A shade over 10 years ago, one Friday morning, I walked into the Gulberwick Hall with my 2 kids.  2! Those were the days!  The eldest was a pretty little blond 3 year old and the youngest a cute bruiser and nearly 1.  The Gulberwick Toddlers was to be my home from home just about every Friday morning for the next 10 and a bit years.

I’m unusual at Toddlers in that I’m a man.  I’m not, I have to say, unique – several more have come and gone over the years – but no-one, no-one, has been there as long as me.  I’m practically one of the fixtures!

All 5 of my kids have been through Gulberwick Toddlers and now my youngest is due to start Nursery in under 3 weeks my time there is coming to an end.  I’ve made coffee and stolen a peek at someone else’s copy of The Shetland Times.  I’ve been on outings to farms with all of them, thrown Christmas and Halloween parties, chatted, laughed and had fun.  It started me on my journey into the local community.

Now I’ve got a moody teenager with 4 younger brothers.  I’m going to get a couple of hours of time to myself on a Friday morning now but I’m going to miss Toddlers.  Coffee I can make at home but I’ll miss the company.

And I’m going to have to start buying my own paper.