• parenting

    Helping Your Children Adjust to Family Changes

    April 25, 2025 - By 

    Changes in family life often bring a wave of new emotions and challenges for children. They may feel uncertain, confused, or overwhelmed when their home life starts to look and feel different. Whether the shift comes through separation, divorce, or a new parenting setup, children notice these things deeply. Supporting them through these moments doesn’t require perfection, but it does require consistency, communication, and care. There’s no single formula that suits every family. What matters most is paying close attention to how children respond and offering guidance that fits their needs. Recognising Emotional Signals in Children Children don’t always have…

  • Win a copy of The Not-So-New Mum's Notebook
    book review - competition - Family Life - parenting

    Win a copy of The Not-So-New Mum’s Notebook

    December 23, 2018 - By 

    I know that we haven’t even had Christmas yet but my thoughts are already turning to the New Year. I don’t go for New Year’s Resolutions at all but one thing I do want to try next year is a little bit of journalling and making more notes about my children. It’s a well known fact that children grow up far too quickly. Today I wanted to share with you something that could help you note the milestones, The Not-So-New Mum’s Notebook. The Not-So-New Mum’s Notebook The Not-So-New Mum’s Notebook is every mum’s essential companion and journal beyond the first year – whether…

  • Family Life - parenting

    Boosting my body confidence

    August 12, 2018 - By 

    Photo by Pierre BEST on Unsplash I mentioned the other day that we were really looking forward to our holiday in Holland. Our holiday park had a water park and was near to the sea. As much as I was excited for our family to have all these experiences my thoughts also began to turn to what that meant – summer clothes and swimming costumes. I am not at all body confident, especially after two children, but I knew I had to do something about it. Boosting my body confidence Body confidence is a funny thing. Body image is a major factor in…

  • Top tips for keeping kids occupied on car journeys
    competition - Family Life - parenting

    Top tips for keeping kids occupied on car journeys {i-SPY giveaway}

    August 9, 2018 - By 

    Later this month we are driving through the UK, taking the Eurotunnel to France and then driving on through Belgium to the Netherlands. We are so excited about our week away and have been planning and packing for what feels like weeks. Our holiday involves a long car journey so we will be packing items to keep the kids occupied in the car. They are 6 and 8 and we’ve done quite a few long car journeys so I thought I would share my top tips for keeping kids occupied on car journeys. Read on for an i-SPY giveaway too.…

  • Family Life - parenting

    Returning to work and finding the right childcare

    July 4, 2018 - By 

    Photo by Joseph Chan on Unsplash I mentioned the other day that after 8 years as a freelancer and full-time blogger I’ll be returning to the world of work. Over the last 12 months I’ve dipped my toes in the world of working outside the home and now I’ve got a proper job. I’m ridiculously excited about all the changes that this will bring. For a start I obviously require a whole new wardrobe of clothes and a new Orla Kiely handbag. I’ll be making one more packed lunch every day, to add to the mountain that I already make. And the children will…

  • Great days out with Capri-Sun Original 50% Less Sugar
    days out - Family Life - parenting

    Great days out with Capri-Sun Original range {with 50% Less Sugar!}

    July 3, 2018 - By 

    My children are really enjoying the mini-heatwave we’re currently experiencing. I have to admit that my fair English skin is struggling but with two kids full of energy we are making the most of the good weather by getting out and about. Our family calendar is booked with play dates, picnics and parties which is lovely. Great days out with Capri-Sun Original 50% Less Sugar I’m pretty good at packing a picnic for family days out now. At the weekend we visited Paradise Wildlife Park and with the temperatures soaring I had to make sure to pack plenty of drinks.…

  • BOYING UP: How to be Brave, Bold and Brilliant
    competition - Family Life - parenting

    {Giveaway} BOYING UP: How to be Brave, Bold and Brilliant

    June 28, 2018 - By 

    Mayim Bialik, star of The Big Bang Theory and author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Girling Up: How to be Strong, Smart and Spectacular, is turning her attention to teen boys in a new book about the science, pressures, and pitfalls of growing up male in today’s world. In BOYING UP: How to be Brave, Bold and Brilliant, Mayim Bialik uses scientific information from her life as a neuroscientist along with personal anecdotes as a mother of two boys to explain what it means to grow from a boy to a man biologically, psychologically, and sociologically. BOYING UP: How to be Brave, Bold and…

  • Family Life - parenting

    Top tips for saving money and protecting your finances when you have kids

    June 20, 2018 - By 

    As I said in a previous post, I’m always looking for ways to save money.  If you google the cost of raising a child in the UK, the figure that you get is an incredibly scary £230,000.  OK, that’s to the age of twenty-one and it does include the cost of sending them to university, but even so, how do any of us ever manage to do it?  No wonder that money is always tight.  It makes you realise just how important it is to protect your family financially, so here are my suggestions for making your money go as…

  • Family Life

    Stain removal guide for parents

    May 25, 2018 - By 

    Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash With the Bank Holiday and half term looming I expect parents across the country are looking forward to spending some quality time with their children. We have some fun plans for our week together which includes visiting family and friends, a trip to the park and the beach, and hopefully lots of time outside. Of course time away from school always seems to result in a full washing basket for me to deal with! My children are pretty skilled in destroying their clothes, which is the only downside to a week on holiday. During the school week…