Toilet Breaks won't Break a Child

Some UK schools are restricting the use of toilets both in lesson and break time.

When I was at school you raised your hand and asked to go, the teacher said yes, you went, you came back. End of story. And there were breaks between classes too, so you could nip in then. I never saw any problem with this. It all worked fine.

I assume schools in their ongoing battle to subdue teach children have decided some children are abusing the privilege right to go to the toilet when they need to. As we all know, children are terrible at knowing when they need to go, and hopeless at planning, even as teenagers; and of course when children start menstruating that can strike at any time! Nothing worse than feeling that sudden trickle of blood and knowing you need the loo trip NOW!

My opinion, and what's the point of being an old woman online if you can't have opinions! Is that children should be allowed to go to the toilet when they damn well please. Will the entire class rush out to the loo at once? maybe; and here I shrug, because teachers...this is on you. It's your job to keep the class entertained and engaged enough to learn. 

Children should want to be in your class, they should excitedly hope you are going to do that fun thing you do, tell a joke like you do, have a pop test with prizes, ask a class member to stand up and teach for five minutes, whatever your class loves you should be using to entrance them. Children should be hoping they don't need the loo in your class because your class is great! And headteachers should be supporting you in that, with time, with resources, and with faith in your teaching. And the government should be supporting all of that too!

Stop worrying about toilets. Start thinking about teaching so no one wants to miss it.

Halloween Fun with the family

I have a love hate relationship with Halloween. I know a lot about the traditions and like reading about them. As a child I enjoyed the simple things, like apple bobbing and silly scare games at halloween parties. But the way it has become a huge deal (old traditions enlarged and migrated back to us from America I guess) especially with the pumpkin obsession (RIP my Instagram feed at this time of year - if you don't like pumpkins avoid Instagram) and the 'trick or treating' which, while cute with little kids, with teenagers is just scary, and not in a good way.

And then this year of course the world feels like more of a horrific place than in years gone by. Threats of nuclear war (common in my childhood but I had thought long gone), terrorist attacks, increased knife crime, all of these things make 'celebrating' horror feel just wrong.

Looking around the shops for halloween party and costume ideas I couldn't giggle at fake blood, artificial slashed throats, comedy knives, hachets, and even, in Poundland, Donald Trump costumes and themed decorations!

And so I decided to ask some friends what they did at halloween that could be enjoyed by all the family without the usual horror or the dreaded pumpkins!

and here are some of the ideas.

Becky, clearly my soulmate, just hides!

"I mainly hide! I don't mind the little ones coming to the door, but beyond 7 o'clock I won't answer and pretend we're not in. I hate the gangs of teenagers who don't even dress up. "

Lizzie, given up on the niceties on halloween, just gets drunk!

"Many years ago as a joke I back combed my hair put on a black sack and handed out rubber cables. As I've gotten older I've become much more aware of how embarrassing this is but it's become somewhat of a tradition. So I have to be very drunk every Halloween. It's something I hope my children will do for me once they're of age"

Laura focuses on doing some halloween crafts with her family, and while she does go trick or treating, only to houses she has previously checked with.

"Mine are just 3 and 5 so it's more Halloween related crafts, movies and snacks than anything. We do go trick or treating though as the kids love it, but only go to obviously door knocking friendly houses, friends and neighbours that we know won't mind. This year there's a local disco for little ones so we may do that instead"

Sarah celebrates her birthday with the family, with a meal out.

"We love Halloween in our house, it is also my birthday. We do costumes with a different theme every year and then do family photos and often go out for dinner dressed up."

Louise has a doorstep party! Which sounds really fun.

"I was never allowed to go trick or treating as a child as my parents hated the idea. Now I love Halloween but the idea of not trick or treating has stayed with me and so instead, we hang out with snacks, music and wine and have a 'doorstep party' with our friends & neighbours as they call in!"

Jada likes a halloween movie, but in costume!

"A Halloween night in, a “spooky” movie - age suitable of course, popcorn, a treat and we do sometimes have a Halloween buffet style tea - it’s easier than cooking as the door constantly knocks by trick or treaters. We also do dress up too so we’re not missing out on the costume side of things! "

Following Jada's lead I think that on the 31st I will be wearing my Deadpool morphsuit (just in case anyone calls) while watching a comedy halloween movie and munching on autumn snacks like apple cake and popcorn. Although we are squeezing in a halloween party on the 27th - a party at Fizz's dog groomers! So there will be some silliness and fancy dress and no doubt tricks and treats at Pooched Paws Halloween Party.

What will you be up to? And which (not too scary) halloween movies would you recommend?

For some safety tips pop over to Carolin's blog - and also think about using pumpkin lights instead of candles

Pup image copyright: adogslifephoto / 123RF Stock Photo

Car safety, things I pack to avoid catastrophe

Recently a blogging friend Sara-Jayne over "Keep up with the Jones Family" at had a terrible experience with her car. After a breakdown, late in the evening, on a busy motorway with no safe place for her to get away from traffic she found herself faced with a wait for the AA.

Due to the nature of the breakdown the lights on her car failed and she was left waiting in the increasingly dark night in a really dangerous location.

The AA did not arrive for hours and during that time she was understandably distressed.(Read more on her twitter here)

Her experience made me reassess my own car safety procedures.

I carry a spare tyre, (not all cars come with one so it's worth checking!) and I know where my spare tyre is, and I check it is roadworthy at each MOT and service - that's important as newer cars do not need an MOT so it can escape being checked for several years.

I regularly check tyre pressures. If you've not done this it's a great idea to find out how to on a day you are not in a hurry and don't have an obviously soft tyre.

I make sure my screen wash is topped up - a seagull once crapped all over the windscreen, and it took a lot of water to clear it enough to see! (and don't ask me about the fox blood and guts incident)

I know where the dipstick is (jokes about him being a SAHD can be inserted here) and I can check the oil, and know where to add more too.

I have always carried a first aid kit and a 'life hammer' (the thing that can break car windows and slice through seat belts to release people in an emergency)

And after reading about Sara-Jayne and her horrible experience I'm investing in some hi-vis vests to keep in the boot of the car, in case we need to get out an walk anywhere if the car breaks down.

And also a warning triangle (they are essential when travelling in Europe anyway, and a great idea to give advanced warning if you have to stop the car unexpectedly)

I am even tempted to get a battery operated hazard light after thinking about electrical failures meaning the car lights could fail at night!

What do you carry in case of emergency? Have I missed anything? Or am I over prepared? What do you think?

Gross books for gross kids

OK the title to this post is a tad misleading. While the books may be gross I don't think kids are, but they do all seem to go through phases of being fascinated with things that, as adults, we have been conditioned to see as 'not nice' or 'not to be talked about' so it's a jolly good thing that some books are around that cover these subjects to help us squeamish adults cope with life, and kids.

I have just been rereading Snuff: (Discworld Novel 39) (Discworld Novels)by Sir Terry Pratchett and Vimes's son Sam is fascinated with poo and dirt throughout the book, which made me think about children's books that we had loved..

So here are my suggestions for 'gross books' based on books that DD had a smaller person, and that we both really enjoyed, because you know what? Poo IS funny!

Dr Dog - Babette Cole
A book about a family dog that happens to also be a Dr. He struggles with his family as they are rather silly and at times quite disgusting, sharing hairbrushes, scratching their bums and farting far too loudly. Along the way Dr Dog teaches small children some hygiene tips and gives us all a laugh, he also gets rather exhausted...poor Dr Dog

Drop Dead - Babette Cole
Another book by the same author looking at the stark fact that however exciting and wonderful (or not) our lives may be, we will all suffer the same fate in the end and just Drop Dead. Tackled with love and humour this is a funny book for small children. It only tackles death due to old age, and does have a weird reincarnation hint at the end, but is simple and funny. As always with Babette's books the artwork is lovely.

The story of the little mole who knew it was none of his business -
This was bought for DD when she was small and soon became a firm favourite at bedtime. A mole finds himself in the unfortunate position of being pooed upon. Having poor eyesight he is not sure of the culprit so he sets off to find out, and to exact his revenge. On the way he explores many types of poo. Poo lovers will enjoy this book, and will find it invaluable on trips to farms to help identify poop.

Here Comes the Poo Bus - Andy Stanton
A Bus is coming to take the insects to the seaside! The bus is made of poo so who could resist? A totally gross story in rhyme of a trip to the seaside, some laugh out loud moments, some truly horrible illustrations and a rather dark ending make this a hilarious read for all!

There are many other poop themed books for small children, but I cannot say I have read them all!
Books about Poop

But what about wee I hear you ask! I'm glad you raised that point!

Why not have a read of :

Father Christmas needs a wee -Nicholas Allan
In which Father Christmas tries to deliver presents before he goes to the loo. Any child who has hopped about declaring they don't need the loo yet will be able to appreciate Santa's predicament...will he be in time? Read this rhyming book out load for tense chuckles and to find out the answer! But don't laugh too hard!

I want my Potty! (Little Princess)  -
Any parent who has run through the house with a potty will  be cringing along with the story in this book. The Princess needs her potty, but where is it? and where is she? Who is in charge and can they get the potty to her before it's too late?

Mummy Laid and Egg - Babette Cole
And last but by no means least - my favourite book ever about sex. A manual for everyone, from 3 years and up. Take care with the ways 'mummies and daddies fit together' some of the ways are not for the faint hearted...or those with poor balance. The perfect book to teach children where babies come from.

Have I missed any books that you love that are slightly (or even very) gross? Do let me know in the comments.

Meanwhile I'm off to read my book (yes I really have a copy, and yes it is full of glossy photos of poo)

Post contains Amazon affiliate links - if you buy a book via these links I get a small percentage, and it costs you nothing.

Camp Bestival 2017 as a family holiday

When I tell people I'm off to Camp Bestival I get varying responses. Anything from "festivals? aren't they full of drugs and drunks?" to "how much?! I can't afford that for a few days in a field!" so I thought I'd look at some of the myths around festivals, and explain why Camp Bestival is actually the perfect holiday for you and the kids.

The popular stereotype of a festival is of muddy drunken revellers, peeing on tents and raving late into the night before falling over guy ropes, peeing on your tent and then crashing out on someone else's inflatable bed, only to awaken to a vomit stained sleeping bag, your car keys missing, and it's raining again for the 3rd day. The portable chemical toilets are overflowing and you lost your wallet so you can't buy a beer.

And while it's true I might (have) been to a festival or two that are similar to that (not the losing my wallet bit - I'm very security conscious at a festival) Camp Bestival is very far from this sad damp image. (A big plus point is that the festival site is on chalk, so never muddy!)

Camp Bestival is predominately a family festival. So most people have kids with them. They tend to be happy to have a drink, but take their mummy and daddy roles pretty seriously, so there is a lack of vomiting drunks, in fact, wailing toddlers are more common.

As the festival is aimed at families with kids, there is loads to do for children. So the wailing form the aforementioned toddlers is more likely to be because they can't fit all the fun into their day than because they are bored.

The price of any festival is going to be higher than camping alone, because they are providing a camp site, toilets, water points, as well as activities, musical acts and insurance. If you look at all the things a festival provides it's easier to see it's value for money.

Camp Bestival starts on Friday and finishes on Sunday night, but you can arrive from Thursday lunchtime and camp until Monday lunchtime so actual nights camped can be 4.

There are loads of free things to do. You can bring your own food and drink which can save some money.

Free things include all the musical acts of course, and this year we are looking forward to Madness, Mark Ronson, Louisa Johnson and Mr B The Gentleman Rhymer to name just a few. Surfing dudes will be thrilled to hear Brian Wilson is performing on Sunday. But music almost takes a back seat at Camp Bestival, which Rob da Bank (its founder) designed as part way between a festival and a holiday camp (hence the name), with the holiday camp feel in mind there are Blue Coats to entertain the children in all manner of silliness, an Insect Circus (with real insects), tree climbing and all sorts of woodland and outdoor fun, many different craft activities, comedy acts, Punch and Judy shows, clay modelling, silly science shows, musical theatre, early morning cinema, discos and more! all included in the admission price!

There are extras you can pay for, such as face painting, helter skelter rides, a big wheel or a bounce on the world's biggest bouncy castle too, but the strong minded parent can use distraction techniques to avoid spending too much extra if they are prepared!

For the grown ups there are all of the above (I love the cinema in a tent early in the day with a coffee and a croissant) and a Jam Jar cocktail bar, excellent food stalls, late night discos and stand up comedy.

Camp Bestival is one of the least stereotypical 'festivals' I've ever been to and I love it. We have been going for years now and DD still likes to go even at 17 because she likes the lack of unpleasantness you usually get a festivals, I don't think I've ever seen anyone drunk (Unless you count me tipsy - in which case, it happens every year) and I rarely get a whiff of weed. Security staff there are always polite but firm (ooh er!) and I've always felt safe as a single woman camping with my daughter.

And loos? well a festival loo is really what you make it and most mums and dads seem polite enough to leave a loo as clean as they can. After all - parents are made of wet wipes! The loos are cleaned and emptied regularly and over the years they have improved as festival staff have learned from the odd problem encountered. So yes they are portable chemical toilets, but they are generally well cared for.

So for your money you really are getting a good deal. Why not consider it as a family holiday? Maybe have the start of the week at an ordinary campsite and then finish the week on a high with a family festival that really is first class.

Find out about all of this years acts and grab tickets at Camp Bestival's Website

Disclosure : I'm an official blogger for Camp Bestival and so this year I'm attending as their guest

Wordy Wednesday with Fleur Hitchcock

Welcome to Wordy Wednesday - today in the hot seat I would like to introduce Fleur Hitchcock, author of Murder in Midwinter, Bus Stop Baby, and many others. The books are aimed at the younger reader, but I confess the story synopses sound like I might enjoy them too.

So Fleur, tell us about yourself,
I’ve  worked as a shop assistant, a dinner lady, a gardener, and a curator. I have two almost grown up children and live in the West Country and wrangle all the strands of my life. Since 2011 I’ve written books of all sorts for children aged 7 +

My most recent book is Murder in Midwinter which was published in October 2016  It’s about a very average South London girl called Maya. She’s on a bus in London when she spots a man and a woman arguing on the street. The man seems to be holding a gun and Maya takes a photograph with her phone. But he sees her do it. Soon after there’s a murder, and kidnap, and for her safety, Maya is sent far away from home, to the snow covered mountains of Wales, she can’t get out, but can someone else get in?  It’s a page turner thriller for children aged 9+

Do you have another job or are you a full time author? 
I also garden. It’s hard on my back and knees which aren’t getting any younger, but brilliant for my head and also allows me to listen to the radio which is something I really miss about writing.  Some people can write to music, but I have to have a pretty quiet house to function.

Why did you start writing?
I really don’t know – and I actually don’t think I remember beginning to write. I’ve always done it. It’s just I didn’t call myself a writer until I went back and did an MA in my mid forties.

List 3 things that are guaranteed to make you smile.
My neighbour the vicar jumping into his wheelie bin to compress the rubbish (even reading that made me smile, well done!)
Bumble bees.
Finding a table seat on the train.

Do you have any pets? 
We have some decrepit goldfish, but used to have hens. I loved them dearly, but so did the foxes. We’ll have hens again one day. But for now we have to make do with visiting pets.  Every summer, Nom Nom the tortoise comes to stay while his owner goes on holiday. He’s almost our pet, and I miss him terribly when he goes.

Who is your favourite author? Do they influence your writing or are they a total break from the sort of thing you write?
My favourite author is Rose Tremain.  Everything she writes is different, so much so that I couldn’t spot a Rose Tremain book except by the quality of the writing and the humanity of the characters. She doesn’t have a distinctive style as such but her work is  always character led, something I aim towards, and I think RESTORATION is a perfect book. If you haven’t read it, you really should.

Which book(s) are you reading at the moment? 
I’m reading a proof copy of “The Cost of Living” by Rachel Ward. It won’t be published until later on this year, so I’m terribly excited to get an advanced look at it. It’s a brilliant piece of “Cosy” detective fiction that begins in a supermarket with characters called Ant and Bea.  I’m racing through it but I know I have tottering TBR pile cramming in behind.

Where do you do most of your writing?
On any available flat surface in our house. Sometimes that’s my knees. In theory I have a desk in the spare room but it’s so cluttered I often can’t work. Right now it’s piled high with my accounts that will probably stay there, almost finished, until 30th of January.

Tell us about the character that you've written that you like the most - no spoilers!
That’s like asking which of my children I love the most!  I shouldn’t possibly choose, but I’m very fond of Amy in Bus Stop Baby.  She’s 12 and she’s angry and she can’t really express it.  The world only just makes sense to her and she finds adolescence difficult. She wants everything to be simple and logical and it won’t behave that way. During the book, Amy gets herself into trouble with everyone she loves because she jumps to conclusions. I suspect I love her because she’s a bit like I was at that age.

What is your favourite biscuit?
Choco Leibniz – they dunk well, no palm oil and they’re delicious. Excellent choice!

In the film of your life who would play you?
Oh dear – I really don’t know – but I suppose a young me would be a young Diana Rigg – kind of out of control and a little larger than life. Prone to wearing rather tight fitting clothing and creeping around solving crimes. The now me might be the late great Patsy Byrne – she played Nursie in Blackadder. I think Nursie was wiser than she looked. (I adored Nursie)

If you could genetically cross an animal and a vegetable, what would you pick and why? I like the idea of a potato and a sloth...could you get a lazier creature? (my soul mate) 
A badger and a beetroot – just imagine all that purple seeping into the white. BEAUTIFUL!

You can follow Fleur on Twitter @fleurhitchcock
And check out her blog page at www.fleurhitchcock.com
And buy her books via Amazon

Crowded places, kids, and fear

I'm off up to London with DD at the weekend. I'm meeting up with my brother and his family at Comic Con and I am really looking forward to an excuse to wear my Morphsuit and dress as Deadpool again, I even bought some plastic ninja swords to add to the look.

But after the Manchester attack and the tragic loss of life at the Ariana Grande concert on Monday I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous, maybe even scared. Obviously I'm going anyway. As daily news stories point out, I could just as easily die on the drive in to work as in a terror attack, and terror is of course what these evil people hope to cause.

The whole thing has upset me, as I'm sure it's upset everyone. I sway between tears as I read about the beautiful people who died, on a night where they were with friends and family having fun, and then laughter as social media does it's best to snark at terrorists and fight light in the darkness. (see more on the hashtag #BritishThreatLevel on twitter)

I take great solace in reading of the things people did, and continue to do to help others, from kind words, free taxi rides, helping the injured, donating to help with hotel bills and funeral costs.

It is in the aftermath we see the truth of people, many will say we see the best of people, sadly we also see the worst of people, the vile and the racist and the spiteful, this sort of event displays the best and worst of humanity, so I hang on to the images of love and kindness, I look for the helpers.

Talking to DD about London, among my quips about dying wearing a Deadpool costume (oh the irony if that happens, but at least the blood won't show) I talked to DD about plans for us if there was a terror incident, I said that she should use me as a shield, that if we couldn't get out she should lay under me to stay safe, she looked into my eyes, her own eyes wide in surprise, saw my sudden seriousness and nodded, "yes, OK" she said, "but if we are OK, if other people are hurt, we are going to help, I'm going to wear an extra T shirt in case we need bandages..." and there it is, the best of people. I'm proud and heartbroken in equal measure. Not all super heroes wear capes, not even at Comic Con, some wear an extra T shirt.

Copyright: blojfo / 123RF Stock Photo

So I fully expect a fun day out, and I'm trying to keep fear to the back of my mind and keep love and kindness to the fore.

I'll be sharing Comic Con photos after the weekend. Stay tuned.

Wordy Wednesday with Children's Author Michelle McKenna (and a giveaway)

Welcome to another Wordy Wednesday, this week's wordsmith is Michelle McKenna, who is not only answering silly questions, but has offered a signed copy of her book as a giveaway! read on to see how you can be the proud owner of a copy of The Yellow Bills.

So Michelle, grab a comfy spot and tell me about yourself...
I’m a child of the 1970’s, my favourite colour is Sky blue, and I like anything with carbs, particularly spuds.

My book, The Yellow Bills is aimed at children aged 6-9 and is about, ducks!

 "Mya loves planes and wants to be a pilot when she grows up. As luck would have it, she comes across a flying school run by Lieutenant Drake who awards his pupils splendid pilot hats when they graduate. Mya wants to join the class, but there’s just one problem. She’s not a duck!
Could Goose the little duckling with big flying ambitions be the key to Mya getting her pilot’s hat? Or will Mr Sour the teacher who never quite made the grade have other ideas…"

Do you have another job or are you a full time author? If you do something else (lumberjack?) what is it and do you like it?
During the day I work part time in an office in London and then get home to my full time job looking after two little fab ones. I use to think I knew what the word busy meant in my younger days - pfff who wants to lounge around watching box sets anyway!

Why did you start writing?
I enjoy creating characters. I use to try and write YA fiction on and off for years but it was awful - I never found my Twilight moment. Then I had my first child and I don't know if it was hormones or lack of sleep but I just wanted to write children's fiction and it was fun. It also helped that when I read it back it didn't make me cringe, so I think I've finally found my writing niche.

List 3 things that are guaranteed to make you smile.
Apart from my kids (who also make me cry and laugh) I would say: magical books, a cuppa and catching a train you thought you'd missed.

Do you have any pets?
No I don't have pets. Love animals but I wouldn't want a pet right now although I'm sure we will be badgered to have one in the coming years.

Who is your favourite author? Do they influence your writing or are they a total break from the sort of thing you write?
I loved Lewis Carroll's AIice in Wonderland. I think he inspires part of my writing in that anything is possible when writing fiction.

Which book(s) are you reading at the moment?
Just about to start The Hate You Give I've heard lots of good things about it and when I saw an interview with the author it gave me goosebumps and I ordered the book there and then.

Which three cities would you most like to visit and why?
New York - I'd love to see the Empire State Building  
Monaco - my other half has got me into formula 1 and it looks so glam there. However I suspect we should bring our own sandwiches as eating out might be a tad expensive
Krakow - the salt mines. I was inspired by an episode of Go Jetters - yes CBeebies is now my go to for travel information  

Tell us about the character that you've written that you like the most - no spoilers!
I like Goose who is a little duckling helping the main character Mya. He's always so positive and looks on the bright side no matter what. I find that trait infectious

What is your favourite biscuit? Note to author - Jaffa cakes are no longer an acceptable answer to this question 😂
You can keep your Jaffa cakes. It was suggested that eating them during labour would help boost energy. Well I think you can guess how that went down. No, give me a lovely boring rich tea to dunk in my brew any day. (controversial!)

If you were in a cartoon what sort of character would you be?
I'd like to be a character set in the Jetsons but not the 1950s style mum. I'd love to be driving flying cars.

If you could genetically cross an animal and a vegetable, what would you pick and why? I like the idea of a frog and a gooseberry, mmm prickly frog.
I would go for a carrot and a mole so that the poor thing could see well in the dark. (I approve of velvety orange moles)

Thanks Michelle for playing along! 

You can follow this weeks author on Twitter at @michellemckenna

You can buy a copy of The Yellow Bills on Amazon

And check out Michelle's own website www.theyellowbills.com

To win a signed copy of The Yellow Bills, Just enter via the Rafflecopter thingy below! Good luck! (UK Only, no purchase necessary ends 19th May 2017)
a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Guardians of Oz - DVD Review

What happened after Dorothy went back to Kansas with Toto? How did the Tin man, Lion and Scarecrow get on with being rulers of Oz? Was Eveline the Wicked Witch of the West really gone for good?

This cartoon introduces us to a small flying monkey, one of the very flock that scared us in the original movie, though this little fellow is far from scary. In a land of magic, it's no surprise that witches don't always stay 'melted' and when Eveline commands her flying monkeys to search for her hidden magic, trapped safely inside a broom, things get complicated.

I really enjoyed this film, although it's obviously aimed at kids. There is a fair bit of fighting, dungeons and chases, which may or may not be to your taste (I know some small boys are over keen to emulate movies!) but the plot is the usual good vs evil one, with the added problem that one of the flying monkeys is questioning the whole 'follow orders even if they are bad', thing....

There are nods to other movies throughout and I enjoyed spotting them, of course my favourite was this nod to Deadpool as a search was underway...

Though this little reminder of Monty Python and the Holy Grail made me snigger too..."is it behind the rabbit?"

Harry Potter was evoked in the flying broom chases, and even King Kong got a look in - I'm sure there are lots more - I'll leave you to spot them all.

It's a fun family movie, made all the better for the total lack of musical numbers (in my opinion) and while it might help to have seen the original Wizard of Oz, it's not essential.

The Guardians of Oz is out on DVD from 13^th February.

See the trailer here

Disclosure : I was sent a copy of the DVD for the purposes of this review

Let your Kids Be Bored This Christmas

Seeing so many parents struggling to entertain their children during the (short) Christmas holidays I feel I need to let you all into a secret, you don't have to entertain children for every waking minute.

Photo Copyright: denisfilm / 123RF Stock Photo

Now don't get me wrong, planning things to do with your kids is great, it's fun and can be a lovely treat for you all. A panto at Christmas or a drive round to look at the Christmas lights followed by hot chocolate and marshmallows at a cafe, a snuggly afternoon with a family Christmas movie, even doing some crafty decorations, are all fun and to be recommended, but the times in between do not need to be filled with ideas.

Children have rooms full of toys, books and things to do (in most cases - and certainly in the families I see asking online for ideas!) and so they should be allowed to be bored, they whine a bit, the whinge a bit and they mooch a bit until they find something to do. It is an important skill to learn to amuse yourself, to learn that you can be responsible for creating fun times and creating exciting things to do in your own life, all by yourself.

No parent wants to create a needy, child, who may well grow into a demanding and entitled adult so lets try and pull back on the idea we need to fill each waking moment of a child's life with scheduled activities. It's easy to fall into that trap, I've done it myself, "Bored with colouring? Let's try a jigsaw!" "Finished the jigsaw, let's build a train track" "Trains not fun any more? Let's make a rocket from toilet roll tubes" But it's not necessary and it's not even helpful.

Pinterest should bear a bit of the blame I'm sure, filling parents heads with perfect playrooms and wonderful elaborate craft ideas, telling you to have 'ideas jars' with all sorts of fun and educational projects inside, written on slips of colourful paper to be snatched up when the children are all out of ideas of their own, but take a step back, slow down...

When I was a kid in the long summer holidays (from memory, summer holidays lasted about 20 years) I might have one or two days out to a zoo or the park, or a picnic in the woods. We might even have a week's holiday if I was lucky; but the majority of the holiday was spent outside playing, on my bike, in the garden, round a mate's house. And when the weather wasn't up to that, then playing in my room, reading, or  making up stories and games with dolls, playing shops in the kitchen, playing schools with my blackboard and chalks and rows of serious faced dolls, or colouring and drawing, making little story books, or card games.

None of these activities was scheduled or suggested by anyone (I did not draw ideas out of an ideas jar!) . You sat around, you got bored, and you found ways to fill the time. I can even remember (upon whining "I'm bored") being told that intelligent children are never bored! And really any child intelligent or less so should never be bored, especially in an age of multiple console games, Lego, books, toys, jigsaws, TV, drawing things, painting stuff.....

One of the things I remember very well was 'helping' around the house, joining in with polishing the hall floor, or helping with baking in the kitchen, going to the shops.

And so if your whining child really won't stop, then just throw some other ideas out there "Clean your room then!" "dust the lounge" "Hoover the bedrooms" "Do your homework" "Revise some maths" you'll be amazed how rapidly a child will find almost anything else to do except that.

Do you let your children get bored? How do you deal with whining? Or are you a scheduler?  and what free things are good to do (for all those other schedulers out there)

And if you really must have some ideas, I suggest some free things to do in this post, Falcondale Life Blog has a free holiday planner printable here, and for the crafty among you check out Red Ted Art's blog

But mainly I suggest closing your ears to the whining, make a cup of tea, read a magazine and let them be bored, even just for a couple of hours, they may surprise you.

School Uniforms - Love them or hate them?

You must have been living in a dream if you have failed to notice that a) it's the start of a new school year and b) school uniforms (and the inability of parents to stick to it) have been in the news.

DD is now 16 and has left school. After years too numerous to count in which she just got up, put on school uniform and went to school, she is starting college. No uniform, and as far as we are aware not even a dress code! I blogged earlier in the year about how we went out to buy some clothes. And it may surprise you to know (or it may not) that I spent as much on 'some new clothes for college' as I ever did on school uniform at the start of term, in fact due to the uniform remaining the same, I was only ever replacing worn out or outgrown clothes, not 'this old thing that is no longer fashionable and any way I've worn it loads and everyone has seen it and I'm bored of it' so I suspect I'll be spending more from now on (actually not as DD is taking responsibility for her finances from now - but that's another post!)

So here is my list of reasons why I love school uniform. 

And before we meander down the 'but freedom of expression!' 'Personality!' 'Individuality!' my daughter is only at school (now college)  7 hours a day, and all the rest of the day, and at weekends, she can wear what she likes, be as individual as she likes, have a unique personality...

So I love school uniform because:

• It's easy. You know what to buy. They know what to wear. No arguments. It just is.
• Cost. You have to buy something, I've found uniform no more expensive than 'normal' clothes, and while you still need 'weekend clothes', you don't need as much as you do when you are wearing 'weekend clothes' all week!
• Speed of getting ready. Maybe it's a girl thing (!) but as DD got older, what to wear became a huge deal, for school it's nice to have no debate, no "I've worn this already" or "oh Jane hates me in that" or " but I said I'd wear the blue! Everyone is wearing blue today!" (see also Mean Girls, on Wednesday we wear pink)
• Differentiation of work and play. Some people may argue that school shouldn't feel like work but the reality is that it is and it does. Personally I don't mind that - I work and I'd rather not, it's life. It's nice to feel like you've left work behind and it's your time when you get home and take off a uniform.
• Durability - school uniform is practical, it's rarely built for trendy fashion, it's tough, hard wearing and stain resistant. Minimal ironing (I say minimal - I mean 'no') easy wash, quick dry.
• Every one looks the same. Rich or poor you are there in the same kit. Yes I know there is shabby uniform and posher branded blouses but on the whole you all look the same as everyone else. No bullying based on clothing (obviously there is bullying based on something else, but fashion isn't in the list)
• Responsibility - It's never too young to learn some responsibility to yourself. Knowing where your uniform is, looking after it, making sure to get it washed and ready for Monday. No 'oh I'll just wear this then' , you need to be responsible.
• Learning to obey rules - now I know loads of people will rail against this but the world doesn't work without rules. Where to drive, tax to pay, bin days, recycling, plenty of jobs have a dress code, or even a uniform, health workers must dress a certain way and be clean, police dress to be identified, as do other civil servants etc. Some rules are worth following and if you feel your school uniform is really terrible, form a pupil group at school and try and change it! 
• Identification. Uniform can be a simple way to see who is a child at your school. As a teacher supervising a day out uniform can be a simple way to keep an eye on everyone (I used to love the Brownie uniform on days out when I was a helper there for this reason) in a sea of T shirts and jeans, (and other school uniforms form other schools) your school uniform can identify you.

And no, school uniform doesn't help you learn better, but it doesn't stop you learning either, and denim shorts don't help you learn better either.

Feel free to disagree (or agree!) with me on Twitter or Facebook

For the record, DD liked wearing her school uniform. (Look at that lovely hat!!)

Your school uniform opinion #poll

— Tattooed Mummy (@tattooed_mummy) September 7, 2016

Camp Bestival 2016 - out of this world

I have been going to Camp Bestival with DD since 2010 when I first head about about it. Every years there are new things to surprise us. For several years the Dingly Dell was a quiet arty location but lately it has been full of excitement and fun and extreme tree climbing for example!

The lovely layout with fields of different types lends itself to discovery and for some reason we seem to spend most time in the same field for most of the festival, though the field we pick has varied by year! This year we spent a lot  of time in the main castle field, and in the lower kids field.

A highlight for DD and for me too was Mr Motivator on the main stage, getting an entire field of adults and children alike, swinging our arms and leaping around to music. Dick and Dom were as chaotic as always with plenty of laughs for the children and innuendo for the adults, once again they made a small child cry on stage (which always makes DD and I feel bad when we giggle).

Fatboy Slim's set was a triumph and quite possibly my favourite act of the weekend.

Though Mr B the Gentleman Rhymer and his 'chap hop' was certainly a contender for most fun set of the weekend.

This year the theme was Space and so our fancy dress Saturday costumes were R2D2 and a StormTrooper. The fancy dress costumes and buggy pimping just get better year after year and this year my Morphsuit costume, while wonderful, was put to shame by a real stormtrooper! and even Chewbacca on a rare day off.

Me as a Stormtrooper

An actual Stormtrooper

Chewbacca

The theme didn't put me off wearing my Deadpool Morphsuit though, and so one day was made more surreal as Deadpool met the Clangers, and Camp Bestival does do surreal very well, with giant spacemen too!

The food was great, plenty of simple choices for small children (and fussy teens!) and more fancy fayre in the  Feast Collective tent. 

As always the end of the festival was marked by an amazing firework display around and even on, the castle.

Some people have remarked that for 4 days it's an expensive festival. But I honestly think you get value for money. If you look at how much you would pay to go to a circus, watch several well known bands, see comedians, meet the Clangers, go to a movie (we watched Pete's Dragon, the new Disney movie 2 weeks before it's UK release date!!) as well as have a camping pitch I think you'll see you are getting a bargain.

Saturday Morning Pictures Camp Bestival Style - in the Big Top

Tickets for next year are already on sale! Why not take advantage of the payment plan and spread the cost over the year. (from as little as £5 a week)

Disclosure : I was invited to attend the festival for free in exchange for promotional blog posts and an honest review, but in previous years I've been happy to pay!