Good Memories

S and I decided that we should turn the boys 'playroom' into a 'den'. After all, they are 12 and 13 now, so it seemed reasonable. We had a big tidy up, removed the kiddies games, reorganised the DVDs etc and S put up the new dartboard, complete with doors and scoreboards. There is even a rubber mat to gauge the distance of the oche (though it keeps walking). Anyway, the boys came in after a couple of raindrop-free hours playing footie in the field, and S and I proudly showed them their new 'den'! 'Great, Mum,' they said, 'but it will always be a playroom to us,' said D. B added, 'It's all about the memories, Mum!'

By the way, playing darts is a great educational toy (see some others by following the link) for mental maths. However, the boys have developed some of their own rules. I found the one covering a dart that hits the wire and falls out particularly interesting. You get the score, even though it fell out. Maybe it's time for the boys to learn more about the hard knocks in life. I tried to explain the rule, but they said, 'We are just learning how to play, Mum!'

Step Ahead Magazine

Thank you to Step Ahead Magazine for using our Ten Top Tips for Homework. The really good news is that all the tips are tried and tested. We also linked in some educational toys which add value to the homework process. Persevere with the routine, it is worth it in the end.

Plan to succeed

This has long been our ethos but sometimes it is all too easy to become embroiled in day-to-day detail and forget to take time out to plan. We were encouraged today to catch our breath and enjoy a few hours considering future goals and strategies. The young man, Sean Proctor, who made us reflect, was coming from a specific SEO angle in our meeting but after he had left our thinking took on new levels as we geared up for (hopefully) another year of growth in educational toys and games. In our meeting with Sean we covered angles which had often been covered before but somehow this time round the timing was right to add some structure to the processes and go one step further. So, remember to be ready to take the time to think and plan. Now that I reflect further, our elder son is always planning. It must be in his genes.