Well she was there and her boy was as wild as ever! Smee was a bit overtired and grumpy though which was quite helpful as it allowed me to demonstrate gently discouraging assault and encourage quiet time(if she's feeling grumpy) and togetherness (for comfort).

Someone else brought their daughter and the daughter's newborn, so we were all a bit rigid with fea but fortunately nothing too terrible occurred.

I walked a little bit with her but she was in a hurry to get home for something so only chatted briefly. We talked about Smee's carrier (meitai) and her bad back and inability to use one, which she seemed to think needed to be compensated for with positivity. I asked if her son had many friends and she said, horribly ominously, "no too many, still we've got each other eh son?"

I am now seriously wondering if she sees him as a best buddy for her, a bit "me and him against the world" sort of thing. I talked a little bit about parenting but she actually said "Well he's never really naughty, a bit mischevious, but then what baby boy isn't?" In my head i was thinking a) he's nearly 4, and b) he's going to grow up to be a murderer at this rate.

I'll go on talking to her about it if the opportunity arises but even i'm put off by her he-can-do-no-wrong attitude.

Bx