Kids Gifts

Trunki Trunkisaurus Rex Ride-on Suitcase (Green) - £36.99

Great for a gift and FAB for storage from Amazon



Tiny Bike from Fun4Kids

Crayola CamCorder from Viking Direct (They don’t just sell office furniture!)





Dolls cot from John Lewis

Cool kids umbrellas from fultonumbrellas

Rainbow Bead kit from find-me-a-gift.co.uk

Lovely bears from Build a Bear Workshops

Happy Pumpkin Day

Going to be a long week!

Charles is terrified of everything.

The (almost ) dark = "too dark Mummeeee. Tarles gared [Charles scared] "
A fast car = "NO Rory Racing Car, NO"
Someone dressed as George from Peppa Pig = "no Mummeeee no no NO! Tarles gared"

So let's just say Tarles gets pretty gared over quite a lot of things. I think it's his age. I remember Rosie a few years back making me promise not to light the pumpkin because it looked "too tookey".

We live on a street, in a town where there'll be trick or treaters aplenty. We'll have everything from cute little ghosts to scarey (not "garey", really scarey) teenagers in scream masks who I'll through some Haribos at and hope they'll GO!

Oh well, 'tis only one night, you cry. Humph, are we forgetting something? Fireworks. Or as they're known in our house, "garey fireworks" or "too loud fireworks" or "no Tarles like big bang fireworks", or by myself, "sodding effiing annoying fireworks". It's going to be a long week. On the plus side though - I'm already digging into the treats - wouldn't want to rot the scarey teenager's teeth.

Silent Sunday

Using Real Books

Wrote this for the fab School Run!


http://www.theschoolrun.com/using-story-books-learn-read

Be My Guest; Joanna Powell

Joanna Powell (40) from Rugby, Warwickshire recently became the first local person in the county volunteer as a puppy parent for Canine Partners, a charity that provides highly trained assistance dogs to people with disabilities.  She welcomed golden retriever Dexter to the town earlier this year and is helping look after him during his training to become a fully-fledged canine partner.

Joanna is married with six children, ranging in age from two to twenty-one.  She has worked in the past teaching interior design and in a school helping children with special needs.  She found out about Canine Partners via a friend who also became a volunteer puppy parent.

Joanna says, “My youngest two children were starting playgroup and pre-school, so I had been looking for something to do for myself again.  Financially and logistically it wasn’t worth me returning to work, so becoming a puppy parent seemed ideal.  Dexter is very well behaved and seems quick to learn.  He comes on the school run every morning, which involves walking beside a buggy, crossing a busy road and seeing plenty of children.  He has fitted into family life well, in fact compared to toddlers he is a delight!  Every time Dexter learns a new command I get a real sense of achievement.  Being a puppy parent is fantastic; I am getting so much out of training him and at the end of our relationship I get to watch him go off and transform the life of a person with disabilities – a win win situation.”

As part of her role as a puppy parent, Joanna must offer Dexter a supportive family home and socialise him into the local community.  She also attends weekly puppy training classes near Burton Upon Trent with other volunteer puppy parents from the local area, where she is learning how to teach Dexter some core tasks such as retrieving, touching and tugging.  Joanna will have Dexter until he is around 14 months old when he will then return to the training centre in West Sussex to embark on his advanced taskwork training and be matched to a person with disabilities.

More than 1.2 million people in the UK use a wheelchair, and a significant number of those would benefit from a canine partner.  The dogs are carefully matched to the applicant’s needs and lifestyle, no matter how challenging.  They are trained to help with everyday tasks such as opening and shutting doors, unloading the washing machine, picking up dropped items, pressing buttons and switches and getting help in an emergency.  The Charity is working in partnership with Help for Heroes, and aims to train dogs to meet the needs of people with even the most complex disabilities including members of HM Armed Forces.

These life-transforming dogs also provide practical, physiological, psychological and social benefits including increased independence and confidence as well as increased motivation and self-esteem. A canine partner also brings companionship, a sense of security and increases social interaction.

Caroline Jephcott from Gloucestershire has Juvenile Chronic Arthritis and graduated with canine partner Yasmin in 2010.  She says, “Yasmin has made me a happy person again, along with my husband and baby son.  She has made me feel I can do things on my own and am worthwhile, which gives me my confidence back.  Together we have been to work, to voluntary placements and we do lots with friends.”

Canine Partners has puppy training satellites throughout the country and is keen to hear from anyone who feels they can offer a full-time or foster home to a puppy in training.  Canine Partners will cover all vets fees and equipment costs, as well as expenses.  For further information please call 08456 580480 or visit www.caninepartners.org.uk. 

Another VERY rainy day  in Sandy Balls but as it's almost illegal to moan about the weather if you holiday in England, never mind in October - I'll try my bestest not to sulk! I'll try anyway.

We've changed our horse riding now for today, it was meant to be tomorrow but it's supposed to go beyond rain tomorrow - torrential apparently. Well, as I'm looking out the window, and I'm not moaning remember, if it's worse than today I'm scared!

In spite of the rain though we are having a surprisingly lovely time, a surprisingly un-grumpy time, and it's almost, almost restful. My best bit, in fact one of my all time parenting best bits, was when I took Rosie into the spa bath and she proclaimed, in a sigh beyond her years, "this is the best time of my life Mummy".

The service here is excellent; things have been slightly wrong with our lodge; bathroom light was broken and they hadn't sorted the travel cot (and Charles isn't ready to be de-caged, or we're not ready - either way...), but each was sorted with such swiftness and cheer that we didn't mind an inch.

Anyway off to get drenched on a horse, hopefully another best moment of an almost-6-year-old's life!

Peppa Pig World

Today we went to Peppa Pig World.

As it's all pretty new it's immediatly more appealing than most of the other theme parks we've had the fortune (?) of visiting.

It was a dodgy day weather-wise so queing was a task at times but other than that completly recommend it and queing may not even be an issue during term time.

Great for really little ones, they can go on almost everything. There was clearly a lot of ardent Peppa fans around - some were dressed head to toe in merchandise and knew all the characters, props and buildings which I was personally a bit ropey on.

Admission also gets you into the rest of Paulton Park which is a large theme park, so if you've got older kids too this would be great for them.

Best Bits:

Rosie: Peppa Pig's house and shaking Peppa Pig's hand. (Charles was terrified and didn't go near!)

Mine: When we went on the tractor ride you go through a lovely well-kept garden bursting with real veg and fruit growing - a very nice touch.

Charles: Tractor rides - he was "really driving".

Green Giant!

Olympic and Commonwealth sporting superstar Colin Jackson CBE has teamed up with the fab Green Giant to get families aiming high this half-term; they're encouraging them to get their five fruit and vegetables a day.

Super fit Colin will be at the Trafford Centre to meet local families to give them a taste of what it is to be a sporting winner. 

Colin is an ambassador for Green Giant sweet corn and will be helping families to enjoy a fun and interactive roadshow. Colin will be enticing families to ‘High Five’ the legendary Green Giant animated character by jumping up to high five his hand. There'll be giveaways too; the Green Giant team will be giving away height charts, great recipes and coupons.

So, details in brief...

WHAT:        GREEN GIANT AMBASSADOR AND OLYMPIC LEGEND COLIN JACKSON CHALLENGES MANCHESTER FAMILIES TO JUMP TO IT

Green Giant sweet corn launch Giant High 5 event for five a day.

WHERE:      Orient Way, The Trafford Centre, Manchester

WHEN:        10.30am, Saturday 29 October 2011

Visit the Green Giant Facebook page.
This is a sponsored post.

Sandy Balls Holiday

On our hols in the interestingly named Sandy Balls in the gorgeous New Forest! We're staying in a little wooden cabin, very cute actually and cosy too. The autumnal trees are adding to the beauty and it's actually really rather lovely. It's pissing it down like, but lovely.

All the little chalet-like log cabins would have had my teenage-self quoting Dirty Dancing lines and a-waiting for a Swaze-esque type to come and sweep me off my 2 left feet. My 33 year old more sensible self has been fairly restrained and there's so far only been one "nobody puts Baby in the corner" and 2 watermelon innuendos. Like I said - restrained.

Rosie was packed about a week ago; mainly a trunki full of teddies, no pants or silly extras like that; teddies, some sticker books and a key-ring - what more could you need on holiday?

Been swimming already, an indoor heated pool is basically an essential these days. Rosie has swimming lessons at home but we find she comes on heaps more when on holiday. Whilst bobbing around trying not to turn blue with cold, in other children's wee is far from my idea of relaxing - but hey, if they're happy...etc.

So the plan? Well tomorrow we're off to Peppa Pig World, which from my experience of other Worlds and Lands could be anything on a scale from utter hilarity to sheer hell - again though it'll be worth it to see their faces, well they better like it anyway!

Then off to see our lovely friends in Bradford on Avon on Wednesday and Rosie and I are horse riding on Thursday. If you didn't already know, there's horses everywhere here. Literally, everywhere you look there's a group/herd/whatever of the most beautiful horses - Rosie's eyes were like saucers as we were driving about.

Food Fit For Your Tot; Maternity and Infant IE

Food Fit For Your Tot

Confused about carbs? Muddled about milk? Perplexed over protein? Not knowing what to feed your toddler is an all too familiar conundrum for parents, but help is at hand for you and your tot. Phoebe Doyle seeks expert advice…

From too much to too little, it’s rare to find a parent that doesn’t  worry about what their child eats, Co. Kerry based Nutrition Therapist Heidi Grimwood (www.glutenzone.ie)  says; “I see it all the time with my friends and clients, how they worry incessantly about what to feed their children from weaning upwards.”

It doesn’t help that virtually every day there’s a news story about an obese child, typically condemning the parents who supposedly feed their little one nothing but junk.  There’s no denying it; young children are getting bigger and kids in the UK and Ireland are now amongst the largest in Europe with around a third weighing more than they should.

Sarah is a first time parent who feels her son Connor became a victim of her lack of education on the subject; “I wanted to keep him happy, he wasn’t great at trying new foods and so would often refuse what I had cooked but I didn’t want him to go hungry. I let him have what he wanted and that was usually crisps, sweets and general rubbish”.

This is a common problem; as parents it’s instinctive to want our little ones to be satisfied, but for Sarah it became worrying; “I knew he was overweight, he was two but people would mistake him for three or even four - I felt embarrassed, like I was being judged and it was my fault”.  Sarah was referred to a Dietician and now feels like she’s back on the right track.

Parents like Sarah want to give their little ones the best start in life, and know the significance of food when it comes to health, but can lack clarity about what they should do. With all the assorted messages we’re bombarded with we are often left with some common mis-conceptions. “Parents get confused and begin to think there are hard and fast rules, making feeding their children more complicated than it need be”, says Paediatric Dietician Judy More .

So to arm you for your mission of nutrition know-how, our experts bust some of the toddler food myths for you….

The Myth - Toddlers need LOTS more protein                                                                                                                                                          

The Truth   Parents are often told children need to eat more protein in order to grow but Judy offers reassurance; “Generally speaking we don’t have a problem with getting enough protein, because of the wealth of protein-rich food resources we have”. That said getting some protein-rich foods is vital as they are high in iron too which is essential for toddlers who are rapidly growing and use huge amounts of energy.                                                                                                                            

The Advice… Unsure of what to give? “Eggs, meat, oily fish and pulses are all great sources” says Judy.

The Myth – Milk; the more the better!

The Truth   Perhaps it’s because for the first 6 months our babies have nothing but milk, it’s often thought that giving as much milk as your little one can stomach is a good move; “Once you start weaning your child you’re actually able to give them most of the right nutrients from foods”, explains Heidi, “I often see mothers using milk to wash down what they have fed their little one but I would encourage them to use cool boiled water.”

The Advice… Cut down their milk as they begin to eat more food. Offer about 3-4OZ milk milk as one or two of your toddler’s 6 – 8 drinks they should be having each day, but never instead of a meal.                                                                                                         

The Myth - Be fanatical about 5 a day;                                                                                                                                                          

 The Truth   We are all aware of the ‘5 a day’ message but it can be harder than it sounds. However most experts advise to not stress if they have 5 each individual day but to look at what they eat over a week, “Try writing a little food diary for a week and see what they are consuming over this longer period. It should give you a better idea of how much fruit and veg they actually eat” says Heidi.

The Advice… Stop counting to 5! Don’t count and don’t stress. Just let them learn that fruit and vegetables are part of everyday life.

The Myth – You can eat junk but they can’t                                                                                                 

The Truth   Heidi says it’s crucial parents take their job as ‘role mode’ seriously; “You can really influence your child’s ideas about food. If you have ‘junk’ food in the house, eat this yourself and then hand a healthy organic snack to your toddler, they will get suspicious eventually!”                                                                                                                                                         

The Advice… Become a healthy eating family; let being a parent have a positive impact on your lifelong eating habits.

The Myth – Big portions = healthy eater                                                                                      

  The Truth  “Toddlers should be eating around 6 times a day ( 3 meals and 2-3 healthy snacks), so portion size should mean giving your child enough to last them 2.5-3hrs. Giving them huge portions and insisting they finish everything on the plate is not advisable and will just turn meal times into an unnecessary battle”, says Heidi.

The Advice…  Think “small and often”; that’s the healthiest way for us all to eat, so encouraging this pattern is a real plus.

The Myth - Healthy Food Costs More                                                                                                                                                                   The Truth   Pretty much all of us are working to a budget these days and junk food can be cheap - making it enormously tempting, but Judy insists healthy food doesn’t have to cost the earth; “beans on toast, for example, is a healthy, nutritious and cheap meal that is easy to prepare and kids love it.”                                                                                                                   The Advice… be a frugal shopper; include pulses in your weekly shop, they are both rich in protein and iron and kinder are on your purse than meats or fish.

Box

Paediatric Dietician Judy More offers some principal Dos and Don’ts…

DO…

CONSTANTLY OFFER NEW FOODS… “Toddlers may not be instinctively open-minded – they need opportunities to learn to like new foods”, Judy says. Regularly offer new nutritious foods, this will help them to learn to like different textures and flavours.

EAT TOGETHER WHEN POSSIBLE… This helps food become a social, educational and fun experience, “letting them see what you eat can help them to eat healthily too”, says Judy.

DON’T…

HAVE TENSION AT MEALTIMES… Keeping them relaxed reduces the risk of a tantrum-throwing tot (or parent!) “Mealtimes need to be enjoyable” advises Judy.

WORRY ABOUT WHAT HAS BEEN EATEN THAT DAY; “A toddler generally eats better at some meals than others, so don’t worry if they eat less on one particular day”, urges Judy.

Silent Sunday

My 3 quarter yr resolution!

Do you? I dare say, if you're a parent, you probably don't. "Eat your carrots, then we'll see about pudding", says she who had a flapjack for lunch. "If you don't get to bed you won't be ready for school in the morning", pah! From she who regularly has a laptop on her person way past the headlines being read which she promised to go up after. As for "too much chocolate will spoil your teeth" - don't get me started, and sharing - moi?? Forget it!

Then there's my job, which definitely gives me a wholly unfair disadvantage, as I end up preaching rather a lot. "Phoebe Doyle finds out about surfing, eating for vitality, running back- to-back marathons, being a goddamn saint!!" go the strap-lines. Yeah, she does. Largely from the comfort of her desk, getting tired at the very prospect.

However, there's a change a-coming. Last week I wrote about Pilates; casually churning it out and contacting people that, unlike myself, actually know stuff. So convincing were the experts I conversed with that I found myself in a Pilates class myself. Hah! I was learning about 'postural correction' and you should see me! I'm typing this with books on my head and a string dangling in front of my very eyes - I'm not, no. I've un-crossed my legs though and have stopped 'being a slouch' as was inadvertently suggested during a rather harsh - I thought - conversation with a coach.

So with my new 'I will practise whatever I / most of what I preach' regime I'm going to have to be more careful about what I pitch. You may notice an absence in behvioural management features and no-eating-past-6 kind of offerings. From now on it'll be all - do your best, don't worry, you're alright. I won't make a fortune on that strap-line but at least I won't be knackered!

Ho Ho Ho (no not Christmas!) Green Giant

"Get your kids to eat their '5-a-day'". Far, far easier said than done.

I've written lots on nutrition and, along the way, I've picked up some tips from nutritionists; hiding veg in sauces, cramming lots of veg into soups, crudites, sweet potato chips etc. I'm always up for new ideas though, mostly because my kids have that 'going off things' habit which keeps me constantly on my toes.

Green Giant are asking you for your favourite hints, tips and clever ways to encourage children to eat and enjoy their fruit and vegetables; to get their 5-a-day. You can leave your comments below and the winner will recieve a gorgeous Abel and Cole vegetable box  and Green Giant products for you to try out the tips.

For your chance to win an Abel & Cole vegetable box , write your best tips/hints/advice in the blogger comment box before the  14/11/2011. Entrants must be over 18 and residents of the UK or ROI - Prize is one Abel & Cole vegetable box (no cash alternative) -There will be 1 winner. The winning post will be decided based on the following criteria: uniqueness/creativity/originality. By entering the competition, you agree that your hint/tip may be shared on Green Giant’s Facebook page and used by Green Giant in any other media.  

Please leave us all your magic ways of getting your little ones scoffing their fruit and veg! Through swapping ideas we'll hopefully all learn something.

This is a sponsored post. Check out the Green Giant's Facebook page.

Be My Guest: Dr Kim Chilman-Blair, Founder and CEO of Medikidz

Millions of children worldwide are diagnosed every day with conditions that even their parents may find difficult to comprehend.  For many parents, such a diagnosis can induce an onslaught of emotions and questions about what the path ahead may hold.  Whilst much support is available to help answer these questions, traditionally very little attention has been paid to the informational needs of children themselves.  Most kids don’t understand their medical conditions or the associated investigations, procedures and treatments that come with them.  They are often scared by what is going on around them and look to the adults in their lives for courage, comfort and explanation.  This can pose a challenge as many parents and even doctors feel that children are too young to understand medical concepts, or worse, that they are better off not knowing.  The problem is further compounded by the fact that doctors do not always have the time or the skills to explain medical issues to children in a way that they can understand.  As a consequence, the responsibility for answering children’s questions frequently falls on the shoulders of their parents.  Broaching such tough subjects with your child can be a daunting prospect, but if you observe a few key points then it’s easy to keep the conversation on the right track...

Make it clear that no-one is to blame

Your child may feel that it is his or her fault and that somehow their actions have caused them to fall ill.  You should make it clear that neither the child nor any other family member or friend did, said or thought anything to cause their condition.

Minimise feelings of isolation

Kids like to blend in and having a medical condition can make them feel like they stand out from their siblings or friends at school.  It is essential to reassure your child that they are really no different from other children and where possible they should be actively encouraged to participate in family time and continue with any other activities that they enjoyed prior to diagnosis.  This is particularly important if the condition has obvious and observable symptoms or might disrupt normal routines, for example if the child will be absent from school for prolonged periods to receive medical treatment.    

  

Education is empowerment

Knowledge is power and it is vital not to sugar-coat serious problems.  Armed with the facts about their condition, your child will be able to take ownership of their disease and actively participate in its management.  It is important that they understand what is happening to them and why it happens, taking away their fear of the unknown.  Many parents feel anxious about their ability to discuss medical details accurately and during my time as a paediatric doctor I was frustrated to find that there were no educational resources that you could actually give to a child if you were struggling to explain a condition, investigational test or treatment.  This realisation was the catalyst for Medikidz and we now produce a comic book and pamphlet series written by doctors for children in their language, and at their level.  The series covers a range of conditions such as asthma, epilepsy and diabetes, as well as a few titles explaining adult illnesses, and uses easy to understand analogies to make sure your child fully grasps the basics of their condition.

Keep the conversation open

The conversation is not over after the first discussion and you should strive to maintain an open and honest dialogue with your child.  As time goes on and your child gains a better understanding of their condition, they may face new challenges and have more questions, so it is crucial that they feel able to come to you at any time to discuss their anxieties.  Take the time to reassure your child that you are there to support them whenever  they might need and help them to seek answers to their questions.

For more information about Medikidz visit www.medikidz.com.  Part of the profits of Medikidz goes to running the Medikidz Foundation, an international children’s charity which provides free medical information for children in developing countries (see www.medikidzfoundation.com)

Our New Best Book: Big Book of My World, Kali Stileman



Buy now

 Whilst I'm admittedly pleased that Charles has moved onto preferring stories to the typical board book scenario - there's only so many "that's not my...." one can say without starting to sounding somewhat world-weary - this book purely designed with toddlers in mind is actually very good and even I could muster enthusiasm for this non-fiction, pre-school delight.

In this Big Book of My World everything familiar to the toddler is brought together with vibrant appealing pictures for them to spot, learn, name and match. It's a great one to spend a while pondering over the various objects with your toddler, but is equally one which they will enjoy musing over by themselves.

Big Book of My World is published by Random House.

Silent Sunday

Gift ideas!

Ok, so I'm refusing to believe this is 'the build up to Christmas' but of late people have seemed obsessed with telling me how many days until the big day. Far more scary is that we have a child who was born on 19th and one on the 23rd December, so it freaks me out even more!
Here's a few ideas for the super-organised amongst you...

The Christmas Eve Ghost just published in new midi hardback edition
Buy from play.com RRP £7.99

Kids Snow Suits From Craigdon Mountain Sports this one £29

Sophie the Giraffe from Kiddicare.com £12.79

Sticker books from Usborne £5.99

 

Disney Princess game by Jumbo available at Argos, Mothercare, Tesco, ToysRUs £14.99





Organic children's slippers from Cambridge Baby £22



Chicco red balance bike from Kiddicare.com £27.99

Stock up onRechargeable Batteries from Granada Batteries



Also...

 

We've just placed an order from Albelli who specialise in beautiful and stylish gifts created using your favourite photos. The website is packed full of inspiration to help get you get started. The website is easy to use once you have your images ready to go and they only take minutes to make . Would make a great gift or you could even make your personalised cards via them.






Perfume from Forget Flowers is another useful site for this season!



Schools - Response to fellow blogger

This is in response to a blog post by the fabulous helloitsgemma . In this post Schools, Schools, Bloody Schools she, articulate as ever, explains neatly the frustrations and stresses faced by those parents who care deeply.

The huge amount of comments demonstrate that Gemma more than hit a chord; she was strumming for the nation it seems. And, don't get me wrong, I'm no stranger to all this; Rosie's at a good school right now but we need to move and, when on Rightmove (23.5 hours of the day) I'm clicking on that 'nearest schools' button before I've totted up bedrooms.

That said, I'm desperate to offer a little consolation....

When I worked as a primary teacher before having children I experienced working in two different (very different) schools. One in lovely rural Somerset - a gorgeous spot where many parents had moved from London, in search of tranquility and a wonderful life for their children. The second school I worked in was in a council estate in a poor Lincolnshire town; there were drug problems, children who didn't ever arrive before 11am and children who, even on a Monday morning when they should be scrubbed, clean and raring to go, were frankly filthy.

Of course our education system expects the same from both sets of children. I taught the same year group in each and despite the fact that in Somerset I had children who'd say things like, "when Daddy reads my bedtime book he always stops in the most exciting spot so that I can't wait until tomorrow" and in Lincolnshire I'd have children who didn't know they had a Dad and certainly not one with a book, I was still expected to teach the same Literacy and Numeracy objectives. Many kids arrive at school - having been rushed, shouted at, or ignored - they aren't in a fit state to learn - the disadvantage is not fair.

At both schools though there were children that shone and those that struggled. This wasn't always down to intellect or ability. I'm talking about children who were content, free and easy; happy at school, knew who they were, they were there with you - focussed. Some of these children brought hummous sandwhiches to school, some were on free school meals but all of them were loved and cared for.

What I want to say is your children, the ones belonging to parents like Gemma who desperately want what's best for them, who build a caring homelife, who adore nurturing them, are going to be fine. The 'good schools' and 'bad schools' issue is tricky; I loved working in the poorer catchment school, and it's often in those places you'll find the best teaching; let's face it, if you're a lazy teacher they're not the place for you. Of course we're going to look at Ofsted reports and SATs scores, I'd be lying if I said I don't, but they don't give a full picture. They don't predict how your child will achieve - and most importantly they don't give you a hint of whether your child will be safe, happy and cared for.

Your child will be at school for around 17% of their time. It's tiny. You are your child's expert and their main educator. My main advice would be to go to every school that's a possibility - get a feel for the atmosphere, ask questions. Don't ever worry about seeming over-protective or fussy - how can you possibly protect your child too much?

School is important and much as we might have liberal ideals about supporting the nearest school and not wanting to further propel the situation of good and bad schools - when it comes to your own offspring nobody really wants to use them as a political pawn; we simply want what's best for them. But do remember your child is so lucky to be in your home and in your care and they do still belong to you even when they spend 9 til 3 elsewhere.

Feather and Black Official Tester

I'm dead chuffed about being asked to be one of the Feather and Black official testers for their Children's Bedroom Furniture range. When we got to go down to London to meet the team and see the fabulously tempting Kids products it was a real treat. They're so genuinly passionate about what they're doing and so thrilled that this relatively new range is taking off. I love the PJ and clothing range they're offering now as well as all the fun-enough-for-kids but stylish-enough-for-parents accessories.

I've been asked to try this lovely blanket box. The quality is out-standing and so classic....

Click here to view the collection

I'm Working. Honest.

Working from home has it's advantages. I can be flexible and make the school run. I don't have to put make-up on. I can work at 3am if it suits, pjs are the dress code in this here office. I can be off on Inset Days, I can make a cup of tea whenever. Oh and I don't have colleagues, share a toilet, have to smile when I don't want to or explain why I'm making a private call. I can swear loudly at my work without anyone thinking I've lost it - I haven't it's part of my creative process. All in all I can be the swearing hermit freak I've always dreamt of being. Good when I dream's realised.


The only thing is my work, and perhaps specifically writing, doesn't always fall onto the radar of what's actually considered work by others. I see it when I'm chatting at school to a parent who's actually been in an office, a proper one with a water cooler and some cheap-suited men, not my one, in which I sit right now, surrounded by hair bobbles, a random pair of kiddie sunglasses and a potty on the floor - it's not for me, I can be a slob at work but even I have (low, very low) standards. Other smaller people can poo in my workspace but not I. Just a general workplace rule I've employed. Anyway I might occasionally dare utter that I too have been working, "oh yeah I forget you do a bit don't you? What is it again?" The phrase 'not real work' is reflected in their tired-from-the-proper-job eyes. Ah bless, something to keep the little housey wifey busy, they think, bless her. Bless me.


It gets worse too because not only do I find it near-impossible convincing others that I work, but I doubt myself at times. When I'm starting a feature, and the cursor is flashing angrily in my face, blank page dazzling, I turn to look out the window and think. I'm thinking. It just looks like staring. It begins to feel like staring. The cursor is still flashing - I'm sure it's getting faster, angrier. There's people in this town working, there's people on my road now building, drilling, digging - what am I doing? I am staring. My job involves lots of staring. It's real work this staring business.


Sometimes I want to tell myself to get a real job. Go on, 'get on your bike' - pretend to laugh at Mr Cheap Suit's jokes, fake that water-cooler gossip enthralls. But where would I be without my bobbles, my potties and my low standards? Miserable for sure. Pretend, staring-like-an-idiot job - I love you.

Should kids be able to leave school at 14?

That's the suggestion. The answer? No.

Of course the whole question raised by the Conservatives has encouraged the re-birth of the  rubbish of how you don't necessarily get a better job (meaning more money) if you're better educated.

This is one argument that really grates. It suggests that a price can be put onto education and that the price is exactly what you earn purely as a result of it.

Sure as a teacher and someone whose idea of fun is spending a day researching and writing stuff I'm arguably not the most subjective subject. But I can't believe that education isn't life- enriching, society-enriching and all empowering.  

What's more, 14??! A 14 year old is a child. A child with added hormones, with an overwhelming sense that their world - their town, their peers - is the world. If you'd have asked me at 14 if I'd have wanted to leave school it would have depended if I'd had double science that day or who I'd sat next to at lunch, but the answer might have been "yes". I knew nothing, less than nothing.

I'm not saying everyone should be bound to a life of books, I think apprenticeships are great, and that more vocational courses are a must. But at 14, cutting their school-life short can only serve to reduce options - where's the advantage in that?

Wellies and Boots

So we may have had a little bonus sunshine but alas autumn is here. Off with the gladiators and on with...

Paint your own wellies from Find-Me-A-Gift.com £14.99

Boys slippers from Boden £14.99

Kids Bikers from

www.lovefromaustralia.com from £95






Startrite fleece lined mudbusters £22



Boys dinosaur wellies from John Lewis £12

Saint Moi!!

But for me right now it's all about my new running shoes the new pro-infinity from Hi-Tec £95