Mother Distracted

Tuesday, 27 September 2016

Puddles Win Prizes - Submit A Photo Of Your Favourite Puddle To Win Great Cash Prizes

If you consider yourself a bit of a dab hand with a camera and see beauty even in the pouring rain and the dank, drizzly landscapes the UK offers, I have a fabulous photography competition for you.

Two dogs in a puddle shutterstock_421092781.jpg

Image Credit: Shutterstock

So get the macs and kagools out, get the kids in their wellies and enter Welly Foods "Puddle of the Year" photography competition. The people at Welly, the British cooked meat brand, are looking for your pictures of your favourite puddles.

Puddles are something we Brits are very au fait with and have themselves had many a celebrity moment.

From the comic never ending puddle on the Vicar of Dibley, to the recent Dame Joan Collin’s puddle war on Twitter, it is time they were celebrated.

As Richard Morris, Welly's marketing controller says; “As a nation we are used to endless rain so it is time we faced facts and celebrated the wet British weather. Through Puddle of the Year we want to encourage people to grab their wellies and see the beauty in the great outdoors. We look forward to seeing the selection of photos entered.”

Child in puddle with umbrella shutterstock_432657025.jpg

Image credit: Shutterstock

The Prizes

There are some amazing prizes on offer:-

Public - £500 and hamper of Welly Foods (meat products) 1 (one) winner

Children (school) - 1 (one) school will win £1000 of camera equipment

Children (family) - £200 and a hamper of Welly Foods (meat products) 5 (five) winners

Professionals - 1 (one) x £500 and a hamper of Welly Foods (meat products)

How To Enter

There are 3 categories open for entry:- i) general public, ii) children and iii) professionals

You need to submit your puddle photo on the tab on the Welly Facebook page, leaving your contact details and indicating which category you are entering.

Don't forget you must have the consent of anyone appearing in your photograph and if you are photographing animals, you'll need the consent of their owners before submitting your shot.

ENTER HERE: wellypuddleoftheyear.co.uk

Once approved, your photo will be displayed on the gallery.

The photographs will be judged by Adrian Brooks, award winning photo journalist and WELLY marketing controller Richard Morris.

The competition runs from 26th September to 31st October.

A list of the prizes can be found on the Facebook page. You can find terms and conditions here.

The promoter of this competition is Welly Foods.

Good luck with your puddle photography!

Win An Extra £50 With Mother Distracted When You Enter Puddles Win Prizes

Click Mother Distracted on the drop down "where did you hear about the competition" tab to qualify for my own mini puddle competition.

Once you've done that then enter via the Rafflecopter widget below for a chance to win a bonus £50 (one winner). This prize will be supplied by Welly Foods once your photographic entry has been verified. You must submit a photo to the main competition to qualify for the extra cash prize.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Win A Spooky Bundle of Halloween Decorations From Flying Tiger [closed]

Halloween is fast approaching and if you're already thinking about making your fright night as scary as possible (not too scary if you've little ones of course), then I have a spooky prize of a bundle of Halloween decorations to win from quirky Danish design store, Flying Tiger worth £20.

Caitlin models the lovely pumpkin wig

Flying Tiger (previously just Tiger) has an ever-changing selection of own-designed and branded products at affordable prices. Just click on the link to find your local store.

You can find all kinds of things such as everyday items like kitchen utensils, office supplies, toys, hobby and crafts, party products, food, stationery, electronics, sports, gadgets and fashion accessories.

The designs are colorful, practical, original and often surprising. They have a Scandinavian flavor and a humorous touch.

Just right for decorating your party on a budget (and great for the cost conscious and students too!).

The exact contents of the prize box will be a surprise but they will include some of the following:-

Skull & Crossbones paper garland, £1

Fright in a can, £2

LED lights, £2

Pumpkin light chain, £2

Ghosts light chain, £4

Lanterns, £2

Hanging skeleton, £3

Pumpkin Wig £4

The Giveaway

The prize is a selection of Halloween decorations (which may not contain all of the above) to the value of £20.

Entry is via the Rafflecopter and terms and conditions can be viewed on my competitions page. UK entrants only. The giveaway ends at 11:59 pm on Friday 21st October.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

Review: Say Goodbye To Boring Mealtimes With HelloFresh

Being a so-so cook, I find that deciding what to have for tea is rather difficult - despite having a collection of cookery books that would fill a library.

If I do find a recipe, there will be at least one ingredient I don't have to hand, or the ingredients will be far more exotic than our local supermarket will offer.

This means that the kids' weekday teas tend to consist of pizza, salmon, spaghetti bolognese, fish fingers and ham sandwiches.

Over the summer holidays we got into a bit of a rut with rather more of these than was good for us. Now autumn is here and it's getting colder, I find myself wanting proper, hot, nutritious food - particularly for the kids.

But I've discovered HelloFresh who offer a food box subscription service with fresh produce, all the stocks, sauces and spices you'll need and recipe cards with instructions even the most hopeless cook can follow.

We were sent the family box to try over 2 weeks. This feeds 2 adults and 2 children for the price of £64 per week for 4 meals (that's £4 per head per meal).

These were the 8 meals we were sent:-

Week 1

Jamie's South Asian Chicken Curry with Fluffy Rice
Mushroom, Broccoli and Pancetta Gnocchi
BBQ Sausage Skewers with Cheesy Wedges
Chorizo Crusted Tilapia with Miniature Roasties

Week 2

Creamy Leek and Mustard Chicken with Stir-Fried Green Beans
Jamie's Sizzling Steak Stir-Fry with Tenderstem Broccoli & Noodles
Sweet and Sour Pork with Bulgur Wheat
Courgette, Broad Bean and Feta Orzotto with Pork Meatballs

Once you have signed up (and there are other boxes to choose from), you select your delivery day and then wait for your box to arrive.

Each box contains a variety of vegetables, a bag of all the spices and condiments you need to make the recipes, your meat and fish (carefully wrapped in wool with ice packs) and the recipe cards.

HelloFresh also offer a box for vegetarians and a classic box with more adult and spicier meals.

With the possible exception of a splash of olive oil, milk or water, there is nothing else you need to provide.

You can cook the meals in any order and the produce lasts for one week so there is no need to panic and cook them 4 days on the trot, although I did find I began to get into a routine.

Whilst the meals are easy to prepare, if you don't do much cooking I would allow yourself extra time for chopping etc.

As experienced cooks will know, a small block of time for food prep in the morning (unless your school mornings are complete chaos) or just after you've put the kids to bed will give you a useful breathing space when tea time comes around - particularly if you are taxiing the kids back and forth to various clubs and classes.

Not only are the recipe cards clearly written and easy to follow, the quality of the produce you are sent is incredibly high.

All the food is carefully packaged and clearly marked with the use-by date. There is nothing processed and you add the seasoning yourself so there is no danger of too much salt.

The cooking time for each meal is around 25-35 minutes, designed specifically for busy mums and dads who need to get tea on the table pronto.

Caitlin is an excellent eater but Ieuan is a lot more picky. To my surprise I found that they both tested everything.

I did substitute the bulgur wheat for rice with the sweet and sour pork and Ieuan wasn't a fan of the orzo pasta.

I also managed to undercook the Gnocchi which could have been better had they been crisper - but I've learned to cook in batches rather than chuck everything in a frying pan and hope for the best!

I was really impressed with HelloFresh and we have now subscribed because

* No more bulky main meal food shopping
* No cupboard full of condiments and pickles that never get used
* No stress about thinking "what's for tea"
* Cooking is actually quite enjoyable (don't tell the Husband)
* I feel like a much better mum for feeding my kids decent meals each tea time
* We all feel quite a bit healthier due to less processed food

Of course there are still another 3 tea times to cope with but the recipe cards are punched so you can store them in a folder for a quick idea or two. I feel far less guilty about pizza and fish fingers when the kids have already had 4 proper meals that week.

Currently, if you sign up to HelloFresh there is £40 off (£20 off each of your first 2 boxes) and if cooking is your bugbear, I heartily recommend you take a look.

In terms of value, I think the £64 is very reasonable. You could probably cook 4 meals a lot cheaper but it's the removal of the stress of planning, shopping and storing that adds value to Hello Fresh.

Their subscription plans are flexible too - you can stop your subscription when you need to or cancel it at any time (as long as you give about a week's notice).

It's going to be a much healthier, and tastier winter in the Hobbis household.

For more information visit www.hellofresh.co.uk or you can contact them on Twitter or Facebook.

*We were sent one family food box for two weeks for the purpose of this post. Our subscription is entirely independent.

New Release....
Alex Troutt Thriller, Book #5
AT Dusk

A little boy makes his first kill—and he likes it. He is cunning, charming, and without remorse.

He is a sociopath.

As boy turns to man, what lies inside takes root. He will make a mark on Boston unlike any other, and FBI Special Agent Alex Troutt must figure out how to stop him.

But when she and her close-knit team move in closer, the stakes become much higher as the case takes on a more personal tone. It’s a frantic race to stop a manipulative killer before his web of deceit and destruction escalates into a blood bath of haunting proportions.

Available to buy from.....

Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk Barnes and Noble iBooks Kobo

"Alex Troutt is quickly becoming one of my favorite fictional characters. I love how she's constantly having to balance her family life and her job, even though her job is continually threatening to take over." - Sonya N

"I simply love every single one of John Mefford's novels. They keep you on the edge of your seat reading late into the night." - Michele B

"Intrigue and attempts at revenge for long held grudges – the twists and turns keeps your adrenalin pumping." - Tracy C
above reviews from the Alex Trout Series

Also available in the series...

My Review

Alex Troutt is rapidly becoming one of my all time favourite detectives - all the more so because it's quite unusual to find a convincing, ballsy and likeable female detective in crime fiction. In this latest foray into the city of Boston and its crime scene, Mefford has created a deeply unpleasant killer and given us hardly any suspects. I spent the almost the entire book questioning whether Alex's team was on the right track, whilst being convinced I knew who the killer really was.

The usual characters we've grown to love are there, the hunky but possible too young Brad, Gretchen, Alex's partner Nick (who has undergone quite some transformation), loveable Ezzy and kids Luke and Erin. And this time Mefford gives us a second feisty female detective in the form of Terri who makes Alex look positively restrained.

I'm not going to give the game away but At Dusk moves at a lightening pace and is very difficult to put down.as the reader becomes as obsessed with finding proof as Alex and her team are. Although part of a series, At Dusk works equally well as a stand-alone story but I recommend that you read the rest of the Alex Troutt thrillers. You'll find yourself gripped.

About the Author

A veteran of the corporate wars, former journalist, and true studier of human and social behavior, best-selling author John W. Mefford has been writing novels since he first entered the work force twenty-five years ago, although he never put words on paper until late 2009.

John writes novels full of intrigue, suspense, and thrills, but they also evoke an emotional connection with the characters.

When he’s not writing, he chases three kids around, slaves away in the yard, reads, takes in as many sports as time allows, watches all sorts of movies, and continues to make mental notes of people and societies across the land.

John lives in Frisco, Texas with his beautiful wife, three opinionated kids, and a feisty fat cat who rules the world.

Find the author on the following sites....

Website Facebook Twitter Google+ Goodreads Amazon Author Page

Join John's Readers’ Group and receive the first novels in both the Greed and Booker Series

FREE for a limited time!

OTHER BOOKS FROM JOHN W MEFFORD

Follow the book tour

I received this book to review through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, all the opinions above are 100% my own.

NOW FOR THE AUTHOR'S GIVEAWAY

Win AT Dusk by John W Mefford ebook
5 Winners!!
Ending on Sunday 1st October at 11.59pm CST

Open Worldwide

Enter HERE

Good Luck !!

Relationship Dilemmas - What Was I Asked In Week 38?

After a refreshing summer break, Relationship Dilemmas is back. As usual, the questions I am asked can be about any aspect of relationships, and sometimes parenting and health.

If you would like any advice, feel free to message me or pop a comment in the comment box at the end of this post. I promise to be gentle.

Here's just some of the questions I've been asked this week.

Q: How do I reply to my ex boyfriend who keeps texting me and says he hasn't done anything bad to me yet the reason we aren't together is because of the fact he keeps texting me etc?

If you want this man out of your life then do not respond to him.

If he is your ex-boyfriend then his insistence that ‘he hasn’t done anything bad’ is irrelevant. The relationship is over and he needs to move on. Responding to his texts will just give him hope.

I’m more concerned though by what you mean when you say “anything bad”. I’m hoping you mean that your ex doesn’t understand why you have split up rather than anything more sinister.

If the reason you split was due to his neediness and clingy-ness, did you explain this to him when you split up? I’m assuming it was you who did the dumping.

If his contacting you becomes more frequent then firstly I would urge you to make someone else aware of the situation for your own safety (better to be safe than sorry) and secondly to change your mobile phone number and cut him out of your life.

If he starts turning up at your place or following you, you must tell somebody and explain what’s going on. But this sounds like a man who hasn’t quite got the hint - and not responding to him will help him to get it.

You have to stand firm.

Q: How do I answer it was nice to meet you text from a guy?

A: It depends how you met. Did you go on a date?

In my experience, if a man isn’t interested he won’t bother to get in touch. It sounds like he is expressing an interest in you and the ball is in your court.

You could say that you enjoyed meeting him too and you’d be happy to meet up for a drink (or similar).

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Q: It's been over a year since we broke up, is there any hope left?

A: It depends why you split up. If you or your partner were unfaithful then possibly not. If you just drifted apart, then maybe. But if you have not heard from your ex for over a year then it doesn’t look like they are pining for your relationship.

Have you done anything in the last 12 months to re-establish contact? Has something happened recently to make you yearn for your old relationship? Has a new relationship just bitten the dust for example?

Relationships always look better, happier, more romantic with the benefit of nostalgia when, often, they were anything but and splitting up was the best and healthiest thing that could have happened.

You could write a letter or email your ex explaining how you feel and asking whether there is a chance to reunite - or invite them out for a drink for old times sake - but I think you need to be realistic about this.

They may well agree to see you to talk about old times but that doesn’t mean they will want to leap back into your old relationship.

You may well find that you are both different people now.

All you can do is take a chance, be ready to put your heart on the line but if it’s a no, then accept that it is finally time to move on.

Q: Should I just let go of my boyfriend even though i Iove him if it's because I don't feel him needing me anymore?

A: To paraphrase your question, I think what you’re saying is that your boyfriend doesn’t seem so interested in you so you want to dump him before you get dumped?

If you do mean that he doesn’t seem to NEED you anymore then I would suggest that it’s not a very healthy relationship.

Don’t you want a boyfriend who wants to be with you because he enjoys your company and you add to his life?

Either way, it would be madness to let someone you love go because you are feeling insecure. Far more sensible is to have an open discussion with him about how you’re feeling and where he feels your relationship is at.

If you suspect his interest is cooling then it may be hard but at least you will know where you stand and can make a decision about your relationship based on facts and what is right for you, rather than doing something hasty out of panic.

Q: How can I forgive myself for the way I treated my ex boyfriend?

I took advantage of his love. I even made him cry once. I even caught feelings for another person once while we were together but denied it. I went to prom with another guy. I cant explain the situations due to word limit but I cant forgive myself. So I cant move on. I know I don't deserve to though.

A: Yes, you were unkind but you know we all have choices.

It takes two to make a relationship and your ex had the opportunity to leave you at any time if he found your behaviour unacceptable.

This doesn’t condone your behaviour but the wider question is why did he put up with it?

Obviously he loved you and hoped that things would work out but we teach people how to treat us and it’s not as simple as heaping all the blame on yourself.

You were quite young, I’m guessing, when all this happened and what you describe is perfectly normal for teenage relationships. We are all learning how to love and how to relate and of course we make mistakes.

If you feel awful then contact him and just say you’d like to say sorry for being horrid during that time and hope things are good with him now.

If you are not interested in rekindling the relationship though, you need to be very careful you do this in a way which doesn’t raise his hopes again.

If it were me, I’d just tell myself that I’ve learned through the experience, I’m now a nicer person and a stronger person - and your ex probably is as well.

You don’t say if you know how he’s doing but he may well be perfectly happy and settled in a new relationship and if so, the last thing he will want is to have to deal with your guilt.

I think this is one of those times when you have to ‘woman up’ and vow that in future relationships you will behave in better ways.

But beating yourself up for being young, naive and thoughtless is pointless - it’s just part of growing up for many.

Q: What do you do if your boyfriend is hitting on your eighteen year old daughter through texting? Does this mean he fancies her?

A: I think you know the answer to your question but, understandably, don’t want to accept what’s happening.

I’m assuming you have read the texts - either on your daughter’s phone or you have been reading them on your boyfriend’s.

It should be pretty obvious whether there is any sexual flirtation going on and, in any case, it is pretty odd for your boyfriend to be texting your daughter if you are not living together or he is not about to become her stepfather.

If you are sure he is hitting on your daughter then your first responsibility is to your DAUGHTER - unless she is actively encouraging him in order to get at you.

Are there problems in your relationship with her?

In your shoes I’d ask him exactly what he thinks he’s playing at and if you are unhappy with his answer, get rid of him. And change your daughter’s phone.

Q: How do you handle it if your boyfriend has a friend who is a girl?

A: How close a friend is she?

If she is one of the ‘crowd’ or an old school friend then I think you just have to accept the friendship and be mature enough to be gracious about it.

A strong relationship is built on trust and you should be able to talk to your boyfriend about this and he should want to reassure you that she is no threat. I’m wondering why you haven’t done this?

If, on the other hand, there is a secretive element to the friendship - he is constantly texting / phoning or breaking dates to be with her, then you need a frank conversation with him about what is going on.

But however uncomfortable it makes you feel, you can’t expect him not to have female friends - as long as the boundaries between friendship and romance are clearly defined and stuck to!

I think you need to speak up.

How would you have responded to these questions? You can find more advice on my problem page.

All materials included in this post are intended for informational purposes only. This post/information is not intended to and should not be used to replace medical or psychiatric advice offered by physicians or other health care providers. The author will not be liable for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages arising therefrom.

We love Halloween. In fact, apart from Christmas, it's my absolute favourite time and we make sure the house is fully decorated. Last year, the Husband gave up resisting and even donned a vampire cape and some fangs.

I usually stick things to walls and any other surface I think needs it with blu-tack or white-tack but versatile though these are, sometimes you need something that will take a bit more weight.

So we've discovered a range of ingenious adhesive strips and hooks from Command Products from 3M that allow home lovers to hang decorations and much more without the hassle of nails, screws and tacks, throughout the home. Better still, they stretch cleanly away, leaving no surface damage.

There's Command Brand Balloon Bunchers (for 3 balloons), Ceiling Hooks, Poster Strips, Decorating Clips and Banner Anchors which all promise damage free hanging.

We tested the poster strips and decorating clips and they certainly stick firmly and offer a more reliable grip than blu-tac! You do have to be careful about where you put them - you can't use them on wallpaper and you're advised not to use them, for example, on anything antique or that you wouldn't be able to repair - but we found they stuck fine to a painted surface.

We tested the Command poster strips and decorating clips

When you remove them, you simply stretch the strips which releases them from the wall - no risk of those annoying marks you can get on some surfaces when decorations have been left in place a little too long. (You can tell I'm a decorating pro, can't you?!)

For Halloween crafting, Caitlin insists on doing her own thing with the help of Mr Bones who was a bit startled to be disinterred a bit earlier this year. But if you're stuck for ideas for your Halloween decorations, here are three ideas you might like to try.

GLIDING GHOULS

For these ghastly ghouls you'll need some polystyrene mannequin heads, coloured netting, a spray adhesive and clear fishing wire. Simply spray the heads with adhesive, cover with your choice of netting and attach the wire – three heads have been used here and hung at differing lengths to create this ghostly effect! Once you’re happy with the terrifying faces, suspend from a fireplace, ceiling, or dark corner using Command Party Ceiling Hooks… and listen out for the screams!

BAT-TASTIC

For some scary wall décor, add some 3D flying bats to your wall. Fold an A4 sheet of black card in half, then draw a slim half-sausage shape starting from the folded edge, to form the bat’s body, then sketch one simple bat wing shape leading off from this. Cut around it all, then open out and fold each wing out from either side of the body, leaving you with a flat body shape with fluttering wings. Adhere each bat to your wall using Command Poster Strips.

WEB-TACULAR

Add a giant spider’s web to give your Halloween décor a little more substance.

Working at a table, cut six lengths of wool to equal lengths and lay them out to create the spokes of your web, tying the ends together at the centre, then tape each outer end down onto your table top with a little masking tape to form the web’s structure.

Cut another length of wool and tie it to one of the structural lengths with a knot, around 5cm from the centre. Move along to the next structural length and knot your wool down here too, keeping the wool relatively taut between the two knots. Continue working your way around the structure of the web until you’re back to your original knot- cut off any excess. Repeat the process with a new length of wool, around 5cm further out from your first circle, then continue working outwards in the same way for several more circles until you are happy with your web shape and size.

Command Clear Decorating Clips are ideal for attaching these to your wall or ceiling - simply tie a knot at the end of each length and place this over the hooks. Play around with your web’s position with masking tape before sticking down with the Command Decorating Clips.

HANGING HORRORS

Command Decorating Clips or Command Party Ceiling Hooks are ideal for hanging spooky items from your ceiling… whether it’s a giant spider, witches hats, or a pumpkin lantern. Simply attach a long piece of white wool or cotton to your items, secure with a knot and hang.

For more information, visit: www.commandstrips.co.uk. You can buy Command Strips at Amazon.co.uk, Asda, B&Q, Hobbycraft, Homebase, Robert Dyas, Ryman, Sainsbury’s, Staples, The Range, Tesco, WHSmith, Wilkinsons and 3Mdirect.co.uk.

No skeletons were harmed in the production of this post.

PR samples were received for this post

Tips For Protecting Your Car Against The Winter Weather

Running and maintaining a car is a costly business these days and as the weather gets colder and the nights become darker, it makes sense to consider ways to protect our cars from the elements and, if we don't have a garage, to increase the security of our vehicles.

Insurers would prefer us to keep our cars nicely locked up in a garage of course, but with land space at a premium and many houses and apartments being built without garages, lots of us are forced to keep our cars on a driveway or parked on the road - hopefully near to our home!

Here are some tips you may find useful to weatherproof your vehicle and increase its security during the winter months.

Consider a carport

If you don't have a garage but you do have some space on your property, installing a carport from a specialist provider such as 123v will give you the advantage of off road parking without the expense of building a garage - and the annoyance of having to fight for a parking space.

A carport is a covered structure which can either be free standing or attached to a wall and has a canopy which offers protection for your vehicle from extreme weather conditions and can be tailored to fit around any driveway area. These can prevent rain, frost and snow from collecting on your vehicle and allow you to leave your home on time - without spending time digging your car out of the snow!

Keep your car extra clean

Make sure you regularly wash your vehicle to get rid of any salt or grit. You'll need to clean the underside of your car too.

Your lights will benefit from being kept sparkling too to ensure you can see and are seen on the road.

Keep your car waxed & sealed

You can protect your car against the elements by keeping it waxed and polished. Bad weather can make your car more susceptible to rust and oxidation. You can buy car waxes specially designed to protect your vehicle's surface from road salt and snow, for example, Turtle Wax Ice Liquid or Paste Wax. They recommend that you concentrate on the lower parts of your car - behind the wheels, quarter panels, and front grille where ice, snow and salt have the greatest effect.

Check fluids

Make sure you check that your car's fluid levels are accurate. Don't forget to replace or top up summer windshield wiper fluid with one suitable for winter that won't freeze when the temperature drops. Check your antifreeze and oil levels to prevent internal damage to your car.

It's also a good idea to keep your gas tank at least half full to help just in case you get stranded somewhere miles from a petrol station!

Check wheels & tyres

If you're going to doing a lot of driving, you might want to invest in a set of winter tyres. These tyres, more commonly called cold weather tyres, are made from a softer material which means that they are soft enough to grip in temperatures below 7 degrees centigrade. They also have different tread patterns which allow the tyre to bite into the snow better.

A car fitted with winter tyres should stop more quickly and be less prone to skidding in any weather conditions if the temperature drops below the 7 degrees mark.

Otherwise check your current tyres for wear and tear and ensure that they are inflated to the correct pressure. You'll need to check this more frequently in winter as the cold will make your tyre pressure drop. You can also use a high quality tyre dressing to provide a barrier to the elements.

If you live in a rural area you may want to keep a set of tyre chains in your boot.

Check your windscreen wipers

The time to replace these and check for wear and tear is before the bad weather sets in. Make sure you have a good stock of de-icer and an ice scraper to hand - although I'm sure we've all used a credit card for this purpose when pushed.

Inspect your battery

You can guarantee that you'll discover your battery is flat on the morning which it's vital you get somewhere on time! Check your battery for signs of corrosion and invest in a battery charger.

Make sure you're properly prepared for winter journeys

It makes sense to go fully prepared. As well as plenty of de-icer and your ice scraper, make sure you've got warning signs, snacks, water, blankets, torches and a shovel to dig yourself out!

It's a good idea to check your breakdown cover is in place and that your policy will get you to where you want to go. For example, some policies will only cover a home start - not much use if you're stranded on the M25.

A bit of investment in some extra care and maintenance of your car may help keep you safe this winter and your car on the road for longer.

Sources: Hints & Things; Turtle Wax; Telegraph.co.uk

Parents: Do You Want To See An End To The Traditional Primary School Report?

Research from Capita SIMS has revealed that over half of parents (57%) feel primary school reports are either too generic or do not contain enough information about how their child is doing.

Capita SIMS is the leading supplier of information systems to the education sector, providing a range of software and services to schools and local authorities to help raise standards and reduce administration.

The survey, undertaken by Opinion Matters, interviewed 1014 parents with children at state primary schools in England, as well as 850 teachers at state primary schools in England.

More than a third of primary school teachers (35%) agree with the findings, despite the fact that schools are now recording more information about the children they teach than ever before.

Knowing whether their child is happy and confident in class tops the list of information parents want to know from teachers, suggesting that mums and dads do not just want academic results on their reports.

And although three quarters of parents (74%) stated that it was very important to have information on happiness and confidence, less than half (46%) reported actually receiving it from their child’s primary school.

Teachers too felt information on a child’s happiness was crucial, with 75% stating it was very important for parents to have this information.

The results suggest that primary schools’ communication with parents needs to evolve.

Phil Neal, a director at Capita SIMS, commented "The vast majority of parents believe teachers are doing a great job, but the research does indicate that information about how a child is doing in school needs updating.

“Schools should look at the type of information they send home. Details such as whether a child helped a friend in class or is working hard on a particular project is often just as important as test results".

Jayne Mullane, headteacher at Mersey Vale Primary School in Stockport, said: “We need to listen to parents to find out what information they want to receive. In my school, parents gave us feedback on our reports and we changed them as a result. They now include information about how much effort a child makes in class as well as details of academic performance.”

A guide for parents and schools is available, entitled, ‘Could do better: is it time to change the school report?’ It can be downloaded from www.capita-sims.co.uk/evolution, and contains a list of questions parents should ask schools about pupil progress and tips for schools on improving reporting.

How are you all this week? The nights are drawing in, as my dad would say and we're swamped by apples from his two old apple trees. I've got my 'crumble on' as there's nothing like a warm pud to cheer up a school night, is there?

I'm not sure what Paul and Mary would say about my efforts and I'm trying not to be too annoyed about The Great British Bake Off's impending move to Channel 4.

If I'm not lost in the latest novel from Beck Valley Books, I'm wading through my extensive collection of cookery books. If you enter the author giveaway here on my review of Late For Fate by Lori M. Jones, you'll have enough to treat yourself to a new cookery book.

Or you could just go bargain and freebie hunting on this link.

Have a great week!

Sharing the Love of Books
Enjoy our selection of New Releases / Free & Bargain Books this week

Authors please feel free to add your own books
Readers please free to add your own finds
(any genre except erotica welcome)

This weekly link up is hosted by Beck Valley Books & these awesome book loving blogs...
Monday
Life as Leels | IrishdaisylovesRomance | Book Babble | All Romance Reader
Tuesday
It's My Side of Life | Celticlady's Reviews | First Time Mommy Adventures
Wednesday
Beck Valley Books | Cinnamon Hollow Reviews
Thursday
Miki's Hope | Nicki's Nook
Friday
Ebook Addicts | I Love Romance | Mother Distracted | Colorimetry | The Ultimate Fan Blog
Saturday
Totally Addicted to Reading | 3 Partners in Shopping | Angie's Angle | I Create Purty Thangs | Wishful Endings
Sunday
Lynchburg Mama | LibriAmoriMiei | Ali - The Dragon Slayer | Wondermom Wannabe | Deal Sharing Aunt | Rambling Reviews

For Pre-orders post - PRE-ORDER / genre / title /author

For New Releases post - NEW / genre / title / author

For Free Books post - FREE / genre / title / author / end date

For Bargain Books post - SALE / price / genre / title / author / end date
(Strictly no Erotica please. Steamy romance is fine but watch those covers people, incase any underage child is viewing it!)

Click here for this weeks awesome selection!

Simple Tips For Hot Healthy Hair

All women are probably guilty of looking at another woman’s hair at some point and wishing they had it. Our hair is considered our crowning glory, and can make a huge difference to our appearance.

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Some women are born with naturally gorgeous tresses, but others aren’t. Some have thin, lifeless hair. Some even have less than desireable hair because of the things they’ve subjected it to over the years. Good news! With these methods, you can finally have hair other women are envious of…

Don’t Wash Your Hair Too Often

Washing your hair too often strips it of the all important natural oils it’s infused with. Moisture will leave your hair, and it might even become greasy more often. Your hair will get used to not being washed as much. If you’re worried about grease, a good dry shampoo can help to combat that. There are some people who rarely wash their hair at all, and have incredible locks!

Stay Away From Heat

Using too much heat on your hair is a one way ticket to snap city. Unless you want split ends, frizz, and other problems, you shouldn’t use heat on your hair too often. When you do use heat on your hair, use a protectant spray to ensure you’re not damaging it too much.

Take Supplements

Supplements can be amazing for hair. There are supplements formulated especially for the skin, hair, and nails. Obviously, you should make sure you’re eating a healthy diet alongside your supplements. Getting plenty of healthy fats in your diet should improve the condition of your hair. If supplements just aren't cutting it for you, you may want to try a medication. Looking at a price comparison of propecia hair loss tablets could help you to figure out if it’s the right route for you.

Use The Proper Type Of Brush

Make sure you’re using the right kind of brush for your hair type. You should also make sure you’re selecting the right brush depending on whether it’s wet or dry. Tangle Teezers are great brushes and can minimize damage. Never tug on your hair with your brush!

Protect It Before Bedtime

Protecting your hair before bedtime can be a good way to nourish your hair as you sleep. Rather than tying it in a bun or plaiting it, try using a silk scarf or head wrap. Pile your hair on top of your head before putting on your head wrap. The silk will evenly distribute your hair’s natural oils, giving you a natural conditioning treatment. Not only that, you should notice an improvement in thickness, split ends, and other problems. When we toss and turn on our regular pillows all night, we can damage our hair in all kinds of ways!

Use Products That Suit Your Hair Type

Make sure you know your hair type and you’re using products to suit it. You can find products for thin hair, fine hair, colored hair, and so on. It’ll help the condition and enhance your locks!

Start Now To Help Your Child Grow Up Healthy

It’s normal for parents to want the best for their children. After all, you want to ensure your child grows up to be a happy and healthy adult.

But it’s easy for parents to make vital mistakes when it comes to health when their child is young. Therefore, here are some steps to take so that your child is healthier when they are an adult.

Image Credit: Pixabay

Take control of their diet now

It’s so easy to fall into bad habits when it comes to your kids. They want to eat sugary snacks after school, and it's easy to give in to crisps and chocolate. You might be surprised to know recent government reports found that 1 in 3 UK kids are overweight by the time they reach the age of 11 so it’s more important than ever to try and limit their intake of high fat and sugary foods while they are young.

Try to find healthier snacks for your kids. Encourage them to eat carrot sticks with hummus and fruit with yoghurt, rather than heading for the crisps. Also, you need to make healthy dinners that you can eat as a family. If you are all eating the same meal, your children hopefully won’t moan as much about the lack of chicken nuggets and chips!

Image Credit: Pexels

Let them cook with you

A lot of the reason why people fall into unhealthy territory with foods is that they don’t actually know how to cook healthy dishes. It leads to people just sticking in an unhealthy ready meal into the oven! Therefore, you need to try and implement cooking skills into your kids as young as possible. That way, they will be able to cook and make healthy dishes when they are older. And as this article says, involving your kids in the cooking and preparation will mean they are more likely to eat fruit and vegetables.

Image credit: Pixabay

Make them brush their teeth daily

It’s an unfortunate fact that a lot of people in the UK have bad dental health. They end up having teeth removed sooner rather than later. A lot of the reason is down to us not brushing our teeth enough. You can read in my previous blog post that 40% of us don’t even brush our teeth once a day!

By not brushing, plaque builds up, and people end up needing fillings and cheap dental implants to cover the imperfections. Therefore, you need to encourage your kids to brush their teeth every day. Also, make sure they attend their dental appointments every year. You should also be limiting their fizzy drink intake as this will cause long-term damage to your teeth.

Encourage them to exercise daily

You might not realise that only one in three kids is actually getting enough physical exercise every day. Instead of getting outside and being active, a lot of kids prefer to sit inside on their tablets, computers, and phones. But by doing this, they are more at risk of obesity and heart problems when they are older. Therefore, sign them up for an energetic class in the evening such as gymnastics or martial arts. By doing this, it will ensure they are getting regular exercise in their life.

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Remember that parents are one of the biggest influences in their children’s lives. So you need to lead by example and follow the above so that your children are inspired to follows suit.

74% Motorists Fear Being Ripped off by Garages - Can You Trust Yours?

We've been pretty lucky with our cars so far. The Husband has an 8 year old Beemer and I have my beloved and equally old Skoda Roomster.

In the absence of much mechanical knowledge and having an inherent distrust of garages, we tend to stick to where we know (i.e. the local dealerships). Whilst the service is reliable, the price is reliably higher than some of the smaller independent garages.

But how do you know who to trust. We've all heard the horror stories about parts not being replaced, or replaced with second-hand bits. Then there are the tales of oil not changed or topped up, brakes not checked and unnecessary repairs undertaken to make a quick buck.

Let's be honest - when the car is in for its service or MOT, everyone dreads that phone call from the mechanic where they start listing everything that needs to be fixed.

How do you know if they are telling the truth?

74% of respondents to a survey of 1,000 car owners, by BookMyGarage.com, an online booking directory of UK garages, stated that either hidden costs or being oversold were their main worries when using a garage.

Depending on where we live, mind you, we seem to be more or less relaxed about being ripped off

The survey found that those in the North East feared being oversold the most, with 74% of respondents stating this as a concern. Northern Irish respondents fretted the least about being oversold, with just 22% stating this as a worry.

People living in North West appear to be the most worried most about hidden costs, with 43% of those surveyed indicating that this was an issue for them. However, only 22% of Welsh respondents said that the chance of garages hitting them with hidden costs was a major concern.

I am not one of the 22%!

As Karen Rotberg, director of BookMyGarage.com, says: “Our survey shows that garages have a long way still to go to build trust with their customers. As cars become more complicated, due to new technologies, many motorists don’t always know what maintenance their cars need and feel that mechanics take advantage of this lack of knowledge.”

“This is why we launched BookMyGarage.com. By being able to compare prices of local garages and see genuine customer reviews, garages and customers can start to trust each other again.”

What customers want from their garages?

• 53% of the UK population uses a preferred garage because they trust them to resolve the issue or because they have used the same garage for years

• Only 3% of the UK population selects its garage because it is a well-known brand

• Only 9% fear poor customer service when booking a garage, which suggests that financial issues, rather than customer care concerns, are at the front of customers’ minds

• 51% of respondents book a car service by phone with 31% doing so in person. Only 18% book a car service online

• Reputation is the key deciding factor when choosing a new garage, according to 54% of the UK sample.

BookMyGarage.com is a nifty website which gives you a list of garages according to your postcode, together with the services they offer.

Just by popping in my postcode I'm told there are 66 garages near me and the date of my MOT renewal. There's a map of their location and I can compare three garages side by side. I can then book online and there is a contact number which allows me to talk to an expert mechanic.

Some of the garages already have customer reviews available to read which is just what you want to have to hand.

Certainly worth a look if you have the dreaded MOT or service approaching.

Because some of our family members have had a squint, both Caitlin and Ieuan were taken to the optician at a very early age because we were advised that the sooner child vision problems are sorted out, the better.

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Luckily everything was fine but, because both Mat and I wear glasses, we are keeping a watchful eye (if you'll pardon the pun) on our two's sight.

This week is National Eye Health Week (19 – 25 September 2016) which aims to raise awareness of the importance of good eye health and the need for regular sight tests for all.

New figures released by National Eye Health Week and Boots Opticians show that more than 1.6 Million school–aged children in England could be living with an undiagnosed vision problem that impacts on their educational and social development.

And, a study by a team of UK academics published in the British Medical Journal found that children with reduced visual acuity had significantly lower literacy development.

Poor Vision In Children

Poor vision in younger children is often due to the presence of Amblyopia (lazy eye) – a developmental disorder that leads to reduced vision.

The human eye continues to develop until we reach about eight years of age giving just a small window of time where good vision can be restored through early detection and treatment.

Unfortunately, there are few signs and symptoms to observe so detection is very difficult for parents, carers and teachers.

David Cartwright, Chairman of National Eye Health Week advises “As a child’s eyesight is usually fully developed by the age of eight, regular sight tests, every two years unless advised otherwise by your optometrist, are crucial. Sight tests for all children in the UK are free and funded by the NHS – the only investment parents have to make is time.

Conditions such as squint or amblyopia can lead to lifelong problems so it really is a case of ‘After Eight is too Late’. If detected early amblyopia and squint can often be corrected and other visual problems such as childhood myopia can be managed effectively, yet, fifty per cent of parents with children aged eight and under have never taken their child for a sight test.”

Levels of Myopia (short-sight), which typically occurs in childhood between the ages of six and 13, have more than doubled over the last 50 years and currently affect around a fifth of all teenagers in the UK.

Tell-tale Signs Your Child Is Struggling With Their Vision

It's often difficult to tell if your child is having problems with their eyes but some tell-tale signs that there could be something wrong include struggling to recognise colours and shapes; frequently bumping into things; not showing any interest in learning to read; not progressing or being disengaged at school; complaining about headaches and sitting very close to the TV.

You may also recognise some physical signs, including:

• Rubbing eyes frequently
• Squinting, head-tilting or closing one eye when trying to focus
• One eye turning in or out
• Blinking a lot
• Excessive tearing
• Red, sore or encrusted eye lids

A New Guide To Help Care For Your Child's Eyes

Working with Boots Opticians, National Eye Health Week is launching a guide to help care for your child's eyes.

This digital resource includes seven ways to help keep kids’ eyes healthy, tell-tale signs your child could be struggling with their vision and common childhood eye conditions explained.

There are also links to resources such as the Boots Opticians eye check story book, Zookeeper Zoe which contains a range of interactive eye check activities to help parents and carers understand if their child might need support with their vision.

For more information visit www.visionmatters.org.uk/children or to share Zookeeper Zoe’s adventures visit www.zookeeperzoe.co.uk.

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