The Teenager Manual

No I’m not kidding I actually found this in the library today!

Yes the Haynes Teenager Manual!! So I couldn’t leave it on the shelf. I have 2 boys aged 12 and 14yrs and dealing with them is a complete minefield. They are both VERY different in character and also deal with similar situations in different ways. It is true that they cannot breathe the same air and DO NOT get on in any way!

I don’t want them to grow into delinquents or become estranged in any way and yet I do believe that it comes down to us as parents to do something about it.  WE must be doing something wrong if that were to actually happen and  to be fair I would be distraught.

So, in true fashion of ‘prevention rather than cure’ I saw this and thought………………well it worked out OK for cars didn’t it.

Well it can’t hurt can it?

 

 

 

Were you affected by PostNatal Depression?

I very luckily wasn’t, however, a very close friend of mine was after the birth of her twins over 12 years ago. It was difficult to see this bubbly, happy-go-lucky person fall into the depths of depression where she doubted herself all the time and totally lost all her self confidence and yet still try and continue looking after her babies.

She had suffered with depression before and was able to see the signs and get help early. However, it was only me who knew and to everyone else she looked and seemed fine. But it was a long journey and her children are now 12 years old.

Do you or someone you know suffer or have suffered with Postnatal Depression?

Learn to recognise the warning signs and help yourself or others.

Postnatal Depression

Join our live WebTV show to learn how to spot the warning signs in yourself and others

Show date: 20th December

Show time: 1pm

Postnatal depression is a spectrum which can be as mild as “baby blues”- weeping for several days after childbirth, to at the other end – puerperal psychosis, which can manifest in delusions, hallucinations and impulses to hurt the baby or the belief that there is something wrong with it. In the middle of these two extremes is what the majority of new mothers experience at some point; profound lows, as they struggle to deal with the new challenges that life as a mother presents.

Earlier this year, the Government announced more NHS help for women with postnatal depression to the tune of £400m, recruiting more health visitors across the country who will be trained to spot the early signs of postnatal depression. This means that for the first time, there will be more focus on the emotional wellbeing of the entire family, not just concentrating on the practical ins and outs of looking after the baby. But is this enough?

With statistics suggesting that roughly a quarter of women experience depression in the first year after childbirth, experts believe that the true figures are probably far greater, as postnatal depression is often misdiagnosed or missed. The most important thing is to be to able to recognise the symptoms in yourself, spot the warning signs in others and not to feel alone or that you are failing as a parent. 

Health & Wellbeing mutual, Benenden Healthcare Society has acknowledged this issue and are inviting you to take part in a discussion on the issues surrounding PND.  Joining us in a live and interactive WebTV  on 20th December at 1pm are Liz Wise from The Ceder House support group and The Association of Postnatal Depression Committee and Natalie Ellis from PNI.org.uk W

 

Liz Wise from The Ceder House support group and The Association of Postnatal Depression Committee and Natalie Ellis from PNI.org.uk joins us live online at www.studiotalk.tvwwwww on 20th December at 1pm

 

Website: https://www.facebook.com/benendenhealthcare/app_152707621494540 OW

 

The Spoon Theory

Please take the time to read Christine Miserandino’s personal story and analogy of what it is like to live with sickness or disability.

It’s called The Spoon Theory.

It explains in simple terms how we can get more people to understand M.E/CFS

The Spoon Theory- but you don’t look sick!

Cartoon image of Christine Miserandino holding a spoon

Top Parenting Tips

When we become parents we have sometime very definite ideas on how we are going to be as parents, how are children are going to be brought up, how they will behave etc.

Anyway as all parents know that plan goes completely out of the window the minute the baby is born! As a new parent we are thrown in at the deep end and pretty much left to get on with it as best we can.

Each stage of a baby/ child’s development brings new worries and stress as we hope we are doing things right. We learn from books, and friends, and family about what works for that particular child. So it’s always interesting when others offer tips of what works for them. Sometime the ideas are new and sometimes they are tried and tested.

I have included a video link below from Myleene Klass revealing her top parenting tips.

http://www.broadcastexchange.tv/live/myleene-klass-parenting-top-tips

“Umbilical whiplash?!”

From separation anxiety to breastfeeding in public, watch our video where celebrity mum, Myleene Klass reveals her top parenting tips

Motherhood presents plenty of challenges and all of us mums know just how different life becomes when the little one arrives and becomes part of the family.

Whether you’re a working, stay-at-home or a celebrity mum, it is hard to know the best way to overcome any challenges you may face. From breastfeeding to separation anxiety, shopping and sharing, it is important to remember that when it comes to parenting, there is no size that fits all.

No one knows more about balancing a career and the pressures and joys of motherhood than Myleene Klass. Mum to two little girls under five, Myleene knows all too well the worries that every parent faces in trying to do the best for their children: “There are so many things parents have to think and worry about when bringing up their children, what they are eating, if they are warm enough, if they have good manners, but feet always seem to get forgotten.” 

Myleene has this year joined forces with Start-rite shoes with the aim of promoting to like minded parents, the importance of having their children’s feet properly measured and fitted with quality fitted footwear to support their long term healthy foot development. “Many parents don’t realise just how malleable children’s feet are right up until their teens and hence the importance of looking after them right from the very start.  By ensuring children wear shoes that properly fit their feet you can help prevent problems in later life.” 

To find out more and hear about what Myleene has to say go to the Start-rite YouTube channel www.youtube.com/startriteshoes

July will also see the introduction of a dedicated Start-rite by Myleene Autumn/Winter 12 range of shoes which supports her passion for children’s fitted foot wear with an injection of her own sense of style and personality.

In our video, Myleene Klass shares the top parenting tips that help her get to through daily life with two young girls. From thoughts on breastfeeding to separation anxiety or “umbilical whiplash” as Myleene calls it, watch the video to find out how you can strive to create a balance and be the best mum you can possibly be.

Check out the video below:

http://www.broadcastexchange.tv/live/myleene-klass-parenting-top-tips

What are your top parenting tips?

Top tips for keeping warm – M.E Related

I have decided to  share my experiences of M.E with you in the hope of raising awareness for what seems an ‘invisible’ illness. Click here for more information.

As anyone with M.E will know we can still feel cold in the summer, let alone deal with winter temperatures.

I have put together some of my own tips that I use in order to keep warm without breaking the bank by having the heating on all the time!!

Top Tips:

1. Wheat heat pads are a great investment. They are relatively inexpensive to buy (but you can aways check in your local charity shops too). I have several of these and they only need heating in the microwave for around 1m 30 secs and you have instant heat!! They are also good for muscular aches and I use them to ease the pain in my ankles and neck but also as ‘instant heat’!!

2. The good old hot water bottle, it never fails. You don’t need to buy fancy or expensive either. At this time of year they can be found in abundance in the pound stores. I also have a mini one that is great to take with me on the school run as I can warm myself in the car before getting out into the cold to collect my son. Also, a cover is great and helps to keep the bottle warmer for longer…………..but don’t buy unnecessarily- use and old jumper that the kids have outgrown to cover it or make one if your ‘crafty’ enough.

3. Thermals- underclothes and socks. They are truly a worthwhile investment. Again these don’t have to cost much, I have seen leggings and long sleeve tops available in Primark- but sports shops are great for this too. Thermal or ‘heat’ socks I have in abundance and again can be found just in sports shops.

4. Thermal insoles for shoes/ boots. These I cannot do without and you need to invest in a decent set that will last. I have one set at the moment and I transfer them to whatever boots I am going to wear for that day……………….they truly make a difference.

5. Wrist Warmers! I have recently knitted myself a basic pair of these just for wearing indoors. My hands are always cold ( even in the summer) and when I am working on the computer they get absolutely frozen. Knitted wrist warmers either made or shop bought are a great way to keep hands and wrists warm whilst still being able to type, read a book, knit or whatever else you do!!

Hope some of these tips help. I have lots more to share and would love you to pass on to anyone you know who suffers with M.E/ Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or similar.

It would be great to have an online ‘help’ community that could share what works for them and therefore may help others.

 

Christmas Dinner Disasters

Ever had one?

I must admit I’ve been lucky enough to have escaped my own Christmas dinner disasters as I have only been doing the dinner myself for the past few years. Fortunately while my boys were very young we always went to the in laws (no cooking required on my part……..result!).

However, there comes a time when the kids want to stay with their toys for the day and enjoy Christmas at home. This means all cooking required by me!!

Luckily for me my mum stays at Christmas so she cooks the turkey for me with years of experience under her belt……again a result!

However, after talking to a few people the stories started to come out. Things you can imagine and things you can’t.

*turkey doesn’t fit in the oven

*turkey not cooked properly

*cases of food poisoning

*oven breaks down while cooking the dinner

Or even in the style of Only Fools and Horses where the coffee gets mixed up with the gravy and they pour coffee all over their dinner, or the time Grandad left the giblets in the turkey!!

Top tips on how to avoid a Christmas dinner disaster


Let’s face it, Christmas dinner disasters are far from rare in most households. A poll just released shows a quarter of us have first-hand experience of something going badly wrong on the 25th December.

The most common mishaps are dry meat, turkey that is uncooked or hasn’t defrosted properly, people buying the wrong size bird and those that have simply left it so late that the shops have actually run out.

Cooking a feast of massive proportions for extended families of aunties, uncles, grandparents, and children is a task daunting enough to even make a top chef break into a cold sweat, so it’s no surprise  three quarters of the great British public suffer stress as a result of buying and preparing Christmas meat. 

But the survey commissioned by The Q Guild of Butchers to launch their ‘Meat Your Butcher Sessions’ found an overwhelming 95% of the nation has never asked for expert advice about cooking Christmas dinner whilst more than half of us just head blindly go to the supermarket, and pick meat off the shelf hoping for the best. That’s despite the fact that there is usually a butcher’s shop right round the corner, who can offer quality advice on choosing, preparing and cooking meat.

So how can a local butcher help to reduce stress, focus on value and give fresh advice for your festive feast? When should you have ordered your meat by? What’s the difference between a corn-fed turkey and a gold turkey? How much do you actually need to buy so that you don’t get stuck with masses of meat, or even worse don’t have enough to feed the family? And if you don’t even like turkey, what are the great Christmas meat alternatives?

CHECK OUT THE VIDEOS BELOW FOR THE BEST TIPS:

Advice on avoiding Christmas dinner disaster

 

I would love to hear your worst Christmas dinner disasters……………………….feel free to share!!