Tough love

Sometimes this parenting lark is a little more tiresome than one would care to admit. It requires more patience or energy than you might have today but now is the time your effort is necessary.

For a while, an somewhat inexplicably, Bounce has been the class thug. He thumps people, pushes them off chairs and is generally most unpleasant in sudden outbursts during the day. He is immediately very apologetic and does understand that this isn't a nice way to behave but sadly hasn't learnt an alternative coping strategy when he is vexed.

After an especially bad week, an ultimatum was made, the kind you hope you won't have to enforce, and for a while it seemed to be working. I collected him at the end of each day without receiving any bad news and began to think we had turned a corner. Reckless, of course. Today he has again launched an unprovoked attack on an innocent classmate and so has had to miss the party.

Oh how the tears have flowed and they have been the heart wrenching sobs of real upset rather than the easily ignored roars of rage. I have sad with a heavy heart all evening, though I know that our decision is right and the effort will hopefully reap rewards.

Then, to cap it all, Lapin was grumpy at bedtime, despite an evening littered with special treats.

This discipline lark is pretty hard work for all of us.

Spring is springing

I know the occasional sunny day doesn't mean that we are galloping recklessly towards a long lazy summer but the evidence of change was brashly by the front door when I returned from the school run yesterday.


The neglected pot of crocus that sits, largely ignored, by the porch had suddenly burst open, turning their little faces to the sun and reflecting the light. Don't they make you feel the sun is almost on its way?

Pride before a fall

So there I was, finally getting it right and feeling pretty smug about it. All the pages had nice little ticks and a red remark at the bottom, confirming all the details were present and correct. The very serious computer system did its fancy thing (after a painful pause for thought) and then I discovered I had made a mistake. A great big howler of a mistake caused by not checking what I was doing carefully enough. And now I don't know how to rectify it without professional help.

That little smug smile I had earlier in the evening? He shot out the door faster than the blink of an eye. Curses.

Frenetic

Sorry for the long pause. Though there is much to say, by the time I have finished all the things that must be done, I'm afraid I lack the mental and physical energy required to string coherent thought together.

Back soon.