Should we find more time to stop?

Yesterday was Mothering Sunday in the UK.  A national celebration to recognise the importance of mothers.  It is supposedly the one day of the year where mothers can put up their feet and be waited on.

Our plan this weekend was to have a nice breakfast (prepared by Niall, long-suffering father of the 3 musketeers)  before going for a walk around Llyn Crafnant, a very beautiful lake in Snowdonia.


Unfortunately, our house has been hit with stomach bugs and sickness, starting with my oldest daughter, Kiera in the early hours of Thursday morning.  Why do these things happen at night?  Is there a scientific reason or is it purely because it makes the rescue and clean up operation so much more gruesome when ever one is tired and it is dark?!

The sickness passed within a day, but, yes.....you've guessed it - at 3.45am, and again at 4.45am on Mothering Sunday morning we were up stripping sheets and nightwear for Josie, the youngest member of our family. 

I then spent the day curled up on the sofa with a very clingy nearly 3 year old watching DVDs.  However, far from it ruining my day, I actually enjoyed the 'time out' of our normally active and full weekends and the unusual experience of a toddler staying still and wanting cuddles.

We are keen to encourage the children to be active and healthy and normally we try and build in a day of activity over the weekend, such as walking, cycling or swimming.  This is, of course, as well as the normal chores of cleaning, clothes washing and grocery shopping which as working parents we can't fit in during the week. 

However, this weekend despite the change of plan I really felt like my 'mothering' was needed and valued.  Whilst I wouldn't want to sit around every weekend, perhaps slowing down from time to time when needed is actually something we should do more often?  They aren't babies for long so let's not miss it because we are too busy.

That being said, after another disturbed night, I am pleased to say that my youngest offspring has found her spring again and is nearly back to normal!