Category: Views & Ramblings

1. What age is too old for a birthday party? Birthday party guide for all ages.

   Posted on 10:38am Monday 11th May 2015

   Anyone that knows me knows that I love a party and having two girls means even more reasons to celebrate throughout the year but what age is too old to to have a birthday party?

   Well that got me thinking about how different parties can be at every age and having lived through a few of them, here is our birthday party guide for all ages ....

   Age 1 - Let's be honest, the first birthday party is really a celebration of the anniversary of you becoming a parent. A one-year-old may enjoy being the centre of attention but she will have no idea of what a party is. We chose to have the girls first birthday's in a function room with sensory toys for the little ones (and a bar for the adults!). Everyone happy!

   Age 2 - Despite their reputation, two-year-olds aren't always terrible, so a party for this age group can be great fun. A toddler has no expectations, so there is little point wasting time and money on  an extravagant affair. A teddy bears picnic in the park ( or the back garden ) is ideal for this age.

   

   Age 3 - It's not until they hit three that children begin to really understand parties. Children very often go to nursery or playgroups at this age, so have a small circle of friends that they play with, so soft play is frequently the destination of choice at age 3 as it gives them chance to run around without restrictions (but don't forget the cakes)

   

   Age 4 - For some reason, parties seem to step up a notch by the time children are four. Many children have established friendship groups at nursery and there appears to be a little competition in the quality of the party, so an entertainer is a good idea. It is at this age that children also seem to become acutely aware that they get a party bag at the end of a party. This is usually filled with all sorts of goodies from balloons, sweets and small plastic toys!

   

   Age 5 - Having started school, your little ones social circle will have expanded again and for the first couple of years at school you may find a constant merry go round of children's parties so trying to find something "different" can be a challenge. A farm party is always good for this age as they love discovering, feeding the animals (not forgetting getting muddy) and you can have larger numbers here too, without significant expense.

   Age 6 - A disco party is a favourite at this age. Children will especially enjoy this if it's hosted in the early evening rather than the afternoon. Make sure you have plenty of space for dancing if you are not holding it in a village hall. Six is a great age for throwing a birthday party, as children can play without too much supervision and they love the idea of entertaining their friends.

   Age 7, 8, 9 - Sleepovers and cinema trips are the usual party of choice as they go into Juniors and decide that a "disco" in a hall is not cool enough any more. 

   Age 10 - I am now the proud owner of a 10 year old and despite saying (for years) that she was too old to have a birthday party, this year she chose to take a (large) group of friends on Skytrail, which is essentially an adventure playgroup suspended in the sky! Apparently they turn into adrenalin junkies when they reach double digits.

   

   

   Age 13 - This is the age of hormones and teen angst. Whatever they want to do at this age will probably end in tears but you can try a pamper party (for the girls anyway).

   Age 16 - Celebrating being 16 is the new 18. My god daughter is already planning her sweet sixteen party and she wants chocolate fountains and a limo. This seems to be an American thing that is now crossing the pond but thankfully they no longer want party bags at this age!

   Age 18 - Most 18 year old's can't wait to have a "legal" drink in a pub and with a lot of function rooms being reluctant to hold 18th birthday parties for fear of serving those who are still underage, they usually decide to go into the nearest town for pubs and clubs with their official I.D.

   Age 21 - My Nan would always sing, "You've got the key to the door, never been 21 before" and it is the age where you are seen as an adult. No more children's parties, no more party bags and very often now, you have the key to your own door. So maybe it is house party time?

   And thereafter?

   I still celebrate my birthday every year, whether it is drinks with friends, a BBQ at the house or a meal out. I *may* be 40 in a couple of years time and that is as good a reason as any for having a party in my book.

   So what age is too old for a birthday party?

   Never I say! You are never too old for a party in my book.

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2. The Big 5 Meme – Life lessons you want your kids to learn

   Posted on 9:33am Tuesday 28th Apr 2015

   I read a blog post a little while back by Mummy From the Heart about "Life lessons you want your kids to learn" and I knew I wanted to write a similar post for my girls. I am a huge believer in the fact that life will give you what you can handle and whilst it may sound like I am channelling the universe, I also know that I need to lead by example with my daughters.

   I think we forget sometimes that the role models our children see are not necessarily the famous pop stars or reality tv "stars", they copy and emulate us from such a young age that it is so important to be conscious of our own actions. I want to nuture my girls personalities and encourage their quirky ways and specific talents but there are some basic things I think they should learn.

   1. Learn to be present and always look people in the eye when you’re talking to them. 
   

   In an age where technology is part of our every day life, it is easy to forget to be fully present in dinner table conversations whilst instagramming your food, take part in discussions and time with your family. Make sure you take time to put the technology down and look the person in the eye who is talking to you. Give people your full and un-divided attention. Do not spend your entire time seeking stimulation on a phone screen and learn to make real human connections.

    

   2. It’s not the quantity of friends that matter. It’s the quality. 

   You do not need anyone's approval and no matter what the other girls or boys say at school, be comfortable in your own skin and you will find that your true friends will filter through. It is better to count your real friends on one hand, than have a handful of so called mates who wouldn't be there if you needed them at 2am.

   3. When it comes to relationships, don’t settle. 

   This goes for friendships and romantic relationships. Don't settle for anyone that doesn't make you feel special, loved and important. (If they can make you laugh, this is a big bonus too).

   4. Money does not equal happiness

   I *may* have pinched this one from Mummy From The Heart but it it such an important lesson for the girls to learn. You do not need money to be happy, it can help buy a bigger house, more clothes or a nice car but those are not the things that will make you happy. Happiness is not a destination, it is what you create from life along the way, regardless of whether you have one pound or one million pounds.

   5. Rules are made to be broken. Except mine.

   Challenge the norm. Question everything. Except me.

    

   I really did love this linky and I want to play it forward. The rules of this meme are simple, blog about your big 5 life lessons and link back to this post so people can follow the train of the meme. Tag 3-5 other bloggers to complete the meme and let them know about the tag. Of course it is always good form to go and comment on those other blogs too. 

   I am tagging Emma from Mummys Savvy Savings, Jayne from Mums The Word and Marianne from Mari''s World.

   

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3. Family Road Trip Checklist

   Posted on 1:58pm Tuesday 7th Apr 2015

   Last year we didn't have a big family holiday (I am obviously excluding my hen weekend and mini moon as the children didn't come on those), so we are all getting excited about booking holidays for this year. We have a summer holiday booked, the girls are already talking about the plane and swimming pool whereas I am just grateful that someone else is cooking and cleaning for a week, but we have booked a short break to Hoburne in the Cotswolds too, which means the inevitable family road trip will ensue.

   Here are my top tips for a safe, entertaining and stress free family road trip!

   1. PLAN AHEAD

   The Sat Nav is my friend but it is also a good plan to have a vague idea of where you are actually going just in case the Sat Nav decides to go into meltdown and send you the wrong way down the motorway as *may* have happened in the past. *disclaimer : I am quite sure this was the Sat Nav's fault and not my own.

   2. HAVE GAMES AT THE READY

   I love the driving and taking in the scenery, I can also sing a whole catalogue of songs, play every car game known to man and whilst I am quite sure I whined, "Are we there yet?" often enough to drive my parents nuts, I refuse to answer that question from the girls until we are 10 minutes away from our destination. Car games are great fun for getting everyone into the holiday spirit, unless of course you have an extremely competitive husband who you may have to disqualify from playing to give everyone else a chance of winning.

   3. CHECK YOUR VEHICLE

   Make sure your vehicle is reliable and ready to go, paying particular attention to the tyres, coolant and engine oil. (not forgetting the fuel). I am a little guilt of ignoring the warning signals on my dashboard so making sure you know what all the lights mean is a bonus. You can check your knowledge here.

   4. SET A REALISTIC TIMELINE

   It is a family road trip, not a race and trying to drive the length of the country is just going to tire kids and adults alike. It is recommended that you spend a maximum of five to six hours on the road, plus multiple breaks (although if it takes me that long to get to the Cotswolds I may be a little concerned).

   5. TRAVEL DURING NAPTIME OR DURING EARLY EVENING. 

   If your schedule permits—and your child is known to sleep in the car—consider trying to travel at nap time or early evening. Not only will it make the drive a little quieter for you, it will also cut the chances your child will get car sick or experience a tiredness induced meltdown. Bring along their favourite toy or blanket and a child-friendly travel pillow to make the car seat more suitable for sleep too.

   6. BRING SNACKS - LOTS OF THEM

   I have to say that snacks are probably the number one way to keep our kids (and my husband) happy on a family road trip. So, pack a coolbag full of snacks. Include a mix of healthy choices, like raisins, carrot sticks and grapes, as well as treats, like a few biscuits and a bit of chocolate. (this is where I advocate leather seats in the car). Don’t forget bottles of water too (anything else is far too sticky if it spills).

   7. KEEP THE KIDS BUSY

   This can be just as much a challenge with the tween as with the toddler. The tween is happy on her tablet, whereas the little one gets car sick, so we are big fans of the portable DVD players ..... especially those that can play two different films as the tween isn't too keen on Frozen on repeat. (Individual headphones are a GREAT idea at this point also).

   8. KEEP AN EMERGENCY KIT TO HAND

   Keep an emergency kit easily accessible in the boot, to include a torch and extra batteries, jump leads, leather gloves, roadside flares or reflective warning triangles, duct tape, a roll of paper towels, a first aid kit, sunscreen and the ever so versatile baby wipes.

   9. TOILET BREAKS

   When you are on a road trip and someone inevitably needs a bathroom break, keep a lookout for a budget chain hotel that are often located on the motorways. They tend to have toilets in the lobby area and, in my experience, they are usually much cleaner than those in service stations.

   10. HAVE FUN

   My mum always said if you fail to prepare, prepare to fail and with all this preparation nothing can surely go wrong? But let's be honest, things happen, there are traffic jams and diversions that seem intent on ruining our journeys but at the end of the day, what is a road trip without a little detour??

   Now go and enjoy .....

    

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4. What is happening at Hatton World this Easter?

   Posted on 7:35pm Friday 3rd Apr 2015

   I have to admit something. I am not a natural outdoorsy kind of person. There I said it!

   BUT .... I do love going to Hatton Adventure World with the children and that is a whole heap of outdoors for me, so when we were invited to see what was new for their Easter Eggstravaganza, I knew that is what we would be doing this half term.

   Easter 2015 sees the launch of a new feature at Hatton Adventure World, their Outdoor Laser Combat.  It is suitable for over 8's only (and the grown ups too) and it is great to see that there is something for older children now as I do worry about the tween getting bored. There is all the usual Easter fun for the whole family, from Easter Bunny Hunts to the Easter Garden where children can search for eggs to exchange for chocolate treats.

   My girls insist on going to see the animals before we do anything else and we had to feed the greedy goats first.

   

   Then check out how much the pigs had grown since our last visit.

   

   Not forgetting checking the baby chicks.

   

   Then with the weather turning a bit chilly, the girls decided it was time to warm up on the bouncy castle.

   

   There is a full programme on over Easter including the new Tractor Safari, the Code Crackers Challenge (which was great fun) and the usual favourite of panning for gold and pony rides.

   

   The tween wanted to go on the Laser Combat (so did my husband) but the temperature had dropped significantly by this point and the rain started to fall, so we all wanted a bit of shelter, unfortunately Laser Combat wasn't it. The tween just about managed to get on the tube slide at the entrance but that was as far as we got. The layout of the Laser Combat looks brilliant and really well organised and the tween was gutted to miss out, although in her eyes it is just another reason to go back!

   

    All the Easter activities are on until the 12th April, so there is still time to go and enjoy. The weather forecast is better for next week too!

   

    

   

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