Always the joiner!

Aqua Tots, Monkey Music, Tumble Tots, Whippersnappers, Little Kickers, Ballet Lessons, swimming lessons,martial arts; we have joined and left them all. But first my darling little ones made sure that they had enjoyed the taster session, allowed me to pay for a the obligatory full-term in advance and bought the t-shirt (in the case of ballet lessons - the entire outfit including leather shoes and wrap cardigan) before deciding the class was not for them.

Freya was apparently clinging to the door frame of St Barnabus Church Hall like a cat with her claws embedded into the bark of a tree when her fascination with 'Angelina Ballerina' ended today. She announced yesterday that she was no longer interested in dance class, and I thought to myself, 'she never refuses Papa' so, James had a day off work and took her in himself this afternoon. I told him to be strong, not to take 'no' for an answer, 'show no fear' and to get her in there at any cost. I want my baby to walk like a lady, I wish my mother had insisted that I continue ballet lessons when I was a child. We should stand our ground on this one, our children need some discipline..., we thought. James was perspiring anxiously when I dropped them off at the door, Freya had that little 'glint' she gets in her eye.

I was just sinking into a velvet aubergine sofa in Starbucks at Dog Kennel Hill, with a Vente Latte in one of their bucket like mugs when the call came to pick them up. I can't see why the good people of East Dulwich have objected so strongly to the opening of a Costa Coffee on Lordship Lane. Clearly, they have no children! It is like crack cocaine for me, a nice coffee and a soft chair sans enfants.

Our children are heartless. James and I are just learning the rules as they make them up. We must take our comfort where we can.