Normal Moms

I always suspected this would happen one day in distant future, but never expected it to happen this early.

One day, picking up little Miss Haana from school, we were having our usual arguments (where she tells me what she wants, and then i tell her to do something else), when she suddenly screamed in exasperation, "Mumma! Why can't you be like a normal mom!"

Normal mom! I have to say,  the thought has occurred to me that I'm probably pretty far from normalcy. But how does Haana know that!
I asked her,  "What do you mean,  normal mom! What does that even mean?". This caused more exasperation, "Ughhh, you don't even understand what I'm saying. You never understand what I'm even saying". Why does everything with 5 year olds have to be in superlatives!

Anyway, when i prodded some more (maybe not all that carefully)  i was educated that normal moms are not that strict. And not mean either. I'm thinking they also always understand what their 5 year olds are saying. I'm sure they also always agree with what their little ones are saying. In short - they're imaginary😊

I can live with that!

Confession

I have a confession.

All of us were doing groceries at the neighbourhood store this Saturday afternoon. When done, we had our cart all loaded up with stuff and, were heading out. Little Miss Haana was telling me she wants to go and sit on the garden rocking chairs set outside the store for spring. I thought that was a great idea.

Just as we headed out the store, i saw a little girl heading into the store accompanied by two women. It was little Miss Haana's classmate, one of her best friends. I recognized one of the women was her mother. The other was far older, probably grandmother.

Little Miss Haana was in a hurry to get to the chairs and didn't see her best friend coming over from the other side. And, i didn't say anything. I recognised the girl, i smiled at her, but i didn't tell Haana.

I later felt that was such a mean thing. Actually, although the girl is miss Haana's best friend, multiple times she's said and done mean things to her. She's laughed at little Haana, made fun of her and made her cry. Multiple times I've heard the girl has been mean to my little Haana. I make no bones about it, i don't like her at all. It usually doesn't help telling kids their friends are bad kids. Instead i try to teach her to stand up to bad behavior, especially mean girls.  And to stand up to bullying. I'm not sure how successful that's going either. For some reason, my little girl Haana just likes that girl. I think it has to do with the fact that she's older and more mature, and Haana is drawn to older kids, especially girls.

Anyway, those are my reasons for not telling little Miss Haana that i just saw her best friend. I felt guilty about it later, and chastised myself for being so mean.

Sales(wo)manship

If parenting teaches you anything, it is to be a good sales person. Not the kind that sells stuff. But the kind that sells the argument.

Yesterday morning, we were getting ready for school and work, I informed little Miss Haana that her snack will consist of two clementine oranges. She immediately retorted,  "I don't want oranges". Instead of arguing, I turned to look at the two clementine oranges in my hand and covered their the sides (ears), and whispered to them,  "No, no, she didn't mean it! She really likes you, it wasn't like that". Little Miss Haana immediately agreed with me,  "Ya, ya, i didn't mean it!", we giggled. "But mumma, I don't want two of them!". I was about to argue how she really needs to have two,  and thst they're tiny. But I had a better plan: "But Gugu, they're sisters! Sisters have to go together." "Oh ya. Sisters have to go together", she agreed with conviction.

Problem solved 🤗.

Rock Chalk

Today was not the only day when I picked up little Miss Haana from school, she wanted to take some rocks home. Outside the school,  there are flower beds full of small (palm sized) round colorful rocks. Miss Haana likes to "borrow" rocks of her choice now and then. I try to discouraged this practice,  but the reasons vary.
Today,  I reminded her there were some rocks at home. She told me,  she's looking for "rock chalk"!
I retorted, "That's not even a real thing!"
"It sure is!", she told me in a sing-song tone.
"But we have a whole box of collegial chalk at home,  remember?!"
That sealed the deal. And we climbed up into the car without any rock companions.

At home, we took out the box of chalks, and little Miss Haana went to work on the front patio.

In the middle is a ballerina bowing. That's little Miss Haana. Below that is a picture of a girl with a flower on her head,  wearing a cape and a dress. That's Mumma.

And then,  there's a rainbow on the top.

What I like best is the note in the middle,  that says: I love you.

Things to do Today

Miss Haana's things to do today attached!

I Want It

Little Miss Haana was sleeping this morning when she suddenly screamed "I want it!"

I was already up by then, so I jumped up and asked her, "What do you want Gugu? What is it?". But I got no answer.
Assuming the best, I decided she must mean that about a hug and a kiss, so I gave them both to her while she was still sleeping!

Sick Baby

My little baby miss Haana had been sick this week. It started suddenly on Wednesday night between 1 and 4am. The were at least 7-8 separate incidents of throwing up. As I was taking care of her in the night worrying about her, poor baby kept on telling me- I love you mumma!

Mom and Dad took turns staying at home to look after sick little Haana. On day 2, she was feeling much better though.

Here is our exchange as I heading out to work:
Mumma (M)- gugu,  what are you going to do today at home?
Haana (H)- I'm going to do a lot of things today!
M- Like what?
H- I'm going to read books, see some pictures, play some board games, do some coloring, do art n craft.
M- (cutting through the chase) Sounds like you're going to watch a lot of videos to me.
H- (jumped up in indignation) Nooo!!