This year I wanted to try something different and just basically want to look back at 5 things in the week that meant something to me, that happened, that I want to remember.
Charles had a new teacher this year after his previous teacher left at the end of December. I was a little nervous about how Charles would adjust to having a new teacher, however, his teacher is WONDERFUL. In a week he has done so much with the children, introducing new programmes, a set share morning for each child, and also a weekly trip to the library (which his previous teacher didn't do once, which we were rather surprised about). One of the things which is really lovely is that he focusses on praising good behaviour. The teacher before had a grey cloud, sun and superstar. The children would be put on the grey cloud for bad behaviour. This didn't really work at all, and for the most part made the children extremely upset (Charles was on there twice, once for thinking and another time because a girl kissed him when he fell over).
Charles' new teacher uses something called a Class Dojo. There is an app that goes with it so parents can keep up with how many points their child is getting. They can get points for good listening, hard work, team work and so on. His teacher also runs his own reward system alongside it, with the children getting to choose a prize once they get to 15 points! Charles is already on 18 and this week got to choose a prize.....and he chose a pair of scissors, which of course I am loving...*achem* (they are now hidden).
It's amazing what a big change one teacher can do. Charles has always loved school but now he comes out telling me what he did that day whereas before he would always say "I don't know" "I can't remember".
Below is his Dojo. The children are able to personalise their Dojo via the app, which is brilliant.
Last Sunday we went for a walk to Wells-Next-The-Sea. It was so cold down on the beach so we headed into the woods and just had such a lovely lovely walk. Harry can be quite lazy and won't walk very far yet today walked for a long time and didn't moan once. We saw a deer in the woods which was so cute, and enjoyed lunch at a little cafe near the beach. Although, the wind was rather strong and ended up blowing my nachos onto the floor #nachosfail.
It was a big week for Charles. He got to pick up his glasses on Saturday. For 5 years he has gone to the hospital for eye tests and so on because his eyes drift a lot due to some of his muscles not being strong enough. He has finally been prescribed glasses in the hope that they will help to strengthen the weaker muscles.
He looks so cute and grown up in his glasses, and really suits them. The style is lovely too, he has good taste.
My healthy eating/lifestyle plan is back on track after a long time of being lazy and playing with fire really as slowly some weight has made it's way back and I'm not happy. This week I have remembered how wonderful it is to make up my own meals. To open the fridge and grab what I have to make some kind of low calorie meal.
I'm reducing my milk and bread intake again which worked wonders last year. I'm determined to get down to a size 12 at least, and to be under 11 stone by my birthday in September. So at the moment my goal is to lose a stone in 9 months, which should hopefully be quite easy to do.
Harry has been amazing recently. Last year was really tough with his behaviour, and I constantly feel guilty if I talk about it but it was that terrible twos and threenager stage. I think around now children struggle to work out their place within a family, and Harry has kind of always been the boss and we needed to let him know that this isn't really the case. I think it was a learning journey for us too as we probably did let him get his own way a lot due to his behaviour.
But since Christmas it is like something has switched in him. He has always been a soppy and cuddly boy, which in a ridiculous way was hard for me as he would be quite...aggressive with me too. But as I say, since Christmas the soppiness and cuddles have increased, he does as he is told, he is no longer aggressive and I really enjoy our time together. In fact this week we have been late for preschool twice (only by 5 minutes which they don't mind) because we were having so much fun together.
