We are in the thick of Grade 5 exams. Miss Fine tells me each day that she did not prepare enough, and that she does not feel good about the upcoming papers. We try to help her as much as possible, but ultimately she is the one who needs to get the material into her head...
We are still trying to find the best way to learn, and help her learn. To find that perfect balance of help, but also letting her take over her studies independently. The underlying anxiety also doesn't help, but the best we can do for it is to prepare enough. (Although, there is never an enough for the highly strung...)
I have to laugh at myself and my thoughts around parenthood. The Universe has a quirky way of coming back to slap you with your own smugness.
I am the older mom with a daughter that has successfully gone through the stages of growing up and has successfully completed her studies. She is working and doing her thing! I have got the "evidence" that I rock this parenting gig! I was smug!
Ha-ha!
Unfortunately kids do not have the same manual. They are not the same!
What was I thinking?
Suffice to say that I have my thoughts around parenthood handed back to me on a silver platter! I can't do it the same as the previous time!
I am also older (and wiser) and have learnt much from parenting experts and parents around the world. That what I thought was good parenting techniques previously, is also frowned upon today!
So, although I am the older mom, I am doing it again! I am writing a new manual. And it is only for the youngest! (It is child-specific!)
And I won't judge people who struggle with parenting, and I won't judge the judgy eyes when we have the full-blown melt-down! Because I know, karma comes around!
Have you changed your parenting style over the years, since you had your first child?
The new Cresta Family Room facility is a place I want to keep to myself. But... It would be selfish, and Little Miss won't be needing it that much any more. (I wish there was such a facility when she was a baby and a toddler.)
The Cresta Family Room is the oasis all parents want and need while they are shopping. A safe free haven for 45 minutes available to all to go to when you need to.
- There will be a concierge looking after the facility to only let parents with children through.
You are able to:
- Change the diaper
- Heat up food or a bottle
- Breastfeeding
- Playing
- Resting
- Family toilet (which won't be inaccessible because of workers or selfish adults using it!). This one we will also still make use of!
- Breathing space for the little ones (AND big ones!) This too!
- Cool "prize" to the little ones after a shopping trip!
I was invited to the launch of the Cresta Family Room, but that's not why I am sharing it here. I think it is my duty to notify all parents about something that should be in all shopping malls.
Cresta Family Room launch
Play area at Cresta Family Room
Virginia Bester, General Manager of Cresta Shopping Centre
Nikki Bush, the parenting expert, had a few good pointers (Commandments) when taking children to a shopping mall:
Nikki Bush about smart shopping as a parent
(OR: Parenting on the run)
1. Avoid rush hour if possible.
2. Make shopping an outing after nap time. Children need to have outings. Make shopping an outing!
3. Please work around your children's routine.
4. Be prepared like McGyver. Never take a hungry child shopping. Let child eat before taking him to a restaurant.
5. Keep refreshments on hand.
6. Hunt in pairs - mum, partner, etc - to help with watching, carrying, distraction.
7. Have a plan when shopping. Need to be strategic! Include children in planning. Get them to Memorize when 7 or 8. What shops did we visit? (Use their grey matter)
8. Remember to take a break. Just be with family.
9. Set rules/boundaries/scene before reaching the Shopping Centre - scenario planning as CEO of family. Predictability which gives security. Rewards that can dangle before kids. Go to pet shops, play area, toy store. Do not have to buy. Window shopping is fun! Need to learn to wait. Bubble gum machine also fine.
10. Need to be the boss of the show! Parents feeling stressed, guilty but not building emotional intelligence. Use your tone of voice! Calm. Assertive. Lower your voice! Keep your sanity and keep it secure! Stranger danger - opportunity to teach children. Do not play hide and seek!
According to Nikki Bush it is entirely possible to have quality time with children while you are "a parent on the run".
She inspired me to look at my shopping experiences with Little Miss in a different light! It is not always easier when they are bigger, because they want to have a say! About every-thing!
(Or is just us?)
Check out the Family Room at the Food and Entertainment Court at Cresta. I hope the signage will be up, but it is into the same passage as the general toilets. (You will know when you find it!)
The ongoing tragedy of Aleppo and so many refugees worldwide struggling over this Christmas period get to me. As a mother it's horrifying watching the videos and clips on social media! Watching a boy cry for his dad that was just killed... I can't!! I am thinking about the children and how it must be being stuck in situations like that!
I am sure we have no idea!!
I am trying to tell Little Miss to not always recount her half empty glass of woe! She's got nothing to complain about! I try telling her about the situation the children - with their parents - find themselves in, but I can see that she does not really understand. I will also not complain anymore about my holiday blues after we have had our holiday break already! How utterly selfish of us!
MamaMagic, The Baby Expo, will run for the 12th year at the TicketPro Dome in Johannesburg!
It will be on from 12 - 15 May.
If you are pregnant or a parent of little ones, this is always a place where you will get the latest advice and gadgets on all things baby and children! Your little ones will also be entertained, which make it a great outing for the whole family!
What to expect at this year's MamaMagic?
- Huggies are starting with a new feature: They will provide parents with free informative sessions at the Huggies Expert’s Lounge. Parents will also be able to walk away with fantastic goodie bags!
"Huggies has lined up notable specialists such as Sister Lynn Bluff, who will enlighten parents on the significance of skin-to-skin and the “golden hour,” dietician Linda Drummond will shed light on what optimal nutrition for babies and toddlers, entails giving parents tips on practical healthy nutrition implementation and Cozette Laubser from BabyGym Institute International, will demonstrate the importance of baby’s physical development, which in turn results in healthy brain development."
- The BeSafe Car Safety Centre will provide valuable insight into how to handle a carjacking with a child.
- Huggies Nappy Pants and Lego Duplo are providing two age-appropriate play areas to keep the kids entertained.
- The Pampers Baby on Board competition that will see one lucky winner walk away with a comprehensive birthing and parenting starter pack valued over R 147 000!
- There will be designated breast feeding rooms. (Thumbs up from me!) Pampers Premium Care will also provide two fully stocked and spacious nappy change rooms!
- Barney will be on stage four times daily! (Although the tickets to the Barney shows are included in the Expo sales, they should be booked through Computicket to secure a seat!)
- Heart to Heart Workshop tickets can also be bought where parents will get the value of over R1000 worth of expert advice and goodies when they purchase a ticket of R495 at the Expo!
Two readers of this blog can each win VIP tickets!
The giveaway is 2 x double tickets to MM and the Barney show:
Each tickets admits one adult and two kids (please provide their ages).
Tickets/Entrance to the Barney shows (which will be held at 10, 12, 2 and 4).
Meet and Greet with Barney (these are held daily after the 4pm show).
Barney goodie bag for the kids.
Please comment on this blog post and tell me the ages of your kids?
Only eligible for people able to get to the Expo on any day from 12 to 15 May at the TicketPro Dome in Johannesburg.
This competition will run for one day only, and I will announce the winners on Wednesday 12 May 2016 at 12pm tomorrow afternoon!
Good luck!
Updated: Congratulations to Shaaista and Keshnie who have won the tickets!
Please send me your email addresses and what time-slot would suit you best for the meet and greet with Barney?
Thursday 12 May after the 4pm show Friday 13 May after the 4pm show Saturday 14 May after the 2pm show Sunday 15 May after the 12pm show
Today is my parents 50th wedding anniversary!
We are so lucky to be able to celebrate it with them.
They are a real inspiration to us, and their lives together shows us how it should be done! They both have their idiosyncrasies (as we all do ;-) ), but they have learnt to give each other space!
To each be their own person! Respect!
Congratulations, Mom and Dad!
Enjoy your movie today at the cinemas!
I am so sorry that I did not buy the Bratz doll when you were young!
(You wanted it, because your friends had one!) I don't know what I was thinking, but it's not the same I am thinking right now!
I already bought a Bratz Cloe for Little Miss, and the other day I got a Bratz Jade delivered! (I was way more excited than Little Miss!)
They are super cute! Why did I think 15 years back they were not pretty?
It's just one of the many parenting mistakes I now know that I have made with the eldest!
There are so many!
I am sorry for everything that I did wrong with you!
I did it with the best of intentions. (And with the knowledge I had at the time.)
The Littlest is getting to grow up with a lot less of "parenting" I did with you.
(But as we go along we are definitely saying we are doing it wrong now as well.)
Unfortunately we can't do it over!
I heard the surprise in your voice when you reminded me that I did not want to buy you the doll... I can only say sorry!
I am talking about all the instances in my life I have let doctors and nurses and health practitioners made me feel like an inferior mother.
- The time I took my first-born to the doctor and her ear-drum burst in the doctor’s waiting rooms. And there was puss overflowing, and he asked why we did not clean it up… WTB! (What The Baby!)! It just happened, doctor, and we were trying to do it with the tissues that we had available!
- The time I was in the doctor’s waiting room and I had to change a poo nappy. When I came out, the doctor had already come to call our name, and she had an attitude! WTB! What would she have done if I have left the nappy? (Why did I not tell her straight?)
- The time I went to the clinic to ask about nappy rash. Little Missy got a terrible nappy rash which burnt immediately! The nurse was telling me that I left the nappy on too long, with a bit of disgust in her voice…. WTB! Of course not! And I was there to get a solution to the problem! (Which I did not get there, and we figured out it was the grapes I was eating at the time!)
- The time I went to the clinic and was told in a disparaging manner that I have already used up ten visits, and that I can’t get the services for free. WTB! In the first place I was not aware that I was limited to 10 visits, and I was more than prepared to pay... (But that was the last that that clinic saw me!)
- The time I mentioned to the paediatrician that I was still breastfeeding at one year, and it was met with an indifferent “It’s not that important anymore!” WTB! I lost my trust in that doctor immediately!
- The time I tried to wean my four month old first-born from the breast to take a bottle during the day. I had to go back to work. Health-care professionals did not believe me, and to this day think they will be able to help when a baby does not want to take a bottle. They tried, and everybody tried! Nothing worked! Not different bottles, teats, people holding her… Nothing! WTB! There is nothing you can do to force a baby to take a bottle when they prefer breastfeeding! (I had to go cold turkey with mine before she accepted a bottle! )
The other day I was talking to other moms, and I heard how they also felt inferior when they took a different colour nappy to the clinic or doctor!
We are taking our children to the doctor/clinic because we are good moms who are worried about our children, and we want to do the best for them. Making us feel inferior does not help. If we were not good moms, we would not have taken the effort or paid the exorbitant rates to see a health professional!
Next time I will not let them belittle me! (I wish I had the verbal proficiency to recognize and immediately shoot it off my cuff!)
Next time, definitely!
What have a doctor said to you that made you feel like a bad mom?
Making friends with other children and their parents can seem even harder than dating. Juggling the social interactions of your kids as well as your own is a complicated dance, and many parents often end up feeling lonely and without support. Here are some tips to planning play dates in your own home in order to foster friendship for you and your children.
Build a friendship group
If you’re searching for friends for you and your children, consider local playgroups and preschools. Your children are most likely to play well with friends and kids they see often, so utilise the resources you already have and chat to parents at the school gate or playground. Playdates are just as much for parents as they are for children, so invite parents you’d like to get to know better or have things in common with already. If you can, arrange to meet parents one evening without your children, so you can get to know each other properly and start to form the bonds without little ones tugging at your sleeves. A wine bar, casual dinner, or movie night are all great bonding opportunities, or choose another event you will all enjoy.
By setting up a playdate schedule, you and your children will feel a sense of regularity and come to expect and look forward to playdates. Scheduled playdates have the added benefit of spreading out hosting duties. When you play at other’s homes, offer to bring snacks or toys to help out other parents, but most parents will likely prefer to take turns and prepare their own snacks when they host. When your turn to host comes around, try to be flexible about your home: remember that the happiest homes are often the messiest, or your guests will pick up on your stress level. Keeping calm and relaxed helps everyone to have a great time!
Create a child friendly play space
If you have children, your home will likely already be set up for child friendly play. Designate a safe space for children to play semi-independently (a playroom or part of the living room work well) while adults chat and hopefully find a little time to relax. The best playrooms have separate areas for different kinds of play. Art stations, quiet/reading corners, dressing up areas, and building tables are all vital parts of the playroom. Set up a few activities at the separate stations to foster independent play for your children and their guests.
Theme playdates
Once your children have met a few times and are comfortable with each other, a regular playdate may start to seem a bit boring. Spice things up by offering themed meetups, such as teddy bear picnics, tea parties, or dressing up parties. You don’t have to go to too much trouble to satisfy your child’s imagination, but the little details do make a difference. Cut the crusts off some cucumber sandwiches, dress up with your fanciest jewellery, and get involved with your children during snack time to make their regular play dates feel extra special.
By planning your own play dates, you can control your social schedule and your children’s play environment at the same time. Find a solid and reliable social group, rotate play dates, and keep things interesting with themed events. With any luck, you and your kids might just make a few lifelong friends.
Sometimes I see something in my browsing travels (maybe it was on Facebook?) and I respond and forget where I got it from...
Having responded to Sigrid Kjeldsen of The Joyful Mother fame was such a blessing. I had to fill in her parenting questionnaire which she is going to use in her new book for 2015.
For that I got a 45 minute coaching session through Skype.
We exhausted all my parenting questions.
I had mostly questions about discipline, tantrums and my own impatience.
Our nearly 6-year old is very headstrong and she can get very angry. I still feel that we are not always handling her melt-downs in the best way.
I took away the following from the session:
The keyword is Loving Leader: - What would love do now? - Where do love go?
We as parents are in service of our children. It is our job to support them emotionally.
There is no need to understand the emotional outburst, but to make space for it.
- Accept it! There is no reason to resist it!
- Cultivate an energy to create a safe space.
- Only start talking when they have calmed down.
- To ask: how does that make you feel? - To help them feel validated in their emotions.
My energy impact my children's well-being:
"I am the loving leader of my home!"
About patience:
To be centered/feeling grounded.
Focus energy on the present moment!
Connects to inner wisdom/love!
Do not focus on what is not working, but focus on what is working! (We have a choice!)
To become curious!
How can you parent your children to be the best parent for them?
Drop the preconceived ideas of parenting.
Trust my child to show me the way!
Accept what is, and accept my child. (Do not expect them to react the way you would react!)
We spend a good deal of our Saturday searching for a Spider-girl costume. That is for a Superhero theme at school this coming Friday.
I was not even aware that Spider-girl is a superhero, but now I know!
I thought it would be easy going to the local China Mall, but we found (of course!) some of the other superheroes costumes, but not Spider-girl! And Little Missy was adamant: Spider-girl or nothing!
I could not even convince her to use the Batman mask we exchanged at McD's to become Batwoman, or to create her own Superhero! No! Spider-girl! (I thought it was only our Teen that was difficult shopping with, but it seems we've got a match in Little Miss!)
After much searching we found a cape with spider webs, and a mask. We will dress her in black and red. She is happy with the outfit, and yesterday we were looking at videos on how to create Spider-girl make-up. We practised painting some spider webs and spiders on her face last night!
She is counting the sleeps to Friday!
Who would have thought that parenting includes shopping for Superhero costumes and practising make-up techniques which includes spiders and spider-webs?
Ghezzi is responsible for the guest post this week. She is a contributor (Mom blogger) at Pregg.net
She is a work at home mom. She does freelance writing and graphic designing. She has a 5 year old daughter who's doing well in preschool. She loves arts and crafts, surfing the internet and collecting scarfs.
Pregg.net is a blog for newbie parents as well as more experienced ones.
Pregg.net believes that parenting is something you never stop learning.
We all can attest to the crazy duality of being a mother. I love how she describes it!
Ghezzi
"The day that you found out you’re pregnant was one of the most momentous days of your life. The excitement is beyond compare and you are just too excited to know the gender of your baby. You spend time thinking and wishing that your baby must get your nose or your eyes, your lips and all beautiful facial features you have and those of your husband. The name has to be perfect and meaningful. Once you know the gender you go shopping for clothes and baby stuff right away. You picture everything to be beautiful. Here comes the day of the baby’s arrival, and I'm sure you will never ever forget how labour pain feels like. It’s like a wrecking ball inside your tummy forcing to get out from your uterus. How you wish it could just be over. Good thing there is a method for painless birth but it’s not really 100% painless. It’s okay, if I were to ask, experiencing the pain of childbirth is beautiful, painfully but perfectly beautiful. As your baby grows, month by month, you get to deal with their cuteness and funny antics, but don’t forget, you also must deal with their tantrums and their clinginess. There are times you find yourself laughing hard because of the silly things they do, but there are times you find yourself crying when they get sick and you don’t know what to do. When your baby starts to socialize and join activities outside the house, you feel proud as a mom when they get recognized for an achievement or when they do something smart. But there are also countless times you want to cover your face with a paper bag when they do something embarrassing like saying out loud in public how important brushing your teeth is because if not, all your teeth will fall out And while saying those lines, you noticed your child is looking at the man near you with the exact description of what he was trying to say... Oh Motherhood, crazy beautiful."
- I wish my children would be able to pursue their passions in life!
- I wish them healthy relationships with their friends and with a significant other.
- I wish them to enjoy their lives to the fullest, and to grab every opportunity coming their way.
- I wish that they would keep an insatiable thirst for knowledge and the "truth"
- I wish them to understand and to have compassion for another's point of view.
- I wish that they would expect the world to be good, and that the world would show up accordingly!
- I wish them to be happy and to have peace in their lives!
- I wish that they would recognise being treated badly in a relationship, and to know when to move on.
- I wish them lots of fun!
- I wish them lots of overseas travels!
- I wish that they would have much more material things than I ever had. (But that they would appreciate it, because they worked hard to get it.)
- I wish them smooth sailing! If the waves come crashing, that they would have inner strength and support structures to help them cope. (I also believe that we can't live a life well without having some sort of obstacle to overcome.)
I also wanted to say: "20 Rules Teens want their Parents to follow, but hope they won't"
We are a bit past the teen phase at the moment in our house, with a student away at university. She is in the time bubble between being a teen, and being an adult! It is such a precious time!
Sometimes we still see some of the teen phase, but mostly not any more...
She was also not a difficult teen at all.
Here's the list.
20 Rules Teens want their Parents to follow, but know thy won't:
1. “Don’t tell me what to do.”
2. “Don’t tell me who and when I can date.”
3. “Don’t assume you know what’s best for me.”
4. “Let me make my own mistakes when it comes to tattoos, piercings, drugs and alcohol.”
5. “Never offer me advice, unless I ask.”
6. “Give me my own credit card… with no spending limit, of course.”
7. “Don’t talk about your glory days like they are mine.”
8. “Give me the car keys whenever I ask.”
9. “Let me set my own curfew and don’t worry about where I’m going or who I’m with. And when I’m gone, don’t call me every 15 minutes..."
10. “Don’t tell me how to dress.”
11. “Don’t meddle.”
12. “Don’t embarrass me.”
13. “Don’t hug, kiss or hold my hand in public.”r
14. “Ask for my opinion on everything.”
15. “Knock before entering.”
16. “Don’t snoop through my room, phone and car.”
17. “Don’t stalk me or my friends on social networking sites.”
18. “Never ever use the excuse, ‘Because I said so.’”
19. "Practice what you preach.”
20. “Trust me.”
The link was sent to me from Baby Sitting Jobs: http://www.babysittingjobs.com/blog/20-rules-teens-want-their-parents-to-follow-but-know-they-won’t/
More can be read there.
Do you have any more suggestions of rules teens would like us to follow? :-)
I know it doesn't help the people who have died, and the people who have been raped...
But I wore black last Friday! Powerwoman on her soapbox again!
I believe that it does not really help marching against something, and that it actually just keep on focusing on the negative! Mother Theresa also said that she would always march for peace, but not against violence.
But I wore black in solidarity with everybody who thought and pleaded and shouted against the senseless murders and the senseless rapes of women. Women who most recently got a face through Reeva Steenkamp and Anene Booysen.
Sometimes we need to speak out against something! Something that is not right! Something that is not working in our society!
How can we stand by and only watch when these things are happening?
Some of us are "luckier"or "smarter", and we think we won't be confronted with it.
I was one of them!
I did not know when I got married that I would be afraid in my own home...
That I would put up a fake smile because I was shown a gun with a silencer...
That I would go in hiding because I was afraid of my life and the life of my child...
That I had to tip-toe around my own words, afraid that the wrong word could trigger a violent verbal outburst that would explode...
That's why I am an advocate for initiatives like Speak Out.
There are reasons why you should not stay, and the earlier you acknowledge them and make a decision to not put up with unacceptable behaviour, the better for all!
We are all stronger than we think we are! We can say no! We can walk out! We can stand up, and we can speak out!
We can only make a difference in our own lives, and the lives of those we touch, but one step at a time!
We can do better than this!
We can show our children there are better ways!
Our girls should not tolerate abusive behaviour from their partners.
Our boys should not be shown the way to handle life is with guns and violence!
The only way is by living the way we want to see the world!
We cannot stay in an abusive relationship, and then try teaching our daughters differently!
We cannot keep guns, and live aggressively, and not show compassion. And then think our boys will do it differently!
I am always checking out new apps and got this guest post suggestion which I am happy to publish. Especially if it states that it helps "busy moms.
(Although, I think it is an oxymoron! Do we get moms who are not busy?)
I have linked to the iTunes stores, but see most of these apps are avaliable on all devices.
The Top 5 Apps for Busy Moms
Our lives are much busier than they were even 20 years ago, and moms are busier than ever. Many moms raise kids, work, and run their households, all while trying to live their own lives. Fortunately, cell phones are helpful for anyone with a life on the go. They help people stay connected, and with apps, help people complete their day to day tasks.
Thousands of cell phone apps exist that help people accomplish their goals, and here are the top 5 apps for busy moms like yourself.
It is pertinent for a busy mother to be prepared for anything. Every single mom should have the Weather Channel app - this is the perfect app to open up first thing in the morning. It allows you to display the current temperature, as well as the short- and long-term weather forecast. The app also allows you to get the weather forecast from wherever you are. Any busy mom who runs around all day needs to know the weather forecast in order to plan their (hopefully dry) day.
This is a wonderful app for anyone who has a lot on their plate, but especially mothers. It's so useful that you may even end up grabbing for this app more often than you need the phone itself! It's great for making to-do lists, setting reminders, shopping lists & also the family calendar - this one is key too, because notice that it's for the family. This is different from most calendars, which are only meant for one person and their appointments.
Grocery iQ This app is GREAT for mothers, especially because it's basically available on every platform you can imagine. It allows you to scan prices of products when shopping so that you can get clued in on what you're getting for your money. Is that cereal a bargain, or simply a crafty way of making it look like you're getting a steal? Find out with this app!
Whole Foods Market Recipes is a terrific app for anyone who wants to enjoy a healthy diet. The best thing about this app is the ability to sort based upon dietary preference. The user can sort for gluten free recipes, high fiber recipes and many other types. Kids are picky too, so luckily this app can make everyone happy, especially a busy mom cooking for many.
The Kindle app is a great app for the busy mom. A lot of times moms do not have time to enjoy themselves. With the Kindle app, a mom can read her favorite books while waiting to pick up her kids or in those few precious minutes of alone time. The Kindle app is also great to read recipes, pdf files or magazines. Anyone on the go should look into the Kindle app, and perhaps the best thing about is that if you skip buying hard-copies of books, you have more room for storage and less to clean!
Thousands and thousands of applications exist for all phone platforms. There are also apps for all types of users and preferences. Nobody knows the importance of time management more than a single mom.
These apps will not only save a single mom time, they will also save her money!
Jessie Hughes writes about parenting, working from home and more. Her favourite piece is on the Top 10 iPhone Apps for Teachers.
Do you have any apps that you cannot live without?
I don't know why it has taken us so long to check out Bambanani in Melville, especially since we are always looking for new places to take the Toddler while we are able to enjoy our meals!
(You can only go so much to Papachinos, where they don't mind to be rude because they are so popular!)
The entrance does not look impressive, but when inside it looks calm and serene, and next time we will definitely try out the tapas while sitting inside.
We tried the outdoor area underneath the trees, where there are a wide variety of play areas for the kids. I am amazed at how much they have packed into the small area. There are balls, and climbing equipment for the older kids. Underneath the patio is a whole world of play rooms, such as a fully equipped play kitchen.
There are child minders who also look after the little ones.
And they make a great cuppa! We are definitely going back!
If you have not heard of Honest Toddler by know, you should do yourself a favour and go and check out the Twitter feed as well as the blog.
I see it as as mandatory to follow him on his daily perspectives and utterances on life as a toddler.
It is mandatory as a survival technique for parents of toddlers.
If not recognising most of the Honest Toddler's take on life in your own child, it is also a sneak peak in the life of the parents of Honest Toddler.
They have their quirks and "addictions" while trying to parent a whimsical psychopath personality trying to get into the "big bed". Which is usually the big score! Or "cake"! Whichever comes first!
Some funnies:
- The blog post about fruit and how it should be presented to a toddler. Apparently not all fruit are equal, and fruit with any discolourings or bad spots are regarded with disapproval.
I love the bananas part! Yes, we should not expect them to eat the whole thing when it has been peeled. And, most importantly, always ask first before doing anything with a fruit!
- The toilet playing adventures on Twitter are a rich source of fun for the toddler, and I love the parents' reaction: "Mama is supervising with her special juice"
- The big bed as the ultimate goal each night. "Woke up in the big bed. Dreams can come true."
- The blog post about the animals. Not as funny, because it seems that the poor fish had died under mysterious circumstances and that the cat had jumped out of the window.
- At the office: "Did a quiet pee. Shhhhhh"
"Changed into emergency pants in the hallway. Stranger saw my bum bum LOL"
- And of course the potty training adventures... It's hilarious. The Twitter bio says it all: "Not potty trained. Not trying."
I've heard that the worrying never stops when you have a child...
But I thought the worrying would decrease...
Especially when she is 18 and finished with school...
But when you hear a sobbing in your ear over the telephone, you are one bag of worry for the worse!
It has been a tough few weeks this year with the student and initiation.
Now it is classes and a new way of doing things far from home...
With an accusatory tone: "One day I would tell my children not to study too far from home!" (sigh)
