Category: News

1. How safe are our children?

   Posted on 8:48pm Tuesday 2nd Oct 2012

   As a parent, keeping your child safe is your highest priority and with the media filled with news of child abduction and abuse, how safe are our children?

   According to Home Office figures there were 532 child abductions in England and Wales between 2011 and 2012. With about 500 children under 16 abducted each year - but the majority of these are parental abductions, according to the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (Ceop). Has  the world become a darker and more dangerous place or do we simply hear about it more through the media we now have at our fingertips.

   There are always those people that will try and lay blame, whether it be at the parents, with the school or with anyone close enough to be considered but ultimately the people that are to blame are those that abduct or abuse these children. The very thought of someone taking my babies makes me feel physically sick and if I could, I would wrap them in cotton wool so nothing or no-one could ever hurt them but I can't do that if I want them to have adventures, to explore, to learn.

   Growing up, I was never allowed to "play out", my parents just simply wouldn't allow it and I sulked a lot because of it. I now find it very difficult to let my own daughter do the same. I want her close, where I can see her, where I can hear her chatting, laughing and even crying when she falls over. 

   Children will always be children, trusting, innocent and naive if we shield them from life. I was still trusting, innocent and naive well into my teens and sometimes I wonder if that was a good thing or not. I believed that there was good in everyone, you just had to find it. Years later (ahem) I find myself still believing and searching for the good in people but I am no longer naive enough to believe that it lives in everyone.

   So tonight, with my thoughts and prayers going out to the family of missing April Jones, I will hold my children a little tighter and kiss them goodnight more times than necessary because they are home with me, safe and for that I am beyond thankful.

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2. How do you make your baby's room more special

   Posted on 8:17pm Thursday 27th Sep 2012

   News of a new baby is one of the most exciting events in any family’s life; it is only natural that there is a desire to create a truly special space within the home for the new arrival. This is a great way to welcome a new addition.

   The first step in creating such a space for the new baby is to take a look at the entire house. Items that can potentially harm an exploring infant need to be placed out of reach or removed. Parents should consider carrying out a complete sweep of the house before the baby is born. Once a baby enters the home, time and energy become difficult to come by, so consider every aspect of the new arrival’s requirements well in advance. For example, window-blind cords must be placed far out of reach of exploring hands and leather sofas should be considered, as they are far easier to clean than traditional fabric.

   Creating a special room for the new arrival does not need to be difficult or expensive. In fact, considering that an infant is small for a relatively short period of time, it is best to concentrate spending on items that will serve well into the toddler years, rather than purchasing furniture and toys that will be useful for only a few short months. Multi-functional furniture is one consideration, a crib that converts into a toddler bed, and later into a day bed, is a great investment that will serve for years to come.

   Second-hand furniture

   While second-hand furniture is appealingly affordable, new parents should check items over carefully for safety. For example, no opening should be greater than four inches or a child might get their head through and become trapped. Cot mattresses should fit snugly, with no gaps around the outside. Furniture should be sturdy and painted items need to be tested for lead or stripped and re-painted with a child-safe paint.

   Colour scheme

   Parents should also consider the colour scheme when decorating the nursery. Neutral colours, such as pale blues and green, yellow or beige will serve well as the child grows. Decals that cling to the wall, rather than being painted on, along with wallpapered nursery themes, are other items to consider. Decals can be removed without re-painting or re-papering an entire room when the nursery needs updating. For a splash of colour, consider throw rugs or choose bright curtains, which are easily replaced.

   

   Storage

   Small, sturdy, bookshelves can be a great storage solution in the nursery. Adding baskets gives parents storage space for nappies and other small items. As time goes by, the shelves will be handy for storing books and toys. Shelves that stand on the floor should be fastened to the wall to avoid the possibility of them tipping over onto an exploring toddler.

   Finally, new parents should consider putting any money saved on decorating the nursery into a separate bank account. It makes more sense to save as much as possible for the time when university fees or a first car are required, rather than spending excessively on gadgets and furniture that will be discarded after a few months as the baby grows into a toddler. By practicing frugality from the start, new parents can ensure their baby’s future security, while still creating a special place in their homes for their new arrival.

    

   Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post but we think its full of great information and sensible advice!

3. Are you a time and technology savvy mum?

   Posted on 9:28pm Monday 24th Sep 2012

   What happens when you have to remember the nappies, the wipes, the change of clothes, not forgetting the children .... but you forget your bank card, when you need to buy said replacement nappies or wipes!

   Most of us run our lives from our phones these days but now you can withdraw money by using your phone too! Genuis for mums like me!

    

4. Do We Have Too Much To Do? Lindam Launches Safety Day To Raise Awareness

   Posted on 8:00am Thursday 6th Sep 2012

   Do We Have Too Much To Do?
   New Research Shows Modern Lifestyle To Blame
   For Accidents Involving Children
   
   Lindam Launches Safety Day To Raise Awareness

   Do you think we are more or less safety conscious than our parents? In a so called "nanny state" you would think that modern parents are more safety savvy than our parents or grandparents but research compiled by Lindam shows that this may actually not be the case.

   Lindam, the UK’s number one home safety brand * has today revealed that hectic lifestyles are to blame for accidents involving children, according to parents. A poll of 2,000 parents highlighted that seven out of ten mums are being forced to regularly leave their children playing unsupervised while carrying out household chores.  The report also found that a staggering 40 per cent of parents admitted that their child had been injured around the house whilst they were busy cooking, cleaning and juggling aspects of domestic life.  The survey has been run in conjunction with the first Lindam Safety Day to highlight the difference a minute can make when it comes to reducing childhood accidents.

   

   And with more accidents happening in the home than anywhere else the majority of parents also said that it’s impossible to keep an eye on their children permanently to prevent accidents, which is why Lindam want to highlight to parents the number of accidents that can take place. 

   THE TOP 10 MOST COMMON CHILD ACCIDENTS

   1. Tripped in the garden
   2. Fallen off the sofa
   3. Fallen off the bed
   4. Slipped on a floor
   5. Hit head on a sharp corner
   6. Shut fingers in a door
   7. Injured when fighting with sibling
   8. Fallen down the stairs
   9. Smashed glass
   10. Burnt on the cooker

   A third of children have fallen off the sofa or tripped in the garden and an unlucky fifth has slipped on a floor, shut their fingers in a door or hit their head on a sharp corner.  One in six has fallen down the stairs and the same number has been hurt from a fight with siblings.  The report found that the most common time for an accident to occur was while mums were busy cooking the evening meal and that the living room, garden and bedroom were the most popular places for these accidents to occur.  However, whilst mums are not able to keep a constant eye on their children they do their best and are present for sixty per cent of accidents that their children experience.  If they are distracted then it’s most likely to be whilst dealing with older siblings or being on the phone.

   We were kindly given the opportunity to test a selection of the brand new Lindam Xtra GuardT range, that provides parents like us with revolutionary and innovative products that are designed to ensure your child will be kept safe around the home. All products feature a double layer of security providing tamper resilience and double locking protection, so as our regular readers will know, with a curious one year old investigating everything, this range has been an absolute god send to us! It took a little while to get the table bumpers to stick (but its still undecided if this was operator error - blamed squarely on my other half's shoulders of course).

   THE TOP 10 MUM DISTRACTIONS WHILE CHILD HAD ACCIDENT

   1. Cooking
   2. Being on the phone
   3. Other children misbehaving or requiring time
   4. Working from home
   5. Cleaning
   6. Hoovering
   7. Ironing
   8. In the shower
   9. Hanging out the washing
   10. Getting dressed

   Hectic lifestyles are certainly evident with a tired 80 per cent of mums admitting they have to leave their child in front of the television sometimes so they can get on with things properly. Indeed, eight out of ten also say they often leave their child to play unsupervised around the home so they can get on with jobs around the house with only one in five saying that they’d never dream of letting their youngest out of sight.

   Claire Rayner spokeswoman for Lindam said: “Many accidents experienced by young children in the home come about because mum is understandably not able to keep a constant watch. She can’t be in several places at once and the results show that, it only take a minute for an accident to happen. It’s therefore about using safety products to make the home as accident-proof as possible and allow Mums at least some peace of mind. It’s so easy and quick to put in place some very simple safety equipment such as stair gates, corner cushions and cupboard locks to ensure that parents can rest a little easier knowing that their children are protected.

   “We have launched our first Safety Day as we are committed to reducing childhood accidents in the home and we feel it’s these small but important steps that can go a long way to reducing the amount of childhood accidents in the home

   Having read this information and slowly digesting it, its frightening to think of the times I have just thought I would "quickly" do something while the little one is playing but that a minute is all it takes! Being a mum isnt always snuggles and smiles, its about promising to protect your little ones from every day dangers and with a helping hand from Lindam, we are able to fulfill that promise.