Some 1:1 time… - Countryside Carer

Our Countryside Carer shares how important it is to have some quality time with your young person...

There’s no denying that our house is busy. Kids, animals, a husband! It is hectic, often feels like a military operation to get everyone out of the door but it’s now what we are used to. Most of the time we are out of the house in small groups. I’ll take ‘so and so’ and ‘so and so’ here and my husband will take the others another place, or the teenagers will be at home while me and the little ones are running errands or attending clubs etc, it is rare, if not a miracle if I am anywhere with just one child. And even if I am it is often doing something that requires speed like, grabbing something from Morrisons and running out again. It’s rarely an enjoyable, quality use of time.

During the school holidays the stars seemed to align and by complete chance and choice I got to spend a morning mooching around our local farm with our middle new addition. As a middle child I feel that sometimes she can be at a disadvantage anyway. Not the oldest or the youngest, it is widely thought that middle children come with a bit of a chip on their shoulder. I personally don’t believe it but the sentiment is there nonetheless.

It gave her memories for just ‘us’ and it made her feel special.

My husband was at home and everyone else had plans of what they wanted to do with their day so we decided to take the trip. It’s only just down the road so we were actually home within 3 hours but that time felt like a lifetime. We talked. Like, really talked. We shared opinions, thoughts, jokes. We giggled as goats tried to ravage our food bags and were both astounded when we found out that two piglets just roam free around the farm like two little dogs. We perused the gift shop and chose a magnet for our collection on the fridge and brought ice cream because, well, why not?

It was, in the grand scheme of life, short but sweet. However it gave our middle one a sense of belonging. It gave her memories for just ‘us’ and it made her feel special. It wasn’t about extravagance or expense. Just us, in our wellies, learning about highland cows whilst trying to figure out how to hide a sheep in our coats to take home. It’s something which I loved doing and that, as a busy person, I’m really going to make time to do more often. Some one on one with each of the children.