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Florence is actually a rather big ‘Mike The Knight’ fan so don’t be fooled into thinking this is just for the boys! I really don’t mind it either and as with other programmes which are shown on CBeebies I find it’s actually quite palatable for the grown ups too! I LOVE the voice of the dragon! We were lucky enough to be sent a copy of the DVD for us to review and also to offer one for a competition prize! Read on to find out what we think and how to WIN your own copy!
I always think it’s great to have DVDs for wet afternoons of snuggling on the sofa and we thoroughly enjoyed the new one from ‘Mike the Knight’! Always a good tale with exciting stories and the latest feature is perfect for a ‘Mike’ fan! ‘Mike The Knight: Magical Mishaps‘ is six brand new episodes and has a running time of 72 minutes. The perfect amount of time for a snuggle!
We enjoyed watching Mike and Evie (his little wizard trainee sister) protect the kingdom of Glendragon with Mike’s trusty horse and dragon friends. Evie is, as I mentioned, a wizard in training so sometimes things go wrong causing magical mishaps… The stories are funny, interesting and entirely different to anything else in the CBeebies genre. A watchable DVD which I think has evoked a new fan in Jimmy! The colours are bright and vibrant which is what I think attracts him! Great for the whole family then!
Two little ‘Mike the Knight’ fans!
If you want to get your hands own your very own copy of the DVD then enter my competition to WIN one! All you have to do is send me an email to rocknrollerbaby@hotmail.co.uk with your name and address by midnight on 31st March 2013! To find out more about this and other exciting competitions I’m hosting on the rocknrollerbaby blog do follow me on Twitter @rocknrollerbaby!
‘Mike The Knight: Magical Mishaps’ is available to buy now. (RRP £12.99.) For more information on Mike the Knight visit www.miketheknight.com or follow him on Twitter @MiketheKnightUK.
I have not been paid to write this post but I was sent a copy of the DVD for review and offered a copy for a competition prize.
Last week we wrote part 1 of our Easter Crafts with ELC posts. We had so much fun we knew we’d want to do some more so we split our write-up into two parts and now that we’ve done some more, here is our second post!
With everything in ELC’s Easter craft kit ranges being half price, they’re absolutely superb value at the moment! We like to make our own things from time to time but The Early Learning Centre do fabulous kits and with everything you need in the box you can’t go wrong really!
Florence loves a bit of crafting and because she also (as I’ve mentioned before) loves Easter egg hunts and games in general we thought this craft kit to make your own Easter egg hunt game would be just up her street!
It was a cold, wet and snowy afternoon yesterday and she wanted to go out so I needed something to persuade her that in-doors was a better option; I knew this kit was EGGsactly the sort of thing she’d enjoy and when I showed it to her she was more than happy for an afternoon in!
Always happy to rip open a box from ELC of craft stuff!
She set about doing the craft. It was really easy and needed no glue or scissors. It was a ‘put together’ kit so she popped the boxes up and folded the pointer characters and threaded the sticks through the holes. Then… It was ready for ‘Easter egg hunting’!
We counted everything out first… Think she’s rather like me with this and we like to check we have everything! We actually had one extra ‘pointer’… All good!
Putting the kit together! Florence needed a little bit of help but for the most part managed on her own!
I love her ‘tongue out’ concentration!
Jimmy well wanted ‘in’ on the action! I can’t say Florence was wild about her brother’s input!
The finished product all ready to set up a hunt!
As always Florence really enjoyed the craft work and it kept her entertained for ages. Even better though was setting up the hunt by placing the direction signs in the right places to give clues as to where we’d hidden the eggs for Daddy to find them! I had no idea that she would enjoy setting up a hunt so much! I thought she would want to be the ‘hunter’, which she does like too of course, but she thoroughly enjoyed setting up hunts for us. We did them before and after our evening meal and then again just before bed. This morning she woke up and it was the first thing she wanted to do again! We will use the sticks in my Mum’s garden on Easter Sunday but until then we’ll keep doing our hunts in the house with the cardboard eggs!
So much fun from this little kit that costs just £2.50 at the moment! She loved making it and LOVES doing and setting up the hunts!
It’s great that she gets just as much enjoyment from finding and hiding the cardboard eggs as she does the chocolate ones but after her tea I hid a chocolate bunny at the end of a hunt for her for a treat!
First thing we did this morning? Another hunt of course!
The quality of ELC craft kits is always brilliant and if they say it will do something or be something, it always does and is. This craft kit is intended for ages 3 years + and Florence was more than capable of doing it with a little help and guidance here and there. She’s very independent though and did it mostly on her own. This one is more about putting together and playing the ‘hunt game’ afterwards so totally within her capabilities and she just loves doing things like setting something up for Daddy when he gets home from work so it was perfect for her!
We had another box of ELC craft to do before Easter and it’s a corker of a value one if you ask me! It’s just £1.50 (half price) and is everything you need to make your own Easter masks! There’s THREE to decorate, a chick, a wooly lamb and a rabbit and all the bits you need to stick on and decorate are pre-cut and glued for you for minimal mess! I was going to save it for nearer Easter but it’s such a horrid day that Florence is doing it now while I type! This one is completely brilliant for her to do entirely on her own and is a bit like doing puzzles for her following the pictures!
A great rainy day and seasonal activity for just £1.50!
Easy to follow!
Two masks down – one to go! Absolutely NO help from me whatsoever – perfect for a little independent!
I was not paid to write this post but I was sent some ELC Easter craft kits for the purpose of review.
ROLL UP, ROLL UP – FOR THE SUNWALK LONDON!
Join in with a massive family event this summer and help raise money in aid of breast cancer! What a fab idea and great fun thing to do! It’s healthy, it’s keeping fit, it’s spending time together as a family… And it’s all for charity – brilliant!
The SunWalk is a fun, fitness event that encourages the whole family to get healthy by walking together – giving parents and children the opportunity to walk 5K, 10K or a half marathon, in aid of raising funds for breast cancer charity Walk The Walk. During the event on June 30th, Battersea Park will be transformed as circus performers including fire breathers, jugglers and gymnasts fill the park, alongside music, stalls and children’s entertainment – providing a great day out for the whole family.
Sounds like an utterly fun day out and when it’s all in aid of a good cause, well, what more incentive do you need…
There’ll be more news coming on this one so watch this space as I’m DEFINITELY going to be shouting about it some more but in the mean time check out their website on the link above!
I have not been paid in any way to write this post.
We were going to do a lot of things today. We were going to visit the Tate Modern and we were going to put our new special ‘Jazz Up Summer’ canopys on Le Donk…
But… It’s snowing!! So, looks like the only place we’ll be going today is the supermarket to buy some hot chocolate and we will most certainly need the footmuff on the buggy; so for now… The sand colours stay! I really, really wanted to change to my summer colours because they’re amazing! I have one blue hood and one yellow and on the inside they are black and white stripes! They are SO cool! This time last year and we were in our swimming costumes running in and out of fountains in the park, we could have totally added our summer colours then but alas, this year, it will have to be for a different post…
One day the sun will come out and I will be able to use my ‘Jazz Up Summer’ colours making my Donkey look like this!!
We are a little gutted about not going to the Tate Modern too as we thought running with Le Donk in the main hall would be superb fun and we were going to see if we could find some Andy Warhol art work… Oh well, another snowy day in East London and foiled again!
I’m not a mega fan of modern art but of Andy Warhol, well who couldn’t be interested and smile at his work? I think one of the main reasons I’m keen is because he was just so unusual and such an interesting person – a bit of a mystery celebrity if you like! And I love the fact that he’s in my favourite movie of all time, Tootsie! He poses with Dustin Hoffman’s character ‘Dorothy Michaels’ (as himself) for a series of magazine covers and it’s a really great part of an exceptional film!
Everyone knows the famous Marilyn Monroe prints; they must have been replicated millions of times so popular are they! Even all these years later and after probably the whole world recognising it, it’s still such a fresh image! Now that’s talent!
Of course when Bugaboo thought about teaming up with a famous artist for their next special collection, who better could they have thought of! Iconic, influential, cultured, unique, contemporary, fashionable… Just a few of the words I would associate with Bugaboo and Andy Warhol alike – they are the perfect pairing!
The Andy Warhol and Bugaboo collaboration celebrates the artist’s love for children’s inquisitive and creative minds and his ability to create timeless work that transcends any age or time period.
Bugaboo will present multiple collections with Warhol and with every new collection they will
look to further unfold the authenticity, style and originality of his extraordinary legacy”, In spring 2013, Bugaboo introduces not one, but two collections. Warhol’s well-known iconic ‘Flowers’ are used in The Flowers Collection while the lesser known and playful ‘Cars’ are featured in The Cars Collection.
With the Flowers series Andy Warhol explored his fascination with the fragility and beauty of flowers. Showcasing an eclectic mix of bright red and charcoal black, the selected print is both sophisticated and fun. The Flowers print is used on the sun canopy and tailored fabric set for the Bugaboo Bee, Bugaboo Cameleon3, and the Bugaboo Donkey. In addition, Bugaboo introduces a striking Flowers parasol, including Warhol’s famous print in light blue and green.
I’ve never juzshed up my Bee before, now might be the right time, what do you reckon? I could just see myself nipping through town with this great canopy!
The cars collection using Warhol’s images, which have become icons of American contemporary art, include anarray of familiar products, like Coca-Cola and Campbell’s Soup cans. Automobiles were another, though lesser known, focus of his artistic interests. The chosen print origins from 1962 and represents a sense of movement tying in effortlessly with Bugaboo’s go-andexplore-n-style vision. The Cars Collection integrates a playful, bold and graphical print in black and off-white and is featured on the sun canopies and tailored fabric sets for the Bugaboo Bee, Bugaboo Cameleon3, and the Bugaboo Donkey.
A Donkey (not mine sadly) with the Cars print canopy! Gorgeous!
in-store may 2013
The Flowers and Cars Collections include a tailored fabric set for the Bugaboo Cameleon3 £149.95 and the
Bugaboo Donkey £149.95 and a Bugaboo Sun Canopy for the Bugaboo BEE £99.95 The Flowers parasol retails at
£59.95. Both collections will be available in-store worldwide from May 2013. For a retailer near you, please visit
bugaboo.com/retail-locator.
I have not been paid in any way to write this post.
When I was pregnant with Florence I wasn’t sure I would breast feed. I mean I think I wanted to but it all seemed a little weird and I was just going to wait and see what happened. I decided I would try to do it to begin with but then probably, as it all sounded very hard, give up and go on to formula.
As soon as she was born and wouldn’t latch on properly, instead of taking the stance that ‘I couldn’t feed’, something happened in me and I became absolutely determined to do it! Like, to the point of it was the be all and end all! I was going to feed my baby no matter what!
After two weeks I got cracked nipples so went to see a breast-feeding councillor who said it was because she wasn’t latched properly. She told me to finger feed for a few days as Florence wouldn’t take a bottle and that was the only way of getting my expressed milk to her. (NO WAY was she having any formula) Expressing was tremendously painful I have to say, but not quite as eye watering as her sucking while not latching correctly. A few days turned into two weeks and one time I even uttered the words ‘perhaps we should get some formula?’ Jonny was adamant not to and I know some people would think that was unkind of him but I’m so grateful that he was like that!
After a fortnight I got mastitis. I woke up feeling so ill and forced myself to Tesco where the dozy (fully trained) chemist, upon hearing me say I was breast-feeding and had one hard boob which had a bright red patch and I ached like I had flu, said ‘Oooh, I don’t know what that could be, go home and take paracetamol’. I remember talking to Florence all the way home and saying to her ‘please be good for Mummy, please sleep a bit today, I feel so ill’… Luckily she did and was the model baby that afternoon. The next morning I woke up feeling worse. Expressing (from the other boob) for the finger feed was just about all I could do and when my wonderful midwife Suzan called to see how I was it was a major relief when she said ‘You have mastitis, I’m cancelling all my appointments and coming over’.
That afternoon she fed me tea, looked after Florence, made me lunch, insisted I ate it and then she sorted everything else out too!
She helped me drain my boob with a hot flannel, just a bit to relieve it a touch. Then she told me we HAD to get Florence latched on properly and she helped me try different positions until Florence was nearly there; then Suzan just kind of forced her! She looked at Florence with an air of authority, told her to latch on, moved her head firmly and then she did it! SHE DID IT! That was the first time. and we’ve never looked back!
Suzan said to me afterwards that she would have given up. She saw how cracked my nipples were and said I would have been quite justified in saying I’d given it a good go. I am SO pleased that I didn’t though. I love breast-feeding.
We all know it’s the best start: all the antibodies they get, they don’t over feed etc. And it’s easier: No bottles to sterilise and make up and we never forget to bring a feed out with us! But it’s not about that. Well it is a bit of course but for me it’s the closeness. I don’t think there is anything better in the world than looking down and seeing your baby feed… It’s beautiful!
I have, as it turns out, turned into a prolonged breast feeder. I thought I’d do 6 months. I was sad at 6 months that it was coming to an end. Over three years later and I’m beginning to wonder if she’ll ever stop! She will, of course she will. I don’t know how old she’ll be and there’ll come a time I’m sure where I have to say enough is enough but I’ve not reached that point yet despite sometimes thinking I have.
Florence doesn’t have that many feeds now but three or four times a week she will have one just before bed and you know what, she’s little, what does it matter? I fed her throughout cracked nipples, mastitis, a second pregnancy (and that was hard) and now I feed them together sometimes. There was never any doubt I’d feed Jimmy if I could and obviously I would have given it the same shot – probably harder if needed! Back in the early days I became quite militant, I’m more relaxed now but breast-feeding is still just so terribly important to me!
I know people judge me and think I’m a hippy or worse, a right on feminist! (I’m neither)! But we do what we do and that’s just how it is. I used to judge women who prolonged their feeding but now I know it’s not me prolonging it, it’s Florence and if she wants it then she needs it for some reason; while she’s only little like this why not? I asked her the other day why she still wants ‘milk, milk’ as we call it and she said ‘well, you let me have it Mummy’. I said what if I didn’t, what if I said no ALL the time when you ask for it (which I do sometimes – she doesn’t get it on demand these days)? And she said, ‘But sometimes I might need it and I’d be upset’. So true, I do let her and perhaps others think that’s wrong but as she says, sometimes she might need it and she’d be upset… Why have upset for no reason, it’s no skin of my or anyone else’s nose to give her a little feed now and then but it gives her so much comfort.
I fought all the way to breast feed my baby and I love it, I won’t deny that but primarily I do it for them. They both love breast-feeding and I love feeding both of them. It solves all kinds of upset as well as doing its main job. A bang on the head or graze to the knee is comforted, it sends them off to sleep, it even clears up rashes, sticky eyes and other ailments when rubbed on. Breast milk is like gold dust and it’s entirely magic I tell you!
So, I’m a breast feeder. I’m a tandem feeder. I’m a prolonged breast feeder… Who cares?!
Me, the non hippy, non right-on feminist – I’m not even a lactivist as some say! I just love feeding my babies and think it’s really important. I don’t care that Florence is over three, if you do, then sod off! This is us the other night, how can anyone say that’s not a pretty picture?
MY LIFE WITH 2!
For a few months now we’ve been playing ‘eye spy’ with Florence and she’s become really excellent at knowing what words begin with! It’s a game she plays perfectly and I’m pleased because it’s the beginning of her learning to spell. She already pretends to read which my Mum, who is a retired teacher, says is all good work and going in the right direction. I started to read fairly early and reading and writing have always been such a big and enjoyable part of my life that I hope they will give Florence much enjoyment too. A couple of weeks ago she wrote her name on a robot she’d made and I thought it was pretty good but kind of assumed it was a bit of a fluke that some of her letters looked right.
I was impressed but thought perhaps it was just a lucky try when Florence wrote her name on the robot she’d made. I know it’s not her name perfectly but I thought it was quite close considering she’s only three!
But then the other day she showed me her magnetic drawing board and said she’d written her name again and again, although not her name written perfectly, it’s a flipping good effort! I’m so impressed with her and even more so that it obviously wasn’t a fluke the first time! My little speller! What a star!
Clever Florence makes another good name writing effort so it wasn’t just a fluke!
Obviously her nursery time is very well spent! She’s very proud of herself and so she should be!
Jimmy’s been taking more and more steps and even though he looks so tiny, he’s doing very well indeed! Last count is 6 steps and he’s launching himself from one item where he can hold on, to another one all by himself! I love watching his drunken like little waddle and his smile when he’s done it!
He’s going to be doing some more modelling later on today which is great so I’ll fill you in on how that goes next week!
My clever little duo – well if a Mamma can’t be proud then who can?!
Well, that’s it from me this week, see you next week but in the mean time follow me on Twitter @rocknrollerbaby
The start of spring breathes fresh air into me. It’s cool but hopeful hint at summer and all the flowers blooming make me feel so happy and with it often comes that first hit of sunshine which always makes me feel good.
I love all the new life, the baby lambs and chicks – Easter time always feels rather beautiful don’t you think?l!
Last year on an Easter day out at a farm Florence held a baby chick – what a magical moment! This year when we visit the same farm I’m really hoping there will be some more chicks as they’re just SO gorgeous!
Florence met a chick last year on a farm trip!
Until we go and visit the chicks I’ve heard of a place where we can view baby chicks live on-line! For five days (it starts on Monday 25th March and runs up until Easter weekend) we can see them being born and log in any time of day we like to see what they’re up to! What a brilliant idea! We’ll certainly be checking in with the chicks and to find out how you can too just read on!
CRACKING MOVIE RELEASED FOR EASTER
– New chick flick captures first moments of life –
Nature lovers across the globe will be able to enjoy some real “hen-tertainment” this Easter by watching the first live chick hatching using Google+.
Launched today, Chick-cam, an initiative by ethical egg producer the happy egg co., will document the first five days of life of 16 newborn chicks as part of an initiative to educate people and encourage them to fall in love with hens.
Giving virtual viewers a unique window into the world of chickens, Chick-cam will use three cameras, including a night-vision camera, to follow the action 24/7 – from the final stages of incubation to the chicks’ pecking their way out of their shells.
All the events will be broadcast on the happy egg website (www.thehappyegg.co.uk/chick-cam) where people will be able to watch the hatching in real time as well as interviews from hen experts on the week’s activity. As part of the initiative, viewers will be able to win happy egg prizes. The chick flick will also be available to watch via Google+ Hangouts On Air – enabling millions to enjoy the experience from their computer, tablet or phone.
Working in partnership with The Happy Chick Company, the specialists in complete chick hatching experiences for nurseries and schools, the incubator will be closely monitored and controlled by a team of experts to ensure the chicks have everything they need to come out of their shells. The chicks will then be re-homed to The Happy Chick Company’s trusted network of poultry owners and smallholders.
Steve Horton, Marketing Director at the happy egg co. said: “We know that happy hens lay the tastiest eggs and as such work hard to give our girls everything they need to lead a rich and full life. Chick-cam is designed to share the enjoyment of hens and their many antics to make people realise the only eggs are happy eggs. We hope the hatching gives viewers an experience that they will remember long after the chicks have emerged from their shells.”
Added Madeline McRanor, founder of The Happy Chick Company: “We’ve been hatching chicks and raising them for over ten years and the effect that caring for them has on people never fails to amaze me. It doesn’t just foster a bonding experience between the children and the chicks but between the children and their parents and teachers as well. That’s why I’m so delighted to be working with the happy egg co.; together we are bringing this very special experience to even more people and helping to bridge the gap between the eggs on our plate and the hens that laid them.”
A spokesperson from Google said: “We’re excited that the happy egg co. is using Google+ Hangouts to see the first live chick hatching this Easter. It’s definitely one of the cutest ways of using the platform to date and we’re looking forward to watching!”
Founded in 2009, the happy egg co. is the UK’s number one free range brand and is committed to the highest standards of animal welfare. As well as plenty of green pasture to roam and forage, all happy egg farms are equipped with an assortment of activities to enhance the birds’ natural surroundings – from towers to perch on, sandpits for dust-bathing, and natural play areas with logs, foliage and cut branches.
For more details on Chick-cam or to watch the live chick hatching go to www.thehappyegg.co.uk/chick-cam
For live updates on the hatching, follow #chickcam on Twitter and instagram, or visit our Facebook page www.facebook.com/thehappyeggco.
With Jimmy being a bad led weaner we don’t usually ‘do’ baby food. We do use trusted brands for snack and finger food but when it comes to puree Jimmy has never really been into it…
I’ve tried him many times with the pouches of puree because they look so easy but he’s never been interested, even if I let him hold the pouch himself and use the spout as a straw. I can’t blame him as I’ve tried a few myself and they’re usually not too tasty…
But… I was recently sent some of the new flavours from Hipp Organic and for once Jimmy has been wolfing them down! He doesn’t eat a whole sachet in one go but the lid screws back on and they keep in the fridge for 24 hours so they’re definitely not wasted!
Some of the new flavours!
The savoury ones often combine a fruit which makes them that little bit sweeter and I think might be the reason he’s been so interested; even though I thought he may turn his nose up at the 7m+ ones, as they have lumps in and can’t be passed off as a drink, he’s proved me wrong! He still wants to feed himself but as I said, with the spout this is easy and relatively mess free!
For the first time ever I’ve been able to confidently pack one as his lunch and know he will eat them. I’d say his favourites are still the fruity ones though and I’ve tried them too – I know why! They don’t taste like baby food which I think is the key! They have flavour, texture and substance!
We’re liking the new flavours and loving the ease of the pouches where nothing gets wasted and can be saved for the next meal! It’s also good to know that they come from this trusted brand and are all organic! Nothing is too good for those little tummies now is it!
Jimmy enjoys feeding himself and finally we’ve found some flavours he will eat!
I have not been paid to write this post but I was sent a selection of the new flavours for the purpose of review.
30 days ago I wrote about how I was about to embark upon the 30 day challenge offered to me with my new Colgate ProClinical A1500 electric toothbrush. The brush, which is exceptionally pricey compared to others on the market comes with the challenge to try it for 30 days and then, if after that you are not satisfied, you can take it back for a full money back guarantee… Quite confident isn’t it! I wouldn’t ordinarily spend over £150 on such an item but with a guarantee like that I think they must know that it’s good and you wouldn’t want to take it back so worth giving a go huh!
I’ve been using it for the 30 days now and I would be very reluctant to take it back to Boots where it is exclusively sold right now. I have experienced cleaning on a daily basis that I would usually only find when I have visited the Dentist for a clean and polish. From the very first time I used it I felt that it was cleaning my teeth in a way I could never manage on my own or with any other electrical toothbrush that I have tried in the past – there have been a few and I have never really seen the point.
I have often bought the cheapest toothbrush going because when I’ve spent out it hasn’t seemed to make a difference, until now. This toothbrush really has made a difference to brushing my teeth however and I’ve been raving about it to my family.
The brush has an auto-pilot if you will and thanks to distinct smart sensors it automatically adjusts to engage different speeds and cleaning actions based on the position you hold it in your mouth, changing from gums to teeth.
The new Colgate® ProClinical™ A1500 automatically adjusts to deliver;
- Mid speed in-out massaging strokes for the gum line
- Slower side-to-side strokes for teeth surfaces
- Fast, up-down strokes for molars
It never feels uncomfortable or painful when using and if you brush in the same place for more than 30 seconds it gives a pulsation to alert you and let you know it’s time to move to another area. I also like the fact you can’t brush your teeth for too little or too long a time because after the desired cleaning time a timer lets you know by stopping the brush.
I often find when brushing my teeth I gag because just having a brush in my mouth feels alien but this one is very slim and it’s angled so that when at the back of your mouth reaching the back teeth it doesn’t interfere with your tongue. It’s very clever. You also don’t have to brush up and down but just let the brush slowly move over your teeth and it does everything for you.
Having digital technology allows it to do so much that other brushes can’t and there are three modes to choose from when brushing. I liked the deep clean mode but tried all three and even with deep clean the motion felt like it was being gentle on my gums. My teeth honestly feel polished and look really clean after use and for a good few hours after so as far as I’m concerned I shan’t be taking it for my money back guarantee and will be hanging on to it. I also really like the case it comes with which stores the handle and has room for two heads, very compact.
What don’t I like about it?
Well, it is still a big out lay of money and I’m not sure that I could get my head around why until I’d used it. The plus is of course that they offer the money back guarantee if you’re not satisfied. I think it would be a little more appealing in the first place if it was a little cheaper but having used it I can see why it is so expensive.
It’s quite annoying that it only comes with one toothbrush head. Additional heads are quite expensive and although I think they will last a long time, a lot longer than a regular brush, it would be nice, for the price of the whole unit, if it came with at least two in the pack so at least both adults in the house can start using it without spending anymore money.
My third point would be that the charger and plug it comes with is a two-pronged plug. Fine if you have a two-pronged socket in your bathroom and it can be stored in the charger (it also has two spikes to keep two heads on) but I don’t and had to buy an adaptor in order to do the charging. Not a biggy but it would be nice if an adaptor came with it.
I’ve been using my brush with Colgate Total Interdental tooth paste and have found the combination of the two products most satisfactory although I have tried the brush with other tooth pastes and it still gives a fantastic clean. I mentioned to my dentist that I was using this and she said she thinks it’s a really good brush for me. She’s seen it at a trade event before it was on sale and said she was pleased it was now available to buy. FACT!
I have not been paid for this post but I have been sent the two products mentioned for trial and review purposes.
It’s really hard bringing up children. It’s great but it’s really hard! All the responsibility you have to ensure these little people grow up to be well-rounded and decent human beings is immense. There’s also the worry of it all too of course! Are you doing it right? Should you be doing something differently? Are they safe? Could you do something better? The list goes on…
Those worries must only be increased by having a child with a disability? Every parent works hard but if you have a child who is autistic or disabled, well your mothering role must have to take on a whole new dimension. I’m sure like with everything to do with children, parents just get on with it and do the best they can to make sure their children are as happy and healthy as they can be. I’m sure when it comes to that nothing changes at all and you just work as hard as you can, no matter what. But the worry must always be that little bit more and it must be very challenging at times.
We recognise single parents as having a tough job to do on their own and I hope that we, as a nation, recognise that the parents of children who have special needs have a pretty immense job to do as well!
Today is World Down Syndrome Day, a global awareness day which has been officially observed by the United Nations since 2012. This is the 8th year it has run and each year the voice of people with Down syndrome, and those who live and work with them, grows louder. It is a day to grow recognition of what Down Syndrome is and raise awareness of the single global voice advocating for the rights, inclusion and well-being of people with Down syndrome.
They have asked bloggers and social networkers to speak on-line and try to help this cause, so here I am, hopefully helping a little, by shouting as loudly as I can about today!
As a Mum myself I guess I look at the subject from the point of view of wondering how it must be in life to have a child with special needs. I honestly don’t know how I would cope? I hope I would do well, I hope I never have to find out – of course that must be how every mother feels.
Deborah French is a Mother who not only knows what it’s like to have one child with special needs but actually, two of her children, who although have very different stories, suffer with difficulties. Her world was turned upside down when after the birth of her first son she went on to have a daughter who was born with Down Syndrome. She had no idea. A year later and aged just two, her son was diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum Disorder.
Deborah, now aged 35, has four children with her older two being 10 and 8. She has written a book about her emotional journey parenting two children with special needs called ‘A Brief Moment In Time‘. Deborah is an award-winning speaker from the UK who now resides in Israel, she gave up her market research business in order to devote her time to her children and now with her new book she is allowing us to take a glimpse at her life and what it is like raising two children with different special needs.
‘A Brief Moment In Time‘ – The honest truth by a truly remarkable mother – is published by ASD Publishing and will be available for download at all major online bookstores from 8th April 2013.
Deborah says:
“As a parent of two children with totally different special needs, my redemption and ability to
write my upcoming memoir A Brief Moment in Time came from accepting our lives and our
children as our kind of ‘normal’, with no comparisons to others. By not succumbing to the
world’s current definition, our family has been able to take steps towards finding
contentment. Though our journey is far from complete, it feels great to have found the path
and I hope that by sharing my story I will empower other parents to be able to do the same.”
Deborah and her family!
French will be blogging on navigating the school system, how to inspire teachers and therapists to help your child with tips on daily life both for parenting and finding yourself. Follow her on Twitter or Facebook or visit her website www.deborah-french.com for more updates.
I have not been paid in any way to write this post.
This is my third post in a row about Silver Cross but I was asked this morning if I could help promote something for charity and it would have been, well, uncharitable not to! So for my third post in the Silver Cross hat trick, I just wanted to mention who they have teamed up with to help raise funds for a brilliant cause!
The Genesis Research Trust, a charity set up in 1985 by Founder and Chairman Professor Robert Winston, finance vital medical research into conditions affecting women, children and ultimately families. Miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth, brain damage and cancer are all diseases and conditions that our leading scientists are working to prevent.
The trust has just launched a brand new event the Silver Cross Pramathon 2013, it is a family day out in Marble Hill Park, Twickenham which will take place on Sunday 23rd June. Silver Cross and Channel Five’s Milkshake have partnered with The Genesis Research Trust to create this festival of family fun where Mums, Dads and their little ones can take part in the 5k Pram Push around the beautiful Marble Hill House. The Pram Push is your baby’s first fundraiser, raising money for a fantastic cause. Around 1,200 babies and toddlers are expected to participate and they’ll get to meet some of their favourite TV characters from The City of Friends, Jelly Jamm, Roary the Racing Car and Peppa Pig! There will also be Milkshake! presenters, entertainers, stalls and even a couple of celebrities to cheer you on.
We currently have an Early Bird Discount (until Wednesday 10th April) it is now only £35 for a family registration!
“Our scientists are working tirelessly to ensure a good start for mothers and their babies. This charity lies at the heart of the most profound of human wishes: to have a happy and healthy family.” Robert Winston, Founder and Chairman, Genesis Research Trust.
Sounds like a pretty fab way to raise some money and have some fun at the same time huh! We’ll actually be away on holiday so it’s bad timing for us but thought it was worth passing the message on!
I have not been paid in any way to write this post.
rocknrollerbaby 