Lifestyle

Ophelia’s dream pet

Ophelia’s dream pet

While lots of our friends are currently fielding questions about getting a pet someday and making that “someday” sooner, our kids are pretty settled that our cats are where it’s at with pets. They do bring up the idea of chickens every now and then but I think the smallness of our garden answers that for now. I also wonder if even they can see that we are at mental capacity with the two furry friends already in our care. For now, they’ll have to dream of anything extra. Ophelia recently got the chance to do just that. Pet insurance…

View Post
Learning at home

Our home education year – Looking back

Our home education year – Looking back

We don’t follow the school terms here and now that we’re back from our month in Trinidad and Tobago and don’t have family staying with us, getting back to our usual routine makes sense. We’ve agreed that from next week we’ll be returning to the homeschooling rhythm that gently structures our lives. So I thought I’d do little catch up on the highlights of the last “homeschool year” before jumping into the new. Had Talitha been in school this would have been her Year 2 and it would have been Ophelia’s preschool year. Talitha starting violin lessons last September was…

View Post
Travel

What I learned while travelling home with my kids

What I learned while travelling home with my kids

If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll have seen that we’ve just got back from a month in Trinidad and Tobago, where I’m from. It was our first time back in four years. We’re grateful to have been given the opportunity to have an overseas holiday as a family and to help our kids grow their connection with a country that is a part of who they are. I’ve no idea when next we’ll make it over, five tickets to the Caribbean is a hefty goal but as I readjust being back in Cornwall, here are a few reflections. Home…

View Post
Learning at home

The Holiday Makers – a closer look at engineering for kids

The Holiday Makers – a closer look at engineering for kids

This post is brought to you by government campaign the Year of Engineering With an aunt who’s an engineer and other friends and family in STEM careers, my kids have no trouble imagining themselves in those fields. “Engineer” and “scientist” regularly feature alongside “ballet teacher” and “pop star”. Unfortunately, according to government initiative the Year of Engineering, not enough young people – especially young girls – are considering careers in engineering. To tackle this big shortage, they’re committed to “inspiring the next generation of innovators, inventors and problem solvers by showing them what engineers actually do.” The Holidays Makers challenges…

View Post
Family

For our children, for us all – making more noise on gendering

For our children, for us all – making more noise on gendering

“Is your husband a sports fan?” my phone provider’s rep asks nonchalantly. Distracted, I reply, “Yes he is but he doesn’t need his phone to…” The penny drops. “Hang on,” I flounder, “Isn’t that kind of sexist? Shouldn’t you ask if I’m a sports fan?” They sound amused, “Well, are you?” I’m flustered. That kind of isn’t the point and I tell them so. I tell them they should not be asking that question, that it reflects badly on their company. Then I move the conversation along quickly because I don’t want them to feel uncomfortable, even though I feel…

View Post
Lifestyle

Our family bed set up

Our family bed set up

Debenhams recently sent us new bedding to give our bedroom a mini makeover. We’ve been through lots of configurations when it comes to sleep. Having bought a cot and a Moses basket with our first baby, we surprised ourselves by being three in a bed instead. Bedsharing proved a natural fit for our family so, though we got a moses basket again second and third time around for daytime naps (and it went unused!), we didn’t bother with a cot. Instead, we’ve sometimes been four in a bed, four in a bed and one on the floor, two in a…

View Post
Learning at home

Seven ways to amp up your garden as a learning space

Seven ways to amp up your garden as a learning space

In partnership with Groupon Sunny warm days not quite here just yet in Cornwall (I was wearing my winter jacket yesterday!) but we’ve had the odd summer-like day and that’s been enough to lure my children back into the garden. They’ve pretty much decided to live there now. So I’ve been thinking of ways to improve the space so they can get the most out of it. We love lazy days at home and if we can make those days spent outside, all the better. Here are a few things we’ve done and a few on my list to get…

View Post