Mamma Musings

It is known that children have always enjoyed getting messy — from splashing in puddles to playing games in the mud, youngsters love getting their hands dirty! Often, we let children discover these new environments themselves. However, messy play can be beneficial for babies and toddlers too, in fact it can help with their cognitive development in many ways. Together with Infinite Playgrounds, designers of wooden playgrounds and advocates of sensory play, we take a closer look at messy play and how it can be implemented in schools and nurseries.

What is it?

Pic Credit: Pixabay

Messy play is all about allowing children to experience and explore objects that they aren’t always exposed to. It involves playing with anything that gets messy! This could be sand, water, chalk, paint or playdough. There are now many playgroups set up with messy play as the focus as the benefits have become widely recognised.

Often when parents play with their children, it is structured play with a target in mind — for example, pressing buttons to make the toy light up or make a sound. Messy play is different, as it is unstructured and allows the child to use their own imagination and explore new materials without any end goal.

This sort of play can support physical development too. As children create shapes with the materials, they are using their arms and they might push things around with their feet.

What are the benefits?

There are many benefits for children when they engage with messy play.   For children with special educational needs or disabilities, messy play is a good way for them to

Pic Credit: Pixabay

 interact with other children by communicating in different ways. They may be slower at reading or speaking but can join in with messy play. It can encourage children to develop the ability of creating signs and starting to write as well. By drawing pictures and shapes in the materials such as sand, they begin to discover their hands as writing tools and experiment with what they can do. This practice also allows them to build up their finger and arm muscles, which can be useful when children begin to pick up a pen.

Unstructured play in general allows toddlers and children to explore their imagination and practise concentration. As they come up with their own games or focus on moving the materials around, they learn more about how their bodies work and their spatial awareness improves.  Playing with the materials also allows the child to practice their fine motor skills and develop their hand-eye coordination. This goes on to improve their abilities in sports and involvement in games in the future.  Research has proven that toddlers are quicker to learn about solid objects due to their unchanging size and shape. Exposing children to soft materials allows them to learn more about non-solid materials and broaden their knowledge. It also allows them to compare and understand textures. For example, two things may look the same from afar but when they interact with them and touch them, they can understand the difference.

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You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth – Kahlil Gibran

Probably around this time last year I joined Donna from What the Redhead Said linkie – known as Living Arrows where each week you share a photo from the week which celebrates childhood. I don’t know exactly why but this link up speaks to me! I love what it stands for and love the quote above that gave Donna the inspiration to start this. For the week that’s in it this weeks photo is of my oldest as he prepares to return to school this week. I always feel like this week is a bit bitter sweet, yes to getting back to normality and a set routine but no to missing so much time with my pair. An additional challenges that comes with starting school is the change in childcare arrangements, resources such as toddle can be a massive help with this.

For me this photo sums up a lot about him, while you cant see his face you can see the concentration in his gesture. He is so like me in many ways. He likes to be prepared.  He loves PJ Masks and being surrounded by his favourites is sure to help instil some superpowers of his own in him.

Its such new territory for them and hopefully familiarity and self belief will help them be brave on their new journey just like his favourite superhero CatBoy.  He likes to call me Owlette, which im hoping is become his mamma has her own superpowers to help him in any and every way she can.

Good luck to everybody starting or returning to school this week, in the words of Oprah – “education is the key to unlocking the world, a passport to freedom”

I was reading back over some old blog posts and realised I share loads of what the kids like or our travel adventures but very little about what I like or love (kids and travel aside!!). So I thought id share some of the current things im really loving. This isnt a review post it just a random collection of things that I liked or loved of the last few months:

Shoes, shoes and more shoes

• Hot, hot, Hotter……

I just love shoes, for me they make or break an outfit. I’m on the go constantly either running with kids to school, activities or  to work myself.  I’m always in heels in the office but I badly needed a pair of dressy but comfortable shoes to run between the office, meetings, pick ups etc.  This summer I was introduced to the wonderful collection of Hotter Shoes  they are insanely comfortable and dressy at the same time.  I wanted flat shoes that were stylish but didn’t look too mumsy if you know what I mean. I have Natalia in black and brown and trust me you will not find a comfier dressy work shoe. Coming in a little hefty a price tag but they are so comfortable and durable and for me anyway, well worth the extra spend.

• Skechers for Style….

Staying with shoes, while shopping for the kids school shoes in Skechers, out of the corner of my eye I caught these bad boys. I honestly didn’t know Skechers do “street style” shoes (their words not mine!).  Just look at these I mean how could you not get them?

Aside from being ultra stylish they are staying true to brand and are uber comfy. The sales assistant in Liffey Valley very helpfully advised me to go down a size and she was of course totally correct. I’m usually a 6 but these fit like a glove in a size 5. I feel so stylish wearing them.  Only issue now is I want them all. Lots of different types to choose from.  Have a nosey on their website so many types to choose from.

Blue Jean Girl

I am and probably always will be a jeans girl, love them in all styles, colours, types.  Comfort is king when im running about so im always trying out new brands and really putting them through their paces.  I suppose what I love most about jeans is that you can either dress them up or down so easily.  One of my current favourites are jeans from Esprit they also do some fab office wear if you are in the market for nice cut office dresses and trousers/ blazer coordinates.

Accessories 

While not really an accessories girl, I favour keeping it simple. I love a nice watch and im so in love with my birthday present from The Dada Fairy.  Its a rose gold watch from Adexe London.  How stylish is this?  It really dresses up an outfit. The rose gold trend shows no sign of abating and ive totally jumped on the trend ban wagon between my skechers and my watch!!

Never realised I was a tend follower!!

Lotions and Potions 

My skin care routine is simple! We only have the one so I do try to look after it and I don’t mind spending on products that do work.  For the last 3 months I have been using Clarins extra firming night and day cream. I love love love this. The texture is so lovely and a small bit really does go a long way.   I cleanse with the Clarins gentle foaming cleanser again love the texture of this and its not drying at all. I have combination skin so it can be hard to find products that really work.  I’m still clinging hard to that youthful glow so I really feel I have found products that not only work but suit my skin.

I’m probably 3 or 4 months at this routine while be no means am I that regimented that I don’t miss a night or a day using the products I do try to do it daily and nightly.   The price tag is hefty at around €60 each but do bear in mind a little goes a very long way.  It really works for me.  I would advise if you aren’t sure which products to go for id pop in to one of their counters for a chat. I have been to the one in both Debenhams and Arnotts in Dublin and found staff in both very helpful. Don’t be afraid to ask for some sample and go home and try them for a file. At €60 a pop these products are investments and you do want to be sure they work for you.

Image by LR Annie Spratt via Flickr

A lot of people will inherit antiques and old furniture from family and loved ones when they pass away. We often do not have a lot of room for other people’s possessions in our home, so one alternative is to sell these unwanted items. You can get some excellent advice on the value of old things on the Forbes website, and below you can read more about valuing your silver that you want to sell. Knowing the value of silver antiques is also helpful when you’re purchasing such antique pieces online or from your local antique dealer. The price of an item will not only be dictated by the current market price of silver, but also of the rarity of the object itself, and there are a few considerations that you need to consider.

Silver Plated Objects

If you have any silver that you want to know the value of, the first thing that you will need to do is find out if it is silver plated or not. Silver plating is when a base metal is used which is of a lower value, and then a layer of silver is added creating the illusion that the object is solid silver. You can often tell by picking up an item if it is solid silver or not, as silver-plated objects are usually lighter than solid silver ones. If you are in any doubt, you will be able to take the object to a local jeweller or pawn shop, and they will be able to confirm whether it is silver plated or not.

Sterling Silver

If you have sterling silver items, then these will be solid silver and should also have a hallmark confirming as such. Solid silver pieces will usually either be pure silver or made up of 0.925 parts silver, with 0.075 parts copper. You may see any of the following marks on the silver to confirm its purity;

• Sterling
• 925/1000
• 0.925

If you have solid silver objects such as antique silver, then the value is going to be a lot more than if the item was plated.

The Current Price Of Silver

The next thing that you will need to do is to work out the weight of the silver you have and look at the current prices of silver. You can get the latest market prices on the Bloomberg website, which is regularly updated as the market price changes. When you know the weight of the silver and the current price, you will be able to work out a rough value.

Additional Factors To Consider

There are other factors that you need to consider when trying to value silver. If you are going to sell your silver to someone like a precious metal dealer or a pawn shop, they will often charge you a smelting fee to melt the silver down and recycle it. Another consideration is the aesthetic value of the piece, as you could have silver jewellery that is worth more than the scrap value as it is rare, exquisite, or just beautiful. You could find that someone is willing to pay a little more for the item as they have fallen in love with it. As such, if you do look to sell your silver, you may wish to try selling it privately to a collector before using the services of a pawn shop, depending on how quickly you need the cash.

Note: This is a collaborative post

This story was prompted by a video I saw recently, talking about Untold Stories. I have a story quite similar, but I was almost afraid to share it  as I though my story isn’t about overcoming adversity, or  health issues or traumas.

My story is old school romance that would warm even the coldest of hearts.  There are people in this world who leave a lasting impression where ever they go and with whomever they meet.  This story is about two of those people.

Take a seat! Make a cuppa and grab some tissues.

Ill set the scene – its the early 1950s bad boy meet upper class girl, girls family disapprove. Bad boy gets the hint and runs away to the Navy.  Lets roll on five years.  Bad boy returns to his old stomping group and bumps into said girl. She is upset, very upset. She was engaged to be married the following month. She had just found out her husband to be had a gambling problem and had just sold the furniture of the house they had planned to move into when they got married to pay his debts. She was distraught.  She is comforted by bad boy, two years later they were married and thus began one of the most romantic love stories.

So who are they? They are my dads parents my Nannie and Granada. Their remarkable love story doesn’t end there.

They were the epitome of the popular hash tag used today of “couple goals”. My Granada had a deep love and respect for my Nannie that reflected in everything he did. She got breakfast in bed  almost every morning, her toast cut just the way she liked it.  He opened doors, he pulled out chairs, a gentleman through and through.  If my two boys grow up to respect woman even half of what he did ill know I did my job well.

Lets jump to the 1980s their two kids grown up and married themselves (one being my own dad). The house now empty except when the growing number of grandchildren come to visit to be utterly spoilt.  One morning my Nannie was outside cleaning as she would have done probably every day, she was incredibly house proud. You could have ate your dinner off the glistening floor.  However this day was different, having finished clearing the back garden she looked down and her wedding ring was gone.  She always took off her engagement ring for safe keeping when she was cleaning but never her wedding ring.  In fact she often said she never took it off from the minute my Granda put it on her finger when saying their vows all those years ago. But it was gone. She was utterly distraught.  My Granda searched, the neighbours searched but it was not to be the ring was gone. My Granda bought a replacement ring a couple of months later.  While my Nannie wore it everyday it just wasn’t the same for her. She always believed she would find her wedding ring, countless hours weren’t spent over the next few years looking for it out the back garden in the vain hope her instinct was right.  When she told the story I used to remark she would say the ring was misplaced – not lost, just misplaced.

Ten years later and my Grandas world came crashing down, my Nannie, his beloved wife passed away. I was only young yet I remember it like it was yesterday. My Granda gave me the locket that he gave her before they got married, the date of July 1956 inscribed on the front and black and white pictures of my grandparents when they were 21.  That is my most treasured possession.

Pic Credit: Pixabay

From memory it was about two years later when my Dad came running in from the hall way after being on the house phone. My Granda had been out cleaning the shores in his back garden that had become blocked and had found my Nannies wedding ring.  That same shore my Nannie had cleaned multiple times over the previous ten years. None of us could believe it but she was totally right all along, it was never lost, just misplaced.  For a ring that had spent ten years lodged in an outside drain it was still in almost perfect condition.   I actually have tears in my eyes just thinking of this story again.

The ring had been sitting in a little crack just below the shore in their back garden all this time, it was like something out of  movie. It was like a dark cloud lifted from my Granda and from that house that they spent so many happy years.  That was the turning point, he knew then everything was going to be ok.  She was watching over him. He guarded that ring with his life from that point on ward.

My Granda, my best friend passed away in 2015.  I have written about him before.  He was the kind of man that left a lasting impression wherever he went. What I would give for five minutes more.  Maybe one day who knows.  As I write this post that ring that has been on quite the adventure sit proudly on my right hand where it will forever stay until I can pass it to the next generation. That ring could tell some stories…

When my Granda died a good friend bought me a  necklace with the words “Miss me but let me go”, my Grandas last words to me were not to worry that he was ready to go that he lived his life and I was to make sure i did too…….I do try to follow these words…… the missing you is easy its the letting go that will never be.

I guess there is a lesson for us all there.  Life is to be lived – there is no trial run, no second chance.

People always tell you that you need to pay your credit card bills on time and in full to avoid late fees. After all, you can actually be charged a late fee mere minutes after your payment is due. However, most of us know this already.

But there are other ways to keep yourself financially stable – and even earn a few dollars in the process. In order to help you stay financially healthy, here are three specific credit card tips that will probably surprise you.

Don’t Forget to Collect Cash When You Spend

Just like small businesses select credit card processing companies, you have to pick your credit card carefully. Simply put, you need a card that suits your personal needs. For instance, if you charge in a ton of different places, you should consider getting a standard cash-back credit card.

Pic Credit: Pixabay

Although some people are not aware of it, these cards can even put some money back in your pockets. Some pay you up to 3% on everything you charge, others offer around 5% on some spending categories. So if you spend 10,000 dollars on groceries yearly, like most families do, you’re looking at 300 dollars.  

Paying just the Minimum is Definitely Not a Good Idea

Paying the minimum is better nothing, however, it can also keep you in debt for a long time. What’s more, paying the minimum will probably significantly increase the interest revenue for your credit company. If you still don’t understand just how important this is, here’s an example that will illustrate our point.

If you own 10,000 dollars on your card and you’re being charged a 25% interest. In this case, your minimum payment is 3% of your overall balance and you’ll have to pay 300 dollars a month. If you don’t make all of those payments, it will take around 15 years to pay the company off, and your payments will amount to more than 30,000 dollars.

Avoid Cards that Feature the Penalty APR

Like we said before, picking the right credit company is crucial and you should avoid cards that feature the penalty APR. Being late with just one payment will increase your interest rate up to 35%. Yes – just one single payment.

Furthermore, if your card already has the penalty APR, you should close it out as soon as possible. Just imagine – you already owe 20,000 on your card and you’re unable to pay the debt off. Before you know it, you’ll be 25,000 dollars in debt, unable to pay it off and trapped in credit hell.  

The Bottom Line

Last but not least, if you’re carrying a lot of debt, don’t feel too bad about it – you’re certainly not alone on this. Keep in mind that in the past, millions of people managed to pay off thousands and thousands of dollars in debt. Most of them went on to live financially healthy lives after paying off their debts, which means, you can do it too.  

Note: This is a collaborative post

Pic Credit: @budgetravel

It’s hardly a secret, my obsession with travel and seeing the world is both well known and well documented. I can’t quite put my finger on exactly when it began but I think a trip to Copenhagen in my teens was the spark. When we decided the time was right to have kids we vowed to continue to travel albeit slightly differently! Traveling with kids can be more challenging but not less rewarding. We have had comments like “how can put your kids through that journey etc” I smile nod – my kids love to travel. They count the days on the calendar to their next adventure. We involve them in the planning from the start.  Its is a family trip so we aim for something for everybody.

My bucket list trips

Last year we made lots of short haul trips and one long haul to one of our bucket list destinations Niagara Falls so where to for 2018?  We haven’t quite decided yet but some of our top picks for the moment include;

• Cape Town – when I started to look into Cape Town further I was quite surprised at just how much there was for kids to do.  I have romantic notions of outdoor adventures, water activities and good food. The kids love animals and love being outdoor which is why I think Cape Town appeals to me so much. The kids are animal mad and no visit would be complete without a trip to Sabi Sand reserve How utterly amazing would that be.
• New Zealand – In a similar outdoorsy vein New Zealand appeals for the same reasons.  As a farmer my husband would love to see the large scale farming operations of New Zealand. For me id love to see first hand Queenstown the stunning lakes and glacial formations. However at over 24 hours flying time from Dublin I do think this one will have to wait a little longer until the kids get that bit older.

I reached out to my fellow bloggers to see where they would travel to with their kids if money was no object:

• • • Lyndsey of  Me, Him the dog and a Baby  would go back to Orlando, where they got married this time to experience it all again with their daughter.
      

      Pic Credit: Pixabay

    • Pete of   Household Money Saving  would go for a cruise around the Mediterranean for the great weather, the variety of places to visit and the abundance of activities on board.
    • Catherine  of  Rock & Roll Pussycat would love to visit Borneo to visit an Orangutan sanctuary. That sounds really cool to me too!
    • Vicki of Family Travel with Ellie would definitely go on safari  as its  a dream of theirs.  I totally agree on that one, hopefully one day we make it to South Africa to do similar.
    • Sam of  Travelling with our kids would do Route 66 in an RV! One big road trip. I hear you!! This would be an amazing trip, also one which ill add to our bucket list.
    • Lucy of Outnumbered by Bunnies would love to take her daughter to Rome to see the Vatican in particular.
    • And finally some more inspiration on Underrated travel destinations
    • Check out some reasons to visit Thailand from Lauren.

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