Saturday 15 December 2007

Don't make a drama out of a crisis...

I am going to leave my journey until after Christmas for fear of depressing my blogging friends and them leaving to read funnier, more unlifting blogs.


We have had success with the cat fleas at last, the Spot-On was crap, the flea collar was crap, although she is still wearing it as it doesn't seem to bother her, the flea tablets were fantastic for eliminating living fleas on her body, at that time, they fall off within 15 minutes, but they don't kill the eggs!! Front line was recommended, but the chemist said she had to be over 6 months, defeated I contacted the vet and guess what they had Front Line and you can use it from 8 weeks, one vial does 5 weeks, kills fleas on the body within 24 hours and any fleas that jump onto the body or hatch on the body are killed, again, within 24 hours. To good to be true, no, it works, I have combed her through, checking for droppings, fleas or anything else suspicious and she is flea free. Mission accomplished at long last.

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My daughter celebrated her 8th birthday on the 1st Dec and had 4 friends to sleepover, I love children, I enjoy their company and I pride myself on bringing fun and enjoyment to their parties. The hubby took our son out for the evening so that we could have a girls night in, I bought the girls little make-up sets with nail varnish, equiped myself with nail varnish remover and started the night with food. I always give any children in my house rules, 3 simple rules, take your shoes of at the door, hang your jackets on the pegs and put your papers (sweeties or juice cartoons etc) into the bin, this keeps me a happy mum. The food was demolished, we had the cake, all the girls helped with the candles and the switching off of lights while my daughter waited patiently, we sang Happy Birthday and cheered, they had cake and sweeties and went to play for a while to let the food settle. By 9.30 they had all fallen out, my daughter was crying, 2 of her 'friends' were upstairs bitching about her, saying 'just because it's her birthday, she wants all the attention, this was the worst sleepover they had ever been to blah, blah blah' at which point I had to remind myself I was and adult and these were 8 year old girls, I called a get together in the living room to see if any child wanted to go home, the 2 bitching children who had never been to my house before said 'no' We played games, musical bumps, best dancer, musical statues and it was fun, all the girls enjoyed themselves, all the girls got a prize and a few more sweeties went round. At 10 o'clock I decided to blow up the air bed as they were going to have a pyjama party and watch a DVD, my daughters new Bratz The Movie DVD, I was in my bedroom, getting the bed sorted when I heared two almighty thuds, I entered my daughters room to find the 2 bitching children jumping from the top bunk bed, in all the years my children have had these beds they have never, ever, jumped or dreaped from the beds or any other part of the house for that matter. And the cheek I took from these children, under normal circumstances, had they been to play, their mothers would have been called and I would have spoken to them sternly and let them know their behaviour was unacceptable, but my fear was they would make fun of my daughter at school, tell her other friends her sleepover was a disaster, so for her sake and the fact it was her birthday, I jollied them round and we carried on. They watched DVD's, played in the room and at 1am I decided it was time for lights out, I informed them they could choose a book for 10 minutes and then I would be back to put the lights out. 2 children refused to get into bed, that was a big mistake, I spoke to them as I would to my own children, they got into bed immediately with the first book that fell into their hands. These children will not be back to play or stay or otherwise and my daughter has realised that a sleepover is not all it's cracked up to be, she has been watching too much of the 'All new sleepover club' Her friends left at 12 noon the next day, the other 2 children praised for their perfect behaviour and their mothers informed likewise and my daughter, she was asleep on the couch for 12.45, an exhausted little 8 year old. I appreciate my good mannered, well behaved children all the more now, they may play up with us, at home, but I can trust them to behave with any other adult and I am very very proud of them.

Last week was a disaster, my daughter had been complaining on and off that she didn't feel well, but she went to school just the same, my son was loaded with the cold, coughing and complaining of a sore head but still he wanted to go to school, the hubby he has full blown flu and not 'man flu' real flu, he has never been ill in his life so it is not going down to well, I knew he must be really ill when he recently refused sex, he continued to go to work but took the weekend off, quite unheard of in our house. The children had their panto visit with the school on Wednesday morning, I sent them with a pack of tissues and informed the school if they were unwell on their return I should be called immediately. They called me at 2.40pm! by the time I got the message I was on my way to school to collect them. I reached the school office and was told by the office staff that my daughters teacher had said, and I quote 'perhaps you could keep her off tomorrow as she has been to the office everyday this week' 'RIGHT' I said, 'bloody cheek' I mumbled. I do not normally send my children to school ill, but because of the panto they didn't want to miss it. I decided right there and then that they could both have the day off on Thursday, they were both quite ill looking when they came out of school. I had already done my Florence Nightingale that morning with my mother as she too was bedridden with flu, I had gone in armed with all the remedies I could think of as her car was in the garage and she was effectively stranded. This was my good fortune that her car was in the garage as my car was due to go in on the Thursday morning for a service, which meant I could drop my car off and use hers until mine was ready, so I left her house armed with a blank cheque to pay for her car. Upon realising the kids were so ill and going to be off school the next day I decided to go straight to the garage and exchange cars rather than dragging the kids out early the next morning and it was just as well I did, because on the Thursday morning we woke up to find the whole village had no water, I don't know which I consider worse, no water or no electricity, at least with water you can wash and make tea, ok you can't dry or straighten your hair without electricity but you can still boil water on the gas hob. The kids were quite happy not to wash and they had TV so their life was fine. I had taken the morning off and informed the hubby he would have to have the afternoon off as I was too busy to have the whole day off, he nearly died, he has never taken time off to look after sick children. He gets up and goes to work, only dealing with himself, even if the kids are ill he assumes I'll be there, because I always have been and thankfully they are not often ill and I have never had to take a day off work since I set up the business 3.5 years ago, it would be ok if I didn't work alone, but I do, so there is nobody to hold the fort. Anyway, shocked as he was he came home at lunchtime and I trotted of to work, mildy washed down with the little water that had been left, there must have been a lot of stinky people in our village that day! I got my car back that night, so I had to leave mums car at the garage and then we took a family trip to go and collect it later that evening, my mum stays about 10 miles away from us so we took the car back to our house as she was still to ill to drive it anyway. I feel all I've done is run about after sick people and coordinated cars and then there's the inconvenience of Christmas............


I appreciate the importance of Christmas itself but hate the commercialisation - is that a word, I don't know, but I'm sure you get my drift.


Until the next high drama I bid you goodbye.

12 comments:

Manic Mother Of Five said...

Hey Nicola. Great insight into life in your house - sounds very similiar to mine - just getting by from one mini disaster to the next. Still the lulls in the middle make it all worth it.

The sleepover sounds a total nightmare - would have coped with the lack of water (indeed we had to for over a week earlier this year when out local water supply became contaminated) but these girls sound a total nightmare. i congratulate you on your retraint.

Merry Christmas to you and yours and I will be back soon for further updates.

She's like the wind said...

Hi Kathryn, that sums it up, one mini disaster to the next, very well put.

As for the sleepover, I couldn't have cared less if they stayed up all night, I would have gone without sleep, just this once for my daughter's happiness, but cheek, there's no need for it and what makes it worse is their parents are the loveliest people. I'll know who not to invite the next time!!!

A whole week without water, that must have been a nightmare, thank god ours was just off until late afternoon, apparently it was vandalism, the water board had been working on the water pipes and left the main pipe exposed and vandals dropped a slab on it!!

A very Merry Christmas and all the best for 2008!

Nicola xx

Anonymous said...

I think sleepover's at age 8 are definitely a no go!! However, Amy is having one friend to stay when it's her birthday in January but I draw the line at one! Kids do argue and make up but I know what you mean about the girls possibly bitching at school.

I do hope you are all feeling better soon.

Crystal xx

Anonymous said...

Yeah on de-flea-d cats!

I am right there with you on misbehaving children - I actually dread the day when my children are old enough for sleepovers and playdates. I see so many kids now that have their parents wrapped around their little fingers and who get away with bloody murder! My proudest accomplishment thus far as a parent is that my 2.5 year old says 'please' and 'thank you' without prompting - in our house you get nothing without manners and proper behavior (well, as proper as can be expected from a toddler!)

I hope that everyone is feeling better soon!

And I agree with you on Christmas a thousand times over. Hate the commercialization and consum . . . the word you used.

Hope everyone is feeling better!

dgibbs said...

Cats and fleas...grr!

Snotty little girls, we run in to more every year at school.

Happy holidays.

She's like the wind said...

Hi CJ, yes draw the line at one, take my advice!

That's it with kids and you have to be very careful, fighting one minute and friends the next, they can be so cruel and I would hate to see my daughter devastated by their comments. One of the delightful little 'bitches' bought her a big box of chocolates for christmas. Kids!

Glad to say I think everyone is slightly better.

xx

She's like the wind said...

Hi Driving, you know I'm never quite sure what to call you, perhaps DWTBO would be better then Driving, if you have a preference let me know.

You can't bet good manners, I have please and thank you rules too, for everyone. My husband coaches my sons football team and on the cold winter Saturday mornings, my husband makes flasks of hot orange squash and at half time they come to me, the pourer of said orange squash, one morning only one boy say thank you, so I announced 'you know only one boy said thank you to me' they are 10/11 year olds, I was greeted with thanks fron everyone and now they fall over themselves each week with 'thank yous' and it's appreciated, it costs nothing to be polite and usually brings about a nice smile too.

I would be mortified if my children behaved this way. You are so right about the children who have their parents wrapped around their little fingers, to much of this children have rights, children shouldn't be smacked, I don't believe in cruelty but I believe in discipline for their own sakes. Oh don't get me started!!

xx

She's like the wind said...

You know dgibbs, you're right, there seems to be more and more, we are being over run by misbehaving little madames.

Merry Christmas to everyone. Have a pleasant, peaceful and polite festive season!

xx

Sparx said...

Hey - glad the Frontline worked, it really is the best. I Frontline our cat every three months between late August and end of March just to be on the safe side now!

Reading this post made me glad I don't have a daugher, much as I want one... I remember how horrible other little girls could be when I was one myself.

I've left you a little something over on my blog by the way...

She's like the wind said...

An award, super, fantastic - thank you, my very first award, I love it.

Thank you so much to all my blogging buddies.

xx

Frog in the Field said...

Huge Hug Self employed Mum.
I know that very feeling of catty little girls on sleepovers.
Hope you managed some rest over Christmas, I was very glad to turn off my computer for a few days and not have to think about business.
Have a great New Year
Frog
x

Elsie Button said...

i deliberately avoided my nine year old sister's birthday party the other week and turned up just as the last one was leaving - 20 nine year olds - a nightmare! 20? My dad is nuts.