Winter Wonderland

Every school holidays I take each of my kids out for a special day on their own. They get to choose where we go, what we have for lunch and at the end of the day they have £10 to spend however they like.

They always choose places that the majority of parents detest with a passion but it’s a day we all treasure. Even though I usually come home with a headache.

So last friday it was Luca’s turn and today it was Holly’s and they both chose to go to Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park. It’s like the Easter Show in Sydney but at Christmas .. and without the showbags, cows and fruit.

It’s the one chance each year I get to return to my childhood and hang out eating crap, spending a small fortune on scary rides and coming home with giant soft toys for the dog to shred by the time the week is out.

So I thought I’d do a little comparison of both my days. It’s Charlie’s turn later in the week and he just wants to go for a train ride and have McDonald’s chips for lunch, and I’ll probably just take Jude to the supermarket for his outing. Sometimes it sucks to be the last born.

Anyway both days started out pretty similar.

When it came to choosing 5 rides each, Luca decided to play it safe.

And Holly didn’t.

For lunch, Luca wanted prawn dumplings. Given that’s all I ate when I was pregnant with him it’s not surprising.

Holly’s choice for lunch was also right up my alley. Although I’m going to have to run to Birmingham and back to burn it off.

After lunch Holly wanted to spend her £10 at Harrods. Chip off the old block.

And Luca wanted to buy donuts and go for a walk along the Serpentine in Hyde Park.

Which is actually code for ‘I’m going to throw £5 worth of donuts into the river and feed the vermin’.

I love these days with my kids. They ease my conscience that I don’t get enough quality time with each of them … and what’s not to love about eating Nutella and prawn dumplings?