How To Be A Healthy Role Model For Your Daughter

We learn a lot about life we learn from our parents as we are growing up. So much so, that I bet you can remember things that your mother said to you when were are a little girl, even now! 

That is why it is essential that we set the best example for your own daughters regarding physical and mental health. But what does that look like? 

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Food and fitness 

First of all, it’s a good idea to get the basics right. Including eating well and exercising. Now everyone has their own view and struggles with these sorts of things, and it's not for me or anyone else, to tell you what to eat or what how to exercise.

Instead, try and instil some more basic habits into your kids through your or own example. So that means having a good diet, not being afraid to try new things, and getting the right balance between treats and healthier food. Hint: it's totally cool to have treats now and again you don't have to cut everything out entirely!

Emotional well-being

Another way in which we can serve our daughters well is to model good emotional well-being for them. Although this isn't always the easiest thing to do when you're a mum, as you have everyone else to look after before you can see to yourself!

But really, what message is this giving our daughters, that she should work herself into the ground just so everyone else is OK? That she can only take time off when no one else needs her?

Surely we want to raise strong, wise daughters that know when to push harder in life, and when to ease off and take a rest to recuperate? If so, then this is definitely something that they will learn from watching you. So ensure that you are compassionate to yourself as well as the other members of your family.

Women’s health

We can also be of great influence to our daughters, especially as they start to grow up is in the area of women's health.


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Explaining the changes that occur in the body can help with this.

As can demonstrating that we are looking after our own female health issues by being open about our own experiences with women's health providers such as the London Womens Centre, or the NHS. As this can help our daughters develop the confidence to seek medical advice when it's needed and have true control over their own health.

Joy

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Lastly, one of the most important things to demonstrate to our daughters from our own behaviour is how to find joy in life.

If you are stuck doing things you hate every day, and make no time for fun, laughter or creativity, not only will you be miserable, but you could be setting your daughter up for a fall in later life as well.

That is why is a great idea to take some time every day to do something that you love and that nourishes your soul.

You can even share this time with your daughter if you choose to, which will help her develop this habit as she matures.

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Win Og On The Bog From Drumond Park Games

Let's be honest.  There's nothing like a game involving general bodily rudeness to capture the imagination of youngsters (and many adults) and we've been sent just such a game to review by Drumond Park Games.

The electronic Og on the Bog (rrp £24.99), age 5+ for 2-4 players) is truly hilarious and takes revolting games to completely new heights with its outrageous brand of gross and disgusting toilet humour.

This may well be an acquired taste but my two found it very funny indeed.  Og on the Bog is simple but appeals to a vast range of youngsters up to the age of 11 and beyond.

The aim of the game is to steal Og's loo rolls and leave him stranded on the loo.  Players take turns on the spinner to see if they can sneak a loo roll of its pole.

If your hands are unsteady, however, you'll disturb Og who will fart loudly and scare them away!

As play proceeds anticipation and excitement build because if Og does a truly humungous, explosive fart, he blows his Bog apart!

To play you set up Og and his bog in the centre of the table. Each player is given a loo roll to start them off and the youngest player spins the tree stump spinner.

A red cross means you’ve made a noise and it’s not safe to tip-toe up to Og’s Bog, so your turn is over and the next player spins.

The hand holding a loo roll means you can pinch a loo roll from any other player!

A green tick means you can stealthily try to steal a loo roll from Og’s loo roll pole… and here’s the tricky part. You have to push down the front step of the bog to see if Og has heard you. If he says anything, he has – and you must run away; your turn is over.

If he grunts or farts he has not heard you – and you can try to lift that loo roll off the pole. 

If you twitch it too much, Og will make another noise: if he shouts out something (which could be quite rude!), you must drop the loo roll back on the pole and your turn is over. If he grunts or farts – success! – he did not hear you and you can keep that precious loo roll.

A wobbly hand might just set Og off more than once during your loo-roll-lifting efforts, and the same rules apply; if he shouts, drop it – but if he farts, you’re safe (and I never thought I’d hear myself say that one)!

If Og does a monster fart and his bog explodes during your turn, you have to put two of the loo rolls you've already collected back on to the pole and finish your turn, raising the walls of Og's bog once again so that play can continue.

The winner is the first player to collect three loo rolls if 4 of you are playing, otherwise you have to collect 4 loo rolls each.

You do need to have a steady hand to retrieve the loo rolls and it doesn't take much for Og's bog to explode, leaving him sat looking very disgruntled.

The game is just the right level of complexity for Caitlin and Ieuan and an ideal length - we found it lasted around 10-15 minutes which is ideal for their attention span.

It's also blissfully easy to set up with a well printed set of instructions.  There's nothing worse than a game that takes longer to set up than it does to play (and we've had a few!).

Giveaway

I have one copy of Og on the Bog to give away to one lucky winner to test their own loo roll retrieval skills.

Entry is via the Rafflecopter widget and terms and conditions apply (on my competitions page). UK entrants only and the giveaway ends at 11:59 pm on Sunday 23rd April.

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For more information and stockists, visit www.drumondpark.com. You can also find out more on Facebook or Twitter.

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Win How To Grow A Baby & I'm Wrecked This Is My Journal Books

You may remember I recently reviewed Clemmie Hooper's How To Grow A Baby & Push It Out and I'm Wrecked This Is My Journal - The Alternative Baby Book For Frazzled Parents by Shannon
Cullen.

Both are best selling baby books with a unique attitude to the joys of pregnancy and the aftermath!

Clemmie's book covers each trimester of pregnancy through to delivery and beyond. There are recipes for the various trimesters, tips on styling your new shape, a discussion on sex in pregnancy, how to write a birth plan, illustrations of positions for labour, what to pack in your hospital bag, top tips for birth checklists and even advice on booking a babymoon.

There's also advice on what to expect when having a C-section or being induced and the knotty issues of whether you should wax and if pooing is normal when giving birth (it is)!

With "I'm Wrecked This Is My Journal", mother-of-two Shannon who is the publishing director for children's books at Penguin Random House UK, has created an entertaining and honest journal. She has a new baby as well as a toddler and aspires to wake up naturally - without the aid of children - one morning.

It’s a book for parents to record their own experiences – both the highs and the lows – and to chart the extraordinary transition to parenthood.

How To Grow A Baby and I'm Wrecked This Is My Journal are both available from Amazon.

I have one copy of each to win for one lucky winner.  All you need to do is enter via the Rafflecopter widget below.  UK entrants only and the usual terms and conditions apply which you can view on my competitions page.

The giveaway will end at 11:59 pm on Friday 21st April.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

*contains affiliate links

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Please support MEDAPTI - A Safer & Easier Way To Give Babies Medicine

I have just learned about a brilliant new invention by mum of two Dora Dyk. It is called MEDAPTI and it will make giving medicine to babies much easier.

Whilst I was lucky enough to have few problems with Caitlin and Ieuan in getting them to take medicine, for example from the plastic syringes that are supplied with infant medicines such as Calpol and Nurofen, many babies struggle - particularly babies with reflux.

I can recall occasions where I accidentally shot the medicine into their mouths too quickly making them cough. It's so easy to get it wrong when trying to administer medicine to a distressed, poorly little one. Upsetting for baby and mum.



Dora is seeking support and crowdfunding to get her invention to market. This is the last week of her campaign for funding (ending 6th April) and health professionals in hospitals such as Great Ormond Street, Alder Hay and Sheffield have already expressed an interest in MEDAPTI.

MEDAPTI could also be used to give medicine to the disabled and the elderly.

Here is her story. Please support her if you can.

My name is Dora and I am a mum of two boys. When they were little, I struggled to give them medicine safely and effectively, especially my second baby.

My first son was on reflux medication for a long time and I was always worried about hurting his tiny gums with the regular plastic syringe. I had a bigger issue with my second baby who completely refused to take the medication. He either spat it out, was sick on it or the medicine would just end up all over him, me or the floor which meant I never knew what dose he took.

It was heart breaking to see him so distressed. I used to cry with him a lot of the times because I was so overwhelmed with the whole experience. I just couldn’t find a safe enough solution. I used a medicine dummy which helped as at least I wasn’t worried about hurting his gums but as he didn’t like dummies, I had to use the plunger and many times accidentally shot it too fast down his throat and made him choke.

There were countless times when I would walk around the room rocking my baby to calm him down and I couldn’t stop thinking: ‘There has to be a safer way!” This is how the idea of MEDAPTI was born.



Why is MEDAPTI different from anything that’s out on the market?

* It directs medicine to the cheek which is the safest way as it prevents from choking. This way also helps to avoid taste buds and makes it harder for a baby to spit the medicine out which in result minimises the risk of baby taking an incorrect dose.

* It helps to keep the syringe in baby's mouth even if the baby is moving around or refusing to take the medicine, which also minimises the risk of baby taking an incorrect dose.

* It is soft, protecting baby's mouth and gums.

* It is simple and mess free.

* It only requires the use of one hand when dispensing the medicine, leaving you with a free hand to hold your baby.

A lot of people think MEDAPTI is just like a medicine dummy. It’s not. It might look similar to a dummy but it works in a different way and is suitable for babies that do not like dummies or bottles.



It has been just over four years since I first thought of MEDAPTI and what an exciting journey it has been! Challenging for sure BUT amazing! With no previous experience in product development, I had to learn it all step by step…intellectual property, design, manufacturing and so many other things!

I have to admit, juggling between kids, day job and MEDAPTI project isn’t the easiest thing and we have to make sacrifices as a family but I believe it will be worth it.

Fortunately, I have a lot of support and encouragement from my family and friends. My boys, 5 and 7 years old are my biggest supporters and my very valuable advisers J My youngest said to me the other day: “Mum, when I’m big, I’d like to do MEDAPTI with you.” My eldest came from school one day and said: “Mum, I invented something today!” It would be a dream to take them to a supermarket one day and show them MEDAPTI on one of the shelves! They would not believe it!

I am extremely proud of how far I got with the development of my invention. Articles about MEDAPTI were published in The Sun, The Mirror and second best-selling newspaper in Poland last year.

Just within the last two weeks, I was featured by ten different blog and baby sites, including Mummy Pages. I never thought that just the idea I had in my mind would travel across the globe for someone to write about it!

The more feedback I get, the more I realise that MEDAPTI could help so many people. Not just parents and carers of babies but also disabled and elderly. Something I am especially proud of is the fact that I had interest from health professionals in hospitals like Great Ormond Street Hospital, Alder Hay and Sheffield.

It just shows that giving medicine to babies is a real issue. One of my guest blog posts is also a proof of that. A mum blogger whose daughter was born with half a working heart said that MEDAPTI would have really helped with her baby when she was born. It’s incredibly moving to think that my invention could help those babies who need extra medication or anyone else who struggles with giving medicine.

This is why I desperately need your help! I am raising funds on Kickstarter so I can pay for the tooling and produce the first batch of MEDAPTI.

Please support me and PLEDGE. There are many Rewards to choose from. I will be forever grateful! The campaign finishes next Thursday, 6th of April at 8pm so there is not much time left!

Here is the link to my campaign where you can see a short video and find out more about me:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/400491693/1069786552?token=6da0111e

Please support Dora if you can.

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New Releases, Free & Bargain Books Link-up Week 14 2017

How are you all this week?  The Husband is off on his sales week in Canada so I've been manning the fort alone.  I've needed a large glass of wine a couple of times, I can tell you!  I felt much the same last year as you can see from this post.

Did you catch my review of Into The Air by A.K. Downing?  It's a fabulous debut novel for young adults set in a post apocalyptic world with a feisty young female heroine searching for her lost father.

As usual, there are some great books on the linky - and don't forget you can always add your own to spread a bit of the book love.

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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Problem Page Edition 13 2017

This week - how to stop your boyfriend from smoking, why your ex would block you and whether flirting could be 'creepy'.

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: Why would my ex block me and then unblock me?

A: It depends how long ago it was you split up. 

If it’s recent, it may be that they have had a change of heart or, if the break-up was their fault, they simply feel guilty about blocking you. 

If, on the other hand, you been messaging them with anything angry or vindictive, or openly criticising them on timelines etc, you shouldn’t be surprised at being blocked, particularly if your messages were visible to their friends and family. Social media is not the place to air your dirty laundry. 

If things ended a while ago, perhaps they feel that now your relationship is in the past, it is OK to remain friends. 

The only way you will know is if they make contact with you directly. 

If you did nothing to warrant being blocked, I would feel pretty annoyed and not waste any further time on them. It’s pretty childish behaviour, don’t you think?

Q: My boyfriend smokes a lot. How can I make him understand that he has to end? 

A: Smoking is an addiction so it’s not as easy as telling someone they HAVE to stop. Unless they’ve been living in a cave, they’re well aware of the damage they are doing to their health. 

Perhaps in the first instance it would be better to encourage them to cut down. 

You may find some ideas in my post about this "Will This Help Your Loved One To Reduce Their Smoking Habit?" 

The more you nag him to stop, the more he will continue I suspect. 

If his smoking is a deal-breaker for you and he won’t stop, then I think you need to tell him that the passive smoking he’s putting you through is harming your health as well and you want a boyfriend who respects both his, and your body. 

After all, if he won’t choose you over smoking then that doesn’t bode too well for your future relationship. 

I think someone who wants to be with you will at least be willing to agree to some sort of compromise. 

But he’s not a child and he really needs to decide to stop for himself. 

Q: Will he come back if I take time away? 

My boyfriend ended things because he wasn't happy with himself and was tired of my lack of trust. I know he had been feeling this way for a while; the breakup wasn't abrupt. The breakup had us both in tears however he said he wasn't getting back with me. If I let go, will he come back? Advice?

A: My question to you is, if you don’t trust him, why would you want to take him back? 

It sounds, I’m afraid, as if he has made his mind up and is spinning you the old “It isn’t you, it’s me” line. 

But is there more to it? 

If he has been miserable for a while, has he been suffering from depression for example. Has there been someone else in the background whilst all this has been going on? 

I am sure you feel heartbroken but the best way to inspire him to come back is to build a life without him and don’t let him see you are hurting. 

Desperately trying to hang on to him may make him more determined to go - and I think you should have pride enough not to give him the satisfaction. 

It doesn’t sound as if this was going anywhere and with time apart you may meet someone far more suitable, and someone who you can trust. 

Very often if we don’t trust someone, our gut instinct has come into play and is shouting a message at us. 

I suspect it may be time to listen to yours. 

Q: Does she like me, or think I'm creepy? 

There's this girl in my coworking space. I always catch her taking a quick glance at me, but I pretend not to notice. She does the same thing walking in the building when I'm already inside. I feel like she's keeping tabs on me, than showing actual interest. Why would girls do this? 

A: I’m guessing you don’t have much experience with women. Hasn’t it dawned on you she might be flirting with you? 

Lots of girls still believe the guy should make the first move, old fashioned as that may seem. And if you are reacting as if she thinks you’re a creep, it’s not really surprising she’s not started up a conversation is it? 

If you’re interested then return her smiles. Say hello. If you’re not interested then carry on ignoring her. She’ll get the message soon enough. 

Q: How would you feel if you were sleeping with someone and suddenly they tell you that they're engaged to their ex? And they declare it to everyone.

A: I would ask them to pack their stuff and get their cheating backside out of my home and then never see them again. 

How you feel is immaterial. What you do about it is what matters. 

By the way, how can they be engaged to their ex? Their ex is very much not an ex then surely. 

I do wonder how much you knew about this person but if they had led you to believe that you were in a bona fide relationship I would be absolutely livid. 

Tempting as it is to tell the fiancee I’d do the decent thing and keep schtum. She’ll find out what a rat he is soon enough. 

You just need to move on with your head held high and ask a few more searching questions next time. 

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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3 Things To Consider With Your Child's Education

Many parents develop a love-hate relationship with their children's education. Naturally, it has to be appropriate, and it can be a drama if your child doesn’t perform as well as you had hoped.  As parents we all derive great personal pride when our children do well.

Far more important, however is the question of how well your child's education is preparing them for adult life.

Will they leave school equipped for higher education and with a clear idea of the kind of job that will excite and motivate them? 

In the end, our role as a parent is to make sure that our kids have all they need in life, and this includes an education that allows plenty of room for self-growth. 

Here are three areas in which you can help them best. 

How Are Your Kids Doing In School?

First of all, the unavoidable parents’ evening at your child’s school is the best way for you to take the temperature. Parents’ evening is often a bit of an ordeal for many parents, but this is a necessary step to finding out first hand how your child is doing. 

A lot of parents will use the evening as a way of sharing their parenting opinions with the teachers, but it's important to attend for the following reasons.

The teacher is there to give you an overview of your child’s social interactions, school performance, and overall behaviour. This is the evening in the year during which you can find out from an adult specialised in working with children, whether yours are having difficulties making friends, getting their heads around maths, or sitting quietly in class. 

This is an important step on your parenting journey to help them and a key opportunity to find out where the issues are and discuss possible solutions with the teacher and other parents.

Consider The School Equipment

If you are still in the process of choosing your child’s future school, or if you are visiting the school for an appointment with the teacher, then make sure you take the time to look around. 

Do they have modern playground equipment for schools in the playground? Are they using digital technology in the classroom? Is there a computer room, and if so, what types of computers are there? 

Schools need to provide a healthy mix of modern equipment to help your child get prepared for the modern life. For some children, the school is the only place where they can get to see a digital tablet or read a book. So it’s important that they can use relatively current equipment so that they are best prepared for the active world that awaits them. 

Help Them To Discover Their Passion

Finally, as a parent, it is your role to help your child develop his or her passion. Passions are notoriously difficult to find, so help your children by planning cultural outings such as an afternoon at the museum or theatre, even an art gallery or how about a library?

You could even plan a cultural holiday abroad, but it's probably best not to do that in term time unless you have the permission of the head teacher!

There are plenty of things that you can do to help your child broaden their horizons. But as you do, you are getting them one step closer to defining a future path that they will love. 

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