A Mother’s Love

One thing I have always been committed to is giving my children unconditional love. Loving them with all my heart absolutely without question through the good and bad times. I believe they each know that and I pray that they are uplifted by that because when that love is missing in a child’s life, or when love comes with conditions or is withheld or replaced with ostracism, or it’s benefaction is a consequence of a child fulfilling a parents request rather than being the bedrock of the relationship unconditionally, the fallout leaves an unfortunate legacy for a lifetime. For love is not a neatly packaged commodity that only comes out when everything goes well. True love weathers the storms and perseveres through thick and thin. It doesn’t barter. It doesn’t trick. It seeks truth and holds fast in sunshine and in rain.

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Thrive!

I saw a meme comparing development to popcorn and thought that resonates so it got ‘poemed’ (is that even a word? 🤣)

My practice has always put the person first working outside expectation and curriculum with person-centred care and support. In other words your agenda – your pace whatever age! I just wish that was the way right from early on.

Bugsy Batty, The Coronavirus – A simple story to help children understand

I wrote a story to help adults explore the current pandemic with their young children. It includes helpful guidance to help those conversations flow a little easier.

It is illustrated by a lovely friend of mine, Debbie Joy Brookes, who worked remotely and at speed to get this out there. We hope you find it helpful at a time when there’s a lot of worry in the air yet at a time when we need to help children process this so that their own trauma is mitigated as much as possible

For a FREE downloadable copy click here

https://www.keepandshare.com/doc19/27032/bugsy-batty-the-coronavirus-pdf-559k?da=y

Please share widely so that all adults needing to support young children have access to this, resource at this time.

Thank you

Warning!

I sit and watch parents
All doing their best
To bring up their children
So they don’t become pests
For they take them to this
And they take them to that
Take them swimming, to rugby
Let them swing cricket bat
They pay for their lessons
In music and more
Take them on holidays, to museums
To try and ensure
They have every opportunity
Are brought up to be
Availed of experiences
To furnish a, b and c

But midst all the doing
In the busy rushed mire
I spy little children
Who are exhausted and tired
But what I see too
Are kids who are not
Happy, relaxed
Contented with their lot!
And I spy through the mayhem
Kids who are bored
Who can’t be by themselves
Who are honestly floored
If they just aren’t kept busy
Aren’t “living the dream”
And I think to myself
Is this just what it seems

Is this right for these children
Is this really the best
Or is this the root of a problem
That’s yet not flown the nest
But is brooding for later
When all the chances are spent
And history sighs loudly
And condemns and resents
And looks back and wonders
What good did that do?
Was it really enjoyable?
Or do we now rue
The best for its badness
Options all burned out
As tomorrow’s adults are lost
And completely stressed out!

Academies – A Prophecy

A world is being built
Where baby factories
Otherwise known as parents
Will feed their products onto
The conveyor belts of education
In warehouses that were once schools
Where grades are the currency
And children are the commodities
Being traded on the floors
Of ‘academies’
And my heart bleeds
Rivers of lost childhood
Wasted creativity
Deprived opportunity
For those who don’t pass the test
Fit the mould 
For they will be spat out
And anaerobically digested
For further extortion
In a process that
Devalues individual potential

Do you know that there is no requirement for a school academy to have parents on its governing board! If you’ve got children who will still be in the system by 2020/22 you might like to consider what this means as the state leads the way in potentially selling off your children and their future in a world where you don’t have a say! 

 

 

 

School Run Mums …. and their four wheeled drives ;)

School Mums and their huge four wheel drives
A combination that
Is best avoided if one does
Not want to be mowed flat
As little Jonny gets a lift
One hundred yards from home
In Mummy’s brand new Range Rover
So that she’s not alone
When battle starts outside the school
Dare someone not give way
To her with perfect make up and
Red painted nails that say
You really shouldn’t mess with me
For in my truck I’m big
And you will be crushed ‘neath my tyres
Like an abandoned twig!

And so she ploughs straight right on through
In case dear Jonny’s late
But how much better would it be
If she showed much less hate
For all the other road users
Showed them they were worth more
Than just the inconvenience
She can’t stand; abhors!
And set a good example for
Her boy so when he grows
No matter what car he then drives
He’ll have respect to show
Him up to be a warrior
For good, kindness and fun
And maybe walk his kids to school
The way she should have done!

Inner Child

The bead train’s chugging on the maze
In multicoloured hue
To entertain, perplex and quiz
The inner child in you  

Back To School

And so the scram is imminent
In the back to school shop hell
With kids all moaning in the aisles
As Mums and Dads all yell
At their sweet little Darlings
After the long summer break
In an attempt to kit them out
As school return’s at stake

And thus chaos ensues as
The holidays run out
Midst toil and strife and much to do
And racket as Mum shouts
At Dad who in turn rants a bit
At Jonny and at Sue
Less pity the poor shop keeper
In such hullabaloo

But when alls done and all is said
They’ll return scrubbed up great
In blazers hanging round their toes
And shoes shined up first rate
And hair cuts cropped; pencils sharpened
Looking their damnedest best
Whilst parents breathe a relieved sigh
And say ‘Give me a rest’

Parental Love

(All you need to bring up a child)

For all the facts and figures
The books and the insights
There’s only one thing that you need
To bring your kids up right
And that is love in plenty
Love like you would have wished
Your own would have endowed on you
The sort of love that’s dished
Up with no price tag on it
No onward cost or bill
That’s free and unconditional
That says I’ll love you til
I have no breath left in me
That goes to the moon and then
Comes back; that’s never ceasing
And does it all again

A love that isn’t hidden
Disguised in any form
Not wearing bribes or sweeteners
That’s given as a norm
A love that doesn’t measure
In school grades or elsewhere
A love that’s off the scale; that sits
Unselfishly out there
For such love’s omnipresent
Comes from deep in the heart
Does not control; manipulate
And never falls apart
Providing across the lifespan
On good and on bad days
A love that always shine right through
The clouds called Agape

A picture from our archives but an all time old favourite.

School’s Out For Summer

School’s out for summer
The kids are really glad
Grandma’s baking extra cakes
And smiles have replaced sad
As teacher’s get a well earnt break
And Mum and Dad get space
To not be rushed to fit it all
Into the big rat race

And road users say “Praise the Lord”
Until the schools go back
Cos they’ll get there in double time
With empty lanes and tracks
And shop keepers rub greedy mitts
Thinking of all the sales
As kids sprout through the summer months
And clothes depart their rails

So that by 1^st September
When it’s time to return
Each child is cloaked in uniform
That says it’s time to learn
And also time to grow again
To have a chance to fit
Into the oversized jumper
And all other school kit

But for now let’s enjoy them
The holidays that is
Even though in a few short days
All will be in a tizz
With parents pulling out their hair
And cursing just how tough
It is to occupy young minds
Swearing they’ve had enough!