It’s been all change in our household the past few weeks.

Meg

Our Granddaughter has started the 1st work placement of her nursing training. She’s is out and about with the local community nurses, caring for people in their own homes. She worked in the community before she started at the hospital, and being able to make a difference to peoples lives inspired her to train to be nurse. It’s going to be hard work studying whilst working full time but she is determined.

Gem

Her Mum has also been getting itchy feet. Having spent the last 8 1/2 years out of the work place, fighting to get Li Li the help he needed and looking after four other children, she felt that now everyone is settled that it was time to dip her toes back into the world of work and possibly use the skills she has learned in looking after Li Li. She applied for a couple of vacancies in schools, so that holiday childcare wouldn’t be an issue. She nervously, and without telling me, went for her first interview, feeling it would refresh her in interview techniques. Well she obviously impressed as within half an hour she was offered the position as an Individual Needs Assistant to a child with additional needs. 👏👏👏

Unbeknown to her before she went, she would be interviewed by two ladies, who had previously been special educational needs teachers at Li Li’s primary school. They obviously realised she is fully aware of the needs and rights of SEN children & have witnessed first hand her understanding of how to calm, encourage and nurture a child with additional needs.

So on Monday of last week, dressed in her work clothes she set off to drop the twins at breakfast club & headed to work. Nervous but excited to be starting a new chapter of her life. After two weeks she has transitioned back in the workplace with apparent ease and although exhausted, enjoying the new challenge.

Home life so far has also been more of a challenge, keeping up with the washing, making packed lunches, ensuring everyone has the right gear for school the next day & still finding time to recharge her own batteries ready for the next day too.

With only one more week until the Christmas holidays it’s going to be the New Year before, between us we can get into an efficient routine at home. But so far she is enjoying being back in the world of work.

Twins

For several months prior to thinking about work, she had been becoming a little bit disillusioned with the twins school. Covid restrictions are still in full force (not necessarily a bad thing) but she felt it had become too regimented, with fewer fun activities, no after school clubs, bullying not being addressed and the boys were coming home not as happy as they used to be.

The crunch came when, after securing her new job, she was looking for breakfast club & after school care. As she works school hours she only required an hour maximum after school care, but the school would charge her until 6pm regardless of when she collected them. The school also no longer offers free after school activities or holiday club, should she need to go into work for training during school holidays.

She didn’t want to impose school runs permanently into our retirement, and therefore started looking at what other local schools offered. One equally as close to home offered everything she needed, a cheaper breakfast club, after school club where she could pay till either 4.30 or 6pm, free after school activities such as football and archery together with holiday club should she need it.

The school said they didn’t have sufficient space for two new pupils, but advised her to contact the county council to go on the waiting list. Fortunately and surprisingly a week or so later it was confirmed the twins could transfer if she still wanted the places.

With her job starting imminently, we took them for a school tour, met the headmaster & their prospective new teachers and class mates. We saw the on-site swimming pool, the forest school and school radio shed. It is a bigger school, but seemed more friendly and relaxed.

Twin two was incredibly excited, twin one a little less so. However the decision was made and two days later they had a Friday taster afternoon in their new classes. Twin two came home buzzing and twin one only gave it 50/50. Still that was better than the previous evening when he sat sobbing on my lap 😢

However by Saturday morning he was 60/40 in favour and come Monday morning after a lovely family weekend he was feeling 70/30. Twin 2 is very outgoing, made new friends on his first day and loves his new school. Twin 1 is a bit more sensitive but is happy and settling in at a slightly slower pace. By day three though he had three new friends and loves the activities in after school club.

So the circle of life moves on, the nerves have subsided and everyone is enjoying their new environments. Personally I am enjoying having a day or so home alone each week and a bit of peace and quiet, before the onslaught of the Christmas holidays

🎄🎅🍹