When kids take over and their the boss

My son now turns off my alarm in the morning and when I haven’t gotten up when he has, he has pulled the covers off and pull my legs to the side of the bed, and gotten me up.

My son at the Cat Cafe in Westfields in Shepherds bush London

Now I have changed my morning habit I now get up before him and between 4:30 to 5am and it has changed me. I am getting stuff done like never before, and it just happened, check out my blog on everyonecanbuildacastle. com

When it comes to children they will start to be more responsible and they will start to do things for themselves and tell us that we’ve said something wrong. Like if I accidentally say take of your shorts please when he has to get changed, and he is wearing pants he will correct me and say “You got it wrong didn’t you?” and I reply “Yes that’s right sorry”, acting sheepish.

When we play football he will move me to the spot and places me of where he wants me to stand, when I am allowed to play that is and he has been watching a lot of Man City Football matches on his tablet and will turn my head for me to watch them too or tell me to “Watch the TV” or “Go back to the Kitchen” if I am making dinner.

I wrote a blog post about if they want to help with chores then let them: If your child wants to help with the chores let them

My son will help his Grandpa, who is a caretaker of a school, to help with the bins. My son likes to help with cooking sometimes, but he gets a bit bored and his enthusiasm doesn’t last long, but the fact that he has helped a little bit means that he is ready to learn more and learn how to cook. That is a skill that should be taught to all children in my opinion, because if we want our kids to be independent, then cooking is essential to help with that.

My son at the moment is walking around the house with a duster. “YES” I feel, because the one thing we still need to work on is, clearing up after he has finished with something and making his bed. Kids need to learn how to respect the home and their bedrooms and keeping them clean.

Yes I was the one who, when my mum and dad would tell me to tidy my room shove everything in my wardrobe and draws, and become overloaded. I remember one time, as I would hoard, and my mum bought me a swatch watch. It was the latest watch at that time. This is the 80’s and kept on asking about it, and which I lied, saying it was on my desk, and asked me “Can you go and get it” and after 20mins or so, came into my room and said “Robert” my brother “Will help clear up your room”. It was my worst nightmare and it made me look after my belongings and room.

When I lost my first tooth I got really upset about it because I was scared of this tooth fairy that I didn’t want her coming into my room and waking me up, and this was when I didn’t sleep as I am often reminded of, and so they had to tell me the truth and they put the tooth under my brothers pillow and still got my 50p which was the rate back in those days, and made it clear I didn’t want the tooth fairy, but still have the money.

I would look after my own money. I like it when my son wants to pay for something. Like one weekend ago he wanted to use his money to buy a coffee at a coffee shop. It took me until I was at secondary to going into a shop and buy something for myself. I had such little confidence and would give money to a friend and she would get it for me. When a child wants to help with handing over money or use their parents bank card it is good, as they need to learn to pay for things themselves and be responsible when it comes to money. Check this blog I wrote that talks about teaching kids about saving money: Teaching kids about Saving money

Eventually our kids will have to go out into the big wide world, and create a life of their own and it is good to allow them to take charge, on different areas of life, as long as it is good and learn real skills. Lets share our lives as parents to support each other as parenting is a skill and so lets help one another to grow to help support our kids development, which helps us to develop and I am thankful for having my son, who brings me so much joy. I hope that this blog helps you, and thank you for visiting my site if you are new and you can subscribe which if you do, will be alerted when I upload a blog and I have a daily blog, check it out here: https://mydailythougthsandfeelings.blogspot.com/

I also post a newsletter each month on my site Everyonecanbuildacastle.com

I am also a author and so check out my Pinterest under My Books and this will lead you to my books, which I have written two parenting books, self help book and novels.

Have a good easter and there will be more blogs to come.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Getting ready for the holidays

So Easter is this weekend, and still got to buy easter eggs, but will be doing this, this week and already have made some bookings for my son and where we are going go through the holidays, and so the cheat sheet I do for this week is dedicated to planning for School Seasonal holidays like Easter.

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Some places like better gyms where I take my son Swimming can’t be booked in too far in advance but booked for my son to go to a holiday club and there are many in the UK.

Often schools have organization’s who run holiday clubs through the holidays, and if your schools around you does then book A.S.A.P as they can fully booked and great if you still have to work through the holidays and your kids get to still have fun and in a safe environment so you can drop then off and then pick them up. Many do half days or full day, so is worth having a check but can be expensive.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Getting your kids ready for spring

Yes tomorrow is the first day of spring and the days are getting lighter and looking forward to it. So means that kids can play out longer and put the laundry out in the garden and then also Easter is on its way, and I did a video on my Youtube channel My Way of living talking about Planning and Budgeting for the Easter Holiday, and means organizing an Easter hunt, and I am writing my Newsletter for March and sharing the things I like to do over Easter. This will be up on my blog site: Everyone can build a castle | Creating goals, habits and being empowered aiming for success

It means getting the BBQ out. Okay perhaps I am getting carried away, we no longer have one, but it good to be able to go outdoors and not with layers of clothing but in thinner jackets and have your kids to help organize and do a spring clean.

I look forward to having the windows open and read a book in the park and have your children’s birthdays in Spring outdoors in the park. There is a local gardens where I live when it starts to get warmer and lighter outdoors, have birthday parties.

Having playdates visiting local historical places, like one of my friends I met up with a weekend ago, visited Arundel and Winchester, which is in West Sussex and Hampshire and we have before now gone to Poole in Dorset and Bournemouth and such lovely places to visit and great for kids to run around and just being near the water can do wonders for you and your children.

There are bank holiday weekends coming and great way to get out, and often in some of the parks, like Wimbledon Park will have a funfair, and the theme parks will start to open.

These can expensive but often there will be offers in the Sun Newspaper and Cereal boxes advertising discount on theme park tickets, and great days out.

So lets put our puffer jackets away and looking forward to wearing my denim jackets and going to give my wardrobe and my sons a revamp and get some new items, and plan some good days out.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Weekly Cheat: Tips on being overwhelmed

Hello, I have shared this on my other site Everyone Can Build a Castle, and is a free printable that I do each week and this weeks it is about, When you feel overwhelmed.

Being parent, we can often feel like this because of so much we have to remember and do, and it can be so overwhelming that all you want to hibernate and not think about getting this done and that. So here are some tips on how to manage overwhelm.

when-you-feel-overwhelmedDownload

Now it is time to get my other jobs done and been out which feels so good and still going to go for a walk tomorrow as I to have blood tests done, that I have to do yearly, to monitor my blood sugar levels, and one reason why managing your health and wellbeing is important, because I did have type 2 diabetes and was managed by diet based and get my eating habits under control and prevent overwhelm, as I can comfort eat and stop my healthy eating.

I will be posting on here in the week and so if you’d like to be notified of my blogs on this site and then remember to subscribe.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

What mother hood is all about

Yes it was mothers day at the weekend, in the UK and was away until Monday, and came back and my son made me a lovely card, and bought me a book.

In the early years, being a mum it is how to change a nappy without them peeing or poohing on you, and your spouse/partner complains about the stench from your baby’s pooh, and organizing appointments, for vaccines and health checks. Thank the lord that men do get Paternity leave.

Getting up in the early hours, and now my son gets me up out of bed. He will turn off my alarm, put on my light and pull the covers off. They say as they get older, your children become the parent, and is very much true, and can begin, which noone tells you, when they are still a child.

He loves food and is always telling me in advance of what he would like for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and likes me to go to the toilet with him and do bed time story when my eyes are on the floor, due to the early morning wake up call, and tells me to get dressed.

Its about being calm, when your child’s father strips them down before you’ve filled up the bath, for bath time and your child is hysterical, in tears wondering what the hell is going on, and leaving them with your child for the first time, and both of us, wondering which way the nappy should go, and planning, on who is going to do the first feed in the morning, unless breastfeeding as I as a baby never drank from a bottle, and do the late night feed, in the early years.

I love that I get a lot of cuddles, meal times, going out and visiting places and we do a morning walk at the weekends or playing football and rugby, seeing children shows, and seen many at the Polka Theatre in Wimbledon, The Rose Theatre in Kingston and we have gone to the cinema, going on train experiences, because my son loves trains and just have great days out.

We as mums do a lot and thanks to my husband for his help, and my family as they helped a lot, and being a mum you need that, just to adjust and learn. Talking to other mums and going to different children clubs. My son does Swimming at the weekend and has now joined a rugby club and been awarded with medals. It makes all those sleepless nights and early wake up calls, worth it.

So I hope you had a good mother’s day, and next it will be Fathers day.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

New Weekly Cheat Sheet: Get away from it all

At the weekend my husband I went away for the weekend for a friends birthday party and it felt good to get away. I of course love my son, but it is important for them and you to have a break.

I hope this free cheat sheet helps you. It is can be tricky when away from your kids, because we don’t often do it so, when we do then we make the most of it.

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Tomorrow it is back to normal. Seeing my son off to school, doing some shopping and working on my many projects.

There are more to come, and so if you’d like to be alerted then subscriber.

I also create videos on Youtube too and on Instagram, so check out these links below:

https://www.youtube.com/@typicallondongal

https://www.youtube.com/@mywayofliving1602

https://www.youtube.com/@carrieseducationyoutubecha4891

https://www.instagram.com/typicallondongal

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

When kids get fussy over what they want to wear

The idea of this blog came about when watching this video by Emily Norris, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Xf1b3mWP6o

My son is very fussy when it comes to clothes. He won’t wear anything that has a hood. So because of that it can be hard to find a coat or a jacket, and bought a water proof jacket because we lost his coat on the train and was one that had a removable hood, and will not wear the one I bought, and didn’t think about when buying it. The nearest item to a jacket with no hood he will wear, is a body warmer which was from Trespass, via Amazon.

So when buying a coat, if they don’t like hoods then look for one with a removable hood or a bodywarmer making sure they have insulated tops, like a jumper and long sleeved tops, as he will often no matter what, even if it doesn’t have a hood, wear a coat or jacket.

He doesn’t like Polo shirts, and so will only wear his ones for school but non other, and we really have to convince him to wear them, and he looks so smart in them, and great for all year round, but he is not a fan.

I now let him choose what he wants to wear, and have his clothes laid out so he can grab them and put them on. The same with socks and pants.

Have some fun with clothes, as my youngest niece liked to wear pretend princess dresses and there was a little girl at a Swimming class my son goes too, was wearing a princess dress after swimming. I like to dress me and my son in the same thing. It really helps him get dressed and ready for the day. My son never really liked fancy dress, but not so bad now, as he loves dressing up for Halloween and World Book day, which is today as I write this blog, but his school he is at now, the children didn’t dress up, and if they don’t want to be in it all day, then put on underneath, other clothes or pack some spare clothes from them to change into.

I also like to go through his clothes so anything that he will like wearing, but not worn for while get them out of his wardrobe to wear, and won’t wear slippers, and he will tell us now if he wants to keep his socks on, and won’t wear sandals, so will make sure that he has pair of trainers and is wearing ankle socks so in the summer he feet doesn’t get too hot and be in barefoot if it is okay for him to do so and get his feet measured, and he likes to wear his school shoes daily if his trainers need cleaning or changing.

Kids choices will change as they grow, and so will buy clothes for the next age that I know he will wear and keep some polo shirts he has to see if he will change his mind and shop with them and let them choose clothes to buy, when you go shopping and give them a budget of how much they can spend, and will help with waste and get use out of their clothes, and going to keep his fleeces to see if another child they may fit will wear them, or sell or donate.

Thank you for those who follow this blog, it really means the world to me and welcome to those who are new, and I hope your kids are having fun with World Book day and there are more blogs to come.

I also have Youtube channels now so if you’d like to check them out then please click on these links:

https://www.youtube.com/@typicallondongal

https://www.youtube.com/@mywayofliving1602

https://www.youtube.com/@carrieseducationyoutubecha4891

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Getting kids to eat their food and enjoy it

As a kid myself I was super fussy and couldn’t have food touching each other on a plate and there were lots I didn’t eat. This changed as I got older but could be hard work as I liked plain food and wouldn’t eat a lot of chocolate which is good but would eat crisps.

Photo by August de Richelieu on Pexels.com

When I would go round to a friends houses I would feel anxious about having a meal and felt this inner dread in case it was something I didn’t like, but didn’t want to appear ungrateful. Thankfully my son likes many foods. He did go off vegetables and when it came to a sandwich like, Ham he would take it out and just eat the bread. Yet he has tasted curries, not the shop but the food, and Chinese, and wasn’t overly keen but gave it a try.

Cooking a meal together can help, and I showed a cookery book on Youtube and got a lot of views and so check it out: https://youtu.be/zMu_MGX5uBc

Now he will eat vegetables, but he is obsessed with chocolate and so had to limit his in take and really trying to not allow too much snacking, but still make nice meals and a variety.

Teaching kids to cook can be so beneficial and he likes to get involved and we do have weekly favourites, but no longer restricted and just put it on their plate even if they don’t touch it, as their taste buds can change, and along as they are drinking and eating something is important. I think it can stress us up when they are fussy and you feel mean when to persuade its good and they point blank push it away.

I had times I’d have to take 5 minutes to leave the room, when my son would cry and refuse. So would use meals like sausage and mash and blend it down and same with roast dinners and then he was fine, and making your own food can save you a lot of money.

Porridge with banana or Weetabix, or baby yogurts can be great for breakfasts and keep it simple as they begin to wean.

Take note of the meals they like and didn’t, along with allergies and if out and you are worried about then bring some food with you and if eating out check prior to going of the food they serve and if they do a kids menu.

Thank you for reading,

Carrie X

Cheat Sheet: Getting Kids to do their chores

Hello and happy Monday, so kids are off to school again, and for my son I make sure he makes his bed, brushes teeth, has eaten his breakfast and gets dressed. It is good to have a routine and set chores. This is not heavy tasks but simple ones, as it helps them be independent and that is what we want for our kids.

So this weeks cheat sheet that I do each Monday and I do this with my other blog: https://everyonecanbuildacastle.com

This week it is, Getting kids to do their chores:

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My son, Henry wants responsibility and help with cooking, cleaning and on Saturday’s he will help my step dad to do the bins in the school he works at. He thrives on routine and wants involvement, and having them do chores it is great for their development and growth.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X