Motherhood…are you qualified?

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Last week I had a much needed coffee date with my dear friend Sonya.

Sonya is a lot like me. We have the same dresses, drive the same cars and are both 100 miles an hour, shiny happy people.

Strangely, we were both early for our coffee date. This never happens.

I am one of those people who likes to be on time but find it difficult in my personal life.

I never understood why.

I am up early, I prepare (most of the time) the night before, yet am often late. I now realise it is because I grossly underestimate the time it takes me/us to get ready and/or get to our destination. I fill every last minute with tasks and am distracted easily.

“It’s my ADHD” I often say. Half joking, half serious.

As Sonya sits down, I say to her…

“So, I am exhausted. I am always busy, yet feel like I am achieving nothing. I know us mums often joke that it’s motherhood but I went to the Dr and he thinks I have ADHD but I think he’s full of… Oh look at that pretty painting, dress, lady, bird! ”

Hmmm

Sonya laughed and was quick to remind me that I always suspected this about myself anyway, that all the fabulous people have it and questioned what was so great about normal?

I laughed, agreed but went on to add that if I really do have ADHD, I feel ripped off because I could have achieved more by now, had I known earlier.

“Like what?” Asked Sonya.

“I don’t know” I replied and promptly read her some of my last post on my personal blog.

“Wow, that’s beautiful” she said of the words.

“I wrote it” I quickly added, sensing she thought they were written by a ‘writer‘.

“You need to finish that book Stacey and share it with the world”

“I know” I said before adding that “I write, but I am not a ‘writer’”.

In that moment, I realised it was not my dear friend who did not believe I was a ‘real’ writer, it was me…

Sonya quickly added, “But you are a writer Stacey. What, is there a writing school? Screw that, you don’t need a certificate, I’ll give you one now!”

And she did.

Right there in our local cafe, Sonya awarded me a degree in writing, on a napkin of course.

Not just any degree….

A Literary Super Star Degree with Honors! 

She then told me to put a napkin on my head for my graduation photo!

And so here I am, super star writer, almost finished book producer, soon to be published author, who will one day own a shabby chic cottage by the sea to write in and will share her story, changing some lives along the way.

Did I really need to be awarded an honorary degree in a cafe  to go do/be that?

Furthermore, was the napkin on the head, really necessary?

All I really needed, was permission from the most important person, ME and to BELIEVE that I am qualified because I ALREADY DO IT and I DO IT WELL.

Motherhood

So all this qualification business got me thinking about motherhood.

There is no training and degree to prove you are qualified.

It is completely on the job training and the work not to mention conditions, can often be tough.

I mean, if our job was advertised, with all that it entails, it is very likely that the position of Mother, would remain unfilled.

And yet we do it. We jump straight in, we love and care for these people and rather than BELIEVE in ourselves and have confidence in our abilities, we question our experience and beat ourselves up over our methodology!

Furthermore, do I run around saying to other people ” I have kids but I’m not really a mum?”

Hardly!

After a conversation with our CEO Chris, from Sunnykids today, I asked him about study to gain qualifications and he said, “You have them, You’re a great MUM”!

“OK Chris, I’ll just add MUM behind my name shall I?” I joked

“YES” he replied!

And he’s right.

I am enough and so are YOU.

We are QUALIFIED!

You are BEYOND qualified to mother YOUR children and what’s more, I think it is HIGH time we started showing society the importance of our role.

So from this moment forward, I shall be known as Stacey Sullaphen MUM.

That’s correct, I am placing my post nominals after my name because I am so freaking qualified, my kids should pay me

And you are too!

And seeing as no-one IS paying us, let’s at least have a certificate and a little graduation ceremony!

Tonight, at 8pm QLD time, I will award the members of our Sisterhood, their honorary degree in motherhood with honours, during our LIVE chat!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let it be known that YOU already have everything you need, to raise your children UP and are doing WAY better than you think!

You do not need to take a single class or write one essay and there are defiantly no HECS fees

YOU are a scholar, an outstanding student and teacher so stop beating your children’s mother up.

It’s not nice to go through each day with someone being nasty to you…

So accept this qualification and start signing off with your official letters MUM and stand PROUD!

The hand that rocks the cradle really does rock the world and motherhood would literally NOT be the same without YOU and all that you bring!

 

 

PS Bring a cap and gown ok, tis an exciting moment to recognise the importance of what you do for your family, society and the world! Hurrah!

 

 

 

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