Health Archives - ABC Magazine

Nov 09

The things our children teach us

By Iain Boyle family, Relationships, Wellbeing

by Katie Stacey, founder of The Wild Shift

It had just started to rain. We were outside and, without thinking, I sighed, “Oh no. Rain.” My eldest son, who was seven at the time, looked at me, completely confused. “What do you mean? This means there’s going to be a rainbow.”

He was right. Almost as quickly as the words had left my mouth, I wished I could take them back. He probably forgot it minutes later, but I didn’t. In that moment I realised he wasn’t just hearing my words, he was learning how I met the world.

We spend so much of parenthood thinking about what we’re teaching our children: to be kind, to work hard, to keep trying. But I wonder whether the lessons they absorb most deeply are the ones we never consciously set out to teach.

The sigh that turns rain into an inconvenience. Whether we rush through a walk without looking up or stop to watch a snail crossing the path. Whether we meet the world with curiosity or simply move through it trying to get to the next thing.

Children arrive in the world already knowing how to notice. Somewhere along the way, many of us forget. Perhaps that’s one of the hidden costs of becoming busy adults. And yet curiosity, awe and wonder aren’t simply lovely parts of childhood. They’re conditions in which we flourish.

For years, I thought it was my job to create those moments for my children. Now I realise they don’t really need my help. If anything, I need theirs.

Parenting asks an extraordinary amount of us, yet so often we believe the answer is simply to try harder. After more than a decade as a wildlife journalist, I learnt that behaviour reflects conditions. Give an animal what it needs and different behaviours emerge. Looking back, I realised the same was true of people.

The version of ourselves our children need most isn’t created through effort alone. It’s supported by the conditions that help us flourish.

For almost all of human history, our brains and bodies developed in close relationship with the natural world. It’s hardly surprising that so many of us feel more like ourselves when we spend time there. Of course nature isn’t the only place we find those conditions, but it may be one of the oldest, and one our bodies still recognise.

These days, I’ve realised that whenever I stop noticing what my boys are pointing out, I’ve usually stopped noticing myself too. I’m rushing, thinking about tomorrow, trying to keep all the plates spinning. Meanwhile, they’re still looking for rainbows. But the truth is the world hasn’t become less beautiful. I’ve simply become less available to notice it, and when that happens, I become less available to meet my children too.

That realisation led me to ask a different question: What helps me become more like myself?

Because when I feel most like myself, I have more capacity to be the parent I want to be. For me, the answer almost always begins outside. Winter can make it tempting to retreat indoors, yet it may be when we need those small moments outside most.

Here are five simple ways to begin this season

1. Pause before you go inside

Before everyone rushes through the front door after school, stop for one minute.

Take a slow breath. Look up. Notice the colour of the sky. Feel the cold air on your face. Say it out loud.

It won’t change the day so far but if you let it, it can change how you arrive from there on out. I often tell my boys it’s never too late to start the day again, and this tiny pause gives us the space to do exactly that.

2. Let your child lead

If they want to stop to examine frost, a feather or a puddle, follow them.

Children have a remarkable ability for noticing what adults often overlook. In following their curiosity, we often rediscover the moments that restore our attention and help us become more available to ourselves and the people we love.

Sometimes the best thing we can do is borrow their curiosity instead of directing it.

3. Let winter become part of the adventure

Rain isn’t the thing that ruined the walk.

It’s the reason you’ll notice worms, reflections, mist and, if you’re lucky, rainbows. Winter strips the landscape back. Birds, bare branches and changing skies suddenly become easier to notice. Nature changes every day, winter simply asks us to notice different things.

4. Find your track

For me, it’s a daily five-minute walk to see what birds I can find. I find it pulls me out of my head and into the present moment.

For someone else it might be walking beneath the trees, tending a garden or watching the sunset.

We don’t all replenish ourselves in exactly the same way. Notice what helps you return to yourself, and make space for it as often as you can.

5. Build capacity before you need it

Most of us wait until we’re overwhelmed before we stop. But the best time to replenish ourselves isn’t after we’ve run out, it’s before.

The real power isn’t in doing these things once. It’s in returning to them often. Because capacity isn’t something we suddenly have when life gets hard. It’s something we build beforehand.

Over time, those small moments help me return to the version of myself I most want my children to know: a mother who notices, wonders and still believes rain might mean rainbows.

The rain carried on that afternoon and, just as my son predicted, a rainbow appeared.

Katie Stacey is a writer, former wildlife journalist and founder of The Wild Shift, a community helping mothers reconnect with themselves, their children and the natural world.

Find out more at www.thewildshift.com

Nov 08

Love0

AI-powered companion to support student wellbeing for children with SEND

By Iain Boyle Artificial intelligence, Education, Mental health, Toys, Wellbeing

As schools bid to improve their wellbeing support, a new form of AI-powered companion has been trialled in multiple classrooms across England, with a positive reception from teachers and pupils alike. Following the success of these trials, Casio has announced a Back To School initiative, allowing teachers and students across the UK to trial Moflin at reduced costs.

Casio’s Moflin is a palm-sized smart companion which uses advanced emotional artificial intelligence to build unique bonds with users. Building on success from placing Moflins within SEND communities, the project introduced Moflin into the classroom to gauge the impact on pupil engagement and wellbeing.

Commencing in January 2026, the trial ran in six schools across England, including Holmer Green First School, Buckinghamshire, and St Michael’s VA Junior School, Norwich, which hosted three Moflins across multiple classrooms for an initial period of 60 days. Due to the positive reception, all trials were extended through to July 2026, with plans to continue.

For Tiffany Howard, Pastoral Support Practitioner at St Michael’s VA Junior School, the benefits of Moflin were evident from the start, “The children were absolutely in awe of Moflin. It visibly relaxes them, and we can see their anxieties decrease right in front of us.”

Throughout the trial, teachers and support staff trialled Moflin in a variety of classroom settings – as a regulation tool for students showing signs of distress, as a reward to those doing well with participation in class and simply as a study companion to help support focus.

Designed to bond with their owners over a 50-day development period, Moflin forms a unique personality and starts to recognise their owner’s voice, responding with affectionate squeaks and dynamic movements.

One of the strongest use-cases for Moflin is the emotional regulation they have been shown to provide for SEN children. As a school with 167 pupils, of which 19% are children with SEND, Holmer Green First School has welcomed Moflin as an additional support aid, built alongside existing EHC plans. “We have some children that won’t interact with the learning part of School,” explains Chloe Bond, Learning Support Assistant at Holmer Green, “Moflin is a really good incentive for them to sit in the lessons and do the activities with the whole class.”

As Moflin trials open up to new schools across the UK, Casio will continue to work with more schools, as well as SEND leaders and specialist staff,to explore how AI-powered companion technology could support pupils and educators.

Schools can now purchase discounted Moflins for their classroom at https://education.casio.co.uk/moflin/#learn.

Purchases of 1 or 2 Moflin’s will give schools a 15% discount and for 3+ Moflin’s a 20% discount.

Nov 07

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Safer sleep guidance for families and early years settings

By Iain Boyle baby health, Relationships, Safety, sleep

by Jovita Opio, Nursery Manager, Little Lancing Day Nursery & Forest School

Safer Sleep has become a hot topic over recent months for families of young children and for nursery settings and domestic childcare providers. But what is it all about? From as long ago as the 1990s, advice has continually been developed and shared to help reduce the risks of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) in babies up to 12 months of age, and sudden unexpected death in childhood (SUDC) in children aged over 12 months.

So what are SIDS and SUDC?

SIDS is the sudden unexpected death of a baby where no underlying cause is identified. It is not common but research indicates that the risk can be increased by one or more of the following factors: Premature birth before 37 weeks, low birth weight, less than 2.5kg (5.5lbs), exposure to smoking in pregnancy and sleeping with babies or children on sofas or chairs. SUDC is the sudden unexpected death of a child where no cause is found.

Advice for parents of new babies is offered by the NHS Best Start in Life website, where suggestions for reducing these risks at home are given. Essentially, the recommendation is that the safest option is that babies under six months should sleep on their backs in a cot or moses basket in the same room as their parents, although it is acknowledged that sometimes co-sleeping will take place and the NHS offers advice on how to do so as safely as possible. They offer more information and advice about bedding, clothing and room temperatures at home.

For early years settings, there has been a move from guidance to a stricter set of regulations, developed by the Department of Education in conjunction with the Lullaby Trust. The work of the Trust has two overarching aims: to keep babies safe while sleeping and to offer ongoing support to grieving families where a sudden unexpected death has occurred.

These regulations for children under two years of age are now embedded within the Early Years Foundation Stage framework with effect from September 2026. This is a serious undertaking and provides a specific, stringent framework that must be adhered to. It outlaws unsafe sleep practices during childcare, whether at a nursery setting or a domestic-based provider.

For many nurseries and early years settings, the broad principles of safer sleep have already been best practice for some time, and they prepared for the specific requirements of the EYFS in readiness ahead of the implementation of the changes. It required reviewing current sleep practices and making adjustments as necessary.

Safer Sleep for the under two’s during childcare essentially covers four main areas: how they are put down to sleep, where they sleep, the sleep environment and monitoring/supervision. These can be summarised as follows:

• Children must be placed down to sleep on their back. Babies who are able to move from their back to their front and back again by themselves, can find their own sleeping position but should be placed down on their back to start with.

• Children must have their own separate sleep space on a clear, flat, firm surface such as a cot, bed or suitable mattress on the floor. Babies aged 12 months and under must only be placed to sleep in a cot that adheres to the relevant British Standards – this can include carrycots, moses baskets and travel cots but coracle-style floor beds are not allowed. Cots must not contain extra items such as toys, pillows, loose bedding, bumpers, wedges or straps. Sleep comforters may be used for babies and children aged over 12 months only.

• Sleep spaces must only contain a firm, flat, waterproof mattress. The child should have lightweight bedding firmly tucked in around them. Their heads must always remain uncovered and where blankets are used, they should be tucked in and the child should be placed feet-to-foot at the bottom of the cot. An acceptable alternative to bedding is a well-fitted baby sleep bag which again conforms to relevant British Standards.

• Children must always be within sight and hearing of staff when sleeping. For children over six months of age, a baby monitor may be used, provided it allows children to be seen and heard at all times. Babies under six months of age must always have an adult with them in the same room for every sleep – all children must be frequently checked when they are sleeping. Recommended temperatures for babies under 12 months while they sleep range between 16 and 20oC and staff must ensure that they are not too hot or cold, adjusting layers of bedding or clothing as judged necessary.

Other measures include children who fall asleep on walks and outings not being left in buggies or in outdoor clothing once they have returned to the nursery. Settings such as Little Lancing have developed a specific safer sleep policy shared with families and specifically referenced in Child Protection and Safeguarding policies. Regular sleep checks are completed on our nursery child management system.

Our staff have all undertaken the training offered by the Lullaby Trust and it forms part of our induction programme for new staff.Everyone involved in the care of children has their wellbeing and safety at the heart of everything they do and now these adjustments are in place, childcare providers and parents can work together to ensure that safer sleep practices continue to reduce the risks of SIDS/SUDS even further.

There is more information for families here:

The Lullaby Trust

www.lullabytrust.org.uk/baby-safety/safer-sleep-information

NHS Best Start in Life

www.nhs.uk/best-start-in-life

The Lancing College family includes its two Prep Schools located in Hove and Worthing and Little Lancing Day Nursery & Forest School which offers day care all-year round for children aged two months and over.

www.littlelancing.co.uk www.lancingcollege.co.uk

Nov 03

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Going upriver The importance of building mental health foundations from a young age

By Iain Boyle ADHD and neurodiversity, Education, Exercise, Mental health, Wellbeing

by Bloomsbury Education, with Matt Bawler

The importance of building mental health foundations from a young age Think of your child’s mental health as a journey down a river. There is a source, where their relationship with you feeds into a bubbling, living stream. There are shallows and eddies, where life events, the education system and social expectations give way to create meandering bends. Bridges and rapids may appear – strong role models, or, conversely, the traumas of poverty, neglect or abuse. Then travel slowly downstream to adulthood, where the culmination of biology and these influences may see the child diagnosed with a mental health problem once they get older.

Just over 1 in 3 children and young people in the UK with a diagnosed mental health condition get access to NHS care and treatment – some of them have fallen into life’s river rapids, or are more likely to slip into the water as adults. In fact, 1 in 3 mental health problems in adulthood are directly connected to an adverse childhood experience (ACE).

Being proactive parents, and not just reactive to your child’s mental health issues, means “going upstream” , as Desmond Tutu once put it, and asking how we can build children up from the beginning to pre-empt issues later in life. Neuroplasticity in the first five years gives young people a huge advantage in setting up secure mental architecture through the power of words. Repeating positive language creates memory hooks, helping children deal with discomfort by accessing powerful, resilient thinking through embodied responses.

So how can we teach mental health skills from a young age? One way is to use affirming, self-esteem-building phrases which can help to cut through the fight, flight, or freeze response a child experiences in a crisis. When they try something new and are frustrated by the learning process, help them to refocus and think, “I love a challenge!” or “Mistakes are great!” This eventually creates an emotional breaker switch they can use to snap themselves out of a negative thought – so “I can’t do it!” turns into “I can’t do it… YET!”

Children deserve to be equipped with the language, tools and confidence to face challenges, and grow in self-belief. Go upriver now, and help them discover these tools and unlock the courage that already lives inside them.

Matt Bawler is a veteran early years educator, children’s wellbeing lead and the author of The Courage Club series of picture books published by Bloomsbury Education.

www.bloomsbury.com/uk/education

Nov 02

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The hidden curriculum – how enrichment experiences shape confident, curious children

By Iain Boyle dance & Art, Early Years, Education, Mental health, numeracy skills, reading, Uncategorized, Wellbeing

by Matthew Jelley, Head of Junior School, Claremont Esher

Education extends beyond lessons and assessments. Every child has different interests, strengths and talents waiting to be discovered, and thoughtfully designed enrichment experiences give young children the opportunity to explore, create, connect and grow.

Through a rich blend of creative, sporting, cultural and collaborative activities, alongside nurturing wraparound care, children develop essential qualities such as resilience, confidence, teamwork and self-belief. These experiences help children feel secure, valued and ready to embrace school life, developing a lifelong love of learning from the very beginning.

When choosing a nursery or junior school, parents naturally look first at the quality of teaching, pastoral care and the foundations children will build in the classroom. But a child’s education is shaped by much more than lessons alone.

The experiences children have beyond the classroom can play a powerful role in helping them discover who they are, what they enjoy and what they are capable of achieving. A strong co-curricular programme is not simply a timetable of clubs; it is a reflection of a school’s ethos, culture and commitment to helping every child flourish.

The best programmes recognise children as individuals. Some find their confidence through sport, others through music, drama, technology, outdoor exploration or creative pursuits. A broad range of opportunities allows children to try something new, discover hidden talents and develop skills that will support them throughout their lives.

For younger children especially, exploration is essential. Building a den, creating a piece of artwork, caring for the environment, making music or culinary delights, or working as part of a team all provide valuable opportunities to develop curiosity, creativity, resilience, communication and problem-solving skills.

A programme shaped by children and families

When considering a school’s co-curricular offering, parents should look beyond the number of activities available and ask: how and why has this programme been created?

The strongest enrichment programmes are built to enrich a child’s experience and to continue the learning experience to better understand themselves, others and the world around them. Programmes are best curated by listening too – to the voices of children, families and staff. Schools that actively seek feedback are better placed to understand what excites pupils, what families value and what practical arrangements make activities work best to complement busy family life.

Parent surveys, focus groups and informal conversations can help shape everything from the types of clubs offered to timings, accessibility and the balance between challenge, creativity and wellbeing.

Children’s voices are crucial. Pupil councils, idea-sharing sessions and creative workshops can reveal interests and suggestions that adults might not anticipate. When children are involved in shaping opportunities, they develop a greater sense of ownership and connection, thus participation is higher.

This collaborative approach helps create a programme that feels purposeful and inclusive – one that reflects the needs and interests of the whole school community.

Helping children discover their passions

A broad co-curricular programme should encourage children to explore beyond their comfort zone while ensuring they feel supported.

For younger pupils, trying something unfamiliar can sometimes feel daunting. Schools can help by creating opportunities for children to discover what is available, such as club fairs where pupils can meet activity leaders, see demonstrations and hear from other children about their experiences.

Encouraging participation is important, but so is flexibility. Children’s interests change, and not every activity will be the right fit. A positive co-curricular culture reassures children that it is perfectly acceptable to try something new and make a different choice if it does not suit them.Many schools also use participation awards, enrichment passports or recognition schemes to celebrate involvement across a wide range of activities. These approaches help children understand that commitment, curiosity and effort matter – whether they are developing a sporting skill, learning an instrument, creating something new or contributing to their community.

Beyond the school gates

A rich co-curricular programme also helps children understand their place in the wider world.

Meaningful opportunities can connect children with their local communities through partnerships with charities, environmental groups, sports organisations and specialist providers. These experiences introduce children to new skills, perspectives and people, while helping them recognise that they can make a positive contribution from an early age.

Local initiatives, community projects and service opportunities can develop empathy, responsibility and confidence. Specialist activities, from sports coaching to performing arts and technology, can help children refine skills and pursue interests in greater depth.

Building confidence through relationships

One of the greatest benefits of co-curricular life is the sense of belonging it creates.

The strongest programmes bring together the whole school community – teachers, support staff, specialists and older pupils – creating opportunities for children to build relationships beyond their immediate classroom.

A teacher sharing a passion through a club, an older pupil mentoring younger children, or a specialist introducing a new skill can all have a lasting impact. These connections help children feel known, valued and part of something bigger than themselves.

Supporting modern family life

For many families, wraparound care is often an important part of choosing a nursery or junior school. However, the best provision offers far more than supervision before and after lessons.

High-quality wraparound care extends the school day in a purposeful way, providing opportunities for children to relax, socialise, complete homework, enjoy activities and spend time with friends in a supportive environment.

For busy families, this can transform the rhythm of the day. Knowing that homework may be completed, children have eaten and evenings can be focused on quality family time can make a really significant difference.

For younger children, a nurturing and consistent environment helps them feel secure. For older pupils, it provides independence, enrichment and additional support.

More than clubs

Ultimately, co-curricular opportunities are about helping children understand themselves and the world around them.

The most successful programmes are not defined simply by the number of activities they offer, but by the culture they create: one where children feel encouraged to try, supported to grow and confident enough to discover new possibilities.

For parents choosing a nursery or junior school, life beyond the classroom can reveal a great deal about a school’s values. Does it listen to children and families? Does it celebrate different strengths and interests? Does it create opportunities for every child to belong?

Because the hidden curriculum – the experiences, relationships and opportunities that shape children every day – can be just as influential as the timetabled lessons they learn. It is through these experiences that children develop the confidence, resilience and curiosity to thrive throughout their educational journey and beyond.

Nestled in 100 acres of historic parkland in Esher, Surrey, Claremont is an independent co-educational HMC school for girls and boys aged two to eighteen, offering an academically ambitious environment that inspires and nurtures the whole child.

For further details please visit www.claremontfancourt.co.uk

Nov 02

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Think again

By Iain Boyle Education, Forest School, Mental health, play, Wellbeing

by Mrs Sarah Bakhtiari, Principal of Shoreham College

I change my mind quite a lot. This may not be the most reassuring opening sentence from a head teacher. But there is something rather important about being able to say: I thought this, I have learned something new, and now I think differently.

A decision should be the best one I can make with the information I have at the time. If better information arrives, stubbornly sticking with the original decision simply for the sake of consistency doesn’t make it a better decision.

And yet changing our minds can be surprisingly uncomfortable.

Most of us know the particular discomfort of discovering that something we have said with great confidence is completely wrong. Perhaps you have insisted that the car was parked on the third floor when it was, in fact, on the fourth. Perhaps you have spent ten minutes explaining why something cannot possibly work, shortly before someone demonstrates that it can.

There is a tiny moment in which we have a choice. We can defend ourselves, explain why we were almost right, subtly change what we originally claimed, or simply say, “Oh. I was wrong.”

I am increasingly interested in that moment.

Being wrong is an unavoidable part of being human. We misunderstand people, remember things incorrectly and make decisions without knowing everything we will later know. The problem is that we often treat being wrong as something to be embarrassed about rather than something useful.

Children learn this very early. Put your hand up in class with the right answer and there is an immediate little reward: well done. Give the wrong answer and, however skillfully a teacher handles it, there can still be that sinking feeling of having got it wrong in public.

Of course, knowledge matters. Seven times eight really is 56, regardless of how passionately I might argue otherwise. But learning depends upon getting things wrong. If children only attempt things they already know how to do, very little learning is taking place.

A crossed-out answer can therefore be genuinely interesting. It shows us where a child started and how their thinking changed. Sometimes the mistake is the most revealing part of the learning.

The same is true beyond the classroom. We want children to develop opinions, question what they hear, examine evidence and reach conclusions for themselves. But there is another skill that matters just as much: knowing when the evidence means that the conclusion needs to change. That requires more than critical thinking. It requires enough resilience to change your mind when the evidence asks you to.

I know how difficult that can be. Quite often, I will have thought something through, considered the options, reached what seems to me to be an entirely sensible conclusion and announced it to other people.

And then somebody says, “Have you thought about…?”

And sometimes I haven’t.

Then comes the choice. Defend the decision I have expressed, or accept that the new information has changed things.

I would love to tell you that I always embrace the latter with intellectual delight. I don’t. Sometimes becoming better informed is deeply inconvenient. But it is still better than being confidently wrong, and so I reserve the right to become better informed.

Sometimes that means changing my mind. Perhaps we should celebrate when our children do the same. Instead of asking whether they got something right, let’s be interested in what made them think again. The crossed-out calculation, the rewritten paragraph, the opinion that shifted after a conversation with somebody else: these are not necessarily signs that the first attempt failed. Sometimes they are evidence that something happened between the first thought and the second. And that something is learning.

I hope the young people we educate leave school knowing lots of things. But I also hope they leave curious enough to question some of those things, confident enough to form their own opinions and secure enough to change them. There will be plenty of occasions in their lives when they are wrong. There certainly have been in mine. The important thing is what happens next.

Shoreham College, like many independent schools, has been offering continuity of education for its pupils and their families for generations. Established in 1842, as a grammar school, where pupils were “liberally boarded and carefully educated.” Shoreham College is proud of its traditions and proud of the many and varied achievements of pupils. Whilst the Shoreham College of today is most definitely a day school, the forward thinking liberal culture of its founders continues to resonate.

www.shorehamcollege.co.uk

Nov 01

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Winter wonders

By Iain Boyle Early Years, environment, Forest School, fun for children, Mental health, Wellbeing

by Lucy Owen-Collins MBE, Bee in the Woods Kindergartens

Why the best gifts of childhood can’t be wrapped

At this time of year, it’s easy to get caught up in the pressure to buy more and do more. There are present lists, gift guides, stocking fillers and a steady stream of Instagram stories telling us what our children need to make the season more magical.

But when we think back to the things we loved most about our own childhood, I wonder how many of them came from a shop?

Perhaps it was walking home in the dark and seeing everyone’s Christmas lights. Making something at the kitchen table. The smell of something baking. Building a den. Staying in pyjamas all day. Or simply having the people we loved around us with nowhere else they needed to be.

The things that make childhood rich are often very simple: time, play, connection and a little bit of wonder.

The gift of time

Children live in a busy world. Nursery or school, clubs, appointments, errands and the everyday rush of getting everyone where they need to be. The festive season can easily add another layer of busyness.

Yet children need time that isn’t organised for them. Time to become absorbed in something, to follow an idea, to get bored and work out what to do next. Play doesn’t always happen instantly. Sometimes children need to potter for a while before the really interesting stuff begins.

The winter holidays can offer a rare opportunity to slow the rhythm of family life. We don’t necessarily need to fill that space. A morning with nowhere to be can be a gift in itself.

The gift of play

It is tempting to think that good play requires good toys. In reality, children are remarkably good at finding fun play in ordinary things.

A cardboard box can become a sleigh, a house or a spaceship. Sticks can become a campfire, tiny people or ingredients for woodland soup.

Blankets over the table become a den. Mud, water, stones, pinecones and leaves offer possibilities that no adult has predetermined.

This kind of open-ended play matters because the child, rather than the toy, has to provide the ideas.

That doesn’t mean toys are bad, of course. There is something wonderful about choosing a present you know a child will love. But perhaps alongside asking, “What can I buy them?” , we can also ask, “What might give them more opportunities to play?”

Sometimes the answer is simply time, space and permission to make a mess.

The gift of nature

Winter can make getting outdoors feel like more of an effort. There are coats to find, gloves that mysteriously disappear and somebody will almost certainly announce that they need the toilet just as everyone is finally ready.

But once we get outside, winter has its own kind of magic.

Puddles become ice. Breath turns to clouds. Bare trees reveal nests hidden all summer. Mud freezes and crunches beneath our feet. There are tracks to discover, berries to spot and, if we are lucky, frost or snow to transform a familiar place completely.

Children notice these tiny seasonal changes when we give them time to look.

Outdoor adventures don’t have to be elaborate either.

A ten-minute torch walk after tea can feel enormously exciting to a four-year-old. So can drinking hot chocolate outside, jumping in puddles or visiting the same tree each week to see what has changed.

The important thing isn’t how far we go. It is that we go together.

The gift of connection

Perhaps this is the one children need most.

Connection happens in small moments: stirring a cake mixture together, reading the same story for the hundredth time, collecting sticks, chatting on a walk or listening properly to a very long explanation about a particularly interesting stone.

Through these ordinary moments, children build their sense of belonging, security and confidence.

And connection is not only between people. Childhood is also a time when relationships with places are formed. The woods we visit again and again, the park where we know the best climbing tree, the beach where we collect treasures. Familiar places with people we love become woven into our memories.

A little winter wonder

If you’re looking for things to do together this winter, they needn’t cost very much at all.

Make natural decorations. Collect fallen twigs, pinecones, seed heads and leaves and turn them into stars, wreaths, garlands or decorations.

Go on a winter treasure hunt. Can you find something prickly, something smooth, something red, something tiny, something that smells interesting and something an animal might eat?

Take a torch walk. Explore somewhere familiar after dark. Notice how different everything feels and listen for sounds you might miss during the day.

Make a winter potion. A bowl, water and a wooden spoon are all you need. Add leaves, mud, herbs, sticks or anything else children discover outside. There is no correct recipe.

Start a tiny winter tradition

A Boxing Day walk, hot chocolate outdoors, making decorations from nature or an annual torch walk.

Traditions don’t have to be grand to become precious.

The festive season with children can come with a great deal of pressure to make everything magical. But perhaps we don’t need to manufacture quite so much magic for them.

Children are very good at finding it for themselves.

It is there in the frozen puddle, the cardboard box, the flickering fire, the stick that becomes a wand and the familiar hand tucked into theirs on a cold winter walk.

This season, alongside the presents we wrap, perhaps we can leave a little more space for the things that can’t be wrapped at all.

Time. Play. Nature. Connection. They might just be the gifts our children remember.

Bee in the Woods Kindergarten is a woodland preschool and community Forest School for three to seven year olds, based in Portslade and Stanmer Park in Brighton.

For more information www.beeinthewoods.co.uk

Jul 10

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Early movement

By adrian_abc children's health, dance & Art, Education, Exercise, fun for children, Mental health, Playing, Relationships, Sport, Theatre

by Alice Liley, TumbleTots Worthing

Movement is one of the many ways babies and young children start to understand the world around them. Think about a baby rolling all the way over for the first time, or a preschooler jumping around with excitement. These moments aren’t just cute, they’re important steps in your child’s development. As parents, we have the joy of cheering them on as they master the basics and gradually build skills like balance, climbing and agility. These skills don’t just help them stay healthy, they also help with thinking, learning, managing feelings and making friends.

It’s good to remember that every child moves in their own way and at their own pace. Some babies might crawl early, others might take their time. What matters most is giving them lots of relaxed and engaging chances to play and spaces to try new things, so they can build confidence and learn new skills whilst having fun with you.

Agility might sound like a skill reserved for athletes, but in reality, it is simply about moving with control and adapting to new situations. Babies begin by crawling, then cruising and then walking. Children build their agility by learning to adapt their skills – crawling under tables, climbing over cushions and reacting to the space around them. Games like chase, dancing or dodging obstacles helps them to get better at moving as well as teaching them how to play with others as they grow.

Balance is fundamental to physical development. Babies start working on balance as soon as they learn to sit up and roll. As they grow, playing on uneven ground, stepping over toys or kicking a ball all help build their core muscles and balance. Letting your child play and move on their own, without holding their hand too tightly, helps them trust their bodies and become more independent in balance.

Climbing is another valuable way to develop strength and problem-solving skills. Whether your child is pulling up on the couch, climbing stairs or exploring a playground, they’re learning to plan their moves and judge distances. The goal isn’t always to climb the highest, but to let your child try new challenges independently that fit their abilities. You can help by giving them safe places to climb on their own, starting with simple things and moving up as they get stronger.

When babies and young children are moving, whether they’re rolling, crawling or walking, they’re getting feedback from all their senses. They feel where their body is, look around to judge how far things are, and learn by trial and error. This helps them figure out how to control their bodies, which is important for future skills like getting dressed, writing and team sports. You can help by making sure their clothes and play spaces let them move easily. Soft mats to roll on, bare feet as much as possible and plenty of room to explore can all make a big difference.

Every child benefits from opportunities to move and explore, regardless of their abilities or background. Creating welcoming environments, offering choices and focusing on what your child can do helps build a positive and inclusive experience.

Early movement also plays a key role in brain development, laying the foundations for future learning, hobbies and even careers. Each new movement is an opportunity to experiment, make mistakes and try again. Building resilience and self-esteem along the way.

Movement is also a powerful way for children to connect with others. Playing games, chasing friends and joining group activities teaches cooperation, turn taking and social skills. When movement is fun and accessible for all, children are more likely to share their games, explore together and discover the fun in shared activities.

When children feel safe and supported, they are more willing to try new things. Respecting their comfort zones while allowing them to take the lead helps build independence and confidence. In the early years, movement shapes how children grow, learn and see themselves.

By encouraging skills like balance, agility and climbing, you are helping your child develop into a confident and resilient person. The best thing you can offer is a wide range of opportunities to move and play, creating a strong foundation for a happy, healthy future.

Booking Tumble Tots Worthing classes helps your child build confidence, coordination, social skills and fitness while having fun in a safe environment together.

To find out more please visit www.tumbletots.com/worthing

Jul 08

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Why UK politicians need to rethink how to improve our maternity services

By adrian_abc baby health, children's health, Education, Health, Mental health, Osteopathy and cranial Osteopathy

by Lorin Lakasing, author of Delivering the truth: Why NHS maternity care is broken and how we can fix it together

Soon after his appointment as Health Secretary, Wes Streeting described NHS maternity care as a “cause for national shame”. He promised regular meetings with bereaved families, ordered a rapid investigation and appointed Baroness Amos to chair it. These promises sound compassionate and decisive. But they’re also precisely the kind of promises that have prevented real improvement in maternity services for decades.

The tragedy is that politicians know this. They understand that real reform takes time. But the political incentives push them towards theatrical gestures rather than the tedious groundwork needed to effect real change. Worse still, each new government feels compelled to revise or rebrand their predecessor’s initiatives, ensuring that even well-intentioned reforms never have time to embed properly.

When politicians get it right

Occasionally politicians put clinical outcomes before credit. Jeremy Hunt’s stillbirth reduction initiative stands out precisely because it was designed to outlive his tenure as Health Secretary.

The UK had one of the highest stillbirth rates in the developed world – a genuine cause for national shame. The vision was good but unfortunately remained unachieved because resources were spent on implementing processes rather than on frontline care where the action to achieve results really talks place. But it got closer than most.

A non-maternity example is the introduction of the NHS itself in 1948 which was a cross-party achievement that took years to implement. Aneurin Bevan knew he was creating something special that would take decades to mature and admitted from the outset that it would need tweaks along the way, something that many have forgotten when we discuss the NHS today. The political consensus that created and sustained the NHS through its early years is exactly what’s missing now.

Learning from others

Politicians seem quick to cite but slow to understand successful global healthcare models. For example, the Nordic maternity outcomes – amongst the best in the world – were not achieved through naming and shaming units or constant reorganisation. It was through boring and consistent work across political divides. Norway invested in continuity of care models where the same midwife plans tailored care and works with women through pregnancy, birth and postnatal care. This took years to implement and required significant restructuring. But they stuck with it through multiple governments because they agreed the evidence supported it, regardless of who proposed it.

Similarly, Finland’s maternity package system, also known as the ‘baby box’, introduced in 1938 and refined continuously since. Every pregnant woman receives a box containing essential items for their baby, but more importantly, they only get it if they engage with maternity care from early in gestation and attend regularly throughout the pregnancy. This simple intervention, sustained across eight decades and countless governments, helped Finland achieve one of the world’s lowest maternal and infant mortality rates.

More recent examples include New Zealand which restructured midwifery care in the 1990s to allow for autonomous midwifery practice which was controversial, took years to implement, and required sustained cross-party support. Or Estonia where maternity services were transformed after independence and the country now boasts better outcomes than the UK despite spending less per capita.

The key? Political consensus that maternity care programmes should transcend party politics. No incoming government scrapped them to make their mark. No opposition attacked them for political gain. They understood that consistency mattered more than credit.

The cross-party solution

Here’s what should really shame politicians. We’re not facing unique challenges. We’re not poorer than countries with better outcomes. We just refuse to learn from them and implement what works because it doesn’t fit our political culture.

What the NHS needs – and what many of my frontline colleagues advocate – is to take maternity services out of the political cycle altogether. Create a cross-party commission responsible for long-term strategy. Basic healthcare shouldn’t swing wildly based on electoral results.

This isn’t unprecedented. The Low Pay Commission, which sets minimum wage rates, operates across party lines with remarkable success. The Office for Budget Responsibility provides independent economic forecasting that all parties accept. The Committee on Climate Change shapes long-term environmental policy beyond electoral cycles.

A similar body for NHS maternity services could see politicians from all parties working together, advised directly by practising clinicians.

We need to move away from partisan politics and the pointless bureaucracy this promotes because this approach has not served us well.

Practical steps politicians could take tomorrow

If politicians genuinely want to improve maternity services rather than just appearing to, here’s what they could do immediately:

First, establish a cross-party agreement that maternity services are off-limits for political point-scoring and establish cross-party governance of the NHS with direct input from frontline clinicians.

Second, commit to ten-year minimum timescales for major reforms. If you’re restructuring teaching, training, teamwork, introducing clinical safety strategies that are fit for purpose, implementing effective staff management, and risk profiling patients properly, this will take decades to embed before results can be evaluated or processes altered purposefully.

Third, take advice from global healthcare models with better outcomes and check if this can be applied to the NHS model. Recognise that changes in practise can only be achieved through education and support, typically by senior colleagues in active practice not by directives e-mailed to shop floor staff sent by managers working from home.

Fourth, create ring-fenced funding streams for frontline maternity services that can’t be raided for managerial processes.

Fifth, recognise that change for the sake of change wastes resources and concentrate on implementing ones that are of proven value instead. Conversely, it is important to find the courage to abolish those that have not proven their worth.

Real political courage isn’t promising bereaved families that you’ll fix everything quickly. It’s admitting you can’t. It’s explaining that meaningful change takes decades, that you’re starting work others will finish, that you need their patience rather than their votes.

Politicians can either continue the current approach – theatrical debates, impossible promises, constant reorganisation – and watch maternity services deteriorate further. Or show genuine leadership by admitting the political system itself is part of the problem because it forces the service to be constantly re-organised in a way that is not necessarily beneficial to patients.

Families deserve better than political theatre and NHS maternity services don’t need more political promises. They need politicians with the humility to learn from others, the courage to commit to long-term solutions, and the integrity to put mothers’ and babies’ lives before their political careers.

The current approach isn’t just failing to improve maternity services, it’s actively preventing the implementation of strategies that could save lives. And that truly is a cause for national shame.

Dr Lorin Lakasing is an NHS consultant in obstetrics and fetal medicine. She draws on her 30 years of clinical experience in maternity care to give an insider’s view of the current worrying situation and its development, and suggests how we might move towards the safe, effective NHS maternity service that everyone deserves. Her latest book, ‘Delivering the truth: Why NHS maternity care is broken and how we can fix it together’ is about the stories behind the headlines.

For further information please visit www.lorinlakasing.com/publications.html

Jul 03

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Parenting Moving from protecting to equipping

By adrian_abc Childcare and Nannying, Early Years, Education, family, Mental health, Playing, Wellbeing

by Molly Potter, Children’s wellbeing expert

As parents/carers, we most commonly begin with a baby who depends on us for everything and needs our protection. At the other end of the parenting timeline, we hope to deliver an ‘effective adult’ into the world – someone we have equipped well to navigate it.

When you consider how much a child changes between these two stages, it makes obvious sense that our parenting will also need to change. However, being a parent is an extremely demanding role and it’s understandably difficult to find the time and motivation to continuously take stock and reflect upon our parenting. It can therefore be helpful to hold some ‘big picture’ awareness of what we might be trying to achieve on this journey.

As our children leave babyhood behind, our responsibility becomes helping them learn how to become increasingly self-reliant. We can discard the plug-socket protectors and playpens as our children start to learn what’s safe and what isn’t. We teach them basic skills, such as putting their shoes on, so they can do more for themselves. However, as this process unfolds, we might sometimes miss opportunities to stretch their self-reliance and understanding of the world even further.

For example, we might sometimes continue to do things they could learn to do but also overlook chances to let our children sort minor difficulties out for themselves. When our child is struggling with a situation, we might typically bombard them with solutions, dismiss the problem or sort everything out directly and immediately for them. We probably do this in the name of expediency or be responding automatically – unable to bear seeing our children suffer or struggle even a little (which, of course, comes from a place of love). However, it might seem counter-intuitive, but allowing our children to struggle, fail and mess up and then work through the situation for themselves, helps them prove to themselves that they can problem-solve, that they don’t always need someone else to fix things and that they can cope.

So, what can help us do this without feeling as though we have abandoned our children to a regime of far-too-uncomfortable tough-love? The answer lies partly in managing our own reactions. When a child has a problem that we don’t really need to become involved with (like falling out with a friend, struggling in a lesson at school or not being invited to something) we will understandably find it distressing to see them upset and want to put them out of their misery as quickly as possible. But if we’re going to be able to leave them to sort things out for themselves, we need to be fully convinced by the idea that developing self-reliance is ultimately really going to be beneficial in the long term as it reduces anxiety and boosts self-worth.

Once we have managed our own tendencies, how can we help in a ‘hands-off’ way that doesn’t leave us feeling as though we have completely abandoned our child? The key is to actively listen while they talk about their problem. Simply let them explore the issue while you attentively listen. Add in the odd “Hmm, yes… go on, I’m listening,” to encourage them to unpack and consider what they need to. Better still, try to identify the likely emotion behind what they are saying to help them feel truly seen and heard. Comments such as, “You sound as though you’re feeling misunderstood,” can encourage them to open up further and take a deeper dive into what’s bothering them. At worst, they will feel listened to; at best, they might arrive at a solution to their problem.

Another aspect of moving from protecting to equipping our children as they grow is about giving information. Books and stories can obviously help with this. As a parent though, it can be hard to know what information to give them and at what age, but quite often the things we deem inappropriate are linked to our instinct to protect our children from certain topics, when we might better be equipping them.

Take the ‘birds and the bees’ as an example. Without thinking, we might have a gut reaction that makes us want to shield our children from information relating to this topic. However, they are eventually going to be exposed to similar information from other sources (the internet, peers and wider community) that might not always be accurate or pleasant. Therefore, isn’t it better that we use suitable resources ourselves, giving opportunities to ask questions? In doing so, we equip our children with knowledge rather than simply trying to protect them from ever being exposed to it – which would be extremely difficult.

And we don’t have to stop at factual information. When we discuss topics such as friendships, emotions, worries, differences and consent with our children, it can be a deeply connecting experience and can give us delightful insights into their worlds. Exploring such topics helps them develop the necessary skills and positive values that will enable them to navigate life’s challenges more confidently. So while we might love the idea of our children remaining young and needing our protection forever, if we want them to become capable and self-reliant adults, we need to accept that equipping them to navigate and discern for themselves is fantastic parenting.

Molly Potter is a bestselling author of 35⁺ books for teachers, parents/carers and children covering a variety of topics under the broad umbrella term of ‘wellbeing’.

For further information please visit www.bloomsbury.com/uk/education