Debora Feijo tells us about her friend Louise Talbot, from Northbridge, in her entry to the North Shore Mums Mother’s Day Competition to find the North Shore’s most inspiring mum of 2016!
This is what Louise is like. When I ask her whether I could write an article about her for NSM, she replies, “Don’t be daft, there is nothing inspiring about me!”…and yet she is finishing her son’s birthday cake while minding the twins plus her other three children during school holidays.
Louise is a busy mum of five children- a set of 18 month old twins, two sons aged 5 and 9, and an 11 year-old girl. And that is exactly why I decided to write about her. She has her hands full 24 hours a day, seven days a week, but she never boasts about her achievements or whinges about her busy days. In fact, she does the opposite. She manages to attend her family’s sporting commitments (on time) carrying all the gear, plus the double pram and managing the whole “troop” with a smile on her face. Her good humour puts me to shame when I arrive late, rushed and flushed, and with only two children – both above preschool age – to look after! Louise reminds me that even on a bad day (usually Saturday mornings sports)…there is still hope for us busy mums! A busy schedule of birthday parties and sports competitions are part of her usual weekend.
But it’s not only on weekends that Louise manages to cater for all her children’s needs and manage their
busy routines. During the week she juggles everything from teacher interviews and school presentations, to swimming, soccer and baseball training, plus band practice, as well as piano and guitar lessons. Not to mention the usual parade of dentist appointments, doctors checkups, and administering antibiotics when someone gets sick! Always acting in the best interests of her children, Louise will calmly (and with a smile) organise everyone’s lives. While rushing from one side to another trying to keep the twins safe, she manages to hold up her end of a conversation, give the best attention she can to her friends and still cheer for her children and admire how well they are doing at any event.
She is fortunate to be in good health and live a normal and ordinary life (if you can say that about a mother with 5 children); however her simple and positive approach to life makes this woman a superhero to me!
In today’s busy world where mothers feel so much pressure and obligation to perform at so many different levels, Louise keeps her family’s wheel spinning with humour, simplicity and a smile. And this is, without doubt, inspiring to me!
Do you know an inspiring North Shore Mum? Enter them into our Mother’s Day competition and they could win a $1000 farmstay at Mowbray Park Farmstay, and you could win a 2-hour pamper at Omorfia Day Spa in Lindfield! There are fabulous runner up prizes too. More details.