I am a retired Primary School Teacher with 30 years experience in education. I live in Cliviger with my husband Mike.
Graduating from Manchester Metropolitan University with a B A (Hons) Early Childhood Studies First Class, I worked as Nursery teacher and Foundation Stage Leader until my retirement.
I have two wonderful children, a lovely daughter-in-law and three amazing grandsons.
Married to Mike for 10 years, I now have three fantastic step-children. Quite a family!
This picture was taken when we launched my first book - I'm on the right! My friend Bev is on the left.
As an Early Years teacher, I had been concerned for some time about the mental health of young children.
Feeling good about yourself has an impact on you for the rest of your life.
Your whole future is shaped by how you see yourself.
Sadly, recent research shows that low esteem in young adults can lead to depression and mental health problems.
A positive sense of self is one of the greatest gifts you can give your child.
Children with high self-esteem feel valued and loved and develop into happy productive people.
"Be Happy to be You!" is a Children's Picture Book about a little bird who is not happy with his life, comparing his achievements to those of other animals. and not seeing his own strengths.
He wants to swim like a fish, jump like a frog and run like a horse. His mother teaches him that he should be proud of what he can do and be happy to be himself. It is only when Baby bird falls ill that he realises that his mother could be right. Baby bird is learning to be happy with who he is rather than trying to be like everyone else.
Baby bird is not happy. The fishes will not play with him because he is not orange and the frogs will not play with him because he is not green. What should Baby bird do? He thinks about it for a while and decides to talk to the other animals and try to resolve the problem.