Well, it’s World Book Day and I’m Writer in Residence for Kirklees, so I thought I’d flag it with my teens and ask them for their fond recollections of World Book Day in days of yore: SON: School made us dress up. Didn’t you go as Malala? DAUGHTER: Yes, but that was for World Superheroes […]
Don’t Call Us
Just called my mum. It took her about 8 rings to answer and when she does, she says; “Can I ring you back in a minute? Your dad’s just choking.” And people wonder why I have had to develop a dark sense of humour, in order to cope with life.
Wordy Wondrous Resolution?
If you’re going to make a New Year’s Resolution, at least try for something that happens to be a little bit more challenging for the old grey matter than the usual ‘go to gym more’ or ‘don’t eat lard.’ That’s what I’ll be attempting anyway, and this year with a bit more of a vernacular […]
Parents – meet Teachers. Hello? Are we *that* estranged from one another?
I’m calling for a return to the parent being the teacher’s best friend. Parents – should we really be carping from the sidelines about teachers and schools on social media? Should we be naming teachers, with no thought to the devastating consequences for them and their families? Simply because we aren’t keen on them, don’t […]
Bookish But NEVER Boring…
Reporting back from the promise in my previous blog – to expose the kiddywinks to those Public Information films that so many of us were nurtured with in post-war Britain, I have to say that I am rather disappointed. We watched many – and the general consensus was “Freaky! Creepy!” or “well you never took […]
Laugh and Be Liberated
You don’t need me to quote a whole load of stats and studies at you in relation to how laughter can be an exceptionally healing medium. For years I’ve been saying that the Calvin and Hobbes cartoon books should be made free on the NHS to all and sundry. Far cheaper for the state for […]