More Ears Dears

Last hospital appointment of the year for the family goes to my son, Aden, who had his check up for his hearing.  You may remember me stating that I got a referral for his hearing as I concerned that the selective hearing was more than just childhood refusal to listen to parents. Doctor could not see any issue when looking in his ear and school had not mentioned it, so there was seemingly no issue, just me saying I am sure the TV is too loud and he cannot hear me properly.  On referral they confirmed that he had glue ear and his hearing was not at the level expected.

Cue 6 months of Otovent (Nasal Balloon) treatment and a follow up appointment halfway through the treatment, with significant improvement in the hearing test (though still below the level expected), which I was sure would be the case; TV volume a lot lower and true selective hearing.  

Well the last hospital appointment started with meeting the consultant, a look at his ears, a determination that he still had fluid behind the ear drums and a recommendation that he have a small operation to insert a grommet into each ear drum.

The off we went for his hearing test and then back to the consultant who reported with a surprise in his voice that Aden's hearing was now normal but that he did indeed still have fluid behind the ear.  How much is not quantifiable just a view of, fluid behind the ear drum = yes/no

Much more difficult to sell the operation at that point, but as the consultant put it, "we cannot say what the long term effect of fluid behind the ear drum is, even though his hearing is now normal"

The next 4 months will be interesting to see what will happen.  He will have another hearing test and check for fluid behind the ear before the operation but he is now on the waiting list and we are continuing the Otovent treatment.

Going digital

I continued my quest over the weekend to remove all cd, dvd and console game discs and boxes.

This is to stop the never ending cycle of kids placing these across the floor in a random way. I say "thrown", they say "put"

DVDs and CDs have already been moved digital via popcorn hour, Wii games via an external hard disc. Now the PSP games have gone electronic.

Going slow but realising the vision. No media to throw around. Makes everything look much neater as well.

Don't be afraid to trust your parental instincts

Around the start of this year I started feeling concerned about my sons (7yr) hearing. The usual "huh", "what", high volume of tv and ignoring us when we spoke.

I took him to the doctor and got him checked. No visible problem could be seen. and he responded to doctor without hesitation. The doctor also mentioned that it is more usual for hearing problems to be picked up by teachers at school.

After a few weeks I was still concerned, even though I was being told by friends/family it was probably just selective hearing.

I took him back to doctor and requested a referral.
The referral had a hearing test, which showed that he has a hearing loss from fluid behind the ear.

That is now being treated. The tv volume has been reduced, the selective hearing is still there but at leat I know he can hear me. Most important of all is the fact that when out he is more confident as he is hearing what is being said or questions asked of him.

Democracy, Democracy, my vote for Democracy

Is it just me that thinks the so called government 'rebellion' was a good thing for democracy? Are the political hacks all too far up their own backsides, in saying how damaging it is that MPs should stand up and state their view and vote by it, rather than following what the party has dictated.

The whole european gravy train is just a larger example of the corruption of politics we have at home.. Imagine the financial corruption that goes on in europe where the light of "transparency" does not shine, must be like bonus day every day.

I think the real story is in the way politics has been twisted to ensure that the majority do not get a say just the few in politics and their chums.

Is this the brand of democracy we are supposedly exporting to the corrupt areas of the world?

Just a job?

We went to the school parents' evening last week, keen interest in our son who is in year 4, just transferred to junior school.

We went in, shared smiles and handshakes with his class teacher.  She told us how our son was doing, in terms of teacher assessment and placing him in the 1234/abc brackets.  If your are a parent you will know what I mean.  The generalised target for children in class is 2a/b (from memory) for this year.  Last year he was 3c in english and above that in maths. (this truely is not a my son is good blog, bear with me)
We do not think that the weekly, English and Maths, work he brings home is hard enough for him, not pushing him enough. He finds it very easy. Knocks thorugh it in 20mins and gets top marks from teacher.

Ahh, yes back to the parents evening....
Us: "Do you give harder work to those more able in the class?"
She: "No, I give same work to all. I have 30 kids in the class, some who cannot even string a sentence together"
Us: "Fair enough, but our son can and the work being set is too easy and not challenging him. We have problems getting him to do homework as he is not interested. What is top grade he can be assessed to in this year?"
She: "Well it is level 4 but I would have to give level 4 work and I have 30 kids in the class."
Us: "Errr...why don't you differentiate the work? Do you differentiate the work?"
She: "No, do not differentiate the work"
Us: "Can you send him home with level 4 work so that we know the level and we can work with him"

Some more small talk around the work and we say our goodbyes.
Next day he brings home level 4 assessment work along with his normal homework.

Now this is not a piece about the teacher but rather about the system in which she works.

She has a class of 30 children, some who are above the target for the year already and some who are below target for the year.  The focus is going on those children who are below target to bring them up to target and the ones who are currently above are not pushed as they are unlikely to fall below.

The job pays the bills and keeps a roof over her head.  She will be judged on how many of the children meet the target not on how many who are exceeding the target exceed further.
My feeling is it is the systems fault because what is reported is how many meet the target irrespective of their background.

So we will keep on pushing him at home and pushing to change things at school.  Don't consider myself a pushy parent just doing ensuring the best for my children.  She is doing the job required within the system and at the end of the day it is just and job and it pays her bills.

Yes, I get annoyed but it is tempered by the fact that it is just a job
Are some jobs staffed by so called "Angels" or just people who want to do a good job? I err on the side of the latter, which do not mean that the former does not exist, just a lot fewer and they are often working against the system rather than with it.

Disappearing comparisons

Here was my blog until I accidentally deleted it. Doh!

Be careful with price comparison sites, they give different information for gas and electric prices. The worst being go compare for my check. Saving from £55 - £237

Mailmerged

Just thought I would share my mailmerge challenges with you.  Was trying to get pictures included in my mailmerge.  Have figured it out.  If you are having same problem here you go,

MAILMERGE INCLUDING PICTURE

1)      You will require your contact list

2)      You will require your pictures, named appropriately

3)      Put you contact list and pictures in the same directory

4)      Create your document template in the same directory as contact list

5)      Create your template and document strucuture

6)      Insert word fieldcode INCLUDEPICTURE and insert the mailmerge field for your picture location

7)      Create mailmerge document

8)      If you save the mailmerge template, on opening you will need to enter the picture mailmerge field again as Word will select the picture for whichever record you are on and use same for all mailmerge records

9)      Once mailmerged you will have message that field is undefined, where your picture should be. Highlight whole document and press F9 to force update the fieldcodes

10)  Your pictures will appear in document.

See the example below for further help.

A number of files are in the directory.

The photos to be used in JPG format, a draft template and the contact list.

Your template can be created from new.

In this example the files are in a folder, D:\temp\mailmerge

Firstly open your contact list and ensure that there is a column for the photos/pictures

In this example the photo location is shown in column D “ext file ref absolute”

Ensure that the file reference is shown as X:\\location\\file.jpg

Where X is your drive letter.  Notice the double backslashes, these are important!

Save your contact list.

Open a Word document, link to your database and create your template using the word mailmerge fields.

For the picture you will need to use a Word field “INCLUDEPICTURE”.  To get the {} brackets you have to either use CTRL+F9 or use the Insert – Field option from the menu bar. Do not just type the {} brackets, it will not work.

Insert your mergefield for the picture column in the INCLUDEPICTURE field.

Now Merge to a new document.

Your picture will not appear but an error message will, similar to “Error! Filename not specified.”

Select the whole document, ALT+A and press F9 to update the document.

Your pictures will appear.

Ensure it is done this way otherwise you may find the same picture appearing for every mailmerge letter.

£10 - Cost of Human Nature

I found a £10 note today. Yes that one in the picture.  Looks like any other £10 note. Thing about this one was that I found it sitting on its own in a cash machine.  I was passing by and heard the machine beeping and saw the £10 waiting for its owner.
I took the money and went into the bank and gave it to the cashier behind the desk.  Hopefully the owner will come back to claim it and it will strengthen their faith in human nature.
I know I would hope that if I left money in the cash machine that someone would hand it in.

What would you do?

Communication on the Move

My wife got her new phone this week. A fruit phone, the berry sort rather than the apple sort.
She loves it she tells me.

The real change though is that she is now able to get email/FB on her phone and now means she is as in contact electronically as I am.  Before you have email on your phone/FB/Twtr on your phone you do not realise how useful it would be to have it.  Once you have it you cannot do without it.

Just Plain Wong

Some days you see a spam email, have a read and think surely there is no one dense enough to get involved.  It is even more surprising when you realise someone will probably respond.
Here is a spam email from this morning.  The grammar is crap, the idea is crap.  In fact nothing about the email is good....apart from the fact that it is from Mr Wong  :-)


The name sums up the email as it is definitely Wrong  ;-)


Please don't be a Prat, just delete or inform others not to be a prat
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Dear

I am Mr. Ping Wong, director of Audit & records of my bank and account manager of Mobil Petroleum Bhd Kuala Lumpur Malaysia. One of the largest oil companies here in Malaysia, nevertheless as a bank, I handle the company investment and insurance welfare scheme which make returns of over $2.2bn capital profits (EMRCP) annually for the company on capital fund. As an expert i have made over $11.5m from the company's EMRCP and am hereby looking for someone to trust who will stand as an investor to help me invest the money in a good profitable business in your country.

I am looking forward to your urgently reply because i don’t want my bank nor the company to have any ideal of this fund. Meanwhile i have worked out all strategies and technicalities so that the fund can be claimed easily by you from my bank.

You will get 40% of the total money at the end of the transaction while i take 60%, please kindly note we have to finish this as soon as possible so as to enable us plan ahead for the investment. All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us seeing this deal through. I guarantee that this will be executed under all legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law. In your reply mail, I want you to give me your full names, address, date of birth, Occupation, telephone and fax numbers. If you can handle this with me, reach me now for more details.

Thanking you for your anticipated cooperation.

Sincerely,
Mr Ping Wong

personal email : p_ingwong@yahoo.fr


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Family time

Had cousins and uncle and aunts over yesterday. It was a lovely day together. Especially good for the children who who did not know each other, or had not met in many years. I loved the time together. Days like yesterday is what brings happiness to life.

You're been Greek'd

So Greek is close to going pop? Will it be allowed to fail? Suspect too many vested interests (not the populace of Greece)
For capitalism to work, when something fails it should fall. If it can never fail, risks will increase without thought for outcome. If it can fail then care will be taken. To simple an idea......

Deja vu mon petit fille

The little girl is going through same as the boy, three years apart. Morning started well enough, children woke with smiles....then little one said "not going nursery. Stay home!" Cue lots of crying and pulling and cries of, "take work clothes off". Grandparents arrived to do the nursery and school morning runs. As if by magic parents give to work and all screaming and crying stops. At least I know what is coming, always 3 years in advance.  :-P

A good buzzing feeling

Had our karate grading on Sunday. Not our first, in fact our 6th spanning 18 months (our = myself and son). Nerves were jangling on the day. Went past in a blur. We did well and to top it I was told that I'd made a massive improvement. Top of the world is the best word for how I was feeling.  :-)

Dear Reg, .......

My response your recommendations, which seem to based on living outside of the real world, probably same place inhabited by Mary Whitehouse.  Probably just your "raison d'etre"

• Providing parents with one single website to make it easier to complain about any programme, advert, product or service. > You mean "direct gov" http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Diol1/DoItOnline/DG_4018851 
• Putting age restrictions on music videos to prevent children buying sexually explicit videos and guide broadcasters over when to show them > create badge honour, is what this normally does in the real world
• Covering up sexualised images on the front pages of magazines and newspapers so they are not in easy sight of children. > let's start with the Sun? Must be covered neck to ankles? Whose definition?
• Making it easier for parents to block adult and age-restricted material from the internet by giving every customer a choice at the point of purchase over whether they want adult content on their home internet, laptops or smart phones. > Is already available if people use, except kids know how to use better than parents
• Retailers offering age-appropriate clothes for children – the retail industry should sign up to the British Retail Consortium’s new guidelines which checks and challenges the design, buying, display and marketing of clothes, products and services for children. > errrr...have you even looked at the clothes on offer, most not sexual.  You cannot make parents buy decent clothes and would suggest that is least of the kids problems if their parents do buy sexual looking clothes
• Restricting outdoor adverts containing sexualised imagery where large numbers of children are likely to see them, for example near schools, nurseries and playgrounds. > or shopping centres, bus stops or in fact anywhere outside? Doh! Again what is this imagery, bikins which you see at swimming pool, beach and even at the shops sometimes?
• Giving greater weight to the views of parents in the regulation of pre-watershed TV, rather than viewers as a whole, about what is suitable for children to watch. > errr parents more involvement than viewers as a whole?!? How about we just stop kids watching TV?
• Banning the employment of children under 16 as brand ambassadors and in peer-to-peer marketing, and improving parents’ awareness of advertising and marketing techniques aimed at children. > are these the same parents who are unable to parent by using the word "No" and sticking to it?

Face it Reg you are on a "Road to No Where" with this.....

Early morning

Son up early every morning this half term week. Early meaning 05.30
He is going to be so tired this evening, after attending last day of holiday club, playing football every day.

Getting old?

Am I getting old? I am always wearing slippers around the house now. I used to be like my kids, no shoes our socks apart from going out...

Boy done well

Eldest had PSP back yesterday after an extended period of enforced parental confiscation. He played, he studied, he played, he talked, ate meals and went to bed, all without shouting and complaining. That is how it should be.

Hay fev...aaaatchooooo...er

Never had hayfever when growing up, even into my older years. Suddenly I have hay fever, out of nowhere.
This year for the first time I am on anti-histamine.
How do you go from no hay fever to hay fever?
Ok, so not as bad as some; I have a tickle in the throat and a sometimes runny nose. Still bad though when nothing previously. Just slight nasal twinges

Pre teenage hormones

Realised this weekend that there is at teenager inside my seven year old boy.
Some how does not seem right that my little baby has been taken over.

Do not cross the road without looking, please do you're home-work, come to table for dinner are all phrases guaranteed at the moment to ensure that I am wrong for some reason.
So after a day with this "teenager", he just as suddenly switched back to my sweet child again.

I am realising that I have to adapt a lot quicker to my son growing up than I thought I would.

To cap it all, could not get him to do his home work writing over the weekend, but he gets up this morning and finishes 2xA4 sides in twenty minutes.

Oh how I am looking forward to teenage years (NOT!)

Political Novice?

I don't find the Lib Dem position surprising.  I do find it surprising how their leader has "played such a bad hand".
For the first time, at the last election, I voted Lib Dem.  I did not agree with one of their main manifesto pledges, tuition fees, but which of the parties have I ever agreed on everything - None.

So I put my cross by the party who had, for years, put themselves forwards as an alternative to the cynical politics of the other two main parties.

I have no problem that they went into a coalition, that is the way of politics. I have no problem that they pushed forwards with the cuts, had to be done (speed of cuts is a different point)

I did have a big problem though that they reneged on one of their main manifesto pledges (whether I agree with it or not).
They should have brought down the government over it.  Strong maybe, but outside of the Westminster bubble many people would have had a lot more respect for the Lib Dems - "A party of principle".

Instead they have shown themselves to be as cynical as the other lot and why should you vote for the Monkey if you can get the Organ Grinder?

If Westminster cared about voter apathy this would be the biggest issue, because many are saying why change the voting system if one party is as  **** as the next?

Lib Dem?  What's the point?

What time is it?

Getting up earlier than you needed to is never great, especially when you don't know you are up earlier. The eldest decided yesterday it would be good to get mum up from her lie in.

He sets the clock a couple of hours later, she awakes and gets ready to go out. 

The following conversation between wife and son starts over breakfast.

"Go get ready it's nearly 9.30"
"No it is not, look" (points at kitchen clock showing 8.00)
"The clock upstairs showed 9.00!" (look of bewilderment)

Cue much laughing from son.

Funnily enough the clock upstairs was showing correct time by the we looked at it.

Whooo hooo

Easter weekend is here. How the year as flown through to the 1st bank holiday.
The sun has been out in full glory and happiness is in the air.

Happy, happy, happy....   :)

Ears and tears

Had the boy up at A&Ea couple of days ago for an ear infection. Had taken him on Sunday for same but it haas got worse; screaming holding his head. It is horrible to see your child in such pain.
Doctor prescribed a 10 day course of anti-biotics. Two days after starting the course no pain in his ears and out is taking care of the cough that he was going to our local doc about.

The step backwards to this though is that his hearing had diminished again.  He finishes the course next Friday and will see how the hearing is at that time, broken up with a weekends break in Belgium.

ByeBye..Kids can be so lovely

Today was the my wife's last day teaching at her present school.  Every era comes to an end at some point and at this point she is glad for a change.
The tearful and sweet side of leaving though was the kids.  They gave her a lovely bouquet of flowers and some really lovely leaving cards, with some brilliant lines; "You are a great teacher", "I will work if you stay miss", "Glad you were a teacher in my life"

Kids can make you tear your hair out but can also be so great to bring a large tear to your eyes.

Feeling the Buzzz

Monday and Tuesday I was feeling on a real high.  On the Sunday we had our Karate Grading, for which we had trained hard and it was a good grading.  Not our first grading but the first time I have felt so high off the back of it, actually our 5 grading, each one every 3rd month; now purple belt.

Had a class on Tuesday but back at main club on Friday and really looking forward it!  Bring it on.

The Magician Returns

Done it.....!

How to give Amoxicillin (supposedly banana flavour) to a 4yr old? Her clothes had got more of it over the past day than she swallowed.  What to do?!?  Step forward Munch Bunch - Drinky

Hide the 5ml of Amoxicillin into the Drinky, Shake well, Give to child - HeyPresto....Like magic.....

This only needs to continue for the next 4 days.  :-0

Spring has Sprung but I'm no Magician

What a beautiful day today.  Had me smiling from ear to ear for most of the day and hopefully passing on the smiles along the way. Just love Spring, you know winter is behind you and just warmth and sunshine on the way. If it were spring every week it would keep me happy every week.

That joy though was lessened by the fact that my little one needs anti-biotics for a slight chest infection.  She has been given Amoxicillin along with a syringe for me to squirt it into down her throat.  Tried once today and she spat and screamed and as of tonight have not been able to give it to her.  Over the next five days she needs 15 doses.  I am not looking forward to having to fight with one of us holding her and the other giving her the dose.

Will get myself off to the pharmacist tomorrow to find out if anything can be added to it to make it tastier.  I hope so just need a little bit of AbraCaDabra at the moment.

Good news is that little one is urinating less frequently, day by day.  Thinking that the onset of frequent weeing was a result of the shock of being pushed down the stairs.  Got a doctor appointment on Friday.

Will I have more money in my pocket after the budget? Probably not, every gov whatever the party will always take more - give with one hand and take with the other.....all smoke and mirrors....

falling down and out

They say some relationships are for a time and a season and others are for the long haul.  There should be a third of "some are fine until a sudden event"

Our daughter was pushed donw the stairs by a playmate a couple of days ago and since that she has suddenly developed a need to urinate frequently.  No general pain or pain when urinating , so it is worrying that it may be a nerve function issue.  The doc is sending a urine sample off for analysis, once I drop it off in the morning and we will take it from there.  So worrying.

So annoying also as the parent of this boy does push though never in such a way previously but he has history of pushing other children and regular complaints from Nursery but parent is not acknowleding his issues and is pushing the blame elsewhere.  Been friends so long but can see that this may be our sudden event.....

when 3 becomes 4

A lovely birthday party was had by a group of 4 (and 3 going 4) year olds at the indoor play centre, Kids Korner, in celebration of my little Zara's 4th birthday.
Lots or running, jumping and a smattering of squeeling.  Two hours of the running and half an hour of eating.  Just the right length of time.

Lovely birthday cake, candles lit, a loud rendition of "Happy Birthday" and just about half way through the missus says "Should you have 4 candles on the cake rather than 3!" - said as a question but looking nothing like a question, made me question and say "Excuse me folks, quick change....just adding another candle"....Oooops

Cue lighting of candles again, another loud rendition of "Happy Birthday" and all without the birthday girl acknowledging Daddy's booboo.  Lovely.

Cue..end of party, handfulls of presents into the car, whizz off home and present openings.  Can now look back and say "What a lovely day and great parents we met as well"

nasal balloons and menacing teeth

Have had Aden blowing a balloon using his nostrils for the past 5 days.  I think that leaving with just that sentence would make it sound like the opening line of an after dinner joke about a great party trick. Alas it does not fit this billing, rather more mundane but still quite amazing.  Aden had been diagnosed with a slight hearing loss, after we got him referred (you know the "it is more than just selective hearing" hearing).  The ENT doc told us he had fluid behind the ear drum in the Eustachian tube and to try the Otovent (look it up if you are a perplexed as we were).  Well we got, he used and after just 5 days the difference in his hearing is so noticeable. The TV is not loud to the point of deafening, we are not greeted with "huh" and "What" littering every other response.  To cap it all, apart from his ears popping he has actually been able to blow up the balloon with his nostrils.  I am sure if it weren't for the packaging it could be a party trick.  Now if it weren't for his top incisor milk tooth looking out at me every time it gets a chance to peek out all would be great.  This one tooth though is looking at me in a menacing way.  You can see it needs to come out but it is holding on firmly, well one side of it anyway and it has convinced him to not let me come near.  You can almost hear it whispering sweet nothings to him while warning him off letting me come close.  Roll on dentist appointment.  I have my eye on you tooth!