Being Bettina’s dad 
My inspiration for what I do
Being Bettina’s Dad: This too shall pass – Staying Happy While Staying Alert
(0)“Thank you Mummy” Joyce has just made a cup of tea for Bettina. The plumber is fixing our loo and Joyce notices the plumber smiling at Bettina’s reaction, who then offers to fix something extra we had not originally agreed on when the job was booked. Yesterday when Bettina approached the entrance to the supermarket,… Read More ›
Being Bettina’s Dad: ‘This Too, Shall Pass’ – The Lockdown
“So happy” Bettina quietly says this as she gives me eye contact from across our dinner table. Nobody can tell Bettina how she feels, she either feels it or she doesn’t, so when she says she is so happy it means everything to her family. “So happy” despite so many restrictions placed on her life… Read More ›
Being Bettina’s Dad: This Too Shall Pass
After wishing Bettina, a good night I whisper through her bedroom door “Book Tomorrow” Bettina whispers back “Oh Yes”. “Book Tomorrow” doubles for a trip with her Dad to Frinton on Sea where we do a series of things together which includes buying as many books as ‘B’ wants from her favourite second-hand book shop…. Read More ›
Being Bettina’s Dad and Thelma’s Son: Being Stoic
From Grandmother to Granddaughter Thelma Kelly sits patiently waiting for Holy Communion to begin at her Parish Church in Stockton on Tees. Suddenly her thoughts are interrupted as two church wardens walk assertively past her, towards the Vicar. They whisper a message in his ear and the Vicar nods. He turns towards his congregation to… Read More ›
Being Bettina’s Dad: leading a life less ordinary
“Say it’s true, black and blue, I can share your situation Been holding our emotions back, will only make us cry If you go, I know, but you know, it ain’t so serious anyway When the clouds arise we’ll live on Ocean Drive” I look in my rear view mirror as I am driving and… Read More ›
Being Bettina’s Dad: Find people who make you better
(And six fun things I get from being Bettina’s Dad) I think I can safely say we are not an especially religious family, however, we do often say that our youngest daughter Bettina is a ‘gift from god’ (we also say that she is our ‘crown jewels’). This morning, Bettina is in our sitting room… Read More ›
Being Bettina’s Dad: Bettina’s perseverance in the face of adversity
Coming towards the end of a money awareness workshop, with my colleague Michaela, at Market Field School in Colchester I am approached by a member of the school staff who, I later learned, had especially come over to see me as she had heard that I had been talking about my youngest daughter Bettina. Bettina… Read More ›
Being Bettina’s Dad – Bettina’s approach to Decision Making
When interviewing candidates for Dosh I am always willing them to respond with the perfect answers which will help them achieve maximum points. Sitting across from a candidate during a recent series of interviews, I asked the question “what is your approach to decision making?” – on paper it looks straight forward as we probably… Read More ›
Being Bettina’s Dad – The gift that keeps giving
We are coming to the end of our coffees and, in Bettina’s case, hot chocolate. It is a Sunday morning and you can always find us in a café before the weekly shop. Joyce (my wife) is giving me serious eye contact which I am returning back to her. It feels like a face off,… Read More ›
Being Bettina’s Dad: What is Courage without Fear?
“Hello…….Is there anyone there?” Bettina is calling from upstairs and looking over the banister. Our home can be noisy and the atmosphere is always filled with laughter and chatter 99.9% of the time – there are, after all, four adults living together in Bettina’s house. This evening, our house is unusually quiet, two of the… Read More ›
