How to Handle Trolls and How Not to Be One

This semi-ranty post covers a subject many of us are familiar with and one I have never previously given an inch of cyberspace to. This is because I have learned that when someone wants your attention and is going out of their way to get it, by being as loud and obnoxious as possible, sometimes the best thing you can do is ignore them. Not today, though, because today I am going to have my say and guess what? This is my little space, so you ain't trolling here. I  won't give unconstructive negativity any space on my blog, not even a comment. If you don't like what you read, just troll on by, since that is the polite thing to do. as if we were real people and this was real life. This is how to deal with trolls and how not to be one, unless it's one with pink hair.

Weighing Children in School; A Guest Post

I recently wrote about the National Child Measurement Programme and why I would not allow my son to take part. I received a lot of interest in the post and one of the main comments I received was that people did not realise their children didn't have to take part, or they are unaware that weighing children in school happened at all. This scheme happens in all state-run schools, every year (I'm not sure about Private Schools), but you have every right to opt out. The weigh-in takes place during Reception year and again in Year 6. If you don't receive a form to sign to opt out, inform your school in writing if you would prefer your children to be excluded. 

Why is Money Management not Taught in Schools?

Most things in life we are not born able to do. When babies are born, they have to learn pretty much every skill they will rely on later in life, from walking and using the toilet, to rolling their eyes and answering back. A lot of these skills will come from parents and in later life their teachers and peers will have an impact on how they grow and develop. Education falls into two camps; academic, which is mainly school-based, and moral, which often comes from a family focus. It should be a partnership between home and school to ensure that children get a complete education. Learning, not just the three 'R's, but also  how to make good judgements and wise decisions, like the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are encouraging here in Maria's post from Happy Mummy.

Why my Son Won't be Participating in the NHS Child Measurement Programme

Like all parents in England, when my child started school, it wasn't long before we received a letter informing us that he would be weighed and measured, as part of the National Child Measurement Programme. This was, apparently, in order for the NHS to build an accurate picture of the heights and weights of UK children. Fair enough, I thought. That sounds like a worthwhile exercise to get behind. So I didn't object, and thought nothing more of it, until, out of the blue, I received a letter informing me that my son, who had dressed himself for school that morning in clothes aged 4-5, was in fact, overweight. The 4-5 year old trousers were actually pretty huge and I had to draw the waistband right in.

The Kindness of Strangers, an Unexpected Outcome

A couple of days ago I invited a good friend of mine to guest post about a subject that has affected her and her son very badly, when Concentrix put another family into poverty. I wanted her to have her say, because she was at her wits' end. It was yet another HMRC out-sourced agency that caused the immeasurable distress that she found herself immersed in. She, we, wanted to talk about how that pans out at the bottom. After the leaf has made its way through all the beaurocratic branches, all the facts, figures, number crunching, forms, tick boxes, etc, what does it actually mean to have nothing to live on? 

Olympics; Could the Sexism Police be Making it Worse?

Sometimes, a commentator says something, really, really stupid and we have to laugh. Who can forget the greatest ever innocent observation from Brian Johnston, who quite accurately reported, during a Test match at The Oval in 1976; The bowler's Holding, the batsman's Willey. Brian Johnston often said something daft, and had a little chuckle to himself, and we laughed along with him. This was the golden age of commentary, when commentators were allowed to have personalities and say silly things and make mistakes. Then along came Twitter, and everything changed. The Sexism Police arrived and political correctness went a little bit bonkers.

Scary Encounter with Sinking Mud on Burnham-On-Sea Beach

I've lived near the South West coast for most of my life and was brought up with stark warnings about not walking out onto the mudflats. The mudflats are the exposed area between the shoreline and the sea which, most of the time, seems to be about five miles out from the shore. This is how Weston got its nickname; Weston-Super-Mud! Every year, the coastguard rescues groups of people who have ignored the warnings and ended up stuck in the sticky sinking mud. However, when L encountered the sinking mud, it was close to shore and indistinguishable from the usual puddles you get when the tide goes out, or it has rained a little.

Why I Didn't Change my Profile Picture for Orlando

At 2am local time on Sunday 12th of June, tragedy struck in Orlando. Innocent people suffered at the hands of hatred and violence. All over the world people felt pain, anger, despair. They wanted to join together in friendship and solidarity. To find solace in a shared disbelief at the events that had unfolded. Social media, by its very nature, provides a platform for people to come together with a shared purpose. As with Paris and Brussels before it, profiles across social media lit up with colour to show support for the American people and remembrance for their loss. 

SATs Debate; Testing in Moderation

Every SATs season, there is more debate over the necessity of testing in schools, particular in the lower year groups, and whether it puts too much pressure on pupils. Parents are concerned about the effects of formal exam conditions on their children's stress levels, as well as the increasing demands of the new curriculum. With some seriously difficult and demanding grammar questions added to the mix, there is even more potential for problems this year. So, is testing really necessary and, if so, how much and under what circumstances? Do children need to 'learn' to cope under exam conditions from such a young age? 

Awesome Autism

I promised a good friend of mine that I would write something for Autism Awareness Month. I may have left it a bit late, but something happened today that really inspired me. I heard a talk given by a man whose job is to inspire children to enjoy engineering and perhaps, eventually, pursue it as a career. What he said reminded me why autism is awesome and why we need individuals with these particular unique gifts to make the world go round. Here's why... 

Home Alone - How Young is too Young?

Often in the press is the much-debated subject of when it's ok to leave your children home alone. It's always a difficult question, because children mature at different rates and there are a variety of different circumstances in which you could leave your child. For example; popping next door to borrow something, is a world away from going out for the day, or even over night. On one occasion a father was convicted (overturned on appeal) of  willfully exposing his daughter to risk of harm. He spent five minutes in a chemist buying Calpol, while she sat, in his eyeline, in the car outside. On hearing the evidence, the appeal judge was quoted as saying 'This is supposed to be a crime?' Yet, in theory at least, something could have happened to that child.

Famous, Rich and Homeless; View from a Cynic

How on earth do you pretend to be homeless? This was the question a lot of people were asking when Famous, Rich and Homeless arrived on our screens in aid of Sport Relief. This was a very sensitive subject and, with a title like that, this show had the potential to fall flat on its face as a patronising pat on the head to anyone currently grappling with the reality of this horrendous situation. Surely, anyone who goes into this knowing they have a warm bed to return to at the end of the 'experiment' can't really learn anything... can they?

The Reality of Government Disability Cuts - A Guest Post

A note from me: I don't claim ESA. I would probably qualify, in real terms, if I applied, but the degradation and stress I have seen other people go through has left me too nervous to even try. What if they 'catch me out' and I get into trouble? The forms are very clear, if you give 'false information', you can be prosecuted. As with all disabilities and health problems, you can have the occasional good day, and I want to make the most of those, not be looking over my shoulder, in case I look too well. What if I 'fail' the extensive and humiliating tests? How would I cope with being told I'm a fake? I tell people I don't claim, because I want to work, which is true. I would rather be achieving something, making a difference, rather than being stuck at home by myself all the time. 

Internet Safety and Children; Can we Keep them Safe?

It seems everywhere you look these days, digital tech is getting the blame for the demise of family life. In a lot of cases, it's hard not to agree with the findings. There are definite security issues for children using the internet and it has led to parents having to be more vigilant and find new ways to protect their children online. It takes a lot of time and effort to unpick the parts of the internet that young people are interested in and, without spending that time, the mysteries of Social Media can leave parents feeling nervous of the unknown. The big question is; are we trying hard enough and is it possible to protect children completely online, or will there always be a risk? 

The Importance of Inclusion in Mainstream Schools

I have supported inclusion my whole adult life. I went to a small, remote, underfunded secondary school and I realised from an early age how important it was to support those who needed it, to ensure their development, not just educationally, but also socially. As a young person at school, you don't see what awareness there is or what support is being provided for individuals, you just notice who is bored, or embarrassed, or struggling. That’s why I decided, there and then, that I wanted to be a Learning Support Assistant. There wasn’t even a name for the role then, it was unkindly referred to in the press as the ‘Mum’s Army’ and was viewed as the Government trying to cut costs in teaching.

What the 111 Tragedy is Telling Us about the NHS

Following the tragic story of William Mead yesterday, it's time to speak up about the useless NHS 111 service that thousands of patients are being fobbed off with in this country. The NHS is under enormous strain, this we know. It's hard not to notice, with all the press coverage it gets and it's clear the Government are trying hard to 'lessen the strain' on the service. Just today, on BBC Breakfast, it was reported that A&E services are currently on Black Alert, due to too much pressure from an increased number of patients. So, the news report advises that people should only visit A & E if they have a 'genuine life-threatening condition'. And that's where it all falls apart, because we are not medical professionals. 

Why I Hate Black Friday

We live in a society where poverty and desperation are everywhere. From the young man begging next to Bristol Bus Station (nice lad, always says 'good morning'), to the child, enviously eyeing his friend's new tablet, phone, jacket, trainers, whatever. This is the truth of Britain today. It's horrible, but it is something we have had to come to terms with. As a nation we have coped, pulled together, made do and mended as only Britain can. We come together on Facebook, to share bargains and coupons we've found, we come together in life to support foodbanks, do our bit for charities and organise clothes-swapping and other similar events to share what we do have (if you are not doing any of this, try it, it's fun!).

Is Christmas Too Commercialised?

A Guest Post by the Husband

My favourite Christmas song without question is Wizzard's I Wish it Could be Christmas Every Day, because I love to hear the part where the children are singing. My all-time favourite song, which nobody will have heard of, is Snowbound by Genesis because it tells the story of when the snow arrives and all the children build their snowmen. It may sound corny but to me life is all about watching and hearing children play.

Which School Mum Are You?

The first term of the school year is already half over and it has given us all six long weeks of making small talk at the school gates. During this time, it is likely we will have established who's who in this year's line up of mums. Who do we envy, who has us rolling our eyes and, most importantly, who is the one who makes us all look a little bit more together than we feel? If you are new to drop off and pick up time, you may already have come to recognise some of the stereotypes that crop up year after year. Here's a few to jog your memory.

Agreeing with Davina McCall on Relationships

Davina McCall got herself into a bit of hot water recently by being a bit too honest about her marriage and relationships. Personally, I don't think there is anything wrong with speaking your mind and being candid, particularly about something you are proud of. It's becoming rarer that people can talk about their marriage in terms of double figures, so why shouldn't she share her tips? The interview involved comments she made about her relationship with her husband and, as with all comments taken out of context, this one quickly became a beacon for feminists to flock to.