Doodlebops Concert

We've been waiting for four years for the Doodlebops to come further east than Ontario so that we could attend a concert. They finally came to Halifax this winter. Warren was able to get advance tickets and we had seats at center isle, row B. Taylor, who's 6 years old, after the concert reported that it was "great! I've never seen the Doodlebops that close before. They look different then how they draw them on television. Rooney's neck is skinnier." She also said that she enjoyed the Doodlebop dancers. She said they had some great moves. But I don't know why we couldn't have seen more of the Doodlebops in the 1.5 hour concert with at 15 minutes intermission (to sell more stuff I suppose). Small children and Kenzie would ask the same questions when the dancers came on, "where are the Doodlebops?" I know that when they came on stage, I was disappointed. We paid $138 for four seats and the group was up of imitators. The Doodlebops weren't THE Doodlebops. It was also typical concert with overpriced condiments that we weren't allowed to take into the auditorium: Chocolate bar for $2, chips for $1.75, and juice for $2; all small sizes. They also had the expensive souvenirs; none under $5. The t-shirts, Rooney toy guitar, and 12 inch Doodlebop dolls were all $20; the light necklaces were $10 and the coloring books were $5. Not surprising. I also heard children besides mine voicing their expectations based on the CBC Get Set For Life Tour; where were the toys to use while you were waiting? But this wasn't being put on by CBC. The Doodlebops are just shown on CBC. But I'll try to keep my thoughts to myself and let the kids enjoy the show from their own perspective; a less cynical one. At least they are old enough to remember this concert, the way I remember going to see Mr. Dress-Up when I was a kid.

Mother's Helper

I'm not certain if it's an older child learned behaviour or a genetically programmed behaviour. Taylor has always been a lot like me personality wise. For example, she likes order. She used to arrange the bubblegum packs in the check out lines; sorting pink with pink and purple with purple. She also has an interest in arranging her room and craft drawers. Mackenzie has no interest in it at all. Taylor is also far better at putting her clothes away; boots on the mat, coat in the coat basket, dirty clothes in the laundry. Better, not perfect. Mackenzie is always coming up with excuses not to: I'm too tired, I can't, you do it, I don't want to... Well, after 1.5 years of Taylor going to school she is used to routine and what needs done to get the three of us out the door in the morning by 8am. At six years old she will usually make her bed (allowance by points helps this) and get dressed in the morning. It takes prompts to get her to brush her hair but she'll show up with a brush and ponytail elastic without being asked. When breakfast is over she disappears only to reappear with all three toothbrushes in hand, with toothpaste on them. And there's two different kinds of toothpaste; the kids' toothpaste and my toothpaste. She is also quite adept at getting her backpack and then dressing without reminders to get snow pants, mitts, hat, scarf, etc. Taylor has also attempted to help Mackenzie along by picking out her coat, hat, and mitts but Mackenzie, being Mackenzie, doesn't want help nor what anyone else has picked out for her. Taylor has also now reached the point where she asks for my car keys so she can go start the car. Of course she is environmentally aware so she doesn't start the car until Mackenzie and I emerge from the house; she doesn't want to waste gas and pollute the earth and drown polar bears but that's another story. Taylor's behaviour could be learned for she is my little helper being the elder child and she likes to please. Her behaviour could also be a result of being motivated to get to school on time. I can't help but wonder what some time at school will do for Mackenzie. We'll find out next year. In the meantime, Taylor is a great help to getting us out the door without the tears and frustrations that once were the norm.

Stubborn by Birth and by Genetics

Mackenzie is a constant challenge to my patience. Last week I was trying to hurry her to get ready to pick up her sister at school and snapped at her when I had to ask her for a third time to hurry up. She crossed her arms, firmly planted her feet, looked me in the eye and said, "Mommy, you didn't say please!" Oh, boy. How do I teach her that there are times when a parent doesn't have to say, "please"? Then Sunday, the girls and I are finally not running late for church and calmly walking across the parking lot watching the gulls circle overhead. Mackenzie stops and announces she sees a baby one while Taylor and I plod on. Next, Mackenzie is screaming at us that we have to wait for her and to come back. It's a struggle of wits as I tell her we are walking slowly, she'll catch up, we won't leave her alone, and so on but she continues to tell us to come back. Finally I tell her I'm not going back and she can catch up if she wants to but we're going. She actually does cave and runs up only to hit me in her usual mad fashion and continues to rave. We manage to get inside and I tell the calm Taylor to get ready and go join Grammie and Grampy. Fortunate that they are usually there so I can remove Taylor from this confrontation. For fifteen minutes, I try to figure out what to do while Mackenzie rips a strip off of me. I try to time out on a nearby chair but it causes more ruckus in the attempt. I try to think of a room to use that wouldn't be a reward and is available. I can't think of one. I finally say I'll have to take her home if she doesn't start behaving. She then says she wants to go home so that threat doesn't hold any weight and I'd have to leave Taylor behind. It would also be difficult but not impossible to get a message to her to come back out or to go with Grammie and Grampy (hopefully they have room in their car or it will be a return trip for me). I also don't want to support they staying home on Sunday mornings that Daddy would so be supportive of. Somewhere in Mackenzie's tantrum she tells me, "Mommy you look silly. I want you to wear dresses." I have no idea where that came from. I know Mackenzie likes to wear dresses and skirts herself but why me? An elder comes over, someone I know well, and starts talking with Mackenzie. He tells her that next time Mommy won't walk ahead without her and it wasn't nice of Mommy to leave her behind. I don't approve of his supporting Mackenzie's side but she calms down and finally she will take off her coat and boots so we can go into the service. I'm disappointed that I missed going up front to put my change into the wooden church money bank for it being my birthday this month. This is my time and I actually remembered to bring change. Mackenzie and I excuse ourselves past two friends to get into the pew next to Grammie and Grampy. We muddle through a song and it's children's time already. Mackenzie goes up for it but is now feeling insecure after our fight and returns to me rather than going up to Sunday School. A few minutes later she wants me to take her to her class and to stay so I miss the entire sermon and arrive back in church for the final prayer. What a day. What a kid. And it's this way with her every day, some days more than others.