All posts filed under: Parenting

Little Miss Contrary, sick toddlers and un-conditional love

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Okay, so this Easter hasn’t been the easiest we’ve had. For the same reason the past Christmas or our visit to New York or many other occasions haven’t been the easiest. My toddler had yet another infection and after a nightmarish week was finally put on antibiotics on Friday and order has fragilely been restored by Sunday. I say fragilely because as soon as she was over the fever and the Paracetamol-induced snoozing clinginess and extreme mood swings kicked in. One evening, after a fit over something ridiculous like “I didn’t want my shoes off!” that lasted 15 minutes and left us all completely drained, I rummaged the garage for “new” toys, in order to distract her attention and I came upon my stash of “for later” books. Books she got from friends and family at birthdays and special occasions but hadn’t been age appropriate at the time. Among them, three of the “Little Miss” collection, by Roger Hargreaves . Because my Little Miss was in bed already I sat down with “Little Miss Contrary” …

I’m not gonna raise my child to be an achiever!

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I know something the prince never knew: One day she will be gone… I know, I know, I’m a scandalous mum, right? The other day I came upon a short article in “Daily Mail” that touched upon the subject. Following a study in a number of families over a number of years (you wouldn’t expect me to remember data, would you, I’m a philologist!) they concluded that parents who had taught their offsprings to be”go-getters” had set them for failure, not for success! Children whose upbringing centered on getting results, always be at the top and feeling good ONLY when they had another achievement to tuck into their belt didn’t have the ABILITY or KNOW HOW to relate to people, form meaningful attachments and rely on friends when things went wrong…Basically, they hadn’t been taught there is a social aspect to life. Right, before you jump up and say this is silly nonsense( and you would if you were raised to be an achiever and you feel threatened!), let me tell you that I live …

Potty training in two days!!

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Okay, it should read one actually because she stayed dry till evening when she needed a poo but daddy was in the toilet and mummy was busy downstairs. She tried to let us know but a long habit of doing it in her pants won over. Anyway… Yes, my toddler is potty trained!! She’s two and four months. Some would say I should have done it sooner, some books advocate toddler led potty training and advise leaving it till the toddler is nearly three. Any mum out there with a bit of sense about herself would tell you that it will happen…when it happens! We have had several unsuccessful attempts before but we never made a big deal of them. I thought she will learn one day and it’s no point making her feel rubbish just because she’s not ready yet. You see, I don’t believe in “one rule suits all” or guilt trips. They are set by people who have nothing better to do with their time: childless nannies, busy body grannies…etc. I believe …