Is our patience finite?

Most days I'm an alright mum. Some days I would even venture to say a good mum. My children are happy, healthy, nurtured, nourished. But there are many days like today when I'm all out of patience and any little thing will make me snap.

My melt-down is not unprovoked. It could be the 2 year old who fights for ages before letting me strap him in the car seat, the 3 year old who is determined to only do poos in his pants (and preferably at other people's homes). It could be the 6 year old who sneaks a party dress underneath her school uniform. It could be that the 3 of them have disassembled my hoover and only they know how to put it back together, or that I'm sitting typing at the top of the stairs so I can chase the little ones back into their beds when they pop out.

Whatever pushed me to the brink, I'm here now and seem to be staying. I know that as a human being I can choose how to behave and to a certain extent how to feel. I can choose to show more patience. But sometimes it feels as though I have a cup of patience per day, and today's has been all poured out. So instead of a caring, fun mummy the kids get grouchy, sarcastic mummy who wanders around pleading "don't you want to be helpful to mummy?" (and that was only 8.50am!)

I know I'm not alone. Most people (if not all people) with small children periodically wonder what the heck they are doing. Why am I wiping poo off the bath mat? Why am I picking up pieces of cereal from the lounge floor? Why am I cooking from a selection of only 3 meals (pasta, pasta and pasta) to appease my children? Why are my dishwasher and washing machine on all day every day? What is the meaning of life?

So I'll do what I do most nights: pack them off to bed as soon as possible, eat chocolate in front of the telly, and then look at pictures and videos of them being cute. I'll creep in to check on them before bedtime and think that they are so adorable when they are sleeping that maybe I should have 3 more.

H didn't want to come into the house :-)

I love being a mother of boys!

I was so relieved when my first child was a girl. I really wanted girls, and had no interest in having boys. When my second child was a boy I was really happy to have one of each. But for pregnancy number 3, the husband and I were both sure we would back on safe ground with another girl. Instead we got Harry :-)

So now I have a lovely 5 year old daughter and then these 2 BOYS who are just 18 months apart. But the funny thing is it turns out they are just as cute, just as endearing, and just as cuddly as their sister was and is. They also have their own special little ways which I'm learning all about. There is more climbing, more falling, more wrestling and more injuries than I was prepared for. All floor space in my house is permanently covered in train track and all kinds of wheeled vehicles, and shops will only sell me blue or green clothes. They have won my heart and I'm the proud Momma of 3 fabulous little people!

How many times should I pick dinosaurs off the stairs?

Someone in this situation needs to evolve. First thoughts go to the small children who should be trained not to throw their toys down the stairs. But, maybe it is me that needs to evolve? Would a sensible person keep on repeating the same task several times a day when the result is the same?

The husband and I spent a few hours last week sorting out all of the toys and labelling boxes for them to be stored in. Although most of the toys were tipped out yesterday it was actually much more satisfying to have a proper place for each set and to file them tidily away in various cupboards. I just finished when 3 small whirlwinds whooshed in and covered the bedroom in duvets and blankets.

I surrender...

What do you find yourself picking up endlessly?

Visiting the dentist

Our family dentist is fantastic. She really focuses on making having a check up to be a fun experience for the children. All 3 children go in together and she encourages them to have a ride in the fun chair, brush the teeth of a toy crocodile, and learn a bit about dental hygiene.

She has totally won over my usually shy eldest child, and convinced both boys to climb up into her chair. The baby of course wanted to brush his own teeth with a giant toy toothbrush but that's all good. And the dentist is so thoughtful that she took a picture of my kids being cute and emailed it to me! I'm pretty sure visiting the dentist wasn't half so much fun when I was a child!!

Father's Day

The kids (and me) did let Daddy have an extra half an hour of sleep but then he had to get up and do fatherly duties (like falling asleep with a toy car being wheeled across his belly!).

Poor Daddy had to look after all 3 munchkins whilst I was at work. Hopefully he enjoyed all of the hand-prints and cards which he received.

He is an excellent father and bears the burdens of caring for 3 small ones incredibly well. He puts up with working 40-50 hours a week, living on 5-6 hours sleep a night, knowing he is currently the least favourite parent and then having us all accuse him of being grumpy :-)

So Mr Hastie let me say that we all love you and thanks for being such a fab dad!

Message to the World Cup

Dear readers, I very rarely re-post stuff from other people, but this is a special and timely message. It was written by the world council of the Baha'i Faith community at the request of the President of Brazil, for the opening ceremony of the football world cup. Happy reading...
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Her Excellency Ms. Dilma Rousseff,

President of the Federative Republic of Brazil

Your Excellency,

In response to your kind invitation, we take pleasure in sending the following message on the occasion of the opening of the 2014 World Cup.

We extend our heartfelt greetings to the people of Brazil as they welcome the representatives of so many countries to their homeland for a celebration of sporting prowess. Few occasions can claim to embrace so wide a cross-section of humanity, comprising peoples of varied ethnic, religious, and cultural backgrounds. It is clear to every observer that the sport that has brought these nations to Brazil is only strengthened by the marvellous diversity of the participants. To rejoice in this fact is to reject prejudice in all its forms. Truly, nothing is more striking about this extraordinary footballing spectacle than its capacity to reflect the global culture that has emerged in this age. And in summoning together the nations in friendship, it powerfully suggests that collaboration and common endeavour are possible in all things.

Humanity today is bound together in a global civilization. As the world advances in its organic evolution, let it reflect at this moment on the many qualities that the Brazilian people so admirably embody. For the path to peace will require expansive hearts, a passion for progress, unbounded creative energy, great resilience, a strength forged from diversity, and minds enlightened by the spirit of the age and inspired by the quest for justice. The peoples of the world are as variegated flowers in one splendid garden. Is any nation more fit to demonstrate this simple but essential truth than Brazil? In the vibrant, interwoven colours of this land the world can imagine its own dazzling future possibilities.

A sporting contest, even one on such a scale as this, cannot obscure the severity of the challenges that confront humankind. But in the weeks to come, we hope that observers everywhere—especially the youth of the world—will take heart from the many examples of team work, fair play, valour, and earnest striving that are sure to surface in the tournament. God willing, they will aspire to show those same qualities in their lives, in service to their communities, and in the promotion of peace. Whether labouring for the elimination of every trace of racism and discrimination, championing the equality of women and men, or seeking to advance justice, the efforts of every member of the human family are necessary. Constructive change is possible everywhere. Man, woman, youth, and child—all have an essential contribution to make.

We anticipate a time when competition among the nations may be a phenomenon chiefly witnessed in the sporting arena, whereas interactions on the global stage will be dominated by cooperation,reciprocity, and mutual support. We pray that this present occasion will redound to the honour of the great nation of Brazil as hosts and that the event will inspire not only passing fellowship but lasting solidarity among all who participate and the countless millions who spectate.

- The Universal House of Justice

Things The Kids Did Today Which Made Me Laugh!

...they can be a total nightmare to look after, but they also make me laugh! Here are today's episodes:

1) I just caught my toddler dipping his hand into the leftover cat food. I shrieked 'NO!!!' and leapt to knock a lump of jellied fish out of his podgy hand and then examined his mouth for evidence. He either hadn't sampled any, or had finished chewing.

2) The same toddler (H, aged 19 months) discovered at dinner time that he could hold a piece of penne pasta in his lips and make it into a whistle by blowing through it. He made us all laugh so the other children wanted to join in. My 5 year old did the same thing, but my 3 year old didn't quite seem to understand and so put pasta between his lips and then said 'nee nah' like a fire engine :-)

3) The husband and I were woken up this morning by the sound of children giggling and babbling. After ignoring it for a while we (OK he) investigated and found that our 3 year old son had climbed into his baby brother's cot (in a different bedroom) and they were happily playing together.

Getting a job

I weighed up some of the pros and cons of returning to work in a previous post To work or not to work. Now I've had a part-time job for a couple of months I'm reflecting on how it's working out.

My last 'proper' job came to an end just before I got pregnant with baby number 3, so I didn't have a job to return to. I run my own business and so have continued to work on that, but the pressures of paying the bills on a regular basis and my husband wanting to re-train and change his career have led me to look for a part-time job. Luckily when I was visiting my favourite local family park I saw an advert for someone to work in the entry kiosk. I charmed and CV'd my way into the job and now work at least 1 day per weekend a few days during the school holidays.

I only work on days where my husband is available to look after the children so there are no childcare costs. It does eat quite dramatically into our family time, but I guess I have to prioritise keeping a roof over our heads.

The first couple of days of work were seriously a MAJOR REST! Only having to look after yourself without looking out for 3 little people, being able to drink a cup of tea whilst it's hot, and having some adult conversation were huge pluses. I totally loved coming home to find my husband had cooked dinner (or a couple of times spent half my days earnings on a takeaway..) and begun to get the children ready for bed. It is great to know that he now understands what it is like to spend 9 hours alone with 3 children aged 5, 3 and 1. That helps.

Now I'm finding that my guilt for spending time away from the children is creeping in. This half term I'm working 5 days, but we are taking the children to CBeebies Land at Alton Towers for 2 days in the middle, so I imagine they'll mostly remember that! Guilt seems to be an emotion that goes hand-in-hand with parenting, and I'm striving to keep it at bay so there is just enough guilt to motivate me to try harder but not enough to make me sit and cry in the corner :-)

In general I am enjoying having a job as an extra dimension to my life. It is a relief to have a teensy weensy bit of time away from my beloved children, and it is necessary to earn money. I'm able to be there to take my daughter to school and pick her up every day, and my husband and kids regularly come to the park to visit me and enjoy themselves.

In my lovely uniform...

How not to potty train

Since writing about Potty training nightmares a few weeks back, things have only gotten worse. My poor 3 year old far from feeling encouraged by all of our efforts to potty train him decided instead to resist and stop wanting to wee and poo altogether. This resulted in a few days of begging and pleading with him, putting nappies back on, taking him on and off the toilet, giving him drinks and generally despairing. He was able to hold out for most of each day, even though that involved some obvious pain and lots of hopping around. He did most of his wees overnight when he was sleeping.

I was so worried about him that I tried to make a doctor's appointment but was only able to see a nurse. She advised me to put away the potty and not mention it for a while, and to put my 3 year old back in nappies. Maybe it's my paranoia but I detected a tone of judgement for my bad parenting. My 3 year old (S) had shown all of the signs of being ready to potty train and was really happy to be wearing his big boy pants.

The following day he was willing to try and wee but he was in so much pain as he did it, and also was lying on the sofa feeling really poorly. My husband rang up the doctors again and although he swears he asked to see a doctor when I took S back it was another nurse practitioner. She asked me to collect a urine sample (easier said than done) and so I delivered that back the following day (Thurs). On Fri when we called back to get the results but they had been sent off for analysis and so we would have to wait over the weekend.

On Monday when we called back my husband was able to at least speak to a GP on the phone, and she told him that S doesnt have a urine infection and prescribed some laxatives. Nearly a week later he is still in discomfort when weeing, so on Thursday I called the doctors again and pleaded to see an actual doctor. As usual they offered me either a nurse practitioner or a phone conversation with a doctor. I held out for a physical appointment and was offered one 8 days later. I attempted to negotiate but to no avail. So we are still waiting for that one and meantime S does seem to be improving.

So what do we do next? S is back in nappies full time, we have to give him a break from the idea of potty training and hope that he doesn't have all these negative associations with it when we try again later. Here's hoping for a few more parenting victories to make me feel a bit more competent as a mummy :-)

Who makes you smile?

After 2 days of dealing with a fairly ill child (plus 2 siblings) and generally moaning and complaining at the world, the sight of my littlest ones happily holding hands put a smile on my face. Today I have grumbled at the doctors surgery for constantly sending me to a nurse practitioner when I ask for a GP (I did get a lovely effort from the reception manager who did go out of her way to explain their procedures), I have sent an angry email to Tescos after getting bad customer service (and bad food), and let the lettings agent for my house have some of my grumpiness too.

My poor middle child is unwell and has spent the whole day on the sofa, aside from being dragged to the doctors surgery again (and tescos of course). His baby brother hung out with him, and the two of them had a lovely few minutes of holding hands. It helped put a smile back on my face and remind me that parenting is all about raising these creatures who are our future citizens and (I believe!) are precious souls.

Let me know what makes you smile!

Fun in the garden!

Thank goodness for better weather! This was taken a couple of weeks ago, but I'm trying to cheer myself up with the sight of happy children as I have one sick at home today. I'm so proud of my little gang of cuties!

Potty Training Nightmares

Many of you will have successfully taught a child how to use the potty or the toilet. I have done it as well, once. For my second attempt things seem a little trickier...

My middle child turned 3 last week, and so that prompted further encouragement to ditch those nappies and put on 'big boy' pants. We have tried many times in the past to get him to potty train but he has such a dislike that we've backed off for a while. But now that he is 3 we can't leave it much longer.

He is very keen on wearing the proper pants and not having nappies, but he is yet to do anything in the potty or toilet. We play endless games of dollies pretending to wee on the potty, read stories, attempt bribery with chocolate, but nothing is working.

My next step will be just to take the nappies away and let him have some little 'accidents'. Hopefully that will do the trick!

Send me all your tips and suggestions please...

How much are you in control of your kids?

This is a fairly typical scene at our home. Luckily all 3 children love playing together, and at the moment all 3 seem to love having a bit of rough play. Despite all my ideals of my children being harmonious peace-loving creatures, they do seem to have a need to tumble around and get some energy out. So far it is all good natured and they also enjoy playing softer games.

This morning my almost 3 year old said "I don't want any more cuddles, I just want to sit down" to his 5 year old sister. He had tolerated a few minutes of being kissed and cuddled and told he was loved, but enough was enough.

How much should we manage their play? I am watching them a lot of the time, but I'm trying to refrain from hovering over them and stepping in at every little thing. (More often I'm hovering over them with my phone camera!) If anything unkind is said then I do dispense discipline, but if they are all happily playing then I have been leaving them to it.

Leave me a comment and let me know how you are managing your children's energy and getting on with the school holidays! x

Happy Mother's Day!

I'm a bit ambivalent about mother's day. On one hand it is really lovely to have the kids make cards, give me cuddles and express their love, but on the other hand it creates an expectation that I will be treated differently. In reality I am still woken up early and have to spend the day looking after children (with some help from the husband). I fear that mother's day and my birthday turn me into a bit of a diva. I'm wondering where my breakfast in bed is, or my lie in, or a special treat. Why have all 3 children climbed into my bed and basically pushed me out?

So its time to step back and just be grateful for life. I have 3 special little people who shower me with unconditional love. Despite the lack of lie ins I wouldn't swap my life and I'm lucky to be able to have these precious children. I got a 'best mum' mug and I'm still optimistic that my husband will make a coffee to go in it. We'll have one of our many fab family days out and appreciate spending time together.

Happy mother's day to all of the hard working sleep deprived mums out there! Enjoy your special day x

Are our children starting formal schooling too early?

There is a debate in the UK about whether the age that children start school or the kind of education they are getting is too young. At the moment children need to be in school by the term following their fifth birthday which usually means they are 4 when they start school. Arguments suggest that 7 might be a more appropriate age and that play-based activities similar to pre-school would be a better option for 4-6 year olds.

To be honest, this hasn't yet affected me much. My daughter is in reception class and is one of the older children. Like many of the girls she really enjoys reading and writing and is making good progress. From what I understand the boys are slightly less interested in academic stuff at this point, and most of them are younger than the girls. As I have 2 boys yet to start school I expect I'll find more challenges later on.

There is a group called 'Flexible School Admissions for Summer Born Children' which is working to tackle the challenges commonly faced by children who find themselves starting school aged just 4 and spending all of their fourth year attending school. (see http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-25726538 for more info)

The 'too much, too soon' campaign began in September 2013 with an open letter in the Daily Telegraph signed by 130 early years experts who provided a range of evidence from different disciplines to demonstrate that 7 is the optimum age to begin formal schooling. This is in line with other European countries. (see http://www.cam.ac.uk/research/discussion/school-starting-age-the-evidence)

It seems that the recommendation is not necessarily that children are kept at home longer, which would have huge economic and social consequences, but rather that education is shifted to be more play-centred. It's all a bit scary for us parents who have children already in the system, but one has to hope that progress will be made in the best interests of future generations.

Let me know your experiences with your children starting school...

Happy New Year!

So here it is - this evening and tomorrow (21st March) mark the Baha'i new year. And, whether you're religious or not, who doesn't love a good festival? This one is particularly associated with eating, and we're planning lots of opportunities to eat throughout the day tomorrow :-)

I usually manage to stay out of photos (you can see why!!) but a happy Hastie family photo has to include The Mummy!

So happy new year to one and all xxx
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Hastie family selfie out-takes:

My little helper!

For some time now I have suspected that my life would be easier if I had another pair of hands. The other night that was kindly offered in the form of my 5 year old daughter 'A'.

She offered to put her younger brother to bed whilst I was getting her bedding ready. I popped out of the room for a couple of minutes and came back to find my nearly 3 year old son 'S' lying on the floor with A changing his nappy! They selected some pyjamas, she dragged them onto him, and then he hopped into bed ready for his story. A read his whole story book, said a prayer for him and then tucked him in.

I'm hoping this is just the beginning of a new level of helpfulness from my lovely eldest. But, anyway they are super cute! (yes I'm biased...)

Let me know what your little ones have done to make you happy!

Spring is in the air!

H and S enjoying Whimple Playgroup

Astonishingly we've had more than a week of sunshine and good weather! Let's hope it's a sign of a good summer to come.

Next Friday, the 21st March, is the first day of the Baha'i New Year which also marks the Spring equinox. It's a lovely time to have a new year, as spring is beginning and everything seems renewed.

I'm not planning any new year's resolutions, but I am celebrating all the things which are brilliant about the sun shining:

1) The sun just puts a smile on my face!
2) It has been surprisingly fast to leave the house without having to put on thousands of coats, hats, gloves etc
3) We can go to the park!
4) ...and the beach
5) ...and play in the garden
6) It feels warmer in the sunshine that it does in my house
7) I can ditch the wellies and break out some cute shoes
8) Is it frappuccino season yet??

Share your sunshine happiness with me!

I'm not boasting but...

...I live near to the seaside! So, on fabulous early Spring days like last weekend we can hop in the car and have a lovely day at the beach.

This is Dawlish Warren. It is a lovely place to visit on holiday. Nearby Dawlish and Starcross suffered a lot of sea induced damage in the recent storms, but they are getting back to normal ready for the Easter holidays. http://www.dawlishwarren.info/

A nice muddy outing

Like most kids, mine have been getting fed up of being stuck indoors throughout a rainy winter and are determined to get outside. Both my boys were so thrilled at the prospect of playing in the garden for a few minutes but I quickly had to drag them inside as they were playing in mud and water. So, I dressed them up ready for a battle with some mud and we headed out to the park.

These wet-weather outfits are super-cute! Baby H toddles around with loads of fabric rustling, but my 2 year old does look like he's off to inspect a crime scene... Here's hoping that spring is around the corner and we can enjoy loads of happy days out!

When do you get to sleep?

Yes I love my children dearly, yes I chose to have them, and yes I wouldn't swap my life... BUT when do I get to sleep? I think the husband agrees!

Here is my grumble in full:

1) There is no time to sit down and rest let alone sleep

2) Even if I could get chance to sleep, I can't find my bed underneath the giant laundry mountain on top

3) Even if I get past the laundry mountain (by throwing it on the floor) the sheets are grimy and wet from baby snot / dribble / spilled milk

4) Even if I put the kids to bed, throw the laundry on the floor and lie between grimy sheets, 3 little people will take it in turns to appear in my bed and gradually edge me out. I now understand the full meaning of the song 'there were 5 in the bed and the little one said roll over...'

Ah feel better now that rant is over :-)

Fed up of colds!

Come on spring, isn't it time for you yet? I'm getting really fed up of winter colds. Baby H has a permanently runny nose, and if I hear him sneeze I drop everything and run over before 2 streams of mucus flow into his mouth :-(

There is something cute and cuddly about an ill baby though! Even his big brother can't resist a little snuggle. We tried to take them out for a quick walk on the beach today, but both boys were fast asleep in the car by 10.30am. Please don't get me sick little ones...

Baha'i Festival of Ayyam-i-Ha

At the moment our family is celebrating the festival of Ayyam-i-Ha (Intercalary Days) as part of the calendar of the Baha'i Faith (www.bahai.org).

This is our time of present-giving, celebrations, and also thinking about how we can be of service to those around us. This year we received some presents from Grandma and Grandpa, and we also gave the kids some presents. Here is baby H enjoying unwrapping his fire engine :-)

At the weekend we had a party with the Baha'is of East Devon and Exeter. We came together in a village hall to share lunch and then celebrate together. The younger ones played with a toy parachute, did some craft activities and played pass the parcel, whilst some of the older folk played a board game.

After the festival of Ayyam-i-Ha is a period of fasting and then the Baha'i New Year is on the first day of spring, 21st March. We're all really looking forward to spring and to starting the new year!

Sunny half-term!

Yesterday was such a nice day that we were able to go out for a lovely day at Bicton Park. It reminded me just how much easier it is to look after children when the sun is shining! All 3 of my little ones just loved running around, going for walks, playing on tractors, and being at the playground.

I'm hoping we'll have at least some more dry weather to be able to go out and about. Devon has seen more than its fair share of storms, and we're really ready for spring to come along now.

And yes, we really are living up to our rural stereotype wading around in hay in our wellies and playing on tractors :-)

Baby is getting better!

Thanks for all your comments and thoughts for baby H. He is recovering well, and although he is a little sad, he is still able to get up to some mischief. I left the room for a few seconds and found him perched right up against the TV! Here's hoping it will be a looooong time before I have to return to A&E....

Baby's day at hospital

I wasn't sure whether I should tell this story in a blog, but the blog is about parenting, and this is what our family did over the weekend.

Poor baby H (aged 15 months) had an accident and bit through his tongue. After a few hours at A & E it was determined he needed stitches and so he had to go under general anaesthetic to have them. He is on the mend now and has been happily playing as you can see from the photo above (2 days after it happened).

As any mother will know, you can easily blame yourself for everything that happens to your child. He was under my care, so it was definitely my fault. But, accidents do happen, and with 3 little ones in my home I imagine I'll see my fair share of A&E.

We were taking the older 2 swimming, and so I had my 5 year old daughter and H in the changing rooms. I put H down on the seat and turned to help my daughter. I turned back to see him fall and land face first on the tiled floor. There were tears and blood, but it wasn't clear that any real damage had been done. After some dithering I let my daughter go in to her lesson, but I couldn't seem to calm down H or get the bleeding to stop. I tried to get my husband out of the pool, and he was in another lesson with our middle son, but got a bit fobbed off by the swimming teacher. After a few more minutes wandering around in a panic - looking like a crazed mum carrying a screaming, bleeding child - I decided we were off to hospital. I marched in to the pool and demanded that all members of my family get out, dry and dress as fast as possible.

We headed towards the hospital but H fell asleep almost immediately. We stopped the car and had a look in his mouth, but all we could see was a bruised lip. We decided that he didn't need medical help, but just needed some rest and cuddles, so we took him home. Over the next hour or so at home he cuddled and grizzled, but he just didn't seem to be settling. All of a sudden he tried to spit something out and I saw a big flap of loose tongue flop around! I screamed for my husband and put everyone in the car at a speed never before witnessed in our household. Nappies, shoes and coats were flung into the car rather than put onto children, and we raced to hospital.

My husband dropped me outside what we thought was A&E (at Royal Devon & Exeter for all you locals) and went off to park the car. I was at the wrong building so I ran through the rain with this crying, bleeding child and arrived at A&E in full-on crazed-Mum mode. I may have been less than courteous to the receptionist who insisted on knowing my full contact details before H could be seen. A doctor had a quick look but as she couldn't get H to open his mouth, she reassured me that the tongue heals by itself and he should be fine. The nurse who triaged him gave a similar opinion. About 2.5 hours after our arrival H was properly examined by a doctor who on prizing H's mouth open saw the terrifying flap of tongue and declared that this was going to need some stitches. He went to fetch a facial reconstruction specialist or something equally horrifying, and we were sent back to wait. I sent my husband off with the older kids to feed them dinner, and continued to wait with H.

After some long periods of waiting we learned that he would need some stitches in the tongue and that this would need to be done by general anaesthetic. Thankfully this was done during the evening and we were able to bring him home by 11pm. That whole process was pretty scary, but I felt better that something was being done to ease H's pain. He had barely eaten or drunk all day long, and had not been given any pain killers for quite a few hours.

So, now he's back at home, perky and drowsy in equal measures. He wants to get up and play, and then he wants to cuddle in my arms for a few minutes.

I am immensely grateful for the national health service that we have. Whatever its troubles, the fact that it exists, is readily available, and free to the user is amazing. We had excellent care once we were seen, and the doctors and nurses cared as much for us parents as they did H. I'm also very grateful to a dear friend who spent her Saturday night babysitting the older 2 children!

Brushing their teeth!

I've yet to meet a parent who 'enjoys' dealing with teeth brushing. It always seems to be a chore. The baby in our household LOVES brushing his teeth - or rather chewing toothbrushes. He will happily chew for ages, and will very often help himself to any other toothbrushes he can get his hands on, and after chewing those, drop them into the toilet. We've all lost some toothbrushes that way...

Here is a classic scene of me trying to get the children ready for school and pre-school. I've given in and let them watch TV whilst getting ready... well you have to leave the house somehow don't you?

Let me know your tips for getting ready time!

Last chance to win!

The competition to win a DVD, book and 2 toys (all aimed at 3-6 year olds) is ending at midnight GMT on 7th Jan. Just add your name and email address - these will be deleted once the competition has ended.
Entry form and review of the goodies is here: Competition entry.

Competition! And review of 'Heroes of the City'

Our family was sent a lovely pack from the makers of Heroes of the City: a TV show aimed at 3-6 year olds. We received a DVD with 5 episodes of the show, a nice big hardcover story book and 2 character toys.

I peeked at the package and then put it aside to look at later, but found it being sneakily opened and inspected by my eldest two. My 5 year old daughter and nearly 3 year old son both insisted that we look at it all NOW! They were very impressed with the toys (made from die cast metal) - one is a tractor and the other is a train. I decided that a quick viewing of the DVD before bed would be a good Friday night treat and so they snuggled in Mummy and Daddy's bed to watch the first 3 episodes. My daughter's view was that it was "fun" and she liked all of the characters. My son was won over by the toy train and tractor, and also loved looking through the book.

'Heroes of the City' is made by Swedish media company Ruta Ett. It is in English (with American accents) and appeals to both genders. It is about rescue vehicles who each get to be a hero when it is their turn to save the day. Ruta Ett have developed an app in which you can watch the shows, interact with the characters and play some cool games. I had a bit of a go, but it was an immense hit with my husband who pretended to check it out for the children, but who wasn't keen to let them have a turn :-) My eldest two both enjoyed playing the games. There are a few free ones and then others that can be purchased.

You can download the Heroes app from:

AppStore: https://itunes.apple.com/app/heroes-of-the-city-movie-app/id602592310

GooglePlay: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rutaett.HeroesMovie&hl=en

To win a set of goodies similar to what I received - a DVD, book and 2 toys - please enter your email address below (rug not included!). The winner will be contacted to get address details. This set will be posted direct from the suppliers so you must be willing for me to pass on those details. All names and email addresses will be deleted after the competition.

Just chillin'

Here's my 15 month old. You've gotta love that happy smile! He's found a deckchair, dragged it to a nice sunny spot on the landing, and sat himself down to watch the world go by. With a toy snake.

6 things you can't do with 3 small children...

1) Get in a normal car

2) Walk down the street

3) Go into any cafe or restaurant without every single person turning to stare at you

4) Fit through any kind of doorway

5) Leave the house without spending at least 20 mins getting people's shoes and coats on several times

6) Stay in a hotel room

10 things I love about my kids...

1) All the hugs. My baby waddles over and rests his head on my legs, my 2 year old jumps on my back, tries to strangle me and says 'cuddle'. My 5 year old jumps into bed for a quick snuggle. They all make me smile :-)

2) They all look so adorable when they're asleep. My husband and I like to stare at their cute little sleeping faces and the funny poses they get in to. My middle child snores like a purring kitten, and my baby likes to sleep with his head firmly wedged against the side of the cot.

3) The way they all 3 play together. It varies from a free-for-all rough and tumble to more elaborate role-play games.

4)The endless repetition of books, TV shows and jokes. The theory is that if it was enjoyed once, it should be enjoyed many times.

5) They all make me laugh. My 2 year old has yet to learn the idea of being more than one thing. If you say 'you are 2 years old' he will reply firmly, "No, I Sur-land" (Sutherland).

6) The many and various dolls, dinosaurs, bears, toy cars and most of all rabbits that have been dragged along on family outings, strapped into car seats, fed meals, been pushed around in pushchairs and generally led a better life than I have.

7) The fact that they run everywhere. It shows enthusiasm.

8) That I can make them really enthusiastic about any dull old thing, just by sounding enthusiastic myself. "We're going to the post office!" spoken in jubilation with wide eyes and waving of arms.

9) The cutesie small shoes. They are fantastic.

10) Seeing the DNA of myself and my husband recombined to create 3 different but similar little people.

Making a mess!

This is my 15 month old who was quietly munching away in the corner on what I finally discovered was shoe polish!!! I rushed him to bathroom in a panic and then, yes, came back for my camera! Mainly though I took the photo so that I could chastise my husband who had left the shoe polish out. His response: "Oh no! Have we got any left?" Me; "No idea, I was too concerned with whether I needed to take your son to hospital!!!"

This was last week and the little one is doing fine. Mummy needs to pay greater attention to what he is up too though :-)

How fussy is your little one?

Some of you will have read previously about the exploits of my dearly loved 2 year old middle child (see Two year old tantrums). He is still making the most of his age by using his license to tantrum, usually about clothes.

As a general rule, he doesn't like any sort of interaction with clothes. Putting them on in the morning is usually a full-scale battle, and he is not so keen on taking them off again at the end of the day to put on pyjamas. Like many other children he cannot see the benefit of jumpers and coats, and now I don't even try with hats and gloves. So what is the problem?

With my armchair psychology I assume he is trying to exert some control over the world around him and he dislikes anyone forcing him to do something. In the photograph above he is having one of his more helpful days where he gets up and chooses a full outfit and nappy. He actually did that this morning, but when I tried to change him he insisted he only wanted to be changed in the exact spot his was standing which was right outside the bedroom where his baby brother was asleep. Nothing could persuade him to move even a little bit. In the end I managed to get him nappy changed and he is still just wearing a nappy and pyjama top. I'm saving up round 2 for when we need to leave the house!

Aside from exercising his right to choose, my 2 year old is an old round lovely chap. He sleeps extremely well and plays nicely either on his own or with one of his siblings. He isn't too concerned with getting parental attention and he generally wanders around being cute. He has a healthy interest in trains and dinosaurs and he will watch the same episode of Octonauts as many times as he is allowed.

I am trying to remember to enjoy the cute years whilst they last!

Nobody puts Baby in the corner!

If you have more than one child, do you feel that your youngest gets neglected? This is my third and youngest child who is 15 months old. He has climbed up onto a pile of boxes (yet to be unpacked from our move 3+ months ago!) and he is reading a copy of 'English Grammar' to himself, since Mummy isn't doing enough to teach him how to speak.

My first child had plenty of attention and encouragement to sit and read books together, to make different sounds and to practice speaking. My youngest gets to follow his sister and brother around and learn by playing with them and them chatting to him. His brother always calls him 'Baby' and I'm hoping he won't be stuck with it for too long!

He does have a fun life with plenty of outings and loads of great games with his siblings. But, he doesn't get that same focused attention on his development. At home he follows me around and helps with the laundry and the dishwasher, or plays with toys whilst I work. He gets loads of cuddles, but maybe it is time to bring out the 'Baby Einstein' kit and get him started on some serious work :-)

Fun Ways to Get Children Interested in Their Education

This is my first guest blog, sponsored by Pencilstreet.org an educational resource site:

Fun Ways to Get Children Interested in Their Education

As any parent or teacher knows, there are some kids who just don’t seem to be interested in their education. Whether it is due to pressure from peers or simply through the lack of understanding when it comes to a particular topic, it can be a challenge to get certain kids on board. Of course, it is your responsibility to make sure that they do just that.

So if you are wondering about what methods there are to make this happen, why don’t you consider a few of the points below? They are sure-fire ways to get more children interested and involved when it comes to their education. All you need to do is put yourself in their shoes and see whether a normal day in the classroom or one of these options sounds more exciting...

Field trips

Think about all the wonderful places that you can take your kids to discover something exciting, often with the assistance of a knowledgeable expert. There are caves to learn about the different types of rocks, water springs to learn about the water cycle, and old settlements to appreciate the history of the country. Some teachers or parents might even want to consider a trip to the cinema if there is a film that will aid education on a particular topic.

Going outside

Whether at home or school, a simple trip outside often does the trick. Get some pavement chalk and get kids to draw the planets of the solar system, or even just improve counting by seeing who can jump on the skipping rope for the longest. It is these little things that can make a big difference in the basic skills that kids need to progress as they get older.

Role play

Inside you can always get kids to do a bit of role play; something that many of them are keen to do when they are young anyway. Instead of them choosing to dress up as One Direction or the latest girl band, get them to pretend to be characters from a book, or historical figures that they are learning about. A script can be helpful if you also want to improve English skills at the same time.

Games

Whether it is inside or outside, playing games can be helpful when it comes to further a child’s education. This could be in the form of quizzes where prizes are up for grabs, or physical activities. What you choose will be dependent on the ages of the children, as well as what subject you are trying to get them interested in. For example, a game such as ‘higher or lower’ played with cards can be a fun way to get kids to understand chance, probability and numeracy.

Special days

Check the Pencil Street website for some ideas when it comes to special days that you can mark. These include Remembrance Day and Black History Month, and should give you some suggestions about what you can do with the kids.

Eating healthy food

Thanks to all of you who gave suggestions for getting the kids to eat more fruit and veg (see earlier post Fruit and veg). We have been blending all the veg up into a pasta sauce which has been going down well, and making sure there are plenty of servings of boiled apple which all 3 love. Grapes and raisins are still popular and bananas are a favourite with 2 of the 3.

Here they are enjoying a bit of pizza at our lovely friend's birthday party.

Let me know your hints, tips and recipes for getting children to eat fruit and vegetables. My children are mostly vegetarian so any veggie recipes would be very welcome :-)