Lauren is totally and utterly addicted to Hannah Montana. It's on in our house every day for as long as she can get away with it. If I'm busy (bad mum) it's a little too long!
The other day I decided to see what all the fuss was about, as the boys were getting 'sucked in' to what I believed was a trashy American soap as well. We all sat down in our snug and watched one episode from start to finish. I challenged them at the beginning by saying " OK guys, at the end of this show I'd like you to tell me what you've learnt from this programme".
Twenty minutes later I have to admit, I'd really enjoyed it. Yep OK it was full of cheap 'gags' and Billy Ray Cyrus is not the best actor in the world, but it was harmless and Dolly Parton made a guest appearance which made my day. Always been a fan of hers!
"So", I said as the credits came on the screen. " What did you learn from that, anything?" Immediately Benj piped up with "Yes mummy, I learnt that you should always give people a second chance - and that we should turn anger into love". Wow, wow and wow - I was bowled over. That was exactly what I took from it too!
So, next time you think your kids have glazed over, and are getting nothing out of the TV other than square eyes (my mum used to say it to me and my sister all the time, and now I say it to my kids!) why not ask them some questions. You may be pleasantly surprised.
On the strength of that,I took Lauren to see the Hannah Montana movie on Saturday too, and that was well entertaining. Really lively, colourful, full of messages! and some great songs. Mostly girls in the audience, and they actually clapped and cheered when it finished - and I joined in too!
RX
Friday, 15 May 2009
Tuesday, 12 May 2009
SHARKS
I planned it meticulously with my mother. She was to have Lauren, aged nearly one, for the day, while Chris and I took Ben, aged just three to the cinema for the first time, and then out for tea.
The film was Finding Nemo. He'd seen pictures in a magazine, we'd talked about it alot, and we'd read all the reviews. It all seemed perfect for our first borns initial cinema experience.
Lauren resisted being left with Gran that day, (kids have such a sixth sense don't they?), and so we were a little late arriving in Leeds. We parked at the Light and Ben was fascinated by the lifts. We bought the tickets, bought him some sweeties and headed for Screen 1, the biggest.
He was so excited he could hardly contain himself.We opened the doors, and his face changed a little. It was dark inside, and neither of us had thought to tell him this. I lifted him up and reassured him and we walked towards the seats. By this time we were really quite late and the cinema was heaving.
We walked down the centre aisle and could just see row after row of full seats.We walked up and down a while and thought we were going to be out of luck when Chris spotted three seats on the front row.
Not ideal, as the screen was huge, and we were just about three feet away, but beggars can't be choosers and we so desperately didn't want to upset our little boy. So we sat down, opened the sweets and made ourselves comfortable.
But not for long! The trailers ended, and Finding Nemo was next up. The music came first; deafening music, and Bens face fell. And it was very loud. He jumped on my knee - ok, I thought not the end of the world if he sits on my knee for two hours. Then the film started. Lots of lovely, colourful little fishes swimming around was what I had imagined and what we'd talked about - certainly not what came next.
The opening credits had just finished when - WHAM - a gi-normous shark came tearing towards us, filling the entire screen with its pointed teeth and flaring nostrils.
Ben screamed, and screamed and screamed and we left the cinema. That was it, his first cinema experience over in five minutes.
Note to film producers - is there really any need to scare the life out of your target audience, when most of them are under eight years old?!
Not that he's been scarred for life but it took us a good few years before Ben would return to the cinema. When he did, I took him to see Jungle Book. And yes, it was full of colourful little creatures and a friendly happy jungle boy who sang nice songs. Perfect.
The film was Finding Nemo. He'd seen pictures in a magazine, we'd talked about it alot, and we'd read all the reviews. It all seemed perfect for our first borns initial cinema experience.
Lauren resisted being left with Gran that day, (kids have such a sixth sense don't they?), and so we were a little late arriving in Leeds. We parked at the Light and Ben was fascinated by the lifts. We bought the tickets, bought him some sweeties and headed for Screen 1, the biggest.
He was so excited he could hardly contain himself.We opened the doors, and his face changed a little. It was dark inside, and neither of us had thought to tell him this. I lifted him up and reassured him and we walked towards the seats. By this time we were really quite late and the cinema was heaving.
We walked down the centre aisle and could just see row after row of full seats.We walked up and down a while and thought we were going to be out of luck when Chris spotted three seats on the front row.
Not ideal, as the screen was huge, and we were just about three feet away, but beggars can't be choosers and we so desperately didn't want to upset our little boy. So we sat down, opened the sweets and made ourselves comfortable.
But not for long! The trailers ended, and Finding Nemo was next up. The music came first; deafening music, and Bens face fell. And it was very loud. He jumped on my knee - ok, I thought not the end of the world if he sits on my knee for two hours. Then the film started. Lots of lovely, colourful little fishes swimming around was what I had imagined and what we'd talked about - certainly not what came next.
The opening credits had just finished when - WHAM - a gi-normous shark came tearing towards us, filling the entire screen with its pointed teeth and flaring nostrils.
Ben screamed, and screamed and screamed and we left the cinema. That was it, his first cinema experience over in five minutes.
Note to film producers - is there really any need to scare the life out of your target audience, when most of them are under eight years old?!
Not that he's been scarred for life but it took us a good few years before Ben would return to the cinema. When he did, I took him to see Jungle Book. And yes, it was full of colourful little creatures and a friendly happy jungle boy who sang nice songs. Perfect.
Friday, 8 May 2009
FADS
We have a new 'fad' in our house, or at least the children do. It just happens to be my favourite one of all time though, so I'm happy to give them my time to play with these little plastic things called GOGOS.
They come in packs of three, in case you're not aware and they cost 99p - you get stickers too though, which makes the price quite reasonable, according to my kids!
Lauren saved up, or conned her Gran, I'm not sure which, and today we had a delivery of thirty packets.Yes, thirty packets! My Dad, who is seperated from my mum was horrified and declared that she spoils Lauren. Err, I have to agree having seen the Gogos all over the floor of our snug after she'd emptied them out.
I had lots of fun sorting these pleasing little plastic 'creatures' into colours though, which my dad labelled obsessive and my husband agreed (charming, I just think I have an organised mind).
Lauren took one look at them when I'd spent the best part of half an hour lining them all up, and exclaimed at the cute ones, and declared that even with one hundred plus (she had some already) the one she REALLY wanted wasn't there!
Some people are never satisified, can't imagine where she gets it from.............
They come in packs of three, in case you're not aware and they cost 99p - you get stickers too though, which makes the price quite reasonable, according to my kids!
Lauren saved up, or conned her Gran, I'm not sure which, and today we had a delivery of thirty packets.Yes, thirty packets! My Dad, who is seperated from my mum was horrified and declared that she spoils Lauren. Err, I have to agree having seen the Gogos all over the floor of our snug after she'd emptied them out.
I had lots of fun sorting these pleasing little plastic 'creatures' into colours though, which my dad labelled obsessive and my husband agreed (charming, I just think I have an organised mind).
Lauren took one look at them when I'd spent the best part of half an hour lining them all up, and exclaimed at the cute ones, and declared that even with one hundred plus (she had some already) the one she REALLY wanted wasn't there!
Some people are never satisified, can't imagine where she gets it from.............
Friday, 24 April 2009
FIRE
Nathaniel (aged 5) and I spent a hilarious half hour playing on his Nintendo DS tonight. He's good, I'm hopeless, so what happens is that he does most of a 'level' and just as he's about to complete it he passes it to me and I get the flag! How sweet is that. We went upstairs shortly afterwards and he piped up :
"Mummy, if you're still alive I'll teach you how to get on to the next level on my Nintendo".
"Thanks" I said, "I sure hope I will be, shall we do it tomorrow? "
" Well I might not be alive either, because we do have lots of fires at school you know. We had one today and two people died!"
Turns out he'd had a fire drill for the first time. Goodness knows what his teacher had said!
"Mummy, if you're still alive I'll teach you how to get on to the next level on my Nintendo".
"Thanks" I said, "I sure hope I will be, shall we do it tomorrow? "
" Well I might not be alive either, because we do have lots of fires at school you know. We had one today and two people died!"
Turns out he'd had a fire drill for the first time. Goodness knows what his teacher had said!
Tuesday, 21 April 2009
TEETH CASTLES
Lauren, aged 7, lost her second tooth yesterday, hooray! At last, the rest of the family cheered as she'd been miserable and bad tempered fiddling about it with it for what seemed like days!
It happened at school and her teacher, obviosuly having had this sort of thing happen before, wrapped it up in kitchen roll and put her name on the front. And that is how it was placed under her pillow; along with a note specifically telling the tooth fairy when the tooth had come out and that she would like two pounds to spend in exchange for said tooth. Ha, ha, since when was this the way to speak to a mythical creature?
This morning she rushed in to wake me, clutching the two pounds (nothing to do with me, she has her father wrapped around her little finger), and exclaiming about how fab the tooth fairy was.
Nat, aged five, followed shortly behind and so a three way discussion began starting with Lauren. " I saw her in my bedroom mummy, going like this". She fluttered tiny imaginary wings. "I saw her going past my bedroom door like this" said Nat, fluttering gi-normous imaginary wings - not allowing his sister to outdo him!
The discussion went on with Lauren deciding that there MUST be more than one tooth fairy, as children lose their teeth every day of the year so the tooth fairy would be run off her feet if she were the only one. Unlike Father Christmas who only has to work on one night of the year and sleeps for the rest?!
" What does she do with all the teeth " piped up Nat. "She builds a tooth castle" I said - isn't that how the story goes? They batted this idea backwards and forwards thankfully leaving me to get ready, deciding that the bigger teeth would go on the bottom and the smaller ones on the top and that the castle sits on a cloud.
It happened at school and her teacher, obviosuly having had this sort of thing happen before, wrapped it up in kitchen roll and put her name on the front. And that is how it was placed under her pillow; along with a note specifically telling the tooth fairy when the tooth had come out and that she would like two pounds to spend in exchange for said tooth. Ha, ha, since when was this the way to speak to a mythical creature?
This morning she rushed in to wake me, clutching the two pounds (nothing to do with me, she has her father wrapped around her little finger), and exclaiming about how fab the tooth fairy was.
Nat, aged five, followed shortly behind and so a three way discussion began starting with Lauren. " I saw her in my bedroom mummy, going like this". She fluttered tiny imaginary wings. "I saw her going past my bedroom door like this" said Nat, fluttering gi-normous imaginary wings - not allowing his sister to outdo him!
The discussion went on with Lauren deciding that there MUST be more than one tooth fairy, as children lose their teeth every day of the year so the tooth fairy would be run off her feet if she were the only one. Unlike Father Christmas who only has to work on one night of the year and sleeps for the rest?!
" What does she do with all the teeth " piped up Nat. "She builds a tooth castle" I said - isn't that how the story goes? They batted this idea backwards and forwards thankfully leaving me to get ready, deciding that the bigger teeth would go on the bottom and the smaller ones on the top and that the castle sits on a cloud.
Monday, 6 April 2009
FRUITY
A few years ago a friend of mine had gone to the pub for Sunday lunch with her husband, daughter (nine year old) and their extended families.
It's a lovely cosy, country pub with lots of log fires and comfy seats, so they had settled themselves around a few tables ready to relax and enjoy a few drinks and a lovely meal.
After ordering drinks at the bar, they were perusing the food menu when their daughter piped up that she needed the toilet. Mum pointed her in the right direction and off she trotted on her own.
The adults were engrossed in conversation and suddenly realised daughter had not yet returned. Just before investigating though, she appeared at the table with what mum recognised was her 'inquisitive head' on!
Just as mummy took a swig of Budweiser from her glass: "Mummy" daughter said in an extremely loud voice, sure enough, question coming, " Whats a condom?!"
Mummy gulped hard and managed to spill Budweiser all over her chin.
Daughter had apparently seen a machine in the toilet, and that was what had taken the time for her to come back!
Oh oh , thought Mum, how do I answer this one!
Just need to point out that my friend is very frank generally, calls a spade a spade and has no problem with explanations, but this one needed careful thought and her daughter was waiting expectantly - as were half the pub!!!!
Deep breath she thought, and launched into a long winded explanation on the birds and the bees and where condoms fitted in to all this. The rest of the pub had gone quiet as they all listened with baited breath to hear how she would handle it.
"Ok?" she said eventually, as she finished ,breathed a sigh of relief and took another large swig of Budweiser (her favourite tipple).
"Well why are they fruity" said her daughter!
Oh Oh! More Bud down mums chin!!
It's a classic story and my friend tells it so well. Hope you enjoyed my version. RX
It's a lovely cosy, country pub with lots of log fires and comfy seats, so they had settled themselves around a few tables ready to relax and enjoy a few drinks and a lovely meal.
After ordering drinks at the bar, they were perusing the food menu when their daughter piped up that she needed the toilet. Mum pointed her in the right direction and off she trotted on her own.
The adults were engrossed in conversation and suddenly realised daughter had not yet returned. Just before investigating though, she appeared at the table with what mum recognised was her 'inquisitive head' on!
Just as mummy took a swig of Budweiser from her glass: "Mummy" daughter said in an extremely loud voice, sure enough, question coming, " Whats a condom?!"
Mummy gulped hard and managed to spill Budweiser all over her chin.
Daughter had apparently seen a machine in the toilet, and that was what had taken the time for her to come back!
Oh oh , thought Mum, how do I answer this one!
Just need to point out that my friend is very frank generally, calls a spade a spade and has no problem with explanations, but this one needed careful thought and her daughter was waiting expectantly - as were half the pub!!!!
Deep breath she thought, and launched into a long winded explanation on the birds and the bees and where condoms fitted in to all this. The rest of the pub had gone quiet as they all listened with baited breath to hear how she would handle it.
"Ok?" she said eventually, as she finished ,breathed a sigh of relief and took another large swig of Budweiser (her favourite tipple).
"Well why are they fruity" said her daughter!
Oh Oh! More Bud down mums chin!!
It's a classic story and my friend tells it so well. Hope you enjoyed my version. RX
Thursday, 2 April 2009
HAIR WASH
We all went to watch Benjamin (who's nearly nine) play football at the local club last Sunday morning. It was a glorious sunny morning, the team were winning one-nil and I was busy chatting to some of the other mums and enjoying the sun, whilst watching my lad run about the field with his mates.
Nathaniel (now five),whom I had been watching from a distance ,honest, as he played on the other side of the pitch with his sister Lauren and friend, appeared by my side and started tugging my coat.
I turned to hear him say "Mummy, my hair feels all wet". I looked down and OH MY GOD! His hair was the same colour as mine (plum!). It took a second to register that it was in fact blood and it was still pumping out of a gash on the top of his head. My husband appeared and took one look and said "Oh, it'll be alright". I was nearly hyperventilating so my friend said "No it won't it needs sorting".
Chris and I carried him across the field between us to the car, listening to his wailing all the way. Not because his head was hurting but because he really didn't want to go to hospital.
He'd apparently bumped into one of the large concrete posts that make up the fencing around the ground, he told us through sobs.
We bribed him to get him in the car with the chance to listen to the Foo Fighters, which was a small price for me to have to pay all the way to Harrogate A and E!
Once at the hospital, he was fine. The bleeding had stopped, he was smiling again and all was well in his little world, especially as they had books to look at. We read them all over and over, had a drink from the machine, went to the toilet, read some more and then it was our turn.
He spoke very clearly to the very nice doctor when he asked him what he'd done, and to the nurse when she came to wash his head (no gentle technique here) and glue the wound together.
But the best bit for him was when the doctor came back and said "Now listen young man, you know you won't be able to wash your hair for five whole days now!"
Nat made a fist, pulled his arm into his side and shouted "Yes,get in!!!!!!!!!!!".
Nathaniel (now five),whom I had been watching from a distance ,honest, as he played on the other side of the pitch with his sister Lauren and friend, appeared by my side and started tugging my coat.
I turned to hear him say "Mummy, my hair feels all wet". I looked down and OH MY GOD! His hair was the same colour as mine (plum!). It took a second to register that it was in fact blood and it was still pumping out of a gash on the top of his head. My husband appeared and took one look and said "Oh, it'll be alright". I was nearly hyperventilating so my friend said "No it won't it needs sorting".
Chris and I carried him across the field between us to the car, listening to his wailing all the way. Not because his head was hurting but because he really didn't want to go to hospital.
He'd apparently bumped into one of the large concrete posts that make up the fencing around the ground, he told us through sobs.
We bribed him to get him in the car with the chance to listen to the Foo Fighters, which was a small price for me to have to pay all the way to Harrogate A and E!
Once at the hospital, he was fine. The bleeding had stopped, he was smiling again and all was well in his little world, especially as they had books to look at. We read them all over and over, had a drink from the machine, went to the toilet, read some more and then it was our turn.
He spoke very clearly to the very nice doctor when he asked him what he'd done, and to the nurse when she came to wash his head (no gentle technique here) and glue the wound together.
But the best bit for him was when the doctor came back and said "Now listen young man, you know you won't be able to wash your hair for five whole days now!"
Nat made a fist, pulled his arm into his side and shouted "Yes,get in!!!!!!!!!!!".
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