Tag Archives: Parent Bloggers UK

Should Kids Study During The Summer Holidays

August 7, 2018 By in Kids Section Tags: , , , , , , , , , 23 Comments

The kiddies have been on summer holidays for 2 weeks now and loving it. We have tried our best to stay busy mentally and physically. And I think we are doing a very good job. The summer holidays in the UK is for 6 weeks, and that is a very long time. I know it is longer in the US and other countries, but for most of us here, 6 weeks is more than enough time.

The twins start Reception aka Big school in September, and we have been working on getting them ready for the many changes ahead. I have been working on getting them as independent as they can be for a 4 year old, and it has been a rollercoaster but a good one. They are learning very quickly and I know they would be more than ready in September on the big day. How are you all enjoying the summer vacation?

 

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Should Kids Study During The Summer Holidays?

One question I hear among parents a lot is whether the kids should study or do any type of school work while on summer holidays. And my answer is and has always been yes. I was very studious as a kid and I took that habit to adulthood. It has helped me achieve so much in life. I got all my GCSEs at the age of 15 (a year earlier). And I got my first degree in Accounting at the tender age of 19. I got my  second degree in International Human Resources at the age of 22. Having the studious mindset helped me achieve this. I have never had an issue with exams and studying for them, and I want that for my kids. I want them to excel in whatever career they choose and starting young with them is the best way to achieve this.

 

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The good thing is that the kids love it. They love the idea of studying. It is not hard work for them. It comes naturally and I want to encourage that a lot. Which is why we practise our all sorts. From Maths and English, to Music and Arts. They are picking them up real quick and already have favourites.

They are good with numbers and words, and are already starting to read and white even though they are yet to start school. Pre school did help but they did more of playing and growing up than learning over there. I like the fact that they are ahead of what they need to know and are loving it. The fact that they love school work at 4 years is a blessing, and I hope they take that mindset through primary school, high school and all the way to the university.

It is still all fun and games though. We always have to make room for that. We have had all sorts of family days out and activities in between, and we still have many days out planned.

Hope everyone is having a lovely summer holiday, regardless of how you decide to spend the time.

 

 

Parenthood: The Expensive Journey

September 16, 2015 By in Kids Section, Lifestyle Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 34 Comments

I know this post has nothing to do with fashion or style or beauty, but it has to do with my life and every now and again, I will be posting Lifestyle Articles on Fashion and Style Police, I will try not to dilute the brand too much, but I will be posting relevant lifestyle posts just to keep things real so please hang in there with me.

Grab a cuppa, today’s post is a long one….

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For those who do not know, the true costs of being a parent starts as soon as the egg meets sperm; long before the baby actually arrives. An expectant mum will need to eat a balanced diet and drink lots of water, take the right vitamins and wear the right outfits in order to have a comfortable and healthy pregnancy. I remember being pregnant with my twins, and taking my Folic Acid religiously every day for the duration of my pregnancy, buying a couple of maternity wear outfits (more like oversize regular pieces to be honest) and making sure I had a balanced diet and drank enough water. For someone who doesn’t drinking water much, it doesn’t taste like Coke does it?, I drank a lot of water while I was pregnant, my body just told me what I needed to do and I did it.

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Then came the costs of buying baby essentials like the cot, pram, nappies, wipes, clothes, toys, comfort milk (if you have fussy, colic prone babies like mine) and all the other necessary stuff. The list never ends and if you have crazy cravings like I had which were Chinese food and Burger King’s chips, you will be spending a small fortune on food alone. I ate like a horse all through my pregnancy, it is a miracle I lost all the baby weight. I still don’t know how that happened.

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We spent quite a lot of money before our twins actually arrived and now that they are here, we are am still spending. The spending actually never ever stops does it? A recent study revealed it costs £230,000 to raise a child to the age of 21, with the bulk of costs going on childcare and education. The research also showed that in order for baby to arrive having been provided with all the right vitamins and foods, and for his or her first weeks to be safe, comfortable and tastefully decorated, parents could spend almost £4,750. Now that is a lot of money.

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Most of us cannot afford to cough out £4,750 so here are some ways to cut costs during pregnancy and the first few months after birth:

  1. Smart Shopping

You can get good deals on majority of what you need on online second-hand shops like eBay. Buying in bulk is also a smart way of shopping; you can get good deals on nappies and wipes on sites like Amazon and stores like Costco and other supermarkets.

  1. Breastfeeding

This is the cheapest and healthiest way to feed your baby in the first 6 months. It is super convenient, no need for sterilizing, bottles or teats. You save a fortune breastfeeding as an average pack of formula milk could cost about £9.99, and then you have the sterilizing equipment, baby bottles and teats to avoid buying as well.

  1. Resist the urge to splash out

I know how difficult it is to resist the urge to splash out on your little one once you are expecting but you need to fight the urge. Avoid going into shops, and shop online from the comfort of your home. This way you don’t get carried away with all the baby equipment and cute outfits arranged in a perfect order to get you to spend more than your budget.

I will advise you to buy as few clothing items as possible because your baby will likely be spoilt rotten with gifts from family and friends. So it is a good idea to get few items and wait until you have received all the baby gifts and then buy what you are lacking. Also, remember babies grow really quickly, so most of the outfits will be worn less than 10 times if you hardly leave the house in the first few months.

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4. Nappies

When I gave birth, I used Pampers nappies all day and night because I didn’t know any better. After some months, I realised I could save money using cheaper supermarket branded nappies during day and Pampers nappies at night. I wish I knew this from day 1. I would have saved a fortune. Don’t make the same mistake I made.

5. Folic Acid

Folic Acid is a B vitamin and it is very important for the development of a healthy foetus. All pregnant women are advised to take Folic Acid for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy but I took my supplement all through my pregnancy because I felt more comfortable doing so. If you are like me, and you want a pregnancy supplement for the duration of your pregnancy, it is best to go for a drug store or a supermarket branded pack. They all contain similar ingredients and you can save a bit of money going for these cheaper brands.

Those are my tried and tested tips, they will help you save money during pregnancy and beyond. No matter how expensive being a parent is, I won’t change anything. Children are the greatest blessings anyone could ever ask for, and I love my busy bees too much.

Do you have any tips to share? Do you enjoy reading lifestyle posts? Drop me a comment, let’s chat.

Thanks for reading.

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