the best cleaning hacks and tips for busy parents

The Best Cleaning Hacks and Tips For Busy Parents

*This post contains affiliate links and ads

It’s hard to keep on top of the housework when you are a parent and even harder when you have more than one to clean up after, to make meals for, to entertain not to mention all those extra toys. Cleaning is one of those jobs that we all have to do but it can feel as though it takes up so much of our time… time which should be spent with our little ones. With this in mind, I have asked fellow parents for their top tips so we can share some of the wisdom and lighten our loads with these fantastic cleaning hacks.

Continue reading “The Best Cleaning Hacks and Tips For Busy Parents”
Related Posts:
5 Outdoor Learning Activities for Children
kids playing outdoors

As parents, it is important to keep children in a learning environment throughout their developmental stages. This doesn’t mean keeping Read more

Signs It’s Time To Move: When To Consider A Fresh Start In A New Home
moving home

*Guest post written by Zoe Price Embarking on a fresh start in a new home is a significant decision that Read more

Everything You Should Know About Male Hormonal Imbalance
a man standing looking over mountains

Hormones are the body’s chemical messengers that play an integral in overall health. They are a crucial element of the Read more

How Your Electricals Could Be Significantly Increasing Your Carbon Footprint
an eco light bulb

We are all very aware that we need to reduce our carbon emissions and most people will think of this Read more

what no one tells you about a child

The Things You are Never Told about Having a Child

We all know the cliche’s, we hear all the ‘advice’  and we read all the relevant books but nothing can prepare you for having a child and the joys of parenthood until you experience it firsthand. From here you learn that some of those tips were true… for instance, get your sleep whilst you can, as annoying as it may sound. However, there are many that never even cross others’ lips. Now I don’t know if this is because they don’t wanna worry you or

Continue reading “The Things You are Never Told about Having a Child”
Related Posts:
Essential Adulting Lessons You Need To Teach Your Kids
Mum and 2 children

*Collaborative Post The truism that the hardest job is being a parent has never been more relevant than now. Raising Read more

Unlocking the Reading Spell: Using Harry Potter to Engage Young Readers
Harry Potter train line

In the enchanting world of literature, few series have wielded their magic as effectively as J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter. The Read more

Fitting Kid’s Shoes Yourself
child in adult shoe- fitting kid's shoes

So, I used to work for a very well-known shoe retailer. I worked my way up in the company to Read more

10 Things I’ve Learnt Since Becoming a Mum Again
3 pictures of sons and Mum to show what I've learnt about being a Mum again

Having your first baby is a huge learning curve. The nappies, the sleepless nights, breastfeeding, teething, weaning, learning to leave Read more

chicken pox on a child's back

When Chicken Pox Strikes

Chicken pox has finally reached us after knowing quite a few people coming down with it in the last few months and it hitting pre-school just recently too. It is inevitable when your child comes into close contact with so many other children but it was still a surprise and then the realisation hit that we didn’t actually know anything about what we needed to do.

Continue reading “When Chicken Pox Strikes”
Related Posts:
7 Chicken Pox Survival Activities Tried and Tested
chicken pox survival collage

If you are a regular reader of my blog you will know that last week we were hit with the Read more

How To Make Homemade Playdough
homemade playdough

Playdough is a great activity for a wide range of ages. It sparks the imagination, it allows children to be Read more

Home Play Ideas For 2-Year-Olds
a toddler using wooden toys as a play idea

*Affiliate Links Being stuck at home with a 2-year-old can be tough at times but you really can't go out Read more

11 Fun Space Themed Home Learning Activities
our space themed home learning area

*Contains Affiliate links Even though home learning was sprung on us due to the Covid-19 lockdown, I've actually found it Read more

album cover of belightful music

How We Have Been Tackling Bedtime With Belightful Music

*Gifted Product

As you are probably aware by now, Jake does not sleep well. The issues vary from refusing to go to bed, getting up several times once we have put him to bed to waking up at a variety times during the night. There is no rhyme or reason, the health visitor could not solve the issue by changing meal times, varying his food or by introducing a gro-clock and as he doesn’t do it at the same time every night so it isn’t a habitual issue. I have tried every trick in the book, even resorting to

Continue reading “How We Have Been Tackling Bedtime With Belightful Music”
Related Posts:
Why I’ve Never Written A Birth Plan And Never Will
baby's feet wrapped in a white sheet maybe just after birth

When I was pregnant the first time around I remember being asked quite early on to write out my birth Read more

Being a Mum Without a Mum
being a mum without a mum

Becoming a Mum was the one thing in life that I was always certain about. Having been brought up surrounded Read more

Starting Swimming Lessons For My 4 Year Old With Turtle Tots
3 images of a child and Mum having swimming lessons

Swimming has always been an activity that I have done with my children from an early age. It is something Read more

How To Help Your Teen Live Their Dreams
Mum and teen

*Collaborative Post As our kids get older, it’s easy to think that our support is no longer required. You couldn’t Read more

mum and baby in hospital

First Time Parents: my little bit of advice

If you are expecting for the first time you may have a thousand questions, secret worries and be feeling bogged down with information coming from all directions. Suddenly everybody is a baby expert and thinks they know best. There are hundreds of baby books in the shops, classes to attend and health visitor leaflets. How can you take it all in? Well, here’s my little bit of advice for first time parents on how to get through it all and which parts actually may work for you:

Continue reading “First Time Parents: my little bit of advice”
Related Posts:
Using Cloth Nappies on Holiday
cloth nappies in a suitcase with the text using cloth nappies on holiday

When it comes to using cloth nappies, I use them full-time for my son so when I go on holiday Read more

Sustainable Christmas Gift Ideas From For First Steps
sustainable Christmas gift ideas from for first steps

Christmas is just around the corner and if you are anything like me, you will be starting to wonder what Read more

Pumpkin Picking at Pickwell Farm
pumpkin picking at pickwell farm

As Instagram and Facebook have slowly been filling up with beautiful pictures of pumpkin patches I felt as though I Read more

How Divorced Parents Can Make Holidays Special for Their Kids
christmas tree

Holidays can be a magical time for children, but for divorced parents, making the season special may require extra effort. Read more

collage of family on a plane flying to Zante

Top tips for flying with your child

As I write this I am sat happily and safely in a villa in Zante. I say safely because I can admit that a small part of me was bricking it about flying after so many recent devastating events which have happened all over the world. Maybe I wouldn’t have been quite so concerned if I didn’t have a child; it does seem as though dangers are now much more heightened in my mind with having a little person to protect.

Anyway, we are here and Jake’s first

Continue reading “Top tips for flying with your child”
Related Posts:
Flying with a Baby Checklist
flying with a baby checklist written on a skyline with a plane

We are about to embark on our very first holiday abroad with a baby. We first took Jake aged 2 Read more

What Can I Expect When Flying with a Baby?
flying with a baby, mum and baby

This is probably the most common question I googled prior to our family holiday this year; 'What can I expect Read more

My Tips For Coping With Flying Guilt In An Eco-Conscious World
plane wing in a blue sky with a few clouds

As you all know, I have become far more eco-conscious over the last two years and as I continue to Read more

Kids Will Be Kids, Even On Holiday!
child on a beach with his arms up in the air

Unless you haven't been following me for very long, you'll know that we have just had the holiday of a Read more

collage of your teething baby

‘Your Teething Baby’ sneak peek

I wanted to give you a little sneak peek of my book Your Teething Baby, from one parent to another, to help you to understand what it covers and how it can benefit you. Here are some of the sections and snippets for you to enjoy.

Introduction:

(A snippet of the intro)

Why Teething?
From the moment that you discover you are pregnant you find yourself inundated with information. This ranges from how long you may get morning sickness for, to what to expect at your scan, what products you should be buying and reading many pregnancy books; as well as taking in every bit of advice you possibly can from those who have been there before. We attend antenatal classes to prepare for the birth and once baby is here there is support from midwives and health visitors. You find out all about breastfeeding, bottle feeding, nappy changes, weight gains or weight losses and postnatal depression; all of which is vital information when becoming a parent – especially if it’s your first time. I, however, feel that one area is overlooked and for some families it is a very big milestone which can take over both yours and your baby’s life………… Teething.

Continue reading “‘Your Teething Baby’ sneak peek”
Related Posts:
Is My Baby Teething?
teething baby

Ahh, one of the most common questions that seems to come up in parenting groups and I'm sure it is Read more

13 Natural Teething Remedies to Help Your Baby
teething baby with finger in his mouth

Are you in the throes of teething? I am, for the second time... sigh. He only has 2 at the Read more

The Perfect Bedtime Routine for Your Teething Baby
The perfect bedtime routine for your teething baby text over three images of a teething baby

As you know, a teething baby is hard work at bedtime. The pain tends to wake them more often, their Read more

Breastfeeding and Teething
breastfeeding and teething, baby with a smile and teeth showing

Breastfeeding and teething are topics that are covered quite a bit in articles and via parenting sites. We usually talk Read more