Joe Willis
Richmond reporter and Yorkshire Dales resident Joe Willis talks about football, fatherhood and other things that keep him awake at night.
Toilet training
I'm trying to help the boys become little gentlemen by stopping them from weeing on the toilet seat.
I thought I was having some success, until we noticed that Joe*, Sarah's seven-year-old, was managing to keep the seat dry by relieving himself in the bath instead.
It's yet more ingenious rule breaking from a boy who told his class teacher he was allergic to fish so the school would get a pet hamster.
I took Kieran, Sarah's oldest, to watch Sum 41 recently at the Carling Academy at Newcastle. I thought long and hard about whether a rock concert was a suitable night out for a ten-year-old, but decided if I never left his side and we stood at the back, he would be okay. "Hello you mother f*****s" were the first of many colourful words screamed by the foul-mouthed lead singer. I held my head in shame.
Fin is growing up fast. He's just gone eight months and can already crawl, sit up and hold his boy bits in one hand and the TV remote control in the other. Essential life skills and I'm very proud. I also caught him about to eat his own poo the other day. Nappy-off playtime has since been reduced.
*To differentiate her youngest and her boyfriend, Sarah calls me Big Joe and her son, Little Joe. The boys have shortened this to just Big, or sometimes Biggie, which works fine until we leave the house. Then, I suspect people think I made the name up myself because I didn't get enough cuddles as a child or something.
6:00pm Wednesday 9th April 2008
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CommentPosted by: bentonbag, newcastle on 10:41pm Sun 25 May 08
My son, being autistic, attends a special school. Each of the 'infants' boys' toilets has a sign on top of the cistern saying "If you sprinkle when you tinkle, please be neat and wipe the seat." He's now 11 and still always does so.
My son, being autistic, attends a special school. Each of the 'infants' boys' toilets has a sign on top of the cistern saying "If you sprinkle when you tinkle, please be neat and wipe the seat." He's now 11 and still always does so.
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