My two big boys (aged 9 and 7) are at an age where they are really INTO BOY THINGS.

They are also at an age where they have an adequate attention span to engage in complicated long-term projects. For example, Exhibit A.

This is a BAe Sea Harrier FRS1. But as far as I’m concerned, it’s just a model airplane.

It cost $24. It has lots of intricate plastic bits that break off and fit together, it needs special glue, special brushes and special paint.

Putting it together requires a particular order of steps. You have to build some parts first, then paint other parts, then glue some other parts together, then paint more parts, while fixing other parts… blah blah blah.

My boys LOVE it.

They even tell me facts like – Did you know that the bottom of a real plane was painted sky blue, so that when the enemies looked up from below, the plane would be CAMOUFLAGED?

Anyway, this whole model airplane thing is a toddler nightmare. My two older children can only work on their planes (with their dad) while I take the toddler out for a couple of hours.

However after three 4 hour sessions of model fixing, my toddler had worked out that he was missing out big-time on this airplane business. And he started to whinge A LOT.

So look! I bought a cheapo plane from the $2 Shop.

My husband was appalled by the poor imitation and my lack of plane propriety.

I rubbed it in further, “It says on the packet that it’s a SKY SOLDIER! It *must* be more superior than your Sea Harrier!”

I also bought some special paint!

A bit of white and a bit of red, to make my 3 year old’s favourite colour.

He was in kindergarten heaven.

The end result!

It isn’t exactly a threatening military force of the air.

But hey, it made everybody smile.