Thursday, October 25, 2007

The Fun is going back to Bangkok

Today is our last day. Tomorrow at the crack of dawn we start a whole day of long tailed boat/ferry/car/airplane/taxi to get home to Bangkok and back to normal life.

I do most of the weekly parenting on my own because Husband’s job keeps him busy through many time zones. Without going into too much detail life can be stressful in the midst of school life: homework, extra-curricular activities, school paperwork blah blah blah. It doesn’t sound much written down like that, but I find it challenging. Both children are so different and need such diverse approaches that single parenting can feel like fire fighting.

But, we’ve had such a fun time here these last few days that I really feel as though I’ve had a proper break. Of course I’ve still been ‘Mum’, but most importantly, without all the pressures of homework and bedtimes, I’ve had fun with the children. It turns out that Son is very funny. I kind of knew this, but was always too … knackered Mum-ish to enjoy him and his humour. Somehow it got lost in all the difficulties of daily life. He’s come out with some corking jokes while we’ve been away. We’ve talked and watched rubbish movies in the evening, kayaked during the day on the shallow sea of our bay, and swum in the pool. Daughter and I played ‘swim under the legs’ and I’ve arrived gulping bubbles of laughter to the surface because my gigantic bottom gets caught on her and pushes her off balance.

It’s quite possible though that I’ve spent too much time with a 13 and 11 year old since I seem to have developed the sense of humour of a early teen. But really, I’m most alarmed, having been trapped in our room by the rain, to have enjoyed ‘High School Musical.’ Yikes.

15 comments:

Unknown said...

Holidays are magic. We went bowling ( I let the littest skive from school to be with her bog brothers yesterday) and we were all uttered crap except the dd who had bumpers. We laugh till we nearly cried.

You life is even more full JJ becuase you are constantly negoitating life in a different culture (and I'm not talking about the teenage one :-) ) x

Jen said...

It's weird how we somehow don't have time to enjoy our children - real life is such a taskmaster.

Sounds as if the break was just what you all needed - they probably discovered new things about 'knacked-out Mum' too.

Jenny Beattie said...

Liz, they are magic, aren't they? Bowling's proved a goody for our family too. Oddly, we discovered it in China a couple of summers ago in our hotel, and laughed all evening.

I guess you're right. Life in Thailand feels normal because it's what I'm used to now, but that doesn't mean things are always easy! We are always negotiating still!

I love the idea that the 'different culture' I'm constantly negotiating is the teenage one - because, oh, Liz, you are sooooo right.

Jen, Yup, bang on. I sometimes feel the only way to really relax is to get away from being Mum for a bit - ie to leave them in the care of someone else. Actually it's occurred to me that FUN is what's been missing in our lives. I therefore prescribe: MORE FUN.

Yvonne said...

I doubt I'll be able to avoid High School Musical for much longer...so glad that you've had a chance to enjoy your family in such a chilled-out environment.

Jenny Beattie said...

Hellojed, thanks honey. It really has been fun and chilled out (apart from frenetic scratching occasionally!)

I'd seen clips of Hi Sch Mus and had wanted to vomit into a bag so it was quite lucky that my humour has regressed to early teens!

Carol said...

It's sounds like you have managed to re-charge the batteries and I'm really glad that you have rediscovered how lovely son is (When he's not calling me Aunty Carol that is!!)

You actually enjoyed High School Musical *shakes head in despair*

C x

Lane Mathias said...

Aw, sounds like you've really got alot out of your break. It's so nice to get off the treadmill once in a while and just 'enjoy'.
Prescribing more fun sounds excellent advice to me:-)
x

sheepish said...

Glad you've had a good time, hope the mossie bites are receding. The photos look amazing makes me want a holiday there.
So back to the book soon then!!!!!

hesitant scribe said...

Sounds fabulous - and it's true, single parenting is hard work - my hubby is also away a lot due to work, and prior to him, I was a single parent for 4 years.

High School Musical, eh? *whispers - I enjoyed it too in a similar rainy day with kids situation*

hesitant scribe said...

And I just read all your holiday posts and saw the wonderful photos and am sooooo jealous, and soooo pleased for you that you get to see all the fantastic sights. No flowers were to be found in the loos in Andalucia :)

Caroline said...

I love HSMusical.

Sounds like you've had the break that you needed. A real holiday.

Safe journey.
x

Fiona Mackenzie. Writer said...

I know exactly what you mean about getting lost in every day life. I tend to go into automatic pilot and say the same things to my children; 'have you eaten enough?', 'You must be home before dark?', '...when you finished your homework.', 'No more crisps!'

Jenny Beattie said...

Carol, I'm afraid I did. You need to be glad my birthday isn't coming up: I may have made you watch it with me in the 3D cinema at Siam Paragon!

Lane, thank you. It's so easy to forget, isn't it?

Sheepish, Yup! Back to the book now! (In between a bit of itching still!)

Hesitant Scribe (what am I saying?) Lisa, I think flowers in loos are 'non essentials' as far as holidays are concerned!

Caroline, I know you do, honey, and I so nearly apologised to you in my post. I am so sorry ... I am so rude about that movie!

Fiona, I know. Bad tempered Bangkok Mum reared her head on the journey home! Why? WHY in god's name is SHE necessary? She's not. Banish her. There, gone for good!

JJx

Rebecca said...

funny isn't it that when you have a bit of time to take notice your kids suddenly come into focus and appear human?

Jenny Beattie said...

Rebecca, it shames me, but at least I've seen it now. And the improvement in our relationship has continued too. At least I hope to remember and then act on having more fun and time with them.

JJx