I attended the National Childbirth Trust ante natal classes way back when I had my son Will – who is now 20 and I found them to be helpfuI. I also took the local ante natal classes recommended by my doctor. I enjoyed and learnt from both. Kirstie Allsopp is in the news today criticising […]
I read with consternation the story in the news where a father angrily hit and pushed a female Headteacher as she disciplined his 8 year old son for racially abusing another child & for swearing – she had to exclude him for a day as it was his third act of anti social behaviour […]
There’s an alarming study out by The Literacy Trust showing a drop in the number of fathers encouraging their children to read 🙁 The study by the National Literacy Trust shows one in three dads give no reading encouragement to their children to read at all – a 30 per cent increase over the past […]
As a former class teacher for more than 20 years I was grief stricken by the traumatic shooting in Newtown as that would have been the same as killing the whole of my class of 20 Year One 6 year olds – which just made me cry in grief as I watched the news over the weekend. I have […]
Are you kids using i pads at school ? Here’s an interesting article about the positive impact the introduction of iPads are having in schools from Edudemic
I really enjoyed our discussion on BBC Radio Coventry & Warwickshire with Annie Oethan discussing manners with Liz Brewer from Ladette to Lady fame as we were discussing a school in Fowey Community College who have introduced manners and etiquette to teenage girls and boys who seem to be loving them ! Click here to listen […]
As a former Deputy Head and Class Teacher for over 20 years I read with interest this article by Annie Murphy Paul in TIME IDEAS about the importance of parenting ! “Given all the roiling debates about how America’s children should be taught, it may come as a surprise to learn that students spend less […]
I know just how this teacher feels as a former Deputy Head ! Schools quake in fear of Ofsted instead of seeing it as an opportunity to get inspiring new ideas and positive feedback. The culture of blame and shame really doesn’t help schools or teachers feel valued or improve morale as everyone has become […]
From smartphones to laptops and video games, today’s kids are constantly seeking entertainment. But is this good for them and what should you do to keep them engaged? I’m delighted to have my advice printed in Gulf News about how to help your kids handle boredom ! => http://gulfnews.com/life-style/general/mum-i-m-bored-1.1091100 Here’s an extract…. “It’s a family […]
I’m delighted to be in The Daily Mirror today as I was asked for my advice around nasty habits kids have ! Stop doing that! Five nasty habits children develop… and how to prevent them. Is your child a nose picker, a hair eater or a nail biter? Follow our guide to stamping out your […]
As regular readers know I used to be a Deputy Head and class teacher for 22 years and as a Mum too who used to stand outside the school gate waiting for my kids I used to overhear lots of gossip, mis – information and down right unkind comments sometimes. Here’s an article about what we […]
Parents need to drastically cut the number of hours children spend watching television, while under threes should be stopped from watching altogether, a leading psychologist has warned. Limiting the amount of time youngsters are sat in front of a screen could have significant advantages for their health, development and wellbeing, according to Dr Aric Sigman. […]
What’s your earliest memory? Whatever you recall, it’s unlikely you’ll bring back memories before the ages of three or four because of a phenomenon called infantile amnesia, or the inability of adults to remember the earliest years of life. Recent research explores the range of time in which children’s memories of early childhood disappear or […]
As many of you will know if you are regular readers I am in the process of divorcing and I run my 6 Week Separation Handling Divorce, Separation and Break- Up Positively and Confidently Coaching Programme and in the week following Norwegian statistics showing that couples who share the housework are more likely to get divorced, and […]
Last night I had the honour of attending The Inspiration Awards for Women for Breakthrough Cancer as my friend Erika Brodnock had been nominated for her work on Karisma Kids rag dolls aimed at inspiring children with confidence, creativity and self esteem. Her energy, committment and vision is really extraordinary and she bounces even higher […]
