Tea with the Elders

Dad wakes up from his lazy Sunday afternoon nap that he was having and says to Mum “Let’s go visit the relatives, you know all those great aunts and cousins that we hardly see”. Mum, in the midst of picking up our toys for the umpteenth time, looks at him a little crazy-eyed. For Sunday is the day all the staff have off and Mum’s Sundays are usually spent cooking, cleaning and running after us deviant two, Big Sister and I. Sunday, considered usually a day of rest is not the case for Mum, it is her “hard labour” day ad WE make it very hard.

Ooops I’ve dropped my sticky juice again Mum!...I scream. Mum groans aloud and asks Dad if he has lost his marbles, to go visiting now, unannounced!!! Visiting with babies means, packing for like a two week holiday, then the tantrums and the disruption of Mum’s strict schedule, dinner, bath and bed, after which she collapses like a crumpled tissue. Mum’s got it tough!! Anyways through all of Big Sister’s racket, she’s pretending to be a fire engine today, I can hear Dad going on about how it’s good for the kids to meet their relatives, give them a sense of belonging, it will be great for the elders to see the kids etc. etc. Hmmm.. I’m warming up to this idea. Who are these ELDERS, they sound mysterious, do they have super powers?  Why do we visit them once a year, are they hibernating?

OKAY my curiosity is aroused, shall scream at Mum till she gets it that I want to go out. “SEE!” Dad goes, “even the baby thinks it’s a good idea!” Outnumbered, Mum rolls her eyes and gives in, she’s a broken woman. Whilst Dad spends a cool half an hour getting dressed, Mum on the other side of the house has a time washing scrubbing and getting us dressed. Big Sister refuses to wear anything she’s asked to wear today and I’ve figured out how to remove my diaper as soon as it’s put on and pee everywhere. HAHAHAHAH..I love it! Miraculously though Mum has us washed, cleaned and dressed, then she spends two minutes, ruffling a comb through her hair, scrubbing on a stain on her blouse, and she’s ready. Really Mum have you seen the way Victoria Beckham goes out? I guess Mum’s got her own style, “beach surfer meets jogger meets bag lady” Arrgh it’s a mess, I hope she won’t scare the elders.

We stop off and get some “FABulous” cakes and “Sponge’ delights for the elders. I hope they are into sharing for those look yummy. So the visit to elders wasn’t too bad, we had to shout a lot because some of them couldn’t hear, hey I love the shouting, I screamed, Big Sister did her fire engine impression, we had a blast. As I watched the elders eat, I thought they looked awfully familiar, not much hair or teeth and they smell like eau de cologne and talc powder.. WAIT a minute, they are all copying my style!!..That’s me sitting on that couch, nibbling on that sponge delight. WOAAHHH!!! What a head trip.

After a few more cheek squeezes, I had to leave..I mean I just saw ME in like 70 years…what’s the whole point of growing up, if I’m still going to end up with no hair..sheesh. I think I’ll just skip the growing up years and just stay like this!!!! At least I’m cute!
 

Grandparents and Grandkids

Grandparents have the benefit of interacting on a level that is once removed from the day-to-day responsibilities of parents. This can make it easier to develop a close bond with grandchildren. From near or far, grand parenting can provide continuity in a child's life. Grandparents are often the family historians, and can add a rich sense of family tradition to a child's life. Additionally, contact with grandparents can teach children positive attitudes towards aging and help them develop skills to enhance their own lifelong learning.  As grandparents we all want to make the most of the precious family time we get to spend with our grandchildren. You can create deep, loving relationships with your grandchildren by sharing the things you love and by learning about what excites them.

 

Why are routines good for children?

A baby's needs aren't that complicated — food, sleep, play, and love pretty much sums it up. But knowing what your baby requires when, and how much of it, can be a real challenge. Not to mention balancing your baby's needs with your own and those of older children and other family members. Many parents find that getting into a regular routine or schedule with their baby makes life much easier: It's almost like developing a personalised how-to manual for your child. As a parent, you'll have a predictable pattern for your days with your little one. And your baby will know what to expect — for example, that she gets a bottle after her morning nap, then playtime or an outing. Experts disagree on when and how to establish a routine. But many paediatricians say that babies are ready for a general schedule between 2 and 4 months of age.

(Let’s face it kids are full of honesty, they say it as they see it. This is a column written from the ‘HONEST’ observations from our children. It touches on all aspects of the process of growing up and how we as parents can improve ourselves from a child’s point of view).

Text by Mayuri Jayasinghe