Sensory overload…
Posted by dulwichmum on Sat 9 June 2007
Recently the munchkins were invited to a party at St Barnabus church hall in the middle of the village. I love it when both of my poppets are invited to the same party. Sweet little Freya pines so if she is not invited to join her burly brother and his exuberant chums, and darling Max just loves all of Freya’s super little chums with their fairy wings and Barbie dolls. My darlings so hate to be separated.
Lennon was celebrating his fifth birthday, it has been rather difficult for the little chums to stay in touch of late as they do not attend the same school. Lennon attends the super Village infants school, and is always busy every evening after school with Kumon Maths, Kumon English, piano lessons, swimming, rugby or yoga and so never free for a play date. Geoff and Dawn encourage darling Lennon to be a busy little bee.
When James and I collected our babies from the party they were really disappointed with the vegan treats on offer at the party, and subsequently with the booty from their party bags – no sugary treats at all. I was grateful that they saved their complaints for the car. I so hate to offend anyone. Dawn is a super conscientious mother, this mum never ever ‘goes to Iceland’ I can assure you. If it is not fresh, organic and delivered in a recyclable box to her door, Lennon does not get to eat it.
The munchkins received a cd each of ‘sing the times tables’ in their party bags. I laughed; “Super, one for the car, and one for the house, although four and five is perhaps a little young for these.”. James immediately tossed one of them into the boot (the CD’s not the poppets!). “Dulwichmum overdrive,” he sneered. “These children should be allowed to have some fun. Why doesn’t anyone give them a tape of Jackanory…”
Both munchkins began quarrelling over half a box of raisins they had found on the back seat, they had only been in Dawn and Geoff’s presence for one and a half hours and already they were suffering from malnutrition. It was all beginning to go horribly wrong until I popped the new CD into the music system. ‘Diddle dee dee’ nursery tunes filled the car and immediately distracted the munchkins from their acts of violence and destruction. Soon the jolly singers began to recite the multiplication. The poppets were initially bobbing about merrily to the music and then went incredibly quiet almost immediately as the words to the songs began.
James started laughing out loud, “I am looking in the mirror he said, look in the back of the car,” he insisted. The two darlings were sitting eyes glazed, having given up already trying to keep up with the calculations on their fingers, and then so overloaded, their little computer hard drives had crashed, and they fell asleep – well “passed out in a frenzied sensory overload” would probably be a more accurate description.
Oh how James and I laughed. This CD has been constantly played at home ever since. We are hooked, and the children hypnotised. Peace has returned to Alleyn Road! I really love my good friend Dawn, how very clever she is!
Loading ...
Philips ReAura (Part 2)
The Body Shop - Born Lippy™ Satsuma Shimmer, Passion berry and Pomegranate Lip Balm
Philips ReAura (Part 1)
Is there an app for this?
Homework
Omega Mum said,
So I just pop on a times table CD and they fall asleep? Sounds blissful. You’re sure they hadn’t been at Dawn’s secret stash of organic wine?
dulwichmum said,
No I promise. And it works like a dream every time. They try to keep up with the calculations on their fingers – and then just crash out!
lady macleod said,
What fascinating parenting techniques my dear. I am thinking the CD is working by osmosis, the little darlings will both be math whizzes.How brilliant are you?
mutterings and meanderings said,
I think your friend has it down to a T – tire out Lennon with all the after school classes, then if that doesn’t work, put him to sleep with times tables.
Harsher people than I may ask why some people have children if they don’t want them around …
dulwichmum said,
Dear Lady MacLeod,
I believe you can play it to them while they sleep, in the manner of Paul McKenna type hypnosis! What happened to childhood?
Sweet M&M,
You hit the nail on the head. The poor boy always looks so very serious…
Marianne said,
Please send me a copy immediately. It sounds like a cure for my insomnia.
It might also help my son with Maths 2 tomorrow morning. Although if he doesn’t know his times tables yet, there is little hope for him I’m afraid. Do you have a tape of quadrilatic equations too?
debio said,
I understand listening to Mozart is supposed to increase concentration in little ones by a factor of 3…always used to send my daughter to sleep on the way to Nursery, but I always considered she was receiving subliminal stimulation. Pushy mother, moi?
Nunhead Mum of One said,
Can I have a copy? I’m having trouble sleeping and difficulty remembering my nine times table!
how’s my cyber sister? x
rilly super said,
duwichmum, after some experimention this weekend I too have found times tables CDs can be used to help the baby sleep too – by threading several onto a string and hanging them above the cot. This is actually what I would have done with them had they been available when I was at school in fact, as maths was never my subject, sigh
LittleBrownDog said,
Oh god – you’ve just brought back to me all the reasons why I left Dulwich! St Barnabas Church Hall parties, competitive party-bagging and Kumon afterschool studies (shudder!) On the plus side for Dawn, I’ve heard various rumours that Iceland is shortly to be replaced by Waitrose or M&S food. I’m sure she and her consciencious mummy friends will be able to draw a collective sigh of relief.
dulwichmum said,
Marianne Darling,
You know somewhere in Dulwich tonight, a child is no doubt listening to a ‘ditty’ his parents have specially recorded to remind him of the answer to the conundrum you describe (I couldn’t even spell)!
Sweet Nunhead mum of one,
Just pop over and I shall record you a copy (or should I say “I shall cut you a cd?).
Sweet Rilly,
You are so right! This is exactly what I should do, but I won’t… I can’t afford for my babies to be left behind. The pressure is on!
Oh lovely Little Brown Dog!
Can we come and escape to your house? The atmosphere is charged with pressure around here…
Add A Comment