Secondary School- Yikes

My daughter starts secondary school in 3 days' time. Help! Why do kids grow up so fast? Don't get me wrong. I take great pride in watching her grow and discover the world around her. Being part of the process of helping her navigate her way through childhood is a privillege that I never take for granted. Still, when I read Mummy blog posts on your baby or toddler experiences it brings a pang to my heart. 'Once a Mummy always a Mummy' is a phrase that I am going to draw assurance from on 2 Sept as she walks through the school gates.
Jane

Kew Gardens

Kew Gardens

Kew Gardens

A couple of days ago I woke up to what you would describe as a gray miserable looking day, I was disappointed I had planned to take my youngest child to Kew Gardens but then I thought about it for a little while and announced to my son "well its still warmer then winter" he agreed. So off we went to Kew Gardens it took us exactly thirty minutes to get there by train, which was great as I had expected it to take longer then that, much longer in fact.
Well as soon as we arrived to our destination the sun was shining brightly! it stayed like that for the rest of the day! It made me wonder how many people cancel arrangements because of a gray sky! Well I have decided as long as its warmer then winter in the summer holidays I will go to these wonderful places as its no problem slipping into a light jacket. As for Kew Garden the last time I was there it was about fifteen years ago and it certainly hasn't lost its beauty, I love the trees with so many to see well I was at my element, Heritage Trees the Arboretum at Kew is home to some of the finest specimens of trees from all over the world. It contains examples from as far back as the early 18th century to newly planted rarities from recent Kew plant collecting expeditions. Every specimen is a piece of history in the development of an ever-changing landscape, representing the generations of a great historic tree collection.
The flowers were beautiful and with peacocks strolling by that was a sight to see, I could go on for ever but I rather recommend you see it for yourself,But make sure you don't miss Kew's Rhizotron and Xstrata Treetop Walkway takes you under the ground and then 18 metres (59ft) up in the air, bringing you close to trees in a way that will take your breath away. For those of you with small children they do have an indoor and outdoor play areas. At least three cafes with a whole range of goodies. Yes I will indeed return but this time a lot sooner then fifteen years.

By Vivian

Kids Go Too

I wish travelling abroad was a cheaper exercise than it is. Don't you just love it when you lock your front door behind you and head off for the airport knowing you will be in a new place some hours later? Visiting new places and seeing new sights is important for broadening one's view of the world and it is even more important for children to experience this. Hence, my wish for travel to become cheaper than it is. I want my daughter to see all the sights that she reads about in her books. Some years ago we visited Berlin before she started studying about WW2 at school. She was fascinated by the Berlin Wall. History came alive for her when she was finally doing it at school. It isn't just about history though. Meeting other people and empathizing with their culture and way of life is important to breaking down barriers between nations.
by
Jane

You can find beauty anywhere!

After a beautiful day in Hampstead Heath I wasn’t exactly pleased to be approaching my council estate, the blocks of flats looked so gray, in fact everything looked gray, Oh if only I thought, If only I could just bring the heath with me and plant it on my doorstep, how wonderful that would be When I noticed a beautiful rose just staring at me through the barbed wire next to the local football pitch. It made me think at how easy it is to just ignore the little things around us that have meaning and importance. Beauty is everywhere! you sometimes just have to dig a little to find it. Or even make a choice to see it. Not only did I stop to look at this rose I then took a close up shot, so I had the pleasure of looking at it again on this blog enjoying the experience even more! Life can be like that just taking the time to think and rethink about something that makes you smile even when you don’t feel like smiling! It makes a difference even if it just a small one. : )