Things I’ve learned from my children today.
Don’t patronise them. It appears one of our neighbours is letting their pet use our garden as a lavatory – again! Boy One brought this to my notice, but I wasn’t sure at first.
“Don’t you think it might be some of that bread we put out for the birds during the snow and not it’s gone soggy?”
“Mum, I know the difference between bread and poo.”
That’s me told.
Toy manufacturers need to think about ditching the garish colours. Boy Three is interested in the world, but especially the in the world that his big people populate. If he’s fascinated by everything his parents and big brothers do, then it stands to reason that he’s fascinated by everything they do it with. That’s why in our house he makes a constant grab for phones, newspapers, books, remote controls, coffee cups, car keys and computers. Maybe toy companies should just make baby-safe replicas, instead of bright red ones that play Greensleeves. None of this, however, accounts for Boy Three’s curiosity about the wine rack.
Sometimes attention-seeking behavior has an up side. Boy Two’s bedroom is a disgrace. It’s impossible to cross it at a normal gait without doing the Lego-foot dance. Generally none of us has the energy to tackle it, we’re too tired with dealing with the other stuff – including the set-piece fights Boy Two starts just to get us to pay attention. However, lately he’s realised that demanding some help to tidy his room has the same result without the collateral punishment. It’s a bit of a result all round as, finally, we can start to see carpet and walls in there. And he’s on a winner because it’ll be months before the job is finally finished.