secrets

for those of you with older kids - when can they keep a secret?

My big mouthed child just rang his grandmother (he can ring australia "all by myself mummy!) and told her exactly what we had just bought her for mother's day. now granted we didn't say that it was secret, but got me thinking for xmas whether or not to let him know what he is getting the nanas too far ahead. or doing it now and hoping by the time xmas rolls around he's forgetten enough not to blab

We do the "no secrets, just happy surprises" thing here just on the lines of never keeping secrets (ie child predators tend to use that kind of thing to make the kids keep it shush.. OT sorry)   It really does depend on exlaining it, but just like adults, sometimes they just can't keep shush. ie, Paris is usually pretty good with stuff but sometimes forgets. I showed her the other day the neat barbie thing we got for Ayja for her birthday. now she didn't tell her... but she did tell her group of friends at daycare - so i now, instead of simply having to worry about paris slipping, i also have to worry about a whole other group of 3 and 4 yr olds slipping too. Paris was pretty good afterwards cos i told her that we can't guarantee that one of the others wouldn't tell ayja or forget it was a surprise, she understood that afterwards, but at the time she was just so excited she was busting to tell.

We tend to not do things too far ahead, anything concerning ayja, will be the last minute, ie she goes and picks and wraps her present for paris the night before the birthday and even then she finds it hard to keep it quiet while paris is opening it. we are doing the suprise thing for mum's birthday and my brother's coming from aussie, and my sister from hamilton, and ayja knows they're coming to her birthday, i have soo been waiting for her to tell mum when they're talking about their birthdays.