Great parenting…?

At dinner last night, my 5-year old son finished first. He declared, out of the blue: “I wish I had *****’s (name withheld) dad…”

“That’s very interesting,” I said, “Why do you say that?”

The retort: “Because you’re a rubbish dad.”

That’s telling me!

Peter Hotchkin
Published by "just call me Jonah"

"Ding Deezooz"

I was putting little miss two to bed the other night. As is my custom, I prayed with her and then said the Lord’s Prayer. Ignoring the fact that I was praying, she interrupted by repeating “Ding Deezooz! Ding Deezooz! Ding Deezooz!”

It was hard to keep track of where I was in the prayer. But she was very keen for this important comment to be made.

Now anyone with children will know that “words are not always as they sound.” Your child may be thinking something; but what comes out of their mouth barely resembles the point they’re trying to communicate. It’s part of learning. It would be silly to say, “I’m not going to talk to my child until they’re old enough to understand.” It would be absurd to say, “I’m not talking to my child until they can actually speak properly.”

So you try to interpret. Now she often has a drink before going to sleep. When she says drink, it sort of sounds like “Ding” – and her ‘please’ can sound like “deez” so I went with that first…

Soundly rejected. The volume increased, as did the urgency in her tone! This was important. But what did she want? I offered ‘tabets’ (as she calls them) – a homeopathic tablet that I give her at night to ease teething pain. She didn’t want that either. I started to worry. She was getting quite distressed at this vital thing she wanted, that I would not provide for her! I changed her nappy; I patted her on the back. I checked the night-lights…

In the end, I had to admit defeat. I put her into her cot and sat down to sing a quiet little song: “Jesus loves me this I know…” Then, she was happy…

“Ding Deezooz” means: “Sing Jesus…”

Peter Hotchkin
Published by "just call me Jonah"

Career Advice

Here's me, at the cross-roads of life... dishing out Career Advice...?

Well, I posted on my Fundraising Ideas Blog an article I had written from a session with an employment consultant. It is pretty valuable stuff. While I posted it here (as I said, on my fundraising blog), it is relevant for anyone.

So if it might be helpful for you, please take a look.

Peter Hotchkin
Published by "just call me Jonah"

Choosing a fridge... and sorbet

I always wanted a fridge with the freezer at the bottom and the fridge part at the top. When we finally got one; I thought that was great...

But then we had children! Children are great and quite funny in relation to freezers (see my post about freezing).

However, now the delightful children in my home have discovered sorbet. And it's a good treat for them because they can't have gluten or dairy - so that cuts out lots of other desserts. But because the freezer is on the bottom... it means that they can access it any time when you're not standing sentinel at the kitchen....

Like, breakfast!
So my advice is not to buy a fridge with the freezer on the bottom until your children are grown up.

Peter Hotchkin
Published by "just call me Jonah"

Celebration!

The non-alcoholic sparkling grape juice should be flowing here at my place of work: The Salvation Army WA. My capital campaign funding proposal came through!

$600,000 towards a million dollar project. But with my colleague, we were also able to negotiate the builder to do the job at cost price! So with two major gifts already secured - we're calling in the bulldosers!

Gee, I am good at this!

Peter Hotchkin
Published by "just call me Jonah"

Book or movie...?

What do you prefer? I guess bookish people would prefer books. As I already have declared, I'm not bookish!

So I'm sitting here and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is on TV. Mrs Smiley has just gone to bed to read... I have on my bedside table, Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix, three quarters read and getting the to climax.

What to do...? Go to bed and read the 5th year of school or watch the movie of the 2nd year? I've already read the 2nd year of school book this year. I've already seen this movie before too. But naturally, I'm staying for the movie. Even without having to write an essay - I'll go for the movie everytime... Remember Evelyn Waugh and "The Loved One"?

Peter Hotchkin
Published by "just call me Jonah"

Survival

"Oh Mummy: I just can't survive you..."

So said our loving son at dinner the other night!

A couple of his God parents are Snoopy fans. There's a particular comic strip where someone says, "Thank you mother, most wonderful mother in the whole world, without whom I could not survive." Whenever they visit... they repeat this line quite often. It's a family tradition.

As you know, kids only hear half of what you say; and then repeat it. Thus the 'compliment': "I can't survive you mum."

Peter Hotchkin
Published by "just call me Jonah"