Inspired by the 52 Project at Che and Fidel

Fonz: Wheezy boy waiting patiently for his turn on the fairy swing Ez: So excited to take her dad to the wood where the . . . → Read More: 20/52]]> ‘A portrait of my children, once a week, every week in 2013′

Inspired by the 52 Project at Che and Fidel

Fonz: Wheezy boy waiting patiently for his turn on the fairy swing
Ez: So excited to take her dad to the wood where the fairies live

It’s a question I get asked a lot about my twins: “Who’s the boss?”

I can honestly say that when it comes to my two, there isn’t one. More often than not, it’ll be Ez directing play (she has always been more independent and her imaginative play has developed faster than Fonz’s), but I wouldn’t say that . . . → Read More: Twin myths: who’s in charge?]]>  

It’s a question I get asked a lot about my twins: “Who’s the boss?”

I can honestly say that when it comes to my two, there isn’t one. More often than not, it’ll be Ez directing play (she has always been more independent and her imaginative play has developed faster than Fonz’s), but I wouldn’t say that means she’s in charge. If strong-willed Fonz wants to join in, he will, but make no mistake – it’ll be on his own terms. When he gets bored (as he frequently does), he’ll instantly stop cooperating and either leave Ez to carry on or, more often than not, wind her up by trying to change the game or the way it’s being played. Which infuriates her, obviously.

There are times when both of them are engaged for a long period of time, and there are times when it lasts a minute at most, and then there’s a dispute that brings the play to an end. Sometimes I step in, sometimes I leave them to try to try to reach an agreement themselves. That choice usually depends on the level of violence the disagreement involves. I draw the line at biting chunks out of each other, for example. But otherwise, I reason that conflict resolution is a good skill to have in their arsenal.

And when it comes to behaviour, or the often asked “who’s the naughty one?” question, they switch it up all the time too. When one goes through a challenging period, this often makes the other twin all the more obliging. It’s like they can’t wait to grasp the opportunity to show their sibling up, and so they suddenly become polite, responsive, helpful and generally delightful with the sole intent of highlighting the fact that their sibling’s lying on the floor, kicking and screaming because I’ve had to admit to them that I’m unable to ensure that there’s a sun in the sky instead of rain falling heavily.

I can’t quite decide if I’m better off having them take turns at challenging their boundaries, because having two of them doing it at the same time might actually be enough to make me give up getting out of bed in the morning, or whether it’s a pain because I never seem to benefit from two impeccably behaved toddlers at once (I can’t believe I actually just typed the phrase “impeccably behaved toddler”. As if).

This week we seem to be in a land of Happy Medium, where both twins are just content to be normal toddlers, with the usual unpredictable mix of extreme highs and extreme lows, but in short, sharp bursts rather than 24/7. It’s nice. I’m pretty sure they’re doing it because we have two nights away from them on a mini break to Brighton. Save the best behaviour for the grandparents, right?!

Southbank in the sunshine from Heather Young on Vimeo.

I enjoyed every single one of the six weeks on the Shooting Stories eCourse I did with Capturing Childhood, learning more about shooting, editing and crafting my home videos. I can’t recommend it highly enough to get more out of your film-making, and it’s left . . . → Read More: {Monday Movie} A sunny day on Southbank]]>

Southbank in the sunshine from Heather Young on Vimeo.

I enjoyed every single one of the six weeks on the Shooting Stories eCourse I did with Capturing Childhood, learning more about shooting, editing and crafting my home videos. I can’t recommend it highly enough to get more out of your film-making, and it’s left me really keen to try another one of Capturing Childhood’s photography courses. I’m thinking it’s about time I learned how to use my camera on the manual setting for a start. Kat and Kat have also started running photography workshops, so at some point I’d love to go along to one of them.

I’ve been meaning to share my end of course project here since I finished it, but somehow time has run away from me as usual. This is a video of a day trip to London’s Southbank to meet up with some old friends. We were so lucky with the weather and had an absolutely fantastic day. I couldn’t wait to start editing the footage as soon as I got home and am pretty pleased with the finished film. It’s definitely not something I would have been able to put together before the Shooting Stories course.

Inspired by the 52 Project at Che and Fidel

Fonz: Very engrossed in our first ‘Movie Afternoon’ film Ez: Doesn’t like “the black bits” . . . → Read More: 19/52]]> ‘A portrait of my children, once a week, every week in 2013′

Inspired by the 52 Project at Che and Fidel

Fonz: Very engrossed in our first ‘Movie Afternoon’ film
Ez: Doesn’t like “the black bits” in popcorn

This afternoon we went in search of fairies. We had a tip off that a fairy kingdom had recently appeared in a local wood, and so we set off to visit the fairy folk that had taken up residence. Eyes peeled, we followed winding paths through the bluebells, looking high and low for our fairy friends.

. . . → Read More: The secret fairy woods]]>

This afternoon we went in search of fairies. We had a tip off that a fairy kingdom had recently appeared in a local wood, and so we set off to visit the fairy folk that had taken up residence. Eyes peeled, we followed winding paths through the bluebells, looking high and low for our fairy friends.

The person responsible for this wonderful spectacle remains a closely-guarded local secret, but whoever you are, thank you for a truly magical experience.

Inspired by the 52 Project at Che and Fidel

Ez: Showing off the dress she picked herself on a shopping trip Fonz: Watching the bigger boys . . . → Read More: 18/52]]> ‘A portrait of my children, once a week, every week in 2013′

Inspired by the 52 Project at Che and Fidel

Ez: Showing off the dress she picked herself on a shopping trip
Fonz: Watching the bigger boys play football

For the last couple of years the rhythm of my working life has been unpredictable, like an avant garde concerto, veering from intense passages that run so fast it’s almost impossible to keep up with any semblance of melody, to periods of wobbly calm, which remind me of the old metronome I used to have at . . . → Read More: Finding my rhythm]]>

For the last couple of years the rhythm of my working life has been unpredictable, like an avant garde concerto, veering from intense passages that run so fast it’s almost impossible to keep up with any semblance of melody, to periods of wobbly calm, which remind me of the old metronome I used to have at home which was so overwound it was on the verge of stopping altogether, but instead lurched unsteadily from one beat to the next. Brief interludes that seem like a break but that actually just remind you that you need to keep the beat, not lose your place in the music before the next crescendo begins once again.

But I feel like in the last six months or so, the music is settling into a cohesive piece. There are still moments when it feels like I’m going to get swept away, but I don’t. I ride them out, and find myself learning how to navigate, I’m noticing the repeats, seeing patterns, feeling in control (to a certain extent). Friends and family may have picked up the beat before me, recognising my mood changes at each stage of a big project but it’s taken me a little longer to grasp.

When I jacked in a perfectly good job on a successful magazine to go freelance because I didn’t want my days at work to outnumber my days at home I thought that at best my career would be on pause. Really, I thought it would probably go backwards, especially when I realised that balancing work and the kids won’t just suddenly become easy when the twins start school next year.

What I definitely didn’t expect was for my career to advance. I didn’t expect the amazing opportunities that have come my way. To see myself challenged, to take on more responsibility, to manage a team. To get to be creative. At first I felt way out of my depth, but now I’m finding my feet and relishing those challenges. And for once I actually know what I’m working on for months at a time. Continuity, security, control. I’ve got it back in my life and I’ve missed it. I’m under no illusion – the freelance work is fickle so who knows what’ll happen after the final project ends in September, but for now I’m just going to enjoy not worrying about it.

Of course I’m knackered. Of course there are days, weeks even, when the pressure feels so great I think I’m going to crack, and all I can think about is what I’m not doing, rather than what I am managing to get done, but I’m pretty sure that’s normality for a working parent. But I know what makes me happy and I may actually be getting closer to finding a balance that suits me and my family.

That pot of gold at the end of the rainbow might be mine one day.

Inspired by the 52 Project at Che and Fidel

Ez: Has an irritating habit of talking in baby language, loves to write the letter ‘E’, discovered she likes pancakes after all Fonz: Likes to give wiggly worms a ride on his . . . → Read More: 17/52]]> ‘A portrait of my children, once a week, every week in 2013′

Inspired by the 52 Project at Che and Fidel

Ez: Has an irritating habit of talking in baby language, loves to write the letter ‘E’, discovered she likes pancakes after all
Fonz: Likes to give wiggly worms a ride on his scooter, asks everyday if we’ll be going swimming, is an expert hill roller

Inspired by the 52 Project at Che and Fidel

Fonz: Full of fun, positivity and joy, was totally freaked out at a school open day, soaks up praise like a sponge Ez: So good at acting ill she fools . . . → Read More: 16/52]]> ‘A portrait of my children, once a week, every week in 2013′

Inspired by the 52 Project at Che and Fidel

Fonz: Full of fun, positivity and joy, was totally freaked out at a school open day, soaks up praise like a sponge
Ez: So good at acting ill she fools herself, was totally fascinated at a school open day, couldn’t get enough of drawing on the road with chalk