I am not a morning person. I like to stay up late, chatting, reading and falling into a deep sleep that I struggle to get out of the next day. So just when you thought all those sleepless nights and nappy changing was over, there comes the school time madness. I might have mentioned that mornings are already not my favourite thing, and to top that comes the crazy rush of making sure the lunch boxes are packed, the clothes are clean and the kids are ready in time for the school run. It’s tough. We get it. 

I've been doing the school run for over 10 years now, so have put together 7 super simple and actionable tips to make the morning rush a little more bearable.

Make A Good Nights Sleep a Priority

Even before we get started on the morning, we’ve got to focus on the nights. Getting restful sleep every night is crucial- not just for your little one but you too! Make it a point to get to bed early every single day- make sure you’re getting at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night, and your little one is in their bed depending on how much sleep they needs as per their age.

This little trick can work wonders and both you and your little ones will wake up fresh and less cranky!

Create a Routine

You knew this one was coming- creating a routine is exceptionally helpful in all parts of your life. It basically helps you stay more organized and in control of how things are going. Divide your mornings into time slots, and assign different activities to each slot- depending on how long they take. This will also help you stay more realistic, and therefore, feeling less rushed.

Determine What Sucks

Whether it is your kid’s bathtime resistance or his habit of watching YouTube while having his breakfast, determine what is it that’s actually sucking and draining off the time and energy from your mornings. Work on ways to get that fixed, and you’ll notice how your mornings become less of a struggle.

Bring the Fun into it

Mornings don’t always need to be taxing and dull, infact you can actually make them a lot of fun! Look for ways to energize yourself and your kids every morning- you could play an upbeat song during bathtime or do a few light stretches before you grab your cup of coffee- just anything to put you in a fun mood.

Prep the Night Before

The simplest, most straightforward way to remove the rush out of mornings is to reduce the number of tasks you (and other members) have to do in the morning. This means prepping at night, but when you do it, you’ll feel much more relaxed in the morning (and at night too). Look up simple breakfast ideas and prep them the night before. Lay out the clothes to be worn, and all the essentials handy, so that there’s no last minute rush trying to find things.

Wake Up a Bit Earlier

Waking up a bit earlier everyday can make a huge difference, even if you’re not a morning person like me. I got up an hour earlier this week and by 7am I had stripped beds, done some washing, made lunches and felt really accomplished. It feels that somehow you’re able to get things done faster and more efficiently when you’re up early, and of course, you’ll be less rushed than you ever were.

Let it Go

And last, but definitely not the least, be easy. Even if things aren’t turning out the way they planned, and if your little one took a longer time to brush, or if you didn’t get the chance to chop those strawberries and add them to your children's cereal bowl, that’s okay. Don’t stress too much over the details and how things didn’t turn out perfect.

There is always tomorrow ......

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Most bloggers adore a beautiful background and the Confetti Flower Field in Wick, Pershore provide just that. But imagine that you also have teenagers who are also on the quest for an Instagram perfect shot, then a day out at The Real Flower Petal Confetti Co fields is in order.

Each summer, a huge field of flowers bloom on the Wyke Manor Estate. The Real Flower Petal Company then (amazingly) pick all the petals by hand, mix them by hand, and they are then used for weddings all over the world. The general public get just 10 days in June to go and revel in the beauty of the flower fields.

The 2019 information you need is below

• They will be open from 21st - 30th June 2019
• The Confetti Flower Field  - 10am – 5pm (Last admission at 4.30pm)

• Carpark is open - 9am – 5.15pm

• The Confetti Café - 10.30am – 4.30pm
• Flower Sales - 10am – 5pm
• Confetti Shop - 10am – 5pm
• Info Point - 10am – 5pm

• Adult entry: £5.00

• Child aged 6 – 16: £2.50

You can purchase admission on the gate, tickets are not sold in advance so if the weather isn't ideal for the photos you can literally just turn up on the day.

With the recent bad weather, we had been following the Facebook page and website for daily updates on whether the flowers had bloomed but a few days of sunshine at the end of the week, meant that we ventured over to Worcestershire on Saturday morning to create some Instagram worthy shots.

Our top tips for visiting the fields :

• Wear sensible footwear - the ground underneath is not even (it is farmland after all) and whilst beautiful sandals might look great in the photos, a broken ankle isn't a great look!
• If the sun is shining, don't forget the suncream / hat as there is very little shaded areas.
• Be prepared for some walking! (It might sound silly but there is a lot of ground to cover)
• There are toilets on the site in a couple of locations but they are portaloos, so always good to take extra tissues or babywipes.

We saw so many professional photographers at the Confetti Flower Field but if you have a decent camera on your phone, you can capture some really beautiful shots without the additional expense. Although, we have friends that have had professional shoots done and they are STUNNING! For now, I will stick with my Insta famous teens and their photo abilities! 

To visit The Confetti Flower Field, Wick, Pershore, Worcestershire WR10 3PA.

For more information, visit https://www.confettidirect.co.uk/flowerfields/  where they are posting daily photographs of the fields as the crops start to bloom!

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Schools may teach your teen everything he needs to know about their plan for the future, but it doesn’t teach them other important life skills and values like doing a tax return, practising compassion and managing personal finance.

It is never too early to sit down with your teen and brush up on some important money lessons that can help him a lot during his impending adulthood. We have put together 7 of the most valuable money lessons we think you need to teach your teen.

Making a Choice

The right steps usually start with having the right mindset- encourage your teen to have a healthy money mindset, and they will be more likely to stick to it. Remind them that everything in life has a cost, and they can pick what he wants, but they can’t possibly buy everything. Advise them to make conscious choices about where they wants to spend their money.

Avoid Impulse Buys

We’re all guilty of this one- from that irresistible sale to just something cute that catches our eye- we often tend to buy things impulsively, and end up regretting it almost instantly! Help your teen understand the difference between wants and needs and remind them to ask themself whether they really needs something when they are about to go make a purchase. A good idea is to ask them to wait for a day before they make the purchase- this will help them make the decision in a more level headed manner.

Making a Budget

You know how much of a difference this can make when you’re trying to save up for something or are just looking to get your money matters back on track, and yes, now's the right time for your teen to learn it too! Encourage your teen to create a budget from their monthly allowance, and set particular amounts for particular expenses, and to try and stick to it as much as they can.

Keeping Track of Finances

This one’s just an extension of creating a budget, but again, is super important! Get your teen to download a money tracking app on their phone or just use an old diary to note down their expenses. This will help them get more organized not just on the financial front, but also in other parts of their life.

Every Penny Counts

Remind your teen that saving is cool, and that every little penny that they puts into the piggy bank today will add up, and turn into a big amount in the future. If there’s something they want to purchase, encourage them to start saving for it, and then ask them to pay for it when they finally manage to do it- the feeling of responsibility and satisfaction that comes with doing this can be refreshing and can bring about a positive change in your teen!

Having an Emergency Fund

Creating and maintaining an emergency fund is again, a crucial money lesson you need to teach your teen. Remind them of how these little savings can help them in the days when they are actually in need of funds and can keep them prepared in days of personal financial crisis.

Contentment & Sharing

Last, but definitely not the least, as a parent, you need to teach your teen about giving too! Encourage them to donate a certain amount every month- even if it is small, and share with those that are less fortunate. Allow them to experience the joy of giving, and at the same time, teach them to be content with what they has, and not fall into the comparison trap.

And finally, make sure you too, as a parent, are a good role model for your teen, and that you too, make wise choices when it comes to money. After all, kids tend to learn from what their parents do, and not what their parents tell them to do!

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Childhood memories can be a funny thing and I am frequently saying to my husband that we need to give the children memories not material things. I remember the holidays we had when I was a child and bizarrely I remember the cars we had. I can even quote the number plate from the brand new Ford Sierra we had when I was about 10 or 11.

Bizarrely I also remember that song by Janis Joplin that went …..

Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz? 
My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends. 
Worked hard all my lifetime, no help from my friends, 
So Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz?

(Sorry if that is stuck in your head all day now!!)

There are strong leather smells that evoke memories of travelling in the back of my Mums Triumph 2000 with its plush spring seats and no rear seat belts (it is horrifying to think that we just used to slide around in the back of the car).

My dad was (and still is by trade) a mechanic and we would always have a car being built in our garage at home and spare car parts were almost part of the furniture. My brother and I have fond memories of his latest project being ready “for Christmas” ….. although I have a feeling that we may still be waiting on completion. I remember being taken to school in a variety of different cars that my dad was working on, from luxurious Mercedes and Jaguars, through to hand painted vans and Hot Rods. I was always a little embarrassed getting out in the school car park and never realised just how cool it was to have a Dad that drove such a variety of cars.

Fast forward to the present day and both my husband and I have had the pleasure of owning a Mercedes Benz …… although none of our friends drive Porches so there is no need to make amends! Getting the right car detailer is now more of a concern for my husband. My girls are never embarrassed about the cars we drive, they are more concerned with making sure I am not singing in the car when they have their friends in there on our road trips.

I know as parents that embarrassing our children is almost part of the job description but while they won’t have memories of sliding across the back seat of the car without a seat belt on, or being taken to school in a Hot Rod, I hope that they will remember the car journeys we have had, the giggles on the school run each day and maybe, just maybe they will smile as they remember me singing in the car with their friends.

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