parent to parent
H
i there, we are the Glassey family from Falkirk, Duncan, Colette, Harrison (age 11) and Anna (age 8). Duncan is a financial planner and works for himself and I am a nursery nurse (EYO) and I luckily work part time.
Why you like living where you do? We live near Bantaskin Estate and LOVE living here. We can be in the woods/forest in a matter of minutes but can also be in the centre of the town just as quickly. There are new cycle paths through Bantaskin Woods and I’m sure these stretch as far as Bonnybridge – not having cycled that far yet, this may just be a rumour! Favourite shop My kids LOVE Granny’s Sookers in the Cow Wynd for obvious reasons – it’s a sweet shop! Favourite park Probably Callendar Park as its within easy walking distance, my kids like taking their bikes here and usually take a ball with them. We have spent many sunny days at Beecraigs though – the new park area is lovely. I noticed the last time I was there that Park Rangers do ‘ranger’ sessions for children. I think these are
free but my children haven’t actually been on any! Favourite children’s club/class Harrison and Anna like to play outside with their friends most days. They both play football and have tried skiing at Polmonthill Ski Centre, Basketball at Woodlands Games Hall, Rugby at Falkirk Football Club and Tennis at Falkirk Tennis Club. (Not all at the same time). Because of their ages none of these clubs have ever been that expensive. I’d say that the football and skiing were the favourites! Oh, Anna also goes to Brownies which she says she doesn’t enjoy but she never misses a week!!! Favourite day out Two answers here – Gullane Beach in the Summer, completely the best day out ever – golden sands, blue sea, teeming rock pools, giant sand dunes and a chippy tea on the way home. It’s exactly an hours drive away from Falkirk but well worth it. However on a rainy day The Time Capsule is brilliant. They usually have offers on for admission as it’s a bit more expensive than a free day at the beach but hey ho… Favourite child friendly restaurant We love a curry. So it’s got to be the Sanam in Falkirk, staff are all lovely to my kids but not too overbearing, as this can encroach on your night out! Proudest eco-friendly moment When I actually remember to put my blue, brown and black bins out on the right day!!!!!!! I do try.
Favourite family holiday spot France– I have a large family and have holidayed with at least one of my sisters for years. We rent a gite and split between all of us, it ends up not too expensive – Gite de France and Cottages 4you are the companies we have used. Most loved children’s book Harrison loved Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney – all of them and Anna, Daisy and the Trouble with by Kes Gray Best children DVD or tele programme Anna is loving Glee at the moment and all of us loved Sherlock Holmes on the television with Benedict Cumberbatch! I’m thinking our Saturday nights will now be taken over by The X Factor – but I’m resisting as long as I can! Most played with toys “Football” by Harrison and “Basketball” by Anna. The Wii is a dream on a wet day – of which we have many! Biggest waste of money My food shop. If anyone can work out a way to save money on a food shop please will they let me know! Most successful recipe/food Oh no – I’m probably the worst cook in the world – and my entire family I’m sure will agree. There isn’t a recipe I haven’t attempted at some point – but we can’t all be fabulous at everything !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I do a mean buffet at parties – my vol-au-vents are famous!
Parenting pet hates I can’t bear the last few hours of a Sunday night. School uniform ironing must surely give you the worst feeling ever. I’m sure when my kids are grown up and I don’t need to do this anymore I’ll miss it!
Looking after your child’s feet Children’s feet are very different to adults. The bones in a baby’s foot are not fully formed but mainly cartilage, this makes them extremely vulnerable to abnormal pressures. Tips For Healthy Feet • Maintain good hygiene • Check daily for obvious deformity, swelling or redness • Avoid tight babygros, sleep-suits, socks and booties • Allow the baby to kick freely. This will prepare the legs and feet for weight bearing Independent walking ranges from the age of 10-18 months. Baby-walkers should be avoided as they encourage overloading of the joints before they are ready. Allowing your baby to learn to walk barefoot or with socks helps the foot to grow normally and develop its musculature and strength. When the child is walking independently outdoors they are ready for shoes. On average a child’s feet grow two sizes per year
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in the first four years of life then one size a year thereafter. It is really important that children have properly fitted shoes. Fashion shoes worn regularly may look cute but can have a deforming effect on the foots development. Children can appear to be “flat” footed up to the age of five as the biomechanics of their posture is changing. If a parent is concerned that something “doesn’t look right” or that the child complains about pain it is best to be checked by a qualified podiatrist. A problem addressed early may prevent problems with knees, hips and back later in life. SHOES! Getting a good fit: • Always have both feet measured for length and width • Check the assistant is a trained shoe fitter • A newly fitted shoe should have about a thumbs width between the longest toe and the front of the shoe • Avoid slip-ons. Shoes should be held onto the feet by straps or laces and fit snuggly around the heel
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• Natural material such as leather allows the feet to breath • Toe area should be foot shaped and be deep enough that the toes can wriggle freely • Never buy shoes that will “break in” For a complete guide to children’s foot health you can download a free copy of “Looking Out for Children’s Feet” at www.feetforlife. org which is an excellent guide for parents. Emma Bryce BSc (Hons) is a HPC registered podiatrist who works at Physiofocus in Stirling. For further information call 01786 480048 or email a1feet4life@yahoo.co.uk
written by Emma Bryce