-Hands Free Parenting

My youngest child is five years old and I'll hold my hands up and admit - I treat him like a baby. Spoiled, indulged and allowed to get away with things I never would have tolerated in his siblings. But he's my baby.....

Grumpy Aged 2

But this last few months I've been letting go and treating him more like the schoolboy he is. And it became apparent to me this Easter holiday that he has given up the last ties to babyhood really well.

dummy,  buggy,  drinking cup


- On a recent visit to Birdworld I took none of the above! To be fair I haven't taken the pushchair anywhere for a while which feels really weird after 19 years of having one in front of me to hang bags and picnics off! Of course I have replaced it with my immensely stylish shopper trolley but still, I confess I do miss having a pram or stroller of some sort.

 But Grumpy jumped and skipped and ran without a single moan about being tired and no-one had to give him a piggy back even though it was a long and tiring day.

Grown-up Grumpy at Birdworld

He didn't once ask for his me-me (dummy/soother) even though he knows I always try to keep an emergency one in my bag. I know- I'm an unfit mother. He never has it at school but I occasionally spot him catching a quick dummy-fix in the daytime if he's at home.  He did ask for it in the car on the way home from Birdworld but he was so tired I let him have it. Again, I know - unfit mother!

A helping hand from FDIL
I am very glad to have abandoned the so-called no-spill toddler bottle/cup thingys. He just had a drink with lunch like everyone else and I didn't need to take snacks either - I've found he started to eat his main meals much better once I dropped the mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack.

So I'm not sure this post is to congratulate him or me. I'm a bit sad my baby days are over but very happy to be able to just walk out of the door with my handbag without checking the contents of a giant "baby bag" for enough supplies for a Polar expedition.

Until I get grandchildren.......


3 Children and It
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