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There are some massively differing views on the end of year Teachers Gift, so before I go any further I need to confess something. I am THAT mother. You all know the type, the kind that happily does a collection at the end of term and the type that other mums either love or hate. I admit that I like or organise and co-ordinate, being a PA for over 15 years means this is part of my make up but when my eldest daughter was in Reception class at her new school, she had two teachers and two teaching assistants and I can tell you now, Christmas that year was expensive! So when one of the other mums suggested doing a collection, I thought it was a great idea and somehow assumed the role of organiser.

Some of the mums at school don't contribute and arrange their own thing whilst some are just eternally grateful not to have to think about it. Whichever camp you fall in, either works for me.

Over the years the teachers have had a variety of gifts, from handcrafted plant pots, personalised plaques to the trusted gift voucher and this year will be no different. The donation to a collection doesn't always mean that the gift loses its personal touch.

When we were approached by Asda to review their range of teachers gifts, I was interested to see what a large supermarket chain could offer in terms of the personal touch, so when these items landed on the doorstep, I was pleasantly surprised.

My daughter has a love of cuddly toys (her bedroom stands testament to this), so she absolutely adored the cuddly cow and we thought that the mug was a nice touch for their teaching assistant. The range is much bigger than this with pen pots, keyrings and sticky note pads but with all the items under £5, it won't break the bank.

I firmly believe that a teachers gift should be a token of appreciation, whether that is a handmade card, a well thought out present or a gift card, every school and every teacher is different. I had the absolute pleasure of meeting Maggy Woodley a few weeks ago and managed to get a very personalised signed copy of her book Red Ted Art for our teacher, which will be part of her end of year gift from the class.

So whilst some of us mums may not be as craft minded as others (or indeed as Maggy Woodley), the gift is always very personal, thought out and given with thanks.

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Isn't it funny how things can change so dramatically in a generation? I was telling my eldest daughter to go to bed the other night and she was doing her usual trick of using every delaying tactic in the book and I said, "go to bed, do not pass go, do not collect £200". She simply looked at me with a confused face and asked me what I meant. Only a few days later, when I was delirious with exhaustion, a friend told me to "go to bed, do not pass go and do not collect £200". I smiled. 

My daughter had no idea that the phrase I used was from Monopoly, especially when in the modern game the monetary values are multiplied by 10,000, so instead of £200 it is £2,000,000 and all payments are made by card. Admitedly, I very rarely carry cash with me, so the use of the card is much more relevant to our household but it still makes me a little sad that "old fashioned" games cannot just stay the way they are.

I remember my grandad teaching me how to play chess and we would sit there for hours on end working out the next move. I cannot imagine my daughters sitting still for that long ..... unless there was a touch screen and interactive prompts.

Technology is very much part of our household and our daily life (clearly evident by our online boutique and blog) but it would be lovely to switch it off and just go back to basics. We still love to draw (with real pens and pencils), we craft and we make daisy chains but the girls have TV programmes on demand, technology at their fingertips and computer skills better than my mum!

In reality I know that life moves on and things change but wouldn't it be nice to play solitaire with real cards or a game of chess without the hints and tips? Or should I simply accept that I cannot pass go, I cannot collect £200 and I cannot go back?

Do you miss the simplicity of your childhood or am I wearing rose tinted glasses?

Image courtesy of Freedigitalphotos.net.

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It is no secret that we are a fan of Water Babies swimming classes but it has been reported in the Daily Mail today that Water babies 'have better balance and grasping skills' than non-swimmers. You can read the article here. 

It sounds like a sweeping statement but it is based on a university study that found baby swimmers balance better and grasped objects more easily than non-swimmers. I think we are all guilty of secretly thinking (or hoping) that our child maybe a little more advanced or brighter than others their age but giving them life skills that help other elements of their development is even more reason to love baby swimming in my view.

My Nan comments on my youngest daughter saying "she has been here before" as she is so quick to pick up new words and actions but maybe it is simply having weekly swimming lessons that is helping to improve her development and co-ordination. So if you are getting your ducks in a row (we have a co-ordinated little one that can help), and are planning activities for you and your baby, baby swimming has to be high on the list. 

 

There will unquestionably be those that doubt the research and those that dismiss the benefits of baby swimming but I can only go on our own experience and with the little one smiling every time she goes in the pool, her happiness is undeniable .... balance and co-ordination is a bonus!!

 

Image courtesy of artur84 on Freedgitialphotos.net

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Does the thought of a family day out fill you with excitement or dread? I love planning activities for the family and usually the most stressful part of it is actually getting out of the front door with the right number of children, car games, phones, bags, nappies, wipes, snacks .... you name it, if I haven't got it, the children want it!

As parents, finding the perfect day out that suits everyone is sometimes no mean feat, especially if like our family you have varying ages with the children, so what suits one child may not be suitable for another. We love a picnic in the park (weather permitting of course) and we can take activities that are age appropriate for everyone .... including the grown ups! Bike rides, a game of rounders, frisbee and football are fabulous entertainment for all the family but I have to admit that we are all slight adrenalin junkies in our house, so are huge fans of theme parks. Now I have to say that after an incident, circa 1991, I shall never ever set foot on a waltzer or any other ride that spins round but I love the thrill of a roller coaster. My girls take a little bit of convincing but the cost of a day out at a theme park can be expensive for a family of four ... or more!

So as ever, I am always on the hunt for a good deal or a bargain, it is a running joke with my family that I never want to pay full price for anything. It isn't because I begrudge paying it but if I can save money on that, it means more money to spend on other things *insert shoes here*. Regular readers will know that I am a fan of the MyFamilyClub website and its money savings tips for parents and I found some great ideas for saving money on tickets for Thorpe Park and Legoland.

My only fear of theme parks is the vast size of them, in comparison to my tiny children, so when I went to BritmumsLive last weekend, I was super impressed to receive a sample of a Kattoo in my goody bag. They are a fabulous little invention for children who are old enough to walk (and walk off) but not old enough to remember their parents phone number. So you can pop a Kattoo (a temporary tattoo) on their arms, write your phone number with the special pen and voila!

So I am now armed with excitement, great discounts for entry and kattoo's (just incase) .... I just need to convince the children now!

Photo credit to foto76 from Freedigitalphoto