Making New Friends (Parents and Children!)

Helping little ones make friends, to form bonds, have fun, learn to share and interact with children is just one of the very many ways that parents help their little ones develop. Unless you are surrounded by friends with little ones already meeting other children and parents (we can all do with some adult conversation from time to time!) can be harder than it sounds. 

If you are looking to meet other parents and children these are all great places to start: 

Netmums, Facebook and Similar Online Resources While Netmums is a website it also serves as a fantastic resource for local information. Users have access to local pages and news and some areas operate a Netmums meet-up group where parents and their little ones can get together and socialise.

Facebook is an incredibly popular social media site which often advertises local mum and dad groups, children's activities and more as well as local meet-ups.

*As with any meetings arranged over the internet though make sure it is in a suitable public place etc.  

Playdates Playdates are a great way to spend time with others, inside or outside of the house, to entertain the little ones, encourage nice play, sharing, communication and of course enjoy some adult conversation. If the weather is nice pack up drinks and snacks and head to the park or similar;  the fresh air is good for everyone. 

NCT The National Childbirth Trust is a membership group which offers everything from antenatal classes to advice and support and even Nearly New Sales. They also offer members an opportunity to get to know other parents in a variety of ways. If this sounds like something you think you could benefit from get in touch with your local branch for more information or visit the main website. 

Toddler Groups Most areas have a number of parent and baby, toddler groups, toy libraries and similar on offer. Your health visitor, community boards and other parents with be able to point you in the right direction. Most are free, some may charge a pound a time or similar to cover the cost of the room / hall and any coffee, tea, juice and biscuits. These are great places to visit for an hour, to meet other parents and children. 

Classes There are a great number of infant and toddler classes dotted around, from baby signing to gym or dance and more. There is a fee for all of these and they all offer different experiences and help develop certain skills so you have plenty to choose from. These classes are also great for meeting other mums, dads and children. 

Nursery or a Childminder If you are concerned about your little one not spending enough time with other children perhaps a regular session or two with a nursery or a childminder could be beneficial? All childminders and nurseries are Ofsted registered and of course you may visit the settings for a look around before deciding. Again there is a cost for this however if you feel your child could benefit from regular time outside of the house and away from you with other children this could be an option. 

Set Up Your Own If you feel there isn't a suitable group for children and parents to get together set one up! Perhaps you would like to arrange a Netmums meeting or an independent and informal local group? The chances are that if you are struggling to find a suitable place for you and your little ones to meet and interact with others, that there are plenty more who feel the same.

Potty Training Hints and Tips

Potty training is one of those skills that children will learn when they are good and ready, working to their own schedule and that's just fine. These top tips, hints and ideas for smoothing the transition between nappies and the big boy or girl toilet will hopefully give you some inspiration if you are nearing this fun stage of development! 

Wait Until the Time is Right 

By all means introduce your little one to the idea of a potty or a toilet as early as you like however actually using it should wait until they are ready. Many children don't learn control of their wee or their bowels until they are between 18months and 2 years old. Some learn earlier and some later. There is no set age so you have to take your cue from your little one.   

Talk the Talk 

Teach your little one the right vocabulary for wee wee or poo (whatever you choose to use in your home) so that explaining the process and what you want them to do is easier for them to understand. 

Have a Potty or Toilet Seat Ready Have a potty around and in plain sight so that your little one gets used to have it around before you start encouraging them to use it. Some children are happy with a potty, some want to use a seat on the grown up toilet, it doesn't matter which as long as they are confident and happy. 

Reward Successes and Don't Worry about Accidents Toilet training is always going to get a little soggy and quite possibly messy. Instead of telling your little one off for accidents tell them and show them what they should have done. When it comes to doing a wee or a poo in the potty (victory at last!) celebrate these successes in style. 

Incentives Don't try and bribe your little one into using the potty as if they simply aren't ready and are denied their treat it won't go down well. Reward charts and stickers are a great way for these big girls and boys to see how well they are doing and how clever they are. Big boy and girl pants and knickers or pull-ups also do a great job of showing them how grown up they are now. 

Be Prepared For Mess Sometime there is mess and sometimes there isn't. It might be worthwhile making sure that you have an empty washing basket, extra wipes and extra absorbent kitchen roll or similar for quick and efficient clean ups when you do get started. 

Toilet Training Away From the Home If you can start the process at home on a week when you have little or no reason to go anywhere this is ideal. This isn't always possible however so make sure that you are prepared. Always carry extra clothing and underpants, bags for putting any messing items in and if you are out and about a travel potty will be a lifesaver for those "Mummy, Daddy I need to go NOW" moments. 

Above all remember that children are all very different. While one child might have daytime toilet training sorted within a week it might take weeks or months for another. Sometimes you have to accept that they simply aren't ready and it could be best to leave the potty in sight but revisit the idea in a few more weeks or months when you and your little one are more ready. 

Do you have any fabulous toilet training tips (or stories!) to share? If so we'd love to hear them! 

The Big Spring Clean

The clocks have gone forward, the sun peeps out every now and then and there are tulips and daffodils everywhere. It is most definitely time for the spring/ early summer spring clean. 

 The most time consuming section of the house is always the children's bedrooms however these handy hints should help keep you on track. 

Declutter 

Children seem to have so much "stuff". Once they start nursery and school there is artwork and junk models, and of course nine times out of then they have boxes and bags full of toys to wade through. Decluttering is by far the best way to start the big spring clean process.  

The time comes when children outgrown certain toys and games. At this point you have the option to store them for if you plan to have more children, gift them to someone else, bin them or make good use of them. If parts are missing, they are shabby or they don't work the bin or recycling box is the best option. If they are complete but simply aren't suitable for your children anymore you could sell them (NCT sales and local Facebook buy / sell group as well as Ebay are great for getting rid of unwanted toys) or you could gift them to a local charity. 

Be ruthless, keeping special keepsakes yet working hard to cut the clutter while you're motivated! 

Rotate toys 

If you find your children have far too many toys, books and games in their rooms take some of them away and store them safely. Every so often bring out these forgotten toys (which will be fallen on in delight by children who see them as "new") and choose more to put away. This reduces the clutter in a room and offers a great opportunity for fun during a wet weekend! 

New Bedding 

Nothing spruces up a room quite like new bedding. Many choose bedding to suit an existing theme or as part of a new one and we have plenty for you to choose from. 

Wall Stickers 

Sprucing up a room doesn't necessarily mean having to re-paint or put up new wall paper. There is actually a much easier and considerably cheaper approach; wall stickers. Removable and reusable wall stickers for children offer an exciting way to add colour and interest to a room with ease. 

Get the Kids Involved 

Children are much more likely to keep their rooms and tidy and more so to enjoy the time they spend in there if they truly feel the room is theirs and that they have responsibility for it. When it comes to choosing wall stickers, new bedding, decluttering items and more let the kids help. 

Storage and Organisation 

Once you've had a good clean and decluttered it is time to look at your storage and organisation options. Choose storage that will adapt to your children's needs so choose storage solutions that may store a variety of different things yet won't look out of place with the theme you've created in the room. Visit the website to see the number of storage and organisation pieces we have on offer, all of which focus on the practical as well as the fun factor. 

Frame It 

The amount of artwork and clever sculptures that come home from childminders, nursery and school is staggering. Parting with them is hard however unless you have an extra room or three to store them it sometimes pays to be ruthless. A great tip to avoid tears when recycling art is to let your child take a photograph of it so that it may be saved forever (and make room for the next fab piece they create). Why not choose a few really nice pieces of art and/or print off some of the children's photographs of their models and frame them, adding the personalised touch to the room? 

Having a big clean and sort out, although tiring is actually a great way to greet a new season (as well as to find the carpet in a child's bedroom once more). Good luck!