Agony Aunt: Part 1

Judes has left a new comment on your post "Revenge of the Pediculus Humanus Capitis": OK, mine is about getting Toddlers to have their lunch time snooze without a world war!!!

Thanks for the question, Judes. Toddlers are a tricky species indeed ... very unpredictable to the untrained eye.

My kids had their moments when it came to napping and would often manifest when I wanted to put them down. The unfortunate news for a busy mother is that these little Klingons tend to grow out of their naps and one has to adjust the times you originally had planned for those naps. I had my moments of being a lazy mommy and was at times probably way too laid back. To be honest, I was never really good at an extreme schedule at all. Not even with breastfeeding - that was all "you know where it is, if you're hungry let me know" - a.k.a "demand feeding". It worked for me. When it came to nap times, I would try make sure that my little ones wouldn't go to sleep after 3:30pm because they'd be hell to put down in the evening when I wanted some much needed "adult time". So I'd try make sure they would be napping by about 1:30 and give them about a hour to two hours depending on how much I felt they needed at the time. You know what I mean by that ... we mothers just know what our little ones need. We can tell when they have a temperature or are feeling under the weather - by just looking at their eyes and kissing their foreheads. When they're tired, or when they're just plain naughty. And don't try tell me all children are angels (you obviously don't have any if you say this) ... its those horns that keep the halo up.

Each child is an individual and sometimes you need to find what works for your little one. Just because your friend has the ability to put her child down and say sleep and they obey instantly doesn't mean you will be able to do it too. Besides, you'll probably find it interesting to know that mothers who say they have it all under control often don't and are just hiding it because they want to seem to have it all together. Not helpful, ladies - don't be a fool - talk about your experiences with each other, be there for each other and be real with each other. You have to find what will work for your specific child in your family unit. It may be lying with them for 5 minutes and reading them a short story in a very soothing and calm voice. It may be singing them a soft sweet lullaby - make one up if you don't know one and don't worry if you can't sing - your child won't know this for many years to come. You're bound to have a few "hits and misses" along the way to finding what will work for you or you may hit the jackpot and get it right away. Either way don't loose hope.

The one thing that has kept me sane throughout this journey of motherhood is keeping the following in mind:

1. I have never been a mother to this child at the current age he/she is at right now.
2. I'm learning as I go along since these Klingons didn't come with a manual.
3. They have never been at the current age they are at right now, so they don't know any more than I do and are hence learning as they go along too.
4. Each child is different, so what worked for the one won't necessarily work for the next.
5. You have to learn to laugh at yourself or you'll go insane.
6. Don't try compete with others - just remember that out there somewhere is another mother probably looking at you and saying "I wish I knew how she does it, I'm a terrible mother!"
   

I'm sure that there are many people out there who will give you tons of advice - take what you need and walk away from the rest.


Here are some websites/articles you may find interesting on the topic of sleeping and napping for toddlers:

http://www.parentingtoddlers.com/Baby-sleep-methods.html

http://babyparenting.about.com/od/sleeping/a/bedtimeresist.htm

http://babyparenting.about.com/cs/sleeping/a/sleepbook.htm

http://www.minti.com/parenting-advice/228/When-Toddlers-Grow-Out-of-Their-Midday-Nap/

http://books.google.co.za/books?id=NkGOP8owXAgC&pg=PA51&lpg=PA51&dq=midday+naps+for+toddlers&source=bl&ots=XtrOxrRb9n&sig=epR2QRgQCEsyZ2z5CU1mEpGYS3M&hl=en&ei=gW5ISqvHMuWetwfEnvmMCg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3

http://life.familyeducation.com/nap-time/sleep/52587.html


And hey, if all else fails ... medicate! ;)

Restaurant Review: Jimmy's Killer Prawns

For some people reading this it might be a surprise that I went to a restaurant that serves mainly fish because I don't generally allow it near me after some rather horrid experiences with it. Lets just say lock-jaw and food poisoning d0 NOT go down well.

Anyway, I've recently started hanging out with some fabulous people once a month for dinner at different restaurants - which is a lot of fun. This time around we went to Jimmy's Killer Prawns in Somerset West Main Road. It was a cool night so it was lovely to be seated so close to the fireplace. They do have a play area outside for children (although I didn't get to see it because it was cold and dark outside). The also have a play room for kids inside (that too I didn't get to see because - yay - I didn't have kids with me!).

We had a table of 14 people so we were quite rowdy - we were one of the first tables to arrive there and the last to leave. More on that bit later. The problem that some of the people had at the table was understanding the menu - not nuclear physics, but not exactly the most user friendly menu I've ever seen. Our food was not too bad. Since I don't eat fish, I had the lamb chops with a baked potato. It was delicious - the basting sauce they cooked them in was heavenly. Everyone seemed to enjoy the food. The dessert on the other hand was very disappointing. I love chocolate mousse ... its my favorite dessert. So I ordered one. It was not only runny and obviously far from set. It also tasted like one of those Moirs Instant Puddings. Some of the others had a chocolate brownie dessert which seemed to be much nicer from the small bit I managed to taste from my lovely neighbour. I do recall having a Dom Pedro with a double tot of Kahlua .... that was not too bad.

It must have been between 22h30 and 23h00 when we paid the bill and stayed sitting there chatting and laughing loudly. We were intrigued by a couple sitting in the bar area who were obviously very high on some illegal substance and were amazed that they actually were able to come out to eat at all. We were eventually the last table there and the staff were gathering in the bar area while the manager started flashing the lights in the restaurant ... a clear sign that we were now expected to leave. I was wondering how that manager would feel if one of us had pressed the emergency button on the alarm pad that was twinkling its lights at us so invitingly. The idea of him having to stay longer while he explained to the police that he had no emergency was enough to make us all grin after his rude display. Yet, it seems that none of us had the balls to do so. Oh well ... maybe next time ... NOT!

So all in all, the main course was good and the dessert was crap. I highly doubt I would ever eat there again as dessert is the most important part of a meal for me. However, the company was amazing as usual and I look forward to our next night out.

Jimmy's Killer Prawns gets a 2 out of 5 stars from me...

Revenge of the Pediculus Humanus Capitis

"Revenge of the WHAT??!?!?!?!" No, relax ... its ok ... we're not being invaded by aliens (even though I put that request in quite some time ago).

Here is the lowdown on this vile spawn of satan:

http://www.health24.com/medical/Head2Toe/777-778-781,11855.asp#art_3

OMG my scalp is itching just thinking about it ... and NO, I do not have a pediculus humanus capitis invasion thank you very much.

Ok, so why have I brought up these vile little beasts of burden??? Well this fine sunny winters morning I received a phone call from the ex to say that the preschool where the littlest Klingon goes for higher learning had called to say: "Please fetch your lice infested child immediately before we get it". Ok I'm sure they didn't say it like that, but that sounds more dramatic. So I went to fetch her armed with my supply of Controlice (yes this is what you need to be using ... but before I tell you more about the product, you have to hear more ...). I whisked my infested Klingon back to her father's house (its his turn with the kids) and promptly started spraying the wonderful ammunition onto her locks. We wait for all of 15 minutes and then we go to wash the head with normal shampoo (no need for conditioner). But alas ... this moment would not be complete without a burst pipe up the road resulting in there being all but a few drops of rather icy water dripping uselessly out of the tap. Right, so now what? Well, we head off to the kitchen where I make the Klingon lie on the counter like a large leg of lamb waiting to be carved up and served with roast potatoes, sweet carrots and .... yes ok I'm hungry right now .... where was I ... ok so there she lies crying her eyes out because she feels totally abused right about now (not realising this wasn't were the horror would end). Her head hanging over the prep bowl I managed to get enough water out of the two kitchen sinks and the kettle to make washing the hair do-able. Once this was finally done we went outside and sat in the nice warm sun and started combing out the nits ... yes ... nits ... omg, does it ever end!!! Nits = lice eggs just in case you were wondering. Tiny little white things that some people may dismiss as the results of a flaky scalp ... but these little buggers don't come out of the hair with a good shaking. No. You have to comb out about 2 cm of hair at a time ... its painfully time consuming. So little by little they are removed with much tugging and threats of shaving the whole mangled oily mass right off if she doesn't stop moaning about it. So the nits are 90% gone and whats left will hatch and be dealt with swiftly with more of my weapon of choice.

Talking about this product. Its great. All natural, so it doesn't cause children to convulse and die. For more information on it go take a look at the information on the following website:

http://www.babiesonline.co.za/Products/23

If you ever have this problem this is what I would suggest you use. If you're not sure what you're looking for, this is what it looks like:


Now ... where are my agony aunt questions you bunch of scaredy cats! Ok ok... if you have "mother/child" questions you feel too doff to ask someone else about be assured your anonymity will be secure and question answered promptly .... (dare dare dare) .... trust me, I've been asked some whoppers in my day! More on that next time.....

Falsey's and Snobs ....

No, I haven't dropped off the face of the earth ... promise!

One good thing about being at home while in-between jobs is that I get to fetch the Klingons from school and I get to watch my little rugby star playing his games! I haven't had the pleasure of seeing my boy doing sport in quite some time. Its interesting for me to see how the mothers that are there on the side of the field or just outside the school gate as the bell rings at the end of the day for their Klingons are still very much the same as they were before I started working. So not much has changed. The snobs are still trying to block the sun from shining by putting their noses in the air (hopefully to trip in the process). The "falseys" are still being as false as ever ... "Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!! Omg!!! Its been forever!!!! Looooooooooove what you're wearing, where have you beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen????????????" ... and as they turn to their clone gang they gossip about whatever you might not have told them and how they know everything. And then of course you get those delightful malignant tumors that just want to suck the life out of you ... those are generally the ones I like to avoid. I love teasing the "falsey's" like one would tease a pitbull with a little kitten. Throw out a bit of juicy information that you want everyone to know but don't want to tell them yourself because the twists that "falsey's" come up with are generally very entertaining indeed. The snobs I find are generally easy to taunt ... or trip ... depending on how high they have their noses up of course. Its also lots of fun to get into peoples comfort zones ... most people that act snobbish around you are in fact not ... they are generally quite scared of venturing out and meeting new people ... inferiority complexes and the like. I remember how much fun I had with just such a group of ladies when my son started at a play school a long time ago....

Walking into the school grounds, I would often pass "Beth" (name changed to protect the innocent). Now I'm generally a very happy and friendly person and would greet Beth with a wave and a "hey!" whenever we passed each other at drop off or pick up times. Yet each time Beth would look at me as if I had a large piece of green mush protruding from my left incisor. Once I realised that I did not in fact have something in my teeth, I decided to take some action and mess with her chi. I walked right up to her, grabbed her shoulders and smiled broadly, flashing my squeaky clean teeth at her, and said: "Hey Beth! How are you!?" Well she mumbled her response through a very tight smile and said: "Fine! Thank you! Ok ..... um .... bye"
Well after a few weeks of this smash and grab maneuver, she actually started coming up to me to say hi before I even had a chance to! So it worked! And we're still very good friends to this day.

If that doesn't work for you, perhaps you can drop kick some sense into that wanna-be snob's ass. (Now now! Don't get your nickers in a knot ... I don't expect you to actually kick someone ... that could ruin your shoes!)

I feel like doing some sort of sarcastic agony aunt column ... anyone brave enough to send me a question? I'll post anything that might come up from that question on here ... so keep visiting and bring your friends.

I'll leave you with this thought:


Laters!
xxx