I was on parenting duty for the first day of half term. After a leisurely start to the day we headed out to the newsagents to buy the obligatory holiday magazines. Emma had been given five pounds (or five hundred pounds as she likes to think of it) and, whilst quick to alight on Sparkle World magazine at £2.99, then demonstrated a complete lack of mathematical ability in determining how much change she would get from £3! Both children went on their scooters. Duncan would have preferred his bike but was refusing to wear a helmet. He then wanted to head out the driveway in the wrong direction. He then wanted his bike instead. Suffice is to say, he cheered up once we’d watered the bushes outside school! We also stopped at the playground on the way home.
As the sun was shining, I also managed to persuade the children that we should go out again after lunch – this time to Farley Mount. This time both children wanted bikes. Duncan demonstrated that, although still on a balance bikes, he could still do with brakes going down a steep hill! (It was bath time when Christine pointed out the black eye that had resulted from the impact with the end of his handlebars!) Both children seemed to think that, if they kept their helmets on they had license to throw themselves off all of the play equipment so that wasn’t the only bruise in evidence. There were lots of children out and about and Duncan was quite literally spurred on to new heights (climbing to the top of the pyramid on his own).
Needless to say, I was glad to return to work the following day to get some rest!