Bringing Up Brits » UK

Shepherds, fayres and Christmas cakes – Oh my!

Meg — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 10:55:53 +0000

Good luck to those who have young children in UK schools! Christmas madness all starts this week and if you’re like me with three children in three different schools, then your calendar will be jam packed. My top tip for keeping track of where and when you’re supposed to be for each child at each school and when and where you’re supposed to be for helping out and volunteering at each school’s Christmas fayre and which days are mufti, which days are Xmas jumper days and which days are party days is to make use of your tech. Input all dates and descriptions into your phone. Set alerts so that when you’re working, you don’t have to clock watch.

A few other tips: Pre-bake cakes for fayres (or cheat and buy pre-made cupcakes) and stick them in the freezer, then decorate them the morning of or the evening before. Get tombola gifts, teacher gifts and cards all in one go and get them ready so there’s no last minute panic buy. My daughter is having a WWII dress up day and party which the parents are invited to. This past weekend we organised her costume so she’ll be ready on the day.

It’s crazy time for me with work so I have to stay on top of all the school stuff, otherwise I’ll just go into meltdown. This past weekend was spent inputting all dates into my iphone along with work deadlines, client meetings and work Christmas meals and meet-ups. We also started our Christmas shopping and got the cards for the kids to give to their friends. My eldest refuses to do Christmas cards for his teachers this year (I guess it’s uncool at his age?) so I’ve only got six teachers and 90 kids to buy for which makes it a little less manic. I also got my work Secret Santa gift sorted out for next week. I must admit, I had a tiny panic last night when I was looking at my fridge at all the school notices and slips of paper. I manage it much better when it’s all scheduled on my iphone calendar. Still, there’s no guarantee I won’t mess up!

Really looking forward to my youngest child’s nativity – he’s very excited and has told me he’s a shepherd. I think out of all my children, he’s been the one who is most excited about being in a nativity.

Hope these little hints and tips help to keep your school run-up-to Christmas madness in check! Any other hints and tips, please post in the comments below.

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Meghan Peterson Fenn is the author of Bringing Up Brits and co-author of Inspiring Global Entrepreneurs with Heidi Mulligan Walker. Meghan is also the Director and Chief Designer at her own design company, White Ochre Design Ltd. And, she is an award winning expat blogger.

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First trip to the orthodontist in Britain

Meg — Mon, 03 Nov 2014 19:05:53 +0000

Today I learned something new about my adopted home country that was really good. I took my 13 year old son to the orthodontist after having been referred by our dentist a few months ago. This was the first time I’ve had experience with an orthodontist here in the UK and my husband had never gone to one as a child so wasn’t sure what it would be like. We spent about 20 minutes with the ortho as he identified what needed to be done and the options for doing this, all the while answering my questions and explaining things. Looks like my son needs quite a bit of work doing to his teeth!

When we left and went back to reception to book our follow up appointment, I got my wallet out fully expecting to be charged anywhere from £35 to £85 for the appointment. Turns out I didn’t have to pay anything at all! It’s all on the NHS which I seriously was not expecting. Dentist appointments on the NHS, yes, I understand that. However, I thought surely an appointment with the orthodontist would cost me. Luckily, the receptionist was new to her job and didn’t know what she was doing which made me feel a bit better about not knowing as well. And we had a little giggle about neither of us being clued in. Another, more experienced receptionist breezed in and informed me in clipped tones that children under the age of 18 receive treatment on the NHS and they would send a letter with the appointment a few weeks before hand and that if any of our details changed in the meantime to please contact them immediately.

When I was a child, I had the works and clearly remember all my trips to the ortho; the braces, the head gear, the retainer, the permanent brace in my lower teeth and the fact that my parents spent thousands of dollars on my teeth! So for me, this is definitely one of the benefits of raising children in Britain. Just wonderful (maybe not so much for my son though)!

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Easter Holidays in the UK

Meg — Mon, 07 Apr 2014 05:45:47 +0000

My kids think Easter in America is amazing. They experienced it two years ago in Florida with their American grandparents, one of their American Aunts and one of their American Uncles. The weather was hot, the food was amazing and the Easter eggs and candy were never ending. It was an amazing time and the beach in Florida during April is wonderful. Well this year we’re spending the two weeks off school at our home by our own beach on the Sussex coast. Easter in the UK is actually very nice. Generally, we have more sunlight, longer days, warmer weather (but not always!), the bluebells and daffodils are out and the break from school is welcomed.

Our plans for the next two weeks will keep us busy but will also refresh and ready us for the next term. I’ve booked Jonah into a few different holiday clubs on the days that I’m working. I’m quite nervous about it because this will be the first time he’s attended anything other than pre-school or school all by himself. Fingers crossed for him! Anna Grace and Sam have some friend meet ups and sleepovers planned plus Anna Grace is doing another cupcake decorating class with Sarah of Let’s Cook at Home. She’s really looking forward to that.

I’ll need to figure out a way to convince them that doing their homework before the last day of the holiday is a good idea and that now is a great opportunity for them to clear out some of the things in their rooms they don’t play with anymore. Hmmm. That will be a challenge. Hopefully the weather won’t be too depressing and we’ll be able to have a few beach days here and there. I’m not holding my breath though! Here are Anna Grace and Jonah this past Saturday at the beach. No, there wasn’t any sun and yes it did rain, but at least they still had fun.

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Back to the UK

Meg — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 11:44:33 +0000

Getting ready to fly back. I am so sad. Even though we are going ‘home’ I don’t feel like we are going home. This is so much my home even more than I realised while living and raising a family in Britain – its really overwhelming this feeling of home here. Even more so because this is my parents temporary home. They will be returning to South Carolina in just a few days too. I think because the people are so open and friendly here, the weather is so good, every time we went to the playground we chatted with people and the kids made friends and there is a real sense of community here. The kids noticed this too and very much liked that and thought it was very positive. They seemed to love that aspect of living here – a lady asked them to walk her dogs for a dollar each and they did that every day! Last night they went to the Winn Dixie and bought the dogs treats from the money they had earned. The dog owner suggested they start up their own dog walking business back home and said she would write them a letter of recommendation. The kids are so excited about this and have asked me to do business cards for them to give out to people in our neighbourhood in Worthing. I would love to encourage them to do this. However I am doubtful our British neighbours would be open to this. They seem to be very private and don’t like to even talk to each other! I am happy to be proved otherwise though so we shall do our best. Sadly I feel like the kids are going to be disappointed though. They too are sad to be leaving such a wonderful place.

Normally by this stage of a holiday they are thinking about their own bedrooms and being in their own house with the cats and all. This time the only things they are commenting on are what they will miss about being here. I know they will miss their grandparents and their aunt and uncle. They have had a holiday of a lifetime. I am so thankful we were able to give them this.

I think they feel an affinity to this place and while they have been here they have called themselves American (without prompt) and often comment on how great it would be to move here. The long 12 week summer vacation sold it to Sam! Just being able to spend time with their American relatives has been so so SO good, a new experience and a very positive influence on them.

I am sure we will be glad to be back in our own house and see our friends and British family in the UK but it sure is heart wrenching to leave, knowing the great expense and time it takes to come back. Who knows when we will be able to come back. Hopefully it won’t be another 6 years. Maybe Sam would like to go to University here? Maybe Sam and Anna Grace can visit here on their own when they are 16 and 15? Maybe we can all come back in 2 or 3 years? It all depends on money, time and visiting Nick’s family in Spain too. All I can say for sure is that we have had a great time and really introduced the kids to American living and American culture. I am so glad for that.

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