My mum died 6 years ago and she has been on my mind a lot lately what with Mother's Day and all but today I remembered one of the funniest moments ever with my mum.
She had been seeing Steve for a few months and has decided he wasn't the one and told him so A few days later I was at her house when he rang. He obviously had not got the message.
My mum told hm in no uncertain terms that it was over. I know, doesn't sound very funny does it? My mum loved her music and always had it on fairly loud. Throughout the duration of this phone call, blaring our of her stereo was Stereophonics singing Have A Nice Day!
Saturday, 24 March 2012
Wednesday, 21 March 2012
The Same Genes
I sometimes wonder how two children created from exactly the same gene pool can be so different. There is of course the obvious; one is a boy, the other a girl. I get this bit, oh yes because this bit I learnt in school.
It’s funny how we associate the good things we see in our children with ourselves and the not so good things with their other parent! I will do my best to be honest but I am also biased. I have tried to assess my children’s' personalities and work out which parent they get certain traits from. In some cases they get it from both - double whammy!
Son
He is definitely an introvert - this is me!
He sees everything as a competition - Dad.
He is charming - Dad again!
He can be stubborn but as this particular trait is a double whammy he is not too bad.
He is quite unadventurous with food (me) but loves being adventurous in other ways (Dad)
He is very analytical (double whammy!) but it is always fact based analysis which is his Dad.
He is emotionally transparent - me, I can't hide my mood!
He gets on with everyday life with a fun and mild mannered approach. He will explode emotionally every now and again but generally he is quite calm and happy. He is the child that always has a practical answer for everything which makes it very hard to argue against. His little mind is always on the go, mulling something over. He loves his sister and will even tell us off and put himself in the line of fire if we upset her!
Daughter
She is a complete extrovert in every way possible - 100% Dad.
She is very stubborn and shows all the signs of making full use of this double whammy trait.
She is adventurous and shows no fear - Dad.
She is loving and kind - me of course.
She is also analytical but it is more emotion based. She can sense the mood and adapt to it easily. The analytical part is both of us and I would put the emotional bit down to being a women rather than being directly from me!
Food is very important to her. She will blatantly lie about not having meals to get sympathy and food. Lying is a new skill to her and one she is perfecting with ease. She can use emotion like I never imaged a three year old could to get what she wants. She is a very cheery child but can change her mood in nano seconds and if you saw her having a strop you would think she is the most spoilt child you have ever seen.
Overall it seems they are actually quite similar, they just use their traits in different ways that make them appear different. That concludes my very scientific assessment of my children's personalities.
Friday, 9 March 2012
The Party
So the after all the planning and agonising the party has been and gone. Overall it was a great success and my son enjoyed himself. There were a few unexpected surprises though!
First is the help girl. This was a six year old girl who wanted to help with everything rather than participate in the party. Every time I turned around there she was smiling up at me asking what she can do. I am slightly ashamed to admit that all I wanted was for someone to take this bloody child away and let me get on with being hostess.
Then there was the runaway. I actually felt really sorry for him but still my son's enjoyment was my priority and he was making it hard. He was dropped off by a boy of about 12 who left no contact details in case of a problem. Every other parent that dropped a child off gave us their details. The problem was he kept running away, I mean out of the hall and down the road! My husband chased after him numerous times and even spent half an hour trying to walk this boy home! He was eventually picked up by the same boy that dropped him off.
These are the things that no one tells you about otherwise no child would ever have a birthday party. My husband has made it clear to our daughter that she is not having one until she is six. She will be four in July.
There is also the stress of being the best hostess ever to all the school gate mums that I detest so much. If you have read previous posts you will understand why! There was no way I was giving them anything to moan about. As I thrust the rather overloaded party box into each child’s hand at the end all I could think was beat that! So childish but I can't help it.
As far as my son was concerned it was the best party ever so I consider that a job well done. I am not going to do it again for a few years though!
First is the help girl. This was a six year old girl who wanted to help with everything rather than participate in the party. Every time I turned around there she was smiling up at me asking what she can do. I am slightly ashamed to admit that all I wanted was for someone to take this bloody child away and let me get on with being hostess.
Then there was the runaway. I actually felt really sorry for him but still my son's enjoyment was my priority and he was making it hard. He was dropped off by a boy of about 12 who left no contact details in case of a problem. Every other parent that dropped a child off gave us their details. The problem was he kept running away, I mean out of the hall and down the road! My husband chased after him numerous times and even spent half an hour trying to walk this boy home! He was eventually picked up by the same boy that dropped him off.
These are the things that no one tells you about otherwise no child would ever have a birthday party. My husband has made it clear to our daughter that she is not having one until she is six. She will be four in July.
There is also the stress of being the best hostess ever to all the school gate mums that I detest so much. If you have read previous posts you will understand why! There was no way I was giving them anything to moan about. As I thrust the rather overloaded party box into each child’s hand at the end all I could think was beat that! So childish but I can't help it.
As far as my son was concerned it was the best party ever so I consider that a job well done. I am not going to do it again for a few years though!
Thursday, 8 March 2012
Working From Home
Sounds great doesn't being able to work from home but the reality is usually very different let me tell you!
This week due to circumstances beyond my control I have had to work a couple of days from home. For the company I work for this also happens to be the nastiest week in the whole financial calendar. Not a great week to not be in the office.
Knowing that I am working from home the first thing I do is check my emails. That way I know what is coming and what I need to do when I get back from the school run. Sounds very organised but the truth is it is chaos.
After the school run it is just me and my daughter at home. She goes to nursery at 12.30pm so until then I have to be worker and entertainer. This is where I have discovered something about myself. I had never realised the drive to work was so important to me to be able to function. It is a 15 minute drive during which my transformation from mummy to worker happens. The reverse is true on the way home. Working from home takes this away; suddenly I have three seconds transformation time if that.
I have to switch from typing emails about forecasts and actuals to my boss to appreciating a lovely scribble my daughter has drawn. When it came to getting her ready for bed that night she told me to wait a minute a she was working and needed to finish this. Hmm, I wonder where she heard that.
When I am at home my connection to works server is slow. I can make a cup of tea and put a load of washing in by the time it has managed to open our management pack. I then click the refresh button and wash up. I then sit and watch the little green line moving along my screen showing me the progress of saving it. I watch it in a zombie like mode trying to predict when the next little square will go green.
Communication with the office is via email or telephone and I take full advantage of the fact that they cannot see me if you know what I mean. I dread the day when work laptops come with built in web cams and we have to use Skype. I will need to make more of an effort with my appearance when working from home and I need to be aware of what is on the wall behind me!
This week due to circumstances beyond my control I have had to work a couple of days from home. For the company I work for this also happens to be the nastiest week in the whole financial calendar. Not a great week to not be in the office.
Knowing that I am working from home the first thing I do is check my emails. That way I know what is coming and what I need to do when I get back from the school run. Sounds very organised but the truth is it is chaos.
After the school run it is just me and my daughter at home. She goes to nursery at 12.30pm so until then I have to be worker and entertainer. This is where I have discovered something about myself. I had never realised the drive to work was so important to me to be able to function. It is a 15 minute drive during which my transformation from mummy to worker happens. The reverse is true on the way home. Working from home takes this away; suddenly I have three seconds transformation time if that.
I have to switch from typing emails about forecasts and actuals to my boss to appreciating a lovely scribble my daughter has drawn. When it came to getting her ready for bed that night she told me to wait a minute a she was working and needed to finish this. Hmm, I wonder where she heard that.
When I am at home my connection to works server is slow. I can make a cup of tea and put a load of washing in by the time it has managed to open our management pack. I then click the refresh button and wash up. I then sit and watch the little green line moving along my screen showing me the progress of saving it. I watch it in a zombie like mode trying to predict when the next little square will go green.
Communication with the office is via email or telephone and I take full advantage of the fact that they cannot see me if you know what I mean. I dread the day when work laptops come with built in web cams and we have to use Skype. I will need to make more of an effort with my appearance when working from home and I need to be aware of what is on the wall behind me!
Thursday, 1 March 2012
Gone Fishing
Now I don't get fishing. To me it is the most boring thing I can think of doing bar watching paint dry. Why would anyone want to sit on some dodgy chair on a slippery, muddy bank waiting for a float to dip or a buzzer go off? The fact that you throw the fish back only serves to prove how pointless fishing is, to me.
A fishing session is my husband’s idea of bliss. Now as I have already confessed I don't get it but I do get the need for a little time to yourself occasionally. It is something I am constantly longing for and rarely get. When I do get it I squander it by worrying about him and he children, pathetic isn't it?
My husband has been planning his fishing trip and up until a few nights ago thought I knew nothing about it. He hasn't been all winter and is weighing up this weekend as an option. He has been planning this for sometime yet had not mentioned it once to me. I am not a snoopy wife but he has not yet realised that although he buys fishing stuff through his ebay account he pays with my paypal account because his is empty. I get an email thanking me for my purchase every time!
I also tidied up our favourites menu the other week when my brain just could not take anymore hedging questions. I found many fishing destinations saved as well as the forums discussing them. He also makes his own boilies as bait so he has been checking out his last batch to see if they are still useable.
My women’s intuition (and my husband's silly mistakes) told me the fishing trip was imminent so I asked him. He smiled a very large smile which turned into a grin. He then started giggling and said "Well I was thinking about this weekend".
I often under appreciate him so I relented, smiled back and said "Ok then". I might not get fishing but if that is how he wants to spend his me time then so be it. He is due a bit of time to himself.
A fishing session is my husband’s idea of bliss. Now as I have already confessed I don't get it but I do get the need for a little time to yourself occasionally. It is something I am constantly longing for and rarely get. When I do get it I squander it by worrying about him and he children, pathetic isn't it?
My husband has been planning his fishing trip and up until a few nights ago thought I knew nothing about it. He hasn't been all winter and is weighing up this weekend as an option. He has been planning this for sometime yet had not mentioned it once to me. I am not a snoopy wife but he has not yet realised that although he buys fishing stuff through his ebay account he pays with my paypal account because his is empty. I get an email thanking me for my purchase every time!
I also tidied up our favourites menu the other week when my brain just could not take anymore hedging questions. I found many fishing destinations saved as well as the forums discussing them. He also makes his own boilies as bait so he has been checking out his last batch to see if they are still useable.
My women’s intuition (and my husband's silly mistakes) told me the fishing trip was imminent so I asked him. He smiled a very large smile which turned into a grin. He then started giggling and said "Well I was thinking about this weekend".
I often under appreciate him so I relented, smiled back and said "Ok then". I might not get fishing but if that is how he wants to spend his me time then so be it. He is due a bit of time to himself.
Tuesday, 7 February 2012
Farewell ...
Just for a little while. I have exams at the end of February so I have to commit my time wholly to that until then. Believe me this is not a prospect I relish it merely has to be done.
There a quite a few approaches to studying. During my sudy years I have taken 10 AAT and 9 CIMA exams so I have tried a few of them. When it boils down to it there really is only one approach that works.
I have tried the winging it approach which was semi successful in the early days but it got me in the end. So I switched to a read and re-write the text book in full approach. This means that you will have fully covered any topic that appears in the first half of the text book. The other half, well you're back to winging it.
It was then I realised that you had to know the syllabus to understand where the majority of the marks come from. By default you know which topics to cover fully and which to make sure you are briefed about. On top of this the biggest thing of all, question practice. It really is the only way at this level.
So I will return in early March ready to blog! Until then take care and when I come back I will teach you all about Michael Porter and his theories. Maybe not.
There a quite a few approaches to studying. During my sudy years I have taken 10 AAT and 9 CIMA exams so I have tried a few of them. When it boils down to it there really is only one approach that works.
I have tried the winging it approach which was semi successful in the early days but it got me in the end. So I switched to a read and re-write the text book in full approach. This means that you will have fully covered any topic that appears in the first half of the text book. The other half, well you're back to winging it.
It was then I realised that you had to know the syllabus to understand where the majority of the marks come from. By default you know which topics to cover fully and which to make sure you are briefed about. On top of this the biggest thing of all, question practice. It really is the only way at this level.
So I will return in early March ready to blog! Until then take care and when I come back I will teach you all about Michael Porter and his theories. Maybe not.
Sunday, 5 February 2012
Ethical Principles
As a studying accountant CIMA's code of ethics is pretty much tested in every exam going. That is how important they feel it is so I decided to apply their code of ethics to my parenting skills!
First up is Integrity.
Having told my children about Father Christmas and the Tooth Fairy I am not sure I can claim that my integrity is intact. The worst lie I have told them probably has to be that the ice cream man only plays his tune when he has run out of ice cream.
Second is Objectivity.
When my children argue they both get told off. How can I possibly be objective when I have a 6 year old and 3 year old telling me a la Shaggy - It wasn't me? In order to be objective the facts need to be established. Working out which one is lying is almost impossible which means I cannot be objective.
Next is Professional Competence and Due Care.
My mothering skills are not bad by any stretch of the imagination but I am not sure I could claim to be entirely competent. Can any of us? I have made many mistakes here, some of which I have repeated! As for the due care bit well, I have sent my son to school ill (In all fairness I thought he was faking) and told my daughter that the imaginary spots on her face were tired spots because she hadn't had enough sleep. They were not actually imaginary, she did have a rash which I saw as soon as I put my glasses on.
Then we have Professional Behaviour.
This one is laughable! There is no way I could describe my behaviour as professional at all times when dealing with my children. In my capacity as a professional mummy I have told them off and made them cry in public and on the odd occasion I have sworn with them in earshot. Blown it then.
Last we have Confidentiality.
Nothing in our house is confidential anymore. I have broken every confidence my children have told me by telling their dad! A house containing two or indeed any small children can never be confidential. Once they start talking you have had it.
Conclusion:
So it would seem that my capacity as a mother I fail completely to adhere to CIMA's code of ethics and I think it would be fair to say this would apply to any parent or carer. I am not alone!
Please tell me I am not alone.
First up is Integrity.
Having told my children about Father Christmas and the Tooth Fairy I am not sure I can claim that my integrity is intact. The worst lie I have told them probably has to be that the ice cream man only plays his tune when he has run out of ice cream.
Second is Objectivity.
When my children argue they both get told off. How can I possibly be objective when I have a 6 year old and 3 year old telling me a la Shaggy - It wasn't me? In order to be objective the facts need to be established. Working out which one is lying is almost impossible which means I cannot be objective.
Next is Professional Competence and Due Care.
My mothering skills are not bad by any stretch of the imagination but I am not sure I could claim to be entirely competent. Can any of us? I have made many mistakes here, some of which I have repeated! As for the due care bit well, I have sent my son to school ill (In all fairness I thought he was faking) and told my daughter that the imaginary spots on her face were tired spots because she hadn't had enough sleep. They were not actually imaginary, she did have a rash which I saw as soon as I put my glasses on.
Then we have Professional Behaviour.
This one is laughable! There is no way I could describe my behaviour as professional at all times when dealing with my children. In my capacity as a professional mummy I have told them off and made them cry in public and on the odd occasion I have sworn with them in earshot. Blown it then.
Last we have Confidentiality.
Nothing in our house is confidential anymore. I have broken every confidence my children have told me by telling their dad! A house containing two or indeed any small children can never be confidential. Once they start talking you have had it.
Conclusion:
So it would seem that my capacity as a mother I fail completely to adhere to CIMA's code of ethics and I think it would be fair to say this would apply to any parent or carer. I am not alone!
Please tell me I am not alone.
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