If we are to believe the glossy magazines and nappy adverts, motherhood is the most magical time of your life.  It’s all about snuggling in crisp white sheets, resounding giggles and heart-stopping cuteness, all with the faint scent of talc hanging in the air, right?

Whilst, undoubtedly some women do seem to fit and slip effortlessly into the perfect mother stereotype, for many women the realities of motherhood are not so rosy. Let’s face it, motherhood, presents us with a myriad of challenges.  At each age and stage of our child’s development we are presented with new hurdles and challenges, and without the benefit of past experience to draw on, we are all learning on the job.  Is it any wonder than many of us can at times feel overwhelmed or consumed by our role as mother?  It’s a tough gig, and one that many of us feel we should just be able to do better, or enjoy more.

As I have shared many times before here on the blog, I myself have been no stranger to stress and anxiety over the last three years.  Things, it seems are never plain sailing.  Once I overcome one hurdle or obstacle and start to feel like I’ve got this mothering thing all under control something else seems to crop up.  Currently, for example, three year old Bubble is like the little girl from the nursery rhyme that had a curl in the middle of her forehead.  “When she is good she is very, very good, but when she is bad she is horrid.” 

At the moment it feels as though the tantrums are outweighing the moments of pleasure.  Over the last few years she has cultivated and manipulated the men folk in our house (namely her dad and two brothers) into ensuring that she more often than not gets her own way.  They cannot, it seems, tolerate the screaming and the yelling and give her what she wants in the hopes that she will stop howling and go away.  Fine for them, but it seems to have created quite a nightmare for me.

And the boys, oh don’t get me started on the bickering, and the fighting, and the constant eagle-eye watchfulness from Foghorn to ensure that none of his siblings get even so much as 1 carrot more on their plate than him.  It feels like it is everybody shouting, and nobody listening and then in the midst of this auditory assault from every side I find myself shouting at the top of my voice “STOP SHOUTING!  EVERYBODY STOP!”  By which point I have a shocking headache and feel like I am on the verge of insanity…and can now throw in a healthy dose of mother guilt just to top it off!

Not exactly leading by example, and whilst it may shock them into a few seconds of stunned quiet, yelling is not the long-term answer to dealing with these stressful situations.

So what is?  Well, clearly I don’t know, but I know a woman who does!

On 27th August 2013  Jackie Hall, author of The Happy Mums Handbook, and founder of Self Help for Mums, will be running a 4 part webinar series to help parents to parent the way they want to, and be less stressed! Don’t worry, all you’ll need is your computer (no fancy tech skills required), you don’t even have to leave the house – slippers and a glass of wine are optional!

Stress Free Parenting webinar series – click here to read more or register

During the course of the  webinar series Jackie Hall will teach a simple approach to help parents to understand

• What really causes yours and your child’s emotions and reactions
• What causes your child to misbehave, even though you’ve told them a thousand times not to do something.
• How to address behavior with a completely different approach that’s unlike traditional behavior management.
• A 5 step process to teach you and your child to handle and problem or emotion in life.
• Plus Jackie will also run a Q&A section throughout the webinar and after the presentation giving you an opportunity to ask any specific questions you may have, and find out how this information applies to your unique circumstances.

Register for the Stress Free Webinar series here

If you are a newbie at webinars, don’t be put off – it really is very simple.  After registering you will be given a link and simple instructions to follow.

This may be just the ‘me-time’ that you need and deserve.  I know I do!

I hope to see you there.