Tuesday 1 May 2012

Eyes everywhere - or not...




01.05.12.



Boy is the boy growing up fast. Today he has been 'painting' at nursery. Apparently he enjoyed smearing Sarah's face with paint; she got him back!



When we returned home, I discovered that Dexter's latest 'thing' is climbing. His perch of choice this evening was Noo Noo's armchair. This was a vantage point for about three and a half minutes of 'Charlie and Lola', before Dexter realised that all his toys lay on the other side of the chair. He attempted a scramble and a dive Tom Daley would be proud of into said toys, but I was just quick enough to grab the waistband of his joggers and prevent an unpleasant accident.


He also climbed every stair up to the bathroom (with me close behind), and it's made the husband and I super-conscious that we need eyes everywhere. I think we are entering a whole new phase: toddlerhood. I fear it may be rather hard work.


I supervised Homework Club as a favour to a fab head of year after school today. As we made sure the students knew what they were doing and supplied them with squash and biscuits, this colleague commented on my natural mothering instincts. I assume she was joking as she basically did all of the work. I was a presence, but I was also desperately trying to finish some resources on the computer for tomorrow's lessons, with one eye on what the students were doing.


I remember a friend describing my parenting style as 'benign neglect'. If I'm honest, I was a tad offended at the time by the term, largely because I didn't think it sounded very positive and I didn't understand what it was. I've since read a little bit about it on the internet, and it is actually the sort of parenting I'd like Dexter to experience. If showing some discernment in knowing what really needs attention and avoiding over-analysing every single behaviour my child displays defines the philosphy, then I'm all for it, and I now understand it was definitely meant as a compliment. As with eveything though, it seems to be about balance, and I won't be getting rid of the stairgates just yet... 

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