41 Questions to ask kids after school

 Hey readers,

It can be hard as parents trying to get out how your child's day has been. so here are some open questions that help encourage your child to talk about their day.

1. Tell me about the best part of your day.

2. What was the hardest thing you had to do today?

3. Did any of your classmates do anything funny?

4. Tell me about what you read in class.

5. Who did you play with today? What did you play?

6. Do you think math [or any subject] is too easy or too hard?

7. What's the biggest difference between this year and last year?

8. What rules are different at school than our rules at home? Do you think they're fair?

9. Who did you sit with at lunch?

10. Can you show me something you learned (or did) today?

11. What did you have for lunch?

12. Whom did you sit with at lunch?

13. Who told a funny joke today? What was it?

14. Who gave the best presentation in your class?

15. Who gave the worst presentation?

16. Which of your teachers was the kindest today?… Happiest?… Grumpiest?

17. What book did you get from the library?

18. Who was a superhero today (who helped someone)?

19. Whom did you make laugh?

20. Whom did you help today?

21. What games did you play at school today?

22. If you could change part of your day today, what would it be? Why?

23. Is there anything that the teacher taught that you don’t understand?

24. How do you feel that you did today? Why?

25. What is one thing your teacher said today that you remember most?

26. If an alien spaceship came to your class and beamed someone up, who would you want them to take?

27. If you could create your own school, what would it look like and what would happen there?

28. If your teacher could teach only one subject, which subject would you want that to be?

29. If you got to be the teacher tomorrow, what would you do?

30. If you got to teach tomorrow, who would you want to be your assistant?

31. If you could change any part of your school what would you change?

32. What was your teacher like?

33. Were you nervous?

34. Who did you play with at lunch?

35. What kind of homework did you get?

 36. What was the hardest rule to follow today?

37. Tell me a story from today.

 38. What happened today that made you keep going (even if it was hard)?

39.  What will you do to solve a problem at school or improve your work What made your teacher happy? What made her mad?

40. If you could switch seats with anyone, who would it be? And why?

41. What nice thing did you say today?

Cheers for reading X

My Sunday photo 04/04/2021

Observations from having two children

Hey readers,

I am lucky enough to be blessed with two boys. I remember in the earlier days of having my second child how completely different my world turned, compared to just having one bundle of joy.

Firstly, when having two children you need to have skills in multi-tasking and making sure each child has their own needs met. For example, when it comes to playing having suitable aged toys available to them. 

An example of this would be a playmat for the baby but for the toddler more advanced toys such as stacking blocks.

Online shopping or having the opportunity to take one child out is a blessing. 

I found it so hard trying to navigate a child and a pushchair. I am really lucky enough to get my hubby to look after one child whilst I went shopping with the other child.

 This situation really good for me right now as my eldest needs a lot of one-to-one attention when it comes to practicing writing. Therefore, I don't feel as guilty. But I am slowly learning for everyone's sanity is it is ok to ask for help.

Make sure if you have two children of close age to make sure that whenever you chose something for them make sure that the item is exactly the same. 

Even if it is the same colour beaker, trust me the arguments over silly minor things like having a different colour cup are shocking. It keeps things calm and it protects your hearing from all the squabbling, win-win!

If you have electronic devices make sure there are two. I will one day persuade hubby to get another tablet because really it gives us all peace. Currently, I dread when one child asks can they have the tablet, it is a nightmare. Sod the art of learning when it comes to technology, I opt for peace if I could. Until that day I am very much miffed at hubby, 😉.

A good thing about having two children is that the second time around you kinda know generally what to expect. I felt more relaxed and confident as a parent with things like potty training and weaning.

Having a second child close in age is fantastic as my boys have such a strong bond and have a play partner. Not saying that they always get on as Pickering often happens but I know they care and love one another. I don't think you can ask for much more than that as a parent of two children.

Cheers for reading X

 

Constructive ways to manage parental burnout

Hey readers,

This week I have been really burnout and depressed. I feel alone and somewhat embarrassed even scared to talk to my partner about worries I constantly have failure at being a mother.

 It does not help that I am being judged by external services with being autistic that over time paranoia and anxiety have built up causing it to interference with my day to day life.

I will be honest it scares me to be open about this but one thing that I found helpful was reading other people's accounts and getting that sense of solidarity.

 I have got social anxiety therefore naturally inclined to worry a lot about people's judgements and fear of failure in front of others. It does not help that we live in a society where mental illness is frowned upon. I've experienced it myself which makes you even more scared and you get caught in a trap. 

So all the blogs and information out there on the internet I am so glad that people are brave to talk about mental health issues.

Anyhow, I am concentrating on ways to help me and thought I would share some of the tools that have helped ease the pressure and reduce the risk. Not saying that it will cure but it might help reduce the 'burnout' that you're experiencing.

1. 1. Get in the mode of being good enough, setting a lower benchmark makes you feel more relaxed, less pressured and from my own personal experience, you then get to enjoy the experience rather than worry and get in a state about meeting this unrealistic ideal.
   2. Perfectionism is something I struggle with especially in terms of my image of parents. It is about being realistic and knowing what is achievable. Also learning about moderation and not going from one extreme to the next but being aware that it is OK for instance if the telly is on. Plus the telly has actually helped with my son's speech development and made improvements.
   3. Learn to relax is one of the hardest things to do. I am one of those catastrophic thinkers and find anything to get anxious about. I have found that not reading newspapers, articles or the news relating to childhood. I found it hard as it is not black and white and so many variables that influence behaviour. That does not me from focusing on just one element rather than looking at the whole situation. It has resulted in me getting obsessive to an unnatural amount. Sometimes ignorance is bliss and if I am that worried I speak to the health visitor. I have found to focus my time on reading books or trashy magazines, colouring to grow up adult books (cause I'm cool) and focus on walking. All these distraction techniques have helped me relax and not be so obsessive ability my parental anxieties. It is good to have something other than parent-related activities in your life as it gives you a chance to think about others and reduce stress.
   4. Identify the positives as it just makes you feel good. It is so important to make sure you are aware of the good in life. It can be hard to do as you can get caught up in the spiral of negative thinking. I have brought a line a day diary that is kept next to my bed so that I can write something positive. Even if it is just one word that is a starting point.
   5. Know you're not alone, parenting can be very isolating especially with mental health issues. Just reading blogs or looking on specific websites knowing you're not alone and other people have experienced what you have gone through.
   6. Make time for you even if it is just 10 minutes a day, it will do you the world of good as you are doing something for yourself and not anyone We all need a break from time to time.
   7. 
      

Thanks for reading X

My Sunday Photo 07/03/2021

My Sunday photo 28/01/2021

My Sunday photo 21/02/2021

Skittles rainbow experiment for kids!

 Hey readers,

What a fun and quick science experiment then you need to try this skittle rainbow experiment. Only needs four items and takes less than five minutes. It will totally blow your child's mind, perfect to do indoors and during the half-term holiday. 

what you will need

* Some Skittles.

* Some warm water.

* Funnel.

* White plate.

What to do.

   1. First place skittles in a circle on the edge of the plate.

2. I put the funnel in the middle of the plate, stops young kids who overexcited spilling it all over the place. The funnel helps keep water in the middle. Pour the water slowly on to the plate.

3. Remove the funnel and watch the magic happen. 

Behind the experiment.

Skittles are coated in sugar and food colouring. When you add warm water to the skittles the sugar and food colouring starts to dissolve. 

Now here is the thing because the skittles are pretty much similar in the amount of sugar and food colour on them they will dissolve and move at similar speeds and stay in their lanes. 

Cheers for reading X

My Sunday photo 31/01/2021

The many facades of a parent

Hey readers,

You never really understand what it is like to be a parent until one day you become a parent. I know cliche but so, so true. 

When I am thinking about my role as a parent there are so many different roles that make up a parent. There is more than just the practical side of just keeping the child alive and well.

 So I am going to uncover some of the roles that I do when I am playing the role of a parent.

Entertainer: of course trying your best to keep your little ones entertained, thank goodness for the likes of Pinterest to get you feeling motivated.

Cleaner: Yep you clean them, bath them, do all the washing, cleaning, and cooking. Never would I imagine being one of those people that say that there is never enough hours in the day. 

Jeez, I am a fully-fledged parent now doomed to get pleasure from reaching the end of the washing basket for all the length of two minutes ;)

Counsellor: you will be there to comfort your little ones through the great pains of life. You will hold there hand and try to find the words that are suitable.

 You will try to listen to the irrational ideas and try to think like a child which for me is pretty dame hard. But a skill that you develop, some more than others, *ahem*.

Debator: as soon as your little joy learns to talk you will find that you have to learn the skill of saying the right thing and thinking on your feet for them tricky questions like why can't I be a woman? what is love?  why do people die young? 

Also, you need to have the right amount of information for suitability for the child. I personally find this tricky as you can easily get into a tangled web without even thinking about it.

Educator: You are responsible for educating your child, making sure that they know how to use the toilet, learn to speak, communicate, read, write, develop some sort of emotional intelligence. 

You don't realise how big this responsibility is. It feels like a never-ending journey, as soon as you smash one milestone another challenge emerges.

Negotiator: this is challenging especially if the child does not like the word no. It can be tricky during the time when they are two but let's face it they don't like being told what to do at any age. 

Sometimes you have to meet in the middle where both child and parent are happy. If you have two children you have to teach them that they have to share and they will soon learn the harsh reality that life is a bitch and you can't always get what you want. Although, sometimes you can and that is good enough.

Referee: this is aimed at if you have two children or more. All-day long I am constantly having to break up arguments, stopping the rough and tumble that gets out of hand and try d generally to stop World War Three from kicking over both of them wanting the blue sodding plate. 

The best advice I can give you if you have two children is ALWAYS to make sure that if you buy them something that is exactly the same for the other child.

 It doesn't matter whether it be a sweet or a 99p balloon, they will argue over it and moan about why they haven't got the same thing as the other child.

Are you a parent? Do you think there is more than one facade in being a parent? Love to hear your thoughts in the comment section down below. 

Cheers for reading X