Should we follow the rules and school uniform?

A school in Northampton that enforced strict uniform rules to avoid the sexualisation  of children angered pupils and parents when it banned skirts as girls were wearing them above the knee.

It’s now caused further annoyance as the headmaster has now banned skinny fit trousers as well.

Well, I’m sorry girls, but if these two in the article are anything to go by, then they’re taking the proverbial p*ss and the headmaster has a point.

Are those supposed to be school trousers?! They look more like leggings.
They’re not exactly school uniform material, are they?!

What’s so wrong with school uniform anyway? It’s a way of making sure all pupils are wearing the same clothes.

There’s no singling out of children who have so called better clothes than others, or thinking of what to put on every morning.

Everyone’s the same.

It also identifies the school, and the pupils in it.

You’re hardly representing the school, are you if you’re hoiking your skirt up to your hoo ha or wearing trousers that look like they’ve been shrunk in the wash.

Just suck it up and accept that while you’re at school, you’ve got a uniform and rules.

Why get in a twist over not being able to wear certain clothes? It’s the rules, get over it. Respect them and sweat the big things.

If mine came home complaining about the uniform they had to wear I’d be telling them exactly the same thing – respect the rules…. get on with it and stop moaning… and wouldn’t be encouraging them to take the widdle and then run crying to the press.

What do you think?!

Pupils really taking the pee link

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Is eating together as a family and table manners important?

With people at work, and children out with friends, sitting together with family round the table is probably seen as a long ago relic of the past.

For us, it used to be a case of whatever you were doing, you had to stop whatever activity you were doing and be sat round the table for 2pm for Sunday dinner.

Dad was under strict instructions to be back from his Sunday lunchtime pint by then, us small people had to ditch the friends and be round the table.

Fast forward twenty years or so, and we still try to keep it relevant.

At least a few times a week, we’ll sit round the table together and have a meal.

Telly off, no, we’re not answering the phone as we’re having our dinner, and absolutely no games consoles or gadgets/toys at the table.

Just old fashioned ‘get on with your dinner’ and a bit of conversation thrown in.

Where else are you going to find out what your children did at school that day?

If they’re anything like mine, when I pick them up from school and ask:

 

“What did you do at school today, anything good?”

I usually get the answer “can’t remember” back, or “not much.”

They seem to remember more round the table, or at least feel like offering information up more easily!

 

They both help to set the table properly. Knives and forks are to be held correctly, and  no elbows on the table. Please and thank you as well if you want anything passing to you.

Are we old fashioned or does anyone else like to do the same, and think it’s important to instil manners?

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Listography – Top 5 Truths according to Women

The great thing about women is that we know, without a shadow of a doubt, that some things just make more SENSE when you’re female.

I don’t know why, they just do.

Truth 1

Asking for directions stops you from getting lost , and can help you get to your chosen destination quicker and with as much hair left as you set out with.

It doesn’t mean you’re letting your sex down by admitting that you haven’t got a bleedin’ clue where you are and, let’s face it, you’ve been driving round in circles for the past hour.

Truth 2

Chocolate relieves stress.

It might be the time of the month, your other half may be doing your head in, or the small people might have been playing up all day, but a few squares or bars soon restores sanity.

As your stress levels decrease, you can be found thinking “Pests? Who, those little angels asleep upstairs?! Ooh, no.”

The whole world looks a lot more rosy with a bar of chocolate in your mush and peaceful children.

Truth 3

Make – up hides a multitude of sins

I very rarely wear make up. If there’s a blue moon, or I’m going on a night out, then I might wear a bit.

The great thing with make-up though, is that if you look like you’re half asleep, you can slap a load of stuff on your face and cover it up.

Only wearing it every now and again makes for more of an impact when you actually do, as people comment that you’re looking well.

What that makes me usually I don’t know – I probably go round looking like the Crypt Keeper and have eyes like puffy slits.

Ah well.

Truth 4

Reading is power.

The more you read, the more you know. Whether it’s reading the newspapers and genning up on all the latest news, or reading as many celeb mags as you possibly can.

How else would you know what was going on in the world, or which singer is seeing who now?!

Knowledge is power. Get reading.

Truth 5

Fake tan is an art form

There’s nothing wrong with fake tan, it’s common sense to use it instead of roasting under the sun’s rays.

However, as much as it’s not nice to look like a battered old leather handbag, looking like you’ve been chased by the Tango Man isn’t that good either.

Subtlety is key, less is more!

If you want to see more pearls of wisdom, visit the posts over on Kate Takes 5

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A parent’s guide – small things that make you happy

It’s easy to feel invisible  when you’re at home and away from civilized society and only have child’s chatter to keep your brain from turning to mush.

There’s far too much everyday drudginess and it’s easy to forget the small, silly things that make you smile.

So, here’s a list of some smiley things, feel free to add to them…

 

- Walking home from school only to have your small one stop, bend down and pick you a daisy, or a dandelion and proffer it out in his hand.
“A flower for you, Mummy!”

 

- Going to the seaside, rolling your trouser legs up and going for a paddle at the water’s edge… jumping over the waves as they approach your feet…

 

Fireplace crackling away on a cold day (fireguard on) curtains drawn, cinema style, and a children’s movie on such as Toy Story… or an old favourite like Mary Poppins or Bedknobs and Broomsticks for a bit of nostalgia…

 

Or how about after a monster day of moaning and tantrums and they”re all tucked up in bed…. fast asleep, with their hands thrown up in the air curled up into little fists, looking the picture of innocence….

 

 

 

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Stay at home mums are invisible….

Spending the days with your children is all well and good, but do you ever feel that you are ‘invisible’ from society?

At least when you have a job you’re out there in the workplace, with other people to talk to and not just the four walls a’la Shirley Valentine.

“Hello, walls, how are you today?!” Yes, that will be me soon if I’m not careful.

If your children are still small, it’s a full time job in itself and you’re always kept busy wiping bums, feeding, taking out for trips.

Albeit an unpaid one.

What happens when the smallest gets to school age though, and you’re at home all day? You think “hurrah, I’ve got time to myself! The luxury! I can do whatever I like!”

That quickly wears off though. Then you’re left thinking “OK, I’m bored now. I need to keep myself occupied.”

So, in my case, while trying to find a job that fits in with school and shift work patterns of the other half (which are virtually non existent) I start to build blogs and write articles.

Just because I’m so called ‘sat at home’, doesn’t mean I’m not doing anything.

I’m still here all day though. There’s no water cooler to gather round, or tea break chats to be had.

When you go for a night out and everyone’s talking about how they chaired a meeting at work, gave interviews or are flying off somewhere, it’s a case of smile and nod.

I’m here for picking up small people from school if they need collecting early, I sort out uniforms and packed lunches, take them to Cubs/swimming lessons, wash clothes, iron, tidy away things left out all over the floor, wash up, and even act as mediator when there’s arguments.

While at home and wanting a job, I’ve self taught myself to build two blogs, regularly produce content, add code to them, and promote the finished blog posts  via social media and networking.

So don’t assume I sit here all day and do nowt…..

Though if I wanted to that would be entirely up to ME.

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First week back at school after the holidays

After six weeks off school, and lazy mornings of not having to get up or actually BE anywhere, it is was nice to get back into the school run routine this week.

Yes, we had lots of lovely days out, but most mornings consisted of not getting dressed until 10am. Just because we didn’t need to, so we weren’t going to, so there.

There’s only so much of that I can take, though. I don’t do slobbing around in my pyjamas very well. If I’m up, I need to be dressed and that means the small people do, too.

I can’t get my brain into gear, or my backside motivated to DO anything if I’m still in nightwear. I still have my asleep head on.

Whereas if I get us all dressed it suddenly motivates me to wake up. (Well, after a fashion – let’s not get too carried away…)

So it’s been great to have a morning routine back in place this week.

The small one’s started in Year 1, and has had to get his head round more work than he’s used to.

On his first day back,  he declared that he LOVED his new class.

“There’s a LOT of work, Mummy. LOTS of writing, and reading. I love my new class though.”

The 9 year old though, is more jaded and hardened to the trappings of school as he’s been there a few years now and the novelty has worn off slightly.

“Uh, do I have to go back to school already?!”

Um, yes you do. Get used to the fact, boy!

As for me? I can get things DONE again. I can get housework done (and write, in peace!) without having to break off to split up fights, or referee STUPID arguments…

Smallest: “Mummeeeee!”

Me.. “Yes?!”

“He’s LOOKING at me, make him stop!”

Give me strength. Hurrah for the start of school term…:-)

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Silent Sunday… castles and walls

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Listography – Top 5 songs I grew up with

Music – it’s a powerful thing . It’s one of those things that can make you happy, make you sad, or make you remember.

Just one song is all it takes to transport you back to a simpler time, or make you want to just get up and dance.

Or in the case of this top 5, take you back to your youth!

 

This Listography  for example, is going to transport me back to my teens, and down to my childhood. Remember any of these?!

 

This reminds me of dancing about in a German nightclub called Kick on a German college exchange…

 

5th year common room, this used to play on the MTV channel….

 

I can’t have a countdown of my childhood songs without a bit of Kylie and Jason in (ahem)

 

 

Playing at the primary school leavers disco (none of your stupid proms back then) was this..

 

then a very silly song that was hilarious to sing along to when you were small….

“Hold a chicken in the air, stick a deckchair up your nose… “

 

Music – powerful stuff and transports you back.

 

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Silent Sunday…. ahoy there! ‘Pirate boats’ at Scarborough

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The end of the summer holidays…..

As lovely as it’s been having them at home and going on day trips for the past six weeks, I’m not going to lie – I’m going to be booting them back to school with glee next week.

It’s not just the ‘I’m bored’ cry they do if you dare to stay in the house for a full day.

It’s having to fork out for endless day trips, and trips to the soft play or whatever. Even if you go fully equipped with a picnic and water bottles. there’s bound to be some money changing hands somewhere.

So far these holidays we’ve been to:

- Yorkshire Wildlife Park to see the antelopes, zebras and lions, and stroke the wallabies.

We’ve visited Whitby, scoffed fish and chips and played the 2p machines in the seaside arcades.

- We’ve visited Sandal Castle, explored the ruins and looked down over the city of Wakefield…

Been ‘tourists’ in York…

and also pretended to be bank managers and post office workers at the Eureka! children’s museum, as well as do our food shopping in a mini Marks and Spencers.

We’ve seen how the Victorians used to live, and wandered down an old Victorian replica street.

We’ve played tennis, and gone to the park for a picnic.

I think it’s about time you went back to school now, I need a few minute’s peace and quiet…….. and time to recover.

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