June 10, 2002. Etched firmly into my memory as the dirtiest, wettest, coldest, messiest, muddiest, most miserable day EVER. Three young energetic boys who were climbing the walls, a half constructed house standing solo on a muddy hillside, freshly dug trenches which still contained the remnants of the overnight surprise snowfall, and a puppy.
But that’s a different story all together.
This is the day the seed was sown.
I was a burnt out mama. I hadn’t seen my laundry floor for months, I had kids who were fractious and cranky (wonder where they got that from), and I was completely overwhelmed with the chaos but acutely aware that I was one of the main contributors. So something had to change, and fast.
Enter Minimuds. (Well the concept at least. The brand name took another 18 or so years to evolve, give or take a few.) The name changed a few times alongside our needs, as did the styles and fabrics. It was tricky at best to source waterproof fabrics hardy enough to withstand the rigours of energetic and reckless little boys, let alone interesting colours which were also comfortable to wear. So Minimuds was definitely a slow evolution, beginning with the very basic and eventually becoming what it is today. With Minimuds came a whole new way of thinking, a new freedom of parenting, and a much happier and more connected household.
We are still in a constant cycle of learning and improving, expanding and moving in all directions. Sometimes backwards, but thankfully that’s not a common direction these days.
Minimuds allowed me the confidence as a mama to let my boys properly explore. To learn through experiencing, touching, feeling, laughing and yelling LOUD from a mountain top! I wanted them to feel the exhilaration of enjoying nature without the limitations of weather and environment. To get their hands dirty, and even the odd knee scrape here and there. My deep desire was to see them grow up as lovers of the wilderness but not wild, free spirited but definitely not disconnected, adventurous but not reckless.
It’s a journey for sure, parenting. We never quite know if we’re there yet…but at least with the right gear we’re a whole lot closer.
Because life’s too short to have clean fingernails :)
