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Tag: how to

How to survive your child’s school meltdown

Princess Ella somehow stumbled out of the wrong side of the bed this morning and from that moment till the time I walked out on her in the classroom, she continued to push buttons. And I’m not talking about her school uniform.

She didn’t want to wear a jumper. She didn’t want me to take her to school. She didn’t want just one cupcake in her lunchbox. If only she didn’t want to whinge.

The breaking point came when, in the middle of the classroom, she clung to my leg and told me she didn’t want me to leave – 15 times. There were no tears. No melodrama. Just quiet, “stay here so I can whinge some more’’ type of stuff.

So, I gently pulled her off me, told her I was leaving and walked out. As I got to the corner, I peered back to see what she was doing, only to see her standing in the middle of the classroom, head bowed and bottom lip dropped. Breaks. My. Heart.

A day earlier Nathalie from Easy Peasy Kids had posted Do you ever want to run away? and suddenly every word rang true. I wanted to be lying on the beach, good book in one hand, a glass of sav blanc in the other. And probably some hot guy fanning me with one of those giant branch thingys. Unless, of course, you’re busy, Brad. And then George, you’ll do.

Instead, I headed home and posted this on Facebook and Twitter:

“ Ella had a meltdown at school this morning (wanted her dad to take her, didn’t want to get dressed, wanted two cupcakes in her lunch etc etc). In the end, I had to walk out of the classroom. I’m feeling like the worst parent in the world right now. All virtual hugs accepted (bar sleazy, old men).’’

If you’ve ever wondered the worth of social media, here’s just a taste of why it matters for this mum in particular:

@RozBatson: Hope you feel better soon. Motherhood is all about guilt isnt it…. I am sure you did the right thing/only thing you could. :-))

@Sar_Wah: I’m sure you did what you had to do, the teacher would be well used to dealing with those situations & Ella will learn from it.

@katepickle: oh that is the hardest thing.. here’s hoping she was fine after you left and has a great day

Seana Smith – Author: Hugs, hugs, hugs… all part of the tricky business of settling into school, setting boundaries etc etc Best thing to leave to experts and walk away but so awful at the time!!

Casey: Oh dear! It is just awful how we beat ourselves up when we know they are struggling isn’t it? Big virtual hugs to you. Feeling yuck about it just means you are a loving, caring Mum – you are great! Xoxo

Anita: Big hugs – as a school teacher (on family leave) I can almost guarantee that within 10 minutes of you leaving she would have been fine! Teachers deal with that sort of thing often and are good at the art of distraction! Xx

Michelle: I just left my son crying at kinder I know how you feel and it’s not a nice feeling

Beyond the Bump: huge hugs, if it makes you feel any better I’m in line for worlds worst mum today, had to walk out of kindy leaving Dex on the floor screaming because I forgot it was red day and dressed him all in blue. I feel so terrible that I forgot. I’m sure your little miss was fine just after you left.

Angela: Big hug from me too Kel. I had been warned by a girlfriend that has 4 girls that a meltdown at some stage is very likely!! I’m sure Grace’s is just around the corner. You are a wonderful mum and I’m sure when you go to pick her up today she will bursting to tell you all the fantastic things she did today!!! Thinking of you xx

Diana: Hugs x100. Some days are just like that. Eat as much chocolate or cupcakes as you need to.

How can you not feel better after all that? And there was more.

The day did get better. After I picked her up from school at 3pm, we headed for babyccinos and a chat. The root of the problem is not school. She loves going to school. It’s that she wants her Dad to take her to school. She agreed it can happen sometimes, but there’s only so many times he can tell the boss he was caught in traffic (he is the boss. And we live in Tassie – there is no traffic).

Oh, and apparently her friend had chalk cake and can she have chalk cake in her lunchbox next week? Ah, shortcake maybe?

We’re now friends again and all is well with the world. Apart from the fact the wrinkly old people sitting next to us in the cafe “shouldn’t talk with their mouths full, Mum. It’s rude’’. Manners, indeed.

Have you experienced THE school meltdown? How did you cope?

February 21, 2012
Ever wondered what WordPress plugins everyone else is using?

Photo credit

WHEN I started out in this bloggy game, I always wondered what plugins everyone else was using. Over time I’ve borrowed, discovered and tweaked the plugins I use. While I have previously blogged about all the WordPress plugins used here, I realised since then how much they’ve changed so thought it was time to share again.

Akismet:

This is one of the best ways to protect your blog from comment and trackback spam. Atlhough, beware, sometimes it sends non-spam comments to the spam folder. So keep an eye on it.

All in One SEO pack:

This is one of the reasons my posts keep making it onto the front page of Google. With a little help from some SEO basics too.

And the winner is…:

This is one of the easiest ways to draw your giveaways. Forget ever having to count how many entries you have and then using Random.org. With it coming to light via Nikki from Stylish You about the whole game of chance Vs game of skill, this one is in revision here at Three Li’l Princesses.

CommentLuv:

A lovely way to give some promotion to fellow bloggers, this one displays their latest post (or an older one if they choose) when they leave a comment on one of your posts.

Comment Reply Nofication:

I’ve long been a ReplyMe supporter, but recently stumbled across this one. It looks much neater when the comment reply lands in the reader’s inbox. A reply plugin is important if you want to try and build a relationship with your readers.

Facebook Like Box:

Yes, I have a Facebook Like Box, but as you’ll noticed I did a bit of tweaking with the help of fellow blogger Louisa Claire so it wasn’t a great big box with hundreds of faces showing. If you want to know the code to make your Facebook box more minimalistic, I’m happy to pass it on.

Fast Secure Contact Form:

Every blogger should have a Contact page to allow readers, PR and others to contact you easily. Along with having a contact form, I also think it’s important to provide your direct email address on the page along with it. You can see mine to see what I mean.

nRelate Related Content:

This is the little boxes under each post which recommends what other posts you might be interested in. This one is pretty spot on in its matching of other posts to the one you’re reading. You can display this one in a few different ways, but I like the photo option.

SexyBookmarks:

These are all the little icons down the bottom of the page that allow you and readers to share your post easily via platforms like Facebook, Twitter, StumbleUpon, Delicious etc. Hint hint!

WordPress Editorial Calendar:

If you want to get organised with your blogging, then this one is a must. It will allow you to see what your blogging schedule looks like and you can easily move things around.

WordPress Firewall 2:

It was thanks to this little plugin that the 10 attempts to try and hack my site over the weekend failed. Enough said.

WP Social Blogroll:

If you look in my main sidebar from the homepage, you’ll notice a list of blogs I read (currently in the process of being updated). This one is more about me and being able to keep on top of all the blogs I love to read, but has served as a great way for others who visit here to discover some fabulous blogs too.

WP Touch:

With more and more people now viewing blogs on their mobiles and smartphones, you really need to be able to give them the option to read you while on the go. This one provides a mobile-friendly version of your blog.

XML Sitemap Feed:

This is also another reason I’m doing well in Google. That’s about all I can tell you about this one. Just a little clueless here.

What are your favourite plugins? What work for you?

December 5, 2011
How to make a princess tiara birthday cake in two hours

WHEN I say you can make a princess tiara birthday cake in two hours, I’m including the baking of the cake too. Oh yes, this was definitely not in the realm of the princess castle cake.

It’s fair to say she was pretty impressed!

Although, that only took about an hour longer and heaps of extra muscles.

I actually was super organised and had the cake cooked the day before for Princess Ella’s birthday on Saturday. However, due to a teething Li’l Holly who refused to let me put her down while I cooked the cake and a recipe that I really doubt was up to scratch, the cake ended up feeling like rubber.

So Saturday morning, the day of Princess Ella’s fourth birthday, I ditched the rubber wheel and went for my trusty old Women’s Weekly rich chocolate cake recipe. I swear it’s foolproof. If you need that recipe, visit the princess castle birthday cake tutorial.

Adding to the drama of the morning, we realised we didn’t have a tiara anywhere in the house. Kind of crucial for a tiara cake. The spin off was I got some free time while The Bloke in The Shed and Ella went off to buy one. They came back with a pretty tiara and a rather ugly princess wand.

This is what happened while they were gone:

After the cake is baked, knead and then roll out the ready roll icing on a bench dusted with icing sugar. Lay the icing over a rolling pin and transport it to the cake so it doesn’t break. Smooth it down around the edges and cut off any excess.

Add some colour to leftover icing and knead in well. I had two small batches of icing and put more colour in one than the other deliberately. Cut out letters with cookie cutters and any other shapes. The word “princess’’ was spell checked before assembling.

Boil some sugar water (one part sugar, to two parts water). Brush over cake and letters. Add silver balls in a pattern. You can add lines with a knife as a guide. I started to do this, then changed my mind. Hmm, always a nice effect.

Add the tiara. And presto, a quick birthday cake

Oh, and I forgot: blow out the candles

and then lick the tiara.

Need a tiara? Click the image below to grab this gorgeous one!
How long do you usually spend making birthday cakes? Or does the local supermarket do your cooking for you?

NB: Please note, some links are to products I’m an affiliate of. This means if you click through and choose to become a customer of that business in the future, I may receive a commission. This doesn’t mean you pay anything extra.

November 14, 2011
How to make a Princess Castle Birthday Cake – just hours before the party

It’s fair to say she was pretty impressed!

IF YOU’RE friends with me on Facebook or Twitter, you’ll know I’m not half proud of my last-minute Princess Castle Birthday Cake whipped up for Baby Holly’s first birthday on Saturday.

It started badly when I ran out of eggs to cook the cakes on Friday. Thankfully, it was The Bloke in The Shed to the rescue that night and before bedtime I’d managed three cakes. The next morning, again with a little help from The Bloke in The Shed’s rolling pin skills, we’d finally assembled and decorated the castle well before the afternoon party.

I must give credit to the Donna Hay Kids’ Magazine for the inspiration for the castle

and my trusty Women’s Weekly Kids’ Perfect Party Book for the cake recipe (although, I’ve made just a few tweaks).

Here’s how to make it:

NEED:

CAKE:

2 2/3 cups self raising flour

1 cup cocoa powder

250g butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 ½ cups caster sugar

4 eggs

1 1/3 cup water

CASTLE:

1 cake board

3 x cakes (as per above)

4 large ice cream cones

4 small ice cream cones

100g white chocolate, melted

5 x 500 g packets store-bought ready-to-roll icing

2 x 300g jam rolls

Pink food colouring

Large white and pink marshmallows, to decorate

METHOD:

CAKE:

Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan forced. Grease and line 2 x 21cm round by 3cm deep tin + 26 x 21 cm rectangle tin.

Place flour and cocoa into medium bowl, add remaining ingredients. Beat on low with electric mixer until combined, then increase to medium and beat for 3 minutes.

Spread evenly into three pans and bake for 35-40 minutes or until cooked.

CASTLE:

Place rectangle cake onto a cake board.

Knead 2 packets of icing on a clean surface until soft, then roll out between 2 sheets of non-stick baking paper to 3mm thick.

Use the baking paper to lift the icing over the rectangle cake. Trim excess and smooth out any corners, creases etc.

Place two circle cakes onto top of the iced rectangle cake. Knead another packet of icing and roll. Cover the two round cakes with the icing.

Cut the 2 jam rolls into halves. Repeat with another 2 packets of icing and cover all 4 pieces of jam roll. Place the rolls at the corners of the rectangle cake, on the board.

Make sugar syrup to brush over the cake for a glossy effect. We used one part sugar to two parts water and boiled for five minutes. Then brushed on with a cooking brush.

Add pink colouring to leftover pieces of icing and knead in until the colour is even. Roll and then cut into various shapes. We used a large heart cutter for the top of the cake and smaller hearts for the top. Medium-sized hearts were used for the windows in the tower and front of the castle. One section of the large heart cutter was used to create the shape for a door and indents were made with a knife to create door handles and “two doors’’. Each should stick onto the sugar syrup coating. If not, stick with melted white chocolate.

Melt the white chocolate, dip the 4 large ice cream cones into the chocolate and then press into the tops of the 4 jam rolls. Place 4 small ice cream cones on top of the large cones.

Decorate with fairies (or princesses) and marshmallows around the edge of the board.

Do you have a favourite birthday cookbook?

For more birthday inspiration, try…

How to make a Princess tiara birthday cake in two hours

How to keep guests happy at a one-year-old’s birthday party – birthday party food ideas

Free downloadable birthday party invitation

Fabulous gifts for a one-year-old girl’s birthday

Gift ideas for kids – girls

Please note: Some links are affiliate links. This means if you choose to buy from the company in the future, I may receive a commission. This doesn’t impact how much you’re charged.

October 17, 2011
How to teach a mummy to sleep through

IF YOU stalk me on Twitter or Facebook you will know Baby Holly did something pretty special on Sunday night. I’m talking Bruce McAvaney “speeeeecial’’. Sorry, but it is AFL grand final week. Baby Holly managed to sleep an entire 10 hours. Ten.straight.hours. If you were here right now I’d be going the full-on chest bump. Although, beware: the two girls do leak.

The one downside was at 3.30am when she stirred slightly, I remained awake until she finally rose at 4.50am. I know, not exactly my idea of a good time to start the day but, after 10 hours straight, I’m not complaining… yet.

At 3.30am, I got up and did a whizzer, had a drink and then snuggled back up to The Bloke in The Shed. Sure, his loud breathing and occasional snort didn’t help, but I just couldn’t escape back into that dream where George Clooney and his pig move in. Yes, highly unrealistic. His pig’s dead.

Sleep eventually returned after Princess Ella finally learnt that midnight disco parties aren’t fun after a year of them, so I know it won’t be forever. I just can’t remember how long it took or whether there were any tips to fast-track my way to sleep.

If you know the answer, please do tell.

PS. I’m writing this last night, so I have my fingers crossed I haven’t just jinxed myself and get up to her three times during the night – as per usual.

PPS. Daylight savings starts this weekend, so now is a good time to start getting the kids to bed 15 minutes earlier each night. Then, by the weekend, they’ll be well adjusted. And 4.50am will be a more respectable 5.50am!

September 27, 2011
The terror that stalks the night

It was a big day bike riding (and sugary treats) that led to Princess Ella's night terror that night.

SHE screamed out “Mum, where are you?’’ with such terror in her voice I could only but run to her, hoping she was OK. It had been a long time since this nightly stalker had visited; since he’d totally taken over her little body.

When I arrived, she was sitting up straight, rocking back and forth and whimpering. That image breaks my heart every time. “It’s OK. Mummy’s here,’’ I say, instantly going into auto pilot. I know the drill. I know what’s to come, how to manage it and when it will end.

She twirls around in her bed, like a dog chasing its tail. I quietly ask her to lie down with me. “I don’t want to,’’ she says through tears. I ask her if she’d like a cuddle. She looks straight through me, shakes her head and even more tears fall. “What would you like?’’ I ask. She shakes her head again and then begins rocking back and forth. I put my hand on her back to pat her, but it only prompts her to do another circle. By now, I should know better than to try and touch her.

“Let’s lie down,’’ I insist again and so she does. I run my fingers through her hair, hoping it will calm her. The whimpering stops. Then, as quickly as it stopped, it starts again. This time the wails are loud and long. It prompts her dad to come in.

We know the drill. This is where it ends. The sound of both our voices telling her it’s OK instantly calms her and the beast that has taken over her body disappears. She lies down and within a matter of seconds is as peaceful as… umm, oh dear, I can’t think of anything. Gee, a girl knows how to ruin the moment, doesn’t she?

Anyway… Night terrors, unlike nightmares, happen earlier in the night. From experience, they tend to happen for Ella when she’s overtired or consumed too much sugar in one day. Thankfully, she has no recollection of these episodes the next morning. For that, we’re grateful. We also have no reasoning why it takes both our voices to calm her so instantly. But it does. Every time.

Do your children experience night terrors? What works to calm your child?

September 20, 2011