When I was a registered child minder I always wrote out a contract keeping my business professional. Most parents were really good at sticking to the times stated in the contract; however, sometimes life gets in the way and it was not always possible to honour those times: I understood that and as long as…
I think that most of us start the new year with good intensions, but most don’t stick to our resolutions: As a young girl I came up with a plan at the beginning of a new year that I thought would help me to get rich: If I saved a penny every day by the…
Most families will make their own Christmas traditions. When I was a girl living at home with my parents and 2 sisters we didn’t put the tree or other decorations up until a few days before Christmas: Now I am living in my own home the tree goes up on December 1st, usually, however, this…
Sarah has suggested this post, thanks, Sarah. There is nothing as special as having children who believe in the magic of Father Christmas, in my opinion. But as children get older , usually around the age of 8 or 9 upwards, they start to wonder if he is real. I remember asking our parents if…
SNOWMAN PAPER CHAIN: : A simple way to make a lovely Christmas decoration. There is a snowman template complete with accessories ( facial features and clothes) to download a or if they are creative children can draw their own snowman then it’s just a case of folding a concertina and cutting out- a good opportunity…
I was sent a baby boy medium hamper: This arrived earlier than I was expecting; giving me a pleasant surprise. On opening I discovered a box tied up with a red ribbon bow. Inside was:- Rex, the dinosaur soft toy rattle( with a soft jingle bell sound). The toy is brightly coloured and will appeal…
I believe that children can benefit from having a pet and have written several posts on pets for children here However, when a pet dies or has to be put down the pain can be almost too much to bear. My first experience of death was the loss of my pet rabbit, Bambi, when I…
I was sent this wondeful children’s book for review. Anyone who likes unicorn’s ( and let’s face it who doesn’t?) will love this book. It is full of bright, colourful illustrations and the text is super educational for children: Explaining about different people; their many colours of skin, varying religions and how they all get…
I was delighted to discover this children’s book that is set at Watermouth castle, where I have visited several times. Watermouth castle is a tourist attraction in Watermouth cove, North Devon. This wonderful book is the first to be written by Hazel Stuart. Her daughter Georgie Beable has drawn the colourful illustrations. The book is…
Elsie has suggested today’s post. I was very fortunate in that my 3 son’s were dry at night quite soon after getting rid of daytime nappies. Some children may take a lot longer to get the hang of being dry at night though. Signs that a child is ready to go to bed without the…
I was sent the following new releases for review: PANCAKES IN THE MORNING: This sweet story is told through the eyes of a family of birds who discover and love the taste of pancakes. It is written by R. Towers and Eli Ramos has beautifully illustrated it. Pancakes in the morning retails at £10.99 BUT…
Being a new mum is very exciting, but it can also be tiring and overwhelming for some women . My biggest tip is to take any help that is offered. Keep visitors to a minimum when you first have your new baby; friends and family will want to visit and see both of you, but…
I discovered this company on Facebook. I emailed a clear photograph of my Jack Russell cross dog, Jake. It was confirmed that my photo was a good match for a portrait; that would be A4 in size and framed in a colour of my choice. During the process of getting my portrait completed I was…
As we enter yet another national lockdown, thanks to the corona virus; today’s post is intended to cheer everyone up. A daytime television programme mentioned a child in Scotland who took what she thought was hand sanitiser to school: It was in fact a bedroom lubricant that her teacher handed back to the embarrassed mother…
Followers of my blog will know that I work regularly with ichild. This is a selection of their literacy activities:- FILL IN THE BLANKS: Is what it says ‘on the tin’ fill in the missing blanks on the harvest related words under the corresponding pictures; the completed words are written at the bottom of the…
This may seem an odd topic for a parenting tips blogger to write about, but pets, especially dogs are a member of our families and can be an asset to any children luckily enough to own one. Are dogs and children a good mix here. There are lots of things that dog owners can do…
Lizzie, a registered child minder has requested this post. Children don’t automatically know how to play, they have to be shown what is expected of them. I played with my own children from the baby stage; helping them to enjoy a rattle and a baby gym. When they reached the sitting independently stage of development…
I was sent a pack of 10 double sided, wipe clean flashcards for review. The thing that makes these flashcards better than the average ones are that not only do they help children to learn the names of colours and shapes. There is also the option of tracing the shape and it’s name on the…
A troll is a person who cyber bullies another person; typically on social media. Signs that may alert a parent that their child is being trolled are:- They may stop looking at their phone, make excuses not to go to school and may not want to socialise by going out with friends. If you think…
SPIRAL FALLING LEAVES DECORATION ; This only requires store cupboard essentials for children to make a lovely autumn decoration. There is an option of using the ready coloured leaves, or children can colour their own blank download to make a lovely autumn decoration. HALLOWEEN WITCH MASK AND HAT; The mask is a simple download to…
I saw a question on social media asking how to teach positional language ( over, under, beside, above etc.) to early years children. My ideas are:- To read books to the children; such as We’re going on a bear hunt by Helen Oxenbury. . Or the Usborne books which feature a little yellow duck to…
When I was a registered child minder, I was sometimes understandably mistaken for the children’ s mum. I was a busy child minder having lots of different children of varying ages to care for: One day I was walking up my street with a couple of children when a lady that I recognised as living…
Austin Macauley sent the following books fore review:- SANTA’S NAUGHTY LITTLE ELVES; This is a lovely book all about Santa and his elves who decide it is too hard making so many toys for hundreds of good children; they hatch up a plan to make the nice children’s list shorter. The book is full of…
Like most events this year, Halloween will have to be different this time, thanks to the covid19 pandemic. I doubt that home owners will welcome children who want to put their hands into bowls of treats to their front doors in the current situation. So how can we celebrate Halloween with our children in a…
Managing the behaviour of older children can be more of a challenge than when they were younger. Older children tend to have more attitude for a start and may sometimes answer back. My tips for behaviour management ( of younger kids) here can be adapted to be more suited to older children. My tips for…
There is a saying which states; that there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing: So does this mean that we should dress our children appropriately and send them out to play in all weathers? Personally, I am not keen on the rain, but understand that children are not so fussy. Recently…
DINOSAUR BOOKMARK; Is a simple download to colour as you like, then stick onto card and you have a bookmark ( this would suit any age of child as toddlers can scribble to their hearts desire and older children can be more creative) DINOSAUR COLOUR AND COUNT; For younger children this is a picture to…
I discovered Crafts you’ll love on Facebook. They offered me a set of 4 coasters to review, I decided that using photos of my dogs would be good, however, Crafts you’ll love will make coasters from any photos: family members, scenery: Almost anything that is personal to you. I was very impressed by the way…
This is a fun, children’s picture book, which tells the tale of Henrietta Hen and her friends who go on a berry picking adventure. The book is full of bright, colourful illustrations by Sarah Leigh-Willis which makes it even more inviting for children. The rhyming text is written by Ozgen Hall. Children ( and adults)…
Children would learn and grow better in a happy and relaxed environment available at the educational and daycare centres. Parents often face challenges in selecting the right care and education centre for their young children. This important decision should be a well-informed one, so it is better to know precisely about the quality of child…
Years ago having a baby outside of a marriage was frowned upon; thankfully, times and attitudes have changed and many couples chose to have children before they get married, but should you get married for the sake of your children? My second husband and I both said that we didn’t want to get married again…
This is the second Zara dogdog book that I have reviewed the first one is Zara dogdog on the school run here This book has a bright,sunny front cover. Zara dogdog loves to have fun with her family, but she must be kept safe in the warm sunshine; the book explains to children ( and…
Another topic that has been discussed on a television programme this week. I am blessed in having 3 grandchildren, who unfortunately live hundreds of miles away meaning that I don’t get to see them as often as I would like; we do video call each other as often as possible to keep in touch. My…
Regular readers will know that I am an advocate for rewarding good behaviour and ignoring the unwanted in children. Positive parenting goes one step further; instead of telling children “no, don’t do that” have a more positive approach to behaviour management by saying things like “never mind” if you child accidentally drops something on the…
This is a subject that I have experience of:- We are a blended family read more herehttps://thenextbestthingtomummy.com/?s=blended+families. I and my husband both have children from a previous marriage; our boys never called the step parent mum or dad as they all had an absent parent who they saw regularly. If a stranger who wasn’t aware…
This was a discussion on a daytime television show this week. Surly woman who chose not to have, or can’t have children can still feel maternal towards other people’s children, especially close relatives who provide nephews and nieces, or even feel maternal towards animals? ( I have had several fur babies who I had maternal…
Having your baby go through the teething stage can be a stressful time for parents: My own children didn’t suffer too badly, thank goodness; I remember them having bright red cheeks, dribbling more than usual and the occasional loose nappy- all common signs that teeth are on the way. To prevent the skin from getting…
Sarah, has suggested this post As the schools have been closed to most children for a much longer time than usual. Some children and parents may be feeling anxious about going back in September. My grandchildren are desperate to get back to school, as the lock down is getting boring for them now, however, many…
POLARLICIOUS: This magical book will take children on a journey to the Arctic where they will meeat a polar bear and a seal. I love this book for the fabulous illustrations and so will children everywhere. It is written and illustrated by Neil Seddon and retails at £9.99 THE SNOWMAN: This is a different take…
This delightful children’s book tells the 2 different view points of Alfie and Alexa, who live next door to one another, whilst living in lock down. Alfie is finding it boring and wants the lock down to end; whereas Alexa likes all her family being together and doesn’t want it to finish any time soon….
Now that the lock down rules are slowly being relaxed and children will be going back to school next term, now is the time to start preparing children for this. As children will have been at home with their families for much longer than usual, some may struggle with separation anxiety when having to get…
Award publications kindly let me have this book to review:- The front cover is colourful and informative as to what the book has to offer. From how to deal with burns,asthma, chest pain so much more. This book will inspire any child with an interest in first aid or with hopes of joining the medical…
I was watching a television programme were a woman had sextuplets( 6 siblings) and she used restraints to keep hold of them all. The mother actually received some verbal comments from a passer-by who told her “Those are children , not dogs, only dogs should be on a leash!” This got me thinking; I used…
This is a question that was asked on a social media site: My thought was no, we shouldn’t always let them win, as children need to learn that life can be hard and they can’t always be a winner. Loosing sometimes is something that is going to happen. I have been told by a friend…
Austin Mccauley sent the following:- TAAVI THE TRACTOR; This colourful picture book will delight any children who have an interest in vehicles (I know that my son’s would have loved it when there were young). The text is written in rhyme making it even more fun to read. Tavvi meets other vehicle friends on a…
Many parents struggle with getting their children to eat fruit and vegetables. These are my top tips:- Get children involved in growing vegetables by giving them a small patch in the garden; if children help to plant. grow and harvest the food they are more likely to eat it. Also let them be involved with…
Following on from last week’s post about the trips that I took the children on here. To keep the children safe I would carry out a risk assessment and make some preparations:- Firstly I had a piece written into my contracts asking parents for written consent allowing me to take their children out in my…
I will admit that I have always been addicted to the sun and getting a suntan ( I have never been a big drinker or a smoker, so I figured that a sun addiction wasn’t such a bad thing). One of the many advantages of working as a registered child minder, for me, was that…
Back in ‘the good old days’ before the corona virus threat I took the children in my care on several trips ( always with written permission from parents). Often I would arrange to go with another child minder; this meant that I could have some adult conversation, plus there was someone to watch the children…
A friend has just told me about this, it is something that I was not aware of:- Geocaching is an outdoor activity that the whole family can get involved in; all you need is a pen and a smart phone or similar device. Download the free app and get treasure hunting. There are hundreds of…
When my children came home from school with a list of spellings to learn for a test, I started by getting them to write out each word 3 times to get some recognition. I also made sure that they knew what the words meant ( there’s no point in being able to spell a word…
This is a question that I have been asked:- When I was a child minder I did allow the children to bring their own toys occasionally, but they and often their parents had to understand that they would need to share them with the other children. ( my own children were told that if they…
Health and safety seems to have gone mad recently, but is this the best for our children, should they be able to take risks? My feelings are that yes, children should be able to take some risks. Have you ever tried to cut anything with safe plastic scissors? It’s impossible, give children real child size…
I recently saw a parent asking about this on social media. I, like most parents, I suspect,would encourage my children to say “Ta” when I gave them something as babies, as they grew older and their vocabulary improved the “Ta” became “Thank you” When I was a child minder I liked the children to say…
Fremington ( where I live) is a village situated around 3 miles from Barnstaple, North Devon. Recently I have noticed several scarecrows appearing in random places around our village. The idea is to cheer everyone one up during the lock down; they have certainly put a smile on the faces of myself and my husband….
This is a suggestion from Sarah. I was speaking to my 11 year old granddaughter on the phone when she told me that she wants to go back to school because she is missing her friends. She also mentioned that she had managed to have a quick conversation with a friend who lives in the…
ichild have a variety of crafts for children to celebrate father’s day:- FATHER’S DAY ROSETTE; This can be made using ribbon, or a simpler version can be made from the paper template. FATHER’S DAY OWL CRAFT; This is a fun craft providing a space on the owl’s front to write a message or stick a…
Being a step parent , whether a mother or father can be hard work. My husband and I are both step parents and so are 2 of my sons ( I brought 2 children into the equation from my first marriage and my husband had a son from his). My advice is to not expect…
There seems to be as many step-parents as biological now, so should step-parents be hands off when it comes to disapline? When I moved in with my now second husband I had 2 sons and he had one living with him. At first, my new partner said that he didn’t think that it was his…
Now that some schools and child minders are able to open again after the lock down, practitioners will be looking at providing distancing activities which keep children safe. As the virus is thought to be less of a risk when outside. having the children in the great outdoors whenever possible seems to be the best…
This children’s book is written and illustrated by Lauren Foreman. It is a lovely little book that has rhyming text ( my favourite) and delightful, bright, colourful illustrations. The story tells how Polly has difficulty in sharing until her mother convinces her that sharing is best . The book is not too long so would…
Siblings arguing or fighting is nothing new, it is part of a healthy, normal relationship, in my experience. However, now that we are in lock down and having to spend more time together than usual this has become a problem for some parents. My 2 sisters and I would sometimes fall out; I can remember…
When I was a child minder one of the most successful topics that I did with the children was on all about me:- I made up a booklet for each child. We started by looking at ourselves in a mirror and I asked what they saw ( I was hoping that they would notice different…
During this period of lock down, for many of us, the kitchen has been a place where we can fill some of the long hours and do some cooking, even dig a few of our recipe books out and have a go at making some new culinary creations. But for some of us, the food…
This is the second time that I have worked with this company. The fun, educational products I was sent this time are:- TWINTIME STUDENT CARD: Is a circle of write on/wipe off plastic which is a double sided clock face with movable hands. One side shows how to tell the time as minutes to and…
I was recently asked by a parent what her child will be expected to do before starting school. My answer was as all children are individuals and therefore different there are no set rules, as such. I suggest that a child should be toilet trained ( could be difficult for a child with special needs)…
I came across Jane Louise on facebook. She is a photographer of children, families and pets. Jane is currently offering digital watercolours from a photograph. . I emailded her a photo of my late German Shepherd dog, Keira, true to her word Jane sent the watercolour back the very same day, it is a great…
During this lockdown period of time we are permitted to take a daily walk in our neighbourhood. Some people have been fined because they are driving for many miles to take a walk; this is not allowed because it creates more traffic on our roads, increasing the chance of an accident or breakdown and having…
I have been asked on more than one occasion what is the correct age to move a baby from a cot into a bed. As all children are individuals, I would say that there is no set age. This is how I made the transition with my own children:- My boys were moved when I…
I discovered adult colouring after suffering a stroke which left me disabled. My sister brought me a book as a gift:- This particular book The Menagerie, animal portraits is great for me as each individual page can be torn out (via perforations) as I only have one working hand being able to remove the page…
To help fill my time during the current lock down, I have been writing posts relating to the virus. Explaining it to children here Activities for the virus here. I have also been busy writing an e book to help parents entertain their children during this difficult time. Buy it here I have been promoting…
Our families have been settling into this new ‘normal’ as we turned to the safety of staying in our homes. There are definite growing pains for many of our children.They are adjusting to the complete disruption to their routines and long pauses to their usual safe places of school and other social activities. On top…
Again this was something that I saw a parent asking about on social media. I would start by sharing books with children; as many as possible. My favourite children’s books here. Next have a game with children were you hold up an everyday object and ask what letter it begins with, for example, hold up…
I was sent a pack of 4 individually boxed toothbrushes:- Each brush has an image of an ocean friend on the handle: These are:- Frosty, a penguin Ollie, a dolphin Snowball, a polar bear and Luna, a blue whale On each box there is some information about the ocean friend, for example, how it moves…
This is a small selection of activities that ichild offer:- EASTER COLOUR AND COUNT: This is exactly what it says; an Easter picture to colour and related images to discover and count, great for helping children with learning about counting and numbers. Number recognition here. EASTER CROSSWORD: 10 clues with the answers at the bottom…
Current events have meant that due to schools having to close parents are needing to home school their children’ My children are grown now, so I don’t have personal experience of this, but this is how I would have dealt with it:- Ensure that children get up at a reasonable time ( this is not…
Due to the recent events, today’s post is a bit of fun to hopefully cheer everyone up. I like most parents, I would think, have told my children a few white lies over the years; other than Santa and the tooth fairy, we came up with several more:- My youngest son always wanted to be…
Walker books sent this delightful children’s picture book. Straight away the front cover will appeal to any children interested in vehicles ( as my boys were when they were younger). The text is written in fun rhyme and some of the text is repeated; making it more interesting for children to join in with reading…
As most of us are trying avoiding going into shops. unless for essential food activities for children using things that we already have is a good idea:- Toddlers will enjoy having a saucepan and wooden spoon to use as a drum ( not so great if you have a headache though!). Make your own shakers…
As the schools have been forced to close and most children will need to stay at home,without attending usual group activities they will quite rightly start to ask questions about why. Because I have NO medical training this is not based on medical facts; these are just my thoughts and advice to parents and carers:-…
When my children were young and when I was working as a registered child minder, I was always looking for simple, cheap activity ideas that the children could do. Now that the corona virus is forcing some people to self isolate having things to entertain children is even more important:- One of the most popular…
This is a small selection of crafts available from ichild:- HANDPRINT FLOWER CRAFT; In my experience most children will jump at the chance of having their hand painted and printed onto paper, so this craft is perfect. There is a flower pot image to download and colour as you wish, even the youngest of children…
I recently came across an article saying that father’s should be allowed to sleep over on maternity wards. I know from watching documentaries on television that some private hospitals, such as The Portman, permit this ( for a large cost, I would think) but should N.H.S. hospitals also let new dad’s stay overnight? My feeling…
Recent reports have said that 1 in 3 children are obese before they leave primary school. To help prevent this it is important to make sure that children get enough exercise and eat a healthy diet. Set a good example by exercising with your children; anything that raises the heart beat and makes you a…
Tickle daggers is a rabbit who is different from the rest of his family; his ears hang down, rather than standing upright. But Tickle daggers has a special power – he helps others who are different to fit in and feel good. This amazing children’s picture book is written and beautifully illustrated by Adrienne Anifant…
This is a request from a Facebook friend who has a ‘terrible 2’ to deal with. I have always advised parents to reward any good wanted behaviour and ignore the unwanted. I used a reward chart for my son for both managing his behaviour and for helping with potty training. Potty training tips here. There…
On arrival, I must admit that I was a little confused by what this was; it appeared to be a soft cloud pad! However, when it was placed in a bowl of warm water as per the instruction leaflet, the cloud dissolved revealing 4 bags ( there are more bags available to collect). The water…
Because child minders have fewer children in their care than larger settings, such as nurseries and pre-schools, they should have more time to be able to tailor activities to suit individual children. When I was a registered child minder I felt that I knew my children very well. As I was in receipt of the…
When I was working as a registered child minder, I did a topic on the theme of people who help us. We went on a visit to the local fire station, with some other child minders and their children; this was arranged by the leader of our child minding network. We were all given a…
Kasie Kennedy wrote this beautiful children’s picture book after loosing her father and wanting her daughter to have a connection with her grandpa. The text is written in rhyme and the illustrations are stunningly colourful and bright. I feel that this book will help many children who have lost a family member or even a…
This is a collection of 3 different stories; all written in rhyming text. The rirst story with just 6 pages is my favourite as who doesn’t belive in fairies at the bottom of the garden? The final tale with 10 pages is the longest of the trio. All of the stories have bright, colourful illustrations….
There is no law in Britain, currently, saying when a child can be left at home alone; but the N.S.P.C.C. recommends that they shouldn’t be left alone if under 12 years of age. This got me thinking: Although I believe that there should be some kind of law to safeguard children, I know that some…
This is a selection of Valentine crafts from ichild>- HAND ON HEART VALENTINES CARD; A great craft foe early years, as most children are happy to have their hand drawn around. Simply draw a heart shape ( or use the downloadable template) in the centre of the hand and ask the child what message they…
This glossy paperback children’s picture book has a bright front cover. The book tells the story of William, a fish, who with the help from another fish, manages to save his ocean friends from plastic polution. The text is written in rhyme; my absolute favourite in children’s literature because it makes it fun to read-…
A head teacher has been reported, this week, as saying that helping children with their homework can have a negative effect on development: Children need to learn to deal with failure, she says and by helping with homework a child may not fail, this got me thinking:- Parents can sometimes confuse a child by trying…
Once again Tiny tree children’s books have come up with a lovely picture book for children aged 3-5 years. The paperback book is written by Vanessa Horn and Alex Willmore has illustrated the story with bright, colourful, cheerful images. The tale is of something that children with a baby sibling will relate to. Millie is…
Once again this is a topic that was brought up on a daytime television program. A working mother said that as well as working full time, her husband still expected her to do everything concerning the children in the evenings and weekends. Another woman said that when she came home from work, her husband told…
Schools around the country have been seeing boys falling behind girls by the age of 7. The gap is widest in English; reading and writing , but also presents a significant difference in maths and science. In my experience as both a parent and a registered child minder girls tend to have a longer concentration…
My husband would say that I am the most qualified person on the planet to help and encourage children to talk; as in spite of suffering a massive stroke and an unrelated brain tumour, I am still able to talk extremely well!( he is disappointed about this). I believe that you should talk to your…