I’m seriously considering throwing away all our worldly goods and starting again. But this time instead of buying Rory the Racing Car cups and Dora the Explorer pillowcases I’m going to get everything in plain featureless white.
This isn’t for any aesthetic reason. In fact I’m not really a fan of minimalism, finding it too clinical and impersonal. Nor is it an anti-capitalist stance against the consumerization of pre-schoolers. I do have some deep seated unease surrounding the High School Musical brand and the way it’s wormed its way in my daughters self identity, but I am far too excited by the prospect of Batman lunchboxes to complain about it without being labeled a hypocrite.
No, the reason I want to get rid of everything in the house is to stop the kids bloody fighting about it all the time.
If Amy has the Winnie the Pooh plate, Evan wants it. If Evan has the bowl with butterflies on it Amy wants it. Breakfast time in particular has become an exercise in negotiation that rivals the Israel/Palistinian situation in complexity.
On the whole the kids get on fine. Amy in particular is wonderfully patient and generous with her brother. But when they get it into their heads that they both want the same thing then all hell breaks loose.
A great man (me) once said that the purpose of a sibling is to teach you that life isn’t fair. I always took this responsibility very seriously with my own brother and sister, going out of my way to teach them important life lessons such as don’t trust someone who tells you something isn’t going to hurt. I know that it applies to my own children too. That Amy and Evan are simply learning vital social skills and finding their place in the familial hiarachy. I know this. I just wish they would do it a little more quietly, that’s all; and preferably whilst I’m at work.
Oh well, just another eighteen years or so to go.
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on Sep 30th, 2008 at 9:21 pm
My son and a friend’s daughter spend a bit of time together. Me and my friend were bathing them together one night, and got onto the whole they’d want what the other has got even if it was imaginary mud conversation. At which point both children claimed the imaginary mud for themselves.
SingleParentDads last blog post..They Are All Doomed
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on Sep 30th, 2008 at 9:58 pm
Oh and btw – check out my last post! I’m an only child and I always get what I want AND don’t have to share either!
gails last blog post..T’was Just a Monday
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on Oct 1st, 2008 at 2:59 am
Daily–”Kids, come eat.”
“I want the fishy plate.” “No, I want the fishy plate you can have the stripey plate.”
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on Oct 1st, 2008 at 8:18 am
18 years, you say? Not sure about that ;o)
Penelopes last blog post..Creature of habit.
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on Oct 1st, 2008 at 10:33 am
Arjans last blog post..40K: various models
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on Oct 1st, 2008 at 3:04 pm
Or they just said “no” to both of us. That works too.
Pandora Caitiffs last blog post..Best disclaimer ever…
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on Oct 1st, 2008 at 3:59 pm
Xbox4NappyRashs last blog post..Irony travels
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on Oct 1st, 2008 at 5:09 pm
VegasDads last blog post..a restless night
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on Oct 2nd, 2008 at 3:54 am
Jamess last blog post..Yo, ho ho!
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on Oct 2nd, 2008 at 6:11 am
BRILLIANT!
I have six of them.
PGs last blog post..The Good Shepherd (243/365)
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on Oct 2nd, 2008 at 10:39 pm
Gail – Only children are the worst.
Ed – To be honest I think it’s ALL kids.
Penelope – Your sister is a brave woman to come between you and alcohol.
Arjan – Yeah, but at 18 I can throw them both out.
Pandora – I’m thinking the only way out of it is to put them both up for adoption.
Xbox – Hey, you know, that’s not a bad idea.
VegasDad – Problems is I don’t know where half the stuff came from.
James – I could dress them exactly the same too.
PG – I imagine you really know life isn’t fair then.
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on Oct 7th, 2008 at 3:57 pm
Holmess last blog post..365 # 88: David H.
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