In between house moves and work pressures, I just haven't felt the urge to write a blog recently. I've decided to take a break so I can spend the small amount of spare time I have on creative writing rather than blogging.
I'll be back at some point. I have a dolls' house that I want to renovate for Munchkin and it would be good to record my progress online.
Sunday, 10 January 2016
Sunday, 26 July 2015
Are we encouraging our children to grow up too quickly?
I'm back after a blogging break, and I'm grumpy! I've witnessed a number of things over the past few months that have caused me to question whether society is encouraging our children to grow up too quickly, and I think the answer is probably, yes...
Last week, a friend's child attended her nursery graduation. I wasn't even aware that nursery graduations were "a thing". It turns out they had quite a lot of media coverage last week, with opinions split between those who think they're cute and harmless fun, and those who think they're weird or even pyschologically damaging. They're an American import and I think it should be borne in mind that American preschool leavers are around two years older than British preschool leavers and therefore a little bit more mature.
Some pyschologists believe that the ceremonies place unnecessary pressure on children to achieve. I'm not sure I'd go that far, but I do believe they're encouraging small children to behave in ways they don't understand because adults think it's cute. There seems to be a universal belief that all children enjoy dressing up. Munchkin would probably refuse to wear graduation robes because they are not a pink fairy outfit. I'm also doubtful that she would want to walk up and collect a certificate in a crowded room.
Primary school graduation also seems to be "a thing". I got really confused when a friend's child attended her graduation ceremony at a local university. I thought she had an eleven year old genius! At least children this age know what is going on, and why they're doing it. The real winners in all of this are photographers and providers of robes and mortar boards. They must be making a fortune!
The age at which British children start school is another thing that's bugging me. Munchkin is really looking forward to starting "big school" next year. The same cannot be said for her best friend, Scoobie. As an August baby, Scoobie just slips in to the school year above Munchkin. She starts school in September and she's really scared. Although compulsory education begins at age 5, we start schooling our children at 4, and I'm not entirely sure why when many countries start compulsory education at age 6. Teachers in private schools have told me that these other countries have, "got it right". Private schools tend to do the best they can, giving children with summer birthdays the opportunity to start Reception class in January instead of September, but this opportunity is less common in state schools. In state schools, there are generally two choices: Start school in the September after you're 4, even if you're not ready, or miss the first (Reception) year at school and spend the following year (Year 1) playing catch up.
I guess what I'm saying is, America can keep their graduation ceremonies. The only one I've ever attended was my university one, and even then I felt a bit of a numpty in my gown and mortar board. However, we could probably learn something from the US when it comes to starting school.
Photo credit: quinnums / Foter / CC BY-NC
Last week, a friend's child attended her nursery graduation. I wasn't even aware that nursery graduations were "a thing". It turns out they had quite a lot of media coverage last week, with opinions split between those who think they're cute and harmless fun, and those who think they're weird or even pyschologically damaging. They're an American import and I think it should be borne in mind that American preschool leavers are around two years older than British preschool leavers and therefore a little bit more mature.
Some pyschologists believe that the ceremonies place unnecessary pressure on children to achieve. I'm not sure I'd go that far, but I do believe they're encouraging small children to behave in ways they don't understand because adults think it's cute. There seems to be a universal belief that all children enjoy dressing up. Munchkin would probably refuse to wear graduation robes because they are not a pink fairy outfit. I'm also doubtful that she would want to walk up and collect a certificate in a crowded room.
Primary school graduation also seems to be "a thing". I got really confused when a friend's child attended her graduation ceremony at a local university. I thought she had an eleven year old genius! At least children this age know what is going on, and why they're doing it. The real winners in all of this are photographers and providers of robes and mortar boards. They must be making a fortune!
The age at which British children start school is another thing that's bugging me. Munchkin is really looking forward to starting "big school" next year. The same cannot be said for her best friend, Scoobie. As an August baby, Scoobie just slips in to the school year above Munchkin. She starts school in September and she's really scared. Although compulsory education begins at age 5, we start schooling our children at 4, and I'm not entirely sure why when many countries start compulsory education at age 6. Teachers in private schools have told me that these other countries have, "got it right". Private schools tend to do the best they can, giving children with summer birthdays the opportunity to start Reception class in January instead of September, but this opportunity is less common in state schools. In state schools, there are generally two choices: Start school in the September after you're 4, even if you're not ready, or miss the first (Reception) year at school and spend the following year (Year 1) playing catch up.
I guess what I'm saying is, America can keep their graduation ceremonies. The only one I've ever attended was my university one, and even then I felt a bit of a numpty in my gown and mortar board. However, we could probably learn something from the US when it comes to starting school.
Photo credit: quinnums / Foter / CC BY-NC
Monday, 22 June 2015
Holidays
We've just got back from our annual holiday with AD's family. Munchkin is fast asleep, which is par for the course after she's been partying with Sweetpea, so I'm taking the opportunity to do some writing before I wake her up for tea.
We spent the week in a farm cottage on the Lancashire/Yorkshire border. The complex had won an eco-tourism award and I'm not sure if that enhanced or detracted from our experience. The tap water came from their own bore hole, and stank of sulphur. The owner had to drain the hot water system to clear the pipes so that Munchkin and Sweetpea could have a bath without chunks of sediment floating in it. The decor also seemed a little tired and dusty - perhaps that's more environmentally friendly than regular painting and dusting. That said, there was an on-site indoor swimming pool that went down rather well.
We've visited some lovely kiddy-friendly tourist attractions this week, and also had a fantastic meal out for our wedding anniversary:
Tourist Attractions:
For our anniversary meal, we went to The Box Tree in Ilkley. The food and the service were brilliant. If it wasn't at the wrong end of the country, I'd love to go back.
I must go and wake up Munchkin now. There's another blog in my head that needs to be written... Hope to find time soon.
We spent the week in a farm cottage on the Lancashire/Yorkshire border. The complex had won an eco-tourism award and I'm not sure if that enhanced or detracted from our experience. The tap water came from their own bore hole, and stank of sulphur. The owner had to drain the hot water system to clear the pipes so that Munchkin and Sweetpea could have a bath without chunks of sediment floating in it. The decor also seemed a little tired and dusty - perhaps that's more environmentally friendly than regular painting and dusting. That said, there was an on-site indoor swimming pool that went down rather well.
We've visited some lovely kiddy-friendly tourist attractions this week, and also had a fantastic meal out for our wedding anniversary:
Tourist Attractions:
- Skipton Castle - Munchkin has wanted to go to a castle for a while. This didn't disappoint. There's just enough information to keep very small children interested. The castle is sufficiently small for toddlers and people with limited mobility to walk round without getting exhausted. We came home with the obligatory toy sword! The best thing is, it's free for under 5s! (Adults are £7.50 and older children are £4.70, though a family ticket is available.)
- Thornton Hall Country Park - A farm park with some extras that we hadn't experienced before. The girls collected eggs (though Munchkin was expecting them to be chocolate!), fed animals, and went on a barrel ride. There was also a toddler music and yoga group there, which Munchkin enjoyed whilst Sweetpea staged a walkout. Munchkin said her favourite things were bottle-feeding the lambs, and milking the pretend cow. We attended mid-week toddler sessions, which were £5 for one child and accompanying adult, and £5.50 for each additional adult.
- Bowland Wild Boar Park was on a similar theme, though some of the animals were more exotic, and the play equipment was more varied, albeit outdoor. Munchkin milked another pretend cow, and cuddled a chick. She declined to feed the lambs - I think they were more boisterous than the Thornton Hall ones. This was probably our most expensive trip at £23 for a family ticket (2 adults and 2 children) plus £6.50 for each additional adult.
- Settle Play Barn - When we arrived, we were a tad put off by the industrial nature of the Play Barn. It seemed a bit "rough around the edges". This was soon forgotten when Nana Pat arrived! A former playgroup leader, Nana Pat runs children's craft sessions at the Play Barn once a week. We stayed all morning, and the soft play was barely touched. Pat got the children making fathers' day cards and gifts. Our two sat and made gift after gift. Pat even stayed late so Sweetpea could make an extra item. The children also went outside to watch the steam train that runs past the centre's backdoor. The soft play is nice enough - we've probably been to better, but the activities make up for that, and the food is pretty good too.
For our anniversary meal, we went to The Box Tree in Ilkley. The food and the service were brilliant. If it wasn't at the wrong end of the country, I'd love to go back.
I must go and wake up Munchkin now. There's another blog in my head that needs to be written... Hope to find time soon.
Monday, 25 May 2015
Pottery Painting
This is the first time I've blogged in a while. I've had writers block. The only thing I've written in six weeks is a poem... About not being able to write!
Hopefully that's behind me now. There's a blog about pottery painting in my head - hopefully it's about to make its way to the Worldwide Web.
Pottery painting has to be one of our favourite craft activities. It gives Munchkin the opportunity to be creative whilst creating a memento - which usually gets given as a gift. Over the past year, we've made a plate with hand prints on, a couple of mugs and a menagerie of unusual animals.
Up until recently, we've done our pottery painting at Mambo Jambos in Squires Garden Centre, Washington. This week, we went to Kingsley Craft in Ferring, since it's a bit closer to home. We enjoyed both and found the prices similar. Kingsley has the advantage of a cafe and toilet (with toddler seat) in the same building. Mambo Jambos is better equipped for messy children, with plenty of aprons, and a step next to the sink.
Pottery painting is so easy, anyone can do it. You choose your object, wipe it down, then paint it. The studio then glaze and fire it. It's ready for you to collect around a week later. Our most recent effort - which I don't yet have a picture of - was a medium-sized unicorn. This cost £14.50, including the £2 studio fee.
We have also tried decopatch at one of the studios, but Munchkin got bored, so we're sticking with the pottery painting for now. Some studios have party rooms so I'm bearing this in mind for future birthday parties.
Hopefully that's behind me now. There's a blog about pottery painting in my head - hopefully it's about to make its way to the Worldwide Web.
Pottery painting has to be one of our favourite craft activities. It gives Munchkin the opportunity to be creative whilst creating a memento - which usually gets given as a gift. Over the past year, we've made a plate with hand prints on, a couple of mugs and a menagerie of unusual animals.
Up until recently, we've done our pottery painting at Mambo Jambos in Squires Garden Centre, Washington. This week, we went to Kingsley Craft in Ferring, since it's a bit closer to home. We enjoyed both and found the prices similar. Kingsley has the advantage of a cafe and toilet (with toddler seat) in the same building. Mambo Jambos is better equipped for messy children, with plenty of aprons, and a step next to the sink.
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| Two of Munchkin's Pottery Painting Efforts |
Pottery painting is so easy, anyone can do it. You choose your object, wipe it down, then paint it. The studio then glaze and fire it. It's ready for you to collect around a week later. Our most recent effort - which I don't yet have a picture of - was a medium-sized unicorn. This cost £14.50, including the £2 studio fee.
We have also tried decopatch at one of the studios, but Munchkin got bored, so we're sticking with the pottery painting for now. Some studios have party rooms so I'm bearing this in mind for future birthday parties.
Thursday, 9 April 2015
What a difference a year makes
Last Easter, we went to the Cadbury's Easter Egg Trail at Petworth House and loved it. It was probably around this time last year that I moaned at Angmering Daddy for signing up to Wildfowl and Wetland Trust. A year later, we've just been to three very different Easter events.
On Good Friday, we went to WWT Arundel for the Giant Duck Hunt. Despite my moans last year, we have made the most of our WWT membership. It's a great place to go for family walks and duck feeding. Admission is free for Munchkin, and it's nice and flat for AD, who doesn't do hills very well. The Giant Duck Hunt is run on similar lines to an Easter Egg Hunt - you follow clues to find the animal or bird associated with each plastic duck, and get a chocolate prize if you find them all. Unlike traditional Easter Egg Hunts, it's running for the whole of the Easter Holidays. WWT Arundel also have indoor crafts, pond dipping and boat trips running throughout the Easter Holidays. Basic admission prices are £10.86 for an adult and £5.45 for a child over 4. Other admission options are available, including family tickets and a 10% discount if you book online. Most activities are included in the admission price.
We are also members of the National Trust but might be discontinuing this. When we visit NT properties, we tend to be confined to the gardens and cafe, plus the occasional self-guided tour. What pre-school child wants to go on a guided tour of an old house, run by a grown-up, for grown-ups? Not mine! We went to the Cadbury's Easter Egg Hunt, because we'd enjoyed it so much last year. We were rather disappointed. Last year, we got to make a chick. This year, I had to do a quiz aimed at primary age children. Munchkin got nothing from it because she can't read or spell. Last year, the trail started near the bottom of the hill, and AD got the minibus back to the car park at the end. This year, we had to walk a long way up the hill - AD wasn't expecting this, and sat out most of the Easter Egg Hunt. Munchkin became desperate for the toilet when we were in the middle nowhere so I had to carry her down the hill to the ladies. The sign-posting and map quality were poor, meaning that we had trouble finding the start-point and some of the eggs. We will be finding another Easter Egg Hunt next year.
On Easter Sunday, we went for Breakfast with the Easter Bunny at Wyevale Findon Garden Centre. We've previously had a very successful breakfast with Father Christmas at Old Barn, another Wyevale Garden Centre, so thought we would give the Easter Bunny a go. It was well worth it. In addition to cooked breakfast, followed by soft-play, Munchkin got to meet the Easter Bunny. (She was fully aware that it was person dressed up as the Easter Bunny!) The Easter Bunny gave her not one, but two toy rabbits to take home, plus a Lindt chocolate rabbit. She was given two Easter biscuits to decorate when she'd finished her breakfast.
In other news, we are starting to think about schools for Munchkin to start in 2016. She got a little upset when we told her she would have to wear a uniform. I hope she doesn't insist on going to a school where they wear her favourite pink and yellow!
On Good Friday, we went to WWT Arundel for the Giant Duck Hunt. Despite my moans last year, we have made the most of our WWT membership. It's a great place to go for family walks and duck feeding. Admission is free for Munchkin, and it's nice and flat for AD, who doesn't do hills very well. The Giant Duck Hunt is run on similar lines to an Easter Egg Hunt - you follow clues to find the animal or bird associated with each plastic duck, and get a chocolate prize if you find them all. Unlike traditional Easter Egg Hunts, it's running for the whole of the Easter Holidays. WWT Arundel also have indoor crafts, pond dipping and boat trips running throughout the Easter Holidays. Basic admission prices are £10.86 for an adult and £5.45 for a child over 4. Other admission options are available, including family tickets and a 10% discount if you book online. Most activities are included in the admission price.
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| The Giant Ducky at WWT Arundel |
We are also members of the National Trust but might be discontinuing this. When we visit NT properties, we tend to be confined to the gardens and cafe, plus the occasional self-guided tour. What pre-school child wants to go on a guided tour of an old house, run by a grown-up, for grown-ups? Not mine! We went to the Cadbury's Easter Egg Hunt, because we'd enjoyed it so much last year. We were rather disappointed. Last year, we got to make a chick. This year, I had to do a quiz aimed at primary age children. Munchkin got nothing from it because she can't read or spell. Last year, the trail started near the bottom of the hill, and AD got the minibus back to the car park at the end. This year, we had to walk a long way up the hill - AD wasn't expecting this, and sat out most of the Easter Egg Hunt. Munchkin became desperate for the toilet when we were in the middle nowhere so I had to carry her down the hill to the ladies. The sign-posting and map quality were poor, meaning that we had trouble finding the start-point and some of the eggs. We will be finding another Easter Egg Hunt next year.
On Easter Sunday, we went for Breakfast with the Easter Bunny at Wyevale Findon Garden Centre. We've previously had a very successful breakfast with Father Christmas at Old Barn, another Wyevale Garden Centre, so thought we would give the Easter Bunny a go. It was well worth it. In addition to cooked breakfast, followed by soft-play, Munchkin got to meet the Easter Bunny. (She was fully aware that it was person dressed up as the Easter Bunny!) The Easter Bunny gave her not one, but two toy rabbits to take home, plus a Lindt chocolate rabbit. She was given two Easter biscuits to decorate when she'd finished her breakfast.
In other news, we are starting to think about schools for Munchkin to start in 2016. She got a little upset when we told her she would have to wear a uniform. I hope she doesn't insist on going to a school where they wear her favourite pink and yellow!
Saturday, 28 March 2015
Nearly New
I sold some of Munchkin's stuff at my first nearly new sale this weekend. I opted for a NCT sale since they're popular and well organised. It cost £3 to register, and NCT will take 30% of what I make. I feel better about giving a percentage to a charity than I would a private individual.
I was lucky enough to win an early bird shopping slot at the sale. Had it not been for this, I'm not I would have gone there to shop. I was there to drop off items to sell at 8.15, the sale for non members started at 10.15, and I was back to collect unsold items ay 12.30 - too much to-ing and fro-ing (no idea if I spelt that right).
It's taken me weeks to launder all the baby clothes, select 70 of the 300 odd items to sell and price everything up. I was disappointed to be handed two bags of unsold items and a ride-on ladybird, after all that hard work, though have since realised that quite a lot did sell.
I spent £22 on clothes, and a baking set for Munchkin. As always, NCT popped lots of promotional leaflets in with my purchases. Handily, one was a flyer for 10% off at JoJo Maman Bebe, where I was planning on spending money later that day. I still have shed-loads of stuff to sell. I think I'll try eBay next. If you know of anyone who wants to buy a rocking ladybird, please send them my way.
In other news, my mouth still isn't better, we took Munchkin and Sweetpea to Peppa Pig World this week, and Munchkin was as sick as a dog yesterday.
I was lucky enough to win an early bird shopping slot at the sale. Had it not been for this, I'm not I would have gone there to shop. I was there to drop off items to sell at 8.15, the sale for non members started at 10.15, and I was back to collect unsold items ay 12.30 - too much to-ing and fro-ing (no idea if I spelt that right).
It's taken me weeks to launder all the baby clothes, select 70 of the 300 odd items to sell and price everything up. I was disappointed to be handed two bags of unsold items and a ride-on ladybird, after all that hard work, though have since realised that quite a lot did sell.
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| Please someone, buy this ladybird! |
In other news, my mouth still isn't better, we took Munchkin and Sweetpea to Peppa Pig World this week, and Munchkin was as sick as a dog yesterday.
Sunday, 22 February 2015
Birthday Party
Munchkin turned three over a month ago, and I've just found this blog entry sitting in my drafts folder! The Terrible Twos are officially over. I'm hoping I don't have a threenager. She hasn't been the best behaved over the past couple of weeks but it may have something to do with the fact that I've been getting increasingly stressed about my imminent wisdom tooth extraction. I had all four wisdom teeth out on Friday and am currently a little the worse for wear. I look like a chipmunk with mumps, and will NOT be posting any pictures of myself online.
The birthday party was a roaring success. We booked a Bouncy Castle Party at Worthing Leisure Centre. Although we'd booked two or three months in advance, it was the last slot available that weekend, so they're obviously very popular. We made a last-minute change from cold buffet to hot buffet but this was fine with the Leisure Centre as they only need confirmation of numbers and menu option a few days before the party. That was the only thing that didn't go smoothly - they got Angmering Daddy's phone number wrong so couldn't call us to make final arrangements. When we arrived on the day, there was a staff member to help us get organised. They ensured children went to the correct party, and that everything ran to time.
Munchkin and her friends had fun on a large bouncy castle and a range of ride-on toys, and there were also bouncy balls for them to play with. Food was served in the Committee Room, which is also the creche room so it was decorated in a child-friendly way. The food was pretty good.
Some of us agreed to meet at Out of Bounds later in the afternoon, this didn't go so well. Although it's our favourite soft play, they don't seem to have got the hang of organising things at peak times. We couldn't get in because it was packed and children weren't coming out when they were meant to, probably because their parents were unable to hear the tannoy. Several weeks later, we went to a birthday party at Out of Bounds, this wasn't nearly as well organised as the Leisure Centre's offering. Parents had to perch anywhere whilst their children played, there didn't appear to be a dedicated staff member helping to organise things, then the staff started clearing away food before the children had left the party.
I found myself a blogging app for my phone so will try to blog a bit more regularly again. It's called Blogmate and seems to work OK.
The birthday party was a roaring success. We booked a Bouncy Castle Party at Worthing Leisure Centre. Although we'd booked two or three months in advance, it was the last slot available that weekend, so they're obviously very popular. We made a last-minute change from cold buffet to hot buffet but this was fine with the Leisure Centre as they only need confirmation of numbers and menu option a few days before the party. That was the only thing that didn't go smoothly - they got Angmering Daddy's phone number wrong so couldn't call us to make final arrangements. When we arrived on the day, there was a staff member to help us get organised. They ensured children went to the correct party, and that everything ran to time.
Munchkin and her friends had fun on a large bouncy castle and a range of ride-on toys, and there were also bouncy balls for them to play with. Food was served in the Committee Room, which is also the creche room so it was decorated in a child-friendly way. The food was pretty good.
Some of us agreed to meet at Out of Bounds later in the afternoon, this didn't go so well. Although it's our favourite soft play, they don't seem to have got the hang of organising things at peak times. We couldn't get in because it was packed and children weren't coming out when they were meant to, probably because their parents were unable to hear the tannoy. Several weeks later, we went to a birthday party at Out of Bounds, this wasn't nearly as well organised as the Leisure Centre's offering. Parents had to perch anywhere whilst their children played, there didn't appear to be a dedicated staff member helping to organise things, then the staff started clearing away food before the children had left the party.
I found myself a blogging app for my phone so will try to blog a bit more regularly again. It's called Blogmate and seems to work OK.
Tuesday, 16 December 2014
Letters to Santa
For the first time ever, we have written to Father Christmas on Munchkin's behalf. It's her third Christmas and she has a pretty good idea what's going on now. I wrote a letter to him, asking her what she wanted to say. Having already decided to send a reply via santa.co.uk, I included things in Munchkin's letter that I knew would be reflected in Santa's reply.
There were about five letters aimed at Munchkin's age group, so I picked the one with the story that I liked best. The only thing that could have been done better is the way the child's best friend's name is used. In some of the letters, the friend is referred to as "they". Surely it wouldn't have been difficult to include one extra field to indicate whether the friend is a boy or a girl? The best friend thing was difficult for us in any case. Munchkin's closest friends are twins so it was difficult choosing which one to name.
We really liked the letter from Father Christmas. I'm not sure Munchkin was quite as impressed and Angmering Daddy and me, though she did like it. Perhaps she'll be more interested next year.
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| Letter to Santa |
There were about five letters aimed at Munchkin's age group, so I picked the one with the story that I liked best. The only thing that could have been done better is the way the child's best friend's name is used. In some of the letters, the friend is referred to as "they". Surely it wouldn't have been difficult to include one extra field to indicate whether the friend is a boy or a girl? The best friend thing was difficult for us in any case. Munchkin's closest friends are twins so it was difficult choosing which one to name.
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| Letter from Santa |
We really liked the letter from Father Christmas. I'm not sure Munchkin was quite as impressed and Angmering Daddy and me, though she did like it. Perhaps she'll be more interested next year.
Friday, 12 December 2014
Santa Special at the Bluebell Railway
We went to the Bluebell Railway to visit Santa last Sunday and Munchkin loved every minute of it (almost). The Bluebell has several Christmas packages and we opted for this one because it seemed to include the most for our money. We had originally intended to book a first class compartment, but the helpful man on the booking line explained that you see Santa for longer in a standard class compartment; he only pops his head round the door in First Class. Even standard class wasn't cheap, but I think it was worth the money. Munchkin is still young enough to travel as a toddler, but I paid the child rate so she could have her own seat. Standard (aka third) class tickets prices are: Adult - £20, Child £13, Toddler - £9. We were on the first train of the day, which I'm glad about because it meant it was relatively quiet when we arrived. People who arrived later on had to use the overflow car park in a field down the road.
The Santa Special goes between Sheffied Park and Horsted Keynes stations. There was a children's roundabout and a few fairground type stalls at Sheffield Park. The roundabout was meant to be free for the first go, and £1 thereafter but they weren't very strict about this. Munchkin won a doll on the Lucky Dip but I wouldn't describe this doll as lucky. So far her head and one arm have fallen off!
When the train arrived, we found our allocated seats. We didn't know whether we'd be seeing Santa on the way to Horsted Keynes or the return journey. It turned out that we saw him on the way there. Munchkin was given an embroidered red bag containing a gift. It was a cuddly lamb, who is now called "Bluebell". Munchkin loves Bluebell, and she's been everywhere with her for the past week. Munchkin was also given Smarties, and the grown ups were given mince pies.
Munchkin was a bit overwhelmed at Horsted Keynes. She didn't want to have her photo taken with Father Christmas. The Victorian fairground games and sideshows on the station were fun and good value (6 goes for £1, I think) but mainly a little grown up for Munchkin.
Upon our return to Sheffield Park, we went to the carvery restaurant for Christmas lunch. This was OK, but nothing special. Given that the Santa Special is aimed at children, I think they could have done more to promote children's meals. We were able to get child sized portions, despite there being no mention of them on the menu enclosed with our train tickets, and the waitress got Munchkin a tub of ice cream from the cafe downstairs because the desserts on the carvery menu were too big and rich for her.
We loved the Bluebell, and will be signing Munchkin up to the Stepney Club. She'll get a newsletter about Stepney (who appears in the Thomas the Tank Engine series), a birthday card, invitations to special events, and reduced rate train travel for just £8 a year, £12 for 2 years, or £16 for 3 years.
The Santa Special goes between Sheffied Park and Horsted Keynes stations. There was a children's roundabout and a few fairground type stalls at Sheffield Park. The roundabout was meant to be free for the first go, and £1 thereafter but they weren't very strict about this. Munchkin won a doll on the Lucky Dip but I wouldn't describe this doll as lucky. So far her head and one arm have fallen off!
When the train arrived, we found our allocated seats. We didn't know whether we'd be seeing Santa on the way to Horsted Keynes or the return journey. It turned out that we saw him on the way there. Munchkin was given an embroidered red bag containing a gift. It was a cuddly lamb, who is now called "Bluebell". Munchkin loves Bluebell, and she's been everywhere with her for the past week. Munchkin was also given Smarties, and the grown ups were given mince pies.
Munchkin was a bit overwhelmed at Horsted Keynes. She didn't want to have her photo taken with Father Christmas. The Victorian fairground games and sideshows on the station were fun and good value (6 goes for £1, I think) but mainly a little grown up for Munchkin.
Upon our return to Sheffield Park, we went to the carvery restaurant for Christmas lunch. This was OK, but nothing special. Given that the Santa Special is aimed at children, I think they could have done more to promote children's meals. We were able to get child sized portions, despite there being no mention of them on the menu enclosed with our train tickets, and the waitress got Munchkin a tub of ice cream from the cafe downstairs because the desserts on the carvery menu were too big and rich for her.
We loved the Bluebell, and will be signing Munchkin up to the Stepney Club. She'll get a newsletter about Stepney (who appears in the Thomas the Tank Engine series), a birthday card, invitations to special events, and reduced rate train travel for just £8 a year, £12 for 2 years, or £16 for 3 years.
Adult £20.00 Child £13.00 Toddler £9.00
Adult £20.00 Child £13.00 Toddler £9.00
Adult £20.00 Child £13.00 Toddler £9.00
Sunday, 30 November 2014
Soft Play and Santa
Since I last blogged, Out of Bounds has opened in Rustington. We're very impressed. It consists of indoor climbing, soft play and ten pin bowling. It's the largest, newest soft play in the Worthing area. Munchkin has been there twice so far, once with me and once with Daddy. Although there is an area aimed at under 4's and another aimed at under 12's, we found that Munchkin was able to navigate everything by herself, which was good going as she's nearly 3 and small for her age.
The soft play is on three levels. You enter and leave through (an apparently) child proof gate so it's all pretty secure. There are loads of tables within the soft play area, though the cafe is outside so I'm not sure how easy it would be to negotiate the gate with a buggy and a cup of coffee. The soft play cost us £4 off peak, with no time limit. The whole experience was a complete contrast to the soft play at Worthing Leisure Centre that I mentioned in my last blog.
Other than soft play, we've been planning for Christmas. I can't remember the last time I'd got this much Christmas shopping done in November. Munchkin has been very clear about what she wants for Christmas this year: Skye from Paw Patrol, an oven, a till and a Peppa Pig car. Thankfully, I found out that my step-brother was coming over from the States at around the time she decided she wanted Skye. Nick Jr haven't released Paw Patrol toys in the UK and I didn't really want to spend £15 + on an imported toy that costs around £6 in the US.
Munchkin and I wrote her letter to Father Christmas today. He will be replying via santa.co.uk. This website enables you to generate a letter from Santa with lots of personalisation. It costs £4.99 and a percentage goes to RSPCA. I looked into Royal Mail, which is free but I don't think there's much personalisation and NSPCC which is £5 suggested donation. NSPCC came highly recommended but I wasn't that impressed. I don't just want a letter from Santa, I want something that reads like a reply to the letter we've written; santa.co.uk gives me that option.
We're off to see Santa at the Bluebell Railway next weekend. Blog to follow...
The soft play is on three levels. You enter and leave through (an apparently) child proof gate so it's all pretty secure. There are loads of tables within the soft play area, though the cafe is outside so I'm not sure how easy it would be to negotiate the gate with a buggy and a cup of coffee. The soft play cost us £4 off peak, with no time limit. The whole experience was a complete contrast to the soft play at Worthing Leisure Centre that I mentioned in my last blog.
Other than soft play, we've been planning for Christmas. I can't remember the last time I'd got this much Christmas shopping done in November. Munchkin has been very clear about what she wants for Christmas this year: Skye from Paw Patrol, an oven, a till and a Peppa Pig car. Thankfully, I found out that my step-brother was coming over from the States at around the time she decided she wanted Skye. Nick Jr haven't released Paw Patrol toys in the UK and I didn't really want to spend £15 + on an imported toy that costs around £6 in the US.
Munchkin and I wrote her letter to Father Christmas today. He will be replying via santa.co.uk. This website enables you to generate a letter from Santa with lots of personalisation. It costs £4.99 and a percentage goes to RSPCA. I looked into Royal Mail, which is free but I don't think there's much personalisation and NSPCC which is £5 suggested donation. NSPCC came highly recommended but I wasn't that impressed. I don't just want a letter from Santa, I want something that reads like a reply to the letter we've written; santa.co.uk gives me that option.
We're off to see Santa at the Bluebell Railway next weekend. Blog to follow...
Tuesday, 28 October 2014
Poogate and Parties
It's been over a month but I'm finally writing another blog. In the world of Angmering Mummy, there are three things going on at the moment, Munchkin has taken to saying, "Are we nearly there yet?" in addition to "Why?", Angmering Nanny is very poorly, and we're trying to plan a third birthday party.
Due to Nanny's illness, we've been staying with Sweetpea's family. This has involved Munchkin and Sweetpea sharing a rather large single bed. In addition to the usual staying awake at all hours and group trips to the toilet, we've had Poo Gate. Child A did a poo in her PJ's in the middle of the night, then threw it on the floor. She said Child B did it. Child B said Child A did it. Neither were budging on these stories, however Child A said, "B did a poo in my pyjamas". To top this off, Child A has a history of pooing her pants, hadn't pooed during the day, and her end of the bed smelt. The jury is still out on who threw the poo on the floor.
Munchkin is going through a really shy phase at the moment. When we go to groups, she refuses to join in, even though she claims to enjoy them and wants to go back. As a result, we decided to arrange a birthday party for her that wouldn't involve group participation. Soft play seemed the obvious choice so I made enquiries about Amazon Adventure at Worthing Leisure Centre. They had availability of the right date, and the party package seemed to be what we were looking for - an hour in soft play plus 45 minutes for food in a separate room. Since we'd never been, Munchkin and I made a trip to check out Amazon Adventure... We will NOT be having a party there. The equipment has seen better days; it's threadbare in places. The slide is a nightmare. If you were there with a group of three year olds, you'd either need to man it to help them get up there, or ban them from using it. We've considered every other soft play in the area and ruled it out for one reason or another:
That brings me up to date with our news. Must try harder to blog regularly.
Due to Nanny's illness, we've been staying with Sweetpea's family. This has involved Munchkin and Sweetpea sharing a rather large single bed. In addition to the usual staying awake at all hours and group trips to the toilet, we've had Poo Gate. Child A did a poo in her PJ's in the middle of the night, then threw it on the floor. She said Child B did it. Child B said Child A did it. Neither were budging on these stories, however Child A said, "B did a poo in my pyjamas". To top this off, Child A has a history of pooing her pants, hadn't pooed during the day, and her end of the bed smelt. The jury is still out on who threw the poo on the floor.
Munchkin is going through a really shy phase at the moment. When we go to groups, she refuses to join in, even though she claims to enjoy them and wants to go back. As a result, we decided to arrange a birthday party for her that wouldn't involve group participation. Soft play seemed the obvious choice so I made enquiries about Amazon Adventure at Worthing Leisure Centre. They had availability of the right date, and the party package seemed to be what we were looking for - an hour in soft play plus 45 minutes for food in a separate room. Since we'd never been, Munchkin and I made a trip to check out Amazon Adventure... We will NOT be having a party there. The equipment has seen better days; it's threadbare in places. The slide is a nightmare. If you were there with a group of three year olds, you'd either need to man it to help them get up there, or ban them from using it. We've considered every other soft play in the area and ruled it out for one reason or another:
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| Not my choice of a party venue. That red star definitely looks ready for retirement. |
- P.LA.Y. - You're just in soft play with members of the public, then you get called to a small party room. Although not as run down as Amazon Adventure, it's seen better days.
- Harbour Park - You're just in soft play with members of the public for 45 minutes, then you go to a party room. Apparently their catering is attrocious. I've never been, but my friend says the coffee is undrinkable.
- Flying Fortress - As above, you're sharing the softplay. It's so big, we'd probably lose a toddler along the way. Might be a viable option next year.
- Wyevale Findon - No party room, you sit in the open plan cafe.
- Old Barn - According to Angmering Daddy, the soft play is smaller than Wyevale's. No party room, though it's less open plan than Wyevale.
That brings me up to date with our news. Must try harder to blog regularly.
Saturday, 6 September 2014
Why?
We have finally entered the "Why?" phase. The fact that this didn't happen until Munchkin could talk in full sentences hasn't made it any less frustrating. My friend's little boy is a month older than Munchkin and she has tended to do things a month or so after him, but not on this occasion. I was vaguely worried that she was developmentally slow, but secretly pleased I didn't have to deal with it.
I am currently dealing with around seven "whys" a day, excluding the supplementary ones. I wouldn't mind but I find them so difficult to answer. The answers I give are often met with a "why?". We still haven't established why there are big and small roads, and why weeds are so called.
We were driving home from swimming yesterday when Munchkin asked me why we had to drive round the roundabout. I explained at great length that roundabouts allowed cars to drive onto different roads more easily, otherwise we would never be able to get from the small roads (single carriageways) onto the big roads (dual carriageways). As a result of this, she asked me why there were big roads and small roads. I told her that big roads were for getting from one town to another and people usually lived on small roads, but I'm not convinced she was satisfied with that answer.
I was doing some weeding yesterday, when she asked me what I was doing. I explained that I was pulling up weeds like Grandpa Pig in Peppa Pig. This is going to be easy, I thought, I just say what Grandpa Pig did. Grandpa Pig said that weeds were naughty plants that grew where they weren't meant to. The next thing I know, I've been asked why Grandpa doesn't like weeds, and why he says "weeds". After trying to explain that they were called weeds because that was their name, I gave up. Every time I tried to use a comparison, it resulted in another question.
You would think that as a Business Analyst, who spends my working days asking, "Why", "What", When" and "How", I would welcome this but it's making me use my brain more at home than I do at work. I'm used to adapting my communication style for the business area or IT but now I'm having to think like a toddler. WHY?
I am currently dealing with around seven "whys" a day, excluding the supplementary ones. I wouldn't mind but I find them so difficult to answer. The answers I give are often met with a "why?". We still haven't established why there are big and small roads, and why weeds are so called.
We were driving home from swimming yesterday when Munchkin asked me why we had to drive round the roundabout. I explained at great length that roundabouts allowed cars to drive onto different roads more easily, otherwise we would never be able to get from the small roads (single carriageways) onto the big roads (dual carriageways). As a result of this, she asked me why there were big roads and small roads. I told her that big roads were for getting from one town to another and people usually lived on small roads, but I'm not convinced she was satisfied with that answer.
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| Image courtesy of iamharin freedigitalphotos.net |
I was doing some weeding yesterday, when she asked me what I was doing. I explained that I was pulling up weeds like Grandpa Pig in Peppa Pig. This is going to be easy, I thought, I just say what Grandpa Pig did. Grandpa Pig said that weeds were naughty plants that grew where they weren't meant to. The next thing I know, I've been asked why Grandpa doesn't like weeds, and why he says "weeds". After trying to explain that they were called weeds because that was their name, I gave up. Every time I tried to use a comparison, it resulted in another question.
You would think that as a Business Analyst, who spends my working days asking, "Why", "What", When" and "How", I would welcome this but it's making me use my brain more at home than I do at work. I'm used to adapting my communication style for the business area or IT but now I'm having to think like a toddler. WHY?
Saturday, 30 August 2014
Clearing Out
I recently spent two days transforming our home office from a junk room back into an office. I've now moved on to the conservatory which is being changed from an unused and junk filled sitting room into a play room. This has left me with piles of stuff that I've been trying to sell or give away with varying degrees of success.
A month or two ago, I tried to sell some good quality baby clothes to a local pre-loved shop. They declined the lot without even looking, telling me that baby clothes didn't sell. They were interested in one good-as-new toy but I declined the offer as I was sure I could get more on eBay. The following day, I asked parents on a local Facebook page if they thought it was worth the hassle of trying to sell baby clothes. Some said no, others advised me to do a nearly-new sale. My current approach is to dispose of what I can through the internet, then assess if I need to do a nearly-new sale.
I've tried various means of selling things online. I've got mainly kids' things plus a few items of furniture to dispose of. Facebook selling pages have proven a complete waste of time, though I managed to sell something to a friend via a Facebook status. Friday-Ad proved brilliant for selling furniture - it went for the asking price, give or take £3 and the ads didn't cost me a penny.
I've put various things - mainly toys and baby equipment on eBay. Some things haven't generated any interest. Others have lots of watchers and a few bids. My most popular item? Used, slightly bobbled training pants. Munchkin's old pants have three bids and nine watchers so far!
There are some things I can't even give away. I've put Munchkin's old changing mats and changing bag - all clean and perfectly useable, but by no means good-as-new on three Freecycle-type sites and no-one is interested. The problem with the changing bag might be that Boots give them away for free but I can't explain the changing mat thing. So why do parents want to buy used... and I mean USED... pants when they don't want free changing mats? I don't get it, but those FLIP training pants we didn't get on with will be going on eBay as soon as I have time to take pictures.
A month or two ago, I tried to sell some good quality baby clothes to a local pre-loved shop. They declined the lot without even looking, telling me that baby clothes didn't sell. They were interested in one good-as-new toy but I declined the offer as I was sure I could get more on eBay. The following day, I asked parents on a local Facebook page if they thought it was worth the hassle of trying to sell baby clothes. Some said no, others advised me to do a nearly-new sale. My current approach is to dispose of what I can through the internet, then assess if I need to do a nearly-new sale.
I've tried various means of selling things online. I've got mainly kids' things plus a few items of furniture to dispose of. Facebook selling pages have proven a complete waste of time, though I managed to sell something to a friend via a Facebook status. Friday-Ad proved brilliant for selling furniture - it went for the asking price, give or take £3 and the ads didn't cost me a penny.
I've put various things - mainly toys and baby equipment on eBay. Some things haven't generated any interest. Others have lots of watchers and a few bids. My most popular item? Used, slightly bobbled training pants. Munchkin's old pants have three bids and nine watchers so far!
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| Would you pay good money for these pants? |
Monday, 18 August 2014
What's in a name?
The Office of National Statistics announced the top 100 baby names for 2013 last week. I'm trying to decide how I feel about Munchkin's name slipping out of the top 100. Part of me is pleased that she has an unusual name. Part of me is disappointed that others don't share my good taste ;-). When it comes to names, I don't like anything too popular or too obscure, which is probably why I ended up with a name that was at seventy-something in the chart when I had my baby. I'm somewhat glad we're not intending to have more children, by the time I've ruled out the above, ignored anything that I consider too old fashioned, any name that was obviously borrowed from a celebrity and anything that I don't think sounds like a "real" first name, there's not much left. I don't want to offend anyone by saying this, just because I wouldn't chose your child's name for mine or vice versa doesn't mean either of them have "bad" names.
I've been encouraging Munchkin to name her soft toys and dolls - the above rules do not apply when you're two and a half - but this isn't going too well. She's happy to use the names that certain characters came with such as Peppa Pig and Baby Annabell and also the names that Angmering Daddy and I gave certain toys before she could talk, such as Ronnie the rhino and Alan the dog. However, when I've asked her to name a toy recently, she's gone for the obvious, dogs are called "Doggy" and rabbits are called, "Bunny". She won't budge on this one, if I try to come up with other suggestions, she says, "No, Mummy."
Poor Alan - so-named because he came from Ikea, where everything is put together with an Allen key - has been in the wars a bit recently. He nearly got taken to lost property after Munchkin left him in soft play at a garden centre. He went in the washing machine at the weekend because he smelt. Today he's been checked for nits. I had to check Munchkin's hair because nits are going round her nursery. I gave her the all-clear, but she in turn checked me, Alan, Princess Peppa and several items of bathroom furnishings.
Apart from names and nits, we've had a relatively quiet week. We've been to several parks and had a non-spectacular lunch out. Weather permitting, we might go to the Play Day at Homefield Park on Friday.
I've been encouraging Munchkin to name her soft toys and dolls - the above rules do not apply when you're two and a half - but this isn't going too well. She's happy to use the names that certain characters came with such as Peppa Pig and Baby Annabell and also the names that Angmering Daddy and I gave certain toys before she could talk, such as Ronnie the rhino and Alan the dog. However, when I've asked her to name a toy recently, she's gone for the obvious, dogs are called "Doggy" and rabbits are called, "Bunny". She won't budge on this one, if I try to come up with other suggestions, she says, "No, Mummy."
Poor Alan - so-named because he came from Ikea, where everything is put together with an Allen key - has been in the wars a bit recently. He nearly got taken to lost property after Munchkin left him in soft play at a garden centre. He went in the washing machine at the weekend because he smelt. Today he's been checked for nits. I had to check Munchkin's hair because nits are going round her nursery. I gave her the all-clear, but she in turn checked me, Alan, Princess Peppa and several items of bathroom furnishings.
Apart from names and nits, we've had a relatively quiet week. We've been to several parks and had a non-spectacular lunch out. Weather permitting, we might go to the Play Day at Homefield Park on Friday.
Tuesday, 12 August 2014
Little Monsters Bash
Munchkin got to meet Peppa and George but she wasn't expecting them to be six feet tall, and was a little scared! Captain Barnacles and Quasii from The Octonauts were also there, as was Yo Jo Jo (or whatever his name is) from WayBaloo.
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| George doing a meet and greeet |
There were some excellent shows on the main stage - most of which repeated several times, meaning that we had a chance to see what was on elsewhere. Alex Winters from CBeebies was the compere. I think it's perhaps the only time he's been able to give a big up to shows from Nick Jr without falling foul of his employer. I really enjoyed Katy Ashworth's band. I like a bit of live music and they were talented and entertaining. Munchkin enjoyed watching Go Go Go... or the Go Go People as she prefers to call them. We didn't bother with all the main acts, since we thought Dick and Dom, and the times table rapper amongst others, were too grown up for her.
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| Katy and her band on the main stage |
Little Monsters Bash wasn't cheap, it was around £15 a person, even with a Groupon discount. However, you got a lot for your money. I believe parking was an additional £5, but we didn't need to pay this. 2014 was the festival's first year and I hope it continues for many more. My only criticisms would be some minor logistical ones: although there were plenty of toilets there wasn't enough toilet paper, and there weren't enough children's options on the catering vans. Given that picnics weren't allowed, an outlet selling sandwiches would probably have gone down well. I'm also undecided on the merits of a mobile petting zoo. Do meerkats like spending significant amounts of time in transit, and setting up a temporary home away from their normal territory?
Munchkin's social life seems to be continuing apace over the summer holidays so I'll no doubt be writing more blogs on activities. It makes a change from potty training, which incidentally is completely done. She doesn't even wear nappies at night now. I just need to find a buyer for those expensive cloth training pants.
Friday, 1 August 2014
Beds, Water and Monster Munch
Today, Munchkin has mostly been cute. Her day didn't get off to the best start as she spilt water all over her bed. When I told her we were going to see her Pops, she said she didn't want to. She changed her mind when I told her she could take lots of toys, and appeared to ask if she could take her, "Monster Munch" with her. To my knowledge, Munchkin has never eaten a Monster Munch and we definitely haven't had any in the house since she was born. I eventually realised that was saying, "instruments", so we packed her toy guitar.
My step-dad -her Pops- is currently incapacitated, so we went to his home in Haywards Heath to keep him company. He's snapped his Achilles tendon, or Hercules tendon as he prefers to call it! Munchkin maintained that she didn't want to talk to Pops for most of the journey. Thankfully she changed her mind but every other person we met in Haywards Heath was subjected to the silent treatment.
Since Pops had another visitor for a couple of hours, we decided to leave them to it for a while and visited Victoria Park. Not having been to the park for many years, I'd forgotten it had a paddling pool. There was no way Munchkin was going to stay out of it, so I let her go in in her T-shirt and knickers. Other than the paddling pool, which I think is technically a splash pad, the playground has a variety of equipment including two slide/climbing frame combo's, a sit-on roundabout, rockers and a selection of swings. Munchkin loved the roundabout and the minature swing. In addition to regular swings, Victoria Park has a tiny "big girl swing" which is perfect for toddlers who don't want to be pushed on baby swings.
Munchkin managed to drench her T-shirt in the paddling pool so I took advantage of the fact the park is next to the town centre to buy her a new top. Luckily it was a hot day, as I was marching around town with a bare-chested toddler. I bought her a little floral number in JoJo Maman Bebe's sale. She was so taken by it that she didn't want to take it off tonight and is excited that I've told her she can wear it again tomorrow.
Once she was fully clothed, we returned to the park for an ice cream in Tory's Cafe. This is a new addition since my days as a Haywards Heath resident. There's a pleasant outside seating area surrounded by gardens. In fact, the whole park is more landscaped than I remember. There is also a skate park for the older ones. Perhaps skate park is a misnomer, since it was full of scooters and BMX bikes.
It's likely we'll be back, with a towel and a swimsuit next time. Munchkin's day went pretty well. At bedtime, she said, "Mummy I want to keep you."
"Where do you want to keep me?" I asked.
"In my bed," came the reply.
My step-dad -her Pops- is currently incapacitated, so we went to his home in Haywards Heath to keep him company. He's snapped his Achilles tendon, or Hercules tendon as he prefers to call it! Munchkin maintained that she didn't want to talk to Pops for most of the journey. Thankfully she changed her mind but every other person we met in Haywards Heath was subjected to the silent treatment.
Since Pops had another visitor for a couple of hours, we decided to leave them to it for a while and visited Victoria Park. Not having been to the park for many years, I'd forgotten it had a paddling pool. There was no way Munchkin was going to stay out of it, so I let her go in in her T-shirt and knickers. Other than the paddling pool, which I think is technically a splash pad, the playground has a variety of equipment including two slide/climbing frame combo's, a sit-on roundabout, rockers and a selection of swings. Munchkin loved the roundabout and the minature swing. In addition to regular swings, Victoria Park has a tiny "big girl swing" which is perfect for toddlers who don't want to be pushed on baby swings.
Munchkin managed to drench her T-shirt in the paddling pool so I took advantage of the fact the park is next to the town centre to buy her a new top. Luckily it was a hot day, as I was marching around town with a bare-chested toddler. I bought her a little floral number in JoJo Maman Bebe's sale. She was so taken by it that she didn't want to take it off tonight and is excited that I've told her she can wear it again tomorrow.
Once she was fully clothed, we returned to the park for an ice cream in Tory's Cafe. This is a new addition since my days as a Haywards Heath resident. There's a pleasant outside seating area surrounded by gardens. In fact, the whole park is more landscaped than I remember. There is also a skate park for the older ones. Perhaps skate park is a misnomer, since it was full of scooters and BMX bikes.
It's likely we'll be back, with a towel and a swimsuit next time. Munchkin's day went pretty well. At bedtime, she said, "Mummy I want to keep you."
"Where do you want to keep me?" I asked.
"In my bed," came the reply.
Monday, 21 July 2014
Resolutions
Yet again, I haven't found much time for writing. I've just had another birthday so have decided to make some resolutions for my 42nd year. So far I've got to:
Here's a brief run-down on what we've done since I last blogged, if I can keep to my resolution, I might go back and blog on some of these in more detail:
- Write more
- Worry less
- Read more
- Go to bed earlier
- Clear out all of our junk
Here's a brief run-down on what we've done since I last blogged, if I can keep to my resolution, I might go back and blog on some of these in more detail:
- Family holiday in North Devon with Sweetpea & Co. This went really well and we managed to find lots of activities suitable for toddlers, parents and grandparents. The weather was also kind to us.
- Party at David Lloyd for Munchkin's twin friends' third birthday. This was really well done. It was held in the David Lloyd creche, and everything was laid on by the club. The party was led by one of the creche staff and food was supplied by the club's restaurant. It was interesting to learn that you don't have to be a member to book a party there. I would love to join David Lloyd, but don't think I can afford it!
- Visit to Washbrooks Farm. This was a very good suggestion for a meet-up by our childless friends. Munchkin got to see animals, ride on a tractor, play outside on a wide selection of equipment including a brand new bouncing pillow, and go to indoor softplay.
Sunday, 29 June 2014
To my mother
I've spent a lot of time thinking about my own mother just recently. The mother of someone I'm close to has just discovered she's seriously ill so is attempting to spend as much time with her grandchildren as possible. My mum never had that opportunity, her only grandchild was born six years after her death. I'm really missing her at the moment, and feel guilty that my grief may be detracting from my friend's concerns about his mother.
Munchkin and I were looking at some old photos today, one of my mum when she was a child and two of my mum and me when I was about the age Munchkin is now. She quickly realised who the little girls were, and that the woman who looked like me was actually Granny. I've concluded that Munchkin looks like me, but with Granny's hair and Daddy's eyes. Munchkin understood the concept that I was once a little girl like her, a lot more readily than when I tried to explain why Granny wasn't at Pops' house when she was in lots of photos with him. She spent five minutes upstairs looking for Granny that day. I ended up telling her Granny was in Heaven, and hoped it didn't come back to haunt me when we went on holiday to Devon!
My mother taught me a lot about parenting, sometimes without realising it. Here is a brief selection:
If I can find the time, I'll blog about our holiday in Devon. We're off to a birthday party at David Lloyd in Worthing next week, so that might also be worth a mention.
Munchkin and I were looking at some old photos today, one of my mum when she was a child and two of my mum and me when I was about the age Munchkin is now. She quickly realised who the little girls were, and that the woman who looked like me was actually Granny. I've concluded that Munchkin looks like me, but with Granny's hair and Daddy's eyes. Munchkin understood the concept that I was once a little girl like her, a lot more readily than when I tried to explain why Granny wasn't at Pops' house when she was in lots of photos with him. She spent five minutes upstairs looking for Granny that day. I ended up telling her Granny was in Heaven, and hoped it didn't come back to haunt me when we went on holiday to Devon!
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| Image courtesy of Marin / Freedigitalphotos.net |
My mother taught me a lot about parenting, sometimes without realising it. Here is a brief selection:
- The only person who could convincingly tell me everything would be all right, no matter how dire it seemed, was my mum. I think this should be in the Mother's Job Description. I'm sure I once read a Caitlin Moran column where she said this was the biggest lie a mother ever tells. Sorry Ms Moran, I disagree. It's all about perception. If you believe everything will be all right -I'm starting to sound like Bob Marley now- you'll find a view of the world that enables you to feel this is the case.
- Never forget you were once a child. Children need to be played with, and they require empathy.
- Potty train as early as possible... Nappies are horrible!
- "I want doesn't get." Oh Munchkin, how many times have I said that to you?
- Be careful what you say to your children and never assume they don't understand. I can still remember things that my mum said when her first marriage was breaking down. I would only have been three or four at the time.
If I can find the time, I'll blog about our holiday in Devon. We're off to a birthday party at David Lloyd in Worthing next week, so that might also be worth a mention.
Tuesday, 10 June 2014
Date Night
Last week's Date Night was much more exciting than anything that's happened this week so I've decided to make it the subject of a blog post. Angmering Daddy and I don't go out that often because we're not the type of family with grandparents on the doorstep. A few months ago, I noticed a bill board advertising a live show by Dave Gorman, one of our favourite comedians. I looked details up when I got home and found that Dave was doing a series of live shows to test out material for the next season of his TV show, Modern Life is Goodish. We booked straightaway. The next challenge would be to find a babysitter. My lovely step-sister obliged, suggesting that Munchkin joined her five year old daughter for a sleepover.
So Date Night arrived and we took Munchkin over to Lewes to stay with my step-sister. We set up her Ready Bed in little Flower's room and stayed to play with her and make sure she was settled in. After about an hour, Munchkin asked us to go home! It was nice to feel wanted...
Our evening started in Food restaurant in Worthing - somewhere we've wanted to try for ages. The service was good and the food was superb. We used the fact that we had time to kill as an excuse for having three courses. Everything was cooked to perfection. I had the Calamari, Louisiana Street Food, and Banana Creme Brulee. AD had Latino Popcorn, Blackened Prawn and Pork Tenderloin, and Cheesecake. We've been considering going back with Munchkin, but yet again I've been put off by the children's menu. Why do so many restaurants, even those frequented by "foodies", think that children want chips with everything and assume that the parents are happy with that?
Then we moved on to the main event, Dave Gorman at the Connaught Studio. I hadn't been to the Studio before so was unaware it was a separate building. People had to queue outside until the doors opened shortly before the show. It interesting to learn the Studio used to be The Ritz, which had beem a cinema and a ballroom at different points in the 20th Century. Dave Gorman was really funny. The purpose of the live shows is to help him develop scripts. His audiences have been asked not to post details of the content of these shows online since it would spoil the TV series later in the year, and might make some of the special guests nervous.
It was weird not being woken up by a toddler demanding a cuddle or a cup of milk at 6:30 am the following morning. Apparently she was well behaved but was too excited to sleep until around 9pm. Other than decorating her bed with felt-tip and not using the toilet at all, she was the model child. Since Flower had an inset day, we spent the day in Lewes when I went to pick her up. She had great fun in the playground at Malling Recreation Ground before we went to lunch at Prezzo, which thankfully had a much better children's menu than some of the independent restaurants I've been to recently.
In potty training news, I still have two Munchkins. Nursery Munchkin wore pants today and only had one accident. She then came home, refused to go to the bathroom to get ready for bed, and peed her pants. I think the next two days at nursery will be fine, but I'm dreading pant wearing on Friday.
So Date Night arrived and we took Munchkin over to Lewes to stay with my step-sister. We set up her Ready Bed in little Flower's room and stayed to play with her and make sure she was settled in. After about an hour, Munchkin asked us to go home! It was nice to feel wanted...
Our evening started in Food restaurant in Worthing - somewhere we've wanted to try for ages. The service was good and the food was superb. We used the fact that we had time to kill as an excuse for having three courses. Everything was cooked to perfection. I had the Calamari, Louisiana Street Food, and Banana Creme Brulee. AD had Latino Popcorn, Blackened Prawn and Pork Tenderloin, and Cheesecake. We've been considering going back with Munchkin, but yet again I've been put off by the children's menu. Why do so many restaurants, even those frequented by "foodies", think that children want chips with everything and assume that the parents are happy with that?
Then we moved on to the main event, Dave Gorman at the Connaught Studio. I hadn't been to the Studio before so was unaware it was a separate building. People had to queue outside until the doors opened shortly before the show. It interesting to learn the Studio used to be The Ritz, which had beem a cinema and a ballroom at different points in the 20th Century. Dave Gorman was really funny. The purpose of the live shows is to help him develop scripts. His audiences have been asked not to post details of the content of these shows online since it would spoil the TV series later in the year, and might make some of the special guests nervous.
It was weird not being woken up by a toddler demanding a cuddle or a cup of milk at 6:30 am the following morning. Apparently she was well behaved but was too excited to sleep until around 9pm. Other than decorating her bed with felt-tip and not using the toilet at all, she was the model child. Since Flower had an inset day, we spent the day in Lewes when I went to pick her up. She had great fun in the playground at Malling Recreation Ground before we went to lunch at Prezzo, which thankfully had a much better children's menu than some of the independent restaurants I've been to recently.
In potty training news, I still have two Munchkins. Nursery Munchkin wore pants today and only had one accident. She then came home, refused to go to the bathroom to get ready for bed, and peed her pants. I think the next two days at nursery will be fine, but I'm dreading pant wearing on Friday.
Wednesday, 4 June 2014
Potty Training Week 2
It's as if I have two different children. Nursery Munchkin is almost potty trained whereas Home Munchkin uses the toilet every now and then. The Peppa Pig medal for pooing on the toilet has been awarded. This feat was achieved yesterday... At nursery, of course. When we arrived to collect Munchkin this evening, we were told that she'd been dry most of the day. The carers have asked if we want to send her to nursery in knickers next week. I'll probably send her in the Bambino Mio training pants since she prefers those to the Flip.
The unworn pairs of Flip pants went back to Lizzie's Real Nappies. Lizzie commented that they were the best on the market, but the manufacturer hasn't got it quite right yet. We probably will use the remaining pairs but I was hoping they'd be a substitute for pull-ups and that hasn't been the case.
Home Munchkin has been a nightmare. She has regressed to only using the toilet a couple of times a day and doing everything else in her pull-ups. And the tantrums... Well, where do I start? Public screaming fits about going to the toilet and/or wearing nappies, refusing to get dressed, refusing to go to bed... The list goes on... She's been driving me to distraction. I'm somewhat anxious at the best of times and I just haven't known what to do.
I've tried ignoring her, the "broken record" technique of repeating myself continuously until she gives in, negotiating and letting her do what she wants. Nothing seems to work very well. Angmering Daddy thinks negotiation is the way forward but I'm not convinced. I think she behaves worse for me because she picks up on my anxiety. She's made me cry twice this week. I'm trying to find some mindfulness training to help with my anxiety and have also reserved ToddlerCalm by Sarah Ockwell-Smith from the library. However, AD is really annoyed with me. He says that you learn to be a parent by being a parent and books are pointless. I'm still going to read it though!
Hopefully my next blog will be about something more exciting than toilets. Munchkin had her first sleepover at the weekend when AD and I went on a date, and we've also been to Ferring Country Centre, which has had an upgrade since our last visit, so there's plenty to tell if only I can find the time.
The unworn pairs of Flip pants went back to Lizzie's Real Nappies. Lizzie commented that they were the best on the market, but the manufacturer hasn't got it quite right yet. We probably will use the remaining pairs but I was hoping they'd be a substitute for pull-ups and that hasn't been the case.
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| Peppa Pig Medal |
Home Munchkin has been a nightmare. She has regressed to only using the toilet a couple of times a day and doing everything else in her pull-ups. And the tantrums... Well, where do I start? Public screaming fits about going to the toilet and/or wearing nappies, refusing to get dressed, refusing to go to bed... The list goes on... She's been driving me to distraction. I'm somewhat anxious at the best of times and I just haven't known what to do.
I've tried ignoring her, the "broken record" technique of repeating myself continuously until she gives in, negotiating and letting her do what she wants. Nothing seems to work very well. Angmering Daddy thinks negotiation is the way forward but I'm not convinced. I think she behaves worse for me because she picks up on my anxiety. She's made me cry twice this week. I'm trying to find some mindfulness training to help with my anxiety and have also reserved ToddlerCalm by Sarah Ockwell-Smith from the library. However, AD is really annoyed with me. He says that you learn to be a parent by being a parent and books are pointless. I'm still going to read it though!
Hopefully my next blog will be about something more exciting than toilets. Munchkin had her first sleepover at the weekend when AD and I went on a date, and we've also been to Ferring Country Centre, which has had an upgrade since our last visit, so there's plenty to tell if only I can find the time.
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