Let’s be honest, most of us can probably remember a Christmas as a child when we were less than grateful. My age 6 festive disappointment is folklore in my family. But how can you manage your child’s expectations this Christmas… without being a Grinch? There are a few simple strategies Read more…
Many years ago when I lived in ‘that London’ I used to teach 1-to-1 Pilates to some fairly wealthy women. I used to go into their immaculate houses, paranoid about my trainers on the plush white carpets, and while I led them through their roll-downs they would tell me about Read more…
Finding fun gifts that won’t make them roll their eyes… not as easy as it sounds! Remember the good old days of having a four or five year old? Where you could hand over 50 quid in Smyth’s Toy Superstore and leave with enough plastic crap to convince them you’d Read more…
Growing up is a tricky business: How to support a younger sibling as the elder grows up and becomes more independent. It’s been a funny old summer in our house. The school holidays seemed to whizz by; they were absolutely nothing compared to the two lockdowns which had preceded them Read more…
This morning I let Ellis watch a family on YouTube unboxing Paw Patrol toys for over an hour. In Czech. Or Russian, I’m not entirely sure. That should be his screen time allowance gone for the day. Or the week if you listen to the official guidelines. But tonight, I Read more…
If your household is anything like mine; your primary school-aged children will know more about sustainability, green issues and plastic pollution than you do! My kids love nagging me about making sure I never put cardboard in the general waste bin; but they seem to have had no issue for Read more…
Did you even know there were podcasts for kids? They’re a gamechanger. You’ve probably realised by now that I’m a big fan of podcasts. An avid listener, I guess you could say. I came to podcasts purely because after child number three arrived, I found I had no time to Read more…
Haven’t our schools just been so brilliant since the dreaded ‘Rona turned up to turn our lives upside down? I’ve marveled at how the teachers have turned their hands to online learning, trying to keep their young housebound charges engaged and inspired. The only problem in our house is that Read more…
We never thought we’d be looking back adoringly at the spring lockdown of 2020 through rose-tinted glasses did we? Ahhh the good old days of being stuck in the house, not really knowing how long it would last. Some of us enjoyed the slower pace, worked on our tans, there Read more…
Transferring your baby from their cot into a big bed is kind of a big deal. It’s like one of those milestones such as getting rid of the buggy or highchair, or finally saying goodbye to nappies. But it’s also one of those milestones that we don’t all look forward Read more…