Responsibility

I won't normally post this much, fear not.  On a roll where I am actually enjoying writing again, so getting it out.

As I said in the first post, B is the responsible one.  She is also the eldest though and as a result I have no clue where I "should" be with what responsibility she has.  I can look back to my childhood and think "Well I was doing x at y age" but it makes no difference.  Times have changed.  Society is different.  Even just the contents of a kitchen are different.

We were at a party a few weeks back when I was talking to another mum.  She has a 12 yr old and was talking about her making her tea.  I decided to ask what age was "tea" age.  She said that she started a bit after her daughter turned 8 as she is very sensible and competent.  Dude was sat listening to this chat, and I said that my issue was that he would assume that because B was allowed, so was he.  But he looked at me with that withering look that only a child can manage and assured me that he knew he wasn't old enough to touch kettles!

With that, the plan was made.  B learned to make tea (and coffee...).

She was, well is, sooooo chuffed with her new responsibility.  It makes mum twitch.  I have spoken to a lot of other mums about it since the lessons, and they are 50/50 pretty much on when theirs started, if they would let them.  I am confident though - a rarity for me.

There is it turns out though, a fatal drawback.  6.30am Every Single Morning....

"Do you want a cup of tea Mum?!?!!?"

"mrungnshnbdhslle"

5 mins later...

"Do you want a cup of tea Mum?!?!?!"

"mrnmnsble"

and so on....

It was getting to the stage where I thought she would turn out like the ghost in Being Human and just randomly make cups of tea all over the house.

Today it was a blessing though.  I collapsed on the bed, hacking cough, feeling rough, and she came in and asked if I was ok.

"No.  I am dying."

{concerned face}

{remembers Little Miss Literal}

"I am tired and being over dramatic"

The question....

"Do you want a cup of tea...?"

I think it was one of those times when I have never wanted tea more, and it turned out to be the most perfect cup ever.

One beaming child, one happy me.

There are no rule books.  I have no clue what ages they are meant to make tea, go to shops, wear make up, swear (swearing is 18... we have decided that between us... which is why mummy can say bad words and sing to the bad songs but they have to edit them - by bad songs I mean ones with occasional swearing.  I am good and skip past things like Crazy !@#$%^&* 

and Sway).  All of it is a case of wing it.  Yeah, I will probably get things wrong.  Some things will be much later than other kids, and others much earlier, but I think you just have to listen to gut.