5 ways working mums with new babies can get more sleep when you return to work
Posted inFamily life Mothers' rights at work Parenting tips What's in the news? Work and career tips and advice

5 ways working mums with new babies can get more sleep when you return to work

The joy of a new baby is certainly special and something that all new parents experience. However, not getting enough sleep is also part of having a new baby and new parents notoriously get very little sleep, if any at all.

For new mums on maternity leave, it can be gruelling enough, but if you’re self-employed or have to go back to work before your child is sleeping through the night it can be tough.

Ooops… you’re pregnant! Five ways to manage a surprise pregnancy
Posted inFamily life

Ooops… you’re pregnant! Five ways to manage a surprise pregnancy

Pregnancy is often a pleasant surprise. Of course, there are times when finding out that you’re pregnant can come as a shock. Although most unplanned pregnancies are still pleasant surprises, it doesn’t make the situation any easier… There are steps you can take to make an unplanned pregnancy a pleasant experience.

Posted inFamily life

3 reasons why working mums should have a hobby

Before you became a mum, you probably had a hobby or two that you enjoyed making time to do…it doesn’t have to stop just because you have a child or children to raise.

Having a hobby can be a great way to help relive some of the stresses that being a busy working mum or mumpreneur can bring on…therapy without the cost and it will help you find your identity again.

The working mum’s guide to a winning parent-teacher relationship – five tips to get the best out of your child this school year
Posted inChildren & Relationships Family life

The working mum’s guide to a winning parent-teacher relationship – five tips to get the best out of your child this school year

Behind every successful student is a great school teacher. And great teachers make great schools. But teachers can’t do it alone…not even the best and most experienced.

The research is clear: school children perform better in school when their parents are actively involved in their education, and here are five easy ways to do just that without being the interfering parent:

How to cut your cleaning time right down so you can enjoy family time…or put your feet up!
Posted inFamily life

How to cut your cleaning time right down so you can enjoy family time…or put your feet up!

There’s an old saying that a woman’s work is never done…and if you’re a busy working mum, it can often feel like it’s true.

The fact is, like all these old wive’s tales, you can either choose to believe it and give up, or take control of your situation and get the results you want and need…and cleaning is no different.

How to make playing outside safer for your children
Posted inFamily life Parenting tips Things to do with the kids

How to make playing outside safer for your children

If you’re a baby boomer then you‘ll remember the good old days when you played outside all day and complained vehemently when you were told to go inside for the night… these days, our children are stuck indoors in front of a TV, or behind a computer screen or video game of some sort…

I am more than a mother: tips on having a life while being a successful a working (and a good!) mum
Posted inA mix Editor's word Family life

I am more than a mother: tips on having a life while being a successful a working (and a good!) mum

When you’re a busy working mum, it can be easy to get so engrossed in motherhood that your other relationships begin to suffer. It’s not intentional, but you barely even have enough time in your busy day to take a minute for yourself, let alone return phone calls or make friendly visits that aren’t child-centred or important family occasions.

Divorce and the family business: what the law says about family businesses and what happens after break up
Posted inChildren & Relationships Family life Relationships tips and advice

Divorce and the family business: what the law says about family businesses and what happens after break up

Michelle Mone seemingly has it all – founder of the successful Ultimo bra company, married with three children and living a jet-set lifestyle which takes her all over the world to promote her business, which is worth an estimated £50m.

So the news earlier this year that Mone was to split from her long term husband and business partner Michael came as a major shock. In interviews in February Mone described how her hectic schedule had effectively left her and her husband as only business partners, and how their split had left them living in separate wings of their substantial family home.

The working mum’s guide to organising a children’s party…stress free and on a budget
Posted inFamily life

The working mum’s guide to organising a children’s party…stress free and on a budget

If you have school-age children (or nursery age children, for that matter!), the chances are your child has been invited to a party or two. And once they get a taste for it, they’ll likely want one, too.

Planning a children’s party seems like a doddle, right? Remember those pre-baby days when you used to host every good dinner or night out going…this should be a breeze, right?

5 ways to keep your children from getting sick
Posted inA mix Family life Parenting tips

5 ways to keep your children from getting sick

Juggling work and childcare can be quite a challenge at the best of times, but add the never-ending need to take a day off because your child is sick…again!…and even the most understanding and flexible of employers will start to raise an eyebrow.

Fussy eaters – when children won’t eat what the rest of the family are eating
Posted inFamily life Parenting tips

Fussy eaters – when children won’t eat what the rest of the family are eating

Hands up those of us who have had fussy eaters in the family at one time or another?

Of the many people I work with, mums and dads often come to see me because they want their babies/children to enjoy a good healthy relationship with food. It is a very fortunate parent whose baby/child/teenager eats most things and they are, sadly, in the minority.

How playing board games can help your children get back into the swing of things
Posted inFamily life Parenting tips

How playing board games can help your children get back into the swing of things

As the school summer holidays come to an end, it’s getting harder to fill the final days.
Have you tried playing board games? They are a great way to not only have some fun as a family, but to save some money, too!

Selecting a game for the family be a little tricky if you have kids at different developmental stages, so start by choosing a board game that your youngest child play – newborns excluded.

Back to school breakfast tips for busy Mums
Posted inChildren & Relationships Family life

Back to school breakfast tips for busy Mums

Nutritionists agree that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, essential for memory, concentration and learning - yet many children go to school on an empty stomach. In a recent Guardian survey four out of five teachers (83%) said they see pupils who are hungry in the morning. We provide time saving tips for busy Mums to help them prepare a healthy breakfast for their children that will keep them going until lunchtime.
Product review: back to school uniforms
Posted inChildren & Relationships Family life Product reviews

Product review: back to school uniforms

When it comes to buying uniform for the start of the new school year, it can be a bit of a conundrum – spend less and save money risking poor quality school wear, or spend too much and get burnt when your young ones ruin their uniform.

We review some products from Vertbaudet…well worth a watch!

Summer nights making you feel restless? Adding a few ingredients to your dinner can make all the difference
Posted inA mix Family life Health news and tips for the family

Summer nights making you feel restless? Adding a few ingredients to your dinner can make all the difference

As well as sleeping on a good bed in a well-ventilated, dark and quiet room, achieving a great night’s sleep can be affected by what you eat before bedtime.

According to The Sleep Council, certain foods are known to aid sleep – in exactly the same way that caffeine is known to help you stay awake.

Five tips for staying trim while eating out with the family this summer
Posted inA mix Family life

Five tips for staying trim while eating out with the family this summer

We all want to enjoy the experience, but if you’re trying to watch those calories, it can be a bit difficult to fully enjoy eating out with the family. Keeping yourself in shape when dining out is simply a matter of ordering the right things.

Here are five tips for having a healthy dinner out,while still enjoying your meal like everyone else:

Cheap or free family fun activities to do this summer…with an Olympic twist, too.
Posted inFamily life

Cheap or free family fun activities to do this summer…with an Olympic twist, too.

Now that summer’s fast approaching and the weather is ‘hopefully’ improving, it’s time to start thinking about outdoor activities to keep the kids amused throughout the summer months.

One of the cheapest activities available to families involves using two things that come free to us – our legs to enjoy all of the great walks that Britain has to offer.

7 tips for busy mums to get more done and fit even more into their days
Posted inA mix Family life Starting and running your business

7 tips for busy mums to get more done and fit even more into their days

The juggling never stops, and the tiredness and wishing there were more hours in the day. So how do you get more done as a busy working mum? How can you fit even more into an already busy day?

how busy mums can fit even more into the dayThe truth is, it isn’t always easy plain sailing – there will be times when you feel like you’re so busy that your feet don’t even touch the ground. But, how you manage your situation can make the difference.

Here are seven tips that can help you get more done:

Posted inFamily life What's in the news?

Cherie Blair’s right…all mums should work…in a way that works best for their family

Are mums who stay at home just using their children as an excuse to retire from their careers? Are they making their children less independent?

Cherie Blair may just have a point about the importance of mums working-081418.jpgIf you’re Cherie Blair – former prime minister Tony Blair’s wife – then you’ll say yes to that. In fact she has been quoted saying the very thing, and. She’s not apologetic about it either.

But does she have a point, or is it just another attack on stay-at-home mums from a working mum?