Today was a day for childcare for our grandchildren. Steve left the house at 7.15 a.mand stayed with them in their home until our 10 year-old foster daughter Ella had gone to school. In the past, they came here, but we found it too difficult to maintain the calm, relaxed atmosphere our foster child needed with three small children in our home, so we had to change our routine.
I got up and dressed, then woke Ella for school at 7.30 a.m. We washed our faces and brushed our teeth together then I reminded her to make her bed and get her uniform on. When dressed, she joined me downstairs in the kitchen, and she had tied her hair up, which was lovely as she usually refuses anything 'fancy'.
We chatted about her day ahead, listening to the radio and went over spellings and times tables while I made her breakfast, always four mini waffles and a carton of apple juice. Then we prepared her packed lunch together. Again, it's the same lunch each day with very small variations as she feels able to try new things. After breakfast, she watched TV and played on her phone which switches on each day at 8 a.m. At8.20 a.m I called her to get her shoes and coat, and she cycled to school.
On the days we don't have our grandchildren we keep to the same routine as we find a fixed routine helps to keep Ella calm and reduces her anxiety around school, which is often a struggle for her. Weekends are more flexible as she doesn't need the same level of reassurance.
