Friday 29 June 2007

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Yesterday I put on my blog a list of fruit and veg which count as five per day. Today here are some further ideas of how you can make fruit and veg fun to eat.

Hope you find it helpful

More tips on getting our five fruit and veg a day

So how can we make sure we all get our quota.

Finger foods are popular with adults and children. Encourage fruit to be eaten at breakfast. Either on cereal or as finger food.

Any left overs can be saved for afternoon snacks later or packed up to be eaten later at lunchtime. (Banana's and apples may need a squeeze of lemonjuice to stop them discolourng.)

Chops up bananas, apples, or seasonal fruits. Supermarkets also sell a wide range of frozen fruit like pineapple.

What to do with that rotting fruit.

SAM'S TOP TIP

I have a very simple suggestion that I have found to work at getting pretty much ANY kid to eat fruit! Thankfully my little boy is not a fussy eater at all but some of his pals are!

If like me you find yourself chucking out fruit that goes off before anyone gets round to eating it, instead chuck it all in the blender - soft fruits & the juice from oranges work best if you are wanting something quick & easy but other fruit like apples can be cooked first.

I mix in a little honey if it needs sweetening but usually find that with pineapples, mangos, peaches and such like it is sweet enough. If I have yoghurts that are nearly out of date then they go in too. Basically make a smoothie or a juice drink out of anything you fancy.

Then pour the mixture into lolly moulds & freeze.

FRUITY POPS are the most fave pudding in our house!

Hope that might be useful - very simple I know but then I always find that best.

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Thursday 28 June 2007

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Eating Healthy Food - Five Fruit and Veg a day

At Help for Busy Mums we like to do just that. Help.

So just to show you some of the "stuff" you can find on our website I thought I would let you take a look at our tips on Healthy Eating and making sure you eat your five fruit and veg a day. There's a lot of confusion about this... so I found this reference very useful. Hope you do too.

For more tips visit http://www.helpforbusymums.com

Eating Healthy Food

How to make sure you eat five fruit and veg a day

Are you getting enough vitamins and minerals?

What is a portion?

One portion is about 80 grams, which could be half a grapefruit, a slice of melon, a handful of grapes, an apple, two satsumas, three dried apricots or a tablespoon of raisins. One portion of veg could be three heaped tablespoons of peas, carrots or sweetcorn or a bowl of salad. A medium-sized glass of 100% fruit juice also counts.

What counts?

  • Fresh, frozen, tinned and dried fruit and vegetables.
  • Pure fruit and vegetable juices.
  • Veg in ready meals, takeaways, pasta sauces and soups.
  • Fruit in puddings.
  • But watch out for added salt/ fat/ sugar in takeaways and ready meals - check out the labels.

What doesn't?

  • Potatoes, because they are considered a 'starchy' food like bread and pasta, but these are all important parts of a healthy diet.
  • More than one glass of juice - even if you drink lots of it during the day, juice has hardly any fibre and has loads of sugar which is bad for your teeth.
  • More than one portion of beans or pulses a day, because they don't give the same mixture of vitamins and minerals as fruit and veg.
  • Jam. Vitamin pills and supplements, as they don't contain fibre.
  • Munching your favourite fruit or vegetable five times a day. You need to eat a variety to get the maximum benefits from all the different nutrients.

Are there any shortcuts?

  • Slice banana into your cereal.
  • Snack on an apple, banana, handful of grapes or raisins rather than a packet of crisps.
  • Have a glass of orange juice.
  • Dip veg sticks (e.g. carrots, celery) into salsa sauce.
  • Stuff salad bits such as cucumber, lettuce and tomato into your sarnies.
  • Add extra vegetables to pizza, pasta sauces and soups.
  • Stir fries, stews and casseroles are any easy way of combining up to nine vegetables in one go.
  • Replace stodgy puddings with a hunk of melon or a fruit salad.
  • Make a smoothie - blend low fat natural yoghurt with two handfuls of blackberries, blueberries or raspberries.
  • Make fruit kebabs by threading bite-sized chunks of apples, pears, strawberries and pineapple onto wooden skewers - you could even grill or barbeque them.

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Wednesday 27 June 2007

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Paris Hilton and the floods and how she can help young women

http://www.helpforbusymums.com from the website that helps busy mums.

As I was sitting eating my breakfast this morning I watched the pictures of flooding in South Yorkshire and the Midlands in horror. How would I feel if my house flooded?
Yes houses and areas of the UK have flooded before, but the scale of this seems immense and the possibility of a reservoir being breached and the damage that would result, seems catastrophic in proportion. I wondered what I would try and salvage.

This footage was immediately followed by an apology from Fiona Phillips on behalf of GMTV, who apparently had cut their news report the previous day to go live to the US and show Paris Hilton being released from jail.

There had been a number of complaints about whether under the circumstances this
was really very appropriate. I may not have complained - but I do agree with the feelings of those who do. Cutting from disaster to show triviality does appear a trifle insensitive!

And yet, sadly, I know my teenage daughters who love fashion and are intrigued by celebrities life styles, would have watched the Paris Hilton news item with interest.

Now wouldn't it be good, if Paris Hilton keeps the vows she made when she was released yesterday from prison and use her celebrity to do some good for others.

That would be such an great example to her followers. Lets just hope that makes the news too ......although it may not be so newsworthy. but given her reputation and fame, it would influence many other young girls for the better I am sure.

So come on Paris start using your privilege and fame to set a good example to young women and how someone like you, if you put your mind to it can make a real difference.

Http://www.helpforbusymums.com
The website to save Busy Mums time.

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Tuesday 26 June 2007

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LK Today - Working Mums - Bigotry

I listened to interest to LK today this morning as I sat tapping into my computer. There was a lady whose name I do not remember, (and would prefer not to remember anyway), who was vociferous in her views. She actively avoided employing women who may end up having babies.
As in theory this applies to any woman who has not completed the menopause it does seem rather dangerous to attack such a large proportion of the working population.

There is a huge number of employable people who are reliable but require flexibility and in return the employer will be rewarded by loyal staff who will be with them for many years.

Successful companies, whether they are small or large, know they need to look outside the box and offer time share, flexible working, maybe not for everyone but for some personnel. Surely whoever you employ, whether they are old, young, male or female you want them to be reliable and a pleasure to work with. And if they stay a few years so much the better.

Lets face it, it is not just women with young children who may need extra support - none of us know what crisis is lurking round the corner.

I am not about to have any more children and my kids are in their teens, but I don't think I would like to work for an organisation who was not family friendly. - It tells me these organisations don't value their staff.

I bet if you would also find the staff turnover would be higher than those with a more proactive attitude to the challenges their staff present to them, whether that happened to include little bundles of joy or more serious problems.

Http://www.helpforbusymums.com/Coaching-to-help- busy-Parents.html offers business coaching for working parents.

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Tuesday 19 June 2007

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Why are you Grumpy?

Now and then things really get my goat. And today that has happened. Nobody has said anything to upset me. Nothing bad has happened. I haven't had a row with anyone. I am not premenstrual (or at least I don't think so). So what is it.

I can not find my day book. My day book consists of my to do list, project lists, odd notes and numbers and I can not find it anywhere. Result - I am shouting at the dog. Cross, frustrated and hot and bothered.

This book though useful is not vital. It has not physically stopped me going anywhere or doing anything. And yet my frustration at not being able to find it has left me feeling grumpy and irritable.

Its worth giving some thought to how small things can lead to us being grumpy which then seeps into our other relationships and may indeed end up causing a big row about something completely unrelated.

Being on the receiving end of someones inward frustration can have a big impact on how we perceive other people. In fact the less we know that person the more we make a judgement about that person "not liking us" or being "bad tempered" and we don't like them.

Much better to try and communicate and explain our minor frustration. That may put it into perspective and find a positive solution.

So on that note I am going to take a little of my own advice. I am now going to take a few minutes time out, to get rid of my grumpy mood and make sure I don't take out my own petty frustrations on my poor family when they get home!

For more help to overcome the frustrations of your own busy life visit http://www.helpforbusymums.com

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Monday 18 June 2007

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Are Exams really getting easier?

Whew the girls exams are over. The bits of paper scattered all around the house can be peeled off the walls, doors and ceiling. ( Daughter number four, has an important history diagram situated conveniently above her bed.) I am just hoping that it does not peel off the paint as well!



Exams, for most kids are very stressful and yet as someone who went through this "in the olden days" , I don't remember the pressure being as bad as it has become now. Nor the constant comment that the exams are getting easier. Which I guess will be the next predictable news item on education in August, when the exam results are out.



It seems like every year this criticism is levelled. It certainly was when my two eldest children took their GCSE's and A levels some years ago. The charge is always the same. The exams are getting easier and standards are declining.



As a parent, and someone who is lucky enough to know a few teachers I really do not believe this to be the case. (Certainly the exam papers I have seen baffle me - and I would like to think I received quite a good education as I attended a local grammar school.) Certainly the teachers work a lot harder and are monitored a lot more closely. I also have a strong recollection when I took my exams that there was less parity between the exam Boards.



Maybe the teachers coach the children specifically to pass the exams. But who can blame them for doing that, with schools performance being so closely monitored. Anyway, in my opinion, any good teacher or private tutor will always have done that.



What I do know is that they are now taught how to revise. Something I never remember being "coached" in. Hence all the signs round the house.



My theory is that there is so much more for us to have to get to grips with these days. Not only do we have all the old traditional subjects but some new subjects including IT, graphic design and technology. Schools are expected to fit a lot more into the day - and that must be tough to do when the school days is the same length (maybe even a little shorter) than it used to be.



More importantly there are also many more distractions inside even in the best run homes, which makes less likely for kids to settle down and read a good book. They are more likely to be talking on MSN, watching a DVD, playing a computer game or listening to their Ipod.



None of this entertainment was available thirty years ago. And if you are a Mum like me who is constantly trying to encourage hobbies, this can shoot you in the foot too. Daughter number four, who is a keen army cadet, struggles to fit in her homework.



What is the answer - I really don't know, but generally in life positive affirmation produces better results than constant criticism. And I am sure that must go for teachers as well as kids.

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Tuesday 5 June 2007

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Make time for Fun

I find it fascinating that twenty years ago people believed they would have more leisure time in the future and computers would be doing all the work.

How wrong could they have been.

Now despite all the gadgets we own, we seem to be working harder, longer and faster.

Just think about email. Twenty years ago someone sent you a letter. It was typed, maybe retyped (because of typos), posted and delivered possibly the next day.

If you were at work you would collect the post, open it and respond. If it was urgent, you would try to make sure your reply was in the post that evening.

With luck and a fair wind it might arrive the next day.

Minimum turnaround would have been three days, now the same action can be completed in minutes.

We can't change peoples expectations, alter technology or people demanding our time. But what is really important is that we prioritise effectively and make sure we don't just plan the things we "have to do" but the things "we want to do". and that includes having some fun.

This is not fun that you feel you have to schedule in for the family - this is something which is fun for you.

It does not matter what it is. It could be a trip to the park, a game with the kids or a long, hot lazy bath.

Having fun does not have to cost anything. It doesn't mean you need to go somewhere or buy something. It just needs to make you feel good.

Now if you have read this and you know you have a really busy week coming up -don't bin it (figuratively speaking). Fun is something we all need to schedule in as a daily activity. Even if it lasts for just a few minutes.

You will feel better, be happier and be a lot more productive for taking those few minutes out. So make sure you JUST DO IT.

Monday 4 June 2007

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Procrastination and how it costs you time


Help for Busy Mums -Time saving tip for

We all do it. Some of us more than others. We know it will create all sorts of problems. People becoming irritated with us. We become irritated with ourselves.

It also creates stress, which leads to us being bad tempered and irritable. And then we end up wasting our own precious time and energy. So why do we do it and what is this thing?

Its called procrastination.

Putting off doing things, often takes up more energy as getting on and just doing it. Quite often the task - whatever it is - takes on a form, which is more time costly than in reality it really is.

A few days ago I wrote a blog about one of my least favourite jobs.... cleaning out my daughters rabbits. (Quite why am clearing them out when they are not strictly my rabbits - I will keep for another day).

The story is always the same. I will sit and think about doing this particular chore, literally for hours on and off. I will make excuses - normally along the lines that I don't have enough time. I will find other things "more pressing" to do and then the rabbit chore will slip my mind. Poor little things. This is then followed by the guilt trip, and irritability with my own failures....get the picure?.....You would think I was cleaning out my grandparents life time possessions, not a rabbit hutch, the amount of "thought energy " which goes into this job.

So in my effort to become "more organised", I decided to time how long this job actually takes. I was quite surprised. Start to finish it took me twelve minutes. Twelve minutes and yet it took me two days to get round to it!

Procrastination is one of the biggest time stealers there is...but it doesn't just steal time, it steals creativity, energy and if you are a really good procrastinator a good part of your life.

So finding ways to help get a grip of this particular habit can be no bad thing. Here are some ideas which may help you to do just that.

  • Daily Planning with the "To Do Lists "- ideally done at the end of a day. Not just "work" tasks but it is also important to write down "home" and "leisure" tasks to do as well. These can act as incentives.
  • Try doing your most hated, dreaded tasks first and just get them out of the way.
  • Prioritise the tasks on your list. (And remember it is not just chores that need to prioritised. Fun activities need to be prioritised too).
  • Set a timer, to limit and monitor the time you spend on specific tasks. This helps keeps tasks in perspective.. (e. g. my example with the rabbits). As I found, it can be very enlightening.
  • Longer term tasks - such as a tax form or a report which has a deadline. Set yourself a personal deadline before the official one for completion. This allows for last minute hitches and takes the stress away from meeting the official deadlines.
  • Schedule less in a day and aim to complete everything. Do this if you find yourself constantly running late. Repeatedly being "very late" shows a lack of respect for other peoples time as well as making you be in a constant rush. People who are constantly rushing are more likely to have accidents, forget things as well as creating unncessary stress.
  • Finally, and this is my favourite don't use your "procrastination" to hide behind the "too busy" mentality. If you really are too busy you need to reschedule and re-prioritise your to do list.

Want to make some changes in the way you do things and need support?