Quick note: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links; if you go through them to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. I only recommend products I use myself and think would be useful for other people.
As a mum, your children will always be your priority. So much so, that it can often be the case that you end up falling to the bottom of the list! If you’re someone who experiences stress and anxiety, it might be time to change that. Even though we don’t always think of ourselves first, we deserve to have a better quality of life and feel content too. Here are five tips to help you do this.
1. Look After Your Body
First of all, the one thing you need to focus on here is looking after yourself more. It’s safe to say that you won’t always feel the best if you’re not taking care of your physical health. Simple changes to your lifestyle, such as moving more, drinking more water, and eating well, can help you have more energy and feel amazing. This will have a huge impact on your quality of life.
2. Delegate Well
But it’s not just how we treat ourselves that can cause problems or cause chaos in our lives. As mums, we often take on too much and feel stretched thin. Not only do we have ourselves to take care of, but we have the children, our partners, and our wider family too. But there’s no reason why you have to do it all alone and not ask for help. It might be asking for more support around the house, enquiring about home care for your elderly parents, or dividing up childcare. Either way, this can help you to free up your mental load and improve your quality of life.
3. Make Time for Fun
This one might seem frivolous at face value, but it’s important if you want to boost your quality of life. We can all focus on the things that we’re required to do and neglect things that feel like fun. But having fun and enjoying yourself is a huge part of feeling good and living well. Whether it’s fun as a family, a date night with your significant other, or time with friends, making more time for fun in your life is important.
4. Do Things Just For You
As a step on from the previous point, there’s also the idea of doing more things that matter to you, just because you can. As mums, we often put everyone else above us – yet what we want is important too. So if there are things you want to do just for you, whether it’s beauty treatments, holidays, or hobbies, don’t feel guilty about making them a priority!
5. Take Your Health Seriously
It’s also important for you to make sure that you’re taking your holistic health seriously too. This isn’t just about looking after your body and making sure that you’re healthy in that regard – but you need to make sure that you’re mind is protected too. It’s important for you not to get stressed out or overwhelmed in life. If you are prioritising your relaxation and allowing yourself to feel your best, it’s going to allow you to become a better parent and partner too. By focusing on your quality of life and happiness, everyone benefits!
As a parent, you’ll buy countless gifts for your kids. Birthdays and the holidays will be the biggest occasions for this. While this can be relatively easy when they’re kids, it often gets a little more complicated as they get older. Their teenage years could be the worst for this.
You may struggle to buy a gift for your teen because you don’t know what to get them. With a few tips, though, you can figure out exactly what to get them while still keeping it a surprise.
Buy a Gift For Your Teen: 3 Tips to Use
1. Consider Experiences
When most people think of gifts, they picture physical objects. As natural as that is, they’re far from the only gifts you can get your teen. You could also consider experiences, and these could be much better than physical gifts. They’ll end up being much more interesting and more memorable.
If you go down this route, it’s just a matter of making sure it’s an experience your teen will love. A spa day, camping trip, or something similar can all be great with this. You’ll end up helping your teen create memories they’ll look back on for years.
2. Consider Affordable Options
More than a few gifts could come to mind for your teen, and many of these could be quite expensive. While these might be gifts your teen will love, it doesn’t always mean you should go for the most expensive options. It could be worth considering something more affordable.
Instead of a brand new iPhone, for example, go with a refurbished iPhone 13. A lot of this revolves around whether your teen can look after their gifts. If they can’t, then they can learn how to be responsible by taking care of the more affordable option.
3. Embrace the Sentimental
While it’s natural to think you have to go with something big and expensive, you don’t always have to go this way. Sometimes, the smaller gifts could be much better recommended. If you do, it could be a matter of focusing on sentimentality to make it more meaningful.
There are plenty of options you could go with for this. Focus on something that’ll mean a lot to them and that brings back positive memories. They could end up cherishing it for years to come, and it’ll be a present they’ll love. It’ll be the best way to go.
Buy a Gift For Your Teen: Wrapping Up
It’s natural to stress a little when you need to buy a gift for your teen. You mightn’t know what to get them, and they mightn’t be too open about what they want. Thankfully, that doesn’t mean it has to be impossible.
With the right tips, it could be relatively easy. While you’ll still need to consider whether your teenager will actually like the gift, you shouldn’t have a problem making sure they do. You could take more stress out of it than you’d think.
As our parents age, navigating the emotional, practical, and financial changes that come with this transition can be difficult. It’s natural to want to avoid thinking about our loved ones growing older, but planning can ease the challenges that arise and help ensure they receive the best care. Here’s how you can prepare for and cope with this life stage.
One of the most important steps is to start discussions about ageing while your parents are still relatively healthy. It may feel uncomfortable initially, but having open and honest conversations about their wishes can prevent misunderstandings later. Discuss topics such as their preferences for healthcare, living arrangements, and how they want to be cared for in the event of serious illness. It’s also important to talk about their financial situation, including savings, pensions, and any outstanding debts.
These discussions will allow you to respect their wishes and make informed decisions when the time comes. Your parents may also feel more at ease knowing that their preferences are understood.
Understand Their Healthcare Needs
As parents age, their healthcare needs often increase. From managing medications to attending more frequent doctor’s appointments, it’s important to stay informed about their medical conditions. Make a list of any medications they take and understand the purpose of each one. If necessary, help coordinate appointments and keep records of test results and treatments. Additionally, you may want to explore options such as home care or assisted living if your parents require more help than you can provide.
Prepare Legal and Financial Documents
Ensuring all legal and financial documents are in order is crucial for preventing future stress. This may involve helping your parents create or update important documents such as their will, power of attorney, and advance care directive. A power of attorney gives someone the authority to make decisions on their behalf if they are unable to do so, while an advance care directive outlines their wishes for medical treatment.
You should also discuss their funeral arrangements. It may be a sensitive subject, but making plans in advance – such as selecting a funeral director and considering what kind of service they would like – can be a huge relief for both you and your parents when the time comes.
Look After Your Own Wellbeing
Caring for ageing parents can be emotionally and physically exhausting, so it’s important to take care of your well-being as well. Make sure you take time to rest and don’t hesitate to seek support from friends, family, or professionals. Support groups for carers can be a great resource, providing not only practical advice but also a sense of community.
Balance is key; while your parents may need more of your time and energy, it’s essential to maintain your own hobbies, relationships, and self-care routines to prevent burnout.
Final Thoughts
Facing the reality of our parents getting older can be challenging, but planning ahead ensures that we are better equipped to handle whatever the future may bring. Open conversations, understanding healthcare needs, preparing legal documents, and looking after our well-being will make this life stage more manageable. Most importantly, cherish the time you have and ensure that your parents feel valued and cared for as they age.
Guest post – I want to welcome Larry to my blog, to talk all about how to create a Thriving Agribusiness – please read to the end of the article for the author bio and link to his website
In the realm of modern agriculture, the journey from a seedling idea to a thriving farm requires more than just hard work and a love for the land. It demands a blend of traditional knowledge and innovative practices, ensuring that your farm not only survives but flourishes in today’s competitive market. This guide from Parenting, Mental Health & Lifestyle delves into strategies ranging from securing a stable water supply to harnessing digital solutions for farm management, all tailored to empower today’s farmers with the tools needed for success.
Establishing a Reliable Water Foundation
The Produce Nerd notes that at the heart of a flourishing farm is a stable water supply. Essential for both crop cultivation and livestock rearing, securing an adequate and quality water source is critical. Investigate various options such as wells, rainwater collection, or community water solutions to meet your farm’s specific needs.
Embracing a Gradual Farming Start
While the eagerness to dive into farming is admirable, GroCycle points out that it is prudent to start on a smaller scale. Initially, concentrate on cultivating a select range of crops or rearing a limited number of livestock. This approach enables you to thoroughly understand the fundamentals, enhance your farming methods, and incrementally grow your operations as you accumulate experience and build confidence. Starting small also allows for more manageable adjustments and refinements, reducing the risk of overwhelming challenges as you lay the groundwork for a more expansive and successful farming venture.
Diversifying Revenue Through Value-Added Products
Extend beyond just selling raw produce by exploring the production of value-added items such as jams, preserves, or artisanal cheeses. These types of products usually command higher prices in the market, providing you with an additional stream of revenue and diversifying your income sources. Additionally, engaging in the creation of these products can enhance your farm’s brand identity, connecting customers more deeply with the quality and uniqueness of what your farm has to offer.
Conducting Comprehensive Land Surveys
Before committing to any land purchase, conducting a thorough survey is crucial. This process is invaluable in pinpointing boundary disputes, uncovering hidden risks, and evaluating the land’s suitability for your intended agricultural pursuits. Making this investment not only protects your venture from unforeseen complications but also offers insights into the land’s potential for future development and expansion, ensuring a solid foundation for your farm.
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I am now accepting guest posts on my blog. My blog has a range of categories but I predominantly discuss parenting and mental health. Guest posting on other people’s blogs is something that helped improve my DA score in the first three months. It would be great to welcome posts on topics I don’t currently cover.
You can find more details here. I am also accepting sponsored posts and you can find the details here.
Fostering Community Collaboration
Establishing robust relationships with neighbouring farmers is invaluable. Collaborations can yield shared resources, stronger negotiating power, and a wealth of shared knowledge. Engaging in cooperative groups or agricultural networks magnifies the collective strength of your farming community. Additionally, these relationships often lead to mutually beneficial partnerships, enabling cross-promotion and support during challenging times, further solidifying your farm’s position in the local agricultural landscape.
Developing a Distinct Farm Brand
In a competitive market, a strong brand identity is vital. Create a unique brand that mirrors your farm’s ethos, involving elements like a distinctive logo, compelling narratives, and a consistent presence in both digital and traditional marketing channels. This brand-building process also helps in connecting with your target audience on a deeper level, fostering loyalty and recognition that transcends mere transactions and turns customers into long-term advocates for your farm and its products.
Embarking on a farming venture is a journey that intertwines the beauty of traditional agriculture with the efficiencies of modern technology. It’s a path that calls for both a respect for the earth and a savvy understanding of the market. By adopting strategies like streamlining document management and forming an LLC, farmers can create a harmonious balance between sustainability and profitability. This approach paves the way for a new era of farming, where technology, tradition, and community come together to forge a resilient and fruitful agricultural future.
Author bio
Sow Sustainability was created by Larry Waters to connect home and community gardeners to horticulture experts. Larry hopes to grow the site into a forum where gardeners and horticulture experts can exchange information and form relationships that allow them to better serve their communities and make local gardening a regular way of life for all.
A rip-roaring moose family reunion songbook starring one extremely surprised host and exactly 256 moose (no more, no less).
How many moose is too many moose? Two? Four? Eight? Sixteen? What happens when a herd of moose invites themselves over? In Too Many Moose, a herd of moose have a rip-roaring family reunion full of dancing, cartwheels, pillow fights and more!
This book will push your imagination to the ridiculous with energetic children’s music, oddball humour and endearing, lively animal characters that dive into comical antics.
Quick note: Some of the links contained on this page are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. I only recommend products I use myself and think would be useful for other people.
I was so excited to read this book with my little one. Unfortunately, when we pulled out the book to read together, she was in a little bit of a grumpy mood. But I knew this was the perfect time to read the book and instil some laughter into our evening.
The book did not disappoint. The little one was laughing her head off and she loved the rhyming element of the story.
This book has been added to our little shelf next to her bed and we will enjoy reading it many times in the future.
Cart Wheels & Pillow Fights
In Too Many Moose, a herd of moose have a rip-roaring family reunion full of dancing, cartwheels, pillow fights and more!
Every young child loves a fun tale of cartwheels and pillow fights. When we’re out and about playing in the grass and doing cartwheels, we are at our happiest. Our little one loves the day we change the bedsheets at home. She loves lying on the bed while we waft the sheets over her. Small simple pleasures in life and we could all learn a lot from the joy a child feels in these moments.
Want to read more about the joy of participating in childlike activities?
I love writing about how participating in childlike activities can help you mentally. We should all endeavour to inject more joy into our lives.
PLEASE NOTE – this is my honest review of Kids Pass. Based solely on my own experiences. Before writing this review, I spent over two weeks constantly searching for deals and weighing up the costs.
With another three weeks left of the school holidays in the UK, I thought it was the perfect time to share my honest thoughts on Kids Pass.
Hearing about Kids Pass
I first heard about Kids Pass in a local Facebook group and was deciding whether to sign up for one during our recent holiday. However, having looked at the type of holiday we were going on and the activities available in the area, I decided not to proceed.
Not being able to search for offers before signing up
One thing I didn’t like was that you couldn’t search for what was available in your area until you had signed up. This means the membership might not be useful for you, but you wouldn’t know until you had paid the £1.00 trial fee.
Signing up for Kids Pass
When I returned from holiday and had two weeks with my little one during the summer holidays, I signed up on the £1.00 offer. This gives you 30 days for free, after which you will be charged.
One of the main selling points of the pass – was being able to use this at a pub we visit regularly. However, upon closer inspection, they are offering 50% off the Wacky Warehouse, which no longer exists. The newly refurbished pub now has a small soft play area, which is completely free. I thought the offer was on food. It wasn’t. And I have contacted Kids Pass about it. They have responded confirming this will be passed to the offers team to update.
Have I used any offers so far?
I’ve spent two weeks trying my best to make use of some of the offers that fit our family’s needs, but I’ve come up with it not really working out in reality. When you factor in travelling costs against existing offers I can get elsewhere.
The clearest example of this I can give is:
There was a 10% voucher off at a Toby Carvery about 35 minutes drive from us. We were going out for my husband’s birthday breakfast and needed somewhere to go (a little discount is always welcome – more money to save or do other things!). But logging onto the Toby Carvery app and signing up for the first time, meant I got an offer for 25% off or kids eat free. We decided to use the kids eat free because this applied Monday-Friday and given our current circumstances, it’s unlikely we will all be together again as a family, during the week, until the next school holidays in October.
Finding better discounts directly with the vendor
My point is that I can find much better discounts online or through the retailer and book directly. With a bit of searching online, or by using cashback apps, you can often maximise discounts.
Referral link for Kids Pass
Everyone who signs up for the free trial is provided with a referral link. If you’ve read my blog before you will know I do share referral links for things I use. But on this occasion, I won’t be sharing mine for Kids Pass. The post in the Facebook group included a referral link and I have seen many other parents also sharing theirs.
Please check reviews & make your own decisions
I’ve said in my previous review posts, that you should always Google products, places to visit and services – and check the reviews before committing to purchase. Feel free to complete a Google search on Kids Pass and make your own informed choice about what is best for your family.
Blogger discounts
If you are looking for genuine discounts, the best ones I’ve ever used have been from other trusted bloggers, writing about their own experiences. Seek out someone you trust and follow what they say:
Here are some people I follow and I subscribe to their updates:
I was unsure whether to post this review, but I did want to provide my thoughts on how the membership worked for me. I have since cancelled the trial because we simply wouldn’t make use of it.
I will leave the decision to you, as to whether it would benefit your family…
Welcome to my guest post on Understanding Play Therapy: Benefits and Techniques. Read on for more details about the author.
Introduction
Play therapy is a form of psychotherapy primarily used to help children express their emotions, improve their communication skills, and resolve psychosocial issues through play. Renowned experts such as Garry Landreth and Charles E. Schaefer have significantly contributed to the development and understanding of this therapeutic approach. This article explores what play therapy is, its benefits, and the techniques used in practice.
What is Play Therapy?
Play therapy leverages the natural way children learn about themselves and their relationships in the world: through play. Unlike traditional talk therapy, which may be challenging for young children, play therapy provides a developmentally appropriate way for children to express their thoughts and feelings. According to the Australian Psychological Society, play therapy is an effective method to help children cope with emotional stress, trauma, and behavioural issues.
Why is Play Therapy Beneficial?
1. Expression of Emotions: Play therapy provides a safe environment for children to express their emotions. Children often lack the verbal skills to articulate their feelings. Through play, they can demonstrate what they might not be able to say with words.
2. Behavioural Insights: Therapists can gain insights into a child’s behaviour and emotions by observing their play patterns. This helps in identifying underlying issues that might be affecting the child’s behaviour.
3. Problem-Solving Skills: Play therapy helps children develop problem-solving skills and learn how to deal with various situations in a healthy way.
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I also have two other blogs. I am happy to accept posts from one person, for all three blogs –
4. Enhanced Communication: It fosters better communication between the child and the therapist, and often with family members, improving overall relationships.
5. Emotional Healing: For children who have experienced trauma, play therapy can be particularly effective in providing emotional healing. It allows them to process and make sense of their experiences in a non-threatening manner.
Techniques in Play Therapy
Various techniques are used in play therapy, each tailored to meet the needs of the child. Notable researchers like Garry Landreth and Charles E. Schaefer have identified several key techniques that have proven effective:
1. Non-Directive Play Therapy: Also known as child-centred play therapy, this technique involves allowing the child to lead the play session. The therapist provides a safe and nurturing environment and observes the child’s play to understand their needs and feelings. Garry Landreth, a pioneer in this approach, emphasizes the importance of allowing the child to take the lead, fostering a sense of control and empowerment.
2. Directive Play Therapy: In this approach, the therapist takes a more active role in guiding the play. This can include setting specific goals for the sessions and introducing certain activities or toys that are designed to address particular issues. Techniques might involve role-playing, storytelling, or using structured games.
A summary of the other guest posts I wrote for other people
3. Sand Tray Therapy: This involves the use of a sandbox and miniature figures. Children create scenes in the sand, which can help them express and explore their feelings and experiences in a symbolic way. This technique can be particularly useful for children who have difficulty verbalizing their emotions.
4. Art Therapy: Using art materials such as paints, crayons, and clay, children create artworks that can reveal their inner thoughts and emotions. This technique is beneficial for children who may find it easier to express themselves visually rather than verbally.
5. Puppet Play: Puppets can serve as tools for children to project their feelings and experiences onto another entity. This can help them distance themselves from difficult emotions and discuss them more freely.
6. Therapeutic Storytelling: Creating and sharing stories can help children process their experiences and understand their feelings. The therapist might tell a story that mirrors the child’s own experiences or encourage the child to create their own story.
Conclusion
Play therapy is a powerful tool in helping children navigate their emotional and psychological landscapes. Through the pioneering work of experts like Garry Landreth and Charles E. Schaefer, play therapy has evolved into a respected and effective therapeutic approach. By providing a safe and supportive environment for children to express themselves through play, therapists can help children develop the skills they need to thrive emotionally and socially. Whether through non-directive play, sand tray therapy, or art and puppet play, the techniques of play therapy offer invaluable support for children’s mental health and well-being.
Author bio
The Three Seas Psychology is Melbourne’s hub for people seeking comprehensive mental health support from skilled & caring psychologists in Melbourne. Our Psychologist’s Approach to Therapy is all about collaboration with other mental health professionals, especially GPs. A client-centred approach which is humanistic in nature. We focus on ethical, caring, high-quality care.
Welcome to my post, all about Southview Holiday Retreat, Middlesborough.
Who else loves the quiet life? The strong need to get away from the hustle and bustle. Switch off your phone and just relax.
As a family, we have busy lives, between working full time, school admin, childcare and fitting in precious time to make family memories and have fun. Sometimes it’s just necessary to switch off completely.
Quick note: Some of the links contained on this page are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. I only recommend products I use myself and think would be useful for other people.
PLEASE NOTE – all images are courtesy of Sam – founder of Mummy Conquering Anxiety blog and are copyright
Making a holiday booking with a lack of reviews
I’ve talked in my previous review blog posts about reading reviews before booking a holiday, a meal or visiting somewhere. You can usually tell the fair reviews from the people who just want to have a rant. Check out my Places to Eat reviews below:
However, sometimes you need to take a chance on a holiday venue when they have just set up and are brand new. When we booked this holiday through Hoseasons, there were only a few reviews added. As such, we had to take that chance.
We are here now
I want to visit places myself before bringing you reviews. We are currently on site now and these are my comments about the place:
Accommodation & value for money – We are staying in The Wainstones pod, which is slightly more roomy than the standard one.
Service – friendly, checking in with us but not disturbing our peace.
Nearby places to visit – Stokesley. Great Ayton, Whitby, Middlesborough.
Relaxation factor – 100% relaxation, even with a fiver-year-old.
A base for visiting other places – the perfect base for venturing out and about each day.
I am going into a lot more detail below, so keep reading about the 6 Amazing Reasons to Book a Holiday at Southview Holiday Retreat, Middlesborough
Accommodation & value for money
The accommodation is what sold the holiday to us, in the first place. We paid £399.00 when booking direct through Hoseasons. And only paid a £10.00 deposit. Booking in advance allowed us to pay the holiday off in chunks. I didn’t think this price was bad, considering we have a Monday-Friday stay, the first week of the UK school summer holidays AND the addition of the hot tub and amazing view.
We had everything we needed in the pod. A small kitchen area, without an oven, but other amenities such as a microwave, hob, kettle and toaster.
We managed to make some lovely homemade meals, like spaghetti bolognese. And even managed a full fry-up, to make fry-up wraps!
Surroundings
The pod overlooks the Cleveland Hills and as you can see from the pictures below, the view is stunning, breathtaking, and relaxing and it’s amazing to overlook this every morning. We decided to spend our last day mostly hanging around the accommodation, so we can live in the moment and enjoy this beautiful view.
Service
The site is run by a father and son team and from the first text message, to get instructions for how to enter the accommodation, they were lovely and friendly.
The instructions for staying were comprehensive and provided all the information we needed. And the friendly visits, stopping by our pod to check if we had everything we needed, were one of the highlights of our holiday. The little one loved saying hello!
Nearby places to visit
As a family, we purposefully book places to stay, where we can use them as a base to explore the area. And this time we took the opportunity to reinstate our English Heritage Membership and visit some amazing places on the way here and during our stay.
A few of the nearby places you can visit during your stay:
Stokesley – this is a market town, with a coop, bakers, lots of pubs, bistros and other amenities. We visited to grab some lunch at the local bakers and food supplies from the coop.
I would say that from what we experienced, the town isn’t geared towards families and children. Eating-wise we would have been looking at overpriced bistros (I say this because our five-year-old simply wouldn’t eat the food there) or pubs with strange service times or that don’t allow children. As a couple, we would have loved a village like this. But luckily we were able to grab some food and return to our accommodation to chill out in the hot tub.
I will say there are lots of amazing shops for little ones. Boutique-style clothing and toys for young ones. We loved exploring the array of charity shops – we even picked up some bargains, including a branded walking coat for my little one and a nice dress for me.
Great Ayton – This is a picturesque small village, which we passed through on our way to Whitby. All the details you need about the amenities available can be found here.
It’s a lovely Yorkshire town, with shops, a beautiful square and lots of cafes and pubs along the river. We had a great time walking around the town, after our trip around the castle.
Relaxation factor
This trip was 100% relaxation from the first moment we arrived. Absolutely beautiful views. An enclosed garden was a must for the little one. It also came in handy when one of us wanted a rest in the afternoon, the other people could use the patio to chill outside and provide some much-needed space, away from one another. The small balcony out to the front of the pod also provided another space for someone to relax in.
A base for visiting other places
In terms of distance, staying here is a great base for visiting other places. You have the choice of nearby market towns, which are up to about a 30-minute drive. Some are just 5 minutes down the road, in a car.
Whitby
The longest drive we did was Whitby for the day. The picturesque seaside town was busy and we were tired after the trip but we got to see our favourite seaside town, without the price tag of staying in a £300.00 a night hotel in the centre of Whitby.
It was about a 49-minute drive to Whitby from the accommodation.
One of the main reasons we visited Whitby was to take our little one to Whitby Abbey. As a couple we have visited a few times, but it was time to introduce her to the amazing views and history. She loved running around and taking pictures.
I will be writing a post about Middlesborough and the wider area, and some other guides for this local area – so look out for this by subscribing to my blog, to be alerted when a blog post is released.
Welcome to my post about Whispa and the Waves by Ffion Jones and Elena Mascolo. I am so glad you stopped by!
Quick note: Some of the links contained on this page are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. I only recommend products I use myself and think would be useful for other people
Inspired by a desire to help her daughter in her struggle with anxiety, Whispa and the Waves is a book that hopes to help children explore other ways of responding to these feelings, empowering them to overcome the waves and giving them the strength to calm the storm.
If you follow my blog, you will know that a mental breakdown is what prompted me to start this blog, to help other people feel less alone when they are experiencing mental health challenges.
The mental health crisis amongst young people in the UK at the moment is well documented and something we should all be eager to resolve. Books like this – serve to educate young people and make them feel less alone. In this respect, we must share this book’s message far and wide.
Children having access to books
Another well-documented fact is that some children living in the UK currently don’t have access to books at home. As a family, we have always purchased books, mostly from charity shops. But my little one loves reading and we must make time to read books with her. Even though, like most families, family time is limited.
Exploring big emotions with children
The character in the book sounds very much like me. I still use my hypnotherapy recordings when I feel life becoming too much. These days, I feel more resilient and able to deal with the pressures and unexpected events life can sometimes throw at us. BUT it’s taken a lot of work to get to where I am now.
Imagine being a child. Research tells us can’t regulate emotions in the way an adult does. And still feeling some big emotions you may not understand. Books like this are vital in helping children have a visual display and a story to tell about a similar way they are feeling.
I’ve written on my blog before about handling toddler emotions. You can check out the posts below:
Please go out and buy this book, recommend it to your local library or community centre – and spread a message of hope amongst children who might be struggling.
Please go out and buy this book, recommend it to your local library or community centre – and spread a message of hope amongst children who might be struggling.
I love reading books and writing about everything in my life, and I also love participating in the stories other people have to share. As someone who loved the literature part of my English degree and still has the quotations book given to me as a prize by my headteacher as a teenager, soaking up literature is something I have continued into adulthood.
Prior to setting up three blogs, I attended the local literature festival for as long as I can remember. On those days I arrange childcare and totally clear my schedule. Free to immerse myself in culture, and words. More importantly, to be in the company of other amazing creatives. I am now finding ways to travel further afield. It is time to share with you what I found when I searched for more opportunities to do something I love.
Borderlines is a not-for-profit event, now in its 7th year, run by volunteers who believe in community – and the joy of words. We deliver a Festival that balances bringing major national and international names to Carlisle with celebrating and showcasing fantastic local talent. We also run events and activities that encourage and inspire individual creativity.
Encounter incredible writers, actors, comedians, musicians, poets & change-makers. Fri 7 – Sun 23 October 2022. Featuring Edward Enninful, Rob Delaney, Ian Rankin & more!
This is another gem I found out about from contact with a publisher. What a mission this bookshop has –
We want to work with schools and the local community to promote new ideas and initiatives. Through book clubs, ‘walking’ book clubs, poetry slams, storytelling events, book launches and writers’ workshops – we seek to share knowledge, cause conversation and bring people together through the spoken and written word.
27 October – 6 November 2022 – BOX OFFICE OPEN FROM 28 SEPTEMBER 2022
The festival website states –
The Petworth Festival is a remarkable success story. Founded over 40 years ago by Lord Egremont and a group of like-minded local people, including the composer Robert Walker, an event which first straddled a weekend has now become a major fixture in the summer diary, not just locally but also throughout the region.
Cheltenham Literature Festival is the world’s first literature Festival, leading the way in celebrating the written and spoken word.
Book your tickets here.
Berwick Literary Festival
Some of the events are FREE to attend!
13 October – 16 October 2022
The festival website states –
A very warm welcome as we return to live events in Berwick at this year’s Festival. We are delighted to offer a varied and attractive programme that has a focus on Berwick and north-east England, a strong Scottish element, and an international aspect. We hope to entertain, to inform, and to encourage everyone with an interest in words and their expression. Over four days the 9th Festival will include both Zoom and live events around the town, using several new locations for the first time too. Central to north Northumberland and the eastern Scottish Borders, our walled town provides a stunning backdrop to very varied events.
Since 2008 we’ve been bringing you an exciting mixture of debate, ideas, celebrity author events, workshops and humour in spring and winter. We’re also a charity promoting the benefits of reading and writing on education, literacy and well-being in schools, the community and prisons.
The Festival is one of the most significant literary festivals in the UK, attracting thousands of people who share one passion: a love of books, writing and reading.
I have only recently heard about this festival, through contact with a publisher about reviewing some amazing writers who find new and creative ways to cope with anxiety. The festival website states –
Our vision is, and always has been, “To inspire more people to explore, respect and represent mountains, wilderness and their cultures” and today this seems more relevant and timely as ever.
A seasonal weekend of wonder! Join us for a very special Hay Festival Winter Weekend 24-27 November in the newly renovated Hay Castle. Priority booking opens to Friends of Hay Festival Tuesday 27 September. General booking opens Friday 30 September.
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