Sometimes it feels easier to go with the flow, follow the crowd, keep quiet and just get on with it. But then, at some point, you realise you’ve lost some of what made you YOU!

Having children was always my dream. It was going to be natural, positive and (slightly!) alternative. I’ve never been one to worry about what people think of me so when I thought about raising my own children it was going to be my (our!) way.

But then the Poppet arrived (seven years ago yesterday!) and other influences became overpowering. This, mixed with my diminished confidence,  led me to feel the need to fit in.

I lost my strength to be me as I juggled working almost full-time while trying to be the Mummy I’d always wanted to be. I lost sight of the dreams I’d had to bring my children up in a world without negative influences (like television). I chose the easy option to use these things, sometimes to excess. The Stinker says I shouldn’t worry so much, but I feel that we are now seeing the negative effect of this in the behaviour and attitudes of Poppet and Pickle. I’m not saying they are awful as we’ve always discussed things on tv (especially adverts and the negative influence they have) but they are normal 5 and 7 year old little girls who already want to be like everyone else and fit in with the latest toys and technology. “It’s good to be different” I hear myself saying a lot!

So how do we stop the negativity while still embracing the world we live in? (As much as I really would love to go off and live in a yurt, I do still want some links to the outside world!) Firstly we get rid of live tv, a small but quite monumental step I feel!

Since we started homeschooling Poppet in April I’ve met some (slightly and very!) alternative families, many of whom have taken this step. It makes me feel less odd for wanting to do it. I feel like I can fit in somewhere even if I do want to do things a bit differently. I don’t have to follow any crowds, although knowing some people that are doing the same things definitely helps!

Now to convince the Stinker that he doesn’t need to watch live sport on tv!!