Category Archives: Tips

How to Involve the Children in the Process of Choosing a Home

When you choose a home, it doesn’t just affect you and your partner; ‘the adults’. It affects your children too, no matter how young they are. Moving to a new place affects different people in different ways. In fact, younger children feel emotions more intensely than adults in some cases. Their fears may seem irrational, but to them they are very real. Even if you are only moving 10 minutes down the road, they might worry about losing touch with their friends or family. This is why it’s important you involve the children in the process of choosing a home. This is beneficial in many ways. Read on to look into this further:

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Photo Author: Flickr

Involving children in the process of choosing a home isn’t just about asking them for their ideas on their views, but taking them seriously too. By involving them in this complicated process, they’ll learn skills that they can use later on in life, have fun, and make a connection with the area. They may even develop enough of a sense of ownership to tidy up after themselves, which is always a bonus! The important thing for adults is to be honest with the children about the process, so they understand it as best they can.

Take Them to Viewings

In order to properly involve the children, you should take them to house viewings. The estate agents in Redditch know that many adults don’t bother with this, but it’s better for them to see where they could move to rather than have a shock on moving day. Make sure they’re on their best behaviour, and involve them in discussions as you move around the house. Talk to them about things you could do with the rooms that may excite them.

Explore the Area

If you know the location you’ll be moving too, explore the area with the kids and have fun. Go for walks, have a picnic, go hunting for insects; whatever will make them want to return to the area!

Show Them Their New School

Moving to a new school is very scary for kids. If they’ll be moving to a new school along with a new house, take them to see it before it’s time for them to join. You can even just do this via their website online if it’s too hard for you to get there.

Talk to Them About Exciting Things to Come

Make sure the kids know that you’re still going to be doing lots of family activities together when you move.

Ask Them About Their Feelings

You don’t know what is going through your kid’s heads before you move, so ask them about their feelings and don’t get mad at them if they’re scared or angry.

Reassure Them

Reassure your kids that things are going to be just fine, and that they will love their new home before long. However, make sure you listen to them and don’t undermine what they’re telling you.

It’s also important that you let the kids say a proper goodbye to their old home. Why not have family and friends round for a little party before you move? This will be a lovely way to end your time in your first home and keep the kids happy!

Awesome Nursery Accessories that Both You and Baby Will Love

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Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons

As parents, we only want the best for our children. When it comes to their health, their education and their development, nothing less than the best will suffice. And nursery furniture and accessories are no exceptions. We want something that’s functional, practical and that also complements our nursery decor perfectly.

So, if you’re looking to update or add to your baby’s nursery, this is our pick of the best in contemporary nursery furniture and accessories. We’ve picked items that are designed to help make parent’s lives that little bit easier, and you can guarantee that your baby will love them too.

Tipi Play Tent

Who remembers how fun it was making dens as a child? Well, why not encourage your baby to share in some of the fun? Tipi play tents are great for this. They’re also very handy for protecting them from the sun during the hot summer months. You could even pop one in a carry bag and take it down to the beach with you. They will have so much fun playing in their tipi play tent – you’ll begin to wish they came in adult sizes!

Muslin Cloths

We’ve all been there as parents. We’ve given baby a bath, changed their nappy and dressed them in the cutest outfit we could find. But we made a ‘rookie’ mistake of doing all this before feeding time. Within two minutes they (and you!) are covered in baby food and that cute outfit suddenly looks as if it’s seen better days. Well, with a pack of protective muslin cloths you don’t have to worry about this anymore! They help to protect your baby’s clothing, and you can just whip it off and pop it in the wash when they’re done. This simple, but effective accessory is an absolute life-saver for any parent.

Bouncers & Swing Seats

Babies love bouncers and swing seats. They allow your baby to rock themselves to sleep when they’re tired. Equally when they’re ‘full of beans’, swinging back and forth helps them to burn off some of that energy. They’re also very good for promoting muscle development, as they encourage your baby to move around, which helps to develop their core strength.

Soother Clips

Along with your keys and mobile phone, soothers are just one of those things you’re likely regularly to misplace. As busy parents, we have very little spare time as it is. So, we don’t really want spend a large proportion of it looking for a lost soother. That’s why soother clips are such a good idea. I’m afraid they won’t help you keep track of your keys and phone next time they decide to do a disappearing act. But at least you’ll know where the soother is!

Each of these items is designed with both baby and you in mind. They’re there to make your life a little bit easier, as well as allowing baby to have fun. And anything that’s there to help smooth the path of parenthood gets two thumbs up from us!

Fast ways to refresh your bedroom

Fast ways to refresh your bedroomWhen you first think about redoing your bedroom – or your child’s – the idea might be a little daunting. Thinking about new furniture, fresh paint, and new everything else can be a bit much. Also, there is no way that you can accomplish all of that quickly, with a limited budget. But you’re also really tired of stepping into an outdated room that you don’t like any more. So, what can you do?

Change out the bed frame

One overlooked way to change the look of a bedroom in no time is to switch out the bed frames for a different style. If your existing frame is ornate and elaborate, go instead with a lower metal frame that is partially obscured by the mattress. This type of frame lets the bed linens become the star of the show so that you can buy everything from Disney Princesses for the kids to larger floral patterns or luxurious fabrics. If the frame hasn’t been a focal point, find one that adds some character to change up the room such as a large wooden frame with slats or a sleigh bed.

Purchase new bedding

Sometimes you get so used to your bed linens that they fade into the background. For a really quick way to change up the look of the entire room, get a new set of bedding. Go with a completely different bold color family, or choose a pattern rather than a solid block of color. Don’t forget that your window treatments may need a little updating as well – some bedding kits come with curtains or blinds plus pillow shams and bed skirts that match the new set. Regardless, the vibrancy of the new bed linens makes the entire room feel rejuvenated with hardly any changes made at all.

Paint the walls

Paint is one of the first things people tend to think of when they start planning a bedroom overhaul, but it’s often an overwhelming idea. To bring the workload down a few notches, consider just painting one accent wall or adding a painted feature in one part of the room. Murals often make a nice touch in children’s bedrooms whether they like football, superheroes or wildlife. If the entire room could use a good paint job, however, bite the bullet and get the job done. Once you’re finished, the bedroom will feel fresh and new, even if you don’t change another thing. Consider color palettes you wouldn’t normally put together, or try stripes or even spots. Buying new paintings or adding photographs to the walls can additionally make a massive difference – there are plenty of multi-photo frames on the market allowing you to show off your family snaps.

Take the pressure off and switch just one element of your bedroom to make a big difference to your space. Larger changes can always happen later if you still feel that they’re still necessary. As with cooking, keep in mind that simple ingredients can easily create a different flavor.

7 Must Have Gadgets for Mums

Mums often get stressed out with various things in their day to day lives. For example, moving a baby into their own room for the first time, or not being able to warm bottles when you’re out and about. That’s why I’ve found these 7 must have gadgets to help you! The following gadgets will make your life much easier and more enjoyable, so you have more time to spend enjoying your time as a little family:

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Image Author: Flickr

1. The Super Spoon

Squirt from boon is more than just a silly little spoon. It’s the most amazing, super duper spoon you’ll ever have the pleasure of owning. All in a colourful, easy to clean, squeezy bulb you add a 3 ounce jar of baby food. This allows you to literally feed your baby single handedly, taking away a lot of the mess! You can even take food with you wherever you go by simply popping on the cap.

2. LED Night Light for Baby and Toddlers

Babies can sometimes find it hard to sleep on their own, especially in total darkness. Soothe them with an LED night light, so you know that they fall asleep feeling happy and comforted. You can turn the night light off once your baby has fallen asleep.

3. A Camcorder

A camcorder is a great bit of kit, but it’s essential for capturing all of your baby’s special moments. Their first steps, words, laugh, a tantrum – you can capture it all on film, ready to embarrass them with on their 18th birthday.

4. A Video Monitor

A video monitor helps mums who are anxious about their baby going in their own room for the first time. You can see them on your smartphone without leaving your own bedroom, so you know exactly what they are doing. This way, you won’t feel the need to check on them every 5 minutes!

5. The Travel Warmer

The travel warmer allows you to warm your baby’s milk without the help of a plug or a kettle. Simply heat up the travel cell before you leave the house, and when it’s time for your baby to have their bottle all you need to do is crack it and insert the bottle. It’ll stay warm for ages!

6. Bath Thermometer

A good baby bath thermometer will read the temperature of your baby’s bath water every few seconds, so you know whether it’s too hot or too cold for them at all times.

7. Germ-free Humidifier

Do you worry about your baby coming into contact with germs? With this germ-free humidifier, you can chill out about your baby becoming poorly. The ultraviolet light will kill mould, bacteria, and fungus before it has a chance to reach your baby.

Do you have a gadget that you and your baby just couldn’t live without? Let us know in the comments. The above 7 gadgets will definitely enrich your life and make being a mum easier and more enjoyable. Thanks for reading!

 

 

A Safe Family Home: 3 Steps

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Your family is the most important thing in the world to you. Looking after their safety should be your top priority. As a parent, the obligation to take care of your little ones is great. You don’t want to see any harm come to your family and, of course, you will do anything you can to protect them.

You can start looking out for your family’s safety at home. Your home is where you and your family spend the most time, so it is vital that it is a safe and comfortable environment. Many people believe that a home is just a play to lay your head, but, when you have a family, this can’t be true. Building a safe and secure place for your children to grow up, will mean that they are happier and more confident in later life.

Childhood is the most important part of anyone’s life. This period, fleeting as it is, is when a person becomes who they will be in adult life. You can do your child a huge favour by ensuring that during this hard time, they have the security that only a safe home can bring. Here are three steps to keeping your family safe at home.

Step One: Educate Your Children On Safety

It is your job to educate your child in home safety. Children do not learn how to be safe in school, so when they are at home you should be showing them how to be safe all the time. Teaching your children how to be safe from a young age will prevent accidents in later life.

For example, from the age of about five you should begin to show your child how to be safe in the kitchen. Kitchen safety is one of the most important types of home safety. Your child needs to understand the importance of staying away from the hobs when they are on and not going near hot fat. By instating these rules from an early age, you help your child to become a conscientious person. When a child understands the things that are dangerous to them within the home, they will make an effort to avoid those things.

Step Two: Consider Moving To A Private Estate

When your child reaches about eleven or twelve, they will begin to ask to play outside with their friends. You need to be able to allow your child this freedom so that they don’t become sheltered and shy away from other children. The problem is though that letting your child out into a public street is dangerous. There is traffic and also people who could harm your child.

One solution to this problem is to move your family to a private estate, such as Emerald Park. A private estate means that the area is not open to outsiders, only to residents. If you do move, your home will be much safer, and you can allow your child to play outside with their friends with total confidence.

Step Three: Build Social Support

If you are living in an area where there are other families, then building social support could benefit everyone. Knowing that families around you are looking out for the welfare of your and your family is comforting. You can build a support system by starting a parenting group in the area. The group will become a social event for you and your partner and it will also mean that you know the people around you. Your neighbours should also be your friends. If you make an effort with them, they will be there for you in times of trouble.

Child Leaving Home? Tips on Redecorating Their Bedroom!

If your child (well, young adult) is due to leave home soon, you’re probably trying to think of different things you can do with their bedroom. If you’re sure they won’t be returning anytime soon, then it would be silly to stop yourself from creating a little space that you can enjoy…it is your house after all! Here are some ideas and tips on decorating:

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Image Author: Flickr

Turn It Into That Office You Always Wanted

Would you love somewhere quiet to go when you want to do a little work at home? Turn the room into the home office you’ve always wanted! Even if all you ever do on the computer is shop for clothes, this could still be a nice idea. You’ll need:

  • A computer or laptop.
  • A sturdy, good looking computer desk.
  • A comfy computer chair (the kind that makes you feel important).
  • Good lighting.

I suggest you decorate in neutral colours as you don’t want too much to distract you from your ‘work’. Feel free to decorate with art and accessories though!

Make it a Fancy Dressing Room

Perhaps you’d love a place dedicated to all of those clothes you buy when you’re ‘working’. You could transform your child’s old room into a fancy dressing room! It could be a kind of ‘walk in wardrobe’, with your clothes hung all around the walls and a space where you can get changed with a big mirror. You could even have a dressing table to do your hair and makeup at if the room is big enough. You’ll need:

  • To have an extra large wardrobe installed, or rails around the room.
  • A dressing table.
  • A big mirror that projects a true image (some cheap mirrors really don’t tell the truth).

You’ll probably also want to paint the room and add some girly accents to make it look glam.

Transform It Into an Upstairs ‘Lounge’ Space

An upstairs ‘lounge’ space could incorporate both the previous ideas. You could still have a computer in there, but what about a TV too? A bit like an upstairs living room! You could even have a bookcase filled with your favourite reads, so you’ve got somewhere peaceful to go and catch up on your literature. You’ll need:

  • A TV.
  • A Computer.
  • Somewhere comfy to sit.
  • A bookcase.
  • A bean bag – optional.

Make this room as chilled as possible with dimmer switches and lots of comforting furniture/accessories.

Add a Sofa Bed…Just Incase

Whatever you decide to do with your child’s old room, adding a sofa bed into your plans would be a fantastic idea. You never know when they are going to come home for the night, or perhaps even move back in with you when times get hard. Sure, you can get rid of their old bed, but a sofa bed kills two birds with one stone. There are even bespoke sofa beds you can purchase to suit any decoration ideas you had in mind.

Keep Any Achievements or Mementos You Love on Show

Lastly, I think it would be nice to keep any of your child’s achievements and your favourite mementos on show. This will make you smile as you gaze around their old room!

 

An Incredible Guide to Buying a Family Dog

Should you feel as though the time has come for you to buy a family dog, you might be interested in knowing how you can make the right decision. Buying the right dog for you and your family is important, and you need to make sure you get it right the first time. Thankfully, buying a family dog is not that hard as long as you know what matters most to you.

The Size

You will want to buy a dog that is not too big for your home. On top of that if you have small children you will not want to buy a dog that is going to grow big and potentially intimidate them.

In some cases, it can be hard to judge the size of a dog by watching online videos or by looking at pictures. You will, therefore, want to go to a dog shelter and have a look at the dog breed in person. When you see a dog breed in real life, you will get a better sense of how big it is going to grow.

The Temperament

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Different dog breeds will have different temperaments. Because of this you will want to make sure you buy a dog breed that has a temperament you are okay with being around. Some people are fine with owning a dog that is relatively excitable. However, some people would rather that they own a dog which is docile and hardly ever hyperactive.

You can find this information out by reading a book on the various dog breeds on offer. You can also search for the various of breeds of little puppies online. Should you use the internet, you can also read what other people have got to say about the dog breed you’re interested in buying.

Exercise

You will also want to make sure that you buy a dog that has exercise needs which match your schedule and level of activity. For most people, they are not able to exercise a dog more than a couple of times a day. If you are busy running a household, you may not have the time needed to take your dog on long walks.

Because of that it might be a good idea for you to take a look at dogs which only require a little bit of exercise. You should keep in mind, however, that all dogs will need walking. Whether or not you get a big dog or a small dog, walking should still be a priority.

Awesome Family Pooch?

Buying a family dog is often an exciting and challenging time. It is exciting because you are going through the process of buying a new dog. However, it is challenging because you want to make sure you make the right decision. Nevertheless, once you are clear about your own circumstances, and what you can handle, buying a family dog is quite easy. You may do such an excellent job in terms of picking your own dog that you soon get other people coming to you and asking for tips and advice!

Party along with Hello Kitty

hello kitty1Hello Kitty has become a true phenomenon over the last few years, and is a favourite amongst girls of all ages, from 5 and 6 year olds through to pre-teens and teenagers.  And lots of adults love her retro cool look too!  The cute Japanese bobtailed cat with the bow in her hair (sometimes a red bow, sometimes pink, and occasionally green!) has become a familiar sight around the world; hospitals have sprung up in her name in places such as Taiwan, and you can even your hands on a Hello Kitty Bank of America Bank account, should you wish to.  She has been immortalised in a pop song sung by Avril Lavigne, and the 40 year old cat, first designed and created by Yuko Shimizu for the Sanrio Corporation in 1974 appearing on a coin purse, has become a true modern cartoon classic.  Her name comes from Lewis Carroll’s classic children’s book ‘Through the Looking Glass’ in which Alice calls a cat ‘Kitty’.

Hello Kitty’s phenomenal popularity is thought in part to be because she has a certain ‘retro’ cool – she is part of ‘kawaii’ culture in Japan, which means cute or pretty, and is associated with Manga comics and anime, both amazingly popular amongst Japanese kids and teenagers (and lots of adult too!).  And as all things retro and vintage are so popular right now, Hello Kitty is certainly bang on trend!

There’s been much debate about Hello Kitty’s lack of a mouth, some quite outlandish ideas have been put forward, but the most likely explanation is that her designer wanted the Hello Kitty character to be empathetic, and so you are able to express your emotions through her.  You feel happy, she feels happy, you feel a bit blue, so does she and you’re not alone.

Hello Kitty lives happily with her mum, dad and sister Mimmie – who is only distinguishable from Kitty by the yellow bow on her right ear, rather than the red bow on Kitty’s left ear.  They live in London, and Kitty’s favourite food is her mum’s home baked apple pie.   She rarely sees her boyfriend Daniel as he is often on safari in Africa.

ello kitty2So, your daughter decides she would like you to throw a puurrfect Hello Kitty party for her birthday.  With all the Hello Kitty merchandise around, nothing could be easier.   And if you are feeling creative, or would like to do things on a budget, Hello Kitty’s simple shapes and colours mean doing it yourself is well within reach, and you and your daughter can have great fun planning and putting party things together, unless you and she would like it to be a surprise.

  • Invitations – simply print a Hello Kitty template from http://hagiographic.com/hello-kitty-printable-coloring-pages/hello-kitty-face-coloring-pages-template-57646-2/ , transfer the shape to white card, and decorate with a red bow.  Maybe tie a red ribbon bow around the envelope if you are handing out the invites to your guests.
  • Decorate your venue in red, pink and white using streamers, balloons, and Hello Kitty bunting, banners and scene setters available from www.partybagsandsupplies.co.uk.  Ask your guests to come in fancy dress, or at the very least with a bow in their hair!
  • Games and crafts.  Set up a Hello Kitty craft table with some plain white paper plates, felt tip pens, glitter and sequins for your guests to create the perfect Hello Kitty face mask.  Cut out a large Hello Kitty face shape from white paper or card, a large red bow, attach to a door or wall and blindfold your guests for ‘Pin the Bow on Kitty’.  It’s not too tricky with themes like Hello Kitty to adapt traditional party games to make them a perfect match.
  • Food – if you’re feeling creative, create cupcake toppers from white royal icing, mix some pink or red food colouring in, and create a cute bow for each cake.  Apple pie may not be traditional children’s party food, but it is Hello Kitty’s favourite…. And a Hello Kitty birthday cake can be created from a round sponge cake, white and red and black royal icing and some liquorice laces.
  • Party bags – to save you time and money you can find pre-filled Hello Kitty party bags at http://www.partybagsandsupplies.co.uk/themes,  along with lots more Hello Kitty party goodies – tableware, banners, balloons and fillers if you wish to select and fill your own bags.

And, enjoy!

 

 

The Secret Strategies That Will Help Moms Manage Household Chores

It is easy to feel overwhelmed by all the household chores that you have to do on a day to basis. You may find yourself struggling to cope with the heavy workload at times. What you may not know, however, is that you can make the task of doing your chores easier. With the help of some simple tactics, household chores can be tamed and made manageable.

Have a Regime

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One of the best steps that you can take is to have a house cleaning regime. Such a regime might mean that you have days which are dedicated to one aspect of cleaning. For instance, you might have a day that is dedicated to vacuuming. You will want to organise your days in a fashion that is best for you. Time consuming tasks might need to be allocated to those days in which you have a lot of spare time, so that you do not feel under pressure.

If you can, you might want to get the kids to help you. You could choose to delegate and assign tasks based on what you need to do. By having one person who is in charge of a specific room, or cleaning task, you will be able to make things much more manageable. There is also the option of creating a rota, so different people are assigned a different task each week. You will need to make sure you are enforcing any rules you create.

Get Some Help

You also have the option of hiring an outside firm to help you get the household chores done. For instance, you might hire a firm that is willing to do the cleaning for you. The firm you pick will depend on what you struggle the with most, and least enjoy doing. For example, to save time you may want to find firms that do dry cleaning delivery. Such a firm will take your dirty clothes from you and deliver them back to you, cleaned and ready to wear.

Don’t Let Things Get Bad

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The steps mentioned are useful when it comes to making chores easier to manage. However,  you might find it even more beneficial to prevent things from getting this bad in the first place. There are a number of ways in which you can do this. You may choose to allocate a little bit of time every day, when you do a light bit of cleaning. You may also decide to clean up messes as soon as they happen. Provided that you do a little bit of work each day, you should be able to keep things manageable.

No More Chores?

It is unlikely that you will be able to eliminate your household chores completely. However, you can make your household chores much more manageable. You can do this by engaging the help of everyone in the house. You might also want to call some outside help to assist you in getting the job done. Regardless, you no longer have to feel overwhelmed when it comes to completing your household chores.

Career First, Family Next!

Gumtree infographic baby versus career

Gumtree infographic baby versus career is an infographic that was produced by Gumtree

There are so many things that are mentioned in the media on a weekly basis when referring to teen pregnancy. The problem is that what we see on TV is usually an exaggeration of a reality that is totally different. We can say that those cases are actually a lot less common than we might believe.

I saw this infographic on women juggling children and career and it had some interesting facts. There were things I read that I didn’t know, or expect, before I read it. That is why it is important for everyone to take a look at the infographic. It is a guarantee that you will learn some new things that you had absolutely no idea about.

For instance, it would seem that 49% of women are in their 30s when their babies arrive and that the average age is 29.7. I would have assumed that women had children at a younger age, although I shouldn’t have been surprised, as women are starting to put careers first, which is commendable. The question of whether or not to postpone a family because of a career path that was taken is one that has been daunting on women for a long time. It makes sense to get a steady career first and then settle down to think about starting a family and having children.

Whatever the age of the mother, at the bottom of the infographic you will see some great tips on how to balance a life/work with being a capable and good mother. For example: Delegate, which I like to do as much as possible in life anyway!

Choosing a career over a family can have negative effects on the evolution of the woman and her desire to have a baby as the body will find it more difficult to carry a pregnancy as time passes. The best thing that any woman can do is to simply think about priorities and see what the best situation is. In UK it is not legal to fire a woman if she is on pregnancy leave or if she is pregnant. However, as you can easily notice from the infographic, everything is connected to the career in the sense that you would need to hire a nanny in most cases and that costs a lot of money.

It is a very good idea to take a look at all the information included in this infographic. You can even see the best careers for women that currently juggle both a career and a family. There are always solutions but you have to be dedicated and you need to know what to expect. The truth is that maternity leave does not really have an effect on your finances. With this in mind, you may want to reconsider the career first, family later approach. You cannot wait too long until you get pregnant as this would lead to more problems in the future. Choose wisely or consider the career that is best suited for you if you really want a family.