Monday 23 May 2005

Is BBC3 trying to stop people having kids?
Tonights viewing was "The House of Tiny Tearaways", then "Desperate Midwives".

I can't watch Desperate Midwives, but I find The House of Tiny Tearaways quite interesting. I like Child Psychology, and I'm sure most people must watch it thinking "God what awful kids", I watch it thinking "God what awful parents".
I know I'm not a parent, but I've looked after enough kids over the years because of Mum's child-minding, my baby-sitting, oh and let's not forget those 50 or so kids with disabilities and Challenging Behaviour on the Playscheme. So I think I've got a fairly good idea of what makes children tick and how to handle them, even when they're kicking, screaming, biting and beyond reason.

Thankfully the advice the parents are given is what I'd do anyway.
It's relatively simple.
1. Remember who's in charge (the grown up, not the kid.)
2. Mean what you say. (Porl learnt the hard way. "You can hit me as much as you like it won't hurt." So the kid hit him as much as he liked.)
3. If a kid does something wrong explain why it's wrong.
4. Followed by the Playscheme mantra "It's the action that's bad, not the child."
5. Shower you kids with affection, (not money). Never let them go to sleep thinking they're not loved.
6. Respect them as people.
7. Show them Eddie Izzard from a young age. Make them believe it's all true. (Daddy is friends with the bees. Cats go to Jazz Clubs behind the sofa.)

Hopefully one day soon we'll be able to put this into practise (and try to stick to it). I think the offspring of Porl and I will be ace. Warped, but ace.

However if I see anymore than the 30 seconds I caught of Desperate Midwives there will be no little Celeste's or Porl's to experiment with.

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