Wednesday, 29 August 2012

Play on a budget #CardboardChallenge

Outdoor / Indoor  play really need not run into lots of money you can play outside play fun for little or no money. Take for example a simple card box this can provide hours of fun in the garden and in the home. You know how it is at Christmas they often prefer the cardboard box to the expensive toy that Father Christmas has bought them, much to the sorrow of their parents.



Cardboard Box play Boat.




Tuesday, 28 August 2012

Egyptian .... Adventure



So when my child asked about the Egyptians I took him to Egypt and my husband of course... I shall give you more information on taking a child to Egypt in further blog posts.  Keep an eye out !

Monday, 27 August 2012

What I love about being a mother


What do I love about being a mum or Mummy, mmm tough one, I could go a sugary sentimental journey but that's just not me. So what I love the most perhaps the up-most, is arguing with my son. A puzzling choice , not a knee jerk reaction of a mother? Read on, then you will see why I love my son. After all, every good story has a truly heart felt conclusion doesn't it?


Well, when J was born he  was a normal baby until all the problems started happening, the constant eczema which is inherited. The sudden coughing fits and gastric problems. the fussy eating, the projectile vomiting.

As he grew then there was the sudden tiredness and falling asleep anywhere ( asthma ) the allergy to food colourings. The inability to leave my side, his allergy to cats ( we had to get rid of our cat). yes J was one nervous child constant trips to the hospital seeing various medical professionals.



Then more problems came when there was the problem with him being slightly sugar slow and then the bouts of anaemia. Whilst I appreciate these problems aren't as severe as many people experience with their child, it was still heartbreaking for me. Throughout this I had noticed  that J was not communicating , but he had passed his baby hearing test. Hardly rocket science when he took it.

J was born in September 1998 and looking at an entry from his health book dated June 2000 that he has made little progress with his speech. The silly health visitor said his comprehension appeared good, well it wasn't I assure you. The to-ing and fro-ing continued with the health visitors still ignoring me. This continued until around October 2001 when J still wasn't really speaking. Eventually after basically a sit in protest at the doctors we got a referral to the hospital where he was diagnosed with Glue ear. He had his operation to have grommets inserted after the usual long weight for an the operation.

Progress was slow but really came into its own on a holiday to Center Parcs in March 2022 when he was three and a half We were on our bikes and J was in a child seat behind me, a squirrel ran in front of me and J said " Bloody Squirrel" and j repeated this all day.

A shy toddler


J had been learning sign language at nursery and and a least now there was a focus on his language skills , of course this had now developed. He was a slow learner at Infant School because of his previous problems, nervous and clingy. We had  problems with parties etc he still wouldn't leave my side till he was nearly seven. I just plonked him into Beavers one day and ran , same with football. Cruel but kind and as a result he developed.

So that's why I love arguing with him he has developed into a heartfelt young boy who knows his own mind and is making his own way in the world. He is an academic high flyer, plays rugby for our County, top sport man for the school. Plays a musical instrument, he is an all rounder. What more could I ask for than an argument about his sock draw...?

New Unicorn ready for school

I remember when my son was starting school for the first time he had only been speaking for a year and a half so social situations really weren't his thing. You can read here why he didn't talk till he was 3 1/2.


To get him ready for school we had been dressing him for nursery in a very similar colour uniform to the school he was going to. And made sure he had a special bag that was his school bag.

So being the organised parent that I was I had bought his school uniform over the year so there was no panic when it came to the first day.

I thought I would get him into the habit of putting on his uniform himself no small feat for a child that had encountered so many medical problems early in life.So I told him :

" Can you please go put on your Uniform please ?"

He nodded as he was only really talking when he had to because of his speech delay.


He came down holding his new Unicorn.


"No Darling your Uniform not your New Unicorn!:

We eventually got there ..

Ready to start school.




So all those starting school soon it is daunting but its a life journey and they will get there.

Sunday, 26 August 2012

Country Kids 26/8/2012 Peveril Castle



My son enjoying a walk up at Peveril Castle despite having his hand in plaster after having his little finger pinned in a two hour operation.

Peveril Castle is an ideal place to visit it has beautiful  stunning scenery and is easily assessable if you are fairly fit. There are plenty of places to rest on the way up , which I took full advantage of, my own son beat me and he had a cast on his wrist.

The ruins of Peveril Castle imposed thmselves on the landscape it nestles itself within the pretty village of Castleton in the heart of Derbyshire Peak district . I wouldn't want to live any where else with this on my doorstep.

Peveril Castle is mentioned in the Doomsday survey it is one of Englands Normans earliest Fortresses.

Peveril Castle.


Hope Valley Castleton  Derbyshire.