Autumn 2025 has officially arrived - storm Benjamin is raging outside; it's a nice feeling to be safe and cozy indoors!
I won't even mention how long ago I typed in this blog - but ... I will do a quick catch up. So the last post was just at the start of lockdown. I was in a full time job and the day I took my resignation letter into the office 23rd March 2020 - is the same day we officially went into lockdown and told to take our laptops and work from home.
This suited me remarkably well, as the reason for my resignation was the inability to be at the office and still be available to my son who has SEN. It worked out really well for a few months - I was able to get him to school and start work and used my lunch hour to pick him up and start dinner. The trouble began when they closed down the schools. Then I had to juggle not only my bosses demands but the online learning for Boy2 - and let me tell you ... that was no joke. Firstly he wouldn't get dressed so effectively do lessons in pj's ("do lessons" is a severe overstatement!). He would roll around on the sofa while the teacher was doing the lessons, make animal noises while she was talking and worst of all the "funny" facial expressions. As I was working in the same room - trying to do team meetings with all the shenanigans in the background. In the end not only did the teacher mute and "off screen" him - I had to do the same with my meetings.
So for 2 years the only respite I got - was when the school decided he met the criteria for a "vulnerable child" and allowed him to go back. Of cause, he was in Year 6 at this point and has no actul learning for 2 years. Secondary school was looming and there was no way he could cope - but it was mostly the social aspect - his needs means that without his peers' social que's; he was lost. So while his peers were in a year 6 mindset he was still a very childish year 4.
Once everything opened up and we had to return to the office - I had to resign as I needed to catch boy2 up academically and allow the school and peer groups catch him up socially.
The first 2 years of Secondary was PAINFUL and even had the police involved at one point - he is now Year 11 and doing his GCSE's this year - we still have our up's and down's but for the most part we have turned the corner (touch wood!!!).
As far as crafting - that was continuos (as it's my calming relaxing time) - when Boy2 went to bed - the books, paint, knitting and sewing projects would come out in turn and I'd happily craft away.
Boy1 is doing really well too - he is second year Uni - I feel OLD lol!
I am currently working on my second room box - yeah I am now into miniatures. Here are some pics of the first room box I made - it's a sort of Green witches cottage scene.
