Son No. 1

It is often the other way round, but today after school the little one was in a right grumpy mood while the older one happily chatted about his day, helped me with some jobs and graciously shrugged off his brother's pushes, kicks and whinges.

After homework and a bowl of cereal he asked to make gingerbread men with me , so we found a recipe and the (almost) correct ingredients and left the little one all on his own to play lego in peace.

It was a lovely 40 minutes or so spent in the kitchen, and to my surprise he even cheerfully agreed to the clearing up - no mean feat when the kitchen table and everything on it is covered in syrup.

I do wonder how his mind works, and why some days can be an absolute joy and others much more of a challenge. And why is it so often the case that when one is a delight the other is less so? How does that work out with three?!

I've read a few parenting books off and on over the past seven years and have found a few good gems of ideas and thoughts in amongst often a lot of drivel. I even took a few out of the library on Saturday, perhaps in a vain attempt to try and learn some key skills I missed first and second time around, or to learn how to 'fix' some problems with the older two before number three makes an appearance (although I fear the underlying reason may be a less worthy than that - but that's another story). While some of the pop psychology contained within them is fairly interesting, I have to say that the couple of Barbara Kingsolver's essay's that I have read in the bath tonight were much more enlightening, supportive, encouraging and accurate portrayals of parenthood and family life and I have picked up more tips from them than I have from most of the other 'parenting' books put together.

High Tide in Tuscan by Barbara Kingsolver, if you are interested.