I love bedtime. All bedtimes are great, but bedtime with
kids is particularly lovely.
Tonight, Flea and I were snuggled up on her bed, having just
finished a story.
We played a quick round of a weird game we play that doesn’t
have a name but involves drawing letters on each other’s backs with our fingers and trying
to guess them. And then Flea was just having one of those cuddly moments that
are becoming increasingly rare as she gets older.
“I wish I could always be a child,” she whispered to me, pushing her fringe out of her face.
“Why’s that then?”
She stroked my face gently. “So I can always cuddle you,”
she replied.
I know, right? God, my kid is so cute
sometimes.
“You know Flea, I think you’re always allowed to cuddle your
Mummy,” I told Flea.
This isn’t strictly true, in case you're wondering – I don’t still cuddle
my mother. I’m 35, she’s almost 70. I might break her, for starters. But for the purposes of this conversation, I felt it was a justifiable lie.
Flea thought about it for a moment. “What even if you’re 8 or 9 or 10?”
she said, doubtfully.
“Yep.”
“Oh. But not when I’m 20,” she said, definitely.
“Why not?”
“Well, you’ll probably be dead by then.”
Good to know.
Ouch! 🙂
I wonder if the cuddling thing is generational, I still cuddle my 15yo and can’t imagine a time when I won’t. I have to pin the 13yo boy down but he loves it really (he does – he’s a cuddler). I don’t ever remember cuddling my Mum, I mean I know I must have when I was little but if it was still going on at 15 surely I’d remember? Apart from the odd hug goodbye I can’t recall much physical contact between us as adults at all – not even at the worst of times or the best for that matter. Maybe that’s why I can’t leave my kids alone? My Mum’s reaction when she witnesses me squeezing a hug out of my big kids is often along the lines of “oh you’re too big for that” or “get off your Mum”, which just makes me cuddle them harder.
You get until Flea is 20? Pfft, you can cram loads in by then!
ha ha ha, I love it, yes the boys keep telling me I will be dead soon too
Actual LOL followed by a cough and a splutter 🙂
Lovely reminder of how short life is… very funny!
Lol! It was going so well! Best make the most of the next couple of years then, huh!
I hate to think of the time when I will not have cuddles with my babes. You have to laugh at kids thought – they are so forthright with what they say! Mich x
Had she just traced ‘R’, ‘I’, ‘P’ on your back?
I love the way children think we are sooo old, I can still remember when I was little I was thinking the same. My Isabelle is just 3 years old now, and has not mentioned my age yet, but when she does….will remember it’s not only me but all of us mums 😉
Flea is genius. Seriously. I’m just waiting for her to have her own prime time show….
Aren’t children brilliant? My 14 year old has stopped hugging me in public, but often stops for one when we’re home! I still have the 10 and 3 year old who shamelessly hug me without question!
PS I do that game with my kids — I think because my mum used to do it with me and my sister.
This post made me smile , giggle & snort all at the same time! 🙂
LMAO. Love the way the kids say it as they see it. Oh and I still cuddle my Mum and she’s 64! Hope my kids are the same :-))
Another candid and precious Flea-ism! You should create a book out of these conversations.
Yes and 50 is ANCIENT. You’ll all stand around my funeral saying, “Well, she had a good innings,” I know.
Touching, isn’t it?
How do you think I reacted??
It is interesting. My family are Scots methodists and my Grandmother was very non-tactile. I remember my Mum saying that as her Mum got older, she consciously made an effort to always hug her hello and goodbye, and to be more tactile with her own kids.
And my Mum was very tactile but I do remember being told when I was about 12 I was too old to hold hands, and we don’t particularly hug now – although we did when I had been away at uni, or if we’ve exchanged presents or something. Just not, you know, on a daily basis.
Whereas I’ve gone a step further still and am ultra-tactile with Flea – I hope she’s like your teenagers and still lets me cuddle her when she gets older – at the moment she’s going through an embarrassed ‘gerroff’ phase if anyone can see!
Thanks!
Yes, I don’t think they get that appropriate filter for a few years yet!
It really was going well, wasn’t it? I was all warm and glowy and then – not. Still, I can see the funny side.
Actual snigger at that comment!
Only if I’m her agent and get 25%.
I really love that everyone plays that game – two people on Twitter told me they do it too (with their kids, not each other). I thought it was just us – I played it as a child, too.
And I hope you videoed that, to share.
You think? Hmmm.
Hope Flea is too! That’s lovely about your Mum.
Oh your daughter is so priceless you just could not make her comments up could you, bless her xx
Fabulous! It was my 40th birthday recently and when Daisy asked me how old I was nad I told her, she looked at me for a minute and then said sweetly, “are you going to die soon?”
I think the whole nurture / nature debate could resurface here. Flea will cuddle you ALWAYS, it’s what you’ve taught her and it’s magnificent. I’m 39 and my mum is 66 – I still cuddle her, my two are 6 and 3 and there is nothing they love more than a cuddle from me or their Dad (well, except from my Mum!) Children need and want love from their parents/grandparents, we are the lucky ones in the position to be cuddled back.