Brighten Up Your Winter & Win A Family Tech Pack From VARTA

I always think January is the gloomiest time of year and if you are finding that you need something to brighten up the winter months then I have just the thing - the chance to win a Family Tech Pack from VARTA worth around £70.

VARTA is one of the leading consumer battery manufacturers in Europe and has expanded its range to include an exciting array of premium tech products such as chargers, portable powerpacks and torches. 

This is what you can win:-

Minions Flashlight

The Minions Flashlight is available in pretty yellow and cool blue and is adorned with everyone’s favourite characters; Bob, Kevin and Stuart. Robust and durable, the torches are specially designed for small hands. ARP £4.99. Available from Amazon UK.

Outdoor Sports 2x1 LED Head Light

The Outdoor Sports 2x1W LED Head Light is ideal for dawn and dusk excursions. Extremely light and with a wide choice of lighting modes, the powerful LEDs on this fashion accessory will keep you on track whether you are running, cycling or walking the dog. It comes in an attractive purple. ARP £16.99. Available from Amazon UK.

Safety Powerbank

The new VARTA Safety Power Bank 2600mAh gives real peace of mind. It combines a handy 2600mAh battery charger which will give a smartphone one whole charge, as well as a powerful 100 decibel panic alarm that can summon help if the user feels threatened. ARP £18.99.

Family Powerpack 16,000mAh

Available in stylish grey and white colour options, this power banks feature two USB ports; 1.0A for charging phones and MP3 players and a faster 2.4A port for tablets. The 16000mAh model will give up to six full smart phone charges. ARP £24.99. Available from Amazon UK.

Max Tech Batteries

The powerful VARTA Max Tech range is ideal for high-tech devices like computer games controllers and DIY gadgets. ARP from £4.99. Available from B&Q, Amazon UK, Notcutts, Dunelm Mill and convenience stores nationwide.

For more information on VARTA products visit: www.VARTA-consumer.co.uk.

Entry is via the Rafflecopter widget below and the usual terms and conditions apply which you can find on my competitions page. UK entrants only.

The giveaway ends at 11:59 pm on Sunday 19th February 2017.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

*post contains some affiliate links

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Choosing The Best School For Your Child

Our child’s education is extremely important to us as parents. Chances are you’ve been thinking about your child’s schooling before they were even born!

A good education puts them on a good path and sets them up for being a successful adult.

Here are a few things to consider when it comes to education

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Move to a New Area

Since schools work on a catchment area basis, you will need to be living locally to the best ones in order to be considered. It can seem like an extreme reason to move, but if you’re serious about your child’s education, then it’s one option. Check out the Ofsted reports and grades from different schools nearby to help you decide on one. From there you can find somewhere to live. The best schools tend to have higher exam result scores, and more satisfaction reported by both parents and students.

Look Into Private Education

Private schools tend to have better exam results than public schools. On top of this they’re more selective in the students they allow meaning the classes tend to be made up of intelligent and hardworking children. The class sizes are smaller, the extracurricular activities are more varied, and research has suggested that the teaching is better too. Probably due to smaller class sizes and children being easier to deal with, teachers aren’t so stretched or stressed. There are scholarships and funding available for a lot of private schools so if your child is gifted it may well be worth applying, even if you can’t afford the fees.

Employ a Tutor

If you can’t afford a private education and your child doesn’t quite make the cut for a scholarship, how about hiring a tutor? This could either help your child get ahead, or allow them to catch up in areas where they’re struggling. While tutors aren’t cheap you generally only have them for a couple of hours a week, so it’s something you could work into your budget much more easily than a full private education.

Consider Boarding Schools

Boarding school is so much more than just a school. It’s a chance for your child to explore various extracurricular activities, learn to be more independent and develop bonds with peers that run far deeper than they would at a regular school. Prep school boarding offers beautiful accommodation, often on large grounds in old mansions and manor houses. So you get peace of mind that your child is in a nice place and being looked after well.

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Consider Home Schooling

While schooling and the education system is generally very good, it doesn’t suit every type of child. There are a whole host of reasons you might consider homeschooling. Bullying can be an issue for some children, which can hugely affect their education. If this is a problem for your child and you’ve not been able to get it resolved, then you may consider homeschooling. Perhaps your child has certain needs which aren’t able to be fully met in the traditional way with a classroom full of other kids. Maybe they just learn better in a homeschooling environment. There’s no doubt that one on one teaching is effective- something your child will never experience in a regular school.

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This Year's Hottest Trends For Your Child's Bedroom Decor

It's a challenge to keep both parents and children happy when it comes to decorating their bedrooms, isn't it?

A child's bedroom is a room which comes with a large set of demands. It must be tough enough to be able to withstand vigorous and, let's be honest, occasional destructive playing.

It should also feel both comfortable and secure, crucial elements that allow a room to act not only as a playroom but also as a place of rest and relaxation.

The room must also be versatile in its design and should not only grow with your child as they mature, but should also allow your child to easily keep up with the latest trends and characters from their favourite films and TV shows, with a range of simple to make changes.

The above is a huge ask of any room, and when you're planning the decor, furniture and fittings you need to consider both the look but also the function.

So whether you are decorating a nursery for a baby who will soon be making an appearance, updating a nursery for a toddler, or are just looking to refresh your child's bedroom, family run business Childrens-Rooms.co.uk offer the design and decorating inspiration you need to help you achieve the perfect room.

They are one of the largest independent online retailers for kids bedding, kids curtains and matching childrens-bedroom accessories. They also have the largest selection of toddler bedding sets.

So I asked them what this year's hottest decor themes for kids bedrooms will be and this is what they told me.

Nature & Animals

Whether its safari bedding, butterfly curtains, bird’s bedroom accessories or high definition daisies, we are seeing a huge increase in sales of all things involving nature. It’s possible that these sales represent an increasing effort from parents to get their children interested into the great outdoors! Our predicted best sellers in this category are farm themes, jungle themes as well as forest & flower themes.

Storage

There are a few things which are just timeless, and a clutter free bedroom has to be one of them. To this end, we stock and supply a wide range of children’s storage options, meaning that you (hopefully) never have to stand on another piece of Lego again. The range includes storage bins, storage boxes, toy boxes and bookends, everything your child needs to keep their bedroom in great condition.

Often purchased as part of a full bedroom theme, a number of these kids’ bedroom storage products enhance the aesthetics of a room, as well as serving an important function. One of our favourites has to be our camouflage storage box, the irony of hiding clutter in a camouflage box isn't lost on us!

Feature Walls

A feature wall is certainly nothing new with regards to interior design, they are however becoming increasingly popular in children's rooms, creating a fantastic centrepiece which children love.

There are a wide range of wallpapers which can be used as feature walls - some customers choose colourful stripes and more neutral themes, whilst others dive head first into the amazing array of cartoons and characters from hits such as Frozen, Disney and Marvel.

One of our favourites, and a paper which has already proven itself to be a bestseller this year is the Marvel Avengers Breakout Wallpaper.

With a number of Marvel films due out in 2017 & 2018 including Spider-man Homecoming 2017 Thor Ragnarok and Avengers Infinity War - we are confident in this paper continuing to be a popular choice.

Rooms That Grow

Alongside neutral colour schemes, we are seeing our customers relying on accessories to quickly and easily change the design of a room over time. This method allows a children's bedroom to be almost continually updated with products such as wall stickers, bean bags, rugs, curtains and bedding at a low price point, avoiding the need for total decoration and theme change from age restrictive themes which children very quickly outgrow.

An example of this would be a boy’s bedroom, painted in pastel shades of blues which provides the perfect platform for easy customisation with bedroom accessories.

Miniature Seating

Another range which is increasingly being discovered by parents is ‘miniature seating’. This range typically includes everything your child needs to sit, lounge and relax in their room, either with friends or alone.

Popular seating options include bean bags, as well as inflatable and non-inflatable sofas and chairs. The inflatable options are perfect for smaller rooms, which struggle holding permanent large pieces of furniture. Bean Bags also represent another very flexible option, bright, comfortable and easily stored, they are a popular choice.

Children’s Rooms provide children and their parents with the largest range of top quality children’s bedding, children’s bedroom furniture and children’s bedroom accessories online, at unbeatable prices.

You can visit their website here: www.childrens-rooms.co.uk.

*collaborative post

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New Releases, Free & Bargain Books Link-up Week 5 2017

How are you all this week?  Spring is just around the corner now (or so I keep telling myself) and we're looking out for the first Snowdrops and Daffodils!

Still there's plenty to look forward to, Pancake Day (Shrove Tuesday) and for us here in Wales, St. David's Day is on the horizon.  Plus the Husband has a very big birthday next week.

In the meantime I'm flicking through the travel brochures and watching Death In Paradise to get a beach fix.

Don't forget that I still have plenty to be won on my competitions page and don't forget my problem page here.

Happy bargain and freebie book 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 | Colorimetry | The Ultimate Fan Blog | Mother Distracted
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!

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Dealing With Your Child's Sports Team Injuries

We are constantly encouraged to lead healthy lives through regular physical activity, as are our children and one way we can do this is by joining a sports team. Football, hockey, netball, rugby - it doesn’t matter what sport you or your children take part in, just as long you all enjoy it.

While being part of a sports team comes with many benefits, from staying healthy to making new friends, it also comes with a risk or two, one of which is injuries. 

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Whether it’s your kids that are part of a sports team or your partner, the chances are that at some point or another, someone is going to get injured.

It could be a minor injury such as a cut or a couple of grazes, or it could be something a little worse - whatever the injury, it’s important to ensure that you know how to deal with it.

Want to know how to deal with all manner or sports injuries? Read on.

Remain calm

Whether you see the injury take place or get a phone call from the team coach, it’s important to stay calm.

No matter what has happened, be it a bump to the head or a potentially broken bone, getting stressed isn’t going to help the situation.

The most important thing is to approach things with a cool head so that you’re able to think clearly about what to do.

The first question that you need to focus on is whether they - your partner or child, should come off the pitch or whether they can continue to play the rest of the game. This will depend on the nature of their injury and how serious it is.

Assess whether medical care is required

The next step is to assess whether medical care is required. If your partner or child has a head injury, is bleeding heavily, or has a potentially broken bone, then immediate medical attention is needed.

You can either call an ambulance - if you think the injury warrants emergency care, or you can take them to the local accident and emergency department.

If the injury isn’t too serious, then immediate medical care may not be required. However, rehabilitation care, such as physiotherapy, may be needed to help them get back on their feet.

If this is the case, it could be worth looking into going private for their care by contacting a hospital such as Highgate Private Hospital, as often NHS waiting lists are extremely long.

If you’ve got medical insurance, this shouldn’t cost you anything. If however, you don’t have medical insurance, you will have to cover the cost of any treatment fees.

Make the patient comfortable and encourage them to rest

Once you get the patient home, make them comfortable and encourage them to rest. If it’s a minor injury they have suffered from and you haven’t sought medical advice, make sure to keep an eye on them, to ensure that they are definitely okay.

If they’re in pain, give them some painkillers, get them comfortable in bed or on the sofa, and take care of them, with a little rest they should soon be feeling better.

Being on a sports team comes with many benefits. However, it also comes with a risk of injury. The chances are that at one point or another, anyone who’s part of a sports team will get injured, so you need to be prepared for that.

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My Problem Page Edition 4 2017

This week I'm talking about whether announcing your crush on Facebook is effective, how to chat your neighbour up and whether a gentleman should still hold a car door open for a lady.

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

Here are this week's questions.

Q: How can I talk to the girl in the flat downstairs without seeming weird?

I got handed some post for the flat downstairs and when I knocked on the door a really cute girl answered. Unfortunately, I didn’t have any time to talk to her and left abruptly. (I’m a bit shy too). It’d probably seem weird if I knocked on the door again and asked for her. Do you have any ideas?

A: Can’t you do use the old “can I borrow some sugar / coffee / tea” ruse?

Or claim there’s a strange noise coming from your heating and does she have it too?

You could drop her a note if you’re less brave saying “hi it’s your neighbour from upstairs. Would you like to go for a coffee sometime?”

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

You do need to find out though whether she already has a partner. 

Q: I have a manipulative step daughter. How can I address this situation?

A: Manipulative in what way and how old is your step daughter? 

Teenage girls can be pretty manipulative no matter what their position in the family! Are you saying that she is causing trouble between you and your partner? Are they taking their daughter’s side? 

Is the break-up of her family relatively recent?  I would say that your first step is to raise your concerns with your partner and you both working through the issues with her as a united front. 

Once she realises she can’t play one of you off against the other, her behaviour may change. 

Q: What should I do when there's people saying bad and fake things about me to my boyfriend?

A: I’m assuming someone, somewhere is jealous of you. 

That is usually the reason for bad-mouthing. 

Did your boyfriend leave another for you? Did he cheat on his previous partner with you? If that’s the case then it’s entirely likely you’ll have to put up with some bitching from his ex and their friends.

The aim of these people is clearly to split you up and I think you do need to address this with your boyfriend to put your side of the story before this escalates. 

If he knows and loves you I’m sure he will discount these rumours but it would be better to present a united front against these trouble-makers. 

Just be sure that what is being said is definitely fake.

Q: Does adding your crush on Facebook counts as making the first move?

I would prefer to interact in real life, but I only see him in a crowded place and due to the nature of his job we only have the chance to talk briefly. We do have friends in common on Facebook so I thought about adding him there. Does doing that counts as making the first move, or not?

A: No it doesn’t. 

People add Facebook friends all the time for all sorts of reasons. 

You say you have the chance to talk briefly. Why don’t you be brave and ask them for a coffee?

It’s better to find out now if they are interested than waste months puttering around on Facebook in the hope that they may one day message their undying love. 

Whilst you’re doing that, someone braver might steal them away from under your nose. 

Time to take a risk.

Q: Is not holding a car door or paying for her dinner wrong if she has a job and is physically able?

A: It’s not wrong but it is considered good manners. 

When you’re dating you want to make the best impression possible and whilst I wouldn’t expect to pick up the tab every time as the relationship progressed, an offer to pay for dinner the first time is a nice thing to do. 

She may be a feminist who resents such attention on the basis that she is perfectly able to look after herself but, frankly, I have always found gestures like this quite charming and endearing. 

There’s a difference between that, though, and becoming a meal ticket where the only reason she wants to spend time with you is for the nice meals and treats. 

You have, unfortunately, to go through the initial ‘learning curve’ to find that out. 

If you’re broke by the way there’s no reason why you can’t be upfront about this and ask to split the bill. 

If you really like this girl, a bit of chivalry won’t go amiss - or she’s likely to choose someone else who does treat her like a lady rather than ‘one of the lads’.

How would you have responded to these questions? I'd love to know. You can find more advice on my problem page.

Disclaimer: 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.

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How am I doing on the LighterLife Fast Blogger Challenge - Week 2?

Hmm.  Well I must be honest I had expected the weight to fall off a lot faster.  So far I've lost the princely amount of half a pound.

Now I will be honest and say that I did cheat on my 3rd fast day and ate a sausage and some baked beans for tea instead of the LighterLife Fast ready meal I was supposed to have.

But that's the only transgression I've made.

As you will recall from my previous post, the LighterLife Fast programme is a version of the 5:2 diet where you restrict your calories on 2 days of the week and then eat normally for the remaining 5.

The problem is, I think, with the definition of "eating normally".

There are several reasons why the weight isn't shifting and this is why you really can't have a "one diet fits all" approach.

I can't compare my weight loss with yours over the same period because we may have different metabolisms or retain more water.

As a menopausal woman with a thyroid problem I suppose I should expect weight loss to be a little more challenging.

Here are my 'issues' (oh alright then - excuses)

Lack of support

It's not surprising the group support is such an important feature of the other LighterLife weight loss programmes.

It's bloody hard eating something from a sachet when the family are tucking into a home-cooked tea.

Motivation

You really have to want to do this.  Again, this comes back to support and having a 'diet buddy' to share your progress with.

You have to adjust your eating on the other 5 days

You may say this is blindingly obvious but the danger with restricting calories on 2 days is that you tend to load up on the other 5.

So it's really a diet plan that is 7 day not 2 day.  After all, it was "eating normally" that started to put the weight on in the first place.

I am surprised though how little difference calorie restriction has made so far.

I really miss fresh food

There's no denying that the LighterLife Fast plan is incredibly convenient.  A trip to my local Superdrug found shelves well stocked with a good variety of the brand's soups, shakes and ready meals. (The products are exclusive to Superdrug).

One of the key benefits of this plan is that it's a no-brainer, no cook, no stress method of eating and although the products are formulated to ensure you don't miss out on nutrition, there's nothing like eating fresh food - particularly fruit and veg.

You need to increase your daily activity

Again, hardly rocket science but I think I need to dramatically increase my activity levels.  At the moment on weekdays it consists of walking about a mile on the 2 school runs and little else!

So that's where I am today, at the start of my 4th fast day (half way through my challenge).

I've just had Apple & Cinnamon porridge (155 cals) which was hot and tasty so let's see how I get on.

I would like to see a weight loss of at least 3-4 pounds within a month, ideally 7 pounds which would be realistically achievable with other diets.

Wish me luck.

You can find more about the LighterLife Fast plan at www.lighterlife.com, on Facebook or Twitter.

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