Kids get ready for Christmas

Yes it is coming up to the big C and deciding what to buy for our kids, oh sorry more Santa will be and means having a good dinner, and consulting Santa on what gifts our kids want.

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So, first of all I think choosing what you kids can help with and set a date to have the Christmas decorations going up, and why not make everyone a hot drink whilst you decorate in your matching PJ;s, with some Christmas music playing.

Take them to go and see the lights in town, depending on where you live and many places in London will have Ice Rinks and I love a Christmas market where they have a Santas Grotto, like the Southbank in London.

Create a Christmas folder. I will be going to get mine out to update and I have decided on the theme for gifts and like traditional in many households, write a wish list.

Get out the games. Last year we played Pictionary type game, and growing up would play card games. Shut the box is a really fun game and great way to have everyone playing together rather then on mobiles or tablets and make it a tradition and each year buy a new game.

Have a table for the kids to eat together, depending on the room you have. Each child has a cracker they can pull and activities on the table to help with them not getting bored whilst waiting for the food and nominate one child and one adult to give out the gifts and take note of which child it was that did it that year, and then have another child do this on the following year or boxing day, to hand out the presents.

I have done a printable for Christmas tips and so check out here:

christmas-guide-for-parents-2023Download

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Not Letting Your kids down

This week my son performed in his school Christmas show and I was really looking forward it, but he wasn’t in it and it did have a date in his message book but because the tickets were for Thursday I thought the date in his book was wrong, because even though he does the Year 1 curriculum he really is in Year 4. I was given the wrong ticket and missed his performance and my son was looking for me on the Monday when he was performing with Year 1. Yet as said was given the tickets for Thursday for years 3 and 4. which technically is his year and believed that he spends time in in that year aswell as year 1 , so yes went to the wrong performance.

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I am so disappointed and next time will check and make sure there is a better communication between us (my son’s dad and I) with his school when it comes to school events, as the teacher is going to see if it was filmed and if she can send it to me so I can see it.

I hate letting my son down and he did says something on Monday but thought he was confused and so said to him I will be seeing him on Thursday. So a miscommunication has now got me concerned because we aren’t sure of when our son is doing in terms of his mainstream classroom (which is in year 4) and with year 1.

When it comes to schools and Henry it has been a challenge because even the school he is in now may be changed as they are saying that they can’t long term still have him there and needs to be with a more specialised school and I talked about this in my Youtube channel, Typical London Gal Carrie Holmes, in my last week Sunday chat video.

I want to be there for all school events and it was so nice to see him get a award from when he has been having horse riding lessons and next year if he does stay at his current school, having swimming lessons and currently he has private lessons on a Saturday and loves it. Forgetting what happened this week, I really am not wanting him to go somewhere else to learn and make sure that any events I double check and email his teacher to keep track of what he will be doing in year 4 and when he has events with year 1 as at least I can make sure there is better communication on our part.

This has also made me see that I need to listen to my son more, as he takes in a lot of what is said, and knows more that what he lets on. I want to be part of his journey at school and see all of his shows and be there when he has his yearly reviews, and not miss a thing.

It is so important to me that I am part of his learning and help support him with his development. to grow our relationship. I know there are a lot of families struggling and parents worrying about letting their kids down, but what is important, is that it isn’t all about presents but showing love and compassion, and meeting family they don’t always get to see and friends.

Christmas is only once a year, but love continues throughout their life and telling them and showing them each day is for me most important and that I listen and learn as a parent and support him even more.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Typical London Gal