Welcome to the Autumn/Winter series which includes conversations with amazing guests today’s guest is Mark Wallis, the Maintenance and Nursery Support member of the team at Back To The Garden Childcare. He began as the contract gardener and in his role his role has developed into so much more than that - he is now working with the children, encouraging them to help him grow veggies, plants, flowers and willow, he collaborates with Jenny our chef in the kitchen in using our own produce for meals and has turned the tipi into a forest school space and helps run the tool shed. The founders have funded his forest school training and he’s hugely influential in developing the outdoor space at our nursery ‘coming soon’ in Lymm. Today we discuss his journey and how and why he joined our nursery team, his forest school training, the seasonal offerings from the garden, his plans for the nursery, current activities with the children, forest school activities for Autumn/Winter and the exciting developments for Back To The Garden as we branch out into a new area and so much more.

Links and Resources:

Mary Mclachlan episode: https://www.backtothegardenchildcare.com/podcast/episode/23040de4/learning-outdoors-a-school-in-the-woods-part-1-with-mary-machlachlan-and-anne-statham

Anne Statham episode: https://www.backtothegardenchildcare.com/podcast/episode/1ae413c5/child-development-in-the-early-years-with-anne-statham

Cath Larkin episode: https://www.backtothegardenchildcare.com/podcast/episode/34e35511/life-in-the-early-years-with-cath-larkin-and-anne-statham

Archimedes Forest School Training Centre in Delamere Forest, Cheshire - http://archimedes-earth.com/course-list/forest-schools/

Kids Take Over the Kitchen Day - https://aboutmanchester.co.uk/kids-take-over-the-kitchen-at-altrincham-nursery/

Young Chefs Academy https://youngchefsacademy.com/ktokday

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Thank you for listening!

We’d be so grateful if you could take 2 minutes to leave us a review on your preferred podcast app. Please share with anyone who you think would love to listen.

This episode is sponsored by Kit + Kin, award winning nappies - head to https://kitandkin.com/ and enter the code BABY20 specially created for our listeners to use on the first subscription.

Recorded via Zoom and edited at LBS, Stockport. https://lbs.co.uk/

Producer: Adders Jeffry

Original Music written by Sadie Pickering, performed by Sadie Pickering, Dan J Logan and Jay Ansill

Podcast hosting service - https://anchor.fm/backtothegarden

Website: https://www.backtothegardenchildcare.com/podcast/

“The reason why I made them is because I really believe that kids need to feel safe to be themselves. A lot of people when they grew up they hear a lot of ‘no, you can’t do this’ or ‘no, this is dangerous’ or ‘behave’ and that’s at least how my youth was and it would’ve helped me if I’d had a childhood in a different age. My parents weren’t very aware of what we, people who are on a spiritual path are now so they never said ‘you’re enough’ or ‘you’re perfect the way you are’ so that’s why that’s a big message in the kids deck.”

Today's guest is a spiritual motivator, intuitive and entrepreneur, Neel Van Lierop. Neel’s own personal journey in self-development led to the creation of her successful card deck - Inner Compass cards, coined by Goop as ‘A toolbox for finding direction in life.’ She has since launched her second deck, the ‘Inner Compass - Love cards’ and during quarantine last year the Inner Compass - Kids Cards, birthed from her deep inner child work to provide children with something she feels she would’ve benefited from having as a child. The Kids deck offers valuable life lessons, which guide children to understanding the importance of taking good care of themselves, each other and our beautiful planet. They remind children that they are perfect just the way they are. Each of Neels creations has come into form for a reason and from a place of service in supporting and helping others, these cards have helped over 25,000 people in their personal journey, so that speaks for itself. Neel had a mission to share her secrets of personal growth and we love that her reach has expanded to help support children. Our conversation today covers…

“I’ve always been very independent and freedom is a big theme in my life.”

‘If you look at kids and babies, watch their bellies rise. They belly breathe like troopers. Whatever happens to us when we grow up, suddenly we stop breathing properly.’

Intro:

Nicola Charnock is the resident Nutritionist at BTTGC and mother of 2. She qualified at the renowned CNM London (College of Natural Medicine). Her business CF Wellness Organics combines all her holistic skills and training under one roof. With 15 years of sports rehab experience, her clients include high profile athletes and musicians. Her understanding of the rate at which the body heals and athletic performance led her to train as a yoga teacher in India and introduce nutrition into her work. Through becoming a mother herself she is educating and supporting families through workshops in fertility, pregnancy, and post birth for both mother and baby. She runs food workshops including ‘Nutrition for the Whole Family Made simple’. Her love and passion for what she does makes her an incredible guest.

This is her second time on the show - to check out her first episode head back to Episode 6 in 2020 to hear about her personal experiences with children and eating well at home, optimum foods to feed children, supplements, sleep, brain and gut health, mental health and young children, why post-natal mothers need lots of support and so much more (head to Episode 6 to listen to that first) - link in show notes.

In today’s episode we are concentrating on seasonal nutrition in the Spring, seasonal recipes, the new nursery menu, children and mental health following 2020 and what we can do nutritionally to support them, we discuss gut health in more detail and the vagus nerve, soil and immune health…. And so much more!

It’s a joy to have Nicola back on the show for an insightful and educational conversation.

‘Routine is key’

Links and Resources:

Previous conversation with Nicola: https://www.backtothegardenchildcare.com/podcast/episode/1d689cd2/childrens-nutrition-with-nicola-charnock

https://www.blublox.com/collections/kids-glasses

Lumie Alarm Clock - Sunrise / Sunset settings.

https://www.cforganicwellness.com/

https://www.cforganicwellness.com/blog

IG: @cf_organicwellness

Raw cakes: IG: @naturallyrawcakes

[email protected]

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Thank you for listening!

We’d be so grateful if you could take 2 minutes to leave us a review on your preferred podcast app. Please share with anyone who you think would love to listen.

This episode is sponsored by Kit + Kin, award winning nappies - head to https://kitandkin.com/ and enter the code BABY20 specially created for our listeners to use on the first subscription.

Recorded via Zoom and edited at LBS, Stockport. https://lbs.co.uk/

Producer: Adders Jeffry

Original Music written by Sadie Pickering, performed by Sadie Pickering, Dan J Logan and Jay Ansill

Podcast hosting service - https://anchor.fm/backtothegarden

Website: https://www.backtothegardenchildcare.com/podcast/

Mr and Mrs Wild are the conscious power couple behind their eco friendly, plant-based coffee-house and cafe Wild and Wild. They are parents to 3 beautiful children. In this conversation we delve into their story, how and why they started their business, their philosophy around parenting, challenges they’ve faced, their partnership and their secret to running a successful business and maintaining a healthy dynamic in their relationship, their dreams and visions for the future and so much more…

Part 2:

00:19 Children and emotions

4:46 Experiencing miscarriage as a family

11:05 Are children becoming more sensitive and more aware of things?

12:38 Books that have helped them.

13:15 Conscious parenting, home-schooling and a child-led approach

15:44 Wild and Wild - the challenge of 2020, what they’ve learnt and new offerings!

20:08 Tips to someone setting up something

23:58 The importance of having a business plan

25:05 What’s on their current vision board for the future

27:18 Mushrooms and their benefits

29:31 Kids and good nutrition (and veganism)

36:20 Personal rituals, things they’re working on

39:28 Rapid fire questions

Links and Resources:

Aprils Doula / Yoga / Baby Yoga: http://aprildawnyoga.com/

Wild and Wild: https://www.wildandwild.co.uk/

IG: @wildandwildcafe

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wildandwildcafe

Aprils IG: https://www.instagram.com/aprildawnwild

Chris’s IG: @wildaboutfamily

John Holt https://www.johnholtgws.com/the-foundations-of-unschooling

Ellen Fisher https://www.ellenfisher.com/about

The Happy Pear https://thehappypear.ie/

Prof Paul Thomas https://plantationsystems.com/news/

Super Nova https://supernovaliving.com/ 

Earthlings http://www.nationearth.com/

Doughnut Whisperer https://thedoughnutwhisperer.co.uk/ (now in stock at Wild & Wild)

April and Chris Wild are the conscious power couple behind their eco friendly, plant-based coffee-house and cafe Wild and Wild. They are parents to 3 beautiful children. In this episode we delve into their story, how and why they started their business, their philosophy around parenting, challenges they’ve faced, their partnership and their secret to running a successful business and maintaining a healthy dynamic in their relationship, their dreams and visions for the future and so much more…

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Links and Resources:

Aprils Doula / Yoga / Baby Yoga: http://aprildawnyoga.com/

Wild and Wild: https://www.wildandwild.co.uk/

IG: @wildandwildcafe

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wildandwildcafe

Aprils IG: https://www.instagram.com/aprildawnwild

Chris’s IG: @wildaboutfamily

Episode with Lucy Turner https://www.backtothegardenchildcare.com/episode-05

Still Parents https://www.manchester-sands.org.uk/still-parents-art-workshops

Seaspiracy https://www.seaspiracy.org/

Cowspiracy https://www.cowspiracy.com/

Vegware https://www.vegware.com/uk-en/

Episode with Mary, the Wood School https://www.backtothegardenchildcare.com/podcast/episode/23040de4/learning-outdoors-a-school-in-the-woods-part-1-with-mary-machlachlan-and-anne-statham

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Thank you for listening!

We’d be so grateful if you could take 2 minutes to leave us a review on your preferred podcast app. Please share with anyone who you think would love to listen.

This episode is sponsored by Kit + Kin, award winning nappies - head to https://kitandkin.com/ and enter the code BABY20 specially created for our listeners to use on the first subscription.

Recorded via Zoom and edited at LBS, Stockport. https://lbs.co.uk/

Producer: Adders Jeffry

Original Music written by Sadie Pickering, performed by Sadie Pickering, Dan J Logan and Jay Ansill

Podcast hosting service - https://anchor.fm/backtothegarden

Website with detailed show notes: https://www.backtothegardenchildcare.com/podcast/

’’Our educational system is for a different era.”

Welcome back to the Spring/Summer series of the Back To The Garden Podcast. Today follows on from the previous episode with our guest, Mary Mclachlan, who founded the Wood School in Manchester in 2010. It’s an incredible school set in a 1.7 acre woodland. We’re also joined by our regular podcast guest, Anne Statham (our very own child development specialist). This is a very in-depth conversation. If you haven’t listened to part 1 listen to that one first, then come back to this.

What we cover:

“The joy of Willow is the instant result. It’s also really giving. The kids get to see it grow, Willow grows really quickly, it grows quicker than they grow. It also provides a great resource endlessly. You will now be cutting willow forever and the more you cut the more you can build. And we talked about creating these little spaces that only the kids could fit in so that they could have that sense of a space for themselves.’”

In this episode we talk about:

00:48 Mary’s relationship with her children

1:57 Philosophies, places and schools around the world that inspired Mary. Here we touch on the educational system and mental health. What the pandemic has brought to light around education.

10:54 Advice to somebody out there wanting to create an outdoor setting.

13:52 Mary and Back To The Garden and the Willow weaving.

19:29 Tips for parents to do this Spring at home

21:45 Personal rituals Mary likes to do in the Spring

22:33 Spoon whittling

24:21 One particular story about a child where Mary’s really seen a difference through their time at the Wood School.

27:08 Challenge Mary has faced and overcome.

34:10 Rapid fire questions

“When a child is in trauma it really does take a whole community, everybody needs to pitch in.”

Links and Resources:

https://thewoodschool.wordpress.com/

https://www.peacefulparentingprogrammes.co.uk/about-me

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Thank you for listening!

We’d be so grateful if you could take 2 minutes to leave us a review on your preferred podcast app. Please share with anyone who you think would love to listen.

This episode is sponsored by Kit + Kin, award winning nappies - head to https://kitandkin.com/ and enter the code BABY20 specially created for our listeners to use on the first subscription.

Recorded via Zoom and edited at LBS, Stockport. https://lbs.co.uk/

Producer: Adders Jeffry

Original Music written by Sadie Pickering, performed by Sadie Pickering, Dan J Logan and Jay Ansill

Podcast hosting service - https://anchor.fm/backtothegarden

Website: https://www.backtothegardenchildcare.com/podcast/

I’m just a bit of a maverick, I see things slightly differently and always gone a bit left field and I’ve always questioned and wondered whether it could be done differently or better.’

Welcome to the Spring/Summer series of the Back To The Garden Podcast. Todays guest, Mary Mclachlan, founded the Wood School in Manchester in 2010. It’s an incredible school set in a 1.7 acre woodland. In this episode we’re also joined by our regular podcast guest, Anne Statham (our very own child development specialist). This is a very in-depth conversation so it is split into two parts.

What we cover in this episode:

We’re thrilled to have Mary as a guest on the show and welcome back Anne.

’Concepts around awe and wonder, that’s why it’s set in a wood. The wood is constantly changing. It surprises you each time you go. I was in this week, I’ve had the wood for over 15 years, and this week I saw a new bird.’

Links and Resources:

https://thewoodschool.wordpress.com/

Ken Robinson

Adele Faber - ‘How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen so Kids Will Talk’ - Link 

Carl Rogers - The Humanist Psychologist -

Marshall B. Rosenberg - Non-violent communication (NVC)

Thomas Gordon - Parent Effectiveness Training - Link to book 

Maslow’s Hierarchy Of Needs

Adverse Childhood Experiences

For full detailed show notes visit https://www.backtothegardenchildcare.com/show-notes

Part 2 of this episode will air on June 8th at 8am.

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Thank you for listening!

We’d be so grateful if you could take 2 minutes to leave us a review on your preferred podcast app. Please share with anyone who you think would love to listen.

This episode is sponsored by Kit + Kin, award winning nappies - head to https://kitandkin.com/ and enter the code BABY20 specially created for our listeners to use on the first subscription.

Recorded via Zoom and edited at LBS, Stockport. https://lbs.co.uk/

Producer: Adders Jeffry

Original Music written by Sadie Pickering, performed by Sadie Pickering, Dan J Logan and Jay Ansill

Podcast hosting service - https://anchor.fm/backtothegarden

Website: https://www.backtothegardenchildcare.com/podcast/

‘Children are brilliant at picking up on other peoples energies. They do pick up on stress. It does impact them. Also children have these incredible imaginations, and these can work negatively too and they worry about things. They’ll put things into their little minds. It’s so important for children and parents to have these moments of calm.’

Intro:

Louise is a Children’s Mindfulness and Wellbeing Coach at The Calm Folk. She has a beautiful instagram page @thecalmfolk. It has the magical effect of instantly making you feel calm when scrolling (something quite rare on social media). She’s had an incredible journey with so much experience in various fields relating to children’s wellbeing and education. She’s a gentle, beautiful soul and this episode is just wonderful!

“I always knew I wanted to be around children and to be creative around children.”

In this episode we cover:

Following this conversation I felt calm and peaceful, I expect it will have a similar effect for the listener. Happy Listening!

‘Children are actually naturally more mindful. When a child has chosen an activity that they love they are engrossed in that activity, they don’t worry about ‘to-do’ lists. Obviously in this present moment they are worrying a lot more. But generally they are mindful, it’s us adults that are definitely a lot less mindful.’

For the full show notes with timings and resource links head to https://www.backtothegardenchildcare.com/podcast/

The Calm Folk Website: https://www.thecalmfolk.co.uk/

The Calm Folk IG: https://www.instagram.com/thecalmfolk/

Back To The Garden Childcare IG: https://www.instagram.com/backtothegardenchildcare/

Recorded via Zoom and edited at LBS, Stockport. https://lbs.co.uk/

Producer: Simon Galloway 

Original Music written by Sadie Pickering, performed by Sadie Pickering, Dan J Logan and Jay Ansill

Podcast hosting service - https://anchor.fm/backtothegarden

We’d be so grateful if you could take 2 minutes to leave us a review on your preferred podcast app. 

“I’ve always loved the hilarity of being around young children and I know that’s not the academic thing to be saying but they’re hilarious. They teach you all the time, they teach you something every day and it’s wonderful to be around them.” - Cath Larkin

Intro:

Cath Larkin has worked in the Early Years sector since the 90s. She has received huge praise for her ‘Inspirational’ leadership. She is an advocate for outdoor learning, forest-school based activities and ‘being in the moment’ with children rather than over-planning. She’s incredibly passionate about what she does, which is why even though she is now retired, she continues to train others in the UK and Internationally (including our very own team at Back To The Garden.) Today alongside Cath, we are welcoming back Anne Statham (who we interviewed in Episode 2). Anne is an Early Years specialist at Back To The Garden and a good friend of Cath’s. This is a jam-packed, informative and inspiring episode.

“I went into Early Years and never came out of it. Sometimes life has a way of tipping you into something or nudging you and off you go. You find where your supposed to be.” - Cath Larkin

We cover:

We’re thrilled to have these 2 wonderful guests on the show and we hope you enjoy hearing about their journey in early years education.

Links and Resources: (for all links head to backtothegardenchildcare.com)

Follow @backtothegardenchildcare

Follow Cath on Twitter: https://twitter.com/catherinelarki2?s=20

Follow Anne on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anniecrock1/?hl=en

Thank you for listening! 

We’d be grateful if you could take 2 minutes to leave a review on your preferred podcast app. Please share with anyone who you think would love to listen.

This episode is sponsored by Kit + Kin, award winning nappies - head to https://kitandkin.com/ and enter the code BABY20 specially created for our listeners to use on the first subscription.

Recorded via Zoom and edited at LBS, Stockport. https://lbs.co.uk/ Producer: Adders Jeffry

Original Music written by Sadie Pickering, performed by Sadie Pickering, Dan J Logan and Jay Ansill

Podcast hosting service - https://anchor.fm/backtothegarden

Website: https://www.backtothegardenchildcare.com/podcast/ (Full show notes, links and resources available here)

‘Being inspired and amazed by every day little details. Looking at the world in wonder. Children see those things, which you can lose as you get older.’

Intro:

Sian Kellaway is a gifted artist and teacher. Her natural creativity flows through her in various forms, one of which is screen-printing, where she has a successful etsy shop for prints. She’s a mother of two, a teacher and project developer at our very own, Back To The Garden Childcare. You could say Sian is part of our nursery ‘extended family’. Her current project at nursery centres around the outdoors spaces - the tipi, shed and garden, which we discuss in todays episode.

This is a fascinating episode that covers:

Happy Listening!

‘It always used to fascinate me as a child, in a way these worthless objects, not worth anything to anyone else, but they’re so interesting and take on such a significance for a child.’

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Links:

Sian’s Etsy Shop - https://www.etsy.com/uk/people/sianuska

Sian’s Blog - http://sianuska.blogspot.com/

Sian’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/sianuska/

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For full show notes including all the resource links mentioned, timings and quotes head to https://www.backtothegardenchildcare.com/episode-07

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Thank you for listening!

We’d be so grateful if you could take 2 minutes to leave us a review on your preferred podcast app. Please share with anyone who you think would love to listen.

This episode is sponsored by Kit + Kin, award winning nappies - head to https://kitandkin.com/ and enter the code BABY20 specially created for our listeners to use on the first subscription.

Recorded via Zoom and edited at LBS, Stockport. https://lbs.co.uk/

Producer: Adders Jeffry

Original Music written by Sadie Pickering, performed by Sadie Pickering, Dan J Logan and Jay Ansill

Podcast hosting service - https://anchor.fm/backtothegarden