Parenting is a real tough job.  We all know it but sometimes you just think it is okay.  That you aren't stuffing it up too much.

Then you go to pick your Grade R boy up from school.  He runs out to greet you and his teacher asks him to go back inside and steps aside so that she can have a word with you.  Not one of those: "your boy is so sweet" talks either.

Apparently  he and three of his friends have been fighting.  A lot.  So much so that she took the boys to Mr. Piet White.  Ah, you know that teacher.  That male teacher that all the boys are scared off.  Yes, him.  He made them go into his little room where they have a skeleton (not a real one obviously).  This however didn't scare them enough to behave.  There was more fighting and an incident where there were some peeking underneath the toilet door (in the boys' bathroom)

She told me that she spoke real sternly to them and wanted to talk to me about it, before Quintus got upset at home.  He can be real sensitive when he was punished.

Well apparently not sensitive enough.  I was busy speaking to him in the car about it when he ignored me and spoke to Jason.  I decided to leave it there and wait till we got home from work.

I told him that he is no longer to play with those friends.  That if he and his friends wants to behave like that, I will not tolerate it.  That never again do I want to hear about that kind of behaviour.  I took away the Playstation.  For as long as it takes for him to start behaving as I expect him to.  I got him to buy a chocolate for his teacher for when he apologizes tomorrow.

When I told him that I don't want him to be friends with those two boys anymore, he started crying.  Real sad tears.  He told me that they are his only friends and if he can no longer play with them, he only has Michael (that friend of his from preschool, who is now in a different primary school).  I told him to make other friends and he told me that he doesn't know how.  That is true.

How do I get him to behave.  Are these little boys really so bad, or just being "boy" naughty.  Oh this parenting stuff is hard.  For now though, I told him not to play with those boys until they behave.  I'll keep in contact with his teacher to confirm that he is behaving.  I will ask her about the behaviour of those boys.  I'm sure she spoke to their parents too and hopefully they will change their behaviour as well.

I can't believe that he is behaving this way. It saddens me.  It's probably not that bad and something many boys do.  I just don't want HIM to.

Welcome back blogdrive!  I totally get withdrawal symptoms when the blog is not working.  Not good for my soul.

We had cricket practise again tonight.  My dad did a lot of research and made a nice list of things we have to teach the kiddies.  Two of the moms I asked to help us out last week pitched up and it went much better.  Hopefully the kids enjoyed it.  I tend to get a bit strict when the kids go off doing something else, instead of listening to what I'm trying to teach them.  However, we did make lots of jokes.  I cheered them on when they got someone out or hit a good shot.  We actually laughed a lot.

It's my MIL's 61st birthday today, so we ended up going there after karate practise tonight.  The kids loved it, as their Ouma Net had all the food they love: olives, feta cheese, biltong sandwiches, boiled eggs.  They were in foodie heaven.  Of course she also had her famous cakes.  Yip, they left with happy tummies.

It is supposed to be Spring two days.  Currently it is 46.4 degree Fahrenheit.  Okay it is 9pm but sure not spring weather.  Hopefully it will improve a lot before the 1st!

I have this nursery rhyme that I play with Zander. It goes like this (well in Afrikaans but I'll translate)

The mouse walks around the house (moving my finger all around his little face)

He looks through the window, he looks through the window (touching each eye)

He knocks on the door (touch his nose)

He wipes of his feet (move my fingers under his nose)

And he goes into the house (Put my finger in his mouth)

He finds this very funny.  However....  last night.....

I'm lying on the bed, playing this with Zander.  Tommie was bending over the bed to look at how much Zander enjoys it.  Quintus came out of the bathroom, stood behind Tommie and as I started yet another round of the rhyme ..... yes you get it.  He started the actions around Tommie's bum.  So glad Tommie was dressed and he stopped before the mouse went into the house! 

Oh what a lovely time we had!  We left a bit later than we hoped on Friday afternoon.  The road gets really bad (traffic and surface) just before Sun City, so it's not really a road you want to be on in the dark.  Unfortuntaly for us, we had to drive in the dark.  On the especially bad part too, so that we could get my dad and brother's race numbers.  With a baby that does NOT like being on the road at night.  AT all.  (Read:  Rode with screaming baby and brothers begging us to make him stop).  We get to the registration office and I phone my brother to find out where I must go to get their numbers.  He tells me that he doesn't think they are going anymore!!!!!  NOT. COMING.!!!  I JUST RODE 30 MINUTES ON A HORRIBLE ROAD, IN THE DARK, WITH A SCREAMING BABY to get their numbers.  Uhm, he quickly realized that if he does indeed appreciate life, he would come lol

From there on we had a ball.  The guesthouse was beautiful.  Jason was actually excited about riding in the race.  Zander woke up, napped and nursed at the perfect times.  Quintus rode all on his own and loved it. 

After the race we had an early lunch and went in to the Valley of the Waves.  We have been there before but never for long enough.  This place is awesome!!!  It has a huge "pool", which looks like the sea.  Even making huge waves every now and again.  It has huge slides.  Slide that you can do with tubes.  I nice slow river that you go on with the tube.  It also has a lovely little place just for kids.  The water is nice and shallow.  The slides are slow and short.  You climb up on a "mountain" to get to the slides.  Hanging bridge and all.  Perfect for little kids and their imagination. 

Zander totally LOVED the sand.  It was magical.  He played with it ALL the time.  That's hours.  Hardly looking up. 

Jason made little dams.  Quintus played in the "sea" at first and then we all moved over to the kiddies part.  There Jay played on the jungle gym and Quintus enjoyed the water.  Jason wasn't keen on the water at all.

I've uploaded some of the pics.  Don't think you really wanted to see all 156 (Yes Stella, I know that's not a lot for you!)

We are almost leaving for our night away.  No, not as romantic as it sounds!  We are taking the boys to do their annual little bicycle race.  Another tradition that was started without even knowing it :)  It's a little 1 km race at Sun City.  Afterwards we take them to the Valley of the waves.  Love it there.  Can "almost" feel as though we are spending a day at the beach.  I just hope the weather plays along!

I'll be back with loads of photos.  We'll have to wait and see if Jason actually rides in the little race.  He's not very competitive and doing something when someone expects him to, is just not his thing.  Which means if he has to stand and wait for someone to "shoot" that little gun so that he can ride, he will most likely not lol

Have a great weekend everyone!!  Oh and they eye is better.