Dear Mums in the play ground a simple Hi will do

Dear mums,

Dear mums, in the play ground, my son has problems, although it is no excuse, I am sorry if he has hit, bitten, punched, smacked or has hurt your child in anyway, it is really difficult I know to want to talk to another mum, who is seen to be the parent with the horrible child, with the child who turns up in the mornings kicking and screaming, the one that holds up the class at the end of the day.

I am just a normal mum like you, I don't spoil my boys I don't let them do whatever they please and turn a blind eye, yes I am a single mum, yes I do the majority of the parenting on my own, but this doesn't make our family, any less of a family than your two point four children, apart from that I put in more work, I have to be mum and dad rolled into one and the last thing I would want my children to feel, is let down by me.

Putting there feelings aside for one moment, and taking a mums approach to thinking about me (for once). Do you know how hard it is to see all of you mums gathered in the playground chirping happily about how your children are doing, what your having for tea, what your doing or have done at the weekend, however meaningless or forgetful the conversation do you know how lonely it is standing waiting for your child to come out of school on your own, feeling like you shouldn't be there, anxiously awaiting the tuts and whispers as my child appears at the gate or door on the way out.

I just want an acceptance a simple hi would be a start, maybe even a warm hello in the mornings would make me feel like I exist, I am invisible until my son appears and then there are no words there all sighs and tuts, perhaps I should hold my head up and walk around like I don't care, but I do. The thought has crossed my mind that maybe its not my son who makes you edge away from me, and makes you ignore me, maybe my face doesn't fit OK so I am spotty - cant help that hormonal changes has always made me that way but I am not completely leopard like and yes I am slightly overweight but I am pregnant - which you would think would strike a conversation somewhere along the way, but I am still waiting.

So dear mums in the playground when you see that mum with the naughty child, with a face that perhaps doesn't fit, don't avoid them however difficult it may be, a simple hi can change a persons day, you never know that person you are avoiding might become a friend or might not but isolation and loneliness around a place that is supposed to be the happiest years of children's lives could be made different by you, all I am asking is that you take a look around that playground and change a persons day. That simple Hi can make the difference between a flood of tears or feeling like you are not alone.

Playground Crazes what were yours?

I hadn't thought much about my childhood, until recently oxford open learning have put together a list of 50 years of childhood crazes I didn't realise there were so many or how many have come from years ago but soon do the sweep round to playgrounds again.

I think one of the things that surprised me the most were how many I have actually taken part in it must have cost my mum and dad a fortune over the years with me having a brother and sister as well three times the cost and three times the crazes!
 One of my earliest memories of wanting something, well something everyone else had, was Klackers

these were great, you swing them back and forward and the balls click together making an awesome clicking sound - like everything that is as phase, Klackers were banned eventually from the playground but were great all the same!




There was the foot hula hoop, my memory isn't that great so I cant remember the actual name for it but it was a hoop that you put your foot inside and then you spun it around so your other leg would jump over it, I think this was eventually banned because of it hitting and tripping people over!
I also went through the marbles stage like most children something that seems to come and go within the playground similar phase to YoYos they seem to come and go I never did learn to walk the dog with it!

Polly Pocket was another one of my loves although it wasn't as crazy as the time when trolls were in as a craze, with there brightly coloured hair and flashing eyes - would the light stop on green to make a wish, I remember everyone being able to say exactly how many they had collected there were lots of comments like I have got more than you, it makes me giggle thinking about it.





As I got older and went into secondary school I guess the crazes moved away from toys somewhat and moved into fashion or expensive technology items, my poor parents pockets were hit hard as the next craze I remember was Nike Air max trainers only the coolest kids wore these if you didn't have them you were no one! in this year I think the kids at school these days would refer to them as "sick" I had a classic white pair with a purple tick I have to say I did love those trainers, I don't think I out grew them more like the craze just fizzled out as quickly as it came in.

I also was one of the kids that loved the year of Kappa who knows where this brand came from or where it has gone now, but it was massive when I was at school, I wasn't one of the kids that had one of the jackets but I did have a bright green t-shirt with the logo down both sleeves now that was a very cool T-shirt let me tell you!


Then there was the sweets there was the candy bracelets and necklaces you always seemed to get in a mess when biting the sweet off the elastic! there was also the sugar dummies and rave dummies a silly phase after all we were not even old enough to go to raves but still everyone was walking round with them round there necks. Last but not least there was push pops everyone had these, they were so sticky and messy but it seemed everyone loved them and I think like the fashion items something that could never be banned which was great.


Reminiscing over some of the crazes that I have been part of has certainly made me look back and smile probably because I cant believe I was a part of them but its something that makes history and great memories, my boys are not quite old enough (hopefully) for crazes just yet but when they do begin, I must remember they don't last forever and there great fun whilst they last.

can you remember your childhood games and crazes? I would love to hear what your favourites were? its fun looking back so share your thoughts......