They're growing up so fast

Start of the new school year.

Big Jack's off to Big School.

Nicholas will be off.

Mark will be starting with a cast on his foot. Not sure if that will suck or make him the coolest kid in his class.

Jessie will still be doing part time preschool and us.

Jack and Damon and Sian I think will be going to our preschool.

I pity the preschool teacher if perchance we actually have one.

And Hugo will be going to Nemarluk. In a taxi. Hmmm.

And I'll be starting at 8:30 instead of 9am. Sucks to be me. Except not, cos I only have two and a half more weeks before I basically say goodbye to them forever. Now that sucks.

Jackaroo

Jack is a cheeky little shit. This is what I know.

He has however, been much improved this past week, even with me, which is the real shocker.

The cheeky is still there but the listening has increased a bajillion times. If you talk to him calmly and rationally (and end in "and then we can go and play") he's been doing as we (I) ask.

It's great, and I just thought he and I needed a big shout-out for this huge step forward.

(One problem is if I call in the cavalry (T) she always makes a big deal about how he wasn't listening to me, instead of just making him do whatever he should have been doing. It's singling me out to be not listened to and I don't like it.)

Tania vs Hugo

Scene: Lunchtime.

Cast: Thousands. (Ok, so it wasn't quite. It was 16 which is as much as we ever have, and about ten more than we ever want. But it felt like it because - )

Noise: Deafening.

Menu: Pumpkin soup.

Aaaand, cue T:


T: "ALL RIGHT, LISTEN UP! THRE'S ONLY ENOUGH FOR ONE SPOON EACH, SO IF YOU DROP YOUR SPOON, THAT'S IT, YOU'RE DONE. UNDERSTAND SYDNEY?! DO NOT DROP YOUR SPOONS."

*Thunderous, stunned silence from all the kids*

Broken by..

Hugo flinging his cup. It bounces to the floor just at the end of T's majestic speech.

D and I piss ourselves laughing, while all the kids are incredibly confused.

Public Service Announcements

TO: The Parents Who Pick Up Their Children Anytime Between 11:30am And 2:00pm But Especially Between 12:00 and 12:30pm.

You may not know this (especially if you just or are just about to pick up your child from the nursery) but the kids have a sleep during this time. What you may also not know (being merely parents and not professional looker-afters of kids) is that we have to put the kids the sleep when sometimes they'd rather stay awake and play or maybe cry at the top of their lungs. And we like it when they stay in Sleepy Land once they're there.

Therefore, we'd appreciate if you Shut The Damn Gate Quietly. I'm sure you're not really in that much of a rush to take your bratty sleep-deprived kid home that you can't spare an extra second to NOT SLAM IT. Also, you want to have a conversation in the foyer? Sure, go ahead. At a whisper. Or you could go into the office. Or you could take your damn kid and go. Quietly.


TO: Staff Who Work Here Who Go On A Lunch Break (ie Everyone):

You know that the kids have sleep time. You most likely just spent half an hour trying to get one of your little brats darlings to sleep. (If you haven't you should have.) When you come back, you'll want a room of sleeping darlings instead of ones hyper on not enough sleep.

SHUT THE FREAKING GATE QUIETLY.

Mkaythanks.

Update

Jack
"I can't." (Dude, yes you can.)
"You can't get me!" (Why would I want to?)
"No!" (Um, actually, yes Jack.)

Hugo
"Drains!"
"In the tunnel!"
"Missy!"
"Nonnights T."

Mark:
"My mum wiped her glasses with my booger and then it was on her and she said GROSS!"

Michael:
Dragons.

Sydney:
Heeheehee!!!

Arrogant Prick Dad:
"We're getting rid of the shape ball." (Mum: We're what?! Me: Loser.)
"You need to find a boyfriend with a car." (Are you offering me a lift home? Creep.)