Seven Year Hitch

Great gifts for your seasonal host

2013-12-18T13:36:00.000+00:00

I am well and truly over the school run, after-school activities and sensible bed times. With just a week to go to the Big Day, I’m already dreaming of mornings spent in my PJs surrounded by wrapping paper and slightly hazy afternoons filled with family and friends.

Since this year I don’t need to be basting a turkey and wrapping pigs in blankets on Xmas morning, I’m feeling rather relaxed about the whole affair (although it is true that my Christmas cards are still sitting stamp-less on the sofa, and there’s unwrapped presents shoved in every hidey-hole I could think of). My main concern now is to source some rather lovely gifts to give to the hosts of the yuletide and New Year gatherings that I’m lucky enough to be invited to. And since, in true relaxed style, I’ve left it too late to order online, I’m heading off to the Great British High Street to do some last minute shopping…

Literally drooling at my keyboard Hotel Chocolat!

If there’s one place I can’t pass by without drooling it is British cocoa grower and chocolatier Hotel Chocolat. And have you seen its range of Xmassy gifts? (Look away now if you have no willpower…). As well as the best type of Christmas cracker I’ve even seen (contains 40 chocolates rather than plastic moustaches and dubious fortune-telling fish), it also offers a Festive Wreath with cookies and Florentines embedded into its chocolaty circle and a dark chocolate gianduja log studded with hazelnuts and pistachios. For a New Year gathering you might want to consider the Chocolate Dipping Adventure, a selection box of its tantalising chocs – or even cocoa gin (right now, I’m pretty much considering all of those things…mmmmmm).

If there’ll be plenty of corks popping when you’re partying, why not consider some gifts to help out your bubbly host? Lakeland offers a champagne opener, a ‘bubbly bung’ (in case you leave any bottles unfinished??), as well as Caviar d'Arôme and Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup (to add to the fizz and give it that little bit extra). And if you’re up for a bit of fun, why not take along a bottle of Blue Nun Sparkling Gold, a glitzy white wine with flecks of 22 Carat gold leaves to get the party started (available from Rhythm & Booze stores nationwide or in mini-bottles from ASDA).

Christmas cheer in a glass!

If your host is more tea and cakes than champers and canapés, perhaps a trip to Cath Kidston might be in order (the brand has been with us for 20 years now, how did that happen)? With china ranges including 3-tier cake stands and ‘proper’ tea cups and saucer sets, you can’t fail to impress any hostess with the mostess (plus you can buy some ‘Stanley’ shortbread biscuits – yum!). Joules also offers some lovely kitchenware – with the badger and fox designs bringing a touch of tongue-in-cheek country to any home.

If you want to pamper the lady of the house that you’ve checked into, head to John Lewis. The store is awash with luxury gifts, not least its selection of candles, which includes Jo Malone, Dipytique and Cochine offerings. In the beauty hall you can choose from the top brands which will help melt away hostess stress – everything from Liz Earle, Elemis, Rodial and Bare Minerals. Swoon! If you want to take your beauty gift to cult level, head to Space NK – something like the Georgia Louise Lift and Sculpt Butterfly Stone will set your gift apart from any other. I dare you to get in and out of that shop without buying something for yourself too!!

You will be invited back

So with all this shopping to do, I should probably stop blogging and get buying! If you have time to comment in the box below, I’d love to know which gift you’d choose! Right now, I’m off to the shops – and probably the post box too…

Does your Christmas tree have the balls?

2013-12-11T14:55:00.001+00:00

This week I have mostly been teaching my two girls what testicles are. Why on earth…? I hear you cry. Well, for a start it stops any more awkward questions about how Santa makes it around the world in just one night, how he monitors nice/naughty behaviour and why there are just soooo many look-a-likes about the place (they are his cousins, in case you were wondering). But more importantly, it is because a shiny, red pair of testicles came through my front door last weekend.

C'mon, who wouldn't want a pair of balls for their tree?

Fret not, I was expecting them! These very special ‘Bauballs’ are part of a seasonal campaign by Orchid, the UK’s leading charity focussed exclusively on male specific cancers. Once out of their presentation box, the Bauballs can take pride of place on your tree – and serve as a little reminder that a quick self-exam can help catch testicular cancer in the early stages (98% of men that are treated in this stage will make a full recovery). The boxed balls make an ideal stocking filler for your man – and a great Secret Santa gift. With a suggested donation of £5, the Bauballs are available from House of Fraser stores and online. One hundred per cent of the donations go to Orchid.

This pose requires a Barbie with bendy knees

But where does Mummy come into this equation you may ask? Well, I think we all know the stats about how men with partners are generally healthier, and that men tend to leave serious health issues for too long (and yet are quite happy to go to town on the Man Flu thing). So, inside the Bauball box you will also find a little leaflet with some info on how to check for signs of testicular cancer (lumps, swelling, firmness, pain, fluid accumulation, a dull ache or heaviness). And it includes a paragraph about making the check that bit more fun. Just make sure the kids are in bed first.

It's more fun with a friend

And I understand that lots of kiddies are only too happy to get into bed on Christmas Eve...

There's a space for your comments below of course (don't leave me dangling!).

Santa doesn't always ride a sleigh...

2013-12-05T13:23:00.001+00:00

Unbelievably my first Christmas outing was not the BritMums do I wrote about last week (despite the fact that it was still only November then!). Just the day before, I took part in a charity Santa Dash. Yes, I ran 5k dressed in a full Father Christmas suit (beard and all) – and then afterwards ate a mince pie as festive tunes played in the background. I have to say, it was a perfect way to start the season and I can only hope (and yet think it is unlikely) that the rest of my Yuletide is as virtuous!

The Thames Hospice Santa Dash with Bracknell Forest mayor Councillor Jan Angel

The tradition of Santa Dashes (and sometimes accompanying Reindeer Runs for children) is alive and well up and down the country. On any given weekend in November and December you are likely to see a sack (the best collective noun I could come up with...) of Santas pounding pavements and braving the elements in big cities like London, Liverpool, Brighton, Exeter and Glasgow as well as more low-key locations like the one I did in Swinley Forest, Bracknell. The Santa runs do all have one thing in common though – they raise much-needed funds for deserving charities through sponsorship. The one I attended was in aid of Thames Hospice, which provides treatment and support for terminally-ill adults, and those that love and care for them.

A warm welcome

If you’ve ever had a loved one die from a serious illness, you know that is can be a long and painful process – for the patient and their friends and family. My paternal Aunt died from cancer when she was in her early fifties. For many patients facing the end of their life, like she did, simple things like male and female wards and private rooms can make a difference. People want to retain their dignity and independence as far as they can, and often have concerns about how and where they will spend those last precious days. The NHS is sometimes unable to provide the type of care desired to everyone that needs it.

Santa's little helper ready for his run

Thames Hospice runs a 17-bed unit in Windsor, with consultants, doctors, nurses, therapists and social workers, and a Community Therapy Unit for day services including social and support programmes and clinics. It also offers its free-of-charge and vital services in people’s homes – and is available 365 days of the year. But expert nursing and medical care – and supporting the physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs of patients during their illness – does not come cheap. Fundraisers and donors raise the £5.5m each year to ensure this compassionate approach to palliative care can continue. It makes running for half an hour in beautiful surroundings seem very much like the easy option.

My support team

Christmas is an ideal time to think about how we might help others, and a Santa run, while helping to fundraise for a worthy cause, is a fun festive event that allows those of us in good health to make the most of it. The way I look at it, everyone’s a winner!

If you’d like to donate to Thames Hospice, my JustGiving fundraising page is still open.

My medal doubles as a tree decoration too

Have you recently taken part in a charity event? Want to get up off the Christmas couch and do something more strenuous than pull a cracker? Leave a comment and let me know which charity events are important to you.

It’s 5pm shomewhere…

2013-12-02T13:40:00.001+00:00

Yay to me – it’s only November and I have been to my first Christmas party of the year. And there was wine even though it was barely 11am (but shurely it’s 5pm shomewhere right?). And excuse me while I hashtag all over the place, but this was blogger central – the #BritMumsXmasDo – a jolly affair where bloggers could come out from behind their keyboards (touchscreens?) and enjoy the festivities courtesy of Morrisons.

Barbie gets right into introducing herself

Maybe it was the cosy lighting, maybe it was the wine and the good company – or maybe it was a Christmas combo of all these things – but it was a great way to kick off the festive season, not least because I overhead the following funnies…

‘Bloggers don't eat anything they haven’t photographed first’

These little biscuits wore their disco pants...

When I walked into the event – it was as if someone had screamed ‘don’t touch the food’ a few moments before I’d got there (they didn’t – in fact they were saying quite the opposite!!). The room was awash with appreciative ‘ooos’ and ‘aaahs’ as bloggers carefully circled the Christmassy treats enticingly laid out on central tables. But no one touched a thing until all the required images had been captured (and in some cases immediately uploaded to Twitter), because Bloggers like to look real hard – and take pictures. The star attractions included Ronnie The Reindeer Cake (£7.99), the already erected Make Your Own Gingerbread House kits (£4.99), the Super-Sized CandyCanes (£3) and the cute little Disco Pants biscuits (£2). Not that I stopped there, as there was also goodies like a Yule log, pretzels, ‘Pigs & Blankets’ and Panettone loaf that needed a good sampling (for research purposes I tell ya). I even snaffled some chocolate coins for my kids.

The Barbies do love an ice bucket

‘Butter and turkey should be married’

The ~~man~~ main attraction of the day was Neil Nugent, Morrisons’ Executive Chef and Head of Product Development. Nugent personally signed off 972 Xmas products this year, and was on hand to tell us how to cook a perfect Christmas meal. The biggest blunder is overcooking the turkey he said. To avoid this, get your bird out of the fridge a few hours before cooking so it doesn’t go into the oven cold, shake your turkey to open it up and to ensure even cooking, then get some soft (but not melted) butter under the skin (access should be from the neck end). Rather controversially he then went on to say don’t stuff it, and don’t truss it and NEVER use foil (because that steams it silly). Allow 20 minutes then 20 minutes per kg after that for cooking time and when its stretch is up use a basic probe to check for cold spots (like the armpits next to the bone).If all’s well, let your turkey rest, and the juices will make it easier to carve.

'Ronnie' didn't stand a chance against a hoard of hungry bloggers

Nugent was similarly provocative with his views on spuds, declaring ‘never boil a potato’ to the room (on the basis that the outside cooks quicker than the inside).You can’t go wrong with a Maris Piper apparently, and when you are ready to roast, dust a bit of semolina on your part-cooked potatoes for that professional edge. He was happy to recommend preparing accompaniments like veg, bread sauce and gravy base ahead of the day itself. And finally, I must add, that Nugent was ‘poached’ from Waitrose (seriously, who doesn’t love a foodie pun?).

‘That’s actually not for eating’

After a few glasses of a rather smooth Saint-Veran, I felt even more relaxed about testing the tables teeming with festive food. That is when I spied the three different types of Christmas pud from the M Signature line on display. That’s interesting I thought to myself, I’ve never really compared different types of those, I wonder if I’d prefer the Candy Apple-encrusted one – or the Jewelled Fruit? So, locating a rather large fork, I dug in. I was just savouring said desserts when one of the food stylists (who were lovely incidentally) subtly informed me that the puds weren’t cooked and that I probably wouldn’t want to eat them. MY BAD! Of course I knew you have to cook Christmas pudding, of course I did… (it tasted good and I’m fine by the way, so in case of a zombie apocalypse and all you’ve got to eat is Morrisons uncooked Christmas pudding, dig in).

Barbie...putting the 'no' into Noel

Well, all’s well that ends well, and indeed I left armed with a goodie bag of tasty treats, feeling like this Christmas party thing is rather fun. I met some lovely bloggers I’d not come across before – like Mummy Endeavours, who has 4 children including twins, Steph’s Two Girls, who started her blog as a diary after a diagnosis of autism for her younger daughter, and Ali Clifford from Kids Chaos (every parent knows how that blog got that name!). I hope I’ll bump into them again on and off line!

The Barbies made time to try out some new Morrisons outfits

So, have you started to party yet? Did you hang your decorations this weekend – or do you prefer to wait until we are well into December before you get that Christmas jumper out (come on you know you want to)?

All dogs go to heaven

2013-11-20T12:40:00.001+00:00

This week my mum’s old dog died. In his prime, he was a handsome Show Champion with the world at his paws. But lately he hadn’t been too steady on those paws, and while his golden heart and his spirit were still strong, Merkel could no longer stand long enough to get himself to the garden when he needed to. Drugs were no longer keeping his aches and pains from arthritis at bay and it was time to let him go.

Merkel was my eldest daughter’s favourite dog. She has a large printout of a photo of her proudly walking him (recall whistle around her neck) on her bedroom door. Telling her he had been put to sleep broke my heart a little – and the news naturally made her bury her head in her pillow too. She is sad that his is gone – but accepting that he had got older and weaker, and that sometimes the kinder thing is to say goodbye before a loved pet suffers.

Brothers and sisters, I bid you beware, Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.

The Power of the Dog - Kipling

Behind him, however, he leaves a legacy. As well as children, grandchildren and great, great grandchildren (!) across the countryside he will always be the first dog my daughter loved. Although as a Hungarian Vizsla, Merkel was medium to large build, he was very gentle and biddable. When he curled up in front of the fire he took his blankie with him, and sucked either that or his toe. He always had a soft toy with him too – which he displayed proudly to anyone he could. He thoroughly enjoyed playing with the puppies born in his house – and offered whelping bitches respite as their offspring tested out their teeth on his ears. He was always pleased to see two-legged guests too and let my children walk, lead and play with him, sitting, fetching and returning as they commanded.

It is often said that alongside health benefits, such as reducing allergies and stress and increasing time spent outdoors, pets offer children the opportunity to learn about responsibility and nurturing – and ultimately about loss too. These lessons are life skills that will prove invaluable as they grow older. But Merkel taught my girls so much more than that. He taught them to be generous with both enthusiasm and love – and for that alone, he will always be cherished.

Rest in peace you fine old man.

It’s beginning to look at lot like Christmas

2013-11-15T12:44:00.000+00:00

Anyone else feeling it yet? Trying to hold back from getting up in the loft for those decorations? Spotting the perfect presents for your nearest and dearest? Feeling just slightly overwhelmed by juggling family, school and work commitments as you write festive dates in your diary? Well thanks to Yellow Moon, Holburn House has well and truly kicked off Christmas with some Yuletide crafting.

NEW!! - Watch the video here

In our house, we have two Christmas trees. The one I control, which must be themed, co-ordinated and PERFECT – and the one the kids are allowed to touch. I’m not usually such an interiors Nazi (one look at the new porch will tell you that, it’s just a dumping ground), so to avoid tears (and let’s be clear about this, I mean mine) a little while ago I invested in a kid-sized tree that the girls could easily reach and hang their own ‘decorations’ on, any way they want (usually all on one side, with no thought to colour or co-ordination – there I go again…). Ideally it would have two points – so that they can both choose exactly what goes on the top – but it mostly allows them free reign and independence.

Some finished items - for their tree...

At the start of December, we always head off to The Tree Barn at the aptly-named Christmas Common. This local haunt is the stuff of Xmas dreams – the sort of place where you actually see families walking out carrying huge trees fresh from the farm, Dad at the front, kids at the rear, all bundled up in winter woollies and wellies. Inside you will find huge trees decorated in themes (as it should be) – with everything you need to recreate the look beneath. Alongside the real trees, wreaths and mistletoe offered outside, the barn itself also has tinsel, baubles, twinkly lights, stockings, cards, nativity scenes, novelty Christmas gifts, crackers – basically the whole shebang! I love it. The kids get to choose a decoration each, and I slowly but surely add to my haul of festive embellishments. This year, I will mostly be buying lights for outside the new porch...

The Tree Barn - where the trees are themed (because there is no other way).

As well as these carefully chosen pieces however, this year my children will also unleash upon the tree some rather impressive ceramic decorations they have crafted themselves. Using special porcelain pens (some pearlised, others with glitter) from Yellow Moon, the girls were able to beautify some ceramic tree decorations and baubles – with rather impressive results (bar the pen marks on the leggings, my bad!).

The plain tree ornaments arrived safely-packaged among boxes and polystyrene (which I will re-use to pack them away for years to come) – and were met with squeals of delight as I revealed each design. Negotiations quickly commenced about who got to decorate what (but at £4.99 for 6, you could easily get a couple of packs). The plain baubles sent the older one into a flurry of paper-design ideas (I think pre-planning is something school is teaching her) – and had me itching to demand a turn. I seriously think adults would enjoy decorating them – like going to those kiddie pottery places in the evening and painting a plate while sipping on Sauvignon…

The Yellow Moon baubles

Anyway, messy fun soon commenced and the decorations and baubles are now fully (FULLY!) festooned with pictures, blocks of colour and wiggly writing. I look forward to getting them out each year – especially when the girls are older and splodgy hand prints and glitter are well behind them – when all I'll have left is my memories (sob).

All in all, it was a great way to spend a winters afternoon warming up for Christmas – and triggered an immediate need for mince pies! The girls have made some lovely additions to our haul of Yuletide trimmings, and it really got me in the mood for festive fun. How many sleeps ‘til Santa?

Are you counting down the days - or are you saying bah humbug to it all? Let me know in the comment box below.

The nice people at Yellow Moon provided my kids with the sample items used in this blog. I mention The Tree Barn because it's my happy place.

Dubai gets the seal of approval...

2013-11-07T12:49:00.000+00:00

My younger daughter has two defining characteristics: she will not walk if she can convince someone to carry her (enter stage left Daddy) and she likes a clean toilet. She REALLY likes a clean toilet. She will not use a loo if the previous occupant has not flushed, if there’s debris on the floor (paper, empty loo rolls), if it is dark, cold or wet, if there is any chance of spiders inhabiting it or it is a compost loo (found that one out while we were ‘wild’ camping).

Princesses don't have to walk when there's a camel around...

As such, you might think that travelling with her would prove difficult. Well not if you happen to be going to spend a week with family in Dubai. Because Dubai has the poshest, most plentiful public WCs I’ve happened across. And I’ve happened across a lot – and can claim to have used what is thought to be the ‘highest toilet in the world’ in Potala, Lhasa (I might add it is three hundred years old!!).

But of course, that’s not a reason in itself to take the kids to Dubai…there’s lots of other ways to entertain them in one of the fastest growing cities on earth.

Let’s go to the mall
The average kid would not opt to spend a holiday shopping – but in Dubai a mall is so much more that a collection of glittering shops (that mummy would dearly loved to have gone in – sob). In fact in Dubai, these impressive air-conditioned feats of architecture don’t just offer an impressive range of shops and eateries, but compete to keep you entertained for the whole day – with everything from huge aquariums, ski slopes, ice rinks, cinemas, theatres and gyms. Dubai Mall is the world’s largest (they are big on world records over there) but each and every one has something to entice you in. The Malls are also a meeting place for the locals – and for the expat community – so offer great people-watching potential too, when your legs (or those smaller ones accompanying you) have tired and you need to take respite in say, Starbucks, Costa, Carluccio’s or Baskin Robbins (yes, every single brand you can think of has a presence in Dubai!).

Candylicious is the one shop the kids were happy to go in...

Water, water everywhere

Hot weather is great and so is sand, but a dessert climate without water is no fun at all, so I can see why everywhere you go in Dubai you happen across impressive fountains and water features (there’s a massive one in the airport for a start). There are also a ton of swimming pools and acres and acres of beautiful beaches with soft white sand and sunsets to die for.

If you want to see the crème de la crème of fountains, head to the Dubai Fountain (watch them here) located in front of the Burj Khalifa (the tallest building in the world obvs), and set on a 30-acre manmade lake. Several times a day (and every 30 minutes in the evening) the illuminated fountains will ‘dance’ to music, shooting water up as high as 500 ft (150 metres). It’s like fireworks without the loud bangs and chance you might need eye surgery.

And if you want to soak up some sun but also like a decent shower afterwards and more privacy than a poorly-placed towel affords head to the Jumeirah Beach Park (part beach, part park), which offers clean toilets (!) and dressing rooms, a swimming pool, volleyball courts, play areas, picnic tables, a barbecue area and food outlets, as well as a jetty area fronting on to the lifeguarded beach (check which days are ladies-only though – unless you are an all-female group of course). And the sea there is warmer than some baths I’ve had…

Playing in the sand at sunset...

Up the Creek

Another great place to spend a day with kids is The Dubai Creek Park. This historic focal point is now a large, open space with plenty of room for children to roam (if it’s not too hot). There are plenty of picnic areas, bikes to rent, a train and a cable car. You can also take a boat ride to see some more authentic sights. Within the park you can also visit the Dolphinarium for regular shows or even to swim with the dolphins, and Children’s City – a hands-on museum come discovery centre where children can investigate and learn about the world in various galleries and a planetarium.

Toilet-humour aside, what would your child’s ideal holiday location be? Disneyland? Somewhere with a beach? Up a mountain? Up in space? And how does that differ from what you would choose? Let me know in the comment box below.

Birthdays: the things my children have taught me...

2013-10-24T12:15:00.002+01:00

Alongside Halloween, October holds one extra treat for me. Yep, it’s my birthday month – and I do like to celebrate (anything, at all, at any time). But having kids has opened my eyes to a whole new approach to that most special of days…

A minute on the lips, but a lifetime on the hips Babs...

Make your demands clear

A bit like Christmas once there’s just a heap of wrapping paper on the floor and you’ve eaten too many mince pies, birthdays can be a bit of a disappointment. Maybe all you got was a tea towel and a card with a joke about getting old. To avoid this scenario, you have to make your expectations of the big day clear to your nearest and dearest – CRYSTAL CLEAR. If you don’t, you’ve only yourself to blame. So, if you’re scared of clowns, balloons or birthday candles, tell your birthday slave/s before the big day, and if you want to eat off a Tinkerbell plate tell that special someone (maybe even right after your previous birthday finishes so they have plenty of time to organise it) in a loud, demanding voice.

Age is just a number

For a child each and every birthday means they are older, bigger, better. I’m not sure when that stops for an adult, but it’s too late for me to pretend I’m the right side of 40 (I was silly enough to have a big party, so everyone remembers – well remembers the start of the evening anyhow…). So, just like my kids I don’t make a secret of my age – and would willingly wear a princess-fairy-Peppa Pig birthday badge for all to see (if only they made them for my age!). Without that badge, how is anyone going to know I’m special??????

Stop pretending to be 'down with the kids' Barbie, you're 54 for goodness sake!

Let everyone else do the work

From watching my children I have learnt that when it’s your birthday, to prove their enduring love everyone precious in your life must work hard to ensure your day is perfect. In fact they should make sure your ACTUAL day is special – and ideally also make sure the weekend located closest to your birthday is ALSO special – maybe by throwing a party. Other things that your nearest and dearest may want to do to show you how special you are include: baking and decorating an extravagant cake to exacting specifications, showering you with gifts, inviting all your friends round to trash the house – and then tidy all the mess away, decorating the house inside and out with tokens of affection, collating a gift registry, filling the cupboards with your favourite foods. Really the list is endless. There are so many ways to show a person you love them. And you should expect to witness them all.

Come out of the ice bucket NOW!

Eat cake

Yes, birthdays are not exactly healthy days. Alongside the cake you have specified (exactly), birthdays must also include five varieties of crisps, jammy dodgers, popcorn, ice cream and sweets. You and your friends needn’t eat all the food provided, but it must be there in case you fancy just eating a bit of it – or piling it all onto your plate to look at. When you have tired of eating/not eating these birthday delicacies, have birthday slaves tidy it away into a dustbin sack (but not while you are watching, since that can be upsetting).

Clear your schedule

Birthdays are mega important. And arrangements can change, the weather can be unpredictable and illnesses such as chicken pox can devastate guest lists. If you want to achieve other things around the same time as your birthday – or if those people lucky enough to be celebrating your birthday with you have anything else to do other than care for you and your needs – it’s best to get it done before the actual birthday, so that if plans go awry there is plenty of room to maneuverer. For example, on your birthday, you might have planned to drop the kids at school, head off to the gym, take a daytime bath, cruise around a luxury supermarket and purchase your day’s delights, perhaps have a chilled glass of chilled bubbly with your lunch and generally relax. And then you might find that instead your youngest is off school and you are stuck trying to write a blog with CBeebies on in the background…

Seriously life? Seriously?

How do you like to spend your birthday? What have countless kiddie parties taught you about celebrating that special day? If you have a birthday story please share it below (think of it as your present to me). Or just blow me a virtual birthday kiss. Cheers!!

The Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre

2013-10-17T13:26:00.001+01:00

Every now and again the parenting planets align perfectly. And so it was last Sunday, when having seen the weekend weather forecast, we dutifully completed the autumn scavenger hunt homework on a lovely sunny Saturday – and then had a fabulous time dodging the downpour that was Sunday at The Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre.

Find out the stories behind the stories...

Both my girls love books and writing. And of course, mummy has a bit of a vested interest in making sure that love continues at the very least as a hobby, if not into something more as they grow older (no pressure girls). And rather co-incidentally they are both being read Dahl stories in class at the moment (Matilda for the Year 3 child, and The Twits for the Year 1 kiddo). Since this award-winning venue had been in the back of my mind for a while, and I knew that heading outdoors would not be much fun, Sunday seemed the perfect time to head over to Great Missenden and explore.

Not sure Roald would have fitted in around here...

For us it was a 40 minute drive, and perhaps we were rather lucky to get a parking spot on the High Street right outside the museum. We arrived a little earlier than the 11am (Sunday) opening time but the very lovely staff were happy to let us in from the cold – and seemed genuinely interested in why we had come along. The same helpful people popped up here and there as we made our way around the museum – pointing out some of the things to see and do. At that point it hadn’t occurred to me that I would blog about the Museum, but I basically felt like we had been mistaken for VIPs (I should probably take off that fake press pass I made myself…).

Making up stories...like a boss

The museum’s website suggests that a visit will usually last up to 90 minutes, but I’m not sure why, as we managed 4 hours… As well as some well-illustrated information about Roald’s early life (he was a bit of a handful by all accounts!) and his time in the RAF, there are plenty of things to touch and explore in the two main galleries of the museum (plus they smell of chocolate!). You’ll learn about the inspiration for many of Dahl’s well-loved stories and characters. Quentin Blake illustrations abound!

Hands on

And then you arrive at the Story Centre – where it all gets hands-on crazy! As well as story sacks containing all you need to re-enact favourite tales such as Fantastic Mr Fox, there are interactive video screens and some very imaginative story-prompting ideas. There’s also a mock-up of the writing space Dahl crafted for himself, and you can sit in his chair and see if inspiration strikes!!

The man himself

At the back of the story centre was a well-equipped and brightly-decorated crafts area – modelled on George’s Marvellous Medicine. Kids were literally being dragged out of there kicking and screaming as there was so much to do! And I’m not sure I’d like to be the one to tidy up at the end of the day – let’s just say there were sequins, lots of sequins, and lots of children playing with those sequins.

Before the kids got there...

The other main highlight of the visit was the regular story-telling that went on in Miss Honey’s Classroom. Our youngest went to listen to the impressively dramatic staff (drama school anyone?) three, yes three, times. Audience participation was also encouraged, if you feel your inner-thespian calling…

We had our lunch in the Café Twit, while we pondered exactly why the wall illustrations were upside down (you need to know what the monkeys did…) – which offered freshly-made food but was overcrowded because the weather meant the lovely courtyard tables were out of use. And of course we also spent some time in the gift shop, where I did get a bit of Xmas shopping done (and we were all allowed a bar of Wonka chocolate due to good behaviour).

I am the size of a 'complete Wonka' (I looked it up on their chart...)

All in all, I can’t recommend this Museum enough. I think kids do need to be above 5 to really appreciate it (under that age and they actually get in free) – and familiar with the stories too. Dry weather would also mean you can have lunch in the courtyard and go off on one of the nearby trails that take you around the pretty village of Great Missenden and through the stunning Chiltern countryside that Dahl grew up in (including a visit to his graveside where you’ll find the footprints of a certain BFG…).

Have you been to the Museum – and did your family enjoy it? Are you down with Dahl – and if so, which is your favourite title? Let me know in the comment box below – and it would be great if you could recommend other places to dodge the upcoming winter weather!

Halloween Party Giveaway!

2013-10-09T11:33:00.004+01:00

Yay! It’s October. I like October. As well as half term (or as I like to think of it, a whole week of lie-ins), this month I get to indulge my penchant for fancy dress with that spookiest time of the year – Halloween. Years ago, Halloween came and went without much fuss, but now you can throw a kiddie shindig that all the little devils in your life will love – and go that little bit crazy with costumes, decorating the house and other party fun.

Dressing for the part

Wanna look freaky for trick or treating? Well, the good news is that Seven Year Hitch has some ghoulish giveaways to help you have a very Happy Halloween indeed! First up, let me introduce you to ‘Snot The Zombie’ – the world’s first interactive backpack aimed at children aged three to seven (£34.99). Pop Snot on your back then get him to pull funny faces using the remote control – ideal for doorstop treat stops.

'Snot' could be yours!!

And for those wanting to look fabulously scary? How about a tutu pettiskirt from brand leader Angel’s Face? These fluffy, frilly skirts come in new-born to teen sizes – with the jet black or anthracite being the obvious colour choices for this night and many parties beyond. See below for your chance to win an Angel’s Face pettiskirt or ‘Snot’ backpack of your very own.

Is 'too cool for ghoul' a thing? (It should be!)

And Halloween costumes needn’t break the bank either. Aldi (it won the Which? Award for best Supermarket of the year in 2013) has a ‘wicked’ range of costumes for kids (including witches, cats, pumpkins, vampires and skeletons) and grown-ups (check out the ‘killer’ skeleton dress!). Adult outfits start at just £7.99, and kids at £3.99, which, by my reckoning, leaves plenty in the pot for yet more candy (or some glowsticks - £2.99 for packet of six at Aldi)!!

Setting the scene

If you want to go that little bit further than a few cobwebs in the corners (I actually have authentic ones ready and waiting for that Halloween party, or in fact, any party…) take advantage of the 3-for-2 offer Hobby Craft is running across its Halloween range. The store has everything you need to create your own fantastic decorations (not least a paper mache pumpkin) as well as ready-made products to give your house that most-haunted look. I love the ‘fangtastic’ tableware and ‘shocktails’ bottle labels!

Open wide!

Party Packs does a great range of themed decorations – including blood splats to add to your windows and complete door covers and curtains. And why not jazz up the inside of all your rooms with ‘Monster Mood Lighting’ stickers that create creepy glowing faces where once there were just light switches? Boo!

Things to do

Alongside bobbing apples and a fancy dress competition why not play ‘wrap the mummy’. All you need is two teams and lots of toilet paper! Identify two good sports to become the ‘mummy’ (best check they don’t suffer from claustrophobia first). Then race to be the first team to encase that volunteer in toilet roll in the style of a Scooby Doo villain. Messy but hilarious!

My girls try out the Aldi range

To keep your mini monsters amused, provide some creepy crafts such as scratch art bookmarks and colour-in masks from Yellow Moon – or get your guests to decorate their own trick or treat bags. And as an alternative to spooky sweets why not try the themed treats and toys from Baker Ross (the dentist will thank you!) to pop inside?

And have a frighteningly good time!

Four ways to WIN!!!!

To be in with a chance to win either an Angel’s Face pettiskirt or a ‘Snot’ backpack, you can do one (or all) of these things:

1. Simply leave a comment on this blog below – stating ‘I want Snot’ or ‘I want an Angel’s Face’.

2. Follow me on Twitter @VanessaSH and tweet me with ‘I want Snot’ or ‘I want an Angel’s Face’.

3. Find my Halloween competition board on Pinterest and comment ‘I want Snot’ or ‘I want an Angel’s Face’ on the relevant image Pin.

4. Like the Seven Year Hitch Facebook page and post ‘I want Snot’ or ‘I want an Angel’s Face’ on the wall.

Each comment, tweet or post you leave will give you once chance to win the item - so the more you do the more likely you are to win. Good luck! (Sorry the competition is for UK residents only). Winners will be chosen at random and announced here on Friday 18th October.

Is your wardrobe ready to POP?!

2013-10-03T14:16:00.001+01:00

It’s not easy being a SMOG. What is a SMOG I hear you cry? Well, um, actually it is a 'smug mother of girls’. My mum told me about the phrase after reading it in The Daily Mail (so it must be true). I assume it means that typically girls are perceived as being less trouble than boys – after all ‘boys will be boys’ (whatever that means!).

Jo and George from 'POP'

Of course it’s a load of rubbish. I might not have to regularly break up Star Wars re-enactments that have got woefully out of hand – or visit A&E with broken bones from tree climbing, skate boarding and roughhousing (again, whatever that means), but girls come with their own foibles and challenges. And a lot of girls also break bones, love Star Wars and can throw a punch like a heavyweight (I include myself in that last category, so leave a comment on this blog or I’ll send myself round!!!).

One of the major issues with raising my girls has been clothes. It’s fair to say that my younger daughter was known far and wide for her love of tutus. It didn’t matter if it was cold, if we were knee-deep in mud or actually at a ballet class, a certain ‘Hello Kitty’ tutu was always part of her outfit. I had to wash it nearly every day to keep up. Her elder sister can be just as obsessive – she has been through phases of only wearing pink, only wearing t-shirts that don’t cover her tummy, refusing to wear long-sleeved items unless they are under a shorter sleeved one (?) and is currently a trousers-only girl on the basis that tights are annoying (yes, they are).

Apparently boys wear clothes too...

So perhaps unsurprisingly, our wardrobes tend to have items that are well-loved-but-way-too-small-that-cannot-ever-be-thrown-out and items that have been rejected completely because of colour, fit, fabric, sleeve-length or some such nonsense. This means a lot of clothes that still have plenty of life left in them are grown out of – and that I’m not keen on buying new clothes unless I know my girls are going to wear (and wear and wear) them.

Well, a girl can never have too many shoes - am I right?

The solution? Decent second hand clothes sales! And specifically the ‘POP’ ones run by local mums Jo and George (sales take place in Hare Hatch and Wargrave). Before the sale I take along my barely worn but lovely children’s clothes to be priced up and hung on the rails – and during the sale I take along my two little angels to select items to their own (albeit peculiar) tastes. At the end I get a little money and I spend a little money. My girls get clothes they’ll wear – and someone else’s children get to wear the items mine have spurned. It’s a win/win situation!

Girls Rule and Boys Drool!!

And while you have just missed the last children’s sale (silly moo, like it on Facebook now so you don’t slip up again) – you can take advantage of the duo’s first sale of Ladies clothes and accessories on October 15th. I’ll be taking along some items that still have the price tag on (oh, I’ve just realised where my girls get their ridiculous behaviour from) – and hoping to nab a few new winter wardrobe pieces at purse-friendly prices!!

Were you at POP this time round? Or was your wardrobe?! Show these local lovelies your support by commenting below...

Henley Literary Festival - running on empty!

2013-10-02T13:40:00.000+01:00

Why does the petrol light always go on when you are in a bit of a rush? And why is it that I’m always in a bit of a rush anyway? Well it did, and so it was that I drove in a mild state of panic to Bix Manor – a rather lovely llama-inhabited (seriously, this is my serious face) 17th century brick and flint barn – for the Henley Literary Festival's ‘From Blog to Book’ event. Two celebrated bloggers Maggy Woodley and Helen McGinn were there to talk the audience through how their enormously popular blogs jumped off the screen and into the covers of real-world books.

From Blog to Book

Maggy Woodley is the author of Red Ted Art - Cute and Easy Crafts for Kids. And boy, she knows how to ‘upcycle’. The book gives the reader inspiration and practical tips on how to get down and dirty with kids as they craft everything from lavender wands to salt dough beads. Sections cover Halloween and Christmas, paper crafts, edible goodies, sewing and everything in between. Many of the crafts are environmentally friendly and fall into the ‘thrifty’ category too.

Helen McGinn meanwhile made it quite clear her talents lie closer to the wine cellar than the sewing box. A former supermarket wine buyer her unpretentious blog has now become The Knackered Mother’s Wine Club: Everything you need to know about wine and much, much more. The book gives golden-rules and tips on wine buying bypassing sniffy snobbery and industry jargon. Helen also writes a column in the Daily Mail and appears on Alan Titchmarsh Show giving advice on how to choose that perfect bottle.

So how exactly did these passions end up published?

The two lovely bloggers turned authors

The easy way
Helen’s blog started after a ‘light bulb moment’ while googling breastfeeding advice. She happened upon a blog that helped her in an entirely new way and she didn’t feel intimidated or overwhelmed – unlike official sources of advice she had previously struggled with. And that’s when it hit her – choosing wine could be just as scary for the uninitiated. So instead of just passing her knowledge onto friends and family in a weekly email, she started to blog about which bottles she was buying. Pretty soon the Knackered Mother’s Wine Club had attracted a legion of fans – and even had one fan give up a less-than-fulfilling day job and open up a wine bar! It wasn’t long before her blog caught the eye of a publisher. Six months later her book was written (using comments on her blog as a guide to what readers wanted to know).

And what if you are hoping to follow in her footsteps? Helen advises that you write on a topic you feel passionately about (for her they’ll always be more wine to try…) and find a good online community to support you (she recommends Britmums). And then, just maybe, a book might be born!

The not-so-easy way
For Maggy Woodley, Her Red Ted Art blog began as a way to relive her happy childhood memories of crafting with her own children. She found being creative also gave her the extra outlet many Stay At Home Mums need to recharge their batteries. As her blog grew in popularity she found she was often asked to review craft books – and it wasn’t long before she knew she wanted to pen one herself. After building up her ‘blogging CV’ with pieces in the national press and creating a dedicated social media presence on Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook, her perseverance paid off and a publisher said yes it had been considering her as a potential author. From there she nabbed herself an agent, used the blog to see which crafts were most popular and those that people were generally more apprehensive about and set about putting her passion into publication.

Looking back, Maggie realises she had tremendous support from her family and feels she’s found the perfect way to integrate what is now her job with her family. Her children are included in her crafting – and appear throughout the pages of her book. For her, the personal connection and identity a blog makes is the all important factor for getting the book deal – because it’s that sparkle that will make the title shine out from the bookshelf.

Shopping bag by Books Are My Bag campaign

Do you have a book inside you that’s fighting to get out? And what kind of blog do you think would make a best seller? Comments below please!

The 2013 MAD Blog Awards – my top 5 highlights

2013-09-23T18:23:00.001+01:00

Now it could be said that bloggers don’t get out much – and that’s why you’ll find them tippy tapping on their keyboards late into the night. Well, let me tell you that is a misconception. MAD (Mummy and Daddy) bloggers can party – I know, because I’ve seen faces being licked and ladies with red petticoats ‘surfboarding’ well past Cinderella’s bedtime. Yes, I was lucky enough to be at the 2013 MAD Blog Awards ceremony. It was quite some night – and here’s why:

I got to meet a CBeebies celeb

When I prized open my mascara-caked eyes on Saturday morning, I had the ultimate trophy for my kids; a picture of me and Dr Ranj from Get Well Soon. Dr Singh is actually a real-life paediatrician, and a bloody good live presenter too – he wasn’t flummoxed by the autocue when it went too fast (or stopped completely), missing presenters or even when he said ‘breast’ instead of ‘best in a room that was 95% female. Oh how we laughed. He even let me take a selfie with him. And when I showed my disbelieving youngest the snap she said ‘He has the same smile as on TV, and now I’m smiling too’. Awwwwww.

The doctor will see you now...

There were some shit hot bloggers there

I enjoy writing my blog, and some kind people have told me they enjoy reading it. The finalists (and the winners natch) in the MAD Blog Awards however, take it up to a level I can barely dream of. They run web sites that inspire, educate, entertain, help and support other parents. I was lucky enough to meet the lovely Hannah Smith from Mama Bear With Me in the lift. She was a finalist in the Most Entertaining Blog category and writes about her life with her two small boys. Like me she has a poor sense of direction (instead of going to the basement we ended up on the 9^thfloor) – I can only hope she got home okay! Then there was the rather stunning Louise Turner from All The Camping Gear, who was up for the Best Family Travel Blog, and the powerhouse that is Fi Star-Stone of Childcare is Fun, who picked up an Award for Outstanding Contribution. And finally I had a brief, but entertaining, exchange with Annie from Mammasaurus, who won the Most Innovative Blog Award. Thank you for taking the time to speak to me ladies.

Where the best of the bloggers come to meet

There was an awesome goody bag!

The event had some serious sponsorship – companies like JohnLewis, Mothercare, Puffin Books, TK Maxx and HomeAway sponsored individual awards, while some of the lovely frocks bloggers were rocking were supplied by WishWantWear. And then there was Mr Mozzarella – from Just Eat. A little bit strange, but hey, everyone loves a takeaway! But when all’s said and done, nothing, but nothing, replaces the thrill of a goody bag – and what a goody bag it was – full of lovely treats to dish out to my long-suffering hubby and neglected kiddos. A Horrid Henry book, sparkly Kids Stuff bubble bath, Brabantia stickers, badges, magnets and mirrors from Camaloon, chocolate From Seagate UK, Start-rite vouchers and Oriflame lippy – all presented in a lovely Parentdish (the headline sponsors) tote. Riffling through it gave me something to do on the train home too!

I met the Tots100 Team

I got to help out at the MADs courtesy of Tots100, the UK’s network for Mum and Dad bloggers, which has more than 5,000 members. It produces a directory of parent blogs, and analyses and ranks all of the blogs in its community, measuring popularity, engagement and influence. And boy, do the people from the Tots team work hard at the MADs! Scurrying around, setting things up, taking things down, ushering peeps to make up, running a live blog to cover the event, taking photos, operating a surf simulator, making sure the presenters, finalists and winners are all where they should be and generally putting everyone at ease. Imagine life without the MADs. Hats off to them (and particularly Sally Whittle, the founder of the MAD Blog Awards and Tots100, who I hope is under a large gin somewhere)!

I spent the evening at a plush London hotel

The awards took place in Kensington’s fabulous (and family-friendly) Royal Garden Hotel. The night kicked off with a drinks reception (I do like to be offered bubbly from a shiny tray) and was followed by a scrumptious three-course dinner (I sat next to the dewy-complexioned Yolanda Barker from Totz2teens). They even made a swan out of chocolate. I’m not sure how. And I got to do all this 5-star wining and dining without having to load the dishwasher afterwards. That, my dear friends, is a true treat. Thank you Tots100!

A chocolate swan - but how????

What's the most fabulous event you've been to? And did you get a snap with a celeb? Let me know in the comment box below!

Go back to work they said, it’ll be fun they said

2013-09-19T12:13:00.001+01:00

Last week I learnt a few lessons. And those lessons were about combining paid work with motherhood. I had the chance to earn some cold hard cash on a project that was facing tight deadlines. It would necessitate late nights and gritted teeth, but it would be a good ‘in’ with a new client and give me the chance to see if I’ve still got it.

True, I’ve done a bit of work here and there since having kids, but mostly I’ve been a stay-at-home mum. I was happy to take a career break while they were small, play tea parties on the floor, take them to toddler groups, sing Baa Baa Black Sheep in front of strangers, then get them to and from pre-school and infants as they got a bit bigger, attending all the assemblies and shows, and generally being hands-on and hassle-free. But now my days (well, 9am to 3pm!) are my own and the writer/editor/grammar Nazi inside of me is beginning to stir. And there was job on offer…

Barbie is up against the clock...literally.

But, the transition from SAHM to Working At Home Mum was not as easy as I thought. This was not an ideal job scenario granted – I needed to put in a full working day for a complete week – including some weekend work. My hours had to be split into working until the kids came home from school and then getting back into the office once they were in bed. Working until late, or indeed early the next day.

Get your game on

Suddenly I realised just how much I’d let my ‘home office’ slip. I used to run my own business, but somehow the office is also a junk room now, my printer needed replacing and I have enough glare on my screen to summon Batman. So before I could even earn some money I had to lay a whole load down on some new equipment and – horror – tidy up the place. I also had to quickly learn how to cheat my way around an outdated version of Word (I love you Internet forum nerds), hook up a second monitor and talk to strangers. I basically had to be (or at least appear to be) professional. That was a shock to the system I can tell you.

Ask for and accept help

My days were basically going like this: get up, get kids up, take kids to school, work, pick up kids, feed kids, put kids to bed, make packed lunches, tidy house to prevent flies from colonising kitchen, work. Occasionally I would treat myself to some toast – or a few hours of sleep – nothing crazy though – there were deadlines to meet. I did make the gym a couple of mornings too, which slotted into the client’s timeframe nicely – honest!!

Take it Mummy - 'cos Santa's sack ain't gonna fill itself...

Since my husband was away for the entire week and most of the weekend too, as well as playing crazed career mum I was also having a run as a single mum. I’m generally not very good at accepting help from friends or family, and did turn down a few offers. I suspect I felt like I should be able to cope. However, the weekend was tricky to manage, and would have been a bit unfair on the kids; there’s only so much ‘free-play’ or CBeebies you can expect two children to undertake together before it gets violent. Luckily my Mum was scheduled to babysit on Saturday night anyway, and she offered to come early and stay the next morning too. (Yes, not only did I have to stay sober at a friend’s party, I had to get up the next morning and work – the sacrifice!!!).

Don’t overdo it!

This is a lesson I learnt, but didn’t actually ‘pass’ the test on. Talking to other working mothers I have now discovered it is very hard to get working hours that suit your family life. There’s always a compromise it seems. While working like I did was pretty hard core for a first foray back into my career, it would hopefully be a one-off. I would aim to schedule future projects far better – and only put in a few hours a day – ideally when it was daylight. I’d be looking to increase that work, once the kids were older and more independent. Although saying ‘no’ can be hard in the freelance world, and it was a never in my nature before!

Oh Bed, when can we be together again?

Needless to say, by the end of the week I was exhausted, but glad I’d done it. I’ve realised a few things that should help me craft the ideal work/life balance that all working mums (and dads) are struggling to find. Maybe there’s a future for working me out there somewhere – as long as I’m not blinded by my screen before then…

Have you found the ideal job to combine with caring for your kids? Is it something you worry about? Perhaps you are wondering how you could go back to work and still run a home? Comments in the box below please.

Show me the carrot...!

2013-09-08T15:35:00.001+01:00

On the whole my kids don’t need that much modification. In fact, their default settings are generally quite pleasing. A few tweaks here and there, and they’ll grow up to be shiny, happy people with lots to give back to their world. Well, that's what I tell myself anyway!

In the past, when I’ve wanted to them to stop doing something – or indeed – start doing another thing altogether (I’m so demanding!), I’ve resorted to high stakes bribery – usually a shiny new top perched on the top of the fridge until the desired outcome is reached. I’ve made makeshift charts that require a certain amount of ticks – and doled out sweeties as incentives. And this is how we’ve navigated such milestones as dumping dummies, accepting a new swimming teacher (‘but I love Angieeeeeeeeeeee’) and STOPPING SHOUTING ALL THE TIME (yeah, Mummy needs one of those charts, but the kids can’t afford the Marc by Marc Jacobs dress I’ve requested, so the shouting will continue until they get me that frock).

Shameless bribes for children

But, since part of the mummy job, is on-going support and encouragement (right?) there are always a few things we need to work on, a few behaviours I’d like to see more of. And as they’ve got older, there is less of getting rid of undesirable behaviour and more of reinforcing the positive. And this is where a decent reward chart comes in; specifically where a Radical Rewards chart comes in...

Radical Reward Charts are designed by artist Vita Bosque-Greene, and look more like posters than the type of incentive charts you might be used to seeing. Some of the designs will particularly appeal to boys and older children too. Themes include Creepy Crawlies and Gruesome Graveyard for example. This is not the place to come for Princessy pink or fussy fairies!

Chart their success!

Experienced guide

The charts use a 20 step progress route that can be used again and again, and the child goes up the chart rather than receiving points or stickers in a straight line. At the top of the chart lies the reward of your choosing (in this house it was a toy £5 note, to be exchanged for a real one when the summit was reached). The company also sends out some simple guidelines to help you use the charts effectively and the founder, Amanda Noble-Simmons, a mother of four herself, offers online support to further guide you on your child’s behaviour and best use of the charts. The top tip I picked up was to have a half-way mark incentive, as to reach the top of the chart might take some time, and younger children can lose interest if the result seems unobtainable.

Instead of pre-set behaviours, the chart is open-ended so that parents can tailor the process to reward any good deeds they wish to see more of. When you buy the charts you can also opt to have a photo of your child laminated by the company and sent to you along with your chart. My two loved the novelty of seeing the tiny mini-me versions of themselves climbing up the chart. Or if you prefer you can use a cheeky-looking carrot to climb up the chart on your behalf (he’s holding a stick – carrot and a stick – geddit?). There’s no need for the naughty step Amanda believes, when you concentrate on reinforcing the positive.

It's all about the veg - not the stick!

The verdict

I have to say my kids loved the charts. They took some time to choose a theme and would have liked some more girlie ones with pet animals on apparently but opted for the Wacky Wildlife style. We had sweets at the half way mark and a list of ways to climb the chart (including tidying their bedrooms, being ‘super’ kind or helpful and completing school-type work during the holidays in an attempt to bypass the summer brain-drain!) by the side. I also randomly moved them up for behaviours that weren’t listed (as suggested in the accompanying advice), for example when somebody at the swimming pool commented on how well they were behaving.

The girls really took to the novelty of having mini-versions of themselves ‘achieving’ and the eldest told me that the chart made her ‘determined to get to the top’! Once they had reached number 20 and got their hands on their money, they were keen to start the process all over again too!

From mummy’s point of view, the charts will last and can be modified to suit both my children and the different ages and stages they pass through. And it covers up a wall that needs painting with rather fetching art!

Do you use reward charts – and do they work for your offspring? Do you have another method of reinforcing positive behaviour you care to share? Comments in the box below please!

For the purpose of this review Radical Reward Charts gave me two Wacky Wildlife charts free of charge. Thank you!

Sparkly mouse ears on – we’re going to Disneyland!

2013-08-09T16:22:00.000+01:00

Anyone who doesn’t love Disney hasn’t got a soul. Yes, it’s a huge corporate money mill but what’s not to love about a cheeky green fairy, two dogs that share meatballs and a baby elephant that can fly… And so, since it had been three years since our last visit, we decided to go back to Disneyland Paris.

We're here for the kids...honest!

There are of course, many options when it comes to a Disneyland Paris visit. You can stay on site in a Disney hotel, board a special Eurostar train – or just rock up at the gates when you happen to be in the neighbourhood. We chose the latter, mainly because we love the rest of Paris too and our children aren’t really old enough to fully enjoy the new Walt Disney Studios Park or use the more full-on rides. I should add that while my five and seven year olds like Disney princesses and fairies and cute dog and cat characters they do NOT like the films and will fall to pieces if words such as ‘Ursula’ or ‘Cruella’ are even mentioned…

Where we'd all like to live

It’s very easy to get to Disneyland Paris under your own steam. You just need to get an RER A (red) train towards Marne La Vallée (it runs from Charles de Gaulle Etoile, Auber, Chatelet Les Halles, Gare de Lyon and Nation stations). The Disney station is called Marne la Vallée — Chessy, so just check that your train stops there (overhead signs highlight the stations that train stops at, and once on the train you can double check on the screens inside too), and basically follow the brown signs you’ll see everywhere! The journey takes about forty five minutes and the trains run about every fifteen minutes. Don’t get on a train marked Boissy-St-Léger, that’s the wrong bit of the A line!

All aboard!

We hadn’t bought a ticket to enter Disneyland before we left the UK because three years ago we bought a ticket from the train station that covered both our journey there and entrance to the park. This is no longer available, and indeed there has been some media criticism that Brits are generally paying more than the locals to get in. If you do plan to go to Disneyland in the future, it’s probably worth registering with the site and seeing what special offers come up (bear in mind that the Park is an outdoor venue though so it will be cheaper when it's likely to be cold or wet!). And finally although it cost us around £200/£250 to get in to the Park for a day, the Park is open from 10am until 11pm, and we got there as it opened and left at 10pm. If you work out the cost per hour – and compare it to more low key places you often take your kids to and only stay a few hours – it actually isn’t that pricey.

It's a small (and magical) world

Once inside the Park the magic really does begin. There are five ‘lands’ to explore – with Fantasyland being most suitable for the younger guests and Discoveryland the place to go for Laser Blast kicks and the infamous Space Mountain ride. My youngest enjoyed the ‘It’s a small world’ and Dumbo rides, while her elder sister thought the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ one (in Adventureland) was best and loved ‘driving’ a car in ‘Autopia’ (in Discoveryland). There was an amazing selection of rides they could actually go on even at their age, and also a great pirate-themed play area complete with wobbly wooden bridges.

Whooooooosh!

When they needed a bit of a rest, we could hop on the train that encircles the entire park and have a look at what we fancied next. Generally queues were short and there was plenty of space to walk about (Fantasyland seemed the most crowded and I’m convinced that’s because of the pushchairs!). And needless to say my two soft-toy fetishists loved the shops full of high-end Disney merchandise and struggled to choose ONE TOY ONLY! But if blogging ever made me rich (unlikely), I’d go back and buy them one of everything and maybe a Dumbo for me…

Can I have one...pleeeeeeeeeease?

The only down side for us was that the parade was cancelled due to ‘inclement weather’, which we were very disappointed to find out as we had sat and waited 30 minutes for it to start. We were also a little confused as to which forecast the Disney staff were following, because the weather remained fine and sunny for the next three hours we spent in the park. I really felt, if there was a danger of rain or a thunderstorm and that made it unsafe for staff and visitors, they could have postponed it for half an hour and then made a decision. On our Previous visit we did also catch a few more ‘Princesses’ out and about, and I think that this was probably the last time my elder daughter will really think of them as princesses rather than just people dressed up. With the parade cancelled, I thought they might send some of the characters out on foot to meet and greet.

So much to do - and all day to do it!

All in all, we had a lovely day at Disneyland Paris. I’d really recommend it, if you think your child is old enough to last a full day and remember it properly. When it was time to leave we had one very sad little lady on our hands (younger sister was ready to go home by then). I promised her (and myself) we’d come back because if Disney can’t make it better – nothing can!

Don't cry - we'll be back

Are you tempted – or horrified – by the thought of an entire world dedicated to Walt Disney characters? Have you been to the Paris resort or another Disneyland as adult or a child – and are your memories magical? Let me know in the comment box below.

The first part of my Paris trip - with tips on how to get there and where to stay is here.

Paris in pieces – the basics

2013-08-07T22:30:00.000+01:00

How did we get here?

To say I love the Eurostar is an understatement. I have many fond memories of great (and easy) mini-breaks to the continent pre-children and of business trips travelling first class, supping on bubbles and reading glossy mags (and that’s what they are now – just memories…!!).

Keep up Mummy!

Perhaps it’s not surprising then that this is not the first time we have headed off to Paris 'en famille' using this dream machine. But, there are a few things you need to know before you book your tickets! First up, seats on Eurostar core routes like Paris (and Brussels and Lille) can only be bought four months before the departure date. And they sell out fast. Don’t wait for a week or two so you can book a return journey all at once. Get your trip out the day it is released to be sure you can choose the most suitable journey time, get the best price and reserve the seats around a table (essential if you are a family of four). And then – do exactly the same for your return! The tickets for the Disneyland Paris service go on sale six months in advance (I like to think that’s just like buying a ticket to heaven…).

Bedding down

We booked our apartment via Holiday Velvet; the service was impeccable and I would certainly use the company again. It has a whole host of apartments of different sizes in different arrondissements with clear descriptions of the location and facilities on its web site. Reading between the lines (which I don’t advocate since squinting causes wrinkles) the same apartment is also available via Perfectly Paris.

Worth waking up for

The apartment suited our needs well – it has two bedrooms, plus a well-equipped kitchen and bathroom with both a shower and a bath (daughter one is a ‘showerphobe’) and a dining room and living room. This meant that there was plenty of space for the kids to play (and make a mess). It was also architecturally beautiful with gorgeously tall windows, high ceilings and intricate cornices. But while we had narrowed our search down by arrondissement we hadn’t given any thought to things such as – is it near a Metro? (luckily, our apartment was very near two stations, which was just as well when you have spent all day walking about Paris in a heat wave and your five-year-old has really had more than enough of walking thank you very much!) or what sort of sights were nearby (Montmartre since you ask…). Those sorts of things really make a difference to a holiday – we were lucky this time but next time I will double check (what I really mean is, I will delegate this job)!!!

Montmartre

Getting around

I feel bad saying this, but I think the Metro could be better than the London Underground. It just seems so much less crowded and there is quite a lot of (multi-lingual) staff around to help out. We survived by buying a 'carnet' of tickets rather than individual tickets which saves about 30 per cent. The carnet gives you 10 tickets that can be used by the whole family (as well as the same person just taking 10 trips!). Maps are up on the walls, but you can ask for one at the ticket office to help you work out your route. We got about ten, since my girls do like to collect things - and I'd rather it was maps than old sweet wrappers or yoghurt pots (no, seriously, this is my serious face).

A ticket to ride

If you and your family are physically capable of knocking off a lot of top sights in a small space of time – and that is how you like to spend holidays – then the Paris Pass might be an option for you. We looked into it, and downloaded the free on-site guide to the city, but decided our kids couldn’t keep up the pace needed to make it worth the price (yeah, that’s right the kids couldn’t keep up, not that we wanted to laze around supping wine in the shade every lunchtime). However, once I had visited the site and downloaded the guide, I did go on to receive an offer of 10 per cent off a pass (so if it is for you, do try and hold out and see if you get the same offer…).

As chilled as the wine...

And finally a word of thanks to the people at Holiday Velvet, within our apartment was a fantastic street map, which helped us no end. It was a Michelin Paris Par Arrondissement and it is well worth buying if you are heading off to the city.

This is just the first write-up of our family trip to Paris; I still have the major sights, Disneyland, Paris for kids and shopping bits to file. Not sure which to do next though – so let me know which you would prefer in the comment box below…

My Disneyland Paris review can be found here.

Packing it all in!

2013-07-19T15:07:00.002+01:00

Recently I’ve felt like I was hurtling through the last few weeks of term at warp speed. My family has navigated reports and reviews, parent meetings and ballet shows and thank yous and tears (the proud, happy type!!!). And we’re all exhausted! But it’s all about to come to a grinding halt and thankfully I can switch off that 7am alarm and we can walk around in our PJs until lunch (well except Daddy, his boss takes a dim view of that sort of behaviour in the office…).

Time to re-think your holiday wardrobe...

And finally, we can look forward to the summer holidays – with exciting overseas trips planned, time scheduled in at the grandparents and a good old fashioned Cornish seaside holiday with boogie boards and rock pools to enjoy. But alongside my joyful anticipation of all the sight-seeing and sand between my toes, lurks a terrifying spectre. And one that I fear I must face alone. PACKING! Yes, that time when suddenly Mummy must anticipate every need her children will have and every request they will make in the space of a week, and accommodate all those by simply packing a suitcase.

Travelling in style

For many years, one of our family’s favourite holiday accessories was the Trunki. With our youngest contained in her pushchair, our elder daughter could pull along her belongings and still hop on for a ride when her little legs got tired. Unfortunately the Trunki will not be coming with us on our next trip because it cannot accommodate the much-loved bear-sized suitcase seat from Build-a-Bear. Both my girls will now be using their far less resilient wheelie suitcases, just so their favourite soft toy can come along for the trip. I’ll even be asking the security staff to stamp the ‘pawsport’ one owns… (cringe).

Have teddy, will travel.

Other great toys to take along on a trip, where suitcase space is precious but bored kids could turn travelling into a nightmare include good old fashioned card games like ‘Go Fish’ or word games like Bananagrams. Sticker and activity books are great too – and can be bought cheaply on the high street before you go. One of the best ideas I’ve seen lately is this lovely book of Eggnogg colour-in postcards that children can complete in holiday downtime. Paper doll books also work well for my girls – with the most beautiful coming from Belle & Boo (which also provides extra clothes downloadable free on its website). If you are really pressed for space, this teeny colouring set might also be a perfect fit! And finally, Pass The Bomb proved to be highly entertaining for girls and boys on a recent camping trip.

Belle & Boo Large Dress Up Belle

Lost?

Being a bit of a Penelope-Panic-Pants, I do worry about losing a child on our upcoming city break to Paris. My anxiety might be slightly heighted by the fact that last time we visited the Pompidou Centre, my eldest got into a lift while hubby and I were elbowed out of the way by a confused-looking gallery goer (rude!). Rather disturbingly the doors closed before we could get in and she was whisked away – all I could hear was an anguished ‘Mumeeeeeeeeeeee!!!’ drifting down the lift shaft. Thankfully the lift only went up and down between the two floors of this particular gallery and I was able to run down the nearby stairs at full pelt (pushing arty types out the way as I did so) and press the ‘door open’ button to find my poor child still inside the lift, sadly sat crouched down on the floor awaiting rescue. Not an experience I want to repeat!!

So along with my passport, I will be packing some ID bracelets for my girls. If you want something to cover every eventuality and a solution that will last, check out OneLife iD. The bracelets come in varying sizes and styles, and use QR codes or webpage links to connect the bracelet to all the details, contacts, documents and links recorded on a OneLife iD profile page. Several of the products allow you to engrave additional medical (like allergies) or contact information too.

Never lose your child (again in my case...) with the OneLife iD products.

For a more temporary solution, you might want to stock up on some tattoos that allow you to write on a mobile number, you can get a whole range of colours or ones with pirates and ladybirds. Alternatively you could just use beads with numbers on and make your child a bracelet with the number to call if they get lost.

Kids of today

Oh technology, how it has developed since I was a child sitting, unstrapped in just the normal rear car seat of a Datsun as we navigated the ‘A’ road that led us out of Kent!! Those were the days of poor suspension and scratchy wool blankets that meant many a motion-sickened child would weakly enquire ‘are we there yet?’ Well parents today are lucky I tell you! Not only can you take along your tablet as you travel, you can fill it with apps that do everything from keeping up your phonics and number work over the holidays to serving as handy reminder for the signs and symptoms of meningitis. The Barefoot Books Atlas app recently picked up the top award from Junior Magazine for both its educational content and sheer interactive enjoyment – ideal for teaching as you travel this summer.

And if you can wait until the end of this month before assembling your dream team of holiday essentials, the new animated WOW PACKS will be released onto the market. These are eye-catching animated backpacks with a remote control that operates the eyes, nose and eyelashes. Available in the girlie pink Cutezee the Kitty style or the rather revolting green Snot the Zombie, you can be assured the resulting funny faces and sound effects created will keep your little ones amused on tedious journeys and longer-than-expected walks and waits.

An interactive backpack buddy called 'Snot' - who wouldn't want one????

BUT – have I forgotten anything? What do you always take – and is there a travel item that has got you out of a kiddie-sized pickle? Let me know in the comment box below, there’s still (a little) room in my suitcase…

Oops I did it again!

2013-07-11T13:06:00.000+01:00

There are certain things I have realized in life. One is, for example don’t pick four different types of alcoholic beverage (like PIMM’S, gin, white wine and beer let’s say) and consume them rapidly and consecutively in one night. Unfortunately I don’t always heed the lessons I have learnt, a point which I was able to ruminate on quite extensively last Sunday morning, and indeed, well into Sunday afternoon. (Thanks for the paracetamol Mum – and to hubs for entertaining the kids).

Go home Barbie, you're drunk.

But it got me to thinking that as parents we also make the same mistakes over and over – even though we know better. These are my top five poor parenting techniques, which although I know they achieve nothing, and sometimes even make matters worse, I still manage to do:

1 Shouting

If children actually behaved simply because you shouted at them, there would be no naughty children in the entire world. I think we all know that our children heard us the first time we asked them to ‘Stop doing that!’ And since it wasn’t their hearing that was at fault – simply repeating the request at a far louder volume is unlikely to improve matters. However, I still find myself shouting pointlessly at my offspring – I think I believe I am using it for emphasis (I really do mean to get off the sofa with that melty ice-cream) but actually I am using it as a way to blow off steam. I’m pretty sure the real solution is counting to ten. Quietly.

A megaphone is no help - they are ignoring you!

2. Transposing the authority

I hate hearing that ‘the man over there will tell you off’ from other parents when I’m out and about. Not only is it likely to give a child issues in meeting new people above and beyond the required ‘stranger danger’, it means that you’re not making it clear who is in charge (in case you are wondering it’s YOU!!). Children need to be told quite clearly that their parent makes the decisions, and that the children get to follow those decisions. And yet…I do find myself telling a certain little lady that if she doesn’t decide which summer dress to wear within the next five minutes, I will be taking her to school in her knickers and letting her teacher deal with the decision. What can I say? I’m not at my best in the morning…

3. Empty threats

Picture the scene – your child is happily involved in some highly creative imaginary game when you come along and ask her/him to stop everything and get ready for some real-world activity. Like now! Somehow for el kiddo, the imaginary world that they control is far more enjoyable that the one where you are in charge, banging on about the time, the rules, what’s allowed and what’s not. What is needed here is a few minutes warning, a calm explanation of how the next ten minutes are going to go and some parental persuasion. So there is absolutely no point in making an empty threat of punishment – along the lines of ‘if you don’t get dressed immediately – you won’t be able to go swimming’. Because both you and I know, that those swimming lessons cost cold hard cash – and you’re not sacrificing one unless your child is missing a limb or something.

4. Telling fibs

For some reason in our society we value honesty and want our children to grow up trustworthy. However, I am regularly telling my children tall tales about the tooth fairy and Santa Claus. I also tell them if they don’t brush their teeth properly they will all fall out and their peers will think they are witches and refuse to play with them at school. It’s at times like this I wonder where my eldest daughter got her over-developed sense of imagination from…I’m not proud of my lack of honesty, and am slightly worried how I’ll justify my embellishments when they discover that it’s me putting a pound under their pillow (and yes, leaving glittery fairy dust and notes written in teeny, tiny handwriting too). In the words of my teenage muse Scarlett O’Hara – ‘I’ll think about that tomorrow’.

'My life will be just like this romantic novel' (lies, all lies!)

5. And telling the truth

Let’s face it, some kids can be little shits. Not mine, or yours, of course (research* proves those people that read parenting blogs have perfect children…), but some people’s kids. And if a nasty piece of work upsets your child, you see red. And I might have, in the past, told my children truthful, yet not very nice, things about the perpetrator of such meanness. Just hypothetically speaking, if a child persistently told my child that she was much clever than her, I might just of, hypothetically, have suggested that my child replies something along the lines of ‘well if you are so clever why did you have to go and see the head teacher for fighting?’ I’m not proud of what I did (hypothetically) – but I’m pretty sure I’m going to hell for it.

*I just made that up.

So, knowing all this about myself – I have to ask – what kind of parent am I??? A pretty average one I’m hoping, since we all make mistakes once in a while. The important thing is that we acknowledge where we go wrong – and approach looking after our kids not with military precision and rebukes but with a sense of humour and enjoyment. It’s true that our kids learn more from watching how we behave than from listening to what we say, so be natural, be normal and be happy around your children – they’ll thank you for it in the end!

What parental confessions can I prize out of you? Are you a perfect parent – or can you admit the occasional slip up to me in the box below? Please do, otherwise I might think it’s just me…it’s not right?????

End of term tactics

2013-07-04T20:41:00.000+01:00

Next September my eldest will start Junior School. It feels like a significant step – and one where I can take stock of her achievements and developments since that very first day in the ‘big’ school playground (when I was trying very hard not to cry!). She leaves behind her a teacher she’s had for both Years 1 and 2, a lady she has really bonded with.

It's the most wonderful time of the year - if you're a teacher (maybe?)

I hold her teacher in high regard too – summarising her approach to her charges (and yes, even the grown-ups who try to monopolise parents' evening!) as ‘firm but fair’. She suits my girl’s understanding of the world perfectly – rules are rules and those that break them should – and are – given short shrift. Mrs S isn’t afraid to tackle those few disrupting the class but never does so at the expense of the attentive majority. She seems to have an arsenal of interesting ways to help children overcome everything from shyness to incessant fidgeting. She could certainly give all those parenting gurus a run for their money!

So I’d like to buy her something to show that I appreciate her job is far from easy – and that my daughter really has blossomed under her care. I want something original but useful, something that simply says ‘thank you’! What I don’t want to do is get involved in some crazy ‘one-upmumship’, where parents feel they have to go large or go home. Or give the poor woman diabetes by handing over the 30^th box of chocs she’s received that day (that would freak me out if I was her as I’d eat every last one of them, even if I made myself sick…).

So, just in case you find yourself in a similar conundrum (admit it, you can’t read that word without hearing the Countdown tune) – I’ve had a little poke about the Internet to seek out alternatives to the bog-standard biscuits, chocolates and wine. I should add, for the purposes of editorial transparency, I did not receive any of the items below free from friendly PR people (yeah, I know, must try harder next time…).

Drink up!

Scrabble mugs from Graham and Green

While it always feels a bit wrong to take alcohol into the classroom, I’m pretty sure teachers (must need to) drink a fair amount of coffee and tea to make it through the school day. So, scoring high on the practicality front, a decent mug must surely be a suitable gift? And there are plenty of sophisticated options. Try the Scrabble Mug from Graham and Green, or if your budget is a little lower the matching coasters. For slightly more ‘educational’ mugs try Pedlars, it offers drinking vessels decorated with the Greek alphabet, a weights and measures chart and the periodic table. Alternatively get a personalised mug (here and here) and spare your teacher the staff room sink mix ups! The Handpicked Collection also does a fetching Tap Water Bottle for just £4.95 if your teacher is immune to the lure of caffeine.

Tap water bottle from The Handpicked Collection

Desktop distractions

Is it just me, or is there nothing quite like new stationary to fill that gaping hole in your life? By definition teachers need a desk – so why not add a little cheer to their day with functional yet funny items like the ‘Stampler’ (half stamp half stapler – kids would love that!), some tasty Tetris style sticky notes and highlighter pens disguised as nail varnish. Suck UK do a stunning rainbow and cloud pencil tidy, a giant pencil sharpener pen pot and a hole punch that leaves behind hearts – bringing some extra joy to those Monday mornings and Friday afternoons. And the fun doesn’t stop there, pencils can look like drumsticks, pens can look like lipsticks and a tiny army of rubber soldiers can help you in the ‘war against error’! Or for a touch of luxury, why not buy teacher a velvet pencil case? Beautiful and practical.

Rainbow and cloud pencil tidy from SUCK UK

Dig a little deeper

Outside of school teachers are just like regular people (shock!!) – which means they have a variety of hobbies. It’s gifting gold when you uncover a piece of personal info about a teacher – be it that they are a keen gardener, own a dog or that they collect tiny mirrors. If you do find out what your child’s teacher gets up to at the weekend make it work for you! For some beautiful gardening gifts head over to NotOnTheHighStreet, where you can source everything from pleasing pots and delightful outdoorsy decorations to a monthly seed subscription. Maybe your teacher is also a dab hand in the kitchen? Then head over to Lakeland for everything from guitar-shaped spatulas and potholders masquerading as vinyl to beautiful bakeware. Or perhaps they spend their school holidays on the road? Then look no further than the Travelogue notebook from Firebox.

Monthly seed sub from Notonthehighstreet

And finally, don’t forget that what the teacher really needs is a thank you from the heart. Luckily, children often aren’t quite so uncomfortable with telling people how they feel, so as well as proffering a gift on the last day of term, my little lady will be writing a card to her teacher, to let her know how much she will be missed.

How do you feel about teacher gifts? Do you have any ideas you can share with us in the comment box below? Perhaps you are against the idea altogether – or are hoping someone will organise a whip-round? Let me know by adding a comment…

You are STILL breastfeeding?????????

2013-06-27T21:17:00.000+01:00

***Proud to be a part of the Keep Britain Breastfeeding 2013 Scavenger Hunt***

To be honest, before I had kids I didn’t give my boobs much thought. Apart from some rather undignified episodes within bra fitting rooms, I just accepted that they were there – inconveniently generous for my 5 foot 2 frame yes – but well, just as much a part of me as my arms and legs.

And not much changed once I was pregnant. I bought supportive bras and listened intently (but slightly puzzled) at my ante-natal classes as latching on, cracked nipples and correct feeding posture was discussed. I pretty much expected to breastfeed, because of the health benefits to me and the baby – and because I’m quite a slacker when it comes to washing up and all that extra sterilising seemed a bit of a chore! But equally I knew some people who hated the very idea, and it didn’t much upset or affect me.

Check out the site and win!

Unfortunately the delivery of my first child did not go well. And that is an understatement. However, I was much relieved to finally get her safely up to the surface, happily nursing as I was wheeled into a recovery room, given a blood transfusion and left in peace. She seemed to instinctively know what to do for food and all was well. After a week we were allowed back home and I didn’t have any problems feeding my gorgeous little bundle. Apart from feeling pretty rough myself (which I put down to – you know – giving birth and having a baby) this was all a breeze!

Sadly while my daughter had made it through the birth without any complications – I wasn’t so lucky, and when she was just 3 weeks old I was transported back to the hospital in an ambulance for a spell in Intensive Care. While this was bad enough, the worst part of the situation was that I was separated from my daughter and told breast milk was off her menu while I took some pretty strong drugs. Back in the relative’s room hubby started his crash course on formula.

It was another week before I could be fully reunited with my baby, and another 4 days before we could get out of the hospital I now considered more of a prison. Once my initial course of medicine had stopped I was allowed to start nursing again – although it was quite clear most of the staff felt I was completely loopy. I had sent the other half off to buy a breast pump to keep my milk up immediately after I was told to back away from the baby, and while my supply was hardly overflowing it was there. At this point I was following a kind of self-designed ‘topping up’ method of feeding, offering my milk to my daughter until it seemed to run out – and then offering some formula if she continued to cry. I also pumped when she wasn’t hungry to increase my supply.

Happy days brought to you by Breastvest

Somehow like this we got back on track until I was exclusively breastfeeding. I viewed it as simply getting back to where we started from, although it was made obvious to me by many that I should have simply cut my losses, and carried on using formula so that I could recover more quickly. But hey, being a parent is demanding – sometimes in ways you weren’t expecting – and I can be pretty tough if I need to be.

I fed my first daughter for about a year – and then when it was ‘okay’ to give her full fat cow’s milk I switched her over. Since she had a variety of milk from a variety of sources we didn’t experience any problems switching over – and in a flash, nursing her was just a memory.

When number two came along, the birth was a ‘planned’ C-section because of womb damage sustained the first time around. I can’t say I was thrilled at the thought of returning to the scene of so much carnage, but baby had to come out somehow! Once again I found myself on the maternity ward for a week baby happily guzzling away. It also went rather simply – and off I tottered back home, with just a tad more (and better?) after care than I received the first time around!!

Look at the lovely prizes you can win on the scavenger hunt!

Now I was happy to breastfeed, I didn’t mind the disturbed nights (within reason) and I wasn’t planning to go back to work anytime soon. Yes I had an older sibling to care for, but she was very compliant and very pleased to have become a big sister to a living, breathing doll. At some point I must have tried expressing but baby number two was only interested in the milk direct from source. And that was no problem at all.

After a year, I tried introducing the baby to cow’s milk, in a bottle and in a cup. She was not interested. Well I don’t actually like or drink cow’s milk myself – maybe it’s a taste thing I thought. I tried expressed milk in a bottle and in a cup – just to see if that made a difference. And still no. So I carried on breastfeeding at bedtime. After all it was no big deal to me.

About this time I definitely began to notice a change in people’s opinions if I happened to mention I was still breastfeeding. Obviously the situation meant that I was needed in person at bedtime so there were a few places I couldn’t be early in the evening. But some people began to view me suspiciously – as a ‘lactivist’ even. Of course since I was not breastfeeding during the day – and therefore visibly out in the big wide world, I dodged lots of the criticism I might have received. I felt quite cross at times though with my feeding being perceived as ‘out of the ordinary’ – since it is not unusual in other parts of the world, and the use of formula is relatively modern even in England. But to be honest, I never really thought it was anyone else’s business but my own. It was what my daughter needed at that point – and so I did it. I’m a mum – I do what I need to.

Bedtime nursing for my second child continued until she was around two years old, by which time I’m pretty sure people either forgot about my ‘strange’ behaviour or thought I was beyond help. It stopped when I felt that my daughter no longer needed breast milk nutritionally (she still doesn’t drink cow’s milk by the way!) – and when I had begun to wish my husband could put her to bed without me being there. We happened to go to Cornwall for a holiday at that time and needed to put both our girls in one room. With the entire bedtime routine changed and the smaller sister getting to sleep in a big bed and share a room with the elder sister, plus an exciting day on the beach, bedtime with just daddy came and went without any request for milk. That happened for the entire holiday – and the desire to feed was never mentioned again. Another milestone just slipped quietly past.

So when it comes to breastfeeding past a year, I guess the moral of my story is to make your own decisions about when you start and stop breastfeeding. Don’t let others put you off – even if they are well-meaning health professionals, family or friends thinking that you might need a break – and especially not if they are the type of people who like to disparage the personal choices of others based on their own prejudices and issues. Once you become a child’s mother you get to make the decisions that best suit you and your baby – and absolutely no one else. Step up to the plate and make sure you are happy with the choices you make. In my mind, babyhood lasts for such a short time – so make sure your memories of it are good ones.

***Competition Time!!!!***

Why didn't they have these when I was nursing!

Are you happy to breastfeed but not keen on flashing your postpartum tum to the world? Breastvest is the solution – an ingenious bit of underwear which makes any top a breastfeeding top and makes feeding in public easier. If you’d like to win one, simply ‘Like’ Breastvest on Facebook and write 'yes please' in comment box at the end of this blog. One person will be chosen at random! Good luck – and feel free to forward on the offer to other nursing and pregnant friends.
If you want to read more about breastfeeding and are looking for some support and information, why not head over to some other blog pages participating in this year’s Keep Britain Breastfeeding campaign? You can find some of them here:

Faded Seaside Mama, The Kermit Movement, Sorry About the Mess, Life Happens So Smile and The Secret Life of Kate.

I should also mention that the campaign would not be possible without the support of sponsors such as: Bravado, Hotmilk, Baba Sling, Baby Beads, Barefoot Books – and my personal favourite – BreastVest.

Just outside the comfort zone

2013-06-21T13:31:00.000+01:00

This week I was mostly praying for rain, specifically very heavy rain on Wednesday and Thursday. This is because that was when my most dreaded event in the school calendar was scheduled - Sports Day - and therefore when the 'Mummy race' was due to take place. But of course it was great weather on Wednesday, and so - joy of joys - the event could go on as planned...

Becoming a trophy wife

I have no idea why I hate the thought of running competitively in front of a crowd so very much. Apart from the competitive bit - oh yes, and the crowd bit too. In reality, I think of myself as rather fit - I go to the gym every morning and recently discovered I can fit into the dress I had for my sixth form 'leavers ball' (I'm planning to wear it to an eighties club night - because sadly I was around when Rick Astley first made all those infamous promises). And yet, running, in front of the assembled parents - I feel sick at the very thought of it. Maybe it's a hangover from my own school days, while I was pretty good at hockey and even played for my local town as a teenager, generally speaking, the sports field was not where I excelled. To say nothing of the so-very-thick sports 'knickers' we had to endure wearing during 'games' lessons...

In previous years I have managed to get out of running, as I had a younger sibling attached to my leg. But I was also very disappointed when my elder child refused to participate in her running race - or indeed take part in the relay race that involves running back and forth dressed in an assortment of 'silly' clothes. I had to ask myself, had I subliminally passed on my reservations by not running - or was this just the introvert within our DNA showing through? Either way, last year, when she asked me why I hadn't run in the mummy race, I promised her if she did her race next time - so would I.

And so within the blink of an eye, a year had passed and I now have two self-effacing daughters at that school trying so very hard not to be noticed in life. I was determined to show them that running the race was no big deal. I sort of wanted it to be no big deal for me too - I mean I'm a 43 year old woman - I don't have time to sweat the small stuff right? We talked about it before hand - and I tried to convince all of us (mostly me) that the family has some kind of competitive spirit, that we were going to run those races - and run 'em good. The night before I asked my husband to show me in the garden how you are actually supposed to run - like where do your arms go and what do you do at the start? It made me wonder if I'd actually ever run a race before!!

Worst case scenario - you make a tit of yourself

Come Wednesday morning, I felt like I could hear the clock ticking down towards the event. The girls had gone off to school equipped with hats and water bottles, slathered in sun cream because of the BLOODY LOVELY WEATHER. Mummy went off to the gym as per, and thought about the impending moment of doom, trying hard to remember not to eat too much lunch and get a stitch or something equally embarrassing. I headed off to the school field at the allotted time, wondering if I would actually go through with it. Could I?

And so, the children came out of their classrooms onto the field - and both of mine gave me big smiles and waves. They looked like they might actually be enjoying the day. The team races came and went and the girls took part in everything and didn't even freak out when I popped up close by to snap away with my smartphone. I can't say either of them really got the concept that speed was of the essence in these situations - but just taking part is quite something for Team Introvert! And the children's individual running races started - with both my girls happily 'running' down the track, smiles on their faces, blissfully unaware of winners or losers. It was lovely to watch.

And then, gulp, the mummies were up. We were herded over to the start by the head teacher and, safe in the knowledge I had prepared by wearing a sports bra and my lovely Vivo Barefoot trainers, I stood at that white line and stared at the ribbon way down at the other end. And suddenly we were off - and I ran for it. I didn't need to worry about where my arms and legs were - apparently they do know how to run. And I ran fairly fast too, all that gym work has paid off, not only is there less of me to propel these days but my legs felt pretty strong. I didn't win of course - mainly 'cos this isn't the movies (although it would have made for a far better blog) - but I felt pretty proud that I'd taken part - and shown that mummy can move it.

Winning feels good...apparently

But perhaps the best feeling of all that day was when I went to pick up my youngest from her classroom, to find she had made me a gold medal. 'Well I didn't actually win' I told her. Her reply? 'But mummy you took part and you were really brave'. Sometimes stepping out of that comfort zone brings rewards - maybe not the ones you were expecting - but ones that taste so much sweeter.

Vintage Vanessa - my enthusiasm for Sports Day started back at primary school

How do you feel about sports day and the parent races? Have past experiences put you off for life - or do you actually like to get your fit on? Let me know in the comment box below.

[And just a heads up that next week, I'll be taking part in the Keep Britain Breastfeeding campaign and will have a rather lovely Breastvest to give away.]

Banknotes aren't just for the boys

2013-06-14T14:07:00.001+01:00

Possibly one of the most frustrating parts of being a mother is that a lot of the things you do go unnoticed. You could have spent all day washing clothes, drying clothes, putting clothes back in wardrobes, changing beds, cleaning the bathrooms, scraping cornflakes off the floor, shopping for food, preparing that food and tidying away what was left after small people ‘ate’ the food – and still not get a word of thanks. In fact you are far more likely to be asked why you tidied away a favourite toy and chastised for not having ensured the preferred pair of socks have not miraculously reappeared in the sock drawer at the precise moment they were wanted (it doesn’t matter that there are 20 other clean pairs to choose from okay?). You may feel taken for granted.

Is The Bank of England short-changing women?

But it seems that it’s not just at home that women can go unrecognised for their contributions. Recently Mervyn King, the Governor of the Bank of England, announced Winston Churchill will replace social reformer Elizabeth Fry as the face of £5 notes. This effectively means that our currency will now only honour men (apart from the Queen of course, but she got there because of who she is, and not what she has done). Through this move, The Bank of England is sending out the message that the achievements of British females are not as significant as those made by our men. It is effectively a way of ignoring the contribution women have made to our society – be that through politics, science, the arts or good old fashioned hard work. By removing the only woman that was on a bank note and replacing that image with one of a man, the whole gender is made invisible. You may feel taken for granted, again.

But fear not, like many women before her, journalist and campaigner Caroline Criado-Perez is not prepared to sit back and let injustices go unchecked. Initially she set up a petition that asked the Bank of England to review the decision – which garnered 27,000 signatures and widespread press coverage. Sadly, the Bank of England dismissed the petition, and so she has now also embarked on a fundraising project to finance a legal challenge under the 2010 Equality Act. Be afraid Bank of England, be very afraid!

And it doesn’t stop there, bloggers – some might say ‘social influencers’ by the way ;-) – have also started to promote the campaign and fundraising by sharing ideas on exactly who could be the next female ‘face’ on a fiver (just in case The Bank is having problems, you know). It’s not hard to come up with internationally known British women that excelled and continue to excel in their fields and brought and still bring positive changes to the lives of others. From Liberty director Shami Chakrabarti to writer Agatha Christie, from Unicef ambassador Audrey Hepburn to athlete Kelly Holmes, the past, present and future is littered with them.

Cut out picture of lady and affix here...

My personal choice for the banknote would be Dame Caroline Harriet Haslett (1895-1957), a British electrical engineer and electricity industry administrator. Born in West Sussex, she started her professional life as a junior clerk at a boiler company. Within four years she was managing the London office and went on to receive formal training in practical engineering for boiler design. In 1919 she became first secretary of the Women's Engineering Society and later became the group’s President. She also co-founded and became the first director of the Electrical Association for Women and sat on the Council of Scientific Management in the Home, the Council of the British Institute of Management and the British Electrical Development Association. She edited both the Electrical Handbook for Women and Household Electricity.

Most importantly, one of Caroline Harriet Haslett’s primary concerns was to encourage the use of electricity in the home – so that women could be released from the drudgery of housework and have the time (and energy I would imagine) to pursue other interests. This is the reason I think her work and contribution to public life fits so well with this campaign. She wanted women to be free of what were then truly hard physical tasks such as washing (think scrubbing board and mangle) so that they could join in public life and be visible outside the home. She also studied and lectured about the difficulties faced by women within engineering, including examining typical payment and incentive schemes. At just 36, Haslett was awarded a CBE for her services to women and later a DBE giving her the title Dame Caroline Harriet Haslett. Thank you Dame Haslett, I could not survive without my washing machine, tumble dryer, dishwasher, food mixer, toaster, kettle….

Dame Caroline Haslett (with thanks to the Institution of Engineering and Technology)

So what can you do to stop the contribution women make to society being ignored? Boycott money and burn bank notes? Hardly! Instead – make sure you sign the petition, and if you can, add something to the pot to fund the legal challenge. If you are a blogger why not write a post with your suggestion for a new female face and share it using the linkys at NIXDMINX? If you’re not a blogger, feel free to make suggestions for other worthy women in the box below and share this post to let others know about the petition. After all, no one wants to be taken for granted!

On piñatas and pass-the-parcel...

2013-06-06T14:03:00.000+01:00

This week I face the ultimate Mummy test – the birthday party. I admit I have not made it easy for myself, by choosing my house as the venue and inadvertently inviting 26 five-year olds to delight (wrangle?). Added to that the fact that smaller madam wanted to go old-style, I will, on so many levels, be the only ‘entertainment’ as I steer the kids through musical statues and pass-the-parcel. I must now pray for good weather, patience and well-behaved guests. Ear defenders might also be useful, although a misspent youth standing too close to club speakers is dealing with that problem quite nicely.

Your days are numbered...

My first challenge was to decide on a theme – and just the one theme. I had to persuade the guest of honour to abandon ideas of partygoers in their pyjamas (for no apparent reason), repeatedly ripping open packets of gummy bears, gorging on a Hello Kitty cake served on Tinkerbell tableware with Disney Princesses, farm animals, mermaids and unicorns flitting among us. Ideally, all set beside a swimming pool. The Great Gatsby himself could not have imagined such an event (let alone pulled it off with his dubious income).

Once we had decided on just party games (phew!) with a bit of Tinkerbell thrown in for good measure, everything seemed far more straightforward, and invites could go out. But it also seemed downright boring, so I thought I’d seek out some more exciting games – ones that could be talked about for years after and emulated at parties across the entire village…!! As ever the Internet proved to be a wonderful resource as I set about curating a Pinterest board to store the Alpha Mummy ideas I’d happened across. But it turns out my child was more trad than rad (the shame) and had no intention of trying out these new-fangled fancies. So, I apologise in advance to her guests, because plain old pass-the-parcel and pin the wings on Tinkerbell it is.

After planning, came the shopping, with an assortment of Amazon parcels arriving on a day-to-day basis. Mindful of a recent blog I read, I tried to avoid plastics where I could – and I’m rather in love with my (ahem, the) retro paper party bags. Since bashing the fairy dust out of Tinkerbell was not possible, I ordered a unicorn piñata to stuff with sweeties instead. Hopefully this should tire out the most Haribo-hyped party goer before home time, although I fear it might just be me and hubby finishing the beatings off, as past experience tells me, those papier mache fiends can be pretty tough to crack. Note to self: remember to ask the party goers to stand well back…

Let the good times roll

Then I had to think about the grub. I can’t bear the food waste at kids parties – or the snatching that goes on as the crisps and party rings make their way to the table. I’ve plumped for (cardboard) food boxes instead – and have dodged the inevitable ‘I don’t like ham, I want jam’ sandwich dilemma by opting for mini sausages and cheese strings (barf) within. Ever hopeful, I will pop in some vegetable sticks and fruit too. My older daughter (and maybe her bestie) will assist in delivering the food boxes to the marauding masses repeating the mantra ‘if you don’t like it, just leave it in the box’. If the weather is nice we’ll put out picnic rugs and bypass the need for 26 seats. If it rains, ummmmmm, ask me about that later.

And for the finale? Well, there will be no cake and candle that’s for sure, since my youngest has been put off that idea by witnessing her elder sister’s firework candle that was far more sparkly than we could ever have imagined (fire blanket anyone?). For a while I toyed with the idea of a jelly, but the thought of it all collapsing as I eased it out of its mould moments before presenting it to the assembled crowd was too much for me. Instead I’m planning an ice-cream cake (something else I had to look up on the Internet, how did Gatsby cope without it?). There can still be sauce and sprinkles, singing and a numbered candle, but it probably won’t be lit and – as my offspring so cleverly pointed out – the ice-cream cake won’t be going in those cute party bags…

Handmade birthday bunny by Spinning Top Boutique

So, wish me luck – and keep your fingers and toes crossed for good weather. If you have any last minute advice, tips or anecdotes to help me out and cheer me up – I’d love to hear them in the comment box below. If I’m back next week I’ll be a stronger person for it. And there’s eight months to recover before the next extravaganza…

Keep Calm and Carry On...Camping

2013-05-24T12:28:00.001+01:00

After school today my kids played their current favourite game. It’s called ‘let’s jump about on the trampoline wrapped up in sleeping bags’. Admittedly it’s not much of a game, but they’re happy, so who am I to intervene? The game started when my other half ventured into the shed (there’s just enough room to get a foot in, then you have to reach in and pull things out one by one and hope they don’t come crashing down on you – particularly the hedge trimmer) to ‘check over’ our camping gear.

Always bring a mallet - and a very patient child

As you can imagine, given the weather over the last couple of summers, it has been a while since we have been camping as a family. We’ve had some short local bursts, and shared someone else’s tent on another occasion but this time around we are going en famille for four full nights. That’s the plan anyway. Let’s hope the weather plays nice.

This upcoming adventure has elicited various reactions from the family. While hubby has concentrated his efforts on ensuring we have fire and light, I have been obsessing about food and sleeping arrangements and the children have been collecting mountains of toys they seem to think they are bringing along (ha!). So far we have bought a roof box for the new car, since it has a smaller boot than the previous one, a food thermos and kettle (my demands), one new camping chair (I’m currently in negotiations about who will actually get to sit on it since this one has flowers on it and the others are a dull green) and a table (bought to use during meal times but already appropriated for colouring). And we haven’t even left yet…

'Actually, this chair is taken Mummy'

With all this fuss and expense, it got me wondering why exactly is it that people who normally live in a warm, insulated house with hot and cold running water and a kitchen full of food opt to spend a night, well, outside, basically. And this is what I’ve come up with:

Time out

No, not that thing you order your kid to take when you are worried you might swear repeatedly in front of them – but time away – from work, daily chores, school, the TV, the smartphone (deep breaths now Vanessa, you can do it), crowded towns and cities and the mountain of plastic junk and clutter you usually find in the average family home. Without all this noise and these distractions, it’s just possible you might dig deep and talk to and entertain each other. Maybe play cards (spice up poker by playing for toilet paper), tell stories, climb trees and explore. It’s called bonding. But you are not allowed to use duct tape.

Do something different

The good thing about a tent is that it is nothing like your home (although this is also the bad thing about a tent). You do not have a kitchen, individual bedrooms, radiators and, ahem, a bathroom. This means you have to do everyday things differently. Eating, sleeping, washing, cooking – all the usual routines go out the window (yeah, there’s none of them either) which can actually be quite liberating. You might find you are more resourceful than you thought. It’s at times like this you realise that you can build a fire, remember what the different constellations are called and tie a pretty mean knot.

Flexibility & budget

Although the initial outlay for a decent tent and a few essential items might seem a bit steep, if you look after your camping gear it should last. Thereafter, camp sites themselves are pretty cheap and obviously if you compare a trip under canvas to a holiday that involves a flight abroad or a stay in a hotel, you are still going to be quids in. Likewise, camping offers the sort of flexibility you can’t find in brochures. While the better sites are often booked up at popular times (like the summer holidays), there will always be the opportunity to go camping at a moment’s notice (and if torrential rain is forecast, the ability to put the tent back in the shed for another year!).

Your car keys - you can leave at any time...

So are you tempted? If you are, you might want to take some advice on kit from a professional (in case you haven't guessed I am not a professional camper...) – and take a look at these campsites (a partnership between the Forestry Commission and the good old Camping and Caravanning Club) or try The Guardian’s recent Top Ten of sites for location ideas. Alternatively if you don’t fancy full-on camping, you could try 'glamping', where there are a few more mod cons (in this case a vintage loo, sleeping ‘quarters’, a wood-fired oven – and yes – the proverbial kitchen sink). I’m strangely drawn to this option myself!!

Let me know about your camping experiences and tips below – or if you just can’t stand the idea – tell me why! It’s not too late for me to change my mind…!!