Today was my first time doing parent help at my son's intermediate school for their Top Team Canterbury Sports. When I arrived went to reception to find out where I was supposed to be and was told to sign in. I was like "What do you mean sign in?" I had to use a tablet, type in my name and my reason for being there which was Parent Help. Once done a ticket was printed, a reminder to return and sign out before I left.
Parent help at primary school is very different to intermediate, the primary kids are better behaved than the intermediate. I guess it's an age thing when intermediate kids are going through puberty and controlled by their hormones. My station was a water one and some kids got silly and threw water over each other. The morning was year 8 and afternoon year 7 and the year 7 kids misbehaved more think cos it was the afternoon and they were all tired, compared to year 8 who did their Top Team in the morning, start of day with lots of energy.
With morning session I had to keep buckets full of water so had a hose in my hand most of the time and since I couldn't move I had the kids demonstrate what to do, as another helper said "I was multi-tasking". In arvo session some kids got out of hand being silly wasting water pouring it over each other and jumping in the buckets full of water thankfully a teacher saw this came over to me and got me to swap. I was grateful they took notice and helped me out of it.
I had some kids that worked well in their teams doing what the instructions said and others let their team down just not doing it at all. One boy tried to argue with me, thankfully at the end to move on to the next one I just said "Don't argue" wrote their score and ignored him. My experience parenting a now 13 year old has taught me if kids don't listen I won't argue and ignore them. For my own sons they have screen time so for any naughty behaviour they lose some screen time, this has been working well, even better for me to not argue with them saves my voice (in the past I've actually lost my voice from shouting way too much). It's called 'Drop the Rope' for any parent who has done a parenting course they'll know what this means.
To sum up my experience with parent help intermediate school it definately had it's moments, I enjoyed it anyway and when I needed help with the kids that got out of hand it was noticed and taken care of, great to have support when needed.
Monday, 26 November 2018
Sunday, 13 May 2018
Mothers Day Fun Run/Walk
Yes my Mothers Day tradition is to take part in The Mothers Day Fun Run/Walk have been doing it since 2013, great way to have time for myself away from "mum this, and mum that". Don't get me wrong I love my sons it's just good to have some time away doing what I enjoy.
How my tradition started was I saw an ad in local newspaper for the event and just showed up on the day, no training at all. It was at Rugby Park, Christchurch and 10 laps. I was last and it was a great last lap with two of the organisers escorting me to the end.
2017 I was solo and timed how long it took me to walk the 5kms, 1 hour.
Now 2018. Set my alarm 0630 ended waking up 0730 (takes a while for me to wake up). Left to catch bus (don't drive) 0815. Blue Line bus to Central Station, then caught another bus Yellow Line to South Hagley Park. Get off and walk through South Hagley Park to find the Mothers Day Fun Run/Walk, find it 0930 so left home at the best time.
I show up and see my friend, we never planned to meet had no idea she would be here, ended doing walk with her :) The weather was crap, the first MDFRW I've done that didn't have the sun. It was misty and freezing brrr.
Walk took 55 minutes only 'cos my friend set the walking pace I managed to keep up with, she's fitter than me.
After some walking I don't even know where I am and feel a little anxious till I see buses so I knew I was in the right place to catch one. One thing I have learned when catching bus always ask driver if they are going where you want to go, otherwise you end up going in the wrong direction (speaking from experience I've done it twice). After asking 2 bus drivers if I was on the right bus? " nope", so thanks to them I caught the right ones. I catch the Yellow Line back to Central Station and within seconds arriving the Blue Line bus to get home was already there and waiting, perfect timing.
Get off at my stop and arrive home to my sons with a warm "hey mum" and a homemade mothers day card too, my sons are 10 and almost 13.
A shout out to Metro Bus http://www.metroinfo.co.nz/Pages/default.aspx helping me get to and from the Mothers Day Fun Run/Walk, and to the volunteers at the event who stood there till the last person to finish helping us find our way round and giving us encouragement too. Volunteers Rock :)
So another Mothers Day Fun Run/Walk done, looking forward to next years in hope for better weather. Below are 3 links to my You Tube channel of my experience during it. Enjoy and feel free to comment.
https://youtu.be/amv0JsaExu4
https://youtu.be/qfS9LZUWB6A
https://youtu.be/W-NOpKK8se8
2019
To get to Hagley Park South where the MOTHERS DAY FUN RUN/Walk is I planned to catch 2 buses but it didn't happen here's why.
I was standing waiting for bus and it was late so my plan to catch 2 buses went out the window and I ended getting off as close as I could to Hagley Park South. Closest stop was on Victoria St/Peterbrough St. Got off and walked to find my way to Hagley Park. From where I got off bus it took me 30 minutes to get to the start of the MOTHERS DAY FUN RUN/WALK. Got off to a bad start arrived 10 minutes after the walkers had started.
I told myself not to stress that I was doing the walk as a personal goal and not to care about anyone else. Halfway took me 20 minutes and the rest 40 mins so to walk the 5 km course was 1 hour (same time as last year).
Despite starting late I didn't finish last and felt proud of my achievement and that I NEVER GAVE UP, yes it was on my mind, even cheating by walking only 1 lap instead of 2, but I would only be cheating myself and that's not me, I walked the whole 5km course 😊
We were lucky to have sun ☀️ cos later in the day it rained ☔. Once I crossed the finish line as soon as I stopped moving I cooled down fast brrr.
2 bus rides later and I arrived home warm and dry 🏡
10 MAY 2020
This years Mothers Day Fun Run/Walk was a very different one. Thanks to Coronavirus Pandemic the traditional event didn't happen, as NZ is in Level 3 Lockdown.
I felt sad it wouldn't happen as this is my highlight every Mothers Day since I started participating since 2012.
I shared with hubby and my sons my disappointment and hubby said they would do a walk with me.
True to his word today hubby and my sons came for a 5km walk substitute for usual event. We measured 5kms using Health app.
Feel sooo loved my family did this with me 👨👩👦👦❤️
2024.
How my tradition started was I saw an ad in local newspaper for the event and just showed up on the day, no training at all. It was at Rugby Park, Christchurch and 10 laps. I was last and it was a great last lap with two of the organisers escorting me to the end.
2015 I did the Mothers Day Fun Run/Walk with my Mum at South Hagley Park, Christchurch. The bunny ears above my head are my son's, yes he was there too.
2016 was with my friend. 
2017 I was solo and timed how long it took me to walk the 5kms, 1 hour.
I show up and see my friend, we never planned to meet had no idea she would be here, ended doing walk with her :) The weather was crap, the first MDFRW I've done that didn't have the sun. It was misty and freezing brrr.
Walk took 55 minutes only 'cos my friend set the walking pace I managed to keep up with, she's fitter than me.
Me with my fit friend.
During the walk my friend was with her friend and her friend is a survivor of a heart attack, lucky to be alive and more worthwhile to do this event when registration money goes to The Heart Foundation. The heart attack survivor had a flashback when she saw an ambulance drive by on the road, she remembered her moment it happened and her ambulance ride to hospital, like she was reliving the moment, freaky stuff being with someone who has a flashback of a traumatic time in her life thankfully with a good ending, she survived.
After the walk I hug my friend "see ya later" and with spits of rain put my jacket and woolly hat on and more walking to find the bus to catch home.
After some walking I don't even know where I am and feel a little anxious till I see buses so I knew I was in the right place to catch one. One thing I have learned when catching bus always ask driver if they are going where you want to go, otherwise you end up going in the wrong direction (speaking from experience I've done it twice). After asking 2 bus drivers if I was on the right bus? " nope", so thanks to them I caught the right ones. I catch the Yellow Line back to Central Station and within seconds arriving the Blue Line bus to get home was already there and waiting, perfect timing.
Get off at my stop and arrive home to my sons with a warm "hey mum" and a homemade mothers day card too, my sons are 10 and almost 13.
A shout out to Metro Bus http://www.metroinfo.co.nz/Pages/default.aspx helping me get to and from the Mothers Day Fun Run/Walk, and to the volunteers at the event who stood there till the last person to finish helping us find our way round and giving us encouragement too. Volunteers Rock :)
So another Mothers Day Fun Run/Walk done, looking forward to next years in hope for better weather. Below are 3 links to my You Tube channel of my experience during it. Enjoy and feel free to comment.
https://youtu.be/amv0JsaExu4
https://youtu.be/qfS9LZUWB6A
https://youtu.be/W-NOpKK8se8
To get to Hagley Park South where the MOTHERS DAY FUN RUN/Walk is I planned to catch 2 buses but it didn't happen here's why.
I was standing waiting for bus and it was late so my plan to catch 2 buses went out the window and I ended getting off as close as I could to Hagley Park South. Closest stop was on Victoria St/Peterbrough St. Got off and walked to find my way to Hagley Park. From where I got off bus it took me 30 minutes to get to the start of the MOTHERS DAY FUN RUN/WALK. Got off to a bad start arrived 10 minutes after the walkers had started.
I told myself not to stress that I was doing the walk as a personal goal and not to care about anyone else. Halfway took me 20 minutes and the rest 40 mins so to walk the 5 km course was 1 hour (same time as last year).
Despite starting late I didn't finish last and felt proud of my achievement and that I NEVER GAVE UP, yes it was on my mind, even cheating by walking only 1 lap instead of 2, but I would only be cheating myself and that's not me, I walked the whole 5km course 😊
We were lucky to have sun ☀️ cos later in the day it rained ☔. Once I crossed the finish line as soon as I stopped moving I cooled down fast brrr.
2 bus rides later and I arrived home warm and dry 🏡
10 MAY 2020
This years Mothers Day Fun Run/Walk was a very different one. Thanks to Coronavirus Pandemic the traditional event didn't happen, as NZ is in Level 3 Lockdown.
I felt sad it wouldn't happen as this is my highlight every Mothers Day since I started participating since 2012.
I shared with hubby and my sons my disappointment and hubby said they would do a walk with me.
True to his word today hubby and my sons came for a 5km walk substitute for usual event. We measured 5kms using Health app.
Feel sooo loved my family did this with me 👨👩👦👦❤️
The Mothers Day Fun/Run Walk is no longer, last event was 2019. I think coronavirus had a huge impact on what was a yearly event.
So sadly The Mothers Day Fun/Run Walk has finished for good.
Below is an email copied a reply when I enquired if the event was on this Mothers Day
Below is an email copied a reply when I enquired if the event was on this Mothers Day
Hi Veronica
The fun run hasn’t been going for about four years now as we changed our Heart Foundation support towards helping them get tickets for their lottery program. If you’re near one of our offices or display homes you can grab a free lottery ticket. More details can be found here: Win a Jennian Home - Heart Foundation Lottery - Jennian Homes
The current home ticket giveaway has ended but the next ticket giveaway starts 15 March.
Regards
Ross Blankenaar
So there you have it.
Monday, 9 April 2018
Stubborness
Years ago when my son was preschool age in cold weather he refused to wear his jacket and hat so I came up with this song
Stub born Stub born
Stub born lit tle Vincent
Stub born Stub born
He won't wear his jacket and he won't wear his hat
https://youtu.be/L7qAl3CkI4c
My point is today Vincent now 10 years old refused to wear his jacket, even refused to have it in his school bag so I brought it with us and we walked to catch bus. After we got off bus it took me a while to realise I had left Vincent's jacket on the bus. Long story short I've done what I can to try and get his jacket back.
Yes it rained and my son comes home, sees me and says "I should've listened to you".
He's very strong willed AKA stubborn sooo damn frustrating and to hear him say these words made me smile. Hope we get his jacket back.
11 APRIL 2018
Yesterday I was looking for something in my son's bag and found the jacket I thought I had left on the bus, so who's jacket did I have? or did I not leave it on the bus? Freaky.
Stub born Stub born
Stub born lit tle Vincent
Stub born Stub born
He won't wear his jacket and he won't wear his hat
https://youtu.be/L7qAl3CkI4c
My point is today Vincent now 10 years old refused to wear his jacket, even refused to have it in his school bag so I brought it with us and we walked to catch bus. After we got off bus it took me a while to realise I had left Vincent's jacket on the bus. Long story short I've done what I can to try and get his jacket back.
Yes it rained and my son comes home, sees me and says "I should've listened to you".
He's very strong willed AKA stubborn sooo damn frustrating and to hear him say these words made me smile. Hope we get his jacket back.
11 APRIL 2018
Yesterday I was looking for something in my son's bag and found the jacket I thought I had left on the bus, so who's jacket did I have? or did I not leave it on the bus? Freaky.
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