‘Make salt dough decorations. Paint them and share a photo’ That was the home-schooling work for today! I was full on dedicated to the task. I don’t think Rhys was as enthusiastic! I measure out the ingredients – salt, flour and water. Placing them in separate containers ready for my little learner to pour them into the bowl. Then I pause. The whole setup looks very like cake baking. What do I call it when

In the 90s me and my sister watched a lot of telly. To the point my father rummaged in his toolbox and with a pair of electrical cutters, cut off the plug.It definitely stopped our television obsession, for a couple of days at least. But all children learn from their parents actions, and we did the same as my father, by rummaging in the same tool box, and became self-educated in the area of electronics.The

The tree got the brunt of it! Unfortunately it was one of those scenarios where he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He didn’t do anything, except stand upright in his normal way and sparkle and shine his decorations. It was just bad luck that one second he was upright and the next he was face planting the carpet. The Gruffalo was to blame. Eight repetitions of The Gruffalo to be exact!

We stand in a large room, the Christmas tunes are ringing out of a speaker in the corner. Rhys was happy to enter the building, and seems calm, but still clutches his ears with his hands, slightly anxious. Santa visits are never on the agenda for our little boy. The lights and loud jingles, followed by a stranger in a bright suit, are not a recipe of joy for my little boy – a perfect

The pain and illness that has consumed our house for the last forty-eight hours has passed. After a good night’s sleep, I stretch my arms upwards and breathe in the new day.I pick up my phone and focus on a new goal. At Rhys’ annual review a few days ago, we discussed the use of Makaton and how visual signs are a good method of aiding verbal understanding. Rhys is a visual learner, so I