Sleep tight ... my martian

...don't let the bedbugs bite. Oh Those were the days! When they couldn't get to sleep without Mummy laying down next to them, after story time, to help relax them more, with thse made up tunes we sang when they were babies and toddlers. When they were malleable. Controllable. When we could BRIBE them still, at little financial cost to ourselves. We were needed, required, their sun, the moon and stars. Now it's Facebook, MSN and 'I like it better at his house.' or 'His Mum is so cool.' A dagger straight through the heart!

My daughter, sleeps in, like to day until 10.40am. Last night she was asleep by 9pm. She was tired, she had been working. Partying the night before at a friends Dad's 50th. They were on wash up duty. Am surprised actually, that she knows how to wash up! Here she can't load the dishwasher without muttering expletives and gagging, cos, 'it's so minging Mum!'

I totally get her sleeping in. I really do. I love, love my bed. It's one of my favourite places. But then I have to get out at 5.30am cos the dog needs out and is whining through my sleep. Apparently no one else hears her. Unless Larry is home. He does get up quickly for the dog. I'm sure a man prefers his dog over his wife. But that is another issue.

Now my son is sleepin soundly whilst I write this. He is a bit strange to me in this regard. His sleeping patterns are way beyond my understanding and capabilities! He finds it really hard to get up on school days, which is common, in fact normal I would say. If I don't shout the house and the street down. He doesn't move. Then when he does he HAS to shower! Even though I would swear he so before he went to bed. And he can't do a quick dip in and out like l do to freshen up after work, a minute or three. He in there for far longer. Ok maybe we won't go there actually. Suffice to say boys are from Mars. Martians in training!

Now the school holidays are on and l'm on holiday also. Twice last week I walked into the house to find he was still in bed at 3.15pm! WTF! Over the weekend I got him up by calling with cups of tea and toast, but say 1.20pm.

I refuse to get uptight and cross. Then I will ruin MY day and MY holidays. He tells me he doesn't go to bed particularly late. His light is usually off before mine, as when I have had a good book I can read far longer than I should. Than I should ? Who is telling me? I'm the adult.

Whilst talking to Mum and then Dad on the phone last week, I was telling of tall boys sleeping patterns. Dad or Le Bodger-JP casually said, 'Ah Lala (one of several pet names)... E eez a boy, just fourteen non? You must not worry. E needz eez sleep. You don't need me to explain eh? Mais non.... just leev 'im alone. Do not worry. E will be fine!' Leave 'im bee!'

So I have permission from my Dad and that's good enough for me. Larry doesn't even mention it. So I guess they know what they are talking about.

And I do too really on some level anyway. When I was in bedsit land in my late teens, on a Sunday after a 6 day week on my feet in the Hair Salon and a late pub night with Larry on a Saturday night. I would time my sleep-in until 1.45pm and then run down to Charlie Chester's Newsagent to buy my Sunday paper, fags and Refreshers. Then it was back to bed with the lot. Bliss. So nuff said Mother!