Christmas Stress Some years ago I wrote a blog post entitled ‘Christmas isn’t Easy’ that looking back seems to reveal more about my own chaotic life than perhaps I’d realised. Here’s an excerpt from that post: “If you’re like me you’ve read that title and practically spat out your tea/coffee/wine/hard liquor. Of course, Christmas isn’t …
Summer Holidays In the UK we spend a lot of our time wishing for summer, for warm, light days that seem to stretch out forever. As kids we’re waiting for the long holidays to begin, remembering these days as blissful, no expectations, no racing to get to school, no homework and so on and so …
Schools and The Great Return This week I have begun putting together a 2020 ‘time capsule’, which has mainly involved coaxing my 10 year old into giving me something to write down about how he is ‘feeling’ and what he is ‘thinking’ that’s beyond “I want to bury my head in a screen and never …
End of Week Two – Stay At Home Save Lives This week we have fared better, it has felt less emotionally stressful and more like this way of life is becoming ‘normal’, for better or worse! I’m really aware that there are many for whom it is an especially difficult and even unsafe position to …
End of Week One – Stay At Home Save Lives It’s fair to say that in our house, along with the rest of the world, it’s been a week of mixed emotions, there’s been ups and downs, tears and laughter. There’s a lot to be thankful for alongside the frustrations of self-quarantine/lockdown/isolation whichever word you’re …
Soothsayer: being a Mum of teenagers As a lifelong youth worker and cheerleader of those working with young people I’d sort of expected that I would be prepared for the parenting of a teenager or two. Oh how wrong I was. Being the parent of a teenager is exhausting, terrifying, stressful and requires a widening …
