

A note on kindness

by with 6 Comments QuotesUncategorized

This may be the understatement of the century, but there are big things going on in the world at the moment.

Things that affect so many people, and that make the rest of us feel angry, and sad, and powerless.

What always gets me though, are the stories of love and kindness that rise up at times like this.

Words of love and support are written and shared.  Acts of kindness are carried out and they spread from person to person like a ripple, that becomes a wave.no-act-of-kindness-no-matter-how-small-is-ever-wasted

Maybe we can’t change other people.  We can’t always make the bad guy good.

But we can still make a difference in the world.

We can approach life from a place of kindness.  We can treat other people with kindness.  Every day we can do something kind.

They don’t have to be big gestures either.

Some days all it takes is just stopping to hold the door for the mum with the buggy.  Or letting someone in the queue in front of us when we have a full trolley and they’re just buying one thing.

Those little acts of kindness can have a big impact on someone’s day.

Those little acts of kindness really are never wasted.

They add up.  They get passed on as people pay it forward.

And maybe this kindness won’t change the world right now.  But our children will see it.  And if our children grow up with the influence of kindness and love, then who knows what amazing future they will build.

 

Cuddle Fairy
recognize-what-makes-you-happy

What makes you happy

by with 3 Comments QuotesUncategorized

Happy.

That’s ultimately what we all want to be isn’t it?

But happiness can seem so hard to come by some times.  We so easily find ourselves caught up in day to day life, and end up focusing on the little niggles and complaints and things that are making us unhappy.

And it’s strange, how easy it is to pinpoint the things that make us unhappy.

Somehow, putting our finger on the things that really make us happy can be harder to do.

its-a-helluva-start-being-able-to-recognize-what-makes-you-happy

 

So maybe we all need to take some time to think about the good things in our lives.

Make a master list of all the things, big and small, that make us happy.

Then put a plan in place to start doing/having more of those things on a regular basis.

I wrote a post a while ago based around this quote from Rainbow Rowell:

“What if, instead of thinking about solving your whole life, you just think about adding additional good things.  One at a time.  Just let your pile of good things grow”

Maybe this is the key to happiness.

Work out what things make us happy, then go about adding them to our lives on a regular basis.  One good, happy thing at a time.

Let that pile grow and let more and more happiness in.

It’s got to be worth a try, hasn’t it?

Cuddle Fairy