We're Back! It's Been a While...

Hi! 

I can't believe how long it's been since I showed the Kids, Cuddles and Muddy Puddles blog over here a bit of love! If you are new here.... welcome! If you have been following us over on our socials, mostly on Instagram, then you may have been keeping up to date with what we've been up to over the past few years. 

So, where have we been?

A lot has happened over the last few years! I'll catch you up quickly, then you'll understand why we've a bit absent over here...

Covid Chaos

Our last post here was written on March 2nd 2020, and on March 11th the World Health Organisation declared Covid-19 a pandemic. Schools were shut indefinitely on March 18th and the UK went into its first lockdown on March 23rd... almost 3 years to the day!! And there began the chaos of home schooling my 2 children, whilst also still going into work as a primary school teacher to look after the children of key workers. What an incredibly strange and frightening time that was, wasn't it? 

I had also become a single mum just the June before, so navigating this new way of living was an interesting challenge in many ways! During the second lockdown, schools shut again in January 2021 forcing learning online yet staying open again for key workers. My time and energy was split between teaching in school, preparing, editing and uploading online lessons for those at home, and home-schooling my own children, while trying to keep everyone healthy, sane and alive! It was an uncertain time for us all and no-one could have predicted what the next year or so had in store for us!

How to Master Working from Home with Young Children

Kids, Cuddles and Muddy Puddles understands that when you have young children, working from home can be a real challenge. It can take all of your energy just to ignore distractions and stay focused on a single task, let alone juggle your workload and endless parenting obligations. If you’re not careful, you can work yourself into a state of burnout. Thankfully, it’s possible to enjoy remote work while taking care of young kids. With smart scheduling, outsourcing, and plenty of self-care, you will thrive in this role!

Lighten Your Workload

Reducing the amount of work on your plate will help you stay sane as a work-from-home parent. One way to do this is to enrol your child in child care or bring in a nanny a couple of times per week. Another way to lighten your workload is to outsource some of your administrative work to freelancers. Hire a virtual assistant to handle all of those time-consuming tasks. For example, your assistant can help you with appointment scheduling, customer support, and email management. Look for virtual assistant services on freelance job boards like Upwork and compare costs and client reviews to find a professional who will meet your needs.

Get Kids Reading: A Literacy Campaign by Sooper Books

Kids, Cuddles and Muddy Puddles are proud to support a new Literacy campaign called Get Kids Reading, by Sooper Books. The driving force behind the campaign is husband and wife team Simon and Charlene, who are passionate about raising standards of reading in children.

The Get Kids Reading initiative was launched in January this year, due to research that showed young people's growing use of social media is negatively impacting levels of literacy, and increasing levels of depression, sleep-related problems and cyber-bullying.

The campaign aims to help parents bridge the gap between modern technology and the need to get kids reading. The Sooper Books mission is to provide free bookshop quality children's stories to families all over the world using an online platform.

Image Credit: Sooper Books

Traditional tales and well-loved children's stories are creatively retold by Simon (there's some Sooper Books originals in there too!), and beautifully illustrated by the talented Charlene. Together they have already produced an extensive online library of bedtime stories for 5-12 year olds! Perfect for busy, modern families who want access to quality reading resources anytime, anywhere!

Healthy Hair for Kids: Locks in Goodness Review and Giveaway

(Gifted)

Locks in Goodness is a brand new natural hair care range aimed at children. All the products are free from impurities, natural in origin and completely safe to use on delicate, young hair. The ingredients used are minimally processed, meaning that they stay as close as possible to the natural plant.

"Every dollop is bursting with goodness." 

What I admire about this company is their dedication to the environment. The packaging is 100% recyclable and biodegradable, with the plastic-free tubes made from natural sugar cane, helping to protect the planet.

A big selling point for me is the "No Nasties" tagline. My son has very sensitive skin so we have to be careful what products we use. Harmful impurities and harsh chemicals which are found in most processed products can irritate his skin, so we were really excited to give these products a go!

Locks in Goodness Hair Gel and Hair Smoothie

Hair Gel

My son was keen to try the Hair Gel out! We applied a generous amount to damp, towel dried hair (even though it was almost bedtime... might as well go to sleep in style!) and spiked it up. The product doesn't feel sticky or synthetic, and is ultra light and easy to apply.

A Rainbow After the Storm

Dear friends,

A lot has changed here since I last wrote. Little did I know that, one sunny day at the beginning of June, my whole life would take on a new direction.

After almost 15 years of being with my husband (7 of them married), he took the decision to end our relationship. The reasons are personal, but what followed would be the hardest, most devastating and emotional time of my life.

In that moment, I felt my entire world collapse around me. What would the future hold for me and my 2 young children? All my dreams and hopes for my family going forwards were shattered. Gone. My heart was broken, so much so that I felt I couldn't breathe. The pain in my chest so immense, I couldn't even stand up straight. I cried so many tears I could taste the salt in the air.

In the weeks that followed, I fell apart inside... but kept it together on the outside. Many people never suspected a thing. For the first time though, I suffered from the effects of anxiety and ended up having to take time off work. There was no way I could concentrate on the education and welfare of others when I could barely look after myself.

A Raving Good Time! Happyface Family Rave Review

On Sunday 9th June, my family and I went out for an afternoon with a difference! Imagine the scene - club classics from the 90s being played by a nightclub DJ, colourful flashing lights and glowsticks shining brightly, a dancefloor filled with revelers wearing UV facepaints and neon clubwear, everyone with their hands up in the air...

No, we didn't accidentally step back in time to our raving days, although it certainly felt like it! In fact, we introduced our two young children (almost 6 and 3 1/2) to the nostalgia of a family rave - Happyface Family Rave to be exact! This was a rave with a difference - a Sunday afternoon dance party for adults and children to enjoy together!

The event was imagined and brought to life by local man Nick Madeley and his team of dedicated organisers. You can read our preview post to find out about the background to this launch event, but don't forget to pop back here to find out how it went on the day!

In preparation for the family rave, we bought some themed T-Shirts to wear! My hubby is not one for dressing up so we kept them quite tame! The kids chose a skeleton and a unicorn doing the "Dab" - a popoular dance move bought to my son's attention by the game Fortnight! Hubby twinned with our son and I picked a slightly more nostalgic design (think, "big fish, little fish, cardboard box!")... but forgot to get a photo of me in it! (As is often the way for us mums/chief photo-takers, hey?!)

Parenting Alphabet Challenge: An A - Z of My Parenting Experiences

You may have seen a few of these A - Z of parenting posts doing the rounds lately, so when Emma from Dirt, Diggers and Dinosaurs tagged me in hers, I was up for the challenge! The idea is to use each letter of the alphabet to describe your parenting experiences, and I took that to mean the good, the bad and the ugly! So here's my take on the "Parenting Alphabet Challenge," created originally by Yule Times. I tried to be a little original in my answers. How many can you relate to?

A is for ANTI-WRINKLE CREAM

Let's just cut to the chase... children age you! If I had know 10 years ago just how bad my frown (and smile) lines would become, I'd have started slapping the stuff on in my mid-twenties! Every wrinkle has been worth it though!

B is for BED HOPPING

Whether that be the children in yours, or you in theirs, there's guaranteed to be plenty of bed hopping, swapping and sharing going on! There certainly (still...) is in my house!

C is for CARDBOARD BOXES

I've lost count of how many times we've had to source these things for school projects; harvest baskets, gifts for the homeless, packages for third world countries, and the latest 2 - to make a hospital from the olden days, and an Easter house! You may as well start stockpiling now! Oh, and all those fancy expensive gifts you buy for your children - you can bet your breakfast (if you're lucky enough to grab any) that they'll be more interested in the cardboard boxes!

How to Encourage Positive Thoughts at Bedtime with The Dream Pillow™

(Review - Gifted)

From the first day you bring your bundles of joy home from the hospital, sleep patterns and bedtime routines seem to be a hot topic of conversation amongst parents...and even strangers! People love nothing more than to ask, "How does the baby sleep?" or "Do they sleep through the night yet?" Everyone seems to have an opinion too, don't they? "Ooh, don't let the baby sleep with you - you'll make a rod for your own back!" (That's my favourite... 😖)

And there seems to be no escaping it! As the children get older, parents can often find common ground by chatting about bedtime routines. "What time do yours go to bed? Do you read a story every night after a bath? Do you let your children have T.V or tablet time?"

As the children get older, they are more aware of their routines and become more independent in their choices - choosing a bath or a shower, picking out their own pyjamas and bedtime stories, choosing a cuddly toy or comforter for example.

Bedtime Worries

But what happens when they hit the nightmare stage? All your hard work can be undone in an instant. The fear, the tears, the long cuddles back in your bed. How do you reassure your little ones that they are safe, and it's okay to go back to sleep? How do you alleviate these big worries that fill their little sleepy heads? How do you encourage positive thoughts at bedtime?

Super Sibling Co-ordinates by Teether

(Review - Gifted)

Do you ever co-ordinate your children and dress them in the same outfits? I have to say, having a 5 year old boy and a 3 year old girl, it's not something I've ever considered! I haven't even twinned them in matching Christmas jumpers as each year they prefer to choose their own!

I've always thought it was cute to see twins dressed in matching clothes, and even same-sex siblings of different ages, but dressing my son and daughter in co-ordinating outfits has never really crossed my mind...until now!

Teether, an online baby boutique based in the UK have recently introduced a new design in their siblings range which we were lucky enough to review! We were sent two t-shirts with a shiny foil print - copper for the boys and rose gold for the girls.

Sibling t-shirts with copper and rose gold foil print.

Guest Post: How to Find the Best Educational Activities on Holiday in Italy

As regular readers to our blog will know, we are passionate about teaching and learning languages and inspiring youngsters to become more culturally aware. 

This week, I am delighted to bring you a fantastic guest post from Mammaprada's Kristie, who will introduce you to the amazing opportunities on offer from Arte al Sole. So if you're considering a holiday in Italy this year, read on to discover how to find the best educational activities on offer for the family...and maybe even some child-free time for yourselves! 

Buongiorno!

Firstly, thank you Rachel for allowing me to write on your lovely blog this week! We share a lot of the same values and interests, so it’s wonderful to talk to your readers and share my experiences.

I’m Kristie and I write at Mammaprada. I’m English, married to an Italian. We live in London and are raising two bilingual bambini! Raising children with two languages and cultures is quite full on sometimes. We’re very passionate about learning, not just in terms of words and phrases, but also sharing our cultures with our children.

We’re big believers in education coming in many forms and not being confined to a classroom.

I’m always on the lookout for interesting products or programmes. Or meeting (even virtually!) other determined parents or those with a desire to make a positive impact on their little ones.

Our Favourite Places to Visit in North Staffs: Westport Lake

In this series, we will be telling you all about our favourite places to visit in our local area, North Staffordshire. We are lucky enough to live right on the edge of the Staffordshire Moorlands and the beautiful Peak District, so we are spoilt for choice when it comes to the great outdoors! We're also a stone's throw away from the hustle and bustle of busy towns and of course Stoke-on-Trent city centre, not to mention the M6. So with the best of both worlds on our doorstep, we have plenty of places to visit!

The first place featured in our series is Westport Lake. It's the perfect nearby place to go to get outdoors for a few hours.

WESTPORT LAKE

Where is it?

Westport Lake is located in the heart of Stoke-on-Trent, near Middleport and Tunstall. It's Stoke-on-Trent's largest expanse of water and was created along side the Trent and Mersey Canal. Just off the A500, it's easily accessible by car. Once you're there, you can't really tell you're in the middle of a built up area on the border of the city!

Time for Positivi-Tea! Can a Good Cuppa Really Solve Anything?

(Review -  Gifted)

There's nothing quite like a good cup of tea! It's our nation's favourite drink, with the average Brit drinking 3 to 4 cups a day! But can a good brew really solve anything? Well, of course boiling the kettle isn't going to end world hunger or find a cure for disease, but on a day-to-day basis, so many of us seek solace in a cuppa.

There are so many varieties of tea available now, there seems to be a tea to compliment every mood and ailment! Do you seek comfort in a cup of traditional English breakfast, or relaxation with a cup of chamomile and lavender? Perhaps you prefer the soothing benefits of a cup of peppermint or ginger tea, or the rejuvenating qualities of a cup of green?

There's even a tea to help you get ready for labour - although I'm not sure it did much for me other than send me on more toilet trips than I care to remember! As if my bladder didn't already have enough to cope with!

Shibui Tea

Edinburgh born tea company Shibui Tea's philosophy is all about sourcing and sharing great quality tea. The company was even set up over a few pots of the good stuff! They specialise in seeking out great ingredients from all over the world, and combining them to create many distinct flavours of loose tea and pyramid tea bags.

How to Stay Positive During the Winter Months

The winter months are finally upon us! Yay, it's nearly Christmas! One of my favourite times of year! But sometimes the darkness seems to wrap around us like a cloak, from the minute we open our eyes to the crisp, cold mornings to the second we climb back into bed. Its easy for the positivity and joyful bounce to subside and for the pessimism and misery to set in during the winter months! 

For some, leaving the house for work or school and arriving back home in the pitch black can sometimes make you feel like you've missed a whole day! For others, the gloominess is overwhelming and claustrophobic and can make you feel like hibernating along with the animals! 

It's at this time of year that many people suffer with general "winter blues." Others may develop Seasonal Affective Disorder (or aptly named SAD for short), a "winter depression" that is usually more severe in the winter months. 

So how can we pull ourselves out of the winter blues and stay positive during the darker months? We can learn a lot about surviving and embracing the winter from the Scandinavians, many of whom spend up to 6 months of the year in twilight and never-ending darkness! 

Norwegians have this lovely word, "koselig." It's quite hard to define as it's more of feeling that is created! That cosy, warm feeling you might get when enjoying a traditional roast dinner by a country pub fire, or how you feel when wrapped up in blankets watching Christmas films with the kids on the sofa, complete with hot chocolate and marshmallows! 

Koselig embodies warmth, cosiness, happiness and content. So how can we make our lives more koselig and fight off those winter blues? Here are some simple ideas!

A letter to my daughter as she turns 3: The little things I love about you...

To my beautiful little girl,

I know it's a cliche, but the last three years with you really have gone past in the blink of an eye! The transition from 1 to 2 years old didn't seem as emotional, but going from 2 to 3 feels much more poignant.

Perhaps it's because my little girl no longer has her baby features; your face has changed shape from squidgy and round to slim an oval, you've gotten so tall and your hair is beautifully long.

Maybe it's because I can have a conversation with you as if you were an adult! You are wise beyond your years and you know so much - thanks in part to having an older brother to lead the way!

It could be that you will be starting nursery in January, and you're sooo excited about this! "I won't cry when I start nursery Mummy, I'm a big, brave girl now!" You certainly are my darling.

Whatever it is that makes me sad to see my baby growing up (and even more so as you will probably - or if you ask your Daddy - definitely - be my last), there are so many little things about you that I love right now, the things that bring me joy every day, even if I'm feeling a little blue. Every day you always make me smile!

So on the eve of your 3rd birthday, here is a snapshot of a moment in your life.

Summer Holiday Diaries: Week 5 - Pocket Money, Playdates and Poppies

I can't believe we've just enjoyed week 5 of the summer holidays! I hear a lot of people saying they can't wait for the kids to go back to school, but it's not the case here (although a little 'me' time wouldn't go a miss!). Our "summer on a shoestring" has been great fun and we've been trying to save money wherever we can. 

So here's what we got up to in week 5 of our summer holiday.  

Monday 20th August

Today was a chilled out day. We met Hubby in Leek (a historical market town in the Staffordshire Moorlands) for lunch as he decided to work half a day. The kids had managed to diddle their dad out of £3 each so they were desperate to spend it! We hit Home Bargains, one of their favourite shops and let them loose! 

Summer Holiday Diaries: Week 4 - Wellies, Wildlife and Walking

Well that's another week of  summer holidays done and dusted! Now if time could just slow down a little...! We are trying our best to have a "summer on a shoestring!" I'm saving money where ever I can by making full use of all the free events in and around Stoke-on-Trent this summer, with picnics becoming our new best friend!

So here's what we got up to in week 4 of the summer holidays, and how we tried to keep spending to a minimum. 

Monday 13th August

Today was a much needed day at home. The weather wasn't fab either so we didn't venture out at all. The highlight of R's day though was realising it had rained so she could don her wellies and go and jump in puddles in the back garden. Poor kid - she was so excited, but only found this measly puddle to splash about in! You don't have to spend money or even leave the house to make memories!

Summer Holiday Diaries: Week 3 - Paint, Plasters and Pirates!

So here we are, at the end of Week 3 of the summer holidays! I know I said it last week but they really are flying by! We are trying our best to have a "summer on a shoestring!" I'm saving money where ever I can by making full use of all the free events in and around Stoke-On-Trent this summer. 

So here's what we got up to in the third week of the summer holidays, and how we tried to keep costs down.

Monday 6th August

R loves her Messy Monday group during term time, and during the holidays they put on a couple of sessions that older siblings can join in with too. So today we went along to their jungle themed session, and as always, it was fabulously resourced with plenty for kids of all ages to do. 

Summer Holiday Diaries: Week 2 - Coffee Mornings, Cooking and Cake!

The summer holidays are in full swing and we are trying our best to have a "summer on a shoestring!" I'm saving money where ever I can, as these 6 weeks can end up being bank-breaking if you're not careful! And looking at the state of my bank balance, we need to watch every penny! Haha! 

So here's what we got up to in the second week of the summer holidays, and how we tried to keep costs down.

Monday 30th July

My Hubby was off work today but after such a busy weekend we just pottered around! We treated ourselves to breakfast at the supermarket before doing the much needed weekly shop! Well, when I say weekly, I can't actually remember the last time we did a proper shop! S took some of his birthday money and bought some more Lego - a monster truck set! 

10 child-inflicted injuries every parent will (probably) experience!

Hands up who has been hurt by their own child?! Parenting is tough at the best of times, but not just emotionally! Physically we take knocks too...quite literally! Last weekend was no exception.... 

I was soundly sleeping on the very edge of the bed, with a space-stealing 2 year old beside me. Then without warning, she sat bolt upright, so I just guided her back down again. Like a yo-yo, she shot up again! This time, before I could lie her down, she threw herself backwards in a fit of annoyance, smacking her (very hard!) head against my lip! OUCH! As I writhed around in agony, she quietly settled herself back to sleep again - it didn't bother her one bit! It wasn't til the morning that I saw what a swollen mess my lip was! Thanks for that one little girl! 

Summer Holiday Diaries: Week 1 - Birthdays, Bowling and Building Lego!

I've been really looking forward to the end of term and the summer holidays this year. I think it's because this is the first year I haven't had my son as my sidekick in the week because he started school last September. So July signaled the end of his year in Reception, and a much needed recharge for him (and me!).

As I am a teacher, I too am lucky to be able to spend the whole 6 weeks with my kids. I am hoping to enjoy a summer on a shoestring, spending as little money as possible but still having fun together.

Here's how our first week went!

Saturday 21st July

I took the kids to the library today to enroll my son in the free Summer Reading Challenge. He was excited to get his starter pack and was proud to write his name on the challenge wall himself. I must remember to take a photo next time we go! We chose 6 or 7 books, including one on Lego and Firefighters which he could read by himself.