children Archives - Page 2 of 2

4 Ways To Check If Your Gift Is Safe For The Baby

Another of your friends is about to become a parent for the very first time, and, of course, you wish to buy something for mother and baby, and while there’s a wide range of choices out there. Safety is something that needs to be kept in mind when choosing a gift for a baby. As you may, or may not remember, we all start by putting absolutely everything in our mouth, as we try to fathom exactly what it is. If you are soon to be looking at suitable baby gifts, here are some ways to ensure the gift is both safe and suitable.

Buy Clothing – If you are at all worried about buying the baby a toy that they might end up swallowing, you can’t go wrong with items of clothing, and with well-known brands that are made from suitable fabric, mum will appreciate the practicality of your gift, and she’ll need all the help she can get in that department. Safety is rarely an issue with baby clothing, so this is always a practical and reliable choice. If you would like to read about the best fabrics for baby clothing, there is some further reading on the subject on various references online.

Choose a Baby Hamper – This is perhaps the most popular choice for a baby gift, as it contains many useful things, and with a themed baby hamper, you can select something ideal. There are hampers for boys and girls or a unisex version if you prefer, and with lower than retail prices and superb presentation, the baby hamper makes for the ideal gift, and with a secure online payment, the hamper will be despatched to the lucky recipient. Everything in a baby hamper is screened to ensure safety, and with only the best brands, the gift couldn’t be more suitable.

Do Some Research – If you have an idea about what you would like to buy, then you could conduct an online search, specifically looking for safety issues with that product and if you come up with a blank, you will have some added reassurance that your choice is suitable. You could also talk to friends, to see how they feel about your choice, and someone might have an idea that you had not considered.

Safety Approved Products – In some countries, there are agencies that review baby products, and providing they pass, they are given a seal of approval. Look for the specific logo on any product and you can be sure that the product has passed stringent tests, and they do not lend their trademark to any product lightly.

There are so many different things one could buy for a new baby, and perhaps the best choice is a baby hamper, as it contains many items that are necessary for mum and baby, and with an online supplier, you won’t waste any time looking for that ideal gift. The wide range of baby hampers makes choosing easy, and rest assured that the gift will be most appreciated.

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Luminous Fire Lanterns Giveaway

I love these lantern bags and at the end of last year I ran a giveaway which included these. I had so many comments that I have been waiting until after Christmas to be able to run another one just for my readers.

They are such fun and also a really cool gift.

There are 5 bags here to use. Place the lantern bags on a suitable surface and watch the lovely atmosphere they can create.

Create a sumptuously soft glow, place a tea light or two inside the bag. Weight down with a little gravel and decorate your outside space.

Enter in the rafflecopter giveaway below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Open to UK entrants only. See contacts page for full terms.

Good luck!

Keep bags well away from children and animals due to the risk of burning!

How To Take Care Of Your Daughter’s Prom Dress

While prom may not be a big deal to some, it’s a very important milestone in your teenage daughter’s life. Of course, she will pick out a dress she adores and wants to last for years to come, whether as a special memory of prom or to wear to other events. So, how can you take care of her new prom dress?

Wrinkles

When the new dress arrives home, make sure it has room to breathe. Nothing should rub on the dress so as to prevent wrinkles. If the dress does incur wrinkles, get them out before prom. Most dress retailers will offer a final steam the day before prom, but if not, take the dress to a dry cleaner to be pressed. Alternatively, place the dress on a hanger on the back of your bathroom door. Turn the hot water on in the shower, close the door, and leave the dress to steam for around 15 minutes to remove wrinkles.

Storage

Whether she’s gone for a short flirty dress or one of the classy white prom dresses in 2018 at Peaches Boutique, it ought to be dry cleaned before storing it. Stains may happen, and they will ruin the dress. The longer you wait to get rid of a stain, the longer it has to soak in and do permanent damage to the dress. After prom, have the dress dry cleaned before storing it.

Formal dresses should be stored in a cool, dry place that is dry and not hot. Try to avoid storing the dress anywhere with tons of natural sunlight, too, as it can cause severe discolouring to the dress with time.

Remember to check on the dress often to make sure it’s not being damaged. An ideal storage place is on the top shelf of a wardrobe. Lay the dress flat within a garment bag or sealed box. Don’t store a special dress in places like storage units, basements, or attics.

Stains

Stains are just the pits and must be treated immediately. The first step is to identify the stain so as to remove it accordingly:

Grease – Wash the dress in warm water and place the stain on paper towels. Rub dry using a pre-treatment liquid spray. After, was in warm water and hang the dress up to dry.
Makeup – Dampen the stain with a warm towel and lightly press a liquid detergent or colour-safe bleach into it. Finally, wash the dress in warm water and hang up to dry.
Sweat – Gently rub a damp bar of soap on the stained are and apply a liquid detergent to the sweat stain. Wash it and hang to dry.
Outdoor stains and grass – Use alcohol to wipe off the dress and apply a colour-safe chlorine bleach to rub the remaining stain.

If the stain is really bad, take the dress to a professional for spot cleaning.

Use these tips to ensure your daughter’s new prom dress remains as good as new, both before and after prom night.

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Pre Empty Nest Syndrome? Is this what I have?

Not quite a teenager and not a little boy content with running up to his mummy and back. My little boy is growing up and I’m finding it hard.

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When I saw my eldest son ‘M’ for the first time, it took my breath away. The moment is always with me and I look back and talk about it whenever I can….here with you, with the kids and with my friends. The feeling was no different with my second boy ‘G’. I’ve always had a strong drive to keep both of my boys safe and a bit wrapped up in cotton wool. Those that know me would nod along now and hopefully smile in recognition as I’m probably the most over protective of the lot. I’ve heard of empty nest syndrome but never pre empty nest syndrome….my babies are still at home, just growing up.

empty nest syndrome — ‘M’ aged 4….he’s 11 now. Oh how time has flown.

As my eldest reaches towards 12 I am having a few moments when I struggle with him taking that next step towards teenagehood and being more independent. I think maybe it’s because it’s the start of another school year and so many different questions….and behaviours have begun to show.

The reluctance by him to spend as much time with me has been something to get used to. Having him want to spend time alone, chatting with his friends without wanting me around is something new. I love it so much, that he’s growing up and he has lovely friends who all get on and laugh at their own in-jokes. However, I’m now looking on at this and not instigating it. It’s not created by me – for him…..I’m not included as much, wow, when did this happen? I’m starting not to be the only big thing in his world. It’s a bit of a shock!

The full on unashamed spontaneous hugs have also started to fizzle out, when they do come it’s magical and I crush him in my embrace. He does that ‘ok mum’ and giggles, knowing that I will undoubtedly now ruffle his hair which he has just preened and styled to an inch of its life.

My rational side knows that I am proud of what we have achieved. This is what I have been preparing him for so why does it give me a lump in my throat even writing about it?

I know that being a parent is to nurture and care for our young and I realise that they are not to be owned by us. We have to prepare them and set them on their own unique path. I hadn’t realised until now that the notion of this would be so hard, I had been in the caring role for so long.

It’s all such a learning curve being a parent. I’m always amazed at the different emotions it brings.

Am I alone or is this normal or even normal-ish? Do you ever get these feelings?

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Bumper Giveaways Christmas Gift Guide – Part 2

It’s time for Part 2 of my Bumper Giveaways Christmas Gift Guide. So glad you could join me again.

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Another chance to showcase some wonderful companies offering gifts which have presents that I personally love. If you are like me then it’s often the gifts we would love to have ourselves that we end up buying for others. Have a look and why not treat yourself along the way! There is also a chance to win in our great giveaway below.

Enjoy and let me know your favourites and who you would like to see featured again. You can also see my Gift Guide and Giveaways Part 1 by following the link.

Red Candy

I am a big fan of Red Candy and have featured them before here.

If you like really cool, modern gifts then redcandy.co.uk is the place to go. I love this VW Campervan Magazine rack. This retro creation uses a quirky cut out design to display all of the campervan detail, including the windows, doors, and headlamps.

It’s a really good size at: 24cm x 40cm x 14cm. It comes in 5 colours; Red, Green, Black, Blue and Yellow. It costs £19.00 which affordable considering how well made it is and makes a substantial christmas present.

If you want a kitchen gift with a difference then how about this Elvis Joseph Joseph Worktop Saver. Priced at £14.90 it’s great value. It has a lifetime guarantee, ensuring it will stay very much alive, no matter what food comes into contact with it, so you can enjoy it for years to come.

You can follow their news on here @redcandyuk

Taylor + Rani

Taylor + Rani was started by Isobel who is a print and pattern designer. Isobel is an avid traveller and doer. They make beautiful, stylish and comfortable underwear for girls and teens.

The bralettes are reversible, you simply remove the straps and turn around. The bra pads are removable via the side seam where there is a purpose hole. The pads do not need removing for washing, just leave them in place.

Taylor + Rani have a team of researches who look at how they work with each charity partner to find the best way they can provide help in a sustainable manner.

They are currently partnering with a charity that works in Zimbabwe, Malawi and Sierra Leone to help girls stay in education longer. Young girls in that part of the world often miss out on completing their education due to lack of access to toilets and/or sanitary products. Purchases of their products provides equipment and support to make this happen. You are actually helping such a worthwhile cause by buying this great gift. #brasthatdogood is the one hashtag that you should use today!

Their collections are varied in colour and themes and all look stunning and comfy. Have a look here. I will be carrying out a focused review of this forward thinking company in the new year and will let you all know when this comes out.

You can imagine how pleased I am to be able to offer a great giveaway of a set of underwear to one lucky reader. Enter using the rafflecopter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hotwaterbottleshop.co.uk

If you love to soothe aches and pains and to feel warm and snuggly then the hotwaterbottleshop.co.uk is perfect for you. A family business working side by side, they have developed a beautiful range of hot water bottles, microwaveable body warmers (such as feet warmers, body wraps, eye masks) and microwaveable toys.

They have a fab blog which has useful information such as 5 tips to making the most of your microwavable warmer. I also liked the post that gave safety information on how to fill a water bottle. My nan used to always give me a water bottle when I was little and stayed at her house. I would love to stand and watch her knowing that I would have the treat of curling up next to her with it and drift off to sleep. It brings back very happy memories.

I couldn’t resist featuring this cute owl hot water bottle with cover. It’s capacity is 0.8 litre which uses an ultra-modern, thermoplastic rubberless design. It’s easy-to-use, comfortable and eco-sustainable too. These hot water bottles are made from 80% renewable materials, are PVC free, recyclable and unlike many other hot water bottles they are odourless. Priced at £18.99 you can buy it here.

For something next that I have been wanting for a long time and finally have, it’s a Peony Scented Floral Microwaveable Body Wrap.

So many times I come home from work or even after a day running around after the kids and I realise I am aching all over. This microwavable body wrap is lovely for warming up and draping over your shoulders or wrapping around your back. This one is infused with Peony essential oils so smells fantastic. There is a peony pattern on one side which is shown in the pictures here and on the reverse is a soft fleece material. As with many of the products on the site, this can be frozen to be used as a cold compress when needed. Ideal christmas present. Length = 49cm, Width = 14cm.

Look! A Discount voucher just for you!

Use at the checkout: XMAS1166

This gives you 20% off all orders over £15 with hotwaterbottleshop.co.uk before the end of the year. One use per customer.

@hotwaterbottle2 hotwaterbottles

If you like personalised gifts – like me! then how about a Monogrammed Soap Gift Box. You have 4 beautifully crafted soaps in a gift box. You can have a single initial or triple initial monogram. This is something so different and adds a touch of luxury to your gift. The soaps are vegetable based and triple milled which means that you get a gorgeous soapy lather that feels great on your skin. More than just a stocking filler!

I hope you have enjoyed part two of my christmas gift guides. Please see part one here for more ideas and chances to win.

What are you most looking forward to at christmas? Have you started your shopping yet?

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How Quality Child Care Can Affect Your Child

As a parent, we all want to give our children everything that we can, and one of the best places to start is education. Embracing your child’s natural curiosity and creating a positive learning experience from a young age will give them the tools that they will need to succeed in life. When you send your child to day care, you should choose an establishment that is of high-quality, as well as a good reputation, and that will help your child to develop into a wonderful person.

Communication And Interaction Skills

When you send your child to child care in Sydney, or anywhere else, it will be a new experience to which they are not familiar. However, one of the first lessons they will learn is how to interact appropriately with each other and enhance their overall communication skills. They will learn to follow simple instructions and also to get along with each other. Having excellent communication skills and being able to interact with other members of society are essential skills for them to succeed in their lives.

Create A Hunger For Learning From New Experiences

One thing that you may find when your child starts to attend nursery for the first time is that they develop a hunger for learning and trying new things, which is common in many children. The newly found passion can be something that they will take with them into their adult lives, always wanting to learn more, try new things, and expand their horizons.

Help To Develop And Heighten Their Senses

When you immerse your child in a creative learning environment, you will also help to develop and enhance their five main senses which are;

Sight
Sound
Touch
Taste
Smell

As well as these main senses your child will also benefit from the development of other senses such as balance and special awareness. When they are introduced to new situations with strange sights, sounds, smells, and so on, it will heighten their senses and help them to be comfortable with new surroundings and people.

Becoming Adaptable And Self Sufficient

Another significant benefit of sending your child to a quality child care centre is that they will learn to adapt to new situations and people, and also start their long journey on the way to self-sufficiency. The road is a long one, and it will be many years before they are ready to fly the nest, but giving your child these essential life skills from an early age will provide them with the tools that they are going to need to be successful in their lives.

If your child is coming to the age where they are ready to start nursery school, take your time and look at all of the options that are available. Choose a facility that excites your child and will nurture their hunger for learning, take a look at various local government websites for advice from the government on schools in New South Wales or wherever you live. Visit and speak to each establishment and choose the option that will give your child the start in life that they deserve.

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