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
It is a momentous weekend for us as we become the proud owner of a brand new teenager. Eye rolling and attitude aside, it is actually quite nice having a 13 year old around and, although I miss the years when he was a little boy, there’s much to celebrate in his coming of age.… Read More Six great things about your children turning into teens
Moving to secondary school can be tough – not just for the kids. I cried my eyes out last September watching Harry get on the bus for the first time. Here are 10 things I’ve learnt since then. There’s a lot to remember Primary school is a doddle let’s face it and it comes as… Read More The big move to secondary school – ten things I’ve learnt from the first year
The NHS is celebrating its 70th birthday on Thursday and I know if my Mother had been here she would have been waving the biggest of flags. Born in 1948 just like the NHS, Joyce Cook, my Mother spent more than 30 years working as a nurse and midwife. She died aged just 51 –… Read More NHS 70 – My Mother the Nurse
Phone anywhere when planning your nuptials and just by dropping the word wedding into the conversation the price of food, flowers and clothing miraculously doubles. Look at any wedding literature and it is likely to use the words ‘best day of your life’ pushing you into buying those £200 shoes and that £1,000 cake you probably… Read More No thanks to ice sculptures, £1,000 cakes and gold embossed invites for our wedding
For many years Mother’s Day was a pretty dreadful time for me and I would have happily spent the entire day in a cupboard with a bottle of gin. I’m not sure what the worst thing was; the relentless advertising of cards and chocolates or the deluge of ‘treat your mum’ emails from florists and… Read More Dear Hallmark – Mother’s Day is a bit sh*t for some of us
Have you found out which secondary school your child will go to this September? Six months ago I stood at a bus stop sobbing my heart out as my ‘baby boy’ went off to big school – here’s what I’ve learnt since then. There’s a lot to remember For seven years my son sat in a… Read More The big move to secondary school – lessons I’ve learnt six months down the line
Getting children to eat healthy food is a daily battle for many parents as we are constantly bombarded with adverts for sweets and chocolate. The Guardian reported earlier this year on average children see up to 12 adverts for junk food an hour* and you only have to walk around a supermarket to see some… Read More Struggling to get the kids to eat veggies? This just might be the answer
