The Basement

Check this out;

It's like postsecret for bloggers.

Makes you realise just how lucky you really are.

I spoke to my best friend last night. She lives in Perth now, and has no kids, so it's even harder to catch up with her.

I told her everything. I love having a friend who I can tell everything. She is one of very few that knows the good, the bad & the ugly of Shel. And, she loves me anyway.

We've been friends for 26 years. Obviously not so close as young kids; but as older children/teens and adults, she is the sister that my real sister could never be.

I am feeling better; I ate a carrot and a mandarin yesterday and kept the whole lot. Was pretty happy with that.

Today will be sunny, so Mr weatherman says. R has the beginnings of a cold and C won't be far behind no doubt. It was meant to be a day of playing with another group of children, but today, I cannot be bothered putting on my facade. I want my day with my kids, in my house. To wear awful tracky dacks and potter in the garden. To play 'cuzzles' (C calls puzzles 'Cuzzles' and when you try to correct him he says 'P...CUZZLES') and build Buzz lightyears with my kids.

There is bullying going on at kinder. I thank christ it's not my child being the bully or the bullied; but the poor child who is, is just a lovely (but shy) kid. Part of me feels as though it's none of my business; but part of me wants to tear the mother of this feral limb from limb. Because, I'm not so fussed with any childs behaviour - it is how it is dealt with that is a concern. And, put simply, she's just not dealing at all. Laughs it all off - which would be nice if he wasn't kicking, spitting, punching and rubbing this poor kids face into the sandpit. Calling him all sorts of names that shouldn't be in a 5yo's vocabulary, let alone be aired.

Maybe I'm a horrible mother, I don't know. But, I have effectively banned Riley from playing with him. I know that Riley is easily lead (because, after his isolation from his friends last year due to his hearing any friend is a good friend); but I will NOT have him behaving in any way similar to this other boy. Bad mummy? Maybe. But, the more kids this feral has next to him, the worse he gets, and the more this other poor kid will get. And, his mother is a good friend of mine. And I will NOT have my child hand out the treatment that was bestowed on him last year; for no other good reason but he was a little different.

So far, I haven't had to follow through with my threat to pull him out of kinder for a session if I find out he's playing with him. It's probably not even the most effective 'punishment' either; but Riley is ready (thank god!!) for school; and because he repeated, I have little qualms if he needs to miss a session to learn how to treat people. Some have gasped at my decision, but they are my thoughts on the matter. I'll wear the consequences of such a decision.

Fundamentally, he's a great kid. He cares, he's compassionate and he's a whole lot of fun. But, like I said; he's easily lead. Which, is a massive step forward from the child who would just cop whatever treatment was issued him. At least he'll now say that he doesn't want to do that/take that/say that. But, he is easily persuaded. All in the name of friends.

Did all these politics really start this early when we were children? Because, I fear it's getting worse and worse, earlier and earlier.