As well as being addicted to Duolingo, my lad is addicted to crumpets, and I’m his crumpet dealer.

[@spgreenhalgh](https://micro.blog/spgreenhalgh) my ten year old is addicted to Duolingo. He has a 66 day streak and is compelled to keep it going. Plus he's learnt some Spanish (which he previously hated). I'm in two minds. I don't like the addiction, but the five minutes every day is a good habit.

Getting all the wrapping done as things arrive this year. Leaving it all until xmas eve is too stressful. Easier to hide, too.

Big kid reckons that the two boxes that arrived yesterday, and that I refused to open, contained xmas presents.

His theory is that I will open them to check that they are what the kids want, then return them with a note asking for them to be forwarded on to Santa for delivery early on xmas morning.

Our little tree now has lights.

Kids were excited but chilling out now to carols.

A decorated Christmas tree is illuminated with colorful lights and topped with a glowing star, set against a background that includes an alphabet chart and a few framed photos.

Boys are having so much fun on a Portal call with their “Papa” (my Dad, their Grandad).

Kids decorated our little xmas tree, but I left the batteries in the lights all year, so they’re ruined.

I think I might have binned the star lights I usually hang in the window - a relief as they cause a disproportionate amount of stress untangling and hanging them.

“Volcano with exploding baked bean and cheese lava” for lunch.

Big kid is getting one of his five a day.

Little kid not interested (despite his love of volcanoes, lava and baked beans).

A baked potato topped with baked beans and melted cheese is served on a plate.

Breathing calmed down so went for a short walk to the corner shop with Kid A where he bought a can of baked beans with his own cash.

Then we walked around the long block talking about how those beans are now his beans, what would happen to the beans if I reimbursed him with a bank transfer, what he could do with a bottomless backpack, the striking similarity between the Chinese lion adorning a neighbour’s drive wall and the Chinese lions outside the Chinese restaurant in Spilsby, and how Lime bikes are taking over the world.

Breathless!

A million housewives every day
Pick up a can of beans and say
“What an amazing example of
Synchronisation!”

Or in my case, “£1.59?! What a rip-off!”

A stone sculpture depicts a traditional guardian lion holding a decorative orb outdoors.A person wearing a bandana and graphic t-shirt is playfully sitting on a stone lion statue.

Looking at The Royal Observatory in Greenwich for my space obsessed four year old. No under fives!

(They do have a special “Ted’s Space Adventure” for 4-7 year olds, but it looks naff and he wants to see the real thing.)

[@Denny](https://micro.blog/Denny) [@antonzuiker](https://micro.blog/antonzuiker) my four year old is obsessed with the solar system and Jupiter in particular. He would love this!

Me: Dinner’s on the table!

Little kid: I’m just painting Mars!