Are you like me  and love spending time with your kids, doing activities, crafts, taking them out in all weathers, playing and generally having fun?

I feel like I spend most of my energy on the children doing all these wonderful things. I do this with my kids for two reasons:

1. Because I believe it is important to spend quality time together and provide opportunities for the children.

2. Because I LOVE IT and they LOVE IT!!!

These to me are two invaluable reasons that make the effort all worthwhile. However, do you ever wonder if all the effort you go to actually makes a difference to your child? Do you ever wonder if they really appreciate the effort you make?

For example, last weekend we made our gingerbread house together. This took the whole family an entire day to complete and believe me, it took some effort on my part! I know my children loved it, they had a fantastic time making it, as did I, but did it actually make an impression on them?

I am sure a lot of the time the children just enjoy the activity you are doing, then forget about it, but I do believe it does leave a lasting impression on them without anyone realising it. It is only when things happen, they say things at school or they copy/repeat things you do, that you see how you have inspired them or given them a wonderful memory to cherish forever.

A few weeks ago Boo came home from school and emptied her bag out…..yes, there was an enormous pile of leaves she had collected and she was so proud of them! She was inspired by me, we had frequently been collecting leaves and other pieces of nature prior to this. She then got down to making things with her leaves. This really made me smile.

At school last week the teacher stopped me and said “I don’t know if this is true, but your girls have been saying you were wrapped in toilet paper!” Well clearly I made an impression on my children doing the mummify your mummy game. Apparently my girls kept repeating it and the teachers were wondering what it was all about! Yes, being a parent you have no secrets, but it makes me feel I have given my children a lasting memory of a fun bonfire night to remember forever!

This year we have been incredibly luck to have had two lovely holidays due to me becoming a Centre Parcs ambassador earlier in the year. We had an absolutely amazing time on both holidays and I do know my kids genuinely appreciated it, but when I read BB’s little note book he has started writing random stuff in, it made me realise just how much it made an impression on him. He was inspired to write a poem and coming from a boy who doesn’t do much writing of proper things, this to me spoke volumes!

BB’s holiday poem….

Bucket and spade

everyone having fun

at the beach we play

cats can come too

holiday at the beach

sea, ice cream, seaside

it’s time to go dig for shells

everyone having fun!

Pure poetry in motion!

I absolutely love his poem, though goodness knows where the cats came from? I love it even more because I know where it was inspired from, our wonderful holidays together!

So when I am making an effort, I will always remember, everything we do leaves a small impression!

My word of the week is impressions.