He sure loves his sports

T has been an exceptionally well behaved kid today so I gave him a pound coin, took him to Poundland and told him he could have any item he wanted from there. Thinking he was going to go for a pack of sweets, chocolate or a random crappy toy, I was stunned when he walked straight past all of those items and picked up a tennis racket. Future sports star? It is looking more and more likely as each day goes by.

Cest la vie

Don't ask me why he is dressed in onesie and boots, clapping and partying around the house like it's 1999! Such is life with toddlers.

The fantastic mat puzzle

Although it is a real pain when I am cleaning the house, I want to say huge thank you to our fantastic neighbours for getting us this amazing soft alphabet and number puzzle mat jigsaw. It all started as a gift to absorb the unbearable thumping sound that resulted downstairs as a result of T's constant jumping, now however coupled with some other learning tools we have (flashcards, letter factory phonics, etc) it is the best educational gift we could have ever asked for. Other than its shock absorbing qualities, it gives a realistic edge to show me-tell me learning and it makes interactive educational play just that much more fun; think in the region of hopscotching to identify alphabets. In a nutshell, this item does such an amazing job I would definitely recommend it to anyone when cognitive and perceptive educational play is required. Thanks to it T who is only 2 recognizes more that 3/4 of the alphabets.
It doesn't end there, yesterday I realized I could use it for something else. While vacuuming the whole thing came apart and ended up in a heap on the floor. Just as I set about putting it together, T raced up to me and said,' I'll do it'. That was the opportunity I needed to reinforced the importance of participating in cleaning and tidying up. I laid out the outline and told him to finish it up while I moved on to other tasks. Learning while he cleans. I love the sound of that.

Little terror

You know when people with young kids tell you toddlers are little devils... believe them! Three days ago T brought a balloon home from a birthday we had attend and it only took him about a day to find out  I am one of these people that is over-sensitive to high pitched scratching and screeching sound. Now he uses it to terrorize me. Twice today I had chastised him for being disobedient and off he went, grabbed his balloon, walked over to and smiled at me, and started giving the balloon a good scratching. So far it has been difficult not to act as if I am not affected but I am trying. The plan is to let him have his five minutes of fun scratching before I surprise him by popping the balloon with a concealed needle <bang> and scaring the wits out of him to teach him a lesson. I just hope he doesn't poo poo his pants in the process because guess who will have to clean it up?!! Ha ha ha ha Daddy always wins ^_^ 

It's curtains for the Zing Zillas

Just a few weeks ago I wrote talking about how T was all about the Zing Zillas and how I will be watching to see how long the infatuation lasts. Well well well, I was spot on. He's lost his appetite for them and as soon as they come on he moves on to doing something else; like playing with his toys or asking for Mickey instead for instance. Oh to be young and fickle!

What the One Direction movie premiere told me

Watching the premiere of the One Direction movie on the news yesterday I couldn't help but shake my head in disbelief. These young boys and girls on TV were acting all hyper and crazy holding up all sorts of banners that spelled out actions and emotions that we should consider worrying. Signs of obsessive behavior? Of course however in our celebrity obsessed society, this is considered normalized behavior. Two girls stood out to me during the whole clip but of course I am sure there were others around that were probably even worse but didn't make the broadcast.
The first was about 6 years old and she was holding up a banner that said, "Harry, marry me please"! Like really, a 6 year old! Mind you Harry is 19!!! Not to tarnish Harry with the same brush but have some people not learned from the Jimmy Savile scandal that some celebrity are not all they seem? I can understand if her banner said something along the line of I love or I admire you; but 'marriage'? Talk about putting yourself out there 100%; most adults don't even understand the word 'marriage', let alone a child so what were her parents thinking? When I see things like that, it really makes me question some people's parenting skills. Yes the child did not know better but the parents should. Next thing you know this girl runs away with a complete stranger claiming they are in love and her parents start wondering where they went wrong. Harry might be on a poster in her bedroom and he might sing to her everyday but in reality he is nothing but a stranger. I wonder if her parents have ever mentioned that to her instead of painting some unrealistic sick marriage fantasy. Anyways young lady, I hate to break it to you but I don't think you have any chance with Harry. You are a brunette and I think he prefers blondes. It might hurt your feelings but hey feeling disappointed is a normal emotion that you will experience a lot when you grow up.
The next was a young teen and if I say OTT, she was it to the tee. If anyone has ever been to a traditional Asian or African funeral, you know the type where where people wail, faint and jump up and down; yes that was the right description for her. She was jumping up and down, screaming, twitching and acting like she was about to suffer a seizure. And then one of the One Direction boys stood close and took a picture with her; you would have thought she just met the one true maker Father God, because it certainly looked to me at that point that she had an out of body experience. I doubt if she feels that same kind of excitement for her parents after all she should when they give her free clothing, food, shelter and oh money to give to One Direction (and Simon Cowell). I was left totally speechless.
Moving on swiftly, oh it's not that serious I hear someone say, they are just kids being kids. That's true to an extent. However every time I  have heard people utter that line, it is because their child was being out of control and they could not be bothered to step in and correct them. Instead of dismissing the issue as something else, why not just pull the finger out and pay close attention? If you have ever been on Twitter and have seen the One Direction fans in action you will understand what I mean: the level of obsession is terrifying. Consequently before you think I am a One Direction hater, I am not. I followed their progress on the X-factor, I think some of their songs are cute and I hope for heavens sake they are keeping a fair amount of the money they are making unlike S Club 7 before them who made about £900,000 each through their career compared to their manager's £70M. What I am, is someone who is concerned about the current celebrity obsessed culture we all live in and its wider consequences for society and children's well being. Liking someone is okay. But being obsessed with them that you act a fool... that is crossing the line. Thus, I rest my case.

I am Daddy to you!

T has addressed me by lots of different names in the past and each time I had adopted them without much fuss. I have been known as yaaaaa, eh, daaaaa, da-da, just to name a few. At one point I was even tempted to don a lace front wig, lipstick and earrings when he started calling me mummy but he doesn't anymore now, unless he fancies a laugh at my expense. Just as I was thinking he had settled for daddy, I got a surprise last week when he referred to me by my first name for the first time ever. I thought it was cute at first but a week on, I am starting to think oh no it is not. He doesn't do it every time, just when he feels a sense of urgency. When I correct him, he thinks he's being funny as usual. I might have taken a few things lying down in the past. But this, uh uh no!

Mr Bloom's nursery has struck a nerve

If you happen to be visiting our house and you notice an assortment of vegetables arranged around the TV like in the picture below, it is not because we are a bunch of veggie-nuts, it may be because Mr Bloom's nursery is on TV. It all started about a month ago when I discovered the show and encouraged T to watch it as a means of stimulating his love and appetite for vegetables. It worked because these days he eats a lot more vegetables at food time than he used to. Nevertheless as with everything, there is a by-product. Whenever the show is on and as soon as the vegetables appear on screen, T would run into the kitchen, pick up the vegetables one by one, and arrange them in front of the TV. The squash is his favorite. He would hold and caress it, sing, dance and talk to it. And then just as soon as the show is over he would say goodbye, put all the vegetables down and move on to something else. It is so funny and bizarre to watch.

I got the proof

OK so I have been going on and on about how T always runs to the toughest apparatus in the playground. Usually I'm too busy trying to help or coax him out of going on to take a picture. Yesterday however I manage to snap him in action.

Master tactician

Everyone who has a child can recount stories of how their have one way or another they been manipulated by those kids. From giving a loan you would never get back or caving in and giving that candy you promised never too, many parents have been through it. The things we do for love eh! Sometimes it annoys me when I realise T is employing manipulation tactics to get his way or to stop me doing something. At other times it just cracks me up.
Two days ago, we were in a playground playing football and I struck up conversation with another of the kids present. Soon as T saw I was no longer his centre of attraction, the tactics kicked in. He stood behind the other kid smiling and pulling faces at me. When that didn't work he walked off and next thing started screaming that he was stuck. I looked over and he was holding onto a goal post screaming out loudly that he was stuck and needed help. Well unstuck yourself I responded laughing before carrying on with my conversation.
This morning he was at it again, this time in the shower  because he wasn't happy he was having a scrub. 'Daddy eyes hurt, sunshine in my eyes', he whined as I scrubbed his body. We are indoors and it is cloudy out so how is the sun in your eyes,  I answered scrubbing. Quick pause. 'Sand, sand, sand in my eyes', he whined. I don't see no sand here. We got soap but no sand and there is no soap on your face, I answered without much fuss. Another quick pause. 'Leg, leg, it's broke, it hurts', he whined again his face feigning agony this time. I stood up, grabbed the shower, turned it on and doused him with water to wash him down. Checkmate! That shut his big mouth LOL.

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The Zingzillas

Move over Mickey Mouse and Elmo. These days T enjoys nothing more than to jam to/with the Zingzillas. It won't last of course. I have seen it happen too many times to know now. In time he would go back to loving Mickey and Elmo until he finds something else to adore again for a few days. And then the cycle would once again repeat itself.

Quick moan about the weather

Just when I was thinking we had dodged the good ol' British summer weather this year, it has arrived with a vengeance it seems. The forecast for August is looking well typical and looking out today it is hard to decide which would win; the sun or the dark menacing rain clouds? Suddenly  the days when T and I were out in shorts and tank tops heading to the paddling pool seem a distant memory. Before you know it, it would be winter all over again. Sigh! I hope all you people that were moaning about the heat are happy now.

Peppa Pig got kicked to the kerb

I am aware a lot of kids love Peppa Pig so when T seemed uninterested in it, I was thrilled. It's not like I am against anything popular, it's just I don't really like Peppa Pig and here's why. Peppa pig (the main character) is so naughty and cheeky; she's always questioning her parents when they tell her to do something, and she can't seem to keep herself away from dirt or mud; she is a pig after all. In any case I don't want  T watching her, getting any ideas and adopting her attitude. So just when I thought I had dodged a bullet, a very good friend goes and gets T a Peppa pig magazine full of tons of stickers, drawing and colouring. Suddenly T turned into a Peppa pig enthusiast. He was posting stickers everywhere in the house including on my forehead, the only play he wanted to indulge in was colour Peppa's pictures in his magazine, and every pig he saw was suddenly named Peppa. It was a crazy Peppa invasion.
Just as I was drawing up a counter plan to get Peppa off his case- I was going to blitz him with Mickey and Elmo magazines to remind him of his first loves, we were watching TV today and he had a choice between Peppa and Mickey. Poor old Peppa didn't stand a chance. Just like that my mind was put at ease.

Lots to learn in the playground

Whenever T and I go to the playground, he has a habit of running to the biggest and most difficult of all the equipment there and hollering at me to help get through the paces. Initially I used to indulge him. Then one day I noticed a father telling his son no without necessarily saying the dreaded word. It has been my motto since. Now when we go to the playground and he asks for help play on an equipment that is obviously designed for older kids, I say, 'if you need my help on it, you are not ready to use it'. The things we learn in the playground ha!

No butter please

Once upon a time bananas and eggs were the accursed food items in our household. These days it is butter, cream and anything alike. Ice cream even though it can be white and creamy get a pass of course. Toddlers... They go through phases like one changes underwear!!!

Interesting article

Every once in a while I come across articles and topical items that make me go wow this is what every parent should know. From now onward I will be publishing and sharing such. This article hit a nerve with me because just the other day I was out with a friend and her daughter and we were discussing colours and why it is that kids are pushed and pressured towards liking certain colours over others based on gender. For example boys liking blue and girls liking pink. Of course many parents delight in letting their kids be kids especially when it comes to forms of expression. However making that the norm as kids grow up  is often tricky considering if the parent does not bat an eyelid, others will. Is this the reason why we feel pressure to teach our kids to conform to society's attitudes and bias? Find out what happened when this lady's son wore a pink headband to Walmart.

His first encounter with bullies

T suffered his first bout of bullying while we were out today and thank heavens I was on hand to witness it and defend him. As he was playing in the splash pad (which I had blogged about earlier), the sun protection cream I had applied on his face turned bright white and before you know it, these three 6/7year old boys were taunting, laughing and flicking water at him. Noticing them and aware of their unfriendly attitude, he walked away.  Instead of leaving him alone, they followed him unaware I was watching stalking like a lion about to pounce on its next meal. When they started getting in his face and laughing, I stepped up eyes wide open, nose flared and asked was was going on and why all three of them, big boys were teasing a young toddler. Looking sheepish one of them asked why T's face was white like talc powder? I was gobsmacked but not speechless. Oh so y'all parents haven't educated y'all about sun cream, my streetwise side blurted. Y'all never seen someone wearing sun cream before? I continued before they could answer. 'Nope', one of them replied.  I shook my head. Oh OK always a first time! I answered. And before y'all ask me anything else cos I know y'all are black and y'all probably don't wear sun block, it is to stop your skin getting burned in the sun, as you can see my boy is mixed-race. 'Your skin can get burned in the sun', one of the boys asked looking at me confused. I was done. Go ask your mum or your dad I responded before grabbing T's arm and walking off. What exactly do parents teach their kids these days? So all that talk on the news about excess sun exposure and skin cancer and some kids still haven't heard about sun cream... sheesh!

Kensington Memorial Park

Today's weather is predicted to be a scorcher and T and I plan to enjoy it as much as possible: never mind people moaning about the heat after that long awful winter we've just had. Anyway we are heading out in a while to Kensington Memorial Park near Ladbroke Grove and there is one main reason why: the splash pad there is so awesome it is a blessing that will be sorely missed when the cold weather returns.

If you haven't heard about this park, look it up. It is not huge but it has tons of different play areas and apparatus to keep the whole family entertained. There are tennis courts, an adventure playground, a sandpit, a massive climbing frame, and oh the splash pad which contains numerous water fountains and spray nozzles to suit all ages. The best part is it is free.

That is the bit of news I have today because there is plenty to do outside. Have a good afternoon everyone and whatever you do, stop moaning about the weather, enjoy it instead!