Author Archives: Oscar Dyer

Why The New Ford Fiesta Is The Perfect Learner Driver Car For Your Offspring

Do you remember the time when you learnt how to drive? When I was learning to drive, back in the late 1990s, I had a really horrible Metro to learn in. I’m sure there are some die-hard Metro enthusiasts out there, but the car I was learning in really was a piece of junk!

I actually failed my driving test in it because when I put my foot on the brake pedal to do an emergency stop, the accelerator pedal got stuck (due to a dodgy cable from what I remember). That was truly a facepalm moment!

Photo Source

Afterwards, I had decided to ditch my current driving “instructor” and went with a more professional firm that had a fleet of Ford Fiesta cars. Being a Vauxhall person at heart, I didn’t really think I’d have a better experience but having driven one I can see what the car was – and still is – the most-popular car to drive in nations such as the United Kingdom!

Car technology, design and style has clearly come a long way since the tail end of the 20th century and today in 2014, the Ford Fiesta is still proving to be the number one choice; not just with owners and drivers, but also with youngsters learning to drive.

Why is the Ford Fiesta such a perfect car for learners?

Obviously you won’t want to just take my word for it so I will talk you through some of the specific reasons why millions of people – not just me – think that the Ford Fiesta is the perfect learner driver car for youngsters.

First of all, the new Ford Fiesta is very stylish. I know that style won’t help you to pass your driving test, but it’s one of the factors that attracts young drivers to the car.

It is also going to be the most-likely influencing factor for their buying decision (or yours) when they pass their driving test, as they will more than likely want to drive the same make and model of car they passed in because of familiarity reasons.

Car dealerships such as the GK Group sell the Fiesta like hotcakes, and a lot of their customers happen to be either youngsters looking for an affordable, reliable car, or their parents; I wish my parents bought me a brand new car when I passed my test!

Secondly, and arguably the most-important point, is that like it’s predecessors, the Ford Fiesta is actually a really easy car to drive. It’s small enough to navigate around busy city streets and park in tight spaces, yet its interior is extremely cavernous and will comfortably transport the driver and three passengers over long distances.

Thirdly, the Fiesta is a very safe car to drive. According to test results from Euro NCAP, the independent organisation set up by several European nations to determine how safe new cars are, the Ford Fiesta scored an impressive five out of five stars on crash tests, with a score of 91% for adult occupants and 86% for child occupants.

Everything Women Need to Know About Buying a Great Bag

A great bag can literally make or break your outfit. Wearing a fun bag can be a great way to show off your personality, impress your friends, and even impress your boss (perhaps enough to give you that promotion!). If you choose the wrong bag, your look can suffer greatly – nobody wants that, do they? Perhaps you’re not sure of how exactly to buy the perfect bag that will compliment any look you choose. Well, we are – so sit back, relax, and learn everything you need to know about buying a great bag!

Image Source: Flickr

Body Types

In the same way you’d choose a nice top or pair of jeans, a handbag should fit your body type. I don’t mean that the shape of the bag should match your figure, rather you should choose the opposite of your body type. If you’re a tall, thin woman, then a large oversized bag could look amazing. However, it’s all about what makes you feel comfortable, and if you don’t like something you should pass on it. A nice, classic design will last for years while maintaining a sense of style.

Fakes and Lookalikes

If you’re looking to get a designer bag, you need to watch out for fakes. A fake is something that has totally ripped off a designer bag, complete with their logo. A lookalike can also be called a ‘dupe’ where a bag is simply inspired by a designer piece (a lot of womens clothes stores do this). If your deal seems to be too good to be true and you’re thinking of buying from a market or eBay seller, then it could be a fake (although eBay is good for bargains at times). Make sure you only buy your bags from reputable sellers.

The Handles

You must have had a bag at one point or another that was uncomfortable for you to carry. This is usually down to the handles. Some people like to carry their bag over their shoulders, others like to wear them cross body. Whatever your preference, don’t stray too far from it. You’ll carry your bag with you every day, so you need to be comfortable. To get an idea of the kind of bag you could be carrying with you day to day, check this out from Shinola.

Size

It might be tempting to buy a big oversized bag for fashion purposes, but if you don’t have a lot of things to carry with you, it’s pointless. You’ll end up overfilling your bag, and rummaging around for what feels like an age looking for what you’re after. Buy a bag big enough to fit your essentials; purse, phone, I.D, glasses, lipstick, and anything else you need. This doesn’t have to be huge!

Colour and Pattern

You don’t need to be boring when choosing a new bag. Although it should be versatile, you can still choose a colourful or patterned bag that will go with most of your wardrobe. In fact, your bag could make a lovely focal point!

Go on ladies, go out there and buy the bag of your dreams!

Tips For Your Child Custody Battle

Nobody gets married with the intention of splitting from their partner a few years later and getting involved with a messy child custody battle, but unfortunately, this happens quite a lot in the modern world, and so you need to be as prepared as possible for any eventuality. I recently went through something like this, and although it was stressful and upsetting, with the right advice from my lawyer, I managed to pull through. With that in mind, today I’m going to relay some handy tips that could make the process a little more bearable for all involved. Of course, your partner may act incredibly unreasonably in this situation, but that doesn’t mean you have to bring yourself down to their level.

Image link here

At the end of the day, you want to get through this is the quickest time possible to avoid it having adverse effects on your children. I can tell you from personal experience that family breakups can have a massively negative impact on your child’s mental health, and it’s not always obvious until they’re a little older. Indeed, my own parents split when I was four years old, and it took me until the age of around 22 to completely recover from it. That might sound extreme, but it’s the god’s honest truth.

So, take a read through some of my tips, and hopefully you’ll limit the chances of this happening to your kids…

Tip #1: Always Remain Calm

Situations will almost certainly become heated quickly during a child custody battle, but you need to remain calm and rational at all times. This is the best way to show the authorities that you are the best parent for the job.

Tip #2: Never Lie In Court

You might be tempted to tell a couple of small lies in court, but this should be avoided like the plague. Any lawyer with the same level of experience as Attorney Mark Goldstein will tell you that getting busted for one lie means your entire case falls apart.

Tip #3: Think About The Child

Child custody battles happen because two parents each believes they’re better for the child concerned. Even so, don’t try to get residency for your kids if you know in the back of your mind that your ex partner would do a better job.

Tip #4: Be Patient

Divorces can take a long time to come through, and child custody cases aren’t that different. Your son or daughter will have to speak with social services representatives to help determine their happiness levels, and you’ll have to jump through a lot of hoops. This is just something you have to accept.

Tip #5: Don’t Be Vindictive

In situations where a couple co-owned a property, it’s usually the partner who keeps it that gets custody of the child. However, as I’m sure all the rational people reading this article understand, that is not a good enough reason to fight for a child you’re unable to look after properly.

Well, hopefully know you’ll be a little better prepared should anything go wrong in the future. None of us like to imagine things like this happening, but they do, and so we shouldn’t avoid the issue.

Follow my advice, and everything should go smoothly.

7 Handy Time Saving Cleaning Tips For Busy Moms

When time is so precious you do not want to spend the whole week cleaning. You are a Mom, your children need you, want you, you want them, need them, and cleaning will always play second fiddle to this.

However, cleaning will always need to be done. Do not worry, there are a few things you can do that will help save you a little time, allowing you to concentrate on the more important things in life.

(Thanks to The Italian Voice, via Flickr for the image)

Time and money saving cleaning tips:

Use a timer

You only have so much time in the day to clean, so decide how long you want to clean for and use a timer to divide up your time into task chunks. You must remember to stick to your time allocation for each cleaning activity, as you will also find that you work that little bit harder and quicker as you have a deadline to reach.

Avoid concentrated products

Concentrated cleaners clean just as effectively as standard cleaners. You are only wasting your money if you buy into the brands claims. Providing you follow the recommended cleaning guidelines, a cleaning product will either do its job, or it won’t. For example, adding more bleach will not kill more germs, or if you add more cleaning product to a bucket of water it will not make your floor more clean.

Get some help

As a Mom you would probably appreciate that four eyes are better than two, and eight hands are, well, better than two. The same goes for cleaning. If you can get some extra help, especially with the cleaning that you do not like, then try to get a cleaning company in. You can also get more specialist cleaners in, for example you could search for ‘Oven Cleaning in Sheffield’ and you would find companies that are quite happy to come and clean the oven for you. If you do not live in Sheffield, then just input the name of your own town or city.

Clean your windows for less

You can even make your own glass cleaner by adding 100ml of white vinegar and a teaspoon of dishwashing liquid to 4 litres of warm water, and keep it in an old plastic spray bottle. Simple.

Give your sink a bath

Your sink is probably in constant use, and with this use comes extra tough stains and marks. You may have used abrasive products to remove these stains, however it never looks great on your sink. You can give your sink a bath by pouring in some herbal solution and let it soak overnight, freeing up some of your time.

Buy extra basics

Another time saving tip is to keep cleaning products on each floor, saving you time and energy having to carry a heap of cleaning products around the house with you.

Buy a squeegee

Great if you have a lot of glass and mirrors. The squeegee has been around for years, and it is easy to see why. They are so quick to use and leave your glass smear free.

I hope these tips help you save a little time! Let’s face it, life is for living, not cleaning. Good luck!

Home Based Business Ideas for Busy Moms

Flickr author here

If you’re a single parent, or your partner works away a lot, it can be difficult to find suitable employment. That is why starting your own home based business could be the ideal solution to all your financial problems. On top of this, staying at home with a child can become very tedious if you don’t have some kind of outlet, which is precisely the reason you pay close attention to all the business ideas listed in this post. Most of them are pretty simple to set up, and you’ll be able to work around your schedule, which has many obvious advantages.

I’ve personally worked from home for around three years now, and I can honestly say it’s the best move I’ve ever made. While it can be a little nerve racking to begin with, once you establish yourself and build a regular client base, things soon become more relaxed. So, give me your full attention and let’s take a quick look at some of the ideas you may wish to consider…

Washing And Ironing Services

You probably spend a lot of time doing your own washing and ironing when at home with the kids, so why not start a business where you get paid for it? There are many people who live alone and work long hours, and some of them simply don’t have the time to deal with these jobs. So, there’s definitely a lot of potential for earning if your skills are sufficient enough to make a good impression. You can either spend a couple of mornings each week collecting the clothing from your clients homes, or you could even allow them to drop it off to you. Obviously, you’ll need a commercial washer to cope with the increased loads, but these are cheap to buy from specialists like Alexanders Direct.

Freelance Writing / Design

There are lots of freelance websites around at the moment where companies and individuals post large and small jobs they need to complete. Presuming you have sufficient English skills or you’re a dab hand at design work, you could earn a good wage through these sites. Once you’ve established yourself in the industry, you should find it simple to attract clients outside of the freelancing sites, and so your earnings should increase even further. Just make sure you only ever bid for work you know for certain you’ll have the time to complete, as any late submissions could work against you.

Childminding / Babysitting

If you’re spending all day with a child anyway, you might as well look after other people’s for pay. Most families don’t earn enough for a parent to stay at home with the kids, and this means they have a lot of trouble sourcing care when the school holidays come around. Most childminders charge around £10 per child for every hour they’re with them, so it’s possible to take hundreds every day if you make the right adaptations to your home and obtain all the proper licenses and insurance.

Well ladies, there you have it. After taking time to read through those suggestions, you should be more hopeful about starting your own home based business in the near future. It’s important to work if you’re able, as this gives you a sense of purpose.

Good luck with the new business, whatever you end up doing!

Being a Mum, what do we really want for Mother’s Day?

We all have a concept of what we would like to get our beloved Mum for Mother’s Day, is it flowers, chocolates or jewellery, whatever it is, our aim is to make our Mum smile.

However, being Mums ourselves, have you ever thought about what you would really like for Mother’s Day?

Partners, and children that are old enough, can go out and buy something, while younger children may make us something nice. With both, as long as the thought is there, most of us do not care what the end product is.

However, it is nice receiving a gift that takes your breath away. There are some things that make better Mother’s Day gifts than others. Jewellery is always a nice treat, especially if it is something that you have had your eyes on for a while.

Then you have the usual suspects, chocolates, flowers and perfume can be great gifts for Mums, but require little thought from the gift giver.

Some Mums receive ‘joke’ presents, which include cleaning product and diet pills. As long as these are very much joke presents and nothing else, they may raise a small smile as well as raised eyebrows.

But, what do Mums really want for Mother’s Day?

There are some things that money cannot buy, and it is these things that Mums really want.

Mums often run around like headless chickens for most of the day. The day is hectic and full of pressures that loved ones may not really appreciated in full. So, for Mother’s Day Mums want to be given something that enables them to enjoy being themselves, and do things that during any other day of the year, they cannot do.

Time cannot be bought, instead it needs to be given to you. Some research was conducted last year, and it found that some Mums did not want things, they just needed time.

What things would be a great gift for you this Mother’s Day?

Mums want sleep, rest and recuperation. This is not as obvious to your partner or your children, so you may need to drop some subtle hints.

(Thanks to Sean Hobson, via Flickr, for the great photo)

Mums also want to spend some quality time as a family. This can prove difficult during the year, everyone has so much going on in their lives that quality family time can sometimes can shunned and pushed to the back of our priorities. Your loved ones should make it a priority this Mother’s Day.

Most Mums are happy with a gift, but this year loved ones can make it extra special by making the day as easy as possible on Mother’s Day.

It’s also the little things that can mean the most. Artwork from children, a hot drink, breakfast in bed, and making sure that the house is tidy.

Ultimately it is about making Mum feeling special, the day is theirs and this should be made very clear in both what gifts are bought and what time is given.

So, do Mums a good deed and give them something money cannot buy this year for Mother’s Day.

Is It Safe To Take Your Kids on Cruise Holidays?

If you’re thinking of going on a cruise holiday with the family, you’ll probably be wondering whether it’s really safe to take kids along with you. Well, we can tell you that it’s definitely safe – in fact, cruise lines have been trying very hard to attract families by teaming up with certain children’s TV channels like Nickelodeon, and are offering parents the chance to bring their kids along for free!

Image Source

There are so many things for kids to do on a cruise. There are both kid’s and teen’s clubs, video arcades, waterslides, outdoor movies, basketball, and more! However, although taking kids on a cruise holiday is safe, there is a downside. More and more kids are boarding cruise ships, especially during the school holidays…for a couple wanting to take a romantic getaway, they may find themselves on a ship with thousands of children. While many of these kids will be playing in the arcades or spending time with their families, there has been talk of children roaming the hallways alone, taking over the hot tubs, and causing havoc for older cruisers.

Many cruise ships handle the influx of children very well, but this doesn’t stop some cruisers who aren’t too keen on children saying that they’re never going back during the school holidays. If you want to go on a cruise with the whole family, then taking your kids could be a wonderful idea – just beware that there will be hundreds of other kids there too, and you might not get any peace for the duration. Saying that, you’ll all still have a wonderful time.

Of course, there’s a chance your kids won’t appreciate the cruise as much as they should – they’ll be a ton of amazing sites/places to see, but will they really appreciate the experience? Unless there are a lot of amenities on board the ship for them, they could get bored. Take a look here for some cruises you and your children could be interested in.

If you do decide to take the whole family on a cruise holiday, rest assured that it’s very safe. The only thing we’ll say is, make sure you keep them under control. Kids should not be left to run amok in the corridors, allowed to cannonball in the jacuzzi, or be rude to older cruisers. We advise that you know where your kids are and what they are doing at all times, by checking on them and asking them to check in with you every so often. You don’t want them to wreak havoc on the ship while you sunbathe on the deck, blissfully unaware of what’s going on. Plus, while it’ll be nice for the parents to relax and the kids to go and play for a while, what’s the point in going on a cruise holiday as a family if you don’t plan on spending time together as a family?

There are many pros and cons to cruising with kids, so weigh them up and decide whether it’s worth bringing the kids along!

Why Fancy Dress Is So Important For Children

The concept of ‘fancy dress’ has been around for a long time, centuries in fact. You can go back as far as the 18th century where, in the UK, masked balls were very popular. This started the fancy dress concept. Even children got involved in these masked balls in ye old United Kingdom, so it has been a part of growing up for years.

Fancy dress gained more widespread popularity in the 1940s, and they really began to gain momentum in the 1970s where costumes became more readily available.

But, why is fancy dress so important for children?

As we have all grown up, we have all probably tried to use our imagination and dress up. It may be denied, but most boys would have tried on some of their mothers clothes at some point.

Getting your children into a fancy dress costumes can give really benefit their social and emotional development. Using their imagination as a starting point allows them to interact and engage with other children, as well as having the confidence to speak to adults, and that includes Mum and Dad.

If you have a little girl, she may want to dress up in the latest Disney Princess character, which is great. The Disney Princess is what most girls want to be, especially when they are young, consider Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Rapunzel or Tinkerbell (even though she is not technically a Disney Princess).

A little boy may want to dress up as a Pirate, such as Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean or a Superhero such as Batman, Spiderman or the Hulk.

(image from Flickr: Stijlfoto)

What is important here is that they dress up in something that encourages their imagination, but do not just stick to stereotypes. Giving your children the means to dress up in something other than this has the potential to do wonders for them, check out hollywood.uk.com to see if you can find their hero.

Fancy dress encourages children’s social side and provides a perfect ice-breaker helping your child build relationships from an early stage. Fancy dress can also help children overcome any shyness they may have around others, it also forms a platform for compliments to be made, giving children the confidence they sometimes need.

Fancy dress also helps children develop emotionally, being a channel where children can freely express themselves. It also helps children communicate with others, and by playing the characters that they love they learn control their emotional responses.

Fancy dress helps children develop their imagination. This is becoming more, and more important. With some many computer games, phones, tablets, computers, television and films available to young children, where these things can really harm their imagination development, fancy dress can help bring their inner child out.

Even though computer games, phones, tablets, computers, television and films can harm children’s imagination, it can also enhance it if used right. Fancy dress can be used as an extension of their favourite film, television show or video game. They can also be used as an extension of a book. It is important that combinations of these mediums are used to bring their favourite character to life.

A Guide to Safely Introducing Your Dog to Your New Baby

You wouldn’t believe just how in tune with us our dogs are. As you’ve been pregnant for 9 months or so, he probably already knows that something around the home is changing. However, just because he’s picked up something new in the air, doesn’t mean he understands what’s going on. You need to prepare your dog for the arrival, and introduce your new arrival to him properly to help him come to terms with the change. Here’s a guide to safely introducing your dog to your new baby:

Photo Author: Flickr

Focus on Leadership

The 9 months in which you are pregnant is more than enough time to smooth out any naughty behaviour and establish yourself as the pack leader. It might take some hard work, but you’ll be glad you did it when the baby comes.

Be Aware of Your Own Energy

A pregnancy will affect the whole household. Your dog will mirror your emotions, whether you feel worried, anxious, or excited so beware of your own energy.

Bring Your Baby’s Scent

Before bringing home the baby, bring home an item from the hospital with the baby’s scent on. This is the exercise where you need to set clear boundaries. To create respect for the baby, you need to get your dog to sniff the item from a distance rather than close up. This sends a message that the item belongs to you and the dog needs to be careful.

Establish Boundaries

At first, you shouldn’t let your dog inside the nursery at all. Then, you can let the dog in to explore and sniff with your supervision. You must always decide when it’s time for the dog to leave the room. You should do this a couple of times before the baby comes.

Keep the Introduction Controlled

Start off by draining your dogs energy by taking him on a very long walk. Before you come back, make sure you dog is calm and submissive. Your dog will know the second they enter the room that there’s a new scent in the house. Whoever is holding the baby needs to be totally calm. Don’t bring the baby too close during this first meeting. You need to teach the dog to treat your baby as another pack leader.

Teach Your Baby

As your baby grows and gets more curious, you should always supervise interaction between them and the dog. You don’t want your child to accidentally aggravate the dog, for example by touching his wuffitmix dog food, so be careful and teach your baby to be nice to the dog.

Don’t Forget About the Dog

Your dog needs to have their usual routine to feel secure. You need to be a consistent leader and take them for daily walks as normal, so they feel safe – you don’t necessarily need toys or to give them special attention!

Your baby’s safety should always come first, and if at any point you feel uneasy about the dog around your baby, you may need to consider finding the dog a new home as an option. Do your best to maintain position as pack leader and this shouldn’t have to happen.

Are You Guilty Of Forgetting These Golden Rules To Buying A Family Car?

The family car sector is big business for the motor industry, with leading global manufacturers competing for the chance to sell the best and most-popular models to parents all over the world! As you can probably imagine, there is a plethora of different models for mums and dads everywhere to choose from, ranging from frugal hatchbacks to luxurious motorway stormers.

Image Source

But did you know that a lot of parents end up buying the wrong cars for their needs, because they have not remembered (or weren’t aware of) the golden rules to buying a family car? If you are planning on buying a family-oriented car soon, make sure you take the following points on board before you part with your money – otherwise you could end up making a costly mistake!

The importance of having the perfect (car) body

One of the biggest epic fails that a lot of parents make is buying a car with the wrong body style:

Saloon cars are good for families with children that do not need prams, as the boots of such cars are rather inflexible and limited on space;
Hatchback cars are popular for parents with growing families, and make it easy to load cargo in the boot and in the back of the car;
Estate cars are more difficult to park but provide the ultimate amount of cargo and cabin space, especially if you have to transport pets at the same time.

Avoid three-door cars like the plague

Have you ever had to regularly get a baby in and out of the back of a three-door car? It’s a rather stressful experience, and one that should be avoided at all costs! Whatever car you buy, make sure that it has five doors instead of three.

Some larger vehicles, such as the Ford S-Max, have large doors which offer the most amount of flexibility for getting babies and baby paraphernalia out of the car.

Luxury cars can be affordable family cars too

There is a common misconception that the more-luxurious vehicles on the market such as Mercedes cars are typically expensive and completely out of reach for the average Vauxhall Astra driver, for example, but they can still be bought – as long as you are willing to limit yourself to only used models!

To be honest, I wouldn’t buy a brand new car anyway because of the depreciation hit that I’d have to take, but for those that don’t want to experience the joys of diagnosing strange noises, sounds and smells from mature cars, you could buy nearly-new models as they will save you thousands off the list price of new ones.

Make sure you can disable the passenger airbag

Unbeknownst to many people is the fact that not all cars offer you the ability to put your baby at the front of the car with you. Therefore, when researching what family cars to put on your shortlist, make sure that they offer you the ability to disable the front passenger airbag when you’ve got your baby on board and acting as your co-pilot!

Collaboration with US Mechanics EDU