So I won an award last week for
the Best LGBT Blog in the SA Blog Awards.
It’s kind of like winning a People’s Choice Award but you don’t get a
statuette, a ceremony or given an opportunity to thank whoever helped you (or
who did not) become successful on the internet.
Also, it’s for writing a blog.
And yes, there are still people doing that. You are reading one right now. Winning something like this is flattering but
to be honest, it’s not like my blog is my life, my reason for being. It’s something I do and enjoy and something I
am glad you enjoy reading.
This is not my first stint with
the SA Blog Awards. In the past I was
runner up in the Best Political Blog and Most Controversial Blog categories;
Both categories being somewhat strange to have been in: My blog is not about politics nor is it
controversial but I will take what I can get.
I am not picky although I would have preferred winning money. My lifestyle does not just happen or come
cheap and someone needs to pay the bills.
Speaking of my lifestyle, having
kids is expensive. Since we got our son
finances have been tight. With school
and all the other expenses kids come with (and there are many) I do not
understand how people with more than one child cope. If having kids was an actual job I would not
have taken it. Firstly, it doesn’t pay. at.
all. Secondly, you get no time off and
the hours are brutal. Your boss is also
demanding and prone to throw tantrums (and sometimes you) when you do not do
things right. I once saw a YouTube video
about the hardest job on earth and I can now totally relate.
Our son has entered the terrible
two’s a year early. He has learned that
he can throw tantrums if he doesn’t get what he wants. The first time he threw a tantrum I just
stood there thinking “What the fuck? Is he dying?” and the second time I was
like “Is he having a seizure? Do I need to put a wooden spoon between his
jaws?” And the third time I just
decided to ignore it and put the music louder in the car. And no, this doesn’t make me a bad parent – I
googled it!
There are a plethora of reasons
why our son would lose his shit. Mostly,
it is when you take something out of his hands that he is not supposed to play
with. This includes remote controls,
iPhones, iPads, a cat that is being unintentionally choked and anything made of
glass. He is also prone to throwing
thing in the toilet, mostly electronics and expensive and hard to replace
items. The newest thing these days is
that our floor is made of lava and his car seat is a monster that is trying to
eat him. Well not actually, but I am
trying to think like a one year old.
Also, a one year old make no sense, is irrational and highly volatile
when feeling constricted by the term “no”.
There are some days when I pick
our son up from school and it’s when I try to strap him in his car seat that
thing just go south. When he is not in
the mood to be strapped in he will fight me and he is fucking strong in both
mind and body. Getting him into the seat
and strapping him in is like wrestling with an angry blubbering octopus. When this happens I try to keep my shit
together because I don’t want all the soccer moms to judge me. I would just stick my head out of the car,
smile and say “I am just waiting for him
to finish his tantrum then I will have mine”. Sometimes I swear they think I am serious,
but when our son is not the only one that doesn’t want to be eaten by the car
seat monster I feel relieved: the soccer
moms must then decide who to judge and my chances are 50/50, which are some
good odds.
Our son also now has a pet name “monkey”.
This is because he has the ability to cling to us like a little monkey
and sometimes trying to put him down is a nightmare. He will throw a tantrum like he is dying and
cling to us like his life depends on it.
Just the other day I was busy in the kitchen and I had to put him
down. It was a fight, he cried and I
decided that he would be an only child.
When plan A didn’t work and realizing that I was not going to pick him
up he resorted to Plan B – clinging to my leg.
Do you know how difficult it is to cook with a 12kg child clinging to
your leg refusing to let go? It is near
impossible. Also, that is why I burned
dinner.
Getting back to the Award I won,
being a blogger can sometimes be thankless.
But when I get some positive feedback about my blog on my fan page it
makes it all worthwhile. I would like to
thank everyone who voted for my blog in the SA Blog Awards, without you all of
this would not have been possible. Lastly,
if you are reading my parenting blog posts and it is scaring you from having
children, don’t be. It is the most
rewarding thing you will ever do and the rewards are endless. Except 2am in the morning when you are awoken
by crying, then not so much. Or if you
have to change a nappy right after breakfast that makes you gag; then it kind
of sucks.
Till next time.
