This plus that equals…. my son

Here’s the latest instalment in my series of posts all about what makes our lives here at home tick. This week is all about my son. Just a catch up on what he’s up to at the moment and things he likes and dislikes.

Starting School

Six weeks left with him at home as my near constant companion. I’m less worried about him starting school than I am worried about myself completely losing the plot.

I have genuinely loved the last almost five years having him about. Obviously we’ve had our moments, I’d be lying if I said it was all easy, it hasn’t been. But generally we have a blast.

Since I last wrote about him going to school he has had a second settling session which went a lot better than the first. For starters a new boy joined his nursery who is also going to the same school, that helped. Secondly, after I had a long chat with his teacher during the last settling session she was ready for him actually being scared and worried and also fully aware of his love of giraffes and so was fully prepared and had bought a giraffe cuddly for him to play with at school.

Separation and social anxiety

L has always struggled with separation anxiety. He’s never liked being left anywhere. It took him almost four years to settle at nursery and there was certainly a point I felt like I had completely failed him and was ready to pull him out.

I am glad I didn’t though. Sadly, this is something he is going to have to get used to and find his own way to live with and work through. Me not sending him to nursery would have only delayed the feelings and probably made them worse when he did have to go to go school.

The social anxiety is something that is becoming ever more apparent. He is great with adults, no problem there, but pop him amongst a group of his peers and he’ll hide away and not join in.

Once he makes friends he’s fine, it just takes a very long time and he will then not stray outside that social group. As none of close friends are going to school that is a worry. Take him to an empty playground, happy days, the second one other child arrives he’s over it and wants to leave. This has been easily handled at nursery with the higher staff to child ratio, but school will be a shock to the system.

Chatterbox

Like most kids his age he never stops talking or asking questions. I swear he makes driving dangerous.

‘Mummy, you are not listening to my words, I asked a question.’ ‘Sorry, darling Mummy was just trying to not be killed by the numpty overtaking a cyclist on a blind bend.’

He questions everything and it’s great, it’s certainly making me brush up on some lost knowledge. It’s Shark Week on Discovery at the moment, his favourite televisual event. Despite watching the shows and getting books about sharks out from the library I’m stilling struggling to answer all the questions, they are getting rather in depth and random. Hurrah for Google.

He’s also witty and cheeky and comes out with things I’d never expect. I was chatting with my Mother in Law this morning and explaining we’d had a rough night sleep wise thanks to a bad dream and I ached from top to toe, he just rolls over and looks at me, deadpan, ‘Mummy, so much drama’. I have no idea where he gets it from.

Going for walks

He loves going out for a walk. Which is perfect for me as it’s one of my favourite past times.

On his balance bike through the fields, often with the cat. We can explore for ages.

Hunting Hares in Norwich we cover more miles than I would ever expect from him.

20 minutes from Train Station to City Centre in Cambridge, not a problem for us.

Even in this heat he has been desperate for is walks.

I hope it is something that will continue as he gets older as we really get to talk whilst we are out walking and it is also a great way to explore and have adventures. Plus a long walk often ends up with a treat in the form of an ice cream or cake!

Naughtiness

I know I started this off by saying how good he is and how much I will miss him but as he has grown up his levels of naughtiness have grown too. Perfectly normal I am sure, but blimey he is getting good at being bad.

He used to have free run of the fruit bowl, help yourself to fruit whenever you want I would say. Then we went through a phase of one bite being taken and the fruit replaced. We had words. It stopped. Now we are going through a phase of stealing fruit, fruit he is allowed to have so I’m not sure where he’s going with this, eating it and hiding the remnants under his bed to go mouldy and disgusting. The fruit bowl is now no longer something he gets access to.

The back chat, general sass and argumentative side of him is not something I am loving. There are times when his attitude is so appalling I don’t know what to do. Not too often thankfully, but when he goes for it he does it properly, he is stubborn and holds a grudge so a tantrum can last for a day if he so desires.

I know it’s all testing boundaries but jeez it can be hard to deal with.

Finally, I’m linking up with #TwinklyTuesday, #Blogstravaganza and #StayClassyMama