Things I’ve Taught My Child: The Top 10

1. How to remove my make up. What? He watched me do it with one of those make up wipes and copied. Nice to be pampered by my child for a change. *Don’t look at me like that!

2. To be affectionate. My husband and I and my whole Big Fat Greek Family (about 1000 members at the last count) all kiss, cuddle then kiss Baby O (should now be Toddler O) constantly. He reciprocates, kissing and cuddling and sometimes, much to our suprise, biting us all. The best kisses in the world. Fact.

3. To clean up after himself. OK I can’t officially take credit for this one as my Mother taught him to wipe his highchair table after he’s eaten and he does. From 13 months. Clever and clean. I likey.

4. To smell the flowers. An important life skill. Oh so cute. I want him to be a romantic sort when he’s older. Just like his Dad. *Ahem (I hope he’s reading as it’s Anniversary time soon).

5. To speak 2 languages: English and Greek. He doesn’t so much ‘speak’ them but understands them and can say the odd word in both languages. Just wait till he starts Greek School. #Topoftheclass.

6. To use computers/mobile phones. Not sure how I feel about this one but the kid picks everything up. I mean he just has to watch Daddy and I do something once and he copies. So now everything is a phone from my actual mobile to a banana which he gabbles into.

From a very young age he’d type on the computer then watch for the images to come up. He’s more computer literate than my 60 something Dad, aged 14 months. His Daddy’s an IT Developer so I blame him for that one.

7. To Shake it. The kid’s got rhythm and I’m taking the credit. I listened to a lot of music when pregnant and it’s rubbed off him. He dances constantly. From Salsa to Greek, R ‘n’ B to Handbag House, he dances his little heart out. He does a weird arm move too that we’ll be able to bribe him with when he’s a teenager and refuses to do number 3 (clean up after himself). Happy days.

8. To crawl and walk. Both times I encouraged, helped and cojoled (kidding) him into taking the plunge to crawl and recently to walk. Good Mummy.

9. To eat. We are all total foodies- read greedies in my family so I hope I encouraged Toddler O to try lots of new food.

He is a fussy little man though so favourite foods currently include: milk, yoghurt (oh how he loves this and plain’s his fave), bread (in all shapes and varieties from French to Greek to wholemeal and soda), scones (Naughty Mummy), shortbread (Naughty Grandma), blueberries, bananas, oranges, grapes and apples, fish pie, Weetabix, chicken, rice, tzantziki yoghurt dip with pitta bread and more recently homemade meatballs.

Nearly a balanced diet. I did say nearly.

10. To talk loudly *ahem. People think we shout in this family but shouting is Greek talking. What? It’s true.

Photograph ©Peter Broadbent.