When are you having another baby?

From the day that my daughter was born people have been asking me when I’m having another. During the first year, when people asked, I would get the overwhelming urge to punch them in the chops! My husband was never coming near me again! However, as time went on I warmed to the idea but now that she’s 4 and I’m nearly 40 I’m not convinced.

I know people don’t mean malice, but I do think they need a friendly reminder to think before they speak. There may be two really good reasons that people haven’t had any more children.

a) They’ve made a conscious decision not to have any more due to age, finances, concerns for the environment, emotional state; they don’t like kids and/or they don’t need anyone to look after them in their old age and are blissfully happy with one.

b) Or they haven’t been able to!

Just think next time! A little frontal screening goes a long way!

1 in 3 children in London do not own a book!

I was absolutely horrified to read in a paper a few weeks ago, that 1 in 3 children in London do not own a book! One child, when asked to bring a book into school, brought an Argos catalogue as this was the only book in the house. Bloody hell! I believe this stems to busy parents, economics and the advent of technology. Kids prefer an X-box/Playstation to a book any day. I’m not pointing fingers, as working parents ourselves, we’re guilty as well but personally I think this is very sad.

My hubby and I are not book worms, it’s not that we can’t read we just don’t read a lot, we prefer online magazines, newspapers, twitter and blogs. I also belong to a book club and have done so for 10 years but to be honest I rarely make it through a book.

However, ever since Madame was very young we’ve always emphasized reading and read her 3 books every night religiously, unless it’s a really long one then maybe only two. Even when we can’t be arsed and skip a few pages, sadly she’s at the age now that she pulls us up on it! As an ex-teacher you’ll be amazed at the benefits of reading to your kids for a mere 10 minutes a night. Sorry, I’ll get off my soapbox now!

Like with anything, including wine, moderation is the key. I’m an IT consultant who works in education and have done so for the past 10+ years. I don’t know how many times I’ve said that technology is to compliment what you’re doing and not to replace. My daughter is 3.5 and is a complete whizz on my iphone, I have it loaded up with games, music and videos for her…but the difference is they all have an educational element, she’s none the wiser. You won’t find Angry birds on my phone.

Nothing compares to breaking the spine on a new book, turning the pages and losing yourself!

This weekend, we sorted out Madame’s reading corner. I was inspired by Trapped in North Jersey. We’re very limited on space but I think it’s perfect. They’re picture ledges from Ikea (115cm) and only £8 each, bargain! What do you think?

I’m no Annabel Karmel

Hands up, how many of you own an Annabel Karmel cookbook? The days of Annabel Karmel are long gone in our house and I’ve been known to serve spaghetti out of a tin, beans on toast or worse, McDonald’s. However, we were recently sent Annabel’s Kitchen, My First Cookbook to have a look at. I frequently use children’s cookbooks as it’s indicative of my cooking abilities but I also like flipping through them for inspiration for meals for Madame.

So far, I’ve tried two of the recipes, Oriental Plum Chicken Wraps and the Meatball Pasta Bake and before I go any further, they were both delicious.

However, as a working mum I often don’t have the time, energy or ingredients to make Cat and Mouse baked potatoes, Jelly sailboats or Bagel Snakes! By the time I fly through the door at about 6pm, I only have an hour with my daughter and I don’t want to spend all this time in the kitchen. I do involve her with the cooking and she enjoys it but she has the attention span of a newt and normally wanders off half way through, leaving me to do the rest.

I know Ms. Karmel is busy building an empire but I’d bet my life on it that she doesn’t do this herself at home. Books like this just add to my level of guilt as a parent. Please can you just give me recipes that are quick, healthy and don’t require 20 ingredients! I also found it very frustrating that the recipes were all mixed together, separate sections for mains, puddings etc, could save me a valuable 5 minutes.

Saying all this I am looking forward to trying the Lamb Biryani and the Prawn and Sausage Paella but I’ll have to save them for my day off.

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How to remove objects from kid’s ears and noses

My daughter isn’t the first child to stick things in places where they shouldn’t go. You may remember the time I had to suck a pea out of her nose but managed to avoid A&E, genius.

Last night she was supposed to be in bed. But we could hear her pitter pattering around upstairs, really didn’t think much about it. We found her whimpering at the top of the stairs. We discovered that she had got into my make-up and then sprayed hairspray in her eyes. In hindsight, it was a bit frightening as she was crying at the top of the stairs and she could’ve easily have fallen down them. After administering basic first aid, I did a quick Google search and learned that hairspray will hurt but won’t cause permanent damage.

Tonight, she has excelled herself!

Why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why….

…words that will bring any grown mother to her knees sobbing. My daughter is now 3.5 and we have been suffering this for the last 6 months. I don’t want to stifle her curiosity. One of the biggest things I want her to develop is a natural curiosity to learn, I do want her to ask why, but not every 10 seconds and in a vacuous attention seeking manner.

I do my best to answer her fully, but eventually I find myself pulling my hair out and reverting to being my mother and saying because I said so. Not cool!

I’ve tried everything, including ignoring her when I’m about to explode, but I still get the overwhelming urge to run out the front door screaming or throw myself from a moving car.

But, I think I’ve cracked it………….

Seriously, it’s so simple and will result in hours of fun and a sure fire way to release stress. For the most part we start by answering her ‘why’ questions, but if she carries on in an attention seeking manner we now say…..

WHY NOT???

It’s genius and works a treat! Hours of fun really and it really shuts her up.

You can thank me later.