Monday 28 August 2017

Time


We never seem to have enough of it do we?

There are always so many demands placed upon our time and far too often we can’t help but say yes placing greater pressure upon ourselves. As Eve of our office boards the plane to return home to her family she is sat thinking about the fun filled five days she has just spent with her sisters and aunts and what awaits her when she returns home to her husband and children.

She was skipping to get on the plane and really looking forward to girlie conversations, shopping and most importantly a full night’s sleep without being awoken by children. But now, on her return, she is looking forward to the cuddles on the sofa, to being the taxi taking the children to their after school activities and the mediator when disputes arise.

What she has realised over the last week is that it is important to take time out, to recharge and to be yourself. This makes you appreciate far more what is awaiting you at home. The small details like the house not being tidy, the dishes not washed are not important and can wait. What is important is finding time to be yourself and finding time for your family.

At Bayside Collaborative Family Lawyers, we often hear from our clients they feel taken for granted, that what they do is not appreciated or acknowledged by their spouse, partner or children and that their family has drifted apart.

How then do you find time for yourself whilst at the same time balancing the demands placed upon you from work, school and family life? No matter how busy you are it is important to take time to focus on you.

Here are some handy tips for rebalancing your schedule:
  • Learn to say ‘no’ without feeling guilty.
  • Ask for help and learn to delegate – draw up a schedule of weekly tasks and chores for your children to do.
  • If finance permit outsource tasks such as gardening, cleaning, ironing.
  • Accept not doing things perfectly all the time.
  • Schedule in some free time for yourself and for you and your family to be together, this could be a date night with your partner, going to the beach or park with the family, walking the dog or simply some down time at home.
  • Put down the electronic devices – it is far too easy today to look at your phone or tablet as soon as you awake, five minutes can turn into 30 minutes placing more pressure on your already tight time schedule.
  • Exercise – be it at home, going to a class or the gym or simply spending time outside your mental and physical health will improve.

We must ensure we find the time to jump off the hamster wheel and reconnect with ourselves and those we love around us.  

Monday 14 August 2017

Blokes and Braids



Over the last couple of months, we have collaborated with Cat Nickless of Glamzilla to host several hair braiding workshops for dads to spend special time bonding with their daughters. Of course, as Family Lawyers we didn’t know the first thing about braiding or styling hair and we are very grateful to Cat for her support and enthusiasm.

The interest took us all by surprise with the workshops selling out within hours. We had interest as well from mums who, not only wanted to learn how to braid hair but wanted to spend quality time with their children.  Our workshops then evolved into Birds, Blokes and Braids.


At the beginning of the workshops each child is given a goodie bag of hair accessories including a brush, comb, hair clip and bobbles for use during the class and to take home at the end of the workshop. We recently heard from a dad who had attended our first workshop with his 8-year-old daughter, he said he regularly now styles his daughters hair for school referring to her goodie bag as ‘dad’s tools’.