Keeping on purpose…

There is a new facebook group Expats on Purpose, and I feel so connected with this group of people I have never met! I guess that is the power of community, regardless of how the community is formed. 

So what is my purpose? 

Firstly, I am trying to change the way I communicate with my girls. I find my “go to” is raised voice, telling them what needs to be done, NOW! Ugh! Sigh! My style is not helping them, and it’s definitely not helping me. 

So I have been focusing on keeping calm and speaking differently, but also trying shift my position to positive comments. I’ve read loads on this topic, and the articles and books are always a good kick up the butt, but I don’t seem to be able to make long term change. 

Sharing my challenge with Expat on Purpose, I’ve realised it can’t just be how I say things to the girls, it has to be what I do with the girls as well. I need to play more. I need to just let them be kids more. I need to find ways to make everyday life fun!

In practical terms, yes I sit down with them and get out a board game instead of washing the dishes in the sink (they can wait). I make time, and I ask them if they want to help me cook/bake, and most of the time they do. Miss J is all about family parties at the moment, last weekend it was making meringues and decorating them. This weekend it was putting on the disco lights for a dance party (after bedtime!!!)

Then Sunday was hot, and Scott was at work, so I let them play with water on the balcony, which culminated in them wanting to wash the balcony tiles and windows - they loved it! I loved it! We were laughing, we were soapy, we were wet and we were dirty… the reward, a cold shower together!! It doesn’t sound like much, but it was such a highlight for them. 

It’s still work in progress for me, but I really feel that I have turned the corner… I just need to keep the focus and not slip back into my old ways!

Secondly, I am working hard to launch the prototype of my business Parenting Abroad. But we’ll talk more about that another time :-) 

So what’s your purpose? How do you maintain accountability for your purpose?