Spring is a little confused

Source: picmonkey.com via Claire on Pinterest

The weather , that great British topic theres's not a day when we don't talk about the weather in some form or other! This time last year it was baking hot and the BBQ adverts on television were more tangible! But now as I watch the same BBQ advert and then turn to my window , I find I am faced with a blanket of snow.

I do love snow but when it's meant to snow...

In Winter snow is somewhat mystical at Christmas .

Snow in March is completely bonkers.

Taken with my husbands Nikon Ds3100 with a 50 -200mm lens.

Bouldering Into a Natural Childhood.

We have always gone out of our way as parents to provide J with different adventures we have been to some far flung places but you can still have adventures at home and it doesn't have to cost you any money. ( most of the time)


And how would have thought in the middle of the urban jungle that is New York would you have thought you could have gone bouldering.

The National Trust has a list of things to do before you are 11 3/4


1. Climb a tree

2. Roll down a really big hill

3. Camp out in the wild

4. Build a den 

5. Skim a stone

6. Run around in the rain

7. Fly a kite

8. Catch a fish with a net

9. Eat an apple straight from a tree

10. Play conkers

11. Throw some snow 

12. Hunt for treasure on the beach

13. Make a mud pie

14. Dam a stream

15. Go sledging

16. Bury someone in the sand

17. Set up a snail race

18. Balance on a fallen tree

19. Swing on a rope swing

20. Make a mud slide

21. Eat blackberries growing in the wild

22. Take a look inside a tree

23. Visit an island

24. Feel like you're flying in the wind

25. Make a grass trumpet

26. Hunt for fossils and bones

27. Watch the sun wake up

28. Climb a huge hill

29. Get behind a waterfall

30. Feed a bird from your hand

31. Hunt for bugs

32. Find some frogspawn

33. Catch a butterfly in a net

34. Track wild animals

35. Discover what's in a pond

36. Call an owl

37. Check out the crazy creatures in a rock pool

38. Bring up a butterfly

39. Catch a crab

40. Go on a nature walk at night

41. Plant it, grow it, eat it

42. Go wild swimming

43. Go rafting

44. Light a fire without matches

45. Find your way with a map and compass

46. Try bouldering

47. Cook on a campfire

48. Try abseiling

49. Find a geocache

50. Canoe down a river 

The simplest of things ...

Quite simply coming out of school one day I reflected what a super day I had, had .

When one of the children turned to me and said " Are your mummy and daddy picking you up "

Awwh , just awwh


I love the thinking of children and how considerate they can be ...

Any troubles in my head just simply floated away ....

The Role of The Parent during child-initiated activity

Sometimes children play for plays sake for fun , to let off steam , to establish social contact etc but there should be another element to play and that should be a focus on learning - introducing new words and new ideas, thinking out loud, modelling more complex ways of speaking, posing new problems, encouraging negotiation of conflict , explaining, or demonstrating approaches.

• Offer assistance and support to your child as needed this helps children to be successful in follow through their ideas, including talking about or suggesting strategies, and practical support such as holding an object in place as your child works on it.

• Try and ensure that the learning environment offers a range of stimulating open-ended materials, outdoors and indoors, which children can use in their own way to meet their own purposes.

• Make sure where possible your child has substantial time to develop their activities.

• Encourage your child to use the language of learning as they make their plans and carry out and review their activities, talking about things such as 'I remembered, I tried, we found out, we know, I can, we thought, we solved the problem'

• Adopt a problem-solving approach to resolving conflicts or behavioural issues, helping children to be aware of 'others' points or view and thinking together to agree on a solution.

• Observe your childs' activities carefully, trying to discover what the child is thinking and learning and the goals of the play. So you can accurately support and extend your childs learning focus either at the time, or later by changes to the environment or in planned activities.

Remember not be over rigid with this at the end of the day your childs play should be fun.

Dear Heart

Dear Heart I was beginning to think my writing was getting a little irksome and it wasn't relating to who I am , I am no journalist and yes my grammar  grammar goes awry sometimes. The temptation to quote Yoda is quite, quite overwhelming "No ! Try not. Do, or do not. There is no try" And yet I reminded to blog as you feel , except not to blog when angry. So perhaps I am trying too much , who knows we are all jostling for position in life.

But I do shoot straight from the hip that is just me , empowerment is key in this life and self promotion but not to the degree it starts to taint you. So I think stamping my feet in  a more positive matter is the ticket. Situations can make or break us but it is how you really deal with them that shows us the calibre of person we are.

I am reminded of when I was in hospital having J about to take him home after a quite traumatic pregnancy and the doctor came to give J the once over check.

"He's not got the crease in his hand he may have Downs Syndrome " said the junior doctor.

I was dumb struck it wouldn't have matter to me if he had downs syndrome he was still loved. But the feeling at the moment in time of complete helplessness was to much to bare. We found out later he didn't have Downs Syndrome but again if he had it would not have mattered. It did some what bring a sombre tone the joyous occasion of a happy occasion but again I and my husband just got on with our lives. Let the situation make you not break you.