Parent Gossip

 Christmas shopping with children can either be wonderful fun, or an absolute nightmare. I remember being dragged around countless gifts for elderly relatives or, worse still, my sister! There never seemed to be much fun in it for me!

So it was with trepidation that we set out last weekend to ‘do’ the Christmas shopping for this year’s festivities. Imagine my surprise when the tears and tantrums didn’t happen and we had a wonderful afternoon! I believe it all came down to a refreshing new attitude that I like to call ‘relaxed’. 

I took the girls with me to scour the shops for gifts for their friends, their dad and for Tobes, and for once I actually let them choose the gifts. In Christmases past I have always chosen everything for them and have held secret what gifts they are giving to each other or to other family members. I have never trusted them to keep a secret. They have been dragged around the shops with no say in anything looming for presents for people that they barely know. Yet this year I let go of the reins a bit and in reward I got to spend the afternoon with 2 beautifully behaved little ladies who made insightful choices and were keen to buy gifts to give rather than pouting over not getting anything for themselves.  They seem to be discovering that giving is more fun than receiving (well almost!).

A well earned hot chocolate and cake in a cafe rounded off a very productive afternoon. Now all I have to do is get the food and drink sorted out, wrap it all up and try to find a way to stop 3 juvenile cats from destroying my Christmas tree three times a day! Answers on a postcard please?