Friday 27 April 2007

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Alcohol and Kids

Something definitely needs to be done about binge drinking. But I do not think prosecuting parents for introducing alcohol to children under fifteen years old is quite the best way to go about educating our young people about the hazards of drink.

You just have to look at Europe. France, Spain and Italy do not have anywhere near the same regulations surrounding alcohol, yet they do not have the same problems.

In southern Europe in particular the culture encourages families to socialise together. Older generations with the younger ones.

In the UK we tend to segregate our social lives to adult only venues and even age related venues. I think this is where the kudos behind youngsters getting drunk comes from. It makes them feel grown up... and growing up too quick gets a lot of us into trouble.

We also separate our social venues into places where you specifically go to to drink alcohol and where you go to eat.

If you are young it is likely that if you want to go to a bar - you will drink and guess what you will get drunk because there is nothing else to do at that bar.

Then of course they all roll out of the bar -dehydrated and hungry into the local Chinese takeaway where there is a punch up!

I think education at school on the pitfalls of alcohol is the way forward and of course heavily reinforced at home.

But will the schools have time along with all the other social education they have to do?

Well there lies another can of worms. In my opinion we spend too much time teaching our children about things which will not help them in later life.

visit me at http:www.helpforbusymums.com

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Wednesday 25 April 2007

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Alan Ball - What a nice guy

I have been very moved today listening to the many many tributes to Alan Ball who died suddenly last night.

When football is in the news it is often because there is violence off the field, derision of a team, a manager or criticism of a player or sometimes even their wife.

Today we have seen a much kinder side. We have heard about someone who was enthusiastic, positive a great sportsman but even more importantly than that someone who had humility and true family values.

Listening to the people who have paid tribute to him really makes me think how much I would have liked to know him. And how much I would like my sons to know him as well.

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Tuesday 24 April 2007

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Cooking for Busy Mums

I don't know about you but cooking dinner every night can be quite a challenge. Not only do you have to cater for all tastes but also try and make sure that you try and avoid the convenience food trap.

When my kids were little and I had the day at home I used to try and prepare dinner earlier in the day. Sometimes I found myself peeling potatoes after breakfast. It actually worked quite well.

I always found tea times far too busy and stressful to start cooking from scratch when me and the kids are all running out of steam.

It does not seem to have improved much though. The problem now is after school activities and being out all day. Unfortunately we are still running out of steam and need something on the table asap. Its just I am too tired to start cooking from scratch. Its no wonder convenience foods are so popular.

Thats why I have decided to compile a list of quick cook suppers that busy mums like me can use to dish up quick dinners. I have made a start on "No cook suppers" which can be found on http://www.helpforbusymums.com/cookforbusymums.com and I will be adding to it over the coming weeks.

Have a read you never know it may save you a trip to the supermarket or the local takeaway!

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Monday 23 April 2007

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My daughters Prom

Saturday was my youngest daughters Prom. To be honest I had never heard or quite understood what a Prom was until I moved to Ringwood. Although an American tradition I am reliably informed by daughter number two that Ringwood have been holding Proms for many many years.

The first Ringwood Prom I experienced shortly after I moved down here. I was trying to leave our local Health Club one Friday evening after taking my girls swimming. There was a mass of people outside, together with a stream of limousines and young women dressed like film stars, with a lot of young men in Black Tie.

Whilst negotiating my way through the crowd I managed to ask one lady what was going on. She replied excitedly "its the Prom, my granddaughter is in it - you must stay and watch."
I did. There were Ferrari's, tanks, boys on Penny farthings, Fire Engines to name just a few of the vehicles which were transporting the students. With every car that arrived there was whooping and shouting and lots of cameras flashing. The kids were treated like royalty.

Even so I did not quite realise the planning and angst which goes into making sure you have an appropriate form of transport and the right gear to wear. It takes months sometimes years of planning and saving!

This week it occurred to me I have now turned into that lady I spoke briefly to outside the health club. I was really excited about my daughters Prom.

Days before I found myself talking to random people about the Prom, including the Tesco delivery man. - I was telling him how I hoped the weather would be good as it was my daughters Prom. He looked a bit bemused, (he obviously did not know what a Prom was). After he left my daughter number two told me I was behaving like it was a wedding.

Well it is a bit like that really. No expense is spared on hair being put up, manicures, a dress, evening shoes and bag. The girls are treated like Princess's for a day and the boys in their DJ's do really look like they are acting out their favourite James Bond fantasy, unphased by the fact that many of them (who have not yet had their growing spurt) are around a foot shorter than their female escorts.

I know it is decadent and yes it is completely over the top but there is also something very special about a Prom.

Well was it all worth it. Yes. At 11:30pm daughter number three burst through the door shouting "it was the best day of my life ever!!" I know she will always have fond memories of her Prom. ... I am really glad she enjoyed it so much.

Just wish we had Proms when I was her age! I love dressing up! Maybe they could start holding them for the parents as well?

Visit me at

http://www.helpforbusymums.com

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Monday 16 April 2007

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Spring Cleaning - Get rid of the clutter


Clutter in the head, in the home, in the office creates stress.

The help for busy mums plan for clearing clutter.

Clutter does not have to be old newspapers which are scattered throughout the house although it certainly can be.

The kind of clutter I am talking about are things which clutter up your mind, your space and your time. It is all those outstanding things which you have been meaning to do and just have not quite found the time to get round to.

It could be sorting out bills, updating the virus software on the computer, or the favourite suit which you would like to wear but needs mending, or the ever growing ironing basket.

All these little things are the proverbial straws on the camels back some of them may even seem like bricks! And as the old proverb goes the straw that breaks the camels back and there is the connection between clutter and stress.

Now there are some types of clutter you can not completely get rid of, the kids toys for example. There is also some kinds of stress you can not avoid. Minimising and taking action with the things we can do something about will make a dramatic impact on our day to day stress levels which in turn effects how much energy we have and how we feel about ourselves.

So what can we do? Try these three steps.

Make a list of all the outstanding items which are irritating you. Then one by one go through this list and sort the offending items or projects into three separate lists which should be entitled Action It, Bin it or Delegate it.

Action it:

Set yourself a realistic time frame when you can complete this outstanding task

Bin It:

Do you really need the huge pile of magazines which has been collecting dust? If you really can not bring yourself to throw away the offending items put them in a box tape it up and date it for three or six months ahead. If you have not needed to look into the box within your chosen time frame clearly you do not need this stuff so bin it, recycle it or donate it to a charity shop.

Delegate It:

My personal favourite! Pay someone to do the offending job. If you can not afford to pay someone, is there a skill you can trade with a friend or a member of the family. So you can help each other out.


For more help go to http://www.helpforbusymums.com


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Wednesday 11 April 2007

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Outdoor Activities

The sun is shining and it really seems like spring in the UK.

Although we only have a small garden there is already lots of activity going on in it.

A little wren is busy making its nest and singing to attract a mate. Its amazing how much noise one tiny bird can make!

He is keeping us entertained with his industrious antics, collecting bits of grass to make his new house a little more comfortable in readiness for his new mate.

Then there is the bat that appears in the evening, he whizzes through the garden and disappears into another bird nesting box that he appears to have adopted.

Last year we watched in amazement as a little tiny vole appeared in cartoon like style to make morning and evening visits to our two rabbits in their hutch. He would sneak in through the mesh, help himself to the rabbits food and disappear off -the rabbits did not seem to be at all phased by their visitor.

We think he is about again -or maybe its a hedgehog. Certainly something is. Paddy our dog is very much on the case. At the moment she and the kids are trying to find out what. It is keeping them entertained for hours.

Far better and healthier than the TV.

If you want more to find out some more ideas of how to keep the kids entertained, then visit
me at http://www.helpforbusymums.com and sign up for our Busy Mums Bulletin to receive your free gifts which include a free E book "Keeping Kids Busy".

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