It’s been a while, but I realised last night, I know some shit about parenting an my almost-five year old, so I thought I’d share.
I decided to write this post after dinner last night was like negotiating with a terrorist. Here’s how the conversation went:
Me: Finish your dinner and you can play Wii (current reward of the week that works)
Nick: How much do I have to finish?
Me: All of it.
Nick: What about just half of it?
Me: No, all of it!
Nick: What about this much? (about 3/4 of it)
Me: FINE! JUST EAT IT!
Nick 1. Mum 0.
***
Perhaps it is just my almost-five year old, but when it is hot out, he wants to wear his school jumper. When it’s freezing (hey, 15 degrees is freezing on the Gold Coast!) he wants to go without it. And I wonder where he got this relentless cough from!?
***
He’s only been at school for 4 months, but he already knows everything and he especially knows more than me! As evidenced by this conversation:
Nick: Mum, do you know 1 plus 1 is 3?
Me: No, it’s 2
Nick: No it’s not, it’s 3
Me: No, 1 plus 1 is 2.
Nick: Nooooooo, it’s nooooooot.
Me: Ok, it’s 3.
Nick 2. Mum 0.
***
He’s suddenly gone from accepting what I say as gospel to questioning my every declaration. For example, yesterday morning, laying in bed, he says to me, “Mum, how come YOU’RE the boss of the house?” Unfortunately “Because I’m the mummy” was all I could come up with on the spot like that. He looked dubious. I suspect this one will be re-hashed again soon.
***
He doesn’t seem to understand birthday parties need to be paid for. When I don’t let him do something he wants to do, I get, “Muuuummy, if you don’t let me play Wii, you can’t come to my birsday party.” And it’s hard not to laugh because it’s so cute the way he says “birsday” instead of “birthday”, but I wonder what we’re teaching him if he thinks bribery is the way to get what you want (see point 1!). I got so sick of hearing this, that the last time he said it I responded with, “Yeah well if you don’t do what I say, you won’t HAVE a birthday party!” I’ve also tried the, “Fine, I don’t want to come to your party anyway” and the response I got to that was, “I won’t be your frrriiiend.” I may or may not have actually said, “I’m not your friend, I’m your mum, and that’s different.” I feel like this one might have been a draw. Or maybe I won, because he still didn’t play wii.
***
Speaking of birthday parties, they are the be all and end all of an almost-five-year-old’s social life and social status. Who is on their birthday list, who is going to their birthday, who did you see at X’s birthday party all seem to be very important in the playground social standings. We have parties almost weekly, which is nice for him. It’s nice to be invited. But it can mean we miss out on much of a weekend because Nick has soccer and birthday parties to go to. It’s the 5 year equivalent of a wedding, really. And yes, his social calendar is more full than ours. Unfortunately, he has his 5th birthday just around the corner, which means the party politics that Annaleis from Teapots and Tractors blogged so wonderfully about Tuesday, are now on MY shoulders. I’ve got about a week to figure it out!
***
No matter what he thinks he knows, no matter who he thinks should be the boss of the house, he’s still not too old to have a cuddle and kiss fest with his mama. Especially when he’s not feeling great. He’s a real mama’s boy. Mummy makes everything better. And really, isn’t that the best part of being a parent? Being able to make the tears stop, the smiles come, the laughter echo again. I hope as he grows up I will always be able to make him laugh and smile. I know I can never stay cross at him for long, because he is just a reflection of me and my personality. Thinks he knows when he’s right (i.e. all the time), likes to be invited to parties, likes to think he’s the boss of the house, and still needs mummy when he’s sick. He is my boy alright, and I know I love him more than anything in the whole world.
linking up with Miss Cinders at Saturday Morning Ogre Mum for Things I Know!
Such a cute post !!! They all grow so quickly but even K still wants her Mom when she is sick and happy to cuddle up next to me.
Have the best day !
Me
Thanks L! I needed something a bit more light-hearted than my recent drivel! Trust Nick to provide it for me! 🙂
He is such a cutie. I still have all this to come, nervous much! Things I know about parenting = very little Ive only had 2 years experience, things seem to be working alright so far but that’s only because he can’t speak in full sentences yet! I look forward to the feisty fives! X
Ha ha! Yes, when the full sentences started it’s really the beginning of the end! Good luck!! 🙂
Oh I love love LOVE this post!
You had me totally giggling. Cheeky bugga’s know how to win don’t they! lol xBox is our bribery tool – but the pain of saying is time to get off is horrible. The DSi is our punishment tool – the taking away of it that is! The DSi is something mine can have all the time because they don’t neeeeed to play them non-stop. So taking away the option of having it works a treat!
Beautiful pic of you two 🙂
MC x
#ThingsIKnow
Thanks Miss Cinders! He really is cheeky and I’m worried for the next few years ahead!!
I am not loving the 4’s!! Mine is either a complete nightmare or a sweet angel!! I guess it is lucky they are so cute!!
Oh that is SO true! When they are angels they are amazing. How do they turn so quickly/easily?!!?
He’s sweet – the polarisation between independence and utter adoration continues (although I’m a bit scared to know what happens in the teens) – one minute you know nothing and you’re totally wrong and the next minute you’re nearly bowled over as they fling themselves against you for a cuddle – that’s my fave part and it makes up for all the time she tells me i’m wrong. Good luck with that party – they’re almost banned in our home now – the whole class jeannie party did it for me – never again 🙂
Whole class jeannie party!?!? gives me a bit of a headache just thinking about it! I don’t even want to know about the teens!!
Great post! My son is training to be a terrorist as well and he is 5 turning 6. Maybe it the age! When they develop those fantastic nagging skills so that you say yes to anything in the end!
Thanks for sharing my post and I so hope I was actually helpful in the birthday planning and it goes well!
I’m still stuck as far as birthday party planning is going, but at least I know I am not alone and am not imagining those politics!! :0
Great post Aroha and so very true! Your son sounds like one awesome little dude – there’ll never be any dull moments in your house!
He keeps us on our toes alright! He cracks me up on a daily basis (when he’s not making me tear out my hair!)
Oh he is so cute!!!! Possibly too cute sometimes! 😉
Too cute for his own good!! You should see the faces I get! I will have to try and capture them on camera!
Haha, so much cuteness! The negotiation thing is tricky. They learn to do it so quickly! And it’s hard not to laugh every time they try, which REALLY helps the situation, hey?
Aww bless, so cute! He’s a wee ripper alright! Isn’t it funny how they are SO smart now they go to school! I can’t wait to see him again – it’s been ages and I bet he’s grown up SO much recently – Em x
This brings back so many awesome memories and even as painful as those word wars can be – you will always remember them with a smile in years to come. so that is a win – Mum1 Nick 0 BINGO! xx