It was our last day of having Helena’s friend. I had grand plans of doing all the things they liked best but they didn’t seem interested, not in my list anyway… and there is a storm raging and it’s raining.

So what did they do?

Making something, it kept changing. I’m not sure it was Helena’s friends thing. Mostly it was discussing who had what.. sigh. She made a character and he made a snitch.

Then they ran off and did this:

It’s all dark so it can be a “bit scary” and Helena is reading to her friend. Orrr. I still have a conversation with them reminding them that it’s my room as well and some things aren’t toys. I got pinky promised. Off to do my own stuff, yay.

Somewhat later in I go and well it’s a mess, as well as all the bits all over the lounge from the making. I am now grumpy and nagging, not my best self. I am resentful that I have been once again put in the position where I am the bad guy…. I nag, cajole, rant etc. Due to the mess problem and several total meltdowns between Helena and I we have several agreements, one of which is that I am not allowed to threaten to get rid of the discarded stuff on the floor even though I’d love to get rid of most of it.

Fortunately they do put stuff away, and go ouside and wash the mud off the windows they’d put there another time, before they start the next new bigger better project – one that is big on set up and less on destruction and dispersion of objects.

This is a bay blade arena (I keep calling them batagons and being corrected) complete with audience (there is a snitch on a couch on the couch..) and different kinds of balls which are the characters the bayblades are ‘fighting’. There is quite a discussion on the qualities of the different balls and the different effects and some idea of a balloon ball and explosions.

Then I make us go outside! We get to the beach and they just want to leave. The waves weren’t as impressive as I’d thought they be… “I told you so” “that was a waste of time”. I am happy but they are resentful of their time and walking effort. I am again the bad guy.

We did go to the Tip shop on the way home

so we ticked off something we all agreed was their total top thing to do… I always assumed they liked the beach best due to the difficulties in getting them to leave. Oh well. They were happy. One tick and they probably didn’t notice we didn’t achieve the educational and lovely memory nirvana I was aiming for.

 

Helena and my agreement goes:

Stuff has to be away in the evening unless she is still using it and then it needs to go on a tray… if she forgets/refuses I sweep it all into the Sunday Box which she doesn’t get back until Sunday. Her desk has to get done on a Sunday so the rest of the time I don’t go near it, it’s a nag free zone. She came up with that if there is nothing in the Sunday box she gets a sticker to put in it and we do something fun when there are enough stckers. I am not ever allowed to threaten to throw stuff out, even if it looks like rubbish and is lying, appearing unloved, on the floor. Roll on peace and harmony….. well until the car needs cleaning out from the time she played baby beds in it with a friend!