A woman has been reported this week as being furious about when she collected her toddler from nursery, he and the other children were sat watching cartoons on the television. She was annoyed about the amount of money she was paying the nursery and felt that watching television was not justified. When I was working…
Category: Parenting
As with all the ichild activities, these are user friendly; making life simple for parents and carers: LOLLIPOP GHOST: This simple way of making a ghost only requires a lollipop, tissues, ribbon and double sided tape. Follow the instructions to make your ghost and the thing that children will love is that after Halloween they…
As a stroke survivor, I have only one working hand( my right). With the winter months approaching, I was keen to find a hobby to fill my time. Many years ago, before stroke, I made a Christmas plate decoration by glass painting here This got me thinking, if I could attempt glass painting again:- I…
My tips for having a safe, fun Halloween for children are:- Children should always be accompanied by an adult when they are trick-or-treating. They should only go to the houses of people they know and are happy for them to call. Stay safe by keeping to places that they know and are well lit, don’t…
Mums who are short of time and money could benefit from these simple hacks:- Make your own lip gloss: Never throw away a broken eyeshadow powder; simply mix it with Vaseline for ‘on the spot’ lip shine. Revive dried up mascara: No need to bin that dried up tube just yet, add a few drops…
An estate agent has recently been awarded a considerable amount of money, after her boss refused to let her work reduced hours after she returned to work after having a baby. She wanted reduced hours because she needed to get to her child’s nursery before it closed. My thoughts are that maybe using a registered…
I have noticed a few parents asking about activities for their young children on social media this week, these are my ideas/suggestions:_ Anew born baby will spend a good percentage of the day asleep (if you are lucky). When he is awake talk to him as much as possible. as this is how he will…
Readers will know how much I love children and that when I suffered a massive stroke, I had to give up my beloved child minding career. Moving into an adapted bungalow has opened up new opportunities for me. As we live in a quiet cul-du-sac the children in the neighbourhood often play outside. While I…
Firstly I must thank my good friend, Sarah Knight for helping me with this post, which is based on her experience: A lone parent is a parent who has no support from the other parent due to a death of the partner , obviously this makes things fall to the surviving parent 100% there is…
I have my friend. Sarah, to thank for this topic suggestion. Whereas some parents would be horrified by the very thought of Christmas shopping in September; I would say, no, it’s never too early to start. For one, I love Christmas and I shop for it all year round as this helps to spread the…
Parents may wander what exactly they should put into their child’s bag when going to a registered child minder:_ When I was working as a child minder I asked parents to pack an extra set of clothes; in case of an accident ( I also kept a bag of spare clothes that my own children…
Many people are under the impression that child minders just stick the children in their care in front of the television and then get on with whatever they like, whether it’s housework or chatting on the phone to friends. Hopefully my telling of a typical day when I was working as a registered child minder,…
Kim Kardashian has recently said that she is a soft parent; giving their children everything they want. This got me thinking: Is it better to be a soft or strict parent? In my experience, the majority of familuies usually have one of each. Mainly, but not in every situation the mother tends to be the…
In the olden days when I was a child, we didn’t have electronic gadgets, such as iPads and video consoles to keep us entertained. Instead children tended to play outside when the weather allowed and we amused ourselves with games like hopscotch ( by simply chalking out a grid on the pavement and using a…
It’s hard to believe that children will be going back to school in just a few weeks. The summer break has flown by. If you child is anxious about returning to school ( children have spent more time at home this year, than at school, due to the pandemic) talk to her about any concerns,…
I have heard of several child minders who are concerned that their own children are jealous of the ones they are looking after. . I always knew that my own children, especially my youngest benefited from me being a child minder more here, But on a rare occasion one of them did make a negative…
My husband has just celebrated a big birthday and his main present was 3 ferrets. He used to keep ferrets when he was a lad and decided that he could enjoy them again now. We have 3 females (jills) named Amy Winehouse, Adele and Badger. Ferrets can make good pets for older children provided that…
Mylene Class has posted a video this week of her 18 month old son emptying the dishwasher. This got me thinking about how young is too young for doing chores? I encouraged my own children to do things like putting away their toys from about 9 months, when they understood what I was asking of…
Visiting a child minder to make enquiries about day care for a child can be a daunting prospect for some parents. I tried to make them feel at ease by telling them as much as possible about my setting and the way I worked at the first interview. What to say a first interview with…
when I was working as a registered child minder I asked the children’s parents to send a packed lunch for their offspring: This was mainly because I often struggled with what to feed my own children let alone several others! Plus the parents would know what their children liked to eat. I stored the lunch…
I must admit that I love the sun and so have been enjoying the glorious weather that we have had this week ;however I have heard a few children crying,( what I would call a tired cry) through my open windows. Children do not always cope well in hot weather, they get tired quicker, through…
This year when a foreign holiday is looking challenging, mini trips to local attractions may be a good alternative. When it is warm and the sun ‘has it’s hat on’ a trip to the beach is a great option. Things to do at the beach with children here Why not have a go at fishing,…
When I working as a registered child minder, the parents of the children would sometimes ask me, as an early years professional, if I thought there was something wrong with their child( if had special needs). I always tried to give an honest answer, but was also tactful in the way I replied. One particular…
When I was working as a registered child minder I looked after one little boy, who was coming up to the age of 3, He had a very small attention span and would quickly get bored with activities ( which I know is not unusual for a child of that age). One day I decided…
This is just a small selection of the summer crafts and activities available from ichild:- CREATE A MINIATURE GARDEN; A great idea for helping young children to gain some understanding of the world; All that is needed are a shallow container, soil and some small plants, then use your imagination to help your child to…
This was a topic that was discussed on a daytime television programme this week. I can remember learning how to budget being talked about during a home economics class when I was at school, but it wasn’t covered in any depth. Surely if managing money was a school subject then less people would fall into…
Most children’s first experience of death is the loss of a beloved pet. I lost my pet rabbit when I was about 5 years old and was so upset that my mum let me have a few days off of school to get over my loss. My son’s were understandably upset when their pets passed…
Five Qualities To Look For In Your Family Dispute Lawyer Hiring a family lawyer can be a tough decision. S/He must be unbeatable so you can trust the professionalbefore filing a divorce or adoption process that no matter s/he will fight for you in the courtroom. The lawyerwill do everything possible to make you comfortable…
This was a question posted on social media yesterday. My husband’s response to the question was ” It’s easy, turn off the electricity!” As I was reading the question I glanced out of my window where I saw a group of children playing together on their bikes, scooters and skateboards. We are fortunate in living…
As a registered child minder, a considerable amount of time has to be spent on paperwork. One part of this is to keep reports in an accident/incident book ( there are many publications available to purchase from various sources, but I just used a notebook). I was fortunate that in the 14 years that I…
As a parent and former registered child minder, I can remember the challenge of persuading a baby to keep her hat on:- My tips for this are:- To start getting baby used to wearing a hat as soon as possible after birth – no matter what season they are born; whether it’s a sun or…
A friend has suggested this post, after we were chatting about after school activities, she has a daughter who likes to do cooking with her mother in the evening and as I have only got boys ( who are now grown) she asked what boys like to do after school apart from getting muddy and…
This summer even though the covid19 restrictions are slowly being lifted, more families will be holidaying in this country and weather permitted spending many days on the beach. While adults may be content with sitting enjoying the sunshine and getting a tan; children often become bored. These are my ideas for keeping them entertained:- When…
IBird watching has many benefits for everyone, children included. Children can benefit from learning about nature and the natural world, by exploring more about the birds they see: what they choose to eat from the different feeders offered in the garden; which different kinds of bird favour which food and where they feed- from a…
Firstly, I must make it clear that I have no medical knowledge on this subject, it is written purely on my experiences only. I first learnt that two of my sons were colourblind when a routine eye test picked it up. When the option told me that my eldest son was colour blind, my response…
I first heard of baby signing when I attended a workshop on the subject while I was working as a registered child minder. So when I discovered that there is a local sing and sign group run by Elle, I was keen to find out more about it: Babies will use all kinds of gestures…
Parents will be only too aware that children seem to have a way of attracting dirt, leading to stains on clothing. The following are some hacks that I came across this week:- GRASS AND MUD STAINS:: Are the most common stains to appear on children’s clothes. Cover the stain with white toothpaste ( not any…
When I was a child minder I was sometimes asked to look after siblings, which I happily would, provided I had the spaces, plus I was frequently asked by such parents to give a sibling discount. Although, I did apricate that it was expensive for parents to send 2 children to me at the same…
This is something that I was asked on social media. The parent said that allowing her 18 month old child to have a nap in the afternoon was inpacking on bedtime in a negative way. My advice was to try how I managed it with my own children: As all children are individuals, however, what…
The concept of children having a bedroom to themselves in a relativity new idea; years ago when families were bigger children had to share a room. When I was a girl, I was lucky enough to have my own bedroom: I was the eldest of 3 girls. My younger sisters shared a larger bedroom, which…
Over the 14 years that I worked as a registered child minder a few of the children I cared for had special needs: My first experience of caring for a special needs child( which was funded through social services, as respite for the parents) was a little girl, who was 2 years old as she…
Paloma Faith has been reported of saying that she felt guilty about having a second child: She said that she felt that she was being disloyal to her daughter and was concerned that she couldn’t love another offspring as much as the first ( did she have enough love for them both?) Will I love…
Another child minding related subject today. When I was a registered child minder I did charge for bank holidays; this was because I was advised to on an introduction workshop that I attended before getting my registration. Parent will be paid for bank holidays we were told, so should you. If I was asked by…
This is a small selection of crafts available from ichild:- 3D EASTER CARD: This craft is suitable for older children with a flare for arts and crats as it requires some skill. FOLDING FOX CARD: This is a little simpler than the previous card, as it just needs a few neat folds. PAPER PLATE CHICK:…
The simplest and most effective way to teach children how to count is to count everything aloud with them. Start from a young age by counting their fingers and toes with rhymes such as this little piggy and 1,2 ,3 ,4 .5 once I caught a fish alive to make it fun. I always used…
Just before I registered to become a child minder I went on an introduction workshop, where we were advised to take retainer fees from any prospective parents wanting our service . When my registration was approved I began to advertise for children to look after. Marketing your child minding business here. I didn’t have the…
This is a question that came up on social media recently: As the majority of child minders work in their own homes, having the children on their furniture comes with the territory. When I was a registered child minder I was lucky enough to have a house large enough to turn my dining room into…
Sarah, whose daughter will soon be moving up to a secondary school has asked for this post. Going to a secondary school is an exciting, but maybe a worrying time for children. . I can still remember the butterflies in my stomach when I made the transition many, many years a go. If your child…
Both children and parents are having to learn to cope in these strange circumstances: Try to get children out on the daily walk as part of your routine, as that will help with everyone’s well being and mindfulness. Making the daily walk more interesting here You may have to be more disciplined with children during…
50% of parents have said that they feel their children are lonely during the lockdown. Therefore it is paramount that we keep an eye on our children. Talk to them about their feelings and persuade them to get out and go for a walk to get some fresh air, exercise and a change of scenery…
One of the latest fads to come over from America is for expectant parents to draw up a baby contract before the child is born . This contract clearly states how the workload which comes with a baby will be shared between parents; getting up during the night, bathing, dressing and nappy changing. Of course…
DYDD GWYl DEWI( St. David’s day card): Children living in Wales, or any children with a Welsh connection can celebrate St. David’s day by colouring the picture of the Welsh dragon surrounded by daffodils; then stick onto card. DAFFODIL CRAFT: This can be made from store cupboard essentials. DADDYPIG AND MUMMY PIGPUPPETS( to celebrate Mother’s…
It has been reported this week that Kim Kardashian is selling her daughter’s artwork for large sums of money and that perhaps she is persuading her daughter to do art because of the money it is making. Whether there is any truth in this report or not, I don’t know, but my thoughts are that…
PANCAKE DAY CROSSWORD: This is great for older children as a way of filling their time during the half term break from home schooling. PANCAKE DAY IN FRANCE: Explains about how the French celebrate pancake day and has a recipe for crepes. FILL IN THE BLANKS: An activity that will help children to improve literacy…
I suffered a massive stroke in 2007, which has left me disabled. As a former registered child minder I know that children are inquisitive and can only learn about such things by asking questions. Some children who were playing in their garden as I was passing on my electric wheelchair asked why I needed to…
During the lockdown, children’s parties, like most other events, need to be a little different, These are my ideas: Get everyone in the family to dress up in a theme of the child’s choice. Ask friends and other family members to send cards and birthday wishes, so the child still feels special on their day….
With yet another lockdown in force, it doesn’t look as though the children will be going back to school for a while yet: These are my home school hacks to help:- Be prepared: just as if children were in school get them to have their pencil case ready before you start; they won’t then have…
This is the second book written b y Linda Cartwright about lockdown life through the eyes of Alfie and Alexa: This time the story focuses on their mummy’s experience of the lockdown. From grey hair roots to clapping for the N.H.S. and home schooling: this book covers most things about life in lockdown in a…
This is just a tiny selection of Valentine’sday crafts available from ichild:- VALENTINES’S DAY FRIDGE MAGNET: Children can celebrate Valentine’s day, they could send cards and crafts to family members including pets. Love isn’t just for adult lovers. This craft is a perfect example , all that is needed are coloured pens or pencils, glue,…
Another request from Sarah. Another lockdown means taking children out for a daily walk to keep them occupied and healthy. But not all children are keen on walking, so having some ideas to make it more exciting could be helpful. As most children, especially the younger ones love to have a splash in a puddle,…
My experiences as a parent, grandparent and resisted child minder have taught me that some children don’t deal with not winning very well:- These are my tips for dealing with this issue: Start from a young age; getting children to play board games with siblings and other family members is a good way of introducing…
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 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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…