Letter to the parents of children starting school

To the parents of children starting in reception,

I know people get emotional when their child starts school in reception. My eldest will be in year 4 and my youngest tin year 2 child in September. So, I thought I would share with you what I have learnt over the year.

Firstly, I have read a lot about the emotional impact it has on a parent when their child starts school. Let's be logical here they are not gone forever and this is an exciting new chapter on their life.

 Some parents sadly don't ever get to see this opportunity so look on the bright side, at least they are growing healthy and growing into their own little personality.

They will still love you but they are now that little more independent. I sure for one don't want my child needing me so intensely.

Most of the time the child will enjoy the new experience. Sometimes, a child may have additional needs or struggle to settle in. but that is ok as the school is there to provide the support.

Not many people know this but the reception is actually classed as the nursery. They do not need to pay for time off if you go on holiday.

 I have spoken to a teacher who has told me this information. So, stand your ground if you want to take your child out for a holiday.

Reception year is more about settling in and adjusting to school life. They will learn to write phonetically (which is honestly a load of shite but I won't go into that, as that is a post in itself). 

They learn to read which is lovely as my son had book each week to practice at home and he loves reading now.

They go on trips which is so much fun as most children love to be like a grown-up especially when it is away from the family.

They will explore and learn all about the world, it will help them understand others.

it is also a testing time for a child as they need to learn to get on and share with other children. Some children are bossier whilst others can be shy. 

This is life and I believe something good for the child to learn about different types of personality. Using skills are adapting and working out what way would be best to get the result they are searching for.

It will change them but for the good. They will grow as we all do and develop that much further. But don't worry because they not alone as others are going through the same experience.

Cheers for reading X

My Sunday photo 12/07/2020

7 ways to get your child to drink more.

Hey readers,

It can be hard to get kids to drink sometimes and they may need some encouragement so here are my 7 tips to get your child to drink more. 

1.  Frozen fruit.

My first tip would be if you are giving your child a drink of water it can be quite bland so to add some flavour a slice of frozen fruit can enhance the flavour. 

You can even try putting a small slice of fruit such as raspberry or strawberry into an ice cube and freeze that to see how they get on.

 2. Fun straw. 

Kids love fun things that grab their attention so having a fun straw will certainly get them to try drinking.

You can get a variety of different colours and styles that stand out for the child. They are available in a number of online and in-store. Below I have put a photo exam of fun straw so you get the idea. 

3. Let them chose their bottle. 

Kids love having their own independence so giving them the choice (obviously depending on price) this means they are more willing to drink from a bottle that they have chosen. 

4. Use a water app. 

There are many good free apps on the market that you can download and use as a visual tool to encourage your child to drink more water. 

One such app is Plant Nanny. If you haven't heard of plant Nanny is a health app with the element of fun attached to it. The plant keeps your company every day by living in your phone. 

It encourages you to drink regularly by doing this you have to water your plant at different times of the day to help it grow. 

The nanny will remind you how much you have to drink every day and just a fun way to get motivated to drink more. 

5. Role model.

Practice what you preach and sometimes just leading by example and drinking yourself can encourage a child to follow suit. 

6. Have a variety of choice.

Having a variety of different flavours of drinks makes it much more enjoyable for the child as they have a choice. 

Whether it be milk, juice, squash or even a smoothie can get a child excited because they are not just having the same boring drink again and again. 

7. Make fruit lollies. 

An alternative way to get fluid intake up for a child is to make fruit lollies. not only do they have fruit in but water as well to keep them hydrated. Here is a link to BBC Good Food with a fab list of different types of fruit lollies you can make at home. 

hope you have found this post helpful in getting ideas to encourage your child to drink. Have I missed out on anything? Or is there a technique you use that has been effective in helping your child to drink more? Love to hear your thoughts in the comment section down below.

Cheers for reading X 

6 reasons why introverts are awesome!

Hey readers,

One time I used to hate being an introvert and even more so when someone called me that.

 I think people associate introverts with negativity but as I have gotten older I celebrate being an introvert that is why in this post I am going to tell you the 6 reasons why being an introvert is awesome. 

1. They listen. 

Introverts are good listens on a whole, they like to listen to what people have said and take their time to process what has been said. 

Also, introverts do not like to be the centre of attention but prefer to take in information that is around them. 

2. Self-awareness.

I think introverts are more self-aware with who they are as they take a lot of time working out their environment and how they responded to situations.

 I think introverts take time to reflect upon their actions and more likely to understand themselves as an individual on that basis. 

3. Careful. 

As introverts spend a lot of time thinking - whether it be what to say or reflecting on a situation that has already occurred introverts tend to be cautious with what they say and do. 

I know for me I worry that I may say something wrong so I have to be confident before I say the things I need to say, it is almost like you are on guard for your own safety and peace of mind.

 I now feel tenser in public and a huge relief when I can close my front door and just take the mask off without the state of alert consistently when around other people especially when I  do not know them. 

4. Fewer people. 

The fewer people an introvert knows the better as there is less responsibility to keep up on top of the social element that is involved with friendships and whatnot. 

However, that may be such a negative thing as introverts take responsibilities such as being loyal and a good friend seriously meaning that what they do is the better quality they give out. 

One of the reasons for introverts to not need people is because they find their own happiness from inside themselves as opposed to wanting something from someone else.

5. Sensitive and thoughtful. 

This next point ties in with number 4 because the introvert is highly sensitive and takes on any criticism to heart. 

Introverts what to do a good job as they take things personally. The introvert is conscientious and when they do something they put all their effort into doing what is expected of them. 

Also, they listen to individuals and are good at it so they will remember the important information that the person has said and will keep hold of it, use it and help the person. It also demonstrates that the person can be relied on as they provide the expectations of the other person. 

6. Loneliness.

Introverts are not scared of loneliness, maybe one of the reasons is because they don't require energy from people but can find answers from themselves. 

They enjoy their own company and to some extent thrive from it, therefore, they comfortable with not needing to have the presence of others to find happiness.

Do you identify as an introvert? what do you think about these traits? Lave to heat your thoughts in the comment section below. 

Cheers for reading X 

Autistic Feet

Hey readers,

My feet hurt today as a result of overusing them yesterday. I know so what?! 

Here is the thing why I am talking about my feet is the fact I am autistic you see and my feet posture is not very good.

 I have always had problems with standing and the way I coordinate my feet with walking.

I am so clumsy as well when I walk. I am guaranteed to trip up even if there is nothing there. 
The amount of bashing my toes into stuff and cursing under my breathe is unreal. My husband affectionately finds it funny.

I also shuffle my feet, especially when I am stressed. I am constantly getting told stop shuffling your feet like I am some kind of child.

You don't realise how hard it is to put one foot in front of the other. It can be really challenging. 

I never really thought about my physical problems when I was younger and now as an autistic adult, I am still learning.

It is my arms I struggle with - not really knowing what to do with them when I walk. I find them painful and just frustrating. It is like I have to train my mind to swing my arms when I walk. It is so difficult as I am rubbish at doing two tasks at the same time.

One of the major problems that I struggle with as an autistic person is using my spacial awareness skills and navigating around objects and people.

 I am not good at forward planning especially in a busy place where I am over stimulated with the sensory information. 

Sometimes, I get so overwhelmed that I need to sit down and take a moment to take a break because of how mentally exhausting it is.

If I don't think about my walking and focus on it, I really struggle with bumping into things or trip up.

We as a human are meant to learn this skill at an early age and it to be developed. 

Therefore not having to think about it as it is a long term in implicit memory. It is wired in the brain so you don't have to think about it, it is second nature. 

 Being an autistic person we miss out on this opportunity and I do wonder before language evolved how many humans died due to lack of 'natural' skills due to having a different way of thinking.

So, therefore if you do wonder why do us autistic people get SO tired this is a little insight because we have to constantly work our arses off and remembering all these 'natural' rules that people take for granted.

Cheers for reading X

My Sunday photo 05/07/2020

Reading and mental health.

Hey readers,

I have found reading to be beneficial for me and my mental health. Even though I have some really crappy days I still try to read because I find it helps in a small way, it might not be much but it is powerful. 

So in this post, I am going to get explore some reasons why reading can help with improving your mental health.

1. Escapism.

There is nothing worse than the feeling of not being able to escape your own thoughts that are constantly blasting at you. 

It can be easy to focus on them because they are so loud for attention but sometimes what I find helpful is a distraction and in this case reading. 

Reading for me is escapism from my thoughts because I am focusing on something else therefore not giving my thoughts the attention but focusing on reading can give me a break for a bit. 

 I read psychological thrillers and the escapism from the ‘real world’ is what is appealing. I like to get into the mind of someone else's story, this helps a lot when I am feeling particularly down and need something to give my mind a break from my life stresses.

2.  Reduces stress.

Reading can reduce stress because when you read for fun it is pleasurable and something that you enjoy.

 There is nothing better to read a good book where you can’t put it down and that is real enjoyment that is a positive effect on your mind. 

The story capturing your attention therefore you reduce stress levels by relaxing your tensed muscles, giving yourself that feel good chemicals when pleasure is activated in the brain.

3. Mental stimulation.

Reading can help with giving our brain some stimulation by keeping it working through reading and creating scenarios in our head of the plot of the story. These are great to keep your mind active and functioning and engaging in areas of the mind.

4. Memory.

Reading helps with your memory because for example with a story you need to remember each character what they are like and key events that has happened to make sense of the future story that you are reading. 

Again it comes back to the point about having to focus on something other than your own thoughts. This is refreshing because it gives you that break for the distress which can help reduce mental stress in the long term.

5. Sleep.

Reading before bed is a perfect ritual you should master as it helps increase the quality of your sleep. Reading before sleep allows yourself to relax your body and get it in sleep mode. 

Reading can also help you switch off from your own thoughts allowing quicker time to get to sleep. 

Overall with reading at night focusing on the book reduces the negative thoughts because you’re focusing on the reading meaningless likely to wake up if you are relaxed.

Have you found reading has helped you with your mental health? Love to hear your thoughts in the comment section down below.

Cheers for reading X