parenting Posts

09Sep
0

Woe Is Willow

Yes, I have the most beautiful little monkeys in the world, but that doesn’t mean they are easy to wrangle all the time.

Over the last few months, I have noticed an alarming trend in the behaviour or Willow.  Nothing that can’t be managed and nothing too serious, just something that is tiring to deal with and takes up way too much of our time.

The first time I noticed this happening, was not long after she started school.  Naturally, I just put it down to her being tired from a big day of playing and learning, but apparently that isn’t it at all – this problem is even worse on the weekends.

What am I talking about?  Not entirely sure to tell you, but I’m starting to think Oppositional Defiance Disorder, which if you turn it into an acronym spells ODD and we all know Willow is just that! (but in the loveable way of course).

I have done some reading, spoken to other parents with children who have similar behaviours and even spoken to Les about getting Willow seen to by a child behaviourist (though he’d rather play ostrich). (more…)

Posted by arna in Family Values and tagged with , , , , ,
18Jul
0

Obsession With ‘Stranger Danger’

I think it is great that schools go through the ‘Stranger Danger’ plan with children.  Every school should have this plan and it should include parents (alas, us parents haven’t been included).

The problem is I now have a 5 year old who is obsessed with ‘Stranger Danger’ awareness, to the point she is having nightmares about strangers coming into our house at night and trying to kill us all.  This is now a nightly occurrence, and very frightening to witness.

Willow wakes up screaming, convinced there is someone in the house and they are trying to kill her.  Naturally, it is me who gets up to her (Les sleeps through the fire alarms which can be heard a block away), and I calm her down and get her off to sleep again, explaining that there is no one in the house and that she is safe.  This peace lasts for only a few more hours before I have to get up again.

(more…)

Posted by arna in Family Values and tagged with , , , ,
10May
4

Mum - Please Accept My Humblest Apologies…

Dear Mum,

You know, right now I kind of hate you.  You who is often right, you who knows better than I and you who always knows how to magically turn my kids into mirror images of me (Be careful what you wish for?  No, too late for that!).

The last 6 years, I have been a mother myself, and you a grandmother.  I have made mistakes and learnt from them (and yours) and grown as a whole.  Parenting is such a wonderful experience but it is tough…much tougher than I was truly prepared for.

Well, my darling mother, I now understand your frustrations, and I apologies profusely that you had to go through what I am now going through.  Yes, my girls throw tanties, but I doubt they are as bad as mine were, or maybe it is just I have found better ways to deal with them, who knows.

I apologise for how sore and tired your ears must be.  The chatter of a child is pleasing, except when it is non stop, even when they are asleep.  The incessant nature of it is truly nerve breaking and now I understand why you found it hard to deal with.  I wish I could go back and sew a zip on my own mouth for you.

(more…)

Posted by arna in Special Events & Mentions and tagged with , , ,
02May
2

A Troublesome Two Year Old

I know, ‘find me a two year old that isn’t troublesome’ is what you are thinking, but my problem doesn’t seem to be solveable at all.

Our two year old daughter is a screamer (like all my kids have been) and a massive tantrum thrower (to the point of self harm) and nothing we have done has even made the slightest difference.

We ignore her, we growl, we remove her from the situation, we smack (to get her attention and only on her well padded bottom) and we huff and puff until we are blue in the face.  None of these work.  On occassion, we are able to distract her by going on a Tedda Bear hunt, but once Tedda is found, the tantrum resumes, often with more ferocity than before.

Having just move into a really nice house, we are wanting to look after it, being much better than we expected and all.  All the doors and windows have fly/security screens so we want to look after them.  Frequently, we let the girls outside, but just as frequently, we say no just so they get used to hearing it.

Acacia

Alas, saying no to a feral child (Mad Max feral we are talking here) does not make for keeping a house nice.  The screen door out the back is no buckled and threatening to come of the runner (and all this in 2 1/2 weeks).  Not only will that mean insects can come in and the girls can get out, but it then means the house can’t be secured properly when we need to go shopping. (more…)

Posted by arna in Homeless Posts and tagged with , , , , , , , ,
02May
0

No Babies After All

Sometimes, you have to be cruel to be kind when it comes to your loved ones.  Recently, we had to be cruel to our finches, and we removed their eggs from the cage.

Don’t get all huffy on me now, I had good reason for it.  Firstly, many of the eggs had been laid in the seed dish and were practically abandoned.  Then there was the fact that the finches themselves kept tossing them out of the nest box and lastly, some of the eggs were damaged.

As each egg was removed, I carefully broke them open to see if they had been fertilized and how far away from hatching they had been.  Some were fertilized, but most weren’t.  The ones that were, had stopped developing at various stages, with the last seeming to be only days away from hatching.

Les had done his research on finches, particularly about their breeding habits, and found that at first, they aren’t the greatest parents in the world.  His research uncovered the fact that it can take 5 or more clutches of eggs before they get the nesting and hatching part right, and a further few broods before they are successful at raising their babies to adulthood.  Sad, but it is the way they are. (more…)

Posted by arna in Homeless Posts and tagged with , , , , , , ,
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