Coda

I can't close this blog without recommending that if you feel at the end of your tether in terms of parenting you do reach out.  Join a parenting course - Webster Stratton though looking very dated and American has some good stuff to offer, but the main thing any parenting course offers is the combined blessings of an hour without the children to stop and think and breathe and be a grown up with grown ups (role play not withstanding!) and you have the chance to make friends with others who are in the same position and who have also dared to reach out.  You won't be judged or rejected (assuming you are a normal parent who just needs some guidance and support) and mistakes are not as we would sometimes believe the end of the world for our family, just a sign we need help along the way.  I have made friends on this course that I hope will be lifelong friends and our children are turning out okand on their off days and ours we know there are at least 5 other people out there who will take our call and who will understand and none of them is any less of a friend for how we met. So whether you choose this course or another, if you are struggling do go to your children's centre, your health visitor, your GP or your church and ask what support they can offer for parents. Call parent line or seek support from Netmums but the best thing by far is to talk with parents in the same boat who did not stay there but sought help.

Graduation Day

The course ends and I join the party tomorrow - I'll join up again in mid May so not to be a total fraud.  At the Children's Centre today creative kids was about fine motor skills, threading cheerios and pasta on to edible shoestrings. The brightest children ate the cheerios and shoes strings without wasting energy on trying to fit them together as a necklace. Edward persevered and did manage to thread the necklace - but he wanted and needed lots of help. I used good Webster Stratton praise and encouragement techniques which did pay off - not only that part of the session. His listening to me is improving - the second part of the session was to play "stop" "go" "come back" in the centre garden which all the children really enjoyed. Edward didn't stop on command when other children did but he noticed other children did and so the next time he did too and really enjoyed the game. When B who was leading called the children he went with the children but hung back from physical contact (other kids high fived or hugged her).  When I called him to come to me he just didn't. But as the game was ending he was getting it so we walked home together playing the game and by the time we reached the door he really enjoyed it and had cracked it.  I took the children out for cake after school and bought him a book. We celebrated how well he did with holding hands both then and going to get his sister after school and across the car park.  "Didn't let go hands Mummy" he said to me proudly. Both of us learnt something today.