How to Encourage a Growth Mindset in Children: Key Strategies for Parents

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In today’s ever-changing world, developing a growth mindset is one of the most valuable skills a child can have. Coined by psychologist Carol Dweck, a growth mindset is the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through effort, learning, and persistence. When children embrace this mindset, they become more resilient, motivated, and open to challenges.

So how can parents encourage a growth mindset in their children? Here are some key strategies to help your child develop resilience, motivation, and a positive mindset for academic and personal success.

Life Skills To Teach Your Child

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As parents, we want our children to grow up to be successful, well-rounded individuals. While academic achievements in independent schools are important, life skills are equally as crucial for their overall development. Learning some basic life skills are essentials for children growing up as these are the skills will aid them in becoming more independent and self sufficient too. 

These skills help children navigate the world with confidence and resilience. Here are some essential life skills to teach your child.

Supporting Your Child Against School Bullies

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Bullying is an issue that, unfortunately, many children encounter during their school years and sometimes even as adults. As a parent, it can be distressing to discover that your child is being bullied, and it can actually be one of a parents biggest worries when children start school or start a new school year. However whilst we can't stop bullies all together, with your support and proactive steps can make a significant difference in their life. 

Here are some ways which might help with how you can help your child navigate and overcome this

Raising a Resilient Child

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Whilst we cannot shield our children from all of the hard, stressful stuff that happens in life, we can help them become more resilient and more able to deal with these types of situations. Resilience is key for helping children to develop and something to work upon as they grow older. Building resilience gives children the chance to be themselves, think independently and work on their own initiative. 

As parents, we should be giving them the tools to learn about resilience, which is why I’ve teamed up with a boarding school in Kent to show you tips on how to raise a resilient child.

Coping with an Age Gap!

There is an almost 5 year age gap between James and Evelyn with James being the oldest at 6 and a half and Evelyn almost 2. 

I didn't plan to have such an age gap in fact I didn't really plan at all. I fell pregnant with James when I was just 18 and whilst unexpected I now wouldn't change him for the world! Being so young made me realise I didn't want to rush in to having more kids just because of an age gap. I wanted to wait until I was ready, until I felt ready to make that big leap in to becoming a mum of 2. 

It took us quite a while to conceive Evelyn when we finally decided we were ready, which also widened the gap between them and when she eventually came along it was the summer before James was due to start Primary school. 

Of course with James being a little older it was nice that he could understand a little more about the fact he was going to become a big brother and he was so excited to meet his new baby sister. I worried the whole time I was pregnant though about him feeling pushed out, it had been just him for so long how would he feel about sharing me. 

When Evelyn came along James was amazing with her, he couldn't wait to meet her and was so gentle and protective over her whenever he was around. You could just tell how proud he was at being a big brother which did make me feel much better about the situation. We also always made sure we made some time that he have one on one time with just us when Evelyn was in bed so he knew he still had our attention too which definitely helped. 

I am not going to lie though having the age gap is tough especially now at this sort of age. Evelyn is at an age where she wants to be involved in everything everyone else is doing, mostly her brother! Whereas James wants a bit of Independence he is much older and doesn't want to play the baby games that Evelyn is able to do. As a parent its trying to waiver on that thin line between encouraging them to play together and letting them have their own time and space. 

For example we went to a soft play a few days ago, this posed another problem. The soft play centres James likes are huge, high and pretty dangerous for Evelyn, of course they have baby sections but Evelyn doesn't want to be in those if James isn't. However the soft play's that are suitable for Evelyn are much to babyish for James who then bores easily in them. Such a simple thing such as soft play becomes a nightmare of feeling like someone if missing out, its toughie but we have managed to find a few places that meet in the middle and keep them both happy. 

James is also at school now and with school comes after school clubs including swimming clubs and Beaver scouts. I do feel for Evelyn a little and she often gets carted along to these as her dad is at work and I have to take James. As there is such an age gap none of these clubs are suitable for Evelyn which means she is often bored and spends more time than I would like her to in the pushchair whilst we watch or wait around for James. 

Of course there are perks to the age gap too. As James is older is easier to explain to him about why we have to do things. He helps play with Evelyn so I can do the washing up and watching him be so protective over her is so beautiful. Evelyn dotes on her big brother which is so wonderful and I think this is partly because hes that bit older than her and she looks up to him. 

I have found there doesn't seem to be as much arguing between them either. Perhaps because the toys Evelyn has James doesn't want and the toys James has Evelyn doesn't know how to use! I am certain the arguing with come later though and of course they do still argue usually over food or bed time! 

People ask would I change the age gap and my simply answer is no! Yes its hard, really hard sometimes actually but I definitely didn't feel ready for another when James was younger and I am glad I didn't push myself to have another just for a small age gap. I think for me I feel it would have been even harder with 2 when I wasn't mentally prepared for another child than it is with a bigger age gap. 

Whilst there are tough days there are amazing days too though! James is adorable with his sister when they are getting on and watching him teach her and her intently listening fills me with pride. Knowing that she has a brother that little bit older to guide her through the world with that little bit of extra knowledge behind him makes me love them both a little more. 

When people ask the question "whats the best age gap?" my answer is there is no "perfect" age gap. With any age gap will come hard days and situations as well as positives. You just have to do what feels right for you and your family. 

xXx

Viewing the world through the eyes of our Children

As a mum of two with one who is at school I often find myself with plenty to do to keep me busy and often leaves me unable to see past our day to day needs, this means we are often rushing places like the school run and doctors appointments. Whilst Evelyn was little this wasn't really an issue she would either be in the pushchair or in the sling and I could continue at my normal pace. However now that she can walk its all she wants to do and of course I want to encourage her so things have been taking a little while longer recently.

Whilst running some of our usually errands I realised something, I had been so busy rushing along scooping Evelyn up in my arms when we had been in a rush and she was taking a little too long looking at another leaf or stone, I hadn't really thought about how the world looks through her eyes.

The simple things that I pass each day that don't seem important to me are all brand new to Evelyn, they are interesting and fun and I had been dragging her away from all these things taking away the opportunity to explore and learn!
That tree that you pass most days might be a mighty oak with a story to tell to a child who marvels at how tall the tree is and how big the branches are that stretch up to the sky. The leaves she wants to crunch in for an extra few minutes are crunchy and beautiful with all of their different colours but we just breeze through them on our way. The noises we hear, the animals we pass and the smells we all take for granted, a child wants to know, wants to explore and whats to sense and experience what these things are and who are we to stop them. After all isn't that part of life shouldn't we be encouraging them and supporting them in finding out about the world we live in and all that it offers us.

I love hearing my children's tales of their day which may often for us adults have just been an ordinary day but for a child it could have been magical and amazing. Listening to James tell me stories of his day has made me realise I need to listen more, ask more and talk less. I want to hear about the world through his eyes and perhaps we as adults can learn something about the magic of the world through the eyes of our children.

Children can often teach us things we don't even realise we are lacking, the joys in simple things like sand in our toes the smell of fresh grass and laughter for no apparent reason. They make us realise there is beauty in the most ordinary objects and they make us realise that taking time to just breathe, enjoy and laugh can make us feel like a whole new person inside and out.

I have promised myself and the kids that from now on I will try and leave a little more time for our journey so that we can appreciate the world together. I want to crunch in the leaves, marvel at the trees, stare at the swooping birds and appreciate the daisies that we see each day. Just because we see something all of the time doesn't make it any less special. I want to make our journeys adventures as each day is a new adventure for a toddler like Evelyn and hand in hand we will enjoy it together.

Have you ever thought about how the world must appear to your child?

xXx

Our current top 5 children's story books.

I had never been in to books much until I had kids, now I still don't really read for myself (I struggle to find any time) but I do adore ready to both James and Evelyn and have done so since they were tiny babies.

I love how children can get lost in a story and how it fuels and nurtures their already wild and vivid imagination. James has always loved books but since starting school and learning to read for himself books have become a real passion for him and we read together each night. When we are not reading together I often find him reading story books to his sister as she often sits and listens intently, its a real pleasure to watch. 

So I recently asked James (aged 6) to share with me his favourite 5 books at the moment from his book shelf and here are the 5 he chose -

Cinder the Bubble-Blowing Dragon

Tyrannosaurus Drip

Aliens Love Underpants

Harry and the Dinosaurs go to School

Mr Nosey and the big surprise

I adore that James loves reading as it was one of my main concerns before he started school as he was showing no signs of being able to read or wanting too! Despite my best efforts at home a few months at school and he was excelling and I haven't been able to stop him since. Its a real joy to watch him reading and really getting in to the story of a book and telling me all about it afterwards. James even reads to his sister now who adores his reading just as much as I do.

Do your children love reading? What is your childs favourite book to read at the moment? 

xXx

Og On The Bog Game **REVIEW** and Giveaway!

Og on the Bog is a new tongue-in-cheek game from Drumond Park. A completely outrageous children’s game perfect for the whole family to play, where adventurous players are creeping up on Og while he sits on his bog in the forest. 

The aim of the game is simple, you have to try and steal Ogs toilet rolls without him noticing. You use the tree trunk spinner provided and each player has a spin to take their turn. As you spin you will hear Og in his Bog making all sorts of crude noises including burping and farting. Each player takes a turn and what you do during your turn depends on what the spinner lands on! 

If it lands on the "red cross" it means you have been to noisy and have disturbed Og, you miss a turn this time. When the spinner lands on the hand holding the loo roll you get the chance to pinch a loo roll of another player!

If during your turn the spinner lands on the green tick you get the chance to steal a loo roll from Og! But you must remember to push down the toilet step first and be sure to be quiet because if he hears you or feels you stealing his loo roll his Bog will explode! 

The winner is the first player to successfully get 3 or 4 loo rolls (depending on the number of players). 

Og on the Bog has been a big hit in our house and it has definitely provided plenty of giggles and laughs for all the family. The game is aimed at children aged 5+ and I think this is definitely the right age range and something my son who is 6 and his friends will have lots of fun playing, however this game is very simple and so I would say with supervision would be fine for slightly younger children too. The Og on the Bog game is simple yet fun and will definitely be a game that will be pulled out time and time again. The "jump" factor adds that extra bit of excitement as everyone eagerly awaits the "exploding" bog and this makes for exciting game for all. 

The game is easy to assemble and just requires you to clip on the loo roll holder and slide on the loo roll. You will also need to add 3 AA batteries which are not included. Then thats it you are ready to play! 

You can find Og on the Bog and many more fun games on the Drumond Park website HERE. 

Fancy a chance to win your very own Og on the Bog game (RRP £22.99)? Then simply enter our Rafflecopter giveaway below. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

xXx


**I was not paid for this post, I was sent this item in return for an honest review. 
All thoughts and opinions in this post are my own and written by me. **

Time to slow down and live life!

Hurry Up, Come on, Lets go are words that seem to regularly leave my mouth especially where the kids are concerned. I am rushing them out the door, rushing them along the path or in to the car we just always seem to be rushing.

You see when you become a mum its a whole new way of life, a whole new schedule and with another little person to look after as well as doctors appointments, play dates, baby classes, music classes and later on school runs, after school clubs and so on you become a bit of a machine. Always with somewhere to be or something to do, a schedule to adhere to and a place to be.

Both James and Evelyn are observant children they like to look around noticing things that I may otherwise have breezed past in my schedule fueled frenzy. James especially now he is a little older loves taking his time to peruse the world at his leisure and I actually found myself getting frustrated. Why?... I have no idea and when I look back now I feel annoyed and shamed of myself for feeling this way. For putting a schedule above my children's enjoyment of life!

This is when I decided I needed to slow down, I needed to story hurrying them along, let them enjoy life at their pace and let them discover the world and all it has to offer.
So we are late for a play date, our friends will still be there when we arrive and I am sure will totally understand and love to hear James' story about how we stopped to watch a squirrel leaping through the trees or to pet a lovely dog.

I needed to stop getting frustrated when James wanted to talk to a dog or pick up some brightly coloured leaves, I needed to listen to his stories but not just listen REALLY listen! I need to remember that appointments can be rearranged, friends will understand but discovering the world with so much joy that a child has simply cannot be replaced or hurried.

After all the world is still so new to them James is just 6 and Evelyn not even 2 yet. There are every day things they are still discovering, exploring and marveling at. I forget how exciting it is to see a squirrel or crunch in crispy leaves as a child. I forgot how exciting a park or a walk along the river can be for a child for whom the world is so new, so exciting so mind boggling that they are just trying to work it all out.

So I have decided to make an active try at change, less hurrying more enjoyment! I want to watch my children marvel at the world and relive it all through them. I want to take them camping so we can toast marshmallows on an open fire and spend time just talking and listening to each other. I want to spend that extra bit of time looking at the caterpillar on the way home from school rather than just hurrying James along. I want to crunch in those crunchy leaves, listen to his tales from school and take time to just enjoy life.

I want my children to know that lie is for living, for enjoying, for discovering. Its not for rushing or hurrying its about taking the simply joys that are all around them and really noticing them. I hope that my change will reflect in our life as a family and that together we can become more relaxed and chilled out.

xXx

Pixie Dixie PJs **REVIEW**

There is something about new bedding and new pyjama's that everyone including myself seems to love. Especially now as the darker and colder autumn/winter nights start rolling in we all start snuggling back in to our warm cosy pyjama's. 

So when the lovely people at Pixie Dixie offered both James and Evelyn some new pyjama's from their iconic British designs range I knew they would be perfect for the colder nights! 

Pixie Dixie is a British company established in 2006 making Kids' PJs that they love to wear and mums love to buy. All of our Boys' Pyjamas and Girls' Nightwear and Baby Gifts are made from high quality, 100% cotton jersey. Pixie Dixie Kids' PJs feature iconic British designs such as London taxis and buses, princesses crowns, marching soldiers and gliding swans. 

I chose the knights on horse back design for James and the pink gliding swans design for Evelyn. 

When they arrived I hurriedly pulled them out of the packaging and was amazed at the softness of them! The PJs are 100% jersey cotton which makes them really soft, incredibly warm and require NO ironing (extra thumbs up!). 

I chose the crew neck design for both James and Evelyn with both tops featuring a classic crew neck and long sleeves and the full length trousers have an elasticated waistband so are not too restricting as they move around in the night. 

I have to admit I was a little apprehensive at washing them as as the colours in the designs are lovely and vibrant and the background a crisp white. I thought the design may fade or bleed in to the white, however I was pleasantly surprised to find this was not the case. The PJs washed incredibly well and the colours are still bright after several washes, they also both kept there shape well and look as good as new with no signs of bobbling or shrinkage. 

Priced at £29.99 each these PJs are a little more expensive than I would usually pay out for nightwear but you can really tell the quality of these PJs and I am sure they are going to last ages (well until one of them has a growth spurt!). These would make a lovely gift or if you are putting together a Christmas eve box these would make a fantastic addition as Christmas PJs!

Pixie Dixie PJs come in a great size range with pyjama's and nightwear available in sizes 1-10 years and if the crew neck design isn't for you they also sell the same designs in a classic pyjamas style too! 

If you want to check out more of the Pixie Dixie designs or order your own then check out the Pixie Dixie website for the full range - www.pixiedixie.co.uk. 

What is your favourite design from the website? 

xXx


**I was not paid for this post, I was sent this item in return for an honest review. 

All thoughts and opinions in this post are my own and written by me. **

My reality of being a stay at home parent.

Before I start I would just like to say this isn't a post about bashing a person about the way they parent. It isn't a post about which way is best it is just my thoughts as a stay at home mum! As mums we all make decisions that are best for our families at the time whether it be staying at home or going to work.

From the outside it may look like I have it pretty good. My husband goes off to work whilst I get to stay home and look after the kids.

I have all that precious time with my babies and don't get my wrong I feel so truly blessed to be able to have that time and that connection with them. However its not all days at the park and sunshine, sometimes I feel totally lost in my world of being "mum". My days are often ruled my meal times, nap times, tantrums and school runs and whilst it is extremely rewarding it can be lonely sometimes too.

I miss the conversation with actual adults, now don't get me wrong I do see other adults, I have conversations with other adults. However these are usual "play dates" with our children and our conversations are more rants about how little sleep we have had as we try and dislodge our child from the ball pit they have become stuck in at the soft play, or a half-hearted conversation which can barely be heard over the screams of your over tired, possibly hungry child.

I am also always wondering whether I am doing a good enough job! This may sound silly but at work if your doing well or not so well you get told and you know about it, you can put it right and get back on track. However being a stay at home mum means I don't really have that reassurance which certainly makes way for the insecurity and doubt in my parenting abilities. Sometimes I just want someone to tell me im doing OK or my children are right on track.

Being a stay at home mum can be lonely! Whilst I am sure people have visions of us stay at home mums visiting parks and soft plays in large groups all having a coffee and a get together that's really not very realistic, well for me anyway. In the early days I spent most of my days in the house, alone and counting down the hours til my husband got home from work just for a bit of company.

Of course don't get me wrong I adore being able to be at home with my children, watching them hit their milestones and being able to watch them grow and I am extremely grateful for that, it can be and really is so rewarding. I have met some fantastic other mummy friends and if I could give anyone one bit of advice it would be to push yourself to get out to baby groups/ parenting meet ups etc, you will be surprised at how much better you can feel talking to other mums and realising you are not alone in how you feel.

I just want people to realise its not always as good as what it may seem. Being a stay at home mum can be a lonely, daunting and stressful job too!.

Are you a stay at home mum? Do you have any tips for other mums?

xXx

Thomas & Friends - My First Rail Rollers Spiral Station **REVIEW**

Now that Evelyn has turned 1 and is now on the move we have had a big overhaul of her toys and its been out with the "baby" toys and in with the noisy, musical, light up, stand up toddler toys which has been met with shrieks of excitement from Evelyn!

One new toy Evelyn has been trying out is the Thomas and Friends - My first rail rollers spiral station.

This rail rollers spiral station allows children to drop their favourite engines into the top of Tidmouth sheds and watch them zoom down the spiral tracks. As they speed past the track signs which spins as the rail rollers hit it they then reach the bottom and are greeted by the fat controller who guides them into the clear lift tube to start the journey over again!

The track comes in several pieces which are really easy to put together and are just clicked in to place. I also liked the fact this toy doesn't require any batteries or fiddly bits to assemble so you don't have to worry about the batteries running out or replacing them etc.

Evelyn loves watching the rail rollers speed down the track and even her brother who is 5 has been having lots of fun racing them down the track with his little sister. The rail rollers are a good size perfect for little hands and can be easily gripped, Evelyn is able to pick them up unaided. She did struggle to master the lift handle at first but once we had shown her a few times she had it masters and was soon whizzing the rail rollers up and down the engine lift.

There are several ways the rail rollers can get around they can either spin around the track, drop down the centre (there a windows on the side so you can see it traveling down) or they can go up and down in the lift.

The Thomas and Friends - My first rail rollers spiral station makes a fantastic toddler toy as the bright colours are eye catching and the chunky parts and ease of use make it easy for toddlers to handle and master by themselves.

We would definitely give the Rail rollers spiral station a big thumbs up as it definitely kept Evelyn (and her big brother) entertained and both were giggling and encouraging their rollers as they watching the rail rollers whizz down the track. It feels sturdy, strong and built to last which is a must with toddler toys especially.

The Thomas and Friends - My first rail rollers spiral station is aimed at children 12 months + and is priced at £32.99. The set comes with two rail rollers (Thomas and a diesel engine) although more rail rollers can be brought separately. It is available to purchase from many stores and online include Argos.

Check out the range over at the Fisher Price website here - www.fisher-price.com.

xXx


**I was not paid for this post, I was sent this item in return for an honest review. 
All thoughts and opinions in this post are my own and written by me. **

Starting Year 1!

Last week James went back to school after the 6 week summer holidays but this time he was heading into Year 1, no longer part of reception, in fact it was 1 year today that he started school for the very first time.

As we headed through the school gates we saw all of the new children who would be starting reception and they all looked so small! I can't believe that was my James just last year, I still remember the nerves and emotions running wild but this year was slightly different.

Knowing just how much James loves being in school made heading back for the start of Year 1 much easier. I didn't have that emotional feeling I had before because I knew he was going to be so happy to be back with his friends. Of course I still had some nerves for him, it is a new teacher, new classroom and lots more work but I hope that he will take that all in his stride just as he did with reception year.

Here he is in Reception (left) and Year 1 (right) one year apart exactly -


























James finished reception last year on such a high with an excellent report and excelling at lots of the criteria and subjects. He left with a flare for reading that certainly didn't leave during the summer holidays and a passion for learning.

My hopes for James this year are that he continues to enjoy school and makes lots of new friends. I hope that he continues his flare for reading and his passion for learning new things and always trying his hardest. When I asked him what he wanted to be when he grows up he said he wants to be a policeman on a motorbike, it will be interesting to see how that changes through the years!

Did your little ones start school this week or head off in to a different school year?

xXx

Uggly's Pet store **REVIEW**

Ever since James tried out the Ugglys pet shop dirty dog wash van he has been hooked on the Ugglys pets! The gross sounds made and the unique looking characters that always make him smile (You can see our review for that HERE). So when we were given the opportunity for James to try out the Ugglys pet shop I knew it would be a big hit!

Upon receiving the Ugglys pet shop it does appear that the pet shop consists of 4 compartments however 2 of these are fake and made of cardboard, so are to be discarded with the rest of the box and so what you are left with is actually 1 pet home and the entrance compartment for your pet shop. One of these if fixed and the other can be moved around.

Just like the Ugglys wash van the pet shop homes also make gross noises when pressed down by the pets which did make James chuckle. The roof also makes gross sounds such as burping when pushed so the toy offers plenty of interaction. This set also came with a new exclusive character (Manic Monkey) to add to James collection which of course went down a treat.

Overall James thoroughly enjoyed this and has enjoyed playing with the 2 sets together so we will be definitely adding to our Ugglys pets collection. The colour's are bright and eye catching whilst the gross theme definitely runs through all products featuring pictures and sounds etc. We did feel the packaging was a little misleading but this didn't really effect James enthusiasm as he was so excited about playing with it. The Ugglys pet shop is priced at £12.99.

The toy is aimed at ages 5+ and James is 5 so seems to be the perfect age to enjoy the silliness and grossness of the Ugglys collection. The toy is not suitable for children under 36 months thoug due to chocking hazards!

To see more from the Ugglys pet shop range check out the Character toys website here - www.character-online.com.

Have your children tried out any of the Ugglys range? Do they have a favourite character?

xXx


**I was not paid for this post, I was sent this item in return for an honest review. 
All thoughts and opinions in this post are my own and written by me. **

DK Carol Vorderman Workbooks **REVIEW**

One of the things I always worry about during school holidays such as the summer holidays and the half term holidays is keeping James occupied and still eager and interested in learning. 

I am always looking for different things to keep him engaged with learning and his mind still ticking over even when not attending school, so when we came across the range of Carol Vorderman workbooks from DK I was excited to see how James would get on with them. 

Carol Vorderman is the number one bestselling children's education author* and is the author of the 10 Minutes A Day Spelling Fun and 10 Minutes A Day Vocabulary workbooks, newly released as part of the English Made Easy range published by DK. Carol Vorderman MA (Cantab) MBE, is one of Britain's best-loved TV presenters and is renowned for her skills in mathematics. She has hosted numerous shows from light entertainment with Carol Vorderman's Better Homes and The Pride of Britain Awards, to scientific programmes such as Tomorrow's World, on the BBC, ITV, and Channel 4. Whether co-hosting Channel 4's Countdown for 26 years, or advising Rt. Hon David Cameron on the future of UK mathematics education, Carol has a passion and devotion to explaining educational subjects in an exciting and easily understandable way.

As James is 5 we received the books aimed at his age range which were - 

- 10 Minutes A Day Spelling Fun (ages 5-7) (DK, £5.99)

- Made Easy Spelling Punctuation and Grammar (ages 5-7) (DK, £3.99)

- 10 Minutes A Day Maths (ages 5-7) (DK, £5.99)

There are also workbooks available for ages 7-11 if you have slightly older children! 

One thing that is unique about these books is that they feature a timer! I love this added feature and it certainly got James interested too. The timer is easy to use with a simple start and stop button so even children can activate it themselves. The idea is to set the timer as the child begins and they simple complete 10 minutes of the workbook each time. The timer is automatically set and once 10 minutes is reached it will beep to let you know.  

James has quite a short attention span, as I am sure most 5 year old's do! So getting him to sit down and capture his imagination can be quite challenging but these books certainly did just that, he was actually asking to do some more each evening! Each page is set out spaciously and easy to read with eye catching colours and tasks meaning they really grab you in the to page and grab children imagination and attention. 

These workbooks fully support the new National Curriculum at Key Stage 1 and 2, and are designed to help your child with schoolwork and home practice in a fun and engaging way. 

We have started doing 10 minutes of spelling and 10 minutes of maths a night and James hasn't moaned once as its only 10 minutes it doesn't take to long or seem like to much work even though he seems to be learning so much through just 10 minutes a night, and most importantly he seems to be having fun whilst learning! 

Parents don't worry, if there are any questions you are not 100% sure on then all of the answers are at the back of the book so you can check all of the answers are correct! Some of the books even come with little gold stars for younger ones which you can stick on the page (or give to them) when they complete tasks or pages. 

To find out more about 10 Minutes A Day Spelling Fun and 10 Minutes A Day Vocabulary and further education titles by Carol Vorderman, visit DK.com.

Do your children like doing workbooks? 

xXx


**I was not paid for this post, I was sent this item in return for an honest review. 
All thoughts and opinions in this post are my own and written by me. **

Sharing some advice for new mums.

I was just 19 when I had my first baby James and boy was I scared. I had no clue what I was doing and when they handed me my tiny baby boy I felt clueless to the situation and the pain and 18 hour labour certainly didn't help towards that clueless haze I was in.

After a sleepless night at the hospital my husband came to collect me in the morning and after a quick check over and a bit of paper work we were signed out of the hospital, handed our baby in his new car seat and sent on our merry way. Im pretty sure as soon as we stepped out of the hospital doors both me and my husband looks at each other in the hope that the other knew what to do with this baby we had just been handed!

(James just a few hours old!)

It was all going to be this giant learning curve and new adventure for us both in which we would have to learn as we went, pick up new skills and adjust to life as parents. Being quite young not many of our friends had babies which made the journey even harder as it felt like we didn't have many people to turn to for advice, we soon both learnt our own parents were invaluable for such advice!

Now as a mum of 2 I am most certainly still learning, still adjusting and still often turn to my mum or other friends with babies for advice. However I have learnt a few things on the way and so today I thought I would share a few of those thoughts with you, so here they are.

• When you first come home don't feel like you have to allow everyone round to visit straight away. Its ok to say no and its ok to need some time to bond and recover as a family. Its so easy to feel pressured into feeling like you must let everyone round as soon as you are home but that's not the case and people will understand that you need some time to settle home. 

• Check out your local area for mum and baby groups or sessions as these can be a great way to meet new mums and get out and about. Sometimes being a new mum can feel quite lonely so meeting others who are going through the same thing as you can be an easy way to meet lots of mums in one place. If you have a local Sure Start centre these often run baby groups such as baby massage, mum and baby groups, young mum groups and stay and play sessions.

• Pyjama days are fine, whilst going out to baby groups and play dates is a great way to meet new mums and get out and about its also ok to admit that some times you just need a day to yourself. It can be a lovely opportunity to just spend some one to one time with you and your little one with no pressure to get ready and be out and about and organised.

• Don't be afraid to tell doctors/ midwives or health visitors exactly how you are feeling! When I had James I knew something wasn't right with the way I was feeling but I was so worried that if I told someone they would try and take my baby away that I didn't say anything. Eventually my husband persuaded me to speak to a doctor who said I had mild post natal depression and offered lots of help, support and advice. These people are there to help and support not judge or intimidate so please do feel like you can talk to them if you need to, they won't know whats wrong or be able to help if you don't. 

• Don't feel guilty for taking some "me time", your a mum and a human not a robot and we all need a little time to ourselves to recoup and sleep (mostly sleep lol!). I used to feel so guilty about even leaving James for a few hours with my mum, it felt like I wasn't doing what I was suppose to and I was in some way failing by letting someone else care for him. Now I can look back that was most certainly not the case and by giving myself some me time I could be a better mum to my baby as I was more relaxed, had caught up on sleep and had managed some time being me rather than "mum". 

• Try not to compare your babies milestones to everyone else's baby. Its so easy to get lured in to comparing your baby to others of similar age and then worrying if they are different. How much milk are they having, how many teeth, are they walking, sitting, crawling, do they sleep through the night are questions I am sure we all ask and so will many other mums. Whilst its great to compare stages and milestones for a bit of fun please don't worry if your baby is different, all babies develop and learn at different rates so unless you feel there is something seriously wrong try not to worry. 

Most of enjoy your baby! They certainly don't stay little for long and before you know it they are heading of for school and you are left wondering where your little non sleeping milky monster went and how time went so fast! 

Do you have any top tips to share for new mums?

Please do share below in the comments I would love to hear them. 

xXx

Peppa Pig Princess Rose plush toy **REVIEW**

As Evelyn is growing up she is showing more and more interest in toys especially anything musical or soft toys that she can cuddle. So when we were asked if we would like to review the Peppa Pig Princess Rose plush toy I knew this ticked all the boxes for Evelyn and immediately said Yes.

The Peppa toy is very soft and Peppa is wearing a pretty pink silk and net skirt with matching shoes making her look very girly and sweet. Details such as the eyes, nose and mouth are embroidered on which I really liked as it made the toy much safer for Evelyn to play with.

So how does Peppa work? Well you simply gently touch the 2 silver sensors one on each of her hands and she starts singing "Ring-a-Ring-a-Roses". The sensors are really sensitive and only have to be lightly touched for Peppa to start singing which is great for children. Evelyn did require some help to get her signing but she is still quite young. James however was intrigued by the toy and got the hang of it straight away. Since then James and Evelyn have been playing with it together repeatedly and Evelyn seems to have grasped the concept of holding one of Peppa's hands whilst James holds the other and shrieks when she starts singing!.

The Peppa Pig Princess Rose is operated via a battery pack which is hidden beneath a velcro strip to her back, this is covered and packed in with plenty of stuffing and doesn't effect cuddling her in fact it can barely be felt.

What I love about this toy is that unlike some other interactive toys Peppa Princess Rose is versatile and can be either played with by 1 child or lots of children meaning this toy isn't limited to a certain number of children and can still be played with even when the child is not with friends or siblings.

A great toy for any Peppa fans from 18 months + that will not only provide a very cute toy to snuggle with but hours of fun and music.

You can purchase your own Peppa Pig Princess Rose from Amazon priced at £19.99.

xXx

* I was not paid for this review. All opinions given are my own.

* If you would like me to review your product or service, please email me on xJessLegresleyx@hotmail.com.

Pocket Money.... Right or Wrong?

As we stroll down the toy isle of the supermarket I can hear James behind us in his element surrounded by toys. He of course, like most children wants everything in sight and regularly pesters us for toys he wants or in his words NEEDS!. This has been a regular occurrence since he has been old enough to ask for toys we of course don't want him to think he can just get everything he asks for and so came about the conversation about pocket money.

Of course there are lots of things we naturally want to teach our children such as sharing, manners and right and wrong but I also wanted my children to learn about the value of money. I wanted them to know in simple terms that money doesn't come from trees and sometimes we can't just have the things we want we must save or earn those things.

So after a bit of deliberation we decided we would give James £1 a week pocket money. We went out and brought James a nice new piggy bank to save his pocket money in and explained to him we would be giving him £1 a week which he could save up to buy the toys he wanted. He was over the moon and to start with thought his £1 would buy him the world. We initially had to explain to him how much things are and how many £1 coins he would need to buy each item but he soon understood.

After some time had passed he had built up a good amount (and had a little birthday money) so we took James to Toys R Us, they have little mini trolleys which he took and we let him take the lead. He filled his trolley to the brim with all the toys he liked and then before we got to the til we explained how much money he had and explained that he had to choose the toys he really wanted as he couldn't buy them all. So he sorted through them and picked the toys he really wanted and without tears which we were worried about and off he headed to the til!

It really worked! Not only did he learn about the value of money but it made him think about the toys he "really" wanted and just the toys he had picked up on a whim.
James was beaming with delight as he handed over his saved up coins and proudly told the checkout lady he had saved them all himself. He carried out his big bag full of toys all the way to the car refusing to let anyone help and the look on his face said it all he was beaming with a smile and so proud!

When Evelyn came along we knew we would need to do the same for her. So now Evelyn also has a money pot too as we want James to see that they both must save for things they want and so she gets the same £1 each week. Of course we do occasionally treat him to things from our money but not all the time and I think he really appreciates the toys more knowing he has brought them himself!

James has been getting pocket money since he was about 3 and for us pocket money has worked a treat he has learnt lots about the value of money and how much things cost, he knows that coins have different values and that sometimes you must save up for the things you really want.

As he gets older we may start giving him the opportunity to earn more money from helping out around the house etc but for now he is perfectly happy with his £1 a week and learning about the way money works.

Do you give your children pocket money?

xXx

My Little World, One, Two, Baa, Moo book **REVIEW**

We own several books from Little Tiger press and the My Little World series but I have to say this pop up book is one of our favourites!

The books features the classic My Little World bright, bold and colourful pictures that really manage to capture a young child's attention and imagination. However this books features something even more... pop up features!

Evelyn is still to young to read but I love reading to her and she really seemed to enjoy this book as it was a little interactive for her rather than just listening, with each page she eagerly awaited me to turn it and for the animals to "pop" out of the book (she let out a little chuckle every time!). The book definitely can withstand some degree of manhandling from children as Evelyn tugged at the paged and poked at the pop-up sections but they are all still perfectly in tact.

One, Two, Baa, Moo is aimed at children aged 3-5 years although as I mentioned above Evelyn is only 14 months old but loved having this book read to her and thoroughly enjoyed the pop-up features.

There are 2 books in this pop up series the other is called "Red car Blue Car" and both are priced at £6.99. I love that these books are hard wearing and sturdy featuring an extra thick hardback front and back cover and large chunky pages, even the card used for the pop-up features seems quite thick and sturdy.

For slightly older children this is a great book to introduce children to reading simple words, numeracy and identifying different animals and it also features a lovely rhyme throughout the book making the short story flow.

If you want to find out more about any of the My Little World series pop over to the Little Tiger Press website here - www.littletigerpress.com.

You can also stay up to date with all the new Little Tiger Press news and new releases via their website and emails. 

xXx

* I was not paid for this review. All opinions given are my own.

* If you would like me to review your product or service, please email me on xJessLegresleyx@hotmail.com.