When we first have our baby we hear a lot about “Happy Mummy = Happy Baby”. It’s generally about making sure you put your oxygen mask on first so that you can help others put theirs on. But once that little bubba learns to laugh and walk and talk, the giving doesn’t always have to flow in one direction.
With my kids now 4 and 2 I’m finding that they can truly make me happy at times if I relax enough to let them. And I don’t mean the big picture “Children bring meaning to my life” or “I was so proud when little Abraham took his first step”. I mean during a stressed out busy busy evening when you’ve raced around finishing work, picked up the kids from childcare, been to get petrol and to the ATM, posted a letter on the way home and tried to have a meaningful conversation with your child about their day (or tried to comfort a tired grizzly child while driving). You’ve continued to race around at home to get something edible on the table and are trying to coax some carrots into your child’s mouth.
“Eye-pah! Eye-pah!”
What the?
Once you translate, you work out that Master 2 has just spotted Swiper the Fox (from Dora the Explorer for the uninitiated) sneaking up to the table and is about to steal his dinner!
HA!
Now, I don’t often go along with this one (now that it has happened again and again and again), especially during dinner, but the first time Hamish did this it made me laugh. Yes, LAUGH. Now perhaps I have a low comedy threshold, but in my house where I think I spend far too much time stressed and grumpy, laughter is GOLD and I will take it where I find it. It is the ultimate relaxant (well it’s healthier than wine) and there’s even rumours that Happy Mummy = Happy Daddy if you know what I mean 
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So the next time something crazy comes out of your child’s mouth, don’t tell him to be quiet and eat his dinner. Say “Swiper, no swiping! Swiper, no swiping!”. They will think you’re hilarious and you might get a laugh too.
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Good idea! I know that means go better here when my kids and I are more relaxed. I’ve had good fun with making a ‘Mum’s Cafe’ with candles etc and sometimes giving them a menu with e.g. fish fingers, frogs eyeballs, vomit soup etc etc
But, if I can get it right, the best success at mealtimes comes when they are HUNGRY!! Tricky tho as if they are too hungry, all hell can break loose.
Sigh!
Love the Mum’s Cafe Seana!
There’s a tipping point between hungry and tired with my kids. If dinner is too late, tiredness has started to take over from hunger and, as you say, all hell can break loose
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