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How to support a child through their sadness
Supporting children through their sadness can be challenging. It is often hard to hear our sweet child say ‘‘I’m sad my friend is moving away” or “I’m sad because a kid at school didn’t want to play with me”. Words like “I’m sad the holiday is over” or “I’m sad my favourite teacher is retiring” can be difficult to hear. Please note: the following article does not address prolonged sadness And it sometimes happens that when our child comes to us saying ‘I’m sad that…’, we often ‘but’ them, saying things like: ‘I know, BUT you’re gonna visit your friend next month’ when their friend is moving away. ‘I see,…
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30+ Advent Calendar Non-candy Ideas for Kids of any age
An advent calendar is a really fun way to make waiting for Santa a bit easier. Every year, my kids are now counting the days until we put up the Advent calendar that will then help them count down the days until Christmas! Each year on the 30th of November, we get the felt reindeer out (as I’ve never bought a chocolate or toy advent calendar). Each evening of the 24 days of December I cut out a piece of paper, roll it up and place it in a calendar pocket. On some days I might also add a little crafting kit or light up sticks, but usually, it’s just…
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What does hitting children actually teach them?
Spanking or hitting is a tool that has been used for generations. Even if in some countries it is now illegal, it is still used worldwide with the hope of teaching children ‘a lesson’ of safety, obedience, good manners, auto control and so on. But what do children feel and really learn when they are hit by their parents/caregivers? “Hitting a child doesn’t teach them that the road or stove or the outlet isn’t safe. It teaches them that the person hitting them isn’t safe.” – L. R. Knost When the child is hurt by the person to whom he should run for safety, he gets stuck: ‘My parent should…
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Lockdown with children – survival tips for parents
We are halfway through the second lockdown here in the UK. I know other countries have already been through a second lockdown or are soon to start one. And all these lockdowns have been hard on everyone, parents and kids included – and we could all use some survival tips to help us through a lockdown with children! In our case, we’ve been through a first lockdown with children that included 5 months of no school. What I’ve learnt then helps me through this one now – though having kids in school this time around makes it different. Yet we are all burned out and drained by the whole situation,…
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Banana bread with a twist – gluten-free, sugar-free, dairy-free options
We love bananas and we always have some on the kitchen counter – and I often turn some of them into delicious banana bread! I have several recipes I use. This one is my favourite because it’s yummy and SO quick to make. It also has chocolate chips in it, and for a chocolate lover, this is a great twist! So I thought I’d share the recipe with you. One more thing before I proceed about this banana bread recipe: you can make it with the kids as it’s not too messy and they will love the result you can easily make it gluten-free, sugar-free and even dairy-free/vegan if you…
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How to support children towards toy minimalism?
Toy minimalism is a decision, it requires thought and intention. It also has quite a few benefits for the children, you can read about them here. So, what can we do to support our children towards toy minimalism and where do we start? Let’s talk about four aspects to consider and how addressing them might help. THE SPACE The “space” idea we talked about in the post “Toy minimalism – 4 easy steps to reduce the toy clutter with the kids” will help tremendously with keeping toys to a minimum. THE WISHLIST Going shopping with kids in a shop that has toys is a scenario that might frighten parents and…
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Postal Museum London with children – fun at the Sorted! play area
I’ve lost count of how many times we have been to this play area since its opening in the summer of 2017! It just feels natural to tell you all about this lovely place, the Sorted! area for children at The Postal Museum in London. The Postal Museum is located at Phoenix Place, London (see the location on maps). Its main attraction is the 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) stretch of track in London’s Mail Rail, which was the world’s first driver-less electric railway. Yet for children at Postal Museum, especially for the younger ones, Sorted! play area is of interest. This area is located on the ground floor of the…
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4 easy steps to reduce the toy clutter with the kids
When it comes to personal stuff, we can easily find ways to declutter and be more minimalist. But when it comes to kids and toy minimalism, things can get a bit complicated because we are not the only ones in charge of what enters the house or what stays in it. I want my kids to learn to value who they are more than what they have. To value experiences and people more than objects. I want them to understand that happiness and contentment cannot be found on a shelf in a shop. Therefore in the last couple of years, we have gradually changed our approach when it comes to…
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How to teach children about recycling – FREE activities
Our Planet needs us to recycle and to teach our children about recycling. From old homework assignments to broken toys or old car batteries, our planet needs us to take care of the waste. This is a message that our children also need to learn. We want to leave behind the best possible world for our children and it’s important for them to understand that they need to take responsibility too. Luckily, it has become easier to do so. Still, while we adults understand the impact recycling has on the planet, for kids the whole concept might be a bit hard to comprehend at first. Here are four easy steps…
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20 fun projects for kids – crafting with recycled materials
Children’s imagination and creativity have no limits, and I’ve learned that when it comes to art and craft projects it’s always useful to have all sorts of recycled materials at hand. From egg cartons to paper tolls, from plastic bottles to milk cartons, keeping these gives the children the opportunity to create a new toy, a new design, a new decoration, and also teaches them about recycling. I’m passionate about recycling and teaching children about its importance. My kids have become too (inspired also by their teachers and schools as well). We are always crafting something using recycled materials. Some of our projects have been created about 4-5 years ago…
Parenting – Tackling motherhood challenges, one day at a time
