Moral debate

One of the mind-blowing realisations of parenting - yes, I'm sure it was obvious to most - is the responsibility and power we have to shape their little minds. (mwah ha ha HA)

Children are forever asking questions that are not easy to answer - granted I also sometimes struggle with the "What's for tea?" type too, but for example:

Cole in the car was watching the speedometer and reading out the numbers, even occasionally getting them right. Twentyeleven is my favourite speed. When he got to the big numbers, 100 and over he started to ask if it was against the law to go that fast? And do people go to prison if they go that fast? Then why do they make the cars that go that fast?

As Romany already knows everything she has a different approach to working things out, for example:
Ro: It's impossible to be perfect at everything.
Me: Absolutely.
Ro: So you just try and then you can be perfect at some things.
Me: That's it babe.
Ro: But Emma says it's impossible to be perfect.
Me: That's kind of true but then, but who decides what is perfect?
Ro: ME
(Cole: God) Amen


I try to strike the right balance between teaching them to play by the rules and a healthy attitude to knowing when to break them.

In St Tropez in France, Romany was desperate for the toilet so I told her we had to pretend we were eating in the fancy restaurant (rather than sitting in the square outside it)... we waltzed in confidently and asked where the toilets were. I think she enjoyed that wee/oui - more than most. (sorry unforgiveable shit play on words there...)

I once did something that I considered to be mild rule breaking, for the greater good - but which has had even good friends of mine gasp in shock...

See what you think - I reserve the right to say "only joking!" if I get arrested by the moral brigade.

When Romany was about to start school full-time her and I, plus one of my best friends D, and her daughter B, went to London for the weekend. It was a girl's weekend away filled with trips to Covent Garden, Camden, London Eye, lots of theatre etc etc. We took a polaroid instant camera and documented the whole trip... it was fantastic.

One of the treats we booked was to go see Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at a top West End Theatre. The tickets were £35 each and in the stalls - the flat bit in front of the stage but a few rows back. So the total price was £140 - a big chunk out of our budget.
We got to our seats and quickly realised us adults could barely see, let alone the children... we tried balancing them on our knees, sitting up so straight my back hurt, kneeling on their chairs on their knees; no good.

Five minutes into the performance, I glanced around the Theatre to see if I could spot any empty seats.... the only empty seats I could see were in the Box. Sat there, grand, proud, right next to the stage. Empty. Empty and we were down below and couldn't see.

I started to wish I had the money to just march to the box office and demand an upgrade, but of course I couldn't afford to do that.
Then it started to niggle me.
Just cos we not rich we have to sit where we can't see?

I thought some more then whispered my dasteredly plan in D's ear... she looked a little shocked but a little mischievous too, so off I went...
I snuck out of my seat and asked the staff if I could speak to the manager.
The manager wasn't there but the Nice Lady asked if she could help...
I told her... gulp:

"We have come to London with our two children. One of whom is erm... poorley. She is ill."
Pause for affect whilst maintaining eye-contact...
"We have seats but we can't see... I noticed the box was empty and, if I had the money I would pay, but could we move to it so that the children can see?"

(OK, but I didn't say HOW ill... Ro had had conjunctivitus around that time... and chicken pox the year before....)

The Nice Lady - and nice she was - immediately agreed and told me to go get them (!)
We were then lead to the box.
(During the second half Chitty Chitty Bang Bang flew over the audience and right past our box - Jason Donovan waved at us and I did feel a few moments of shame imagining he'd been told to wave at the Sick Kid in the box)

So we got to see the show in style. And I still believe it's better for the actors to have kids there who can see.

And surely it's immoral that, just because we cos we couldn't afford the box, it had to stay empty?

Forgive me?
(No? Then I was only joking silly!)