Work and Family

https://youtu.be/E-LemeejdjA
A link… to a kids video.

A kids programme, this is what life has resorted to.

‘You put a link, a song! And it ends up being of a kids program! Why?’ I hear you say.

I ask myself the same thing when kids songs earwig me.

They go round and round and the more annoying the song the more it stays in your head.

This one is good. Entertainment and educational at the same time.

Due to work, I haven’t got much time to spend with the kids. I start, anywhere from 0430 and can finish anytime up to 0130. There are a lot of ten to twelve hour shifts, so I leave before they are up and might return as they are going to bed or already asleep.

Many days, especially starting early in the morning, I am tired and grumpy by mid afternoon.

The late finishes are the hardest, since they wake up at 0630 they don’t see much of me, they like to say hi to me.

For the longest time my partner seemed to be stuck with them at home or round the local area, she didn’t know what to do with them, partially due to their age and to the great number of them.

That went for me too of course.

Then, our eldest found Horrible Histories, my partner had, for several years been engrossed with medieval, british history. I started watching with the kids and became addicted. I learnt so much. My partner filled me in on the things of a more mature nature and I became hooked.

I tried connecting through music at first, but my tastes are not very apt for children. Whilst I listen to Pearl Jam, Megadeth, Tremonti and so on and so forth, they were more into Little Mix and One Direction polar opposites. I managed to get them to like Pearl Jam but that was because I played them incessantly.

I always associated history with boredom. I remember it from school when I had to memorise this date, that date and for some reason nothing really exciting seemed to happen.

What was I doing it for? What would it do for me in life?

I didn’t want to do watch and I didn’t want to listen. I felt scarred with years of Peppa Pig and In The Night Garden. Don’t get me started on SpongeBob, good god!

Through a bit of encouragement from my partner, the kids enthusiasm and curiosity at the conversations everyone was having, I gave in.

History became fun. Between the gruesome facts and catchy songs, I got hooked.

If there was nothing on television, I would put Horrible Histories on to catch up.

We’d found a common interest!

Then the talks about the Tower of London started, Warwick castle, Pudding Lane, the bridges in London, Westminster Abbey.

London turned into a fact finding expedition for my eldest. She decided that she wants to become an archaeologist when she grows up.

During the last school break we decided to have a ‘Horrible Histories’ half term.

It didn’t all go to plan, between the number of children, parties and sicknesses, we over plan in the hope of doing at least half.

One day I took the two eldest to the Florence Nightingale museum, they had a little game to play whilst they explored and tried to learn more.

They got taken to visit the bridges in London.

Did you know that the original London Bridge was build by the Romans and it did fall. The people rebuilt it and parts of the original bridge can still be seen next to the new one.

Then, we took a family excursion to the Tower of London.

It was amazing.

The only thing I regret is taking the buggy instead of slinging the baby.

The stairs, the stairs, the stairs!

For some reason, the Plantagenet Kings had to build narrow, spiral staircases.

I hadn’t worked out so much since my early twenties.

People were offering to help. I politely declined, not because I was trying to be nice or a martyr, but if any of you have gone to the tower, there is no way of taking the thing up, minding your step and spiralling with one in front and one lifting. It has to be carried.

The place was beautiful, the things we saw, the way people looked at our children as they spouted facts like it was common knowledge. I beamed with pride. Even the people that worked there were surprised.

From there we walked towards Monument and Pudding Lane. The girls took pictures by the plaque of where the bakery was believed to have stood. They started singing a song about the Charles II.

When my second went back to school, they started learning about the great fire of London. It’s all amazing, however, they seemed to base their teachings on the diaries of Samuel Pepys, still great. She came home with homework and she had to draw her representation of the great fire.

There, in the corner, she placed King Charles II.

When she took it to class, she had to explain to them that he was there, with the people, extinguishing the fire. 

I love that we have found a common interest and that it was brought on by the children. I look forward to my time off with them because there are still so many places to go, sites to visit.

I have taken to reading history books, I have just started one on the Knights of the Templar. The girls have their Horrible Histories books and my partner has moved on to a history of the Popes.

Here’s a little trivial knowledge; Charles II laid claim to eight illegitimate children, he gave them titles and land so they were made up for life. One of the few monarchs to have taken responsibility for his indiscretions.

A few generations down the line, two descendants of his children married and became the forefathers of the late Princess Diana.

See where this is going?

Yes, Prince William is the descendant of two Royal lineages.

And on that note I leave with another link for you to enjoy:

https://youtu.be/FA5abHKvUBQ