Saturday Caption #Satcap

Starting School & Nursery Tips

Many children start school and they have only just hit four which I find utterly amazing compared to other countries where it is 6 they start and they seem to fare no worse. Reception is very much an extension of nursery but putting in place even more structure , so by the time they are into year 1 they will be writing stories and amazing everyone around them.

Many are coming to school nowadays with a lack of social skills and I am not here to blame anyone , but the lack of skills does impact initially upon their learning.

• They can not dress themselves.
• They can not cut up their own food.
• They don't know when to ask for help by putting their hand up.
• They have no manners.

This is no way characteristic of all children but a snap shot of some of the problems when initially starting.

At the end of the day they are only children but when they are 30 in a class despite having a teaching assistant initially it is a very busy time confusing believe me for all.

It helps to prepare your child for school in conduction with nursery or anyone else that is involved within their care.

• Visit the nursery or school before hand with your child to see exactly what the class/ school does.
• Explain what will happen during the day; play at school , children love being the teacher.
• Read books about starting school.
• Reinforce the activities that your child is interested in that they perhaps do at the nursery/ school "there are loads of books there and you love reading or they have lego to build with" And trust me there is nearly always a class teddy !
• Talk about the fun activities that you do at home that will be replicated in school/nursery such as painting,drawing craft etc.

At school there is always sand!

Reading is such fun at school.

You can dress up at school.nursery.

Everyone loves the school nativity! except when a costume goes missing.

Everyone loves a self portrait!

• Try and mimic the timings of the school day where possible "Oh Look it's 12 o' clock the children at school are having their lunch now."

• Practice doing up buttons and fastening shoes.... Velcro is ideal but as they get older laces are ideal especially as by the time they get to senior school : Velcros trainers  really are not cool.
• Practise social skills, such as taking turns, following directions and making choices
• Visit friends with children or invite other children to play
• Teach simple  jobs that may be useful at school, such as packing away toys. The teacher doesn't want to break their neck on a stray sheep now do they?
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• Help your child to recognise his name - most children can't read or write yet, but they may be able to recognise the first letter of their name or even the whole thing
Remember, all these activities should be fun - it's important not to pressurise your child. If you're making your child in the least bit anxious, stop talking about it quite so much.

The Blog That Moves The Body

I was thinking ...

Dangerous to think.

Dangerous to have an original thought.

That blogging is the blog that moves the body, you all with me so far?

We all I think have our own ways that blogs move our bodies , take me for example ( well it is my blog) recently I've been walking, travelling, foraging in fact this morning  I'm going back out to forage for what I hopefully expect to wild horse radish.

I've just baked a Blackberry Apple Charlotte sandwhich.

So for me it is the blog that moves the body.

 

Nomadic Adventuring

A nomad is a wanderer.

I 've had a week with no wifi which was good , I didn't come back to a flurry of notifications. I suppose I should have aghast but it's a time to sort the wheat from the chaff.

A time to look up and see....

A time to step back from the cliqueness of social media which pulses through , rearing it's head every so often. It's not you ,it's more about me I can't be a friend to all. If you have my friendship then well done if you don't then so be it.

It's a time to focus....

A time to breathe....

A time to explore....

A time to look through the window...

Cooking and not a luvvy air kiss in sight.

I'm grateful for all the friends I have online and otherwise.

But if you can pick up the thread of what I'm about then I've succeeded in being a moment within your time being.

If you don't like how I mash things up then I quite frankly don't give a duck.

* no egos were harmed in this blog post but assertiveness was given in payment for this post.

Summer Menu Pizza Express Restaurant Review

Before we got to Pizza Express we took advantage of the time to do a little shopping and brought some perfume and after shave due to the fact we had £10 voucher off each. Now I spent £15 with voucher total my perfume cost £5 but Mr T spent £29.99 again with the voucher his cost £19.99. Perhaps this was due to the fact he is off on the town as I write this !



On Thursday Myself Mr T and Josh were invited to go and review the new Pizza Express Menu at the Derby branch of Pizza Express in the into centre .We are never one to turn down a free meal. We kindly accepted the offer and made our way to Derby.  We love Pizza Express it takes the pizza express to a whole new level we have been on nervous occasions. This time we were interested to try out the summer specials as we tend to always order the same sort of thing, so thought the change might do us good.

I know you can just enjoy a pizza at home but to share a pizza meal with family or friends and have a good chat means the world to me relaxing my soul and mind !

The summer menu is light enough for you to enjoy 3 course if you so desire and I promise you , won't feel stuffed. And the Hugo "Pizza Express cocktail is an absolute must.

And Pizza Express has bunting ! I have a silly giddy weakness for bunting as I believe that everywhere should have bunting, we feel so much jollier with bunting wouldn't you agree!? 

The whole ambiance of Pizza Express is bright,airy spacious and vibrant , the level of noise is just right so you can hear your companions talking and more importantly your waiter/waitress can hear your order.

Even if you don't like pizza there are plenty of alternatives ! We were seated in the middle of the restaurant and for once I didn't have to change my seat , I am guilty of being like Goldilocks ensuring I get the seat that is just right. The first seat however this time was just right for me so this night was going to be a sure fire winner.

Menus were issued with due diligence and drinks orders were taken , we weren't rushed begin asked if we wanted a few more minutes after which our orders were take. Myself and my son had Mozzarella garlic bread for starters and my husband had   Brushetta Con Funghi.

Brushetta Con Funghi Pizza Express

 The main course myself whilst Mr T choose off the new menu , he had Risotto Fresco whilst I had the Leggera Sloppy Giuseppe ( a pizza with a small section of the middle missing and filled with salad thus allowing you to lower your calorie intake if you so wish.) J had a Toscana pizza which he happily poised on all on his own , he didn't share * bah.

Risotto Fresco 

Leggera Sloppy Giuseppe

Toscana pizza

With our arms twisted behind our backs we were forced to have dessert ( we weren't really ) the new menu has such mouth watering deserts. I had summer fruit pudding served with real cream and Mr T  had the  Vanilla Panna Cotta. They were small in size and really left a refreshing edge to your palate, my son had Chocolate Fudge Cake for dessert which he loved.

Pizza Express is such a child friendly place and all the kids around were engaged and happily tucking into their food from the Picolo menu. Top notch food and service and the staff were exemplary  and Pizza Express has become a firm favourite and delivers individual service despite begin a chain establishment. Also there is choice if you are coeliac or need to avoid gluten as Pizza Express now have a gluten free menu from Pizza to beer.


Disclosure : We were provided with the meal for free , All thoughts words and opinions are my own and I have not be told what to write. And this is a place as a family that we go back to and I honestly mean that.