I’m waiting for the catch, the major disaster, the thing that will make this not be the perfect day. It hasn’t come yet.
It all began this morning at 6.25am. Number Three woke up and came in for snuggles. Then he got dressed and came down for breakfast. Number Two joined us after a minute or two. They ate. They packed their snacks into their bags. They went to play till it was time to leave. I looked at the clock. 7.18am. We were ready to leave 22 minutes before we had to. There was no shouting, crying, whinging or even a well-meant reminder to do anything. The children did as they were told. First time.
At lunchtime I picked up Number Two. He ate lunch without any fuss. He played nicely. He watched half a hour of Postman Pat while I ironed. He switched it off when I asked him to. First time.
We made cookies and picked Number Three up from school. He finished his homework without any fuss or delay. I told them they could have two cookies each and they did. They didn’t even ask for more, even though they told me the cookies were tasty. Then they went off to play. They didn’t fight. They didn’t nag to be allowed watch television. When I called them for dinner, they came. First time.
They ate their dinner. All of it. And seconds too. Before dessert I asked them to put on their pyjamas and they did without arguing. First time.
I had to leave for a school meeting so The Bavarian put them to bed. There was no fuss. No getting up and asking for water or needing the loo a million times. They listenend to their story and fell asleep. First time.
Could it really be that this day will pass without shouting, arguing, reminding, cajoling or bribery? If it does, it will have been the first time.