The Lord and the Mobile

Pip: Ma, let's play. You'll be the lord, ok?
Me: Lord? What lord (mentally flicking through all stories to see which one features some lord. We've haven't yet done Shreck and his Lord Farquat (or whatever his Fuck-what ryhming name is).
Pip: The Lord. And I'll be Mrs Noah. And you have to tell me to put the animals in the ark because you'll be sending the floods soon, ok? Tell me.
Me: (booming voice) Um, So, Mrs Noah. Are all the animals in place?
Pip: Oh not yet. My husband Noah says that he felt rain on his shoulder. Wait a bit Lord ok. The skunk and the panda are still out.
Lord: (taken aback by bossy tone) Err.. of course, of course. Um, just tell me when you're ready.
Pip: Yes I'll send you a message. I have the mobile in my hand so it won't get wet.
Me: Bless you, Mrs Noah

Moral: Today's kids are impressively biblically and technologically versant.

A poem

Sing we for love and idleness,
Naught else is worth the having.

— Ezra Pound, "An immortality"

Why we push our children too hard?

"There was I, bursting with pride because Jessie was practically reading Harry Potter at the age of 4, being told that there was a problem because she couldn’t stand on one leg and maintain balance for any length of time with her eyes closed."

Please read this article by Penny Marshall in today's Sunday Times of London. Here's the link: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/education/article6975610.ece

What I am reading

Through the eye of the needle
by John-Paul Flintoff

Journalist with the Sunday Times of London who sews his own clothes, darns his wife's bra and creates pretty dresses for his daughter from old babygrows. Incredibly brilliant: makes you want to become self-sufficient too.

Use the 'Off' Switch often!

Taken from The Irish Times
By Ronan McGreevy

Prof Stuart Shanker of York University in Canada, who was in Dublin earlier this month said there was no substitute for interaction between parent and child.

His central message was that parents do not need to do anything out of the ordinary, or buy any kind of “educational” DVD to further their child’s development.
Shanker’s views will reassure parents who are bombarded with DVDs, CDs such as Baby Mozart and electronic toys all holding out a promise that they will improve their infant’s development.

“Neuroscience proves that playing, touching, paying attention or talking at a level that comforts the baby, for example, are the building blocks for healthy infant brain development,” he explains.

“These brain-to-brain experiences are vital for sensory and motor development as well as helping the child to self-regulate later on so that he can control and understand temper, emotions, stress or attention span.”

He emphasised the importance of interaction between primary caregiver, either a parent or a guardian, and the child especially in the first year. The baby learns through the caregiver’s expressions, tone of voice, gestures and facial expressions. Babies look to their caregivers to understand new situations. These vital brain stimulations cannot be obtained from watching television or a DVD.

Swine Flu Jabs

In Germany, the swine flu jabs made available to the public have mercury in them but the jabs to be given to the members of the army do not.

Which type of vaccination is the public being given here in Malta? Could anyone please enlighten us about possible side effects of these hastily produced vaccines? Has in fact, enough time passed for these side effects to be accurately tested? (Just read/watch ‘The Constant Gardener’ for more thought provoking aspects on the pharmaceutical world).

The health authorities are doing their very best to get us to inject ourselves but not through a campaign which would include answers to the above queries, but through a bombardment of anxiety.

As parents it's important to have facts in hand - that's the only way we can decide responsibly on what to give or not our kids.

The January Decorations

Don't you think that the house looks sort of barren and naked after you've taken down all the Christmas decorations? Pip was broken hearted today when we packed away the Christmas Tree - after three weeks its flickering lights still gave her huge delight. SO. As a counter-reaction, we've put up the 'January Decorations'.

There's multicoloured festoons in the living room and lots of balloons tied to any existing hooks around the house. There! It's not so depressing now... it'll help us go through bleak January with a bit of a colourful cheer

Best Parenting Books

1. The Idle Parent by Tom Hodgkinson
2. Affluenza by Oliver James
3. Summerhill by A.S. Neill

Any other suggestions? Please, please do not even dare mention Gina Ford and her military style regimentation...