stAGES

I'm told that as children reach certain ages they become ready for certain events in their lives. At this time, heading towards the end of the year, my child is approaching the 'ready for kinder' age. This age, however, does not necessarily coincide with the 'going to kinder' age. He has pre-dated the going with the readiness and I'm getting greyer by the day with the excess energy, the excess whining, the excess defiance and the excess use of the word 'No'! (on both our behalves)

He currently goes to creche three days a week and loves it. He has his BEST friend, Kade and stuff to climb on and stuff to get messy in and sand to throw (with enough left over to bring home in pockets, hoods, shoes) and places to run around and balls to kick and friends, with whom, to play. I have had the pleasure of witnessing, whilst talking to The Bean's teacher, The Jelly Bean and Kade in action. They truly are best friends. They laugh hysterically about things only they understand. They walk around as though a shadow to the other. They say goodbye, see ya tomorrow, see ya when you come to my house. It's beautiful.

I've put a note in Kade's communication pocket to ask his mum if we can organise a catch up on the weekend sometime. The Jelly Bean may, in fact, need more 'Kade' time.

But it's a bit embarrassing, too. Most people see me as the jovial, bubbly, life of the party type, but in fact, I may have discovered I'm one of 'those' extroverts. You know, the ones who are an extrovert to hide the fact that they are a bit nerv-ey around new people and don't really know what to say. The ones that maybe have a bit of a loud voice and a loud laugh (I can't actually help this one, it does just come out that way!) and makes people laugh at big jokes at my own expense. Who woulda thought, at 32, I am still finding things out about myself. ;o)

However, when I HAVE to make friends, say for example, with Kade's mum, so that my son can see his friend, as in Kade, I have no idea what to say. I actually wrote a note then got The Jelly Bean's teacher to check it to see if it was too dorky. To check that I wasn't making a fool of myself in trying to make a new acquaintance so that The Bean could play and be happy with his BFF. She laughed at me and said it was fine but as you know, me and words and such, putting it down in writing makes it real for me, and 'in writing' dorkiness, is pretty difficult to escape from.

So that done, I'm now waiting by the phone for her to call me. Or even text. Wondering what I'm going to say. If she'll think I'm a big dork. It's like I'm trying to date someone, and we all know how successful I am at that little process! (Look, another joke at my own expense!!!)

And a couple of weeks ago I had the information night for the Jelly Bean's kinder. And I might have cried a little bit. Well, welled, not sobbed *scoff* because he's ALL GROWN UP! Another Mum that was sitting next me has a boy in the same room at creche as the Bean and she wants me to put our number in her communication pocket, too. She's a single mum and laughed when I cried, I mean welled.

The Bean starts kinder in February and he has to have a lunch box and a kinder bag and he will go on excursions with a name tag and he will learn to write his name and everything. We (as in kinder kids' parents) have to try and get them to eat from a lunch box at home, as most kids need to be trained in NOT eating everything in their lunch box at one sitting, ie. Morning tea, then having nothing left for lunch.

I have to try and teach him a whole bunch of stuff that I do without thinking:

Not eating all of one's lunch at morning tea (sometimes, I do have to think about this one, actually), how to wash our hands PROPERLY, how to clean our teeth (this one's difficult when you have a child who is so fiercely independent that he pushes your hand away with such force when one tries to help him with anything), how to use a fork (without pushing food onto it with our other hand), how to draw circles (The Bean is not a fan of drawing anything, he builds blocks and leggo, he plays with cars and trains and dinosaurs, he reads books and memorises the stories, he chucks sands and runs around with handfuls of tanned bark spilling out the back like the smoke from a rocket ship but drawing is not his fave thing), how to use pedals on a bike (he DETESTS pedals) and how to make friends.

Um....

Things The Bean has said:

1.
TB: Mama, can I please watch the Hess-a-me Street?

2.
TB: Mama can we get up now?
Me: Not yet, babe.
TB: Pleeeeeeeaase, Mama.
Me: In five more minutes.
TB: No more five more minutes!
Me: No more five more minutes?
TB: No please, I want five more minutes to move away.

3.
TB: Mama, ice-cream is for eating and suns-cream is for putting all over you, isn't it?