FIVETRIBE

Last week the school had their annual prize-giving. I was NOT looking forward to it as in previous years it has been a long tedious drawn-out affair.  I was very pleasantly surprised this year – the evening was a superb combination of a slick production with a distinct family feel about it. I was exceptionally proud of both my girls who did extremely well. Lulu  and Mrs Butler Overall Academic Excellence; Conquesta Literacy and Numeracy – Gold. Honey and Mrs Venter Overall Academic Excellence, 2nd in her grade, Best Actress 2011, Special Art Award, Conquesta Numeracy and Literacy: Bronze; Math Olympiad and Humility Award Both girls were very happy with their achievements but I had to have *the talk* with them. You know the one hey? It went a little bit like this: ” I am so proud of you girls but I want you to always know that it is not important to me for you to BE THE BEST at everything but it is very important for you to ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST.” My dil...

As I was rushing around putting kids to bed my tween, Honey, beckoned to me. 'Come here Mom, I need to talk to you.' Something in her tone slowed me down and forced me to take a breath and follow her into her bedroom. As I looked at my beautiful daughter, growing up so fast I heard these words tumble out of her mouth: 'Mom, I hate my face. I am ugly'. I cannot tell you how unprepared I was for this statement. And yet, in an instant, I remembered this time in my life; when I looked in the mirror and didnt like what I saw. I listened quietly as she went through each of her stunning features and told me what she saw. I know there is little I can say with objectivity as her mother. She wont believe me just as I didnt believe my mother. I am happy to say when she woke up this morning she was her usual cheerful self. Full of beans, energy and confidence. Not a glimmer of the sad, insecure little person I saw the previous evening. I will have to start anticipatin...

I love that this is now a standard for nightime....that I can now say : Go jump into bed early and you can read for an hour.  Two down - just one to go!  :-)

And now you are ten. T E N.  I have to say it a few times to let the reality sink in. You apparently dont feel any different to yesterday but, believe me, everything is different for me. The passage of time is marked before my very eyes. When I look at you I see Grace. You know the story behind your being with us - you are my eternal reminder ... when my faith waivers in other areas, I just look at you. It is with great pride I absorb every ounce of the young lady you are becoming. Sometimes I am not even sure how much I had to do with it - so *contained/together* are you! From a determined, rather withdrawn and fiercely independent 5yr old to this gregarious, fearless and utterly engaging tween. I dont think anyone could have forseen what lay ahead - from your passion and talent for music to your sustained love for your Littlest Pet Shops and umpteen stuffed animals that STILL reside on your bed....the very same ones that used to reside in your cot! Honey, you are a const...

Today was the long-awaited Adventure party. Honey has been anticipating this since last year....when we said *nope, its more of a tenth party idea*. Imagine my horror when I woke up to piddling rain at 6am this morning! It was touch and go as to whether the party would go on but by 0830 the rain stopped. We arrived at the venue just before 10am and the weather was BEAUTIFUL. The sky was clearing and it was warm enough for the kids to just be in long t-shirts.  Starting out...all clean! The kids has such a blast, the facilitators did a wonderful job of herding them around the course. Honey and her friends whooped their way around the obstacles - so cool to watch ten year olds so unprententious and full of vooma! Lulu had a friend along, and even though she took an early tumble, she recovered enough to later conquer her fear and crack the foofi slide. (thanks to lots of encouragement from her friend, R) Lulu and her friend, R Hooli said it was his best day EVER. (and...

I occasionally watch Super Nanny - that young british chick that gets kids sorted and parents back in control. I can honestly say that I have shed a tear or two as I have watched parents beyond themselves with out of control kids. Yesterday all three of my kids watched with me. Riveted. It was such an interesting experience hearing their thoughts about the show. They clearly picked up the fathers favouritism for the young (out of conrol) daughter and his stern/angry demenour with his older son. Funnily enough I had a rare supernanny moment of my own last night.... Honey was about to play computer games when I reminded her she had not practised her piano piece. She insisted she knew it (which she did) but I told her she has to practise daily. End of story. The was much wailing, stomping and yelling. And then some more. And then the ineviatable " You're the worst Mom, everrrr. I am not coming downstairs, everrrrr, no matter how hungry I get!" and then... "And I am qu...

I love this picture that my man surreptitiously snapped as we left for our run last night. Honey is showing a keen interest in fitness and exercise. She even came and did a workout with OMS and I during the school holiday and loved it....in fact she wants a 'fitness party'. :-) Am wondering how much it is to do with the actual exercise and how much it is to do with spending ALONE time with me, engaging in something she knows that I value . Either way I love this time with her; it is yet another fabulous opportunity we use to talk about life and growing up.

Last night Honey and I had one of those evenings. You know the ones? Where you put them to bed and they ask you to please stay and chat for a bit? I confess that I am not great with the late nights chats but there was an urgency in her demeanour that caused me to pause. The conversation was long and we covered significant ground but I want to leave you with two particular points she raised. I am not going to go into how I answered them; my thoughts on the question or how we got there. I am just going to share some of what was going on the the heart of this 9yr old that had me reeling - with both concern and wonder. *************************** Honey: Mom, you know the bear from Toy Story 3 - Lotso? The one that smells like strawberries? ME; Yes? Honey : He says to Woody : " WE ARE JUST TOYS - WE ARE MADE TO BE BROKEN." That is like us Mom. We are like Gods toys. We are just waiting to be broken. Either get sick, have an accident or just plain die. ********************* Mom...