5 Ways My Children Take After Me (That I Wish They Didn’t!)
When I was Joshua’s age I’m pretty sure I was an angel – or at least that’s what my mum always tells me! But as the years passed by I, like most people, developed a few flaws. Not major ones, of course, as I’m still pretty awesome, but the kind of flaws you really start to notice when you are presented with a 4 year-old version of yourself and left to debate with.
This week’s Write Club topic is all about those tiny character flaws that you really hoped your child wouldn’t get from you…but clearly has! Let’s take a look…
1. Never gives up until gets own way
When I was younger, I would mention things I wanted over and over again until I got them. As time passed by, this evolved into extensive research into the things I wanted so I could make a logical case for why I should have them. This was especially important in the build up to present season, when the Argos catalogue would be out, things would be circled and subtle hints would then be dropped on a regular basis.
Joshua’s approach to this is currently limited to knowing what he wants, and then REPEATING IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN UNTIL HE GETS IT.
Giving we both like to get our own way this tends to lead to lengthy stand-offs until one of us caves in. Tonight we had a 20-minute pre-bedtime debate which consisted of:
‘Daddy, I’m hungry.’
‘OK, but it’s bed time so you can’t have a snack.’
‘But I’m REALLY hungry’
‘But it’s still bed time’
‘But I’m really hungry’
‘But it’s still bed time’
Repeat to fade.
I’m concerned that if I crumble now he will get his own way in literally everything for the next 13 years…
2. Gets the right hump when tired
Joshua can be snappier than a particularly hungry crocodile when he’s feeling tired.
I’m generally a pretty chilled person, and it takes a lot to get me wound up. But I have to admit that if I haven’t had enough sleep (so pretty much every morning for the past 5 years) I can get a bit cranky.
This wasn’t something I really noticed much before Joshua came along. Generally I would plan things so that I got enough sleep, even if that meant not waking up until midday. Unfortunately waking up at midday is no longer an option, so it’s either going to bed stupidly early to guarantee a decent sleep or not getting enough sleep and hoping for the best!
Suddenly, when I’ve not had enough sleep, things irritate me a lot quicker. Joshua definitely shows signs of this and we live in the hope that this is just because he’s tired. Or under the weather. Or has a tooth coming through…
3. Snacks for days
I could eat snack food from dawn until dusk. I eat lunch and dinner because it feels like the right thing to do, but I probably get more excited about starters and desserts than I do about any main course.
Joshua is the same. Barely an hour goes by without him requesting a snack of some description. Quite often he’ll be too full for the rest of his dinner but have plenty of room left for snacks.
4. Always thinks they’re right
It’s hard to admit you’re not right, especially when you know you’re right! That’s pretty much how Joshua sees things it would appear.
Despite my 40 years of knowledge and experience Joshua always knows best, with the type of self confidence most of us can only dream about. If he thinks he’s right about something he will happily tell you all about it and will continue to do so until you either agree with him or give up.
I’ve definitely got some of that about me. Once I believe something then I tend to believe it forever, despite what anyone else might do to persuade me otherwise. I’m happy to change my mind later on… but generally only if I’ve done some more research on my own and come to the conclusion myself.
Fortunately for the sake of peace in our house, although I generally think I’m right about most things I’m happy to let things go! I’m perfectly happy for you to have your own view about something – even if I know you’re wrong…
5. Dances like a crazy person
The final, and perhaps most visible, aspect of my character that Joshua has taken on is my love of dancing. If there’s some music playing and a bit of space available, Joshua will happily wave his limbs around like nobody’s business. Be this at home, or at the park, or even in Sainsbury’s cafe he loves to shake his stuff.
To be fair, apart from a few funny looks, I’m happy that he shares my love of music and will no doubt share the dancefloor with him a few times over the next couple or years. Until of course he gets to the stage when being seen in public with his parents, let alone dancing with them, is deemed unacceptable…
So there we have it. Joshua takes a lot of awesome qualities from both me and his mum, but the ones above are some of the main ones that I may have hoped might skip a generation!
For many more amusing views on this topic check out the awesome posts below:
Twins, Tantrums and Cold Coffee
Pingback: Write Club Challenge Five -