Mamma Musings

Pic Credit: Pixabay

When the time comes for your child to start catching the bus to and from school without you, you’ll both probably feel a little overwhelmed. It’s a big milestone and daunting watching your child grow up and develop that level of independence where they don’t need you by their side at all times. After a few weeks of them catching the bus, it will start to feel like a normal part of your routine, but there are some things you can do until then to help settle your child’s nerves (and your own). Here are some tips from a prep school in London.

As with anything, practise makes perfect, and it can also help settle one’s nerves. With that in mind, hope on the bus with your child as much as you can in the run up to them catching it without you. Show them how to pay, how to press the button when they want the bus to stop and where to get off. Teach them that when there are no available seats, they will need to hold on to a bar to help keep their balance. Practise the route to and from school so that it becomes more familiar. 

Find some time to have a one-to-one chat with your child about how they’re feeling about catching the school bus. If you ask them in front of their siblings or other people, they might not feel as comfortable being open and honest with you about their concerns. If they do share some anxious thoughts, try and put their mind at ease. Remind them that there will likely be other children from their school on the bus and the driver is a responsible adult. Teach them about some of the rules i.e., no talking to strangers.

For the first few days when your child starts catching the bus without you, it would be nice for them if you could walk them to and from the bus stop at the beginning and end of each day. This will likely help them feel a little bit more comfortable, knowing that you’ll be there to greet them when it’s all over. 

Note: This is a collaborative post

Covid has thrust us into the world of home-schooling with s huge shock. It was not something which I had much experience of  or appetite for but I have ha to learn pretty quickly.  Compared to my own time in school technology has played a huge part and enables us to give he kids a really well rounded home school,  with huge variety and infinite options of topics, themes etc. I have seen a great mix of taught classes, workshops, and themed classes in languages etc. My kids attend an Irish and Spanish language workshop with kids from all over the world. I think its fantastic for kids and fosters a natural inclusive culture which society will benefit from in the long term.

Art and History

My pair love art and love history and one of the most interesting finds has been the existence of digital museums. One of the assigned projects for my almost  9 year old was a collage on the Mona Lisa I don’t think there would be many of us who haven’t heard of this famous piece of art, painted by Leonardo Da Vinci.

Mona Lisa Foundation

Like anything you try to research on the internet there is an overwhelming amount of information out there no matter what topic you try to search.  One excellent resource we leaned heavily on for this particular topic was the Isleworth Mona Lisa.  The Mona Lisa Foundation provides a wealth of information on this topic. An interesting fact which I didn’t know already was that both Leonardo and the Mona Lisa were both born in Florence in 1452 and 1479 respectively.  The Mona Lisa was a commission by her husband. Its a wonderful history to this amazing work of art.

Something which I have being doing is teaching the kids that you need to consider your source of the information in terms of its reliability. The old adage still rings true “don’t believe everything you read”. Its so important to trust your source.

EPIC Museum

The digital world has really opened up kids learning environment which has to be a positive.  Another resource which we love is the EPIC Irish Emigration museum another fantastic museum available digitally during the current global pandemic. The EPIC museum takes a look into the history of Irish Emigration all over the world.  Over 10 million Irish left their country to see out a better life and watching this history come to live is just fascinating.

Also available on their site are online events, virtual tours and themed downloads.  For example during Christmas there was a fantastic pack for kids which taught history of Christmas around the world.

The EPIC museum was recently voted no 1 visitor attraction in Europe and its not hard to see why.  

While we can’t travel at the moment, we do long for the day where we can visit both the Mona Lisa and the Epic museum in person in their own environments. However while its not possible at the moment, digital museums are an excellent alternative for kids and adults alike.

Note: This is a collaborative post 

Pic Credit: Pexels

The New Year has rolled in and many of us are looking for ways to declutter our homes and get a little cash together after the busy festive period. You can achieve both of these things by selling belongings you no longer want or need online. Here’s a quick guide to show you how to achieve this!

Choose What You Want to Sell

Starting out, you’re going to want to know exactly what you want to sell and what you want to keep. This will inevitably involve some decluttering in your home. If you no longer use an item and it has no sentimental value, chances are you might as well sell it to get something else you will use!

Choose a Platform

If you’re going to sell your belongings, you’ll find that you can give yourself the best chance of finding a buyer by listing it online. For instance, if you are going to sell engagement ring, you should find a reliable and relevant store for the same.   Here, the whole world can view what you have to offer and can put in a bid or make a purchase if they see something they like. Of course, you’re going to have to choose a platform to sell from. There are a number out there, including Depop, Etsy and even Amazon for new products. But the vast majority of people do tend to opt for eBay. This is an easy to use online auction and shopping website where you can sell pretty much anything you no longer want – new or used. Of course, if you’re just getting rid of a few bits or bobs, this won’t be all too relevant to you, but it’s good to know that some people make a full time income from selling on eBay, with some eBay stores generating as much as £17 million a year through this site. Selling on eBay is pretty straightforward. All you have to do is list your products. Then people can start bidding on auction products or buy products immediately through the “buy it now” option. Of course, eBay does charge a fee for their services (usually 10%), but this is generally worth it.

Decide Whether You Will Ship or Buyers Will Collect

You need to know whether buyers will collect the item or whether you will ship it to them. This will allow you to add postage costs to the price of item if you are going to ship. Of course, it’s generally easier to post – especially if the item is large. You can compare rates on shipping for all sorts of items, from books to motorcycles, to get the best deal for your customers. If customers do want to collect, make sure you have received payment before handing the item over.

Put Effort into Your Listings

If you find you’re not getting much interest in your listings, it may be because they’re not up to scratch. You need to make sure that you have high quality images of your items and that you give plenty of information in the description, including condition, size or spec and more.

It may feel like a bit of effort to get the ball rolling with this, but once you start making sales, it’ll all be more than worth it!

Note: This is a collaborative post

Whether it is a birthday, Christmas, a special occasion or just because, you really can’t go wrong with the old reliable T-shirt, whether its Men’s T-Shirts or Women’s T-Shirts the choice is endless. So how you decide?! Well I have put together so useful tips to guide you in choosing the best choice in apparel.

Meaning

Oddly enough the origins of T-shirt can be traced back to the 19th century where it was used as an undergarment. The word T-shirt entered everyday parlance in the 1920 and its stayed there ever since.  It wasn’t until the 1960s that that T-shirts became used a method of self expression, advertising and not forgetting holiday souvenirs!

Choices, choices, choices 

Turning to some of my top tips and im saying this as an avid T-shirt lover!

Gorgeous T-shirts from pixels.com

• Length – very important consideration. How often have you seen T-shirts half way up somebody’s back when they move – not a good look!
• Sleeves – a pet peeve of mine, the sleeves should not go below the elbow…no just no!!!
• Material – good quality material is probably critical, it helps it hang nice, it prolongs the longevity and most certainly adds to the look.
• Express yourself – This is what i love about T-shirts the ability to use them as a form of self expression. Whether that’s to show your support for a sports team, a celebrity, a good cause or even customised using that holiday memory you want to share or even a whole class or work group T-shirt- that can even be done if you check out companies like rarecustom. It’s certainly one of the main reasons why my own wardrobe is full to the brim with a selection of greet tees!

The T-shirt has been around a very long time and it won’t be going anywhere which is why I think it makes the ideal gift whatever the occasion.

Note: This is a collaborative post

Your wedding is perhaps the most exciting event of your life, but it can also be overwhelming. You can expect to experience last-minute jitters that stress you more than you imagine. In fact, countless grooms have second thoughts about their decision only because anxiety takes over. Fortunately, a little extra self-care is all you need to address the stress and enjoy the occasion to the fullest. Let us share a few actionable tips you can embrace to ditch the pre-wedding anxiety.

Close the preparations on time

Wedding preparations require meticulous planning and attention to detail. You may miss out on something despite the best effort. A last-minute hassle can give you cold feet, no matter how confident you are about walking down the aisle. Experts recommend closing the wedding preparations on time to avoid stress. You can even hire a wedding planner to offload your burden so that you can focus on looking good and enjoying your big day.

Eliminate the stress factors 

You may encounter some stress factors that keep you from feeling good about the upcoming event. For example, you may worry about the wedding budget, unwanted pregnancy, parental objection, or an ex ruining the celebrations. The best piece of advice is to eliminate these stress factors and reclaim your peace of mind. Consider having all the tricky conversations with your partner before blocking the date. You will be in a far better place without the unnecessary burden.

Invest in self-care

Investing in self-care should be the top priority for every bride and groom. Start early because it will show up on your body and skin. The last thing you want at your wedding is unwanted flab and acne. Ensure a balanced diet, regular exercise, and optimal skincare to keep them at bay. Cannabis can be an ideal mental self-care companion to ward off stress and soreness. You can indulge in a session the night before the wedding to get good sleep. Pack your stash and explore this sale page to buy a discreet tool like a nectar collector pen to carry to the venue. But remember to check the law of your state first.

Talk to someone

Pre-wedding anxiety is normal, so you should not hesitate about opening up. Talking to your partner is a great idea because they will probably understand the situation better than anyone else. You may discuss your apprehension with a loved one or a close friend. A little reassurance can take you a long way, and people who love you will have a lot of it for you. All you need to do is ask for it!

Have fun

Your wedding is your big day, so you must ditch the worries and have fun. Let your wedding planner or a friend handle the last-minute tasks because you deserve to indulge and relax before taking the vows. Leave your worries at home, get good sleep, book a spa session, and enjoy the moment. Remember to go slow with alcohol, even if it seems to alleviate the last-minute jitters.

Pre-wedding anxiety is an integral element of the celebrations, so you cannot avoid it altogether. But these helpful tips can help you minimize them and enjoy your big day as much as you should!

Cool presents to buy for kids

We all know kids get super excited on special events and holidays. This is especially true if it is an event where they are expecting presents. Whether it is Christmas or their birthday, they just cannot wait to see what you have bought them.   While you can always ask your kids what they want for these occasions, it does take away the element of surprise. But are you struggling to think of the perfect present? 

In this post, we will walk through a few fun and stylish gift ideas that are sure to be a fantastic surprise present.

• A Scooter

One of the most requested gifts from a kid is a shiny, new bike. However, many children, especially younger ones, don’t have the balance to ride successfully.

Pic Credit: Vulyplay

So, why not gift them a 3 wheel scooter and make your little one the happiest kid in the world! Scooters are great for those not old enough to ride a bike, and nothing is easier to balance on then a 3 wheel scooter variant. 

Today’s kids might be crazy about Netflix, iPhones, and video games, but stylish scooters are the perfect way to encourage your children to get active outdoors. Scooters (and bikes) give them the freedom they may be needing. It is a wonderful way to get your kids to go out, hang out with their friends, and enjoy an adventurous ride, rather than playing video games all day.

A scooter is all they need to explore new places, creating fun memories that they will remember for years. Gifting a scooter to your child might not be a unique idea at first, but with all the styles and types now available, a scooter may end up being a bigger surprise than you think!

• Binoculars

A pair of binoculars is likely not a present you would associate with fun. However, toy binoculars can generate a lot of fun and are durable too. Your kid will love using binoculars in spy games, and other make believe. They play being the secret agent, using a pair of binoculars to investigate crimes. 

Additionally, they can use binoculars to track an airplane or watch the birds sing and play in your neighborhood. Being a rather unique present, they are also cost effective.

• A Piggy Bank

Pic Credit: Pixabay

Do you want your child to know the value of savings? A piggy bank makes for a fantastic gift then. Piggy banks are available in a broad range of styles and colors, as well as shapes and sizes.  Choose a piggy bank that your kids can associate with and become their bedroom companion. 

• A Personal Diary

Research suggests that girls are more expressive than boys. They love to share their opinions and emotions. Although, it can be hard for them to share their thoughts in front of people. So, why not give them the private space they need by gifting a personal diary? 

Choose a diary with your kid’s favorite cartoon theme or color. As kids grow up, they face a multitude of emotions that they might not be comfortable to share with their families or friends. This is why a diary can be an amazing tool in helping them cope with their feelings.

• Kids’ Graphic Tees

Kids are constantly growing out of their clothes, so they always need new ones. Clothes as gifts are always a good idea. These cool graphic tees designed by Threadheads artists and the League of Extraordinary Artists make for awesome gifts during the holidays, birthdays, and special events. You can choose from a wide variety of amazing designs, as well. Geeky tees, retro tees, cute tees, statement tees, and Japanese pop culture tees—you name it; they have it. Best of all, these are made from ethically sourced combed cotton, so not only are they supercomfortable, but they’re also guilt-free.

• Streaming Subscription

In today’s internet-driven world, nothing could excite your kid more than the subscription to their favorite streaming platforms. You can buy your kids a one-month subscription for any popular streaming subscription from Netflix to Disney+. 

Choose the genre they like to watch the most (most likely the cartoons channel) and help them find new favorite shows or movies. 

Just remember to enforce time to go outside and be active. While a streaming subscription is a popular gift, you do not want your kids spending all the time in front of a screen.

• Toys 

You can’t go wrong with toys, but how about can you narrow it down when the selection and options are so vast! Well, I have done it for you. I asked my pair to come up with the top 5 picks for this year. For reference my kids are almost 9 and 6.

• RC stunt car I mean you can’t go wrong with a remote control stunt car. This pick is a much more modern and cool take on the stunt car and comes with at a very reasonable price point.
• RC racing car the nearly 9 year old is really taken with the remote control racing car. I have to admit it is very cool, its a level up on the stunt car in terms of pricing but looks like a great option for the older kids .
• RC robot both kids fell for this robot and at £19.99 this is very good value.  This looks very cool and would make a lovely birthday gift.

• RC Dinosaur my youngest is dino made so this is right up his street, I mean what’s not to love about a remote control dinosaur. At £59.99 it is at the pricer side of our picks but it comes loaded with functionality and hours of play.
• Robot Dog a cheaper option than the dino is the robot dog. I was telling the kids I had a robot dog as a kid and they roared laughing, ok not as tech advanced as this one but it was one cool toy for its time. This is very cool and reasonably priced for what it does and would be a really lovely gift for Christmas or birthday.#

• Musical Instrument

Pic Credit: Pixabay

Not all children are interested in music. However, most kids love toy musical instruments, especially a piano. Whether you are celebrating their birthday or enjoying Christmas with your family, a musical instrument makes a wonderful gift idea for the young ones.

Buy them a toy piano and guitar and allow them to play their favorite song. Even if they are not interested in music, they will love to experiment with these instruments. 

Plus, it may foster them learning the real instrument later in life.

• Room Décor Materials

A less-known fact about children is that they love to decorate their rooms. Haven’t you seen your little ones trying to paint their bedroom walls with their favorite sketch color?

 If you want to buy your kids something unique and interesting, then room décor materials can be a great idea.

Provide them with photo frames that they can hang on their room walls and help them find their favorite pictures. Other room décor ideas are wall stickers, cute mugs, fridge magnet, Disney characters, and more. Let them decorate the room the way they want to make it truly theirs (but do not forget to still supervise!)

Note: This is a collaborative post

This year’s pandemic, has forced many of us to work from home. We’ve had to transform our living rooms, kitchens and even bedrooms into makeshift offices, in order to continue working safely.  Although working from home has its benefits, like no long commutes and working in our pyjamas; home isn’t always the most practical workspace. A makeshift office on your dining room table may work as a temporary measure, but these working conditions can have a negative impact on your productivity and wellbeing in the long run.

To help you stay productive and comfortable when working from home, here are some top tips on how to set up the ideal home office:

Sitting comfortably

Pic Credit: Pixabay

Whether you have a desk or you are using your dining table, you need to ensure that you are sitting comfortably. Adjust the height of your screen so that it is at your correct eye level. This will help to avoid eyestrain and posture issues. You will also need a comfortable chair, speaking from experience, I would encourage you to  consider looking at adjustable chairs. This is really important because you are going to be spending many hours sitting on it. Don’t just settle for a stool or a dining room chair; invest in a proper office chair which can be adjusted to your needs. I have spent almost 20 years sitting looking at screens in an office environment and cannot stress this enough.

Adding the right lighting

Think carefully about the lighting in your home office and choose a room that has a good amount of natural daylight. The right lighting allows for better productivity, so try setting up your work space near a window if possible. If you’re working late into the evening you may also wish to invest in a suitable desk lamp. This will help to reduce eyestrain and keep you focused when you are putting in those extra hours.

Having the right equipment

Have a look at some better equipment options like multi-functional devices. These are an excellent choice for home offices because they include the functionality of numerous devices in a single machine. This not only helps to decrease your carbon footprint, but it will also reduce the amount of space required for printing, scanning, and other document management tasks. 

Note: This is a collaborative post

Pic Credit: Pixabay

There are plenty of reasons why a child might have to move to a different school. They might be underperforming at their current school or being bullied by another child, or perhaps their parents have to relocate for work. Maybe they are just naturally progressing from a primary to a secondary school. Whatever the reason, the transition can often feel quite daunting for youngsters, especially if they are dealing with challenges in their personal life at the same time. I have teamed up with a prep school in Hertfordshire to explore this in further detail below so that parents can be better equipped to help their child navigate the changes.

Of course, there are lots of changes a child will have to get used to when moving to a new school. There’s the building itself, but your child will also have to adapt to new teachers who may use different methods or follow a slightly different curriculum. If your child is either behind or ahead in their classes, they may start to lose interest in their lessons. With that said, parents and new teachers should really pay close attention to how well the child is or isn’t adapting to their new environment and potentially provide extra tutoring if necessary.

If your child had close friends at their old school, they will probably be quite upset about having to leave them behind, and nervous about meeting new people. If you think that might be the case for your child, try and help them stay in touch with their old friends. If they can’t meet up in person, video calls might be a good option, or you could even encourage your child to go old school and write letters. This will help them feel less alone through the transition. If possible, and age appropriate, you could try and get the contact details of some of the parents at the new school and arrange a play date or two so that your child has an opportunity to make new friends in an environment where they feel more comfortable.

Try and use positive and optimistic language around your child when talking about the transition so that they can feed off of your uplifting energy. Talk to them about the amazing opportunities they’ll have at their new school, like the fantastic playground or amazing sports facilities. If they see that you are confident about the transition, they will adopt the same attitude.

Note: This is a collaborative post

Pic Credit: Pixabay

A lot of children are now back at school for the first time in months, and it’s a worrying time for parents. Not only are there the usual worries about homework and whether your child will make friends, there’s also the additional worry about the spread of germs and bacteria.

Your child’s school should be happy to speak with you about the measures that they are taking to keep your child safe. It’s also completely reasonable to ask about the measures that you would hope to see them put in place.

Distancing

When they are in the classroom, children should be seated two meters from one another to minimize the risk of spreading disease through airborne germs. 

Distancing is important not just during class time, but during lunch and break times too. If the school isn’t big enough to facilitate distancing then institutions should be implementing staggered lunch and break times to allow a smaller number of children to be on their break at the same time.

Share carefully

A way that germs can be spread is through touching the same object. Particularly with younger children, it’s not always going to be possible for them not to be touching the same things – for example, toys and games will still need to be shared by the class, as will sports equipment. 

To account for this it’s important that the school have a policy on how often the shared equipment will be disinfected and how this process will be managed.

Handwashing

Frequent hand washing is the most effective weapon against the spread of germs. Not only does it stop your child from passing any germs that they may have onto others, it means that if they inadvertently pick up germs from a surface they are less likely to infect themselves by rubbing their eyes, nose or mouth.

Pic Credit: Pixabay

At a minimum hand washing should take place:

• Before eating
• After going to the bathroom
• When coming inside from playing outdoors
• After sneezing or coughing

Schools should also be encouraging children to routinely wash their hands outside of these times to minimize the risk of infection.

Hand sanitizer

It’s important that hand sanitizer is made readily available to children in schools to use at times when they are unable to wash their hands.

For example, you might place hand sanitizer in a prominent place in the classroom so that children may clean their hands after handling shared items, without having to disrupt the lesson by leaving to go to the bathroom.

If possible, it’s better to use a dispenser from Touch Free Hand Sanitiser as this further minimizes the spread of germs because there is no risk of transmission through a pump or lever.

Cleaning

The rooms in the school should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected at the end of each day, paying particular attention to bathrooms and the children’s desks.

Cleaning and disinfection are slightly different terms. According to this cleaning guide resource page, cleaning, often using a mixture of soap and water, merely removes the dirt, germs, and any other impurities on surfaces or objects. If you want to thoroughly get rid of harmful pathogens and viruses that cause disease, you need to disinfect with a disinfecting agent, often in the form of sprays or wipes.

Food preparation areas should also be cleaned thoroughly after use with hot soapy water.

Some germs can actually thrive until they are wiped away, so as well as cleaning surfaces they should be dried thoroughly with paper towels.

Note: This is a collaborative post