Hello there!
Bare with me, as I’m not totally sure what I want to write, but as of this writing I feel a little “twitchy” so I feel like writing stuff and seeing what comes out. I guess it usually helps so let’s see.
I’m not sure if any of you lot get this - I’m sure you do - but do you ever just not relax very well. Like it’s currently Sunday afternoon, I went up the unit early to get some packaging done - only ones for TikTok videos though - and was back home by 11. But now I feel lazy, unsettled and generally just off. I feel like I should be doing something. I could just enjoy the “family time” but as usual I’m mentally still in the business.
I’m not even sure what it is I want to do. Just something.
It’s not even that I feel stressed from having all the orders to pack and the mild panic of having to get them all done. This month should actually be done fairly quickly. Not only do we have Jenny with us properly now, but we also had around 100 or so less orders than previous months. Which was totally expected as it’s the middle of summer.
I think I just have a lot that I feel like I need/want to do.
Either that or I really do need to learn to switch off, but good luck with that one.
Anyway… let’s talk about business stuff or something is it?
How things will change going forward
From here on out we plan to restock at the end of every month with whatever it is we were able to make in that month.
Because we don’t sell anything unless it’s had 1-2 weeks cure time, that means we’ll pretty much have to go right into pouring as soon as we’ve finished with the orders from the restock. Although since we make more now it’ll probably be the case where orders tick over as the days roll on. So we’ll likely have to get used to flicking between packaging and pouring.
It also means that I have to be on the ball a LOT more than usual.
I can’t just wait until the orders are done and then mentally jump to the next stage, I have to be thinking about both the packaging side of things and the next restock, all the while thinking about what subscription boxes we’ll be doing next and just the macro view of the business as a whole.
It’s really been an incredible process starting this business from nothing to where we are now.
No one really teaches you any of these things. It’s just a case of learning it as you go.
I think part of the reason people don’t want to start businesses is the fear of the unknown when it comes to the things you’d need to do. But you just kinda learn it as you go.
Like all of a sudden I have to learn about workplace pensions, risk assessments, fire safety and all the other legal requirements you have when you become an employer. On top of that, I have to keep on track of the accounts and the forecasts so that cashflow never becomes and issue, I have to make sure we keep making products that are worth buying by coming up with new ideas, then I have to make sure everything in the unit is stocked up so we don’t suddenly run out of something.
And on top of all that, the kids can be a sodding nightmare…
I donno what it is at the moment…
Sorry, I literally wrote that sentence as Archie ran past me crying so he could face plant the sofa in tears. I think Rachel got him off the worktop. Again. Him and these bloody kitchen worktops. You turn your back for two seconds and he’s off climbing yet again. Then Isabelle kicks off because… I honestly don’t even know why half the time these days. But she’s just been a lot less enjoyable to be around the last couple of days.
She has moments like this. The best part is, in two days time she’ll probably go “I’ll be nice now, I don’t want to be naughty” as if the entire time she was actively picking to be a bellend.
Don’t worry… I don’t want to sit here and moan to you about the kids. Chances are, you may have kids yourself and I’ll simply be preaching to the converted.
But please just know, that we have bellends too. Yes, I post the odd photo of Isabelle smiling and looking like the nicest child in the world, but JESUS CHRIST she can be a stubborn knob head sometimes.
But that’s all part of parenting, isn’t it?
I think there’s an entire newsletter on this all on its own. Mainly because I’d like to delve deeper into that whole “parenting guilt” thing that people get. Rachel gets it. I don’t.
At the end of the day when they’re asleep looking all sweet and innocent, many parents think back on the day going “I should’ve done better”.
Fuck that. You do the best you can with what’s given to you. If your kids are winding you up all day and you weren’t all that nice, then you’re simply limited by the attitude that’s given to you. What else can you do?
I just speak honestly to Isabelle and hope for the best. I’ll happily say “to be honest Isabelle, I don’t really fancy doing this with you because you’ve been a bit of a dick and I don’t enjoy being around you at the moment.” Harsh? Sure. Honest? Absolutely.
And if there’s anything I believe in when it comes to parenting it’s honesty. I don’t like lying to Isabelle even if it makes life a little bit easier. If she wants a biscuit I don’t go “ah no, there’s none left” I just go “we have LOADS! So many biscuits. But you had one earlier so no chance, mate.” And then I’ll deal with the bullshit that follows.
One thing I have been trying to convey to Isabelle through constant trial and error, is that we ALWAYS have a choice in how we act or respond, and that action often determines what comes next.
Basically, you can always choose kindness, empathy or understanding. And more often than not, better things happen to everyone when you do.
Anyway…
I think this could be an email all on its own, and Archie is currently crying to Rachel while she cooks some sort of dinner, so I best get off my arse and actually do some sort of parentings/husbanding.
Thank you for reading!
I think I feel slightly better now that I’ve written all this shit. I have no idea if it was worth reading, but that is never for me to decide, that’s on you.
Thank you and much love,
Ross & Rachel
Hey Ross please excuse this random rant, I normally go down the art route when I’m twitchy but decided to give writing a go today to see if it would help. I don’t have kids of my own not through choice but I do have 2 godsons Kai and olly, who are 9 and 7 and I have seen them every week since they were born and they stayed at mine over the weekends till they went to school and then they stayed part of the school holidays , prior to covid lockdowns I would see the boys 2/3 times a week as they lived 10 minutes away from me I would pick them up from school take them out to the park or take them out for tea once in a while. But then covid hit because they have a big family and both their parents are key workers it was decided i was not in their bubble, so I didn’t get to see them in person but I could FaceTime them and chat. During the last lockdown they moved house, they are now 2 1/2 hours away from me on the bus. Now things are sort of going back to normal I am still face timing them due to having a low immune system from the chemo. ( the boys don’t know about this ) Today I FaceTimed Kai who is 9 and he kept cutting the call wouldn’t answer so I messaged his dad and asked if kai was ok, i then got a voice message from Kai saying I didn’t love him anymore because I won’t go and see them now that it’s allowed again so he doesn’t love me and he won’t talk to me ever again 😢. This broke my heart but like you in your words he is being a knobhead. His dad messaged me to tell me he thought we should tell Kai what’s going on with me but I said no. His grandad passed away last year in hospital kai was told grandad was sick and in hospital , that the dr would fix him and he was gonna be home soon ,he never came home and I don’t want kai thinking that about me. So yeah I have had a shitty day to and I needed to vent as well so I apologise to anyone reading this.
Sending love and hugs to you all xx
Kids can be dicks when they want, they can also turn into angels when you least expect it 😂 but 90% they are the devil sporn of satan