Unlocking the forgotten...

You know when your mind wonders and you end up thinking about the most random things?  Well, this morning while drying off after a shower, I worked out a link of why exactly I have the cukey love of watching a digital clock change time!

I was thinking about time, then about how I do have a habit of liking to watch the clock change it's minutes and I got this picture in my head of an older style digital clock.  This clock didn't have the LED lit up numbers, but rather flicking panels, with each minute change a panel flicked at each number instead of the modern lit up numbers.  This clock wasn't something my imagination was making up, it was a memory. 

A memory of the clock that used to sit on my Dad's bedside table when I was young.

This unlocked memory led me to finally realise exactly what began this little obsession of watching the clock tick over! 

It was being in Mum and Dad's bed :)

Snuggling between them when I'd had a bad dream or having morning cuddles before we started the day or having family breaky in bed on sundays.

Watching those minutes tick is what I did as I thought in my head "I hope they let me stay a while".  It was a safe and happy place that I wanted to stay as long as I could.

When I thought of all that, I then tried to recall memories of being in my own bed.  As I thought, I recalled a ritual I had everynight....hand clutched tight on the doona as I fell asleep (ready to rip it off quick), think which direction is my sisters bed in the dark(mentally picture how I'd wake her and get her out of the room).  Why? Because I had it in my little head that someone may break in, try to hurt us, try to take us.  Kidnappings were at a new high when we were growing up, and I was petrified! 

Another memory I recall is of waking up to the sound of my sister choking on her vomit.  We were in the very next room to my parents, but they weren't aware of any of this until I burst into their bedroom to cry for help.  It always made me feel better about sharing a room, we were each others look-out.

My point of sharing this with you, is that I have had many a person knock my co-sleeping, and here I am...an adult with co-sleeping experience as a kid, and I look back on it as happy times, safe times. 

Don't knock it 'til you try it folks!!

My parenting style in general has at times been questioned, and I'm not about to go on the defence here....coz I don't need to justify, but I would like to answer this question-

Where did I learn about attachment parenting?

Well, the more I look back, the more I realise the answer is...

MY Mum!!!

Yep, I'm pretty lucky.  My Mum was a SAHM to 3 children.  We didn't have the telly on much, but were outside playing lots.  We did lots of crafts and painting, singing, dancing, cooking and baking. 

Mum's greatest gift to us has been TIME! 

Time to teach, Time to nurture. Time to listern. Time to love.

We weren't perfect little angels, but some of our biggest fights were actually over our Mum.... Who got to sit next to her on the couch at night.  Who got the first morning hug.  Who got to lay in her bed at bedtime for special chats.

My Mum is a great inspiration to me, it is thanks to her that I am the Muma I am.

I know I am blessed, for unlike many others, I am who I am BECAUSE of my Mum NOT inspite of my Mum ;)