So we've been having a battle (again) with the school shirt. It is not the most comfortable fabric, and I've been letting him go to school with another shirt and they have been dressing him there. Last year that was ok, but next year he will be in what they term as middle school and... He just needs to move past it.
So we've had lots of 'no want it' and tears (from both of us) and he's been throwing the shirt away. It's been in the school rubbish bin, over the neighbours fence, out the car window and so forth. We compromised for a while and had him in a regular shirt with the school shirt on top and that was kind of ok until he moved classrooms and there was no air con, in Aussie summers 2 shirts+no air = sleepy child. So he's found it harder to settle in and be able to concentrate. We went to just the school shirt for a while, but that also had issues. Then his teacher suggested we get him singlets. Brilliant!
He chose what singlets to get, and loooves them, he spent the first week showing them off to his teachers (and everyone else) and is happy to put his school shirt on. Such a small thing can make such a big difference.
It reminds me of the advice I give to new parents. Whatever you do regularly, becomes a habit and what they expect, be it good or bad, if you're happy with what you are doing, continue, if not, change it early!
*Takes own advice to heart*
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Monday, February 16, 2009
Today, I feel it
This weekend has been fairly big in a few ways, and today's not going that great so far... Bedsides the fact that it is Monday. We are working on Jono wearing his proper school shirt, and it was going ok last week, but today he's completely against it.
Back to the weekend though. On Friday I took the kids all shopping to get groceries at Coles to help the bushfire appeal. We walked past a games shop and Jono just wanted to stay and watch, I let him for a little while, then we needed to get going. I cajoled, demanded, dragged, insisted and ended up smacking him to try and get him moving past the shop. He dropped to the floor in tears, I realized we weren't getting anywhere so I stopped and hugged him till he calmed down enough for us to be able to move. 10 minutes later we were in Coles.
While there all three kids were being mischievous as the lines were so long and some old guy who doesn't know us from a bar of soap mutters under his breath, but loud enough for me to hear, something about smacking children. Thankyou random stranger for the input. Grrrrrr
Then we went to a new church on Sunday, and a few people 'noticed' the noise emanating from our corner, not pushy or nosy, and not many of them but on top of Friday, I felt it.
I started to think, we will never be 'accepted' as a family, we will always be people who are different. As a child I strove to be different, but on my terms... Being goofy, funny, silly... This is not on my terms and I don't like that.
So today, He can't wear the school shirt, I don't know why, He can't tell us what's wrong with it, and is totally overwhelmed about the whole idea of wearing it... Both of us.
Today, I'm feeling it.
Back to the weekend though. On Friday I took the kids all shopping to get groceries at Coles to help the bushfire appeal. We walked past a games shop and Jono just wanted to stay and watch, I let him for a little while, then we needed to get going. I cajoled, demanded, dragged, insisted and ended up smacking him to try and get him moving past the shop. He dropped to the floor in tears, I realized we weren't getting anywhere so I stopped and hugged him till he calmed down enough for us to be able to move. 10 minutes later we were in Coles.
While there all three kids were being mischievous as the lines were so long and some old guy who doesn't know us from a bar of soap mutters under his breath, but loud enough for me to hear, something about smacking children. Thankyou random stranger for the input. Grrrrrr
Then we went to a new church on Sunday, and a few people 'noticed' the noise emanating from our corner, not pushy or nosy, and not many of them but on top of Friday, I felt it.
I started to think, we will never be 'accepted' as a family, we will always be people who are different. As a child I strove to be different, but on my terms... Being goofy, funny, silly... This is not on my terms and I don't like that.
So today, He can't wear the school shirt, I don't know why, He can't tell us what's wrong with it, and is totally overwhelmed about the whole idea of wearing it... Both of us.
Today, I'm feeling it.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Wait wait me coming drive!
Finally getting back into routine and last night Daniel and I headed out for ice skating. It's been around 3-4 months since we have been and we were looking forward to it. As we got dresssed and got the socks and shoes, Jono saw us and decided he wanted to come.
He went and got his shoes on then came into the front yard. After we came out the front he put his hand up to make us stand still then started pleading to come with us.
He HATES ice skating, or he did last time we tried, the room, the noise, the cold, it's all too much! So I had no problems saying no... But he didn't see it like I did. Rob came out the front and sat with him and tried to talk about him and Daddy would do something together.
So Daniel and I head out the gate to the car, and just after we open the doors we here him start crying... nothing too major, but he's obviously sad. We head off and have a great time, pretty much wore ourselves out. When we get back Rob told us it took Jono am hour to calm down, Rob hasn't seen him like that in a very, very long time!
In fact those kind of meltdowns happen only around once every 2-3 months now. Well do I remember the days when meltdowns were pretty much daily. It's kind of odd measuring progress by how often he gets upset, but I'm glad to see the progress happening. :)
He went and got his shoes on then came into the front yard. After we came out the front he put his hand up to make us stand still then started pleading to come with us.
He HATES ice skating, or he did last time we tried, the room, the noise, the cold, it's all too much! So I had no problems saying no... But he didn't see it like I did. Rob came out the front and sat with him and tried to talk about him and Daddy would do something together.
So Daniel and I head out the gate to the car, and just after we open the doors we here him start crying... nothing too major, but he's obviously sad. We head off and have a great time, pretty much wore ourselves out. When we get back Rob told us it took Jono am hour to calm down, Rob hasn't seen him like that in a very, very long time!
In fact those kind of meltdowns happen only around once every 2-3 months now. Well do I remember the days when meltdowns were pretty much daily. It's kind of odd measuring progress by how often he gets upset, but I'm glad to see the progress happening. :)
Monday, February 2, 2009
When No, Means No!!.. and Yes.. and...
Lately Jono is expressing himself with the word No. He is using it all all kinds of situations.
Are you hungry? No! Put some food in front of him and he will eat
Do you want to go for a drive? No! Tell him to get his shoes on and get ready and he gets into the car happily.
Pass me the drink/remote/phone..etc. No! Then he will hand it over.
I 'think' he is just testing boundaries a little, but it's really hard to tell.. it's hard enough to tell with the other two! Ah well, as long as he eats, wears clothes in public and gets in the car when we need to get going, it's all good.
Are you hungry? No! Put some food in front of him and he will eat
Do you want to go for a drive? No! Tell him to get his shoes on and get ready and he gets into the car happily.
Pass me the drink/remote/phone..etc. No! Then he will hand it over.
I 'think' he is just testing boundaries a little, but it's really hard to tell.. it's hard enough to tell with the other two! Ah well, as long as he eats, wears clothes in public and gets in the car when we need to get going, it's all good.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
No want it, school
Yesterday we were getting the school books ready and Jono happens past the table. He sees what we are doing and pipes up, " no want it, school". We all had a laugh then were quite amazed that he came up with this sentence by himself. He's been extremely chatty the past few months lots of 3-4 word sentences about a whole range of things, it's wonderful.
So this morning he's woken reasonably early, doesn't want 1st day photos taken, won't wear his school uniform, but has put on his shoes and 'seems' ready to go. It's 5 minutes before we head out the door... Wish me luck!
So this morning he's woken reasonably early, doesn't want 1st day photos taken, won't wear his school uniform, but has put on his shoes and 'seems' ready to go. It's 5 minutes before we head out the door... Wish me luck!
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
We have the funniest brother in the world!!
Quoted from Daniel and Sarah.
Yesterday was my last day of holidays with the kids before I went back to work, so we got in to organising school books, clothes, shoes and etc. I had been through all their clothes and figured out what needed to go the day before and had 4 bags for the op-shop. Grandma was in town and rang asking if I'd like some help school book shopping... for some reason I thought this was a silly question... like some? I'd LOVE some! Anyways, I tried to sound fairly nonchalant over the phone but secured and extra pair of hands, arms, legs and eyes for the day.
So, we started by going to pick Grandma up, then went to the op-shop to drop off clothes, bought a few things we needed and a fair few we didn't then went to the shopping center. In shop number one we got most of a set of school books, socks, shorts and shoes for Sarah. I pulled out around 4 pairs for her to try on and we found one she liked that I was happy with the price of.
Jono then decided he wanted shoes... so he pulled out a pair of lovely pink girly sneakers from the aisle we were in and sat down to put them on. I talked him into a blue pair that only had tips of pink... but he wanted the size 3 (he's not quite a 1). I tried to get him over to the boys shoes but he didn't want anything to do with it, no he doesn't need help, no he doesn't want black shoes or white shoes, yes he wants these ones. I left the 3's on him and decided to do the quick swap at the checkouts, which entailed him taking off the 3's, putting them up to get paid for, and lo and behold after touching the checkout girls hands they became a size that would fit! or a better fit at least, and if I got them home and he never wore them again, at least Sarah had some shoes that she could grow in to.
After this we needed food, so wondered off for a drink. We all sat together and then I said I wanted a few quick things from the supermarket, and Jono could stay with Grandma. The other two came with me and we took off only to find Jono racing towards us down the aisles moments later with Grandma in tow. Ok, so he wanted to stay with me, no problems, got some groceries and headed out. So far, we had taken around 3 hours to get this much done.
I wanted to stop in a ladieswear shop to spend a gift card I had received for my birthday but felt the day was moving on. Grandma insisted we stop and I take advantage of the opportunity, so I did. I found a few things I liked and the assistants put them in the change rooms for me, then I went in to try them on. Daniel and Sarah were playing games around the curtains and the entry. Next thing we all know Jono is in the change room next to me taking off his shirt and placing it neatly on a hanger and hanging it on the hook on the wall, then he puts on this lovely tan top with holes cut into the top, and parades around the shop in it.
Daniel and Sarah couldn't contain themselves.. their brother was trying on girls clothes!! After quite a few giggles and "too big Jono"ses he took the shirt off. I had decided on what I wanted by now, so I was in luck, but Jono hadn't yet though. He didn't want his own shirt back on, found a stripey singlet top and went and put that on. Followed by more giggles and more "too big"s he took it off put his own shirt back on and we headed off.
Today's highlight? Jono trying on girls clothes in the fitting room of a ladieswear shop. At least he knew to go to the fitting room... and even tidied up after himself, now just to work on that at home!
Yesterday was my last day of holidays with the kids before I went back to work, so we got in to organising school books, clothes, shoes and etc. I had been through all their clothes and figured out what needed to go the day before and had 4 bags for the op-shop. Grandma was in town and rang asking if I'd like some help school book shopping... for some reason I thought this was a silly question... like some? I'd LOVE some! Anyways, I tried to sound fairly nonchalant over the phone but secured and extra pair of hands, arms, legs and eyes for the day.
So, we started by going to pick Grandma up, then went to the op-shop to drop off clothes, bought a few things we needed and a fair few we didn't then went to the shopping center. In shop number one we got most of a set of school books, socks, shorts and shoes for Sarah. I pulled out around 4 pairs for her to try on and we found one she liked that I was happy with the price of.
Jono then decided he wanted shoes... so he pulled out a pair of lovely pink girly sneakers from the aisle we were in and sat down to put them on. I talked him into a blue pair that only had tips of pink... but he wanted the size 3 (he's not quite a 1). I tried to get him over to the boys shoes but he didn't want anything to do with it, no he doesn't need help, no he doesn't want black shoes or white shoes, yes he wants these ones. I left the 3's on him and decided to do the quick swap at the checkouts, which entailed him taking off the 3's, putting them up to get paid for, and lo and behold after touching the checkout girls hands they became a size that would fit! or a better fit at least, and if I got them home and he never wore them again, at least Sarah had some shoes that she could grow in to.
After this we needed food, so wondered off for a drink. We all sat together and then I said I wanted a few quick things from the supermarket, and Jono could stay with Grandma. The other two came with me and we took off only to find Jono racing towards us down the aisles moments later with Grandma in tow. Ok, so he wanted to stay with me, no problems, got some groceries and headed out. So far, we had taken around 3 hours to get this much done.
I wanted to stop in a ladieswear shop to spend a gift card I had received for my birthday but felt the day was moving on. Grandma insisted we stop and I take advantage of the opportunity, so I did. I found a few things I liked and the assistants put them in the change rooms for me, then I went in to try them on. Daniel and Sarah were playing games around the curtains and the entry. Next thing we all know Jono is in the change room next to me taking off his shirt and placing it neatly on a hanger and hanging it on the hook on the wall, then he puts on this lovely tan top with holes cut into the top, and parades around the shop in it.
Daniel and Sarah couldn't contain themselves.. their brother was trying on girls clothes!! After quite a few giggles and "too big Jono"ses he took the shirt off. I had decided on what I wanted by now, so I was in luck, but Jono hadn't yet though. He didn't want his own shirt back on, found a stripey singlet top and went and put that on. Followed by more giggles and more "too big"s he took it off put his own shirt back on and we headed off.
Today's highlight? Jono trying on girls clothes in the fitting room of a ladieswear shop. At least he knew to go to the fitting room... and even tidied up after himself, now just to work on that at home!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
He's a Computer GEEENIUS!!
Quoted from his brother Daniel.
This morning after the holidays and school holidays we are very much getting back into the mode of 'normal' routine and we were putting Daniel's iPod back onto his computer (after the earpieces had been borrowed for something else). Daniel had been storing his iPod and the charger for it in a board game that he had received as a birthday present for the holidays so he knew where it was easily.
We went to the boardgame and discovered Jono had found the game and set up the pieces and had been playing with it, and Daniel's iPod wasn't inside... so he started looking, on the floor, under the couch, move the furniture, lift the bean bag, shift the doonas, move the pillows... ok this is starting to get silly.
I was doing something else so I kept saying just give me a minute and I'll help you look, and he was getting frustrated. So I went over to help him look to no avail.
Just then Rob came in the room and asked what we were searching for, we told him and he said - oh it's over here on your computer Mum... and we looked, and so it was!
Jono has found it in the boardgame, taken the ipod and the charger to my computer, found a usb port, plugged the charger in, and put the iPod on it's dock so it could start charging. No... none of us have actually shown him this before he did it without any help. He 'IS' a computer genius!
This morning after the holidays and school holidays we are very much getting back into the mode of 'normal' routine and we were putting Daniel's iPod back onto his computer (after the earpieces had been borrowed for something else). Daniel had been storing his iPod and the charger for it in a board game that he had received as a birthday present for the holidays so he knew where it was easily.
We went to the boardgame and discovered Jono had found the game and set up the pieces and had been playing with it, and Daniel's iPod wasn't inside... so he started looking, on the floor, under the couch, move the furniture, lift the bean bag, shift the doonas, move the pillows... ok this is starting to get silly.
I was doing something else so I kept saying just give me a minute and I'll help you look, and he was getting frustrated. So I went over to help him look to no avail.
Just then Rob came in the room and asked what we were searching for, we told him and he said - oh it's over here on your computer Mum... and we looked, and so it was!
Jono has found it in the boardgame, taken the ipod and the charger to my computer, found a usb port, plugged the charger in, and put the iPod on it's dock so it could start charging. No... none of us have actually shown him this before he did it without any help. He 'IS' a computer genius!
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