In Northern Ireland we are currently at the end of the Christmas break, my son was due to go back to p2 tomorrow (today was a development day). The schools are now closed for at least a week for all pupils except for vulnerable children and the children of key workers. Everyone is having to do online learning.  It's ok for me as I'm on maternity and so I don't need to worry about home educating while trying to get on with my own work. But not all parents have this luxury time to put in to their children's education and I really sympathise. Daily Routine At the moment the daily routine focuses on Rosie but while Jamie was in school it was all about getting him there on time. 6:00am- wake up to Rosie shouting at us from her cot (she is still in our room). We usually bring her into our bad and let her play with some toys between us while we take turns in dozing. 7.00am- Jamie wakes up and comes into our room. Some mornings it is sooner, it just depends on how loud Rosie i

The elves are back! This little guy being back in the shops means that it's finally Christmas time. If this is your first time seeing the elf I'm sure you're wondering, but w hat's the point?  The elf comes alive at night and ends up getting up to mischief. The child comes downstairs to find out what the elf has got up to during the night. The Elf on the shelf watches the child's behaviour throughout the day and then reports back to Santa if the child has been naughty or nice. While the initial concept seems a good idea, it is flawed. How can we teach our children to behave when the elf themselves misbehaves? If anything the elf sets a bad example.    SHow to use the elf and still promote positive behaviour.  I have found a resource that has a Christmas kindness countdown. It is abit like a kindness advent calendar. The idea is that the child sticks a bauble onto Santa's beard for each day and they carry out the kind thing marked on the beard. My concept to incl