Summer Holiday – Day 1 – So far we’ve survived

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Summer holiday day 1 is over, well it’s over in so much as the boys are in bed…for now! I have housework and other things to do not to mention any other stuff that I’d like to do, or thats needed doing for a while!

When I was a child, I remember thinking that 6 weeks summer holiday was amazingly long and would last for ever. As an adult with my own children, I’m pretty much thinking the same about summer holiday but for a very different reason!

Childcare in the Summer Holiday

Nursery continues as normal on my work days, but with no school for the summer I’ve had to find a holiday club for the boy. Still only 4 and still so small and vulnerable. I hope he’s ok at the holiday club. He often takes a while to settle into a new setting. The staff don’t know him, they don’t know his little quirks, how he likes reassurance over things. I’m trying to prepare him for it but I’m not sure he knows what to expect. It’s somewhere that has been recommended by other mum I know so I just hope its right for him. He’s mentioned already that he’s a bit worried as he doesn’t know where the cloakroom will be. He doesn’t realise I’ll spend the whole day worrying and thinking about him, wondering if he’ll find someone to play with. Worrying that he won’t know where the toilets are, or who to ask if he needs something. What if time passes really slowly for him and he just spends ages wondering when I’ll be back. I hope he finds someone to talk to.

The best thing would be that he settles in quickly and has an amazing day. I really hope he does, but he’s still my baby. Still finding his feet in school let alone a new setting.

Children and Youtube – Why are somethings so popular?

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What is it about some of the videos on Youtube? How are they so popular?

My children are 4 and 2, I make no apologies for letting them watch youtube videos. I am always close by to check what they are watching is safe and suitable and usually it buys me a few minutes to do some household tasks. They never sit there for hours on end, just a few short sessions. They certainly seem to enjoy it. But one thing still puzzles me, why are some seemingly odd videos so popular?

youtube debut

For example, the items wrapped in play-doh, whats that about? And the endless opening of ‘surprise eggs’. I just don’t get it. As the boy grows up he’s increasingly interested in both ‘How to’ and games videos. He likes to watch other people play computer games (age appropriate of course!) he’ll spend a while watching other people playing Mario or watching other people opening toys. I suppose it saves me having to buy the toy for him to open!

For a while he’s been asking to make his own youtube video, I’m not sure he’ll be very poplar but  I think he just wanted to get on youtube. He chose the subject himself, again not something that people really want to watch but I’m sure I’ll appreciate capturing him in the moment and be able to look back with fondness at the video. I love how the technology of today means where ever I am in the world if there is internet I can watch my beautiful boy.

So here it is, his first intentional instructional video on youtube, he even says like and subscribe at the end….I wonder where he got that from!?!

Ladies and gentlemen I present to you……….”How to make toast with a 4 year old!”

Youtube Debut

Reception it’s almost over – Why I nearly cried at school

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The End of Reception

My eldest is in his Reception year at school. I only get to do school drop off for two days each school week because I do long hours during my three work days. I would love to drop off everyday but I am very grateful that I at least get to do two each week. Yesterday started like any normal day, the early rise as usual. Me thinking I have hours to get ready (when in fact we do have about 3.5 hours (so why is there ALWAYS, I repeat ALWAYS) a last-minute dash to beat the bell at school? Does this just happen to me?


 Reception

So after the 3 hour-long battle to get both boys, washed, dressed, fed and ready we were dashing off to school once again to beat the bell. We got there just in time for final goodbyes, a kiss, a quick hug and a little wave. Me stood with Flixster waving the boy off, watching him to the last-minute until he goes through the door and turns left into the cloakroom out of sight. It was then that it hit me.

Like I walked into a solid brick wall.

Thump
That was it, that moment, he only has a week left in reception. He is finishing reception, how did this happen? Why was I so sad?
Another milestone, another glaringly obvious reminder that time never stops.
It only seems like two minutes since I was dropping him off for his taster sessions with a tear in my eye. I was sad back then because he was growing up, school were stealing my baby away. I didn’t know when I dropped him off back then that he’d end the school year in a different school. Due to our house move and the opportunity to move schools he only spent one term at his original school and the other two terms at a different one. He has settled in so well at his new school, he still talks about the old one quite a bit but knows his new one is here to stay. I know I should feel happy but I didn’t. In that very moment I just wanted to hug him and cry quietly and not let go…ever. I felt even worse letting him go because I’d only just told him off for stamping on my foot and marking my new shoes, it seems so trivial, I should have just let it go and spent longer hugging him instead.
I’m not sure I like being reminded of time passing, I’m sure everyone feels the same. Some times I need the world to stop moving so I can take an extra few moments to appreciate it.

Reception

 

I need the boys to make sure they know I love them, I need to bottle their little smell, frame their tiny little hands and the trusting look they give you when they need reassurance. I need to appreciate every single moment in time.