Category: Views & Ramblings

1. On the fourteenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me .....

   Posted on 8:10am Saturday 14th Dec 2013

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   ...... a little selfish wish for yuletide beauty.

   When I was younger, I wanted to be a grown up. I wanted to be taller, have a bigger bust, longer eyelashes and less spots! Now I am a "grown up" (or so my birth certificate says), I want to be younger, I may be a little bit taller but my beloved heels definitely help, good mascara improves my eyelashes and the spots .... well they come and go.

   I never really thought about my skin as I was growing up and when my friends and I went in search of the best sun beds to get a tan (I know, I know), some of us got piercings, the others tattoos, we never gave much thought past the following weekend, let alone the long term affects on our body.

   Now I see my girls growing up and I want to hang onto their innocence and childlike beauty but I know they won't listen. I know that they will be as stubborn as me but I hope that they are strong like me too, otherwise I can see me frog marching them for tattoo removal before they are 21 and showing them images of tattoo removal before and after just to make my point.

   I remember writing a post a few years ago, after my daughter asked why I had lines on my head and I suspect that those lines are as much to do with not looking after my skin as they are to do with laughter. So while I want laughter to fill my girls lives, I hope that this is the only filler they consider for their faces (which is more than can be said for me).

   So this Christmas time, eternal youth is a bit of a tall ask for Father Christmas but I tell my eldest daughter if she doesn't believe in Father Christmas she is never going to get any presents from him, so for the record .... I believe!

    

   This post was brought to you in association with Sk:nclinics

    

    

    

2. Pampers UNICEF campaign

   Posted on 3:33pm Thursday 28th Nov 2013

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   Vaccines are something that we take for granted in the UK but this is not always the case across the globe. We are therefore delighted to bring this post to you in association with the Pampers UNICEF campaign to share with you how Tesco is backing the project in the global fight against Maternal and Newborn Tetanus.

   From October to December, Pampers and UNICEF, the world’s leading children’s organisation, come together for the eighth year to launch the “1 pack = 1 vaccine” campaign. This year, Tesco has upped the stakes and set the challenge to its shoppers to help raise the cost of one vaccine every second of the campaign period – that’s nine million life-saving vaccines helping to protect the lives of 3 million women and their newborns! 

   A team from Tesco and Pampers visited Senegal, West Africa, to see the success of the UNICEF vaccination programme and meet those who have witnessed the devastating effects of MNT first-hand: 

   Ami Seck tragically lost her first baby boy to tetanus;

   “After a few days, we noticed the child was trembling excessively,” Mame Touty, Ami’s mother-in-law says, “We spent nine days in hospital, but the boy died on the tenth day. When it happened we were very dejected. After the regretful incident, Ami became pregnant again, but we learnt lessons, we had an antenatal care package, and everything went smoothly. Everyone knew that our baby boy died but we are a living example of how you can get out of the maze.”

   

   Moussa Pouye is the Chief Nurse at Dabaly Health Post, Nioro District, Senegal talk about dealing with a case of tetanus;

   “I had to deal with a case of tetanus where the lady had no antenatal care or tetanus vaccinations. I met with the Supervisor of the Health Centre and he gave me 200 doses of tetanus to do an immediate campaign in the area to avoid another case. We made sure all other women in the village were protected. The village, Touba Saloum, now has its own Health Hut and all the women are subscribing.”

   

    

   Ways you can help:

   Visit your local Tesco today and pick up your pack of Pampers or buy online at Tesco.com: 

   1 Pack = 1 Vaccine

   During October – December 2013, for each Pampers^®- UNICEF pack purchased, Pampers^® will donate the cost of one tetanus vaccine to support UNICEF in the fight against Maternal and Newborn Tetanus.                                                                         

   UNICEF Pledge Donations

   By becoming a monthly donor to UNICEF today you can join thousands of other parents who donate every month to improve the lives of these vulnerable children. Visit www.supportunicef.org/Pampers to see the difference that you can make.

   

3. How much does TV influence your children?

   Posted on 7:19pm Sunday 24th Nov 2013

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   I had forgotten how seductive the TV can be. Not in that way, I mean the way it draws children in and can captivate them for hours. We have TV on demand, so this means that my eldest can select the programmes she wants, when she wants them, which is great in her mind BUT is it great for her mind and body really?

   TV viewing has been linked to obesity in children, amongst other problems, so it's more than a good idea to stay on top of the time the children spend in front of the screen. Research shows that academic success is linked to how much TV your child watches and with whom she watches it. Children with moderate access to television who watch with a parent score significantly higher academically than children who watch a moderate amount of TV on their own. (yikes)

   If we are all honest, the TV can be our friend. The TV can "help" when you just need five minutes to do something (even if it is just to go to the toilet, I have said before that this is apparently no longer a one person job anymore) but when the 2 year old becomes obsessed with Peppa Pig, I have begun to wonder how much influence that little pig (and TV in general) has on our lives.

   The little one was bouncing on our bed and said "on Peppa's bouncy castle"

   The eldest said "mommy, can you get me a garbage bag" (we are in the UK, not the USA)

   Aaagggh, it made me want to grab a backpack and fill it with some essentials and get them outside, adventuring, exploring and NOT watching the television. Unfortunately we have been plagued with sickness, the other (back on the toilet again) and horrible conjunctivitis this week, so we decided on some crafting and painting. What did the little one want to paint? Peppa Pig!!!

   How much influence does the TV have in your house?

    

    

4. The Family Rules

   Posted on 3:56pm Wednesday 20th Nov 2013

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   The Family Rules, do your family have them? I don't mean those gorgeous wall prints that you can buy that have a fabulous list of things to live by but I mean the actual ones that work in your family? You "may" have heard recently that there was a marriage proposal on the Lilypad and the "rules" are for marriage as well as for children, so here is what works in our house.

   Treat each other with respect. No hurting anyone’s feelings (no yelling, putdowns, or name calling). No hurting anyone’s body (no hitting, pushing, or kicking). Ask permission to borrow things, don't just take them. The Man on the Pad always believes that I should be treated with the same respect as he gave me on our first date, which thankfully means no head holding under the duvet covers! (I shall not say anymore)

   Put yourself in my place. This is a particular favourite of the Man on the Pad, whereby he stands by the ethos that if he thinks I would not like what he is doing, he doesn't do it. (I love this one) We encourage this with the children too.

   Pick up after yourself - this is a work in progress.

   Be generous. Not always with money but with your energy, time and consideration. (although I am never going to turn down a cartier watch)
   

   Apologise and admit when you are wrong. Its not the easy choice but we all have to take responsibility for our behavior by creating a rule about how to respond if they’ve hurt someone. 

   Forgive. There is alot to be said for letting go. A grudge only continues to hurt you.

   Tell the truth. Children can’t tell the difference between “white lies” and other lies so if you’re going to stress the importance of honesty, you’ll need to show them that you’re honest too. (Not sure where the land lies about Father Christmas on this one though)

   Be silly once in a while. Don’t take yourself too seriously. Laugh. Alot. They say that Laughter is the best medicine and laughter lines are way better than frown ones!

   Be there. Give your family not only your time, but your attention. Work and life can get in the way but take time to be there completely when you are with them.  

   With your children and your partner. Love the good things, see the best bits and FALL IN LOVE OVER and OVER and OVER again.

    

   Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net