The Talk !

Sir Steve enrolled the lil one in gymnastics the other day -- her first class is today.  Tomorrow she is going to her mother's for the extended visit.  That left us last evening to talk with the lil one about courts and custody and changes.

Yesterday morning Sir Steve had an appointment to meet with her teacher .... he gave her a copy of the court order and discussed what we can all do to make this transition easier on the lil one.  

Then when the lil one came home from school -- had her snack and her 60 minutes of television -- we sat her down and started to explain 'divorce' ... 'custody'..... courts and judges.  When you stop and think -- that's a HUGE amount of information to absorb when you are 5.  

I think we did everything as close to right as possible -- explaining how mommy and daddy have to share her -- that mommy and daddy both love her even if they don't love each other anymore.  That it will be a new experience going to school from Mommy's house -- no school bus -- and a bit of a long drive to school.  BUT that she will get on the school bus at the end of the day and come home to me and daddy.  AND that she could phone Daddy on Sunday nights and say good night.  (thankfully she has learned her phone number)

There were some tears...... and she complained about pains in her tummy.  She went in her bedroom and pulled on a BIG hoody - zipped it up and pulled the hood down covering her face.  I watched her from my vantage point..... trying to judge how she was dealing ..........  slowly her tummy improved and she pulled out her colouring and sat at her desk.... slowly the hood came off........... By dinner time she was her old self again.

This morning all the talk was about starting gymnastics ..... and making new friends... and she told me her strategy to accomplish that.  "I'll just go in and say to the kids 'what's your name'? and they'll tell me and I'll tell them my name...... AND then we'll be friends!!"  The simplicity and confidence when you're 5! 

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In other news -- Sir Steve and I have a very busy Easter Weekend.  
Friday eldest daughter and fiance are coming for dinner 
Saturday we have a play party/pot luck to go to 
Sunday we have Easter Brunch at youngest daughters.

Keeping busy when life is topsy turvy is a very good thing !