When I decided to dedicate Monday’s post as a retrospective reflection on the previous week I had no idea if It would be something I would persevere with.  However, the Red Admiral is ‘not for turning’, for very good reason:  looking back works for me.  Firstly, it gives professional staff an opportunity to comment on my approach to being a Care Partner.  Secondly it gives me a moment to take a breath and think of a ‘shopping-list’ for the coming days

Mel, my Admiral Nurse, always finds time to comment, and make helpful suggestions.  I think this is more cost effective on our time, and means I get regular feedback on how I’m doing as a Care Partner.  She always closes her E mails with: ‘you know where I am if you need to talk’.  Her support is supplemented by Sue, our social worker, whose opening gambit is always: ‘how can we support you’.  She reflects Christine’s the Head of Casework’s message that: ‘we aim to look after carers’.

My day trip to Coventry on Wednesday may well have created the melting-pot for much of the dialogue between Maureen and myself in the last few days.  The shopping-list for the next few days has to reflect Maureen’s point about the Carers Invasion.  It would be foolhardy, in my opinion, to show them the door.  What we need to do is ‘knock them into shape’: the same as we all do with our offspring.  I want to make it perfectly clear here that none of this is a criticism of our adopted daughters: it’s a reflection on ‘poor parenting’.

Maureen and I need to get our act together and help our ‘children’ (carers) to grow.  It’s up to us to provide nurture to ensure that we are pleased to see the kids, and not wish they wouldn’t pop in so often.  Anyone know of any good Parent Craft Classes?