Before sitting down to write this piece it’s important to disclose, up until today I hadn’t ever been to a festival. Had barely camped and couldn’t really tell the difference between a snail and a slug. (Despite the gastropod giveaway.) Yet here I am my friends about to blog all things festival, camping, survival and […] Read more... The post How to survive your first family festival. appeared first on Not a fictional mum campaigning, adoption, love and travel ..read more

Two things ‘The Barn’ at the Cotswolds Retreat immediately gifts you during your stay; Time and freedom. My UK staycation review is about to explain how that came to be the case. The Barn grants space to bring those you love together. Sleeping up to eighteen guests in total with acres of surrounding land granting […] Read more... The post The Cotswolds Retreat appeared first on Not a fictional mum infertility and adoption blog ..read more

Read ‘Mother heart’ an adoption poem No stork. No needle test. No reveal. But conceal my mother heart that waits. No title for the butterflies, willing your safe passage and the stars alignment that we might be yours. No hum and whistle on my way. Too scared that sound could puncture air and change your […] Read more... The post Mother heart -An adoption poem appeared first on Not a fictional mum adoption -fostering- infertility blog ..read more

The myth of adoptee gratitude; ‘Isn’t she lucky!’Within the area we live, our family are pretty well known. My husband and I run a youth andcommunity project and In the days before he declared he was too old, he used to run lots of trips andresidential breaks for the local young people. We’re seen as […] Read more... The post Isn’t she lucky! appeared first on Not a fictional mum adoption and inclusion blog ..read more

Pexels – CCO Licence You used to be a couple, now you’re a family. You love each other as much as you ever did, but your relationship has taken on new responsibilities and dynamics as you have become adoptive parents, and you now have another person to care for. It can leave you feeling overwhelmed […] Read more... The post Finding time for yourself as an adoptive parent appeared first on Not a fictional mum adoption and inclusion blog ..read more

Being self-employed is great! You get to be your own boss, have creative control over your business, and set your own hours. However, it can also be a challenging experience, especially when your income can fluctuate significantly through the year, something that can make saving for the important things in life like when a new […] Read more... The post How to save for the important things when you’re self -employed appeared first on Not a fictional mum adoption and inclusion blog ..read more

If your children are a little apprehensive about returning to school after the Christmas holidays then helping your children re- adjust to school life could help, there are a few things you can do to help with this. It is perfectly normal to not want to go back to school after being off with family […] Read more... The post Helping your children re-adjust to school life appeared first on Not a fictional mum adoption blog ..read more

In November of this year Jennifer Aniston brought the world back down to the reality of infertility with the gift of a truly selfless act. One she did not have to offer up. (even though society still deems it ok to probe those that cannot have children until it is offered, by physchological gunpoint). A […] Read more... The post Jennifer Aniston brought the world back down to the reality of infertility appeared first on Not a fictional mum adoption blog ..read more

Being an adoptive parent is not an easy thing, and the more you can do to prepare for this, the better it will be for your family moving forward. So this means that you need to try making better decisions as an adoptive parent utilising some of the better options and resources around you to […] Read more... The post Making better decisions as an adoptive parent appeared first on Not a fictional mum adoption blog ..read more

Adopting or fostering a child is a privilege. But it can also come with a lot of stress, here are some simple ideas on how to deal with the stress of adopting or fostering. Unsplash – CC0 Licence The trick here is to put strategies in place that help you deal with the stress. Adopting […] Read more... The post How to deal with the stress of adopting or fostering appeared first on Not a fictional mum adoption blog ..read more