It is an exciting time in our household as Nico has turned seven months and last month, we started to introduce him to some foods, alongside his milk of course! At this exciting time, it is important to remember that our babies are going to take some getting used to when it comes to mealtimes- and therefore choosing the right foods for them is essential. Although we love a puree, and of course some baby rusk, Nico seems to be now loving the finger foods.

When choosing the best finger foods for baby, whether you’re starting at six months or nine months—experts agree that it’s best to begin with small pieces of soft food that dissolve easily. There are some brilliant books out there with fab ideas for finger food, but here are some of the ideas we are serving up in our household to make mealtime fun and nutritious. Think soft and small pieces of banana, scrambled eggs, mashed blueberries in their porridge, peas steamed until soft or even very soft pieces of baked potato to start!

Finger Food Ideas

When your baby starts to pick up items and move them towards to their mouth, it is a great time for baby to try and feed himself. Not only is it good practice for his tongue and the muscles in his mouth, but also, they can use the process to practice hand-eye coordination and fine motor control. To avoid excess gagging, choose foods that will almost dissolve in baby's mouth or will otherwise be easy to move around with their tongue.

Note: Not all babies will enjoy baby-led weaning and finger foods and may prefer to be spoon-fed by an adult for the first few months- this is totally okay!

Here are a few fresh favourites for you and your baby:

Puffs

Puffs and O-shaped dry cereal are some of the most popular first finger foods for good reason: They let baby practice the pincer grasp by picking up one at a time. Many baby food brands make puffs, which usually contain veggies, fruit and a grain such as rice. They are easy for little hands to pick up and are dissolvable, making them a good option for an early finger food.

Soft Roasted Veg

Babies love sweet potato! When roasted until soft, sweet potato wedges are easy for little hands to hold and baby will love the naturally sweet taste. Roasted vegetables like sweet potato and carrot are brilliant for baby. Cut them in long or large round pieces so that are easier for your little one to grab with a hand. Small pieces require a finger or pincer grasp that develops later at around 8-10 months.

How to make:

Wash and dry a sweet potato. Peel and cut into wedges about 1/2-inch to 1-inch thick and toss with coconut oil. Roast on a baking sheet at 400 degrees for about 25 to 30 minutes, turning once, or until very soft. Let cool completely before serving one wedge at a time.

Plain Toast

We have just introduced Nico to plain toast, and he loves it! Cut the toast into solider like pieces so the toast is easy for your baby to hold and chew on. Avoid using any toppings on the toast until a little later, when your baby can be introduced to more flavours and food groups.

Power Green Veggies

Broccoli with stalks, steamed, boiled or roasted. This was the first finger food many babies it, and with luck, it’ll remain a favourite. Stalks make perfect “handles” and babies love practicing their self-feeding skills with broccoli.

Avocado

Avocado is a real power food! Avocado wedges with the partially removed skin are great for a better baby grip. Make sure to wash the avocado well before serving. Avocados are high in fibre and healthy monounsaturated fats, which are good for hearts of all ages. You can puree or fork-mash a bit of avocado and offer your baby a small spoonful. ... Around eight or nine months of age, diced pieces of avocado are fun for her to pick up, smash, and self-feed.

Bananas

Always a firm favourite. Nico is loving the banana, both mashed into his porridge and as a finger food.

Top tip! Peel the banana, cut the banana in half whist skin still on. Push your finger into the middle of the banana flesh and the banana will split evenly into 3 perfectly sized wedges (which are less slimy and easier for your baby to grip). The perfect shape for self-feeding. How have I not known this tip for forty two years!

Weaning Right

I have included some tip tops I have heard over the years that make sure both Nico and I are ready for the introduction of a varied diet. This is an exciting time for all, but my baby is especially loving it!

Never force your baby to eat - Their appetite may fluctuate, especially in those first few months of foods. Let them guide you on how much food they may need- be responsive to their hunger and satiety cues.

Don’t rush the process - Babies learning to eat are learning a new skill, and these things take time. Always follow your baby’s pace and leave a decent amount of time for their meals.

Try and Try again - It can take on average 10-14 tries for a baby (and even toddler!) to get used to a new food, taste and texture. Rejecting foods first time round doesn’t mean they don’t like it, always provide options and they’ll get used to it in their own time.

Babies learn by watching you - Having family mealtimes right from the start will show your baby that the whole family eats this way. Popping his highchair at the end of the table so Nico can observe everyone else is what we like to do.

Remember, each child is different and if your baby isn’t ready to wean right away, give them time. Pre-preparing meals is useful, and when your baby is ready, they can be defrosted and enjoyed together!

Three useful, inspiration book ideas:-

What Mummy Makes by Rebecca Wilson

Wean in 15 by Joe Wicks

Ella's Kitchen: The Cookbook: The Red One

Coronavirus. COVID-19. Social distancing. Face masks? Months ago, these strange terms and government restrictions may have seemed unimaginable. But now, our world and our social feeds are full of these terms.

Our home lives have been turned upside down and we've been working hard to keep daily life as 'normal' as possible for our children. Without question, it's been hard. We have tried to remain positive, we have adjusted our daily routines, our expectations - our plans.

But although many things have changed, some things are still the same. We still eat Cheerios for breakfast. We still nag our children to brush their teeth and we still have Saturday movie nights. In fact, keeping a sense of normality in a time when nothing feels normal is a really important point.

On days when parenting feels tough, here are four top tips to keep you powering through...

1. Family Chatter

If there are some positives to come out of COVID-19 it is that in many cases, it had pulled us closer together.

Take the time to gather together and talk to your children about the good things they have been doing. Everyone needs a boost, so share just the smallest things that make them smile.

If you are a single or a solo parent, don’t forget to praise yourself. Give yourself a pat on the back. Goodness knows you deserve it.

2. Apologise when you need to

Tensions have been running high during lockdown and some of us have spent months together without being able to escape. It has been mentally exhausting. If you find yourself shouting when you don't mean to, it's ok to apologise.

There is nothing more gracious than a good apology (at any age) because it both humanizes us and makes room for mistakes and growth. To gracefully navigate the endless repetitive nature of quarantine life is to sometimes lose our patience. A good apology offers "redos" to everyone in the family.

3. Set Visual Boundaries

Use routines as boundaries. Keeping a daily routine really helps. Let's be honest, all of us do better when we have structure and routine in our lives. Kids need it too.

Where possible, make as many things visual as possible. Dinner charts, chore charts, reward charts, screen time rules, bedtime routines: Young children need visual reminders to get their brains to focus. Every family is different, so you will have to find your own routine that works for you but creating these charts with your children (get your children to help design and create them too) will really help your kids to feel independent and builds a sense of togetherness and trust.

4. Imperfect Parenting is Okay

Lower your standards — in food, homework, housekeeping, tech time, you name it. This is Guilty Mother reminding you that we don't have all the answers. Take care of yourself. It's hard to take care of you babies when you’re not taking care of yourself. If you are feeling overwhelmed, take some time to calm yourself as your children will pick up on your anxieties.

Your family is not alone in handling these challenges; just be the great parent that you are. Take your children by the hand and show them the love. Ultimately that is what they will always need. No guilt required folks.

My baby has entered his sixth month in the world and he seems to be changing and growing every day. He is now sitting up unaided and is really engaged with toys and rattles which is a joy to watch. When he comes to sleep, what experience did you have with baby napping in the day or sleeping through at night? Our baby boy doesn't sleep much in the day. I don't know if he is just too distracted with everything going on around him and so he does not want to miss a second of it.

At six months old, babies need an average of fourteen hours of sleep per day. Ideally an average of eleven hours of uninterrupted sleep each night, and three to four hours of daytime naps spread over two to three naps. Personally, I would say that we are very lucky if we get even get a one hour daytime nap from Nico in any one day! He's not a daytime napper for sure.

When it comes to bedtime, he is a good sleeper and I count my blessings for that. May experts say that bedtime is all about routine. Following a good, structured pattern of bath, bottle, book or song and we tuck them up nicely in their cosy sleeping bag for bed.

A sleeping bag is a staple item we have used for all three of our children. Firstly for comfort but secondly to help prevent the age-old problem of little legs becoming trapped in cot bars – a common cause of waking. Especially as, at six months, babies tend to start rolling over in their cot but at that point, they don't have the strength to roll back over again, so they often find themselves stuck in that position!

Safer sleep and bereavement support charity The Lullaby Trust has previously released a product guide featuring the safest sleeping essentials for babies. Among the recommended products is a night time sleeping bag. A blanket can b fine but can make it harder to maintain a constant temperature with a risk of your child overheating if blankets become doubled over.

Baby sleeping bags are a great option as they prevent your baby’s head from being covered if they are wriggling around. Sleeping bags allow for freedom of movement without the worry your night time ninja might kick off their covers and wake up because they're too cold.

Furthermore, sleeping bags can also be a really good way of cementing a bedtime routine as they can be used as a signal 'sleepy time' is approaching. When my daughter was born in 2009, we purchased a Merino Kids sleeping bag and we loved it.

Here we are in 2020 with our third baby and we have been kindly gifted a Go Go Sleeping Bag from Merino Kids™ which I wanted to tell you about. In my opinion, Merino Kids™ make the perfect sleeping bags. Plus, as the sleeping bags are for 0-24 months babies, you won't find that your baby is suddenly outgrowing it any time soon. It lasts for ages and ages without the need for anything else!

Merino Kids™ is an international award-winning textile company from New Zealand that specialises in using 100% natural fibres, for the design of newborn, baby, infant and toddler sleepwear. The company was founded by Amie Nilsson in 2003 and since that time has grown significantly to now become one of the global leaders and commentators of using natural fibres for young children.

Another reason why I love the sleeping bags from Merino Kids™ is because they only use only 100% natural fibres. 100% superfine merino wool on the inside & 100% GOTS certified organic cotton on the outside. The natural ability of superfine merino wool allows skin to breathe and regulates body temperature year-round, which is what makes it one of the best sleeping bags on the market.

Furthermore, the soft material of the sleeping bag helps the little ones to easily draw their legs up inside the bag in the night for a more traditional sleeping bag experience. Each sleeping bag is lined with double knitted merino wool and the outer bag is made from 100 per cent organic cotton – making it super soft. This sleeping bag is recommended in temperatures ranging from 16 to 27C which, in the UK at least, means year round. The bags also claim to be antibacterial, meaning you can simply air between uses – when you think it's ready for a good wash, it’s washing machine and tumble drier safe too.

Investing in a sleeping bag from Merino Kids™ is a good choice. As it's a luxury item you might find that it's a slightly higher price, but equally, you must remember it can take you from baby to toddler years on one bag (0-24 months).

Thank you so much to Merino Kids™ for gifting me this lovely piece and I'm so pleased Nico will be in it for such a long time before we have to move him to the next size up!

Click here to visit their website and buy online.

Many of us will agree; we have had plenty of screen time over the last three or four months during this pandemic. Now that the kids are finally...back to school (hurrah!); I am now considering ways I can try and pull my children away from the screen and on to something different. A new way to get their minds working again.

So, what to do on prospect rainy September days ahead?

We have signed up to Toucan Boxso we can keep the kids entertained and engaged by stimulating their creative minds. This is the second time we have signed up for Toucan Box and I'm so pleased we are starting to receive it again. But, before I tell you about the subscription service, let me tell you a little more about the business.

For those who know me well, I am a strong ambassador for female founded companies and I was so impressed by what Toucan Box have achieved so far in achieving their vision.

Toucan Box Co-Founders - Photo credit: This is Money

Toucan Box was founded by Virginie Charlès-Dear and Sara Barokas. Calling on her experience as a working mum, former investment banker Virginie partnered with Montessori teacher Sara to solve the problem that while children love arts and crafts, busy parents often don’t have the materials to create fun projects at home. Toucan Box now ship in excess of 150,000 boxes each month and the company plans to grow further.

Toucan Box is an award-winning, flexible and fortnightly subscription box service for kids age 3-8. Full of engaging crafts for creative, growing minds that are delivered directly to your door and it’s personally addressed to your child too. All of their products are gender neutral and there is no commitment, basically, you can cancel your subscription at any time and it’s developed by educational experts.

We loved the Toucan Box we received and despite my daughter being 10, she got straight in and wanted to make the dream catcher. She spent over an hour quietly painting and decorating her dream catcher which she has now proudly hung in her bedroom. It was so nice to see her sitting down to focus on using her creative side and remembering the enjoyment of making something from scratch.

Being creative is such an important part of childhood

Creative experiences can help children express and cope with their feelings, which, given the recent health crisis, could be really useful. Creating something from Toucan Box can also help to enhance your child's self confidence. For, when you see someone reacting in a positive way to something you have made, it gives such a very satisfying feeling (at any age!). Children love that feeling and as parents, we enjoy seeing the smile on their face when they look so proud of what they have created.

Additionally, getting creative can help children to develop better concentration and focus. When children work in a calm environment they can focus on the task at hand. The more often they practice working like this, the longer they will be able to concentrate. Definitely something I noticed in my own children, who rarely like to sit still!

My 7 Key Benefits of Toucan Box

- Each box is themed and contains all you need to keep your kids engaged

- Inspired by Montessori learning

- Championing STEAM to stimulate kids' creativity and curiosity

- Each Toucan Box includes all materials, colourful step-by-step instructions

- Finished crafts turn into interactive games, dress-up, role-play, toys and more

- Tailored to suit each child own development stage

- Designed to encourage key development skills such as concentration, numeracy, fine and gross motor skills, and problem-solving

Back to School Offer

By signing up now, you will receive your Toucan Box every fortnightly through your letterbox!

For any purchase of a 6 or 12 months subscription, Toucan Box will give you a 2020/21 calendar (worth £20). Not only is it adorned with inspiring quotes, but it also comes with stickers so you never forget anything. Brilliant for Back to School reminders!

And that's not all, when you sign up for a 12-month prepaid subscription, you can save over £55.00 over the whole year.

Click hereto sign up and get creative!

Note: Paid partnership but all views and opinions are my own.

In this week's blog, I interviewed Dr. Sophie Niedermaier-Patramani, mother, paediatrician and co-founder of the award winning, Little Tummy.

Sophie shares with us her passion for creating great-tasting ingredients for little ones that to find the ones that really pack a nutritional punch. Every ingredient has a role to play in helping your little one to develop and grow healthily. It’s guilt-free goodness!

Sophie, tell us about the history of Little Tummy and what was the inspiration behind the business?

Being able to create recipes for babies and giving evidence-based advice to parents who otherwise have to find their way through a jungle of information rewards and inspires me every day.

2. How has the business evolved since you started?

We launched our first products in April 2019, sending them directly to parents' doorsteps. This is not only convenient for parents but gives us the wonderful opportunity to receive their direct feedback and work on our meals. We have since then added two more flavours and worked on the first recipes to further improve them.

3. Tell us about your family and how do mealtimes work in your home?

I have a 13 months old daughter who recently completed her weaning journey. My husband and I love food, especially simple dishes from tasty ingredients. Sitting together for mealtimes is a real treat for us and we enjoy the time together as well as the food which is on the table.

4. Your Little Tummy flavours are so interesting and different. How do you come up with the creative ideas of what flavours to excite little ones and their tiny tastebuds?

When creating the recipes I put babies' nutritional needs first. This is why I use sources of plant-based protein and healthy fats, such as rapeseed oil. It is important to get babies used to more bitter flavours from early on, so that they make healthy choices later on in life, as well. This is why I use a lot of green vegetables, such as kale and spinach. Even the fruitier meals have a somewhat bitter flavour and are relatively low in sugar. I combine our ingredients to turn them into colourful concoctions, so babies don't only enjoy the flavours but also the colours of the ingredients.

Before launching a recipe we run taste groups to see what parents and babies think. We then go back to the kitchen to work on the flavour, if needed.

5. What is your advice for helping parents to introduce their little ones to more fruit and vegetables in their diet from an early stage; i.e. avoiding too much sugar?

Be patient yet persistent. It can take between 10 to 15 tries until a child accepts a new flavour. A lot of parents are afraid their child might not eat enough and I feel that this is often aggravated by external influence. Parents needn't worry, though: The first 6 months of weaning are really about getting little ones used to new flavours and textures - this is more than enough work for them. They will get all their nutrients through breast milk or formula, so parents and babies can fully focus on their gourmet experience.

6. Have you got any advice on fussy eaters? Both parents and infants?

Fussy eaters can be a stressful experience for parents, and for babies. All children will go through phases of fussy eating, I see this as a sign of their normal development. It is important to take the pressure off for parents. Almost all children will cover their macronutritional needs (protein, carbohydrates and fats) with what they choose to eat throughout the day. If they are very fussy around vegetables and fruit, for example, a multivitamin can provide the necessary vitamins and minerals.

It is important to keep exposing children to a variety of foods without forcing them to eat it. The fact that something will appear on their table in regular intervals and that their parents and siblings are eating it, too, will increase their natural curiosity and they will eventually give it a try.

7. What can we expect to see next from Little Tummy? Any plans you can tell us about?

We have a range of exciting and delicious new baby recipes in the pipeline. 2021 will also bring a range for toddlers, which I am quite excited about myself, given that I will finally be able to offer my little one a healthy yet convenient snack!

8. And finally, when it comes to food, what's your favourite family meal?

It's a Greek dish called Psari Plaki. It means 'spread out fish' and is a lovely oven dish made of greens, tomato and fresh fish. We love to make this dish on special occasions, for example when we have moved house or on the first day of our summer holidays.

Thank you Sophie. That was a brilliant, insightful interview. To find out more on Little Tummy or to order some samples for your little one to try, head over to https://littletummy.co/collections/baby-meals

Menopause. A natural part of ageing and it affects half the world's population but it still feels like a taboo subject when it really doesn’t need to be. No-one seems to talk about it. As a woman now in her forties, I wondered if I should start to think about this or at least talk to some women who have been through the menopause.

I can only think of one close friend who has spoken to me about the menopause in the last few years. I really had no clue until I did some research as I wanted to write about this subject on the blog. What are the expectations and symptoms of the menopause? Sitting at home, I would get one hot flush and think to myself, could this be it…could this be the start of the next phase of my body cycle?

In many ways, the menopause is a natural change in a woman’s life but it’s hard not to find the change quite daunting. What could I expect? No more periods, hot flushes, night sweats and mood changes - but to what scale? The more I thought about it, the more I pondered on how no one had spoken to me about their experience, other than mentioning the odd hot flush. So, I ask the question - why is this not talked about and why do so many women simply suffer in silence? Did you mother, an auntie or a close family female friend ever talk to you about the time she went through the menopause?

The age at which women go through the menopause varies but it’s usually between 40 and 58. The average age for women to reach the menopause in the UK is 51 years. Research conducted by ITV Tonight in 2016 found that working women are suffering in silence and feel their symptoms - from hot flushes to anxiety and insomnia. The study found that a quarter of women had considered leaving their jobs because of the menopause. Half said it had made their lives significantly worse. Eighty-five per cent of those surveyed thought menopausal workers needed specific occupational health guidelines. With such a key focus on mental health over the last few years, we are finally breaking through the taboo of mental health. We have some brilliant women who are opening real conversations about mental wellbeing and the relationship we have have with our bodies, such as authors, Bryony Gordon and Clemmie Hooper (Mother of Daughters).

Another report by the British Menopause Society, has found that half women going through the menopause haven't visited a doctor, as many are 'too embarrassed'. More than two in five women said that symptoms of the menopause had been worse than they had expected, but half admitted that they had not consulted a doctor. For some women, menopause can bring feelings of isolation or frustration. For those suffering in silence, we need to come together and support them.

Women are missing out on advice about lifestyle changes that could ease their symptoms. They say there is still very little awareness about treatment options and support available due to the pervading misconceptions. More than a third of women, who took part in a survey commissioned by the British Menopause Society (BMS), said they felt the menopause was something they just had to “put up with”.

Currently, the menopause can be treated in several ways, with the most common being HRT (hormonal replacement therapy), although there is some uncertainty about its safety - as well as stigma around the changes a woman's body goes through at this confusing time. Family and friends may not always understand what you’re going through, or give you the support you need. If you’re having trouble coping, please reach out to someone who you help you.

I was reading this week on Twitter how getting active during menopause can really help women to manage their symptoms. Many of us can relate that exercise (at any level) can improve our mental and physical health. I am no fitness guru but I do know that regular exercise helps me to relieve stress as well as boosting my energy and my mood. Just thirty minutes of exercise a day (even a brisk walk) can make a difference to how you feel.

Every woman’s experience of the menopause will be different and we encourage women to talk openly to their healthcare professionals, employers, friends and families about the menopause. Let’s not keep it a taboo subject anymore and open the conversation. The menopause might be a sign of getting older, but maybe we need to change our view on that and celebrate it in some way – like a second coming of age!

Join the conversation and let me know your thoughts...…

Why does hair fall feel like a taboo subject?

During my pregnancy, I was in awe of my shiny locks and I received so many compliments on how lovely my hair was looking. However, fast forward some six months postpartum and I seem to be shredding so much hair every day. I spoke to a friend about it to ask if she thought this was normal too. She agreed that her hair was almost coming out in clumps after she had her third baby. Hair loss can really affect a woman’s confidence, which is so important after baby; so, why is this not really talked about?

What is postpartum hair loss?

During pregnancy, a woman’s Estrogen and progesterone levels soar, particularly from the second trimester. Estrogen, in particular, has a powerful effect on the body, including the skin and sebaceous glands, and also on the underlying growth pattern of hair. This is why in the early months of pregnancy, despite morning sickness and other symptoms, our skin and hair are often looking glowing and hydrated. However, we should brace ourselves for some excess hair shredding after baby is born.

A Natural Part of the Process

The good news is that this is a temporary phase and from reading quite a few reputable articles online, I am reassuringly advised that this is a natural part of the process. As part of that process, eventually, your hair shredding will go back to some kind of normal.

“During pregnancy there are lots of hormonal shifts happening and one thing that those hormonal shifts do is promote hair growth," says dermatologist Sejal Shah, M.D. "They’re actually preventing you from shedding—you shed every day, everyone sheds every day, but if you really pay attention, typically during pregnancy you don’t have that daily shedding. After pregnancy, once your hormones go back to normal, there’s a drop in Estrogen. What that does is it sort of triggers that shedding to resume. But keep in mind: You’ve not been shedding for several months at this time. That hair that's been sticking to your head needs to come out.

If, like me, you feel like your hair is falling out every minute of the day, the advice is not to worry. Apparently, the time for this to recover will vary but it can take three to six months to settle down. However, I am now almost six months postpartum and there are no signs of hair loss slowing down when I’m in the shower or simply brushing my hair. Some say this part of the process can take up to a year (probably me!).

Many of us start losing our hair around three months after birth, which is why, I think, it can come as a shock to many women as it is not immediately after baby has arrived. According to research from the University of Hertfordshire, new mothers are said to shed around 400 hairs a day.

Apparently, there is not much we can do to stop it, but many experts do recommend a good, healthy diet with plenty of greens and where you can, invest in good quality haircare products. I personally use either Kérastase or Shu Uemura products. Here are a couple of my favourites which I love and have added into my weekly routine.

Getting Expert Advice

I spoke to salon owner, Lorenzo Colangelo of The Gallery Hair and Beauty to get his expert opinion on this topic. "Having seen many pregnant and new mothers cross our threshold at The Gallery. We are very familiar with the subject of post natal hair loss.Hair loss following child birth, usually occurs once you stop breast feeding. It can be quite alarming, although perfectly natural.Using a shampoo and conditioner throughout pregnancy and following childbirth, that helps prevent hair fall can be a good solution though not a guaranteed remedy."

Lorenzo continued to say that he recommended the following; "the Genesis range from Kérastaseis a great range that uses a unique blend of ginger root and Edelweiss native cells to fortify hair and scalp to prevent hair breakage and natural hair loss.It is also very important to look at nutrition and we recommend viviscal professional for thinning hair, skin and nails. Treating your wellbeing inside and out is definitely the right way to go and my best advice."

Introducing the Genesis Reange from Kérastase

Kérastase's first hair and scalp serum to reveal hair that feels thicker, looks shinier and is more resistant to breakage. With Initialiste, Kérastase say that hair can be more resistant with up to 93% less breakage*. (*Breakage to brushing. Instrumental test: classic shampoo and Initialiste vs. classic shampoo alone.)

And finally...Give yourself a Head Massage

Whichever shampoo, conditioner or conditioning treatment you decide to use, one final piece of advice is to gently massage your shampoo or conditioner into the hair to boost blood flow and feed the roots. Using a kneading motion on your scalp for two to three minutes. If you close your eyes, you can pretend you are at a local hair salon, or The Gallery in my case. That works for me!

While some hair changes are inevitable for many women, some hair professionals say that serums which include botanicals (such as glycyrrhizin from licorice root) can help to prevent excess hair fall.

Additionally, haircare with blends of botanicals such as Japanese rose hips can potentially improve the hair growth cycle and boost new growth.

Whatever the case, postpartum hair loss is common and by talking about it more, hopefully we can find ways to support healthy hair regrowth. Most importantly, I’ll try to stop worrying about my hair and get on with cuddling my beautiful baby!

It was my pleasure to interview Stuart Simmonds, former Sussex Cricket player and now successful author. Creator of 'Hannah the Spanner', I wondered where his inspiration came from for this fun collection of stories for children.

Stuart told me how ‘Hannah the Spanner’ had started as a collection of stories that he made up for his daughter Hannah when she was very young. Stuart had made up a story of an escaped bear who wanted to have a disco in their back garden! Years later, Stuart's wife had convinced him to write down the stories and he has turned them into a series of brilliant books. Accompanied by the wonderful illustrations of Bill Greenhead, Stuart hopes that his books will enable more children around the globe to enjoy the simple pleasure of reading a great story.

I chatted to Stuart about his inspiration behind the book series and encouraging kids to read:

Stuart, where did the inspiration behind your children’s book series come from?

I have two daughters, one called Hannah and the other Lucy - a couple of years apart. I had always wanted to write a book, but I thought it was going to be a cricket book. In the early 2000’s I almost was involved in writing a book, which never happened. After that, I knew I had to write one of my own. My eldest daughter Hannah, now nearly twenty three, was a pretty reluctant reader.

At the age five or six, my daughter Hannah would bring home some very strange books from school. One time she bought back a book called ‘Pedro and the Peppers’ which I personally didn't think was a very inspiring book for her. So, as I sat on the edge of her bed, I put down the book and started to make up a story instead about a bear who’d escaped from the zoo and hid in our back garden.

The bear loved a back garden disco and loved eating cakes! Hannah instantly loved the story and right there in that moment, Hannah and the Dancing Bear’ was born. From there, for the next ten or so every night, my daughter always wanted me to share the adventures of "Hannah and the Dancing Bear” every night!

Over time, I quickly came up with more ideas for the stories including; ‘Hannah and the Robot’, ‘Hannah and the Circus’ and many more; which is how my book series started. Thankfully my wife made me write all the stories down. So I did, but they just stayed in the drawer for years - despite her reminding me, “You’ve got to do something with the girls’ books”. Eventually I opened the drawer and set to work on the books.

I soon met an illustrator, who really bought into the stories of Hannah the Spanner. We set up a business together, leaving the rest as history. We ended up publishing ourselves, in a half-self-publishing style.

Since I had sold my cricket book previously which had sold well, I aimed to do that again. I wanted to publish before Hannah’s 21st birthday and thought that it may be best to do it myself. I set up my own publishing team, of around half a dozen people, and before I knew it, we’d done it. We are so happy with how the books have turned out.

Now with a Children’s TV series generating production interested, I see the wonderful actress and writer, Dawn French, is the famous voice of the trailer?

Bill, my illustrator, has worked in illustration and animation for a few years now. Friends with Viv, who used to make Danger Mouse, Bill introduced us and suddenly off I was up to Manchester to meet with the BBC and agree to making a trailer. They soon put us in touch with an animator down in Bristol and they started making us a trailer.

We met with Dawn French and she was as lovely as you would imagine. In fact, she was amazing! With the current pandemic, some of this project has been put on hold for now, and we’ll see how the market goes in a couple of months when production may continue. One positive that may have arisen from lockdown is that, with children being in their homes, I hope that many children might be reading more with their parents, particularly at bedtime.

What small changes do you think we can make at home as parents to make a big difference in our children’s reading?

I am passionate about encouraging children to read, and I think it is just about finding that time. We have all become so engrossed in daily life, that now it’s a case of putting our phones down and going to read with our kids.

Bedtime and reading time aren’t things that last forever, and there are moments we can’t get back. I think it is so important to sit down and use this time to interact with your child. You can listen to them and in turn, they can listen to you. I always tried to ensure that this time was separate to school - it was our time and it could be fun!

Of course, as my youngest daughter Lucy grew, she wanted Lucy stories from me. She used to carry this stuffed monkey around everywhere named Harry, and this was how the series ‘Harry the Karate Monkey’ was born. I then aimed to produce the Harry series in time for Lucy’s 21st birthday too. I'm so pleased that that Harry and the Karate Monkey story has come to life too.

What is the best advice you’ve ever been given, between both your sporting and author careers?

I think sometimes it is best to just stop and listen. I’m a firm believer in working hard, and you have to work hard to achieve great things. People see that I have played sport at county level and written few books, but many don't always see how hard it is to get there.

If you want to achieve something, no matter what it is, you have to stick with it and keep going. You need to be ambitious and be willing to come back again and give things a better go. In anything you do, don’t give up. You will get there in the end. I will always tell people to have a go and give it your best shot.

Thank you Stuart for this fabulous interview and sharing your great advice for helping to keep children engaged with their reading.

Click here to buy the books on Amazon.

You can see all of Stuarts books on his website - https://www.stuhead.co.uk/

Over the past few years, conversations have continued to grow on the environmental impact of everything we do. From plastic bags to reusable water bottles, takeaway coffee cups, and loading our washing machine at 30 degrees, we are all becoming better at thinking about our planet. Clearly, there is a long way to go, but for many of us, just making small changes is already making a positive impact.

During the coronavirus pandemic, we have seen planes grounded, shops closed and for the first time; the world was forced to slow down. However, despite the slowdown, many of us spent time at home scrolling through our phones. Scrolling online for outfits we probably didn’t need. I am guilty of that!

The constant bombardment of advertisements on our devices or dropping into our email inboxes announcing, “New Arrivals’ or “New Collection’, making us desire that new pair of shoes or another straw basket bag (to add to the existing collection - whoops).

Without even thinking about it, fast fashion is filling up our wardrobes.

Buy Less, Buy Better

We create a-lot of garbage and many say that we are at a crisis level of waste generation. I shudder at the thought of our landfills and how even, I, must take some level of responsibility for that.

Each year, the fashion industry produces approximately 100 billion garments, and we buy roughly 80 billion. The UK is the fourth largest producer of textile waste in Europe, according to anew study.

The United Kingdom produces 206.456 tonnes of textile waste in a year. The study found each Brit throws away about 3.1kg of textiles every year, and that 1.7kg of fashion waste is landfilled yearly per person. And in line with fast fashion, according to a 2015 study by the charity Barnardo's, the average item of clothing is worn just seven times before being disregarded and sent to our landfills.

In recent times, the “Buy less, Buy better” philosophy has been gaining more and more traction in contrast to fast fashion trends. Most famously, the iconic British designer Viviane Westwood once said, “buy less, choose well and make it last.”

Whilst I appreciate and take into consideration that in most cases, higher quality clothing will have a steeper price tag, over time, you will find the investment pays off over and over again. My husband always invests in his clothing and his own personal quote is "Buy cheap. Buy twice." He only wears good quality clothing that lasts for years, so you won't find him ever investing in fast fashion. Perhaps that was something I should have learnt from him years ago!

Wear it Well

“Buy Less, Buy Better” goes hand in hand with the so called “Slow Life” philosophy, an expression that resumes the trends of living a lifestyle emphasising slower approaches to aspects of everyday life. The central tenet of the slow philosophy is taking the time to do things properly, and thereby enjoy them more.

Another feature to consider when making your purchases, is that, if you decide to invest in a quality piece of clothing, it will last longer than the rest of your fast-fashion items. There are three key reasons for this:-

1) the quality of its material

2) the care in its overall production 3) the service you receive from the supplier after you have bought it.

Really Wild Clothing was created by Natalie Lake, who spotted a gap in the market for chic, well-tailored, classic garments with a modern twist. In 2002, she collaborated with the Royal Berkshire Shooting School after failing to find the kind of attire she wanted to wear. This was the year that Really Wild Clothingwas founded.

I am so delighted and proud to be a brand ambassador for Really Wild Clothing. My partnership allows you to see beautiful pieces, curated by Natalie and her team on real women. As a curvy woman and a mother of three young children, I can show you how their versatile pieces look in everyday life experiences; even whilst carrying my five month old son across the beach!

"I see each design as a creation"

Natalie's approach was to create luxury, timeless collections that has broad appeal to UK and international customers, using bespoke tweeds, high quality leather and hand crafted boots. As a country girl myself, I love how Natalie's passion for design reflects our glorious countryside traditions. Beautifully made and finely detailed, Really Wild's classic tailoring is for women who move easily and confidently between city life and countryside pursuits. It works for me!

I asked Natalie, Really Wild’s founder and designer for her thoughts on sustainable fashion. Natalie said that she makes sure that each piece she designs can be worn again and again, each season, ensuring lasting quality and versatility in your wardrobe, quoting ‘I see each design as a creation’.

I felt this was such an important and heartfelt statement from Natalie, because for me, when you buy a hand-made piece of clothing from Really Wild Clothing, you buy the patient work of the artisans who made it. Their professionalism, their time, their ability, their creativity and care they take when making every piece in the best possible way.

Even small changes in our approach to fashion can make a big difference and the way I see it, if we all do a little to change, then the group effort makes a much bigger positive impact. Buying investment pieces for your wardrobe will help the environment (and your wallet) will thank you (in the long term).

Read more: How To Detox And Organise Your Wardrobe

My daughter is almost eleven and if there is one thing we need to discuss soon…it is periods.

A friend once told me a true story about a teenage girl who happened to be on the bus when her worst nightmare came true. She got her period and had bled all through her tartan school skirt. She has a visible, large blood stain on the outside of her skirt and as she stood up, she tried her best to cover it, but had nothing to cover it, other than her own hand. The boy in the seat behind her quietly gave her his school jumper and said “Here. You can tie this around your waist, and no one will see. I have a sister - I understand. You can keep the jumper in case you need it again.” And with that, the girl was able to get off the bus. This boy with no name, had shown her the most incredible, modern and mature act of kindness.

After my friend told me that story, I sat for a moment and thought to myself that I hoped my two sons will grow up to be as kind and mature as that boy. The point I am making here is that this boy 'normalised' periods. He didn’t laugh at her. He wasn’t embarrassed or awkward. He just thought this was ‘normal’. Periods are normal.

Periods are a natural, healthy part of a girl's life. They shouldn't get in the way of enjoying life, even though sometimes they do. It's important to start talking about periods early. Most girls get their first period when they're around 12. But getting it any time between age 10 and 15 is OK. Every girl's body has its own schedule. For the first few years after a girl starts her period, it may not come regularly, which is normal. By about 2–3 years after her first period, a girl's periods should be coming around once every 4–5 weeks.

When concerning the timing of a girl’s first period, parents and caregivers should bear in mind that a girl's first period usually (but not always!) happens about two years after her breasts start to develop. So as soon as you start noticing physical changes such as breast ‘budding’ you should start an open discussion about puberty and periods.

Every Body is Different

It is important for girls to understand that her experience of periods might be different to her friends. Make sure she knows she can always talk to you if she's concerned about a period symptom or anything related to her period. By having these positive, encouraging conversations now, and ensuring she knows what to do when she has her first cycle, she'll feel prepared for this major step into adulthood!

Step 1 – Be Prepared

Have a period kit ready is a really good idea, so your daughter doesn’t feel anxious when it happens. The period pouch should be large enough to hold at least a period product, a few wipes for clean-up, and a spare pair of underwear. A period kit is one of those essential items that every girl should have. It is a small bag that contains what she needs to manage her period when she is not at home.

Because as you know, periods can start when least expected!

So, what do you need in a period kit?

- Period underwear and/or sanitary products

New leak-absorbing pants are brilliant. It means your daughter can wear them on the days leading up to her period as well as during her period. These magic period pants will absorb any leaks, saving her the embarrassment of blood stains on the back of her clothing. But more importantly they’ll provide her with the reassurance that she can continue her day without a worry in the world and no leaks means no stains her clothes. A lot of girls worry that their period will start at school, stain their clothing and they’ll die of embarrassment when the whole school sees it!

Period underwear is the perfect solution as they can use the underpants for everyday wear. Which means increased confidence and less fear about stained clothing or any bus incidents! Modibodi or Thinx have a range of period underwear that are sized for smaller tween and teen bodies. Thinx, for example have a selection of absorbency levels to choose from, regular and super, so you can pick the pair that's perfect for you. Available in girls' sizes 9/10, 11/12, 13/14, and 15/16.

- Cleansing wipes

Girls can be shy about periods so this item allows them to clean up any extra blood off their hands or thighs whilst she is still in the toilet cubicle. As your daughter grows more confident with managing her period, she may not need this item.

- Small sealed sandwich bag

To place any ruined undies that weren’t leakproof or protective or if your daughter has heavy flow.

Step 2 – Talk Openly about Periods

Sit down and talk about what to expect. Let her know that her first period may involve very little bleeding, and that the blood may be light red, dark red, or even brown, and that all are normal. You can tell her that she may feel some cramping, tiredness, or headaches — or she may feel nothing at all in advance. Hopefully nothing too painful that extra hugs, rest and a hot water bottle can’t resolve.

Step 3 - Educate Together

There is plenty of great material to read online, but you can also check out these useful books, which you can buy online or in all good bookstores. This book, What’s Happening to Me? Girl 9-14 – from Susan Meredith, could be a great opportunity to sit together, read the book and allow your daughter to ask any questions she may have. Work as a team as knowledge is power. Period Power for sure!

Other Useful Books :-

It’s about Bloody Time. Period – from Emma Barnett

Period Power – from Maisie Hill

Step 4 - Discuss Different Sanitary Options

Lauren Derrett has created her own period product which is currently flying out the warehouse doors! She says "it's a new way to period!".

Lauren was concerned about the amount of waste products by menstrual products. Wear 'Em Out reusable period pads are more sustainable than disposable tampons or pads, which can take up to 800 years to degrade. 4.3 billion disposable menstrual products are used in the UK every year equating to 200,000 tonnes of menstrual waste hitting UK landfill per year. Lauren created ‘Wear Em Out’; reusable period pads so our women of the future can be eco warriors and make period pads cool.

Wear 'Em Out pads come in four sizes (mini, medium, mega and mega-mega) and can be chucked in the washing machine (or hand-washed) and used again and again (it's said they'll be good for around four years). Manufactured in the UK, the aim was to provide a zero-waste period pad that's effective, reliable and, vitally, comfortable.

The Wear 'Em Out demo pack is a great buy and something your daughter can keep in her school bag for when she needs it. The demo kit is available to view here.

In summary, it is important that we support our girls as they turn the corner into womanhood. By learning more about how and why this happens, we can help our girls to turn this into a positive milestone. However, I am conscious that there is a lot more to discuss with our daughters as much as period chat. There’s reproductive health, pelvic health, urinary infections, bowel habits and much more. Who knows where to start, but hey…let’s just start with period chat and go from there!

It was my absolute pleasure to interview Helen Butters, who is one of the four Yorkshire women to row 3000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean, setting new Guinness World Records along the way. Helen completed the challenge alongside three friends, Janette Benaddi, Frances Davies and Niki Doeg. I can honestly say, during our chat, we laughed, and I had many ‘lump in throat’ moments during our telephone interview. Helen was such a joy to chat to and here is her story: -

Helen, you currently work in the NHS, what is your role?

I work in communications in the NHS, where I’ve been most of my working life. I’ve always loved the ethos of it, and I’ve always loved the fact that I’m not making money from people. I’m not very entrepreneurial and I just like to do a job where I feel I’m making a difference and doing something of use.

Before the row I worked in a commissioning organisation, basically designing healthcare for people. We ask people what kind of healthcare they want and need- and then commission that through GP services and primary, secondary and community care. I love the people I work with - and I don’t ever see me not working this job.

What inspired the four of you to do something extraordinary and can you tell us about how the challenge came about?

We are all mums at the same school. I knew Niki and Frances to say 'hello' to. They had been at a ‘learn to row’ course one Saturday at the school boathouse, and when I heard, I decided to give it a go too. The next Saturday I went along with them, meeting Janette there too. And from there we stemmed a great friendship.

We all learned to row and developed a bond over this shared experience of learning a new skill. It wasn’t easy, and what got me through every week was the friendship. One night, at the boat club dinner, Frances just unexpectedly said “I found this race - why don’t we row across the Atlantic?” All at the dinner table, after plenty of wine, we all replied “Yeah, that’s a fantastic idea!” and there were no negative thoughts from there. We just said yes! I’m a massive believer that we were bought together for a reason, that it was fate and meant to be- because at no one point did we ever think that this wasn’t going to happen.

What planning was involved for the family before the expedition?

At the time of the expedition, my daughter was 15 and my son was 12. I was a very busy working mum and the one thing I wanted to make sure, in doing this challenge, was that my children were happy for me to go. That was my primary concern - and luckily for me they were both very excited about it. My son, particularly, became very involved in the planning and helped in researching lots of things.

Henry’s List

At the time of planning I was reading a book by Roz Savage; an Ocean Rower having rowed all the oceans solo. One day when the book had disappeared from the side of my bed, I found it next to my sons. Having the read the book I knew it was quite graphic and considered whether to let a 12-year-old read it. Despite that, I let him finish, and soon later he presented me with what we call ‘Henry’s list’ - all the things he got from that book that I should take with me to keep me safe and to help me.

My son had planned ahead for me. He included things such as ocean friendly shampoo (which I should have listened to him about!) and he presented that to me proudly. For me, that was the point where I decided I really had to do this, because the children are really behind me. I wanted to involve everybody in the adventure.

I knew some may criticise us for being mums and taking on such a dangerous adventure. For me, I knew that three months in a whole lifespan was not very much. I wanted my children to see me doing something, not just me behind the kitchen sink.

I wanted them to see that I had a life, and that I’d had my dream. I wanted them involved in that. We met so many inspirational people along the three-year planning journey, and I wanted my children to absorb all the positive ‘can-do’ energy from those people. For me, this is a priceless gift to give to my children, and I had the opportunity to open them up to that.

There must have been tough times during the 67-days at sea where you had to find resilience like never before. Can you share some of those tough moments?

As we neared the start of the challenge, I had to prepare myself mentally. I knew it was going to be really tough. One technique I ended up using on the boat, when getting down, was an anchoring technique of visualisation. I used to play a movie in my head of the good times with my family- and that got me through the tough times. Near the end, I often felt like I was in prison! I could ring my family once a week on the satellite phone and I felt like that was my prison call. As time went on, it got harder and harder. I had subconsciously turned off my emotions- and I never cried. I think this was a bad thing in the end, because then I suffered a lot after I came back. It took me a good year to turn my emotions back on again.

‘Always look out for others before yourself’

We had to plan, knowing as a team we would probably fall out at some point. We placed values on the boat, one of the biggest being: ‘Always look out for others before yourself’. We all knew we had three people looking out for us, and that was so important. We appreciated we were so lucky for this opportunity- to live in another world for 67 days. The feeling of privilege got us through.

One of the scariest aspects for me was capsizing. I really didn’t want that. It was really important to keep the boat head on to these huge 40-foot waves, to reduce the risk. In the night, we had 12 hours of darkness and one evening, during a hurricane, I remember it was pitch black. If the moon was on the right-hand side, we knew we were rowing in the right direction- and this night the moon was on the left. We all came out on deck and tried to turn the boat around. It took about 40 minutes- and it was so scary. In the complete darkness, knowing we could capsize at any moment, was for me the scariest moment. I had to dig deep and get through- but in that situation we just went into survival mode.

Someone said to me, “I think we’re going to die tonight”, to which I replied, “No we are not, I know we’re not.” I needed to know we were going to get there. There were lots of scary moments in those 75 hours of a hurricane.

Can you share your ‘stand out moments’ from rowing across the Atlantic?

One of the stand-out moments was a huge whale coming along with its baby. We were all kind of bonkers at this point, because we thought ‘The whales bought its baby because it knows we’re missing our kids!’ The mum stayed quite far away, whilst the baby circled the boat, getting closer and closer, for about an hour. That was amazing.

The stars at night were also incredible. Night-time could either be really scary, or really amazing. In the middle of the ocean the sky was magical. We were at sea the same time Tim Peaks was up in space- and I remember feeling closer to Tim in space, than I did to those on land.

I know from your speeches you are all about ‘dreaming big’ and an ‘anything is possible’ mindset. Can you tell us about this, and why it is so important?

A huge lesson we learned was to not take your eye off the ball, even though you think the journey is almost done. Our last night of sailing saw another night of huge waves, we power anchored through, despite almost capsizing again. For us, it was never about reaching Antigua, it was all about giving the challenge a go. The achievement was having a go, and just doing it. It was not about achieving the goal.

One of the things that really changed in me with this experience was mindset. Mindset is everything. For me, I definitely transformed on that journey- living in the moment with no distractions. I’m a big believer in living in the moment- and doing that bought my true self to me.

We were being filmed for a documentary, and the film crew came out onto a boat before our arrival. One crew member said to me “It’ll be an amazing experience, really enjoy it”- and I’m so glad he said that, because it would have been so easy to row in, and not feel anything. but instead, it was amazing.

Coming Home

Looking back, it took me a long time to settle back into life at home. We had a documentary deal, a book deal, we were off to Buckingham Palace giving out rewards. On paper, everything looked perfect. For me, I felt miserable, many call it an ‘adrenaline hangover’. So many people go through this; being taken out of your comfort zone for such a long time, it is hard to return to normal. My brain was on high alert for so long. When I came back, my brain crashed.

This led me to my passion of coaching, performance coaching and transformational coaching- something I would never have achieved without going through that transformation myself.

Recently my daughter was asked who inspired her. She put down me and that was all I needed to know. She has been positively impacted by my decision to take this adventure, and it all worked out. That to me shows I made the right decision. I want to give mums and women permission to go and do things. I want women to find their ocean. Ours was rowing an ocean, but I hope so many others are inspired by us to find their own ocean. The best thing to come from this is to see how it’s inspired others to have a go. Having a go in itself is an achievement. I love where this journey has taken me.

“The achievement is about not giving up, not the destination”

Do you have your sights set on any new challenges?

We did our challenge for Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres. They’re an amazing company all throughout the UK offering support to anyone who has been affected by cancer. They give a holistic support in a caring environment. They provide an amazing space.

Sitting at the opening I realised I felt really flat. When Janette asked what I needed to feel better, I knew: “I think we need to do another challenge for Maggie’s”. Suddenly a man approached us and explained how he was inspired by our resilience, sharing his story of cycling across America. Within five minutes we had planned out next adventure with him, a complete stranger - and it was meant to be.

To that point, I’d never cycled before. I didn’t even own a bike. However, we decided we would cycle from Maggie’s Place in Leeds, to Maggie’s Barcelona - over 1000 miles through four countries. Our cycle was set to take place in April, though due to the pandemic lockdown it was been postponed to 2021.

And that’s our next adventure.

Photo Credits: Helen Butters and Ben Duffy

None of us have a crystal ball to determine what life may be like after the Covid-19 crisis. In the present, life looks a little like this - We’re on zoom calls every day. The kids have gotten their own tablet devices and we are still binge watching Netflix.

Many of us have broken our relationship with the news as we are fed up with the constant negativity - day in and day out. We are all being more selective than ever in what we read and watch.

With school closures and homeschooling now part of the daily agenda, the traditional 9-5 "office" may be over. Working parents are having to rethink their traditional working week and finding a more creative way to manage work, childcare and household responsibilities win an effort to simply - get the job done.

Our iPhones and iPads are constantly telling us that our screen time is on the rise, but maybe our iPhones don’t know that there is a global pandemic on right now. Our devices have been important portals for keeping our businesses going, for enabling our children’s education online and keeping us from remembering we are not alone. This is not a time for parents to beat themselves up about anything or feel guilty about our screen time. These are really extraordinary, unusual circumstances and we don’t expect anyone — even before Covid-19 — to follow rules 100 percent.

There’s no way yet to quantify the impact weeks or months of extra screen time could have. However, everyone should perhaps just go with what they feel is right for you and your family. There are concerns over teens and the quantity of social media they are consuming in an effort to protect their mental health. Where possible, experts recommend teens should spend no longer than one hour a day on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, which we know is hard to control. Especially when we know and understand that the feeling of being connected with friends and family has felt more important than ever.

As many of us now start to return to a different working environment which are now gradually re-opening, some of us are unsure what to expect. Business owners have been under pressure to re-think open floor offices, considering staggered shifts, and hybrid remote/in-office working environments. In some cases, temperature checks upon entry may become part of your daily commute. In any event, your return to work may be different and those who are trying to make the return to work possible - it is no easy task.

For now, while we wait for Covid-19 testing and vaccines, we must embrace the new normal. Perhaps being stuck at home for months during the pandemic has helped to give us clarity about what things make us feel happy. While I don’t think the post Covid-19 work will be wildly different, I think we will come out the other side as different people.

People with deeper connections and a better grasp on what really matters in life. Through this pandemic, we have seen who really has our back and how much love and empathy we have for each other and our work colleagues. Whatever the next few months brings for you, I wish you good luck and I hope you find a way to embrace the new normal.

Guest blog by Han Son Lee, Founder of Daddilife

Today is Father’s Day. This is a good time to look at how dad’s role at home and work may change as we emerge blinking out of full lockdown. It is likely that for many, life will not return to normal for some time but for many fathers, the enforced period of time has been one of reflection about our priorities for work and home life going forward.

As we showed in our Millennial Dad at Work survey last year, 87% of millennial dads are now actively involved in parenting and helping to share the load with partners. The issue for some time has been a difficulty with employers understanding the changing dynamic at home and reflecting it in the workplace. There are many dads who want the flexibility to leave early or work from home so they can pick their kids up or to work from home.

Before I go any further, I think it’s important to note that Gender Equality between mums and dads isn’t necessarily a like for like comparison. The barriers that have faced many women around workplace progression simply won’t have been experienced by the vast majority of men in the same way. But as we start to see more equality at home in modern day families, shouldn’t we as dads now start to realise how we can shape the future of gender equality at work for ourselves in shaping what modern families really look like?

What needs to change?

We recently completed a research piece on Dads in Lockdown, and found that:

- 76% of dads have been involved in day to day parenting during lockdown

- 32% spending more quality time with their children.

Many were involved in activities including: cleaning up (70%), day to day play (83%), family cooking (67%), home-schooling (51%), and the bedtime routine (45%).

Interestingly, 25% also reported that they were looking for more flexible working immediately post lockdown, and a further 16% were exploring more remote working post lockdown too.

It’s clear that lockdown has accelerated a change in priorities between home and work that many modern day dads were not acting on and I believe we are likely to see a surge in requests from dads for flexible and remote working as a norm going forward. This can only be a good thing for families where it is increasingly important for working mums to have someone to share the load at home.

How can we create real change?

I think that true equality goes beyond a flexible working request - it’s about a change in culture and thought across society about a dad’s role. Many dads want to be in there, actively parenting and being a hands-on dad. The outdated stereotype of a father who does nothing at home and is purely the breadwinner, needs to be consigned to the dustbin of history. So how can we create a better culture around fatherhood?

1. Dads need to talk more about how much they love being a parent and challenge any pre-conceived perceptions at work that ‘dads should just be at work’. It will register with others.

2. Parenting is about sharing the day to day boring tasks as well as the fun times. Mums and dads both need a good work/life balance for a less stressful family life. If you are both in it together it makes the end goal easier. Share the load. It’s something the best dad books cover in detail too

3. At work, dads need to start to challenge those little moments in the day where employers think of dads as a secondary parent. The tea break moment, the discussions with other mums about schooling or birthdays, these are all opportunities for showing why you are part of the gender equality debate too.

On Father’s Day we celebrate the role of dads and their role in family life. I think that this year, for the first time we now have an opportunity to bring about a real change in mindset at work too. Lockdown could be the catalyst that will bring about real equality for families and society as a whole.

Photo credit: John Adams

With Fathers Day on the horizon this Sunday, I wanted to add a few more dads onto my blog this week. First up, we have an inspiring interview with John Adams AKA Dadbloguk.

I have had the pleasure of meeting John in person a few times over the years and he has always been really supportive of the Guilty Mother blog, which means alot to me. Especially coming from an award winning parenting blog himself! Every time I chat to him on instagram, he seems to have collected another award for the mantelpiece. But, I know the awards are not as important to John as sharing some hot topics across his blog. Over the past year, he has spoken out on work-life balance, modern day parenting and more recently, the juggle and challenges of homeschooling for parents across the country.

More so than ever, parents are seeking out the best work-life balance that they can. With many of us now getting settled in a home office for the foreseeable future, could that be a good thing? John Adams (www.dadbloguk.com) writes his blog around managing the household and everything his two girls need. I admire him. I think John is a great example of a modern husband and father.

John, when did you start your blog and what inspired you to create it?

I started Dadbloguk back in 2012 when the Internet was the Wild West! Looking back on it, it was an exciting time as nobody knew what they were doing and there were no rules to break. It's a totally different story now with higher levels of regulation than you find in journalism (I was a journalist many years ago).

I was inspired to create the blog when I left full time employment to become the main carer for my daughter. It was a purely practical, cold-hearted decision. I couldn't get the flexibility I wanted to balance work and family and my wife earned more money so it made sense for me to look after family and home. It didn't feel like a radical thing to do but I quickly found myself facing sexist attitudes in the most unexpected places. It was tough as many people didn't think it was a man's place to look after young children.

I started blogging about my experiences. In doing so, I accidentally launched another career as a blogger and social media influencer! I steadily broadened the subjects I wrote about and these days I run the blog on a commercial basis. With both my children at school (or they were until March!) I fit my work around my family commitments.

A photo from when we filmed together on the topic of 'guilt' in 2018

What do you think are the most important qualities for raising your daughters?

Being kind, compassionate and understanding. I want them to reflect these values in their lives.

That said, I think there is a need to make them aware the world is an unfair place and they will experience challenges. They need to be prepared for what life might throw at them.

We have spoken in part about mum guilt vs dad guilt. So dads feel guilty sometimes and if so, I'm what way?

If there's one thing that annoys me it's the fact dad guilt gets so little recognition. I occasionally see daft influencers writing about this subject as if it's something new when it isn't.

The source of guilt for mums and dads may be different, but trust me, dads often feel guilt as strongly as mums. Dads tend to feel huge pressure to be at work and this leads to guilt that they can't help at home as much as they'd like. I am regularly contacted by men who feel guilty they can't be with their kids more.

Added to this, dads are notoriously bad at maintaining social connections and friendships (I've worked on a few charity campaigns to encourage men to be social). Not only do men feel guilty, but unlike mums, they often do not have the informal social networks in place to blow off steam or discuss the challenges they face.

Photo credit: LinkedIn

You recently partnered with LinkedIn to talk about the need for more flexible working for parents. Can you tell us more about why this topic is so important to you?

Ah yes, I was delighted to be selected to work with LinkedIn to work as a Changemaker. In my case, I am working with LinkedIn to promote flexible working as an option for all mums, dads and carers.

This is important to me as I left the workforce as I couldn't balance work and family life. We have a dreadful culture of presenteeism in the workplace.

Interestingly, the campaign launched at just the right time. With COVID-19 leading to widespread workplace closures, employers and employees have had to adjust to flexible, remote working at rapid speed. I can't see us going back to 9-5, five day a week, office-based jobs. I think and hope that ship has sailed as it will free up more men to help out on the domestic front at home. In fact the Fatherhood Institute is saying the amount of childcare carried out by men has increased by about 60% in the last two months. We need to cement that change in place.

What are your top tips for building confidence in your two daughters?

Oh gosh, what a question! Such a difficult one to answer. I did once hear it said that girls who are mostly raised by their fathers are more confident. The logic is that in the sexist world we live, men are raised from childhood to be risk takers and they pass these traits on to their offspring. Who knows, maybe my kids will benefit from having me as their main carer??

Aside from that, I think putting children in managed situations where they could possibly fail, such as a sports competition, has great value. They might not win, but you never know, they might!

I think 2020 is going to be bizarre in that we won't have the annual "Should sports day be competitive" debate in the media because no school will hold sports days. I am personally a fan of these events. They give kids a chance not only to win, but to learn how to fail and how to cope with failure and that is a part of building confidence.

Photo credit: John Adams

That said, I think you need to recognise that your children have different strengths and weaknesses and be sensitive to that. One of my children doesn't like speaking up in front of large groups of adults. If she wants to speak to me in that situation, I'll lead her away to a quiet spot where she can say what she needs to. I think the worst thing I could do is berate her and force her to speak up.

I could go on and on, but I am going to stop there. There's so much to be said on this subject.

What would make the ideal Father's Day for you?

Like most parents I am totally frazzled after three months of lockdown. I really just want to keep it simple. Some sunshine would be nice, as would a couple of ciders and a barbecue.

I just heard you had some exciting news about DadBlogUK on Vuelio. Can you share?

Yes indeed. Vuelio is the market leading digital monitoring agency. It produces various Top 10 charts of social media influencers. It's just published its Top 10 UK Daddy Blogger list for 2020 and I am pleased to say dadbloguk is at number one. It was news that brightened up a tough week. Do, though, check out the other blogs on the list. There is some amazing talent among the Top 10. You'll find the list here

My baby is four months old and I feel like this time has passed by in a flash. I was 5+ weeks by the time I took a pregnancy test. I couldn’t believe that my body had been building another baby inside me. For me, even after having two babies before (now aged eight and ten), it had been such a long time since I was last pregnant, I had almost forgotten what the early pregnancy symptoms I should have been looking for.

If you are reading this and you have just found out you are expecting, then firstly, congratulations. The female body continues to fascinate me. A lot of changes happen during the first trimester, so here are some sensations and symptoms you may experience during the early stages of your pregnancy.

If you are feeling emotional, overwhelmed or unsure about your body’s changes during the first trimester, don’t worry. It is quite a normal to feel this way. If you have irregular periods, sometimes, finding out you are expecting is not always noticeable straight away. However, there are some early signs, which I had that were the reasons that led me to pick up a test!

I have partnered with Emma’s Diary to share some of the early symptoms of pregnancy. They have asked me to share with you some of the signs that I had in my early stages of pregnancy. I hope that these might help you too. Equally, if you are in the process of trying to conceive and would like to learn about the early signs of pregnancy, you have come to the right place.

Metallic Taste in Mouth

When my best friend told me, she thought she might be expecting her third child, it was the metallic taste in her mouth that gave it away. This may sound like a really odd early pregnancy sign, but I too had this with all of my pregnancies.

Some women say the taste in your mouth is much like how it would feel to suck on a ten pence piece. Not that you would want to do that! Drinks may also taste different and you may start to dislike some of your favourite drinks. This is completely normal and will go by the end of the first trimester. According to Emma’s Diary, the medical term for the weird taste in your mouth is ‘dysgeusia’, which typically describes a change of your taste senses. Pregnant women who have experienced this distortion describe it as tasting like they have metal coins in their mouth or are chewing on aluminium foil.

Additionally, many pregnant women find that the sensation can even be in your mouth when you’re not eating. To help alleviate the taste, try orange juice or a sugar free fizzy drink or alternatively, some say that eating foods such as pickles, chutneys and sauces can help!

Not only might you find that the metallic taste in your mouth is an odd sensation, I also found that my sense of smell was heightened. This is because our sense of smell and taste are closely linked. I was forever saying to my husband “can you smell that?” and he would say that he couldn’t smell anything at all. However, for me, normal smells from the house, garden or kitchen were really overpowering.

Along with the metallic taste in your mouth, you may also find your nose is not as it was either - that’s because your sense of smell and taste are closely linked.

2. Sore and Tender Breasts

In all three of my pregnancies, my earliest symptoms have all been boob-related. You may get tender or sore boobs before your period comes in, so it can feel like this. However, this was like a more extreme version of that. My boobs had become so sore and uncomfortable, that even lying on side in bed or going for a run was painful.

I read that the reason for this is related to a surge of progesterone and an important hormone known as human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) which is responsible for the maintenance of your pregnancy – it’s the hormone that is detected in your pregnancy tests. But everyone is different, so if your boobs feel absolutely fine, then perhaps one of the other early signs might relate!

3. Missed Period

This may sound like the most obvious one as a missed period in your monthly cycle can be one of the first clear signs of early pregnancy. On the other hand, if you are anything like me and have irregular periods, then this pregnancy sign can sometimes be overlooked.

About 10 to 14 days (week 4) after conception, the blastocyst will implant in the endometrium, the lining of the uterus. This can cause implantation bleeding, which may be mistaken for a light period.

If you have irregular period, I highly recommend tracking your period by using an app. This will help you to keep track of your period by marking the days in a calendar.

In summary, I hope my top three early signs of pregnancy are helpful. As a final note, no matter what stage your pregnancy you are at, you will probably be feeling additional fatigue. This may sound like an obvious one, as, for many busy women, we are often always tired! So how we would distinguish our normal fatigue to pregnancy fatigue? It’s a good question!

Overall, the body is working so hard, you’ll just feel like napping on the sofa at any moment! Your blood sugar levels, and blood pressure can lower as your metabolic rate increases to provide your baby with everything it needs to develop. Where possible, try to keep your energy levels up by eating little and often. This really helped me power through. Keeping healthy bars and nuts nearby when I needed a boost.

A surge in hormones, especially progesterone, is also responsible for tiredness, so, take it easy as much as you can – don’t forget your body has started to grow a human!

Most of all, take care of yourself and get as much rest as you can. As a final note from Guilty Mother, remember it is always good to speak to a midwife or healthcare professional is anything is worrying you about your pregnancy.

For more early signs of pregnancy – click here

Note: This is a paid collaboration but all views and opinions are honest and my own.

Hands up if some days you are feeling tired and lethargic? Brain fog causing you to find it harder than normal to do your daily tasks? Just struggling to find your motivation? You are not alone.

I recently read in a magazine article that Dr Jessamy Hibberd says the key reason we feel the way we do is because in days ‘before COVID-19’, our daily routine of work and home life was neatly coded into our brains. Now, everything is new, and our brains are having to work out a whole lot of stuff.

Like many, I am adjusting this this “new normal” and I have to keep reminding myself to look at the positives. More time at home with our families. More precious time with our kids. Not having to go a London underground with my face in someone’s armpit. But…lockdown is thoroughly exhausting.

How can we be so exhausted when we have barely left our homes? Or perhaps that’s entirely the point. Anna Whitehouse AKA Mother Pukka (founder of #FlexAppeal) said something really interesting on her Instagram grid. She said; ‘you are not working from home; you are in your home working in the context of a fatal virus. You are, perhaps, doing an eight-hour day, often home-schooling for three hours with 12 hours of childcare. That’s 23 hours of labour in a 24-hour day. You are not failing; it is too much. And now is not the time for companies to be measuring productivity. Now is the time to put a pair of pants on and get through the day." Don't worry Anna. Positive pants are on!

I spoke to Olympic athlete and life coach, Michelle Robinson about how to reset my mojo and she gave me some really important tips that I wanted to share with you.

1/ We need routine

I explained to Michelle that because I had no routine in how my day was going to run with three children at home. Plus, any exercise I was doing was occasional and unstructured. This was making my mood feel lower and some days, I was barely leaving my little office to get some fresh air.

So rather than waking up each morning and creating a day from scratch (whilst hoping for the best), Michelle recommended that I plan my day. Starting with coffee, breakfast, a 20 min walk, or light workout followed by work and so on. Structured breaks as well as dinner, bath and bedtimes for the children as they need routine too.

2/ Separate work from rest

If you are working from home right now, it's important to recognise that you don't have the same boundaries anymore. Those two elements have become more blurred. Sometimes, and I’m completely guilty of this, we can sit in front of our laptops for hours and hours – forgetting to take a break. Many people I speak to seem to be because we feel guilty because we are at home.

3/ Slow down

Many of us are used to rushing around and even during a global pandemic, has that changed? In some ways it has but in other ways, we are still putting ourselves under. A huge amount of pressure to get “everything done” …and it’s exhausting.

The reality looks like it could take years for our country to get back to some kind of “normal’ again. So, let’s go with the flow and please – no panic buying.

Try your best to get the things done that you need to, but if you can’t – don’t stress. No one can ever ask you to do more than your best. Period.

4/ Limit your zoom calls

Some friends of mine have been saying that zoom is draining their energy and they couldn’t work out why. So why are online meetings more tiring than face-to-face ones? People feel like they have to make more emotional effort to appear interested, and in the absence of many non-verbal cues, the intense focus on words and sustained eye contact is exhausting.

But, it’s not all zoom and gloom. On the upside, social anxiety is positively correlated with feelings of comfort online. So, for people who dread physical meetings, meeting online can be a welcome respite. And even though the increased focus on verbal information in video meetings can be mentally more draining, perhaps we can find some positives?

5/ Take time for yourself

If you're a parent and you are running a busy household right now. I salute you. It's tough I know. However, if you can, to take a sometime for yourself to recharge. Just 20 minutes a day to do something you enjoy is a great way to kick start your day. Perhaps early in the morning? Or it may even be taking time to have a call with a good friend and a glass of wine!

I hope those five tips are helpful. Got some more great advice to share? Drop me a DM on instagram

Want to train with an Olympian and feel great again? Contact Michelle Robinson to try a 30 Day Fitness 'Reset' which is what I am doing.

Follow my progress onInstagram.

I love clothes. Just like many women who love fashion, I have plenty of them.

It is hard to believe that around 100 billion items of clothing are delivered out of garment factories around the world every year. Collectively, the world’s population buys 400 per cent more clothes than we did 20 years ago. That’s a lot of clothes. The scale and speed at which clothing is produced and consumed now has given us the term “fast fashion” and even me, Guilty Mother is guilty of that! I go down a rabbit hole of floral maxi dresses on Instagram and all of a sudden, another item magically drops into my online basket.

A quick purchase - a quick fix.

Whichever way you look at it, it is an interesting time for sustainable fashion. Everyone is talking about it. There is lots of advice both online and offline for encouraging us to shop more ethically. Buying less and buying better could be an important message. If you’re staying home and entertaining yourself by shopping online during lockdown, then you may like to know more about brands who are really thinking hard about sustainability.

The enormous amount of water needed to grow cotton is one environmental cost of the industry. For example, the production of one cotton T-shirt requires the equivalent of about four years of drinking water for the average person. Furthermore, we should consider the polluting effects of clothes once we’ve finished wearing them. I was shocked to read that the equivalent of one rubbish truck of textiles is landfilled or burned every second, while less than one per cent of clothing is recycled into new clothes, according to a 2017 report from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, an environmental advocacy organisation set up by MacArthur, a retired English yachtswoman. An estimated €443 billion is wasted every year on clothing that is barely worn.

But, there's always progress to be made when it comes to making our fashion more sustainable. I have partnered with GANTto tell you more about what they are doing to bring change in a world with an ongoing love for new styles.

The good news is that companies, such as GANT, are leading the way in encouraging consumers to invest more in products that will last longer and be manufactured in a more sustainable way.

Since 1949, GANT has designed timeless pieces made to last, made from 89% natural materials and inspired by classic cuts that never go out of style. To take this to the next level, GANT has also published the following goals for their stride to a greener business: 2022 - GANT´s cotton will be 100% sustainably sourced

2025 - GANT will reduce its water use in manufacturing by 50%

2025 - GANT's key materials will be 100% sustainably sourced

2030 - GANT will reduce its climate footprint by 30% throughout all operationsThe vision for the future of textiles will be different.

Clothes will be designed in a new, more sustainable way, worn longer and more often. With GANT, their clothes bring great opportunities both for consumers to not only enjoy their clothes but do a little for the environment in return.

"Vivienne Westwood said it best: 'Buy less, choose well, make it last. 'Choose pieces that you absolutely love and ones you know you'll keep forever.

3 Great Ways to Make Your Wardrobe More Sustainable

1. Invest in trans-seasonal clothes

Only buy items that you know are going to work for you all-year-round. Don't shell out on an entire summer wardrobe each year when you live in cold and rainy London – you won't pass the 30 wears test. Instead, spend the bulk of your money on pieces that will see you through more than one season. Jeans, T-shirts, classic dresses, timeless coats and jackets will make for a much more sustainable wardrobe.

2. Go for quality over quantity

Buying better quality, more sustainable pieces is likely to cost you more money than buying a cheap high-street product that doesn't tick the right boxes. However, it's all about changing your mindset.

Agreed, some items will cost more but you are likely to have it longer and will be buying less per season overall. Buying 10-30 high-quality items a year, rather than 60 cheaper, less eco-friendly pieces will dramatically reduce your carbon footprint.

3. Wash your clothes less

Research by the Energy Saving Trust has shown that laundering accounts for 60–80% of a garment's total environmental impact, so you can significantly reduce your impact even by washing your clothes after every few wears. Additionally, start washing your clothes at 30 degrees (this is reported to reduce energy usage by up to 40% compared to the standard 40-degree wash) and dry them naturally (it is perfect washing line weather ladies!) to further save energy.

Update your wardrobe with seasonal favourites atGANTand enjoy a selection of everything you need for warm weather days–now for a limited time only.

Paid collaboration with GANT.co.uk but all views are my own.

Many of us would agree that the importance of reading for children should not be underestimated. Numerous studies will tell you that reading for pleasure can benefit a child’s education, social and cognitive development, their wellbeing, and their mental health. But, it's not just that. Reading is an amazing way to let children's imaginations grow. Books allow us to be transported from our own world to another. Between the pages of a book, we can become immersed in the lives of fictional characters and learn about environments entirely different from our own, even ones in space!

Puffin, the world’s largest children’s book publisher, has announced it is celebrating its 80th birthday by launching a week-long children’s book festival next month and I am delighted to support their campaign to spread the word.

The festival will be hosted by former Blue Peter presenter Radzi Chinyanganya and there will also be a special guest appearance from some real-life puffins who reside on Coquet Island seabird sanctuary. The full line-up and programme will be announced shortly. Each day, Radzi will take audiences on a journey through Puffin’s magical 80-year history, revisiting an assortment of beloved stories and characters, past and present.

You can also expect exclusive sneak peeks and snippets from The Puffin Book of Big Dreams, which is publishing on 3rd September 2020. Bursting with over 40 new and sparkling stories, poems and illustrations by a variety of Puffin authors and illustrators to spark imaginations.

Nick Sharratt will be the festival’s Illustrator in Residence for the week. Throughout the festival, children will be asked to submit their own big dreams online using the hashtag #PuffinDreamer for Nick to illustrate, creating a collage of children’s dreams to celebrate the power of imagination even during the most challenging times.

Jacqueline Wilson says: ‘Like so many authors and illustrators, I'm really sad that all the school visits, bookshop events and literary festivals have been cancelled. I'm missing sharing stories and chatting to children, so I'm delighted to be able to take part in the Puffin Festival of Big Dreams so we can reach out to everyone at home or school and share the magic of stories.’

Every weekday from 8 to 12 June, families will be able to enjoy two new videos from Puffin’s star-studded line-up, which will culminate in a live, interactive extravaganza the weekend of 13 and 14 June. Each event will be themed around dreams, be they bold, brave or wild, and the events will take story time to the next level.

National Book Tokens & Puffin Big Dreamers Writing Competition

Puffin are also collaborating with National Book Tokens on a National Book Tokens & Puffin Big Dreamers Writing Competition in the run-up to the festival. To take part, children aged 6 to 18 are invited to write a 300- word short story inspired by their big dreams for the chance to win National Book Tokens. The competition will be judged by Puffin authors: Nathan Bryon, Yassmin Abdel-Magied, Sam Copeland, Robin Stevens, Emma Smith- Barton and Carrie Hope Fletcher with winners being revealed during the festival.

This festival sounds fantastic and we’ll definitely be joining in the fun. We know that reading, enjoying stories and freeing our imaginations is an important part of childhood. So, join in the festival and dream big with Puffin.

Find out more atwww.puffin.co.uk/DreamBig

Twitter/Facebook: @PuffinBooks | Instagram: @puffinbooksuk | #PuffinDreamer

I would be surprised if you had not heard of Bramely, as they have been all over a variety of magazines over the last twelve months. Bramley reached out to me some time ago and kindly gifted me some free products and here I am writing about them once again to introduce you to more products in their growing range.

Chloë Luxton is founder of Bramley, a handmade range of natural bath and beauty products designed to evoke the scents of the countryside – rosehip, lavender, geranium – with no chemicals or artificial colours. The mother-of-three, who formerly worked for Paperchase and Cowshed, aims to make her products as sustainable as possible.

Bramley products are now stocked in 500 places as well as online. Really important for customers to know they can easily access her products, even during a global pandemic. I love Chloe's story behind her brand. As an entrepreneur myself, Chloe's brand was born out of a want for developing something a "little more special" to feature in her husband's guest house. Bramley was created - and the business has blossomed ever since. Her products are full of wonderful countryside scents including lavender, sweet orange, geranium and chamomile.

I was delighted to receive a press release last week to inform me that Bramley

As with all Bramley products the essential oils used in Little B are all fair trade, wild crafted, grown sustainable and sourced with integrity. The base ingredients are naturally derived from raw items such as sugar and coconut and the wax comes from soya. All packaging is recyclable and the products ingredients are biodegradable, making Bramley safe for the environment as well as safe for little bodies.

So, whether you have any birthdays coming up or you just want to treat yourself, you can now create your own unique gift set with all your Bramley, Little B & Digby favourites. Simply, pick your gift box, then your products and finally add a handwritten gift card! Starting from as little as £12.

Despite these challenging times, you will be plased to know that the Bramley Products online shop remains open atwww.bramleyproducts.co.uk

I was wondering how I could use some of this strange time in lockdown to get some of those 'jobs' done which have been on my list for ages. One of those jobs was to create a few more photo books. To try and get those precious photos from my phone and into beautiful coffee table books we can look at time and and time again.

As we in an age where our lives are filled with memories that shape who we are. Those memories can be so different for everyone, from that amazing trip to Wales to the precious photos of when your baby was born.

Here are some ideas and examples for creating some brilliant memory books of your own:-

A Year in Review: Take some time to easily get your photos off your phone and make an annual photo book? Put those special moments in print so they aren’t forever buried in a feed. You can auto-flow your photos right from your account into pages, and within minutes, you have a print version of your year. Don’t leave your memories to constantly-changing technology. You took those photos for a special reason, put them in a memory book so they’ll stand the test of time.

Special Annual Events: Every year we go to Goodwood Revival Festival and sometimes it can easy to overlook an event because it happens every year. But making a memory book about an annual event is easy, because the theme is already there! Gather all the pumpkin patch photos or similar and pop them into one beautiful book! Having the photos in a book means you can revisit those annual events throughout the year.

Children's Milestone Books: Documenting the children's lives through photo books can be easier if you break it up into little pieces. I do 'Baby's First Year' followed by the years 2-5, then 6-10 and upwards! Creating a photo book for every year just felt like a mamouth task, so dividing up the years into groups seemed so much better!

Kids Artwork Books: If you love looking at all your kids artwork they bring home from school but wonder what to do with it all, why not photograph your favourite pieces and put them all into one simple book to look over all the colourful things they drawn in their childhood. Some of fascinating drawings could be really fun and interesting to look back over when they are older!

School Leavers Books: We know it's a tough time for those who were in year six and had to left so abruptly at the end of the Easter term. Many students didn't have the opportunity to say goodbye to their teachers or friends.

I also feel for those who were taking exams and then were simply not able to. For those who may need a morale boost or something to remind them of all the good times they have had at school, why not create a book with photos, clipping and messages from their friends. How wonderful it would be to receive something like that in these challenging times

The Colorland UK Website

Creating your classic photo book is easy and straightforward, I promise! The website is very easy to use and navigate around. They have various great photo book ideas, all of which are clear to find in their menu.

Creating the Photo Books

When creating my books, I found that I could easily add text, select a font and size, add a background from a large choice available and adjust my photo boxes. Once all the photos were uploaded and placed correctly on the pages, the photo book very quickly started to come together. After some moving around of the layout and design, I was really happy with my final edit. Once added to basket, Colorland UK prompts you to check any photos which may be of low quality and see those if you choose to.

Ready to create your next photo book? Please use these fantastic discount codes and add one of the codes at the checkout, once you have created your book.

CODE: BLOGGGUILTY1

A Classic Photo Book 30x30cm, 36 pages - £10.99 GBP per book + shipment.

CODE: BLOGGGUILTY2

A Classic Photo Book A4 - 36 pages - 4.99 GBP + shipment.

Promotional codes end 30/08/2020

This is a sponsored post brought to you in collaboration with Colorland UK but all content and opinions are Guilty Mother's own.

As a mother of a confident ten-year-old daughter and a very busy (often emotional) eight-year-old son, I sometimes feel I need all the parenting help I can get.

“Being present” is a phrase a lot of people use these days, especially when it comes to raising children. We want to be physically, mentally and emotionally present, but that isn’t always as simple as we want it to be. Perhaps that is sometimes where the ‘guilt’ slowly creeps in. Many of us are distracted by our devices with the pressure of an ‘always on’ culture wrapped tightly with the expectations that comes with all of this. So, how do we try harder to be present for our kids when everyone is after a piece of us? A text message here or another school WhatsApp ding there?

The Whole-Brain Child has received much hype since it was first published (it’s a New York Times Bestseller). Written by a neuropsychiatrist (Daniel J. Siegel) and a parenting expert (Tina Payne Bryson), The Whole-Brain Child explores how a child’s brain functions and matures.

The book proposes “twelve revolutionary strategies to nurture your child’s developing mind, survive everyday parenting struggles, and help your family thrive”. In my view, The Whole-Brain Child proposes useful tools based on neuroscience to deal with everyday parenting. Siegel and Bryson’s book revolves around the idea that children’s experiences – and traumatising events in particular – should not be overlooked but, rather, should be addressed using age-appropriate strategies.

The book focuses on helping parents understand how children deal with their emotions in different situations. One of the key strengths of The Whole-Brain Child is that it shows that a child’s brain is constantly changing, and that parents can play a role in ensuring that their children maintain a positive emotional state. The book is aimed at helping children develop emotional intelligence.

Now, authors Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson have written a new book “The Power of Showing Up: How Parental Presence Shapes Who Our Kids Become and How Their Brains Get Wired” recently released on 13th February 2020.

In this book, the authors outline what children need to feel from their parents, which they call the Four S’s: Safe, Seen, Soothed and Secure. Based on the latest brain and attachment research, The Power of Showing Up shares stories, scripts, simple strategies, illustrations, and tips for honouring the Four S’s effectively in all kinds of situations—when our kids are struggling or when they are enjoying success; when we are consoling, disciplining, or arguing with them; and even when we are apologising for the times we don’t show up for them. Demonstrating that mistakes and missteps are repairable and that it’s never too late to mend broken trust, this book is a powerful guide to cultivating your child’s healthy emotional landscape.

Presence not Perfection

Siegel and Bryson want to remind us that no parent is perfect. In fact, they say that we don’t have to be perfect; we can just be present.
 We all make mistakes. The key is repair. As long as we do those repairs, not only are we not damaging the relationship, we can build deeper connections with our kids. Siegel says “parents who say apologising is a sign of weakness? Actually, it’s a real sign of strength to be able to say “I’m human. What I did two minutes ago, I don’t think that was a great way to go.” Instead of being weak, it teaches them how strong you are.

If you are a parent that struggles to find effective solutions during challenging moments, then I highly recommend one or both of these books. Since reading The Whole Brain Child, I have personally gained a better understanding of why my children act and feel the way they do.

The Whole Brain Child book has become a ‘go to’ parenting guide for me for child development. If you too are interested in understanding how your child’s brain works, and how the brain impacts his/her social and emotional development, then The Whole-Brain Child is the book for you. Because, let’s be honest, we might not be perfect parents but what we all really want is just to help our children grow into happy, secure, kind, well rounded adults. If we can achieve that, then together...we are truly winning at parenting.

Useful Links

I chatted to my best friend on the phone this week and she said "our screen time rules have gone out the window." She was right. Our screen time parameters had disappeared too. TV, iPads...who cares? Surely as long as we balance it with plenty of time outside, I think we are all doing just fine. I just do my usual quick check which consists of one thing. Are the children happy? If the answer is yes, then we are winning at parenting.

Today, about 3 billion people are in lockdown around the world — and almost 90% of the student population cut off from school. It’s no surprise that a lot of children and their parents are increasingly connecting to the outside world through screens they might have once regarded with restraint or even reproach.

As parents are struggling with new routines and rules, don't be too upset if your screen-time guidelines have fallen to pieces. Screens are the bane of my existence because it can be so hard to pull the kids away from them. But; equally, they are joy of my world. Not to mention a constant source of guilt! However, let's not just put all screens onto the naughty list. I know they get such a bad reputation these days but let us remember that we are using screens to check on neighbours, friends and family members.

I have been watching my eight year old son communicate with his class over Zoom. All the boys spoke over each other, laughed and whooped. It was complete chaos. Afterwards he said "that was so fun mum. When can we do it again?" Despite hardly getting a word in edgeways, the zoom experience made his friends feel so close when they are all far away. It really helped to feed his loss of his school community. Even more so that I had expected.

So, here's what I have learned from this lockdown experience over the past few weeks:-

In summary, we are all trying to navigate this new world, so I think it's okay to switch up the rules up a bit. Children can take a little responsibility themselves too. Learn how to find a balance between technology use, some physical activity, some reading and some crucial family connection time.

It will be fine. #InItTogether

My husband came in from work (He is still commuting to London every day due of the nature of his job). He asked me how my day was. I told him I felt like I had a really 'unproductive' day. And, I will be honest...I felt a little bit broken. For some reason that made me feel really guilty.

Having a ten year old, an eight year old and a seven week old baby whilst trying to run a business from home - I felt broken. I spent most of the day rocking my son in his pushchair. Willing him to have a two hour nap so I could focus on sending some emails. He simply stared at me with his eyes wide open.

I was conscious that I was putting pressure on myself. Everyone seemed to be baking bread, joining a webinar, getting crafty or getting their home-schooling nailed. I just felt like I had moments where I wanted to burst into tears. Am I alone?

As we stay at home in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, we are being inundated not only with a storm of anxiety-inducing news but with a barrel of suggestions for “making the most” of our (alleged) extra time. There’s a huge push to be productive. Perhaps the kids might learn a new language during this time at home...unlikely I say. Many of us feel pulled in multiple directions and are having trouble focusing. It’s completely understandable. Perhaps it could be difficult to be productive during a crisis?

Many of us are just adjusting to the 'new normal'. Some of us are used to working from home. Some of us..not so much. And, while you might find yourself having an overwhelming urge to bake banana bread, there is no pressure to do so. I believe we need to take breath and in these unusual times; let's just take one day at a time. It is okay to have says where you feel less focused and more overwhelmed. It is okay if you don't feel you can operate all four cylinders all at the same time.

In an odd way, this is precious time I am having with all three of my children I may never have again. I am re-connecting my relationship with myself. I am listening to the birds singing. I go for walks without my smartphone. I wasn't in a hurry because for once...because the world has slowed down. Yes, we miss our friends and family desperately. My mother is sad she has to watch her seven week old grandson grow through a screen. However, many of us are talking to family members on a daily basis through FaceTime or Zoom. And despite social distancing, we feel very connected.

My friend shared this and I want to share it with you too:-

Many people are concerned about children falling behind because of school closure. Yes, they may fall behind when it comes to classroom education...

But what if...What if instead of falling “behind", this group of kids are ADVANCED because of this? Hear me out.

What if they have more empathy, they enjoy family connection, they can be more creative and entertain themselves, they love to read, they love to express themselves in writing.

What if they enjoy the simple things, like their own backyard and sitting near a window in the quiet.

What if they notice the birds and the dates the different flowers emerge, and the calming renewal of a gentle rain shower?

What if this generation are the ones to learn to cook, organise their space, do their laundry, and keep a well run home?

What if they learn to live with less?

What if they learn to plan shopping trips and meals at home.

What if they learn the value of eating together as a family and finding the good to share in the small delights of the everyday?

What if they are the ones to place great value on our teachers and educational professionals, librarians, public servants and the previously invisible essential support workers like truck drivers, grocers, cashiers, custodians, logistics, and health care workers and their supporting staff, just to name a few of the millions taking care of us right now while we are sheltered in place?

What if among these children, a great leader emerges who had the benefit of a slower pace and a simpler life to truly learn what really matters in this life?

Yes, these are scary, unprecedented times. Yes, emotions are high.

But...in the downtime, I believe...we can find joy.

In today's interview, I had the pleasure of chatting to Katie Malkinson. Katie is the founder of Little Big Sports. A website that sells age specific sports equipment specially designed for children under the age of 12. The equipment they sell allows children to enjoy sport and develop the skills of the game without wielding a cricket bat they can’t lift, kicking a football that is too heavy or trying to reach a tennis ball that bounces over their heads. With the ultimate goal of helping make sport a normal and fun part of their lives.

In these unprecedented times with millions of us spending time in our gardens, Little Big Sports has been extremely busy with orders! Katie and her team are working extremely hard to deliver sports equipment to your homes and I've just placed an order myself! A rugby kicking tee, netball, cricket net and table tennis set to use on our dining room table. I think we are officially set up for summer!

1. Katie, please start by telling us a little more about yourself?

I’m a business owner, a wife, a mother of two and a runner living in the same village I grew up in. Before children, I travelled the world and had a successful career in advertising but the draw back to Kent was strong. It was the best decision, as not only do I love being surrounded by countryside but being away from London coupled with the desire for work flexibility meant I resigned from my corporate job and set up Little Big Sports.

2. What was your motivation behind starting Little Big Sports?

My son was the inspiration behind the business. Obsessed by cricket from a young age, he was bought a cricket bat that he could hardly lift, let alone hit a ball with. Rather than continue to try and play with it he put it down and wandered off to do something unrelated. I couldn’t believe it. It sparked an idea. For sport to become a fun and normal part of a child's life as well as allowing them to develop their skills it was obviously important for them to play with equipment that was suited to their age and size; rather than kicking a size 5 football which would hurt their foot or playing tennis with a normal tennis ball that bounces over their head. However, it was hard to know what to buy online, little advice was given by retailers regarding age suitability and customer service was generally poor. The seed was planted. Lots of hard work followed resulting in the launch of www.littlebigsports.co.uk

I didn’t have any money to invest in the business which was rather challenging to say the least! The first major hurdle was website development. Although I worked in advertising pre children I didn’t have any technical digital knowledge but with the help of a handbook I built the website myself (with some help from my husband).

The second was persuading sports equipment manufacturers to send out products on my behalf hence negating the need to initially invest in stock. Surprisingly this wasn’t difficult as most manufacturers seemed to relate to the story behind why I was setting up the business and agreed there was a gap in the market.

The third and most challenging was balancing being a mum to two young children with very limited childcare with the demands of launching a business from scratch and freelancing to earn some income to help make ends meet.

4. I know you are an avid ambassador for promoting children to get active and find a sport they enjoy. Where does your passion come from?

I grew up in a family surrounded by sport. My summers were spent at the cricket club. The winters at the hockey club. Test Match Special was the soundtrack to my childhood. Hockey and tennis were the sports I played socially and competitively when I was younger but I tried many others. It wasn’t until after I had my children that I discovered a love of running. All of these sporting experiences have been hugely positive and shaped my life. The physical and mental benefits are well documented but sport has given me so much more than that; friendship, exhilaration, a sense of achievement, escapism, joy as well as many fun days and nights out. I really can’t imagine life without it.

5. What more can parents do to get their children more active outdoors? Especially for those who feel they don’t have very naturally sporty kids?

Embrace being outdoors and make it a normal part of your life. Be a role model to your children. You don’t have to play competitive sport; taking part in the hugely inclusive park run, going for a cycle or a family walk are as important. Talk about the positives that being active brings to your life and encourage your child to join you.

I have a very sporty, competitive son so the challenge with him is to fit it all in to his hectic week! My daughter is the happiest most sociable person I know, but with no particular interest in sport. She joins me at park run from time to time and loves cycling. I have encouraged her to try a whole range of sports. Most she has not been interested in but over time I have realised that the environment is the most important factor for her. She needs it to be relaxed and friendly, predominantly female, with time built in for a chat. Adding an element of sociability has made a huge difference to her enjoyment and willingness to return.

So, in addition to being a role model, I would encourage you to not only think about which sport/activity would be of interest to your child but also what is the best environment for them enjoyment wise. There are so many opportunities out there. Encourage them to try as many as possible with the emphasis on enjoyment and being active will become an engrained, established part of their life.

6. We see a huge drop off in girls in sport from teenager years onwards. What can we do to try and support more girls to carry on playing sport or find a sport that suits them?

I strongly believe that if more girls were encouraged to whole heartedly embrace different types of sport and activity during the primary school years, then more would continue to play during their teenage years. Not only would there be a positive association with sport, it would be embedded in their lives . Crucially the bigger base would mean that they would be surrounded by more like minded girls as teenagers which would help with engagement and reduce drop off.

So as parents, as well as acting as role models, we should encourage our girls to try all sorts of sporting opportunities from a young age. Whilst recognising that girls often need different environments from boys to flourish. As I mentioned before the social aspect for my daughter is important. There was no way she was going to try football in a predominantly male environment but an all girls team gave her the opportunity to learn new skills, make new friends and enjoy football in a relaxed and non competitive way.

7. What advice would you give to someone who wants to start their own business?

If the business is based on a robust idea and is scalable then go for it! I think it is incredible that anyone can start a business from their kitchen table. Be prepared to work the hardest you have ever worked. Keep your costs low. Test and learn.

8. I see from your Instagram feed that you have been taking part in RED January to support mental health by getting active every day. Well done! How has RED January helped you and how can we inspire others to get outdoors more for their own mental health?

I loved being part of Red January even on the coldest and wettest of days. I am goal driven so I love a challenge but the main motivator was being part of an online community who were supporting each other and trying the new sports and activities facilitated by West Kent Mind. Red January kickstarted my fitness and genuinely made January an easier and happier month.

I would encourage others to prioritise exercise and being outside even when it feels like the last thing you want to do. Involving someone else always helps with motivation. So I would suggest that making a commitment with a friend to go walking with every week or joining a running or walking club will help you keep on track and before you know it you will have established a healthy exercise habit.

9. What is the best advice you’ve ever been given?

Be brave and believe in yourself.

10. And finally, I have to ask, what is your favourite sport?

You might have guessed by now?! It’s cricket. Most definitely cricket. I love everything about It so I am delighted that my daughter is going to give cricket a try this summer. If you can’t beat them, join them!

Billions of us are at home. We are busy messaging each other asking for advice on what is good on Netflix. Here’s my guide to help you get the best TV on Netflix UK and find the best things to watch. Here’s to spending more time watching a show and less time trying to pick one. Hope this top ten list of the best shows on Netflix right now is helpful for you: -

1. Sex Education

A must see! The second season of this raunchy teen show is the biggest highlight on Netflix in 2020 so far. Although it has a distinctly American glow, with jocks, Acapella groups and mean girls, Sex Education is set in the UK and filmed in Wales.

Asa Butterfield stars as an awkward teenager who starts giving sex counselling for money, and Gillian Anderson plays his mother in her typical graceful style. While the titular topic is used as a source of comedy, Sex Education also explores issues related to intimacy and identity issues in a smart way that will dredge up your emotions.