As the year draws to a close, the Christmas season invites us into a space of celebration, togetherness, and for many, a touch of nostalgia. Amid the twinkling lights and bustling preparations, the holiday season also offers a unique opportunity to pause and reflect — on the year gone by, the relationships we hold dear, and our own personal journeys.

In today's world, it can sometimes feel like we are surrounded by unsettling news. From natural disasters and political unrest to global health challenges, children are increasingly aware of the struggles we face as a society. As parents, caregivers, and educators, it's natural to want to protect children from anxiety, but it's also important to equip them with the emotional resilience they need to understand and cope with difficult situations.

This week saw the return of our annual SCARF workshops to Pilgrims’. For three days, the Octagon is transformed into a multicoloured tent where the SCARF sessions are held, and this change of scenery lends itself well to discussing ideas and learning about healthy ways of living and relating.

Yesterday was World Mental Health Day, and the theme for this year is Mental Health in the Workplace. This has become a very salient issue in recent years, and the link between a healthy workplace, where people can speak about their mental wellbeing openly, and staff working to the best of their ability, has been established time and time again.

The busyness of the past week has caused me to reflect quite a lot on the state we as parents find ourselves in from time to time. I happened to come across this article – it’s amazing what one stumbles upon at the right time – and thought I would share it as this week’s piece. I hope you will enjoy it.

I remember when the first season of Survivor was aired on television, and the excitement that surrounded those early broadcasts.