Kissing the children goodnight just before I turn in is a little like being in an Indiana Jones film. I tend to kiss them in age order although this is under review due to the reactions I receive and how quickly I need to exit a room.

Thinking that they are all blissfully in the land of nod makes me blasé about covering them up with their duvets to make them all snug (surely a little tenderness won’t wake them?), removing motorbikes, trains, Star Wars figurines, books, Match Attax (they can all be binned now), pens, notebooks etc from around, under and on them and replace them with soft teddies so that they’ll be more comfortable to sleep soundly yet it seems to have the opposite effect. I’m swotted away with gangly asleep arms like an annoying insect as I plant a delicate kiss on their cheek or I’m having to dive for cover when the baby jumps up from snoring to reveal he was clearly acting asleep and now, even though I was in stealth mode, he fancies an all-night party in his cot. Last night, I quite literally jumped back and ducked under his brother’s duvet and then after waiting a long minute trying not to breathe I crawled commando style out of the room using a cushion as a shield so that I couldn’t be recognised…because a moving cushion won’t disturb him or his mental state at all

And finally I drifted off and dreamt of my son as a tree. Because he was a tree, in his school production, it reminded me of the child playing an octopus in Love Actually. He suited being a tree and I saw him in a new light - still and calm. Speaking of calmness, it is anything but in the mum’s guide office this week as the voting is over and we’re verifying and counting! It’s SO exciting and winners will be notified soon. Over 1400 of you voted, so watch this space…and whilst you wait you can check out all the brilliant holiday clubs and classes that will entertain your darlings ALL summer…!