Blog | But I Smile Anyway...

Chai And A Chat #201 #ChaiAndAChat

29 Aug 2022 25 Comments

by Ritu in Chai and a Chat Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Catch Up, Chai and a Chat

Hi there, Peeps! I’ve just finished the last week of my summer holidays, 4.5 weeks have sped by, and it’s been productive!

I have my brew. You got yours?

If we were having chai, I’d tell you that I don’t really know what I have been up to this week! It has sped by, as the last week of holidays invariable does… We travelled back from the wedding weekend on the Monday, and the remainder of the day was spent unpacking and doing mountains of laundry!
If we were having chai, I’d mention that I had a trip to Bluewater with Lil Princess which was fun. She had a list of things she wanted to get for before school, which we accomplished, then we chilled out at home.
If we were having chai, I’d say that I continued to read plenty… enjoying more of the wonderful books I have on my TBR and arcs that I have been sent!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ritu Bhathal ✍🏽📚💜 (@ritubhathalwrites)

If we were having chai, I would share with you the firepit that we lit the other night, enjoying the last few evenings of the holidays. The grass is still scorched in some areas from the heatwaves, but a day long rainstorm on Wednesday with thunder and lightning did all the plants and fields some good!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ritu Bhathal ✍🏽📚💜 (@ritubhathalwrites)

If we were having chai, I’d tell you that there was more cricket as usual. 1 training session and 2 matches. Check that sky out during the training session!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ritu Bhathal ✍🏽📚💜 (@ritubhathalwrites)

If we were having chai, I would end, as always, with Sonu Singh. This week, we have had several visits from our canine neighbour, Noodle, and he even met Sonu Singh, through the window! Lil Princess really wants a dog, and I can see how wonderful it is for her to have someone to care for… who knows… maybe soon we will have an addition to the family! Sonu is not so sure just yet, but we will make sure he adapts if it does happen, and he will always be King Sonu!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ritu Bhathal ✍🏽📚💜 (@ritubhathalwrites)

https://sdk.bitmoji.com/render/panel/3a6f1168-674c-4c8f-b8e8-4218d74d7570-9befc5c2-5193-4f9f-90a5-5af96e033981-v1.png?transparent=1&palette=1

This week we have a bank holiday on Monday, and then I am back to school for two staff training days, followed by two days of home visits to our new students. My own two go back to school on Friday, for one day. The weekend involves a pre-wedding party and my birthday, so that should be fun! And hopefully, the end of the cricket season!

And while you’re here, did you sign up for my mailing list? I am in the middle of writing an exclusive Chickpea Curry Lit story for my subscribers, and there will be news, tips and even recipes! You know you want to join… go on! Click the pic below to sign up!

Spidey’s Serene Sunday – Part 390 – Back To School

28 Aug 2022 29 Comments

by Ritu in Spidey's Serene Sundays, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Spiderman, Spidey, Spidey's Serene Sunday, Weddings

“It’s not what is poured into the student, but what is planted that counts.”
E.P. Bertin

Thank you, Spidey, for that reminder that I am back at school on Tuesday!

This quote resonates with me so much as an Early Years Practitioner.

I always say the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is the most important part of a child’s education.

Not because of the academics.

But, because we are responsible for creating that stable foundation to build their learning upon for every child that comes through our doors.

Of course we teach.

But our teaching is more of an exploratory way for the children to grasp and enhance the skills they need to become great learners and good individuals, going on.

Communication and Language; If a child cannot speak in simple sentences, how will they communicate with others? How will they explain what they are doing and how can they demonstrate what they have learned to us? Understanding and listening are just as important. Through the year we have them, we question. We question everything they choose to do. Can they understand our simple questions? We introduce new vocabulary to them all, either enhancing the vocabulary of those who have a good understanding or exposing those who are still learning the language to words and phrases that they need to know.

Personal, Social and Emotional Development; Through many different structured and choice activities, we encourage teamwork, independence, bravery, compassion and empathy. We will try and help children develop confidence. Sharing. That’s a big one. Turn-taking, realising that the world doesn’t revolve around them, being kind to one another, taking care of each other. Even the simple being able to leave their caregiver without crying.

Physical Development; You’d be surprised how many children start school with poor physical development. They’re not interested in running around, bikes, balancing, throwing, kicking balls, etc., and the same goes for their fine motor control. Here we nurture the skills they need to manipulate their hands and fingers in order to, eventually, cut, stick, paint and write.

Of course, academics come into it, but they are secondary to the above three areas. These are the skills we need to plant so the children can flourish, and if they have that base, then the academics will come to them.

I look forward to meeting our new cohort of children and am ready with my bulbs to plant in them, so they can grow into strong, kind, healthy, ready-to-learn individuals.

So, what do you think about these formative years in education?

Wishing you a wonderfully peaceful Sunday, Peeps!

#SoCS Aug. 27, 2022 – Board/Bored

27 Aug 2022 29 Comments

by Ritu in #SoCS Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Bored/Board, Linda G Hill, Socs

Linda’s SoCS prompt.

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “board/bored.” Use one, or use them both for bonus points. Enjoy!

"Mum! We're bored!" they said
"How can you be bored?" I sighed
"There's nothing to do!"
"Really, kids? Nothing?"
I glanced around the bedroom

"Read a book?" "No!"
"Watch a film?" "Seen em all."
"Arts and crafts?" "Meh!"
"Garden?" "It's cold."
"The park?" "Same as above!"
"Shall we bake?" "Nope."

"I know," I said
Opening that treasure trove
That acts as their toy box
I moved ageing Spiderman figures
And Barbie dolls.
My Little Ponies and light sabres

Until I found them
Little flat boxes of joy
Scrabble
Monopoly
Ludo
Frustration

"Who wants to play a game?"
"Me! Me!" came the cries
Everyone loves a board game!

Ritu 2022

The Friday Reminder and Prompt for #SoCS Aug. 27, 2022

Throwback Thursday #53 – It’s a Formal Affair #RememberWhen #TBT Memory

26 Aug 2022 21 Comments

by Ritu in Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, throwback Thursday

Having another go at Maggie and Laurens, Throwback Thursday challenge! This week it is Lauren at the helm!

This week’s prompt is: It’s a Formal Affair

This week, Lauren has gone for a slightly different approach and asked us to write about occasions where we had to dress up.

I am proposing a different way to write to the prompt today. Because we all had very diverse upbringings, I am going to list several reasons why you might get dressed up. Please feel free to add any occasion you had to get dressed up.

What were your special clothes like? Did you get your hair done for the occasions? Was a mani-pedi part of the process? Were you instructed on how to behave? Did you have any input on the formal attire? Did you feel comfortable in your special outfit?

Please feel free to write about as many of the occasions you’d like to share. Pictures would be an awesome addition.
Lauren

Oh, my, dressing up was definitely a thing since we were constantly invited to different occasions and events, being from such a large family. I had an extensive collection of Indian outfits from a young age, (and still do!) which were pulled out to wear on any such occasion

Preparation as a child would have been washing face and hands, getting dressed, and then mum brushing my unruly mop of frizz into some semblance of tidiness, which was usually in two plaits!

As I got older, I would do my own hair, and have a go at simple makeup which was usually a bit of eyeliner and lipstick, with a spritz of Guerlain’s Samsara! That was my first grown-up perfume!

The addition of fancy jewellery and bangles was fun, too, and I would spend lots of time choosing my accessories!

But, despite all these times to get dolled up, for pre-wedding parties, weddings, receptions, birthday parties, dinners at different people’s homes, I longed for a different type of dressing up.

My school friends growing up, were all pretty much white, British girls, and we would go to each other’s birthday parties, wearing flouncy party dresses, and I’d have special ribbons in my hair.

Then they grew up. Or rather we all did, but I got a little left behind, seeing as they started getting dressed up to go out for the evenings, which was not something I was allowed to do.

I remember the first time I went to a ‘disco’ was on a school trip when we were 11 years old. I was so excited to wear my special rainbow dress and suede pixie boots! And to get dressed up with no mum!

When we all sat our GCSEs, that final year of formal school there was a Commemoration Ball, where the final year girls were invited, and you could bring a date (Well, no way was that going to happen!) and everyone was so excited about the ball dresses they were going to be wearing. I longed for that kind of princess look, which wasn’t going to happen…

But, at university, I was able to attend a couple of balls, and as I had grown up a bit by then, I was embracing my culture more, so to the first one, we all went in beautiful Indian outfits! And I did that for a few of them. At my Hubby Dearest’s end-of-year ball, I wore a more formal western dress, which sated my longing for a proper dress!

But I did get to look like a princess once, at least, on my own wedding day!

I wish I had the energy to find more photos but they are all in boxes and out of reach at the moment!

Dang! I missed it again yesterday and no doubt that will be the sign of things to come since I am back at school from Tuesday! Still, I hope you enjoyed it!