Oh Easter…what fun you are.
Stages most parents may go through during this wonderfully long winded break from routine and school also known as Easter.
Stage One-The Crafts.
Let’s do some crafts (anyone who knows me personally probably knows that this should have stayed a thought in my head )
I am still scrubbing the floor boards…
I am still worried about that missing piece of glue…
I am still looking for the small scissors…
But (as I can *always find the silver lining )
I now know how to get glue out of hair…
How to calmly remove those little hairy ball thingys from Ethan’s mouth without getting bitten…
And how bad I am at crafts .
Stage Two- The day adventures.
There’s lots and lots of activities on for families over the Easter. A lot, if not most, of these do not suit our particular family but I do appreciate that they are there. (They don’t suit us due to Ethan’s behaviour which is increased when he is out of his routine ; not due to lack of inclusion–just to be clear!)
We planned a couple of visits to local parks, you know the ones…you just follow the trail and find the eggs, simple enough…
Not with my three!
We use Ethan’s buggy when we go out, due to Ethan being unable to walk for long periods of time.
Off we went all five of us, looking for eggs. Sounds like fun? Wrong.
Dictator didn’t like that he didn’t get ‘all of dem cos I’m in need of dem all’
J was scoffing them as he found them…ADHD and a lot of chocolate do not mix well…at all.
And Ethan, well any child that dared to pass by the buggy got a kick and shouted at “FUGOFF YOU”
I was delighted that I hadn’t his ‘piedro’ boots(heavy shoes made to support Ethan’s feet) on though–that’s forward thinking for ya at its best! (And my handy buggy skills meant no child was actually hurt during Ethans attempt)
The car ride home was a loud one.
Stage Three- Family Time.
I didn’t even try that this year. Last year taught me more than I care to recall!
Let’s just say giving the boys as much chocolate as they like “because God bless them, it’s Easter” ended with us pulling the car over to change two of the three, because that was not manure we were smelling.
Stage Four- Mass.
Ha!
Again experience has shown me this is a lovely idea in theory.
Last time we were at mass Ethan screamed “AMEN FUG” to the lovely priest who had just finished welcoming the parishioners to the church. It ended in a high speed chase off between D and Ethan with a church full of tutting head shaking folk …who have no doubt had a nice talk about that family after mass.
Stage Five- Eggs
Look it, let’s be honest here…how many Easter eggs have you all had to re-purchase due to an emotionally long day?
We have just re-purchased the re-purchased ones …which I am confident will last until Sunday…
Stage Six- Weight
I just can’t explain it…I seem to gain weight this time of year…and at Halloween….crazy ain’t it?! (See stage Five)
Stage Seven- The Coffee
Bear with me here- this could just be my house but…
Do you find half drank cups of stone cold coffee lying around with the constant feeling of ‘I am sure I just had a coffee somewhere’
As much as I am accustomed to the cold coffee phenomenon when parenting…Not having enough cups is a whole other phenomenon which I don’t want or frankly need in my life!
Stage Eight- The Come Down
I try to make Easter fun, so each Easter we have a hunt…sometimes I am great and remember where all the eggs are other times the boys get a lovely surprise in May..June…
After the chocolate (most of it depending on my memory) is all eaten and the effects have worn off we have the ‘come down’
This is the crappiest part, no longer can we bribe, threaten or ‘gently’ remind them about Eggs and how ‘you’ll get nothing if you’re not nicer to your brothers…if you don’t tidy your room…if you don’t eat your fish…”
The fights.
The arguments.
The “That was mine …tell him mammy!”.
The aggression over that last little bit of an egg found behind the couch…
Then another whole week before life resumes as ‘normal’….well at least until Summer!
From my family to yours– Have a happy (non weight gain) Easter!
(*always–well; I am human ..mostly always!)
This was originally published on FamilyfriendlyHQ