Opinion: Editor's view

There's no doubt that the weather has been the dominant theme of the past few weeks, with nurseries and childminders showing admirable determination to keep open in the face of extreme conditions. You can read some of their stories and see pictures of their children having some fabulous experiences on page 6.

And where settings have not been able to open, or parents have not been able to get into work, there has been the bonus of families enjoying some great playtimes together. It may be costing the UK economy dear, but enforced time off work, with nothing to do but go sledging or build snowmen, will be good for the emotional wealth of the nation!

Working with parents will be a major theme this year, with fierce debate about the amount of involvement the state should have, and the methods and models of supporting families without patronising or alienating them.

Nursery World's parents' guides have for many years been much appreciated as simple, universal, useful aids for practitioners to share with parents and carers on a wide range of topics. So we're delighted to begin a new series this week, written by renowned early years expert Penny Tassoni, who always gets the tone just right - clear, sympathetic, practical advice based on her vast knowledge and experience. The poster format is just right for displaying on your setting's noticeboard, too (see pages, 16-17).

Also perfect for display is the latest poster in our Collections series, with some wonderful photographs and great ideas for accompanying activities. This one is on the theme of shells - so you can dream of beaches and sunshine too!