It takes a village to raise a child
Most of the time being a parent and raising our little bundles of joy is an absolute pleasure. As a mum of three boys having children is a blessing and I am so proud to be a mum, they are my world and they will always be my number one priority in life. As parents we protect our children, we keep them safe, we make sure they have a warm home with food on the table and clean clothes on their backs.
However, at times, parenting can be hard and can feel overwhelming and lonely. As parents in a modern and ever demanding world, we are juggling so much mental load. “Has anyone booked the school dinners” “mum I need a haircut”, “my school shoes are too small, can we get some more” “has anyone fed the dog today” “how are we covering the school holidays” “do we have any more cereal.” 6 questions in 6 minutes! I am sure you can all relate. There are times that are tough, yes, but it is manageable (just!) and there are times when we need to ask for help – to share the load. After all, it takes a village to raise a child.
For some this ‘village’ may be made up from family, friends, neighbours, grandparents, partners, and ex-partners. However, for some these options may be limited. You are not alone. At Poppins we pride ourselves with our parent partnerships and the relationships we have with our parents go beyond “they’ve had a lovely day, have a nice evening.”
We are always here with a listening ear, we may even be able to offer some help and support. We understand that parenting can be tough, and we understand that there are many dynamics to family life. Modern life often consists of two working parents, together or separated, working full time to pay the ever-growing bills and battling through the best we all can.
If you don’t have a village around you, or for whatever reasons the village has broken down, there is support available. In Worcestershire we are very fortunate to have a whole village of people, called Early Help. This is a free service that parents can either access themselves, or we can access for you if the process seems a bit overwhelming. Whether you are battling challenging behaviour at home, issues with sleep, routines, or you are currently experiencing a separation or financial difficulties, Early Help can offer support. You lead the support every step of the way, it is completely voluntary and free to anyone. It holds absolutely no bearing on you as a parent, you are simply extending your village for a short period of time to help you through a tricky phase.
Accessing Early Help is so easy, they have a QR code here that you scan on your phone camera and they have lots of information on their website too.
It is completely up to you if you let us know if you are accessing Early Help, however it may be in the best interest of your child if you confide in your key person. We can then continue to support your child during their time at Poppins and we can communicate with you their feelings or any worries they may have. Please remember we are here to support you all, as a whole family whatever that may consist at the time.
We are also implementing some “Borrow Bags” which may be of some help to you during times such as experiencing a family bereavement, moving house or separation. These have been carefully designed to support your child through these times. Please speak to me if you would like some further information about these, or speak to Zoe if you would like to borrow one.
We are your village
Sam