These crawls are part of an effort to archive pages as they are created and archive the pages that they refer to. That way, as the pages that are referenced are changed or taken from the web, a link to the version that was live when the page was written will be preserved.
Then the Internet Archive hopes that references to these archived pages will be put in place of a link that would be otherwise be broken, or a companion link to allow people to see what was originally intended by a page's authors.
This is a collection of pages and embedded objects from WordPress blogs and the external pages they link to. Captures of these pages are made on a continuous basis seeded from a feed of new or changed pages hosted by Wordpress.com or by Wordpress pages hosted by sites running a properly configured Jetpack wordpress plugin.
TIMESTAMPS
The Wayback Machine - https://web.archive.org/web/20241007125225/https://countrygate.wordpress.com/
It’s not unusual to hear that someone has started off the academic year signing up for an evening class – painting, pottery, conversational Spanish…. There’s something innate about the desire to start new projects after the summer, perhaps to maintain worklife balance, meet new people or find something to do during the cold, dark winter months. But learning a new skill can be SO much more than that.
Some time ago I recall one of my colleagues whose barometer is often set to ‘rain’ bemoaning the content of yet another training day. Lack of control over workload or training opportunities is one of the factors the HSE has identified as contributing to work-based stress. It is clear that she felt stuck. What’s a solution-focused practitioner to do but ask about her preferred future and best hopes for a training day? A complete seachange came about and she outlined in detail one which she felt had meaning and relevance. She was completely invested in what was possible. I have witnessed the same effect when employees have been trusted and even encouraged to choose their own areas for research and training for the year ahead with the caveat that they can justify how it aligns with the organisation’s development plan, thereby giving staff some control and promoting buy-in. The energy of those who have presented at staff briefings on areas they have become expert in is tangible. Their eyes shine; their posture is relaxed; they are energised, enthusiastic, purposeful, empowered.
Let’s unpack what is happening here and identify the benefits of learning a new skill or developing an area of expertise, not only to the individual but to an organisation as a whole.
The motivation to learn something new brings with it a sense of purpose and meaning which may be lacking in your life if you have been operating within your comfort zone. In turn this boosts confidence and self-esteem, empowering you to tackle other areas of your professional or personal life which have lain fallow. The dopamine hit is obvious, whether it is a professional training opportunity or a personal commitment to learn a new skill. Purposeful workers who feel invested make for a much better working environment. Contented people are positive, supportive colleagues. Everybody wins.
Your health will benefit. Even in older people the physical brain is malleable. Individuals who learn new skills have fewer fear responses and a growth mindset, thereby protecting against the signs of aging. Curious people tend to live longer, healthier lives.
Opting to learn something new demonstrates that all-important flexibility in an employee, showing that you are capable of embracing change and can take on board new perspectives, keeping you relevant and a valuable asset to an organisation.
So whether you are at the start of your career, have climbed the ladder or are looking towards retirement, stay curious. It is vital to your own wellbeing and that of your organisation. And now that you know that, I’d love to hear what tiny steps you intend to take now.
I’m certain that in amongst all my Celtic DNA there must be some Scandanavian somewhere. I was embracing the Danish concept of hyggelong before it became de rigueur in wellbeing circles. For part three in my series on workplace wellbeing, I’m considering what we might learn from the Scandanavians, in particular the Swedes and their tradition of fika, essentially a chance to slow down and meet people face to face for coffee and cake.
The benefits of taking meaningful and healthy breaks in your working day are well-documented but fika is so much more than that when properly introduced in the workplace. It addresses what evidence shows to be important in corporate messaging about care and concern for employee wellbeing, that is, that it ought to be supported by “tangible, continuous and consistent efforts”. The odd bowl of fruit in the staffroom on a Tuesday or Freddo frog in your pigeon-hole when you’ve delivered on some initiative during a staff meeting, whilst very welcome, simply doesn’t cut the mustard, particularly when you haven’t had time to go to the toilet or eat lunch on some days.
In the UK, the total economic cost of lost productivity due to health- related absence is estimated to be around £100 billion annually. A recent study by Santini et al into the economics of mental wellbeing in Denmark provided several insights into what this might mean for us in the UK, particularly for the public sector (NHS and education in particular) where there are comparatively high levels of staff currently leaving the profession and a lot of money spent on agency staff in hospitals and and supply cover in schools. While mental health continues to be the most important factor related to productivity, the work environment, relationships and culture played a key direct role on individual productivity and performance. Fika is one way to address this.
More than a coffee break, fika is an opportunity to take time out in the working day and relax in the company of your coworkers, fully backed and fully funded by your employer. Good quality tea and coffee, buns – cinnamon, cardamon buns or chelsea buns, cookies or cake enjoyed in a comfortable space on a daily basis will benefit any organisation in a number of ways.
enhanced worker wellbeing and better staff retention
better staff morale
improved communication amongst the workforce
strengthened connections within and between team members
improved creative thinking and problem-solving
increased productivity within the workplace
Has your organisation introduced fika? Have you got together with your colleagues and created your own daily fika ritual? I’d love to hear of any examples within the UK and what benefits you might have witnessed.
For the second article in my series on workplace wellbeing I’m focusing this week on meaningful meetings. Love them or hate them, meetings are a given in the workplace. I was sorely tempted this year to buy a notebook labelled ‘Meetings that could have been an email’. We’ve all been there, haven’t we? And whilst I completely understand the briefing-type meeting when a boss or line manager needs to feel that all relevant staff have heard the same message, I am also aware that just because you are on ‘broadcast’, it doesn’t necessarily follow that everyone else is on ‘receive.’ Sitting around the kitchen table sharing a meal can aid meaningful connections among family and friends but the same is not necessarily true in a meeting room at work. And so I offer a solution – the walking meeting. It’s not new but it is effective. Back in the early part of the last decade they were quite the thing; ten years on we’re back to first base with many of us sitting for hours every week in one meeting or another.
Meetings are SO much easier to organise since COVID necessitated we all install Zoom and Teams on our devices. As a result the number of workplace meetings seem to have increased exponentially but perhaps not the quality of communication. I’m not a fan of sedentary hours spent passively listening. In fact when staff meetings moved exclusively online back in 2020, on one occasion I switched off my camera and managed to prep dinner for the family whilst actively contributing. Moving around the kitchen listening to the discussion energised me in a way that sitting in a meeting room could not. Somehow it was easier to synthesise the information and consider alternative perspectives.
When I look back at some of the most productive meetings I have experienced in my professional life they all have one thing in common – I was outside, walking. When I saw Nilofer Merchant’s TED talk, Got a Meeting? Take a walkback in the day, I could have punched the air. Online, on the phone or in person, walking facilitates new perspectives, solutions, connection and creativity.
I know.
I’ve been doing it for well over thirty years.
When I was training in Bloomsbury in the early nineties my placement supervisor used to take us for a walk around Russell Square to compare notes on our lessons, share ideas and give us feedback.
My first job involved taking a turn around the school field with my line manager to discuss approaches to mananging my classroom and teaching texts. In fact, I’m pretty sure he interviewed me for the job by walking around the school field.
When I started to mentor new colleagues- you’ve guessed it – we went for a walk. In recent years this was round Alexandra Park in Bath, often on a Friday when the coffee and choux bun van was parked near the bench with an awesome view of the city below. This more relaxed side-by-side approach to mentoring allowed those I was working with to open up about their challenges and to be receptive to the suggestions we brainstormed together.
More recently in supporting clients, particularly students, the walking meeting has once again proved to be a boon. Schools are busy places and finding a meeting room just when you need one is often impossible; teenagers open up more when you are doing something alongside them and so, necessity being the mother of invention, my solution-focused conversations with teens are done on the move. Even Cruse, for whom I volunteer have begun to support bereaved clients through walking groups.
In any workplace, with the exception of briefings of large groups which, quite frankly can be email or video-based, those covering confidential material or requiring detailed reference to handouts or a screen, any meeting can be held outdoors on the move. As well as the obvious wellbeing and mood boosting aspects of less time sitting down, increased exercise and more time spent in nature the walking meeting has a number of advantages:-
A walking one to one with your manager allows for open communication about challenges without the intensity of gazing directly at each other.
Informal conversations with no set agenda gives members of a team an opportunity to connect with colleagues. Take those watercooler conversations outdoors on the move and you amplify the effect.
Walking coaching sessions are invaluable for insights and general wellbeing.
Netwalking is fun, healthy and avoids those sometimes excruciating silences you can get at traditional networking gatherings.
Team meetings for larger groups will need more organisation but people naturally fall into pairs or smaller groups. Just keep the agenda focused and encourage individuals to swap around regularly and it will work.
Try it for a month. Move any suitable meeting outdoors when the weather allows. Ensure that the route is safe, away from traffic noise and crowds and is easily accessible by everyone. Schedule half an hour, aim to be back in twenty five minutes and you’ll probably find you’re back in twenty. Simple actions can be recorded on a phone in the last few minutes. With no fancy presentation and copious notes you are forced to be clear, concise and collaborative. Three words that should bring joy to any workplace.
This is the first in a series of articles about workplace wellbeing. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) cites six main areas that can lead to work-related stress if they are not managed properly. These are: demands, control, support, relationships, role and change. Where these factors are thoughtfully addressed in the way employers design roles and manage their workplaces, employees should be less stressed, happier and more productive. In healthy work environments
employees feel in control of their workload,
they feel supported to complete their work,
they fully understand their role,
change is sensitively managed, effectively communicated and not rushed,
relationships are trusting and supportive,
demands are reasonable.
Of course we all have our own level when it comes to managing stress but I wanted to spend some time in this series reflecting on six ways in which individuals and their employers can work together to support better wellbeing in the workplace.
My workplace experience is almost entirely school-based and with organisations which seek to support individuals in crisis but my reflections are just as relevant to any other workplace. It’s just that when you spend your days working with individuals who may be emotional, stressed, disregulated, angry, disorganised, resentful, hurt and under pressure, it’s doubly important to take care of your own wellbeing so that you can meet these challenges with positivity, perspective, creativity and calm.
This week I’m going to focus on boundaries.
First of all, let me say that in organisations like Cruse Bereavement Support for whom I work currently and who operate with an army of volunteers, boundaries are taken very seriously indeed. There are rules and stuctures in place to support both the clients and the staff/volunteers. The whole system would collapse if its biggest resource -the volunteers -were suffering from work-related stress. And so the organisation works incredibly hard to adhere to the HSE’s guidelines. Some workplaces are similar; some are not and then it is up to the individual to develop those boundaries that will support them in doing a good job and staying healthy.
Working as a teacher, as I did for years, the idea of putting boundaries in place seemed a Herculean task. “There are no boundaries in teaching,” an older colleague announced to me when I was starting out, “unless you work hard to put them in place and protect them at all costs.” I soon learned what he meant. Lessons finished at 3.30pm but there was always a meeting, an after-school club or phone calls to parents to make. If, lord forbid, you placed a student in detention for not doing their homework you could wave goodbye to another hour. Then there were the after-school lessons, revision sessions and homework clubs you were asked or volunteered to run.
Lunchtimes were opportunities for anything but lunch – seeing a member of your tutor group who was struggling with friendships, photocopying a class set of worksheets, ordering books or filling out the seventeen page proposal form for a school trip next February.
Most teachers give hour-long presentations back-to-back for five hours every day. It’s no wonder they have strong bladder muscles. They have to be there at the start to greet their classes with a cheery word and ensure that all the (stimulating, well-researched and differentiated) resources are in place, ensuring that every student in the class has their needs well-catered for. These tend to be the work of evenings, weekends and school holidays. This can be a tough gig. Two members of your audience may have fallen out spectacularly, another two didn’t have breakfast and are ‘hangry’, one has parents who have just announced they are divorcing, three more can’t see the point in learning algebra (insert any other topic here) and you have to actively prove that you are adding value to their experience.
I haven’t even got to the hundreds of books that need to marked, reports to be written, parents’ evenings, data logging and analysis and keeping abreast of the latest educational research on metacognition, behaviour management and how to give effective feedback.
That’s teaching. It’s what I know and love. But I’m sure every other profession has its potentially overwhelming workload to manage. Worklife balance starts with prioritizing ourselves and what matters to us, and boundaries are key to supporting that. They allow focus on tasks that align with your role and responsibilities. They provide you with an opportunity to prioritize your work, focus on the essential tasks and your long-term goals and avoid getting sidetracked. Protecting your boundaries leads to better job satisfaction, increased levels of professionalism, more effective conflict management and higher levels of personal growth as you become more confident in expressing your needs.
But how do you do this?
Where you actively have to be at work to do your job, protecting your boundaries is much easier. Job and finish, as my dad used to say. Forget about work when you walk out of the door, even if you’ve just put in a twelve-hour shift. Teachers, like many other professionals have always had the option (requirement) that they take work home. That blurs the boundaries between work and home and potentially leads to overworking. The self-employed also have to work hard to hold the line between work and home. COVID saw the emergence of increased levels of homeworking. Many more of us are now working from home at least for part of the week, blurring the boundary between work and home. And the growth in technological solutions which allow us to work from virtually anywhere has meant that for some, this means we never switch off.
It’s time to practice saying no and reclaim the space. It’s not easy but it is so important. Let me be frank, I struggled with this for years, arriving home, stashing the class set of books in a corner of the kitchen before making dinner, chatting to the family and washing up before opening up the pc, tweaking my plan for tomorrow’s lessons, answering emails and marking the books. Then it was time for bed. Rinse and repeat. One day of the weekend was devoted to school work and friends/hobbies/visits to the dentist/quiz nights at the pub? Well. They waited till the school holidays. Then I started to mentor early career teachers (ECTs), the kind who need nurturing or they too would leave the profession within three years, like many others are doing. I saw the light. They needed a worklife balance and that started with boundaries. And being one who sought to lead by example, I put some in place for myself.
Essentially a few key actions worked well for me.
I started saying no to anything which didn’t fit with my long-term goals – not just at work but in the community, in my volunteering and in my family. I practised in the bathroom mirror. A LOT! And then I went for it. At first I bought myself some time by saying I needed a day or two to consider it and promising to reply. The reply was invariably no. Where it wasn’t possible to say no to work demands, I negotiated, either checking which existing tasks could be ignored or asking for more time to do them. I was firm in my boundaries but unstressed and solution-focused so people accepted it.
I deleted my work email account from my home pc, my tablet and my phone, meaning that I couldn’t answer work emails at home and I turned my phone off when I got home. People soon got used to communicating with me during office hours.
When I am working at home I try to go for a walk around the block to “commute” to work, get out my pc when I get back home and put it away, out of sight at the end of the working day.
I NEVER eat lunch at my desk.
I put work away at 8pm as often as I can, using the last half hour of work time to ensure the essentials are done. I find this gives me greater focus and makes me more productive.
When I was teaching I did no work on a least one evening of the working week, giving me time to reconnect with friends or family, take up a hobby or read. Now I have more than one evening off.
I accepted that my boundaries allowed me to be ‘good enough’ and made peace with that. In fact, I’ve discovered that these same boundaries mean that I am more creative, more energised, more confident, more relaxed and more focused when I am at work. And that is more than good enough.
If you are a teacher who is in danger of leaving the profession you love, who feels exhausted, negative or in danger of burn out, I’d like to help. Get in touchvia my socials.
Here’s another picture from our summer holiday in Dorset, a metaphorical representation of what the next few weeks at work look like for me – rolling hills and valleys with a little hill to climb in the distance. There is no set path but there is some protection from inclement weather and altogether, a bit of an adventure. I often use photographs when having conversations with students. They choose the one that resonates with them and it opens up all sorts of interesting avenues for reflection and exploration.
The first week of term is always a busy one and this year has been no different. I wonder how teachers and school staff up and down the country feel after a couple of days of INSET and a phased return of pupils. New classes, old classes, new routines or the same ones as before, what is it that will carry them through to Half Term with energy, creativity and optimism? What are your #wellbeinggoals ?
There. I’ve mentioned Half Term already. And I’ll wager that many school staff have done that this week. Some may even be counting down the days till the next holiday. Cue the usual quips from friends and others about the long holidays and 3pm finishes.
How difficult can the job really be?
The numbers leaving the profession currently – or choosing not to enter it – are indicative of the stress of the job. Teaching has become more of an endurance sport than a passion, way of life or – dare I say it? – just a job. For the first time ever, this September I am out of the classroom but still in school supporting students. I am also working with teachers in my solution-focused practice. One question crops up time and again in listening to teachers and it is this? Can teachers ever have a worklife balance?
The answer is yes.
Some schools are better than others at supporting the wellbeing of their staff. There are some great initiatives out there and inspirational Heads or Academy Trust leaders who recognise that a successful school begins with teachers who feel valued and enabled. The good news is we can all do something to support ourselves, build resilience and maintain that positive, energetic, creative approach to our work in school that will make a difference to our interactions with students, colleagues and parents. And that, in turn, will reap rewards for our own wellbeing. My own approach has been to try to live in tune with the seasons and to find simple things to do away from work every month. I’ve started sharing them here for anyone who’d like to do the same.
Teaching is not a profession for a perfectionist. Like gardening, or painting the Forth Bridge, it never ends. There is always more to do. One of the key ways to remain bouyant is to make peace with being “good enough”. It is not unprofessional to have a life; and it is not unprofessional to prioritise your health or your family. And so, on the basis of following my own solution-focused principles and focusing on doing more of what works, over the next few weeks I will be sharing ideas that clients have found useful in managing work-based stress. Whether you work in a school or somewhere else, I hope these six pillars of wellbeing will help you negotiate your way through the next few weeks.
Chances are whether you are a parent, a student or a teacher – my three main client groups – some of the items on your ‘to do’ list were completed but you didn’t get round to a whole heap of others.
So far, so human.
I have not deep-cleaned the house, cleared all the clutter, painted the bathroom skirting board or completely overhauled the garden, but I have taken small steps in the right direction and made some progress. Importantly I have done some work on my inner life – planning, reflecting, letting go of anything no longer fit for purpose – in other words, having a jolly good sort out. I’m heading into the new academic year with less emotional baggage and with a strong sense of purpose. I refuse to waste energy bemoaning not ticking everything off my (over- ambitious) list but am pleased to notice that progress has been made.
We’re at the business end of the Summer holidays now when there is far more behind us than in front. Have those of you who work in school resisted the urge (or requirement) to pop into school on A Level or GCSE results day or to make classrooms ready for the start of term or photocopy resources? I know that for some of my teacher friends, those anxiety dreams have started already.
Back to work dread is real – for many, but for some who work in education it can feel overwhelming. The realisation that for seven weeks you will be on high alert, navigating stressful situations, managing emotions and SO MUCH data, putting the rest of your life on hold and, in some cases tightening your bladder muscles until the end of the day to visit the toilet. Combine that with the gradual turning of the season, the realisation that the evenings are darkening and the (perhaps unrealistic) expectations placed on you at the start of the academic year to be better, more efficient, more productive and you have the perfect storm.
In solution- focused conversations with teachers – particularly those in danger of burnout or considering quitting – the number one area they struggle with is in setting and maintaining boundaries. I get that. I struggled with it myself and only really got to grips with it when I was mentoring Early Career Teachers. It was a huge responsibility. Currently around 25% of ECTs leave the profession within three years of qualifying. That is a lot of wasted money and a huge loss to a profession which is also leaking experienced teachers at an alarming rate. The reasons are complex but the solution starts with work/life balance, maintaing boundaries and embracing the power of being good enough. As my Mum used to say, you cannot pour from an empty pot and if you work in a school, your tap is permanently on.
So with that in mind, how to maintain the focus on self-care moving into the new term in a solution-focused way?
First of all think about what has worked in the past to get you through difficult days and do more of that.
Secondly what are your best hopes for the term ahead? Name it/them.
What small steps can you take to maintain the kind of headspace, creativity and connection with family and friends you have enjoyed over the Summer?
And here – in no particular order- is a distillation of what has worked in the past for me and mini- changes I intend to make when I return to work.
daily walks in nature – a time for mindfulness, reflection and exercise, done in the evening it will also aid sleep
proper lunchtimes – a break away from my desk is a right not a luxury and has so much positive impact on my mood and performance in the afternoon.
not accessing work emails from home – there is NOTHING that cannot wait until I am at my desk at work
random acts of kindness – if you want to be happy, make someone else happy and the rewards will grow exponentially in the overall climate of your workplace.
focusing on one thing at a time – multi-tasking is an overrated virtue. In fact, it’s not a virtue at all. Giving something my full concentration is powerful.
saying no – One of the most powerful tools in my box and it took me many years to realise this. Obviously you can’t say no to everything at work but you can say no more.
investing time in my personal development – I’ve made a start on this and hope to reorganise my working week to facilitate my plans
scheduling times to check social media -no more mindless scrolling
plan some treats – giving myelf something to look forward to can make a grey day a little brighter. It might be a few days away at Half Term, a meal out, a gig or meeting a friend for a coffee after work on a Friday.
I’d love to hear how you are negotiating the return to work.
I’ve spent the week after returning from our summer holiday doing my best to maintain the holiday spirit. And whilst this has not involved much eating out, ice cream, days on the beach or watching episodes of Broadchurch in the evening (spotting places we’d visited earlier in the day), I have distilled the essence of what has made me feel more relaxed, grounded and content as result of spending a week away.
So that I can live more in tune with what brings me peace, joy and contentment.
And this is it.
Anything eaten out of doors tastes better. Do more of it.
A daily walk is essential to wellbeing – whatever the weather. Barefoot is even better.
Unplug – from technology. Regularly. We can’t all go forest bathing or staying in a mountain lodge or remote island but we can all leave our devices at home for a day (or more). It’s traditional for us to take a box-set of some or other detective series away on holiday but it is also traditional to take the board games and boule. No mindless scrolling, answering emails or being available 24/7.
Do more reading. It’s mind-expanding and escapist and we all need a bit of that.
Take your time over a family meal.
We don’t need lots of stuff to give us contentment. Get rid of your excess.
Curate your memories – printing some photos for display is entry level but feels good. I decorate my new academic diary with pics of the summer hols to bring me joy on the grey winter days. Of course you may have acquired some artwork or treasures from your holiday for display. Give them pride of place.
Switch up your interiors. I have brought home a few interior design ideas from our holiday cottage that I fully intend to implement during the year ahead.
Take time to have a proper conversation with someone when you’re next in the shops. I had a proper chinwag with a flower farmer in whose field I stopped off to gather some beautiful jewel-coloured blooms……. about her business and the local area. It made me think about what has been lost now that most of us shop online or in large supermarkets with increasing numbers of self-check-outs.
Plan your next holiday. Having something to look forward to, to plan and to save for is always exciting for me. We’re already looking at a short Half-Term break in October by the sea.
We’re just back from a blissful stay in a National Trust cottage on the Golden Cap estate in Dorset – a chance to relax with the family, spend time in nature and to practice my driving skills ( and the power of prayer) by navigating a two mile unmade road with few passing places and humungous pot-holes. Also an opportunity to spend time away from the clutter of home and to think clearly about goals for the next few months. Pared back, simple living brings creativity of the kind that can be sadly lacking when you are surrounded by the ‘stuff’ (real and metaphorical) of everyday.
On Monday morning the top of Golden Cap was shrouded by low clouds. The view was properly obscured but by the evening, with the return of the sun, the mist had dissipated to reveal a clear line of sight to the sea. This week away has done the same for me. (Don’t get me started on how essential it is to unplug from social media.) I return home refreshed, connected, having enjoyed another ‘Five go adventuring in Dorset’ experience and much clearer about how I intend to spend the remaining weeks of this year.
Time was, a summer holiday was an opportunity to get away from reality – in particular, the difficult bits. An opportunity to treat myself and the family, to provide sustainance for the busyness of the start of term. As I’ve grown older I see it also as an opportunity to check in with myself, redefine my goals, develop my vision of doing things a little differently. Setting the dial for the weeks ahead. More purpose than escapism. That way I can take some of the holiday mood into the term ahead. Of course I’m sad to leave behind those lazy days beside the sea but I’m properly stoked up for the next few weeks too.
What kind of summer do you imagine in your wildest dreams?
Recently, whilst doing some sorting, I found this picture – an archetypal British village in high summer. There’s a leisurely vibe about it as villagers go about their daily tasks. It reminds me of the summers of my youth when my uncles were haymaking every evening, helping out on a neighbouring farm. It has similarities too to all those years when my own children were young and the summer stretched before us in a succession of walks, picnics, visits to friends and pottering about at home. Low-cost, high return in terms of connection as a family. I don’t need wild adventures; I’m content with the time and space to slow down, fully embrace what’s important and connect with my loved ones.
I know the summer is a stressful time potentially for many families. When the National Trust was on a campaign to increase family membership a few years ago I worked on their 50 things to do before you’re 11 and 3/4 initiative. I ran free family workshops in a local National Trust garden. The feedback sheets invariably mentioned how grateful parents were to find simple activities which both they and their children had enjoyed, outdoors, away from technology, at minimal or no cost. A quick search on here will reveal plenty of ideas for parents with young children who are looking for similar. National Trust properties are advertising activities for a #summerofplay this year. Picnics in local beauty spots, treasure trails, cooking, gardening, beaches, firepits and taking life outdoors as much as possible feature significantly in my summer.
In addition this year, Care for the Family, a national charity that aims to promote strong family life and to help those who face family difficulties have produced some very workable suggestions for families looking for simple ways to connect over the Summer. You’ll find them here.
I’m taking some time away from social media for a few days to do just that. A break from technology and some #slowparenting of my (now adult) offspring is high on my list for the next few days. In the meantime, I’d love to hear what you have been doing with your families to go slow, reconnect and find the joy in simple things.
Postcards from the Plot 
