Noise

I think noise is like an alert with children. If they're quiet usually it means they're ok or you've lost them. Which is good if you don't mind losing them**. They're ok because they're eating or playing happily, or engrossed in something. Or, if you're lucky, they're asleep! If they're noisy you know where they are. It probably means, variously, they're bored, they've finished eating, they're excited, they've cornered the cat, they've got up haven't had breakfast and it's far too early for you to want to get up. You have to learn with any particular child or group of children what the signs mean for them. And then you've got it sorted. Possibly.

Oh, the weekend? Noisy in parts

I remembered that I have a "Kids' food for fitness" book so tried a couple of new recipes. Success! Tip for the parent-cook: if there's something in a recipe you know one of the intended munchers will object to, just chop it up really small!!!!!! Works a treat for me.

**I tried to lose Megawomble when he was a toddler. The nanny and I took Mini (in her buggy) and Mega to London Zoo. We were in the upstairs bit to the nocturnal world. We'd sat down to natter and Mega was wondering about. And then I said, hmm can't hear him anymore. You look in that direction, I'll go this way. Nanny was apoplectic at the possibility of losing a child, even with a parent involved. I reckoned he wouldn't have got far, especially being so small. I found him, after a short while, he'd got out of the building and had this knowing, oops-I-shouldn't-be-out-here look on his face when discovered. I reckon you've never lost a child until you can't find them. It's always worked for me