It’s that creepy time of year again where ghosts and ghouls come out to play.
I obviously cannot talk for everyone but I have always loved celebrating Halloween since having the boys. I have a gorgeous picture of them as little wizards when they are only about 5 and 3 years old. We always had a party with friends and their children and then we went out en masse for a bit of Trick or Treating! We have always used the kids as an excuse to have a party anyway.
The boys are now at the awkward ages of 13 and 15 years old and so don’t really want to do the trick or treating/ dress up, however, they still love opening the door to all those that do to give out sweets.
I’m hoping that as they get older we will be able to start again with ‘proper’ parties where we all dress up as adults and have a disco going and they can all invite their friends! We think that by celebrating these events then the boys themselves will celebrate them when they are grown and have their own kids. I love the dressing up, the warming food and treats and the chance to decorate the house!!
It’s that creepy time of year again where ghosts and ghouls come out to play.
I obviously cannot talk for everyone but I have always loved celebrating Halloween since having the boys. I have a gorgeous picture of them as little wizards when they are only about 5 and 3 years old. We always had a party with friends and their children and then we went out en masse for a bit of Trick or Treating! We have always used the kids as an excuse to have a party anyway.
Like any 12 yr old he jumped at the chance of getting his pressies early. So everything was set for the Sunday.
Pressies in the morning,
His birthday treat ( a Young Driver lesson)in the afternoon – will do a post on this another time!
His birthday meal at his fav Indian restaurant in the evening.
To say he had a great day was an understatement! His driving lesson was a real surprise and a huge hit. We were able to enjoy a full day all together. I was so glad he made the decision to enjoy it early as the Monday was a complete washout- OH at work and youngest at school, OH was late in and we didn’t do his cake until almost 9pm!!! However, he had quite a few visitors bringing him more cards etc so he was still centre of attention ( generally what he craves anyway).
So now he has had the experience the Queen has every year- 2 birthdays!
Now over a week later I’m thinking I may not survive this this one’s teenage years if the last few days are anything to go by……………..
How to ensure your kids stay safe when they’re online
The internet is a very useful tool to help your kids develop. Whether they need help with homework, talk to their friends from school or just play, they can just log on to the computer or tablet, but steering clear of danger is something that doesn’t always enter their thoughts. A session of carefree browsing might seem fun, but clicking on the wrong page could do a lot of harm.
If you have young children, you might feel it’s necessary to watch their every click. While this can be useful in case they click on something by mistake that you won’t want them to see, it’s impossible to do this all the time, especially as they get older. To avert any problems such as clicking on a pop-up ad by mistake or talking to someone they shouldn’t, here are some handy tips:
Select a list of sites they can visit
As a mum to an 13 and 15 year old, I am extremely concerned about the things they view on the net, but I’m aware that I have to loosen the restrain as they mature into their own and trust that they’ll be safe even when unsupervised. If unlike me, you have younger kids then it’s best to limit them to only visiting a handful of sites in the ‘favourites’ column of your web browser. When mine were little our computer was downstairs in our kitchen at a workstation and so I did find it easier to monitor. However, now with Iphones, tablets and laptops I can see how easy it can become for them to have more ‘freedom’.
By slowly introducing them to the wonders of the web, you can show them more interesting sites as they get older. That way, you won’t have too much to worry about when you feel they’re ready to browse without you watching over them. We started with the CBeebies and Nickelodeon sites which were firm favourites. As my eldest got older it moved on to Club Penguin and Minecraft.
However, once they start secondary school and approach their teens, your kids might want to create a social media account. You should tell them about how it works, and if you’re on the same site as them, add them as friends or follow them to see what they’re up to, just to give you peace of mind. When they started on Facebook one of the rules was that they had to be friends with both myself and my OH. That way we could easily keep track of what they were doing on there. Our reasoning being, there is no need to be embarrassed about what was being said and therefore there would be less secrets. They know we occasionally check on their timeline just to make sure they are being ‘appropriate’. My OH is also a policeman and so has always made them aware of the possible dangers of chat sites and online gaming such as Xbox etc. We also have rules in place with the gaming and my youngest who has just turned a teenager yesterday has yet to be registered on his!
I think it’s all about being sensible as a parent, if you are able to build up trust with the older kids whilst allowing them to make some of the decisions you are at least on the right track. With younger kids it’s all about the security precautions you can impose without them being aware.
DISCLOSURE:This is a Collaborative PR related article
With all the talk on Twitter and Facebook about kids returning to school this week I’m asking the question:
Do You Walk To School?
My 2 boys are at secondary school now and at age 15 and 12 (almost 13) they STILL walk to school! (well one goes on a bike)
For the whole of their time at nursery and primary school we walked to school- always. It is about a 15 minute walk away from where we live. Their secondary school is about a further 5 minutes away from there.
When it was raining we still walked as the roads would be far more busy and we would have to park about 5 minute walk away so we would have got wet anyway. I found that by the time we had walked to school we had beaten all the traffic and could get undercover ( let’s face it that’s why we have UMBRELLAS!). Also It was a quiet time to chat without too much distraction from telly’s. We began to meet friends on the way, the kids would maybe take scooters etc and in the summer we would go straight to the park on the way home.
I do appreciate that not everyone is in this position, maybe the school is further away, or the parents both work and therefore haven’t the time to walk there and back before work. But you and I know there are loads of parents who live close enough to walk and yet chose to get in their cars to drop their kids outside the school gates!! The operative word being ‘CHOOSE’. So from there their kids then are trained to expect to be driven everywhere.
Check out this video below by StartRite taken from a child’s point of view about walking to school.
Now don’t get me wrong I am ALL in favour of this sort of stuff. I am that completely mean mum who doesn’t approve of underage playing of age 18 video games and inappropriate TV programmes……………even though my eldest is now 15 he still laughs at my ‘total shock’ face!
However, tonight it was a different story. I took my eldest to see The World’s End at Showcase in Bluewater. This was a treat just for him away from his pain in the arse younger brother, something for him and me to do together. He is a really good kid and looks after me well with my illness and I wanted to treat him.
When we got there though the ticket girl asked if he had any ID. At first I was shocked at this although part of me did understand, even though he stands at 5’10 and has the token facial hair and spots that go with his age. Now I know what your all thinking, some kids are older looking than others blah blah blah. But I am not that type of parent. I play by the rules. I realise why the rules are there after being married to a policeman for almost 20yrs!!
However, I REALLY do think my son looks his age now. He has shot up in size and demeanor and it really did not cross my mind to even think about ID. Yes the small print in the T’s and C’s say that people may be asked for ID however after he has had access before there I haven’t ever worried.
Tonight though something in me just clicked and I felt determined to push the point!!!
I asked to speak to the manager who just told me he would not go back on a decision the clerk had made!!! Surely as a manager he should have people skills, be able to listen and if necessary override a lower member of staff. I appreciated what he said about the cinema being fined if they were ‘spot checked’ by the council and so I offered to call home and get his passport number and Oyster card number that are traceable and legal documents that could be easily checked should the council ask. The manager even stated that he probably was 15 but now ID had been asked for he could not let him in without it!!!
SO NOT F**KING IMPRESSED!!
Really would a parent stand there and try and argue his case if he wasn’t the required age group? Would a parent offer to ring home for legal document reference numbers that are checkable? Would I offer my name and address and telephone number plus leave my driving licence to back up the surname and parent/child relationship???
In my mind- NO I WOULDN’T.
So why could a decent manager not see this- he did understand and agreed he looked 15 but because the ticket clerk had asked for ID he would not go back on that decision!! SPINELESS in my mind, a cop out from someone in a management position.
So I returned furious, after taking their names I have already sent an email to the General Manager and requested someone gets back to me.
OVER THE TOP? Yes probably, however, my teen is a good kid, we teach him right from wrong, he looks out for me and does lots for me due to my illness, so as a young carer he should be treated better I think- he does look his age so this did nothing for his self confidence!
Rant over- do you agree or not, don’t mind if you don’t but would love to know.
Has there ever been such a thing? ‘Child Free Relaxing’?
Those of you with children of baby and toddler ages will know that this consists of a quick wee alone, a 2 minute shower if your lucky, and catching up on ironing, washing up and house cleaning when they have managed to settle for the evening!!!
Tell me…………..am I wrong?
But funnily as kids get older and find their independence (my 2 are 12 and 15 yrs old now) you do tend to find more time to yourself. They sometimes meet friends at the cinema, or have a mate round to xbox with or even they just want a bit of time on their own in their rooms doing……….well nothing really.
Therefore you find yourself being able to get on with either the jobs you need to get done or chill out in your own way, like blogging, social media, reading, playing candy crush ( lol I hear it’s quite addictive *cough*), playing online apps- anything from solitaire to Chitchat online bingo , catching up on your favourite box sets or whatever takes your fancy!
For me, I take the time to treat myself to a yummy cappuccino while I blog and catch up on the social media that goes with it!! That means in the evening when everyone is home and around I do not have my head stuck staring at a computer screen! My other secret indulgence to relax (apart from eating chocolate and drinking wine of course) is listening to audio books. Not that I am lazy and cannot be bothered to read them myself but with M.E my head can fog easily after reading a couple of pages, so I go up to bed of an evening and have a book read to me!!! BLISS
Well if it’s good enough for our kids ie: we have all read to our babes when they were little haven’t we? It’s the same luxury- a soothing voice telling me the story LOL
Yesterday we had a very rare child free afternoon and evening! My eldest has gone to stay with his Nan and the youngest went to a friends for a sleepover. The world was our oyster so to speak. So we treated ourselves to Gallery seats in Bluewater cinema and then an indian takeaway when we got home!! Ok it wasn’t rock ‘n’ roll but we enjoyed a film of our choosing ( this rarely happens LOL) and we had an indigestion free meal without the constant teen bickering……………………….that in itself is a real luxury you’ll agree!
So what’s your way of relaxing when you are child free?
Disclosure: this post is in collaboration with Chitchat online bingo
I have read a few posts lately about the impending school holidays. Love them or hate them they just won’t organise themselves!
I have found it much easier and more fun to organise when the boys were a lot younger. I envy all of you with the 5-10 age group as there are LOTS of things you can do that cost NOTHING but a bit of time and planning- park picnics with friends, days at the beach, walks in the woods/ forests, kite flying…….and the list goes on.
However as they get older I find it becomes far more costly and a trip to the park is literally like you want to end their lives as they know it- SOOOOOOOOO uncool!!! Being able to get away with a ‘special’ trip to the cinema over the hols is now one of the main things they want to do……………….and money just does not grow on trees, whatever anyone tells you.
So I now find myself with a 15 and 12yr old, both boys ( and both mine- I didn’t just kidnap them off a random street), and the thought of trying to organise and keep a budget of any kind over the summer is virtually non existent.
However I will not be outdone, I will sort summer the summer hols, it will not break me *cough*. So here are a few things that I definitely want to include over the holidays, both for the kids, as a family, and some ‘just for me’ selfish ones thrown in too.
* Cinema trips- 1st to see Worlds End with the eldest ( as he is 15!) and 2nd to see The Internship with the 12 yr old (not my choice)
* Fishing day- this is already arranged with friends so I can say with confidence that this will happen- next wednesday to be exact!! ( I’m a fishing addict and proud LOL)
* See the Brainiac Live show that is showing at Bluewater and also up London hoping at least one of them will accompany me.
* Organise a huge swim day at a fun pool for both boys and whatever friends they want to bring. I have a 7 seater car so the more the merrier LOl
* Try the ‘Up at The 02’ experience, requested by my youngest- at £25 a ticket I have emailed them from my blog to see if they want a reviewer!! Cheeky I know but if you don’t ask you don’t get LOL- If not I will bite the bullet and let OH and youngest go.
* Take a trip on the new Greenwich cable car- with kids would be good but if they turn their noses up at it then just me and the OH!!
* A mammoth game of Monopoly as a family- this tends to go for hours and I can keep the arguing to a minimum by providing fizzy drink and sweets and snacks.
* Camping- we have actually booked this and are going for a week in Aug to the Isle of Wight!! I cannot wait
* Have some girlie friends round on a sunny evening to drink copious amounts of pink wine, talk crap and eat rubbish! ( even better get a take away)
* I would love a PJ’s day! Just for the sake of it, a lazy, not going out past the door, watching dvd’s all day just because I can!!
* A trip to my Mum’s in Plymouth- on my own LOL like that will ever happen!!! But you never know stranger things have happened as they say! My eldest is getting to go next week for a week on his own- to say I’m jealous would be the understatement of the day.
* Have friends round for a chilled out BBQ, everyone chipping in, kids off playing football out in the park and jugs of Pimms to enjoy for the adults.
* Get the pool up for the boys- I am nagging the OH as I type- he hates putting it up as It is huge- but may encourage youngest to invite his cronies round for the day!
* Sit in a lovely beer garden on a sunny afternoon enjoying a mega cold beer or G+T- this one with no kids and don’t really mind if it’s with girly friends or OH!
* Would love a day down at Dymchurch beach- a bit of a trek for us but worth it if you get the weather and time the tides right LOL
* A poker night! Ok maybe it’s not great to teach your kids to gamble but we love a game of Texas Hold’em in this house. We invested in a poker table with drink and chip holders!!
* A HUGE water fight while the weather is still hot, with friends as much more fun the more people you have- and we are lucky to have a huge park outside our back gate!! I feel a panic buy of water bombs coming on!
* Get to watch through the series 2 of The Killing in peace! I know I am behind on this but lets face it with it being subtitled I cannot exactly sit on Twitter and FB iron or knit while watching it LOL
* Become an expert in beating the teenagers butts at Swingball! One of the less energetic sports I can do LOL Just bought a new retro metal ‘old style’ proper one- BRING IT ON KIDS!
At the moment that is about it but I’m sure I will add some or change some along the way. Still hoping to get the teens dragged along involved in someway in at least some of my list, but only time will tell.
So wish me luck and let me know what’s on your list.
Especially if you are a home owner with kids. I was always of the opinion that we didn’t have anything to put in a will until we got advice and realised that actually our house is a huge investment and really if we want our kids to inherit it then we need to get it down on paper.
My in-laws only did a will several years ago when they were in their late 60’s and yet when you think about it that is leaving it a tad late. However, they were of the opinion that everything would be split equally between their boys, and I am sure that had anything had happened that’s exactly what would of happened. Yet when we got our advice it was extremely interesting to hear and think about the different scenarios that could happen especially with me and my OH only being in our 40’s *cough* young whippersnappers!
Also what was great about our advice was that all of it was to benefit our kids. In that I mean ways that things could be arranged to keep everything managed UNDER the Inheritance Tax levels!! Now for every hard working, tax paying, home owning person out there………that is a MUST.
to review the Will service that he provides. We really had no idea what to expect and he was extremely patient with us when we looked at him blankly when he was going through the questions to find out where to start with us! Anyway we got through it and it really was food for thought. You don’t want to think about possibilities of going your separate ways or something happening to you or your partner but he definitely makes you realise how important it is to consider in order to make sure your children are put first ( which most couples would want).
The service started with a phone call for basic details, and then followed up the following week with a home visit from Ade. He was at our house for about an hour and a half although I’m sure if my OH hadn’t asked soooooo many questions it would have been concluded long before then.
A few days later hall the sent an email with an outline of our will and trusts to confirm everything and then another meeting is planned, again for the next week. However, as I was ill on the day I had to re arrange the date which Ade was very accommodating. On his return he had all the paperwork ( and there was loads!) which he had already completed for us and all we were doing was signing with a witness to complete.
Again he was super helpful, and patient as the paperwork can get confusing LOL
After that the service was complete and although he can hold the wills for you, you are welcome to keep them for yourselves which is what we opted for.
Some people would question why bother with the service when you can walk into somewhere like WH Smith and buy one you can fill out, however, if you are anything like us you won’t have a clue where to start. It’s easy to say that your children or family will share it all equally however, when money is involved people can become very greedy and that’s when things go wrong.
Having now experienced a full will service from a company I would always advise everyone to do the same, the advice was eye opening and invaluable and the fact all the paperwork is done for you is a Godsend as it’s all in technical speak! We also found that the signing in the right places by the correct person to be of paramount importance as a wrong signature could make the whole document null and void- again better to have someone to tell you exactly where to sign.
Now lets face it these sorts of services don’t come cheap, but I have searched on the net and found Ade’s service prices to be very competitive.
* A basic Will service with this company will cost you £180
* The Trusts and Power of Attorney are separate services which are charged at £450 each- However, if you take out both a Trust and Power of Attorney then the total for the two would only be £550!!
However, thankfully he offers a service where you can pay by installments over 3 months which certainly makes it more attainable.
*** OFFER***
Ade at Maximum Inheritance Services is also offering a £50 M&S voucher for anyone who is interested in the service and becomes a client before the end of JULY!
DISCLAIMER: I was asked to review the total service from Maximum Inheritance Specialists with Ade free of charge however, all thoughts and views are my own. No other payment was received.
My Dad before he passed away in 2002 he had been a diabetic from the age of 12, living with the condition for around 44 years! I had never known anything other than watching the time, counting carbs, insulin injections and hypos on a very regular basis.
My OH always remembers the fact that he always felt sorry for him as he had to eat whether he was hungry or not and often saw him with a look of resignation on his face as he was handed his evening ‘supper’ before he had to go to bed. Not wanting to eat, not feeling hungry but having to force the food down as his body needed it.
My good friends son was also diagnosed a few years ago whilst still in primary school. I know it has been a HUGE re adjustment for all of them and a complete worry for both of the parents as no one in their family had a history of Diabetes. Everything was completely new to them.
Technology and research has definitely come a long way from when my Dad was diagnosed to my friends son being diagnosed. He has the privilege of great technology to help with blood sugars etc and hopefully making it more manageable for children. These sorts of advancements can only be made via research, research and more research……………all of which comes at a hefty and costly price, a lot of which comes from fundraising like all charities.
Diabetes UK encourages people to do just this. So my friend@michelleb66 has held an annual Diabetes coffee and cake fundraiser at her house since her son has been diagnosed and I am a firm believer in ‘every little counts’.
Don’t be fooled these are only a fraction of the cakes she had!!!
So I gave here a hand ( as chief tea and coffee maker) whilst she could welcome friends and family, run a raffle and encourage force people to eat as much yummy cake as possible and generally play the part of ‘Hostess with the Mostess’!!
Although to be honest I thought she was actually trying to feed the 5000, and ironically for a Diabetes charity we were selling sugar loaded cakes!! But lets face it we all love a sugary treat………….everything in moderation of course*cough*
table 1Don’t forget the raffle!Then the extras were added!
That aside she was very lucky to have a great turnout and not that the cakes were that expensive but she just had very generous people there – raising a total of £146.50!!!!
Her son, a 15yr old diabetic is an amazing budding chef and made some of the cupcakes and the melt in your mouth Lemon Drizzle cake that you can see on the right………………I can tell you it was the 1st empty plate!!
As some of you will know my youngest is a bit of a luvvy. He has done a bit of acting, TV ads, plays, panto’s, short films and photo shoots etc, and is naturally high maintenance which I think comes with the career!
He is 12 and has been doing this for about 3 years via an after school drama club he goes to. He has attended auditions for all sorts of things from musical theatre to feature films. He has learned very quickly to take the knock backs in his stride and realises that sometimes you are just not right for a part.
How long he will keep this going I cannot say, he could give it up at any time or continue into his teens and beyond. He will only do it for as long as he enjoys it and that is the main thing. From an early age he has always been, loud, centre of attention and wanting to be part of this.
But how does a child get ‘into’ this sort of business?
Take a look below for some top tips
Get your children into theatre with these top tips
Whether it is Grease, Les Miserables, Oliver Twist or Hamlet, we all have a favourite theatre show that springs to mind. But have you ever spotted the signs of a star in the making? Actress and choreographer Jayne Draper from the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts has compiled some top tips on how to get your little ones in to theatre:
1. Attend ballet, dancing, singing or acting classes on a weekly basis at School/College/local Dance/Acting schools and visit the theatre to see productions.
2. Audition and participate in School/College Productions or join the Choir.
3. Ask your parents to send for a variety of prospectuses and visit different Stage Schools/Colleges to ensure that the course will match your needs, before you audition.
4. You could attend a Summer School/Workshop at a Stage School where you will gain exposure to a variety of disciplines, be taught by professionals within the industry and have the chance to perform at the end.
5. Always make a good first impression at an audition or in class – by being well prepared, enthusiastic and motivated. Ensure that you are well groomed and appropriately dressed.
6. Demonstrate a good professional work ethic, show mutual respect for teachers and fellow students and always work to fulfil your potential.
7. Work hard. Be focused, self-disciplined, driven, passionate, polite, committed and aspire to be the best you can be.
8. Show your versatility; explore your self-expression and creativity. Be adaptable and accept constructive criticism.
9. Practice in your own time to develop and perfect your technique to enhance your overall performance.
10. Look after yourself – Healthy eating, drinking water and plenty of rest are all essential to sustain the necessary levels of energy and stamina required. Ensure that your mind and body are “warmed up” to prevent Injury.
Despite our love for theatre productions, research has found that that on average the last time we went to the theatre was seven years ago, due to the cost of the tickets and inconvenience of getting to the theatre.
Luckily for us, TalkTalk is launching it’s new on-demand Theatre Channel on YouView to make theatre accessible to families throughout the UK. To get some further inspiration on what to view first with your kids and to inspire your children into the world of dance, music and drama, watch our video montage:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqwyGU5UPlM&feature=youtu.be
In this video, actors from the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts have teamed up with TalkTalk to celebrate some famous and much-loved scenes from the world of theatre, asking audiences across London what they wanted to see them perform.
