1953... That was the year we were transported to today.
Mainly because I had to go up to their social workers office for a meeting regarding their future. Without going into details the birth mother is fighting us for custody, it's been going on for a while and is pretty stressful but, hopefully, the judge will decide in our favour... Of course as its the holiday season we won't have the case heard now until mid September.. I'll keep you updated. Apparently no child has ever been returned to their parents after they have been removed, which makes you wonder why the system is set up to give everyone involved as much stress as possibly, us as we wait for the judge's final decision, the boys as they wait to see when they will be finally part of a family and even the birth mother, who is being given a false sense of hope (well, we hope it's false). The even more ridiculous thing is that the only people who get anything out of the situation are the lawyers, those representing her and those representing us... And they are all paid by social services, or rather the tax payer!
The road to adoption isn't always as cheerful as we make it sound but our family life remains as upbeat as ever.
So whilst I was away for the day I left the children in the care of Papa, I resisted the urge to call on an hourly basis in order to keep a check on them and also because I was stuck in yet another almighty traffic jam. Thanks to the Olympic traffic lanes the entire city of London is now in gridlock, God help anyone who actually needs to work over this period.
Needless to say I got there late and got back very late. At 7pm I returned to find a completely calm household. Both kids bathed, fed and ready for bed. How did you do that? I asked Papa. "good old fashioned discipline!" came the reply.
My heart sank, what did he mean by that? Ed's tales of his childhood canings in school and the horrendous pressure Singaporean children are placed under don't make for pleasant reading.
But no, Papa had been amazing. The children did their homework in the morning, as a reward they got to play on the computer for 20 mins. Then they cleaned their rooms, reward football in the park. Finally they helped prepare their own dinner and cleaned up, reward TV before bath and bed. As I came home the little angels greeted me at the door and gave me a kiss before running up the stairs to bed. Papa had prepared me an ice cold g and t and had put a ribbon in his hair, no husband should expect less, especially in 1953!
I am now sitting back after eating a lovely home cooked meal with the TV on, dog at my feet (still exhausted from yesterday's travails) whilst my loving husband massages my feet. I made that last bit up but you never know....
I may go away more often.
Mainly because I had to go up to their social workers office for a meeting regarding their future. Without going into details the birth mother is fighting us for custody, it's been going on for a while and is pretty stressful but, hopefully, the judge will decide in our favour... Of course as its the holiday season we won't have the case heard now until mid September.. I'll keep you updated. Apparently no child has ever been returned to their parents after they have been removed, which makes you wonder why the system is set up to give everyone involved as much stress as possibly, us as we wait for the judge's final decision, the boys as they wait to see when they will be finally part of a family and even the birth mother, who is being given a false sense of hope (well, we hope it's false). The even more ridiculous thing is that the only people who get anything out of the situation are the lawyers, those representing her and those representing us... And they are all paid by social services, or rather the tax payer!
The road to adoption isn't always as cheerful as we make it sound but our family life remains as upbeat as ever.
So whilst I was away for the day I left the children in the care of Papa, I resisted the urge to call on an hourly basis in order to keep a check on them and also because I was stuck in yet another almighty traffic jam. Thanks to the Olympic traffic lanes the entire city of London is now in gridlock, God help anyone who actually needs to work over this period.
Needless to say I got there late and got back very late. At 7pm I returned to find a completely calm household. Both kids bathed, fed and ready for bed. How did you do that? I asked Papa. "good old fashioned discipline!" came the reply.
My heart sank, what did he mean by that? Ed's tales of his childhood canings in school and the horrendous pressure Singaporean children are placed under don't make for pleasant reading.
But no, Papa had been amazing. The children did their homework in the morning, as a reward they got to play on the computer for 20 mins. Then they cleaned their rooms, reward football in the park. Finally they helped prepare their own dinner and cleaned up, reward TV before bath and bed. As I came home the little angels greeted me at the door and gave me a kiss before running up the stairs to bed. Papa had prepared me an ice cold g and t and had put a ribbon in his hair, no husband should expect less, especially in 1953!
I am now sitting back after eating a lovely home cooked meal with the TV on, dog at my feet (still exhausted from yesterday's travails) whilst my loving husband massages my feet. I made that last bit up but you never know....
I may go away more often.
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