Mental Health - Making the Most of your time Online

Lately, in the media, there have been a lot of stories about the dangers of spending too much time online. The damaging impact all that screen time can have on your eyesight and concertation span and the negative mental health aspects of doom scrolling are just two examples. But wait … not all time spent online is unhealthy and if you can’t peel your eyes away from your mobile, it's better you find something constructive to do whilst you are there! So, with that in mind, here are some of our favourite ways to get some positive feedback and keep your brain in shape whilst online. Sudoku One of the best-known brain challenges is Sudoku, a number-based game that utilises a grid and requires you to place numbers in boxes based on previous placements. It is very good for your short-term memory and it also comes with varying levels of difficulty, so you can progress from a beginner through to an expert, by which point your memory skills will be acute! You can find all the rules and star......

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5 amazing places you can visit in the British Isles without a passport

As travel has started to open up, many people are suddenly realising that their passports have expired (I've experienced this first hand with my children's passports) and with the virus having a big impact on the Passport Office, passports are now taking up to 10 weeks, almost three months, to get back and at times even longer and with 1-week appointments being like gold dust, many families are realising they may not be able to get away this summer.  However, there are some pretty incredible places within the British Isles that you can travel to without a passport as part of the Common Travel Area which includes England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands, as well as a few other smaller islands. As an adult however you will need a photographic ID such as a driver's licence or an expired passport can be used up to a maximum of 5yrs after expiry, there are also one or two "approved" ID cards such as Citizen Card although I've not ......

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7 Style Hacks to Get You Dressed and Ready in Minutes

*This post contains affiliate links When we feel good about the clothes are wearing it can in turn have a positive effect on how we feel about ourselves and can be a real boost to our self esteem . What people don’t realise, however, is that they might be spending too much time and resources on our personal style. Of course, you could just put on whatever’s available in your closet (I do this often) but sometimes we want to put together a specific look or if you are attending an event, going to work, meeting up with friends etc or maybe you just want to wear something a little extra special, colourful or fun that also makes you feel good.  Dressing up, whether for work or leisure, requires at least a little planning and effort especially as it's often not just the clothes, but you’re also thinking about shoes and accessories that go into the overall look. All of this decision-making takes time that may be better spent doing other things. As a result, you may find yourself skipping ......

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How Working parents can Improve Their Time Management Skills

*This post contains affiliate links One of the most important skills any working parent, carer, nurse etc needs is to have is time management. Without good time management, you will find it very hard to get everything done and still have some time for yourself, which is crucial if you want to stay happy and healthy. Time management also means being able to help those who rely on us, such as our children, work colleagues, and patients better and be there for our team or family when needed. This may sound simple as time management doesn’t appear to be much of a challenge at first glance. However, the truth is time management is only easy when you don’t have a lot of things to do and plenty of time in which to do them, otherwise it's a pretty hard balance to achieve. This is often the opposite of how many working parents see their day as they have lots to do and in a very small window of time to get it all done. Therefore, time management is not only more important but more difficult ......

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Easy Exercises for Busy Parents

*This post contains affiliate links I don't go to the gym but I do make sure that I move my body daily, it helps with my well-being and mental health so much as well as calm my mind and helps me balance work, parenting and life better. I think we all know that regular physical exercise is crucial for living a healthy, happy life, but getting time to be active every day can be very difficult when trying to juggle parenthood especially when most parents are rushing around doing school runs, food shops, work, taking care of dinner and all the life admin and responsibilities, there can be very little time to get in any kind of exercise. Just because it’s difficult doesn’t mean that it’s completely impossible. With a little adaptability, if you want it, even as busy parents, we can to an extent find time and can include more exercise in our daily routine. I can say first-hand how much exercise boosts your mood, make you feel calmer and more in control and can even improve other areas li......

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6 Awesome UK family friendly Festivals 2022

I don't know about you but I am excited about the prospect of festival season finally being back after a very bumpy two years which saw many festivals and events being cancelled (which was the right reason at the time). While of course the virus has not gone away it does to an extent appear to be more manageable and therefore summer festivals have finally got the green light to go ahead again.  I've taken my kids to festivals ever since they were babies, in fact my youngest went to Just So Festival at the tender age of 5months. It's something we love to do as it offers a break away from normality and a chance to indulge the senses in music, art, creativity and street food, along with camping and a sense of getting back to nature while also connecting with others.  Of course there are some festivals which are simply not tailored for the younger audience and others which main focus is children - I like to find a good balance between the two, a festival that offers something f......

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Tackle pet hair with the Hoover Upright 300

*I was kindly given a Hoover Upright 300 in exchange for an honest review AD As some of you may know just over a year ago we welcomed 1yr old mixed breed dog into our home (and our hearts) and I've enjoyed every element of being a dog owner, well except for the dog hair in the home, that's one thing I could do without! I quickly realised my vacuum wasn't up for the job and simply was not picking up enough of the hair, which in turn was also agitating my allergies. Despite the kids and I travelling or being outdoors exploring most of the time when we are home we like to relax and enjoy our space & having a clean & pet hair-free home is important. So when Hoover got in touch for me to try out their new Upright 300 which offers impressive features for pet owners, I couldn't wait. I had already actually seen an advert for the Hoover Upright 300 on the TV, it looked really impressive but would it stand up to the test of my cat, dog and rather messy kids? I was keen......

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Z Hotel City, London - Family Travel Review

*This is NOT a collaboration, I paid for my hotel stay in full We love a break to the big smoke AKA London, there is just so much to see and do and it's a place you can never get bored of. It's also a destination that despite what most people think, you can easily do on a budget as there is such an abundance of free museums, attractions and deals to be had as well as plenty of street food and reliable public transport really does mean you don't need to spend a fortune to enjoy this bustling city, which is why we visit at least 2/3 time a year. Every time I take the kids for an overnight trip I aim to get a centrally located hotel or hostel for under £85 for a family room.  We have stayed in an array of places from an Airbnb right in the heart of Covent Garden to Premier Inn, Travelodges, YHA, backpackers etc and on a recent trip we decided to try out a Z Hotel family room . I had stayed overnight in a Z hotel before in Soho but that was without kids so I was interested to s......

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