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I was a blood donor for years, later a plasma donor. When our 3 kids were aged 5 to 10, I took them along to show them how cool it was. I'm having a cuppa afterwards, when the 7yr old pipes up, "Dad, you're spilling your tea!!" Next thing I know, I'm lying on the floor with doctors and children bending over me. The ONLY time I've fainted in well over 100 donations. All 3 kids have gone on to become donors as adults, so it can't have been too traumatic!

I strongly recommend Plasma donation as a community service; you lie in a recliner for 40 mins and chat or read while they ply you with tea and biscuits, and they give you your red blood cells back.

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author

Haha amazing! I know nothing about plasma donation! What a good idea!

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founding

Kia ora for this Emily, I also have intense negative feelings about horse racing right now and needed something to counter that too!

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author

Oh yeah I get that! ❤️

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It’s always great to be given a little nudge to have these conversations with the kids. I find it too easy to just do things quickly to be able to move on (and avoid the frustration of SLOW kids) but then the opportunity is lost to bring them along on the community building journey

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author

I hear ya! Definitely aspirational for me!

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Has anyone got advice on how to donate my four year old’s too-small clothes when he doesn’t want to let them go? I want to respect his consent. I have tried explaining how other kids would be able to wear them, and then they wouldn’t have to but new, but he is firm.

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Ham gets attached to clothes too. We let him pick one thing to keep, but he has to give away at least five things he’s grown out of. Then we let him keep the thing he’s chosen in the bottom drawer until the next clear out. It doesn’t always work. Sometimes he just screams at me that he’s keeping everything and I end up just going through on my own and donating the things he’s grown out of and also doesn’t wear anymore. Tried to suggest he thank the item kon mari and he looked at me like I was the biggest idiot 😂

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Can he exchange them for some new ones? Otherwise I would tuck them away until they’re forgotten

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founding

Can’t wait for verb see u there!

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author

Looking forward to seeing you love! X

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founding

These are great, thank you for the ideas x

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author

Thanks for reading ❤️

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Great suggestions - ngā mihi nui. I'm going to work my way through them with my kid starting with a Parihaka over Guy Fawkes refocus. Can recommend a good and accessible children's picture books on Parihaka too called Remember that November by Jennifer Beck

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author

Oh thanks for the book recommendation!

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