Around I go again

Today started in the same way as every other school day. Apart from this morning my daughter could not find her school shoes. This then meant her going to school in my nieces old shoes that are half a size to big. I later found her shoes in her bedroom.  On arrival at school the children did their usual trick of leaving me getting everything out of the car whilst they ran to the school. When I caught up with them I found them playing on the school gate.  Why do kids not help to carry their own bags? Why can you be shouting to wait but they just keep running? And why are they so eager to get to school when they tell you they don’t want to go? Children are a mystery. I rarely wanted to go to school, I can not remember running to get there  sooner, unless it was PE and we were doing cross country.

My day was uneventful, busy with work. However despite being busy it was when I collected the kids that my time was really consumed. The routine of cooking dinner and listening to them both read. Then the argument with my 7 year old when he refused to read again. Again to tired after playing with my parents dog. However awake enough to watch television.  Are all children like mine? Reluctant to do their homework and reading.  I loved reading and I still do. At 7 years old I was reading Enid Blytons Secret Seven. A little older, I loved her Malory Towers and St Clares series. I also loved the Famous Five. These books along with many others now sit on the book case on our landing in the hope that the kids will one day read them.  My son has his own books, Horrid Henry being one of them.  Right now they are sitting pretty in his room.  Kids television and games on the iPad are far more appealing. I think back to my childhood. I had my books, we played in the garden and we had a ZX Spectrum computer. I loved Freddie Hardest, Bomb Jack and Paper Boy, throwing newspapers at lawnmowers. Very different from now lying on the settee under a duvet with Roblox.

Both children have gone to bed easier tonight and they did both read to me. The arguments and stresses washed away as they cuddled up under their duvets both wanting a kiss and hug goodnight. It is so important to not go to bed angry. Through all the tears my kids are both very loving. My 5 year old told me she loved me this evening as she often does. I hope she is still telling me this when she is 15. However I think I will be very lucky if she does.

Sometimes I feel we get so caught up in the stress of raising children that we forget to enjoy them as children. The quality times that we spend together are so important, even if it is cuddling up with a film on Netflix. It is hard to not react sometimes when they are constantly demanding food,  crying or getting upset in a shop because you refuse to buy yet another toy.  Sometimes it is hard to not just give into their wants. I don’t think any parent has all the answers to raising kids. We all do it in slightly different ways. Maybe the one thing we all have in common is trying to ensure that they have a loving and supportive home.

It is Friday tomorrow and then we have a week off work as it is half term holidays. I am hoping that we will have time to rest as well as spend quality time together. Time as a family is so important despite all the frustrations.