When your kids like to show you who’s really the boss: One Thing or a Mother

I was back at the cinema this week.
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Not for a grown-up film this time, but for Sunday morning cinema at The Dome with the children.

I was quite excited for this one, because we were seeing Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds – a modern-day movie based on one of my favourite shows from my childhood.

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I was all geared up for the children to love it. It would be a great shared bonding experience, bridging the gap between my 1980s crimped-hair and Kylie-&-Jason-loving formative years, and their iPad-using, babyccino-drinking 2020s experience.

The supposed picture-perfect moment didn't quite go to plan as Katherine and her family rode the miniature railway at Hove ParkThe supposed picture-perfect moment didn't quite go to plan as Katherine and her family rode the miniature railway at Hove Park
The supposed picture-perfect moment didn't quite go to plan as Katherine and her family rode the miniature railway at Hove Park

But, of course, as is often the case with the best laid plans, it didn’t go quite that way.

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What actually happened was that they got really, really excited to eat the popcorn we bought for them, and once it ran out my son asked to go home. We stuck it out and they were actually really well-behaved, but it probably only registered as a ‘meh’ on the enjoyment scale.

No Paw Patrol: The Movie levels of trance-like captivation for my son, and I can’t help feeling my daughter would have rather seen The Addams Family 2.

Katherine was reminded of how kids always keep you on your toesKatherine was reminded of how kids always keep you on your toes
Katherine was reminded of how kids always keep you on your toes
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I guess we won’t all be spending the next few weekends catching up on Milady and Cardinal Richelieu’s original exploits together then.

Although it could have been worse, I guess, as a memory that popped up on Facebook reminded me this week.

Six years ago, I tried to share another treasured experience from my childhood with my then one-year-old daughter.

I grew up in Hove, so I went on the miniature railway in Hove Park during most school holidays with my family.

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I imagined it would be magical taking my daughter on it and getting pictures to match the ones of me riding it as a child.

And it would have been lovely, had she not screamed the entire way around...

All the pictures have a flailing toddler in them, with the bemused and embarrassed face of her mummy sat behind her, as she provided a pretty unpopular commentary for the other passengers.

Just another reminder that even when you think you know how your kids will react or behave, they’re always the ones in charge, really!