How they make you smile

[Nanto2girls]

Gem, it makes you wonder how their minds work sometimes.

[Daisy]

Pearl - I bet he would have been choosy about the cereal as well, little imp! It's a good job you weren't offended!

[Daisy]

Although I've put this under How They Make you Smile, it was rather more fraught than funny!

On Wednesday GD1 (nearly 7) clearly got out of bed the wrong side.

Mummy asked her what she would like for breakfast. She said cereal and toast, so as Mum was already putting in toast for GD2 she put some in for GD1. Mum then carried on doing the million and 1 things working mums with small children have to do every morning. Caught the toast as it popped up and gave it to both girls. GD1 had a major, major hissy fit, saying she wanted her cereal first, that's what she'd said and Mummy was clearly losing it giving her toast first (or words to that effect). Mummy was less than sorry! In fact she said 'just get on and eat it'. GD1 stormed off upstairs, saying she'd get dressed, but continued to rant about the unfairness of life in a household where food didn't arrive in the right order as requested. Still very upset she eventually came back down, still grumbling, and ate her cereal and toast (in that order). After a lot more chivvying around, with Mum getting more and more frustrated and GD1 still in a very bad mood, they all got out of the house and into the car. Daddy managed to snatch a few seconds with GD1 on her own and told her off for the way she had spoken to her mum and she should apologise and give her a hug. GD1 clearly wasn't ready to step down off her high horse, and continued to cry and complain all the way to school, so Daddy said she was obviously very tired and wouldn't be allowed to go to Rainbows that night (which she loves).

Mum took her to her classroom as usual, and GD's teacher and the Head were standing just outside. Seeing GD's tearstained face her teacher immediately asked what the matter was. GD burst into a fresh lot of tears and said "Daddy shouted at me"!!!

[Qwerty]

Daisy are you sure mine and your 6 yr old aren't twins, my DD is at her wits end as OH is working in Portugal and she is coping on her own with 2 dogs and a full time job plus still no hot water due to boiler breaking down, last night G/d had a meltdown as she wanted to play a board game 2 mins before bed, of course mummy said no and she lost it big style "you never do anything with me you don't love me " etc she does everything with this child museums, parks, meals out, gymnastics, swimming DD was gobsmacked kids eh 😝

[Daisy]

Qwerty - Oh, your poor DD. She's a wonderful mum and coping on her own with everything must be a nightmare for her.

I've got a theory that 6/7 year old girls go through a kind of 'early teenage' phase. I first noticed it in the studio - if anyone older than a toddler threw a hissy fit it was always a 6/7 year old girl. They seem to be on a hair trigger at times, and my GD1 seems to push herself deeper and deeper into her upset. I know we can't expect them to see life from an adult's point of view, but both the board game and the breakfast are just everyday situations which they blow up into epic proportions!

If it's any consolation, I never saw this sort of behaviour in say, 8 or 9 year olds. Tell your DD to hang in there - it will pass.


I do hope your DD's boiler is fixed soon - it seems to have been going on for days. I really hate not having hot water, and with a family it's even worse.

[Daisy]

Oh, the footnote to Wednesday's saga: Mum and Dad collected both girls from their other grandma's as usual and when they got back home GD1 said she had been 'good enough' to go to Rainbows, hadn't she! There was, of course, a fresh upset when her parents explained that it wasn't a question of reclaiming the right to go to Rainbows that day - she had totally forfeited it by the way she had spoken to Mummy in the morning. Not one of GD's finest hours.

[Enfys]

Oh dear, I can remember those days. I have a lovely photo of DD at about that age, arms folded, pout and a frown you wouldn't believe. At least it doesn't last long....until they are teenagers

[Daisy]

Enfys - I think teenagers are much easier to deal with!!! But I may have to eat those words - GS1 will be 14 soon and is definitely showing teenage characteristics!

[Qwerty]

Daddy is home for a few days so things are calmer, she went to gymnastics after school and won the award for trying her best it's a fluffy pig you take home till the following week, apparently it's very revered in these circles don't know why but little does she know how close she was to not going.
Remember the advert I think it was for Clarks a little girl trying on shoes and she told her parents when I get home I am going to be a proper little madam oh dear little girls aren't always sugar and spice but we love them all the same 👧🏻

[Daisy]

Qwerty - well done to your GD1. I hope the fluffy pink pig enjoys his week with her.

I remember that advert - 'proper little madam' sums it up nicely!

[Gemini]

DD2 told me today that her sister (DD1) phoned her for a chat this morning and said she had come out for a while, leaving GS1 with his dad.
He had been driving her mad! He is a lovely little boy, and his behaviour has improved in leaps and bounds, he is always good for us now and at pre school and nursery. He does try it on with Mummy though.
The main problem seems to be him wanting toys, which he has either seen advertised on children's TV or in his magazines. He seems really desperately want these toys. As an only child, and in common with most children these days he has many, many toys. There is nothing he is short of. but he gets these desires for toys and is cross when the answer is no. I have heard him say 'But I can't wait until October!!' (his birthday)

This morning, as related to me by DD2, GS had wanted a toy and been very unreasonable when told no. DD1, said he would have to go to his room and be quiet and calm down, as they were going nowhere until he stopped shouting etc.
DD then went into her room to do something, and GS came up and closed the door on her saying 'You have to stay in your room until you learn to behave and buy me that toy!!!!'

I was torn between really wanting to laugh and being annoyed, when DD2 told me!

[Daisy]

Oh Gem - the power of advertising! I think your GS1 has got the hang of 'fairs fair'! If he's naughty he say, gets sent to his room, so if Mummy's naughty then the same should happen to her!

Advertising seems especially bad on the children's commercial channels, and GD2 who is 3 ½ thinks she can everything she sees. Of course, they look so good on tv, which makes it harder to explain that no, you can't have everything, and even if you did it probably wouldn't be as fantastic as you think it will be. She's starting to get the message, but she had totally fallen in love with a Water Factory - a big plastic table with pumps, wheels, spouts and all sorts of means of getting soaked when you least expect it. It isn't the sort of toy she could have for her birthday (in December!) so her mum and dad got her one last week. She's overjoyed and spends every minute out in the garden playing with it. Both the girls get 'outdoor' toys around this time of year, and then smaller birthday presents. They understand this and it means they get outdoor toys at a time when they can actually play with them. But, it is an ongoing battle to get them to understand sometimes the answer is just 'no'!

[Gemini]

No is a hard lesson to learn isn't it Daisy?!

[Daisy]

GD2 has recently stopped having a nap after lunch most days, even though sometimes she could do with it. On Monday she had been at playgroup all morning - playing outside, mostly in the shade, but it was very hot. She didn't want as much lunch as usual and I had to keep reminding her to drink water. After lunch she seemed really tired and in need of 40 winks. Knowing she would be resisting, I asked her if she would like a Siesta. Of course, she asked what that meant, and I explained that's a little sleep that t people - children and grown-ups - have in hot countries during the heat of mid-day.

She thought for a few seconds, looked at me very hard and said "it's a nap with a fancy name, Grandma!"

That's was me told!!!

[Gemini]

Well, I think you are both clever Daisy!
You for the clever idea of calling it s siesta for grown ups and older children. GD for seeing through it