Deschooling: Regress to Progress

Anna Dusseau | 19th August 2020 “School has become the world religion of a modernized proletariat.” Ivan Illich My son stopped hugging me around the time he began Nursery School. More noticeably than with my daughter, this was a process that destroyed my middle boy. He would begin to show signs of anxiety the nightContinue reading “Deschooling: Regress to Progress”

The Power to Write Your Own Narrative: Imaginative Play and Well-being

Anna Dusseau | 30th July 2020 “Mum, can we play that game again?” I raise one eyebrow from behind my coffee cup. This means: “Which one?” From behind her back, my daughter now reveals the dreaded plastic dolls who – though originally identifiable as merchandise models of Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger and ChoContinue reading “The Power to Write Your Own Narrative: Imaginative Play and Well-being”

On Being Yourself

Anna Dusseau | 15th July 2020 “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” Oscar Wilde The year is 2016 and I’m sat on a riverbank overlooking the Thames. There is a boat race that takes place here and it’s fun to watch. We try to avoid the crowds; going upriver as far as possible untilContinue reading “On Being Yourself”

Ten Problems, One Solution: Chocolate

Anna Dusseau | 15th May 2020 Dark chocolate, to be specific. Because in this house, there is just one solution to a whole host of problems. Don’t overthink it. Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate. Get involved and give yourself a brain-boosting, endorphin-soaring, antioxidant, 85% dose of ‘I-can-handle-this’ and change your parenting stress habits for life. Here’s howContinue reading “Ten Problems, One Solution: Chocolate”

Get Ready to Rumble: Safe Rules for Serious Play Fights

Anna Dusseau | 28th April 2020 Play fighting is a daily occurrence in our house. Daily? Perhaps I should say hourly. I think that’s why my kids are so happy. You see, play fighting – also known as roughhousing – releases a chemical called BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) which stimulates neuron growth within the cortex andContinue reading “Get Ready to Rumble: Safe Rules for Serious Play Fights”

Dark Chocolate and Screaming Orgasms: the Not-So-Secret Recipe to Being a Yummy Mummy

Anna Dusseau | 21st April 2020 Or daddy? I feel this is a universal post. And you already know the first two items, so let’s get cracking with the rest, shall we? Confession: I didn’t bounce back at all after my daughter was born and spent the two years between my first and second childContinue reading “Dark Chocolate and Screaming Orgasms: the Not-So-Secret Recipe to Being a Yummy Mummy”

Life Hacks for Homeschooling Parents

Anna Dusseau | 13th April 2020 Mental health matters. Full stop. But where are we now with supporting families struggling in the grip of global crisis? Back in October 2019, the Every Mind Matters campaign amassed rapid public support with its 5-step mental health personalised plan, launched in conjunction with the NHS and a wholeContinue reading “Life Hacks for Homeschooling Parents”

Why Baking is an Essential Part of Homeschooling

Anna Dusseau | 8th April 2020 “Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first.” -Ernestine Ulmer Like my favourite kind of pastry, I’m going to keep this short and sweet because – well – sometimes things are just better that way. From creamy lasagne to dairy-free banana cupcakes, cooking and baking is surely a fundamental aspect ofContinue reading “Why Baking is an Essential Part of Homeschooling”

Homeschool Rules #2: Fix Up, Look Sharp

Anna Dusseau | 31st March 2020 “This is Homeschool HQ to Gavin’s mum. Put the pjs down and step away from the biscuit tin! I repeat: PUT. THE. PJS. DOWN. This is not a drill!” Hello. Are you Gavin’s mum, by any chance? Or Gavin’s dad, come to think of it? Because we are nowContinue reading “Homeschool Rules #2: Fix Up, Look Sharp”

Fake It To Make It (Or Why Radio 4 Women’s Hour Missed the Point)

Anna Dusseau | 24th March 2020 Oh, what? Did I forget to mention that I was recently interviewed on BBC Radio 4 Women’s Hour? Apologies. I’ve been so busy going round telling anyone who’ll listen (my mum, the kids, the bathroom mirror, and teenwolf) that it must have slipped my mind to mention it inContinue reading “Fake It To Make It (Or Why Radio 4 Women’s Hour Missed the Point)”

Gettin’ Jiggy with It: Fresh Air and Exercise Homeschool Style

Anna Dusseau | 23rd March 2020 Happy Monday, guys! How’s everyone doing? Today marks the start of the official UK school closure and I hope you’re all coping okay. Believe me, even experienced homeschool families are struggling here, with cabin fever causing parents and children alike to resort to foot-stamping temper tantrums, like Big BrotherContinue reading “Gettin’ Jiggy with It: Fresh Air and Exercise Homeschool Style”

The Soundtrack to Sanity

Anna Dusseau | 20th March 2020 The best advice anyone gave me regarding parenting was to have the radio on in the background. That’s it! You’re welcome. But seriously, this passing comment has absolutely shaped my homeschool style and serves as a basis for keeping me calm and engaged throughout the day. Of course, theContinue reading “The Soundtrack to Sanity”

Strange Times: Skyping to Make Sense of the World

Anna Dusseau | 18th March 2020 Yesterday felt weird. After the giddy realisation of the PM’s speech on Monday – significantly ramping up the COVID-19 containment effort and advising the UK to avoid all unnecessary travel and contact – things felt quite different, all of a sudden. A few schools with dwindling numbers are stillContinue reading “Strange Times: Skyping to Make Sense of the World”

Another Manic Monday? Take Control Now!

Anna Dusseau | 9th March 2020 Happy Monday, homeschoolers! It’s the start of a new week; celebrities in surgical masks are already being snapped on their way to the gym and the PM is looking bleary-eyed after another night of emergency meetings and, one can only suppose, locating bottles of Gaviscon for his fiery-haired babyContinue reading “Another Manic Monday? Take Control Now!”

Why I’ve Never Been On Social Media (and You Might Want a Slice of This, Too)

Anna Dusseau | 6th March 2020 Social media is toxic. You don’t need the likes of Stormzy and Billie Eilish to tell you that. Although it certainly helps when high-profile public figures turn their backs on social media – providing a powerful message to young and not-so-young that it is a hateful and unhealthy placeContinue reading “Why I’ve Never Been On Social Media (and You Might Want a Slice of This, Too)”

How to Feed a Family of 5 for £50 a Week

Anna Dusseau | 5th March 2020 I mean, we are all on a budget, right? In our family, we went from two decent salaries, to living on a single salary while my husband continued to work in a city job he hated, to finally both working part time from home. Times are very different forContinue reading “How to Feed a Family of 5 for £50 a Week”

15 Awkward Questions You’ll Get Asked About Homeschooling (and How to Answer Them)

Anna Dusseau | 4th March 2020 Let me guess. You’re loving homeschooling, right? I mean, I know we all have our ups and downs, but if you can recall, that was what the school routine was like, too. In fact, if I’m really honest with myself, almost every single day when my daughter was inContinue reading “15 Awkward Questions You’ll Get Asked About Homeschooling (and How to Answer Them)”