Diabetes Anniversary: Not Drowning But Waving
A diabetes anniversary is always a time for reflection. If you’d asked me three years ago how I felt about diabetes, I would probably would have burst into tears before I’d managed to utter more than a sentence. But here’s why I’m glad, 3 years on, for the lessons it has taught us…
Travel: How to Create a Love of Adventure in your Kids
so they can go on to create a lifetime of memories
Judgement – a Life Lesson for those who are judged, and those who judge
How best to support your friend who is going through something difficult.
Diabetes: Being a better mother
A letter to my children on being a better mother. Dear kids, I’ve been your mother for over ten years. I’ve been your mother in the sense that I became pregnant (eventually), gave birth (hastily), and navigated you (anxiously) through your early years. I’ve read, and cooked quite well; I’ve fixed grazes, temperatures, and broken buttons passably; I’ve tolerated craft activities and role-play, barely. But it’s only recently that I can really say I am a good mother. Of course, I’ve always loved you. I would do anything to protect you, though I’ve always made sure that you rely on yourselves. A drop down the behaviour …
Beauty Legacy – who do you #FeelBeautifulFor?
Image credit: Stephanie Belton If your best friend said that about you, she wouldn’t be your best friend for very long. It has already begun. GG, at 9, has started to compare her body and face to what her friends have. She’s not the only one – they are all doing it. It has become a ‘thing,’ as they begin to fret about their shape, their hair, and the minor features they believe to be less than perfect. I have always told her how beautiful she is, because she actually is. She has a smile that can light up a …
It never rains…
I like to think I’m an optimistic person. I don’t count magpies and assume the ugly thieves have the power to change my life. I put umbrellas up indoors – it’s practical when drying. And new shoes always go on the table for labelling before they make it to the cupboard under the stairs. It would be bad luck if they didn’t, given my children’s capacity for sending their stuff to lost property. But recently I’m wondering whether I’ve accidentally offended the gods of fate. As some of you know, my 9 year old daughter is dealing with a recent …
Expressions #08: my football fan
Six months ago he wasn’t happy about football. Year 2 boys suddenly seem to ‘get’ football, picking teams and chasing the ball on a concrete playground, until injuries and arguments see the game banned. Not for long though. Year 2 boys will always find a way. Not so the Bug, who didn’t see the point. Nor could he fathom why his best friends were consumed with the need to play, every breaktime, at the expense of time spent with him. He felt discarded, lonely, on the outside of a game he didn’t understand, or have any inclination to join in …
Girls are amazing
Hi this is once again actually GG and I am going to be very serious and talk to you about why girls are amazing. I asked my lovely deputy headteacher to photocopy a survey that I had created last night for my fellow students to complete. I am very surprised about some of the results and hope that it helps you to understand why girls are amazing. Why girls are amazing: My results show that more girls like football than boys, and football is not really considered a feminine sport. It also shows that some boys spend time on their …
An inspiring woman. Well a girl actually. 365 #09
The fundraising force that is Team Honk has issued a blogging prompt in honour of International Women’s Day next Saturday 8th March. An inspiring woman; someone you admire, who changes your outlook, who you would work hard to be more like. I struggled, to be honest. In life I am influenced by many friends, they inspire me to try new things: better photography, running, dancing, writing. In blogging there are multiple women who support me, prompt me, and give me new ideas. But one woman who makes me want to be a better person? For whom I am prepared to …
Change the Story Mother!
My mum went somewhere really important this week. I could tell it was important because she disappeared into the back of the wardrobe and emerged in a smart shirt and crisply ironed trousers. She used to wear them when she worked near Westminster, before I was born. As it happens, she was back to her old stomping ground, but this time she was visiting the House of Lords, and this time it was reeeeeeally important. What is Change the Story? Considering we live in a sophisticated society, it might surprise you to know that last year 1 in 4 …
Actually rather good: companies of the year 2013
by Helen I used to work in a customer-facing industry. I learned quickly the very simple art of pleasing a customer or a potential client. I also learned how easy it is to deal with a disgruntled customer, how little it costs in real terms, and how crucial to your business it is to turn a problem around. I wrote about customer service last year. This is a parenting blog, so I don’t write often about business issues, but as a parent I experience a lot of services and products. Most of them are fine, some are terrible; a few …
Life Lessons: How to be a Feminist
I have wanted to write to my children – especially my daughter -about feminism for a long time. Since I was first targeted by a handful of women who decided that I was sickening, because of the way I write this blog. The trouble is, when a woman writes about feminism, there’s always the chance that a feminist will pitch up and attempt to put her in her place. So I wimped out and asked a man to give me his opinion. Stuart Heritage writes for the Guardian, amongst other gigs, and if you can get past the fact that he …
Renewing our wedding vows – my promise to you
By Helen, to Jason… M&D 2000 My wedding vows to you… Things I have learned in 13 years of marriage. Marriage is not hearts and flowers. That is romance. It is not expensive dinners and weekends in the country. That is courtship. Although our weekends in the country usually involved a rainy football match in Swindon. I think you’d call that love. Marriage is not white dresses and diamond rings, canapés or cake. (Although cake, it has to be said, is of vital importance to most things). Marriage is not a happy ending. It is socks on the floor, coffee …
Life Lessons: How to have the wedding you want
By Helen… Dear children, 13 years ago today your Dad and I had the most amazing party. It was bonfire night, and we’d booked fireworks for our wedding celebrations. There was an Abba tribute band, terrible food, and too much wine; no-one wanted to go home. Looking back, I wouldn’t have changed much of that day at all, but there were many things I wished we had done differently in the months preceding our big day, and a couple of them have nagged at me over the years. When your own big days come – if and when you decide …
Losing gracefully – a life lesson
Dear GG, some time ago you had to prepare for a big event at school. To coincide with the anniversary of Martin Luther King’s momentous speech, the entire school would deliver individual speeches to their peers, on a subject of their own choice. You would be judged by your class, and a winner selected to go through to the school final. You prepared for this speech day after day after day. You really took on the challenge, researching your chosen theme – the marshmallow – and writing up your notes. You put together 2 minutes of facts and opinion, some …
Tips for dealing with mean girls
My darling girl, the time has come for me to tell you about girls. Girls are complicated creatures – I know you’ve got that nailed, you are complicated yourself! Girls can be wonderful, loyal, warm, supportive, nurturing, caring, and funny. They can share everything with you and make you feel like the best person in the world. But they can bring you down with a word – no, a look – and they can destroy your confidence. If you let them. Mean girls: they can be total bitches. I want you to be better than that. You are already better than …
Bullies and Cliques
Last week Blogland was in a tiz about bullying. A lovely mummy blogger wrote a post describing something she felt bad about; someone else criticised her very harshly, and everyone kicked off! Amongst all the discussion about bullies, another theme arose: cliques. It seems people feel that there is a kind of hierarchy of bloggers. Well there is. Some people have been at it for longer, they know each other well, they have stuff in common. It is natural. Allegations of cliques were bandied about, implying that some bloggers are hostile to newcomers. I take issue with that. I am 7 years old, and …