7 Things I've Learnt As A Parent

Since the very first moment I held my newborns in my arms it has been an incredible learning journey. You may think as a parent you're the one teaching your child as you raise them but you certainly do develop and change as a person too. You grow as your little one does.

Here are seven things I've learnt as a parent...

Your best is good enough
Parents really give themselves a hard time but you should know that you're doing a wonderful job and you are a good parent. If you're worrying about how well you're doing that alone is a sign that you care enough to be concerned and you're therefore a pretty good mum or dad.  It's okay for your child to have chicken nuggets and chips from time to time and you shouldn't feel guilty, it's okay to raise your voice or get grumpy when you're sleep deprived and it's okay to leave the dishes on the side for a day. People may judge you at times for your choices on breast/bottle feeding or disposable/cloth nappy usage but if your kids are happy and healthy that's all that matters.

Caring for Wildlife in Autumn and Winter

As the summer fades away and autumn returns, it's a nice idea to think about how the wildlife in your gardens will cope. Food can become scarce as the weather cools so by taking just a few minutes to care for the birds and other creatures it will not only help them to survive but it can be a great way for little ones to learn about caring for animals too! 

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You can make fatballs of your own as a source of food or purchase bird feeders for just a few pounds. Try to ensure that they are in a location where birds can access them with ease, without the risk of attack from cats and don't place them too close to windows. Keep them topped up all season and clean or replace them when necessary as a damaged feeder can cause injury. 

Colic Awareness Month

Parenthood is a rewarding and joyful experience and with September being the busiest month for births there will be lots of mums and dads beginning their adventure within the next few days.

No doubt they will have their nursery decorated beautifully for taking their new arrival home, storage units stacked with neatly folded sleepsuits and nappies, but I wonder if they will they will be prepared for colic? According to a recent survey as many as 1 in 3 British mothers had never heard of this ailment, which affects as many as 140,000 babies each year, so it's certainly a topic that should be more openly discussed.

Raspberry Crumble Slices

If you haven't been out to fill your baskets with berries yet this summer, now is the final time to do so - you can make your own jam! Although you can of course use shop bought if you prefer so that you can dive straight in to make this delicious recipe. Our preference of filling has to be raspberry for a beautiful burst of deep red but feel free to use whatever you have to hand or prefer. Blueberries and strawberries are great alternatives and they too create a sweet and sticky centre to contrast nicely with the the crisp yet flaky exterior of these slices.

We like to pop a batch into some plastic pots to take on day trips or when visiting friends as a tasty afternoon treat. The Mini Mes enjoy making these themselves, they are great for tweens to bake, and they get great satisfaction from layering the ingredients nicely before popping them into the oven to turn golden.

7 Tips for Beautiful Hair this Autumn

At this time of year, which sees the return of the cooler weather, our beautiful tresses can often suffer becoming dry, brittle and losing shine, but keeping your hair in great condition need not be as difficult as you think. 

These 7 simple tips should certainly help to keep your locks looking luscious until the arrival of spring - there is minimal effort involved too...

If you're entering the season with hair that is already damaged from the summer sun and chlorine filled pools (if you were lucky enough to get away) you may want to work on repairing it before the cold wind and rain worsens it. Look at purchasing some hot oil treatments or masks to deeply moisturise your hair. These can usually be used once or twice a week and they can really improve the condition.