When I first started this blog I was hoping to record some of my efforts to 'green' my lifestyle. As time's gone on though I have mainly chosen to write about the things my children say and do before I forget all the lovely ideosyncracies that make them who they are. This time I feel like a moan about how as a parent it can be hard to stay on track with my 'principles'.
This morning I decided to walk to work. No big deal, I have done it many times before, except that over the summer I have stopped using the pushchair for my 3 year old so if I walk, now she has to also. Walking my six year old to school for the first week back has been no problem, the difficulties start once we leave the school gates and continue on up the hill. I reckon between school and nursery there's at least a mile of gentle upward slope, a fair distance for a 3 year old I admit. But yesterday we walked happily with the offer of half a strawberry for every little milestone. Forgetting one of the golden rules of parenting (i.e. nothing ever works twice) I decided to try the same trick again. Uh-oh, this time my offer of fruity treats were met with wails and a refusal to do anything other than sit on the pavement.
Result? Not wanting to give in to the tantrum that ensued I hung around for a few minutes to see if she would come round. No chance of that. At least not within the time that remained between school drop-off and the due-in-work deadline. My few minutes of hanging around smiling at passers-by as they stared was of course followed by much huffing and puffing as I then carried her up the hill to work.
Ouch, that was hard work.
I am doing my best to leave the car at home but sometimes it is very hard indeed.
Friday, 11 September 2009
Thursday, 10 September 2009
Happy Birthday six today
It was my eldest's sixth birthday today. Am doing the ridiculously expensive play-den party thing for the first time ever this weekend with most of the girls in her class going. Ages ago I said she could also invite a friend round for a small birthday tea and candle-blowing ceremony after school on her actual birthday. She finally decided on C, after hearing that C wasn't able to come to the party at the weekend.
Conversation on the way home goes something like...:
Me: So when are you 6 then C?
C: I'm not sure but I don't really have birthdays because I'm a Jehovah.
Me: (inside my head obviously) Bollocks. So that'll be why she's not coming to the party then. Doh.
Am I the only one who does things like this? Obviously the first part of this girl's visit involved my daughter proudly showing off her birthday gifts - in case you don't know Jehovah's witnesses don't celebrate birthdays and don't do the whole present and party thing. Sitting down to tea later we lit the candles and sang with our guest sitting politely watching, after telling me she wasn't allowed to sing 'Happy Birthday'. Seemingly she IS allowed to eat the cake afterwards though. Phew.
Six years old. Wow. Hard to believe. And the other day three year old's school forms came in the post. It's all going by so fast.
Conversation on the way home goes something like...:
Me: So when are you 6 then C?
C: I'm not sure but I don't really have birthdays because I'm a Jehovah.
Me: (inside my head obviously) Bollocks. So that'll be why she's not coming to the party then. Doh.
Am I the only one who does things like this? Obviously the first part of this girl's visit involved my daughter proudly showing off her birthday gifts - in case you don't know Jehovah's witnesses don't celebrate birthdays and don't do the whole present and party thing. Sitting down to tea later we lit the candles and sang with our guest sitting politely watching, after telling me she wasn't allowed to sing 'Happy Birthday'. Seemingly she IS allowed to eat the cake afterwards though. Phew.
Six years old. Wow. Hard to believe. And the other day three year old's school forms came in the post. It's all going by so fast.
Monday, 10 August 2009
Our trip to the seaside
Just returned from a week's holiday with my lovely girls and mum, not to mention a visit from my lovely friend. We paddled in the sea, played in the sand and fished for crabs in rock pools. It was wonderful. Apart from the bedtimes of course, which were inevitably long-winded and exhausting. What a privilege to spend all that 'quality' time with the lovely people in my life. Simple pleasures are what make life worth living. Now time to get on with the mountain of laundry and tackle the chaos of the house...
I will come back to this and write more about the week's highlights, just wanted to mark our return to reality.
I will come back to this and write more about the week's highlights, just wanted to mark our return to reality.
Friday, 17 July 2009
Tag, you're it.
Scroll down to the bottom of the page and you'll see I've been tagged with an Honest Scrap Award. One of the great things about setting up this blog that I'd never even considered is that I get to communicate with a range of people right here in the blogosphere.
I've been tagged by the lovely author of halfmumhalfbiscuit, which means I now have to pass on this accolade to 7 other lovely bloggers, and tell you 10 facts about myself. I'll admit I'm a bit unsure about all this so apologies if it doesn't quite look right or work the way it is supposed to. In fact, to be honest I was tagged over at A Life with a View a while back but didn't even realise I was supposed to pass it on (sorry about that!).
So, here goes, I may stick at 6 for now as I'm still new to all this:
1 I have to start with the blog that gave me the idea in the first place, How to be Fit, Rich and Happy
2 And now I'd like to repay the favour offered by A Life with a View just a few moons ago
3 Because her posts are always full of the joy of being a parent there's Ruth at The things our children say
4 Because she provides an inspiration for tough times there's stigmum
5 From another parent who always makes me laugh Boozlebox
6 And from a group of friends who recently saw the film Age of Stupid and were inspired to make their opinions heard there's Climate Chains
Read and enjoy.
Now for ten facts about me. Some of which you may or not already have gleaned.
1. I worry too much.
2. I'm trying really hard to live as sustainably as I can but sometimes I get tired and miserable and so I drive to the supermarket and buy pizza to eat in front of the tv with the girls (shhh, don't tell anyone about that one).
3. I don't watch grown up tv any more. Really, not at all.
4. I probably spend too much time online.
5. If I applied myself I reckon I could make money from writing but see point 4 for one excuse amongst many.
6. I like apples.
7. Sometimes I still can't believe I'm really a mum.
8. Sometimes I still can't believe I'm so lucky as to be a mum.
9. I really would like to be able to stay in bed beyond 6am more than once a month.
10. I find it hard to believe that after 37 years I still only have one friend who likes camping as much as me.
I've been tagged by the lovely author of halfmumhalfbiscuit, which means I now have to pass on this accolade to 7 other lovely bloggers, and tell you 10 facts about myself. I'll admit I'm a bit unsure about all this so apologies if it doesn't quite look right or work the way it is supposed to. In fact, to be honest I was tagged over at A Life with a View a while back but didn't even realise I was supposed to pass it on (sorry about that!).
So, here goes, I may stick at 6 for now as I'm still new to all this:
1 I have to start with the blog that gave me the idea in the first place, How to be Fit, Rich and Happy
2 And now I'd like to repay the favour offered by A Life with a View just a few moons ago
3 Because her posts are always full of the joy of being a parent there's Ruth at The things our children say
4 Because she provides an inspiration for tough times there's stigmum
5 From another parent who always makes me laugh Boozlebox
6 And from a group of friends who recently saw the film Age of Stupid and were inspired to make their opinions heard there's Climate Chains
Read and enjoy.
Now for ten facts about me. Some of which you may or not already have gleaned.
1. I worry too much.
2. I'm trying really hard to live as sustainably as I can but sometimes I get tired and miserable and so I drive to the supermarket and buy pizza to eat in front of the tv with the girls (shhh, don't tell anyone about that one).
3. I don't watch grown up tv any more. Really, not at all.
4. I probably spend too much time online.
5. If I applied myself I reckon I could make money from writing but see point 4 for one excuse amongst many.
6. I like apples.
7. Sometimes I still can't believe I'm really a mum.
8. Sometimes I still can't believe I'm so lucky as to be a mum.
9. I really would like to be able to stay in bed beyond 6am more than once a month.
10. I find it hard to believe that after 37 years I still only have one friend who likes camping as much as me.
Services offered: most posts considered
Apparently my employer can no longer afford to pay for my services. Which means that as of October I could very well be job-free.
As you may imagine this has come as a bit of a blow (I am, by the way, a master of understatement). Up until now one of the saving graces of my 'situation' has been that I have had relatively few money worries associated with this split. Ok, so I had to go from working two days a week at a charity to three days with a professional money-making business, but I would happily admit that was hardly a major source of woe.
I have been fortunate enough to be able to stay living in our home, which in turn meant less upheaval for the girls and myself at the most difficult period of the split. I can pay the bills and I still have a car. Of course all this is partly down to my greenward shift, buying fewer new goods and clothing etc, making more of my own food and buying in bulk, and, let's face it, also drastically reducing the amount I spend on socialising (I reckon that adds up to about £5 a month or thereabouts!).
Anyway, time for a rethink. Someone is coming to value the house next week, just so I can get an idea of whether it would be worth me trying to downsize without moving my 5 year old too far from her school. But hopefully it won't come to that. Some weeks I barely manage to keep on top of the laundry, can you imagine actually moving house? Like I say, hopefully it won't come to that.
As you may imagine this has come as a bit of a blow (I am, by the way, a master of understatement). Up until now one of the saving graces of my 'situation' has been that I have had relatively few money worries associated with this split. Ok, so I had to go from working two days a week at a charity to three days with a professional money-making business, but I would happily admit that was hardly a major source of woe.
I have been fortunate enough to be able to stay living in our home, which in turn meant less upheaval for the girls and myself at the most difficult period of the split. I can pay the bills and I still have a car. Of course all this is partly down to my greenward shift, buying fewer new goods and clothing etc, making more of my own food and buying in bulk, and, let's face it, also drastically reducing the amount I spend on socialising (I reckon that adds up to about £5 a month or thereabouts!).
Anyway, time for a rethink. Someone is coming to value the house next week, just so I can get an idea of whether it would be worth me trying to downsize without moving my 5 year old too far from her school. But hopefully it won't come to that. Some weeks I barely manage to keep on top of the laundry, can you imagine actually moving house? Like I say, hopefully it won't come to that.
Monday, 13 July 2009
Superhero day
It's the last week of the first year at school. What a milestone. As a way of marking this stupendous occasion five year old is allowed to dress up as a 'superhero' and take in 'savouries to share with 6 friends' on Thursday.
Reading this out to her thinking it would be something exciting, the reply comes; "I don't want to dress up."
"Oh. Well, you don't have to."
Later the reason gradually emerges. Superheroes are for boys, obviously.
After trawling the internet for possible girly but brave and tremendous feminine superheroes, and also speaking to my sagacious sister (who has two boys and therefore knows infinitely more than I on the subject of superheroes) I try approaching the subject the following morning at breakfast time.
"I've been thinking about your party. You could be Supergirl. What superpower would you like to have, flying? running fast? juggling?"
"AAAAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!! (Actually it was louder and more blood-curdling than that in reality) I DON'T WANT A MUMMY!!!"
Hmm. Maybe my timing was wrong.
"I could make you a cape." (Sounding a bit desparate now.)
"Really? Can I have a purple one?"
You see, I am learning about this girly stuff gradually. It's all in the accessories.
Apparently.
Doh, now all I have to do is find suitable purple material and fashion it into a cape worthy of superhero status. And before Thursday, obviously.
Reading this out to her thinking it would be something exciting, the reply comes; "I don't want to dress up."
"Oh. Well, you don't have to."
Later the reason gradually emerges. Superheroes are for boys, obviously.
After trawling the internet for possible girly but brave and tremendous feminine superheroes, and also speaking to my sagacious sister (who has two boys and therefore knows infinitely more than I on the subject of superheroes) I try approaching the subject the following morning at breakfast time.
"I've been thinking about your party. You could be Supergirl. What superpower would you like to have, flying? running fast? juggling?"
"AAAAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!! (Actually it was louder and more blood-curdling than that in reality) I DON'T WANT A MUMMY!!!"
Hmm. Maybe my timing was wrong.
"I could make you a cape." (Sounding a bit desparate now.)
"Really? Can I have a purple one?"
You see, I am learning about this girly stuff gradually. It's all in the accessories.
Apparently.
Doh, now all I have to do is find suitable purple material and fashion it into a cape worthy of superhero status. And before Thursday, obviously.
Wednesday, 8 July 2009
Hopping
Just read five year old's first ever school report. Despite my determination to not crow too much about my lovely girl's achievements I just can't resist writing that it made me feel very warm to read how she's developed personally and academically at school in the first year. I was so worried about her emotional state of being in the period leading up to our change in family circumstances, but I myself have seen her grow into a happier and more confident child as we have all settled into our new living arrangements. So to read the first sentence: "She is a happy and polite little girl." was very heartwarming indeed.
In addition to the notes about her academic development, the teacher has noted that she has made some good friendships and has blossomed in confidence.
At the end of the report there is a page with a couple of comments from my daughter herself. Reading these I am glad to note that she doesn't (yet?) see school achievements in terms of the confines of the conventional classroom. She says: "I am very good at skipping and drawing." (True) And then: "I am going to try harder at hopping." You go girl, I reckon we could all do with being a bit better at hopping.
In addition to the notes about her academic development, the teacher has noted that she has made some good friendships and has blossomed in confidence.
At the end of the report there is a page with a couple of comments from my daughter herself. Reading these I am glad to note that she doesn't (yet?) see school achievements in terms of the confines of the conventional classroom. She says: "I am very good at skipping and drawing." (True) And then: "I am going to try harder at hopping." You go girl, I reckon we could all do with being a bit better at hopping.
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