WEANERS - By Karen McMillan.
Sometimes to me
Parenting just seems to be
Constantly having to wean
From one bad habit
Onto another
In fact, that’s what I’d call us
WEANERS!...not mothers
All of these things to pick up
Then suddenly drop
No sooner have you mastered it
They want you to stop
“You really should wean him
Off the boob by One
By not a day sooner
Because, y’know, foods just for fun!”
“Don’t you think he’s getting
Too big for that dummy?
Dip it in vinegar
Give it to the Easter Bunny”
But your utter insistence
That I really should wean
Says much more of you
Than it does of me
Do you think it’s something
I should add to my CV?
Additional skills…
Well, did you know I can wean?
Some are so adept
Take it all in their stride
His every weaning milestone
Right on time
Like some beautiful
Gleaming
Weaning machines
Well, I must be broken
Or missing a bit
Because I’m just so
Bloody rubbish at it
Still on the boob
After two
So many rods
I could open a shop
But who am I weaning him for REALLY?
I’m not sure it’s for him
Or even for me
But rather some abstract idea
Of the way things should be
It’s something I worry about almost daily
Always there, it’s intrusive
And weigh down heavy
So we scramble around on the internet
Seeking out mums who’ve cracked it
What worked for you?
Will it work for me?
And be honest, tell me
How awful will it be?
“He’ll cry on the first night,
But be fine come night three”
I wonder what would happen
If I just let things be
Allow things to happen
More naturally
Not coerce
Or force
But wait
Patiently.
By our beautiful contributing writer Karen McMillan. You can follow and read more of Karen’s work over on her Instagram page : https://www.instagram.com/mother_truths
Beautiful Image by Angelica - https://www.instagram.com/angelickpicture
