Not gidding u
We really are going to Uganda. We are going at the end of the year. So there is still time to worry about it, and I am getting quite a good head start.
What is at the top of my worry list? It's not 'can I 'do' Africa?' This would be a reasonable worry; I have never been there, and moving there to live with 2 small girls when I don't tan and hate insects is a big deal. As I say; a reasonable worry. But it's not number one. Will my kids be happy and settle in and not succumb to tropical disease? Maybe. Maybe not. I'm worried about that too, but it's not number one.
This week's top worry spot is currently taken by this: given we can't take them all home, how am I going to get rid of at least half Emma's toys without breaking her heart? Do I a) start getting rid of them by stealth, whittling them down over the forthcoming weeks til only the monkey and a few bits of lego remain? She's not stupid. She'd twig. And it feels like lying. Or do I b) explain to her about moving, we can't take all the toys etc, wouldn't it be nice to give some - ok, half - of them away to the kids without any toys? She wouldn't get it. She'd cry. They're her toys. (I'm also rather taken aback by how attached I am to some of them, even if 90% of them are just old plastic tat.)
She says she's looking forward to Uganda. When we go, Emma says, we must 'put our coats on' and 'not have bare bottoms.'
1 Comments:
Well she's almost there: coats will not be necessary, but bare bottoms much more feasible!
Re toys, tricky one this. I would select the favourites and take those, leaving the others behind. When you arrive, with all the novelty she may not notice too much, but you may have to explain that there wasn't enough space in the plane to bring them all. I think at this age the whole concept of moving to another country is pretty abstract, telling her in advance that she can't take her toys will add a negative aspect you don't need.
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