Are you completely Aware?

February seems to be a busy Awareness month, even though there are only 28 days in it.

Let us look at just this week.

Let's start with the Children's National Health week. What a time to really be aware of it, when the children are stuck in their rooms, or on the front room or kitchen table doing their schoolwork. They are doing their best to learn at this time with the help of every adult available. They are not being social with their friends, and when they do, it's all virtual. They are trying the best they can, and we need to listen and support them. Here are just a couple of things you can do to help them: encourage them to go outside, to play in the garden, or go for a walk. Talking to friends online isn't quite the same but get them to do a scavenger hunt with their friends. What about painting and artwork, encouraging creativity and challenging games.

February 4th is Time to Talk Day, a day to get the nation talking. It is the time to sit down with a cuppa and have a conversation with someone. Check-in with someone you haven't spoken to in a while. Start chatting about your weekend, or what you’re planning for dinner that night. Build to how you a doing, you don't have to go too in-depth straight away and you can keep it as light as you need it to be. One thing though, take the moment to talk.

Today is the start of LGBTQ+ history month, it's about increasing the visibility of the community, their history, culture. It's also about raising awareness, education. I would recommend you go to this website for further information. https://lgbtplushistorymonth.co.uk/

Another serious subject is Sexual abuse and Sexual violence week, I don't want to say anything to upset anyone, but if you need help please get in touch with your local support groups. These are serious issues that people should be aware of.

"The long-term effects of sexual violence can include many emotional, psychological and physical conditions. The experience of sexual assault or abuse at any age and whether male or female can have devastating effects on every aspect of a person’s being and life – on their mind, their body, their behaviour, thoughts and feelings". This is from The Survivors Trust website. Go to https://www.thesurvivorstrust.org/the-effects-of-sexual-violence-how-to-support-a-survivor for further information.

And to top it off, it is National Sickie Day. The first Monday of February is the day most people are likely to take off sick. One theory about why is it Sickie day is, it is the first day after Christmas where people have been paid and have spent the weekend out. Although this year I think we just might have taken the day just out of tradition.

Watch out on the website for more Awareness days.