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I feel privileged to introduce you to my July 2022 advertisers
It’s now time for me to share other people’s wonderful blogs. Please go and show my July 2022 advertisers some love, by commenting, sharing their posts, and interacting with one another. I regularly post on Twitter about the blogging community and how it is great to be part of such a supportive group of people.
Look out for updates throughout the month on Twitter.
This month I have two fabulous advertiser’s returning.
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After hitting rock bottom and realising that there was only one way to go from here, I looked for ways I could turn my life around. Positive Thinking kept showing itself to me through books, TV, conversations, and everywhere I went. I eventually took a look into it and realised that I would need to start right at the very beginning, learning positivity and unlearning negativity. My life looks very different now and I created Positive Thinking for Beginners to help others begin their journey.
Mum Life and Me is a parenting, mental health and self-improvement blog written by a thirty-something mum of two from North Yorkshire. After 10 years of living in Epping, Essex, the family finally decided to move up North to be closer to family. Mum Life and Me discusses everything from pregnancy to breastfeeding, to breakdowns to managing anxiety and depression.
I am taking bookings for the rest of 2022 and you can find more details here.
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I feel privileged to introduce you to my June 2022 advertisers
It’s now time for me to share other people’s wonderful blogs. Please go and show my June 2022 advertisers some love, by commenting, sharing their posts, and interacting with one another. I regularly post on Twitter about the blogging community and how it is great to be part of such a supportive group of people.
There is something for everyone in this bunch.
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ClaireMac Blog
A little bit about the blog
Claire Mac is a parenting & lifestyle blogger based in the North East of England. She has two girls, one who’s 3 and the other 8 months. Although she blogs about her parenting experience, motherhood doesn’t define her and she shows her audience how mums can be themselves as well as being somebody’s parent. Claire is an advocate for giving mum guilt the middle finger and embracing a non-judgemental view of motherhood. Her lifestyle blog covers various topics from parenting to self-love and self-care. It’s a space where readers can come back time and time again for relatability, reassurance and encouragement.
Mum Life and Me is a parenting, mental health and self-improvement blog written by a thirty something mum of two from North Yorkshire. After 10 years of living in Epping, Essex, the family finally decided to move up North to be closer to family. Mum Life and Me discusses everything from pregnancy to breastfeeding, to breakdowns to managing anxiety and depression.
Dispeller is a well-being brand without the sanctimonious fluff. I wanted to create a space dedicated to curiosity, shattering illusions, and being true to yourself. Essentially, I write about all the things I wish I’d worked out many years ago.
In the lead-up to the weekend, I always seem to be on my phone researching the best places to take my little one. She is a recent school starter, full of energy and needs entertaining. Don’t even get me started on school holiday entertainment plans.
It’s that time of year, when I am looking forward to warmer weather and planning lots of family days out, to enjoy throughout the year. If you are doing the same, be sure to check out this great list of attractions. It’s always great to have something to look forward to!
The purpose of my new page FAMILY DAYS OUT – is to help other families find great attractions to visit -without researching them. Want to be featured? Feel free to contact me and check out more details here.
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.
Images are taken from the affiliated websites
Let’s dive into my list of the Merlin Attractions To Visit With The Kids
Merlin Passes
You can book more than one adventure and save money! With annual passes starting from £99 per person, for over 200 Days of Entry (please do view the small print on the passes to ensure this fits with your circumstances).
Unlock access to the UK’s BIGGEST and best attractions for the smallest price
When visiting an attraction or theme park, it’s always great to stay overnight so you have more access to the array of things to do. Let’s have a look at Merlin Entertainments and their great offers – if you are considering visiting the theme parks anyway.
Short Breaks Offer – 2nd Day Free –
Add your 2nd Day in the Theme Park for Free when you book a Short Break
With an array of thrilling rides, a beach, a playground and rides for little kids – you will be guaranteed a fun-packed day out. Your short break booking includes two full days of theme park thrills!
Here are some tips if you’re visiting the park –
1. Check your height before you start the day, to ensure you know which rides you can go on.
2. Bring zip-lock sandwich bags or waterproof bags for your electronics – whilst on water rides.
3. Bring spare clothes in case you get a bit too carried away on the water rides.
4. Change into flip-flops when riding water rides – no need to worry about ruining your trainers!
6. Bring lots of water! You never know how long the queues will be.
7. Want to beat the queues? Head over to Nemesis Inferno & SAW first thing and work your way around the park from there. There are fewer queues at the back of the park at the start of the day and you’ll find yourself working against the crowds all day!
Days out
Shall we look at some of the other Merlin Attractions in more detail?
Nemesis Reborn Has Arrived!Opening Saturday 16th March 2024
Nemesis Reborn invites the bravest of thrill-seekers to tackle dominating drops and intense inversions aboard the ride. The Phalanx have lost all strength and now it’s your turn to encounter this terrifying creature.
Located in Birmingham, at the NEC. There is an array of activities for your adventurous kids. Including – indoor climbing walls, archery range, iFLY wind tunnel and escape rooms.
Join Freddo and a whole host of Cadbury characters as they whisk you away on an adventurous journey in the 4D Chocolate Adventure cinema experience, complete with motion seats!
Discover the origins of the cocoa bean and jump on the magical Cadabra ride. Seen the adverts? You will also get to meet the infamous Cadbury drumming gorilla.
Scarborough SEA LIFE Sanctuary is a unique indoor and outdoor attraction ideal for a family day out.
Penguin Island is a specialist enclosure, which was designed to let guests get closer to the animals. You can also meet seal pup patients and stop by the specialist Seal Hospital.
The perfect experience for all children under 10 years old.
Burst through the pages of your favourite stories into a magical place of imagination, creativity, discovery and play. Adapted from some of the UK’s most loved children’s stories by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, with 6 captivating and immersive zones, this 2-hour play experience is enjoyable for a family day out.
See, hear, smell and feel York’s stories come to life before your eyes as frighteningly funny characters transport you through time.
Surprises await you at The Dungeon… Fear the Vikings as they invade and conquer York. Discover Guy Fawkes’ Gunpowder Plot and what happened that November night. Step inside the carriage to the York Knavesmire, where one of the infamous highwaymen Dick Turpin has returned.
Image courtesy of Warwick Castle WebsiteImage courtesy of Visit Warwick website
I remember a wonderful family trip we had to Warwick Castle, over two days. The castle itself is amazing. I remember the princess castle and I want my little one to experience it. We also managed to catch the knights’ battle, which was amazing to see.
What’s on in February?
Watch the spectacular Birds of Prey display at 12 pm and 2:30 pm each day.
Join an expert team of Historians for a free guided tour of Warwick’s past.
Journey through the exquisite Great Hall, State Rooms, and Royal Weekend Party.
Slide into the world’s first Zog Playland.
Get lost in time in the Horrible Histories Maze.
Indulge in a tasty afternoon tea at the Conservatory Tea House.
Visit the Princess Tower for an immersive storytelling experience, perfect for children aged 3 to 8. Get your free-timed ticket (weekends only).
CLICK the links above, to stay up to date with the latest events.
Final Thoughts
I hope you enjoyed the rundown of these amazing attractions.
Have you visited any? Which one is your favourite?
If you follow my blog or my TikTok – you will know I love a message about improving your relationships. And your outlook on life in general.
It’s all about communication and openness. It’s time to look back on the amazing reasons Hypnotherapy Changed My Life.
Upcoming collaborations – NEWS
I am excited to tell you, that I am in talks with other amazing business professionals, to progress my self-development and also talk about their wonderful businesses. Watch this space and be sure to subscribe to my blog, so you can be notified when a blog post is published.
You wouldn’t just keep a computer for 10 years, without regularly updating it, deleting files and giving it a refresh. The brain is the computer which rules our whole body – why wouldn’t we keep up with the maintenance of it?
Sam – Mummy Conquering Anxiety
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.
Let’s think back to my hypnotherapy course
My hypnotherapy course ended in November 2022. At the time, I needed some self-development. But I knew that standard counselling or therapy wasn’t the option I needed. When you experience a lot of life-changing events in quick succession, it’s about reprogramming your subconscious mind, with the new life goals and patterns of behaviour you want to adopt. Kind of like a computer update.
You wouldn’t just keep a computer for 10 years, without regularly updating it, deleting files and giving it a refresh. The brain is the computer which rules our whole body – why wouldn’t we keep up with the maintenance of it?
A brief overview of what hypnotherapy does
The idea behind hypnotherapy is that it can be used to reprogram the unconscious or primal parts of the brain that function to avoid pain and seek pleasure.
5 of the main lessons I took away from my hypnotherapy course
We largely live our lives on autopilot, paying attention to our logical brain.
Hypnotherapy allows us to switch off the automatic brain, which allows us to reprogram our subconscious.
Reprogramming our subconscious can allow us to get rid of old habits, which no longer serve us.
Due to the primal parts of our brains, still ruling a lot of the daily decision-making, we can react with snap decisions, which don’t always serve us.
Practising meditation and listening to hypnotherapy recordings can empty your overall stress bucket. Making you more able to deal with the daily stresses we all face.
What hypnotherapy taught me about human behaviour
I’ve written posts on my blog about toddler emotions and gentle parenting:
However, I was surprised to learn that ALL humans can react quickly and sometimes with anger. The way our brain processes situations is largely automatic and it will often produce a default response to situations.
If your default response is outdated because you haven’t reprogrammed your unconscious in a while. Your behaviours in daily life might not be in line with how you want to respond to certain situations. This is a simplistic overview, the mechanics of the brain are much more complicated.
The initial relaxation element of hypnotherapy starts by dampening down the activity of the frontal cortex. Limiting the effectiveness of this area of the brain, central to attention, planning, and making decisions, increases activity in other areas engaged in filtering and integrating information. We become more open to information, more suggestible, and capable of creating more intense sensations in our minds (Thomson, 2019).
Completing training in the workplace and the fact I love to learn – meant I was already aware of the fight or flight reflex. But understanding it fully, helped me understand a lot about my struggles with anxiety. And the reason I reacted the way I did in certain, stressful life situations.
How hypnotherapy helped me become a better parent
Hypnotherapy alone cannot allow you to know everything about the emotional health of a child. And how to employ emotional intelligence when faced with tough situations. But it can open your mind to the science behind our behaviour. Essentially a child is unable to regulate their emotions and they need an adult to do this for them. Their outbursts, and meltdowns (however you refer to it) are nothing personal and they don’t have any control over them.
This allows me to understand that emotional meltdowns are simply a sign of communication – or a way to ask for help from the adult closest to you. If we think about times when we, as adults, have been so angry we cannot verbally put into words what is happening. Sometimes toddlers don’t have the words, but they express the emotion in other ways. To signal help is needed.
Discussions with our toddler
Hypnotherapy made me realise that toddlers and adults sometimes react without thinking. If we don’t understand something, our default response could be anger or frustration.
Whenever there is a disagreement in the house, or adults don’t agree on something, we use this as an example. To explain that in life, not everyone thinks the same. People will annoy each other, disagree, and argue. And that is completely okay. It’s what makes us all human.
Wonderful books about toddler emotions
I was recently struggling, to go further than this and say – mummy and daddy love you regardless of behaviour. Nothing changes our love for you. Then I came across this amazing book. See the TikTok video.
#duet with @iamsimplyysophie #istillloveyou I cannot tell you how much I love this book! 📖 As a Mum to a #toddler who struggles with certain things, it’s an important message! In the midst of #emotional#toddler#meltdowns & outbursts, it’s an important message for any child! One I was trying to verbally convey, before I first discovered the book! Now we sing the words to the book together & I tell my little girl, it’s how #mummy & #daddy feel about her ❤️ We now want to gift the #book to a #familyfriend & it will be sent from my little girl to her #schoolbestie 😥 Excuse me whilst I have a little cry. ❤️ Let’s all spread a message of #acceptance & #love PLEASE go & check out all the amazing books this creator has designed, to help children who struggle ❤️ #gentleparenting#mummycontentcreator#schoolrunmum#mummyconqueringanxiety
When it comes to financial worries, I’d never had to worry until recently. I’d always considered myself financially savvy. I spent my career in the Finance industry and was always up to date with my knowledge of the financial world. Therefore managing our household finances was always something that came top of my priority list.
I’m also quite an organised person. I enjoyed taking control of our finances and seeing the results when we paid into our savings account and made overpayments on loans and credit cards. Doing this gives you a good feeling.
It’s easy managing money when you’re single, have a fantastic career, or are a couple living it up and enjoying life. We went on holidays to Mexico, and regular weekends away, for cocktails and shopping and never really worried about money.
On a serious note, the fact we were over-committed for at least a year, made me feel personally like a failure. I would dread letters coming through the post, saying bills hadn’t been paid. I would long for the day when we had a little more money each month and I could finally pay people back and take some control of the finances again.
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Things changed when we had a child. There was less money to go around and this created problems. It isn’t having a child that costs more money, it’s the upheaval and adjustment period that bit us in the backside.
On a serious note, the fact we were over-committed for at least a year, made me feel personally like a failure. I would dread letters coming through the post, saying bills hadn’t been paid. I would long for the day when we had a little more money each month and I could finally pay people back and take some control of the finances again.
Why financial worries impact mental health
Mind.org have a great diagram which explains the vicious cycle. You worry about money, which results in poor mental health and vice versa. This article also provides useful information on the topic. Having lived through it, I can say it’s completely correct.
I never imagined, following a breakdown from workplace stress, that I would struggle to manage money. But I struggled to do anything when I was first off work. I will talk more about the impact of anxiety in this post. One of my last anxiety-filled days was caused as a result of money worries.
It’s a lot more admin when automatic payments are not made due to lack of money and you have to start contacting individual companies to agree when payment will be made. This extra admin didn’t help my mental health at all. I can see why people refer to companies like StepChange to act on their behalf. Speaking to 10 individual companies becomes too much.
These are the things I wish I’d done in hindsight
I saved money during my pregnancy and six months full pay period
Planning for maternity leave would have alleviated some financial worries. We didn’t save in advance and as you can imagine, we struggled from months 6 to 9 of maternity leave, on less than a third of my total wage. We still had the same bills to pay though. Luckily, our family helped us out with these payments. However, it made the whole experience of still being off work a bit grim and less enjoyable than it should have been.
Saved towards nursery costs
The nursery wanted a deposit payment upfront and we secured the place before our little one was born (we all know about competition for nursery places!).
The monthly costs involved with childcare are high in the UK and we were only sending her two days a week initially. To ensure we didn’t have financial worries about this monthly cost, I wish we had saved some money to add to the childcare account to make advance payments or act as a buffer for months when we struggled to meet the full payment.
You don’t need financial worries about the nursery when you already have the stress of arranging childcare, worrying about sick days and who can cover them, or whether they have the right coat to play out in. There is enough to think about!
Refrained from using credit cards
The credit card balances were relatively under control before my maternity leave.
During this period, we kept living as we had before, but in fact, we now have other costs to consider (baby milk, baby clothes, the latest gadgets etc). This additional pressure caused us financial worries over some time, as the credit card balances increased, along with the interest and we still had the same level of money coming in.
Given my post-pregnancy mental health struggles, it felt good to get out of the house, have a nice lunch, a few drinks at the weekend and spend money. This wasn’t a great path to go down and in hindsight. If we have another child, I will find cost-effective ways of connecting with other people during maternity leave.
At the time, I wasn’t in a great headspace to connect and share my experiences with others. I am now.
Live and learn!
Accepted the situation sooner
Due to my poor mental health post-pregnancy, I used a lot of avoidance techniques. Alcohol mainly! And kind of ignoring some of my responsibilities. One of the factors was money management. I was living in the moment and trying to heal myself.
What I’ve learned is, that planning for the future is great in some areas, like finances. Had we planned, some of the anxiety caused by financial worries could have been avoided.
Planned for a rainy day
I bet we’ve all used this phrase many times but never thought it would signify a pandemic was looming. Several UK lockdowns worry about job security and a toilet roll shortage.
I am aware some people experienced all manner of hardships during the lockdown and I feel grateful we kept our jobs throughout. On top of this, there were those unexpected family losses and people having to find money to pay for things they never dreamed they would need to, such as funeral costs and Bronze Grave Markers, which impacted so many people when the country was already struggling.
Uncertain times
We did have our ups and downs though. Nursery closing, isolation periods, working from home and getting pinged on the app, all of which impacted our finances in some way and generally made us feel completely out of control. We didn’t know what was coming next. Honestly, you never know what will happen. One day, things are going well, and the next day, you’re unexpectedly having to make funeral plans and pay for the death of a loved one. You never know what might happen.
Suddenly, we had to plan for the next time my hubby would be off work for a week isolating, or the nursery would get a COVID case and close. All of these factors impacted our income and caused financial worries.
Final thoughts
Ultimately, overcommitting has led to huge anxiety issues over finances. I am the organised one and therefore I take control of the family finances. During this period of difficulty, I would find myself constantly doing all of the below:
Checking my banking app daily, or even hourly
Worrying about asking to borrow money from family and felt like I was a failure for doing so
Felt inadequate, like I was incapable of managing our family’s money
Lack of security – how would we pay bills, manage to buy food
Interestingly, the Money & Pensions Service released this article about people being ashamed to talk about money. I do think there needs to be financial education introduced in schools because it isn’t always something you learn growing up. This might just be because your family members are private people, but how do you then know as an adult how to manage money.
If you are struggling financially
Please talk to someone if you’re able to. I have done this recently and it has eased some financial pressure. I now feel more in control of our finances.
Here are some charities that can help if you’re struggling:
Halloween is one of the most magical times for many of us. Whether you have fond memories of trick-or-treating as a child. Enjoy donning your fancy dress outfits for a night out on the town or prefer to stay inside sipping a PSL, it’s always guaranteed to be lots of fun.
However, the holidays seem to become more heavily commercialised with every year that passes. New trends are always popping up around this season. Which tend to be bigger, better and usually, more expensive.
Enjoy a low buy Halloween and autumnal season without the pressure to spend excessively by using these three tips…
Here comes your Low Spend Guide to Halloween
Opt for activities instead of items
The supermarket aisles are filled to the brim with seasonal items during October. If you’re trying to reduce the overwhelm, steer clear of the temptation to buy, and focus on planning activities instead.
Some low-spend ideas to get you in the mood for the change of seasons could include:
Rotating your wardrobe, bringing out your comfiest jumpers and cosy socks, and storing your summer items away until next year
Taking a long woodland walk through the crunchy leaves
Binge-watching an autumnal TV series (If you haven’t seen Only Murders in the Building, this could be the perfect choice to watch it, whilst snuggled on the sofa!)
Get recipe testing
One of the best ways to embrace the colder evenings is to spend time perfecting a few tasty meals. Look out for new recipes to try which use seasonal ingredients. Such as butternut squash, mushrooms, pumpkin, apples or figs.
If you want some money-saving offers, check out this page
Warming vegetable soups with crusty bread are always a huge hit at this time of year, or try something a little different, like a butternut squash risotto.
If you’ve got experience in the kitchen, you could even try a Halloween-themed dish, such as pumpkin gnocchi or ravioli. Another option is to create mini pizzas or pies in spooky shapes.
For the cosiest family dessert, try making mini smores using tea lights, or perhaps a chocolate fondue!
Another tip, coming up in the Low Spend Guide to Halloween
DIY your decor
Instead of purchasing lots of Halloween-themed decor that is likely to be stored away for the majority of the year, only to see the light of day for one month of the year. How about making your own decorations instead?
Paper decorations are super cheap to make. And can either be folded flat and stored for next year, or recycled.
If you have small children, try heading outside with a bag and collecting dried leaves to make your own leaf crafts and projects. This could include garlands, collages or even puppets!
Another thrifty option is to collect any old glass jars and decorate them to make colourful tea light holders. This is a simple upcycle that the whole family can enjoy, and it’s free too.
Avoid adding to the clutter, and get your craft on this season!
Author bio
Taryn runs a money and lifestyle blog called ‘Saving in London City’ and is on a mission to share the best money-saving tips, tricks and hacks. Taryn discusses the best ways to have fun on a budget today, whilst also saving towards long-term money goals for your future, such as a house deposit or dream holiday.
An online store is one of the most popular options for monetizing a blog. Starting a store that’s attached to your blog allows you to sell things that are related to it. Your products might be digital products, such as downloadable documents and files, but they could also be physical products that get shipped to your customers. Whichever you choose, you need to make sure you get your online store set up properly. There are a few things to think about before you launch your store. If you want it to succeed, start considering the following essential factors.
Pricing Your Products
Pricing products can be one of the most difficult things about selling online. It can be tough to find the right price because there’s often such a big range within the same product category. Should you put your products at the lower end of the scale or go higher? How do you need to price your products if you want to ensure you make a profit? You need to do your research if you want to get it right. Decide where you want to position your products compared to any competitors you might have and in line with what your customers are willing to pay.
Image from Pixabay – CC0 Licence
Providing Customer Support
When people buy things online, they might have moments when they need to seek support. Maybe they’re not sure which product to choose, or perhaps there’s a problem with their order. You don’t have staff working in a physical store, so you need other ways of providing customer support. One option is to add live chat to website stores, which will enable your customers to get help when they need it. You could also provide customer support via email and respond when it suits you (although not too slowly).
Delivering Your Products
Of course, you have to make sure your customers receive their products. If you’re selling digital products, you need to think about the logistics of how it will be provided to your customers. Will they receive a link for an instant download? If so, where will the files be hosted? When you’re selling digital products, make sure you check the VAT rules, as it can be tricky where they’re concerned. If you’re selling digital products, you’ll have to arrange for shipping. Will you be using drop shipping or a fulfilment service, or will you be sending out orders yourself?
Leverage Your Readership
As you’re putting your store together, make the most of your existing audience throughout the process. Start by making sure you choose products to sell that make sense for them. There’s no point in selling anything that they won’t want to buy. You can also get their feedback while you’re planning your store to see what they think. Use your social media following too, as well as your email list, especially when you want to get people excited for the launch of your store.
Monetizing your blog with a store could be a great step to help it grow. But it’s important to plan before you take the leap.
Let’s explore why you should choose Oldham for your UK Family Getaway
Source: Pixabay CC0 License
When you have a young family, domestic vacations are often far more attractive than going abroad. However, choosing the right destination is an essential part of the process. After all, it will provide the platform to build the perfect getaway. When looking for somewhere that isn’t the obvious choice like London, Brighton, or a holiday park. Oldham could be the hidden gem you’re looking for, when selecting your UK Family Getaway.
Here are just five reasons why it can make an excellent choice.
#1. Family Friendly Activities
When taking a trip with young children, your main goal is to ensure that they have a great team. Oldham has several brilliant places to take kids. So, you will not struggle to keep them entertained regardless of their ages or personalities. Crucially, there is a variety of indoor and outdoor activities, meaning even bad weather won’t dampen your spirits.
Many family-friendly places like Bounce and Daisy Nook Country Park offer plenty of fun for adults too. It instantly gives Oldham an advantage over many other places.
#2. Cheap Accommodation
Good accommodation makes a world of difference to any vacation, especially when you travel with kids. A quick look at hotels in the town of Oldham shows that you can find a well-located, affordable, and comfortable solution with ease. The majority include free WiFi, which is virtually an essential feature when you have young children too.
Alternatively, several Airbnb properties can be rented for a short period. Either way, you won’t struggle to find privacy and comfort at a fair price.
Shall we get into more reasons why you should choose Oldham for your UK Family Getaway?
#3. It’s educational
Enjoying a short break with the family will always be the top item on your agenda. Nonetheless, any opportunity to educate your children and enrich their minds should be grabbed with both hands. Oldham was once the cotton-spinning capital of the world. Learning about the Royd Mill and other key buildings is highly insightful. For kids and adults.
The gallery runs exhibitions. Meanwhile, the Coliseum Theatre is a stunning building that can open conversations about the history of the arts in this country. Perfect.
#4. Great Location
Oldham itself has plenty to offer. When spending a week or longer in the town, though, you may want to explore surrounding places. Thankfully, Manchester is very close. Your family could easily venture into Huddersfield or Leeds in Yorkshire too. Worth Valley Railway is only around 25 miles away too. This would make a fantastic excursion for train lovers.
Moreover, Oldham’s location offers good access to most parts of the UK too. This is true regardless of whether you travel by car or rail.
#5. It’s Unique
Nothing is wrong with visiting the UK’s various holiday parks, but trips can blend into one. Likewise, major city trips tend to follow a similar itinerary even if the attractions are slightly different. Visiting Oldham allows you to embrace the town while also enjoying treks and nature. Furthermore, it is easy to tailor the adventures to your desires.
Perhaps best of all, you will actively enjoy the adventures together rather than separating to do your things. As such, magical memories are guaranteed.
Final thoughts
Did you enjoy reading about all the wonderful things going on in Oldham and why it’s great for a UK Family Getaway?
GUEST POST – Author Bio – Tips on living Live Your Best – Most Positive Life
Hello from me, my blog is GAWD, Generalised Anxiety and Worry Diaries.
On the surface, I’m your average forty-something mum, with two kids, a husband, and a dog. Giving off the impression that life is effortless. But scratch that surface and you’ll find that I’m harbouring a secret power, I am in fact – Super Anxious Brummie Mummy! It’s a title I take very seriously. I can spend hours agonising over the stupidest of things. I meal-plan weeks in advance, make endless lists, set thousands of reminders, and have online shops booked in for over a month. Super anxious mum has all bases covered, she’s got fingers in every anxiety-inducing pie.
GAWD is a place where I serve you up some regular ramblings from me and my bonkers, anxious brain. Some of it is not that easy to stomach, gawd no. Some bites could give the Norovirus a run for its money. Some of you will relate, some of you will laugh out loud, and I’m guessing that some of you will run for the hills. But that’s what it’s all about. Having those difficult conversations, in the hope that those affected, will reach out. I’m a mental health mentor and young person’s mental health advocate. I’m a MSc psychology grad, so I’ll throw in a teeny bit of science into the pot, to help us make sense of things.
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.
It’s getting dark by 4.30 pm, the mornings are gothic and misty. The long, hot, sunny days are fading into a distant memory. With winter firmly on the horizon, you’d be forgiven for losing that positive outlook on life. Winter blues are a real thing. Especially for anxious souls like me. Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat. Please will someone put a nice big dose of positivity in my bobble hat? Isn’t that how the old rhyme goes? Well fear not, I have devised a clever strategy to help us all, even the seasonally affected folk, to start feeling that festive cheer and pack away that negative bleurgh.
Festive? Cheers…
At the time of writing this, I was dusting off the Halloween decorations, getting the sparklers out for bonfire night, and starting to think about the big ‘X’ (festive celebration, starts with X and ends with ‘mas). I don’t know about you, but it kind of feels like the moment that the children go back to school, after the summer holidays, life ramps up ten gears.
If only it was a slow burn into Autumn, revving up to Christmas. But oh no, it’s stress-o’clock from the get-go. It’s so busy, it’s like our fixed calendar celebrations and holidays are setting us up for a fail. Then January hits and it’s all quiet on the western front, with only the most depressing day of the year to look forward to.
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Tips on living Live Your Best – Most Positive Life – CONTINUED
Plus there’s life’s daily demands and those curve snowballs, for instance; navigating the freezing school run, endless amounts of laundry, wardrobe changeover, what to cook for dinner, and salads are officially out. (Not that my kids thought they were in.)
My LATEST gift guide – including fall home decor to bring in the season in style! & a few Christmas gifts
It doesn’t help that I gave birth to my children in the Autumn months. I mean, I should have really mapped out the old gestation calendar a bit better. I always say I’m not going mad, we’ll keep the kids’ parties simple. Cut to – headless chicken-style party planning with the end result resembling a Hollywood-esque style, grand affair. Sixteen party favours per bag, bubble teas being produced at a rate of knots, icing cupcakes until two in the morning. I do jest, I love making the kids happy. But I feel like anxiety adds pressure to my plate that’s kind of unhelpful. An inner push-me-pull-me scenario. Is this good enough? Am I good enough? Push, push, push and break.
Bee positive
So short of moving Halloween to January, or home-schooling the kids, (not gonna happen). I feel the need to post some guidelines on how to not lose your mind get through the busiest of seasons and most importantly stay on a positive tip. But what do I mean? You can say “bee positive” and all of those other lovely little phrases, but it’s hard when you’re faced with life’s trials to actually grasp what it means to be and more importantly, stay positive. Sometimes it feels so much easier to focus on the bad things in our lives, you know. Especially those who suffer from anxiety, spiralling in and out of negative thoughts. And the culprit? I present to you, cortisol. This little firecracker is a chemical in the brain which increases when we’re on a negative tip. It’s the body’s reaction to stress or a threat.
Walking risk assessments
Negative thoughts are essentially threats to our system. Being prone to negativity is not a new thing for humans. Many moons ago, being on guard and looking out for risks, with high levels of cortisol running through our veins, was essential for survival in an unsafe world. Now we live in a safe(ish) world. Unfortunately, it just so happens that anxiety disorders can make us feel like those poor old cavemen and women. Like we are in imminent danger, every second of every day.
Anxiety and negativity do have their positives, even in these modern times. Anxious, negative thinkers often catastrophize thoughts and think of the worst-case scenarios, thus avoiding potential drama. We’re able to spot where helpful changes could be made in our lives, so we make great leaders. Negativity could save a life, anxious people make great risk assessors. We’re also fab realists to have around. So make sure you keep us on your Christmas card list.
Life changer
There are times though, that negativity needs to take a back seat. To make way for positivity and raise those levels of dopamine and serotonin – the happy chemicals. It’s not just about being happy-go-lucky little cheeky chappies, it’s so much more than that. Those with optimistic outlooks are said to live healthier, more fruitful, and enjoyable lives. I think one study said that optimistic women live on average 4.4 years longer! 4.4 years folks! There is an indirect relationship between optimism and adopting a healthier lifestyle, thus extending time on this sweet planet. I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again. “Time is our most precious commodity.”
Happy little pictures
So how do we go about living our best positive lives? I decided that rather than grand red letter day-type positivity excursions. (They were all out of hot air balloon rides in Surrey.) I’d go about identifying the small everyday wins. I set about conducting a small-scale experiment. To post daily pics on my Instagram. account – Super Anxious Brummie Mummy! What better way to document the small wins than by the power of photography? There’s nothing like an uplifting or funny picture to lift the spirits. Plus those little hits of joy were exactly the bursts of dopamine and serotonin my body needed to counter the negativity.
Now I’m going to lie, it wasn’t easy. Some days I was racking my brain thinking, “What on Earth is a winner from today’s s**t show?” And worse than that, anxiety and cortisol were fighting against my small wins and trying to cloud them with negativity. Brain, why do you test me so?!? On other days, small wins smacked me right in the kisser. They took on exciting new forms, like, finding joy at the loo seat being clean and put down, or watching my dog, a most excellent, furry bullet squirrel chaser. I did some real soul-searching. This process, for me, has really proved that, where there is darkness, there’s also light. Yep, it was also National Poetry Week, I had a go at poetry. I liked it = small win.
FROM THE MCA BLOG – Books to help you on your positivity journey:
By confronting negativity head-on and finding the positive within a negative, I was adopting the ‘negative bounce’ method. Real bonafide psychologists have coined this fun term, (Tugade, 2004). Also, it turns out that I am not only countering negativity and becoming more positive. I’m building resilience to future negative events. Because guys, headliners – ‘life is full of these ups and downs.’
Tips on Living Live Your Best – Most Positive Life. Other top small wins and negative bounces:
Bee rescue, I saved a bee from a spiderweb. This is even after my unfortunate encounter in the summer, where one travelled up my trouser leg and stung me twice! Overcoming fears and wildlife rescue. I mean, it’s all there, right?
In future, when someone is asking me to “Bee positive ” I’ve a good mind to tell them to “buzz off!” I’m doing just fine without a winged stinger of a phrase to keep my chin up. I am, of course, joking, who doesn’t love a little positivity meme? I’m just trying to drum home that positivity is in the eye of the beholder. But do remember negativity has its place, it’s how we manage stressful situations and protect ourselves. It’s learning how best to bat those thoughts away when they become unhelpful, that’s the key
gawd blog founder
Not lost my stuff because a coffee pot lid had been left off, so when I went to use it it fell open and sprayed coffee everywhere. I laughed. That is a small win right there. (Big win for others in my house you might argue.)
FROM THE MCA BLOG – Want more money-saving tips – you can check out my money-saving hacks page:
Celebration that I can keep a plant alive, not just any old plant. My child’s bonsai tree is notoriously difficult to care for. Small win. I would move that to big wins, but let’s see if it’s still alive in a few months.
Capturing a very large spider in a glass and setting it free. I’m petrified of the hairy beasts. But the kids were fascinated and we had fun looking at its gorgeous fangs… We named him Derek Gordon. (8-year-old son’s choice.)
And do you know looking back and seeing all of those small wins documented, is an affirmation that I am ok. I’m happy with my lot. In future, when someone is asking me to “Bee positive ” I’ve a good mind to tell them to “buzz off!” I’m doing just fine without a winged stinger of a phrase to keep my chin up. I am, of course, joking, who doesn’t love a little positivity meme? I’m just trying to drum home that positivity is in the eye of the beholder. But do remember negativity has its place, it’s how we manage stressful situations and protect ourselves. It’s learning how best to bat those thoughts away when they become unhelpful, that’s the key. Right, back to Instagram.
TTFN.
A final word from MCA founder, Sam:
I hope you enjoyed reading this fab guest post – Tips on living Live Your Best – Most Positive Life
Welcome to my children’s books & toys gift guide. If you’re still struggling with gift ideas for Christmas, check them out. Maybe you want to donate some gifts to charity. Or you need a present for a nursery school birthday party.
Whatever the occasion, I have you covered with some fantastic ideas.
Quick note: Some of the links on this page are sponsored & affiliate links; if you go through them to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. I only recommend products I use myself and thinkwould be useful for you.
Children’s books
Full Media
I have worked with Full Media previously and I am supportive of independent book publishers. Several of their books were included in the blog post discussing Children’s emotions. Today, I have some new titles to share and some fantastic plush toys to accompany the books.
First, the reindeer got sick. Then Santa got sick. Now it’s up to Clara Claus and her slightly annoying brother Nick to save Christmas. But with toys to make, elves to manage, lists to sort and flying reindeer to train, can they summon enough Christmas spirit to deliver the perfect Christmas?
Clara Claus Saves Christmas is an exciting festive adventure filled with fun and Christmas spirit from the author/illustrator team that created the hugely popular Catch that Cough. Filled with friendship, family, heart and trust, as well as beautiful illustrations, Clara Claus is the perfect book to bring home this Christmas.
If you haven’t already read the blog posts written by this amazing science whizz, then head over there now. I genuinely look forward to reading her blog posts, especially the attractive and fun layout. And how she makes science fun.
I’ve recently found out she also wrote a book for kids. And I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Chemical Reactions brings chemistry to life with hands-on, science-minded activities and plenty of text-to-world connections that invite kids ages 7 to 12 to discover the wonderful world of chemical reactions!
This book is perfect for a Christmas Eve Box. I have let my little one start reading the book now, in the build-up to Christmas. And she absolutely loves it.
Discover The Lost Wish by Clare Anderson and Emily Jacobs, illustrated by Emma Kurran, where imagination is limitless, and pure adventure awaits. It’s a tale guaranteed to excite and inspire young readers everywhere.
Set off on a remarkable journey through a mystical land! Join Siena, a bright and brave little girl, who one stormy night, steps through a magical archway and into Elfland; a thrilling world of friendly elves, dangerous dragons, flying pixies and talking rats! Discover what adventure awaits her.
Buddy Soft Toy from The Lost Wish
I will be purchasing this plush toy, as an addition to my little one’s Christmas Eve Box. And to tie in with the theme of the book.
Buddy Soft Toy
Other great book titles we currently read at home
We actually bought Dave the Lonely Monster from a literature festival. Because it reminds my little one of a family member. This is one of the books tucked away on her high shelf, for safekeeping. And every now and then, Dave makes his appearance.
I love sitting down to read this book with her and we have hours of fun falling in love with lonely Dave.
We are huge fans of The Gruffalo books in our house. But recently our little one loves the puppet book and really interacts with the character. It is lovely to see.
Meg & Mog is such an old classic. We actually found our copy in a charity shop. My little one specifically asks for the ‘Meg & Mog book’. I just love the graphics and the feeling of nostalgia when reading it.
WoWow is a huge toy marketplace, with a great range to choose from! There are helpful sections, which are age-related and you can also search by toy type.
Help spark creative expression in your budding artist with this generously sized, deluxe wooden easel featuring both a magnetic chalkboard and a dry-erase board. The removable plastic trays mean that kids have loads of easy-reach art supplies (not included) at their fingertips. Plus 39 letter and number magnets that are great for extended play!
What will children pretend to bake up with this 20-piece set? Anything they can think of! Promote creative play and imaginative thinking with these food-grade baking tools made of premium materials like stainless steel and solid wood, sized just right for little hands and play kitchens.
The 32 pieces in this wooden building set include nails to pound with the hammer, screws to turn with the screwdriver, and panels to connect and saw apart.
We do love a good puzzle in our house. We are all problem solvers and it’s great to see my little one making the connections in her brain. And using vital skills, whilst also playing.
This challenging 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle comes together to reveal a collection of your favourite LEGO mini figures! Whether you are a Master Builder or have just started clicking bricks together, this puzzle creates LEGO fun the whole family can enjoy together.
We are huge fans of Bluey in our house. It’s the one kid’s programme we can all sit down and watch together. I won’t lie, the hubby and I get quite emotional at the lovely family moments.
My little one is a creative little soul. She loves sitting down with her paint pots and is so proud when she makes something of her own.
Every birthday and Christmas, she receives something creative from us. And we have hours of fun making something together. Then proudly displaying it on a shelf.
Final Thoughts
I hope you loved checking out these great items. I certainly had fun sharing the Children’s Books & Toys, we buy for our little one. And the amazing memories these create.
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