Rattle and Mum is Tanya Kovarsky’s labour of love and an ode to all things that’s she’s passionate about, writes Marchelle Abrahams.
Tanya Kovarsky is a busy woman. Mom to two thriving young children, she has a full-time job as a freelance writer, is a keen Comrades runner and still finds the time to study French. Oh, and did I mention that she’s a blogger by night?
Rattle and Mum is her labour of love and an ode to all things that she’s passionate about.
“When I started a blog, I was the editor of a leading parenting magazine and was a regular reader of international and local blogs. I thought ‘I’d also like to be one of them’,” says the self-confessed tech and sneaker-loving mom.
“So I started a personal blog, Dear Max (now Dear Max and Rebecca to include my toddler). And about a year later, I started a more general parenting blog, Rattle and Mum, to separate the two.”
The thing about Kovarsky’s blog is that it’s not just about parenting. Yes, it’s filled with much-needed parenting tips, but it also offers its readers a respite from the day-to-day humdrum of life by saying “hey, take a break and look at this dad’s funny Instagram account.” Because, let’s face it, no one wants to be reminded that supper needs to be cooked in half an hour or the laundry needs ironing before the kids get home.
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There’s nothing off-limits for Kovarsky. She blogs about everything from kiddie’s fashion to funny social media accounts.
“I have a wide interest in things - from running and recipes to beauty and tech. I feature a large range of content that I feel could appeal to moms,” she adds, and then says: “Moms are still women, and have many interests, not just their kids.”
A screen shot of parenting blogger Kovarsky’s website, Rattle and Mum. It is her labour of love about the things she's passionate about.
She’s a proud supporter of making “me time” and it’s evident in her blog posts.
“I’m mostly confident with myself as a parent, even though I’m still figuring out the balance or juggle,” she openly admits.
“I’ve always said that I need to be rested, watered, fed and stimulated in order to be a great mom, and I don’t think I’d be a very fun, compassionate, guiding, interested, interesting and patient mom without these things.”
And yes, she does have advice for frazzled parents: “Find the time by giving up something that doesn’t serve you or your family in the best way, whether it’s baking from a box, or getting a babysitter so that you can go to a movie or have a date night - it’s okay.”
As a parent, you are always wondering if you’re getting it right, and hearing it from another puts things into perspective. It’s irrelevant if you forget to buy your child’s favourite snack for school. “Moms are their own worst critics, and it can be debilitating,” she adds.
“It’s easy to say ‘look after yourself’, but very hard for many moms to put this into practice, mostly because of the guilt or fear associated with it.”
Tanya has thus far completed 11 Comrades Marathons and 13 Two Oceans.
Mother, wife, and blogger who makes a mean fudge, is there anything Kovarsky can’t do?
“I can teach spinning (she used to be an instructor). I also speak Hebrew and a tiny bit of French,” she laughs.
And let’s not forget about her Comrades Marathon achievements: she’s completed 11 so far, and 13 Two Oceans.
But she says there are three things that she really can’t do without. “It would be hard to get by without my running shoes, Saeco coffee machine, and foundation - all help to boost me in some way.”
* Visit Tanya Kovarsky’s parenting blog: www.rattleandmum.co.za