A semblance of normality: An ex- lawyer/ stay at home mum/disabled mums view

  Here is my 3 hour packet cake creation. They say not to cry over spilled milk, how about a dropped egg and a whole cake tin's worth of mixture (was literally next to my oven)?? I am going to enjoy my half a cake, I have earned it! I even have a cold cup of coffee- yay freedom...again...(so wasn't worth it)

  I was going to be sad...then I thought I would celebrate. My children looked offended at me calling it ' my freedom cake'

  Every year I am terrified and dread the 6 weeks holidays but going forward I actually feel really lucky. Why you ask? I get to have mini lockdown every year without the awful home learning. For me, the great thing about lockdown has been that everything has been simplified. Finally, everyone has been on a equal playing field to me (no one could do things easily etc). I hope it will give everyone in the future a greater understanding of what things are like... Normally I am panicking about the 6 week holidays and thinking poor me, what am I going to do! Not now, 6 weeks is nothing - I have got this. "We have such little time with our children" a friend said at the start of lockdown "we won't get this time again." I didn't realise at the time that lockdown life would be just like my non lockdown life, so I do and I will get this time again! Yay!! I was starting to feel really upset that everybody's life is going back to 'normal' and I get to wat...

  Everyday is lockdown for me. Whilst restrictions are easing for most of you - I still hope this will be useful - I use quizzes etc all the time in half term's and holidays. Being disabled, I have to be organised and I do love a quiz! (I have a whole folder of them) Normally, I use spots because I have button rugs in my Playroom but I have been known to decamp to the garden. As previously explained, the kids choose a category of English, History or Science (not maths because I am unashamedly mathematically challenged). It is a very simple idea if they get the question right they can take a step forward to the next spot. If wrong, they stay put until their next go It means I have a reason to put on my Youtube playlists (I have shared these and more already). NB These are questions written for me by my Mum and Dad (who are both ex teachers albeit secondary level) I have absolutely no idea where they originally came from. I stole a suggestion following my other quiz and if it is h...

  I thought that I’d write about writing. Handwriting to be precise. Everyone has a taste of my restricted world recently and my handwriting has not escaped restriction. I could write an awful lot about this - at least I could on a keyboard -  but they say a pictur e paints a thousand words. So here’s one of my writing directly after my haemorrhage.     That was 7 years ago. August 14 th   2020 marks the 7-year anniversary of my brain haemorrhage – and although my writing is now in far better shape than it was 7 years ago, it’s still not as it was before.     I got used to walking with an aid pretty quickly but losing my ability to write by hand properly and losing my ability to speak clearly – (see my post about Loss of Eloquence, below) have easily been the worst consequences of my brain haemorrhage.   With handwriting, I have to remind myself that it takes children more than 7 years to master the art and at age 30 I had to start right from...

  Here's another 'game' for keeping them occupied indoors without screens. (Have a look for my previous measuring 'game' or indeed my quiz, playlist etc if you missed it) I know these aren't the most exciting games in the world but let's face it things that are good for us are quite often not that exciting! However (and arguably most importantly) you can have a cup of tea/coffee in peace whilst they are busy!! Essential v Luxury items We have so many 'things' so this will hopefully help them see the things they can live without and what they think they need. What they need: Print out my sheet from the photo or make your own clipboard/heavy duty book to lean on Pencil This could start lots of interesting conversations (below are suggested talking points but it's completely up to you and what your child puts down): - The science - what do we biologically ‘need’ - Is there a difference between things we want and things we need? why do we recyc...

  I need to organise myself for the summer holidays - none more so than this year - I have literally used everything! As with every year it's all on me to come up with ‘fun’ slightly educational activities. Normally I have a day of sheer panic where I update a folder of activities (I shared a post recently of my preparation for last year as I thought it was very funny). In past years, being stuck at home with me has a novelty factor for my children - not this year!! However as I have already used my normal playlists, quizzes and hunts quite a lot. I have therefore had to come up with new stuff, whilst trying to homeschool two children (O' happy days!). I am going to retain our daily structure (but in my head) because it helps me. However, instead of 'School work time' I am going to just extend my creative time in the morning and add it in afternoon. Also I have been mean and made them wear school uniform from day 1 of home school. It has been absolutely brilliant...