We all want our kids to get into reading - I see loads of questions come up in Facebook groups asking for book recommendations for their children. And aren't we just so fortunate in how many wonderful authors we have available to us? I gawp every time I walk in Waterstone's and browse the kids' … [Read more...] about 30+ CHRISTIAN FICTION BOOK IDEAS FOR CHILDREN AND TWEENS
KIDS NOT ENGAGING WITH ONLINE CHURCH? HERE’S HOW TO NURTURE THEIR FAITH
I don't think any of us thought, back in March, that online church was going to become our only way of doing church for a long time. To be honest, I thought we'd be back in our church building in June - which seems laughable now, as we face possibly another year (or two?) of Zoom/YouTube/Facebook … [Read more...] about KIDS NOT ENGAGING WITH ONLINE CHURCH? HERE’S HOW TO NURTURE THEIR FAITH
WHAT IS THE BEST CHILDREN’S BIBLE TO BUY FOR MY CHILD?
UPDATED FOR 2021 I've written a lot on this blog about how crazy our family is, especially when it comes to our noisy family devotions. Pretty much all the spiritual nurturing we do for our kids is full of chaos, mess and clutter! I say this not because I'm proud of it, but because I want you … [Read more...] about WHAT IS THE BEST CHILDREN’S BIBLE TO BUY FOR MY CHILD?
20 CARE PACKAGE IDEAS FOR A KID WITH A BROKEN ARM
Do you know what I used to say about my kids? How incredible it was that none of them had ever broken a limb. I mean, if you've ever seen my kids, you'll understand why. They are always climbing things, jumping off things, swinging on things, pushing the boundaries of what might be considered … [Read more...] about 20 CARE PACKAGE IDEAS FOR A KID WITH A BROKEN ARM
WHAT SHOULD I WRITE IN A LETTERBOX CONTACT?
It's letterbox contact season. There's no such thing as a 'season', of course - adopters can fix their annual letterbox contact for anytime in the year. But many people I know choose the end of the academic year, so that they can easily review and write about what's been happening. I say … [Read more...] about WHAT SHOULD I WRITE IN A LETTERBOX CONTACT?
HOW DO I STOP FEELING LIKE A BAD MUM?
On a reasonably regular basis, I feel like a failure as a mum and wife. I would hazard a wild guess that you too have some days you feel like a bad mum. Maybe even a bit more regularly than 'some days'. There are days when I can't quite believe I've been put in charge of four kids - and not in … [Read more...] about HOW DO I STOP FEELING LIKE A BAD MUM?
ENHANCING ADOPTIVE PARENTING: HOW POST ADOPTION SUPPORT GAVE US HOPE
We sat with nervous excitement in the spacious room, a dozen or so people sat round the table, grilling us about our hopes and dreams of adoption. And then the question came: "You're often the ones offering support to others. Will you be able to ask for support as adoptive parents, if and when … [Read more...] about ENHANCING ADOPTIVE PARENTING: HOW POST ADOPTION SUPPORT GAVE US HOPE
25+ CULTURALLY DIVERSE STORIES FOR CHILDREN
If you're like me - well, firstly, please accept my sympathies. And secondly, you may have been left in a bit of a parenting whirlwind over the last few weeks. Events of racial unjustice have unfolded which, sadly, we have seen before. However, this time there's a difference. White Westerners … [Read more...] about 25+ CULTURALLY DIVERSE STORIES FOR CHILDREN
THE LONELY PARENT: COMBATING ISOLATION
Eleven weeks into lockdown (or is it eleven months? Hard to tell) it is no surprise that I'm writing now about isolation as a parent. I guess we've all experienced this, in our own ways, during lockdown season. We may have felt isolated from our friends and families, from our church and small … [Read more...] about THE LONELY PARENT: COMBATING ISOLATION