parenting – samanthaturnbull.com.au

The non-hipster-mum-on-a-budget guide to Byron Bay

I’ve lived in ‘the Bay’ for about 15 years. That means I’m nowhere close to being a local… never really will be, but my kids are born and bred (they’ll just have to cop their mum being called a ‘blow-in’ – yawn).

I love it here, but have to deal with almost daily slandering of the place from colleagues and family who live in surrounding towns.

One relo called it ‘Nimbin by the sea’ at Christmas lunch… but I wasn’t sure if he meant it as a criticism or compliment, because the dude was actually from Nimbin himself.

I get why some people loathe it – it’s expensive, it’s busy, it’s a bit of a scene… but it’s not all of those things all of the time.Read More

‘Silly Daddy’

Me: “I’d love it if you could give the toilet a good clean while I take the kids to the show.”

Bruce: “OK, how do you do that?”

Me: “Pour toilet cleaner in bowl. Scrub with toilet brush.”

Bruce: “What if poo gets on the toilet brush?”

Me: “Don’t put it in your mouth.”
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‘I would never’ parents

When I was expecting, there was a group of parents I referred to as the ‘just you wait’ers.

I was a generally happy pregnant woman. No morning sickness, no heartburn, no major physical complaints.

I looked forward to the impending birth of both my kidlets with inexplicable readiness. I didn’t have an overwhelming fear of the process or the pain.

I even felt prepared for parenthood.

My attitude was one of all-round ‘I got this’.

Some people didn’t like that.Read More