Breakfast TV

Like most non-posh people I know, I like watching telly - and lots of it.

Equally, I am fully aware that allowing your kids to fall into the same trap is not perhaps the best thing for their personal development. But there again, to quote the words of several parents I've spoken to over the last few months, "if it shuts them up." Indeed.

As I've mentioned previously, Jamie's latest phase involves him waking up at 5am pretty much on the dot. This is clearly not ideal but it's better than it was so we're not complaining.

However, it's still 5am, Vanessa and I are working and we need to get some rest somewhere along the way. So we have a small number of ways of dealing with the situation.

Normally, one of us will take Jamie into the spare room to let the other sleep, give Jamie a cuddle and a bottle and sometimes he'll go back down. And sometimes he won't.

We tend to keep trying until about 6 but, if he's not sleeping again by then, we can forget it until mid-morning.

So what to do next? If it's a weekend morning - particularly a Sunday - I generally get up and take him out for a push, get the papers and visit the swings. But if it's a school morning, both Mummy and Daddy need just a little more of a lie down - which is where the telly comes in.

I now know the CBeebies weekday schedule like the back of my hand: Tikkabilla at 6, Teletubbies at 6.30, Tweenies at 6.55 - and so on. All good stuff, other than MR F***ING TUMBLE who I HATE!!! (Sorry, he just annoys me. A LOT!)

We started off by sticking Jamie in a travel cot beside our bed from where he could gaze over to the TV and we could try to rest. But, over the last few days, sir has demanded a vast improvement in the quality of service he receives.

The picture above is the result - right in the middle of our bed, plumped up pillows, plenty of quilt and a clear view of the telly.

All he's missing is the remote control and tea and toast on a lap tray. Perhaps that instruction will come next week.