Weird half term. I’m still working most days. My 8 year old is still at school and I keep forgetting where the other two are (and suspect they’re not where they say they are anyway). They are both just happily doing their own thing, which when they’re not out, seems to involve quite a lot of sleeping or lying on the sofa wrapped up like a slug in a duvet watching crap, moving very occasionally only when there is an imminent danger – mother in room, sibling with controller, that sort of thing. Lovely. I really don’t have a problem with them recharging their batteries during half term.
Sometimes I am disappointed that my children don’t all get on better and sometimes they can surprise me. It’s not easy for a teenage boy to get on with a hormonal girl to get on with an unusual eight year old – none of the combinations work terribly well. Yesterday, because my 8 year old was so excited about seeing his older brother again (“I really missed him at school today”) he wanted to buy him a bar of chocolate with his own money. “I’d better get some for my sister too” he said, “because although I don’t always really like her on the outside, in here (placing his hand on his heart) I really really love her”.
As soon as we got home, he tiptoed up to her as she was sitting at the computer, handed her the chocolate he’d bought with his own money and she said “I don’t like that sort of chocolate”.
10 minutes later, after a MAJOR rant from me about consideration et al and a brief spell in her room, all was well.
Expat mum
October 23, 2008I know I know. My older two are in perpetual bark mode with each other at the moment. Which then teaches the 5 year old that that’s the preferred mode of conversation in our house.
13 year old son is currently into writing songs and spends hours in his room, while little one bangs at the door and pleads to come in. I try to let them work it out (and am usually cooking dinner) so they then take the argument to older sis. You can imagine how pleased she is about that. I should just go and hide under the duvet!
Working mum
October 24, 2008Bless him! I hope daughter was suitably contrite; her reaction is one that just strengthens my opposition to the “you don’t want her to be an only child” argument I hear most days about my daughter. Now your son, he makes me think twice……