Benjamin | The Lattimore Acre

Toys, Tantrums and Pocket Money

A couple of weeks ago I witnessed the worst tantrum in the supermarket that I had ever seen. It came from my son. It was over a activity pack that I said he could have if he helped me with the shopping. Unfortunately Ben did not help me with the shopping. He began running around the shop. I had given him two warning before I put him in the trolley and told him we had to put the activity pack back. He held onto the activity pack with all of his might. But when we reached the checkout I took it off him. WOW…… I have never seen anything like it – screaming, kicking, punching, tears. His face was so red. He was so angry. But I couldn’t give it back to him……. could I……NO NO NO? We got through the checkout, packed the groceries and out to the car and he was still screaming the place down. By the time we had got home he had calmed down. But I was shaken!

Last week when we went to the shopping centre I took back up. Andrew came along to and we had had a long discussion with Ben that we would not be buying any toys. We had jobs to do. We once again had tears on our departure because he didn’t get anything but it was nothing compared to the first incident.

I know I spoil Ben…… only child and all. Not really the best parenting strategy!! So as a result we are going through detox. The detox strategy is going to the shops and I am not buying any toys. It breaks my heart to see him so upset but his behavior is unacceptable. I do feel guilty because I helped create that behavior. Mothers guilt!

We now seem to have reached a happy place when visiting the shops. I have introduced pocket money. Ben now has pocket money that he receives for completing jobs. He loves it and is now more interested in collecting gold coins than toys. So now when we are at the shops he has his pocket money to spend. If he hasn’t got enough money he is learning that he needs to do some more jobs to earn enough. His jobs include – feeding the dog, helping to set and clear the table, picking up his toys, collecting the eggs and picking up the dogs toys. I have been using You Rule Chores on my iPhone.

We have found it pretty great. However Ben sometimes plays with it and gives himself extra coins! I found the application here. If you don’t already read Li’l Magoolie it is worth a look.

Fingers crossed for no more tantrums!!

Our Four Year Old

1. Ben – “Is Heaven as far as England? Because that is a really really long way!”

2. I witnessed Ben’s first punch up at Kindy on my roster day this week. He didn’t throw the first punch but he did throw the second, third and forth. I was HORRIFIED and a little heart broken!!

3. Ben – “Mum do you know what 4 letter X’s makes? ………. Beer!!!”. I hope he didn’t say that in a phonics lesson. We don’t even drink beer!

4. Ben’s Grandma wears glasses. She had them off and was cleaning them. Ben – “Grandma put your glasses back on. I can’t see you”

5. Ben – “Mum….What sound does 5 make?

6. Ben – “My Mum can’t make me a brother or sister. But that is ok because Mum and Dad made me” ……. a little tear xo

7. I witnessed the worst tantrum I had EVER seen in the supermarket a few weeks ago. IT WAS BEN!! I thought we were over tantrums!

8. Ben – “Why isn’t it December yet? Can you make it December Mum?”

9. Ben never wants to shower. But if you say ‘I’ll race you there’. He runs every time. Will he ever realise what I am doing?

10. Four year olds still look as lovely as new born babies when they are asleep. Thank goodness xo

Cooling Down

It’s warming up in our neck of the woods. This is how Ben kept cool yesterday.

We raided the plastic cupboard for containers, the utensil draw for measuring cups and spoons and found the old china tea set. I also added a few drops of colouring to the water – oh the excitement when the colours changed!!!

This was just a lovely reminder that the experiences we make for children don’t need to be complicated…… simple is often best!

1st Halloween

This was our first ever attempt at Halloween. Our neighborhood children seem to really enjoy the whole thing. Why wouldn’t they….. FREE LOLLIES!!

We had Trick-or-Treaters from 4.30pm. It was mostly boys and some of them were so focused on the lollies they forgot their manners. Most children came in great costumes but we did have the odd teenager in no costume with a shopping bag (shocking hey!!). Ben had the best time handing out the lollies and yelling out ‘Happy Halloween!”. He didn’t want to Trick-or-Treat….YAY! I turned our lights off and took down the decorations at Ben’s bedtime but this didn’t seem to stop the lollie hunters. To be honest I’m not sure if I am really that into Halloween…….I’m not convinced it is a celebration at all – maybe just a very large lollie hunt!! (I always knew this really but it’s nice to look at something fresh through the eyes of your child)

First Pumpkin

Halloween has never really been a major celebration in Australia…… well not for us anyhow. But last year we had so many Trick-Or-Treaters. So this year we thought we would do a little to join in. Ben and I bought our first pumpkins to carve.

I cut lids and opened them and thought ewwwwww really??!!!! I wasn’t expecting so much slop!! I also didn’t really have any idea of what we would carve. So I did what every good researcher does and ‘Googled’ it – Halloween carving templates and How to carve a pumpkin. I had everything I could possible need right on the computer screen – Thank you Mr Google!

Ben and Andrew picked a scarey design and I picked a more smiley one. I used a small stanely knife as I found that the easiest. This is what we ended up with (don’t look too closely!).

And in the dark…..

It was a bit of fun. Ben is excited to put them out tomorrow and hand out lollies to the Trick-Or-Treaters. So I think this is when I am supposed to say ‘Happy Halloween!’ (I’m a Newbie).

Linking up with Life Made Lovely Monday (I know this is my second link up but there is so many lovely things happening!)

Herb Garden

I’ve run out of room in the vegetable garden. It is full…… over full really. We will get to building another garden bed but I just could wait for that to happen before I got some herbs planted. I just cringe every time I buy a bunch of herbs at the supermarket. Not only do I think they are ridiculously expensive but they are never as fresh as I would hope.

Ben and I were watching Play School on ABC 4 Kids a couple of weeks ago and I saw the solution. The wonderful Alex helped me out (have a bit of a crush….. hilarious!!). I also thought it would be a bit of fun to get Ben involved as well. As it happened it ended up to be a whole family affair with Andrew and Ben helping me out.

So we began to make our Colander Face Pot Plants (click on link for instructions or it is pretty easy to follow from our pictures.

Ben’s is a scarey face in case you didn’t know that!

I had grown basil and thyme from heirloom seeds. We purchased rosemary and mint to plant as well. I realise that they will soon out grow their colander pots but by then I will have another garden (please xo).

We added them to the corners of our garden. Ben had the job of watering them. It started like this……

But ended like this…….

Some serious FUN!

Linking with Paisley Jade – Things I am Loving and