MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Taking #CountryKids on Holiday

I'm huge fan of Country Kids, run by Fiona at Coombe Mill, by the simple fact that it is very important to me for my son to enjoy as much of the great outdoors as possible. It pushes me to go out in all types of weather and shown me how easy it can be if you are just prepared. I try and join in every week as it is highly unlikely for a week to go by that we have not in some way made it outdoors. Dare I admit though that sometimes life gets in the way of blogging. Yeah I know it happens when you are parent that well parenting comes first. It's hard for us with little support as our families are far away. I found it difficult enough to establish a work life balance much less to find a space where blogging fits. I have also not mentioned that we are also organising a rather big relocation move down south which is what kept me away from blogging all last week. 

This week we are in Italy. This means a proper holiday for us as parents as I pretty much hand the wee man over to the care of his Nonni! The way his face lit up when he saw them was priceless. So when I was sent my weekly tweet about Country Kids I really never knew what I would have to share. I should not have been surprised though that it was not long before the wee man had dragged his Nonni outside for some fresh air. Admittedly it started on their balcony with a game of cars but it's still fresh air! It did end though with a walk with Nonno while dare I admit I stayed home to enjoy a cup of tea and finally dip my head into a good book. I do know that he had a good time as he came home with a chocolate moustache and the remnants of what looked like a hot chocolate in a plastic cup!

  

A little Christmas Cheer

Everything in moderation

So it was not long ago I was thinking how much my son loves to watch TV. I justified the amount he watched because I did balance it with spending time out and about but when we were home it just seemed that the TV or a DVD were always on. We even had the bad habit of having it on while we ate our meals as it kept him quiet sitting still at the table. I guess that is where we recognized the need to stop watching so much TV, trying to put an end to "needing" the TV on during meals. To be honest it was not so hard to achieve and only took a few days for him to get used to it. I'll be honest my wee man does not really do sitting still while eating and we now have a pile of books which we have to read while we eat but somehow I prefer this.

What it has made me realise is that it is more me relying on an easy way out than my wee man having any sort of dependency. Once certain boundaries are set he actually finds it quite easy to follow. So with less TV his other interests just seem to have come alive. I have bravely entered into the world of arts and crafts, he loves imaginative play and has rediscovered so many toys, and my lover of books is back again! He loves to be involved in the cooking and the cleaning and instead of finding his involvement frustrating (which it can be with the mess and the determination to do it all himself) I am embracing it all and just taking my time with it. I actually find myself asking him sometimes now don't you want to sit down and watch something so I can get some proper housecleaning done.

He still watches his fair share of tv and I really don't mind. Balance and moderation has always been a motto I go by. I have learnt that it is best not to say I will never when it comes to parenting because more than likely you will. Just because I give him a taste for something, like tv, chocolate or juice, does not mean he is going to want it all the time. He quickly learns when things are appropriate and that sometimes he just can't have it right now. Some things surprisingly like chocolate he only wants a little of now and again and maybe JUST MAYBE that is because he knows it's there and he can get some more again in the future.

So everything in moderation tends to be my parenting motto. This includes bubble painting by the way which can be a huge frustrating mess all by itself!

Say cheese!

Yes that is my DSLR camera he is holding. I didn't know whether to be proud or angry with him! What can you do when he says "Like mummy!" 

Walking the Hoolet Row at Chatelherault Country Park

  

Going to see fish in the water

The wee man went out for a walk last week with Daddy as mummy lay feeling rather poorly at home in bed. They went to buy some fish for tea. The wee man was rather disappointed as he did not realise when he was going to see fish that they would not be swimming in the water. On Saturday when I asked him what he wanted to do I guess I should not have been surprised by the request to go and see fishes swimming in the water.

We went to the Glasgow Botanical Gardens. It turns out to be a great winter activity actually because it is enjoying nature but you are protected from the weather in the Glasshouses. We did get a fresh air fix by enjoying the play park there as well. I was even offered some "hot ice cream" from the "cafe" (I love how he uses his imagination now).