I think I'm quite an idealistic person; I have a vision of how I'd like to parent, what I'd like to pour into our kids, the environment and experiences I'd like them to be surrounded by and enjoy. The more I read, the more this vision is fuelled with fresh ideas. This is good, I… Continue reading Ideals and reality January 2019
Edible slime / January 2019
What is it that makes slime so irresistible to most small girls? I guess it's tactile and soothing. We used to make ublek (cornflour and water) for poorly children in hospital; it was part of the whole package of therapeutic play. As a mum, though, I'm not a great fan of it, as it creates… Continue reading Edible slime / January 2019
January walks 2019
As I confessed previously I've struggled to come out of my cosy hibernation after Christmas. We've had a spell of cold, dry weather which has afforded lots of peaceful walks, where the air itself seems to buffer any sound. The dark silhouettes of the trees against a pale grey sky whisper simplicity. And the barrenness… Continue reading January walks 2019
Around the year in picture books – Europe November/December 2018
We ended our tour of North America in Boston and decided to cross the Atlantic by ship. So, following in the footsteps of the redoubtable Katy (“What Katy did Next” by Susan Coolidge) we donned our sea shoes and stepped aboard an ocean liner. Once docked, we departed from Katy’s itinerary and set off on… Continue reading Around the year in picture books – Europe November/December 2018
A New Year January 2019
This down time of Christmas has been blissful and soul restoring. I feel a little like a dormouse tentatively poking my nose out of my cosy winter hideaway into the world beyond. It's often hard gearing up to a new term, but this time of year I'm most reluctant to come out of hibernation. We’ve… Continue reading A New Year January 2019
Christmas December 2018
Christmas conjures up different images for all of us; twinkly lights, Christmas cake, long “to do” lists, cards dropping through the letterbox, over excited children, family tensions, uplifting carols. My conversations over the past few weeks have again highlighted the pressure there often is to have a “perfect” Christmas. Children’s expectations are high, and parents,… Continue reading Christmas December 2018
The Jesse Tree December 2018
The Jesse Tree is an old tradition. Many family Bibles would have had a record of all their marriages and births, and as the generations passed, these looked a little like a tree. Hence the family tree. Many churches too, would have displayed Jesus’ family tree made in wood, stone or stained glass. The Bible… Continue reading The Jesse Tree December 2018
