.
Today I am excited as the cover for my new book ‘The Little Book of Kisses‘ has been created by the extremely talented graphics designer Paul Manning.
This project is under my pen and family name of Dolly Christmas and will be available initially from Amazon Kindle Books in the coming days. Just in time for Valentine’s Day.
Full press release to follow but just giving my friends and followers a sneak preview of the fabulous cover.
Don’t you just love Fridays and kissing….
After the long Christmas and New Year break it is very hard to get back on track and re-focus one’s mind on our careers and/or studying.
With the return to University for the January exams I wish all students well. Remember: plenty of sleep, keep well-hydrated and have regular breaks from the studying. Exercise if you have time as that is so important to well-being, and, dare I say a little sugar treat now and then. During exams keep both of your feet firmly on the floor being grounded really helps with concentration and helps one relax. If your legs are in knots so are you!
I know a little of how you feel I have two courses waiting my attention and focus so less of the procastinating and more action Ms M.
Part of my new year’s action plan is to be more tidier…getting there it’s a slow process and my deadline is to have made great in-roads by the weekend.
Had an interesting chat today with a young man in a supermarket who had decided not to go on to university but to have some fun for a while whilst he decided what to do.
I hear this a lot, and I am mindful that so much pressure is put on our teenagers to decide their chosen career path long before they are really ready. It’s of course great for those students who have always known what it is they want to do, have the ability and apply themselves well to follow that dream.
As I often say not all children can be academic but that doesn’t mean they should be written off, they are of course beautiful in their own way..so nurture and encourage until they do identify their dream. Meanwhile they can get on enhancing those all too valuable social skills.
It’s never ever too late to learn, speaking as a mature student I know that’s true.
I watched an interesting yet emotive documentary on TV last week reporting on two teenage girls who tragically self-harmed. There is always a root problem for why girls are self-harming, which may not be obvious even to the most diligent of parents.
As usual I took copious notes but was moved and focused by ‘a experts’ view on what is causing stress amongst teenagers. He said quite succintly:-
‘Teenagers are a mirror of society and society is in distress’
We can of course view this as negative but ignoring the facts won’t help teens of today. The pace of life is faster and great pressure is put on them to succeed. For all their advantages and amazing technology at the touch of finger they are not happy. Indeed technolog,y as I often write, brings new ways of being bullied and is responsible for lower self-esteem particularly in girls.
Keep the lines of communication open with this troubled generation they need our support and understanding more than most of us realise.
Sometimes in life we are faced with making a difficult decision and after a lot of soul searching and balancing up the negatives and positive we may still be left in a bit of a quandary as to what to do. Are we making the wrong choices for the right reasons and is our reason big enough?
Discussing weighing up the benefits of ‘getting experience’ with a colleague earlier today we touched on how certain sectors are quite unprofessional and small minded in their approach and maybe without realising can be quite offensive in questioning one’s skills and abilities.
We both agreed that the minute one starts to justify one’s skills the battle is lost, though of course we have to make allowance for ‘the other man’ maybe not fully understanding the high calibre of staff they are talking to nor respecting their CV and qualifications quite as much as they should do.
This situation and the question on being ‘ over qualified’ and whether one should dumb down one’s CV is one often run past me by colleagues wondering what to do for the best in searching for that dream job/project in their advancing years.
There are a lot of people who truly do not value self-development as much as those of us mature students who spend many hours gaining extra qualifications with a continual hunger for learning.
This week I am faced with making a few myself..and I am deliberating..time for cuppa and a choccy digestive – easy decision for me!
Over the past few weeks I have had several chats with fellow professionals about the value of experience and what to encourage our children to get on their CV.
I am still working on projects for experience for my own newly acquired skills and this never ends if you have a hunger for learning. Whilst we don’t want our children to be exploited there is no getting away from the fact that they do need to do voluntary/community work and preferable within the chosen field of their proposed career.
Recently I met and chatted to somebody from a national charity who agreed volunteers often go on to be offered permanent position. Reverting to the subject of students; they of course need to be able to impress their selected universities that they are right for their course and an excellent candidate for their university.. So that personal statement needs to demonstrate good social skills -remember it’s not just about the exam results.
Please visit Innovate My School’s website and view my articles on tips for writing personal statements and developing social skills:-
http://www.innovatemyschool.com/ideas/item/1617-seven-tips-for-writing-your-personal-statement
http://www.innovatemyschool.com/ideas/developing-social-skills-and-being-community-minded
Any parent of a teenage son or daughter in today’s society is sadly aware of just how stressful life has become for our children. There are so many stress factors facing today’s teens; exams, acceptance from peers and even pressure to try drugs and huge sensitivity surrounding their visual appearance all increased via the use and scrutiny of media.
The pressures for some, certainly outweigh all the great advantages that modern technology bring, indeed those in suypportive roles are also recognising just how disruptive and cruel modern media can be in terms of cyber bullying.
Please read my article on Innovate My School’s website:-
If you have even the smallest inclination that your child may be struggling, then quite likely they are. Ask the question, be supportive and if necessary speak to their school too as the likelihood being the answer may be easier to fathom than you realise and pastoral and tutors can help your family unit turn things around.
Remember our children are only on loan to us and we owe it to them to look out for their well-being even at times when we may not actually like them…we will always love them.
Remind them how proud we are, don’t just say it to others..this gesture of affirmation may just be what they need if feeling vulnerable or concerned about their achievements and remember not everyone can be a great academic.
Today walking across my village in the rain I encountered a brainless selfish female driver. Not only was she the only driver without her lights on her head was down facing texting on her phone.
Fortunately, I was looking where I was going and as I saw her vehicle approach, without lights on, near a dangerous bend, I chose not to cross.
I hope she managed to get home without killing somebody…equally I hope she is caught and given a driving ban this is the only we will stop this madness.
It beggars belief that people feel their phone is more important than safety and the lives of others.
Yesterday I went to hear a local speaker the lovely and talented Zena Skinner talk at a U3A meeting.
This amazing woman, a young ninety year old has led a rewarding and busy life as a celebrity TV cook, radio and public speaker as well as an impressive fundraiser for various charities. Those who know and love her locally know the great works she does in supporting a local hospice for children (Keech Hospice)
The audience were treated to a collection of amusing stories of her life in the Wrens and the colourful life as a cook and demonstrator. She shows no signs of slowing down and truly is an inspiration and really enjoys making people laugh.
Zena’s closing comment was:
‘If we don’t laugh..it’s not worth living, the more we laugh the more we live.’
My own mentor always maintained a laugh was as good as a tonic. I love that sentiment and shared this with a friend earlier this afternoon, I know he follows my blog and I am sending him a huge spiritual hug.
It’s anti-bullying week and an ideal platform for awareness for parents and teachers.
Don’t forget bullying can start at a very early age and that some children are more sensitive and less confrontational than others and can easily full victim to bullies even at nursery school.
As with all areas of parenting we have to keep alert and an open communication line with our children and bear in mind that children do not have the vocab to express their emotions.
It’s often said Mothers are better than the FBI but even the best qualified and caring parents don’t always see the signs…sometimes there are no signs. Sadly in the age of technology we also have to endure cyber-bullying which reaches people of all ages.
Please support the anti-bullying charities and encourage openness with children whenever possible.
credoblogdotco 