From potty training to toilet trials

YOUR CHILD MUST BE POTTY TRAINED AND ABLE TO USE A TOILET BEFORE STARTING SCHOOL. This message, which came across as loud and in caps, puts the fear of failure into me as my children started reception. They were toilet trained, but I was terrified of an accident. Now they are in high school, I’mContinue reading “From potty training to toilet trials”

Wave your magic steam wand

So I asked the parent community for its thoughts on the ironing. Here’s what came back and my response in italics; Hang up the clothes straight out of dryer, do not squeeze them into a wardrobe. So straight out the dryer requires me to coordinate the dryer with my availability and my hangers’ availability. It’sContinue reading “Wave your magic steam wand”

School holidays

It’s business as usual; washing, clearing away, loading dishwasher, tidying, sweeping up, cooking, wiping down, unloading dishwasher, floor mopping, bath-time, bed-time, screens, sun screen, picnic prep, laundry, day out bag packing, device charging, teeth brushing, searching for lost items, folding clothes, putting away, “shoes and socks on please”, extra clothes, shouting (“out the door, let’sContinue reading “School holidays”

Camping Failures

There is no such thing as a comfy air bed, camp bed or futon mattress. Inside the tent will get dusty, muddy, sandy, grassy or all of these. And this dirt will find its way into sleeping bags, rucksacks, food boxes and coating toothbrushes. While I mention sleeping bags, they are either too hot, tooContinue reading “Camping Failures”

Beautiful moment

We were watching a robin jump around our food table, hoping really close to our feet and fluttering over to the door of our tent where, just inside the canvass, Sam is having some self requested alone time which has turned into a nap. “Let’s whisper to Sam so she opens her eyes and seesContinue reading “Beautiful moment”

Camping Triumphs

I am sitting, typing, on a stool outside our tent enjoying the very best thing about camping; the first sip of tea in the morning, in the fresh air. Indeed, it is the only good thing about camping, because everything up to this point and everything after, is rubbish. Up until that first sip ofContinue reading “Camping Triumphs”