In finding a video of DJ Sammy & Yanou a chance spotting of a link lead to some dragging up of childhood memories for J and I. These included: Andy Pandy, Trumpton, Tales of the Riverbank, Mary Mungo & Midge, Hong Kong Phooey, Mr Benn, Bill & Ben, The Clangers, Magic Roundabout, Noggin the Nog, Belle and Sebastian, Follyfoot, Casey Jones, Robinson Crusoe, Champion the Wonder Horse, Daktari, Skippy ……..

Needless to say, P – at the tender age of 13 – found all of the above funny and a couple absolutely hysterical :)

The post I wrote yesterday.. I’ll try and explain.

Was D right to have done what she did? Yes
Do I think it was her wisest decision?  I think she has made better.
(Note my emphasis)

Thing is, we are bringing the girls up to be independent, to think, to act properly – all the usual stuff that parents do. But there has to be a time when a child does something their parents disapprove of. It’s a required step in life. We have never really had this ‘conflict’ before. We would discuss and reach agreements maybe but this time there was more polarisation. D knew my position. I had laid out all the reasons why. She had listened to them and she had read about things – Modblog / BME and she made her choice. She made that choice almost certainly sure about my reaction.

My reaction wasn’t against her, it was what she had done. But then it wasn’t the piercings I had a problem with. I think my problem lay more in the fact she had taken that required step. Not that she had gone against what I said because of what she actually did, but that she did something I didn’t want her to do. But that step had to be taken. It was always going to arrive in some form and could certainly have been many different things.

She’s 16, she’s always going to be able to get round people with that smile and her wit, she’ll have all the right grades and she’s going to experiment in life while she can. That’s what she says and if you can’t say that at 16, when can you?

She wasn’t wrong at all. She made an informed decision and if you are going to disagree with someone that’s the best position to be in to do that. The problem was me. But maybe if I’d not had the problem I wouldn’t be doing the parent thing quite right? No idea … this having kids thing can be really complicated at times.

J – now has to use 2 sticks to get about according to the physio so she stops looking like she’ll fold into two. Not good. The positive approach has faded, the glass is very much half empty. There have been a number of small events which have all been negative. Not just with J but with the house, the bank etc. On their own they are of no consequence. Added together they stack up. What continues to amaze me is this: Consultant says she is in secondary progressive MS, so he stops the Interferon because that’s only for relapsing-remitting. Within 2 weeks of stopping the injections the MS symptoms are very much worse. They are getting worse. There is a clear cause/effect – stop inteferon – get worse. But will the Consultant make that connection? Will he help? Will he do any-damn-thing? No. And the MS Nurse? Is there a point? Is there a reason for J to see light at the end of the tunnel? No, not really.

P – lots of tears Monday as she was being bullied. 3 days at home. Visit to the school yesterday and a camera to take pics of little thugs has hopefully sorted that for now.

D – had her cheeks pierced Wednesday. I didn’t say yes, J did – partly because of J’s attitude to life and partly because she thought my stance had softened. It hadn’t. I was extremely everything but mainly just very very disappointed. The number of times I have said No to her in her 16 years and meant it I could probably count on the fingers of one hand. And she did it anyway. So I was deeply disappointed and upset, she was upset because I was disappointed. Whatever. I’ve asked her to take really good care so they scar as little as possible and that when they are healed we buy some jewellery that looks more pretty. Right now – with her labrets – it looks like she lost a fight with a nailgun. I lost my pretty little girl. I didn’t think it would be like this though. I can prepare for the leaving home stuff because that is what happens. But having said No and then seeing it …I’m surprised how upsetting I’m finding it. Anyway, what’s done is done. She’s still my daughter and like with P I love them to bits.

And me? I’m okay :)