I have recently been fighting a losing battle to keep our house tidy. I’m constantly having to remind the kids to tidy up after themselves and the one thing that never seems to get put away is LEGO. One unfortunate LEGO character gets sucked up by the vacuum cleaner while its friends try to escape. Clearly my reputation is spreading. … [Read more...]
Is it wrong to make children aware of your stress?
If there's one thing guaranteed to make a parent feel stressed, it's when their offspring accidentally hits another child on the head. This is exactly what happened at the swimming pool the other day when Izzy, my youngest daughter lost control of a ride-on toy boat she was using and, bump, collided with a small boy in the pool. As the responsible adult overseeing my child's … [Read more...]
Christmas gifts from Samuel Windsor
Just the other day, I had to get ready for a formal event in Central London. An unavoidable last-minute outfit change meant I was scrabbling around for a tie and handkerchiefs. Had I opened a Christmas gift-package that had just arrived from men’s clothing retailer Samuel Windsor, I’d have found both items inside. … [Read more...]
Kids and tech: Why our sat-nav moos like a cow.
I looked at my phone. I simply didn’t recognise it. The icons were in completely different places. I immediately guessed what had happened; Helen, my nine year old daughter, had been playing with it. … [Read more...]
Teaching self-esteem: Is school the correct place to do it?
Every now and again, my children come home from school and mention something about their day that knocks me sideways. One such occasion happened earlier this week when Helen, my nine-year-old, came home talking about Katy Perry. … [Read more...]