Tag: family
Being Bettina’s Dad: This too shall pass – Staying Happy While Staying Alert
“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 – 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 ›
Leadership Pack (December 2018) The Christmas Annual
Welcome to this year’s December Leadership Pack 2018 The Christmas Annual. I would like to start the review with thanks and gratitude to those who have contributed to the monthly pack throughout 2018 and which I have included again in our ‘Annual’ such as our Resilience Coach, Damian Piper’s contribution. I would like to thank Joyce… 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 ›
Being Bettina’s Dad: Enchanting by being fascinating and delightful
Driving home from a family get together in Manchester this weekend, I reflected on how Bettina has, once again, enchanted everyone and I am reminded, yet again, how much she inspires her family. Bettina’s wider family have followed her progress since she came into our world over 30 years ago. A person who was at… Read More ›
