'supporting each other through really tough times'

greenbee

Pooky wrote: »

To be perfectly honest with you I don't bother with anything other than where the fluids land, ie sink/bowl/bucket/loo, they all get a liberal bleach and hot water slosh each time. It's never even occurred to me to start on light switches and door handles.

Hope you're all on the mend soon. We haven't had a sickness bug in the house for years now, thank god, but I can vividly remember the very lethargic bit afterwards, take care and keep your little one away as long as you can.

My mum ended up in ICU as a result of norovirus so you can't be too careful. For now focus on hand washing and then before LO comes home wipe down EVERYTHING anyone has touched (doorhandles/light switches etc). It's worth waiting for the 48 hours as well.

Popperwell

Hi Stiltwalker,
glad you've managed to get away...You're right Fuddle was pretty close to where you are still not that far away but I bet I am even nearer to where you are and may be even closer as I pass through Durham City in the morning onto Newcastle and finally Tynemouth...

Hope the weather is kind and you find somewhere nice to visit.

Cheapskate

Morning toughies

Well, last weekend's glorious weather is but a distant memory - it's cold and overcast here, the littlies are watching tv with a fleece over them!

Fuddle, good on you for getting on the lottie list, I'm going to try and join one near me, it's a tiny plot, with many seasoned lottie peeps, lovely old gents most of them. A friend shares her dad's so I'm trying to get one there, although now we have to apply via the council, not just the sec of that allotment.

Bank balance is sadly depleted cos I've just paid the CC bill (house insurance), and not much left 'til DH gets paid on Monday, so shopping will be bare essentials only today!

Stiltwalker - belated congrats on the buggy and have a fab weekend!

A xo

fuddle

I feel your pain re. Depleted bank balance. Only the weekend though cheaps.

I've no idea what we're going to do this weekend. Everything feels a bit blergh and uninspiring. I'm kind of fed up being proactive in finding ways of enjoying family time for free. Think I need a cuppa and a head shake! It's not like we spend money every week end anyway, we're cheap/free activity people anyway!

There's war on at the moment because I bought weetabix and not frosties. My eldest is getting quite stroppy. I only ever have cornflakes, weetabix and porridge oats. They are lucky they get a choice AND a slice of toast with a choice of jam or lemon curd! A choice? How lucky are they! I am quite concerned about her attitude towards 'having' and 'competing' and that is the down side I am finding in getting her into a school in a more affluent area. The belief that being around people who have money as opposed to people who have not got a lot being better for my children's behaviour etc was a belief based on stereotypes and might back fire on me in a while new way I hadn't expected. The school is great mind so no regrets there it just worries me that DD is going to turn into the person I was re. Keeping up with the Jonses to be accepted. Don't know how I'm going to play this one.

Mrs_Chip

Could you try the 'Frosties are for little children, you are a big girl now?' trick? Or say that Frosties are bad for your teeth, and warn of having to go to the dentists if they have them?

I was that child - everything I wanted was because someone else had it. My parents tried, but I always got the cheaper or home-made, and to me 'wrong' version of things. It upset me a lot, but I don't think I ever said so. If only my mum had sat me down to explain they could not afford what the other parents could, I would have known why, and I think I would have been happier about it.

cutestkids

Pouring down here today so stuck in with bored kids and a mountain of washing to try and get dried.

Fuddle re the cereal thing I am the same as you, I only buy usually porridge, weetabix and usually the supermarket version of either shreddies or cheerios and occasionally I get a moan from my oldest because his friends all get chocolate coated rubbish and how it is not fair.

I tell him he is lucky that he has the choice and has good nutritious food available to him as many people don't.

I think all kids go through a bit of the feeling it is not fair and everyone has what they want, I think what is important really is your own family values and what you do at home that has the biggest influence on children.

The battle we are having with my oldest at the moment is over 18 rated games that I will not allow him to have for his xbox ( he is not even 12 yet by the way) he tells me the names of all his friends that are allowed to play these games and how unfair it is.
It really is just a case of weathering the storm, enjoying the calm afterwards and waiting for the next hugely unfair thing that they will tell you about.

jpscloud

If only we could get them to understand that there will always be someone richer, someone with more, someone cooler, eh? It's very hard for kids to feel content when they are faced daily with a culture stuck in a cycle of materialistic greed and envy.

I thank the stars for MSE because it is wonderful to know I'm not alone even in the times when I have to cut right back to basics and beyond; there are people here doing exactly the same and I'm in great company.

Well, summer was very short-lived this year wasn't it? I've put the heating back on for a bit, just to air the house out and dry some clothes. It feels very cold here and it's raining now. Bah.

Went out for a totter round the garden, poked at a few things and came in shivering. I'm having a fairly easy day here, getting through a few loads of washing and maybe change the bed later.

cutestkids

I have had to give in and put the heating back on to try and get some washing dry.
I wish it would just dry up a little bit, our grass is getting embarresing it is so long but the ground is so wet that we can't get out to cut it at the moment.
It just seems really cold and not very spring like.

Possession

Fuddle mine aren't allowed any stuff like Frosties except in long school holidays. They are definitely the exception rather than the rule, not for money purposes but because they might as well be just eating sugar. They soon get used to it. It is hard when others seem to have more, but I'm sure they've got a lot more than some others too, and as they get older they will realise the time you both spend with them is worth a lot more than possessions. DS is currently trying to get to me agree to him and DD forgoing all their birthday presents from everybody next year so that we can go to stay at the Legoland hotel, because two of his friends just stayed there for the weekend for one of their birthday treats. It's ironic that I know from the boy's mum that they don't have much money either, it was a generous present from her brother, but DS doesn't really care about that, he'd just love to go! I looked up the price in case it was doable and one night in June with 2 days' passes was £440!! I don't think so!!

Hardup_Hester

My DGC who are 8,5 & 2and a half, get generic weetabix or toast, I buy them frosties or shreddies or a multipac sometimes for a treat, when they do have frosties DD sprinkles them on top of weetabix instead of sugar.