My Lady of the Lantern

Repeat bloodwork shows that I do not have to go and get the dreamy Proc.tosc.opy done.  In a brilliant discovery, I have finally identified hunger as the root cause of tantrums from Figlia and M. A tiny snack in, and there is immediate quiet, before whatever else ticks any of them. Gracy continues to be absent from work. She had pneumonia. I know I sound harsh but I am not, I am a very sweet, confrontation-avoiding, giver of many favours. She is recovered from the fever, and was supposed to come in on last Monday, but I asked her to delay her coming because she still had a cough. I asked her to report to work today. Guess who won't be coming today because they are unwell, and have blood pressure, and possibly sugar issues and a doctor appointment today? In the words of DH - "taking care of the caretaker". It's time to start searching for an alternative.  The reason we withdrew M from daycare and kept him home was his repeated Upper Respiratory Infection...

Things are improving a bit on the Figlia front. I remember something she told me right after she had crossed a line again - "What will you do? Yell at me? Hit me?". That question from her told me what I shouldn't do - react. So, I caught her at a calm moment, and I told her that she could go to R's place, but she cannot go without informing me first, and she will have to return when asked to. Apparently, my daughter thought that I would not consent to her going there, and that is why all those shenanigans were up. Once we reached an agreement, she is more open about her intentions. She did break a rule again, and got wrapped up pretty quick on it. I have asked her to use the stairs and not the elevator when she is alone but Miss Confident was using the elevator even when alone, and the elevator got stuck yesterday. She learnt her lesson.  Since I know that her confidence is a bit more than her ability at this age, I am trying very hard to set rules that s...

There is this word that I want to use about Figlia's behaviour these days - insubordination.  M and Figlia are both running a cough and cold, and Figlia is essentially challenging my prerogative to say "No".  Yesterday, she again went out unaccompanied and I eventually searched for her, and brought her home at 2000 hrs. I chose to not yell, because that is what she perhaps expected. I told her that she had said that she was going to P's house, but how come she was at R's house without telling me. And Madam F, tried to bluff me that she had actually said R and never P, making me doubt for a couple of minutes if something is wrong with my hearing. However it all started with A (the next door kid) who showed up and asked for Figlia to accompany her to the park. When A did not agree to go to play at P's house, my daughter just went out alone.  I am not calling my daughter a liar. I just can't seem to get to her that there are a lot of safety conce...

It's been ten days of the new school for M. Snotty days are already here. M has been melting my heart with asking for hugs just about whenever he is reminded of them. He bear-hugged me yesterday, halfway through his bath. And then today morning, as soon as he woke up, he just wanted to be held . He wrapped his arms around me. We just sat like that for a few minutes. He usually is clingy in the morning, but today he did not even go into his dad's arms. Figlia has been challenging me with her assertions of independence. Along with her friend from the next door, she has been repeatedly insisting on going alone to the neighbourhood park. There has been this one time when I said that it was okay if she was playing at her friend's house, but not to go to the park without asking me. My daughter went ahead with going to the park before asking me first! But then, something else happened yesterday evening. You see, my daughter learnt that fooling someone is the same as lying...

Experienced a massive tantrum thrown by Figlia yesterday. Sufficient to state that Figlia and Gracy (yep) returned home crying from the park yesterday.  One of the issues that I have been having again and again with her is that my very verbal daughter expects certain things from me telepathically.  But what I really want to ask is how does one handle unpleasant questions, or conversations that are making you wince, but the kid refuses to drop the topic? #TMI warning# At five years old, Figlia has been continuously asking about how babies are made. So I answered her as straight as I could, and well, she knows that doctors take out babies. She wants to know how she would know that she has a baby inside her when she grows up? She wants to know how the baby is inserted into Mummy's tummy? And she has been asking variants of the same continuously.  Plus, I am having a hard time telling her that there is a right time and right place for verbalizing t...

Oy, in this week, and the turn of the last week, several things have happened.  Figlia, went to our neighbourhood park, with her pal alone - as in without me or Gracy accompanying her! When she was hankering me for it, I asked her to tell me phone numbers, and address and her parents' names, and she recited every detail. We live in a gated community, so it is moderately safe. Lot of children play outside, but Figlia hasn't ever even asked to go out alone like this.  Figlia, also went to our nearby grocer (the shop is also within the gated premises) alone. She carried the list of items on a slip of paper, and got stuff home. (I settle bills at the end of the month, so no money has to be paid immediately) M started Nursery this week.  I think I have at some point of time mentioned the elderly couple that lives in the flat adjacent to us. Their grandson, who is special needs, is visiting currently and is, I think 12-13 years old. The boy has problem with ver...

Figlia told Gracy that she needs to inform *me* to not have babies like M again. (Figlia and M are pretty much Tom and Jerry, and no peace can be expected at this point of time in our house.)