We stayed put for the summer. The entire summer. It seems like yesterday but here we are already into October. What happened to the month of September? The month just flew by. That is what happens when things pick up here in Abu Dhabi. School starts, regular routines are resumed, the weather cools to a bearable temperature and before you know it, you are shopping for Halloween costumes, buying F1 tickets, planning Rugby 7’s weekend and booking Christmas reservations.
With birthday parties, BBQs, coffee mornings, gym, and kids to keep us busy it is no doubt that the time will continue to fly. One thing to remember is to take time to enjoy the moments.
My favourite moments are in the morning….no matter how busy our schedule is – the morning consistently plays out the same.
My kids are always fighting. Always. Most times it is about nothing. Even when I turn on Tom & Jerry to take their mind off of fighting I will inevitably hear, “I’m the mouse!” “No! I’M the mouse!” “MOM! She said she’s the mouse!” Oh the joy.
The constant noise is something I have become accustomed to as my middle child got older. The other morning I woke up at 4:30am and the house was so still. It felt so weird. My kids usually wake up between 5-5:30am (Yes, a fact which causes my mom and mother-in-law to smugly smile). I should have been enjoying the silence, catching up with my favourite magazines that I NEVER have time to read. Instead I was just sitting there, like a soldier in his foxhole, waiting for the little munchkins to wake up.
My son is always first to wake up. I am convinced this is out of pure competition to be first to get to the iPad (we only have 1 in our house). “Good Morning Mommy! Did you have a good sleep?” he asks as he gives me a big hug and kiss. He is always so loving and charming in the morning (again… think to the original goal of getting iPad which is charged right by my nightstand). Next to wake up is the baby – True statement. I am still shocked she sleeps until 6 am most days. Last to wake up is the 2 year old. As soon as she wakes up, the fighting begins. Of course it starts with the iPad, so I take the iPad away. Even after I take the iPad away, they will find something to fight about.
Each morning I explain to both of them how they need to be nice to each other. I get to have my “Positive Parenting” moment as I explain how we all are family and we need to stick together. I continue with how lucky they are to have each other to play with. Just for added effect, I throw in that Santa doesn’t give toys to brothers and sisters that fight. Hugs all around and everyone loves each other again. Seeing them say sorry and hug each other fills me with pride. I love these moments.
By then it is time for me to start making the school lunches so I send them in to watch some TV before breakfast. Feeling proud of my parenting skills, thinking that today we had a REAL breakthrough, I head down to the kitchen…..
“I’M the mouse!”
“No! I’M THE MOUSE!”
“MOM!!!”
