Well hello there!

Another week, another hot drink and time for a catch-up!

• If we were sipping a chai together, I’d have slumped on the chair, with a grin and said: ” I survived the first week back!”
• If we were sipping a chai together, I’d tell you we got the kids enrolled in a maths tutoring session. I have never been one for tutoring, especially if it means teaching to pass a test such as the 11+ selective test we have here in the UK. If a kid needs heavy tutoring to just get in a school like that, they will need a lot of support for the rest of the time they study there. However, if a child is struggling, then a little extra help is not a bad thing. I am a teacher, yes, but I cannot teach my kids. We fall out. They don’t listen. I get frustrated. We argue. Nothing is achieved. Lil Man requested some extra help, so after a little research, we found a tutor and programme to start him on. Hubby Dearest thought it would be good to get Lil Princess involved too, as maths has never been the strong point of either the kids or me. She wasn’t impressed. He was pretty cool with it. At the end of the session, she bounded out. “It was great, Mummy! Can I go again?” He was still cool, a more understated reaction, but I think it will do them both the world of good.
• If we were sipping chai together, I’d let you know that the Halloween party was a success. The Zombie Cheerleader was more interested in proper makeup, rather than the deathly pallor usually associated with Zombies, and there were a few meltdowns, as I applied white to her face, and a dark shadow under her eyes… However, my eyeliner flicks were apparently ” on fleek!” The costume was such a success she decided to wear it at the school disco the next day too!
• If we were sipping chai together, I’d tell you the school disco was such fun! There are two; one for the younger children, whom I teach, and the one for older kids, more Lil Princess’s age. At the first, I am able to join in with full gusto, dancing around, generally fooling around like a loon. The kids love it. The second one, I am relegated to the snack room. Apparently, I am too embarrassing for her! And I hit over 16,000 steps that day too!
• If we were sipping chai together, I’d mention the book I just finished, Fresh Off The Boat by Eddie Huang. Have you seen the series on TV? It’s a cute, but funny take on life as a young Chinese kid who is trying to work out where he fits in to life in the USA, having been born there, but to FOB (fresh off the boat – immigrant) parents, who refuse to let go of any of their cultural thoughts and customs. I started it with such excitement, and I had even got the sequel. But it was a hard read. Not because there were tough issues covered, but more the way it was written. Eddie thought/thinks of himself as a bit of a ‘homie’, so there is so much affected ‘black American’ lingo in the book, and rather a lot of effing and blinding. The story itself was interesting, how he got himself into so many scrapes over the years, trying not to blend in, and be the typecast Asian kid. I think he speaks for a certain generation of kids, but not all. I will read the sequel, partly because I bought it, and also because I do want to know what happened next… but I have to say, I much prefer the light-hearted TV serial!

• If we were sipping that chai together, I’d let you know that I am in awe of the NaNo writers out there, trying their damndest to be NaNo winners this year, as I sit, looking at my WIP, and can’t quite get started!
• If we were sipping that chai together, I’d let you know we had a funeral in the family this week too. I was unable to attend, as I had school, and someone needed to be home for the kids too, but it was Hubby Dearests aunt who had passed away. A lovely lady who we had only seen a few weeks previously, but she was unwell. Wishing her soul is at peace now and not in any more pain, and thoughts going out to our uncle and his four daughters. It doesn’t matter how old you are, losing your mother will always be heartwrenching… 🙏

And for the week ahead?

• If we were sipping that chai together, and possibly reaching for cake or cookies, I’d tell you that today is the day of my first official Parents Evening! Yes, I have held parent consultations for Nursery in the last few years, but they are more informal meetings with parents. This year I am to be official Reception teacher for one of the two evenings this year, and we are all usually sat in the school hall, where parents will have made appointments, and I will have to curb my tendency to get really into conversations, discussing how the children have settled into school, and where they are, progress-wise! I’m kinda nervous, but excited too!
• If we were sipping that chai together, I’d say I also have my own kid’s parents meetings too. And Lil Man’s is his first one regarding his journey into GCSE-land! Kinda nervous about that one, as he has to pass these tests, but at least he has 3 years to study for them!
• As I mop up the crumbs I’d mention that our wedding anniversary is creeping upon us, as well as Christmas, and I have no clue what to get for presents! The kids are sorted – Lil Man already has his, an XBox, and Lil Princess does too – we are going to see Little Mix next year. The tickets are her present. But the in-laws? And Hubby Dearest? He is so hard to buy for!!!!

So, what’s your week been like, and what are you looking forward to?

If you want, drop a line in the comments, or even link back to this with a Chai and a Chat post of your own!