Our strategy was based on the Five Ways to Wellbeing, a set of evidence-based actions developed in the U.K. by the New Economics Foundation and promoted here in New Zealand by the Mental Health Foundation. Mum christened it ‘The Experiment’.
‘Give’ was the first action we chose. Here’s our progress report:
Nanny Fix-it
Mum and I decided that I would advertise her needlework services among family and friends. So on Saturdays, with my help, Mum mended, darned and replaced buttons giving new life to clothes that had languished for months, waiting to be fixed.
This was quite intense but it worked well. With me sitting alongside, helping to choose the thread, find the right sized needle and keep things on track, Mum did a sterling job. And the owners of the clothes were delighted with the results. Sorting through my large and random collection for buttons that matched was a strangely compelling activity.
Mum and I decided that I would advertise her needlework services among family and friends. So on Saturdays, with my help, Mum mended, darned and replaced buttons giving new life to clothes that had languished for months, waiting to be fixed.
This was quite intense but it worked well. With me sitting alongside, helping to choose the thread, find the right sized needle and keep things on track, Mum did a sterling job. And the owners of the clothes were delighted with the results. Sorting through my large and random collection for buttons that matched was a strangely compelling activity.
Five stars.
Peggy square project
Peggy square project
Mum and I decided I would help her to knit for charity. After searching online for all of one minute, I found the perfect project. Knit-A-Square, a South African-based charity that takes donated peggy squares and joins them into blankets for orphaned children. http://www.knit-a-square.com
After a bumpy start, this strategy is beginning to work. I provided Mum with a printout of the project details, a peggy square template, needles and wool. She cast on expertly, as usual, and did the first few rows. With her agreement, I removed all other knitting projects - mostly scarves - so she could focus on this one. Then I left her to it.
When I returned a couple of days later, Mum was still knitting scarves.
At that point I was unsure whether to persist. If Mum wanted to keep knitting scarves, why get in the way? But once reminded about Knit-A Square, Mum was determined to continue. I took the last of the scarves away.
Mum has completed four perfect peggy squares and is working on her fifth. Three stars.
After a bumpy start, this strategy is beginning to work. I provided Mum with a printout of the project details, a peggy square template, needles and wool. She cast on expertly, as usual, and did the first few rows. With her agreement, I removed all other knitting projects - mostly scarves - so she could focus on this one. Then I left her to it.
When I returned a couple of days later, Mum was still knitting scarves.
At that point I was unsure whether to persist. If Mum wanted to keep knitting scarves, why get in the way? But once reminded about Knit-A Square, Mum was determined to continue. I took the last of the scarves away.
Mum has completed four perfect peggy squares and is working on her fifth. Three stars.
Wellbeing - it won’t happen overnight. We’re taking it slowly.
http://www.neweconomics.org/projects/entry/five-ways-to-well-being
http://www.neweconomics.org/projects/entry/five-ways-to-well-being
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