Good boy Luke

It was yet another miserable day of wet windy weather. We didn't venture outside once. Although I did find Luke splashing in the puddles, during a downpour, with no shoes or wellies on. Bless him! Actually Luke was an angel today. I can't tell you how much of a relief it was. He has been a little so-and-so for the past two weeks. He is very stubborn, doesn't like to be told what to do, was asking for food constantly, and wanted one on one attention from someone at all times. He was really beginning to get me down, as much as I love him. He is the cutest little thing but he is very strong willed. For the last week I've been really putting my foot down, and being very firm with him. Every time he kept whinging, or had a tantrum after not getting his own way, I put him in his bed until he calmed down. It was hard going, but he always behaved for 5 minutes afterwards. I have been completely strict about food. I have not allowed him to eat anything apart from breakfast, lunch and dinner. He asks me for food constantly, and although I usually say no, the constant nagging can be too much. I often give him a healthy snack like sunflower seeds, or nuts, or fruit (if he will take it). But this week I've not given him anything between meals. Well, today he was like a different child. I can honestly say that he hasn't had a single tantrum, he hasn't asked for any food either, and he eat all his lunch for the first time ever! Not only that, but he entertained himself all day, and was happy and pleasant to everyone. What a difference! I only hope that it wasn't a one off, and that he continues to be a good boy. After he ate every last bit of his lunch (raw pepper, raw carrot, banana, grapes, strawberries, blackberries & crackers) I was so proud of him that I rewarded him with a treat. I told him that he was getting a treat from his easter chocolates because he had eaten all his lunch and he had been a very good boy. He was delighted!

I have the whole day to myself tomorrow. Steve has taken heed of the fact that I need a day off, and organised to stay at home with the kids. I don't know how that will work with the home education side of things. Last time I went out for a morning, he phoned me after an hour asking how did I cope with the kids and school work? And this week they are doing extra work, plus Sam needs help with his maths. I don't know what I'm going to do. I had hoped for a nice scenic dander round some countryside but the weather has been so appaling that I doubt it will be pleasant. I could go shopping, but I don't really want to. I could go out with a friend for lunch, but that defeats the object of having some time alone to think. I may end up staying at home to do the ironing!

Last night Heather phoned to say that a problem had developed in our plans to get away for a spa weekend. The hotel we have booked has a beauty area which do spa treatments. But they are fully booked for the weekend that we are staying there! I was gutted! Then I realised it wasn't so bad, we could still relax. But after many phonecalls (mostly on Davy's part) we have managed to book the pampering for the Friday. That means that only Heather and me will be pampered as the other girls can't get there till Friday evening. But what is the point of us all missing out? The only other option we had was to drive 30 minutes to Killinchy on Saturday morning for spa treatments in another place. I thought that defeated the whole point of a relaxing weekend away. I didn't really want to have to get up and rush off at the crack of dawn. So now it is all booked and sorted out. What a relief. Poor Davy was about the have a nervous breakdown trying to organise it. Who knew that spa breaks needed to be booked about 2 years in advance? Not me.

I was looking at courses on the internet. My Mum sent me a website with some good courses on it. The thing is, it's hard to actually decide what to do. I'm not planning on doing anything at the moment but I was just thinking about the future. Is there one perfect career that we could just excel in and enjoy? Or is it possible to be good at many things? I did a vocational test many years ago. It was a fabulous test, which tested all the various parts of the brain to see which areas we were particularly strong in. I did extremely well on the whole test and was told that I could do almost anything. Hmm, helpful. I scored an unusually high score in abstract reasoning and problem solving. I don't know quite what that is good for. When I look at the courses available it seems to me that I would enjoy pretty much anything, which makes it harder to choose a certain direction. I enjoy teaching, social and health areas, computing, art, literature, music, nutrition - the only thing I know absolutely that I would hate is sales. It's so hard to just pick one area and say 'that's what I want to do'. I saw a course in Life Coaching which I thought was interesting. I could take that course just to work out my own life, nevermind anyone elses.