It’s been a funny few weeks at home. With his GCSEs over and his siblings still at school, it’s just been me and my biggest boy. And while it has sometimes felt quite a drain on my time and my work seems to have been relegated to some sort of hobby I squeeze in between giving him lifts, it has been nice.
I think my son would be the first to admit that he does wind his brother and sister up rather a lot and that can cause tension at home. But, without them there, he’s a different person. It’s like having another adult at home (albeit one who makes a lot of snacks and a lot of mess). He’s calm and mature and very nice to talk to.
On his birthday, he was happy to go out for lunch with just me, before going off to meet his friends. If he’d asked, I would have been fine with him having lunch with his friends, but he didn’t ask, so it was just the two of us.
Even though he’s all big and grown up and feels like my bodyguard when he walks next to me, he still seems to like me to be in control of his life. I tell him we will be going for a training walk for the Three Peaks and to Sainsburys and he just goes along with that. Again, he would be welcome to do things with his friends (and he does some of the time), but he’s perfectly content to hang out with me too.
Funnily enough, I’ve noticed a fair few post-GCSE boys in Sainsburys with their mums. At a glance, their relationships seem very similar to ours – happy, with a little bit of gentle banter both ways. The boys aren’t complaining about being there, they’re just going along with their mums because they probably haven’t got anything better to do. I haven’t noticed any girls. Maybe the girls are more independent or maybe I just don’t notice them.
It’s been a funny few weeks and at times the lifts I’ve had to give him have been too long, but I’ve been grateful for this time hanging out with my biggest boy. In a few weeks, I won’t remember if I didn’t spend quite as long on a piece of work as I would usually or I got it in slightly later than I would have liked. But I will remember I had a few weeks at home – just me and my biggest boy.
July 10, 2017
Oh that must have been nice. I shall have that next week – just me and the teen as he breaks up a week earlier than his brothers. It is good that your son is happy to hang out with you.
July 12, 2017
Thanks very much! I must say I’ve been pleasantly surprised that he’s so happy to hang out with me. Enjoy your week with your boy!
July 10, 2017
My biggest boy is 24 now and I still can’t get over it! Time goes by in a blink, doesn’t it?! It sounds as though you have a wonderful relationship. That’s a beautiful thing to have.
July 12, 2017
Thanks very much! It doesn’t always feel like we have a wonderful relationship when all of the kids are at home, but it’s nice to know that we actually do have one!
July 10, 2017
Ah this is lovely to read Sarah. Nice to get some quiet time in with him before the other two break up. Actually my eldest girl is the same – just goes along with whatever I suggest generally. She’s pretty easy going like that.
July 12, 2017
That’s really nice that your daughter goes along with you like that. It certainly makes life easier in that way.
July 10, 2017
Ahhh that’s so lovely and it sounds like the nicest bonding moments come out of just every day routine things sometimes. Funny how the dynamics in the house change so much when you take other kids away for a bit!
July 12, 2017
Thanks very much! It’s such a huge difference when you take one or even two kids out of the equation. It makes life a lot easier!
July 10, 2017
Ahh that’s nice! I love having one on one time with mine, sadly it happens too infrequently with my eldest and she’s only 5! Great that he wants to hang out with you.
Nat.x
July 12, 2017
Thanks very much! I can imagine that it’s difficult to get one on one time with your eldest, even though she’s only 5! Once they’re at school and with siblings at home, it’s really difficult to do. x
July 10, 2017
Aww! This is so nice to read…It sounds like you have had a lovely time enjoying each others company x
July 12, 2017
Thanks very much! It was a really pleasant surprise to me 🙂 x
July 10, 2017
It’s great to have that time to just ‘hang’ with your boy. We (I) always think of this being important to spend one on one time with the siblings when they’re little, but it’s just as important when they’re older. It’s testament to you & the relationship you have with your son, too
Enjoy this down time!
July 12, 2017
Thanks very much! It’s been a really pleasant surprise to me. Finding time to be with the kids on their own is generally so difficult.
July 11, 2017
This is so lovely! I have my eldest daughter at home with me now that she has finished her A-levels and I love her company. It’s actually nice to have a bit of one on one time and I’m happily letting all work fall by the wayside for now. They grow up so fast and this is probably the last time I’ll have her all to myself for any length of time.
July 12, 2017
That’s lovely to hear! It’s definitely right to give them this bit of time while we can because it’s such a rare opportunity. Enjoy it while it lasts!
July 12, 2017
That is lovely and it is important to take the time while you can, before the others are at home and then school begins again. It is so hard to get one on one time with them but it is always lovely when it happens.
July 13, 2017
Thanks very much! It’s amazing how quickly the time has gone – only another week until the other kids are off school and everything changes again. We’ll enjoy our last few days of peace!