The Transition from Mummy to Mum

So exciting, those first times they call out "Mummy". I was so proud to wear the badge of "Mummy". To be loved and needed by a child is a privilege and a challenge. Looking back I can't tell you quite how I progressed from Mummy to Mum. I guess it was a natural progression somewhere towards the end of their infant school years. There wasn't a day when my children suddenly decided my name was changing; it was more of a case of the odd "Mum" slipping into conversation, particularly in the presence of friends which then lapsed back to Mummy when we were alone. I understood this need to feel like the "cool dude" amongst friends and made nothing of it, cringing at the memories of battles with my own Mum over the name.

Learning to let go

Mummy is a safe, caring, loving and all protecting person. Mum is no less caring and loving but provides more freedom and scope within carefully agreed guidelines. There is so much bound up and implied in the two names to both child and mother. Moving from one to the other I do feel is a part of growing up and a transition from young child to pre teen years.  I have chosen not to hold my children back but to move into my "Mum" role and embrace a new relationship with my children.

My youngest children are triplets age 8, for them I still swing between Mummy and Mum and I relish these Mummy moments knowing they will disappear in time. 

Moving from Mum to Friend

I like to think I am a friend to all my children, we share a laugh and a joke, respect one another and enjoy each other's company; however that friendship does evolve as they grow up. My eldest has just turned 14 and while I have no ambition to be like or replace his school friends, I now see we have a lovely adult bond developing. I am still "Mum", I still have the last say over what is and is not permitted, but his scope is growing and his relationship with me and his Dad maturing.

Keeping on their Wavelength

For me, staying in touch with their life stage is important, embracing their music and enjoying their activities really helps us to build our developing adult friendship. My eldest children are all boys and they can be a bit of a closed book, but I still like to spend a little time with them individually, ask them about school and friends and do a few things together like a bike ride, a walk or just some time surfing in the sea together on a family beach trip. My eldest may be taller and stronger than me, and the oldest 3 out run me, but I still like to join in with them and not watch from the sidelines. 

Time stands still for no one, I plan to enjoy every stage of motherhood and embrace the next. None of us know what is round the corner in life, but having my children mature into my adult friends of choice is a great place to be heading.

Holiday time, fraught or fun?

Anyone with children knows that holidays take planning if they are to be the happy family occasions we all dream of and not fraught or stressful. Here at Coombe Mill we go the extra mile to quietly make holidays with young children as stress free and relaxing as possible for parents. How do we do it? Simply by ensuring that our stunning 30 acres are safe, fun and practical for children. Happy children make for happy relaxed parents and quality family time. It is a simple recipe and it works! 

Fun at Coombe Mill

What about Multiples?

With 6 children of our own including triplets Farmer Nick and I are well aware of the needs of families with twins, triplets and more! Having multiples simply means the need for organisation and having things just so are all the more important. It is hard with one child, multiply that up and efficiency, planning and organisation become the key to success. Book a holiday with us and we can accommodate all the cots, highchairs, bed guards or any other extra's you need and ensure you have the best property for your family. We have something for every family size up to 9 including triple rooms, plenty of cot space, enclosed gardens and play rooms. This is not the case for all properties so it is worth checking with us first. We always check sleeping arrangements and where cots should go prior to your arrival so that everything is ready to just move in.

Practical Properties with Multiples

Not just what we say!

We have families with multiples returning year after year for the relaxed fun of Coombe Mill in the knowledge that we provide the sort of memorable family holiday the children will cherish without breaking the bank! 

Multiples at Coombe Mill

Supporting TAMBA 

We have had a close working relationship with TAMBA over the years with special offers and competitions that have started many a family holidaying with us. If you are not a member I can thoroughly recommend them for the advise and discounts offered for families with multiples.

I am linking this post to the Multiple Mayhem Carnival hosted by the lovely Rebecca English over at Here Come The Girls http://networkedblogs.com/vfMro .  I rarely promote our holidays so obviously on my blog, but we have such success with our multiple families it felt the right thing to do just this once! 

Happy Mother’s Day

Parental agreement

It has always been something that Nick and I have been totally in agreement over. Pocket money is not for free to our children, it is earned. Weather it is washing the car or feeding the animals, showing in the guests or stripping the beds, there are plenty of jobs here with a family business and increasingly as our children grow up, we expect them to help out and encourage this in every way. http://www.coombemill.com/family-team

Making it easy

Girls Road Trip

This was a really last minute thing that just came together beautifully. Well it did for me anyway, as I have very organised friends! Just 1 night away from home, but wow did we make the most of our Mummy time off. Anyone with children will know only too well that time out as a Mum is a rare treat to be treasured. I make it sound like I don't adore my family, nothing could be further from the truth, I just find I appreciate them more and have more patience after the occasional day away; absence really does make the heart grow fonder. We all offered to drive, but when Anita pulled the trump card of taking her husband's Jaguar, well there was nothing to debate really! I have to say I was slightly apprehensive of feeling car sick in the back seat, but I can now safely say the back of a Jag is better than the front of our bus any day!

Why Cornwall to Birmingham?

The Strictly Come Dancing Road show at the NIA was the focus of our trip. http://www.thenia.co.uk/whatson/strictly-come-dancing I have to confess to not ever having watched an episode of strictly before, but I was in good company and I knew we would have a laugh so I counted myself in!

In true girl style we took our time travelling, stopping at Cribbs Causeway Bristol for lunch and a spot of shopping. Remember we don't have huge indoor shopping centres in Cornwall, a chance to catch up on fashion outside of surf brands! 

Arriving late afternoon with luxury picnic and champagne, we were ready to hit the town and definitely in high spirits as our taxi arrived!

The NIA was only minutes away and the show certainly did not disappoint from start to finish:

By the time we came out we were buzzing, and that's not just from the wine in the interval! Catching a cab, our next destination was booked in advance...... a late night curry house. We couldn't come to Birmingham and not go for a curry; it would be like visiting Cornwall and not trying a Cornish pasty or Cream tea! Despite our picnic we all tucked in to our feast! 

It was gone midnight when we left the restaurant and we should really have been heading home, however spotting an 80's night club accross the road, yep, we just had to do it! It was a blast, dancing round our coats and bags, cocktails in hand to all the old tunes and I wasn't even the oldest person in there! 

By breakfast we were a tad more subdued! Not to be put off we set off for the city centre and Bull Markets. I had no idea just how big Birmingham was or how beautiful. The architecture is really stunning with a wonderful fusion of old and new, as for Cornwall Street, well I just had to have that one on camera!

We had to stop for one last coffee at Starbucks - well the nearest at home is 40 minutes away! Then the "Mummy fab 4" hit the road for the journey home and a warm welcome from our lovely families. Oh, and not too feel too sorry for them, the Dads and kids organised a big party get together at Coombe Mill including all the crisps and Pop Mummy normally bans! I would love to be cross, but actually I am delighted they had a good time too, since we might be planning another trip soon!   

Just do it!

Time out is never easy, money, work, child care and feeling comfortable away from your family is hard, but as the children begin to get older it does get easier to achieve, making a little time for yourself isn't selfish, it can be enriching and certainly makes me better at being a Mum. If you can find a way, give it a go!