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IN THIS ISSUE:

Education New Year, New You Early Years Parenting

Issue 67 January/February 2022

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Environment News

Bag sustainable fashion on a budget By Jay Sullivan Fast fashion, clothing made cheaply and designed to be disposable, is the second biggest cause of environmental pollution in the world. With such devastating effects on people and the planet, it’s no wonder that more and more of us are trying to make ethical choices with our wardrobes. Ecofashion can feel expensive and overwhelming at ﬁrst but it doesn’t have to be. Here are nine ways to forget fast fashion and shop sustainably instead.

Get thrifty Charity shops are an easy way to ﬁnd second-hand clothes on the high street at a low price while helping a good cause too. If you don’t have the time to trawl them for the best bargains, then online resellers like Depop or Vinted are great ways to search for what you need.

Buy less but make it your own Shopping less frequently and only buying what you need has an important role in sustainable buying. Craft sites like Etsy and Folksy offer ways to customise your clothes so you can breathe new life into last year’s look. Think sequins, patches and embroidery.

Rent it and return it Renting is a great way to enjoy the party dress you’ll likely only wear once. Instead of buying a ﬂashy new garment for every birthday bash, simply rent the designer or high-end outﬁt of your dreams and then return it when the party is over.

Be pretty in Piñatex (or hemp… or bamboo…) Not all fabrics are environmentally equal. Cotton production uses 250 billion tons of water annually. Alternatives like bamboo, linen and hemp have a much smaller environmental impact and are far more sustainable over the long term. Animal leather production requires signiﬁcant land use and causes large CO2 emissions. Piñatex (pineapple leather) offers a natural alternative without contributing to animal agriculture.

Support a small business If there’s something you do need to buy new, try to avoid the big names in fast fashion and look to smaller businesses ﬁrst. These items are often handmade and smaller product runs mean you’ll likely end up with something few other people have.

Where to look for eco-friendly fashion When starting off an environmentally-conscious wardrobe, it is often easiest to begin with the basics. T-shirts and underwear are purse-friendly ways to make a positive change. Don’t forget: the most sustainable wardrobe is the one you already have!

Sew some love Not everyone is nifty with a needle but small repairs such as sewing up holes or putting buttons back on can ensure your clothes have years more wear left in them before it’s time to recycle. There are lots of YouTube tutorials to help you get your head around the basics.

Swap it like it’s hot! Clothing swaps are a great way to get new clothes while clearing your cupboard of the ones you no longer wear. You can get a group of friends over and trade between you or you can ask your local school, university or work to hold an event.

Call time on cotton toiletries Make-up wipes and cotton wool pads are an easy area to make an ethical change. Reusable face cloths or pads which can be washed are a great alternative to disposables. If you menstruate, re-usable cups or washable period pants or pads can help reduce the amount of cotton that ends up in landﬁlls.

This article was written by and reproduced with the permission of the Natural History Museum. www.nhm.ac.uk

Danny Clarke

Dame Sheila Hancock DBE

Caprice Bourret

Sarah Beeny

www.wearahatday.org MARCH 2022

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Contents Welcome Happy New Year everyone! Let’s hope 2022 is an easier year for everybody.

Birmingham

If you’ve made a resolution to prioritise your health this year, then plan to change ‘just one thing.’ Find inspiration in our New Year, New You feature. Is the environment on your mind? Find out how to bag sustainable fashion on a budget.

In this issue 2.

Bag sustainable fashion on a budget

Education

New Year, New You

In our Education section, ﬁnd out how more girls can be encouraged into science, how young children learn to write and how to prepare your child for SATs. And cheer up these winter months with some great entertainment options from our What’s On guide. Finally, with our children’s mental health always at the top of our priority list, we have Happiness is…Mental Health Activity Packs for kids to give away to new subscribers. So don’t forget to apply! And, if you haven’t signed up to receive our digital magazine and enjoy additional, interactive content, there’s still time. Sign up at familiesmag.co.uk/go to receive every issue free to your inbox. Competition winners from our September/October issue

10. Early Years 12. Clubs, Classes and Activities 13. Parenting

Congratulations to Chantal Platt, Lili Phung, Jax Blunt, Karolina Holmes and Emily Adams who received an Orchard Toys Game Bundle. And, for the recipients of a children’s wellbeing activity book or a Readmio app package, visit https://bit.ly/BookGiveway ( )#)*! )$ )' ( &#) ## ('" %%&' &#" )*#" ( ( )'* )! ($% & ( )#)*! $)'% %" ( $(' )!* & (' ## $(' )!*" ( ( )'*! )' % * $& ($* )'"* *'"*'%# & '*" ('" & *$(%*" '"*$ #) *' * ( )#)*! )! ( $* )!%*$*" %$("* ($ & %"

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14. Work 15. What’s On

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Families Birmingham Magazine 3

Education News

Learning to write By Catherine Lynch Children need to develop lots of skills before they can write. The three main skills that build writing foundations are the physical ability to make marks on paper, knowing that print conveys meaning and knowing what to write. In preparation for writing, children need to develop both their gross and fine motor skills. Gross motor skills develop first; walking, jumping, throwing and reaching. Fine motor skills, like picking up small objects, follow. Children need to be given lots of opportunities to move their bodies and build up the muscles needed to sit in a chair, hold a pen and write. Next, children need to know what they are going to write. Adults can support children in this stage by providing practical opportunities. Writing shopping lists together is a great way to get children writing for a purpose. And so what are the basics of getting marks on paper? Children’s first marks on paper start with squiggles and scribbles. With practise, their marks become more controlled and they may start to ascribe meaning to them, for example, scribbling lines on paper and saying they are a list of their friends. As children’s awareness of letters increases they will start to use letter shapes in their writing. Familiar letters might start appearing among their squiggles and shapes. In the next stage of learning to write, children use their phonetic knowledge to identify which letters to write.

Phonics explain the relationship between sounds and letters. Typically children start by hearing and writing the initial sounds in words, for example ‘c’ for cat and ‘a’ for apple. As their phonic knowledge improves they will start to hear and write more sounds in words. It is common for children to reverse letters, miss out sounds and muddle up letters for the ﬁrst few years that they are writing. By the end of Year 1, children should have been taught most of the letter sounds in the English language, complete with alternative spellings and sound groupings. For example, the many ways to write the /ai/ sound in sail, crayon, lake, weigh, grey, reindeer, break and acorn. Initially children won’t typically use the correct spelling of the sound; however, the more they read the better they will get at recognising when a spelling looks right.

Catherine Lynch is a former UK primary school teacher, now writing for PlanBee (www.planbee.com) about issues affecting teachers, schools and pupils. PlanBee has lots of completely free resources for teaching and learning for home and school.

Help fund vital research by joining Wear A Hat Day! Join thousands of children, parents and teachers on Friday 25th March for Wear A Hat Day – a great way to bring people together and raise vital funds for leading charity Brain Tumour Research. Register your school, community or family event today: www.wearahatday.org and we’ll send you a free fundraising pack! Coming at the end of March, Brain Tumour Awareness Month, several celebrities are supporting this hattastic campaign. The latest set of collectable Wear A Hat Day pin badges have a regal theme in celebration of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee year. Order your box of badges to sell during registration! Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer. This is unacceptable and Brain Tumour Research is determined to change this. Funds raised from Wear A Hat Day will help towards establishing a new Research Centre of Excellence. 4 Families Birmingham Magazine

S4 Swim School S4 Swim School have been providing swimming lessons to thousands of children for over a decade. Hundreds of S4 swimmers have progressed to County, Regional and National level competitions and beyond, thanks to the excellent pathways between S4 and other aquatic organisations. Member reviews: “My daughters took part in the intensive course and absolutely loved it. Was really pleased at the progress they made in such a short time, we have now signed up to regular classes and can't wait to see the progress they will make”. (Facebook) “Fantastic swimming school, the instructors are brilliant with young children, very positive and encouraging. Would deﬁnitely recommend”. (Facebook) “Both of my children completed this course in Easter. They have returned to swimming weekly after Easter and have both improved so much and have now progressed into a new swimming group”. Thanks S4 (Facebook) www.s4swimschool.uk familiesonline.co.uk

Education News

Is your child ready for SATs? By Jemma Zoe Smith There can hardly be a single child in the country who hasn’t seen their schooling disrupted during the pandemic. In acknowledgement of this disruption, SATs have been cancelled for the last two years but in 2022 they’ll be going ahead as normal. If you’re a parent of a child who will be sitting SATs in May 2022 or 2023, you might be concerned about what this means for your child’s exam performance - a worry which is doubled for those parents whose children are also sitting the 11+. The good news is that if you’re addressing these concerns now, you’re doing so in good time. There’s plenty of opportunity for your child to make up any gaps in their learning before the exams roll around. The ﬁrst thing to do as a parent is not to worry too much. While your child’s schooling has been disrupted, so has that of all their peers. It’s likely that results will be poorer across the board, which is reassuring if you’re considering a selective school for your child’s secondary education. What’s more, any teacher looking at your child’s exam results in the future will consider the extraordinary situation in which their studies were taking place. Above all, even if the situation is causing you stress, it’s important not to transmit that to your child, whose performance won’t be improved by exam nerves. If you are stressed and are struggling to contain your feelings, make sure you focus on getting appropriate support. You can’t help your child unless you feel calm.

The next step is to find out to what extent your concerns are justified. Speak to your child’s teacher and find out to what extent they’ve fallen behind relative to the performance their teacher would expect at this stage, had circumstances been more normal. For example, it might be that your child spent all of lockdown glued to a book and so needs support in maths, but not in English. Make sure you’re focusing your efforts where they’re needed. Once you know where the gaps in your child’s understanding are, you can address them with targeted learning and revision. At this age, the best approach is little and often. That could be a quick spelling test when your child gets home from school, grammar questions on the way there or a couple of maths problems when they’re waiting for dinner. Keep it fun and your child will be back on track in no time. Jemma Zoe Smith is Director of The Education Hotel. Find out more at www.educationhotel.co.uk

Calming exam nerves Keeping your child calm about the approaching exams is vital for their success. Crucial to this is keeping your own worries to yourself, so you don’t transfer them to your child. Ideally, your child should approach the week of the exams like any normal school week - keen to do their best but not too worried if they don’t. But what if it’s too late for that and your child is already struggling with exam anxiety? If your child is already nervous, don’t be tempted to try to alleviate this by promising them a reward if they do well. This is likely to make things worse, not better. Instead, give them all the tools they need to succeed and feel comfortable. Support them with lots of rest and by making sure they eat well. Past paper practice under exam conditions can help, so that the situation of sitting an exam feels familiar. But above all, emphasise to your child that a failed exam isn’t the end of the world and assure them that all you care about is that they try their hardest.

SATs and 11+ resources Thankfully, there are lots of great resources out there to help you and your child on the journey towards the SATs and 11+. A vast amount of resources for both - some free, some paid for, all reviewed by other parents - can be found on the TES website at www.tes.com. You can search for precisely the area that your child needs to practise. The government has a website of SATs past papers and other practice materials. You can use these to give your child more experience of test conditions. If you plan to do this, it would be wise to speak to your child’s teacher in case they sit the same practice tests at school. If you’re also looking at the 11+, ﬁnd out which exam board is used by the school your child is applying to, so you can get the right past papers to practise with. Finally, if you’re not already aware of BBC Bitesize (www. bbc.co.uk/bitesize), you should be! There’s lots of learning options including fun games, to help your child learn. familiesonline.co.uk

11+ VERBAL REASONING VOCABULARY FLASH CARDS Expand your child’s antonym and synonym knowledge and achieve a higher 11+ score A comprehensive vocabulary resource with child-friendly deﬁnitions and a list of synonyms www.vocabularyﬂashcards.co.uk Families Birmingham Magazine 5

Education News

Getting girls into science By Gabrielle Nash For many years, girls have shied away from subjects like science and maths. As a result, the numbers of women in STEM careers (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) are small. International Day of Women and Girls in Science takes place on 11 February with the aim of celebrating and motivating women and girls to study and take up careers in science and related fields. Getting more girls into those fields is crucial to improving diversity. Recent efforts to address the balance of men and women in STEM is working. Yet while the female STEM workforce has for the first time reached over one million women, most of the workforce is male and the balance still needs addressing. So what can be done? First, we must look at what is stopping young women and girls from choosing these subjects. Sadly, this is believed to be largely the result of gender stereotypes introduced at a young age. Children are often encouraged towards traditional play based on their gender, which develops their brains and skills in a certain way. Look at introducing a variety of play experiences from the outset: from dolls to Lego, there should be plenty of variety and no boundaries. As children get older, they are faced with the stereotype and belief that boys and girls are suited to different subjects. Research has clearly shown that there is no difference in ability between boys and girls in different subjects, so we need to tackle the stereotypes children are exposed to from an early age.

Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly Based on the best-selling adult novel, this picture book features four brilliant mathematicians who contributed to some of NASA’s greatest successes in space. Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson and Christine Darden had to persist during a time when being both black and female were limitations. With their genius minds, they ultimately helped change the world. There’s also an edition for ages 8 to 12.

If you are the parent of a young girl, you might think it is too early to engage her on this issue but even at a young age, girls can be motivated to pursue science-based subjects through appropriate role models. Introduce your girls to some of the world’s incredible female scientists through books. It’s one of the easiest ways to inspire more girls to take a career in science. There are some wonderfully engaging options. By introducing these role models to our girls, we can spread the word about female achievement and hopefully encourage passion for STEM subjects amongst them.

Marie Curie (Little People, Big Dreams) by Isabel Sanchez Vegara Part of the Little People, Big Dreams series, this book is about scientist Marie Curie, who became the first woman to win the Nobel Prize for Physics. Despite being unable to go to college because she was a woman, she became a groundbreaking scientist whose discoveries dramatically helped the fight against cancer. With a simple language and structure, these books are great for children ages 5+.

Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty

I am Jane Goodall by Brad Meltzer

Inspired by real-life mathematician Ada Lovelace and scientist Marie Curie, this best-selling picture book champions STEM, girl power and women scientists in a celebration of curiosity, the power of perseverance, and the importance of asking ‘Why?’

Part of the Ordinary People Change the World series, this book is all about the chimpanzee scientist, Dr Jane Goodall.

Even when her fact-finding missions and elaborate scientific experiments don’t go as planned, Ada learns the value of thinking her way through problems and continuing to stay curious. This is a funny, engaging picture book for young readers.

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Another factor that is stopping both boys and girls from choosing certain subjects, like computing and physics, is the idea that it is harder to achieve top grades in them. But many employers are not looking for the highest grades; instead they want logical and thoughtful people who can problem solve.

Her love for animals started when she was given a toy chimpanzee as a child. She changed the world with her patient observations about chimpanzees, improving the future for many female scientists who came after her. Jane is depicted as a child, making the book playful and accessible to readers ages 5 to 8.

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Education News

Interview with Mr Alistair MEET MJ Lyttle, the Headmaster of West House School and Nursery

Head

West House is a preparatory day school for boys between the ages of 4 and 11, with the co-educational Nursery caring for children from twelve months.

1. How long have you been headmaster of West House? Since 2004. I joined the teaching staff in 1996, so 2021 was my 25th year on the staff at the school. I also attended the school, before going to Old Swinford Hospital School and then to study History and Archaeology at Birmingham University.

2. What is your school’s motto and what does it mean for your pupils? We don’t have a motto but my own personal mantra with regards education is “balance”. Yes, academic rigour lies at the heart of what we offer but sports, music, art and drama, alongside other extra curriculum activities, all play a massive part in shaping our pupils and preparing them for life. One could argue, that it is those who are most rounded who are most successful.

3. In what way is West House different from other schools? Most schools will boast of offering a ‘unique family atmosphere’, fewer actually deliver it. In the case of West House we take huge pride in delivering on that commitment. When a pupil joins the school, their family becomes part of the West House Family. A life-long connection is made. This has something to do with the informality of the school. We recognise the things that matter, such as teaching our pupils how to be kind, thoughtful citizens and how to be happy with who they are, rather than worrying if they’re wearing the right shade of grey trousers! Also, staff here never leave! Many of them have been here for years which helps cement the family orientated atmosphere. I am very proud of the fact that all our staff, regardless of their speciﬁc role, are prepared to get stuck-in with helping to nurture the children.

4. What are the most exciting opportunities pupils can experience at your school? What do they most enjoy? If you asked most pupils at the school, they would say they have “fun” every day. The size of the school comes into play here. We’re a small prep school for boys, with a co-ed nursery. The small class sizes mean we can make sure that we get to know what makes each pupil tick and encourage them in whatever aspect of school life that most appeals to them, be that sport, music, drama or academic achievement. With year groups of approximately 40 pupils, we are still able to put out competitive cricket, football and rugby squads – it is the size of the school that is, perhaps, our greatest strength. The boys enjoy the traditional aspects of the school too. West House was founded in 1895 so we’ve got many traditions, such as our Hectic Hex tournament and our annual conker championships.

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5. How do you help pupils who need extra academic support? Whilst the school is selective, we welcome children from a broad academic proﬁle. Many of our pupils are extremely academically able and leave West House to go on to grammar schools or selective independent schools. However, some of our pupils need extra support and due to the size of the school, we are able to recognise their individual needs from early on, so all our pupils get plenty of support regardless of individual strengths or weaknesses.

6. What would you like to achieve over the next couple of years and beyond? The school has always provided an outstanding education and we’re now turning our attention to enhancing our specialist areas of music, drama and sport. We’ve recently spent £150,000 on two all-weather sports pitches and we’ll be making further investments into the drama and music departments. We have no plans to expand in numbers – we don’t’ want to. We simply want to make sure we’re equipped with the best specialist facilities to support the outstanding teaching that takes place. These are exciting times and the school is superbly placed to enter the next phase of its development as we prepare our pupils for the challenges of life in the 21st century while also having the fun that should go with being a child.

7. What makes you proudest to be headmaster of West House? Shaking the boys’ hands as they leave for the last time and contemplating all they have accomplished at West House. Please email secretary@westhouseprep.com to arrange a tour. 0121 440 4097 www.westhouseprep.com

Families Birmingham Magazine 7

New Year, New You

Just one healthy thing in 2022! By Claire Winter At this time of the year, we are bombarded with unrealistic health advice. Give up carbs, do a HIIT workout every day, walk ﬁfteen thousand steps. Glamorous women and men in lycra stare at us from our social feeds, making us feel like failures before we even start a new health regime. So how about setting yourself an easy target of changing just one thing this New Year?

Photo by Bruce Mars from Unsplash

Take Vitamin D

Get a fitness buddy Accountability works. If you want to start a new fitness regime, find a friend to do it with you, says Paula Kerr from Fitter Stronger. ‘This might mean always training with a friend and not letting them down or keeping an exercise or nutrition record and sharing it with a friend or fitness professional.’ www.fitterstronger.org

Vitamin D is highly recommended for anyone living in the UK because we don’t get enough sunshine. Public Health England recommends every adult takes a ten mg supplement in autumn and winter - all year round if you have darker skin. It boosts the immune system, helps prevent depression and strengthens bones. Find at all good health food stores/online.

Take time to meditate Just ten minutes meditation a day can make a huge difference. Research shows that meditation has a positive effect on a range of stress-related illnesses, including heart disease, cholesterol and high blood pressure. It can also help people suffering from insomnia, anxiety and depression. Check out www.insighttimer.com for hundreds of free meditations.

Get quality sleep

Have a cold shower Many people shared their outdoor swimming adventures last year. Intrigued? Start small with the Wim Hof method. Begin with a simple breathing technique and cold showers every morning and progress to cold water swimming. Doing this every day for ﬁve months has really improved my mood and quality of sleep! www.wimhofmethod.com Photo by Ella Olsson from Pexels

Personal trainer, Alex Cornwell, says: ‘It’s best to accept that as a parent it may not be possible to sleep uninterrupted for eight to nine hours a night. Instead, make sure you’re getting to bed early, not scrolling through Instagram or watching Netﬂix. This keeps you up longer and late-night screen time is proven to reduce the quality of your sleep’. www.revolution-pts.com

Practise gratitude ‘Gratitude is the ﬁrst step to embracing our body, shifting our relationship with it and seeing it as one of our best buddies. It makes a huge difference in our ﬁtness training and the food we choose to nourish our body’ says the Body Whisperer, Vanessa Conway. Keeping a daily gratitude diary can make also make you feel more optimistic about www.feelmovebewithvanessa.com

Photo by Gabrielle Henderson on Unsplash

Try forest bathing

Go veggie For one day a week, try and skip meat. www.meatfreemondays.com is a good website to follow. Can you make a family favourite with a meat substitute or try a new vegetarian recipe? 8 Families Birmingham Magazine

Get out in nature and de-stress in your local forest or woodland. In Japan, it’s called Shirrin Yoku, it’s proven to help you boost your mood, health and wellbeing and it’s free. Find your local forest here www.forestryengland.uk

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New Year

Five family-friendly ideas for an active start to 2022 by @girlaboutbirmingham I love New Year. I love it in the same way that I love a fresh page of a diary, a list, or even a Monday. My new chapter usually starts with a commitment to be ﬁtter. It doesn’t always last, but what if it could…?

1. Outdoor gyms If you follow my Instagram, you might know by now my golden rules for entertaining my three boys! Firstly, the activity we choose must have plenty of space for them to run around, secondly there must be something to spark interest, thirdly it must be suitable for all ages and ﬁnally, if it’s last minute – keep it local! A winter walk is great for a free activity in Birmingham so why not pair it up with a park/playground visit, or an outdoor gym for older children and grown-ups. Yes, I know, it’s January – but ‘there’s no bad weather, only bad gear’, so wrap up – get your gloves on and head out! Try Wythall Park, Warley Woods, Shirley Park, Knowle Park, or New Hall Valley Country Park birmingham.gov.uk/parks solihull.gov.uk/parks

2. My kind of running There are many family-friendly running groups and events if you care to look for them starting right from a buggy run, up to races suitable for older kids. One such group is Run of a Kind. I was recommended the ‘Street Art 5k’ which states it ‘takes a secret route along the decorated canals to Digbeth, the epicentre of Brum’s street art scene’. This route can also be completed as a walk which is great for beginners and can be completed with a standard buggy runofakindbirmingham.com You could also try: Cannon Hill Junior Park Run or junior runs at Westt Smethwick, Stevens Park, Wollescote and Malvern Park, Solihull parkrun.org.uk Wolf Run organise family friendly events that everyone can get involved in, age 7+. You could try wild running and obstacle runs too thewolfrun.com

3. Secret cycle routes Eco Birmingham is a wonderful organization whose aim is to create a sustainable city. What drew me in initially was the secret Birmingham cycle routes! ‘The routes showcase green spaces, m’s bike-friendly routes as well as some of Birmingham’s ee hidden heritage sites along the way!’ There are three Brum by Bike’ routes to choose from. And there’s more - their ‘Brum initiative is a fantastic project! ecobirmingham.com

4. Make a splash! What better fun is there as a family than splashing around in the waves? We’ve spent many happy times counting down for the wave machine to start at Cocks Moors Woods Leisure Centre, Kings Heath! This is a fantastic family leisure centre which has a lovely, heated pool suitable for children, a smaller children’s pool and water slides. Crystal Leisure Centre in Stourbridge also looks super fun! dudley.gov.uk I also LOVE the look of the family swim sessions at Wyndley Leisure Centre. Sutton Coldﬁeld, and Stechford Leisure Centre.

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It I is certainly worth searching for your local leisure centre on birminghamleisure.com to l see s what’s on offer. When I was browsing tthe websites, I noticed many more fun ﬁtness activities were available such as family ﬁt workouts, gymnastics and football. wo

5. Active Ac Wellbeing I was introduced intr to the Active Wellbeing Society (TAWS) (TA T WS) when I was visiting Balsall Heath City Farm. We were encouraged to sign up for free membership (available to all whose address is served by Birmingham City Council). TAWS is a charity and a social benefit organization that provides free activities to members in the Birmingham area, particularly relating to fitness and wellbeing. Most of the activities that I have listed above can be done through TAWS. Just go to the website, click on the ‘activity finder’, pop in your postcode and find the activity groups that local to you. theaws.co.uk Read my full article on familiesbirmigham.co.uk ‘Highlights’. Follow me on Instagram for more ideas throughout the winter!

Families Birmingham Magazine 9

Early Years

Changes in the childcare sector By Karen Beresford Ofsted data shows that childcare providers have been closing at a concerning rate, with almost four times more providers closing between September 2020 and March 2021 than between March and August 2020. Since the start of 2021, a third of local authorities in England have reported a rise in the number of providers in their area permanently closing. Despite the closures, most local authorities in England have not yet seen an increase in childcare shortages. Over two thirds reported having enough childcare available to meet demand from parents working full time, compared to just over half in 2020 (Coram March 2021). However, this situation is most likely to be due to a drop in demand during the pandemic when more parents worked from home. As parents return to the workplace, demand is increasing again, making it harder to find childcare and for many to remain in their jobs. A significant factor in the decline of childcare places has been a five per cent drop in those provided by registered childminders (Ofsted data). Coram found that childminders abandoning the sector is especially significant in rural areas and childminder availability is more scarce for parents who work atypical hours and need more flexibility. Significantly fewer than two thirds of parents working earlier morning or evening shifts reported that available childcare met their needs. A quick scroll through Mumsnet shows many posts from parents struggling to access childcare: ‘It was so difficult to find a place in our area ... had to go to one nursery twice a week and to a different one for the third day’ reports one mother. ‘The nursery I wanted had an eighteen month waiting list,’ said another. Parents are increasingly booking childcare in the early stages of pregnancy. In one example, a mother who was fourteen weeks pregnant registered her baby for a February 2023 start. In the north west, one mother booked a place for August 2023 when twenty weeks pregnant. It was one of the last spaces and the nursery is now fully booked for this time. To exacerbate difficulties, where there is childcare, it is often not suitable. For example, a provision that runs 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday means a parent can realistically work only 8.30am to 5.30pm on weekdays and that is if they have a relatively short and reliable commute. Unfortunately, there are many jobs that fall outside those hours.

Of particular concern is the shortage of childcare places for older children. School age childcare is used by twice as many children as pre-school childcare and is essential for many working parents. With childminders closing, after-school vacancies are harder to find. One mother just about managed to work from home but now she is being called back to the workplace she can’t find anyone to drop off and pick up her children. When it comes to holiday childcare, if it’s available, convenience and cost are definite factors. Parents report that many activities for children in the holidays run 9am to 3pm and cost around £200 per child. This is difficult to fund and doesn’t cover the beginning and end of the day. For families with different aged children, some pre-school and others of school age, trying to find provision for before and after school, as well as full day care, is a particular challenge. Parents cannot always find a nursery that is within reachable distance of work, home and their older children’s school. Access to childcare is important, both to support paid work and help shape young children’s development. As places become harder to find, parents who are considering looking for a childcare place may be wise to start the search sooner, rather than later to be assured of finding a space. Karen Beresford is a childcare expert at Your Employee Wellbeing. More info at www.youremployeewellbeing.co.uk

Can government do more?

Other options Nanny shares work well for thousands of families. Offering ﬂexible, home-based childcare, they can be a cost-effective alternative to nursery care. Parents become employers so check out the responsibilities at www.childcare.co.uk/ information/nanny-shares Two ﬁfths of grandparents have provided regular childcare for their grandchildren, according to a YouGov poll for Age UK. Grandparents who regularly look after their grandchildren can claim National Insurance credits to top up their state pension. More at www.informationnow.org.uk /article/grandparentissues 10 Families Birmingham Magazine

Research by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) found that between 2008 and 2016 the cost of a 1 year old’s nursery provision grew four times faster than wages in England. In London, it was more than seven times faster. Working parents say the government’s inadequate childcare policies leave them ﬁnancially crippled and held back in their careers. A wide-ranging study shows that overwhelmingly parents believe that ministers are not doing enough to support childcare costs and availability and that childcare in the UK is too expensive. familiesonline.co.uk

Early Years Soothing nightmares and night terrors Nightmares can be very upsetting for children but they are distinct from night terrors, which can be very alarming for their parents! What are nightmares? Nightmares typically start between the ages of 3 and 6 years. They happen during deep sleep, usually in the early hours. Unlike night terrors, children can remember nightmares (or feeling afraid) after waking. And night terrors?

If your child is having a night terror:

Night terrors are common and usually pass in time. Children who have night terrors may shout, thrash around or jump out of bed. They may have their eyes open but may not actually be awake. Unlike nightmares, children don’t have to be in a deep sleep and, in fact, night terrors can happen soon after falling asleep. Your child may not remember night terrors in the morning.

Stay calm – you may have woken abruptly and feel alarmed. Only intervene if your child is at risk of injury - if they are running wildly or close to an area where they could hurt themselves. Talk calmly and block access to dangerous areas. Holding or restraining them may be difficult and lead to wilder behaviour.

• Show and tell them that you understand how scared or upset they feel. • Tell a soothing bedtime story or sing some favourite songs or rhymes together. • Encourage your child to cuddle a favourite soft toy. • Ask your child if they would like a gentle massage. Try stroking down your child’s arm from shoulder to hand, stroking their face or making circles on their back. • Ask them about the best part of their day or something that made them laugh. • Try mindfulness activities to soothe your child.

Preventing night terrors Establish a good bedtime routine. Make sure their bedroom is a safe, relaxing space free of clutter. A blackout blind can be helpful to keep out day light. Some children may ﬁnd a night light soothing. Limit screen use. Turn screens off an hour before bed and keep screens out of the bedroom at night altogether. Help them wind down. Preparing your child for bed can include having a bath, which should help them start to feel sleepy. Younger children may enjoy lullabies, being read/told a story or even some colouring-in. Older children may want to read or listen to relaxing music. Chat together. Encourage your child to get any worries off their chest. If night terrors tend to happen at the same time each night, try waking your child ﬁfteen minutes before this time. Doing this for seven days may be enough to stop the terrors without affecting sleep quality. Talk to your child when they are calm about anything that might be worrying them. This can help you spot any triggers.

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As long as your child’s safe, don’t try to wake, comfort or talk to them. They may not recognise you and could become more distressed. Wait for your child to calm by themselves. Then wake them and settle them back to sleep. Don’t mention the episode, as they are unlikely to remember it. Most children grow out of night terrors and they don’t cause any long-term harm. Worried by their frequency and intensity? It’s a good idea to get medical advice, ﬁnd out more at www.nhs.uk/ conditions/night-terrors or speak to parenting coaches on the free helpline at www.parenting.actionforchildren.org.uk With thanks to Action for Children for this article. You can ﬁnd many other useful articles on parenting at their Parent Talk site at www.parents.actionforchildren.org.uk

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Families Birmingham Magazine 11

Club, Classes & Activities Solihull Young Dancers Ballet & Tap Lessons Classes from age 2 ½ + Tel: Kate on 07722 732678 www.solihullyoungdancers.co.uk

DUBARRIE SCHOOL OF DANCE Ballet, Tap and Jazz age 2 ½ + Branches in Yardley and Solihull Telephone: 0121 448 0055 www.dubarrieschoolofdance.com

PYJAMA DRAMA ERDINGTON, CASTLE BROMWICH AND SOLIHULL Pyjama Drama have been delivering drama and imaginative play classes and interactive shows for children aged 0 to 7 years since 2005. We can visit your nursery or school or find us at public sessions locally. We harness the power of the imagination to develop key skills such as communication, confidence, cooperation and problem solving. Our incredibly talented teachers deliver child-led sessions that take children on magical adventures where they make new friends, explore new worlds and‘trial’situations before they happen. Whether it’s swimming with mermaids or going to the dentist – Pyjama Drama nurtures happy, confident and curious children. carolinef@pyjamadrama.com

MASQUERADE MUSICAL THEATRE

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Youth Theatre Group, Age 5+ Garretts Green Lane, Sheldon, B26 2SA Telephone: 0121 722 3761 www.masquerademusicaltheatre.com

A Sensory Music Class - with added French or Spanish! Help develop your little one’s early communication skills, build their confidence, and enhance their physical & emotional development with our multi-award-winning music, language & sensory classes. Early exposure to a second language is fantastic for your little one’s brain development and learning skills. Lovely baby classes (from 4 weeks old), interactive“crawlers”classes and fun-filled mixed-age“toddler”classes perfect if you’ve more than one child under 4! You don't need to know any languages to join us - you’ll be singing along in no time! lucy@bilinguasing.com | 07539 863024 | www.bilinguasing.com/find-a-class/birmingham-south

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Over the pandemic, multi award-winning The Strings Club inspired thousands of children through their Ofsted-registered Holiday Camps. With over a hundred 5* reviews in 2021, each day at The Strings Club is wonderfully diﬀerent. Every morning starts with funﬁlled guitar, violin and ukulele sessions. Free hire of an instrument to take home! Afternoons include their carefully-created workshops ranging from sport to art to drama. 0121 296 9204 www.thestringsclub.org

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KIDSLINGO FRENCH ERDINGTON, GREAT BARR & ALDRIDGE We help parents, nurseries, primary schools, home educators and childminders to engage children in French language learning through fun games, music, drama and stories. Please contact Amy on 07931 786041 or amya@kidslingo.co.uk

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Parenting News When friendships go wrong By Clare Cogan Friendships can be a challenge throughout our lives; from our own school playground days to when we’re back there as parents. Late primary school age often brings significant shifts in friendships. If your child has been in a ‘group’ or has had a ‘best friend,’ you might observe fall outs between them which can include exclusions from invitations and activities. These evershifting sands can lead to tears, sleepless nights and worries. It’s time to help your tween navigate some of these trickier times and support them. Part of building that all-important resilience in life is to help them deal with and learn from difficult times. You are their guiding light in this regard.

Consider your own friendship history. Use your own experiences of difficult friendships or times when you have moved away from friends and made new ones to help your children understand that it is okay for things to change.

Firstly, take a moment.... and a step back.

Tell your children about what happened in these friendship situations, what you felt, how you coped and how things turned out. Children love stories, no matter what age they are and yours will help them realise they are not alone, even when it feels like they are. This sharing can carry more weight than just reassuring them that things will ‘get better.’

The drama itself is easy to get embroiled in, especially if you are friends with the parents whose children are involved. Despite the temptation, texting or picking up the phone to discuss the issue is not always helpful and can even be counterproductive. As children start to move towards transition to secondary school, we need to give them the tools and resources to cope with friendship challenges and not always step in and sort it out ourselves. Be aware that some of what might be happening may trigger memories of your own experiences at school which may not be directly related to your child’s issue. This often happened with me when we had challenges with our boys and friendships. My inner lioness would spark off straight away in response to these issues based on my own childhood challenges.

Spend time helping your child to think about what they value in friendship, such as honesty, kindness, trustworthiness. Talk about why others choose them to be their friend and point to what makes a good friend when times are tough. Clare Cogan is a teenage anxiety specialist and author who works with parents and their teens to help them understand how their mind affects their mood. More information at www.clarecogan.com

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What is a frenemy? This is probably the most useful term I ever learnt as an adult! A frenemy is a ‘friend’ who can flip between being kind and caring, inclusive and supportive, to being disparaging, critical and unkind. It is the friend with whom you never really know where you stand. If you challenge their unkindness, put downs or insults, they will usually respond with: ‘I’m just joking,’ ‘I can say that to you because you’re my friend,’ ‘You’re being over-sensitive’ or other similar responses including that over-used and dishonest current cop-out: ‘It’s just banter,’ which appear to excuse their behaviour. As the saying goes, with friends like these, who needs enemies? Know that it is not okay for your child to be on the receiving end of these remarks, even though they are difficult to challenge. They can chip away at a child’s self-esteem and confidence. Helping your young person to become aware of this behaviour and how it can affect them can also be a powerful tool to support them in navigating tricky friendships.

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Families Birmingham Magazine 13

Work Taking a chance with your career By Mandy Garner Ann-Marie Murphy works as a secondary school teacher in the Midlands but after her maternity leave she switched to part-time hours to manage childcare and her job. If the pandemic hadn’t happened, Ann-Marie would have returned to work full time when her daughter started school. As it was, a year later, ‘when she started in Year 1, I was still only working two days a week in school because the pandemic meant it wasn’t guaranteed she’d actually be there and there was also the possibility of needing to home school too,’ explains Ann-Marie. Like many other working mothers, Ann-Marie’s mental health was affected by the pandemic, with her anxiety levels increasing. As a parent, she worried about having to send her daughter to school during Covid, and, as a teacher, she worried about her own exposure to the virus. In a Working Mums (www.workingmums.co.uk) survey of one thousand three hundred working mums, thirty percent of those surveyed mentioned that worries about children’s wellbeing was one factor which contributed to the worsening of their mental health during the pandemic. ‘I work in a school of nearly two thousand children. Very few of them were willing to wear masks and social distancing didn’t exist’ reports Ann-Marie. ‘So all of that really added to a general sense of anxiety.’ Seventy percent of the survey respondents said that the anxiety about lockdowns and Covid generally affected their mental wellbeing and over sixty percent said that home-schooling and

childcare also had an impact. In the same Working Mums survey, only nineteen percent of those surveyed reported that their employer had supported them with their mental health and Ann-Marie did not feel that she was given the support she needed. The pandemic made Ann-Marie reconsider her career. ‘I think teaching is an important job’ says Ann-Marie. ‘But, during the pandemic, schools and teachers have not been treated well. It has made me feel like we’re not really valued and schools have been seen as a way to keep children occupied so that parents can work.’ Sadly, the Working Mums survey shows that Ann-Marie is not alone. Twenty four percent of working mothers state that they are less likely to seek a promotion than they were before Covid. Mandy Garner works for www.workingmums.co.uk, a website which offers employers and job seekers the chance to find home-based, part time and flexible full time jobs.

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But it’s not all bad news! Re-evaluating your career can be really beneficial. Before Covid, Ann-Marie was running different side businesses, the most successful one being an online gifts and cards shop. During the pandemic she decided to start an additional business with her partner, as they were both working from home. The focus of the new business is on digital safeguarding for schools, which includes looking at how images and personal data are used online and managing consent. The pandemic has opened a new door for Ann-Marie, which might have stayed closed under different circumstances. Being exposed to circumstances where she didn’t feel safe at work and in which she felt schools and teachers were being undermined, she wanted to look at creating and building on an opportunity which gives her more freedom over how she works.

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“I want to do something worthwhile which is helping but where I’ve got more control over my own safety and my timetable. The flexibility seems more important now than ever’ says AnnMarie. 14 Families Birmingham Magazine

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What’s On OUT & ABOUT Ackers Adventure, Birmingham ackers-adventure.co.uk OPEN DAILY Activities include archery, climbing, orienteering, zip wire and more. Adventure Mini Golf, Star City adventureminigolf.co.uk OPEN DAILY Two family-friendly brilliantly themed 18-hole ‘crazy’ golf courses. Ash End House Children’s Farm, Tamworth ashendchildrensfarm.co.uk OPEN DAILY Outdoor and indoor farm fun for children. Baddesley Clinton, Solihull nationaltrust.org.uk /baddesley-clinton OPEN DAILY Explore the great outdoors. Create memories to last a lifetime. Barber Institute of Fine Arts, Birmingham barber.org.uk OPEN TUES - SUN Barber Family Trails

ENTERTAINMENT Birmingham Rep Theatre birmingham-rep.co.uk 6 – 9 JAN THE SNOWMAN 2022 Watch the snowman and boy set off on a magical adventure. The Alexandra, Birmingham atgtickets.com 18 – 22 JAN THE ADDAMS FAMILY The kooky family are back in this spooky musical comedy. CBSO Centre, Birmingham bcmg.org.uk 16 JAN & 27 FEB MUSIC MAZE (for 8 – 11 years) Fun, creative, musical workshops for children.

Explore Barber’s collection through different fun themes. BBC Birmingham bbc.co.uk/showsandtours TUES, WEDS & SAT Tours. Take an exciting look behind the scenes. Birmingham Botanical Gardens birminghambotanicalgarde ns.org.uk OPEN DAILY Family activities. Explore the plants, birds and minibeasts with Family Backpacks. Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park birmingham.gov.uk /conservationpark OPEN DAILY Visit the reptiles, meerkats, birds, monkeys and more. Black Country Living Museum, Dudley bclm.com 19 JAN – 20 FEB Go to Victorian school, play old-fashioned street games, etc.

The Alexandra, Birmingham atgtickets.com 31 JAN - 5 FEB SCHOOL OF ROCK School of Rock is on its way to The Alexandra! Town Hall, Birmingham bmusic.co.uk SUN 6 FEB FIREMAN SAM Can Fireman Sam come to the rescue once again? Symphony Hall, Birmingham bmusic.co.uk MON 14 FEB TOY STORY IN CONCERT Toy Story ﬁlm accompanied with live music. Symphony Hall, Birmingham cbso.co.uk/takepart/families SUN 20 FEB FAMILY CONCERT: MYTHS AND LEGENDS

Blakesley Hall, Birmingham birminghammuseums.org.uk /blakesley 20 FEB Explore this ﬁne Tudor house and gardens built in 1590.

Rush Trampoline Park, Birmingham rushuk.com OPEN DAILY Over 30,000 sq ft of activities, there’s something for all ages.

Broomey Croft Children’s Farm, Kingsbury broomeycroftfarm.co.uk OPEN DAILY A fun-ﬁlled farm day out for the whole family.

Sandwell Museums sandwell.gov.uk/museums A range of different museums, plus activities. Mostly free.

Hatton Adventure World, Warwick adventure.hattonworld.com 19 – 27 FEB February Frolics & Curious Creatures. See some weird & wonderful animal guests at half term. Packwood House, Solihull nationaltrust.org.uk /packwood-house OPEN DAILY Explore the great outdoors. Create wonderful memories. Rock Up, Birmingham rock-up.co.uk OPEN DAILY (exc Tues) Over 70 different ways to climb. Something for all the family.

A concert featuring mythical beasts, legendary outlaws and hidden realms. Old Rep Theatre, Birmingham oldreptheatre.co.uk 21-22 FEB ANIMAL ANTICS An entertaining and educational live show. The Core Theatre, Solihull thecoretheatresolihull.co.uk TUES 22 FEB I SPY WITH MY LITTLE EYE A charming children's show presented by The People's Theatre Company. Old Rep Theatre, Birmingham oldreptheatre.co.uk WEDS 23 FEB HURRAH FOR THE PIRATE KING A ﬁve star, magical musical journey to ﬁnd treasure.

Sea Life Centre, Birmingham visitsealife.com /birmingham OPEN DAILY View the amazing Ocean Tunnel, visit the penguins and sharks. Tamworth Castle tamworthcastle.co.uk OPEN FROM 1 FEB History brought to life. Lots of activities for the family. ThinkTank birminghammuseums .org.uk/thinktank OPEN WEDS - SUN Award-winning science museum for fun-packed day out.

Birmingham Hippodrome Theatre birminghamhippodrome .com FRI 25 FEB BRB - FIRST STEPS: CINDERELLA'S STORYBOOK A feast of dance, music, costumes and fun. Age 3+ Midlands Art Centre, Birmingham macbirmingham.co.uk 26-27 Feb JABALA & THE JINN A funny, endearing story for the whole family. Town Hall, Birmingham bmusic.co.uk SAT 5 MARCH THE SMARTEST GIANT IN TOWN This tale is brought to life in a musical, puppet-ﬁlled adventure.

NOTE: Details are subject to change. Check online before visits. Pre-booking sometimes necessary. familiesonline.co.uk

Families Birmingham Magazine 15

It’s never too early to develop the individual. As one of Birmingham’s leading private nurseries, we’re dedicated to providing a well-rounded, nurturing environment that allows our little ones to grow in confidence as they begin to find their place in the world.

To book your one-to-one tour, call us on 0121 440 4097 or email secretary@westhouseprep.com

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