Omar

Hi again. A quick chat before Elise went to sleep. Hopefully this is the start of more regular episodes. We’ll see…

China is crazy for milk tea as well as other fruit based drinks.

There’s countless places open everywhere, with the more popular places heaving with people. As a result, you can queue for the drink - obviously you’ll order on your phone - for up to 40minutes! 40minutes!

Anyway, one I like is opening within walking distance of home and delivery distance of home!

Daily Dad is a daily, duh, email about being a better dad. The tagline is, ‘every dad needs a little help’ and I think that’s how I found it, when searching online for dad related help.

I like it for the brevity of the emails but mostly because it’s advice that I feel like I need. I love my children so much and I worry a lot, so so much, about them and our relationship. About so many things. While also being aware that putting them first always isn’t necessarily the best thing. That is, I need to be happy/sane/calm/patient etc etc at the same time.

The email does help. Gently pushing me in the right direction is maybe I want to best describe it. Thinking about what I do, how I do it, how I can be better with them.

You can listen to it too apparently >podcast link

Just finished episode 1 of season 2 of The Boys. Interested to see how it goes from here. The things that stand out though were:

• The remakes of Billy on the tv with ridiculous swearing were perhaps the best bit.
• Gus Fring
• I could watch Banshee again I think because Anthony Starr is the worst in this.
• The swear count kicked up in the last couple of minutes.
• I now have Billy Joel - Pressure on repeat. It came out the year I was born!

Zen Shorts and it’s follow up Zen Tie, Zen Ghosts and Zen socks by John J. Muth are some of my favourite children’s books. I think I picked it up one day in the school library when my class was visiting. It’s about a panda called Stillwater who meets 3 children and tells each a Zen tale.

I’ve been reading them recently with Elise, I’m not sure how she takes from them but I’m reminded how much I like them.

I think it’s the pictures but it’s also in the way Stillwater speaks. I find the books very calming.

Rereading, I’m also reminded of the benefit of repeated readings even of children’s books.

What’s a good weekend?
What do I want/need? What do I feel I should do (with the kids)?

Today, we’ve been up since 7 and didn’t stop till 11. We went to a book shop, had a nice lunch, went swimming and had dinner with friends.

It’s been full on. Just being with the kids is a lot. As well, we’re working hard with our eldest on choices and her dealing with things she doesn’t like or want to do.

So, it’s been good in some respects. We’re working on things that are important. I’m spending time with my family.

And yet, I’m aware that work on Monday is looming and needs preparing for and that just makes me anxious.

In a nearby park is a coffee shop that has books you can read. We’re in the habit of going at the weekend, but he kids get cake and Lyra and I have a coffee and we try to read a little.

We’re regulars now. Though, sometimes we spend more time reading then others. Today the kids spent time with the staff, other times they make new friends. They have some English books I can read them but I also take my own book just in case.

I’m aware that I want the kids to read and that the best way to do that is to model it. Even as someone who loves reading, it’s often difficult as a parent.

When your job involves working with young children (I teach Year 1(kindergarten)) and you have small children of your own at home. So your life involves the associated testing of patience before, during and after work. It’s a little emotionally taxing.

In other news grass is green and water is wet.

This is also me thinking I should be a little kinder on myself.

I’m still thinking about Kenneth Koch’s poem this weekend, “You Want a Social Life, with Friends” where he says of a social life, a work life and a love life you can only have two but not three. His

There isn’t time enough, my friends–
Though dawn begins, yet midnight ends–
To find the time to have love, work, and friends.

And how my 2 have been chosen for me. Love(family) and work if you couldn’t guess. And I’m ok with that for the most part. And that the issues always arise when I try to fit the third in. A night out on Friday has had repercusions that have carried on over the weekend that a part of me is regretful of going out now.

There isn’t time enough, my friends.