5 Tips for Balancing Childcare and Work

As a working mother, you have two jobs, and don’t let anyone tell you any different. Trying to keep a business afloat while raising a child is one of the toughest juggling acts imaginable, and anyone who hasn’t experienced this challenge for themselves could never understand how difficult you have it. But looking after your little one does not mean …

I’M A STYLIST styling head review

She may have only just turned 6 years old, but Ava is growing up FAST! While she has always been keen on active play, football, climbing trees and generally getting filthy. She balances this with a love of make-up, jewellery, perfume and all the girly trappings you can imagine. She adores sitting at my dressing table pretending to use my …

McDonald's Football Fun

Ava experiences a McDonald’s Free Fun Football session #ad

Ava has always been interested in football. Her daddy is a Reading FC supporter and she had a mini kit before she could even walk. She’s always keen to get outside and kick a ball around. Don’t get me wrong, she would be even more happy if she was donning a sparkly princess dress while scoring a goal, but that’s …

How to avoid moving day meltdown

Moving day – a day notorious for causing stress levels to rise for absolutely everyone involved, even if you’re only moving up the road. If you’re finding yourself face to face with an upcoming moving date and are not sure where to start, I’ve put together a list of tips that might just take the edge off your stress levels. …

Travelling with kids

Road trip with kids? You need to be prepared!

Did those words strike fear into your heart? ‘Road trip’ are good words, exciting even. However, add ‘with kids’ and you might well be running for the hills. Getting your excuses ready as to why that just isn’t a sensible thing to do with your kids right now. But it doesn’t have to be that way. No honestly, with a …

How to keep your kids entertained through creative activities this summer

We live in an era where we have more choices with what to do with our time than any generation before us. Yet we often find it difficult to choose what to do. Children have the same problem, but when this indecision strikes they mistakenly think they’re bored.

 They aren’t bored at all, they just need a little help getting …

road trip

15 ways to survive a family road trip

If you’re a regular reader you’ll know that in July last year we moved our little family to start a new life in France. It feels like a lifetime ago, yet no time at all. I haven’t really had time to decompress properly, as I went straight into launching, travelling for events and writing my book. Now the book is …

COOKING WITH KIDS

Teaching your kids to love cooking

As parents we have to teach our children so much, so they grow into well rounded humans able to function in the real world. Some of these skills are educational and developmental. While others are more practical life skills, such as cooking. I was asked by Worktop Express what my earliest food memories were. One of my earliest memories is cooking with …

Petits Filous

Let them be bored challenge #PetitsFilousPlayFree

Do you let your kids be bored? I remember when I was a kid my Nanna used to always say ‘there’s no such thing as bored, just boring people’ and that told us! You know, I can’t ever remember being bored. My dad was terminally ill when I was young and so I’m sure my mum had her hands full. …

Group B Strep

Do you know about Group Step B?

I remember vividly the exact moment I found out I was pregnant. I had a feeling I was, which was weird as we had been trying unsuccessfully for years to get pregnant. I remember not even wanting to do the test, I was so scared it wouldn’t be true, but I felt something was different this time. Stepping back those …

happy list

What’s your parenting wish? #ForeverAParent

For years all I could think about was becoming a mum. When we were undergoing fertility investigations, all I could think about was becoming a mum. When I was trying to work or get on with every day life, all I could think about was becoming a mum. I remain eternally grateful that we got our happy ending and that …

toddler sized

Having a Toddler-Sized Christmas time

Simply having a Toddler-Sized Christmas time Earlier this year I took part in the Toddler-Sized challenge, which encouraged parents everywhere to turn the evidence based guidance on feeding toddlers, developed by the Infant & Toddler Forum, into something easy and practical, to take the guess work out of feeding toddlers well every day. Thank you for your support then, and …

Finding childcare with Childcare.co.uk

Finding suitable care when you’re working can be difficult and potentially really stressful. I remember trying to find a childminder for Ava a couple of years ago; it certainly wasn’t a stress free time! How on earth do you find someone that you trust enough to leave your precious child with?! It can be difficult enough to decide whether you need …

neatlynamed

Organised for school with Neatlynamed #Review

I think I was in denial as the last days of the summer holiday passed and I realised that it was actually less than a week before Ava started school. I then realised that I had no labels for any of her stuff. As she will be starting school in France I will have ZERO chance of getting any lost …

Hartley's Jelly pots

Back to School with Hartley’s jelly pots

With what feels like the blink of an eye the summer holidays are over and the weather is turning chillier. Parents everywhere are in an organising frenzy, as we all slide back into out autumn/winter routines. Ava starts school today and we have been so nervous and excited (me nervous – Ava excited!). Although Ava adores packed lunches, it isn’t …

Reading Eggs review

Making learning fun with Reading Eggs – Review

Reading Eggs is an online early learning resource, created by expert educators with over 30 years of experience. Aimed at children ages 4-8 it’s designed to teach them how to read or to advance their existing reading skills. The online games and activities are easy to follow, exceptionally engaging for young children and self-paced too. Reading Eggs really does make learning to read fun …

Reduce harmful mobile phone radiation by 70%

With the next cohort of 11-year-olds heading to secondary school this September, many will arrive armed with a mobile phone. The number of children owning mobile phones is increasing and Smartphone ownership has jumped from four in ten for 12 year olds to almost seven in ten for 13 olds since 2013. This rapid rise in the number of children …

Taxi Service of Mum and Dad

Guest Post from Hemina Haque, Subway Spokesperson I can’t remember how many times my Mum or Dad would turn around and say: ‘I’m not a taxi service!’ after I had asked for a lift somewhere when I was growing up. Whether it was a trip to see friends or to after school activities I could always rely on them to …

Are you protecting your pets? #ad

I’ve had pets for as long as I can remember and for most of that time our family has had dogs. Our dogs have become part of the family and we always do our best to look after our pets, ensuring their care is top notch. We’re not animal care specialists though and so it’s quite possible to simply not …

Pampers active fit

Solution for wriggly babies – Pampers Active Fit Nappy Pants #ad

Although my nappy changing days are well in the past, I remember those days well! As part of my role as part of the #PampersBabyBoard I’ve been bringing you details of its latest innovations, some of which have been quite simply, mind-blowing. We all know that our babies go through phases. One minute they’re happy lying still gazing at their favourite toy …

The think toddler-sized challenge!! Join in!

Calling all parents and carers to be part of THE biggest ideas-sharing activity in the UK! Last year, the (Infant & Toddler Forum) ITF launched the #rethinktoddlerportionsizes campaign to help raise awareness, that it’s not just what we put on toddlers’ plates – it’s also how much. Using the helpful portion size plates images, the campaign clearly showed how much food should be …