This post is a little late. But in my defence, so is my sense of time these days. Between school holidays, work deadlines, and the hormonal plot twists of perimenopause, the months just fly by without me realising it soon enough.
In August, we celebrated out eldest turning twelve with two celebrations: 1) Gordon Ramsay Street Pizza (with a bunch of his classmates, all 12yo tweens), and 2) #M.O.T.D Café, Bar & Dining (just four of us - calmer, low profile, and slightly more grown-up).
And somewhere in between meals and those loud and quiet moments, I realised my 12yo tween could be my accidental life coach; and that motherhood in midlife (OMG!) comes with its own lessons in balance, patience, and humour (I truly hope so).
Lesson 1: "Feedback sometimes come with extra cheese"
At Gordon Ramsay Street Pizza, we ordered about seven different types of pizzas. At one point, he took one bite of his favourite pepperoni pizza (not the one in the photo above) and said, "Not bad… but nothing too special also."
Direct. Precise. No sugar-coating. But the whole pizza was gone within minutes.
Key takeaway
Deliver feedback like pizza. Honest, but with enough warmth to make people want another round (hormones permitting).
Lesson 2: "Confidence is ordering dessert without looking at the menu"
At M.O.T.D., he didn't even glance at the list of desserts. He just said, "I want the chocolate one." Meanwhile, I was still calculating sugar levels, calorie surplus, and whether my metabolism had bail on me for the evening.
Key takeaway
Maybe sometimes clarity isn't about overthinking options; it's about knowing what you enjoy and owning it.
And maybe that's what perimenopause is teaching me too; to care less about what I should be doing and more about what actually feels right.
Lesson 3: "Growing up is learning when to roll your eyes… and when to hug instead"
He's at that age where my incessant reminders are "naggy." Yet somehow, he still leans in for a side-hug sometimes.
Key takeaway
Emotional intelligence isn't about being serious all the time; it's about knowing which moments matter enough to show up for.
Bonus Lesson: "Belated posts are still valid"
Time flies. And sometimes, catching up on memories counts more than keeping up with timelines. Cheers!
Key takeaway
Midlife isn't about being on schedule; it's about embracing the beautifully delayed.
Rosemance
And finally, I just want to leave this post with a little something beautiful - a mocktail called Rosemance, a delicate blend of cranberry juice, raspberry, lemon juice, rosewater, egg white, and rose syrup.
Pretty, soft, and just the right note to end a day that reminded me how sweet life still is; even in its changing seasons.
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