Family | But I Smile Anyway...

Bag of Nerves – Update 1

01 Mar 2016 42 Comments

by Ritu in Children, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Children, nerves, school places

The day has come….

We find out where Lil Man has his place at school. Amd I am literally a nervous wreck, waiting to open that email…

I just couldn’t bear it if he doesn’t get his first choice!

Three has been such upheaval at school with this whole new curriculum as it is, and he has taken a battering, mentally, and emotionally. At the moment he just feels like he isn’t good enough for anything.

Which mother wants to see their child going through that? I wish I could give him his first choice of school on a plate, and serve him the good news that no matter what those SATS tests say, he will be going where he really wanted to. But I am at a loss, as I can’t influence that decision at all.

I’ll be on tenterhooks until 4pm, which is when the emails will be rolled out. Then I will be obsessively looking at the email app on my phone, until that fated message arrives.

I am trying so hard to be positive, but I can’t help but worry about the flip side. I can be positive, and think positive about everything with regards to me, but he is going through his own changes at the moment, amd every thing is an issue for him. I can’t help but worry that if he doesn’t get his first choice of school it will send him into a downwards spiral of depression, almost. I have had him in tears over the last few weeks, over seemingly silly little things… But they are things that mean a lot to him.

He’s a precious, unique bundle of joy, and we tell him that all the time. I just hope he remembers that.

So please, spare a thought for my Lil Man, and many other children out there, waiting to hear about their school places today. A nerve wracking time for both the child, amd their parents.

I hope I can report back with something positive this evening…

I’m sorry… Just listening to the news…

“Kent had 600 more secondary applications this year the LEA has cut the number of places by a third.”

Ok, if I wasn’t nervous enough already, that has just got to be the icing on the cake!

Check Out My Pops on YouTube!

27 Feb 2016 28 Comments

by Ritu in Family Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Family, knee massage, Pops, Yoga, YouTube

Some of you know my Pops is a Yoga teacher. He went into it after retiring. Since then, he has helped lots of people with his classes. And today I found out he is even on YouTube! A friend of his asked for a video regarding knee problems and pressure points, and massages to help. Since then, well it’s not quite viral. But over 400 views! Bless him!So, meet my Precious Pops!

(Not quite sure why it’s been classified comedy. .. but hey! )

Night Out… On A Week Day?!

27 Jan 2016 65 Comments

by Ritu in Children, Family, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Choir, O2, Proud Parents, Young Voices

young voices

Last night we had a bit of a late one. No, it wasn’t date night, but we were lucky enough to go to the O2 arena in Greenwich, London, to watch my Lil Princess singing!

Her school were registered with the Young Voices Choir, and they, along with around 7500 children, had been practicing for the last 6 months, to sing at this show!

What a buzz to see my daughter there!

It was just over 2 hours of music and entertainment!

There were performances from Laura Wright, who sang at the Rugby World Cup here last year, Tom Billington, the Beatbox Collective, and Urban Strides, a dance company. The kids sang alongside them all, as well as singing medleys of many songs! It was in fact awesome!

To think that in a few years, she will be able to boast that she sang at the O2!

It was great watching her, as she pretended to be a rock star! Yes, my photos show her as a dot… but I know which dot is her, and I am so proud of that dot!

They had great seats, at the front, right next to the conductor, and we were on the floor, but a little towards the back. Still, with binoculars, we got a great view!

They all held these little key ring lights, and when it was dark, and the children were shining those lights, it looked like a starry night!

We got back after 9.30pm. Lil Man was exhausted and was in bed as soon as his teeth were brushed… The choir didn’t arrive back until 10.45pm!

A late night, and school the next morning? Uh oh… I wasn’t sure how this one would play out, but you know what, she stayed in her bed, a massive thing in its own right, and she was up at 6.45am, changed and ready for school!

Wonders will never cease!

Still, Proud Mummy signing out!

Gay Love – Kids Logic Part 47

25 Jan 2016 20 Comments

by Ritu in Kids Logic Series Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Gay Love, Grandparents, Kids Logic Series

Ok, so I know it is one of those things that certain people will think of…

In a same sex relationship, who is the ‘man’and who is the ‘woman’ for biological reasons, obviously!

No, my kids did not actually raise this topic on that particular issue…

Somehow, they were discussing adoption, and it moved to gay couples adopting.

For a little background info, in our Indian culture, more ore less every family member has a specific name that you call them, so you know exactly how they are related… and if you are interested, I posted about that here.

Rather than the confusion of who is nanny, or granny, or grandma, or nana, or whatever you may call your grandmother, we have names already so you know exactly which grandparent is who, so your father’s father is a Baba, or Dadaji, and father’s mother is Bibi, Bebe, Dadiji or Dadima. Your mother’s father is Nanaji, and your mother’s mother is Nanima, or Naniji.

My kids shortened them a little more, and we have Baba, Dama, Nanu and Nani.

Anyway, rather than work out who is the male or female in the relationship, when it comes to same sex partnerships, Lil Princess was more concerned with how they would know which grandparents get called Baba and Dama, and which Nanu or Nani!

I guess in a roundabout way, it comes down to the same thing, but for now it is a much simpler question, and thinking!

It Never Goes Quite Right!

28 Dec 2015 16 Comments

by Ritu in Family, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Boxing Day, Left Overs, pizza, Takeaway

Yes yes, I know I’m not Jewish, but this kinda sums up yesterday and the food situation!

I was so excited to have our left-over pie, as I had posted about earlier in the day, and we went to my in-laws in the evening, to prepare and partake in the leftover feast.

Initially, Hubby had suggested take away, but as we had food to eat, that was not an option.

But, not feeling too hot herself, my sister-in-law said maybe takeout wasn’t a bad idea, as she didn’t have much energy to cook, and on top of that, there wasn’t much turkey left, as my brother-in-law had been nibbling at the leftovers anyway!

So we sat down and threw open the gauntlet. What did everyone want to eat? The kids chimed in with Pizza or Chinese… no one else said anything, so after 10 minutes of waiting, Sis-in-law went off to the kitchen. “I thought we might as well use the stuff that is left then, since no one other than the kids are saying anything.”

Fair enough, I went back out to the masses and announced, “No Take out, we are having pie again!” Then I rolled up my sleeves and got ready for doing some tandem cooking.

10 minutes into making up the filling, she found hair in there. Not a long strand, but small chopped up bits, that looked rather tightly curled… Ermmmm… a tad off-putting, I am sure you will agree… Guess what… the filling went in the bin!

So, back to the drawing board!

We made an executive decision, as no one else was helping, to order Chinese. The list was made, the number dialled, then I got the message that the place was closed for Boxing day! Great!

The next thought was KFC… This time I checked online. Apparently, they were open. I even rang them, but it went to a generic line…

We duly made the list again, then went out to buy it.

Guess what? CLOSED!!!

Along with the Pizza Hut takeaway, another Chinese and two Indian takeaways on the same road!

Dang! What were we going to do? Then we spotted it… Papa John’s Pizza! A light shining, delivery bikes speeding off, and people picking up orders!

Finally we could order food!

We did, and eventually got home with something totally different to what we had set out to eat!

So, so much for left over pie, we had Boxing Day Pizza! What a pallaver!

Whatever!

And today, after a long journey to my sis-in-law’s family, I trekked a further 2 hours to my parents! So I can spend a couple of days with my Pops and Mum, and the kids will get thoroughly spoiled!

It is 1AM… I am getting much to old to still be awake this side of Midnight, unless a child is being sick! So after my regaling you all with my foody fun and games yesterday, I am now off to bed!

Nighty Night Peeps!