No Parent Required

Well, we finally got off to playgroup today after last weeks false start, as the Spots of Playschool Doom have now all but disappeared.

It wasn't a great start to the morning when I realised it was 7.40am when we woke up. Usually resident screaming alarm clock Ed the Littler is awake at 6am. But not this morning.

With minor panic, I got both kids up and downstairs, stuck drinks in their mouths and threw toast on straight away. I then ran upstairs to look for my "poised, unflappable" mummy clothes, did my hair and make up, and then glugged down a nearly cold coffee.

Luckily, we were ready to leave by 9am, so off we went.

All the way there, and for weeks now, I have been telling her its exciting and mentioning playgroup and how Mummy will drop her off and she can play for a bit.

We got there on time, and what did we see?

A little boy, being dropped off by his Mum, who proceeded to cry buckets (the boy, not the Mum, although he told me on the way out she hated that bit).

I started to think that Mini would see this and bawl too. 

Mary came out to say hello, and made a fuss of her, taking her coat off and showing her her coat peg. Mini couldn't wait, she gave me a quick kiss and off she went. She had spotted a toy phone and quickly made a grab for it. 

Making sure I'd left my number, I left.

I did think all the way up the path, Mary would call me to come back, as Mini would realise I'd left her, and get upset. 

No, not at all.

It was Me who was the big wuss. I had to grab a coffee as  I am ashamed to say I felt like I'd been abandoned! Sad act I know! It was weird walking round the shops, without her trying to pinch half the shop or screaming because she's seen a toy she wants.

At 10.15 I phoned to check she was OK, and Mary said she'd never seen a child more confident than Min, that she'd been happy as anything.

When I went to pick her up, at 11.45, I was told the other new girl had left after 30 minutes, but that Mini had tried to cheer her up. She had been telling all the children about her Gerbillies, (as she calls them), Un, Ooh and Ee.

The only time she got upset?

When I plonked her back in her buggy to come home! She wanted to stay and build sand castles, apparently.

Its left me wondering where the time goes?

One minute, they are totally reliant on you for everything, the next they're off, doing their own thing. 

Hankie please!

*********

Just a quick note to say this is my 100th post (!) so thank s for all of you followers and regular commentors/readers out there. Love to you all xxx

Oh and look out on twitter, I'm adding guest review requests for the Family Panel, so if anything comes up which is out of my area/age range I'll let you all know there !