Does your personality affect the way you plan your holiday?
When you’re a family getting ready to head on a journey, either in the car, on the plane or by foot, you’ll learn pretty quickly that planning what you need to take with you will save you hours of stress and nightmare, especially when you are taking babies and young children with you. You must factor in food, a spare set of clothes, drink and, if you’re in the UK, a jacket, sunscreen and an umbrella – all at the same time! But, did you know that your personality or the personality of the chief packer, will affect the way you plan your holiday? For example, I’m organised, but I’m also quite an in-the-moment kind of packer, which means I don’t make long lists to tick off while I pack. I mentally visualise the beginning to the end of the journey and try to factor in what could possibly go wrong on the way. Then I pack for that situation. Of course, this means I naturally overpack. But, ‘just-in-case’ works a lot better for me than not having it when it’s needed. My husband, on the other hand, packs like a Swiss clock – with precision. Due to his well-travelled childhood, he knows exactly what to pack. He never overpacks – but his clockwork manner means that sometimes he forgets to pack the anomalies which my non-clockwork manner picks up.
You see? Personality can mean a lot! So, how does your personality affect the way you plan your holiday? Let’s find out!
You’re a planner in life
You’re the kind of person that has a constant to-do list running through your head, on your desk and probably in your bag as well. Your whole life is made up of to-do lists because if you don’t have one you’re scared that you’ll forget what it is that you need to remember. You get as much fun out of planning the journey as being on the journey itself. Being a good planner makes you a conscientious person and someone who pays attention to detail. This is a great skill, but you may end up being the one who takes control of the planning and either you will feel resentful of this, or your partner will. Are you letting others plan the holiday for you? Let me rephrase that question. Are you afraid of letting others plan for you? What do you think will go wrong if someone like me plans your journey, for example? Remember to take a step back sometimes and allow someone the reins for a bit. If they mess it up, take the reins back. But at least let them try.
You hate planning
You’re the one who steps back and lets the planners plan. You like to experience life at the moment and, like me, you plan for emergencies, but for anything else, you wing it. However, you may suffer from continuous planning errors and end up in certain disastrous consequences. Either learn how to plan for the most basic things that you need on your journey or carry on letting the planners plan for you. Remember, however, if you’re going on a journey by yourself, you must learn how to plan for the least number of things that you need. You don’t have to spend all day on it, but it may be worth planning two days in advance and committing the list to memory, so you don’t feel you’re planning.
You love new experiences
You’re an innovator, you’re open to new experiences and you seek places you’ve never been before. You feel you get the most out of your journey because you plan to try and do as much as possible to expand your mind on holiday. You’ll pick the most elaborate places. However, remember that not everyone wants to try novel places all the time. Some people like the same-old-same-old holiday, so compromise with the family and see if you can get them to agree to take a few days doing something new to you all and then go back to the comfort zone. You may broaden the minds of those who don’t like to experience new things and they may end up agreeing to pick up the pace with you next time. This means that planning can become difficult. Plan for the new experiences and let the comfort planner take control of the rest.
You don’t love new experiences
Vice versa, as above. You like to go to the same place every holiday and you pack the same items as you always do. You’re happy to just do the things you love and know the places you go to without having to learn anything new. You will chill and relax, grab some respite from your busy reality, rather than attempting to try something new and wasting conserved energy. As above, some members of the family may want to try new things so it’s important to take into account that not everyone plans for a journey to stay in the same familiar destination. Broaden your mind and allow yourself to experience something new, even if it’s just for a few days. You’ll never know, you may like it and start enjoying the new experiences!
You penny-pinch
You don’t like to part with too much cash on holiday, so you’d probably scour the net, undertaking hours upon hours of research to find the best all-inclusive deals that you can find. You interview your friends and family to find out what worked on the holiday and what didn’t. You’re probably neurotic about the value and want to pay for the absolute minimum, from choosing the right tyres for your car to picking the right seats on the plane. If you can bring your own sandwiches on holiday, then that’s perfect for you – no one wants to pay £15 for chicken nuggets and chips! Be honest with yourself, however. Are you worried because you don’t have the cash to spare? If so, is it the right time to plan a journey? Or are you worried about being swindled? Maybe it’s time to just roll with the punches, so to speak, and if you find a place that requires money, but it will make a great memory for the family, then just allow yourself to let go once in a while. Your family will be happy, and you don’t have to spend too much money on holiday, as you’ve already planned for the cheapest journey and destination.
You’re laid back
Holidays are a time to let go, not to worry about what will happen. You are a mix of someone who likes to try new experiences or can stay in the same place for two weeks – you don’t care, as long as you are on holiday. You’re highly agreeable and you don’t get too bothered when you encounter problems on holiday, like travel delays, unhelpful staff or when someone gets sick. You plan for experience and fun, not the kitchen sink and if you forget something then, what the hey, “we’ll pick it up on the way!” It’s a fun way to be and you make a great companion on holiday. However, those who are too agreeable may get taken advantage of, and you may not know of some dangers of travel. However, if this situation happens, you’ll fix it and you’ll move on. Sometimes we just can’t control everything, can we? Just make sure you’re taking your family’s worries seriously and that you don’t shoo them away for the sake of having a relaxed holiday experience.
Interestingly enough, I am a little bit of all of the above, so it’s hard for me to plan sometimes when my mood is in penny pinching mode, or in laid back mode. A tyre company called TyrePlus sent me an infographic, which posed the question about what people think about before they head on their journey and the road trips they enjoy, which can be heavily influenced by their personality. This infographic is what inspired me to write this post, so I’d like to share it with you below:
So, whichever personality you fit into, it’s important to take other family member’s personalities into account, and make sure you’re planning for that journey. As long as you have the basics in mind, and you’ve found yourself a good deal before you set off, then you should be good to go with no further worry or arguments along the way.
*Collaborative feature post*
How to create the best Pokémon themed birthday party for your child
The birthday events industry has exploded in recent years, largely due to our children living, breathing and sleeping their favourite characters, especially on the most special day of the year. Since the release of the Pokémon Go app, the Pokémon craze is burning ever strong, with a whole new generation of young Pokémon lovers and a massive 1,000 Pokémon characters to revel in now – a far cry from the original 150 back in my day!
My boys are obsessed with Pokémon, so it seemed right to organise a Pokémon themed birthday party for my youngest, who recently turned six. Melanie, the Sandy Art entertainer, transformed the party with sand equipment that she had brought with her and she tidied everything up afterwards. She successfully engaged twenty children in Pokémon Sandy Art for 1½ hours and they worked together to create some pretty spectacular sandy art. The added bonus was that they also got to take their creations home too as going home gifts.
More on the entertainment package below, but let’s go through the basics of how to create the best Pokémon themed birthday party for your child, i.e. the venue, the invites, the party supplies, the party food, the birthday cake and, of course, the entertainment!
P.S – this article is aimed at children between 5 and 9 years old, however, there is no reason why children who fall outside this age group can’t enjoy sandy art too!
The venue
When considering Pokémon themed entertainment, your best bet is to find a venue that is big enough for the fun and games, as well as the table settings for the party food. Don’t forget to factor in space for parents to sit and spectate as well. Added bonuses would be having a toilet that is within walking distance and a kitchen in which to prepare the party food and cake. If your home is big enough then great, you save money on the venue costs. However, if not, then places like local halls, churches and some schools (especially those with sports halls) may permit you to hire the room for a couple of hours.
Invitations
You’ve picked a date and time, so now you need to tell the guests. Melanie offers Sandy Art invitations, as part of her package (see above), but if your entertainment doesn’t include this option, then I use Kenzie’s Cards from eBay, which are a brilliant company, who personalise birthday invites for cheap and with a very short lead time.
Telling parents in advance about what they are likely to expect at the party will allow them to prepare their children too. Perhaps the entertainment is first and will likely take 1½ hours, but knowing this in advance means that parents can feed their kids a snack before arriving at the party, so they are not too hungry when the activity starts. I made sure people knew it was a Sandy Art party, so they would expect a hands-on sand experience, but Melanie’s invitations were enough to give it away.
Party Supplies
You can include as many or as little Pokemon themed party supplies as you want. You can buy affordable Pokémon Party Supply sets on eBay, which has TONS of options. For my son’s birthday party, I ordered a party supply package x 3, which contained paper plates, napkins, tablecloth (1) and paper cups x 8. Some sellers like the one I used, throw in balloons as well because I ordered multiple sets. eBay is a great source for party planning, even down to the tools I used for the cake, so it’s worth checking it out during the preparation stage.
I would say, at the very least, your party supply package should include the following:
Tablecloths
Paper Plates
Napkins
Paper Cups
Platters to serve the food
Cutlery
Balloons
Then, if you want to go further than that, then I’d get the following:
Table decorations
Ornaments
Birthday banners
Helium balloons
Party favours
Party Food
It has taken me a long time to get the food right, even though I still haven’t got the volume correct, i.e. there is always tons left over. So, I now stick to the following party food criteria:
Sandwiches with the crusts cut off (I don’t throw away the crusts, I place them in plastic cups or bowls and offer them with a variety of dips if there isn’t any filling on them. (Or I munch them while I’m preparing the party food at home, hence why I put on about 5lbs during the preparation stage… just FYI…)).
Fillings I find work really well are:
Chocolate
Cheese and tomato with butter
Tuna, cream cheese and sweetcorn
Egg mayonnaise
Crisps – all flavours
All sorts of fruit – clementine, bananas and apples, as well as berries and grapes
Biscuits – as many various kinds as you can get
Veggie trains – bell peppers (for the train), cucumbers (for the wheels), sliced celery, carrots and bell peppers (the passengers) – along with yoghurt and hummus dips – The lettuce makes up the grass on the ground (the platter).
Popcorn – sweet, salty, and/or sweet and salty. You can get toffee flavoured popcorn too if you’re feeling risky.
Drinks – water or juice for the kids and fizzy drinks for the adults. Although you’ll find some of the kids tiptoeing over to the adults’ table to help themselves to the soft drinks…
For the purposes of my son’s Pokémon themed party, I Pokémonised (not sure that’s a word, but we’ll go with it) the apples and strawberries. I was so rubbish at doing them, so I’m sure you can do a much better job than me! The good thing is, the kids didn’t notice, and they loved eating the candy off the apples and strawberries. I found the instructions via Koalipops’ YouTube videos for the Pokémon apples here and the Pokémon strawberries here. (I love that guy!)
Birthday Cake
I have somehow got myself into a bit of a pickle because I agreed to make the kids’ birthday cakes every year. It started last year when my eldest was in Year 1. I asked him what he would like the most for his birthday and he said a Ninja Turtles birthday cake made by me. I thought, yeah, why not! Easy, right?
I lost those 5lbs I gained during the food prep stage, due to stress… I have a newfound respect for cake makers and decorators – I don’t know how you do it! It took me six hours to make his cake and the fondant was so tricky to work with. But, it definitely looked homemade and no one can argue that it was a labour of love. Nevertheless, the kids loved the cake and it was totally worth seeing Aron’s eyes light up when he saw the cake for the first time.
I complain about the stress accrued making the cakes, but it was totally worth it to make my kids something completely unique and personalised. I’m happy to kill myself twice a year to get that priceless look on their faces – it makes me proud that I can offer something so personal to them.
Entertainment
With the entertainment, you can afford to be as simple or as extravagant as you want. You can opt for simple party games like Pass the Parcel and include little Pokémon toys as treats, with the main prize being Pokémon related. Or you can play Pin the Tail on Pikachu and other basic games like that. However, we went for the entertainment package where the entertainment was provided by a professional entertainer who engaged the children for up to two hours, while we parents sat back and watched – and possibly opened some Prosecco…
Pokemon Sandy Art Party Package
As mentioned above, we went for a Pokémon Sandy Art party, which was hosted by Melanie, who arrived half an hour earlier to set up four stands that contained four bowls of different coloured sand in each.
A bit of information on sand play
Sandy art or sand play is considered a sensory activity¹, meaning that it involves the child’s five senses² (i.e. taste, touch, smell, hearing, and sight), well eight senses³ in total, actually. Just, FYI, the latter are the senses that tell us where our body is in space, how it is moving and what is happening inside our body (i.e. tummy ache and when you need the loo.) So, sensory activities like sand art and play is a fantastic way for kids to engage in an activity that is mentally and physically stimulating. It is a very developmental process too, as it fine tunes motor skills and encourages kids to tap into that creative part of their brain.
So, how does Sandy Art work?
After Melanie arrived and set everything up, the kids were guided to the end of the hall as soon as they arrived, where Melanie had set up a corner stand of Pokémon design cards. The kids could choose any two designs that they wanted to start the sandy art process. There were also other designs to choose from (for e.g. Disney princesses or Minions) as some of the guests were not very interested in Pokémon.
Melanie peeled away at certain parts of the design cards and let the children have free rein with the sand, so they could decorate their cards as they so wished:
The children tottered around the stands and filled in their first colour before they went back to Melanie who then peeled off a bit more of the card. This way, the rest of the design was unaffected by the sand and it kept the overall look very neat. It’s quite simple, yet so clever!
And the process was repeated until the children had every part of their card filled in with coloured sand.
The finished result was pretty remarkable!
At the end of the activity, the kids had so much fun that they enjoyed having their photos taken with their creations.
If you’d like to learn more about Sandy Art or you’d like to book the above package, you can find Melanie’s contact details on her website. Melanie is very versatile and can offer children’s entertainment for multiple occasions in alternative types of events, for example, weddings (during speeches), workshops, festivals, Holy communions, Family & Fun days and School Fairs.
Going home gifts
Going home gifts are a necessity at parties. Every young guest expects to go home with a treat after the party, whether it is a chocolate bar or a whole myriad of party favours. If your budget allows, you really do have free rein here. We ordered personalised Pokémon Kit Kat bars and a Pokémon pencil from eBay. We also ordered mini Pokémon notepads, but, sadly, they never arrived. We also wrapped up a piece of the birthday cake to include in the Pokémon party bags as well. The great thing about Melanie’s Sandy Art⁴ party is the kids got to keep their two sand designs to take home with them, so these doubled up as great going home gifts for the kids.
If you want to be fancy:
Little Pokémon mini figures or soft toys are a lovely going home gift for the guests and a great keepsake
Pokémon cards – or, even fancier, a Pokémon card set. Children who collect and trade Pokémon cards will love you for this, but it is a bit pricey, especially if you’re buying for up to thirty children.
Pokémon fiction and/or activity books. Young Pokémon fans will receive a book they’d really want to read, and they develop their brain while doing so – win-win!
If the budget doesn’t allow:
Making it yourself is really the best way to save money.
You could make mini cupcakes and buy a set of Pokémon cake toppers to Pokémonise (there’s that word again) them.
Little Pokémon mini keepsakes are a bit of fun for a short period. There is a whole variety to choose from, from yo-yos to bubbles – younger kids still love these kinds of things.
If your child’s birthday party is coming up and they love Pokémon, then I would thoroughly suggest that you check out Melanie’s Sandy Art Entertainment Package. The kids were engaged from beginning to the end of the party and the parents got the chance to sit back and relax for a couple of hours.
Sources
[1] Source from https://pathways.org/blog/sand-play-natures-etch-a-sketch/
How to create an awesome birthday party for your 7-year-old
Your child’s 7th birthday party is an important event because not only is this special occasion wholly about them, but 7 is around the age where your child starts to create long-term memories and hold onto them for years to come. So, let’s make this party a one to remember! Below are some tips on how to create an awesome birthday party for your 7-year-old.
The venue
The first question to ask is whether you want to have the party at home or in another location. If the thought of children running around your home raises your blood pressure, then investigate into places that allow you to hire their facilities for the party. Venues like local halls, churches and some schools may permit you to rent the room out for a few hours at the weekend or entertainment venues, like soft play centres normally offer a party package, so check out their websites or give them a call to find out what is on offer.
If you’re looking to save money on the venue then you can either have the party at home or, if the weather permits, take the party outside and enjoy a picnic or a tea party in the park. But, as the weather can be quite unpredictable, ensure you have a backup plan ready to hand, like a marquee that you can put up at the drop of a hat or take the party back to your place to enjoy the rest of the occasion.
Also, having a joint party can also mean that you’re sharing the cost of the party too, so this may be a wonderful way to save money.
Invitations
I always buy and personalise my sons’ birthday cards from eBay (Kenzie’s Cards are my favourite, I have been using them for years), but you can grab a template from Word and just print out your own. Also, as we live in an age where technology is everywhere, you can save the trees and email your invites to the guests, but make sure that the parents will receive the invite and RSVP early enough to the party.
Entertainment
There are tons of party games and packages that will keep your 7-year-old buzzing with delight and young birthday girls and boys are generally quite forgiving at this age, if everyone is having fun. But, to make the party a truly memorable occasion, create a theme (perhaps based on your child’s favourite character or TV show) and hire an entertainer that will supply the specific entertainment based around that theme. For example, my eldest is obsessed with Pokémon and so, for his 7th birthday party back in December, we hired Michelle from MA Events, who provides Pokémon Lego themed parties (as well as other themes for professional events, including Bar/Bat Mitzvah’s, weddings, corporate parties and other services. Check out Michelle’s website here for more details on her services). Michelle provided the following Pokémon Lego themed entertainment:
Michelle arrived early to set up the activities and got the party started with some music before the guests arrived
The activities included a blank canvas bag, which the guests designed and personalised in their own unique Pokémon style, using the colouring pens and pencils provided by Michelle
There was a little competition after the canvas bag activity where the birthday child got to judge whose bag was the best
During the second activity, the birthday child picked two groups and each group worked together to create a Pokémon-style creation out of the Lego provided. This is a great activity that encourages the children to work together and pool their ideas to invent something from scratch out of Lego.
The canvas bags and an additional bag with a small box of Lego became the party bag gifts for each guest to take home.
The activity section lasted about an hour and then the children went off to eat their food, while Michelle packed everything away.
The Pokémon Lego party theme was a huge hit with both the kids and parents and my son is still talking about the great party he had months later.
For more information on the Pokémon Lego party entertainment and Michelle’s other services, call 07957 581 341 or email michelle@maevents.co.uk.
Food
I always make my birthday cakes from scratch, partly because I’m crazy, but also because the boys beg me every year to make it. But, you don’t have to make your own cakes. Head over to the supermarket stores and you can find a themed birthday cake for as little as £10. Or, google ‘birthday cakes’ and your location and you’ll find local cake makers who can take your child’s birthday cake to another level!
The party food can be as simple or as elaborate as you like. I always make veggie trains, but they rarely get eaten at parties. I found fruit kebabs were the most popular and, of course, sandwiches and crisps. To be honest, food should be simple because the kids at this age won’t care if you’ve made fresh homemade sweet potato muffins or bought fairy cakes from the local store. As long as they can eat the food quickly and then go play afterwards, that is all that matters. Some ideas for party food can be:
Various kinds of sandwiches – I generally use the following fillings: Nutella, cheese and tomato, and tuna and sweetcorn. You can go one further and cut the sandwiches out into desired shapes if you have the cutters to hand
Fruit kebabs as mentioned above, using fruits like grapes, strawberries, apples, and bananas
Veggie trains are literally just bell peppers with the tops cut off, with little veggie sticks, like carrots, cucumbers, and celery placed inside the ‘train’. Include some lettuce at the bottom to mimic grass and make the wheels out of cucumbers (stuck to the sides of the bell peppers with cocktail sticks) and supply some dips like yoghurt sauce and hummus.
Crisps and biscuits are great to have around to grab and go, or you could add them to a large bowl and let the fingers dip in.
For drinks, I always provide jars of squash and little bottles of water to the guests. The grown-ups get fizzy drinks at the side and large bottles of water
Going home time
Adding a time when the party will finish will help people know when to leave. Generally, around this age, 1 ½ to 2 hours is a good length of time. It is normally expected that every child goes home with a party bag, so try to keep the gifts simple. Some entertainers like Michelle from MA Events offer the canvas bags that the kids created during the party, as well as little boxes of Lego as going home gifts. You can also add additional treats like a piece of the birthday cake wrapped in a napkin and a small gift, like stickers, bubbles or crayons – maybe even a small book if your budget can stretch that far.
Whatever you decide to do on your child’s birthday party, remember that the occasion is meant to be a fun party, first and foremost. Don’t get too hung up on the organising and just ensure that you’ve covered all the basics first, like securing the venue and entertainment. Then make sure everyone gets an invite, so they know where to go and what time the party starts and ends. During the party, ensure that all the guests are adequately fed, the kids are well entertained and they all go home with a lovely gift at the end. That’s it. At this age, I can ensure you that if the guests are having fun, that’s all that counts.
*This post may contain affiliate or referral links*
Returning to work after maternity leave
Returning to work after maternity leave can be difficult, especially in today’s job climate. Whether you have been on maternity, adoption or paternity leave, the prospect of heading back to normality and into the workplace can be daunting. From worries about being ‘out of touch’ with your job to leaving your children under the care of someone other than yourself; there is a lot to digest, and it is perfectly normal to feel apprehensive.
Going back to work full-time or even part-time doesn’t have to be scary. With careful planning and preparation before going back to work from maternity leave, you can get in touch with work early and have a good idea of what you have waiting for you when you return. In this article, you will find tips for how to return to work after maternity leave, as well as other important things to consider during this important milestone.
Why is it so hard to return from maternity leave?
Returning to work from maternity leave can be bittersweet if you’re not ready to transition. If you took compulsory or ordinary maternity leave, maybe the period was too short and you wanted to spend more time with your baby. Perhaps you can’t afford to take more leave, or you’re considering going back to work early after maternity leave, but you fear being out of touch with your colleagues.
Planning and preparation can help you power through the unknown and take the plunge into the next chapter in your life. So let’s look at ways we can make this transition easier for you.
Before you go back to work after mat leave
As mentioned above, planning and preparation are key to the transition as smooth as possible. Below are some tips on what to do before your maternity leave is over.
Plan and stay local with childcare
What will you do with your baby when you go back to work? Have you considered childcare, either via friends and family, or a childcare provider?
Where possible, try to find suitable childcare close to your home or work, as this will save you a lot of time with drop-offs and pickups.
Seek referrals from friends, or even your new employer, and do a thorough search on Google. Should you need financial help via the Child Care Subsidy, you can click here for more details.
It is only human to feel anxious about placing your child into the care of someone else, especially if it is your first child. It is worth settling your child into their full childcare routine before you return to work, to allow yourself and your child to become familiarised with the new schedule. By the time you start back at work, you will know what works and what doesn’t.
Legal considerations when choosing your childcare provider
Karen Holden from A City Law Firm advises parents to look at the legal issues concerning traditional childcare providers, namely nannies, childminders, and nurseries. We will look at these in more detail below.
Nannies
A nanny is your employee and in law, an employer-employee relationship exists between you1. All the paperwork must be in order, including a comprehensive employment contract and a detailed disciplinary procedure.
Once you have located a suitable nanny, you can interview them (or conduct a series of interviews). You should be mindful that all potential nannies have the right not to be discriminated against during the recruitment process due to age, gender, race, religion, or sexual orientation.
As an employer, you account for your nanny’s income tax and National Insurance contributions. In addition, you ensure that the amount you pay your nanny meets the National Minimum Wage (certain exceptions apply to live-in nannies). You must provide your nanny with financial documents such as payslips and a P60.
Your nanny is entitled to certain benefits because of the employment relationship, for example, holiday leave, maternity arrangements, provisions about sick leave and redundancy. Importantly, a nanny has rights under employment law; therefore, pay close attention to disciplinary procedures and dismissal. When you need to end the employment of your nanny, legal advice should be taken from a specialist employment law solicitor.
Nannies do not have to be registered or regulated and therefore you should take special care when drafting a contract between yourself and your nanny. It is important to detail the duties you expect of your nanny and the standard of conduct you require.
Key points to consider regarding nannies
You should:
Recruit fairly and do not discriminate
Prepare a comprehensive written contract
Make National Insurance and Income Tax contributions
Seek legal advice concerning disciplinary action or dismissal of your nanny
Childminders
Childminders who look after children under 8 years old for over two hours a day for money must register with Ofsted2 and are regularly inspected and regulated by them. Therefore childminders must comply with the requirements set out by them3. Should a childminder not meet the standard required, then they will not be initially licensed or maybe later disqualified.
You should check the childminder’s’ certificate of registration, which should be visible, and whether they have been suspended from the register. It is important to enquire as to the level of insurance cover that your childminder has obtained. Registered childminders are required to have insurance to cover death, injury, public liability, damage, and other loss.
It is likely that you will have to sign a written contract with your childminder; however, in the absence of a written contract, a verbal contract can still be enforced. Ofsted obliges childminders to make alternative provisions for children should they not be able to provide childcare.
Childminders must not discriminate against providing childcare based on factors such as race, religion, home language, family background, gender, disability, or learning disabilities.
Childminders must have a written statement of procedures and a written complaint procedure available to you, which you should ask to view. In addition, childminders must provide information on the activities that your child will undertake whilst in their care, often shown as activity day books and reports.
Should you need to make a complaint against your childminder, do this in writing or by email directly to your childminder. Your complaint must be fully investigated, and a written response, or by email if requested, provided to you within 28 days of your complaint. Complaints for breaches of the Ofsted standards can be made to Ofsted.
Key points to consider regarding childminders
Childminders:
Regulated by Ofsted
Must display a certification of registration
Must have a written statement of procedure
Must have written information concerning activities
Must have a current first aid certificate
Must have training from an approved training course
Must have a written complaint procedure
Nurseries
Nurseries must be registered with Ofsted and are also regulated and inspected by them. Complaints, however, concerning your child’s welfare can be made to Ofsted, but should initially be made internally through the nursery’s complaint procedure.
Since September 2012, nurseries have had to comply with the Early Years Foundation Stage. This essentially puts the focus of early year care on developing the child and puts the parents and family at the heart of the system. One objective of the new framework is to ensure that those within the industry offer a quality service.
The relationship between yourself and the nursery will be a contractual one. It is important that you carefully read the contract and terms and conditions supplied to you by the nursery before signing them.
Careful attention should be paid to the terms and conditions in relation to the nurseries policy concerning bank holiday’s, notice periods, payment dates and collection of interest, cancellation fees, liability for payment because of closure (e.g. adverse weather), fees for late collection and what happens if your child is unwell.
Should an issue arise in relation to the contract, contact a solicitor who specialises in contractual dispute.
Keep in touch with colleagues
Keeping in touch with colleagues is a great opportunity to keep your relationships with your work friends and bosses. Visit your old place to familiarise yourself and keep up to date with what is going on, to remind you of the key skills you have learnt and keep you in touch with the routine you had. Use your ‘Keeping in Touch’ days, which are paid by your employer, so speak to them about organising these days before your return.
Upskill
Don’t be afraid of upskilling to keep on top of current processes, policies, and practices before you head back to the workplace. It is worth spending some of your free time sharpening up on some key skills or learning something new to put you in good stead when returning to work. Employers like to see that you have spent your own time to advance your skills and keep up with the ever-changing trends, as it shows you are eager to learn and work hard.
There are hundreds of courses available, depending on your industry, from IT to business management, to programming courses. Project Management is a popular choice as it is a widely respected and accredited course, offered by world leading Prince2 training providers. These courses can be completed when it suits you, with both Prince2 training online and weekend courses available, to avoid childcare issues. You could also hire a tutor from websites like Tutor Hunt to help enhance your skill-set.
Get organised
Organisation is key–it is important to plan your time effectively, to avoid rushing around when running to a tight schedule. For example, it is wise to plan your child’s outfit/uniform the night before and pack their bag – and do the same for yourself as well. This can help save you valuable time, as there’s nothing worse than trying to find items of clothing and your trusty notepad five minutes before you have to leave the house.
Organise your work before you can start your working period more efficiently
Make a plan about what you’re going to do in the first week you go back. One of these should include sectioning off about 15 minutes during your work period to go through the ‘unsubscribe’ process for every waste email. That way, you’ll be able to fire off responses to the more important emails coming through and become more efficient at reading and responding to emails.
Plan your meals
It is easy to overlook meal times and make something on the fly or order a takeaway when you get back from work. But do you really want to spend time cooking and washing up after a hard day in the office?
With a little forward planning, you won’t have to, and it could save you a lot of stress.
Try to plan your meals from Monday to Thursday in advance, and where possible, even pre-cook them the weekend before. This is an especially worthwhile thing to do in the first few weeks of starting a new job, when you are trying to get to grips with the new routine.
Cooking up a bolognese, curry, chilli con carne or stew in advance – which you can then freeze and reheat on any day – will save you a lot of time during the week, while still ensuring you eat well.
Not getting your stuff ready the night before is a trap many people fall into. This often results in rushing around like a headless chicken in the morning, and even being late to the office.
Again, forward planning is the key here. For instance, organise what you might wear to work for the week, and have it all ironed and ready to go. That way, you can just pick it out of your wardrobe when you are ready to wear it, and simply put it on. You can do the same for the kids too.
Likewise, be sure that you and the kids have all the things you need for work and childcare, packed and ready to go the night before. This will enable you to leave with minimal stress.
Make lunches the night before too
Making lunches for you and the kids is another thing you can do the night before. You might not put them in your bags overnight. But you will take them straight out of the fridge before you walk out the door. The time you save can add 10 to 15 more minutes to your daily routine.
Bedtime routines
Bedtime routines become super important when you return to work, not just for the kids, but for you too.
While you should ensure your child goes to bed around the same time every night, do the same too. This will enable you to slip into a routine where you can wake up more refreshed and invigorated before you go to work.
Prior to sleep, have some proper time to relax, whatever that looks like, whether that’s watching shows or scrolling through your phone (although keep it on the blue filter or you will struggle to sleep).
Try to get 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night, if your baby lets you, to ensure your mind is active and switched on at work.
Have some ‘me time’ in the morning
It is amazing how many people simply wake up, take the kids to childcare and then go to work without so much as taking a breath.
But therein lies a missed opportunity. Mornings can be tough to wake up for, especially if there is nothing exciting to look forward to or you haven’t had enough sleep the night before. Consider waking up 30 minutes to an hour before you need to and claiming that time for yourself – the right routine is a great way to stay on top of your mental health.
If you have the chance to, going for a run is a great way to start the day or even doing some quiet yoga stretches to not wake the kids. At the very least, enjoy a quiet cup of your favourite hot beverage before the kids wake up and when they do eventually rise, you will be thankful you did have that quiet time to gather your thoughts.
Writing to-do lists
When you return to work, keep to-do lists by your side to mind-dump your millions of tasks in your brain, from both work and at home.
Doing the washing, buying milk, taking out the bins, paying the electricity bill or taking the library books back can go into this list too because it is amazing how much you can remember when you’re not rushing around kids.
When you have a bit of work downtime, write a list of thing you can feasibly complete when you get home, but don’t write down more than five of your most important goals because otherwise you’ll just experience overwhelm and get nothing done.
Organise a cleaning schedule
Cleaning, unfortunately, is something you will need to stay on top of, too. While it may not be something you want to do during the week after a hard day of work, equally you won’t want to spend too much time doing it at the weekend either. Therefore, it is important to establish a cleaning schedule.
A good strategy here is to break up the household chores into smaller chunks. So, for example, clean the bathroom on Monday, give the kitchen a proper clean once over on Tuesday, clean the house on Wednesday, wash the floors on Thursday, etc. That way, you spend around 30 minutes a day completing each individual task and the house is always in a relatively tidy state.
Or if you can afford to, outsource the cleaning so that you can concentrate on other things like investing in time for yourself and your kids.
Your key rights when returning to work
You need to know what your rights are before your first week back at work. For example, how will you divide your working hours and what are your rights when pumping at work? We will discuss your flexible working rights in more detail below.
Your right to request flexible working
If you have had 26 weeks of service with the same employer, then you have a right to make a request to work flexibly. ‘Flexible working’ means you can alter the way you work, for example:
You can change your start and finish times flexibly (known as ‘flexitime’)
You can reduce your hours to work part-time
You can compress your hours to work fewer days
You can request remote working, i.e. work from home or elsewhere
You can ‘job share’ the role with someone else if that’s easier.
Before making the request, speak to your employer informally first to discuss the arrangements and once confirmed, you can make a formal request in writing. Please note you can only make one request under the statutory regime in any 12-month period, so make sure you include all the terms you need to help your transition out of maternity leave. Date the request and explain the change you would like and when you’d like it to start.
State in your letter that you are making the request to care for a child and detail the impact on family life if it is turned down.
Once you make a request, your employer has three months to decide, and this can be extended if both parties agree. They can’t unreasonably deny the request and can only refuse for a ‘permitted business reason’, which may include:
The cost is too much
The change has a detrimental effect on customer demand
It would be too difficult to reorganise work among existing staff
The employer won’t be able to recruit any additional staff
There is a detrimental effect on quality and performance
There is insufficient work during the periods you propose to work
There are planned structural changes going on
You are not eligible to make the request (i.e. you have not been employed for 26 weeks or you have already made a request in the last 12 months)
Your employer has to give a permitted reason within three months and provide factual reasons for the decision, or they will have breached the procedure.
If your flexible working request is accepted then it will be permanently amended in your contract unless you both decide that the arrangement is temporary. You can agree to a trial period of between 3 to 6 months to see if the flexitime is working for you and if you need time, you can extend the trial period until you are both in a decision to accept a final change.
It’s important to consider how to improve work performance by focusing on wellbeing, especially when you have another full-time job to add to the hat at home, so requesting flexible working is not just a right but it will help you manage and multitask your two roles.
Questions to ask to better the return to work
How to deal with being a working mum
There is a lot to think about at work and then there will be a lot to think about at home. How do you manage both and not go mad? Here are some tips on how to manage the dual-responsibilties.
Divide your time between your work and your kids
It’s hard to put the phone or the laptop away when you have tasks that weren’t completed that day. But, it’s very difficult to work on both looking after the kids and completing your work tasks at optimum capacity. Of course, if you have no choice you have no choice but if you do, put your work away and be 100% present with the kids. That way you can minimise guilt and be 100% at work.
Allow online platforms to do some of the admin work for you
Some websites like Hiive and LinkedIn are awesome for networking and finding business. As long as you’ve set up your profile properly and added your skills, talents, and work experience, allow these websites to find you business without you having to scour the internet for them. This saves you so much time and allows you to focus on the other tasks on your to do list. Hiive is more of a creative platform, so if you have a creative business, this website would be perfect for you.
If you’re employed then most of these processes would have been set for you by your employer, but for those who work from themselves, outsource where possible to increase time better spent where it’s needed the most.
Talk to your kids about what you do
If you have older kids, then talking to them about work may help them understand why you’re not there all the time, perhaps during the school run or during the day. You’ll be amazed at how children’s perspectives can make you see things from a whole new angle. But, not only that, your kids will get to know you better and you will get to know them better.
Talk to your partner about what you do
The same point applies for your partner. If you work during the evening, like I do, sometimes your partner may feel left out. Or, it’s been a while since you’ve spent any real time together. Talking to your partner about what work you have going on at the moment and the deadlines you face with will give them a better understanding of the pressure you are under and may even offer some helpful advice and support. And, vice versa, be there for your partner if they have any issues at work. Mommy Authority has some great tips on work/life balance too.
Other options when returning to work doesn’t work
It’s worth looking at alternatives to employment if having a baby has completely changed your outlook on working. Having a baby is a life-changing experience, so a change of heart is quite common. Do you like being your own boss, going freelance and making a bit of money on the side?
Choosing to become a stay-at-home mum
You may find that before you had your baby, you were adamant you would go back from maternity leave and return to work the moment you had the chance to recover. And, now you’ve had your baby, your mentality has changed considerably from one day to the next, especially if you’re a new mum.
The financial pressures of finding childcare may seem too much to bear or you cannot leave your child in the hands of someone else. Whatever the reason is for wanting to stay at home and not returning to work after maternity leave, it all depends on whether you can survive on your partner’s salary alone. Can you afford to give up work?
You may well be able to cut living costs and expenses, but you also have to consider long-term job prospects as well. Would you consider going back to work after maternity leave at a later date and how easy/difficult would it be to climb that career ladder later on down the line?
If you can’t afford to become a stay-at-home mum, but you don’t want to go back to your old job then consider applying for a new job or working for yourself as an option to bringing in some money for the family.
Taking additional maternity leave
If you take additional maternity leave, will it be unpaid? Will your employer allow more leave and will you be sharing this leave with your partner? Discuss options with your employer if you are simply not ready to go back yet. More new mums are taking this option, so employers are not new to this concept.
Finding a new job
Some say the hardest challenge is building up the confidence to apply to jobs, as the lack of assurance becomes a barrier to parents who have opted to take a few years out of the workplace to look after their children. However, despite having some time away from the workplace, the experience you have gained – both from inside the workplace and at home – is highly valuable to employers.
If you have been a stay-at-home-mum and you have a long gap in your CV, then use your transferable skills as a multi-tasking parent as a reason you are qualified to apply for that position. Being a stay-at-home parent requires discipline, organisation, energy and perseverance.
All you need to do is dress those buzzwords up and relate them to the vacancy. If you would prefer to get some professional help to draft and plan your CV, look, for professional resume writing services who know how to spin these gaps in your CV as attractive skills and competencies that can relate to the role that you are applying for.
If you do not have a job but would like to find one, head over to the best job websites. For example, on Jooble, you will find many great open positions in different industries.
Becoming self-employed
Working for yourself can be the perfect alternative to working around your family and there are tons more options available to working mums now than there have ever been, thanks to entrepreneurial mothers, increasing maternity leave pay, opening up new businesses and creating new jobs for others.
Being self-employed means you work for yourself, either for your own business or for someone else’s business. But you dictate your hours, time, and fees, so you can be flexible enough to work around your children. The first thing you would need to do is register yourself as self-employed with the HMRC and then decide whether you want to start your own business or work for someone else.
Self-employed and starting your own business
If you are looking to start your own business, you would need to first make sure your business idea is viable. Is there a market need or are you a professional in your chosen niche? Can you gain a profit from the business so you are making money?
Choose the perfect name for your business and do your market research. Create a business plan and work out how you will make your money. Make sure you start all the marketing early, i.e. design your logo, register a domain name and build a website. Ensure your email and website are set up correctly so you can liaise with your clients, build email lists and gain business.
Make sure you get your finances in order before you start. A good accounting and cash flow program can help with this. It’s a good idea to start with something simple to log incomings and outgoings related to the business like FreshBooks which is a great invoicing tool for beginners who feel overwhelmed and worry about making mistakes with their money. As you plan to grow your business, you can then outsource and use an accountant to sort out the money side of things.
You can find lots of resources online for setting up your own business from home. A good place to start would be www.startups.co.uk, as this website goes through setting up your own business from the very beginning in simple English.
Self-employed and working for someone else
Careers like PAs, Bookkeepers and VAs (Virtual Assistants) offer flexi-hours and career options, plus the pay is getting better and more competitive within these industries. Roles like Executive PA Courses offer classroom PA Training because it is important to experience face-to-face soft skills training for a people-facing role. Also, it is important to update your skills to compete with people leaving university or school with fresh and modernised skills.
Four lessons we’ve learned about maternity leave
I have never taken maternity leave as I work for myself, so I have taken maternity allowance. But, after speaking to multiple women about how they felt after returning to work from maternity leave, these were the four overriding lessons they learned.
Don’t expect your coworkers to understand
Your coworkers can be sympathetic to your new responsibility and they can even be helpful, but don’t expect them to understand how it feels coming into the office on two hours’ sleep because you were up dealing with a crying baby the night before.
Your employers can be reasonable and offer flexitime but, the sad truth is, you’re not as important as you think you are and you are at work with others who are struggling with their own relative problems and competing for roles within the business. You’re there to do a job and as flexible as your employer can be, you need to fulfil the role you are expected to do.
Noone, but no one expects you to be on it on your first day at work after maternity leave, so give yourself some time to get back into the groove.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help
That said, don’t be afraid to ask for help. It takes a village to raise a baby, and that saying has never been more true today than when it was hundreds of years ago – even more so now that parents are expected to do everything. Call in favours to look after your children when you have an emergency work meeting or request to work from home when your child is having a mental health day off (these are real).
Ask other employees to complete tasks if they can be delegated and ask your partner to do the laundry that night so you can get an extra five minutes’ rest. Ask for help – the worst they can say is no, in which case ask someone else. Don’t suffer in silence.
Do connect with other working parents
It can get quite lonely dealing with the pressure of working parenthood when your colleagues are either single or don’t have kids of their own. Connect with other working parents so that you can bounce ideas off each other and provide that much-needed advice and support. You might even make new friends for life.
Plus, there is nothing more reassuring than when another working mum says, ‘I totally get how you feel, I feel that way too.’ It confirms that one, you’re not crazy, two, you’re not weak, and three, you’re not alone.
Be confident in your decision
Many parents who have taken time away from the workplace feel incredibly nervous about their return date. After spending a considerable amount of time away, it is normal to feel uneasy about your maternity leave ending. Trust your instincts will kick in and you will do the right thing. And if you haven’t, then it’s fixable.
Use your right to flexible working to help you ease back into the workplace and be confident in yourself that, yes, you’ve had a baby but you are still that person who worked in that same role before you had your baby – you’ve just taken some time out is all.
When going back to work after maternity leave, seek advice from other parents who have taken a break in their career and ask them how they dealt with the change in routine. It is worth speaking to your employer or HR department and asking about flexible hours in the first few months to help ease you into the new schedule and settle your child into new childcare arrangements.
Lastly, call in favours where possible if you’re struggling with the change, whether that be backup childcare or speaking to someone about your struggles. Try to leave work at work when you come home and use what precious time you have as ‘me’ time to rejuvenate.
You’ve got this. Good luck.
FAQ
What are my rights as an employee returning from maternity leave? My job wants to keep the person who temporarily replaced me while on maternity leave by giving them one of my shifts every month. Is this allowed?
“You are entitled to your normal contractual terms and conditions, apart from ‘remuneration’ (your wages/salary), during ordinary and additional maternity leave. This means you are entitled to continue to accrue your normal benefits such as paid holiday as if you were at work.”
Can an employer terminate a female employee who just returned after maternity leave?
Other questions asked were:
Can an employer terminate a female employee who just returned after maternity leave?
“It is possible to be dismissed (sacked or fired) when pregnant or during family-related leave (maternity, adoption or shared parental leave), but your dismissal should be fair. You should not be dismissed because of your pregnancy or family-related leave.”
Can you negotiate to work from home after maternity leave?
This article tells you how to negotiate a part-time or flexible return from maternity leave.
Can my employer ask when I will return from maternity leave?
“An employer can ask when you are going to return to work. It is advisable to provide as much information as you can, but you should not: Be put under pressure to provide information about when you will return before you are obliged to do so.”
Questions to ask when returning from maternity leave?
This article has some great questions to ask after you return to work after maternity leave.
How do I cope with returning to work after maternity leave?
Other questions asked were:
How to cope with returning to work after maternity leave?
How do I cope with returning to work after maternity leave?
See above for tips on how to make your return to work an easier transition.
When you return to work after maternity leave how do you cope up with your baby especially when they are breastfed?
See above for tips on how to go back to work after maternity leave.
How does a first time mother feel when she returns back to work after a maternity leave?
“Going back to work after maternity leave often comes with a rollercoaster of emotions for many mums. The ‘mum guilt‘ makes an appearance when you think about leaving your little one, topped with the apprehension and worry whether you can still do your job on little sleep and months of being in ‘mum mode’.”
Can I go back to work before my maternity leave has ended?
“You can go to work on the day that you are due back, although ideally your employer should reach out to have a conversation about your return to work during your maternity leave. Your employer should have written to you to confirm the date your maternity leave ends.”
Returning to work early from maternity leave can be hard at any stage of parenthood, but you will experience varying issues. For example, going back to work 1 month after having a baby will differ greatly from going back to work when baby is 2 years old. After 1 month, you’re still in your postnatal period. You may be breastfeeding, your hormones are still raging and you’re likely having broken sleep.
When your child is two, you are more settled into a routine at home; you feel stronger perhaps as a parent and you may feel more ready to go back to work. But you’ve been away from work for longer and you may feel more out of touch with the real world outside of your four walls.
It’s important you speak to your employer at both stages to discuss how you will transition smoother for you and discuss variations on your contract accordingly.
How long after returning from maternity leave can I quit?
“You are entitled to remain on maternity leave for up to 52 weeks and resign towards the end of your maternity leave period if you decide that you are not able to return to work.”
Can you not go back to work after maternity leave?
What if I don’t return to work after maternity leave?
Should I return to work after maternity leave?
“You’re entitled to return to the same job after maternity leave if you’ve been away 26 weeks or less. Your pay and conditions must be the same as or better than if you hadn’t gone on maternity leave. It’s unfair dismissal and maternity discrimination if your employer says you can’t return to the same job.”
See above for options if you don’t want to return to work.
When should I return to work after maternity leave?
Other questions asked:
When should a woman return to work after pregnancy?
“Most women wait about six weeks from their baby’s birth date to return to work, though some doctors will clear a new mother for work as early as three weeks postpartum. Complications during delivery or C-section may prolong recovery time.”
Is it hard to go back to work after maternity leave?
When you do have to return to work after maternity leave it can be a difficult time for many reasons, but sometimes the concerns before are greater than when you actually return to work. So if you plan and prepare accordingly, using the tips above on how to return to work after maternity leave it should make it an easier transition for you when it’s time.
How many mothers return to work after maternity leave?
“Fewer than one-in-five of all new mothers, and 29 per cent of first-time mothers, return to full-time work in the first three years after maternity leave.22″
Is going back to work after maternity leave a difficult time for all mums?
It can be, depending on your situation. Some mums are more than ready to return to work. They might not agree with being a stay at home mum or they may not have a choice but to return to work, even if they don’t want to.
“Some employers offer a gradual return to work where you start doing fewer hours or days than usual – often called a ‘phased return’. If you’d like to do this, it’s a good idea to speak to your employer about this in advance so they know your plans.”
[1] Nannies who look after children from different families can be self-employed and therefore must account for their own taxes. It would still be prudent to have a written contract between yourselves.
[2] Depending on the age of your children, your childminder will have to be registered on the Early Years Register and/or the Childcare Register.
[3] Including provisions under the Early Years foundation stage framework since September 2012.
*Collaborative feature post*
Choosing a Baby Rattle
When you plan for the arrival of your baby, baby rattles frequently come as an afterthought. More often than not, you just purchase the first available baby rattle you see or use the ones gifted during baby showers. It appears that baby rattles have been relegated to an inconsequential extra. However, as you will discover, rattles for babies actually play a an important role in the mental and physical development of your baby.
Benefits of a baby rattle
A baby rattle makes a distinctive sound when shaken. This will attract the attention of your baby, who will bring the rattle closer. The new movement will once again create a sound, which will also attract baby again. This repeated loop will gradually and indirectly strengthen your baby’s upper limb muscles while improving his/her hand-eye coordination and sound recognition. The shape and colours of the rattle, meanwhile, will help enhance baby’s colour and depth perception, and spatial awareness.
Babies don’t begin to comprehend the existence of their arms and hands until they are about two months old. So, rattles should be introduced around that time, when you start to see your baby clench, open and wave around his/her fists.
Choosing the right baby rattle
There is a dizzying choice of rattles on the market, so deciding on one can be a little overwhelming. However, there are actually just a few factors you need to consider when buying one.
Choose a soft rattle:
Babies tend to hit the rattle on their head. As such, using beautiful wooden rattles or fancy silver ones may not be such a good idea. Instead, opt for a soft and light rattle that will prevent your baby from crying out in pain or tiring under its weight.
Material:
There are some lovely wooden rattles sold online and in baby shops. However, keep in mind that babies will use their rattles for teething. Unless you are confident of the non-toxicity of the varnish, paint and glue used on the surface of the rattle, you’re probably better buying a plastic one. Plastic rattles are also so much easier to clean – just a gentle wipe and the occasional wash will clean them up well.
Age Appropriate Rattles:
Consider rattles that match the mental and physical development of your baby. When you give your baby a rattle for the first time (around two months old), the rattle should be light and free of any bells and whistles. By the time your baby is three to four months old, the rattle should be able to generate sound when rattled. When baby is six months old, it’s time to help develop his/her fine motor skills. Go for rattles with an interactive button (or buttons) that will emit sound or light when pressed. Within a few months, your baby should be able to press the button at will. And, when your baby starts teething at around nine months (earlier for some babies), buy rattles that can withstand constant chewing and contain no toxic material.
It may sound like a time consuming process, but today’s world brings a plethora of stores available to parents, with a vast array of rattles suitable for your baby – you can even find a selection of baby rattles at the large supermarkets where you buy your groceries!
*Collaborative feature post*
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Feel Good Contacts Review– cheapest online contact lenses
I am a long-term contact lens and glasses wearer – I started wearing glasses at around 12 years old and then contact lenses at 16. So, I’ve spent more than half my life wearing corrective lenses. Considering I’ve spent about £25 per box every month, that is… hold on, let me work out the total amount… approximately £12,000 on contact lenses so far!
Now, considering I change my prescription glasses every few years or so and each pair of glasses costs, on average, £400 minimum, I have spent around £4,800 on glasses thus far. Plus, as I have Myopia (short-sightedness) and Astigmatism (distorted vision at all distances), I have to wear special contact lenses and glasses, which cranks the price up even further.
The brand of contact lenses I used to wear was Johnson & Johnson 1 Day Acuvue Moist for Astigmatism*, which normally costs me around £25 to £40 per box, depending on where I buy the contact lenses online. Luckily I found an online retailer called Feel Good Contacts* which sell Toric lenses for astigmatism* at a super cheap £20 a box. Each contact lens case holds 30 contacts so that’s just 67p a lens!* I now wear Acuvue Oasys 1 Day for Astigmatism* which I find more comfortable and cost just £23.90 per box.
Want to go even cheaper than that?
The comfi Daily Disposable contact lenses* are just £8.49 a box – that’s just 28p per lens!*
So, below is my Feel Good contact lenses review of the website, lenses and Feel Good Contacts’ online delivery service. So, if you’re a contact lenses wearer and you’d like to receive a discount on your eye care and sunglasses, then stay tuned because there’s more information to follow.
Who are Feel Good Contacts?
Feel Good Contacts is currently the cheapest online retailer of contact lenses in the market, due to their Price Match Guarantee, so customers can save up to 50% on their contact lenses. To top that off, Feel Good Contacts also offer next day delivery on orders made before 7 pm, which is a lifesaver for me, as there have been many a time when I’ve gone to use my contact lenses and I realised I was fresh out… Glasses don’t stay on my face when I have two boys and a toddler girl hanging off my limbs…
So, I’m going to take you through buying contact lenses from Feel Good Contacts and review their delivery service, as well as the contact lenses themselves.
Feel Good Contacts’ website – purchasing the contacts
Your first port of call is Feel Good Contacts’ website, which is https://www.feelgoodcontacts.com*.
Straight away you will see the offers that Feel Good Contacts have available at that moment, along with reviews left by other customers, which is always handy. If you know what you’re looking for, there is a navigation menu on the left-hand side, which displays the brands, type of contact lenses, manufacturer and even the optician you’re looking for. I know what I’m looking for – So I’ll head straight to ‘Torics for Astigmatism’*, as seen below:
I click on ‘1 Day Acuvue Moist for Astigmatism*’ or ‘Acuvue Oasys 1 Day for Astigmatism’* and then fill out my prescription details. Make sure to consult your optician or take an eye test to update your prescription as Feel Good Contacts won’t check your prescription details – it is your responsibility to get this right.
Once you’ve done that, proceed to the purchase page and buy your contact lenses. You have the option for them to be delivered the next day on a tracked service (if ordered before 7pm Monday to Saturday), Guaranteed Next Day delivery by 1 pm or Click & Collect from the closest station.
The contacts, as promised, were delivered the next day in a rather large box (as I had six packs of 30 contact lenses inside). The products inside were carefully presented, which is a lovely touch and there was a rather surprising, but very welcoming present inside too!
I could have given these sweets to my boys… but…
As I wear my contact lenses for at least six hours a day, my eyes dry out a lot by late afternoon/early evening. So, these below Blink Tear Vials eye drops* came in very handy!
Onto the contact lenses.
I’ve been wearing the contact lenses for about a month now and they haven’t given me any trouble at all. They keep my eyes moist during the day and they don’t move around or scratch my eyes, which is great. When I’m out and about, I really don’t feel them in my eyes. But, towards the end of the day, my eyes get tired and dry, so I normally take them out at that point and put on my glasses. The eye drops, however, have allowed me a further couple of hours of use, if I can’t get to my glasses in time.
Other money-saving options on Feel Good Contacts
If you’re a monthly contact lens wearer
You can buy either a 3-pack* or 6-pack* of the highly-rated Air Optix Aqua monthly contact lens for just £12.89 to £25.78, which is a huge saving.
You can currently get the comfi All-in-One Solution Triple Pack cleaning solutions for just £9.99.* Top sellers Comfi have tons of different contact lens options.
If you’re looking to buy in bulk, then the Dailies AquaComfort Plus (90 Pack)* costs just £41.55 at the moment. Don’t forget you can get an extra 10% off your first order when you sign up.
Feel Good contacts sell sunglasses too!
Feel Good contacts also sell glasses and to protect you from the sun, they have a vast range of polarised and fully UV protective sunglasses where you can make a massive saving too. I love the round square wayfarer sunglasses and they’re super cheap too!
You have tons of frame shapes: aviator, oval, rectangle etc. so check it out and you can always contact customer service if you can’t find something you’re looking for in particular. They have a live chat service but you can also call on 0800 458 2090 if you need optical advice.
You can also ask them whether they have a Feel Good contacts coupon code you can use at checkout – don’t ask, don’t get, right!
One of the brands Calvin Klein sunglasses is on sale and costs just £83.13. And with 10% off your first order, that’s just £75!
Other brands include Gucci, Hugo Boss, Tommy Hilfiger, Versace and Jimmy Choo, so take your pick because they are all discounted at the moment.
Are you a student? Get further discounts!
You can get a Feel Good contacts student discount if you are at uni. Students get 16% off their first order if they are full time students. Click here to select your student discount provider and you will then be redirected to a new page.
Does Feel Goods Contacts ship to US?
Yes! Feel Good contacts delivery to USA is tracked and takes 7 to 10 business days if your order before 7pm BST. Delivery costs from £9.50.
Feel Good Contacts Returns
If you’ve ordered the wrong lenses, your item has been damaged or you no longer need it, Feel Good Contacts have a 100% money-back guarantee or exchange. They also offer free tracked returns and a full refund (not including delivery charges) within 90 days of purchase. Check out this page for more details on their returns policy.
Overall opinion
From start to finish, Feel Good contact lenses’ service was seamless – it was super simple to order the contacts I wanted – they arrived the next day and were beautifully wrapped, with Haribo’s in the box too (nice touch!). I had no problems with the contacts at all, plus, I saved a lot of money using Feel Good Contacts’ service because the contacts are only £19.90 a box – that’s a clear £5 saving per box every time. It’s no surprise that Feel Good store reviews’ and Trustpilot score is 9.6/10.
So that’s my Feel Good Contacts Review UK version. Why don’t you give it a try for yourself? If you are a contact lenses wearer, looking for some prescription sunglasses, or you just require general eye accessories, check out Feel Good Contacts because the amount you can save on your eye care will become substantial over the years.
So, head over to https://www.FeelGoodContacts.com and get 10% off your first order now!
What about you? Do you prefer contact lenses or glasses and why? Share your favourite brand in the comments below.
*I was gifted 3 months’ supply of Contact Lenses and Intensive Eye Drops from Feel Good Contacts, but all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own
*Links marked with a ‘*’ are affiliate links which means I may earn a small commission when you click through to buy at no extra cost to you
*Prices are correct as at 7 June 2021
4 expert laundry hacks for mums
Pui-San Wong is the Operations Executive at Laundrapp, who collect, clean, and deliver laundry across the UK. Here, she shares her top tips for getting your washing done quickly, efficiently, and without any mishaps.
When you have kids, the amount of laundry you need to do each week can double or even triple. And, once you’ve washed, dried, and sorted everything, it can feel you have little time left to do anything else.
To help you out, I’m going to share some expert laundry hacks that will help you get through your laundry quicker than ever before. These hints and tricks could help your clothes to look and feel much better, too. Read on to learn how you can tackle your family’s washing more efficiently.
Sort your clothes into different washing baskets
During laundry day, do you rifle through a basket full of dirty clothes, looking for all the white, dark, or delicate pieces that you can wash together? Not only is this unhygienic, but it can be time-consuming, too. Plus, finding a pair of black socks at the bottom of your basket after you’ve washed all your dark colours can be really disappointing when you were hoping to see your basket completely empty for once.
To save time and stop you from having to create piles of dirty washing on your floor every laundry day, buy different baskets for the kinds of washes you do. Or, you can opt for a basket that comes with compartments.
Use the towel trick to help your clothes dry faster
If you use your tumble dryer when you’re short on time but still find that it takes longer to dry your clothes than you would like, try the towel trick. This involves throwing a clean, dry, and preferably thick towel in with your wet washing for the first 15–20 minutes of it being in the dryer. This will help to absorb a lot of the excess moisture, drastically reducing the time your washing will take to dry.
Hang clothes up straight out the dryer
Ironing is the chore that Brits hate the most, according to YouGov. It can take a lot of time and effort — plus, you don’t always get the results you’re after. So, to reduce the amount of ironing you must do, try hanging your family’s clothes up as soon as they come out the dryer. Most wrinkles should simply fall out, and this will also prevent any stubborn creases from being made through folding.
This tip should help to reduce your ironing pile dramatically, and you’ll only be left with the likes of formal shirts, suit trousers, and skirts or dresses that are prone to creasing.
Throw a ball of tin foil in your dryer
If you aren’t a fan of dryer sheets, or you need to dry a load of washing and don’t have any to hand, throwing a couple of balls of tin foil in your dryer can do a similar job, but without the residue. They will help to remove static from your clothing and can even help your washing to dry faster.
This is also an eco-friendly and cost-effective option when compared to dryer sheets, as a ball of tin foil can be used in this way for up to six months. Just make sure you replace your tin foil when it starts to look worse for wear.
Being a mum can be hard work and saving energy and time is always helpful. If you take these expert laundry hacks on board, you should find your laundry becomes much easier to manage. And, you’ll have even more time to enjoy the fun and exciting aspects of being a parent!
* Post written by Pui-San Wong, Operations Executive at Laundrapp*
Christmas Spiced Apple and Walnut Chutney Recipe
I am not a huge fan of mulled wine, mince pies and Christmas cake, but what I am partial to is creating a Christmassy version of my favourite dishes, like my Christmas Tree pastries, Christmas pancakes and delicious chutney sauces.
This particular chutney recipe has been taken from The Ideas Kitchen and slightly adapted to serve four people. And, because we do not have a bread maker, my version uses a slow cooker instead. This particular recipe takes a long time to make in a slow cooker, so please allow at least 6 hours for this recipe.
The Ideas Kitchen has some great Christmas chutney recipes on their website, but this one particularly caught my eye because I am a huge apple chutney fan and I would love to taste a Christmas spiced version of this recipe.
A few points to note before you start. I have included the cup measurements to each ingredient because my weighing scales’ batteries died on me. So, if you do not have any weighing scales to hand, then you can still make this recipe. Also, each Bramley apple weighs approximately 80g, which means that you will need around six Bramley apples for this recipe. I only used four because 1) I would be the only person eating the chutney, 2) the final recipe will have a more subtle apple spice to it and 3) the boys ate the other two apples…
Moving on.
So, without further ado, here is the recipe for the Christmas Spiced Apple and Walnut Chutney. Spoiler alert – it is delicious!
[yumprint-recipe id=’6′]
(I am using Lakeland’s Crockpot Slow Cooker in this recipe – more details on this slow cooker here – http://bit.ly/2BrNoKh)
(I’m using the Babymoov Nutribaby+ food processor component for this recipe – more details on this processor can be found here – http://bit.ly/2jbr1kg)
You will be left with one tasty chutney that looks like this:
I enjoyed my new deliciously zingy apple chutney with some Ryvita, feta cheese and tomato. I’m trying to enjoy a new veganish lifestyle, so I would replace the feta with some Violife – still tastes pretty darn good, though!
Some tips on what you should pair this Spiced Apple and Walnut Chutney with over Christmas:
Inside the best sandwich of the year – the leftover Christmas dinner sandwich!
My special Christmas dinner sandwich – Yorkshire pudding, chutney, meat, chutney, potato, more chutney
With pate
Mix with Greek yoghurt and have as a dip
Grilled cheese sandwich
Do you have any other tips on how to use chutney over the Christmas period? Share in the comments below!
6 reasons why you should take your baby to Blackpool
Going on holiday with a baby can be stressful. There’s a lot you need to think about, like packing the right clothes, the right snacks, the right mind…
Travelling can also be unsettling for a youngster, so one of the best places to visit with babies and young children is a town that is heaving with family-oriented amenities and Blackpool comes up trumps when it comes to a short fun-filled trip with the entire family.
Know where to go
Blackpool can be whatever you want it to be. Whether your youngster lets down their hair at Jungle Jim’s in The Blackpool Tower or you take on an ice skating challenge as a family at The Arena, there’s something for everyone to get involved in – including your baby! Visiting for the first time can be overwhelming, so planning your activities in advance makes sense. Also do your research as you may find free days out for the whole family to enjoy.
Find a comfortable hotel
With hundreds of hotels in Blackpool, there’s no doubt you’ll find somewhere to stay – even if you book at the last minute. However, if you want your stay to be extra special, then make sure you look at the best B&B in Blackpool on the Toprooms website.
Book your tickets in advance
The best part about Blackpool is its breadth and mass appeal. If you’re a thrill seeker, then you can take a ride on The Big One or the reverse bungee off the Pier, while if you prefer a quieter day, then there’s shopping, museums, aquariums and The Circus to consider. But if you want to make sure your holiday is as stress-free as possible, then book tickets to attractions and events in advance. That way you’ll be guaranteed entry and arrangements will be made so that there’s room for your buggy and your baby.
Invest in a suitable buggy
Blackpool is a big place – in fact, its promenade is 1.6 miles long – so having a comfortable stroller will keep your baby warm and secure while you explore the sights and sounds of the town. If you haven’t already got a suitable buggy for your baby, there are lots of options to consider, such as a pram, 3-wheeler buggy, pushchair, lightweight buggy or tandem buggy.
Bring a companion
Some of Blackpool’s most celebrated attractions, like its Pleasure Beach and Blackpool Tower, are great fun, but you’ll find it easier to unwind if you’ve got a friend or partner to keep you company. Trawling the streets with a buggy is fine, but when you want to jump on a ride or travel to the top of the Tower, having a companion gives you peace of mind.
Wrap up warm
It doesn’t matter what time of year you visit Blackpool – you’ll probably need your warm woolly coat. Being a coastal town, Blackpool is known for its nippy weather and wind, so it makes sense to pack a jumper and a pair of gloves to keep you and your baby warm.
There you have it – a few things to bear in mind when visiting Blackpool with your baby or young children. Whether it’s your first visit or you’re a Blackpool frequent, have fun!
