Flying solo

[cybermule]

Well, the sprog and I have managed about 30 hours together without injury, although it has been a close call at times. Most notably when he grabbed my favourite DVD, broke the cover across his knee and threw it across the room laughing. Potty training is difficult. I'm not sure whether I just need to have faith that it'll come together, or that he's too young to bother trying with right now. And my MIL phoned basically to tell me how this week should be easy because I only have one, not two like she had. So that took the wind out of my "managed a normal day with a two year old and a foul stomach bug" sails.

Did Judder on Friday night, which has been one of my goals for years. It was ace - mostly hogged the dance floor upstairs jiggling to the guest DJ with some wicked drum'n'bass. Got me into the mood for global gathering, and I'm pretty sure I'll be going again. Hopefully with ninneviane：）

I'm pretty much considering taking the web job I was re-offered, providing they bow to my childcare needs. Otherwise they can go piss up a rope and I'll carry on with the plan A. I've been guessing and second guessing what I want with it so I'll just tel the what I need and see what happens. Worst case scenario is putting the sprog into a creche one morning a week, and the conclusion I came to was that in all honesty it would be worse for me than for him.

Comments

[lengths.livejournal.com]

MIL seems hell bent on winding you up. What a small minded goal. Thirty hours without a break is a long time in any job, even one you love.

As for potty training. I'm a firm believer in the 'naked in the garden' strategy. You can point and say, 'look where the wee wees come from' with a smiling interested voice. It takes all the stress out. The whole thing becomes more of a discovery and you have a great excuse to potter in the garden :D

Good luck with the rest of your week.

[cybermule.livejournal.com]

Yeah - I got the news in an obviously audible whisper. I'm not sure what her problem is really - maybe she misinterprets me as moaning or looking for sympathy? I'm not really, just stating a fact for shared interest. Empathy, maybe, rather than sympathy. Any fool knows that 30 hours solo parenting is hard work

[lengths.livejournal.com]

oops wrong pic (again) - fool

[cybermule.livejournal.com]

No worries - you two have different writing styles.

[ninneviane.livejournal.com]

Re. Potty training - he's a great age for it babe, but there's no rush, it's not a race and it will come together - promise! A relaxed, consistent approach is definitely the key to success :)

MIL can go piss up a rope (excuse my french - sorry D!) why, if she has got nothing warm and supportive to say does she say anything at all?

Good news on the job - hope they come back positively, but if not, never mind :)

[cybermule.livejournal.com]

It'll come together, I'm sure. He was interested in having a go before bed - did a little squeeze, then insisted on taking the potty to the toilet for a flush, bless him. Nothing in it, but the thought was there.

Not sure what MIL is fretting about - like I said to lengths, it's stating the obvious rather than looking for sympathy.

Job is a win-win really, isn't it? Do you reckon the little man would enjoy creche?

[ninneviane.livejournal.com]

"Nothing in it, but the thought was there."

**yay** that's exactly what you want to see, this is where is starts :)

He's such a gregarious and out-going little boy, so clearly interested in everything going on around him, I think he'd really enjoy creche :)

[cybermule.livejournal.com]

I was hoping so - I'm just going to keep picking away at it in a low-pressure way. I'm not going to make a big deal of it yet, though, as he's only just barely two and I'm not scarring him for life just so I can get rid of nappies. I'm also going to assume for the time being that wearing a nappy to go out isn't going to confuse him too much - he's a smart kid.

I think he would too. Then I second guessed myself and said he'd only enjoy it because it suited me to creche him to take the job. Then I third guessed and said that was just me being selfish... etc ;) The facts are that September 2010 he'll be off to kindi, and they have a minimum of 3 mornings a week, so it might well be an idea to get him used to it before he *has* to.

[ninneviane.livejournal.com]

Definitely :) You can stop second, third, fourth guessing yourself now ;p

He is a smart kid and it won't confuse him :) I've been thinking back to when mine potty trained - when were in the house, nappy came off, pants and bottoms went on. Had a stack of little proper pants and bottoms (tracky bottoms etc) that were quick to wash and dry as there will be lots of accidents. If I went to the toilet I took them and the potty with me, and sat them on it while I was going. If they did something, fantastic (strike up the band, seriously :D) if they didn't, no problem. Always had the potty where they could access and see it, and would ask them fairly often (every 1/2 hour or so) if they needed a wee or what have you, usually sitting them on the potty anyway, if I felt they might need to go. Always sat them on it either before eating/drinking, and about 10-20 minutes after eating/drinking. Nappy on if we left the house. Nappy on if we had guests (in the early days - obviously once they started to understand, the nappy was left off then). Nappy for bed until we'd cracked the no nappy in the day. Also, a seat and step for the big toilet - I didn't wait until they cracked the potty before getting one and Jadzia actually preferred it over the potty when she was learning :)

[cybermule.livejournal.com]

That's pretty much what I've been doing. I might start popping him on the big loo as well - he's always been allowed in the toilet to watch me go (try stopping him :)) and I've actually physically shown him how to use the potty. He'll get there.

[ninneviane.livejournal.com]

He will :)

he's always been allowed in the toilet to watch me go (try stopping him :))
Yeah, that won't fade for a good few many years to come. I have to consciously make an effort to remember to shut the door when there are guests in the house - if the kids don't come in, the dog does these days! :D

[sepheri.livejournal.com]

You were at Judder Friday?! I must have not recognised you!

[cybermule.livejournal.com]

Hahah - I look nothing like my user pic! ;) I would have thought I'd have recognised you though, as you're kind of striking. Were you in the upstairs room?

[sepheri.livejournal.com]

Yes, in a bright red dress as Miss Scarlett, with a Prof Plum, Mrs Peacock, Rev Green and Colonel Mustard in tow. We weren't easy to miss.

[cybermule.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah - I remember. I was a bit merry that night :)

I was wearing a steam punk t-shirt and purple black dreads. But we mostly skulked in corners and jumped up and down. Sorry to have missed you though - would have been ace to say hi, especially as you're moving soon! Wasn't the DJ good?

[sixtine.livejournal.com]

Don't sweat potty training. It can become very frustrating if you have a goal in mind but as long as you remind yourself that he won't be piddling in his pants when he's 12, it puts it in perspective.

J was amazing. He was just over 2 and it took me and him alone in a room for 9 days (or maybe 8). I was almost driven insane in the first 6 days but then it suddenly all came together.

M was totally different. I didn't take the time off to do it; we just did it gradually and it's taken her ages and ages. She still wets herself fairly frequently and she's 3 and a half now. Still, as long as there are clean knickers in the cupboard it's ok.

I believe kids like creche. Mine do anyway; they're gregarious little souls and they love other kids. They've learned plenty of social skills and table manners, which helps when we eat out, which we do a fair bit. I love my kids but I love that they're independent little beings with opinions of their own. They tell us who did what, who they played with, what they've done with their day. It's fab. The only thing I've been a bit narked about is J picking up stuff (nonsense in my opinion) about Jesus and heaven and he's got that from school, not nursery.

[cybermule.livejournal.com]

Aww thanks - perspective is a good perspective to have on the whole thing. It's been a day of near misses, and it's worn me down a bit. But I'm resolved to just keep it light-hearted and eventually he'll get the hang of it I'm sure :)

I think B will like creche．I've always strived to makehim independent and so far it seems to have worked. But then I swore I wouldn't daycare him until he was three, and now I'm guessing and second guessing my motives. I think I just need to accept that he'll love it, and it's me that is worried and emotional about the whole thing :)