I remember as a child that my brother and I used to laugh so much as we slid across the back seats of my dads car when he went round a corner or island but you wouldn't dream of putting your child in the car now without using a car seat. 

Nowadays there are various laws that you need to consider ahead of buying a child car seat, and folk like baby nursery specialists Babythingz on-hand to detail everything you should know:

General child car seat laws

Car seats are required for children until they are either 12 years old or 135cm tall, depending on which comes first. (My eldest daughter has been willing herself to grow taller every year!!)

Furthermore, EU-approved child car seats are the only type of equipment that can be used across the UK — you can identify if a seat conforms to this requirement by looking for a label which shows a capital ‘E’ in a circle.

Laws regarding height-based and weight-based child car seats

Also known as ‘i-Size’ seats, height-based child car seats must always be set up so that they are rear-facing until a child is over 15 months old. Forward-facing seats are suitable once this age has been reached.

When it comes to weight-based child car seats, bear in mind the following types to find the equipment that’s most suitable to you and your family:

• If a child weighs up to 9kg, you must use a rear-facing baby carrier, a lateral or lie-flat baby carrier or a rear-facing baby seat that comes complete with a harness.
• If a child weighs up to 13kg, you must use a rear-facing baby carrier or a rear-facing baby seat that comes complete with a harness.
• If a child weighs between 9kg and 18kg, you must use a forward- or rear-facing baby seat that comes complete with a harness or safety shield.
• If a child weighs between 15kg and 36kg, you must use a forward- or rear-facing baby seat that comes complete with a harness, safety shield or also has a seat belt applied. There is an alternative solution in this scenario though — a high-backed booster seat or a booster cushion.

Laws on how to fit a child car seat

As well as laws about choosing the correct type of child car seat for your requirements, there are also some legal obligations to be aware of, with regards to actually fitting the equipment.

For example, a child car seat must only be fitted where a vehicle’s seat belt has been designed with a diagonal strap. There are two exceptions here:

• This requirement doesn’t apply when a car seat has a specific design that enables it to be used with a lap seat belt.
• This requirement doesn’t apply when a car seat comes fitted with the use of ISOFIX anchor points.

Front airbags must also be deactivated if you are looking to fit a rear-facing baby seat into your vehicle’s front passenger seat.

One last point is that a child car seat must in no circumstances be fitted onto a side-facing seat.

With laws changing all the time, it is good to keep up to date with the very best ways to keep our children safe ..... the same couldn't be said for my brother and I rolling around in the back of my parents car circa 1983.

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Do you ever wonder how it seems that everyone else has got bath time down to a fine art and you and your bathroom end up looking more like splash canyon than a parenting photo shoot? Fear not because the clever folk at Cuddledry have the solution!

Cuddledry, makers of the multi-award winning hands free baby towel, are on hand to help you create that picture perfect bath time moment! The original Cuddledry hands free towel, which has been a firm favourite with parents for nearly ten years, stops you getting splashed and leaves you with both hands free to bath, wash and lift your baby without any fuss. It is made of a silky soft blend of natural cotton and bamboo and there is a gorgeous new unisex Cuddledry design, Grey Stars, which launched in September, is super chic. 

So what could make bathtimes even better? A Cuddleduck of course!

The adorable Cuddleduck is made with natural rubber, child safe paints, is pthalate free and contains natural antibacterial properties. Not only is it about as baby friendly as a rubber duck can be, but it’s also genuinely useful - it’s designed to be easy for babies to hold, and the natural rubber makes it a great teether when it’s not swimming about in the bath. 

I know that we have a tendancy to get excited about new things but we are super excited to tell you that you have the chance to win a new Grey Stars Cuddledry AND a gorgeous Cuddleduck too! All you need to do is enter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

Terms & Conditions

The Prize: Grey Stars Cuddledry and Cuddleduck

Cuddledry will be responsible for the despatch of the prize.

By entering this competition, you understand that your details may be retained for future mailings. You can unsubscribe from this mailing list at any time.
There is no monetary equivalent.
Little Lilypad Co take no /responsibility for loss or damage in the despatch of prizes
If the prize is unclaimed within 7 days we reserve the right to redraw the winner.
End Date 12/12/2016 at 12am

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It is November so I am officially allowed to mention Christmas.

As usual at this time of year, the big names are launching their predictions of what will be the biggest toy of the Christmas season.  And while there are the usual cuddly toys and computer games, reassuringly there are several interesting, educational toys in the mix as well as items that provide learning or skills while having fun. And while there is nothing wrong with any of these presents, sometimes you want to give your children something different, something educational or to help with their learning.  Sometimes, you want to give them something that gets them away from the TV screen or the smartphone!

Day Trips

Children always look forward to a day trip somewhere, whether to the local museum, castle or an animal park or farm.  Anything that holds their interest will be keenly anticipated.  So why not build on this by booking tickets ahead of time and giving them as a Christmas gift?  Even if the tickets don’t look like much, you can always print information about the location from the internet to make it seem even more exciting.

If there is a certain place that they love to visit, then why not get a membership as a Christmas present?  Memberships can save money if you go more than once a year to a place and the promise of regular visits will no doubt excite the kids.  Museums, zoos, aquariums and even music venues offer memberships that often gain access to special events before the public too – another added bonus.

Get crafty

Winter can be difficult as parents because the children can’t get outside and enjoy themselves as they do in spring and summer.  Therefore, Christmas can be a great opportunity to get them involved in some form of craft or art with Christmas at The Works, with lots of ideas that they can learn over the winter and come back to any time there is a rainy day or they are bored. Making something is both educational and very satisfying so this is a good basis for a present.  You can buy lots of ready-made kits or create your own scrapbook so they can have their own journal or memory book that will last long after the Christmas decorations have come down. 

Photography

Creating a scrapbook is a brilliant project to do with your children and a kit containing the basics makes an ideal present.  Whether they have their own camera or smartphone or simply use yours (with a little adult supervision) taking photos and adding them to a scrapbook is very satisfying. 

Nature walks are a great opportunity to take those photos so why not add in a nature guide to presents pile?  That way, they can learn about what they are photographing and can even write about it in their scrapbook or create crafty embellishments to go with it.

Baking

Baking must be tied in first place as the best activity for kids to do with parents, alongside crafting.  Most of us love to have home baked goodies and some of these recipes are extremely easy to do.  Buying a children’s baking set for Christmas will inspire them and even if you start with a packet mix from the supermarket, they will love creating something everyone will enjoy.  And maybe, they will take to it so much that they will end up being the next baking superstar!

Do you try and find alternatives to the usual Christmas list demands?

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With a child that suffers from Asthma and a husband that suffers with nasal polyps, the change in the weather is always approached with some trepidation and we know from experience that allergies are not just reserved for the summer. A lot of people suspect they have hayfever but if you have symptoms during the winter, you haven't got hay fever, you may have an allergy to something other than pollen, such as pet fur or house dust mites.

Pets are very often the cause of an allergic reaction, which is a histamine reaction that is usually characterised by coughing, wheezing, chest tightening, itching, nasal congestion, rash, watering eyes, sneezing, chapped lips, and similar symptoms.

As winter approaches, our cat spends more time in the house and out of the cold but aside from banning the cat from the bedrooms, my husband has tried countless nasal sprays to try and ease the conjestion in his nose (and enable him to breathe easier to go to sleep) and traditional treatments for nasal allergy symptoms which typically include antihistamines or steroids never really seem to work.

Unlike the types of treatments that need to be taken routinely or in advance of symptoms, we were asked to try Serenz, which is a hand-held device designed to quickly relieve symptoms associated with nasal allergies. Serenz uses only carbon dioxide, which we all know is part of the air you breathe and the best part is that Serenz works quickly against nasal allergy symptoms without causing drowsiness. The Serenz nasal spray is easy to use; all you need to do is simply turn the bottom of the product using the blue paddle to release the carbon dioxide. You then insert the product into your nostril and press the button for ten seconds and then repeat in the other nostril. 

Serenz

The size of the Serenz nasal spray is bigger than the ones usually available over the counter and it is not really pocket sized but when it works, this is irrelevant as the benefits far outweigh whether you can fit it in your pocket. 

• Before you start taking a nasal spray, read the instructions that come in the box (although you don't need a prescription for Serenz)
• Clear your nose by blowing into a tissue.
• Take the dose as directed.
• Take as often as directed.
• Speak to your GP or pharmacist if you experience any side effects 

My husband said that the initial sensation is not particularly pleasant but for a man that has suffered for many years, this is an acceptable discomfort for the relief it gives. 

So if you want to try Serenz for yourself ...

Buy Serenz here