0 comment Sunday, August 24, 2014 | admin
...but this cold snap has caught me out physically! Achey and feeling rather blah, and sprog of course wants to be outside in the cold every moment of the day. The sun actually out and shining, albeit feebly, has stirred his hyperactivity into overdrive and he's very difficult to control this weekend. I had to nix a trip into town yesterday as he just wasn't managing to follow instructions, and that's dangerous in a full marketplace. Today I've promised him a trip but I'm going to have to make it rather quick, getting some basics (very basic!) till Tuesday market day.
He's on a mission today as he's going to bring his own money to buy toys and his cheese straws. This is a new proviso I've introduced to his routines. As I've been redoing his room, there's been something new showing up every day - new sensory toys, a beanbag, a glow-in-the-dark ceiling painting. He has a very short attention span, and I'm aware of this. However even I was surprised that he stayed interested in these items for a grand total of 3 days....and then couldn't be bothered. The toys are shoved under the bed, he didn't like the painting after day 2. And yet, every time he comes home after school he is expecting new things - he'd want a toy a day.
Now, there are those who would say sprog was spoiled as a result. However, the issue isn't that he wants the most expensive toys, but just that he wants something new. New experiences stimulate sprog's mind, but these can be simple things; making fairy cakes, buying balloons to play with, blowing bubbles, making a tent, junk modelling, sewing little pockets or something like that. Activities need to be short and something I can do with him, a different thing each day. It gets frustrating to come up with so many things to keep him entertained and does require a fair bit of planning, but it's not impossible, and is a fun activity provided I can remember to reserve a little energy for myself during the week. It is also highly important to keep these things as simple as possible - visual and expressed appreciation for all my hardwork never happens, and can make sprog seem incredibly ungrateful, especially when he's always just asking for the next big thing and fixates upon it, completely ignoring what he's just finished up. It means having to put one's ego aside and just live in the minute...no easy feat, but I'm getting there.
And so, today, he's going to get a lesson in what things cost. Seven pounds isn't going to go very far! He won't be happy about this and I will need to be prepared for a potential meltdown in the store (hence a quick food-shopping run will have to happen prior to our trip), but hopefully I can get him back home relatively unscathed and without too many stares. Hope springs eternal.
POST-SHOP
That actually went better than I expected! We managed a quick shop for food for his lunches, and he found a small lego kit he liked (he's been collecting wee cars and animals and things in Lego, and he's very good at putting them together). He paid for this himself, then purchased his own cheese straws. We then made our way to a Pizza Express, an activity he tended to do with his father before ex discovered his gluten allergy. Sprog knew exactly what he wanted and ordered for himself (I felt a bit anxious about this, ready to interpret if need be, but he did brilliantly), and then whilst waiting - and for "express" we waiting a while! - he put together and played with his Lego. The server couldn't believe he'd put it together so fast: "HOW old is he?"
He ate nicely, ordered an ice cream for himself and then we were off again to try and find a movie for him. He purchased one and we waiting for the bus (by now the sugar rush from the sundae was kicking in so I was glad to be on the bus as he was getting confrontational).
There were surprisingly few hiccups, a few embarassing moments (as there always is), but on the whole a very good day, with sprog graciously accepting that he couldn't buy this item or that. He's even been playing with his new Lego when he got home. Hurrah! Sundays do seem to be the better day to take him out, as the town is sleepy, half the shops are closed and therefore he isn't feeling too wound up by external activity. Duly noted for our "adventure weekends" during the summer hols.
He's on a mission today as he's going to bring his own money to buy toys and his cheese straws. This is a new proviso I've introduced to his routines. As I've been redoing his room, there's been something new showing up every day - new sensory toys, a beanbag, a glow-in-the-dark ceiling painting. He has a very short attention span, and I'm aware of this. However even I was surprised that he stayed interested in these items for a grand total of 3 days....and then couldn't be bothered. The toys are shoved under the bed, he didn't like the painting after day 2. And yet, every time he comes home after school he is expecting new things - he'd want a toy a day.
Now, there are those who would say sprog was spoiled as a result. However, the issue isn't that he wants the most expensive toys, but just that he wants something new. New experiences stimulate sprog's mind, but these can be simple things; making fairy cakes, buying balloons to play with, blowing bubbles, making a tent, junk modelling, sewing little pockets or something like that. Activities need to be short and something I can do with him, a different thing each day. It gets frustrating to come up with so many things to keep him entertained and does require a fair bit of planning, but it's not impossible, and is a fun activity provided I can remember to reserve a little energy for myself during the week. It is also highly important to keep these things as simple as possible - visual and expressed appreciation for all my hardwork never happens, and can make sprog seem incredibly ungrateful, especially when he's always just asking for the next big thing and fixates upon it, completely ignoring what he's just finished up. It means having to put one's ego aside and just live in the minute...no easy feat, but I'm getting there.
And so, today, he's going to get a lesson in what things cost. Seven pounds isn't going to go very far! He won't be happy about this and I will need to be prepared for a potential meltdown in the store (hence a quick food-shopping run will have to happen prior to our trip), but hopefully I can get him back home relatively unscathed and without too many stares. Hope springs eternal.
POST-SHOP
That actually went better than I expected! We managed a quick shop for food for his lunches, and he found a small lego kit he liked (he's been collecting wee cars and animals and things in Lego, and he's very good at putting them together). He paid for this himself, then purchased his own cheese straws. We then made our way to a Pizza Express, an activity he tended to do with his father before ex discovered his gluten allergy. Sprog knew exactly what he wanted and ordered for himself (I felt a bit anxious about this, ready to interpret if need be, but he did brilliantly), and then whilst waiting - and for "express" we waiting a while! - he put together and played with his Lego. The server couldn't believe he'd put it together so fast: "HOW old is he?"
He ate nicely, ordered an ice cream for himself and then we were off again to try and find a movie for him. He purchased one and we waiting for the bus (by now the sugar rush from the sundae was kicking in so I was glad to be on the bus as he was getting confrontational).
There were surprisingly few hiccups, a few embarassing moments (as there always is), but on the whole a very good day, with sprog graciously accepting that he couldn't buy this item or that. He's even been playing with his new Lego when he got home. Hurrah! Sundays do seem to be the better day to take him out, as the town is sleepy, half the shops are closed and therefore he isn't feeling too wound up by external activity. Duly noted for our "adventure weekends" during the summer hols.
Labels: Spirit