Just a quick note for this morning. Yesterday on the way to Mirdif we stopped at the petrol station for drinks and snacks. Usually this means 4 bags of Cheetoh's (which smell like trainers worn without socks!) and strawberry milk. As I climbed out of the car amid a squabble of voices shouting their requests, I decided to ignore them and see if we could do 'healthy' out of ADNOC. I emerged minutes later with flavoured water and packets of dried fruits and nuts, pistachios and peanuts.
I was met with shouts of dismay and refusal, but they were soon happily tucking in. I could almost call it a success except for the fact that four-year-old boy threw up all over himself minutes later (always charming although his neighbouring brother wasn't quite so impressed!); although I don't think it had anything to do with the snacks.
In the mall I caved and allowed the two eldest to have pizza, but the younger two happily shared a pasta dish.
On the way home we got caught up in the mother of all traffic jams due to a crash in Sharjah. For forty minutes we watched ambulances, vehicle recovery trucks and police cars race up to the scene ahead of us (and six-year-old boy peeing into a bottle, much to his joy). This is not an usual thing here of course, where driving is outrageously dangerous and where many nationalities don't wear seat belts.
As the car crawled along at a snails pace, my daughter commented on the car beside us which saw the parents strapped in the front but the children free and roaming around in the back. 'Look at that, mum' she said 'that is very bad parenting'. And in a sudden moment of sagacity, I said 'yes, and that would be the same as if me and dad ate poached salmon and spinach for dinner while you lot ate happy meals....it would mean I wasn't taking proper care of you'.
She mulled over this for a moment and I felt I had imparted some profound wisdom to her. 'Can I have a chocolate brioche?'
Ah well....
I was met with shouts of dismay and refusal, but they were soon happily tucking in. I could almost call it a success except for the fact that four-year-old boy threw up all over himself minutes later (always charming although his neighbouring brother wasn't quite so impressed!); although I don't think it had anything to do with the snacks.
In the mall I caved and allowed the two eldest to have pizza, but the younger two happily shared a pasta dish.
On the way home we got caught up in the mother of all traffic jams due to a crash in Sharjah. For forty minutes we watched ambulances, vehicle recovery trucks and police cars race up to the scene ahead of us (and six-year-old boy peeing into a bottle, much to his joy). This is not an usual thing here of course, where driving is outrageously dangerous and where many nationalities don't wear seat belts.
As the car crawled along at a snails pace, my daughter commented on the car beside us which saw the parents strapped in the front but the children free and roaming around in the back. 'Look at that, mum' she said 'that is very bad parenting'. And in a sudden moment of sagacity, I said 'yes, and that would be the same as if me and dad ate poached salmon and spinach for dinner while you lot ate happy meals....it would mean I wasn't taking proper care of you'.
She mulled over this for a moment and I felt I had imparted some profound wisdom to her. 'Can I have a chocolate brioche?'
Ah well....
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