Spirited Mama

Living a SPIRITED life filled with wanderlust, emotions and everything in between

Category: Dudie

Blowing bubbles

By

On May 18, 2012

In Dudie, emotions, Parenting

So update on the frog and it’s going swimmingly. Remember he has two different instructors, the guy on Tuesdays and the girl on Thursdays… Well, it’s really great to see how this frog is progressing. If you want to, you can read about the frog here.

Last nite we had the girl instructor and albeit she’s happy with his progress and all that, she feels that the Dudie needs to practice blowing bubbles at home. I responded with “ But he does. And he’s so proud of himself. And shows off this skill in the bath and all” Well, she said maybe he’s just shy around her…

This left me thinking;

Do I just let him take lessons with the guy? They seem to get on very well. Kindred spirits and all. Or do I try just once more with the girl?

I think I’ll try once more. But then make my final decision. <Even the Dude feels we need to try once more>

We got home a little earlier than usual; our lesson was moved up as someone didn’t pitch. We ate left over Lasagne and shared some Nesquick… I gave him his bath and we polished brushed his teeth.  We then proceeded to his room where I tried to dress him but tonight this task was not smooth sailing… Dudie kept jumping up and down, trying to wiggle off the bed, anything to just not get dressed… The air was filled with laughter… And Dude making home videos. Then Dudie asked me to lie there with him. I soaked you up, albeit my tolerance level was low and my patience running out. I tried to focus on the “happy”. I filed your smiling happy face in my memory box, forever to treasure…

We played hide and seek under the covers and eventually we just fell asleep. Well not before you poked my nose, and pulled my ears and played with my hair and opening my eyes and telling me “Wake up, Mamma…” You haven’t called me Mamma in forever. And I loved it.

I need to remember to focus on the “happy”, the “here and now”….

Xoxoxox

P.S. My brother is almost ten years younger than me. He had a nesquick addiction, like I think I have and Dudie is developing… My brother uses to call Nesquick,… BUNNY! He always wanted BUNNY!

When you’re kid starts disciplining you…

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On May 15, 2012

In Dudie, Parenting

How do you discipline your child?

I was at my wits ends a while ago with disciplining Dudie. I am not a fan of smacking but once in a while a good smack on the bum does the trick. This might work for some kids NOT for DudiE. He thinks that a smack on the bum is hilarious. So I’ve resorted to the naughty thinking chair. In a corner, still within my sight but no TV/Games/Snacks/toys/anything that’s fun. He sits there for 2 minutes, then I go and give him “the Talk” about what he did and how it’s wrong, etc

I’m always dishing out time-outs. I even did it in a restaurant. Just took him to the baby room and that was that. Well, after time-out, we had such a nice time in the restaurant.

<I really don’t give a rat’s ass about the stares or the onlookers gossiping about my parenting habits. It’s my child and it works for us>

Does your partner discipline your child?

Dude was in awe of how well mannered the Dudie became. Then one day, I get home from work and Dudie breaks down in tears telling me something about music and how upset he is with Daddy Dude. Turns out, Dudie was in the wrong, Daddy Dude put Dudie in time-out and Dudie couldn’t comprehend the fact that Daddy can also discipline him. They are best friends like that… And now what…

Well, Dudie has realised that both Mom & Dad can discipline him and he’s cool with that. But it’s not always moonshine and roses…

When your child disciplines you

Yesterday I started cooking dinner and out of nowhere Dudie pulls up the chair (his small chair) and says “Mommy! Sit down. Blah blah Yada yada” Basically, he put me in time-out. OMG!!! Dude was having such a laugh but I was not impressed ‘cos I need to finish the food etc. I realised that I obviously upset this little man but I still have no idea what I did wrong.  After a few seconds Dudie came to stand in front of me and I said that I’m ready to apologise. SO, I apologized, and we hugged and I was granted permission to get up from the chair.

Not even 5mins later, Daddy Dude was banished to the chair. But Dude didn’t follow protocol and just got up after a while and walked off. Dudie scolded him and proceeded to tell him that he (Daddy dude) needs to sit on the chair. I explained that he needs to let Dudie know that he’s ready to apologise. He did and he too was granted permission to leave the chair.

This child of mine is as cute as a button. When time-out is over he happily puts the chair back in its rightful place.

Spirited Mama

 

And 2012 is the year that our child disciplines us…of course we realise that we are the adults and he is the child. At this stage we are engaging in role play to model desired behaviour in our child.

Update on the frog…

By

On May 9, 2012

In Dudie, Parenting

Frog started swimming lessons

So yesterday we started with swimming lessons for Dudie. Wow! Wow! Wow. Oh My Gloria! Dudie went from level 1 to level 2 in his first lesson!  <Can you see/feel how proud I am?>

The school is pretty strict on how they teach the kids.

  1. Parents are not allowed in the pool room ‘cos we distract our kids. <Bitter pill to swallow, but it’s true.  We are allowed to watch them through the viewing panes in reception.>
  2. They follow school terms and once during every term they have a parent’s week when we’re allowed in the pool room. Oh my, I can’t wait for that week.
  3. They also have an evaluation week, termly.

I planned this whole trip to the tee. I even packed his swimming bag the night before. <Yes, I have bags for everything. I even had a back up nappy bag, with set of clothes and all, in his room. Just in case we had to dash out in an emergency with no time to pack a nappy bag J. >

<Can you spot the OCD?>

Anyhoo, I get home 17:15, the trip to the swimming school is only a 10min drive and we only start the lesson at 6pm. So I’m chilled, except for the fact that the entire neighbourhood has no electricity. Traffic lights are out and the road is now a war zone! I’m so blessed to have a husband that gets involved with his son. <Bless your soul, Dude> So Dude gets Dudie a snack and I change Dudie into his swimming costume so that when we get to the school he’s ready. And I can just throw him into the pool. Hehehe. I didn’t mean that literally.

So we arrive at the gate, we drove a moerse ompad (detour for non Afrikaans readers) to get there to avoid all the traffic, with 1 minute to spare. Then we’re told that our instructor is writing exams so we have a replacement coach, a male. Dudie was a bit antsy but took to the coach within  a few minutes. At once stage they were out of my sight but then I saw them blowing bubbles and Dudie doing the monkey crawl unaided. Whoa!!!!

Now the next lesson is on Thursday, and we’ve decided to try the female coach too. We will then decide on a coach or maybe just use both. As both Dude & I feel that it would add diversity to his learning.

He woke up this morning asking when he’s going swimming?

Spirited Mama

P.S. We have a swimming pool but it’s not heated. And no, the solar heated pools are not warm enough for me during winter. It needs to be a proper heated pool. If anyone out there wants to heat our swimming pool, please feel free. I’ll throw in a braai and drinks on the house…

P.P.S When I was changing Dudie in the locker rooms, a young woman just got out the shower “full monty – full frontal” and came to sit on the bench to cream herself. Now, my child is 2 and the only naked woman he has ever seen is me. I could see the shock on my boy’s face. I felt uncomfortable for him, but I did not show him how I felt. I carried on as if nothing happened. Still not comfortable with that! Maybe it’s because of my upbringing. And yes, I still have issues concerning sexuality.

P.P.S. We drove around looking for a place to eat as I didn’t want to sit in the dark. Well, we eventually settled on getting Pizza. We got home, Dude made a fire in our fireplace, and we had Pizza and Champagne! Yes, Champagne. That’s how I roll. We had a romantic dinner with a Dudie who was so happy about his swimming lesson he couldn’t stop talking about it.

A frog or Not…swimming lessons starting soon

By

On May 7, 2012

In About me, Dudie, Kids stuff

So, tomorrow Dudie starts swimming lessons… <Dudie is the frog ‘cos he is as happy as a fish in water.>

Do I have a frog or not?

Yay, for the fact that I won’t have a mini heart attack everytime Dudie wants to play outside close to the pool but NAY on the price tag of Little Swimmers! Oh my Gloria, why should swimming nappies be so expensive? At home we just go “All Natural” but I don’t think that the Swimming Instructor/ other parents/ swimmers will appreciate the view…

My Dude seems to think that we can recycle the swimmer for at least 2 uses but Dudie pees in that swimmers as soon as I pull it up over his behind! Now, I refuse to recycle a swimmer let alone one that was pee’d in. Also, is it just me but is it only Huggies that are genius with swimmers?

Yesterday, we went in search of a swimming cap for Dudie. Mofo, what a mission. It doesn’t look like anyone stocks kiddie swimming caps anymore. Or I just missed them. After opening and fitting numerous caps, we eventually settled on one but I think that it’s not really made for him.

Ready to swim

With that we’re ready for tomorrow:

Swimming cap

Costume 

Little Swimmer (unused)

Towel

One very eager beaver

One very nervous mommy

Can you swim?

My Dude can swim. Me – well I’m water safe. Was thinking that maybe I’ll enroll myself too and hopefully they can do Stroke correction with me. My freestyle looks more like I’m drowning. HAHAHA. But at least I can float …

Spirited Mama

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