#1: Don't try to manipulate a four year old's emotions...
(Not if that 4 year old is Boy #2 and you don't want to be put firmly in your place, at any rate.)
Yesterday morning my mother-in-law was lamenting our forthcoming departure; we were doing the 'grandparent shuffle' and were leaving to spend the rest of half term with my parents. Talking to Boy #2, she said to him "I'm going to miss you when you've gone."
He appeared unperturbed by this information, and turned to her, big brown eyes wide and said, "Well, I don't miss you. Right now, I miss gran and grandad..." Long pause. Then: "But when I am with them, I will miss you instead."
Well, I suppose at least he threw her a bone.
#2: They grow up faster than you think.
This morning Boy #1 and I were listening to his younger brother wreaking havoc elsewhere in the house. Boy #2 was vociferously shrieking for help; the bathroom light needed switching on, and Boy #1 turned to me, sighed heavily and said, "These youngsters do go on, don't they?"
#3: Sometimes life is a cliche.
As when you are being driven down a busy Moscow highway through swirling snow by a chain-smoking taxi-driver, watching the traffic around you take part in it's complicated ballet, and suddenly on the radio you hear this...
Well that told your mother-in-law! I love the honesty of young children x
ReplyDeleteOMG - that Boney M song was the first single I ever bought! I still remember boogying away in my living room to it for hours at a time...trying to 'act' out the song. Hysterical. But not quite as hysterical as both your sons, obviously. Classic comments.
ReplyDeleteI used to dance to Ra-Ra-Rasputin as a 7 year old too! I also remember my Dad explaining to me what it was all about. I haven't heard it for years, but how classic and surreal that they listen to it in Moscow.
ReplyDeleteGreat boy comments....
Hee hee. Reminds me of the time in a very public place, the Queenager (aged about 4) turned to younger brother (then about one) and said "Oh, A, sometimes you're SO hard to love". Given that kids usually repeat what they've heard, everyone looked at me in shock. I almost fainted on the spot. It was about three days later when I came across a new book of hers, and the mother was saying to a brand new naughty puppy "Oh puppy, sometimes you're so hard to love"! (Phew).
ReplyDeleteILOVE that song!! So does my son, he was fascinated by the story. well the 'refusing to die' bit mostly. I tried to leave out the more salacious bits when telling him the story. My daughter was singing it the other day. That and Ma Baker she loves. Anyway she did pause and ask "mummy what's a Love Machine?" Er.......
ReplyDeleteWhat a great moment! I find I have those sort of cliche moments a lot somehow living in post-communist, Mafia Mediterranean/Balkan territory that I do!
Muummmeeee, thanks for commenting and yes, they are quite forthright, aren't they?
ReplyDeleteNicola - me too! See, it's not just the 2 sons, the living in freezing temperatures and the previous interesting job that we have in common...
NVG, now you're just showing off. SEVEN?
EPM, don't you just hate it when they do that? Because you, as the mum, are clearly the source of everything they say.
Paradise, they're great, aren't they? It does help you realise what a ridiculous situation you're in if you recognise too, I find.
Welcome back?
ReplyDeleteSurely Ra-Ra-Rasputin must be ripe for a remake. Must have been fantastic hearing it with Moscow as the live video stream
ReplyDelete