Holidays

Well the first week of the holidays are over! It has been an interesting week to say the least. Monday, the boys were feral! We went to see the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles at the Mall. (They hadn't changed the show or soundtrack since the last time the Ninja Turtles were cool! It had MC Hammer in it!) Anyway, the boys were running around the Mall, feral. When i commented to the Woolies checkout chick that there is a reason that children go to school. She replied "Oh it a good babysitter is it?" My response to that was. "Well No. I love my kids being at home but when they are unstimulated mentally they use their brains for evil rather than good." Which has been true of Matthew of any time that he has spent at home recently. (And sometimes at school too!)
I have come to realise in the last few weeks of school that Matthew has been sensing a loss of connection between his family. He spends the majority of his time with his class. With people that are not like his family and don't love him like his family. I think the gloss of school has worn off and whilst he is really happy to be at school and he loves learning. I think he is feeling a bit unloved. The school routine leaves us little time to spend one on one time with him. After school there is homework, dinner, afternoon teas, swimming lessons, sport lessons and social occasions. But very little time for us to be with Matthew in a way that he has had for the previous 5 years of his life. I think he has realised that something has been missing and not known what it has been. I picked up what was happening recently and Nathan and I have made efforts these holidays to do a few things. The first has been just to hang out together. We have had two Pyjama days these holidays, where we haven't bothered to get dressed we have just lounged around and played trouble and Uno and cars and watched telly. Nathan and I have really tried to spend one on one time with him. Doing non school related stuff. (During school term he reads to both of us individually but its work rather than play). I recently read a book called the 7 Love languages for kids. (Great book by the way). So i used one of the ideas from the book and gave Matthew several suggestions for what he could do with each of us, just for him. He chose acts of service from me (I took him shopping for school shoes, I added in a trip to Maccas as well) And Daddy is taking him to the dinosaur Museum (quality time) this week.
Anyway the aim of this is to reconnect with our growing and changing little boy. And hopefully this will result in him feeling better about himself, us and behaving a little better.
I will let you know how it goes!