Month: July 2016

Family

Getting Remarried With Kids In Tow: What You Need To Think About!

JayneLeave a comment

If after getting divorced, you’ve met someone who loves you and your kids, you may be planning on getting remarried. He might have already asked, or you may have a hunch that soon enough he’s going to soon. Either way, before you tie the knot, you need to think about what getting remarried means for you and your children.

 Does your new partner treat you like a queen? Is he amazing with your kids? Do you make a fantastic blended family? If the answer is yes to all of the above, there’s no reason not to get married. However, before you walk down the aisle, there’s some things that you need to do and discuss.

Image credit

To ensure that no matter what happens when you get remarried, you are your kids are okay, here’s what you need to do:

Discuss your finances with your partner

 One of the most important aspects when getting remarried is the financial side of things. Whether you have savings or debts, you need to discuss them with your partner. This is because when you get married, what’s yours will also become your partners and vice versa. So it’s best to be upfront and open with them from the start. You also need to talk about who will pay for what – will he be willing to contribute towards raising your children? These are all important things that before you say ‘I do,’ you need to straighten out.

Consider getting a prenuptial agreement

 If you own your own home and your partner does not, you may not feel comfortable getting married without a prenup. The reason for this is that if the two of you split up, you don’t want you and your children to be left without a home. So having an agreement in place that states should you split up, you and your children can stay in your home, is important. A lot of people don’t know whether a prenup is legal in the UK, and because of this aren’t sure whether it’s worth having on. While a prenup isn’t a legal document in the UK, in the case of divorce most judges will honour them as long as they’re fair to both parties. It’s also important that they’re in place for a reason, such as your kid’s wellbeing.

Link for photo

Talk about your partner’s role in your children’s lives

It’s probably a good idea to have a chat about the role that your partner will play in your children’s lives. Ask him whether he’d like to be an active father figure and whether he’d be happy to contribute financially to their upbringing. If he’s going to play a big part in their lives, and be the father of any other children that you may have, it’s important that he’s serious about them. It’s also a good idea to ask him whether he’d be happy to treat yours’, his, and both of your children, equally. Something that is of the utmost importance when it comes to taking on someone else’s children.

When it comes to re-marrying, it’s important that you take the time to ask the right questions and put the right safeguards in place. To ensure that whatever happens, you and your little ones will be okay.

Parenting

The Real World Parenting Awards with Infacol

JayneLeave a comment

Sometimes, parenting can be a lonely business. Even if you have a loving partner to share the highs and lows, there are always times when we feel overwhelmed by the pressure of being a parent. Many of us are lucky though, in that we have that one person around to lend support, sympathy and occasional tea making skills, just to take the edge off and make us feel human again. Perhaps its a friend, family member or even a trusted health professional who went above and beyond their call of duty to support you.

For me, it was my Mother in Law. Obviously, Husband was around and we shared the parental responsibilities and stresses, but his mum was a godsend at times. From doing simple things like coming over and doing the washing up to letting me use her as a sounding board when the stress of dealing with a colicky baby with a cows milk protein allergy got on top of me, she was there through thick and thin…and still is.

If you’ve read this blog before you’ll know that I had no contact with my own mother throughout my pregnancy with Burrito Baby, nor since, which was hard. A mum is someone who is supposed to be there to listen to your woes and make you feel better, and I didn’t have that. Except, thanks to my Mother in Law, I did have it. She stepped in and became more than just a Mother in Law, she became more like a Mum to me, as well as a close friend and ally. She’s still the person I ask for advice about everything from how to make dumplings to whether I can get away with wearing a maxi dress!

You may wonder why I’m telling you this? Well, Infacol have teamed up with the Primary Care Society for Gastroenterology to launch the The Real World Parenting Awards, designed to reward those real-life heroes who make those first few months of parenthood more manageable.

“Having a baby is a life changing experience and an incredible one, but it can be stressful,” says Dr. Hilary Jones, who will be part of the judging panel. “If you’re lucky enough to have a wonderful family around you, or great friends, it can make a huge difference.”

As well as honouring friends and family, the awards are also looking for nominees for the health care professionals who have gone above and beyond to help someone under their care.

“Becoming a parent for the first time isn’t easy, and the first six months can be especially tough,” explains PCSG Chair, Dr. Richard Stevens*. “That’s why families need support, and the encouragement they receive from their GP or health visitor can make all the difference. As professionals, we sometimes forget we can provide a lot by just being there and being constant.”

The Real World Parenting Awards will be launched this July with two separate categories: one for health professionals, which has been developed by the Primary Care Society for Gastroenterology, and one for supportive family and friends. Both awards are supported by an educational grant from Infacol.

Ts & Cs

Launching in July with a presentation in September, the Real World Parenting Awards will be open to nominations from appreciative parents, colleagues or the individuals themselves. The entry criteria are simple: an individual who has demonstrated the ability to go above and beyond. Just let us know their name, workplace (if nominating a health professional) and why you want to nominate them by emailing competitions@satellitepr.com. The closing date for nominations is July 31st. Entries will be judged by a panel of PCSG Chair Dr. Richard Stevens*, GP Dr. Hilary Jones**, and Native Media founder and mum-of-three Jo Studholme.

The winning health professional will receive an educational grant of £1000 from the PCSG to further their career or chosen area of research. Those who nominate their superstar health professional will also be entered into a prize draw for the chance to win a short break at Knoll House, Britain’s original family friendly hotel.

Do you have someone in your life who has gone above and beyond for you and your new family? Leave me a comment below, and of course, don’t forget to nominate them!

Visit www.pcsg.org.uk for more information

twitter.com/PCSGastro (@PCSGastro)

For further information on the PCSG please contact:

Kirsty – secretariat@pcsg.org.uk


Infacol, Britain’s Number One Infant Colic remedy (based on IRI unit sales data 19/03/16), is licensed for the treatment of infant colic, wind and griping pain. It can be used from birth onwards and comes with a handy dropper, making it easy to give your baby.

For the treatment of colic. Contains Simeticone. Always read the label.

Visit www.infacol.co.uk for more information.

Education · Happiness · Health · Kids

Getting Our Kids Outdoors

JayneLeave a comment

One of the main reasons that we moved to the countryside back in September of last year was that we wanted the kids to be able to spend more time outdoors, surrounded by nature. Our house, as well as having big front and back gardens, is completely surrounded by farmland and footpaths which are perfect for exploring or going on an evening ramble after tea. Here’s a shot taken by Husband just this evening whilst taking Chuck out for his evening constitutional (isn’t it absolutely stunning?!):

outdoors

The thing is, Husband and I were raised during a time when it was completely normal for kids to play outside; we both remember leaving the house in the morning and only ever popping back for lunch and dinner, and we often comment about how sad it makes us that our girls will never experience the same sort of freedom. That’s why when I heard about the new campaign being spearheaded by Sudocrem and PlayMore, I knew I had to write about it.

Their research has shown that, on average, the modern child spends less than five hours a week playing outside, compared to over 11 hours for their parents’ generation.

Child psychologist Dr. Lindsay Ip explains, “Children today are more used to immediate gratification from technology and digital games than active, creative play in the outdoors and connection to humans and nature. That’s why we have a responsibility as a society to encourage our children to get outside and play. It’s important for their health and educational development.”

Based on this research, Sudocrem has teamed up with PlayMore to offer 10 nurseries across the country the chance to win £500 towards improving their outdoor play facilities, in an effort to get pre-school aged kids outside more.

Sudocrem’s Brand Manager, Nick Lang said, “Children love outdoor play but they’re bound to get stung by stinging nettles and scrape their knees. This is all part of the learning process for parents as well as children. A cuddle and a tub of Sudocrem Antiseptic Healing Cream can make a lot of things better. We’ve been healing skin for generations and we’re proud to promote the spirit of adventure with Play More.”

The reception classes at Sausage’s school have recently upgraded their outdoor facilities, including an astro-turfed area to allow year-round ball sports, mud kitchens to let kids enjoy messy play and a canopy-covered area so that they can still get fresh air during wet weather. It’s really refreshing to see the outdoor space being incorporated into the classroom in this way and I can’t wait to see how BB enjoys it when she starts school in a couple of years.

If you think your child’s nursery could do with improving their outdoor facilities, go to www.sudocrem.co.uk/social-hub and nominate.

Kids

Stay Safe Online with Azoomee

Jayne15 Comments

In the past, I’ve admitted to being a helicopter parent and although I am still pretty overbearing involved in Sausage’s life, I do try to step back a little now that she’s getting older. Although she’s one of the youngest in her school year, she’ll be going into Year 4 in September, which means that that it’s won’t be long until boys and secrets with her friends are on the agenda. As someone who was mortified to discover her mother read her diary when she was a teenager, I firmly believe that kids should be given respect and privacy, but this can be tricky in modern life because of the Internet.

The best thing we can do is to properly educate our kids about staying safe online and self-moderation, so that we can afford them a little more autonomy and not have them feel like we’re looking over their shoulders all the time. That’s why, when I heard that Azoomee had teamed up with the NSPCC to create an app, including a series of lessons for kids about staying safe online, I was thrilled. Take a look at what it offers here:

Azoomee from Azoomee on Vimeo.

The Azoomee app is available on both Android and Apple (there’s a free 15-day trial available), and it’s basically an all-encompassing safe space for kids to use. Within the app, kids can choose to do arts and crafts, play games or watch kid-friendly TV shows. The art section allows kids to share their creations with friends and family who’ve been pre-approved by a parent, which means that kids can still communicate through the app without needing to use an unsecured and potentially unsafe messaging app.

What’s more, this summer Azoomee is running a series of FREE, weekly, interactive learning sessions based on Search It Up, an animated series on digital literacy and online safety. Search It Up was produced by Azoomee, written by BAFTA winner, Dave Ingham and created by BAFTA award winning production studio, ArthurCox.

I love the fact that the Azoomee is suitable for both of my kids as there’s content within that suits all ages, meaning that we don’t need to have two different services running for each of them. At the end of the day, anything that’s able to give parents a little bit of peace of mind is worth every penny in my opinion! Sausage is getting a phone for her birthday (shh! don’t tell!) so this would be the perfect way to ease her into the responsibility of having her own device.

How much does a subscription to Azoomee cost?

Premium (Full access for up to five children in a single family)
  • Monthly subscription: £4.99
  • 6-monthly subscription: £29.95
  • Annual subscription: £44.93 (three months free!)

You can also follow Azoomee on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, or go and have a read of their blog which is packed full of useful info.

Is this the  sort of thing you’d install for your child? Have you already tried Azoomee and love it? Leave me a comment below!

Home

Killing Carpet Stains with Carpetright and Dr. Beckmann

JayneLeave a comment

Being mother, dog owner AND renter of houses means that I am constantly aware of the carpet. Winter is a bad time because it means that every single time the dog leaves the house, I have to clean his feet on the way in so that he doesn’t get mud everywhere. Despite being the clumsiest member of the house (or perhaps BECAUSE of this…) I am constantly worrying about spills and potential stains because it could mean that we lose the deposit we paid when we moved in.

There are obviously gradients of spillage, in terms of how neurotic they make me. Water? Lemonade? Even white wine? Meh, totally dealwithable. Obviously no spills are ideal but anything which is clear or lightly coloured is far less of a stress. Then there’s the other end of the spectrum; tomato sauce, red wine and, dare I say it, vomit. These are the things of which nightmares are made when you’re a mother, dog owner and renter of houses.

Fortunately, Carpetright has teamed up with Dr. Beckmann to put together some really great tips for how to remove some of the most common stains from your carpet, which you can watch below or HERE:

I must admit, I got chills watching that glass of red wine go SPLAT onto the carpet, but I was genuinely impressed at how well the stain was removed. Having said that, I shouldn’t be hugely surprised; I recently had my hair bleached to a very light shade of blonde and if you’ve had platinum hair, you’ll know that the best way to avoid it looking brassy is with a purple shampoo. And if you’re as unlucky as me, you’ll also know that this shampoo will stain pretty much anything it touches, and if you leave the lid off it WILL leak out onto your cream bathroom carpet…AHEM.

Anyway, we just so happened to have a container of Dr. Beckmann Carpet Stain Remover handy and it absolutely annihilated the stain; you can’t even see that there was a mark there in the first place! Obviously, the important lesson there was make sure you replace the lid on your very colourful shampoo, but it’s really nice to know that we’ve got a back-up if I ever have a similar calamity!

Have you ever had a carpet disaster? What’s the thing that you DREAD getting on your carpet the most? Are you also a devotee of Dr. Beckmann products like me? Do leave me a comment below.