Although the oldest of our children is currently only 4 (but nearly 5), I am already beginning to brace myself for the teenage years. Ah! The mood swings! The irrational behaviour and random aggression! You see we’re getting pretty much all of them now, in various flavours, from both the boy and Fifi. The only difference now is they’re of a height when they can punch me in the balls when they completely lose it.
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| Rage. Pure rage |
A good example is the oft alluded to “I want a…” situation whenever we go out somewhere that has a gift shop. When we went to Legoland last week, the I want a sword started before breakfast, when we went on the Harry Potter studio tour at the weekend, the I want a wand started half way round the attraction. Spoilt? Probably but when free stuff turns up at infrequent intervals it must confuse your sense of value in things. The rage that descended at the weekend following that lack of a £25 magic wand was truly astonishing and quickly escalated past the point where he couldn’t even remember what it was all about in the first place. But less than half an hour later when the tears had dried, he was the normal cheerful soul he usually is, singing a song to his baby brother to try and calm him down (Daddy wasn’t quick enough with a bottle of milk it seems).
That contrasted nicely with the utter utter misery that leaving Legoland brought about the previous weekend. Sobbing, whimpering and eventually exhausted tear soaked sleep was the result of having to leave the palace of marvels that is Legoland.
Of course Fifi sees all this going on and her three year old brain tries to process it, so we get her interpretation of it. Tell her to get undressed for a bath and she’ll ask you to do it for her, say no and she’ll hurl herself to the floor and start a completely tear free sob-athon. Tell her she can’t have a biscuit until she’s eaten her dinner and you will get a very amusing telling off, complete with bottom lip stuck out, certain phrases incorrectly parroted from the boy. In most instances a raspberry to the tummy button will sort it all out.
Hopefully now the weather has got a bit better we can take the boy out for a run/scoot/bike a bit more. I think little boys have an excess of energy that needs running off, much like puppies. Still, it is good practice for the teenage years if nothing else…