Country Kids: Country Wide

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This weekend has seen us go from one side of England to the other and back again. Aside from the overnighters in hotels, we've been outside all the time and it's been brilliant to take advantage of the beautiful, albeit stiflingly hot, weather.

On Friday night we drove to Reading, where we stayed overnight before heading off to the LolliBop children's festival in Regent's Park, London. It was a blisteringly hot day, and someone decided that black would be a good colour to wear. I think at one point I actually almost passed out as my vision was swimming and my head was light. However, I'm made of sterner stuff and don't do fainting. All I needed was an Oreo cookie milkshake and the sight of Messers Maker and Winters entertaining my son to perk me up. (The pint of water and paracetomal may have helped!)

LolliBop is a great festival and I've never been in Regent's Park before so it was refreshingly beautiful when surrounded by the grey buildings of London. The festival is a riot of colour, sounds and entertainment, and we thoroughly enjoyed everything there. However, we were only too happy to be back on the train heading out of the smoke later that afternoon where we picked up the car and drove to Gloucester where we did another overnighter in a different Premier Inn. This one was fantastic and tranquil, in the middle of a lovely country village with a stereotypically quaint pub attached.

This morning we packed up early and headed off to the Forest of Dean to surprise The Boy with a Thomas Days Out trip. The Boy has recently started a fascination with the little blue engine and we regularly have to sing the theme music. Today was no different once he'd found out what was going on. Seeing his little face break out with sheer delight when Thomas chugged into the station made my heart burst, he had the best time riding on a vintage steam train and meeting Sir Topham Hatt.

To finish the weekend off, we drove up to Puzzlewood near Coleford. It's a stunning small forest that we've been to before and is such a gem to explore. At the time The Boy was only 20 months old and fell asleep while we were walking around, so this time I was very eager to show off the wonders of the mysterious woods (used in Merlin and Doctor Who). He didn't disappoint as he traipsed around the moss and mud-ladened tracks, exploring steep paths, stone steps and searching for The Gruffalo at any opportunity!

And of course the weekend wouldn't be complete without a splash in the paddling pool, right before turning his hand to his first ever spot of car cleaning!

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The New Or The True Oliver?

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He's there in my tags: Oliver Monkey.

This is him…

He's called Oliver after the character on Baby TV. The Boy was obsessed with the tv character until about four months ago but Oliver will always hold a special place in his heart, despite not having him until he was 18 months old. I've even got a video of him opening the present containing him, and the first moment he saw him he knew he was Oliver. This monkey has been everywhere with us, on every holiday since he arrived, on every hospital trip, and shopping (although he stays in the car). He's been in the washing machine, hung from the line and cuddled beyond compare.

Oliver has always been The Boy's favourite toy, he's smooth and soft, shaped so he can hold him with one hand, and he had a fold of ribbon on the top of his head (his hair) that The Boy fiddles with when he's first woken up. I've had to stitch his tummy shut, his right arm back on and repair a small lesion on his head. He is loved.

This…

… is not Oliver. This is a cousin, a spare, a replacement, in case (God forbid) we ever lose Oliver. They don't cross paths, Mr. TBaM is too worried about it destroying the universe in some sort of temporal anomaly. Occasionally he's been called into play when the true Oliver is being washed, but it's done in the dark so that The Boy doesn't spot the visual differences. He can feel them, but I tell him Oliver is fluffy from having been washed. I don't know why we don't tell him there are two, but he's not to know. It just feels wrong!

So imagine my distress earlier when The Boy followed me into the forbidden spare room. It's used as a dumping ground, but it's also where spare Oliver lives. Safely, so there are never any crossovers. Until today. Because The Boy was holding the real Oliver when he spotted the spare Oliver. I tried to back him up but it was too late, "There's a new Oliver mummy!" "No no," says I, "You're imagining it, you're holding the only Oliver!" while reaching around and flinging the new Oliver into the depths of the boxes. The Boy stood there looking at the space, looking at Oliver in his hand and turned around and walked out.

Am I an awful mother?

Guest Post: Helping Young Children With Homework

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I'm currently burying my head in the sand about the fact that I have only two weeks left of the Summer holidays before I need to return (part-time) to school. Nothing to do with having to work, more to do with having to not be with The Boy full time. However, all too soon my brain is going to start thinking about making sure my work polo shirts are cleaned and ironed, checking that I've done my planning, made any resources that I need and general 'school' stuff.

I'm not the only one with school weighing on their minds. Parents will be racing off to buy the last remaining scraps of uniform, children will be thinking about which group of friends they'll be playing with, and for some parents (new to the school system as a parent) they may not even be wondering about homework. Well, here's a quick newsflash for those unaware: primary school children are set homework. Government guidelines and all that lot. However, how parents help their children complete it, and the attitude displayed towards it, will set the standard for your child for the rest of their education.

This is the most relevant guest-post ever on my blog, full of top tips. It is worth a serious read!

Helping young children with homework is a task that definitely requires a lot of attention from parents. After a long day at school it can be a real challenge to motivate your children to do homework, but home study is designed to help them consolidate what they have learned during the day. At a young age, they will be tested on their reading, spelling and maths skills in school so it’s important to encourage and help them practise to aid their development. Helping with homework doesn’t mean doing for them, but there are many different ways you can motivate and help your child when it comes to homework.

The school’s homework policy

Understanding what your child’s school expects from their homework is the first thing to find out, especially at the start of the year. School’s usually have a homework diary system where you can check what your child needs to do, but it’s still beneficial to understand what the school’s expectations and guidelines are when it comes to homework. Then you know how much time needs to spent on each task, and explain this to your child.

Study area at home

Having a quiet area for study will help your child concentrate on the task at hand – you won’t get anywhere if there’s a mass of distracting toys nearby! If possible, help your child study in different room to other family members. Use the dining room table as a desk and lay out your child’s study aids; make it as easy as possible for your child to work. Having a separate setting for work and play will help them to focus on the tasks at hand.

Homework routine

Fitting homework into the family schedule is vital, but not an easy task. Studying at too late a time will be counter-productive for your child, so it’s important not to leave it till the last minute. If it’s becoming an issue to fit homework in between after-school activities and recreation time, some sacrifices might have to be made as homework is a top priority. Creating a routine is important so your child always knows when to do their homework and it becomes a habit, rather than something that’s optional.

To make it more fun you could set up a weekly chart system; for example, when they have completed their homework task they get a gold star.

Encouraging and interacting with your child is the best way to help with their homework, especially when your child is at a young age. Praise them for their good work, but don’t heap massive expectations on them – however if consistent problems with their work is becoming apparent, schedule a meeting with the teacher to see what steps can be taken. Talk to your child about their school day; encourage them to share what activities they have done – recapping what they have done alongside doing homework will help to cement their learning.

Danielle is writing on behalf of Banana Moon, an online retailer who specialises in personalised t-shirts, sports kits for schools and clubs and hoodies for school leavers.

Closer To Nature #1

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The rather lovely Jayne over at Mum's The Word has created a new photo linky involving close-up photos of nature. As I am a fan of macro shots and the wonders of nature, let alone photography, I felt it my duty to join in.

Taken on an iPad (3), cropped using Camera+, subject: nature's own!

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Mum's the Word

Flashback Friday: Sport

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Every single week I mean to join in with Flashback Friday over at A Matter of Choice, and every single Friday I fail. Horrendously. I think it's because I work the latter half of the week but really there's no excuse. Well, over the Summer that changes. The lovely Emma is going on maternity leave, so Mummy Mishaps and The Real Housewife of Suffolk are taking over for her. I'm still late with this post, but it's better late than never!

My little boy has always loved climbing, from the moment he could crawl he'd climb up onto the sofa and straight up onto the wide windowsill behind it, pulling the net curtain over him so he could watch everyone. He's an explorer, but a cautious child, and a gentle one too.

In January of this year I enrolled him in our local Tumble Tots class. He's gone from cautiously holding on to my hands to cross a beam to walk across with excellent aeroplane arms. His cautious attitude at climbing the ladder is still there, but it's controlled and careful which sees him turning around on the top of a five foot high ladder and coming down backwards. And he's gone from not being able to hold onto a beam, to hanging from one.

The change in The Boy's physical development is astounding, and in his confidence too. The top right and bottom left photos were taken in January of this year, the other two were taken in July. I'm so proud of how far he's come.

I'm even more proud to see him transferring these skills to real life situations:

Keep going my boy and let's see how far you can go by Christmas.

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Slow Cooker Sunday: Fruit Medley

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As Mediocre Mum is still enjoying the balmy weather in Canada, it falls on me to host #SCSunday again after the sterling job from Plus2Point4 last week.

Fruit Medley

What do you do when you have a ton of fruit that you bought last week when you started your diet, and haven't managed to eat it all? Especially peaches which are beginning to look decidely dodgy? Peel them and bung them in the slow cooker for two hours on low!

Added to the peaches were cherries and a bramley apple to counter the sweetness. I then might have sprinkled on some cinnamon and glugged in a slosh of Disaranno. Because I felt like it.

I was going to serve it with fat-free vanilla yoghurt which would have made it über-diet food, but quite frankly I craved ice-cream after 9 days on this diet, so I had a small amount of Cornish dairy ice-cream instead!

If you've got a Slow Cooker recipe to share, then please add it to the linky below. It doesn't have to have been done in a slow cooker, as long as it was cooked slowly.

TheBoyandMe's Slow-Cooker Sunday



Country Kids: Adventure Parks

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This week we've had two days out in this glorious sunshine. The first was yesterday when we met up with Jenny from Mummy Mishaps and her two little chaps at Puxton's Park just off junction 21 of the M5. Having been damp for so long, everyone in the area had decided to congregate there to enjoy the sunny weather, including us!

It was beautifully sunny, but with little breeze or shade, it was hard work keeping the little ones cool and calm. The boys absolutely loved playing with each other though, even if they did get too exuberant at one point meaning that The Boy and Burton fell over while hugging and banged their heads!

Today was my birthday and so we headed over to Cattle Country, just off junction 14 of the M5: northbound this time!

We'd packed a thorough picnic and The Boy's bathers and had a really good afternoon there; playing in the wooden fort, splashing in the paddling pool, going on the tiny steam train, exploring the willow maze, bouncing on the jumping pillow, testing an assault course and driving a mini tractor!

Hopefully, the weekend will be just as sunny and filled with more fun and games!

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(Guest-Post) Five Reasons To Get Life Insurance For Your Family

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When we bought our first house we realised how important it was to take our the appropriate insurances. We were incredibly cautious and went, potentially, over the top. However, I'm glad that we did because now we have The Boy we haven't had to adjust any of our policies. In this guest-post, the various insurances that are important for families.

It's no great secret. We all know, no one likes to talk about life insurance. Most people don't even like to think about life insurance. It brings up thoughts of all the bad things that could happen, and really, no one likes to dwell on those.

However, while we may not like to talk about it, life insurance does offer protection. And once you have a family to consider, you will know all about the importance of protecting those around you. Responsibility has a whole new meaning once you have a family of your own, and unfortunately, taking responsibility means planning for the bad things that could happen.

If you are still undecided on the issue of life insurance, here a few things for you to think about.

  • Income Protection

Life insurance is not just one standard product. There are actually many different types of insurance that are placed within the life insurance category (click here for more information). One of those types is income protection insurance. Income protection insurance is designed to offer you financial assistance should you be unable to work due to illness or injury.

Offering monthly payments up to 75% of your income, this insurance can help with bills, the mortgage, car payments, school fees or whatever else comes up. You can decide how much you want the payments to be, how soon after illness or injury you want them to start, and how long you want them to carry on for. Bear in mind that payments that start sooner, and last longer will usually result in higher premiums.

  • Accident or Injury Protection

Accidental injury protection is a type of life insurance that is designed to offer a lump sum payout should you be involved in an accident. You can usually decide on the level of cover you need, and you'll usually find that more serious accidents result in higher payouts.

The payouts can come in handy if the accident means you cannot work for a while, or if you need to pay for specialist care or treatment. It can also help if you need to make modifications to your house or car because of the accident.

  • Adjusting Slowly

When you think about your family having to cope without you, you can't just think of the emotional side, you also need to think of the financial aspect as well. Whether you are a working parent or a stay-at-home mum, the work you do every day is valuable to your family.

Life insurance offers a lump sum payout should you become terminally ill or die. Again, you can choose the level of cover you need. It can help to cover any debts that you have accumulated, such as a mortgage, personal loans, car loans, student loans, credit cards or anything that your family may struggle to pay if you were not here. Taking the financial weight from your family, can help them adjust without have to worry about money.

  • Cover Funeral Expenses

It's unfortunate but true, funerals are expensive. It is also true that most funerals are not expected. This means family and friends often have to find large sums of money at short notice – on top of the emotional burden they are already facing. Getting funeral insurance can help to ease the financial stress of a funeral, by offering a quick lump sum payout to help take care of funeral costs.

  • Insurance for your Child

While you may not have considered getting life insurance for your children, there are many insurers that offer this service. Some insurers offer a free child cover rider (or add-on feature), which offers cover for your children as part of your own life insurance policy.

This can offer financial assistance if something were to happen to your child. It can help to cover loss of income, funeral expenses, and everyday living costs at a time when the last thing you want to think about is money.

Toffee Apple Tart

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When Mummy Mishaps announced that last month's theme on I Love Cake was toffee or caramel, I had a couple of ideas for my cake but the little minx got in there first! And then yet again, I missed the deadline! However, I thought I'd blog this regardless. I remembered her rather scummy toffee apple cupcakes that she'd made a few months previously and adapted the recipe to make a kind of Bakewell Tart.

Ingredients:

  • Condensed milk toffee (you'll need 100g of brown sugar, 100g of butter and a tin of condensed milk)
  • one cooking apple

Shortcrust pastry:

  • 125g/4oz plain flour
  • pinch of salt
  • 55g/2oz butter, cubed
  • 30-45ml/2-3 tbsp cold water
  • 2oz ground almonds
  • 1oz caster sugar

Frangipane filling:

  • 125g butter
  • 125g caster sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 125g ground almonds
  • 1tbsp plain flour

bakewell tart

  1. The first stage is to make some toffee. Put the brown sugar and butter into a saucepan and melt. Add the tin of condensed milk and stir while it thickens for 20 minutes. Leave to cool slightly while making everything else.
  2. Make the shortcrust pastry in the traditional way. I added ground almonds and some caster sugar to in order to sweeten it. Put a layer of baking beans over the base and cook for 10 minutes at 180°C.
  3. While this is blind-baking in the oven, poach the cooking apples in 1 tablespoon of water, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1 teaspoon of sugar for ten minutes until softened, then drain.
  4. Cream the sugar and butter for the frangipane mix, add the eggs, sift in the flour and ground almonds. Mix thoroughly.
  5. Put a spoonful of frangipane mix in the base of each tart case, then layer apples on top. Put a dollop of toffee on top of the apples and then another dollop of frangipane over the top again.
  6. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 180°C until a skewer/knife comes out clean.
  7. Serve warm with ice-cream or clotted cream.
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