preparing your child for the start of reception year

Preparing Your Child For The Start of Reception Year

In a few weeks time, back to school will be upon us and for some children and parents, it will be the start of a brand new journey. The start of reception year. This was us this time last year and I remember all of those feelings all too well.

Nerves, excited, niggling worries, apprehension, so many questions… and most of this can’t be answered by other people because, as you’ll see, each child will take to reception differently and it’s not until you are in there and doing it that you’ll be able to gauge how this year is going to go. All you can do for now is prepare both yourself and your child the best you can.

Continue reading “Preparing Your Child For The Start of Reception Year”
Related Posts:
Review: Life’s Little Bugs
lifes little bugs logo

*Gifted Products As soon as I heard of the concept of the Life's Little Bugs books I just knew they Read more

What Kids Actually Need for School Band Performances
a brass instrument being played

The first school band performance sneaks up on parents fast. One week your kid is practicing "Hot Cross Buns" in Read more

The Benefits of Taking Your Baby Swimming
swimming tacher holding a watering can up for baby in pool

When I became a Mum the first time around there were many changes in my life and I'm not just Read more

5 Key Features for a Child-Friendly Bathroom
baby in a bath

Are your children approaching the age when they will be able to use the bathroom independently? This is an exciting Read more

blackboard with the words homework written on it

I Don’t Agree With Primary School Homework And Here’s Why

I’ve not had any experience with Primary Schools since I was in one myself which, er, is a while back now! So, when Jake started last September I hadn’t really thought about how much they would have changed. I knew that their equipment would be better, that their knowledge of how children learn would be far improved, that the school dinners would be much healthier and the trips would be more interesting but one area I hadn’t banked on was homework.

Continue reading “I Don’t Agree With Primary School Homework And Here’s Why”
Related Posts:
6 Ways To Help Your Kids Get To Sleep
a sleeping baby

*Collaborative Post Most parents go through the difficult phase of getting their little ones to drift off to sleep. While Read more

9 Strategies for Co-Parenting That Put Kids First
kid and parents at brekkie

The relationship ended, but parenting didn’t. Now what? Your child’s life doesn’t pause every time custody swaps. Co-parenting means syncing, Read more

8 Fantastic STEM Toys To Educate And Entertain
8 fantastic stem toys to educate and entertain

*Ad If you're anything like me, you've probably accumulated an awful lot of toys over the years. A combination of Read more

Our Morning Routine – No Frills, Plenty of Spills, Plus a Dash of Shouting!
3 alarm clocks, one laughing, one worried one crying, like us on the morning routine school run

Have you ever sat down and watched those YouTube videos that are solely dedicated to a morning routine? I have Read more

child's foot in the sea

Using Mindfulness To Achieve Some Zen After School

If you have followed me for a while now, you will know that Jake started school last September and that the transition has been somewhat difficult for both of us. The daily school runs, the intensity of school work, the extra intensity of homework, the tiredness, the endless stuff coming through on parentmail… Urgh, it’s been overwhelming. Once the Christmas holidays hit we were most definitely all done in.

Continue reading “Using Mindfulness To Achieve Some Zen After School”
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

Our New Routine: The Start of Pre-School
pre school days across 3 pictures of boy by door

You may remember how just over a month ago I was upset at the thought of losing my little guy Read more

What Parents Need to Know About Growth Hormone Deficiency
kids laying down

Growth is one of the most important indicators of a child’s health and development. For most children, growth happens naturally, Read more

Our Turtle Tots Journey So Far #bringonthesmiles
Turtle Tots swimming lessons #bringonthesmiles

*Ambassadorship I still cannot believe that we were lucky enough to be picked as this year's Brand Ambassadors for Turtle Read more

mum and child in the sea at sunset on holiday

Why We Are Taking Our Child Out Of School To Go On Holiday

Ok, so as you know by now we are off to Florida in March. What I haven’t mentioned is the fact that we are going during term time and so we will be taking Jake out of school but there are good reasons for this. No, they may not be good enough for the school or Government to accept but for us, we need to do this.

You see, what they may not class as exceptional circumstances

Continue reading “Why We Are Taking Our Child Out Of School To Go On Holiday”
Related Posts:
Get Creative: Parents Need Hobbies Too
paints

*Collaborative Post If you’re a parent then you probably spend a lot of time buying glitter, clay, paint, and other Read more

Family-Friendly Fun: Why Britannia Bus Tours Are Great for Kids
britannia bus tour

A Journey Designed for Young Explorers Traveling with children can be both exciting and challenging. Parents often seek experiences that Read more

5 Things You Can Guarantee Will Happen At Soft Play
soft play balls with the words 5 things you can guarantee will happen at soft play

I haven't written a soft play post for a bit (because I really do hate the places) but I did actually Read more

Why Static Caravan Holidays Are a Popular Choice for UK Staycations
caravan park

We need our staycations when we need to take a break. When life starts feeling too regular and stuck. It’s Read more

child starting school

What To Really Expect When Your Child Starts School

Ok, we have survived a term and school is now back after the Christmas break. So, after going through what we have found to be a very tricky transition (yep, both of us!) I decided to share with you lovely lot who are completing your application forms what to REALLY expect when your child starts school. Because let’s face it, there is plenty that the school will not tell you at the parent’s evenings, there will be areas that are quickly glossed over and there are things that just simply get missed or do not seem quite as important, but as I have found out, what isn’t a big deal to some may be a big deal to you.

Continue reading “What To Really Expect When Your Child Starts School”
Related Posts:
How Dynamic Learning Environments Foster Growth in Doral Preschools
kids at pre school

Early education shapes the way children think, feel, and interact with the world around them. Families searching for quality options Read more

Don’t Stress New Mama, You’ve Got This!
baby drinking from bottle Mama holding it

The step into Motherhood is an exciting one, it's what you've been waiting for, for 9 long months but what Read more

Choosing a High-Quality Preschool: 5 Things Parents Must Compare
a child drawing

More than 2,000 childcare providers now take part in Colorado's Universal Preschool program, giving families more options than at any Read more

5 Ways To Teach Your Children About The Environment During The Summer Holidays
mum and 2 kids on a walk in a forest

The summer holidays are here and this quite often means a lot of downtime, play, screen time and your annual Read more

crayons with the text Everybody Told Me To Prepare My Child For School... But Nobody Prepared Me!

Everybody Told Me To Prepare My Child For School… But Nobody Prepared Me!

School.

It was something I was dreading. The main reason being because I knew I was going to miss my boy so much in the week, that, and the daily school run (It was bad enough 3 days a week I couldn’t imagine adding another 2). I’d had my tears at the pre-school concert, I’d cried at the staff members as we said goodbye and I sobbed far too much opening paperwork for school. However, I hid my upset about this big change and put on my big girl pants in front of Jake and got on with being smiley, chirpy Mummy who was ‘super excited’ for him.

Continue reading “Everybody Told Me To Prepare My Child For School… But Nobody Prepared Me!”
Related Posts:
Top Picks for the Best Personalized Newborn Gifts for 2024
newborn

The arrival of a new baby is a wonderful event, and selecting the right gift to celebrate this occasion can Read more

5 Essential Postpartum Products – The Reusable Edition!
a newborn baby in a reusable nappy

*Contains affiliate links Having had 2 babies myself, I am very used to clicking on articles like this only to Read more

Creative Ways to Encourage Kids to Learn and Grow
kids drawing

Fostering a love of learning in children is one of the most valuable gifts we can offer. However, keeping kids Read more

How to Choose the Right Nursery School: A Parent’s Complete Guide to Early Years Education
nursery school

What Makes a Quality Nursery School? Key Factors Every Parent Should Know Choosing the right nursery school for your child Read more

school photo plus photos of me and Jake

Dear Son, Somehow it is Time for School…

Dear Jake,

Somehow it is time for school and I know that you’re ready… but am I?

I couldn’t let this huge milestone pass without writing down how I feel about this whole new transition yet I have sat here staring at a blank screen for a while now and I just don’t know where to start. 

Continue reading “Dear Son, Somehow it is Time for School…”
Related Posts:
The Benefits of Teaching Kids About Sustainable Eating
sustainable fruit and veg in a basket

Sustainable eating may soon become standard practice in many areas of the world, so it’s important to introduce the concept Read more

Five Parental Traits You Need To Support Your Addicted Child
a child addict

Addiction is something that’s becoming more and more of a problem across the UK and it’s affecting a wealth of Read more

10 Outdoor Activities To Do With Your Kids In The Winter
images of outdoor activities

After the popularity of my post 10 Activities To Do With Your Kids In The Winter, I thought I would follow it Read more

How To Use Reusable Baby Wipes Out and About
baby out in the woods sat down in hat and coat

Making any switch from something which you may have always deemed as convenient to something completely new may seem very Read more