We have all read the baby books that tell us how to teach baby to self soothe and when you are sleep deprived, do you reach for the book? Of course not, you do everything you can to soothe your baby, from singing to them (I use the term singing very loosely here), rocking and driving them round in the car. Parents simply want a happy baby .... and usually a bit of sleep ourselves too!

So I was therefore delighted to be asked by the wonderful people at Fisher Price to review some of their fantastic soothing products for little ones, so grab a quick cup of tea and see what we thought!

Soothe & Glow Seahorse - RRP £16.99

This is quite simply our little ones favourite thing ever ( I suspect this also includes me ). The Soothe and Glow Seahorse is a wonderful nightime friend for baby. When it is cuddled, the belly gently glows and it plays over 5 minutes of music and ocean sounds. It is suitable from birth and has been in with our daughter pretty much since then. Every night, she lies down in her cot and will start to moan a little, mainly because she loves cuddles, but as soon as we push the Soothe and Glow Seahorses tummy, she grabs hold of him and quite literally pulls him against her face. As a breast fed baby, I think the soft feel of the Seahorse gives her comfort, rather than needing to snuggle against me. We have already talked about buying a spare one, incase this one ever gets lost or broken .... although I have recently found out that they also do it in pink, so that might be on the next shopping list!!

Cruisin Motion Soother - £69.99

Most babies fall asleep in the car and I know ALOT of parents who have spent more than a few pennies on petrol, driving around crying babies late at night. So the ingenious people at Fisher Price have created that soothing feeling of a car ride, right at home! The Cruisin Motion Soother has a gentle pulsing action designed to help baby relax and sleep. So this together with  some clever seat ergonomics, and a super soft fabric and your bambino has the perfect combination for a nap, without leaving the house or burning any fuel!

Our daughter has had both fun playing with the toys (and whacking them too -  a testament to their durability) and when the sleep cues start, I have simply been able to switch the soothing motion on and watch her doze off to sleep! It does require the huge 4 D batteries but they are definately cheaper than the current price of petrol.

So if nap times are "driving" you crazy (sorry for the bad joke), then the Cruisin Motion Soother is the perfect solution.

In order to be objective, I know that there are lots of other great products on the market but both of these products have been a godsend to nap times and our bedtime routine. Our only criticism? ..... They need to make a motion soother for grown ups too!!

The term family friendly is used alot in business, networking and retail but what does it really mean?

Yesterday, I took my two children out for lunch to a well known restaurant chain that regularly promotes itself as family friendly. This is a brand new, purpose built outlet for this particular chain, so I thought that given it was Valentines Day, I would "LOVE" to spend some time with my girls over lunch.

I was therefore a little surprised to have to negotiate the pushchair through a small passageway, bumping into tables and people as I went. There was no highchair offered and when I looked around, every child was either seated or on their parents lap.

So what makes this family friendly? A childs menu that offers hamburgers with chips and peas? ((shudder)) A balloon on the way out?

Before I had children, I wouldnt have noticed but to me, family friendly means easy access, good changing facilities, high chairs, food warming and decent food options for the little people. My eldest is a particular fan of fish but unless she wants fish fingers, there is never an option for fish, rice or even vegetables half the time. There are countless programmes about obese children but if our family friendly restaurants insist on only offering chips to our children, we are fighting a losing battle!

Rant over ...... I was feeling the love on Valentines, honestly!!

New guest post from our friends at Moneysupermarket.com

UK Half Term Holiday Destinations

Half term is fast approaching and the worry of what to do to occupy the kids for a full week is filling many parents with dread. The desire to provide them with a fun filled educational week off is conflicting with the necessity of not breaking the bank. There are many great things you can do at home to have a great half term break and not spend a lot but sometimes getting away even for a couple of days can make the break seem like a real holiday.

Here are a few of the great UK destinations suitable for short breaks and ways you can enjoy them without spending a fortune.

Chester

Often overlooked for its neighbouring cities of Manchester and Liverpool, Chester is a fantastic place to get away with the children. Home to Chester Zoo, the whole family can enjoy a day out here, granted this can be a bit on the expensive side when there is a few of you but there are ways of reducing the cost. Chester Zoo often offers discount vouchers, particularly during the school holidays, always look out for these before you go. Avoid the restaurants and cafes when you are in there as they can be expensive, instead take a picnic, there are plenty of picnics spots available (indoor and outdoor) and that way you can control the amount you are spending on food and drinks.

To save even more money when visiting Chester, head to the lesser known attractions such as the Ice Cream Farm and the Candle Factory, close by you can even visit both in one day.

For a completely free activity if your children enjoy history, get them to pretend they are a Roman soldier for a day and walk the city walls and visit the ruins of the amphitheatre. A visit to the museum, which is also free, can provide you with all the knowledge to provide them with a fun and educational day out.

York

York, like Chester is a city steeped in history so is great for families with children who enjoy learning about soldiers, leaders and the key figures of times gone by. As well as its role in Roman history, York is also the birthplace of Guy Fawkes and visitors can take part in the Guy Fawkes walking tour at only £4 for adults and £2 for children.

For a fun filled day out head to the York Dungeons, here families can enjoy an interactive experience of all of York’s horrible history including rides and actors to make it all the more realistic. Money can be saved on tickets to the dungeon by planning ahead and booking online, particularly when booking a family ticket of 2 adults and 2 children (the price reduces from £49 to £29.40)

Blackpool

Blackpool has long been associated with British family breaks, although more recently has been given a bad reputation, largely due to hen and stag parties flocking to the area. While it is true that there are a fair few revellers around in the evening this doesn’t stop the area being a great traditional destination for families during the day.

Of course the best free attraction Blackpool has to offer is its beach, although not many of us will want to be sat on a beach in the freezing temperatures of February! Instead staying indoors is much more preferable, Blackpool has many attractions that are great for kids, the Sea Life Centre, Pirate Adventure Mini Golf (again indoors!) Louis Tussards waxwork museum, Blackpool Tower and countless arcades. Granted these all cost money although many offer vouchers and discounts so it’s a good idea to check before you go as you could end up saving a lot of money. Blackpool Pleasure Beach and Nickelodeon Land are fantastic for the kids and both will be open this February, the Pleasure Beach only opens at the weekends but Nickelodeon Land is open every day.

Conwy

If Blackpool is a little bit to lively then heading to the North Wales coast for a beach break might be more your thing. Conwy is a beautiful town that is a great destination for a family break, as well as having a stunning coastline which is great for walks (ideal if you have a dog and like to take them on holiday with you) a castle and even the smallest house in Britain!

You can see Conwy Castle as soon as you arrive in the town, wonderfully preserved, once you enter its grounds you can imagine how it would have been when it was first constructed during the 1200’s. Admission is just £13.90 for a family ticket. Once you have visited the castle, head just down the road to the smallest house in Britain! This tiny house is just 10 feet by 6 feet in size and was built in the 16^th century with people living there right up until the 1900’s. On visiting the house you can learn all about its past owners, the last being fisherman Robert Jones who himself who 6ft 3in. Visitors can enter the house and see for themselves how it must have been to live in Britain’s smallest house! Throw in a bag of fish and chips and this day out can be a great day for families with children of all ages.

This is a guest article from Charlotte at TravelSupermarket.com, whether you choose to enjoy a short break in the UK or a last minute holiday overseas, TravelSupermarket can help you to find a great deal for you and your family that’ll leave you with plenty of spending money to enjoy your time away.

Today is Safer Internet Day, so how safe are you and your children online?

We all try to keep our lives private but with the age of Facebook when friends share photos and locations online, it becomes easier for people to track our lives, for the good and the bad!

When I was growing up, we didnt have the internet, we were so excited when my brother received a Sega Megadrive as a Christmas gift but my children have access to our laptops and blackberry and the 6 year old knows how to use the ipod better than me. Whilst confidence with technology is great, it also comes with its pitfalls.  People can pretend to be someone they are not online, there are some unscrupulous people that prey on children and trusting adults too so increasing awareness and security is at the forefront of parents minds.

I spend far too much time on my laptop (like now) and my blackberry (like always), so maybe when I have time with my children, I should turn the technology off and remember this poem (edited)

I hope my children look back on today

And remember a Mother who had time to play

Children grow up while you're not looking

There'll be years ahead for computers, cleaning and cooking

So quiet now facebook and dust, go to sleep

I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.