Ep 69 - Reflections on going back to work!

In this candid, light-hearted episode of The Forest School Podcast, Lewis and Gemma swap the storm-battered cabin for Zoom as they dissect their first two days back in the woods post-lockdown. From ever-shifting government guidance and endless risk-benefit paperwork to aching legs, rusty storytelling and a stubborn fire, they explore what “returning to normal” really looks like for practitioners. The conversation ranges from the power of a pre-season WhatsApp group and a child-designed tree-house to dynamic emotional risk assessment, why mine-sight (empathy) is exhausting, and how two-day blocks open up slower, deeper learning. It’s a refreshingly honest reminder that getting back outdoors means embracing imperfection, laughter and plenty of sore ankles. ⏱ Chapter Timings 00:00 – Greetings, three hours of Zoom and never-ending risk assessments 01:00 – Guidance that changes overnight: “Choose-your-own-adventure” on gov.uk 04:00 – First sessions back: steep slopes, 14 km on the pedometer and neck-cricks on the sofa 08:30 – “Mine-sight” overload: reading eight children’s emotional states all day 12:30 – Storytelling rust and how a six-year-old saved the plot (plus ukulele cameo) 20:00 – Why two consecutive days change group rhythm, planning and transitions 23:30 – The WhatsApp bridge: co-creating a tree-house before stepping on site 30:00 – September-tummy nerves for adults, haircuts and hidden fatigue 34:00 – The fire that wouldn’t catch and losing basic bushcraft swagger 36:30 – Patreon shout-outs, future guests and signing off with giggles 🌲 Keywords: risk-benefit assessment, post-lockdown return, practitioner fatigue, emotional safety, mine-sight, two-day Forest School, tree-house project, WhatsApp community, storytelling skills, fire lighting challenges 🔖 Hashtags: #ForestSchool #OutdoorEducation #PostLockdown #RiskBenefit #Storytelling #TreehouseProject #EmotionalSafety #PhysicalWellbeing #CommunitySupport #ForestSchoolPodcast 🌐 More Episodes & Support: Listen to more and access resources at www.theforestschoolpodcast.com Support the show and join our community at www.patreon.com/theforestschoolpodcast Questions, feedback or collaboration: [email protected]