How To Get More Involved With Your Child's Schooling

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Taking the time to read this post shows that you're keen to get involved with your child's education. It shows that you care about your child’s success, their comfort in their education, and that you are willing to make a difference. Many parents simply haven’t the time, means or maybe just don't want to do something like this, so you should pat yourself on the back for even trying!

A Very Snowy Christmas - 25 Weeks For An Organised Christmas Week 4

Welcome back to another week of A Very Snowy Christmas, 25 Weeks For An Organised Christmas.

We've already made our list, checked it twice, done our budget and cleared our hiding space, so now it's time to start shopping!!

Why You Should Attend School Open Days

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When it comes to choosing a new school for your child, attending open days a huge part of the process and one that shouldn’t be neglected. Touring the school and getting a feel for it in person is really important and can help make or break your decision. A prep school in Surrey explore the benefits of attending a school open day below.

Another July Giveaway

July has already brought us one board game giveaway, but now it's time for one for the grownups! 

If you saw yesterday's post you will know that we recently reviewed the eco-friendly board game, Nudge. The creators have been super kind and have gifted a game for a giveaway.

Nudge Eco-Friendly Board Game

Gifted

We love a good board game and once our son has finally stopped the bedtime roulette of 'I'm not sleepy, I'm thirsty, I'm too hot, I'm too cold, I need the loo' etc, we try and take the time to put down our phones and do something a bit different.

Over the years we've collected a selection of board games, puzzles and playing cards and these are our usual go to's when we are looking for something that isn't tech based to do. Recently though I've become very aware that a huge majority of board games are plastic based. From the counters to the packaging there's a lot of plastic involved, but is there an alternative?

Well now there is! Nudge is a strategy based, two player game that is made from fully recyclable materials. The packaging is made up of cardboard and paper and the counters are made from bioplastic.

The Importance Of Sports Day In Schools

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Summer is here and that means many schools are preparing for their sports day activities, but what exactly is sports day and why is it such a big part of school life? 

St. Hilda’s School in Harpenden have put together some of the key benefits of sports day and explain why this special day should be celebrated by students, staff and parents…

Beginner's Guide: How To Start Racing With A Dirt Bike

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Recently, we have become more and more outdoorsy. More walking, more time spent outdoors and more time having fresh air adventures. Even on our quieter weekends the boys head out on their scooters to our local skate park or we go to our local nature reserve for a stroll and to feed the ducks.

As our adventures becoming more regular we have discussed trying lots of different things and one being dirt biking, but with only one holiday experience of it, I'm unsure of where to start and what we need to know. 

Bike Bandits have created this post to share what you need to know about dirt biking and racing, so it's super handy if you're thinking of giving it a try too. 

A Very Snowy Christmas - 25 Weeks For An Organised Christmas Week 3

Welcome back to A Very Snowy Christmas.

This week is week number 3 and we're getting ready for all those presents you're going to buy early!

July Giveaway!

July is here so it's time for another giveaway!

This month's prize is for a pair of travel games. These travel board games are great for holidays, whether it be for travelling or rainy days.

Helping Your Child Develop Their Social Skills

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Social skills are essential to a child’s development. Well established social skills can not only help with friendships and personal relationships, but they can also support your child throughout their life and in their future careers. Some children are naturally very sociable, while others may need a helping hand to build these invaluable skills. 

There are many ways in which you can help your children to improve their social skills. Oaks International School have put together the following advice for parents…

Keeping The Kids Safe When Crafting

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Crafting with your children has many advantages. It’s a brilliant chance to spend some time together doing something fun. It’s a chance for your kids to see you get stuck in and learn something new. It’s a wonderful and exciting way to teach them more about the world, and a way to support their school work with inspiring and colourful home projects. It’s one of the few times that you will encourage them to be messy at home. 

A Very Snowy Christmas - 25 Weeks For An Organised Christmas Week 2

Welcome back to A Very Snowy Christmas!! 

This week we are going to go over last week's lists and brace yourselves because we are going to be strict and thorough! So, pull out your lists and a pen and make yourself comfy for week 2 of A Very Snowy Christmas!

19 Books For 2019 - Part-Time Working Mummy, A Patchwork Life By Rachaele Hambleton

Book two of my 19 books for 2019 has been read and it's a good one! Part-Time Working Mummy, A Patchwork Life By Rachaele Hambleton, tells the story behind the success of her blog and social media channels.

Rachaele is open from the start as she details her childhood and eventful teenage years. She shares her experiences of a violent, often volatile relationship with the father of her eldest daughters and the subsequent relationship breakdowns that follow. Rachaele's story is an eyeopening insight into the life and recovery of those suffering domestic abuse. 

A Very Snowy Christmas - 25 Weeks For An Organised Christmas Week 1

If you happened to be hanging around social media around the 25th June you might have noticed the 'only 6 months until Christmas' posts. For some six months is a longtime but for many, especially those on a budget, it could only be five or six pay days away and that makes it a bit scary. 

Then there's the planning. Who to buy for, what to buy, cards to write, food to order, baking to do, the list grows, and to be honest, we probably put way to much on ourselves in a bid to achieve what we think is the perfect Christmas.

Spreading out the jobs to do and the things to buy over a number of week's can make you stay on top of all that's to be done and help you spread the cost too. When it comes to Christmas I'm one of those plan as early as possible type of people. I've already done some lists and yes, I've even picked up a couple of presents! It's the Snowy Owl and Brownie Leader in me!! Be prepared!

So, do you want to be super organised? Have a more relaxed Christmas and maybe save a few quid too? Well, join me for A Very Snowy Christmas as we plan over the next 25 weeks for an organised festive period. 

How Poor Diet Affects Your Health

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If I've learnt anything from living with Fibromyalgia, Endrometriosis and other health issues, it's that your diet can have a huge affect on your health. 

If you would like to make the most out of your health, you will have to start paying more attention to your diet. We talk about recipes and diet in particular a lot but it all seems like hard work. In case you just need a bit of more motivation or would like to understand the health benefits of having a balanced diet, have a little read of this post. 

Knowing myself about the health risks of not managing your diet, I know that sometimes you need to see the facts in writing before you take them seriously and make a change. 

Helping Your Child Perform Well At School

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We all want our children to perform well at school and most schools take pride in their ability to work with parents to identify and nurture their pupils’ potential. Below are a couple of tips from a private school in Hertfordshire on what you can be doing at home to help support your child to perform well at school.

The Importance Of School Trips

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School trips are an essential part of your child’s learning. They not only help to consolidate and contextualise the learning that has taken place within the classroom but they give your child the opportunity to explore and extend their understanding of what is being taught in a completely different environment. This helps bring leaning to life!

New Home, Too Much Space: Tips For Furnishing A Larger Property

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For most families, the need for more space is one of the most significant influencing factors on the decision to move home. However, while more living space will always be appreciated, the initial stages of making the most of a larger property can actually be a little trickier than you may expect.

How To Identify Your Child’s Learning Style

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As parents we are actively keen to support our children’s development as best we can in order for them to reach their full potential and for them to experience success. The question is, how can you identify your child’s learning style in order to best support their learning journey? 

A private school in New York have put together the following information and advice to help.

Why Are The Foundations Of Your Home So Important?

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Just like in relationships or family life, solid and well-built foundations are vital to the strength and durability of your home.

The foundations of a home are important for a number of reasons; they support the weight of the building, they provide strength against the elements and they help to isolate the structure of the building from any moisture in the ground.

In order to protect your home from damage and maintain its value, it is essential that your home is built upon a strong foundation. 

Read on to learn more about the importance of house foundations from the experts at Screwfast Foundations Limited…

Why You Should Install Outdoor Lighting

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There are many benefits to adding outdoor lighting to your home. Outdoor lighting can help to improve the safety and security of your property, as well as extend the use of your garden well into the night.

Read on to learn more about the benefits of outdoor lighting from the team of expert designers at Inspyer Lighting …

The Benefits of Artificial Grass

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Grass is a beautiful feature to any garden; however it is also high maintenance and sensitive to changing weather conditions. This is why artificial grass is becoming such a popular choice for many homeowners, especially parents who don't have the time to mow! If you’d like a low-maintenance lawn that looks fantastic all year round, then artificial grass could be the answer!

Here we take a look at some of the many benefits of artificial grass….

How to Study Medicine at University

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The NHS has been a big part of our families lives. Caring for my sister and her premature twins, our fertility treatment and Mum's cancer treatments have all shaped and changed our family. Throw in fixing of breaks and sprains, hip and knee replacements, and our family has definitely had our share of NHS care and treatments!

What if you or your child decide to study medicine?

Summer Crafting Essentials

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With the summer holidays just around the corner, many parents are probably wondering how they’re going to keep their little ones entertained every day for six weeks. Of course, if the weather permits, summer is a great time to explore the great outdoors, visit the seaside and have picnics in the park.

Summer is also a good opportunity to get creative with the kids, especially on days when the sun lets us down. Here are some great tools you’ll need if you plan on exploring your artistic talents with your children this summer:

Understanding the Key Stage 4 Curriculum

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If you’re a parent, there have probably been many occasions where you’ve reflected on everything you’re supposed to know about your child’s education and its left you feeling quite overwhelmed. Maybe you and your little ones are getting ready for Reception like we were last year, or maybe they'll be prepping for SATS or GCSE's, either way it can be hard to know how to best support your child through the process. With a big step for your child's future being GCSE's, I have teamed up with a Sixth Form in Hertfordshire to help parents of Key Stage 4 aged students so that they can have a better understanding of the overall curriculum and how it works.

Tidy Stuff - Toy Car Storage

We've all got 'stuff'. Whether it be books, shoes, handbags, collectables or toys, a house can soon become cluttered. A good declutter is often the way to reduce down the stuff in your home but parting with things can be hard.

Personally, I'm a fan of the Marie Kondo method and if it hasn't got a use or doesn't 'spark joy' it goes either to be recycled, upcycled, donated or binned. But what about the stuff you're left with? How do we store it and where do we keep it?

Well, my tidy stuff posts provide the answers and we've already covered how to store bras, keeping the cupboard under the sink tidy and the best ways to clean and store Lego. Now it's time for toy cars! 

Toy cars provide our little boy with hours of fun but he has hundreds, mostly hand me downs from Daddy and they can easily be untidy! So, how do we keep toy cars tidy? Here's some ideas!

I've Launched An Etsy Store!!

We've had a lot going on recently and part of that is that I've been quietly working on a little side business. I'd been considering creating an Etsy store for a while and have had one in the past when I was making candles. 

My idea for a new Etsy store though was a little different and I wanted to provide cute and funny printables. Prints that I create but buyers can print at home. 

5 Father's Day Gift Ideas

I've already shared the personalised gift we've bought for the Daddy of our house, along with three craft ideas, but if you're still a little stuck as to what to get Daddy for Father's Day here's five gift ideas. 

3 Easy Crafts You Can Make For Father's Day

Father's Day is just around the corner! If you're on a budget or just looking for a handmade gift, here's three Father's Day crafts that you can make with the kids!

Starting with a special canvas.

June Giveaway!

It's a brand new month, so it's time for a new giveaway! I've picked this one specially for the Disney fans among you!

I recently discovered that 2019 brings a big anniversary for one of my favourite Disney movies! The Little Mermaid is celebrating 30 years since it's US release. Can you believe we had to wait a whole year for our favourite mermaid to swim over to us in the UK, as it wasn't released here until October the following year!!

The adventures of Ariel and her friends were a huge success all around the world and she remains to be a favourite princess for many. 

For a little celebration I'm giving away two books that tie-in to The Little Mermaid.

Reliving The 90s With The Spice Girls!

Flashback to the 90s..........the Spice Girls are the biggest band on the planet, we all have our favourite Backstreet Boy and mousse in our hair. Scrunchies are a big deal. The boys want to be David Beckham and we want to date him (a la Posh Spice). You might have even had a pair of platform trainers!!

Clueless is the biggest lighthearted movie of the decade and we all wanted Cher's rotating wardrobe! Quentin Tarantino delivers hit after hit, and then there's big action movies with Speed and the groundbreaking The Matrix. Se7en, well that scarred us all for life.

The whole country went football crazy during Euro 96 and football star Gary Lineker went from England squad to selling us our favourite crisps.

Being at comprehensive school during the 90s meant my time was spent with my best girls, making up dance routines, picking which Spice Girl I was going to be that day. I really, really wanted to be in a girl band! We wrote songs, picked band names and our line up changed regularly. Members mostly left when they discovered boys!! 

Flash forward to 2019 and the Spice Girls have returned for us once again and to celebrate they've teamed up with Walkers to find their greatest fans!

The Importance of Outdoor Learning

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Outdoor learning offers a variety of benefits to young children and it’s undeniably an essential part of their education. Most importantly, it teaches children that learning can happen both inside and outside of the classroom; there is something to learn in everything around us. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum actually insists on outdoor experiences on a daily basis. Taunton School explore the advantages of outdoor learning below. 

May Giveaway

I'm sure I say this most months but where does the time go? We've had a lot going on lately and all of a sudden it's half term, nearly the end of May and we're half way through the year!

Realising it's so late in the month I thought I'd skip May's giveaway, but then I spotted these cute little books from The Works. 

Personalised Father's Day Gifts With I Just Love It

Regular readers will know I love a good gift. Whether it be unique or thoughtful, I always put a lot of effort into my gift buying.

Big birthdays, Christmas, and since becoming parents, Mother's Day and Father's Day are a big deal for us. With Father's Day just around the corner I was keen to find something special for the Daddy of our house. So, when I Just Love It reached out to me I was excited to see what they have to offer. 

Created in 2008, I Just Love It offer a range of gifts with a personal touch for the special people in your life. Asked to pick an item from their Father's Day range I had a scout round their website and found the perfect gift for Father's Day! This personalised garden beer trug!

5 Ways To Show Appreciation To Your Child’s Teachers

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Teachers spend every day of their lives shaping the future of our young people. They work hard for their students to help them grow and develop by encouraging and influencing them throughout their education. With this in mind, it’s hugely important for students and their parents to show gratitude towards teachers so that they know how much they are appreciated. This is particularly important at the end of the academic year, when many students move into different tutor groups or even different schools altogether. I have teamed up with St Catherine’s School to prepare the following list of ways you can show teachers you appreciate them.

Dining Room Design Ideas

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Dining rooms can be a little tricky. Ideally, you want to have enough space for everyone to eat comfortably, maybe with space for extra guests, and in most cases child friendly. But when it comes to upgrading your dining room, where do you start?

How To Budget For A Day At The Disney Parks

We all know that going to Disney is expensive. Whether it be Disneyland Paris or Walt Disney World Florida a day in the parks can be expensive. A Casey's Corner hot dog here, a Mickey cookie there and the odd bit of cotton candy all add up. 

Picking The Best Broadband Deal For Your Family

Whether or not we’d like to admit it, the internet is a huge part of our lives. Breaking news, social media, gaming, shopping, so much of our lives are powered by getting online.

4 Signs Your Child Is Unhappy At School

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Life can be full of ups and downs; everyone can feel unhappy sometimes including our children. It can be extremely worrying when you are unsure how your children are feeling especially when they are away from you at nursery or school. 

Easy Ways We're Practicing Phonics

Starting school can be a big transition for children and learning to read and write is a big part of that. Many children find it easy to to get to grips with their new learning experience but lots find it hard.

5 Ways To Reduce Your Weekly Shopping Bill

The cost of your weekly shop can soon add up and we've cut down lots on our budget since I went self employed. In this post I'm sharing five ways you can reduce your weekly shopping bill.

19 Books For 2019 - Mumboss by Vicki Psarias

At the beginning of the year I made a promise to myself that over 2019 I would read 19 books. To be honest it hasn't exactly got off to the best start!

I've read one! But one is a start, right? 

Being unwell recently, along with a few nights away in the caravan, have forced me to put down my phone, sit down and enjoy a little read.

Clear Signs You Are Ready To Invest In Property

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As you all know I'm a bit addicted to the Rightmove scroll! Lately, though the reason for this has changed a little. Yes, I'd love to move to a bigger house but we've decided that if we do move it has to be THE move to the home of dreams. The reason that I continue to scroll is we are seriously considering buying a property to rent out. 

This will be what I deem a super grown-up move for us, but I already know from my previous employment within the housing sector that taking on an investment property is not something to be done lightly.

5 Ways I Manage My Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a strange illness. One day your fine and the next you're off your feet, hardly able to move. Bad days can vary from migraines to stiff joints, IBS to exhaustion, and it takes a while to get yourself feeling normal again.

Having suffered with Fibro for a couple of years, I have a couple of ways I help to manage the chronic pain and illness that it brings with it. 

The Breastfeeding Journey That Never Was

Breast is best. Fed is best. Bottles share the parenting load. Combo feeding is better in the long run.

When you're pregnant a lot of these statements are thrown around. Whether it be friends, family, your midwife or Barbara who lives down the road and you sometimes see in Tesco, everyone has an opinion on breastfeeding. Modern approaches, traditional methods, when I was pregnant with JJ I heard every single one of them!

But what if you want to breastfeed and you simply can't? 

Our Favourite Baby & Toddler Books

We love a good book and since JJ was a tiny tot he's loved being read to. Whether it be at home or nursery, out and about or at Granny's, he will often have a book with him. We even have a selection of his favourite books in our caravan for when we're away!

Like many kids though, JJ would get obssessed with a book and we would read it over and over for a week. This lead me to create our Book of the Week posts, where I shared our current obsession and there's some very random choices.