When I think of mottos, two spring to mind for my family when I was growing up: ‘Remember, as far as anyone knows, we are a nice normal family!’ which was displayed on a sign in my parents’ kitchen. And the second, which was suggested latterly and also made me chuckle: ‘I was normal once....
I would say to myself: Carry on treasuring those friendships. These are your people. And they will continue to deeply matter to you throughout your life. Don’t worry about the maths, you will eventually get a C and get much better at it as the years go on (there is something called dyscalculia which isn’t...
Having this boy by my side at work as a therapy dog, and at play as my family’s four-legged best friend, brings so much fun, companionship, and unconditional love. This past week with my son being sick, I have watched how Woody (known as ‘Doggo’ to my eldest) intuitively knows when and how to comfort,...
To many of the young people I see (and to myself too, I realise): 1. When you are thinking outside the box, it makes sense that you will not fit neatly into the boxes that exist. 2. Although this may not always feel easy when you are younger, and fitting in may feel so important, this difference...
BY OLIVIA KNIGHT Many people, perhaps understandably, have never heard of occupational therapy and don’t know how we can help, especially in relation to children. So perhaps it is no surprise that I am often asked, ‘What do you actually do, and how can you help my child?’ When I mention the term, ‘occupation’ many...
Returning to Clare, as we do most summers, always feels deeply special. And although yesterday much of the College was under renovation, and the weather wasn’t as glorious as normal, it was still good to be back. Cambridge is always where I feel most myself and at home. And it is no exaggeration to say...
It isn’t every day that you get woken by your nearly 80-year-old father tearfully singing ‘Sunrise Sunset’ from ‘Fiddler on the Roof’. And whilst it was a bit unexpected, and his singing was rather wobbly, it also felt so poignant. After all, it isn’t every day you reach the milestone of your half century birthday,...
Most days, I post about children and how best to support them. However, I very rarely write about my own boys, or about being a parent myself. But last weekend, something big happened in our household: our eldest son became a teenager. The bus covered curtains have been replaced, the boxes of Lego have been...
Written in celebration of International Day of the Girl and the #thislittlegirlisme campaign. This little girl loved making pretend tree-houses in the garden and concocting magic potions out of rose petals. She whiled away time drawing horses, and imagining. She loved animals too and reading for hours snuggled up under a blanket. As she grew...
BY SUSANNA PINKUS There aren’t many things in life which just spread happiness but being the lucky human companion of a therapy dog is one. I am often asked what Woody does in his role as a therapy dog. And it is a good question. After all, some therapy dogs listen to children reading or...
