…The parents’, of course. And naturally, no one listens to us. I am still sick, and now – after he says I wiped boogers on him – my husband is also ill. So we’re a real joy to be around. Do the kids care? Nope. Keira just coughed in my face.

Yesterday was a trial; of the kind when your youngest child hasn’t had a nap in two days – two days of oppressive heat – and it all unravelled when, in the paddling pool, he wanted the RED bucket his sister was playing with. The YELLOW one was just not acceptable anymore.

So what does he do? He tips over the easel/chalkboard. He kicks my garden statue of a cherub cuddling the world (oh, karma, be kind to my son please). He picks up random leaves and scrunches them vindictively, gritting his teeth as he does so, and hot tears forge their way down his cheeks.

I was laughing until he came across his father’s (empty) beer bottle from the previous day and he tossed that against the wall. Luckily it didn’t break, but after that it was well and truly naptime.

And so he slept – finally – and his sister and parents had some lovely quiet time.

The moral: I hope this pattern of dropping the daytime nap does NOT continue!

******

On Friday I did something rather exciting. Altering-the-future-in-the-present kind of way. I can’t say anything too much about it yet, but, let me tell you, it kicks ass. At least, I think so, and that’s all that matters.

karen andrews

Karen Andrews is the creator of this website, one of the most established and well-respected parenting blogs in the country. She is also an author, award-winning writer, poet, editor and publisher at Miscellaneous Press. Her latest book is Trust the Process: 101 Tips on Writing and Creativity