Doing It For The Kids
Following up on Barney being a mummy’s boy I feel it is only fair to report that he has had a phase where his mummy didn’t get a look in. No, for a period of several weeks only I was good enough. Knowing how difficult this can be for the other parent I like to think I was sensitive to Rach’s feelings but it was handy for getting me out of things I didn’t want to do –“Oops, sorry, have to follow Barney”, who would be dragging me away from the boring (in his view, I emphasise) adults with a “Let’s go, daddy!” Okay, let’s. Just time for a wry shrug indicating of-course-I-want-to-stay-but-what-can-you-do?
(Get me out of here, shorty.)
We really need to work out a code for this sort of exit.
Since then, a good few months ago, things have been much more balanced on the Best Parent-o-meter but I must record this moment, as reported to me sitting at my desk, over the phone.
Every Friday, Barney and Rach go to a singing class. I went once (with Barney) and it was good, he enjoys it more than the one I sometimes take him to on Saturdays, where he stares at the leader, refuses to march to the Grand Old Duke of York and spends the ‘free play’ time in the middle sitting in a corner with the big box of plastic and rubber animals (and dinosaurs, and a handful of fantastic creatures -a phoenix and some dragons. Plus some super-cheap meant-to-be-dinosaurs but actually look like dragons, or more specifically Godzilla).
But anyway…
Today at the end of singing, around midday, Barney walked over to where Rach had left her coat, brought it over to her, then picked up his own and said “Go home. See daddy.”
But I was at work! It made me feel quite sad but also secretly pleased, of course. Even though it is a little less special since I found out that, in my absence, Barney was then placated with the promise of seeing Harry, a stuffed bear, instead.
Still – I was first choice, ahead of the bear! In your face, Harry!
Until recently I might even have been waiting at home, as for the last year I was working at ITV as a technical project manager. Interesting projects, great people but a role that just wasn’t me, one of the great advantages was that the days, since I was only billing for the hours I put in, were very flexible. And I got quite used to being able to be around on Fridays (Barney’s day off nursery) and generally see more of him. It still feels funny not to be ale to, all of 3 weeks into my ….new job!
Yes, after 1 year of wondering if I would ever get back on track with business development I have a new job. Yay me, as they say in Sunnydale.
…Which I only mention on this blog because Barney was a big factor in me going for the job in the first place – and probably also a factor in me getting it. I now work as a Commercial Analyst for Nickelodeon, children's TV broadcaster and owners of Barney favourites such as Roary the Racing Car, Thomas The Tank Engine and Friends and Wonderpets (which is spectacularly good), as well as future faves Dora the Explorer (it’s very popular) and the incomparable SpongeBob Squarepants. A big part of my interest in the role was my recent introduction to Nickelodeon properties as a consumer, thanks to Barney, and my feeling, reinforced in the interviews, that Nickelodeon (or Nick, as we call it round here) is, more than most kids TV broadcasters, a little... nicer. They are more conspicuously ethical and active in terms of being careful about commercial exploitation, social responsibility programmes and investing in original UK content (or bothering to re-dub some US programmes for a UK audience). The latter I think is really important – and Nick don’t do it all the time but they do do it some of the time. As Ofcom put it “reflecting a range of cultures and opinions from around the UK” (in their report on priorities for PSB kids tv). It’s a stance Nick takes pretty seriously and it’s part of a raft of concerns about kids tv which I care about principally because of Barney, which I think in turn helped make me a more credible candidate. I could say more about their values, and maybe one day I will, but suffice to say for now that it’s a place I can believe in and I’m really looking forward to contributing.
Plus their formal offer letter was covered with orange splats and their website says “Loading snot… loading giggles... loading burps” when you go to it.
And they did mention freebies at the interview. Plus I’m hoping that when he’s a bit older Barney will get a big kick from knowing his dad works at Nickelodeon (I think it may even be verging on cool).
One day you’ll thank me for this, Barnacle!
Even if, right now, I’m not always there when you expect me.
(Get me out of here, shorty.)
We really need to work out a code for this sort of exit.
Since then, a good few months ago, things have been much more balanced on the Best Parent-o-meter but I must record this moment, as reported to me sitting at my desk, over the phone.
Every Friday, Barney and Rach go to a singing class. I went once (with Barney) and it was good, he enjoys it more than the one I sometimes take him to on Saturdays, where he stares at the leader, refuses to march to the Grand Old Duke of York and spends the ‘free play’ time in the middle sitting in a corner with the big box of plastic and rubber animals (and dinosaurs, and a handful of fantastic creatures -a phoenix and some dragons. Plus some super-cheap meant-to-be-dinosaurs but actually look like dragons, or more specifically Godzilla).
But anyway…
Today at the end of singing, around midday, Barney walked over to where Rach had left her coat, brought it over to her, then picked up his own and said “Go home. See daddy.”
But I was at work! It made me feel quite sad but also secretly pleased, of course. Even though it is a little less special since I found out that, in my absence, Barney was then placated with the promise of seeing Harry, a stuffed bear, instead.
Still – I was first choice, ahead of the bear! In your face, Harry!
Until recently I might even have been waiting at home, as for the last year I was working at ITV as a technical project manager. Interesting projects, great people but a role that just wasn’t me, one of the great advantages was that the days, since I was only billing for the hours I put in, were very flexible. And I got quite used to being able to be around on Fridays (Barney’s day off nursery) and generally see more of him. It still feels funny not to be ale to, all of 3 weeks into my ….new job!
Yes, after 1 year of wondering if I would ever get back on track with business development I have a new job. Yay me, as they say in Sunnydale.
…Which I only mention on this blog because Barney was a big factor in me going for the job in the first place – and probably also a factor in me getting it. I now work as a Commercial Analyst for Nickelodeon, children's TV broadcaster and owners of Barney favourites such as Roary the Racing Car, Thomas The Tank Engine and Friends and Wonderpets (which is spectacularly good), as well as future faves Dora the Explorer (it’s very popular) and the incomparable SpongeBob Squarepants. A big part of my interest in the role was my recent introduction to Nickelodeon properties as a consumer, thanks to Barney, and my feeling, reinforced in the interviews, that Nickelodeon (or Nick, as we call it round here) is, more than most kids TV broadcasters, a little... nicer. They are more conspicuously ethical and active in terms of being careful about commercial exploitation, social responsibility programmes and investing in original UK content (or bothering to re-dub some US programmes for a UK audience). The latter I think is really important – and Nick don’t do it all the time but they do do it some of the time. As Ofcom put it “reflecting a range of cultures and opinions from around the UK” (in their report on priorities for PSB kids tv). It’s a stance Nick takes pretty seriously and it’s part of a raft of concerns about kids tv which I care about principally because of Barney, which I think in turn helped make me a more credible candidate. I could say more about their values, and maybe one day I will, but suffice to say for now that it’s a place I can believe in and I’m really looking forward to contributing.
Plus their formal offer letter was covered with orange splats and their website says “Loading snot… loading giggles... loading burps” when you go to it.
And they did mention freebies at the interview. Plus I’m hoping that when he’s a bit older Barney will get a big kick from knowing his dad works at Nickelodeon (I think it may even be verging on cool).
One day you’ll thank me for this, Barnacle!
Even if, right now, I’m not always there when you expect me.
posted by nickcoulter at 4:33 pm
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