Brave New World

I've set myself some ambitions for this year and one of those is to be more true to myself. I started this blog because when I look back at the adventures I've had since becoming a mum I realised that I've been braver than I thought I could be in so many things. I always wanted to learn trapeze, but didn't have the guts to despite taking impro classes in a venue called the circus space. It wasn't until I was on a mini cruise with Brown Bear that the opportunity to learn trapeze was there. He decided he fancied the kids club and I was left with nothing to do so I wandered to the sports deck and gave it a go. I was terrified. It was the least easeful thing ever if I'm honest, but I'm so proud to be able to say I did it.

Don't be fooled - I was shaking like a leaf !! 

The other day me and Brown Bear were watching Blue Peter and he said, "Look Mummy they're going skydiving like we did." I hadn't exactly forgotten, but it had escaped me how momentous that was. Not least as he was only 4 when we did it. It wasn't out of a plane - I wouldn't push my 4 year old out of a plane, I'm not a sadist - it was in a wind tunnel thing. We both had a go and it was exhilarating and exciting. He was the youngest child there and so brave to have done it.

On our summer holiday in Cornwall last year we had a surfing lesson together. I'd wanted him to have a go for ages and when he turned 5 he was old enough and he asked me to go with him. We had such a blast.

Since then we've done a park run - which he did not enjoy, but I held his hand so he could get all the way round and he was very proud to finish. He hasn't wanted to do it again though so clearly not a runner.

The bonding that comes from doing these things together is great. As well as being active and having fun we also now have in-jokes that he drops into conversation when I least expect them. It makes me smile when he does that.

I wasn't a risk taker as a child. It's not something that was encouraged in my family so I didn't really try new things or consider myself capable of doing much. I take a very different approach with my children. They are already so much braver than I've ever been and it's made me more adventurous as a result.

I am so delighted when they try something new and succeed at it. They do all the things I wish for them and more. Things like:

Dance freely and without inhibition

Enjoy the outdoors in any weather

Draw without any fear of it not being 'right' or 'perfect'

Choose clothes that they love and wear them until they are wet, filthy and (usually) full of holes

Make friends with children they've just met and play with them like old pals

Run up and give me cuddles and kisses when they feel like it and shake their heads vigorously when they don't want to

So this year I'm taking a leaf from their book. I'm going to be brave and silly and I'm going to enjoy being Mum.

The day we went to space and still got home in time for tea

With the boys being at different stages of schooling Blue Bear went back to nursery a day earlier than Brown Bear went back to school. I decided that we could take advantage of this 'bonus day' and we went into London. I gave Brown Bear the choice of either going to the London Transport Museum (which he loves) or to the Science Museum in South Kensington. He opted for the latter as it's not one we go to often and I don't think he remembers when we've been before. 

The Science Museum, Natural History Museum and the V & A are all close together and are free, but they do suggest a donation amount. On this visit we found there were queues to get in as there are now desks where you go through security, make a donation and can buy a guide book or map. I guess the voluntary donation system didn't work so well and this is how they ensure better financial returns. The cloakroom is also chargeable with a per item cost and if you want to take part in some activities such as watching an imax movie you have to buy a ticket. Otherwise the general museum is still free - as it always was - and my boy really loved seeing the spacecraft and the suit that Helen Sharman wore. We also went ooh and aah at the transport exhibits such as Puffing Billy and Stephenson's Rocket. I was very conscious of the time so we went to the 3rd floor to explore some of the interactive exhibits. Brown Bear particularly enjoyed designing a space rover and testing it on tough terrain to see if it would survive on the lunar surface. It took quite a few tweaks to the design for it to work, but it was interesting to see how he learned from trying different shapes and wheel placement. 

Designing a space rover

I remember going to the Science Museum with my friend Neil years ago - before children - and we spent a whole day there and only managed to really explore one floor and maybe a bit of another. I was optimistic thinking we'd see much in only a few hours. Also, Hubbie works right next door so we had arranged to meet him for lunch and that was even more exciting for Brown Bear.  

I've always thought we're so lucky to live close to London and to have all the fantastic museums practically on our doorstep. Now that Brown Bear is older I can take him to the places that I've loved so much from my own childhood. As we walked back to the station we passed the ice rink in the grounds of the Natural History Museum and I reminded him that we went there a couple of years ago for a skating session and hot chococlate and he used a penguin to help him get round the rink. "I don't need one now Mummy, I can do it myself." I agreed with him. 

We passed a busker playing Get Lucky on the saxaphone and he said, "That's my song Mummy." I took his hand and said, "Yes it is." and thought how lucky I was to get this special extra day with my boy. 

Making plans and tidying up

Hey hey hey it's 2017. I hope you have had a wonderful Christmas and New Year. This week the boys go back to school and nursery and Hubbie goes back to work. I will get the house back to myself again and I can really get ahead with my Marie Kondo style tidying. I got her book Spark Joy for Christmas and have been through the house like a buzzsaw already !

I've KonMaried our front room ! 

So are you making resolutions or setting goals for this year ? Do you have ambitions or dreams you intend to follow ? I know it's a cliche, but the start of a new year often encourages us to look at reinvigorating our lives, or taking up new hobbies. That's why we have Veganuary, Dry January, discounted gym memberships and those baffling part works. I would love to know at what point in the year you can no longer buy the cross stitch magazines or how many of the later editions they even print.

Hubbie bought a copy of Men's Health for the first time today and was up and our for a run before I even surfaced from under the duvet. I am not passing any judgement on this as a year ago when he took up cycling I scoffed that it wouldn't last and here he is commuting 13.5 miles to work on a bike every day. I'm glad I didn't make a wager on that !

Anyway, as I felt sorry for myself over Christmas lying on the sofa with a stomach bug - secretly thinking ooh that's a good start to my weight loss goal - I thought about what I want to achieve with the next random allocation of 12 months.

I'm taking part in the Moonwalk in May - it's a marthon walk during the night through London and this year is the 20th anniversary of the event. The last time I did this event was before Brown Bear was born and I was at least a stone and a half lighter than I am now, I was fitter and much less sleep deprived. In order to give it my best shot I went for a 3 mile walk today and I'm getting into my training plan early to make sure I'm fit and well before the big day.

Having taken time to be at home with my boys - which has been rewarding and tiring and maddening all at the same time - I now want to work doing something else. I've worked full time before, and before Blue Bear came to live with us I was working again, but now I have to find a way that fits in with all of us and make that a priority. I will keep you posted on my progress.

The best thing about being at home has been the time I've been able to spend doing the things I love. Writing, radio presenting and volunteering. I intend to bring you more adventures, fun days out and even some great things you can do for yourself. It's much more fun if you can share isn't it ?

Well, that's out there now so I have to do it don't I ?

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Go Mum Go is on a Christmas Holiday 

Back with you very soon with more adventures and family fun 

Have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year

The colours of Christmas

First there is champagne - what would the party season be without it ?

Then there's silver and blue - the wrapping paper I used for the decorative presents at the school Christmas fair.

The shades of the autumn leaves that crunch underfoot when we walk to school or to the park or to feed the ducks.

The white of my cat - he spends the cold days on our bed so he stays white too

The red stage lights at the Wedding Present gig we went to this week.

It's Panto season. Oh yes it is !!

Pantomime has history in our family and I remember taking my younger sisters to watch Christmas cat and the pudding pirates when I was at Uni when they were of primary school age. It was written by Christopher Lillicrap and was the perfect Christmas show which my Mum also enjoyed. Since then it's been a family tradition to go to a Christmas show every year. In the past we used to go to watch Christmas movies, including Tim Burton's The Night Before Christmas (excellent) and Jingle All the Way (not so much). One year we went to Sadler's Wells to watch Edward Scissorhands the ballet - that was absolutely stunning.

The Christmas movies I love include Elf (who doesn't), Love Actually (ok, I know, shuttup), Die Hard (yes of course it's a Christmas movie) and Miracle on 34th Street which I tried to watch with Brown Bear, but he's not that into it... yet. These are all on the telly most years so we've gone back to watching panto.

Last year I took Brown Bear and his best friend to watch Aladdin at the Churchill Theatre in Bromley. He had been to see Cinderella the year before with his school so he knew the format and was familiar with the audience participation too. The boys joined in with 'he's behind you,' 'oh no it isn't' and booed loudly at the baddie. It was a great night out with ice cream in the interval and plenty of familiar songs for them to enjoy. The scene with the flying carpet was particularly entrancing and the boys loved the show and we met Wishee Washee afterwards. I made a promise to myself that I'd make it an annual thing us to go to watch a Christmas show from now on.

So next week I'm taking Brown Bear to see Peter Pan starring Craig Revel Horwood - not that my boy knows who that is of course. He loves pirates, like any self-respecting young child does, so I think he's going to enjoy Captain Hook and Smee. He isn't familiar with the story of Peter Pan though, so I'm hoping he enjoys it. If nothing else he's going to love the ice cream in the interval and I'll be shouting along with him during the audience participation bits.

Oh I've just realised that Love Actually is on. Pass the tissue box - I may need to dab some tears.

Small acts, big impact.

Tomorrow a lot of children (and adults) will start opening windows on their advent calendars. For a lot of us that means a small chocolate treat and a larger on on the last day. The last few years I've bought Lego advent calenders and in the past I've filled the pockets of a felt christmas tree that proved trickier than I expected. Tiny cars and chocolate coins seemed to fit, but after a few days Brown Bear was onto me and said, "they're all the same thing." Oh well.

As I was sorting through baby clothes and toys today to donate to charity I realised that the run up to Christmas is busy for me, but not because of shopping or baking Christmas cake or puddings. I take this time to think of ways to give and donating clothes, food, toys and time are all part of this for me.

So I was delighted to see a 'kindness advent calendar' doing the rounds on Facebook. It suggests 24 acts of kindness you can do during the period of advent and they are mostly, easy, quick and cheap or free. Check it out - some of the ideas are so simple, yet lovely.

In the same spirit I'm going to share my annual 'do something good' list with you. I feel passionately that we can all do something postive and helpful - however small.

Donate toys: a lot of charities will accept toys at Christmas. Some will specify that they must be new, but others will ask that they are clean and in good condition. What a lovely way to regift loved toys that are no longer played with ? 

Be kind all day: this includes things like holding the door open, letting someone in front of you in traffic, popping your change into a donation box. Smile at people, even if you don't know them. Little things.

Rehome clothes: organisations that work with the homeless often ask for coats, jumpers, blankets at this time of year as the cold makes sleeping rough even harder. Clothing for men is often in demand, but women's clothes can also be taken. Ask if they need other items too such as toiletries or sanitary products. I've given paper cups and teabags to charities that run soup kitchens in the winter in addition to gloves, hats and scarves. 

Give blood: Ok that is a biggie, but it's really important. There is just as much need for blood products over the winter months, but due to holidays fewer people donate. If you can give blood please make an appointment to donate. I always joke that I only do it for the tea and biscuits afterwards - they do nice biscuits :)

Donate to a food bank: If you're doing the shopping can you add a few items to your basket or trolley to pop into the food donation box ? A lot of people rely on food donations to feed their families and anything you can give will make a difference. As well as longlife staple food items I like to pop in some treats like yummy biscuits or chocolate for children. 

Now this one is the hardest to do for a lot of people, but it really is worth it.

Listen to someone: I mean really listen. Put your phone away, sit down and take the time. Maybe have a cup of tea or a meal, but just have an honest conversation in which you give someone your full attention. If you can do this with your child, a parent, a neighbour who lives alone even better.

I hope you try some of these suggestions. Take your pick and if you'd like to share with me what you did I'd love to hear about it.