It's tedious, boring, thankless and never, ever ending. You can outsource it; ignore it, battle with it or just plain surrender. Few people seem to really enjoy it. Some are great at it and others quite ordinary. We judge ourselves by it, compare ourselves with others and sometimes share tricks of the trade. It has largely been the role of women and is often the arena of spousal argument. Any clues?

House work, whether it be cleaning the toilet, washing the clothes or making the beds has been a part of everyday family life for centuries. As a young woman going through High School, Home Economics was a mandatory subject and definite pre-requisite for any girl wanting to really excel as a mother and wife. My cooking abilities in the early days, caused my father considerable angst and resulted in many lessons in the kitchen in the vain hope that "this girl will make something edible!"

As the mother of three young children, I find the monotonous grind of housework wearing and never ending. Raised with a high standard of order and cleanliness, I often set the bar too high and find myself in a constant state of chasing my tail. One by one as I pick the toys up from the floor my little ones follow me in a trail of destruction. So round and round we go on the housework cycle of torture. Aahhh, where will it all end!

But maybe there is another perspective.

If we glace back to the Victorian era, we may be inspired by our great grandmothers who whilst did not have the choices and opportunities that women have today, held a position of creative power within the home. These women were responsible for creating a nurturing, beautiful retreat for their families and undertook their role with considerable pride and ability. Homemaking was considered an art form and taken very seriously as a legitimate and valued contribution. Victorian women created a safe and nourishing retreat for their families and prided themselves in their ability to do so.

Women today run multi-national companies, manage team of workers, design amazing buildings, construct roads and debate social policy in parliament. The list goes on. All value contributions and achievements and not ones to be dispersed of. But have we ourselves lost sight of the value of our home making?

In the words of Sarah Ban Breathnach, author of Simple Abundance, "the virtue of order seems very old fashioned, unimaginative and uninspired - as dreary and cheerless, in fact as the word chore." But is there an underside that has been lost in the scrabble for equality? Has the baby actually been thrown out with the bath water?

Changing how we perceive this work in our daily lives can ignite a pride and valuing of home making, now often seen as a thankless and overwhelming task. Creating a clean, welcoming, warm environment where my children's imaginations can run unheeded by mess and disorder is a gift of love and nurturance. Providing meals that are cooked with love and intent that nourish growing bodies will pay endless dividends that will last a lifetime. Climbing into a bed of clean linen to snuggle and read a night time story creates treasured memories that feed the soul. Is this not the soulcraft of a parent whose sees one of her purposes as the creation of a loving family home? The creation of a safe, serene, welcoming haven for my family is an expression of my authenticity as a mother.

The demands of raising a young family are enormous at times, but with a change of perspective we can give the mundane role of housework a whole new perspective and value its role in helping create abundant, rich family life. If we place no value on what we do, no-one else will either.

"Creating a comfortable, beautiful, well-run home can be among our most satisfying accomplishments as well as an illuminating spiritual experience. Like sweat equity, channelling your time and creative energy closer to home will produce a big emotional return for yourself and those you love." Sarah Ban Breathnach

Warm wishes
Susan

Reference:
Sarah Ban Brethnach (1999) Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy; Hodder Headline Australia; Sydney.

Super brain foods for kids
By Lisa Guy

There is a proven link between what we put into our mouths and how well we think and feel. Your child's mood, ability to learn and memory are all affected by the type of food they eat. Our brains rely on a steady supply of specific vitamins and minerals, protein, carbohydrates and "good" fats to function properly. Providing your child with a well-balanced diet abundant in these nutrients will help boost their brain power and concentration, and help improve their academic performance.

Top brain boosting foods
Fish: Fish, especially oily fish like salmon and trout are packed with omega-3 fats (DHA) which are essential for healthy brain function and development.
Eggs: Eggs are a rich source of protein needed to make and choline, which are important nutrients needed to for proper brain function.
Blueberries: Blueberries are one of the richest food sources of health promoting antioxidants. Antioxidants are important for stimulating brain function and protecting brain cells against free radical damage.
Whole oats: Whole oats will supply your child with energy giving complex carbohydrates, fibre and B vitamins. Complex carbohydrates provide your brain with a slow and steady supply of glucose.

This month's recipes

Breakfast cups

Blueberry buttermilk pancakes

Earthy oat & apricot cookies

and why not....

Visit the recipes section of our Forum?

Got a recipe you'd like to share? Login to your user account and add it in our articles section!

Eco Toys Giveaway:
Eco Toys is giving one lucky winner a chance to win a gorgeous 'pretend play pack' valued at over $100! The set includes a wooden tea set with locally handmade felt cupcakes and a cooking set with felt carrots! Perfect for that little chef that loves to help out in the kitchen.

Eco Toys provides beautiful Australian made and ethically made toys that are crafted from natural, sustainable and recycled materials. Their toys are natural, safe, educational and encourage imaginative play.

Check out their online store www.ecotoys.com.au or visit their new Eco Toys & Baby store at 651 Burwood rd, Hawthorn East Vic

To enter this competition simply email susan@naturalparenting.com.au with ECO TOYS in the subject heading.

Please include your name, address and phone number in the body of the email. Entries close 30th June 2010.

Winners:
Congratulations to Kelly Riggs winner of our Rad-Pads Starter Pack. And also Latham and Amy Conley, Jinny Yoong and Jessica Hyde winners of the Baby Sign Complete Signing Kit. Congratulations also to Cindi Young, Janine Hagar, Jo To, Marney Teasdale and Sally Parker all winners of the Baby Sign E-Learning Packages. Enjoy everyone!

Want your business, event or product displayed on our site? Our goal is to promote business, events and products that we see as best promoting the optimum health and wellbeing of children and families and encouraging environmentally sustainable practices. Listings, are free!

If you are interested in listing on our website, please see our Listing Terms and Conditions.

Forum News
Did you know that our forums welcome fathers with a space dedicated to discussing the joys and difficulties of being a dad? Check out the Father's Forum .

Stuck for quick, easy, healthy and budget-friendly dinner ideas? Check out the Recipes on our forums.

You don't need to feel alone if you're having difficulty getting your little one to sleep at night. There's lots of support and tips from other mums on our Sleep Timeforum.

Free Advertising for Parenting Related Events
Are you a playgroup, community organisation or parenting support service? Would you like to advertise your get togethers or upcoming event on our site? It is simple, easy and free and a great way to get the word out. To create your listing visit Add your business

Get Published!
We are always on the search of high quality parenting related articles to add to our sites. If you would like to submit an article for consideration please visit Add your article. All published articles are considered as features in our monthly newsletter and are a great way to promote yourself, your book or other activities you are involved in. All articles are linked to a personal details page that you can use to promote you and your work. Please email susan@naturalparenting.com.au for further information.