I don't take a paper. I mean, I barely have time to read my own name on an envelope, so working through all the many articles contained in a broadsheet is a luxury belonging - for the moment, at least - to another existence, one where I'm not permanently covered in PVA glue. (Also - the Internet. … [Read more...] about ONLY 1 IN 4 GIRLS CALL THEMSELVES ‘HAPPY’ – SO WHAT ARE WE DOING WRONG?
Family Life
Whether you're looking for support in parenting or marriage, education or homemaking, this is the page for you. Feel free to browse, and if there's something you'd like to see, don't hesitate to give me a shout!
A REALLY INCREDIBLE FEAST – BOOK REVIEW
I was so delighted recently to discover this lovely book for young-ish children. Granted, I don't have a lot of time to research Christian books for kids, but the ones we have do vary in quality. (Actually, it's probably less variable than it once was, as I've chucked the awful ones!) Sometimes it … [Read more...] about A REALLY INCREDIBLE FEAST – BOOK REVIEW
CHOOSING A SCHOOL FOR AN ADOPTED CHILD (5 QUESTIONS TO ASK)
Blink, and three years will pass in an instant. I mean, while you know and I know that it's only actually been three minutes since our gorgeous 14-month-old boys moved into our family, the calendar (damn that thing - is it even a trustworthy article?) suggests it's actually been nearly three … [Read more...] about CHOOSING A SCHOOL FOR AN ADOPTED CHILD (5 QUESTIONS TO ASK)
ADOPTION AND VICARAGES: HOW DO I KEEP CHILDREN SAFE IN A ‘PUBLIC’ FAMILY SPACE?
The adoption process involves several home visits. Your social worker doesn't need to see a show home (thank flippin' goodness for that) – but they do need to see that you have the space for a new child/ren, that you're able to keep the home clean and tidy enough to nurture human life, and that … [Read more...] about ADOPTION AND VICARAGES: HOW DO I KEEP CHILDREN SAFE IN A ‘PUBLIC’ FAMILY SPACE?
HOW DO I BOND WITH MY SON? (5 STRATEGIES WHICH HELP)
One of my (many) recent struggles is: how do I bond with my 8 year old son? A year ago, my son moved from Year 2 to Year 3. I thought this was simply a matter of moving up a year, like Year 1 to 2. Apparently not. There's been a noticeable change in my son's attitude - and my friends say the same … [Read more...] about HOW DO I BOND WITH MY SON? (5 STRATEGIES WHICH HELP)
END-OF-TERM TEACHER GIFTS: ARE THEY COMPULSORY?
It's that point of the year when we're all (figuratively, if not literally) crawling our kids to school, fingernails scraping the parched grass as we pant towards the finish line of next Friday. Of course, we're aware of just how much our children's teachers have done for them this last year, and we … [Read more...] about END-OF-TERM TEACHER GIFTS: ARE THEY COMPULSORY?
5 VALUABLE WORK LESSONS FROM A 9-YEAR MATERNITY LEAVE
I recently read 5 valuable work lessons from maternity leave from the Jasiri blog (a wonderfully thought-provoking new blog, if you were looking for one to get your teeth into!). I was nodding along with every single one of Naomi's points. Yep, that had absolutely been my experience too. But I was … [Read more...] about 5 VALUABLE WORK LESSONS FROM A 9-YEAR MATERNITY LEAVE
CAN YOU IMAGINE HAVING NO FATHER?
I can't imagine how it would feel to have no father. I can imagine a remote father - detached, preoccupied, no space in his life for children. I can imagine his regret and guilt at having been talked into a family he never really wanted - or, perhaps, the absence of regret and guilt, as time starts … [Read more...] about CAN YOU IMAGINE HAVING NO FATHER?
THE MERMAID WHO COULDN’T – BOOK REVIEW
Being removed from your biological family, at whatever age it happens, has life-changing impact. There will be negative emotions and responses which feel so intuitive, that the idea of ever shaking them off seems impossible. The more resources which help children and parents to navigate these tricky … [Read more...] about THE MERMAID WHO COULDN’T – BOOK REVIEW