One thing I've learnt though since having the children out of school is that you can't worry about what other people think. I like to feel that I've reached the point in my life where I'm comfortable with who I am and with the choices we've made but there are certainly days when this is easier than others. One thing I always try to be mindful of, is to be true to the children first and foremost, which again can be easier said than done. I am often aware of people looking at us as we go about in a crowd but try to not let that affect how I am with the children. I've also learnt that if I am tense, say in a coffee shop with a cranky crew in order to break up a long journey, the children will feed off my worry and we're much more likely to induce a full meltdown (there is one Starbucks that I don't think we can return to for a very long time!). Interestingly it's the times we're just out and having fun together and not letting those around us inhibit us that people have come up to us to say how fortunate we are to have such lovely children or how well behaved they are.
To be fair the children more often than not are very well behaved when we are out and about. Before we take on a situation which may be challenging we always try to tell the guys what we expect of them before we start and have found this is far more effective than chastising them afterwards which just turns into a negative spiral. We've also told them that when we have Skye in tow with her jacket on, we are ambassadors for AADI and this always makes the children feel proud to be out with her and they enjoy talking to people who come up to them to ask about her.
The vets are getting used to us now, with us bringing dogs, chickens and now goats to them so I'd say not a lot would surprise them now. Today the goats were getting their immunisations which apparently need repeating in another 4 weeks so the circus will come to town again!
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