Hello and welcome to Word of the Week!
If you’re new here, Word of the Week is a nice and simple weekly linky, with everyone welcome to pop by and share. You reflect back on the past week and sum it up in one word. Then share your word with us in a blog post, with as little or as much explanation as you like. It’s a fun and friendly linky, so please do be lovely and visit as many of the other blogs as you can and share with them your thoughts on their words and weeks. I do comment on every entry to the linky, and if you add the Word of the Week badge to your post to help spread the ‘word’, I also tweet them out.
My word of the week this week is:
This week has been quite a mixed bag. ‘Books’ could have been my word again as I received books for Mother’s Day, I’ve bagged some book bargains and the lovely Iona at Redpeffer popped over this week and we swapped some books whilst catching up over a cuppa. But I’ve chosen ‘expectations’ as it fits in so many ways for me this week.
My daughter had great expectations for Mother’s Day as she was so keen to give me the gifts she’d chosen and I was looking forward to seeing the cards both Boo and Little Man had secretly created for me. Boo said to me on Saturday, as I put her to bed that she couldn’t wait to go to sleep as she wanted to dream of all the lovely things she would do for me on Mother’s Day – so sweet! There was my gift right there, so precious.
The Husband and I had high expectations for our wedding anniversary this week, as we had a full 6 hours together whilst the kids were at school and nursery! We went out for a lovely breakfast which filled us up nicely until cake at lunchtime. We shopped and it felt so nice to browse and roam together. Of course the time flew by, but it was great to spend a little time just the two of us, and the kids loved having daddy come with me to pick them up from school and nursery.
I’d been waiting on my fourth OU assignment to be marked so that’s come in and I’m happy to say that the score exceeded my expectations. It was an essay that I enjoyed writing, so I’m really pleased that that was reflected in my mark.
I’ve felt a lot more relaxed and happier since redefining my expectations of the kids. My son is three and he is testing out his boundaries. I need to remember this when I expect certain behaviour from him as he can push my buttons at times! He adores ignoring ‘no’ and seeing just how much he can get away with. That said, though sometimes I expect too much from him in terms of behaviour, I also need to recognise that he can often do more than I expect so this week he has loved showing me his talents in maths, getting a certificate for good behaviour from nursery and he’s enjoyed helping me out around the house.
On the flip-side, my girl is six, just six. I have to tell myself this over and over sometimes as my daughter is very articulate, confident and quite grown up for her age – a friend of mine with a six year old often tells me that talking to Boo is like chatting to one of her own friends and she’s convinced she’ll rule the country one day! But she is still little, she is still my baby girl, so I’ve made a conscious effort to lower my expectations of her this week, too. All of this has led me to being more patient with the children at times when they are ‘challenging’ and so we’ve enjoyed more quality time together and I’ve been calm and happy – even in the mornings when we’re trying to get out of the house, often a flashpoint!
What about you? What one word sums up your week best?
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I’m glad you had such a lovely anniversary and it’s such a treat when Daddy picks them up isn’t it! I think the same about my children. Charlie feels so much older than the girls and sometimes it’s easy to forget he’s only 7 when I ask him to help out. Well done on your assignment too. A good week indeed!
It was lovely, thank you. It is hard, I just need to remind myself that they are still small! Thanks 🙂
Well done on your OU mark sounds like you are doing really well and happy anniversary 🙂 Sounds like this was the perfect word for your week x
Thanks, I was pleased with it. And thanks! x
Aww how lovely for Mother’s Day and your anniversary! Well and truely treated. Congrats on your mark for your essay; I think when you put so much effort in it’s fab to get the results 🙂 I think being more chilled with expectations from your little ones is only ever going to be a good thing. Thanks for hosting X
It has felt a treat week! Thank you, I was pleased 🙂 x
I love Boo’s comment that she couldn’t wait to go to sleep to dream of all the lovely things she would do for you on Mother’s Day – how adorable. Well done to Little Man on getting a certificate for good behaviour at nursery and helping you out around the house. Glad you had a lovely wedding anniversary and enjoyed spending the day with your husband – six hours of time together with the children sounds blissful but I can imagine it was lovely to pick them up together too! Well done on getting a good mark on your OU assignment – I’ve just submitted my first assignment on my course this week so am feeling nervous about it! Hope you have a lovely weekend and thanks for hosting #WotW 🙂
It was just so sweet of her! Little Man’s been doing so well this week, I am proud of him. I do hope your assignment score comes back soon – the waiting is hard! x
Hi Jocelyn, it is easy to expect too much from our children, rather than sit back and think what realistic expectations would be for each child. Little ones can seem so grown up, when in fact they are just little ones with wise heads.
A belated Happy Anniversary to you both and may you have many more. It’s nice that you and your husband had some quality time together, not something that can be taken for granted when you have a family.
Thank you for hosting.
xx
It is easy to do, I need to stop myself and step back sometimes. Thanks very much, we had a lovely day x
Your Mother’s Day celebration and anniversary sounded like really good ones 🙂 Pleased for you. Yes, we do sometimes forget that they are only kids, aren’t they? I’m guilty of that too. I have to keep reminding myself that T is only 5, especially when I get impatient with her. Really feel guilty about that. Glad you’re enjoying your OU course 🙂 x
We do, it’s easily done. But they are only little! Loving it, thanks 🙂 x
Ah, that’s a great choice of word – and I think sometimes it’s good to pause and reevaluate all aspects of our lives. Happy anniversary too! Thanks for hosting – I’ve been struggling to leave a comment on some blogs, so am hoping this week it works x
It is, it’s easy to go with the flow and not spot what’s happening, too. Thanks very much 🙂 x
What a lovely week. Moments to cherish. I sometimes feel bad for my youngest, as he tends to join in so much with his older sisters that I’m not doing the activities we did when they were his age. I need to remember. He’s only 8 for a year. Your OU course sounds like it is going well. Long may you find it interesting.
It can be easy to go along with the older ones, I think. I want them to stay small! I’m really enjoying it, thanks.
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Sounds like you had a lovely Mother’s Day and Anniversary 🙂 we all expect too much from our kids sometimes and forget that they still have a lot to learn 🙂
I did, thanks. We do forget, I must remind myself!
Sounds like you’ve had a great week. I’m sure the fact that you enjoyed writing your course papers helped secure that good grade. I remember changing an essay just before I handed it in and I ended up with a first for it. Lovely to hear that you have had joy from spending time with loved ones. Thanks for hosting #WotW
It has been good, thanks. Yes, you’re probably right 🙂
Sounds like a lovely week, That’s so heart melting what you daughter said, Kids can say the most amazing things. I’m glad you did so well with your open university assignments well done to you x
They really can, so sweet. Thanks very much 🙂
Sounds like you have had a lovely week, and well done on your exam. It’s so lovely that your daughter was excited about Mother’s Day =)
Thanks very much 🙂
So glad you had a lovely anniversary Jocelyn! I know exactly what you mean about expectations when it comes to the kids too, we expect far too much of Monkey at times because he is so tall and mature for his age, but again he is only 3! Xx
It’s an easy trap to fall into, I think! x
Congrats on your assignment score with the OU. That is so sweet going out for breakfast for your anniversary xx
It was lovely! Thanks x
Aww, I love Boo’s comment about Mothers Day, bless her.
Sounds like you’ve all had a great week and well done on the mark.
Have a fab weekend X
It was very sweet of her. Thanks very much 🙂 x
Very interesting word. Glad you had a nice time with Hubby and happy anniversary!
I think if/when I have kids I’ll struggle to manage my expectations for them, good that you’ve been able to bring your expectations of the more into line.
Well done on the OU too!
Thank you! It can be hard, and easy to forget that they’re only little sometimes. Thanks very much 🙂
Happy anniversary! Well done on your OU paper, I’m glad that it is going so well. I agree it can help to lower our expectations of our kids, I think with Bobbins I expect too much from her sometimes and it’s easy to forget that she is still very young.
Thanks! It is easy to forget and I find myself expecting more of my older child as she’s quite grown up for her age and then expecting more of my younger child as I’m used to the older child! I must keep reminding myself of their ages!
Awww happy wedding anniversary. Your daughter sounds so sweet, bless. All kids know which buttons to press and they can do it right at that breakpointing. I an glad you are more relaxed sometimes it helps not having high expectations. Ironically if you think expect less you get more. X #wotw
Thanks! Yes, I think you’re quite right there x
Sounds like a great week, I am so glad you enjoyed your time together and yes it is so hard, when your kiddies are mature you do expect more of them which is not always fair like you say, I cam sometimes be the same with Jack and have to remind myself he is only 15 x
It was lovely, thanks. Glad to know it’s not just me then x
Sounds like it’s been a great week for you. It is lovely when you get books for presents, I think too. Congrats on such a good OU mark, I admire you for doing all that you do and studying – that’s one big juggle act you have on your hands!
Glad you had a lovely Mothers Day and I think Boos comments are just wonderful!
Have a good week
xx
It has been and thanks. I like studying and fortunately I read quickly!! X
It sounds like you had a lovely Mother’s Day and anniversary. It must have been so lovely to have some time out without the kiddies for a few hours. Xxx
It was a lovely day, thanks. Fleeting, but lovely! x