Today we have visitors.
I’m hoping that I am not alone on this one, but my son’s social life has of late become a lot more active than mine. Every weekend he has something planned while I have been striving to keep my weekends clear in order to catch my breath.
The result though is quite fascinating.
In a school filled with English children, he has managed to find the only other South African boys in the entire school and they have fast formed a little ‘Saffa’ brotherhood. I hear that they are quite inseparable. It’s very cute. They are very chuffed to be able to say Hoe gaan dit? to each other. It makes them special and unique from the other kids, which I think they all probably needed in this different, cold London town where the culture is so very different to the sunny Cape Town.
Up until recently, my poor boy was quite bewildered as to why his school friends would never come around (except birthdays) or why he hardly ever got invited around. It really began to shake his confidence and as much as I wanted him to naturally find his feet, I started to feel that he may need a little push in the right direction.
I eventually had to have a heart to heart with him and explain that the moms usually chat and have tea together and the kids see each other by default via arrangements made at these gatherings. I don’t have any friends that are moms at that school. I wanted to make it clear that it wasn’t him who wasn’t liked, it was me who wasn’t really clicking with the other mums.
My advice to him was to take matters into his own hands, talk to his friends, make a plan for the weekend, and then we’ll take it from there. To his credit he has picked this up very quickly and spends most of his time at after school club organizing his weekends. Well done buddy.
So today we have the terrible trio in my little home hanging out together with some movies and games. I’ve been asked to make boerewors rolls for lunch. I may go down to the SA shop and get some chutney Niknaks (that’s for me you understand) This afternoon is going to be very busy, very loud and very boyish. I can’t think of a better way to spend my Saturday.
I recognise that too (I call it ‘absent -from-the-playground’ syndrome). Took my six year old’s teacher absolutley ages to work out which child I had come to collect (I do the school run twice a week!). Having said that, Husband is there 3 times a week and after several weeks of ‘And which child have you come for?’ his patience snapped and he responded, ‘Well, which child do you think I’ve come for?’ She guessed, and guessed right so now never forgets with him. With me though it can still be a bit hit and miss!
Yes, I know that one. I very rarely get to pick daughter up from school with the other children, (even though I work at the same school, I finish later so she goes into after school care) so I don’t get to do that ‘chit chat’ stuff. I try to make up for it at birthday parties and we have a ‘mum rep’ who organises mums’ nights out. Excruciating at times, but I do it to make the contacts for daughter. The things you do ………….