Friday 13th April 2026

What a glorious first week back at school we have had. I still can't decide what to wear because one morning I was scraping ice off my windscreen and the next day I had flung off my tights. At least each day brings something new and exciting, even at my ripe old age.

Easter has come and gone even though there is still a little bit of chocolate left in the shops. It is 'right annoying' when everything is half price or even 60% off after events isn't it! Still, I am sure there will be something in the shops soon for the next exciting calendar event. Actually, in my household, lettuce is the next big thing because we seem to have salad and something at every meal from now until September. Saves on washing up and easy to prepare. Long live lettuce.

Sporty times are upon us with tennis, hockey and swimming being on the menu. We also have new playground markings which should encourage the children to be even more active. Everyone has fun with no pressure whatsoever. So different from when I was at school when the PE teachers, especially at secondary school, were quite vicious. Thankfully, I was good at sport even though I don't look the picture of health and fitness now, but the poor souls who really had no co-ordination at all were shouted at and called pathetic! We used to do cross-country through Astley Park in Chorley and some of the less sporty girls would hide behind trees shivering, sometimes even having a cheeky smoke. The PE teachers never came with us.  We were just sent into the wilds by ourselves. We all lived to tell the tale and some people would call it character building! 

This is also the time of year when children start to think about moving on or up because school places were announced this week. Lots of excited parents are bringing in their paperwork ready to join Tavistock and our Year 2 children are all very excited about the juniors. I remember being really anxious and crying when Eleanor went to Junior school as we weren't allowed in. She was absolutely fine. There were some ups and downs. She had disagreements with friends and someone stole her Tamagotchi, but she made it through.

Some children, and adults, are more anxious than others but as I have said before, we all need to be resilient and resilience is one of the most important things we can encourage in our children. We all have to be resilient if someone says no we can't have or do something or behaves in a way we don't like. We love and treasure our children but they do need to learn how to cope with more difficult situations because that is just what life is like. I am proud of the children in school who help each other during tough times. I am also proud of the children who own up and say 'Yes, I didn't make the best choice and I am sorry' rather than trying to blame someone else. 

Right, I must get changed for after-school football now. Have a marvellous weekend.