JustPickOneUK

 Well it's that time again. Another academic year over. The last day of the school year. A time for reflection, for relief, for yourself. This year has been a hard one for me. My role changed from being the lunch lady to becoming a TA. That changed my life dramatically and I have felt so many differing emotions that I have no idea how I actually feel about the last day. My last day with the children in an educational capacity. I will cease to be "Mrs Oliver" and become "my son's Mum" again.  I've been working in Reception and in Year 3. Both challenging year groups with very different levels of ability and need requirements. But at the end of it all they are all just kids learning to do something new. Learning what the teachers want to tell them, to read, write, make music, cut and stick. Learn about our planet, about themselves, socialisation skills and that p.e. is their favourite lesson.  Whether they are 4, 8 or 11 years old all of the kids need a tr...

 When I started Just Pick One UK it was a thing for me to do to share thoughts, insight and feelings about a variety of subjects and sometimes just not much at all. Something for me to do....for me.  But it has grown a bit since then and now it is a blog and YouTube Channel and I am hoping to expand further once my job has finished and I can focus more of my time to it. I hope to grow the channel, have Facebook and Instagram accounts for it which should in turn help it to grow more and then hopefully I'll be able to have adventures and be monetised.  But this is just the beginning. All YouTube channels begin with the first video and mine was .....ok at best I think. I recorded the unboxing of my new camera on my phone which was actually positioned the wrong way round when it didn't need to be. I was trying to film before the light faded and I realised that I had done a bit to camera using my front camera so I could make sure I was in the frame, but then forgot to switch t...

I set up Just Pick One to try and do something different, to express myself and be free if the usual daily constraints. Following on from this, I decided I needed some time alone. I have never lived alone in my life and I wanted a taste of it. So I bought myself a smaller tent to take with me and set up a solo camp.  I took myself to The New Forest. Camping in the new forest is easy as there are lots of campsites and places to visit. I decided to use campinginthenewforest.co.uk again as I was happy with their sites before. I chose Roundhill Campsite for this trip. Partially because it was last minute and they had availability and it felt like a get away.  I bought a CfLity tent from Amazon. Nope I've never heard of that brand either. It is a 3 man tent (and as with all tents if you want room decide how many people will use it and then add 2 and you will be comfortable), and it goes up like an upside-down umbrella. And the best part, it only took 20 minutes, from unpacking it f...

 Every expert under the sun will recommend reading to your child at bedtime. The stories they can listen to are calming, it is a bonding experience and you can share knowledge. They will be exposed to language that doesn't usually come up in daily conversation and how often do you speak in rhyming couplets during the day?  Reading to your child does not have to cost the earth. There are so many places you can get books from. Most local supermarkets have a charity book stall, charity shops, book shops and online. But you can always use your local library for free.  Teaching English as a language to read is infuriating and confusing as there are so many oddities within it. Break becomes Breakfast. Why did the EA change with each word? Thought, Though, Through, Cough. 4 letters, 4 different sounds! Never mind the difference with north / south divide. Bath or Bath? I'll leave that up to you.  Once your child has the ability, begins school or you teach at home, then pleas...

Here at Just Pick One we often have difficulties making decisions. As per a previous post on the subject, adulting is just a constant stream of decision making and it can be exhausting and difficult to do, especially when the whole look and feel of a new channel and blog are at stake.  I've been wanting to make my blog look and feel right for a while and I have been tweaking things constantly to make it sit right. I still don't think I am there yet and I shall be tweaking again tonight when I have eaten my dinner.  My YouTube channel is no different and I just quickly mocked up something that would do for now. But not I've got quite a few views and I will be making more and more content going forward, I wanted a new logo to make it look more professional and something I can be proud of when I see it.  I have very limited artistic skills and less when it comes to designing something like this on a computer which only just has paint.net on it. I was fiddling around online a...

 Following on from my previous blog I have come to a decision about my work.  Being a teaching assistant is a very rewarding experience. You get to be part of many young children's lives. You get to influence them, teach them, be another adult in their life they can trust and be confident with. You get to laugh with them, play with them in many ways in a different way than their families. You do get school holidays off which is excellent and so convenient when you have children of your own.  However, there are also downsides. On a basic level the amount of work involved and emotional investment does not get paid for properly in money. The average wage is between £18K and £23K according to gov.uk but I have never seen that much. I receive just over £16k. I cannot take annual leave during school time and so my family are fully restricted to holidays in term time. I know children should not be taken out of school, but it is not even an option for us with myself and my son lo...

 My friend and I were sitting down after work for a coffee and a natter and we both had the same look on our faces. We are both tired. Not just tired but emotionally, physically and mentally tired. We had nothing left to give. Well nothing to give until one of her kids needed something and then suddenly more energy was required to sort out that thing.  Adulting is one of those things that your parents never tell you about. At least not properly. I suppose a child's brain is more filled with its own tunnel visioned ideas about what will happen in the next 10 minutes and cannot comprehend the next 10 years, let alone the possible next 100! But the bit that got my friend and I was the reality that it is relentless. When something is relentless it feels like it is going to get you in the end regardless of how much effort you do or do not put in. Much like the Sea. You can enjoy it but also feel terrified in equal measure. It is not all bad. You can earn money, spend it as you like...