22 Days Later - Part 1 - The Kids

What can I say other than I have been AWOL again. Sorry.

On the plus side I have got a little better at commenting this week. (I stress the word "little")

There is so much I could have written short posts about. Good and bad but quite frankly, it's been a manic few weeks and I am sure I have forgotten so much.

Ironically, it's the "small things" about having kids that I most want to record as they grow up so fast!

Let's start with "the baby", Liam is done with jabs for at least 10 years! Yep, my baby son has had his boosters for all the pre-school injections and I am now satisfied that I have done all I can to protect my son from unneccessary childhood illness. I know the debate on immunisations is still very much open but the benefits by far outweigh the odd medical "oddity". There's a risk with anything but I do feel on the subject of immunisations is that there are MILLIONS who have the jabs without reaction. It becomes BIG news when things go wrong and that sparks a panic which can lead to numbers of the immunisations dropping and the illnesses they cover have their cases jump and can do much more damage than the odd immunisation would have done.

He was really good, he wasn't too happy when I had to hold him still for a needle in each arm but was happy enough having the injection and did not cry a single bit. I have ALWAYS been very open with my kids. Even at 40 months, he may not fully understand but I did say to him "We've got to see a nice nurse lady and she will give you a little prick in the arm which might hurt a little bit but it won't hurt for long.OK?  So, arms will get a little hurty then it's done. I'll give you some chocolate after for being a brave boy and we can carry on to playgroup." Mothers really do worry about these things more than little ones.

Also on the subject of being honest and open with my kids, there have been a number of incidents in a nearby village over the past couple of weeks. About 4 miles down the road (The estate/villagethe other side of Sudbury) there had been cases of kids being followed by a middle aged to elderly man. I first heard about it via facebook Thursday evening when it was reported a man acting suspicously was seen following 2 teenage girls. A few minutes later after the girls reached home, two 11 year olds were followed by what was thought to be the same person and later on around 5pm the same man was seen approaching a 9 year old boy playing outside but again the boy went home. It was then reported in the local paper that this comes a little over a week after the same thing happened in the same area. A man was arrested in connection with the threatening behaviour yesterday.

However, being an open mum, I had to talk to Matthew about it. It was time to reaffirm the "Never talk to Strangers" thing. Matthew is so friendly and SO naive at times he scares the living daylights out of me. He would talk sport with anyone and everyone. It may have been the other side of the nearby town but it still makes you think of your little ones own security when they come home from school alone. Matthew has been doing great but making him aware of the situation, I gave him the choice, he could either walk back halfway as he has been doing (I've been meeting him to cross the main road since the nature walk is mega muddy after the recent snow and rain) and tag along with a friend and their mum until I meet him (which I could arrange with his friends mum prior to school collection)  or I could meet him from school if he would feel safer that way. My amazing smart 9 year old opted for me to collect him.

Whilst it is nice when I don't have to take a trip to the school 3 times a day, I want my son to feel safe and secure. I don't want him growing up afraid of being on his own, afraid of strangers. We are lucky that where we live it is a close knit community. Everyone seems to know everyone, everyone is really friendly but I am well aware that people only show the side of them that they want you to see.  Matthew is growing up, he needs to have the freedom and independence that has grown over the past year or two but I would never ever let him be at risk. When kids get to 7 or 8 they begin to change so much. You need to let them grow up and that can be hard. The oldest one is the hardest to let go. James and Liam already watch things on tv I never let Matthew watch at their age. They play with toys I wouldn't have let Matthew have and it could be that they are much easier to look after than Matthew ever was and we're in a very different environment to the town estate we were on before but they have much more freedom aged 3 and 4 than Matthew had until he was 6.

It can be a scary old world out there and we can only do so much to protect our kids without bringing on the "cotton wool effect". Kids need to face the harder parts of the world at some point and I do feel that if Matthew is old enough and mature enough to be aware of dangers and worrying news nearby. Though nothing actually happened beyond the kids being followed, it doesn't mean that would always be the case.

So, in all I am proud of Matthew for being sensible and asking for an escort home on Friday. He did good.