Telly Addict Toddler

 

OK, here’s one of my many I'm not-a-perfect-parent confessions – I let my toddler watch telly – a lot!

Tonight I sat and had cuddles with Monkey before bed, watching ‘Night Garden’ with Piggle-Piggle and Makka-Makka (we’re working on it). He joyfully shouted along with the programme – laughing, pointing out things, and following the story step by step.  

The guidelines say that our kids should only be in front of the telly for about 30 minutes each day but I’ve never kept my eye on the clock and without a doubt we far exceed that.  

We’re telly people and I think Monkey is now the same. We always have the telly on – be it on the news channels as a bit of background noise or sitting watching something specific.  

Monkey’s really advanced for age with his talking and development and personally, I think telly has helped that. We have always sat and talked through what he is watching and asked him about it afterwards.  

The fear for some can be that telly gets in the way of kids wanting to do other things but for us I really think it has encouraged Monkey to do other things.  

He’s got a massive selection of ‘Thomas the Tank Engine’ toys and now when he plays with them he’s started to recreate the scenes he’s watched. He’s got books, clothes and cutlery all based on the telly programmes he loves.  

I appreciate the guidelines but this is the way I want to do it and it’s working for me and mine!

I Ripped Off The Plaster!

As I know is the same for so many mums, especially working mums, there is the constant search for balance. For me, it is the struggle for time – time to work and matching that with the time that I get to spend with Monkey.

I currently work five days a week and have found that in PR, the sector I work in, I really can only do five days a week if I want to work at the senior level which I currently do.  

I enjoy working and can’t ever see myself as a stay at home mum. I view stay at home mums with great admiration. They are the ones with endless patience and an abundance of creativity - that’s just not me! I like to escape from being mummy some times but perhaps not quite as often as five days a week.  

I’ve been pondering this dilemma for a while – how to match my career ambitions with my ambitions as a mother. I’ve thought long and hard – made plans, changed plans, scrapped plans and came up with whole new plans.  

Today, I ripped off the plaster and set those plans into action. It’s fresh and new so I can’t share too much but I just wanted to share this momentous moment.  

It’s scary ripping off the plaster. You’re not sure how painful it’s going to be but it’s just a plaster, the pain is momentary and underneath you find fresh skin, a healed wound.  

I’m so excited to share the next few months with you all but for now just know that I did it.

My Mummy guilt is out of control!

About 4 weeks ago we changed Monkey’s nursery and moved him from the one he’d been in since my maternity leave ended just before his 1^st birthday (he’s two now.) It was a really difficult decision as he loved his nursery and the care he received there was great but it was just too expensive. Our decision was based on our bank balance.

I know childcare is expensive but this was impossible. At £1,400 per month coupled with our rent on our house of £1,200 and all the bills associated with that it was just too much.  

I always want to provide the very best for Monkey and do what is best for him. But I came to realise that he could get just as good childcare elsewhere for a little bit cheaper. 

At his old nursery he was the child that everyone knew and loved - the star of the show. Unfortunately he doesn’t seem to be finding his feet so comfortably at his new nursery.  

This morning it wasn’t so much that I had to have him peeled off me, I had to have him surgically removed such was the force he clung on, screaming, crying and begging “please Mummy don’t leave me”. Well, I was a mess and ruined all my make up by sobbing all the way to work. I don’t want to leave him anyway let alone if he is upset. Mummy guilt felt like a ten tonne weight on my shoulders and a mighty storm cloud over my head today.  

I tweeted about this earlier (@mrsvickyo) and someone was kind enough to respond telling me that the older the child the longer it can take to settle in so maybe it just needs a little more time. Nursery are really keen to help too and the problem only seems to be in the drop off – he cheers up soon after I leave.  

I’m sure I’m not the only one whose had to make the move and change childcare provider – for whatever reason – so any advice is welcomed!