Countdown to the end of the holidays

This may come as bad news for you, as may be you are having a great time with the little ones at home and in your company all day and wish the holidays were passing at a slightly slower pace.

Or perhaps this comes as good news because each day is a challenge, you’re exhausted and September can’t come fast enough.

Either way, three weeks of keeping our little darlings entertained is left before the school gates swing open again to give us all a little break and the teachers can take charge between the hours of nine and three.

I’m really enjoying having my daughters at home each day and having the opportunity to spend even more time with them.

However, ask me again in three weeks and I might have a different opinion.

I have to admit I’m highly enjoying not having the school run madness to contend with.

Mornings just seem more relaxed and easy, making getting ready for work a breeze.

Well, that’s not entirely true.

One thing I’ve noticed is that with the kids at home some of my belongings have gone walkies.

In the morning I’ll find one of my shoes but not the other. I’m sure when I took them off the night before I left them both in the same place. Well, why wouldn’t I? So off I go searching the house for my missing shoe.

A good thing about my girls having no school to go to each day is that many of their unloved toys that were gathering dust in their bedrooms are now actually getting played with.

However, this causes an obvious amount of mess, especially board games which contain tiny parts that are likely to get lost under a sofa.

But I still don’t know whether to laugh or feel a little bit irked when the toys are sprawled across the floor and my daughters are instead playing with an empty box.

But during the past few weeks we’ve had days out, we’ve spent time indoors watching television and DVDs, and when the sun has shone we’ve had the paddling pool filled up in the garden.

It’s not all easy and fun though.

My daughters are at an age where they argue and sibling rivalry is at its peak.

I’m often amazed how they can be arguing one minute and be laughing and loving with each other the next. But I was the same with my siblings.

Come September when they are back at school, I’ll probably enjoy a huge sigh of relief.

But I already know that after five minutes of silence, I’ll be missing the noise that only a five and six-year-old can bring. 

Litterbug adults should learn children

How amazing to see thousands of people from across Portsmouth enjoying entertainment at Southsea bandstand. Such a beautiful spot and a place to which I like to take my daughters.

I was doing my radio show when photos were popping up on my Facebook timeline from friends who were enjoying the music in the sun.

What was disappointing were the photos that appeared after the show and the large crowd had left.

The sun was still shining and the skies were still blue, but the empty bandstand was surrounded by litter. Plastic bags, bottles, food wrappers, even used nappies had been left behind.

It reminded me of the recent photo of Glastonbury after music fans had gone home. Not just rubbish left behind, but tents too with people expecting someone else to clear up after them.

I believe we live in the best part of the UK and the Southsea bandstand is a beautiful location. We teach our children not to be litterbugs and I think it’s time grown-ups started setting an example.