Mamma Fairy

Are your bills and debts starting to have an adverse effect on your health? Do you constantly find yourself worrying and stressing about financial issues? That’s no way to live… which is why you should take a stand against this plight. You don’t have to be weighed down by money problems — no matter what state your finances are currently in, you have the opportunity to enjoy true fiscal freedom!

If you’re to regain a sense of freedom when it comes to your money, you’re going to need to reduce your day-to-day cost of living. To find two things you must do to achieve this crucial feat, be sure to read on.

Reduce your tax payments

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Regardless of what size house you live in, what car you drive, or how big your monthly wage packet is, you need to keep on top of your tax payments. This is deemed a quintessential component of your cost of living, which means that there really is no way for you to get around it. 

However, this does not necessarily mean that you have to be crippled by tax demands on an annual basis. There are a whole host of things that you can do to keep your payments down to the bare minimum in this instance, one of the most straightforward and effective being to donate your unwanted car to a charitable foundation such as Rawhide Youth Services. In return for taking advantage of their not-for-profit vehicle donations services, you will be granted a sizeable deduction on your tax bill. What’s more, taking this course of action will help you play an active role in supporting today’s youth. It really is a win-win situation!

Cut your food costs

Food is another necessity that you cannot avoid paying for. Fear not, though, as there ways to slash your day-to-day expenses in this instance.

Here are seven things you can do to cut your food costs:

1. Base your meal choices around what you already have available to you in your cupboards
2. Become a better cook and learn to whip up staple dinners from scratch (once you master the culinary arts in this sense, you will find it easier to serve bigger portions and save money at the same time)
3. Reduce the amount of meat that you and your family consumes on a weekly basis (there are plenty of cost-effective vegetarian dishes out there that pack a protein punch)
4. Draw up a seven-day meal plan every Sunday
5. Whenever you choose to treat yourself to a takeaway dish (rest assured, you can indulge now and again!), be sure to scour the web for amazing deals and discounts
6. NEVER step foot in the grocery store when you’re hungry (this will result in your buying anything and everything just to suffice your short-term eating urges)
7. Don’t be fooled into thinking the bargain section is your hold grail (a product is only a bargain if you actually make use of it going forward)

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Learning a new language from a young age not only prepares children for studying languages at school, but it also improves their overall learning abilities. Studies show that multilingual children have enhanced critical thinking and creativity skills. Furthermore, language skills can lead to more career opportunities in the future.

If you are looking for some advice on how to help your child learn a new language, here are some great tips from an independent school in London…

Language practice

To help your child learn a new language, you will need to encourage them to practice daily. This can be done at home using books and online resources, or you could enrol your child in a local language class. Another helpful idea for home learning is using translation posters or sticky labels around your house. This will help your child to memorise words and enrich their new vocabulary.

Online learning

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There are lots of fantastic language learning resources available online. Many are free and very easy for children to use. These are a great way to encourage learning through fun and interactive games. Help your child to get set up on your computer, or download an app onto your smart phone or tablet. This way you can take their language learning with you wherever you go.

Television

Foreign-language television programmes can be really useful for children’s language learning. Your child will be able to follow along visually, whilst listening to natural conversation and pause or rewind where necessary. This learning technique will help to improve your child’s pronunciation and sentence structure.

Music

Finally, music is an ideal way to teach children new languages. Studies have shown that listening to songs and singing along helps children to memorise the lyrics. So, why not use the power of music to help your child memorise a new language? If you have younger children you could introduce them to nursery rhymes in your chosen language.

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Choosing GCSE subjects is an exciting milestone for children; however it can cause a mixture of emotions. It is exciting because children now have the chance to tailor their education around what they enjoy and what they are good at, but it can also cause feelings of anxiety because children worry about how their choices will affect their future.

An independent college in Bath believes that parental support is one of the most important factors at this time. They have helped to put together this helpful advice to help your children with their GCSE choices…

Reassurance

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If your child is feeling worried about choosing their GCSEs it is important to take some time to reassure them. Help them to think positively about this new chapter in their education. Remind them that it is an exciting opportunity to focus on the subjects they enjoy the most. The subjects they choose now could even help to form the foundations of their future career.

Conversations

Talk to your child about their options and discuss their favourite and least favourite subjects. This is really important when choosing their GCSEs, because enjoyment of a subject will lead to the best results. It is also a good idea to talk about what they wish to do after school, such as university or a particular career interest. These kinds of conversations will prompt your child to think about their academic strengths and how they could benefit their future.

Research

If your child does have a particular career interest, it can be helpful to research the qualifications required in order to secure a role in that industry. However, it is also important to encourage your child to select a variety of subjects to help them explore and develop a wide range of skills. In doing so, they are keeping their options open in case they change their mind about their career later on.

One of the best things you can do for your child to help them decide on their GCSE’s is collect as much information as possible. Relevant information from the school and online research will help to make the decision making process as stress free as possible. 

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It isn’t always easy to encourage your child to do their homework; however there are ways that parents can help to make home learning feel more fun.

Follow these helpful strategies from an independent school in Essex to help motivate your child to do their homework…

Create a study space

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To help your child feel organised and inspired to learn, you could create a special space in your home for them to study. Set up a desk area with storage, new stationary and craft supplies. This will help to make the idea of homework seem much more fun. It can also be useful to add a family calendar to the wall to keep track of school activities and events. Your child can use this calendar to add their homework deadlines and any upcoming exam dates.

Join in

Share ‘study time’ with your son or daughter by using it as an opportunity to catch up on some of your own tasks. You could even take an online learning class or use the time for a creative hobby. Sit together in the same room as your child while they complete homework and bring a bowl of snacks to enjoy together. This will not only mean that you are close by if they need your help, but it will also make ‘study time’ feel special.

Make memories

If your child is studying a particular topic at school, you could help to make their learning more fun by organising an educational day out. This could be to a museum, art gallery or a local park. Learning outside of school offers a number of benefits to your child’s education and it will also help to inspire them. Furthermore, a fun family day out will allow you to make some lasting memories.

Show your support

Finally, the more supported a child feels at home, the better you will find they perform at school. Help your child to value their education by demonstrating a positive attitude towards learning. Show your support at home by helping with school projects, quizzing your child on school topics, finding interesting documentaries to watch and praising your child for their school achievements.

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The first and most basic answer to this question is a simple one: it is required if practitioners want to keep their childcare licence! The second and less basic answer is a more nuanced one – let us take a look at why practitioners track children’s progress and why it is laudable that they continue to do so.

Early Problem Detection

Even the most well-meaning parents can sometimes cover up for their children missing important milestones, because they fear their child will be humiliated by being ‘held back’, because of personal pride, or for any of a number of unfounded reasons, many of them not clearly thought out, but all having the same result: losing the chance for early intervention. While it is certainly true that all children develop at their own rate, there comes a time when ‘late development’ should perhaps be re-labelled into something a little more serious – or at least, something in which remedial action is strongly recommended and enacted. The EYFS tracking program was introduced to help nursery teachers and assistants to pick up on the point where ‘nothing to worry about’ turns into ‘a minor point of concern’ in a timely enough manner that the child’s needs can be catered for.

Painless Remediation

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When children well over the age of five are found to be in need of remedial lessons, be it in speech, reading and writing, or numeracy, they can feel humiliated, as though they have been targeted for being different. Sometimes they will feel stupid or slow, and their self-confidence can plummet. School attendance, at this point, will often begin to show the early signs of truancy – sometimes accompanied by parental collusion, as, unable to face another morning tantrum, the parents allow their children to call in sick. From this point, it can become a nightmare for all parties: the parents feel helpless and guilty and can lash out at the school; the teachers can feel beleaguered, often with meagre resources earmarked for far more pupils than they can sustain, and the child’s mortification can worsen.

EYFS can prevent much of this heartache by spotting problems before they become embedded, reassuring parents that it is not their fault as well as teaching them coping techniques, and generally preparing the way for the child to head into the mainstream school system with a strong support system in place.

Adding to the Data

Another excellent reason for tracking children’s progress is to add to the data. The more information that can be gathered using software like https://tinytracker.co.uk/, the better understanding the authorities can gain of exactly how children develop, what delays or slows that development, and what steps, if any, can be taken to ensure that the child is given as best a chance of success in mainstream education as possible.

While it is a legal requirement that registered nurseries and childcare providers use the EYFS programme, the reasons for doing so are laudable and worthy of adherence. Why do practitioners track children’s progress? Because it helps every child have a successful education – which offers tremendous hope for their future lives.

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Have you thought about travelling alone? Of course, due to Covid-19, travel is somewhat restricted right now, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start thinking about the next time you head overseas. Maybe it’s something you’ve always wanted to do, or perhaps you want to leave your 9-5 behind and see what the rest of the world has to offer. Whatever your reasons for travelling, those who decide to go it alone are going to need lots of time to plan their dream trip, along with plenty of confidence.

The idea of travelling solo can seem daunting. However, it’s worth remembering that every time we face a fear, we get a little stronger! Whether you’re worried about navigating the airport alone, flying long-haul solo, or you’re worried about your physical health and safety whilst overseas, experienced solo travellers would argue that the best way to boost your confidence is to simply go for it! And in the meantime, check out these helpful travel tips that will help you travel with confidence this year.

Know your consumer rights 

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You’re probably aware of how fraught the travel industry is right now. Covid-19 means that flights and holidays can be cancelled at any moment. Whether your trip is over a year away or you’re due to fly out this afternoon, it’s not easy to predict what is going to happen next. Understanding your consumer rights can give you the confidence to book your next trip, safe in the knowledge you’ll be able to get a full refund if necessary. Creditfix have created an infographic to help you understand your rights and what to do in the event of a holiday cancellation. Click the link to find out more. Knowing that you’re protected financially in the event of a cancellation or travel disruption will certainly give you peace of mind.

Conduct plenty of research

Don’t worry about spoiling the “magic” of your destination. Researching your destination is incredibly smart and will give you the information you need to make informed decisions about where you’re going to visit, where to stay, where to avoid and how to stay safe. From dress codes to common street scams, tourist hotspots and public transport advice. Conducting research will give you the confidence you need to take your first solo steps overseas.

Keep communication open

Being able to communicate with your loved ones back home will give you (and them) peace of mind. Research how you’re going to keep in touch whilst you’re overseas. Find out about the internet connectivity of your destination. Make sure your smart devices can connect whilst you’re abroad and let your family know when to expect communications from you. 

Don’t pressure yourself

While immersing yourself into a new culture is what travelling is all about, don’t be afraid to take comfort in your favourite things. Whether it’s cancelling activities to enjoy reading a book in your hotel room or visiting an international fast-food chain to enjoy a meal you’re familiar with, shopping homegrown brands for swimwear and other travel outfit essentials, don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Indulging in home-comforts will give you a much-needed confidence boost, no matter where you are in the world. 

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