PRETTY YOUNG THING

Image by Arek Socha from Pixabay 

Looking ahead to the new year, it looks as though there will be more time spent at home. While there is the hope of the COVID-19 pandemic being over one day soon as vaccines are becoming available, it is still not over and who knows when it will be. With that in mind, you might want to think about how you can create some more space in your home to make it more comfortable for you and your family. 

Extend What You Can

If you have the money to and the room to do it, then this could be the perfect time to see how extensions could work in your home so that you don’t have to move to get a bigger house, you can simply keep the one you have and make it bigger. If a home extension is out of your price range, you can get creative with how to extend rooms, for example, if you have patio doors then perhaps you could put up a temporary gazebo to create the illusion of more space and a place where people can come and sit and visit in the garden at a safe distance.

Maximize Space In The Kitchen

The kitchen is the heart of the home and it’s not just a place for cooking, but a place where people sit and chat, where the kids do their homework, and the place you may now call your office. The kitchen must be functional and so it’s essential to maximize the space you have in there. Kitchen storage solutions are the best way to do this, so think vertical shelving, drawer organizers, and food storage containers. Make the most of space high up for things you don’t use very often and perhaps instead of chairs at the kitchen table you could have a bench with storage in it.  

Use Clever Storage In The Bathroom

Bathrooms are also places where you need to have lots of things. Today so many bathrooms are small however there are lots of clever storage ideas that you can use to make the most of the space you have. Using baskets on the floor to put your shower gels and shampoos in can look nice and tidy, open shelving can be really useful too and you can get yourself a cheap fabric shoe organizer for things like makeup and hair accessories and hang it on the back of the door.  

Get Rid Of Clutter

One of the best ways to make space in your home is to sort through your things and work out what you need and what you can live without. It’s only natural to accumulate things over time, think about every time you go out shopping and buy something new, you don’t come home and throw something away. Eventually, you end up with a load of clutter and find you have no space. Now is the perfect time to have a big clear out and make space for all the new things you got for Christmas. It’s a new year, so time for a new start. 

The way we learn can be categorised into three main styles: visual, kinaesthetic and auditory. Understanding your child’s learning style and adapting your teaching methods to complement this can be the key to academic success as you will be able to help them reach their full potential. The following advice from an independent school in Surrey will help you decipher your child's learning style and provide tips on how to tailor your teaching style to suit them best. It is possible for children to adopt more than one learning style, so remember to keep this in mind. 

Visual 

If your child is a visual learner they will need to see or visualise things to fully grasp a concept or to retain information. These children often excel in visual activities such as art, crafts or jigsaw puzzles. They tend to be more engaged with books that contain a lot of illustrations or diagrams as they find it easier to process information this way. Visual learners will benefit from flash cards and mind maps, especially ones made up of bright colours as this will help them retain information more successfully. 

Kinaesthetic 

Kinaesthetic learners are usually quite easy to spot. They tend to be highly active children who struggle to sit still for too long. They are often very hands-on and excel at physical activities such as sport or performing arts. It is important to remember that these children will often fidget and move around whilst learning something new, but this could actually be helping them to focus, so try not to discourage it. These children respond better to applied teaching methods, you will find that they will engage more if they can physically get involved with an experiment or project. 

Auditory 

Auditory learners respond to sound. They are good at following verbal instructions and commonly pick up and copy words or phrases used by others. Auditory learners are particularly drawn to music and may be heard singing or humming whilst focusing on a task. Young children who show the signs of being auditory learners may respond well to educational songs and rhymes. Older auditory learners should practice reading study notes aloud, or even recording information and listening to it back in order to solidify their knowledge

Most children do not begin to grasp the concept of morals until the age of around 5 or 6. For some it’s a bit later. The idea that there’s a wrong and a right is somewhat fuzzy in pre-schooler’s minds. Toddlers may know that it’s wrong to steal or bite for example, but many lack the impulse control to avoid it.

Working with your children on moral values is a great idea no matter what their age. Discussing the implications of moral values will enable them to make good decisions as they navigate their time through school. Taking time out to listen to smaller children is important, as this primary school in Gerrards Cross says. Knowing they are heard helps children to grow in confidence.

As your child grows, they will be faced with moral decisions and need to develop the skills to make the right choices. Here are some which a pre-schooler might have to work out for themselves.

• Do I have to share?
• Shall I take that toy because I want it even though my brother is playing with it?
• Shall I push into the queue?
• Shall I take a sweet even though Mummy said not to?

Tiny decisions of course but to a small child, they’re quite big.

 

Talk about feelings and about right and wrong

Discussions with your child about their feelings and how they manage them will help them when they come to the hurdles they will inevitably face. A good time to discuss these things is straight after a child has made a bad choice. Don’t get cross – ask them how they feel about what happened and ask them what a better choice might have been. Make sure they understand why one choice is right and the other wrong.

Read stories together

There are many wonderful stories which incorporate morality. Here’s a few suggestions. Children often adore these stories because they recognise that justice has prevailed, and it helps them feel secure in the world:

The Boy Who Cried Wolf

The Midas Touch

The Tortoise and the Hare

Older children

Older children recognise that sometimes there are grey areas when it comes to morality. They may like to discuss these with you and talking through complex ideas like this can help adolescents in many ways. Not only will they learn debating skills, but they’ll also develop more awareness of the complexity of the world.

As our children grow, it’s easy to feel as though we’re losing a certain connection to their education.

When they’re small, we’re usually very involved. They excitedly tell us each detail of their day – from what they’ve eaten for lunch to who played with who and what colour they painted the sky.

These magical days pass by quickly though and once they hit secondary school, there often seems to be a gap between you, your child and their education. Unless your child is particularly open in their sharing style, you may lose touch and have little to no idea as to which subjects they’re enjoying and which they’re struggling with. Here are some top tips to help you stay more involved with your child’s education no matter what their age:

• Look at their timetable – you should be able to see their timetable so that you know which subjects they have on which day. This is useful for helping them get their homework in on time.
• Email their teachers – just at the start of each term. Let them know that you’re available to support them should the need arise. This is also a good opportunity to tell the teachers of any problems your child might be having.
• Join the PTA – a good chance to meet other parents and to discuss any concerns about your children’s school experience as well as raise money.
• Help your child do their homework – this might sound obvious but if your child is particularly capable, they might not call on your for help. Offer assistance and let them know you’re there and would like to help if needed.

When exams are coming up

Make sure your child has everything they need to study effectively. A good workspace including desk and office chair is vital. Quiet time during exam periods is important to – if your child knows you respect their efforts, they’re likely to try much harder. As this independent school in Kent suggests, treating each child as an individual with their own strengths is vital for their success.

Don’t get cross

If your child knows that you’re not emotionally reactive, they will be far more likely to share any issues they might be having at school. From big problems like failed exams to small things like forgotten spelling lists, just knowing you’re there to help is of enormous importance. Stay calm and friendly and your child will always turn to you for help.

Every parent wants their child to be confident. Confidence ensures your child isn’t afraid to join in and so the confident child has lots of opportunities.  As this Sixth Form in London suggests, children who are provided with the right opportunities in life will grow up to be empathetic and confident leaders who are never afraid of a challenge.

Socially, children need other children and confidence helps children to make friends more easily. Friends are a vital part of childhood – we learn from our friends and the bonds we forge can sometimes last into adulthood.

How can I help my shy child?

Some children are simply shyer than others. This isn’t something they can choose – it’s who they are.

Putting your child into situations they might be uncomfortable with will not help them to become more confident. What will help them is choosing challenges for them which play to their strengths.

Success builds confidence

For example, a very shy child being made to join an acting class will also be a very miserable child.

He or she will be horribly aware of their own shortcomings and will feel the sting of failure.

But the same child placed in a club or class which focuses on a subject they excel at, will grow in confidence quite quickly.

Sports and acting are often the areas in which naturally confident children excel. If your child is shy, consider looking at areas where they already excel. Here are some ideas.

Art and craft classes

Music

Choir

Science club

Creative writing classes

Animal interests – helping out at local stables or animal rescue

Environmental action groups

All of these are brilliant for helping quieter children to find their own strengths. Making friends outside school will help your child to begin to see themselves as an individual. Adding strings to their bow will help round them out into accomplished, confident adults who are not afraid of challenges.

Other ideas

Talk to your child. Find out what’s at the heart of them. What are they feeling about themselves. Remember that smaller children often don’t have the language or the experience to recognise their own feelings. A sad or unpleasant feeling is simply scary – they don’t know that it’s based in fear or worry. Let them know that all children and adults feel worry at times. And that those feelings can be dealt with.

 

Well I thought i'd do a little update as 2020 has been a crazy crazy year and its finally coming to an end. Christmas is just around the corner and I think we are all really looking forward to spending some time with our families. 

I know everyone has been effected by Covid in one way or another and I just thought i'd write a little blog post as a little reminder of whats happened this year. 

We started off the year by visiting some National Trusts as we decided to get memberships this year. It was a quiet start to the year and then Covid arrived and things started to change. I started working from home and Clint lost his job. It was such a stressful time and I really worried about what was going to happen. Luckily furlough was introduced and Clint started receiving that from his previous employer. I was also furloughed as a receptionist it was difficult doing my job from home and my company decided to furlough a handful of the support staff. 

We tried to make the most of this time by spending it together and just trying to make the best of the situation. We went for walks, did crafts and found new places to explore. We made the most out of our National Trust cards too and visited some new places. We have managed to get away a couple of times this year, first to Cornwall. We stayed in my Grandads motor home, this was so lovely, this was in August so things were a little relaxed and then we went away and stayed in a caravan in September with my family and again had a really lovely few days away. 

I'm now back working from home, I have a new boss and i'm currently assisting the facilities manager which is good. Amelia has started going to a childminder on these days and she loves it! Shes really coming along and learning to share better and her social skills have improved. We found that lockdown really affected her and she became frustrated and angry and she really needed this bit of separation and space and social interaction. 

Clint has got a new job which he's really enjoying and he's doing really well. It's been good for us to have some space as we were started to get on each others nerves a little bit. It's been a really hard year for us and i'm really looking forward to a nice relaxing Christmas. I've broke up from work now and pretty much ready for the day. We are spending Christmas day at home just the three of us which is going to be so strange but we usually go to both parents and it ends up being alot and a really crazy day and I just don't want to do that this year so we will visit our parents around Christmas instead. 

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas x 

 When you’re a parent, your whole life changes. It turns on its axis and every aspect of your life is thrown up into the air, falling down in a new place. There’s no getting away from the fact that having children is a big change to adapt to, especially as it changes the entirety of your life. Once you become a parent, everything is about your little ones; the key thing in your life is making sure that your children have everything that they need, are properly looked after, and are safe. 

Parenting isn’t easy; being a parent can be extremely challenging. There are certain areas of parental life that can be a little more tricky than others, such as driving with your little ones, for instance. The fact is that driving with your little ones can be an exceedingly stressful experience, which is why it’s so important that you understand what it takes to make driving with your little ones in tow a little simpler, easier and safer. 

Photo source: Pixabay

Bearing that in mind, below is a guide to some useful driving and car tips for parents, to help make driving with kids a little easier to manage - read on for everything that you need to know! 

Buy the right car 

One of the first steps that you need to take when it comes to buying a car is to think carefully about whether it’s a good fit for you and your family. The truth is that when you buy a car you need to take the time to consider what makes it a good car for family life. You need to consider how large it is, how many seats it has, what storage space it offers, and how economical it is to run and maintain. It’s important to think carefully about all of these key factors, to ensure that you end up with the right car for your family. 

If you’re unsure about what makes and models of vehicles could be best for your family, then it’s worthwhile taking the time to think carefully about what exactly your family needs from their car. Then, once you know what that is, you can opt to research the right cars to fit your family’s needs. You might also want to do some researching into what the best-rated family cars are, to see if one of the listed vehicles might be a good fit for you and your family. 

Be clued up about car seats 

A crucial safety element of driving with little ones is car seat safety. What it’s important to remember is that not all car seats are born equal, so it’s worthwhile taking the time to research which car seat makes and models offer the most protection for your children. It’s also important to understand the ins and outs of car seat safety, such as the fact that a car seat that’s been in any form of an accident should no longer be used as it won’t be as safe as previously. 

Choosing the right car seat can often be a struggle; many parents find picking out a car seat extremely difficult. If you’re unsure of what option to go for, you can always ask the store assistants for help determining which car seat would be a good fit for your little one. Just make sure that you know your child’s weight, as car seats are measured based on weight, and using the incorrect car seat for a child’s weight, makes the seat ineffective and unsafe. 

Take car maintenance seriously 

When it comes to your family car, it’s vital that you take car maintenance seriously. If you want to ensure that your family vehicle is as safe and effective as possible, then it’s important that you take time to make car maintenance a priority, because without effective maintenance it’s far harder to keep your car running safely. Bearing that in mind, it’s a good idea to aim to take your car into your local garage for a check-up and service at least twice a year - every six months is an ideal time period for this. 

You might not think that you need to have your car checked over as frequently, but the truth is that it’s far too easy for a part of your car to start showing signs of wear in just a few months. Take your tyres, for instance, they might look fine at one check, and then six months later they might look extremely worn and in need of replacing. That’s why having regular vehicle checkups is so important, as they allow you to catch any problems before they pose a safety risk to you and your family. 

Get in-car activities right 

One of the worst safety risks when driving with kids in the car is becoming distracted by your little ones. That’s why it’s so important that you make sure that you always have plenty of in-car activities on hand for your little ones to do and play with. If your little ones are distracted by an activity then they’re less likely to distract you, helping to prevent you from losing concentration, and as a result, ending up getting into a car accident. 

Wondering what kinds of activities you can give your little ones to keep them distracted while you’re in the car? Having an -in-car movie system can be a great first step to take to keep your little ones distracted while you’re driving. If you don’t want to fit a while in-car movie system, you could opt to get each child a tablet of their own where they can watch movies on and play games on. You could also opt to pack travel goodie bags for each child, in a bid to help to keep them quiet while you’re driving. 

When it comes to driving with kids in tow, it’s not always an easy task to get right. The truth is that there are lots to think about and consider, especially when it comes to family travel safety. Hopefully, the guide above has given you some ideas and inspiration to make keeping your family safe on the roads a little easier and less stressful.