Pre school update

So sheer determination, or rather: good old-fashioned hard cash, paid off, and next week I have two tours at pre-schools with guaranteed availability.
Fingers crossed I will like them.
That would be one less stress to cross of my very long list of things that keep me up at night.

More pre school

I had a meeting with the "school-hunter" today. They had a couple of suggestions lined up for me that I tried out as soon as I got back home.
On the whole, they didn't do anything that I couldn't have done on my own, with some sheer determination and stubbornness, but I tell myself that their name weighs heavier than mine when it comes to the phone calls.
Fingers crossed - I'll keep you posted.

Flying without baggage

I belong to a mother/toddler group where most mothers happen to be expats, just like myself. We do the usual stuff, playground get-togethers, the occasional early dinner with a glass of wine, and an emailing list for general chit chat and advice.
The other day I got this email:

I am planning to fly to Europe this summer, with my two children (5 and 1 years old) - if anyone is planning on flying around the same time it would be great to have some company. It would make kids entertaining and potty visits much easier.

I am the first one to admit that mother's have to stick together, and we should really be there for each other.
But on an 10 hour plus flight, I really want to get my kids of to sleep and then try to get some much needed sleep myself before hell breaks loose again at the luggage claim and passport control. Getting in sync - and looking after - another two kids is not my idea of even a remotely less stressful journey.

I apologise profusely, but I won't be good travelling company.
Sorry

In the papers

Yet another article from the British newspaper The Guardian, dealing with the constant guilt that overwhelms mother's who feel useless and as if what they are doing is never good enough.

Solutions?

I am throwing money at the problem, and will pay a professional "school-hunter" to find a preschool place for Leo.
Its either that or basically have no sleep from now until mid-August.
I am meeting with her on Tuesday.

Girl trouble

There are trouble in Kate's world. Her two BFF's are kind of clicking up and carefully giving her the elbow. They make her feel left out. Often she comes home from school sad and quiet and in her own thoughts.
It kills me watching her, and having to try to give her pep talks when all I want to do is go down there and give those girls a piece of my mind. The thing with Kate is, for all of her eight years, she's incredibly loyal and without a doubt the best friend anyone could ever wish for. I really feel that she deserves the same thing back. I really would like to tell her to just turn her back on these girls, go re-group. Sometimes I do. Sometimes I keep quiet, because I can tell it doesn't do her any favors. There are plenty other girl friends out there. But Kate's loyalty (or insecurity?) tells her to stick with what she's got. And so the circle continues.

I give her very big hugs every night, and I keep telling her that she's an incredible little girl. That's all I can do for now.

Thank you

Thank you so much for the two lovely comments on yesterday's blogpost.
Now I just need to get my seven twitter followers to stay too. I twitter maybe once a week. I have a feeling that's not the kind of traffic they intended when they came up with the tweeting idea...
There is a lot going on at the moment. I have sleepless nights worrying about Leo's pre-school situation, and things are heating up between Kate and her two BFF's. They have decided to quietly give her the elbow. Her service's as friend are no longer needed. She comes home from school upset and sad. I feel helpless and useless. And also have strong bouts of de ja vue. It's like being back in school again - literally, reliving every single excruciating moment of the horrible time that was school, and so badly not wanting your daughter to have to go through the same thing herself. She'll be OK though. She's a tough cookie.
On top of that, the husband and I are beginning counselling next week.
This is an anonymous blog, so I can write about this. We need some help getting out of the negative spiral that is the every day of stressed out parents. Nothing to be ashamed about.
But it's all time-consuming, and time, as all parents know, is valuable, and scarce.
Thanks for staying with me,
love
angrymother