Tag: parenting advice

3 min read

Finance

How to save money during Christmas spending

Zoe

December 2, 2019 11:30 am December 2, 2019

3 min read

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3 min read

December is a tough time for us all financially. We are suddenly inundated with buying gifts, extra food and home decor. Am I the only one that thinks the price…

December is a tough time for us all financially. We are suddenly inundated with buying gifts, extra food and home decor. Am I the only one that thinks the price for a Christmas bauble seems to have doubled?!

Not only do you have to pay for all of the extra strains, you still have to keep up with your regular bills and maintenance costs. This is extremely hard especially if you are surviving off maternity pay.

It can be very tempting to dip into that savings pot you have worked so hard for through out the year but, I’m here to tell you now don’t!? Check out my very handy saving whilst spending tips first!

Honey

On Chrome, you can simply download a FREE extension. Guys, let me just say that this took me under 5 minutes to do. It was so easy!

Honey will pop up when you are at the checkout on your online shop with a discount code. Not only that, Honey searches for the best possible discount code for you! Amazing.

Here is the link: Join Honey

Quidco

Using a website like Quidco, you will get instant cashback from shopping online. All you need to do is log onto Quidco first and then shop through there onto your retailer of choice. For example, I want to buy a pair of trainers. I will log onto Quidco site first then I will look for the Nike website and click on it and carry on with my shop. Simple.

You can get rewarded cashback on so many different products, whether it will be gifts for people this year or you want to take out that break down cover you desperately need but can’t afford at full price.

If you are a new customer the chances of your cashback amount being a better rate will increase!

Here is the link: Join Quidco

CamelCamelCamel

Did you know that companies regularly change the prices of products on their website? Amazon can do this multiple times a day! So let’s say you are on Amazon, and you really want a new TV, if you put what product you want to track into CamelCamelCamel, you will be notified with an email when that product is at its cheapest or the price has dropped.

There is also a free browser extension too.

Here is the link: Camelcamelcamel

Groupon

Sometimes you just want to treat someone to a really lovely gift. This could be a trip out or a spa day. Check out? Groupon. They have amazing offers where you could save yourself so much money rather than booking direct.

They even have a full section on handy discount codes too!

Here is the link: Join Groupon

Basket Abandonment

You have done your full online shop and got to the checkout at the end and realised, you know what? I can’t afford all of this right now. So you leave it.

If you do this whilst logged into your account. You can get an email saying “Hey, we have noticed you have left items still in your basket, here is 10% off to complete the purchase.”

A great way to save extra money. I know that Pretty little Thing do this, Apple and Ebay. It will be trail and error finding companies that offer this way of discount but will be so worth it! Just be careful with risking your product will be still in stock.

Happy Saving and Happy Shopping Everyone!

*Some links are referral links.

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4 min read

Motherhood Pregnancy

New Sibling: Preparing your toddler

Zoe

October 9, 2019 6:45 pm October 9, 2019

4 min read

1494 views

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4 min read

The first time around, when you bring home your newborn, you are focused on figuring everything out together. Just you and them. The second time around is a little different….

The first time around, when you bring home your newborn, you are focused on figuring everything out together. Just you and them.

The second time around is a little different. As you have a toddler to contend with. You need to make sure that they are comfortable with the new addition to the family and they have an understanding on what is going on.

I’m no expert, but, Mole seems to be so content with her baby brother, that I thought u’d share with you some tips we did prior to Frankie’s arrival and how we introduced them both.

Tips to introduce your toddler to your newborn during pregnancy

Role Play

Whilst pregnant with Frankie, I gave Mole a baby doll to play with. We was lucky really as she really took to the doll. Together I would teach her how to care for the doll by feeding it a bottle and loving it with kisses and cuddles but most importantly being gentle. If Mole wasn’t interested in the doll that day, then I would pay no attention to it and just leave Mole to play with toys she wanted to instead.

Talking to my tummy

We would have fun and point at my tummy and say “baby” so Mole would get some understanding that there was a baby inside my belly. When Frankie was kicking, i’d let Mole feel his kicks and say “baby”. I doubt she truly understood I had an actual baby inside me but it was a fun bonding session.

Tips to introduce your toddler to your newborn

The first introduction

Personally, I didn’t want Mole present at the hospital. I don’t think its the place for a toddler running around, and I knew I would not have the energy to deal with tantrums if she played up. I wasn’t too sure on how my delivery was going to go too, so I made sure to have childcare in place. It was good to spend time with Frankie getting to know him and as the first few days of a newborn is demanding, I was able to give him my full attention. That being said, it was super hard not to see Mole for a couple of days because I rarely leave her.

Finding Baby

To make the introduction fun for Mole, we turned it into a game of finding baby. Frankie was asleep and settled in his bed so me and Mole went on the hunt for him. When she found him, it must have felt rewarding for her. turning the whole experience into a positive one. The main reason I did this was so she didn’t feel replaced as she might of if I was holding him when she first saw him.

Rewarding good behaviour

Whenever Mole was positive towards Frankie by kissing him or being gentle, we would be really over the top with saying “well done” making her feel like she was being a very good girl and giving her lot’s of attention for the right behaviour.

Solo time together

Mole was use to seeing me alone without Frankie. It had always just been me and her. I felt that it was still important to give her that same experience when possible. I would either do her bedtime one night just me and her or whilst Frankie was napping, we would read books together or do Arts and Crafts.

A lending hand

I really include Mole when it comes to changing Frankie. I ask Mole to get me his nappy or if she wants to sit and help. Obviously if she isn’t interested I would never force her, but she actually seems to find it fun and loves the responsibility.

On nights where i’m solo parenting, I bath Mole first and then bathe Frankie. During Frankie’s bath, I ask Mole if she wants to come and help wash him. Or ask her to choose a book for the bedtime story.

You will always have that fear during your second pregnancy if you will be able to give both your children the attention they need. The answer is yes you will. You will find your own way of making it work.

If your toddler seems to not be interested when you introduce them to their new sibling. Don’t force anything. Give them time and continue to stick to your routine and give them both praise and attention.

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4 min read

Wellness

A career break: can this be positive?

Zoe

August 7, 2019 1:35 pm August 7, 2019

4 min read

2169 views

2 Comments

4 min read

When a pregnancy test result displays as positive, one burning question on the mum-to-be’s mind is “how will this impact my career?”. Whether you are planning to have 6 weeks,…

When a pregnancy test result displays as positive, one burning question on the mum-to-be’s mind is “how will this impact my career?”. Whether you are planning to have 6 weeks, 6 months or 6 years off, time out of work can appear daunting.

Although the financial strain of a family is a huge factor in starting a family. Many women feel that having time off from their job may destroy all what they worked hard for. For me, I felt that my career was finally taking off after years of studying. To take the break initially felt like a positive decision for my family but, a poor decision for my personal growth. I couldn’t explain how I felt to anyone. I didn’t want to be seen as ungrateful for being lucky to have time off from work to raise my family and that I didn’t bring in the most money anyway, so my job was not that important.

Focusing on the positives now, here are a few things to why taking a career break is positive:

Recharging your batteries

Taking time off allows you to rest. Being out of the office or where ever you worked will give you that mental space needed to focus on other things in your life and have a mental break from your job. As a teacher, I remember before I would go to sleep, I’d start planning starter activities in my head or begin thinking about all the books I needed to mark. It has been lovely to truly have a break from these thoughts and reset myself. Now, when I think about work, I become excited as I feel so refreshed and ready to dive back into it.

The unexpected results

When you go from working full time to suddenly not working at all, even as a new mum you will find yourself with a lot of unusual time on your hands. Many women take this opportunity to study something new or start up a business venture they have always dreamed of. I started this blog as a hobby in my spare time, simply documenting my experience as a mum, I never expected that I would end up earning from this. If I was working full time I doubt I would have taken the plunge to start a blog.

?It’s not necessary to think of being away as a way to start a business or go to a new career,?. ?The point is: What would you do if, for a while, you don’t have to think about making money??

New Skills

Work is the place where it has been drilled into your head: “this is where you develop skills and grow as a person”. As a new mum, taking time off, you actually gain an abundance of skills. For example, I have way more patience now than I have ever had in my life. Looking after a toddler, I have gained the skills of being extremely organised, resilient, level headed, punctual and my problem solving skills from figuring what she wants during tantrum have progressed too!

Time for a change?

Having a long period off work gives you the space to think if that was the career for you. Now that you are having time away, you will be able to see clearly if that job was making you happy and you could see great potential in progressing in that job.

Even if you decide that you love your job after having time off, it will be nice to go back with a fresh mind set that you are in the right place without second thoughts.

More appealing candidate

You may think that taking time off from will hurt your career. But, have you thought of this? Taking a well needed break, gaining life experience and being 100% committed to you again, will make you look like a more appealing candidate, in comparison to someone who may not know what they really want out of life yet.

Taking the time off can show that you want to further your skill set and try new experiences.

So when you feel that you may be hurting your career or you receive the comments “oh you don’t work?” or “you just stay at home all day.” look at the bigger picture. Remember that you have got this incredible time off raising your family whilst resetting yourself ready for your next step. If you decide never to return to work, remember that you are still gaining life experiences and developing skill sets as you would in the work place.

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3 min read

Wellness

Should you tell your daughter she is pretty?

Zoe

July 22, 2019 12:44 pm July 22, 2019

3 min read

1528 views

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3 min read

When the question “should you tell your daughter she is pretty?” first reached my ears, I was really confused. I started to question myself if I was doing the right…

When the question “should you tell your daughter she is pretty?” first reached my ears, I was really confused. I started to question myself if I was doing the right thing as a parent and began learning to understand the reason why so many parents of daughters today are avoiding calling their daughter pretty.

Mole is incredibly cheeky, she loves to dance and waves her arms to the music. Her favourite thing to do is to shout out different animal names or the noises they make when she sees them on TV or in her books. In my mind, Mole is the most beautiful person I have ever seen. My heart is incredibly full for her. But, I have decided that I am going to make a conscious effort to stop telling her she is pretty.

Here is why:

Every single morning, when Mole was dressed, the first thing I would do is give her a big hug and tell her how pretty or beautiful she looked. Once I realised I was doing this without thought, I caught myself saying it through out the day too. The more we talk about a topic to our children, they begin to understand that this topic is important. It could be anything from manners to sharing. Basically, I don’t want the topic of physical appearance to be something that Mole understands as important or more important that any of her other qualities she has.

Living up to expectations

Always making a point to someone that they are pretty or clever will give them the mentality on what they have to live up to. They can get stuck in a comfort zone and waste time and energy worrying about this. When instead, they could be spending their time and energy into being more knowledgable and opening themselves up to a full range of experiences.

What I do to boost my daughters self esteem:

I focus on praising her process rather than the outcome. I will praise her for her hard work and time and effort she has spent on something. This may even be when she is older and has spent time on her hair. Commenting on that rather than just saying “You look pretty.”
I Tell her how much she matters to me. Showing and telling her how important she is to me and how much she is on my mind will make her feel amazing and loved.
I will look at her other qualities. Make them stand out whilst also using words like “pretty” and “beautiful” so she can gain a wider understanding of how beautiful and pretty doesn’t just have to be based of physical appearance. E.G. “Mole you are beautiful for being such a good friend and sharing your toy.”
Asking her lot’s of questions. Not only does asking your little one lot’s of questions help to boost their memory and language skills. but, asking questions really shows that you have an interest in their life. I love to ask Mole questions on where her favourite toy is or which animal am I pointing at.

So focus on your values and how you can get them across to your children. Becoming aware of your words will help you to stop focusing on how looks are more important than how your child behaves or thinks. Even when it is unintentional.

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6 min read

Wellness

Building your confidence for baby classes/social events

Zoe

July 10, 2019 3:24 pm July 10, 2019

6 min read

1178 views

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6 min read

I recently attended a “Mums meet up” hosted by Mama Society. I had an amazing time and when I posted about it, I couldn’t believe how many private messages I…

I recently attended a “Mums meet up” hosted by Mama Society. I had an amazing time and when I posted about it, I couldn’t believe how many private messages I had from other mums saying how much they would love to attend a social event, however, they felt too anxious and nervous. It saddened me because, I had such a great time. I would love other mums to feel confident enough to attend a baby class or a mums meet up event.

At the same time, I truly understand the challenges you can face with feeling nervous and anxious, to throw yourself into the deep end and go in a room full of people you have never even met before.

Just because you have anxiety- does not mean anxiety is all you are

A little background on myself. After suffering from social anxiety for years now I feel that I have started to turn a corner with myself and realise that just because I have attended therapy sessions and have had medication for anxiety, the label “anxiety” is not who I am and not my personality.

Confidence boosting tips for attending a baby class/social event

I thought I would share with you some of my favourite ways to help combat the feeling of being nervous or anxious before a baby class or a social event and hopefully I will at least help someone reading this.

Plan. Plan everything either the night before or two days before. Even down to your outfit and your child’s outfit, what they will have for their breakfast, dinner or snacks and anything they might need there. Having a full plan will help you to feel like you have control over what you can control, resulting in confidence. If you wake up late, everything will all be planned for you to focus on straight away and get going. Or if you wake up feeling anxious, you have a plan to stick to, which will help your mind not wander off thinking the worst of everything which may result in you talking yourself out of going.
?Arrive early. I love trying (I say trying because we all know how hard this is with a child) to arrive early for a class or event I am attending for the first time because, for me personally, journeys to new places are extremely stressful. It is like I get myself that worked up, parking my car in a space takes me 100 manoeuvres. Giving yourself time to chill out before you head in and beat the rush of all the other mums parking and fighting for a space will help you to feel more relaxed.
Another reason to arrive early. If you are early or on time, you are more likely to be one of the first mums there. You will have more options on where you want to sit, get your child sorted incase they need a quick change before the starting time. But, most importantly, you are not going to be walking into a room full of people, with all eyes on you, feeling the judgement. (Even though no mum will actually be judging. Your anxiety will somehow convince yourself that they are). I personally find it easier to greet a mum walking in, than having to walk up to what looks like an established conversation between two people and have to stand their awkwardly smiling until you think of something interesting to say.
Avoid Caffeine. Dare I say it, coffee is not your friend (in this case). Why? Caffeine is a stimulant. That is not going to help someone with anxiety. Caffeine’s effects on your body are similar to those of a frightening event. Caffeine stimulates your “fight or flight” response, and studies show that this can make anxiety worse and can even trigger an anxiety attack.
Questions. Have an idea on what questions to ask the other mums. Take the opportunity to get to know them. Find out what their interests are and you will probably see how similar they are to you. Remember that not all mums want to attend a social event and talk about their babies and some mums all they want to do is talk about their babies. So if you feel that the conversation is awkward, just change the subject and don’t take the bad response personally.
Try again. Once I attended a class at a local church, where I did not feel comfortable. AT ALL. It was one of the first classes I attended as a new mum, living in a new area. I left half way through as my anxiety got the better of me. I sat in my car and burst into tears – even took a selfie, to look back on as one of my lows and know that one day I would laugh and not take the experience personally.The feeling of being anxious and having my expectations crushed on baby classes combined with the guilt of not being a good mum to Mole crushed me. I was super firm on myself to try a different class elsewhere, I did and LOVED it.? Fast forward a few months, I attended that class I originally felt so crappy at to give it a second chance. I hated it. The same thing happened again. I left half way and cried in my car. The point I am trying to make is, some classes/events will be for you and some won’t. It does not make you a bad mum if you need to leave and give yourself time. Remember, if you have made the big enough step to even make it out of the house, praise yourself.
Wear your confident hat. A trick I learnt from drama classes. Pretend you are wearing an invisible confident hat. Sounds very silly doesn’t it? Believing you are confident, standing tall, smiling, making eye contact and asking open ended questions will make you look very approachable, friendly and most important make you feel like you actually are a confident person; even though you may have lived however many years of your life labelling yourself as shy.

Give it a go

Hopefully these tips come in use for you and you feel that you can attend a class/event. Attending will be worth your while. I have met some amazing people I can call my friends and I have been able to see my daughter enjoy herself too.

Images by https://www.truelightphotography.net/

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8 min read

Toddler

Toddler Temper Tantrums

Zoe

June 26, 2019 2:47 pm June 26, 2019

8 min read

1885 views

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8 min read

Crying, screaming, kicking, breath holding, hitting, kicking and back arching. Do any of those sound familiar in terms of your toddlers behaviour? They do to me! Since Mole has turned…

Crying, screaming, kicking, breath holding, hitting, kicking and back arching. Do any of those sound familiar in terms of your toddlers behaviour? They do to me!

Since Mole has turned 1, I have noticed a big shift in her behaviour. She will display a temper tantrum more frequently and although this is normal child development behaviour, I do feel like I need to learn and understand how to behave myself in the temper tantrum situation to stop it escalating out of hand.

I have done a lot of research in this and asked for all of your advice on instagram and I have had some incredible tips. I am already starting to see huge improvements in Mole’s behaviour.

So what can we do?

Understanding the temper tantrum

Toddlers display a temper tantrum from the ages of 1 to around 3. They are just as common in boys as they are girls…This has stopped me from using my favourite excuse: “It’s because she is a girl, they are divas compared to boys”.

Some children can display a tantrum more frequently than other children. You may be lucky and your child rarely has one.

The F Word

I have seen this word cropping up a lot whilst I have been doing my research into temper tantrums.

Frustration.

Frustration seems to be key to what this whole temper tantrum malarkey is all about. Toddlers are still developing their language, so they can’t always ask or communicate exactly what they want. This maybe that they want to go into a different room or be in need of a parent. It can also be that they are just over tired or hungry.

“I do it!”

The hardest part is, as a parent, you can sense danger. So when your toddler is walking/crawling where they shouldn’t and you go to stop them from doing so, they don’t understand why and become frustrated that you are stopping them.

There is also the power struggle of wanting their own independence and learning for themselves. When toddlers discover that they actually can’t do everything themselves they may (in Mole’s case always) display a tantrum.

The experience of not being able to communicate can be tough for a toddler. But there is light at the end of the tunnel. As their language skills start to develop and improve, tantrums will start to decrease.

Going Wrong

I have been thinking where I may have been going wrong with the whole tantrum situation. Then it hit me. I have spent far too much time trying to to deal with the tantrum when it is happening and not enough time preventing the tantrum. I just assumed that tantrums are inevitable and there is nothing I can do about it. Which is true to an extent but, still these prevention tips have helped us cut down the number of tantrums.

6 Tips for preventing a tantrum

Distraction. Take your toddler else where into a different room for something new to focus their attention on. Swap whatever they are not allowed to have with something they can have and make it sound really exciting and amazing. Start a different activity with them if they can’t do they activity they currently want to do.
Hands off! I keep any ornaments or valuables completely out of reach now. At first, I wanted Mole to understand that she was not allowed to touch the vase, but realistically, I was asking too much of her and got sick of myself telling her “no” and dealing with the tantrum when all I had to do was just move the vase out of her reach.
Routine. Having a routine helps to understand when your child is going to be hungry and tired. If it is around your child’s usual nap time, don’t expect to take them food shopping and have a pleasant time. Respect their limits.
Responsibility. This one came very useful to me when I was a teacher. The more responsibility I gave to my students the more they respected me and felt like they had control. Offering your toddler a choice will help them to feel they have control and you won’t be confronted by the power struggle. Obviously, choose your choices wisely. Good examples are “Do you want a bath first or to brush your teeth first? Both will still get done, but, they will have more of a sense of controlling the situation rather than being told to do so.
Positive reinforcement. Praise, praise praise. I can not stress this enough. Toddlers understand behaviours and actions they display will result in attention. Be sure to really emphasise on the good attention with them, by really praising their good behaviour and give as little attention as possible to their negative behaviour.
Choose your battles. I noticed that I was becoming Nagging Nancy. It was just too much. Being so strict meant that everything through out the day was becoming a battle with Mole. By choosing my battles I have made more of an impact with her understanding what she is forbidden to do.

5 Tips for what to do when your toddler displays a tantrum

I was mortified when Mole started to display her tantrums one after the other in public. Especially in places that were really quiet and I felt like all eyes were on me to “sort” my child out. Not only that, tensions between my partner and I began to rise. Tantrums can be inevitable and it is all part of growing up, so no matter how much preventing you can do, one will still occur. Here are some tips on what to do when your toddler is having a temper tantrum meltdown.

Stay calm. Easy said than done. I get so stressed out when a tantrum occurs I start to lose my head myself. Your job is to try and calm your toddler down, so you need to remind yourself to stay calm too as hard as that can be.
What is the tantrum really about? Understanding what the real problem is will help you to find a solution quicker. Is it that they are actually tired and need a nap? Or perhaps they are in pain with their teeth?
Different tantrums need different solutions. Does your toddler is want something they are forbidden to have? try to not over explain why and move onto a new activity quickly. If your toddler is wanting attention from their mum or dad, try to ignore them. Is your child is throwing a tantrum because they are in pain? Then comfort them.
Follow through. Mole’s favourite tantrum to have is one where she doesn’t want to complete a task that she has to do, such as eating her dinner. Let them have their tantrum but, ignore them as much as possible, then come back to the task once they are calm and try again. Following through will make them understand that they will not get away with it.
Safety. If their safety is at risk and they are displaying a tantrum because they want to carry on, be firm. Take them away from the situation and use a stronger tone of voice. Never give in on safety. Older toddlers can sit on a time out step for a few minutes.

3 Tips on what to do with your toddler after they have a tantrum

Do not give in. If they display the same behaviour for the same reason, you are going to have to be strong and not undo all the work you have done before. Eventually they will learn but they will 100% test you first.
Make the most out of a bad situation. Try and reward their good behaviour. e.g. “Mole, what a good girl for calming down.” or” Thank you for playing with this toy”.
Love. Once everything is calmed down it is extremely important to show your toddler affection. Give them a cuddle and let them know you love them. They will know they have just been naughty so will be feeling very vulnerable. This will not show that you are giving in to their behaviour.

I hope you find this useful and remember, as your child gets older they will begin to grow out of their tantrums.

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4 min read

Toddler Travel

5 Toddler Summer Holiday Essentials

Zoe

June 17, 2019 1:12 pm June 17, 2019

4 min read

1379 views

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4 min read

It is that fantastic time of year again when we are all excited as we probably have a summer holiday planned. Whether you are having a staycation or flying abroad,…

It is that fantastic time of year again when we are all excited as we probably have a summer holiday planned. Whether you are having a staycation or flying abroad, I’m going to share with you my top 5 toddler summer holiday essentials for a stress free holiday.

Cool Soft Baby Blanket

Instantly cooling to the touch, this blanket has been our number one summer holiday must have. It has been so versatile, from lying it in the pram to using it as a beach mat. One of my biggest concerns with going abroad with a toddler was “will the heat be too much?” Mole struggled badly with the UK heat last year as a newborn, so when I laid eyes on this product as a baby show, I had to have it. The cooling mat must have been so refreshing to lie on in the heat. She never showed signs of being too hot once. (It’s also super light weight for your luggage too.

Snooze Shade

This stroller cover was perfect for naps. The shade cover blocks 99% of UV rays and makes the inside of the stroller nice and dark making outdoor naps a whole lot easier. The shade cover has a universal fit for most strollers and prams and only takes a few seconds to apply to the stroller.

Mamas and Papas Stroller

We purchased the: Mamas & Papas Armadillo City? Lightweight Compact Pushchair.

The stroller has a light weight frame making it easy for travelling. When travelling the amount of times you have to fold up and down the stroller is crazy.

My experience from visiting European holiday destinations has been that not all destinations are pram friendly, with?having?lot’s of steps to access places. Taking our usual heavy two piece pram was not convenient. Toddler Summer Essentials This stroller folds up or down in just a click, you can even do it one handed.?

There is an adjustable seat which was great for naps times as she could lie back and be comfortable and the huge UV protective hood accompanied with the Snooze Shade blocked the sun.

Toddler Travel Plate

If you’re anything like me on holiday, a big part of that time will be spent dining at restaurants. We usually order Mole’s food from the children’s menu, but to keep costs down we also like to share the food myself and Jay orders with her. This super handy travel plate rolled up in her lunch bag and came with us to every restaurant. I didn’t have to worry about her trying to throw it off the table as its made of silicone and has a good grip against the table. We had the rubber duck design of course.

Banana Boat SPF

I am extremely fussy when it comes to choosing a good suncream. I can say that I have tried and tested various creams and this one is by far my all time favourite for babies and toddlers.

What I love about this suncream is, the consistency is thick so I feel at ease when I am applying it, like I am really giving her skin protection. I can feel and see exactly where I put it on her body. The cream is non greasy has the sand does not stick to it so I can have the cream fully applied in no time. Mole has very sensitive skin too, this cream has been the only one out of the many we have tried that does not make her break out into rashes.

For her hair, I used the Malibu SPF 50 Scalp Protector. (I also used this on my head too!) its very easy to use, with it being clear, you can directly spray it onto your head and hair for full protection.

COMMENT BELOW YOUR TODDLER SUMMER ESSENTIALS!

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3 min read

baby product reviews Travel

Maxi-Cosi Jade lie-flat car seat/carrycot review

Zoe

May 22, 2019 12:04 pm May 22, 2019

3 min read

6115 views

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3 min read

When I first heard about a carrycot style car seat I was rather skeptical. How could this possibly be safe? How does this work? My vision was so wrong. I’m…

When I first heard about a carrycot style car seat I was rather skeptical.

How could this possibly be safe? How does this work?

My vision was so wrong. I’m almost ashamed of how daft my preconceived idea of this was. Especially after doing more research and finding out it is actually safer than most car seats on the market today.

Maxi-Cosi Jade Carrycot Carseat

The Maxi-Cosi Jade is the first lie-flat car carrycot certified to the new i-Size car seat law.

Is the Maxi-Cosi Jade Carrycot Car Seat safe?

I’m jumping in straight to the safety regulations. I feel thats the most important part of a car seat.

Installing

The Jade offers proved head and neck protection and slide impact protection. There is a unique Slide & Go installation on the ISOFIX base. This makes it easy to install the Jade car carrycot correctly and safely as it does not rely on guiding seatbelts.

You can see and hear the confirmation that you have installed the Jade car carrycot correctly too as there is light and sound feedback.

Your baby will also be secure inside the carrycot as there is padding and straps to fasten your little one in safely.

Position

The car seats position will be facing sideways across your back seat, so your baby’s head will be closest to the middle. This way, your baby will have greater protection against side-impact crashes.

Unboxing

Unboxing the Jade I was pleased to see I was not going to be building anything. The quality of the product is amazing. Squishing my hands down inside to test the comfort I was happy to find that it was so comfortable and soft to touch, with an extra inlay added for even more comfort.

I wanted to climb in myself and go for a nap!

There is a hood attached too which provides sun protection and is great to have down when baby is sleeping.

What is best for newborn babies?

In your standard car seats, babies sit in an upright position or on a slight tilt. Because of this, it is recommended that babies can not be in their car seat for longer than two hours at a time because their breathing might be compromised.

You may be thinking “I won’t be in a car for two hours”, but this rule also stands for babies in car seats attached to their pram.

The Jade lie-flat carrycot car seat avoids your baby’s air flow from being restricted as they can lie flat and are not sitting upright trying to sleep scrunched.

So, if you’re travelling for longer than two hours or plan to use the car seat attached to the pram, this may be for you. I plan to use my Maxi-Cosi Lila pram.

Newborn babies need a lot of sleep. The carrycot car seat will be a comfortable sleep for them and as the car seat can be attached to a pram as a travel system, your baby will not be disturbed and can stay soundly asleep.

Price

The Jade costs ?199
Maxi-Cosi 3WayFix Base costs ?199

The car seat will need to be changed when your baby reaches 9kg.

Additional Features

Safe and easy ISOFIX installation in the car
Slide & Go installation to the base
Washable cover Comfort
Comfortable soft touch newborn inlay for added comfort
Sun protection
Soft mattress for supreme comfort for baby Safety
R129 safety
Impact absorbing material
3-point safety harness General
In car repositioning
Long-lasting value with 3wayFix base

Find out more about the Maxi-Cosi Jade here: https://www.maxi-cosi.co.uk/car-seats/jade

Product was gifted. All opinions are completely honest and my own.

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4 min read

Finance

Don’t Suffer | Get Help With Debt

Zoe

May 8, 2019 8:30 am May 8, 2019

4 min read

2149 views

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4 min read

Take control of your finances and get back on track. Today there is more help than ever to stop your debts spiralling out of control. It is frightening enough having…

Take control of your finances and get back on track. Today there is more help than ever to stop your debts spiralling out of control. It is frightening enough having debt without it getting worse.

With this advice, you will gain confidence and an understanding on the starting point to getting your debt back on track.

Where to start?

Many people will bury their head in the sand at the first sign of debt. Unfortunately, this is the worst thing to do as this will not solve your financial problems. You need to admit to yourself that you are in debt. Admitting to yourself is one of the most important steps.

One of my favourite methods is to start by writing down everything you currently owe on loans, credit cards etc. That way, you will know exactly how much debt you are in.

Prioritise payments that need to be paid off first and payments that are actually manageable. Having order to your financial situation will stop you feel like you are drowning in your problems.

If you are in a relationship, talk to your partner about your current financial situation. Off loading the pressure and working as a team on how to get back on track will give you more support.

Debt Solutions

Here are some more debt solutions on offer:

Professional help

You may have tried to speak to your creditors about your debt struggles and nothing has come from it. Seek professional help.

There are many charities out there today that want to help you. They will provide free help and advice to getting your finances under control.

You can also contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau for a manageable repayment plan and they help you discuss your situation with your creditors.

Individual Voluntary Arrangement

An Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA) is a formal agreement between an individual and the unsecured creditors. An insolvency practitioner or debt advisor administers it.

Why? Well, if you are struggling to sort out an arrangement to clear your current owed payments gradually through a debt repayment plan, an IVA is something to consider.

IVAs last for five years. During this time, you will pay an agreed amount to your creditors. Once that period of time ends, any remaining debt will be wiped out.

Do I Qualify For An IVA?

To obtain an IVA, you must fit within the criteria.

A minimum debt level of ?5000
A minimum of 2 credit lines e.g. 1 credit card and 1 loan.
A regular income
The ability to pay a minimum of ?90 per month into the IVA
An IVA should offer a higher return for your creditors than bankruptcy
You must live in England, Wales or N.Ireland.

You will not be able to borrow again during your IVA.

Bankruptcy

If you cannot clear your debts any other way then this option is a last resort.

You can either be forced into bankruptcy by your creditors or apply for bankruptcy yourself.

If you owe ?750 or more, a company can apply for you to be declared bankrupt. It is however, only recommended to those with unsecured debts of ?50,000 or more.

When you declare yourself as bankrupt, other assets such as your home or your car, can be used to pay the people you owe money to.

Bankruptcy lasts for around one year. The bankruptcy will be noted on your credit file for six years. Meaning you will not be able to apply for any further credit and you will be unable to get a current account that offers an over draft. Any accounts you have, your bank will freeze them and as you may not be able to open any new accounts, you will struggle make or receive payments.

This may seem daunting. But, for some people this method has been their last resort to get out of debt.

Remember to always seek professional advice before proceeding with an IVA or bankruptcy.

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3 min read

Travel

Planning a Day Out With Your Baby

Zoe

April 23, 2019 11:25 am April 23, 2019

3 min read

1482 views

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3 min read

Previously on Pink Mole we talked about how to travel with your baby on a plane, and included advice such as making sure you always have your baby?s milk on…

Previously on Pink Mole we talked about how to travel with your baby on a plane, and included advice such as making sure you always have your baby?s milk on hand, and that you?ve packed enough soothers for your little one. A day out is much simpler (and much more common), especially if you?ve already planned ahead. If you have no idea what to bring on a family picnic or are unsure how to travel around the capital with a baby, here?s a checklist you can follow:

The best places in London to see with your baby

Many London attractions are for young children and adults. If you have a baby, parks are probably your best option. St James?s Park in Westminster is great for all ages as it has sand pits and swings. Coram?s Fields in Bloomsbury is also wonderful with its beautiful landscapes and variety of playgrounds.

London is also very baby and mother friendly. Visit London reports its perfectly legal and widely accepted to publicly breastfeed babies anywhere in the city. There are also baby-changing facilities in almost all shopping centres, museums, and major galleries. This means you can enjoy a day out and not be constrained by your baby?s feeding habits.

The baby bag

What you need to pack in your baby bag largely depends on where you and your little ones are going. However, there are a few essential items that should always be in your bag. Nappies are the most important?one for every couple of hours you stay out. Baby Centre also suggests that you bring an extra change of clothes for your baby and even a spare clean shirt for yourself. You also need to pack wipes, a bottle of hand sanitiser, a few changing pads and burp cloths, as well as some plastic bags for when you need to store dirty nappies or wet clothes. Bring some snacks for you and your baby too. The Bump adds that you should bring a small first aid kit with some medicine, along with some bandages and Benadryl.

Getting around hassle free

If you?re going to a park, a portable playpen or travel cot will certainly come in handy. For those travelling with more than one child, bring a really lightweight buggy or pushchair, as it?s the easiest way to get around without hurting your back or tiring out your children. iCandy lists the many advantages that come with buying a tandem pushchair, which includes being the same width as a regular buggy. This makes them convenient for public transport. Just make sure you download a tube map so you know where the designated areas are for buggies. Don?t travel during peak hours, either, as it may be difficult for you to get around with your baby bag and buggy (this is especially true of London rush hour). Bring some of your children?s favourite toys to keep them busy while they?re on public transport. Also note that children under five travel for free on all London public transport.

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