2026

Curfews

With both children growing up and beginning to explore their ever growing worlds it has become necessary to set curfews for both especially this week with Reagan wanting to join her school friends at “after Prom’ parties and Lincoln wanting to enjoy Midsummer Middlewich.

The weather has been excellent with really warm temperatures carrying on into the late evening so staying out late was what everyone wanted to do. Our dilemma was how late was acceptable?

Reagan wanted to go out after Prom so 01:30am seamed the right thing to do but we made sure that was with someone (Alfie) not on her own, and we imposed the same for her friends party on Saturday night too.

Lincoln’s was slightly different because he was just wandering around Middlewich with his mates and that has the potential for mischief, not by Lincoln, but when large are together you can get tarred with the same brush so thought 11pm was the right call.

We sent both out with the same instruction “make good choices” something we always tell them and hope they heed because we have laid good foundations its up to them now to show they can build on those and not let us down.

We will be flexible with curfew times depending on circumstances so long as they both respect the reasoning but Jamie and me struggled to know how to handle it as the requests came thick and fast over the last few days, we just know 8pm for a 16 year old who has just left school like some parents imposed is never going to end well!

They are both growing up fast they need guidance and be allowed to explore with the comfort of knowing we have their best interests at heart not the suffocation of strict rules that are only necessary if the foundations are not sound.

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Mirroring

A meeting with the deputy head of the school about Lincoln’s behaviour was the main concern today, and hoping that our talk with him had made some difference so that we could all formulate a plan going forwards. The meeting went well and the school had already seen an improvement and that we were all on the same page trying to help him and get him back on track. The conclusion was that he was probably mirroring behaviour rather than contracting a problem and that guidance and encouragement were required and monitoring the next few weeks before summer break.

We will get him some counselling to make sure he can manage stress in an appropriate manner but for now just relieved its probably nothing  to be concerned about for now!

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Prom

Just a single photo is required because it tells a thousand words!

She looked like the princess she always wanted to be when she was a young girl.

When I saw her with her hair and make-up all done and in that dress I couldn’t have been more proud as her daddy!

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England 2026 world Cup

Watched England’s opening game against Croatia tonight after beating Dishers Royals first. Wednesdays are pool nights so we started early but I still only made home for the first drinks break, a new addition for the the hot climate in American summers and obviously an oppertunity for a few extra adverts?

Anyway I got home we were already 1 nil up but no sooner had I sat down it was 1 each and by halftime 2 2 in a very good even match, against arguably the toughest opponents in our group.

Second half was a different story going ahead quickly and taking control of the game and should have been out of sight but for some inspired Croatian goalkeeping.

4 2 was in my opinion flattering the Croatians in the end and if we play like that against Panama & Ghana we will win the group with 9 points

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Its a box

I love woodworking and just being in me shed and having a project on the go. Jamie asked me to make a stand for her mirror

It might only be a box to most but those mitred corners are really impressive considering it was my first attempt.

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First and Last

I remember how excited Reagan was to finally pull on her uniform and walk with Mommy and Daddy to Middlewich Primary School to begin her education and I remember how proud I felt crouching next to her for this photo!

I felt the same pride stood next to her this morning, when Reagan returned home having completed her 26th and final GCSE exam and officially finished High School.

As your Mom wrote on Facebook earlier “Our beautiful girl has completed high school today, it has gone so so fast! So many school runs, last minute onsies, trips, teachers, homework, tears, joys…so many wins. We are so proud of the articulate, kind, funny, faithful, caring, and wise young woman you have become. So poised and graceful, quiet to everyone else but us, we love every single part of you, never stop being yourself, you are always enough! being your mama will always be my most important role”

Words I can only echo on how I feel.

From the very first moment I met you 16 years ago, I hoped I could be the best Daddy you could ever imagine. I’ve tried every day to be that, and I will keep trying for the rest of my days.

You had the easy part being the best daughter I could ever have imagined and you certainly held up your side of the bargain.

You have exceeded all my hopes and dreams. Your academic achievements are just another string to your bow in my eyes. From your first day to your last, you have always given your best, and for that, you deserve every wonderful thing that lies ahead of you.

I couldn’t be prouder of the incredible young woman you’ve become, and I can’t wait to see where your future takes you. Whatever you do and wherever life leads you, I’ll always be cheering you on and loving you beyond words.

Fly high little Dude!

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My Sunday

Its becoming a nice habit to go see me mum on a Sunday morning and have a brew whilst putting the world to rights.

Back home to spend a bit of time in me shed allows me to relax and not think about anything at all.

The daily chores get done because that’s life but “pottering” is what’s most effective

A pint at the pub a drink in the garden a shower and bed to some sounds like a wasted day but to me…perfect!

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Bee Hayvyour

Lincoln in conversation with his mom made light of an incident in a cafe in Northwich today saying he did not flick the bird it was a see you gesture which annoyed me more than I have ever been annoyed with him before!

Knowing that his behaviour is more than likely mirroring rather than an underlying psychological problem it pisses me off that he shows so little respect to us and believes that this can be tolerated or accepted when he is more than very likely in control of everything that he is now doing?

We have raised him to be a kind compassionate thoughtful human being who is looked upon by almost everyone as such, is as parents something to be proud of, and for him to think that becoming some’thing’ horrible just to fit in with people he thinks matter more than who he is REALLY hurts!

Yes he is 14 and becoming a man but real men don’t do that!

He is about to learn a valuable lesson whichever way this goes and only he can chose which way that is…..

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Joe can drive

Reagan spent her last day at school today doing a biology exam in the morning followed by the Year 11 leavers assembly and received her leavers hoodie,  after which she handed out some presents to her favourite teachers before heading home.

She does have her 26th and final exam on Monday morning which is Physics so she can focus on her last remaining subject this weekend and then Monday dinnertime she will walk away from 11 years of education and on to the next chapter of her life at college.

Classic Reagan tonight she told her Mom that “She will only have to ride the bus for a year because Joe (who is definitely not her boyfriend) can drive her to Sir John Deans after that!” Just like her Mom she already has the plan in her head.

All I hope is that she remains beautiful hard working woman that got her this point and she won’t go far wrong.

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What if?

Since yesterday my mind has been in overdrive wondering if we missed something of if we are to blame for how Lincoln is behaving but also in the back of my mind I have this nagging doubt that it might not be all it seems, but daren’t voice it incase my ignorant uneducated opinion is wrong!

…but what if he’s doing it for attention?

Another performance where everyone is watching and it feels almost like Wizard of Oz felt.

We were called by his RS teacher this evening someone we all hold in high regard and as such she felt she could tell us the truth and talk at times “off the record” about the situation which I am so glad she did!

The “Ticking” she described as an epidemic in the school which did begin during Wizard of Oz and that several of the cast now do it from all the years involved and that although it is getting worse non of the students outside of the performance are involved. The school are aware that they have to tread carefully here because there may be an actual problem that they are not qualified to diagnose judge treat whatever but it just seems strange that its this group only.

Lincoln’s girlfriend Liv has diagnosed tourette syndrome and is managed by the school for that to help her throughout the day, and Lincoln could be mirroring her which is very possible. We know you can’t catch it but you can mirror the person especially if you are in their company a lot and if you see them treated differently? Lincoln is in love and I can imagine if he thinks she might like him more for any reason his 14 year old mind might think lets do it!

The school recognises that this group hang around together and like Jamie says from her psychologist view point children will gravitate to like minded people and do things to be accepted by them. She pointed out that everyone was gay this time last year yet only the actual gay person in that group is still gay, and Lincoln came then and proclaimed he’s bi?

Actions that were “positively” reinforced because in this day and age you are allowed to be anything you want to be which is fine but at 14 you just want to be accepted and liked and are prepared to be anyone but yourself to achieve this!

The teacher asked us to respect that a lot of what she told us was off the record and that she just wanted us to know its not just Lincoln. We are so grateful she did because it made us feel so much better knowing the facts rather than possibly spending thousands seeking private help.

We will go and meet with the school next week to discuss it officially and make a plan to help the children through this.

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