My husband and I in a rare moment of sitting down calmly together without the children shouting ‘Mummy’ or ‘Daddy’ at the top of their voices, managed to have a five-minute chat about how much of a great summer holiday we’ve had. We haven’t been abroad or been anywhere flash, but we have had some lovely days together as a family whether locally or a bit further afield - memories we’ve created and will cherish forever. For me, these summer weeks have passed at a steady pace giving me time to take it all in which is so important as I can’t bear that feeling of chasing time.

But no matter how hard we try to ignore it, soon we’ll all be ‘starting term’ whether we are at school at not! Psychologically, even after leaving university all those years ago, I’ve always felt September was the start of the new year. A time to get things back on track, routines back in order and pick up on things left unattended from July. For example, Michael has re-enrolled on his upholstery course, I start with a new choir I auditioned for in a few weeks ago and will be back having my cello lessons to tackle my grade four – we’ll be a but rusty understandably, but hopefully will get into the swing of things in no time.

Then there’s the preparation for school for my little ones. I’ll be spending the next two weeks sewing labels into uniforms, darning a few pairs of socks and painstakingly taking keyrings off old school bags and putting them onto new ones! It’s a strange time for me – as a mother you look at your children in disbelief at how much they grow and develop when all you can remember is bringing them home from the hospital. I guess Michael and I will have to talk to each other during the day come September! I think we’ll be twiddling our thumbs wishing the children were calling out our names at the top of their voices!