World Book Day

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Navigating World Book Day with a Reluctant Reader: A Parent’s Dilemma

As World Book Day approaches, the excitement in our household is palpable. However, for parents of children with reading difficulties, like my 7-year-old, the anticipation is laced with a tinge of anxiety. The pressure to find the perfect (any) book character costume becomes a daunting task when the reading level isn’t quite there.

My child, who is still struggling with reading, faces a unique challenge in selecting a character that resonates with them. While their peers dive into enchanting novels, my little one finds solace in the visual world of TV! (particularly watching Minecraft) rather than the written one.

As a mum, I’ve discovered that the key to making World Book Day enjoyable lies in embracing creativity beyond the pages. This year, we’ve chosen a character from Minecraft that captures their imagination. It’s a reminder that World Book Day is about celebrating the joy of storytelling in all its forms, irrespective of reading proficiency. As parents, we can redefine the narrative and emphasise the love for stories in our own unique ways, making World Book Day a memorable experience for every child, regardless of their reading journey.

2024 events to look forward to

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Here’s some unmissable events to add to your calendars for the year…

 

London Fashion Week (London, February 16 – 20):

Stay ahead of the fashion curve with the latest trends and designs showcased during London Fashion Week, attracting designers, models, and fashion enthusiasts from around the globe.

 

Chelsea Flower Show (London, May 21 – 25):

Garden enthusiasts can revel in the beauty of the Chelsea Flower Show, featuring stunning floral displays, innovative garden designs, and the latest trends in horticulture.

 

Wimbledon Championships (London, June 24 – July 7):

Tennis enthusiasts can look forward to the prestigious Wimbledon tournament, where the world’s top players compete on the iconic grass courts.

 

Glastonbury Festival (Somerset, June 26 – 30):

Music lovers can rejoice at the return of the iconic Glastonbury Festival, featuring a diverse line-up of artists, performances, and a unique atmosphere on Worthy Farm.

 

2024 Summer Olympics (London, July 19 – August 4):

The Summer Olympics return to the UK, bringing together athletes from around the world to compete in various sports. Expect thrilling moments and record-breaking performances.

 

Edinburgh Festival Fringe (Edinburgh, August 2 – 26):

The world’s largest arts festival showcases a diverse array of performances, from comedy and theatre to music and dance, transforming Edinburgh into a cultural hub.

 

Notting Hill Carnival (London, August 25 – 26):

Join the vibrant celebrations of London’s Caribbean carnival, filled with colourful parades, live music, and a lively atmosphere in the streets of Notting Hill.

How to create positive habits for 2024 in 66 days

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Unlocking a healthier, happier you involves cultivating positive habits. Here’s a step by step guide on how to create a positive habit:

1: Identify your goal – pinpoint a clear, achievable goal, be it daily exercise, mindfulness, or a healthier diet. For instance, commit to a 15-minute morning meditation.

2: Start small – avoid overwhelm by breaking your goal into manageable tasks. If reading more is the aim, begin with just ten pages a day.

3: Establish a routine – consistency is crucial. Embed your chosen habit into your daily routine, like having a glass of water before every meal.

4: Use triggers – associate your new habit with an existing routine or trigger. For example, link regular exercise with your morning coffee routine.

5: Track your progress – use journals or apps to track progress, celebrating small victories. Share milestones on social media for added accountability.

Things to avoid – steer clear of unrealistic goals and negative self-talk. Focus on positive affirmations to maintain motivation.

How long does it take? Research suggests an average of 66 days to form a habit. Individual timelines vary, so stay patient, consistent, and witness the transformative power of positive habits in your life.

Running for a common goal

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Running for a common goal

Tuesday 5 September 2023 marked another International Day of Charity – a day aiming to raise awareness and provide a common platform for all charity related activities.

To mark this day, I wanted to share my own experience of meningitis and how it lead to me running the London Marathon back in April.

I was diagnosed with meningococcal meningitis (MenB) in summer 2018 and have since felt compelled to raise awareness of the disease and support the great work done by Meningitis Now.

Raising awareness of a positive outcome

Although I was the one diagnosed, it was actually my friends and family who were struggling the most. Some even mentioning the high mortality rate and levels of potentially life-changing, long-term problems associated with the disease. From my own research, whether via the internet or word of mouth, the narrative surrounding meningitis is definitely more doom and gloom than one of optimism.

The experience of MenB was terrifying for me, and I really wanted to raise awareness of a more positive outcome. Hopefully providing some hope and comfort to others.

I also wanted to raise some money for Meningitis Now, to give something back to all those who supported me since day one of my diagnosis.  So I decided to run the London Marathon in aid of the charity.

It’s a Marathon, not a sprint

By now the Marathon has come and gone and, although I didn’t break any records this time around, I’m really grateful to have been able to turn an awful experience into an incredible weekend.

Taking on a physical challenge like the Marathon is certainly the toughest thing I’ve done, but the reasons for doing so, along with the obvious health benefits, made it all worthwhile. I also managed to raise over £3,400, which I know will make a huge difference to the charity as it works towards a world where nobody loses their life or is left with life-changing after-effects following their own diagnosis.

Continuing my journey

I’ve since made a full recovery, finished university with a First class degree and have a full-time job at Barnett Waddingham. When I say full recovery, I suppose I’ll never know if it’s affected me long-term and if I’m honest, that’s the hardest part. But I’ve decided it’s not something worth worrying about and I try to just live life to the fullest. It’s certainly given me a renewed outlook and allowed me to appreciate the good moments more.

It’s also acted as a useful reminder not to take life too seriously and brought me closer to those around me. Thanks again to all who helped and supported me at the time.

Encouraging others to share

I’m keen to encourage others to share their own experiences as I believe the support it can provide is invaluable to others going through the same. Throughout my recovery, some of the personal struggles shared through Meningitis Now resonated and helped me relax a bit more about my own situation.

I’ve shared more on my experience here but if anyone has any questions, please pop them in the comments.

Otherwise, please check out Meningitis Now and all the great work it does.

Can apps keep you on track?

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Where to start? 

Setting yourself any type of goal can be daunting. I struggle with knowing where to start and keeping track of progress but I’ve recently discovered some apps and websites to help me keep on top of my physical and mental wellbeing. Here’s a few of my favourites.

Stop snoozing
The perfect place to start is getting a good night’s sleep. I’m guilty of scrolling on my phone for hours in bed which leaves my mind buzzing and unable to switch off. I find it hard to drag myself out of bed in the morning with next to no energy to do anything productive for myself outside of work, whether that’s exercise, cooking or socialising.

Headspace is an app which is great for people like me who can’t switch off. It provides hints and tips for better sleep, including how to create the perfect sleep environment and ideas to wind down and get the most out of your night’s sleep. One recommendation is to keep your phone out of reach while you sleep – I’ve tried this because it forces me out of bed in the morning to switch off that dreaded alarm!

Once I’ve cracked down on my perfect sleeping routine, I wake up earlier with a replenished tank of energy ready for the day. I can set my alarm earlier and not feel the need to snooze ten times before rolling out of bed.

Enjoying exercise
If you’re not a gym person, there are so many other ways of incorporating exercise into your daily routine. Apps like FitOn have a wide range of workouts that don’t need equipment or endless hours in the gym. These are great for when I feel like doing some exercise but don’t have much time, or when leaving the house feels overwhelming.

As someone who hadn’t focused on running to get fit in the past, discovering the Couch to 5k app made running 5k feel within reach. It’s a fun form of exercise and a great way to challenge yourself which only takes up 30 minutes of your day.

Cooking up a storm
When I’m feeling energised from exercise one of the knock-on effects is wanting to improve my diet. There are several apps which can track what you’re putting in your body and provide easy, healthy meals. I use MyFitnessPal for recipe inspiration and to track my meals. The app also has a huge community where you can share progress and gather motivation from other users.

Using apps can really help with reaching goals, as well as providing personalised exercise routines, community support and an easy way to track your progress.

There’s so much out there to choose from and the apps I’ve mentioned might be a good starting point to try out something new – but do your research and find out what works for you when it comes to your own physical and mental wellbeing.

Love food, loathe waste

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Do you know the impact food waste has on our planet?

Due to the significant resources required for food growth, processing, packaging, storage, and transportation, among other things, it significantly increases our environmental footprint.

Good news is, every small action we take has a significant positive impact on our environment. If you multiply each modest action by the millions of people who live in the UK, it quickly adds up.

With a busy lifestyle it can often be difficult to be mindful of our food choices, but with the right planning it can have lots of extra benefits including making healthier food choices, reducing stress and slashing our shopping expenses! What’s not to love about that?

We all know that none of us wastes food on purpose. We’re doing our best but sometimes we need a little help along the way.

Support is out there! 

There are many food waste reduction apps which can help support you and your local community. They offer great advice, tips and planning tools to help support you and your family in your efforts.

My favourites include:

If you can, make a list of the food you waste over each day of the next week, so you have a better idea of where your habits lead to waste. Then you can decide on those areas for change. I’m lucky to have a food waste bin so even when I do have food to throw away, I know it’s repurposed to create electricity or used as fertiliser in farming. If your council doesn’t currently offer this service, you could consider composting.

Most importantly, be kind to yourself! Don’t get frustrated if you haven’t quite got it right. Remember, every small action has a positive impact on our environment.

And while I’m not perfect, I know doing nothing is not the answer. There have been many bananas I promised to turn into banana bread that didn’t quite make it.

Quick tip 

Let’s not forget the best way to keep food fresh is to make sure the fridge temperature is set correctly – ideally it should be between 3 – 5°C.  We often we don’t realise we’ve accidently increased or decreased the temperature so now is a good time to check!