Take a break!

With two teenagers and a pre-teen in the house I needed somethings that they could do to refocus when tensions became raised, or they had become frustrated. Both of these have occurred over the past two weeks - though possibly not quite as much as I feared!

I had seen a sensory trail on a link several months ago but the only link back to it was via Amazon where it was unavailable so I decided to make my own.

We have a relatively small space in our hall and it needed to be robust enough to survive said teenagers!! so I cut simple shapes out of felt. Circles, squares, handprints and footsteps. In addition I printed a finger maze and spiral to go on the wall.

Initially I set the trail, but as it was taken up each afternoon the following day I asked my youngest to set it up - however she chose - she made it far more physical and really enjoyed it - incorporating the stairs.
Todays version included a chair squat and the plank!

Simple things that gave them time away from their computer and a chance to re-centre.

Content

At the start of the year I was challenged to choose a word for the year - something that I would be reflecting on over the year, something that might challenge or inspire

After much deliberation I chose...

It summed up many things. That desire to be at peace where I am, in the situation I am in. Not looking at others, not measuring myself by any standard but God's

Little did I know just how challenging this would be in 2020. 
All normality swept away - my freedom gone, my choices limited.

 It wasn't supposed to be easy but seriously this is a whole new ball game !

Over this time I have been drawn back to a book I received at Christmas based on Psalm 23.

A Shepherd looks at Psalm 23 by W. Phillip Deller.












Being content is to recognise my master - the shepherd who leads me  and who cares for me whether it is in the green pastures or the dark valleys. The master who seeks to lead, guide, protect and care for me whatever the circumstances. So while my circumstances may have changed God remains the same. So right now I choose, I choose to rest in the green pastures and pray for those walking through the valleys.

Lockdown

Who would have thought that we would be in this position when we began the new year.
However here we are in 2020 in lockdown, confined to our homes apart from essential trips.
Covid19  has created a global pandemic.
We have watched its progress travelling around the world not quite believing it would affect us - but here we are - and for each household it raises different questions...




How will I cope with the loneliness or being surrounded by people 24/7?

How will I manage work and supporting my children's study or what am I going to do all day?

How can I get enough exercise?

How can I prevent technology overload?

and it would appear a universal question - will I have enough toilet roll?!

For many of us we are learning new skills or to do things in new ways.

Family life and two jobs has meant that my blog has been left gathering dust over the last 5 years.
So in this time of crisis one of the things I have decided to do is to blow off the dust and start blogging again.

My aim is to record this moment in an honest way, with the good, the bad and the downright ugly!

My hope and prayer is that this will be a record of our journey as a family, trusting God in the dark times and rejoicing in the good times.

Big Shot Brooches

At the end of the felting session the girls from craft club got a chance to play with the Big Shot, putting shapes together with a brad to form a brooch.

Simple but fun!

 

Fun with Felt!

This half term we have been felting in craft club. Felt for me is a little bit of magic and never fails to impress. To begin with they were reasonably unimpressed but went with it, we started with simple felt balls, and it was so much fun to see their expressions change as the balls changed in their hands from a ball of soft squidgy wool to a felt bead.

So we then moved on to felt pictures, they loved both the process of building up a picture and then felting it.

They were amazed by it changing size, shape and texture, and for me the acid test of any craft - they wanted to take them home to show mum!

 

 

 

 

And I had fun too!

 

When you wish there was a guidebook...

Parenting is tough, every day we make decisions on behalf of our children. As babies most of these revolve around eating or sleeping, as they grow decisions of discipline and schooling, hobbies, sports, secondary school, options, university. The list is endless! It would be so much easier if there was a book "The definitive guide to Sophie" but there isn't, we base our choices on our relationship with the child and hope and pray that we at least get the big ones right! But more and more lately I have become aware of just how judgemental we can be as a society, of all parents but particularly of difficult children, children with issues, children with special needs!

As Rebecca has grown so have her challenges, and for me the realisation that we would have to fight to get the help she needed. Next term we face the challenge of getting her an educational health care plan, in order to release funding for a TA to assist her, as she prepares to move to secondary school and the challenges that lie ahead when she reaches year 7.

2016 Already!

So as I face a busy term I thought I'd catch up with my blog, only to discover a list of blogs waiting for photo's to complete them before uploading, so here's what I was upto last term, as for this term - I think it will be a case of wait and see!