The Queen always understood that the deference paid to her was because of her position and what she represented, not because of who she was as a person. I think one of the reasons she was so loved was because she was not arrogant or haughty.” Countdown: Go outside to your garden or a nearby outside space. Count down from ten, taking a step for each number. When you get to zero, say “blast off!” and run to an agreed point. You could try jumping or hopping for each number.

Not long ago, I read and enjoyed "Lady in Waiting," by Anne Glenconner. You may remember that Anne was a maid of honor at Queen Elizabeth's coronation, and then served as a lady in waiting to Princess Margaret for several decades. She ended that book by looking with optimism toward the future, always wondering "Whatever next?" So, when I saw her new book, "Whatever Next?" up for review, I was happy to sign up. Anne seemed to have great common sense in dealing with things: "Sometimes I find that talking too much about life's problems can simply make one more agitated and prolong the misery. Friends mean well, but they tend to sympathize and tell you you're right to be so upset and egg you on to feel wronged. That can actually make things worse if you let it." I think this is a great observation! Princess Margaret was also a believer that "one didn't dwell." She also downplays crying. "It's absolutely no use." Generally I agree with this too. Anne Veronica (Coke) Tennant, LVO, Baroness Glenconner is a daughter of Thomas W.E. Coke, MVO, GOC, 5th Earl of Leicester and Elizabeth Mary (Yorke) Tennant, Countess of Leicester. Indoor picnic: Pretend you are the characters in the story. Collect items you might need for a trip to the moon, including a blanket and food for a picnic. Lay out a picnic inside and enjoy it together.Anne wasn't the only one in her family to deal with marital woes; she mentions her beloved sister Carey, who had a husband "who would only talk to her through the dog for years on end." This is very sad, but I'll admit I had to laugh when I read it :) Who can believe the things some people do?! There is an open envelope above the Bears’ fireplace. Could you write the letter that might have been inside it? Some letters come from people who are facing difficult times, often asking my advice on how to cope. It’s very difficult as all our lives are so different and we cope in different ways. I tell them never to give up, and remind them that life often turns round. I also encourage them not to dwell on things. There is a difference, I think, between facing problems and allowing oneself to be overwhelmed by them, though that can be a difficult line to tread. I also tell them I try to think of myself as a puppet with a string coming out of the top of my head, pulling me upwards. That way I sit up straight and look forward. Quite honestly, it makes me feel better if I ever get depressed. It’s often silly things that can make a difference.” Whatever Next? covers some of the same ground as Lady in Waiting, but the tone is much darker, especially about her marriage to Colin Tennant. Before, she painted him as a highly-strung eccentric who was liable to throw tantrums, but now she calls him “an incredibly selfish, damaged and occasionally dangerous man” and says that “I lived with domestic violence and abuse for most of my marriage”. This was an easy and again, an interesting read; although I first thought it was going to be a rehash of ‘Lady in Waiting’; it just went into things in more depth and less in some others. I liked how the chapters were split into themes; not many photos though this time.

Read the book again allowing children to join in with words they might remember such as WHOOSH! BUMP! Or ‘Whatever next!’ Tell the story This book has valuable insights and information on how to cope with whatever life throws at you. Anne says she believes it was her early training on how to behave and her experiences during WWII and as a traveling saleswoman for her family pottery that gave her the ability to deal with everything which happened to her later. Make a shopping list that includes items you might need for a picnic on the moon. How much would these things cost? How much would they cost altogether? Answer mum’s question… ‘Whatever Next?’ by writing a story that describes a new adventure for Baby Bear.Of course I did suspect already her husband was abusive, reading how hard it actually was and that Colin trashed her once to the point she lost her hearing on one ear was... difficult to read. Especially since this woman is not bitter about all that transpired. The writing style is personal and intimate, like you’re sitting with the author and learning these details. She wraps up with some life advice: "Joy is always waiting for us somewhere in life, even in our darkest moments and often in the most surprising of ways, and that embracing life in all its strangeness has so much good to offer ... I try to keep abreast of things rather than sinking into my own little world, and a positive mindset is always a great asset."

Encourage children to tell the story in their own words using the illustrations to help them. You might find they include some phrases from the story. Talk about the story I lived with domestic violence and abuse for most of my marriage’: Lady Glenconner with her husband Colin on his private island, Mustique, in 1973 Rounded up. What I enjoyed: it was refreshing to see Anne Papp roach her marriage and the abuse she suffered with less defense of her husband and for being more honest about how horrible his behavior was. I also loved her optimism about challenges we face in life. It was a much needed reminder for me. The Telegraph values your comments but kindly requests all posts are on topic, constructive and respectful. Please review our In “Whatever Now” Anne’s tone is more serious. She explains why she never divorced her seriously abusive husband and discusses useful coping strategies and resources. She also explains why she had to let go of her anger and forgive her two older sons for life choices which led them to die young: otherwise she felt she could not have moved forward in her own life and helped her third son during the five years it took him to recover from a devastating motorcycle accident.

Teaching about the latest events?

The book can be a bridge from how things used to be to how much they have changed. Having lived nine decades, the author is a testament to witnessing change. I was intrigued with the bits and pieces she revealed about her mother, especially how she rode her Harley.

I felt bad for Princess Margaret when Anne wrote of how the press had to set up a "bad sister" to play against the Queen as "good sister." It made me dislike the press more than I already do (is that even possible?!). So much of what we hear on the news is set up in templates the media has decided on, which may have little basis in reality.Find out about the history of space flight and the different astronauts who have landed on the moon. Could you act out the story with some friends? Which characters will you need to have? Will you use any props? A somewhat different book than the first of her autobiography “Lady in Waiting,” this one is told in the same humorous, matter of fact style but with much more openness and honesty about some things which were whitewashed (her marriage) or glossed over (her childhood trauma at the hands of a nasty governess) in the first book.