Tantrums on a Thursday…

The day started well – Ady had a load of powerpoint type stuff to do for work so we worked on it together while the children played, then he made us lunch to take with us while I got the children dressed to go out and he stayed behind to tidy up the house before going to work later. He’s a far better housewife than me and I’m a far better powerpointer – teamwork! 🙂

Me and the kids headed over to Julie’s in fairly good spirits, I put a Phil Collins cd on and sang along very loudly while introducing the children to the delights of Mr Collins and his drum kit and bashing the steering wheel as I went. We arrived and the children went off to jump on Jack and Maisie’s bed which is what the four of them seem to spend most of their time doing together round there while Julie and I talked Home Ed groups.

Then we went off to an Activeo event which is local-ish to Julie – gym games for all or something. The venue is a small private school which Activeo are leasing space in a couple of times a week, so a traditional school hall / gymnasiam. Jack and Maisie, Davies and Scarlett ran around together with the rest of the children there (about 15 in all I guess) but I felt a bit spare-part ish which is not like me and I do know everyone there but struggle to strike up conversations with them really and know I must come across as a bit aloof, which is not me at all really.

The session started and it became apparent straight away that Davies was not going to want to join in. I made the fatal error of threatening him with being taken home if he didn’t participate and that’s what he chose to do. 🙄 – at self and offspring! Julie then introduced me to the woman who is in charge of the leasing side of this venue who I know she has been bigging me up to and telling her we really must meet cos we are sooo alike, the woman was all gushing and trying to shake my hand and I was all stressed and trying to persuade Davies – in a non coersive, TCS sort of way to fit in with the vibe in the room – to get his arse back in the circle and join in with the throwing the ball and shouting out your name type ice breaker. So I was a bit vague and harried. 🙁

I joined in for a bit too and sat between Davies and Scarlett. Scarlett was quite happily sitting next to Maisie and enjoying it really, Davies was loathing every minute. Then they split up into a standing up circle and the lady paired the children up. Davies flatly refused to even look at the boy he’d been paired up with and was just tucking himself behind me, while Tarly had led Maisie up a load of steps and was standing at the top dangerously close to the edge. I went to rescue them and by the time I got back to the circle Davies had disappeared back off to the side again. At which point I gave up. I had not really, really wanted to be there in the first place, I don’t feel at home with the people, Davies was driving me mad and didn’t want to be there anyway, I could feel this woman waiting to spring herself on me the instant I was childfree (Julie’s told her I know *all about* fundraising and marketing and stuff) and the hour was going to cost me seven quid I don’t really have to force my kids to join in with something they have no desire to do.

So I left. I cried all the way home, ranted at Davies – who insisted he was shy. FFS he is the least shy child I know. Those of you who have asked him to stop running up and down corridors yelling his head off with a posse of other small boys at youth hostels will confirm this, those of you who have had him in your house, disappearing from my side the instant we arrive and only coming back grudgingly when it’s time to go home will also confirm this. If there is one thing me, Ady and both our children most certainly are not it is shy! 🙄

So he went to his bedroom, I made a load of phonecalls I’ve been putting off as I was feeling suitably aggressive and crap anyway. 😉

After half an hour I went to talk to him (he was calmly playing up there, not locked away sobbing btw) and discussed it a bit more rationally. I explained that there will be times when he does not know the people or the place very well but the way to deal with it is to try and get involved rather than hide behind me. Then I let Scarlett go and play with him again as they were both bereft at being seperated (she’d comforted him all the way home in the car) and I was called up there about 15 minutes later to have a meal in his cafe which he’d made to ‘cheer you up Mummy’. There was a sign, I had a proper invite, there was a menu and he’d set up a table and chairs. We had three courses, with drinks followed by chocolate mints. I think I might have suggested before that we watch too much Masterchef ;-). So all friends again. 🙂

By the time Ady got home I’d spoken to Julie on the phone about it, but I’ll save that for elsewhere and had lost patience with the whole world again so rather than end up being cruel to people who didn’t deserve it I retired to the bedroom with the laptop for some IT therapy (beats rescue remedy any day! 😉 ) and left Ady to sort out bathing them, clearing up and getting dinner on. I returned to dole out bedtime cuddles and collect a glass of wine!

Tomorrow, tomorrow will be better. And if it’t not then I can’t blog about it anyway cos Ali and Freya are coming and Ali reads this 😈