“Happy Campers”

Nine sleeps to go....Eight sleeps to go...  Go to what you might ask?  To go, until Son No 1 starts his summer holiday day camp.  3 days a week, Hooray!!!

Don’t get me wrong I love spending time with my first born but after 3 weeks of being almost housebound due to his operation and the weather we are both ready to have some quality time apart.  The problem, well if it is one, is that we are so similar it is scary.  He is my mini-me so to speak and we spark off each other all the time.  He knows the buttons to push, on purpose I suspect and with the endless negotiations to get things done, it is a wonder that I have any hair left.  He has even started giving me warnings and putting me on consequences when he doesn’t agree with something I have asked of him or said to him.

A typical daily exchange would be the following..

Me       F, can you go get your shoes and put them on as we need to go out.

F          I can’t mummy.

Me       Why can’t you?

F          Because I can’t!

Me       Why have your legs fallen off.. (okay so I admit sarcasm may not be best for a five year old)

Then a couple of hours later...

Me       F, can you go and tidy up your room before dinner.

F          But I didn’t make the mess, C was playing in there.

Me       I don’t care who was playing in there can you please just go and tidy it up for me.

F          Can’t mummy, my legs have fallen off...

Nothing like having your own sarcasm thrown back in your face by your five year old!

And why oh why does everything have to be a gun or turned into a gun with things exploding all over the place.  Whatever happened to the little boy who was quite content to sit and play with his wooden train set? 

I have read many blogs and tweets lately about other parents, happy that the school holidays are here and all the things they are looking forward to doing with their kids.  Really are you serious?  Yes it will be nice to spend a few extra days a week with them, taking them out and about or playing in the garden but every day for the next 6 weeks, really?

Perhaps it’s because this is my first summer off looking after kids, perhaps it’s because we have no family that we can send them off to for a few days, perhaps it is the expectation that you have to do something “fun” everyday with your kids.  All I know is that I am so glad that I had the foresight when I was working to book him into the day camp. 

We will both be “happy campers” next week.