We spent eight years trying for a baby with four losses along with way – it was one of the most challenging times of our lives. As anyone who has been through this knows the stress is relentless and it seems to impact on every aspect of your life. Completely out of the blue, aged 43… Read More Seven ways to keep your sanity when trying for a baby
Just over eight years ago I met my new partner Stuart and fairly quickly we knew we would like to have a baby together. He did not have children but had formed a lovely bond with my son, then six, and we were keen to compete our little family with a new addition. My pregnancy… Read More Eight years, four miscarriages, one booked vasectomy and a big shock
Helping your child through secondary school I look back on primary school and think blimey that was a doddle. I knew exactly what my son was doing in his lessons, understood all his homework and could help him whatever. Not so now, other than English much of what he does, particularly science and maths, is… Read More Helping your child through secondary school
Parents across the land are pulling their hair out at the moment trying to think of activities to do with their children or having the nightmare of sorting childcare for six weeks. For those of us negotiating life in a blended family, summer holidays can mean exactly the opposite when are faced with spending long… Read More Coping when your children are away
Let’s face it, when your child reaches anywhere the near the teenage years the very last person they want to spend time with is you. Not only are you outrageously embarrassing (without actually doing very much at all) this coincides with them discovering the joys of social media so really, you’ve no chance.Teenage years can be tough,… Read More 10 ways to spend time with your teen
Happy Step Father’s Day today (yep it’s a thing I just made it up) to all the step dads doing a fine job of bringing up children and negotiated life in a blended family I met Stuart when Harry was five years old and it’s been a big old learning curve not least because five… Read More Happy Step-Dad’s Day
I feel like I really should like camping, I love the outdoors and being in the open countryside, but no; I definitely hate it. Unfortunately the boy and husband rather enjoy it but after one awful holiday in North Yorkshire I vowed never to go again.Cue glamping, this offers the joys of an outdoorsy holiday… Read More Glamping tips and top spots for luxury camping
The Christmas frenzy is building and we are all hurtling towards December 25 looking forward to all the overindulgences it brings. For lots of people though this time of year can be hard as it has a nasty habit of shining a huge Christmas light on difficult issues. Grief, loss, troubled relationships and money issues… Read More The big Christmas lie
Today my hubby is flying to New York to run the Marathon. It’s been a gruelling 16 weeks of training for him, running after long days at work and spending weekend either doing, or recovering from, long runs. As a family it’s not easy either; it cuts into the precious family time we have which is… Read More The New York Marathon and finding family time
Two years ago I bribed my son into going to Scouts – yes that’s right I paid him £2. I’d spent months badgering him to go and he flatly refused so my only option was cold hard cash. Predictably after just one session he loved it and within two weeks he was setting off on… Read More Why we need the Scouting movement now more than ever
