"Slow down and enjoy the moment"

It is no secret that I struggled as a new mom. I have often written about the complete lack of knowledge that I had going into this totally new experience and how overwhelmed I was about the lack of control I had over any of it. For many of us who have our lives fairly “together”, motherhood and the chaos of it all is a pretty huge adjustment. It has taken me a really long time to find my zen. I think a large part of that was just giving into the ebb and flow of parenting. There are hard days, good days, amazing days and terrible days. It is very easy to overlook the point of it all and that is that we are raising human beings. We are making memories, making a family. It’s hard to remember that when you are just wishing a growth spurt away or looking forward to the end of the Terrible Twos (which actually start closer to a year).

So with that in mind, we have dedicated this issue to a trend we love: Slow Down Parenting. Because in this fast-paced world it’s really difficult to remember our purpose as parents. It’s hard to remember how fleeting these moments are. How soon your children will be all grown up and leaving your home. How you will (believe it or not) one day long for an afternoon on your lounge floor playing cars or tea party.

So how do you switch off? First things first is literally switch off. Put your phone away for the weekend. Only take calls, opt out of social media. Live the moment instead of Instagramming it. I speak from experience. I really noticed how quickly I got irritated by my kids when I was checking my mail or trying to answer a tweet so I try not to hop on social media when I am around them.

Quite a few of our articles in this issue focus on how to maximise your time and also how to celebrate being a parent. I love our slow-cooker meals and can’t wait to try some this winter. I love the message behind our breastfeeding article: go at your baby’s pace. I love our book round-up as there is no better way to slow down and bond with your baby than reading to them and the benefits are endless. So the message this winter is slow down and enjoy the moment. I think that sounds perfect!