THOSE ‘JUST US’ MOMENTS

Site Default - 18 Mar 16

Usually, when my three-year-old wasn’t at nursery and it was just the two of us at home, I’d spend our time together rushing around the shops (with him trailing behind, shouting ‘Want to go now!’), I’d hoover the house (with him attached to my leg, screaming ‘Too noisy!’), I’d scrub the kitchen floor (with him standing in the doorway, demanding ‘Play with me, Mama!’), I’d cook that evening’s meal (with him insisting ‘Me have a go!’ and then spilling a whole pint of milk on the floor)…

I’d basically do all my boring chores that needed doing and he would have a pretty dull, uninspiring time. And I got hardly anything done because I was constantly interrupted by an understandably grumpy boy who wanted me to stop what I was doing and play. I did make sure that we had some play time outside at some point in our day, though I admit that I would often check my iPhone whilst pushing him on a swing or kick a football without much oomph as I sipped on a takeaway tea.

But recently I took my son out for one of his top treats: hot chocolate with a supersized serving of marshmallows on the side. And we had one of those heart-thumping bonding moments when you just chit-chat and have a giggle. I took a video of him as he talked utter nonsense about a hot-choc monster and then gulped down his drink – with most of it ending up on his face and landing on his jumper. I looked at him intensely and thought how gorgeous and funny he was becoming. How totally clumsy he was without realising. A big pang of love hit me and it dawned on me that he wouldn’t be this innocent and little forever. That this super-precious time together would be cut short when he starts school and joins his big brother in September, which isn’t that far off. It made me realise that I need to change my ways and go all out when it comes to enjoying our just-us time.

So now, when my boy is at home rather than at nursery, we go out and have adventures or we stay in and play – together. We go Gruffalo hunting and bug spotting in the woods, we search for woodlice under rocks and catch them in our magnifying pot, we paint with our hands and our toes and laugh at how messy we get, we sit in his room looking at his favourite noisy books, we have ‘who can make the best traintrack?’ competitions, we make up stories and do silly voices for all the characters we come up with, we go on bike rides through the park. We have heaps and heaps of fun.

And as for the chores that need doing and the endless list of dull jobs that need ticking off? Surely they can wait till September – because the hot-chocolate moments won’t.

Site Default

Fiona Pennell lives in the Cotswolds with her husband and their two boys, Jack, 6, and Otto, 4. A former YOU magazine sub-editor, Fiona now spends her days being trampled on, going on slug hunts and dreaming of lie-ins. (Twitter: @fiona_pennell)

View profile for posts, events and more info