Wanna’ play?
Contrary to what some of my friends may think after watching me work my tail off over the last year, I am not and never have been a workaholic. I’m more a “work hard (when necessary), play hard” kind of girl.
And, after all the energy I poured into birthing The Mother’s Guide to Self-Renewal over the last twelve months, I’ve been making up for lost time by having a whole lotta’ fun! My summer has been filled with impromptu dinner parties with friends I have been wanting to get together with for over a year, mom’s nights out with my school community, picnics in the park, some really great Self Renewal Parties with moms, last minute play dates and making time for new adventures with my son and husband on the weekends. (After almost a year of planning, we’re heading to Ireland next week to visit friends in Howth, a fishing village outside of Dublin.) This is still a working summer for me –and we’re still in the midst of helping women launch PRGs around the nation–, but simply setting an intention for “playfulness” before heading into these summer months, really helped me reclaim this big part of who I am.
I’m planning on taking a personal planning retreat this Friday (I try to do these every three months at www.thecrossingsaustin.com) to reflect on how to consciously enter a very full fall without getting sucked into the “work, work and more work” vortex. I’m intent on holding onto this sense of levity and “joie de vivre!”
There are so many books on “playful parenting.” What about being a playful woman/mother? One of our wonderful PRG leaders, Rachel Hobson, started a whole group around moms and play www.playispossible.com! It seems there are many of us who recognize the “power of play” in our lives as well as our kid’s.
Want to come play with me and other moms passionate about empowering women in gorgeous Austin, TX in September? Check our next PRG Facilitator Training: (http://www.reneetrudeau.com/order/retreat.html).
Cool sites for moms
I just received a copy of Andi Silverman’s new book, “Mama Knows Breast: A Beginner’s Guide to Breastfeeding” (www.mamaknowsbreast.com). It’s fun to read, attractive to look at and packed with “real life” tips, resources and “how to” information on nursing that acknowledges breastfeeding isn’t always as easy as it looks. Kudos to Andi for birthing a great resource for moms! I wish I had had this when I first started nursing Jonah. You can buy it on Amazon.
My friend Amy Tiemann, author of www.mojomom.com, just told me about a great new community building site for mothers called www.themotherhood.net. Check it out! It looks like a wonderful resource.
