Mum's Survival Guide Spring 2014

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Great advice and activities for you and your family

SPRING SURVIVAL GUIDE 2014

CELEBRATE YOUR PET

www.mumssurvivalguide.net

It’s National Pet Month!

GREAT VALUE SUMMER HOLIDAYS! START YOUR OWN BUSINESS HELP WITH HOMEWORK

Plus

Stop thumb sucking Dealing with Eczema ...and much, much more inside!

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A DAWE S DU BI KE W CH ESS ORTH

£349.99

!

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in only 30 minutes Wright’s cake mixes are widely available at Sainsbury’s and Morrison’s, selected Co-op’s & Asda and Wright’s mail order via www.wrightsflour.co.uk Or freephone 0800 064 0100 why not join our free Home Baking Club and receive a money off coupon and recipe booklet?

G.R. Wright & Sons Ltd Ponders End Mills, Enfield EN3 4TG www.wrightsflour.co.uk Home Baking Club Freephone 0800 064 0100

WELCOME Welcome to the Spring issue of Mum’s Survival Guide!

This really is our favourite time of the year – warmer weather, daylight in the evenings, birdsong, the summer to look forward to and even an excuse to indulge a little at Easter! On that point, check out p42 for four baking treats from regular partners Wright’s – we’ve tried them (in the interests of quality control, you understand) and they’re gorgeous!

Whatever pet you choose for your family, let our family feed them.

Talking of the summer, we’ve pinpointed some excellent value and just as importantly, family and parent friendly holidays and short breaks for you, starting on page 11.

April is National Pet Month and on page 35 we are delighted to be helping them celebrate our pets. Our designer’s family recently welcomed their new rescue dog, Nala, into their home and we make no excuses for shoehorning her into as many pictures as possible! She’s a camera natural and she thoroughly enjoyed her Naturo taste test on page 40!

Thanks go to Dawes and the fantastic Duchess bike they are offering as a prize on page 4. Those of you with children learning to ride should check out the pedal power feature on page 24.

Emma Brooks gives some great advice on the best ways to deal with the conundrum of helping with homework and we must make special mention of Autumn Publishing and their excellent Help with Homework series on page 40. Not only did our three testers find the books they trialled A+, the publishers are offering readers an amazing 30% discount so be sure to make the most of it!

So as always, we’ve put together a selection of engaging features, great offers, tasty recipes, competitions and prize draws throughout the magazine that will help make life that little bit easier – that is, after all, why we created Mum’s Survival Guide!

Happy Easter!

Victoria Howdle, Editor Published by Lincolnbrody Ltd, 98 Hornchurch Road, Hornchurch, Essex RM11 1JS EMAIL info@lincolnbrody.co.uk EDITOR – Victoria Howdle FEATURES WRITER – Emma Brooks DESIGN & PRODUCTION – Daniel Josty (CREATIVE DPS) ADVERTISING MANAGER – James Martin

Copyright LincolnBrody Ltd No reproduction in whole or part is permitted without written permission. The publisher cannot be held liable for any loss suffered as a result of any information herein and are unable to accept and hereby expressly disclaim any liability for the consequences of any inaccuracies, errors or omissions or any implied warranty related to the promotions in this publication. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Editor or the publisher. Although every effort has been made to ensure that all information is correct at the time of going to press, prices and offers may be subject to change.

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www.harringtonspetfood.com

ition t e p m o C l a v i v Sur

WIN a Dawes Duchess bike .99 worth £349 !

Contents P4 WIN A DAWES DUCHESS BIKE WORTH £349.99 Get fit and look stylish whilst you’re at it!

P5 BREAK THE HABIT

Find out about Dr Thumb’s innovative method of stopping thumb sucking. Plus claim an exclusive 10% discount!

p24 P24 PEDAL POWER!

p5

Discover your world this summer with Dawes Cycles We all know that getting on our bikes is not only fantastic for our health and the environment, it’s also loads of fun and with thanks to our friends at Dawes Cycles, we’ve got a fabulous Duchess bike for one lucky reader to win!

Combining classic looks with modern styling the Duchess is the bike to be seen riding about town. It’s fitted with all the essentials such as a comfortable web-sprung saddle with matching grips, a rattan effect basket, kickstand and painted mudguards to complete the heritage look.

The 7 speed Shimano gears allow you to pedal your way around town with ease.

Available in 8 colour options and, 2 frame sizes in each, there’s a Duchess to suit anyone, from the Classic Black Duchess for the more reserved, right up to the “Hippy” Duchess that, well, lives up to it’s name!

For your chance to win, simply enter online at: www.mumssurvivalguide.net/dawes by 30th May 2014 The Dawes bicycle brand offers you the unique blend of British heritage and outstanding performance. The comprehensive range of bicycles and accessories deliver the highest quality, from its core of experienced, knowledgeable staff and excellent network of independent retailers.

www.dawescycles.com No purchase necessary. The winner will be the first name drawn at random. The winner will be notified no later than 10th June 2014. The judges’ decision will be final and the competition is not open to employees of LincolnBrody, Dawes Cycles or their agents. By entering into the competition you agree to receive future marketing and promotional information from Dawes Cycles and Lincolnbrody. If you do not wish to receive future information please indicate this on your entry. Please refer to the full terms and conditions at www.lincolnbrody.co.uk/competitions

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P6 SKINCARE FOR YOUR BABY

Independent Dermatology Nurse, Julie Van Onselen from the National Eczema Society, gives us the latest information on washing, bathing and moisturizing your baby’s skin

P11 WHOSE HOLIDAY IS IT ANYWAY?

Emma Brooks looks at how with a bit of planning you too can relax and even enjoy the family holiday!

P15 DISCOVERING BRITTANY

Learning to ride a bike is a fundamental skill all children should learn and getting out and about on your bikes as a family is also hugely beneficial to your health and wellbeing

P28 BEWARE THE SCAMMERS

Avoid being tricked into parting with your cash with these tips from the ombudsman

P30 BE YOUR OWN BOSS Paul Stafford form the British Franchise Association explains why a franchise could be the ideal option for you

P32 WORKING FROM HOME With more and more women working from home and making a success of it, Certified Accountant Stephen Farra offers some advice on the tax implications of working for yourself

Fancy a fantastic family beach holiday overseas without the cost and hassle of a long journey? Look no further than Brittany.

P19 GREAT VALUE FAMILY FUN Centrally located and ideal for short breaks, take a look at the attractions and experiences to be had in Leicester and Leicestershire

P22 REAL VALUE AT LAST

With the inflated prices of some school holiday breaks causing much controversy, Real Family Holidays from the environmental charity FSC, buck the trend by offering outstanding value and tremendous fun

p45

p35 P35 ANIMAL HOUSES

National Pet Month is here and with millions of us owning and loving our pets, we celebrate what an important role they can play in family life

P42 EASTER TREATS

Easter is a great time to enjoy a few tasty treats and here are four fabulous baking recipes from the experts at Wright’s

P45 MUM! CAN YOU HELP WITH MY HOMEWORK? Emma Brooks looks at the best ways to help your children with their homework

Survival A dvertorial

Break the HABIT

Thumb sucking is something every parent is acutely aware of – many children suck their thumbs at one time or another. It is a completely natural behaviour – with some babies even being observed sucking thumbs in the womb.

B

ut why sucking? Well, early on in their lives, babies need to suck in order to feed, whether from a nipple or from a bottle. So it’s easy to see why sucking would be a natural habit to develop.

Sucking is also very calming, and is believed to be a way for babies to relieve stress and anxiety.

‘While it is natural, sadly the habit can have some negative effects,’ says Giles Marriott, owner of Dr. Thumb UK (www.drthumb.co.uk). ‘With babies, the effects of thumb sucking are relatively minor; calluses can form around the thumb and – at worst – become infected. It is, however, widely documented that thumb sucking should be actively discouraged during the toddler years to avoid more serious effects, including hindered speech development, misaligned teeth and even an asymmetrical bite.’

However, trying to break the habit can prove incredibly frustrating and somewhat stressful to say the least. With little other than foul-tasting nail polish available on the market, supportive aids are

1 0 DIS %

COU NT

limited. Dr. Thumb is a new product that takes an innovative approach to breaking the habit.

Simple, safe and effective Made from soft nontoxic silicone, Dr. Thumb fits over and securely fastens to the thumb of either hand. It does not restrict the child’s ability to play and it absolutely doesn’t cause any discomfort, either. It’s really easy to put on and comes in two sizes to ensure a secure fit for children up to 7.

Break the vacuum Dr. Thumb works by breaking the vacuum created when sucking the thumb. By ensuring a small gap between the child’s thumb and the

for Mum ’s Surv Simply ival Guide read M U MS enter the cod ers!

10 whe e n at drth umb.co you order .uk to your ex claim clusive 1 0 % discou nt! guard, it allows air to flow making it impossible to suck.

While the child will still be able to put their thumb in their mouth, not having that ‘sucking sensation’ will remove the child’s pleasure of the habit – without creating any negative feelings.

The habit is broken gently and naturally.

Brilliant success rates As with refraining to exercise any habit, this process to stop thumb sucking is quick.

Dr Thumb claims a 92% success with the habit often broken in as little as 2 weeks.

‘Dr. Thumb really does work well!’

Sally Parsons, 42, is the mother of Oliver, aged three. He was a constant thumb sucker

O

ur little boy constantly sucked his thumb as a baby. The habit was cute at first, and – as we had always vowed never to use dummies – we were not initially dissuasive about a habit that so quickly calmed him. But, as he grew, we noticed the effect it was having on his personality. He was less forthcoming, more reserved, and content in just sitting sucking his thumb rather than interacting with his friends. After he turned two, he was far behind other children his age with his speech – and the reason why

was obvious. ‘We initially tried positive encouragement and then reluctantly tried the foul-tasting nail polish. Both had little success. We then came across Dr. Thumb. We were sceptical about the claimed success rate at first, but we shouldn’t have been – it really does work well. ‘In just two weeks he had kicked the habit – with no tears, no dramas and no tantrums. We used to take it off at meal times, we claimed it ‘helped his thumb grow’, so never once had to fight with him to put it back on.

It’s been 6 weeks now since we stopped using Dr Thumb and he continues to watch television, listen to stories and (the biggest test) go to bed and fall asleep – all without any thumb sucking!’

drthumb.co.uk WWW.MUMSSURVIVALGUIDE.NET

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th Survival Heal

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SKINCARE for your Baby

It’s Bathtime! Or is it? How to care for newborn skin.

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hen to wash, how to wash, what products to use… there’s so much information out there, no wonder new parents get confused. Independent Dermatology Nurse, Julie Van Onselen from the National Eczema Society, looks at the most up-to-date evidence on washing, bathing and moisturising your baby’s delicate skin.

When it comes to baby skincare, parents aren’t short of advice! Between health professionals, family, friends and the internet, everyone’s got a tip to share. But from latest fad to age-old traditions, ideas on what’s good for baby’s skin can vary enormously.

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Why baby skin is different The skin has several important functions, including protection against the penetration of irritants and allergies and the prevention of infection. However, the skin barrier is not fully matured until a baby is about a year old.

Before then, the first skin layer (the epidermis) is thinner and the distribution of water is inefficient, so the skin is more prone to damage, infection and dehydration. In these early months it’s important to try to support the correct pH (acid/alkaline) balance of your baby’s skin, to protect this barrier against damage.

Dry skin and atopic eczema If your baby is born with dry skin, or you have a family history of atopy (eczema, asthma or

cloth and warm water. The evidence shows that there is no difference in umbilical cord healing or infection between these different methods of washing. The timing of the first wash or bath (immediately after birth or a few hours later) is generally guided by the stability of the newborn baby’s core temperature.

Washing and bathing in the first year How often?

How often you bathe your baby depends on whether he or she has atopic eczema. The current advice from The Royal College of Midwives for babies who do not have atopic eczema is to bathe them 2–3 times a week until they start crawling (and therefore need more frequent bathing). However, for a baby with atopic eczema, a daily bath with emollients (medical moisturizers) is often a good idea.

How to bathe your baby

What does the NHS say?

For the official NICE guidelines on babies and eczema see Management of atopic eczema in children from birth up to the age of 12 years (2007) available online at: guidance.nice.org.uk/CG57 hay fever), your baby has a higher chance of developing atopic eczema. The most common age to see the first signs of the condition is between 3 and 6 months, although atopic eczema can start at any age. In babies, eczema usually starts with red patches, often on the cheeks, although patches can appear anywhere on the body. These patches are sometimes weepy. The patches feel itchy and you may find that your baby often rubs their skin with their

hands or rubs against hard surfaces such as the sides of their cot for relief. Atopic eczema is less common on the nappy area, only because it is covered and babies can’t get to scratch there!

However, nappy rash is common and this also makes the skin more delicate. Also, babies rarely have the ‘flexural pattern’ (where eczema affects the skin folds, such as the elbows, wrists and knees) seen in slightly older children.

Washing your newborn Following the birth, parents usually wash their baby to remove blood, meconium, etc. However, in some cultures babies are not bathed until the umbilical cord stump has fallen off and so the white, waxy birth coating (called the vernix) is left in place until this point.

The baby may be washed in a tub with plain water or simply wiped gently with a soft

Either a sitting or semi-reclined position for your baby is fine, as long your baby’s head and neck are supported well above the water line.

If your baby doesn’t have eczema, plain water works well. Avoid using soap and perfumed detergents, but if you do use a cleanser, choose one that’s pH neutral (labelled pH 5.5) and specifically designed for babies.

Bathing and washing a baby with atopic eczema If your baby has developed dry skin or eczema, you should make sure your bathing and cleansing practices aren’t making the condition worse.

Daily washing with emollients is the best way to keep the skin clean and to reduce the chances of infection. Before putting your baby in the bath, apply emollients all over the skin, then let your baby soak in the water. (Washing with plain water is not a good option for babies with eczema because it tends to be drying, especially in hard water areas.) You can always add WWW.MUMSSURVIVALGUIDE.NET

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Add a little fun to the normal school run.

If you want to enjoy a more exciting, fun and interactive family holiday, and create memories that will last a lifetime, book a trip with the leading family adventure specialist today.

Call 0845 287 6211 Visit adventurecompany.co.uk/family

emollient bath oil to the bath water, but take extra care: this will make the bath - and your baby - very slippery.

Emollients are also a great addition to your changing station or changing bag. (Aside from its drying effect on the skin, plain water is not very useful here as poo is fat-soluble.) Standard nappy wipes often contain perfumes and alcohol that can irritate eczematous skin, so try to avoid them if you can.

Comfort and safety A baby’s bath time should last about 5 to 10 minutes. The ideal water temperature should be between 37 and 37.5o C (use a bath thermometer to check this), and the room should be warm too – at least 21oC. After bathing, pat your baby dry gently with a soft towel, without rubbing the skin.

Moisturizing Babies with atopic eczema should be treated with complete emollient therapy (as per the current NICE guidelines). Complete emollient therapy means that infants with atopic eczema should have a range of unperfumed emollients to use every day for moisturizing, washing and bathing. Everything that goes on the skin should be emollient-based and you should use emollients instead of soaps, detergent wash products and shampoos.

The best way to apply these products is with smooth, downward strokes all over the baby’s body and face. Before using a new product, always do a patch test on a small area of skin 24 hours beforehand to make sure there’s no irritation.

Don’t use aqueous cream as a leave-on emollient or as a soap substitute. It contains sodium laurel sulphate which research has shown can damage the skin barrier – for everyone, not just people with atopic eczema.

Can emollients help prevent atopic eczema in babies?

Good question. A clinical trial called the BEEP study, which stands for Barrier Enhancement for Eczema Prevention, may soon have some answers. The Nottingham research team is planning to conduct a large clinical trial in newborn babies who are more likely to develop eczema because they have a close family member with eczema, asthma or hay fever. Out of two randomly divided groups, one group will be washed avoiding soap and harsh detergent cleansing products, the other group will follow the same advice but also have lots of emollient applied every day. After observing the babies for a year, researchers hope to learn more about whether applying emollients to babies with healthy skin can prevent eczema.

What about olive oil?

Olive oil is often a traditional choice for baby skincare and massage, and lots of people -including health professionals - still recommend it. However, a recent study has shown that olive oil can significantly damage the skin barrier and could promote the development of atopic eczema, or exacerbate existing eczema. It is thought that the damaging effect is due to the high concentration of a particular lipid (fat) known as oleic acid found in olive oil. So actually, you should avoid using olive oil for baby massage or for moisturising.

The study advises high-quality sunflower oil with high levels of linoleic acid can protect the skin barrier. However, many of the sunflower oils sold in shops also contain high levels of oleic acid, so try health food stores and check out labels carefully. If in doubt, it might be better to stick to a bland emollient cream or ointment.

Bath Safety Essentials

✘ Never leave a baby alone in the bath. on’t allow young children to wash the ✘ Dbaby.

Always place a non-slip bath mat in the ✓ bath if you’re using bath oils.

O

The story of skin

ur skin is the largest organ in our bodies – the average adult has 2 square meters of skin that weighs approximately 8lbs. It performs some amazing tasks: preventing us from harm from the outside world by stopping bacteria and irritants from getting in also preventing us from losing water from our bodies.

But skin is also quite fragile and easily upset by harsh products. A baby’s skin is particularly vulnerable, especially when a baby develops eczema.

So it is good to see new research being funded to teach us more about a baby’s skin and how best to look after it. But the basic principles remain the same - and make good sense. Avoid soaps and harsh detergents, keep away from fragrance and perfumed products, use wipes and anything containing alcohol as little as possible and, above all, moisturize your baby’s skin well using a bland emollient.

NATIONAL ECZEMA SOCIETY To find out more about managing and treating eczema contact the National Eczema Society on 0800 0891122 M-F 8.00 am to 8.00 pm or visit their website at www.eczema.org

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Survival H olidays

Whose HOLIDAY is it anyway?

For most of us, holidays are the highlight of the year.

But when you’re on parent duty 24/7, how relaxing is it? Emma Brooks explores the options.

I

t happened to us. Fifteen months after my son was born, we took our first ‘proper’ family holiday. Destination: a picturesque cottage in Devon, close to walks and the seaside. It was perfect, convenient and, most importantly, it was on budget.

Things didn’t go quite according to plan.

Turns out our bolt hole wasn’t very baby friendly. The steep wooden stairs were irresistible to our little climber. The TV and DVD player sat on a wobbly, floor-standing unit, bulging with wires.

We spent the first hour reorganising the entire kitchen, moving glass and china from the low units up onto the counter top. Don’t even talk to me about all the bric-a-brac.

Of course, it rained the whole time, so we spent most of our stay indoors, warding our little Tasmanian devil away from domestic hazards, and came home more exhausted than when we left.

The next year, we went camping. No stairs in a tent, right? This time we had another little being with us – our baby daughter. We quickly realised there’s no escape from teething in a tent (and no escape from the ‘tutting’ ten plots away either). And without his trusty blackout blind, our son woke at 4am without fail. With less than three hours sleep a night, and two kids to entertain all day (and it was a very long day), we were soon on our knees.

That was it. We were never going on holiday again. Not without help anyway.

But if you want a bit of a rest on holiday, and you don’t have a lot of money to spend, what can you do?

Kids clubs There are some well-known travel operators that offer inclusive kids’ entertainment, most of them are at the more expensive end of the market. But there are some great value UK options too, like Haven, which offers activity clubs WWW.MUMSSURVIVALGUIDE.NET

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for youngsters of all ages. Just choose the type of accommodation that suits your budget (tent, chalet, apartment), and you’ve got a classic seaside holiday with kids’ fun included. Bargain. www.haven.com

Activities and adventure If your children are primary school age or over, you might want to inspire them (and tire them out) with something a bit more challenging. The Field Studies Council has some brilliant value activity-based holidays, from wildlife-spotting to water sports, with experienced staff leading the way. Some activities cost extra, but most are included in the price – and meals are provided (no cooking or washing up. Phew.). www.real-family-holidays.org

Holiday with friends Another option is to go on holiday with another family, especially if your children are around the same age. Not only can this save money (if you’re sharing a cottage, for example), but grown-ups can take turns to babysit, giving everyone a bit of free time. Hurrah.

TIP:

Be aware that other families do things differently. If sleep routines or meal times aren’t the same, it could get in the way of group activities. You’ll need to agree on rules too, as kids will need the same dos and don’ts if they’re playing together.

Holiday with grandparents This is another way to enjoy a bit of a break while you’re on holiday. If grandparents or other family members are happy to help, and you get along okay, then having extra adults on hand could make a big difference when you need some down time.

TIP:

Although it’s family, don’t take help for granted. If Granny and Grandpa are expecting to build the odd

sandcastle, but you’re counting on going out clubbing every night, it’s not going to work out well. Talk it over beforehand and make sure everyone knows what they’re getting into.

Holiday nanny If you really are exhausted and have quite young children, you could even think about hiring a holiday nanny. At around £500 a week, it’s not cheap, but if you peel it off the budget somewhere else - for example, staying in the UK instead of travelling abroad - it could be worthwhile (did someone say lie-in?).

TIP:

Make sure you go through a reputable agency and read all the terms and conditions before you sign up.

As for us, we’re trying the cottage thing again this summer, but with the grandparents this time. Fingers crossed, all will be well. If not, next year we’ll stay at home and put our budget towards some daytime babysitting instead. Job done.

Now pets can have happier holidays too

A

nimals don’t like change. So whether you’re taking your pets on holiday with you or leaving them behind, a bit of reassurance is good for them – and for you.

Adaptil® and Feliway® are the UK’s leading veterinary behaviour products, specially designed to keep cats and dogs calm while travelling, or adjusting to a new setting.

For Dogs Going in the car? Keep some Adaptil Spray in the glove box; it’s proven to support dogs during travelling – it lasts up to

4 hours and can be reapplied as required. If they’re staying in kennels the Adaptil Collar is proven to help with kennel stress (as used

by Dogs Trust) or if your dog’s staying with family or friends, or in a holiday cottage, the Adaptil Diffuser is best to help them with settling in.

For Cats try Feliway. Available as a plug-in diffuser (great if you have more than one cat) or handy spray, it’s an easy way to help your cat stay a happy camper at home or away.

BECAUSE PARENTS NEED A REST TOO...

Mum’s Survival Guide team share their tips for a relaxing break “Pack board games for the evenings – makes a nice change from TV.” “A shady beach tent also makes a great Wendy house back at the campsite.”

“If you’re in a hotel, do the buffetbalcony move. Put the kids to bed, then one of you carries food up from the buffet and you enjoy dinner on the balcony together. No babysitter needed.”

“Don’t give them ice cream just before getting in the car. I’m just saying.”

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Survival H olidays

Picture: ©Diaphane-Ell Prod

Discovering Brittany

Brittany is a much-loved family holiday destination for many reasons but one main factor has to be its beaches.

Picture: ©Phovoir

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s a peninsula, Brittany has more than 1700 miles of coastline so expect hidden coves, secluded bays, rock pools or mile upon mile of endless golden sand...

Not to mention tales of derringdo on the high seas, swashbuckling pirates and entrepreneurial privateers. There is plenty to fire kids’ imaginations but if this isn’t enough, kids’ clubs provide entertainment on tap during the school holidays too.

Above: Auray Top: Family fun on the beach of the Chevrets Below left: Cycling at Pontivy Castle Below right: Haliotika - the world of fishing

IDEAS,IDEAS,IDEAS

The landscape of Brittany is naturally family friendly from the sight of a lighthouse standing proud to a huge castle straight from a storybook complete with turrets, towers and a grisly history. Traffic-free walking and cycle paths help you to make the most of the great outdoors ‘en famille’ while water sports clubs and zip-wire adventure parks are suitable for all ages.

Brittany’s beaches have remained unspoiled but also provide supervised swimming areas and clubs for children.

Keep everyone happy with activities for all the family!

Whether your children just love stories about pirates and medieval castles, or whether they want to learn how the solar system works or find out everything there is to know about the world’s great explorers, a stay in Brittany is the ideal occasion to find out more.

Kids will love exploring the world of modern-day fishermen at Haliotika - the World

Picture: ©Haliotika

If you need inspiration on how to entertain the troops, www.familyfun-brittanytourism.com can help you however old your brood. Because it is important to keep everyone happy, we have sorted all our activities by age range (0-3 years, 3-6 years, 6-9 years, 9-12 years and 12-15 years), with more than 50 family friendly attractions listed from paintballing centres to zoos, aquariums and water parks.

A paradise for small children and big kids

Families will want to take full advantage of the wide open spaces, whilst taking their time over sandcastle contests, shell collecting, sunbathing, picnics and swimming.

By the sea you just can’t get bored. Try some water sports for some new sensations; see the coastline from a different angle. And if you fancy going out to sea, climb aboard an old sailing ship. Or maybe you’re more of a landlubber? Then why not take advantage of the low tide to get all the family gathering shellfish along the foreshore. At the beach there’s something for everyone, even if you can’t swim!

Picture: ©Simon Bourcier

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Picture: ©Yannick Derennes

Where to stay?

Picture: ©Jean-Patrick Gratien

Simply go camping in one of Brittany’s hundreds of beach-side or countryside campsites or rent a Breton cottage complete with pretty blue shutters and pool for the whole family. Brittany offers family friendly accommodation to suit all tastes and budgets from campsites to gîtes. At the Domaine des Ormes, situated between Saint-Malo and the Mont-Saint-Michel, you have everything you need to keep the whole family occupied: tree houses, wooden chalets, log cabins, cottages, mobile homes as well as an on-site golf course, water park, restaurant – you won’t need to leave!

Picture: ©Dom

s aine des Orme

Top left: Workshop of Bois Ludik.

Top: Kids at beach-Erquy Left: Centre de l’Imaginaire Arthurien Right: Domaine des Ormes Below: Bottle-nosed dolphins Bottom: Seaside cycling

Picture: ©Yannick Derennes

of Fishing. What’s it like to be a fisherman? How does a fish auction work? How should fish be prepared and cooked? At Haliotika, kids will get right under the scales of a fish; they get to know what has happened to it all the way from its travels in the ocean to its arrival on your plate! Tastings of fish soup, shellfish gathering, fish market, seaweed cookery workshops - what more could you want?

Or perhaps following in the footsteps of Merlin the magician and let magic transport yourself to the land of legends. With both its history and its mystical mythology, Brittany invites you into another world. As well as some of the more famous characters who haunt the forests of Brocéliande, such as Sir Lancelot, the Lady of the Lake and well-known wizard, Merlin, you mind just find yourself following in

the steps of the ‘korrigans’, those cheeky Breton leprechauns, a mermaid or two, or even the mythical Ankou, all of whom once roamed the winding pathways of Brittany. But have no fear: your children will be delighted to explore this magical place. There are a wealth of places to visit such as Brocéliande forest with its Door of Secrets, or the Monts d’Arrée – all with unusual visits, story-telling and games.

Extra special things for a family holiday to remember Spend the day with a local through Brittany Experiences, a hand-picked selection of extraspecial things to do in Brittany. The following are tailor-made for family fun. Unforgettable…

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Computer games will be long forgotten as children enter the colourful, inspirational workshop of Bois Ludik. Here, under Dominique’s expert eye, kids can craft a wooden toy of their choice and let their imaginations run wild. In just a few hours, you will see a plank of natural wood turn into a toy from your own imagination – for you or the lucky recipient to treasure.

x dre Lamoureu

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an Picture: ©Alex

Make your own wooden toy

Join in and watch bottlenosed dolphins

A peaceful village, a little beach bathed in turquoise waters and, in the distance, the unmistakable silhouette of Mont-Saint-Michel ... It’s at Port-Mer, in these magical surroundings, that Gaël from the Allark Association will be waiting to take you on a sea trip discovering the treasure trove of biodiversity to a magic encounter with the bottle-nosed dolphins. This is an experience you won’t forget in a hurry.

re Arthurien

tre de l’Imaginai

Picture: ©Cen

In the heart of Vannes, The Maison de la Garenne, a charming stopover, just a stone’s throw from the ramparts, has an elegant interior and a charming enclosed garden with its camellias and hydrangeas.

Christine and Antoine have had several children of their own so they know just how to cater for them and make sure their parents enjoy their holiday too!

Find more family friendly places to say on www.familyfun-brittanytourism.com/ where-to-stay

How to get there?

It is easy to get to Brittany – can’t bear the thought of taking the buggy, or baby, on the plane? Just load up the car and take the ferry from Portsmouth or Plymouth arriving at the delightful ports of St-Malo or Roscoff.

With toll-free roads throughout the region, getting around is easy and free so there won’t be any cries of ‘are we nearly there yet?’ Alternatively, fly from regional airports throughout the UK to Rennes, Dinard, Brest or nearby Nantes. www.brittanyferries.com www.flybe.com www.ryanair.com www.easyjet.com

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z z

z

LUE A V T GREA T BREAK SHOR

y l n o f ro m 9 0 1 £ er

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st e c i e L n i aks e r gs b n i y v l i a s m a f % e 66 siv o u t l c p x u e g e n i e ffer Thr o e r i h s r e brought to you by & Leicest A family of four can visit 3 world-class attractions and enjoy a night’s stay in a 4 star hotel with swimming pool for just £109: • • • • •

Theme park fun at Twinlakes Adventures in the forest at Conkers Take off at the National Space Centre Interactive experiments at Snibston Monkey around at Twycross Zoo

Family ticket to 2 theme parks and relax in a 4 star hotel, with breakfast, for an amazing £159.

• Visit Drayton Manor Park -

Choose 3 of these exciting activities then relax in a 4 star hotel: • • • • •

Family bowling at Hollywood Bowl Leicester Cycle hire in the National Forest with Hicks Lodge Cycle Centre Tobogganing at Swadlincote Ski Centre Bush craft, orienteering or woodland skills at Conkers Outdoor activities at Leicester Outdoor Pursuits Centre

featuring the best thrill rides, Thomas Land and an open-plan zoo AND • Twinlakes Park OR Wheelgate Park all-weather family theme parks with acres of attractions, animals and indoor play zones

GIFT VOUCHERS ALSO AVAILABLE!

Win!

Enter our fantastic competition today to win a family short break at:

www.stayplayexplore.co.uk/survival Terms & conditions apply

Mums’s Adv ertorial Adventure, thrills and spills in Leicester and Leicestershire

Great Value Family FUN!

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e’ve all taken the kids out for a day and spent hours travelling to the attraction, only to find out how expensive it is to get in and that it’s the only child-friendly place in the surrounding area so you’re stuck there all day before wending your weary way home again.

Then how about a destination that offers a wide range of choices of family-friendly attractions and experiences, all within easy reach of one another within the same city and county?

Leicester and Leicestershire has been carving a burgeoning reputation for some time now as a fantastic place to take the kids, due to the sheer breadth of things to see and do there.

For the younger ones, there are places to explore, discover and inspire, including the National Space Centre – where visitors can take a journey through the Solar System and beyond, Twycross Zoo – a specialist primate zoo with a wide variety of monkeys and apes, Conkers – the National Forest’s outdoor and indoor interactive discovery centre, Snibston – the award-winning hands on museum with over 90 indoor and outdoor interactive exhibits, and

Twinlakes Park – offering an exciting variety of family rides, attractions, birds and animals.

And for the more adventurous, older kids (or the young-at-heart parents!), why not try Hicks Lodge Cycle Centre – located at the heart of The National Forest and providing a variety of trails aimed at all skill levels, Swadlincote Ski Slope and Snowboard Centre – home to the exhilarating Cresta Run toboggan downhill ride, Hollywood Bowl Leicester – for 24 lanes of ten pin bowling fun, Leicester Outdoor Pursuits Centre – offering abseiling, aerial trekking, air rifles, archery, canoeing, climbing, fencing, kayaking, leap of faith, orienteering, and a 100m zipline, or Conkers Outdoor bush craft and woodland skills – with exciting opportunities to learn about skills essential for survival in the wild.

Families can enjoy these attractions and activities on a range of short breaks, based on a choice of three from five high quality attractions or experiences, plus four star hotel accommodation, at a value-for-money, fixed price.

Co-ordinated by Leicester Shire Promotions, the Stay Play Explore family breaks can be booked online at www.stayplayexplore.co.uk

Pictures clockwise from the top: • Climbing wall at Leicester Outdoor Pursuits Centre • Exciting family rides and splash play at Twinlakes Park • Budding astronauts, Credit National Space Centre, Leicester • Get interactive at Snibston Discovery Museum • Cresta toboggan run at Swadlincote Ski Centre • Snow leopards and chimp at Twycross Zoo, credit Gillian Day • Family rides from Hicks Lodge Cycle Centre • Conkers, the National Forest’s discovery centre WWW.MUMSSURVIVALGUIDE.NET

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rial Mum’s Adverto

BRITAIN’S FAVOURITE

Seaside Holidays!

Going on a family holiday, although exciting, can be a daunting task especially if it’s your first time with a new baby or trying to entertain a range of ages and personalities. Haven Holidays, who have 35 family holiday parks dotted around the coast have over 40 years of delivering great family holidays. At Haven ‘we cater for families of all ages.’

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Pictures from the top: Underwater adventure Fun on the beach Wall Climbing at Devon Cliffs

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ur FunStars are always on hand at the kids clubs running activities like Messy morning... and of course the great thing is they are the ones that clean up the mess afterwards! While the FunStars and The Seaside Squad keep the younger ones occupied, the older ones can explore their many talents with the range of activities Haven offer.

New for this year, The British Basket Ball League will be visiting 14 selected parks, demonstrating the skills needed to succeed in professional basketball.

Haven also understands that some teenagers feel more at home when away from the family, so we have T-Co, a summer club for over 13’s. Here your teens can enjoy plenty of cool activities and games that everyone will want to join in with.

Haven have plenty of green space, fresh air and fabulous sandy beaches to run around on.

‘Having other children around for them to make friends with is a bonus but what parents really appreciate is how safe and secure our parks are.’

Top tips on holidaying with kids in the UK. Fewer miles and more smiles – choose somewhere close to home to minimise travel in the car – saves petrol too. Invest in a sun shade for the car if you don’t have one already and an activity centre to attach to the car seat or DVD player for the older ones. Why not make a CD with all of the family’s favourite songs on to make the journey go faster?

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Be prepared for an April shower and pack waterproofs for all of the family, not forgetting the prams and the buggies. And if the sun decides to make an appearance have a sunshade at the ready, as well as sun-cream for the rest of the group.

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Kids need Vitamin D so choose somewhere that offers plenty of outdoor fun and places to explore too.

✓ ✓ ✓

Pack a picnic rug for days on the beach and a parasol or beach tent.

Where ever you decide to go make sure there are plenty of activities to keep them busy. At Haven they offer kids clubs, a number of sports activities especially for under 5’s including water confidence sessions, mini fencing and mini archery and all included in the price of your holiday. The older ones can enjoy a range of different activities using our activity Passes, and if booked in advance you can receive a super saving!

Check out the food options – self catering makes it easy if you have a fussy eater but you don’t want to be cooking all the time.

Haven’s NEW menus offers a range of healthy cooked meals for all the family and have teamed up with Baby Deli offering babies and young toddler a choice of organic, handmade and absolutely delicious meals for just £1.50.

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Look for some evening entertainment – at Haven kids are welcome so for once babysitting won’t mean staying at home. Character shows and party dances for the kids are early on in the evening and with Live Performances, Comedy Acts and special guest stars later on, you truly can leave the entertaining to Haven.

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Haven are offering great value for money breaks Save up to 40% on SAVE Haven holidays Plus during April/May with prices from as little as £149 for a three night weekend break for up to six people sharing Standard accommodation. Click on www.haven.com/mumssurvival or call 0871 230 1917 and quote z_mumssurvival for details, terms and conditions.

UP TO

40%

Calls to 0871 numbers cost no more than 10p per minute plus network extras

Pictures from the top: Wall Climbing at Thorpe Park Berwick Pitch and Putt Poolslide at Caister Tenby beach at Kiln Park Dino Bikes at Golden Sands Outdoor Pool at Berwick WWW.MUMSSURVIVALGUIDE.NET

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DAYS SURVIVAL HOLI

Real Value at LAST! Charity going against tide of high price school holiday breaks

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nvironmental charity Field Studies Council (FSC) has recently launched its new Real Family Holidays. Only available during school holidays and at a super- affordable price - under £500 for a family of 4 for a week - they are the opposite of the usual family holidays which rocket in price as soon as schools break up.

The unbeatable price for these UK breaks even includes all meals, hot and cold drinks and cakes throughout the day, a free organised outdoor activity for each night stayed and expert advice on exploring the local area independently.

Real Family Holidays have been created by the charity to encourage families to spend more time outdoors, discovering wildlife and being more active. The activities families can enjoy, within the cost of their holiday, include pond dipping, ropes courses and den building which children and parents will love.

Rob Lucas Chief Executive of FSC said: “We are dedicated to helping people to enjoy nature and believe children should all be able to experience holidays in new environments.

Therefore we have intentionally priced our Real Family Holidays in this very affordable way, and chosen dates in school holidays. Parents can relax on a holiday that fits around school commitments and doesn’t break the bank and the whole family can benefit from a fantastic break.”

The stunning locations on offer include the Highlands, Pembrokeshire and the Lake District.

To find out more please visit www.real-family-holidays.org

THE BENEFITS OF A REAL FAMILY HOLIDAY ✓ Get active as a family a love and appreciation ✓ of Encourage nature in your children Super-affordable, with all inclusive ✓ comfortable family accommodation

✓ Stay in the heart of nature ✓ Flexible – stay as long as you like Take part in varied and exciting ✓ activities, making new friends along the way.

✓ A family holiday with a difference A school holiday break without the ✓ high price tag Discover, explore and be inspired ✓ by nature, together

Fabulous Free Gift Pack for Mum’s readers!

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ith thanks to Field Studies Council, when you book your Real Family Holiday you can also claim a free gift set comprising these fantastic FSC nature guides and fold out ID charts:

✓ The Curious Mind of Young Darwin ✓ Guide to Ladybirds of the British Isles chart ✓ Butterflies of Britain chart ✓ Rocky Shore Name Trail chart ✓ FSC Cake chart 22

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FREE GIFT

To claim your free gift simply go to www.real-family-holidays.org/MSG

The springboard to confidence for your child Tumble Tots is Britain's leading National Active Physical Play Programme for children from 6 months to 7 years

• Using specifically designed equipment your child will learn agility, balancing and co-ordination skills appropriate to their age • A structured programme designed to build self-confidence and develop essential listening and language skills • Supervised by trained staff in a fun and caring environment

For your nearest Tumble Tots centre call: 0121 585 7003 www.tumbletots.com

Established

1979

Survival Fun

PEDAL Power!

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hink about it; many of the experiences children have today are essentially passive. On a bike they’re back in control, making things happen, finding out what they’re capable of. And it will make them healthy as well as happy.

You don’t need much to get a huge amount out of cycling; just the right bikes, the right equipment, and a few pointers. Until around the age of four, small children are non-pedalling passengers. Fortunately they’re fairly portable at this age. A large part of cycling with small children is about having the right attitude. Like any family trip out, a bike ride has to be geared around what the children will enjoy. And to cycle as a family you need the right equipment.

Ella, mother of two, from New Malden, takes both kids along and sees cycling as part of a whole life approach. Cycling is much quicker and easier for local journeys even with child and toddler in tow. She feels energized after a journey and swears that the cycling along with tending to the allotment keeps her fit.

“I’ve pretty much gone through all the cycling with children options”, she says. “Front seat, rear seat, tag-along bike and now my eldest daughter rides her own bike. We definitely chat more when on the bike –you notice seasons and the world around you in a very different way compared to when you’re in a car.

Riding together is time spent with family, talking together, discovering things, and enjoying the fresh air. Younger children love this. For a child old enough to pedal under their own steam it’s a massive boost to independence. Learning to ride a bike is a milestone in life and most children can’t wait to crack the magic skill of balancing a two-wheeler.

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discover your world ...with your family!

Dawes Cycles | Discover Your World

Duchess ‘Hippy’

Lil’ Duchess 20”

Lil’ Duchess 12”

At Dawes Cycles we offer a comprehensive range of bikes for the entire family. From our tiny balance bikes, to our vintage looking heritage bikes, we have something for everyone. Our Duchess range is just one example of our attention to detail and awareness of current trends and colours, with ladies bikes in a whole host of trendy designs, starting with the very cute 12” L’il Duchess; perfect for those really little ladies that want to ride out with mum. It’s not just you ladies that we cater for either, with a complete range of boys, girls and gents bikes on offer Dawes Cycles really does allow anyone to discover their world. ….Dad will just have to visit www.dawescycles.com to see what we’ve got for him!

Thunder 14”

Blowfish 18”

Bullet HT 24”

View 360˚ images of the complete Dawes range & find your local dealer at:

www.dawescycles.com

Using the front seat made journeys especially pleasurable – it was easy to chat and my little girl would do the hand signals with me.”

The right kit A child seat is the traditional answer and at £50-100 also the cheapest. Most seats are suitable for children between the ages of nine months and four years. It does compromise the handling of the bike, so don’t be tempted to stand up on the pedals to power uphill. The bike handles better with your weight firmly on the saddle.

“A front seat is definitely easier to balance and you can also constantly check if your child is okay”, Ella says. “When my kids were too big for a front seat, I moved them to a rear seat, by which time they were more used to cycling.

Whatever you do make sure you have a bike that’s sturdy enough to handle the extra weight.

A women’s step-through frame is really handy when using a rear child seat, as you can no longer just swing your leg over.”

A child trailer is a two-wheeled buggy that fixes to the adult’s bike and one or two children sit inside on stroller style hammock seats. It’s the pedallers’ equivalent to the pushchair. Recommended age is nine months to five years. A trailer gives extra room for toys, nappies, spare clothes, even groceries and it provides protection from the weather. Bike handling isn’t affected much, but a trailer does add some drag.

Is it safe? If you use a child trailer another parent will ask you this, or at least think it. The answer is yes. It can look dangerous because children sit low down in a trailer just as they do in a pushchair. But they’re highly visible, because of their bright colours and substantial size of the trailer. Trailers can cost anywhere from £80 to over £600, with most of the better quality ones starting at about £200.

By the time they start school most children are capable of riding a bicycle of their own. A tag-along is essentially a child’s bicycle with the front wheel, fork and headset replaced by a long towbar. You and your child can make trips that are faster, further and safer than you could manage on separate bikes. All one-wheeled tag along cycles will cope with gentle off-road terrain and all can be taken touring. And most bikes can tow a trailer bike. “When my eldest was 3 ½ I moved her onto the tag-along bike.

I think it’s been a really good precursor to cycling on her own and be safe. She’s now 7 and makes the trip to school on her own bike cycling ahead of me”, Ella says.

Kids on their own two wheels: Most children can learn to ride a bicycle between the ages of three and six. Even before that they can enjoy getting around on wheels of their own using a tricycle or balance bike. A child who can already ride a balance bike can very quickly learn to ride a bicycle. A child who has a bicycle with stabilisers can’t begin to learn until the stabilisers are removed, because they effectively turn the bicycle into a tricycle. Balancing is a skill that can’t be done for you and the only way to learn it is to do it.

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Chaperoned cycling: the perceived risk from the traffic on today’s roads puts a lot of people off cycling on them, especially families. Here’s the thing: it might feel less safe today but it isn’t. You’re actually safer now than you would have been in those halcyon days of 1950.

Traffic awareness develops around the age of 8-10 years old, which is coincidental with when school-based cycle training starts. Up until that time, at least, you will need to supervise your child on roads. He or she might be a proficient cyclist and yet make misjudgements about traffic. Before setting off there are some things that you need to be sure of. One is that your child can stop, start, steer and otherwise be competent at cycling –on a bike that’s road worthy. Another is that your child will respond to your instructions.

When you’re riding, it’s best if your child leads and you cycle a bike length or half a bike length behind. That way you can watch your child at all times and call out instructions. Your child should ride towards the left side of the road, but at least 50 cm out from the gutter, while you ride further out. This means traffic has to come around you and can’t cut in too close to your child. If you need to it is perfectly legal to cycle side by side with your child. Many drivers are unaware that cyclists can ride two abreast, so be prepared for the odd pipped horn. It’s worth moving forward to ride alongside as you come up to a side road. Give encouragement as you ride along and make your instructions calm and clear. If there are two adults, the child or children should ride in the middle with an adult front and back. Start on easier, less trafficked roads and work up. There will be situations in which it is easier or necessary to get off the bikes. Perhaps a hill is too steep or a junction is too complex.

However, you choose to cycle, it can feel like an expedition just getting yourself, your kids out of the front door. Stick with it – it gets easier!

An abridged version of Dan Joyce’s ‘The CTC guide to Family Cycling’.

CTC CTC, is the national cycling charity. You will find free advice and guides on the website along with specialist products and insurance. Cycling for pleasure is what the CTC is all about. Cycling is an activity that the whole family can enjoy and CTC’s guides can help you make the most of your riding when setting out on your first family cycling adventure.

www.ctc.org.uk

Let their imaginations go wild...

Isle of Wight Why limit your family holiday this year when you can explore a whole adventure island together?

The Isle of Wight is just four miles off the south coast of England and yet packed full of over one hundred adventures and golden beaches for all the family to enjoy.

Try tree climbing, explore pirate coves and smugglers’ hideaways, come face to face with dinosaurs, and time travel across the island to discover the secrets of the Electric Woods and Queen Victoria’s seaside palace.

Full steam ahead and make tracks to the UK’s Adventure Isle this summer.

Check out our amazing holiday and touring parks and superb family deals on the Island’s official website.

Begin your adventure here

www.visitisleofwight.co.uk

Scan the code to learn more.

Mum’s Money

Beware the

SCAMMERS!

As kids, most of us grew up loving games and playing tricks – now, as mums, one of the best jobs is teaching our kids the traditional games we played when we were young. But, it’s a sad truth that some people’s tricks may not be all that innocent, with the aim of the game being to part you with your cash.

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ou’re probably aware of the traditional tactics of pickpockets but, just as technology has opened up a whole new world for kids to play in, it has also opened up new opportunities for the fraudsters to access your purse. This all sounds pretty scary right, but don’t panic! We’ve put together some tips on what to watch out for which should make getting one step ahead of the fraudsters child’s play.

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Shoulder Surfers It may surprise you to learn that one of the most common ways for fraudsters to acquire your PIN is not through sophisticated techniques of card cloning but simply by watching you enter it in at an ATM or using a PIN pad. Always be wary of people standing behind you at cash points and when entering your PIN in a shop or a bar. This can be difficult – particularly if you’re out with the girls – so if you know it’s going to be a “big night”

in your account. Maybe you’ve won a lottery you’ve never heard of? How about a request from the “Royal National BestBanking Company” to confirm your details? We’ve all encountered some of the more ridiculous online requests for our details and it’s very unlikely that an email request that requires you to enter personal information would be genuine. Some of the obvious things to look out for include the email originating from an unusual email address, or failing to address you by your name. But, they’re becoming more convincing and some can even look like they have been sent to you by friends. If in doubt don’t give your details out.

Hang-up, No You Hang-up Most people would be wary of receiving a call from “their bank” asking them for their personal information, or claiming a card has been compromised – and the general advice is to hang-up the phone and call your bank back to check the request is genuine. But what if the fraudster on the other end, doesn’t hang-up the phone? Or if they’re calling using a device that brings up the bank’s number on your phone to make you believe they’re genuine?

Many people have been duped by this scam into thinking they are on the phone to their bank when they’re not. Remember: the bank will take its own steps to prevent fraud on your account – it won’t ask you to transfer money elsewhere or to hand over your card, PIN or online passwords.

Payment Protection Insurance (PPI) Refunds

it makes sense to take cash, so your card never need be in sight.

Running A Tab Setting up a tab by leaving your card behind the bar is something many people do regularly – but you shouldn’t really hand over your card for safekeeping to anyone. Realistically, you may leave your card behind the bar in your local – but think twice before handing it over in a venue that you’re not familiar with. And never let your card out of your sight on holiday. It’s a sad fact that some bars are not as reputable as you’d like to believe so if in doubt, keep the card with you. Every year the ombudsman receives a number of complaints from unfortunate holiday makers where massive bills have been run up by bars on ‘the wrong side of town...’

Phishing You’re contacted by a high ranking diplomat who needs your help ‘resting’ his money

You receive a text or call from someone claiming to be your bank, the Ministry of Justice, or a PPI company telling you that you’re owed money in the form of missold PPI payments. All you need to pay is an administration fee before the refund can be processed. Don’t give your money away. If you have a PPI complaint, you can come to the ombudsman for free and save yourself giving your cash to claims managers unnecessarily.

Online Shopping Scams Many of us are beating the queues by shopping online these days – and the good news is that the majority of transactions are completed with no problem. But always be wary of a seller (or buyer) who asks you to complete transactions outside of the official payment channels like PayPal – as you may find you’re not protected if the item you’re buying, or the money for the goods you’ve sold, doesn’t show up.

We hope that these tips help you get ahead of the game. But if the worst does happen, don’t panic. If you have lost out to a fraudster, the first thing is to tell your bank what’s gone wrong. But if you’re still not able to get things sorted out, the ombudsman may be able to help on 0300 123 9 123 or on Twitter @financialombuds WWW.MUMSSURVIVALGUIDE.NET

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Mum’s Money

Why a franchise could be the right family fit for you

T Be Your Own

BOSS 30

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he UK’s franchise sector has never been in better health; overall revenues, employment and numbers of franchisees have all risen around 20 percent in the last five years, while other parts of the economy have struggled. It’s also a sector that has double the rate of female business ownership compared to all other UK businesses, and one that is a statistically safer route to self-employment.

So what makes a franchise so wellsuited to mums? There are two main reasons consistently cited by those that are running one:

1. Work/life balance 2. Challenging and rewarding work Work/life balance, the familiar refrain for every new parent. Many mums going back to work can face a rather stark choice: a role that lets you leave early to pick up the kids, but one that can prove ultimately unfulfilling (or just plain boring!); or go back to work on a normal schedule and miss out on time with your young family, saddling yourself with guilt as well as spending plenty on childcare.

The appeal of franchising is that it can meet both criteria. It can be rewarding, financially and personally, as well as giving you the flexibility to work when it suits you and fit in around your family.

Sounds scary? That’s where the franchise model really excels. Because with any good franchise you’ll receive substantial training, support and back-up from both the franchisor (brand owner) head office AND the wider network of franchisees. You own a business, with full support.

Do you want to run a business but not confident on marketing it or filling out the paperwork? No problems. There’s a system, a hugely detailed day-to-day operations manual and full support on offer with every decent franchise, so you’ll never feel on your own and there will always be someone to answer your questions or fill in gaps in your knowledge.

Don’t be fooled into thinking it’s an easy ride – it isn’t, you’ll still need to put in hard work to get the most out of it. But that’s why the challenge holds such appeal too, and building up a business at the same time as being there for the family can offer you the best of both worlds without the compromises regular employment often mandates.

What’s on offer?

There are an abundance of business opportunities, and many of them actively

seek parents and/or women to own their franchises. As franchising has grown – 930 brands now on offer in the UK and counting – so have the opportunities that perfectly fit around a family lifestyle.

Most such opportunities are primarily run from home. Many involve children’s services, but if you like to get more adult interaction then others are suitable to mums too!

Children’s services franchises often actively seek mums as franchisees because they’re run around school hours and the franchisor themselves are often parents too. They understand the flexibility required to run a business and maintain a healthy family balance.

Those businesses include everything from drama, singing and dancing to crafts, sports and swimming, and can be aimed at audiences from pre-natal mothers to teenage children.

Another area of growth recently has been in animal care. This could be delivering pet products and food, or a dog-boarding alternative to kennels, matching host families with vacationing dog owners. The pet market in the UK is booming and helps to explain why it’s a growing area of franchising too.

If you’re looking for something more white collar, then homecare, business cost management and business coaching franchises have also performed very well in recent years.

Usually requiring management experience, they can still offer the flexibility for the business owner to set their own hours and work around other commitments.

The choices are numerous and because of the initial training and ongoing support on offer, franchising also offers you a way into business ownership in a field in which you have no previous experience. Transferrable skills are all-important, so if you love children or animals then you have the chance to become an entrepreneur a field you’re passionate about.

What next?

If anything, the choice can be overwhelming at first. Think about what you can see yourself doing, what will allow you to lead the lifestyle you want whilst providing you with a meaningful and rewarding business, and of course, what you can afford.

Most franchises aimed at mums have a start-up cost between £5,000-£15,000, with bank funding typically available for between 5070 percent of the cost for reputable franchises.

You’re buying into a proven business model, with a protected brand, marketing expertise and sales advice, and specialised training to get you up and running from day one.

With emotional, financial and familial commitment involved, do make sure you do a lot of research and due diligence; use the British Franchise Association, who can provide free impartial advice on what to look out for – and what to potentially avoid.

Get it right and you could soon be juggling your own successful business around your main role: being a great mum!

www.thebfa.org Tel: 01235 820470 Email: mailroom@thebfa.org WWW.MUMSSURVIVALGUIDE.NET

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ney o M s m’ Mu

Working from

HOME A

nd it’s no wonder.

Although running your own business can be demanding, the rewards of being your own boss and arranging work to suit your family are huge.

We’ve all heard about the glass ceiling, but the positive flipside is this: outside the corporate world, the sky is wide open, especially, it seems, for women.

When it comes to setting up businesses and working for themselves – often working from home – evidence suggests women are taking this sector of the working world by storm.

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Being your own boss - how hard can it be?

So why isn’t everyone doing it? Yes, there’s a certain amount of security in a regular pay cheque. But the job market isn’t what it was, and some people find freelance work pays enough to make up for any gaps. On the other hand, understanding how to go freelance, what tax to pay, and how to run your own business can be daunting.

One of the first things you need to consider is, “will I need to set up my own limited company?” Depending on the type of work you do, what you’re likely to earn, and other factors, working through a limited company can have a lot of benefits. Of course, it means dealing with a bit more

“ So many women, especially single mums think that they can’t start up a business and I’m here to prove them wrong! I have set up not one successful business but three as a single mum and I couldn’t be prouder.”

Ali Golds, Managing Director and Founder of Operation Enterprise and The Juno Project

red tape (like company records and corporate tax returns), but a good accountant or book keeper can take a lot of the strain off your shoulders.

What about tax returns?

Whether you’re working through a company or as a sole trader, you’ll need to start doing a tax return. The tax year ends on 5 April every year, and once you’re working for yourself, you’ll have to get your paperwork together and submit the figures to HMRC by the following January, so they can calculate your tax. These days, the

UK Female Entrepreneurship: key facts Women account for under a third of those in self-employment, but over half the increase in self-employment since the recession started in 2008. Between 2008 and 2011 women accounted for an unprecedented 80% of the new selfemployed. (Labour Force Survey, Office of National Statistics 2013).

There are now almost 1.5 million women self-employed which represents an increase of around 300,000 since before the economic downturn (Women in Enterprise: A Different Perspective, RBS Group 2013).

Women account for 17% of business owners, ie. owners/ managers/ employers (Labour Force Survey 2008, in Women in Enterprise: A Different Perspective, RBS Group 2013)

Motivations for women starting a business

UK Women’s businesses have a higher churn rate (ie. more start-ups and closures). But women are less likely to attribute closure to ‘business failure’ and more likely to cite ‘personal reasons’ – which peak at age 25-34 for women. (Women in Enterprise: A Different Perspective, RBS Group 2013)

Women were nearly five times more likely to mention family reasons for becoming self-employed than men. A fifth of females chose to work as self-employed to help combine ‘family commitments/wanted to work at home’ and employment in a flexible manner. Conversely, men were almost twice as likely to say that one of the reasons they became self-employed was to ‘make more money’ than were women. (ONS Regional Trends, Women in Business 2009).

On average about 30 per cent of selfemployed women and 8 per cent of men work at home. (ibid ONS 2009).

Source: www.prowess.org.uk Women in Business

forms are all online, and it’s quite easy to follow. The most important thing is to register for Self-Assessment within 3 months of becoming self-employed, so you’re on the system and can start paying class 2 National Insurance.

Then there are the logistics to think about.

Where are you going to work? What equipment do you need?

If you’re mostly working from home, you’ll need to make sure there are no restrictions in terms of planning permission, Council Tax, licensing and space. Using your home for business could also affect your Capital Gains Tax when you sell the property, so it’s worth checking that out as well. If you need to buy items for your business, from office furniture to aromatherapy charts, you’ll need to check which of them count as business expenses, and which don’t. “ Between 2008 and 2011 women accounted for an unprecedented 80% of the new self-employed.”

Labour Force Survey, Office of National Statistics 2013

Men are now twice as likely to be entrepreneurially active as women but in 2001 were two and a half times more likely to be entrepreneurially active, ie. involved in the early stages of a new venture. (Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, UK Report 2011)

Do your research Planning is essential. Whether you’re a child minder, researcher, internet retailer or franchisee, it pays to look up all the things you’ll need, and all the things you need to do, so you get a real sense of the money and effort involved.

This includes everything from the time-management involved in running a business while looking after busy children to backup plans for school holidays and illness.

It’s a lot to think about, but there is help out there. Any good accountant will usually give you a free consultation, advising you on the basics involved. Once you find an accountant you like, they can help you with everything from performance records and book-keeping to VAT and income tax. Most importantly, your accountant will let you know tax deadlines in advance, helping you steer clear of costly penalties.

Who knows? Maybe it’s time to take the leap. When you work on your own terms, the sky’s the limit.

Stephen Farra is a Certified Accountant and would be happy to talk about your business plans and deal with the paperwork you need to get you started. Please call him on 01708 457941 or email stephen@stephenfarra.com or visit website www.stephenfarra.com

10% of the female population are thinking about starting up a business (Women in Business: key facts, Government Equalities Office 2008) Source: www.prowess.org.uk Women in Business

Thinking of working for yourself?

Here are some sites with info, advice and motivation to get you started.

Business and self-employment – the basics: www.gov.uk/business Women in business – information and support: www.prowess.org.uk Mumsclub – community for mums running businesses: www.mumsclub.co.uk Mumpreneur UK – tips, news and networking: www.mumpreneuruk.com Mum’s the Boss – support and mentoring for mums in business: www.mumstheboss.co.uk And many more...

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F it an Adaptil puppy collar today, and give your puppy the best start in life!

• Proven to help puppies settle into new homes and adapt to new environments • Supports improved learning and socialisation

Ceva Animal Health Ltd Unit 3, Anglo Office Park, White Lion Road, Amersham, Bucks HP7 9FB Tel: 01494 781510 Fax: 01494 781519 www.ceva.co.uk

Survival F un

Animal Houses

Millions of us own a pet. We’re often described as a nation of animal lovers, and with good reason.

Latest research* reveals that 13 million or 45 per cent of UK households have pets, with the pet population increasing by four million to almost 71 million in 2013 – that’s 24.5 million excluding fish.

That’s quite a few of us, isn’t it?

P

ets can be a wonderful addition to a home and family life so now it’s time to celebrate the very important role pets play in our lives.

National Pet Month runs throughout April until May 5th – a UK wide initiative to promote responsible pet ownership and encourage us all to support UK pet charities so they can continue their vitally important work.

This year National Pet Month celebrates its 25th anniversary and is encouraging people of all ages to celebrate life with pets.

During NPM, families across the country come together to either stage a fundraising pet themed event in aid of a favourite pet charity or go along to an event taking place in their area.

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Whatever pet you choose for your family, let our family feed them.

Pets and young people are a fantastic combination. Research shows that children can benefit physically, emotionally and socially from regular contact with companion animals.

Often children prefer to share feelings and emotions with a pet rather than with another human being and having a pet in their life can help with child development and health. Not only can a pet help promote self-esteem, it can also encourage empathy and nurturing in a youngster.

Studies also show how pets can be a huge support during key moments in a child’s life such as during adolescence or periods of family illness or breakdown.

There are plenty of other great benefits of pet ownership for a child. Pets can increase physical activity and lead to greater fitness, provide comfort during recovery from an illness, lead to a lower incidence of hay fever and asthma, with less likelihood of animal allergies if children are exposed to pets during the first year of life.

Between the ages of five and eight pet ownership can also result in more stable immune systems, according to research.

Schools where pets are in residence have been found to improve academic achievement, motivate pupils to think and learn and lead to greater school attendance rates.

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www.harringtonspetfood.com

Mmm...

tastes so good!

Naturo high quality natural dog food that your dog will just love!

Naturo Pet Foods manufactures high quality dog food made with 100% natural ingredients. 60% meat content from British and Irish meat sources provides good quality protein which your dog will love. With added essential vitamins, minerals and omega-3 and omega-6 oils to contribute to a healthy immune system, strong bones and teeth and for keeping your dog’s skin and coat in great condition. 20% brown rice in the recipe helps to give optimum energy delivery and helps towards a healthy digestive system.

The 15% vegetables – carrots, peas & potatoes – provide easily digestible protein to promote muscle growth and repair.

If your dog is 8 years+ old there is a specially designed recipe with added glucosamine and chondroitin to help keep their joints moving and help prevent irritation from arthritis. Naturo dog food is available in Tesco stores nationwide.

www.naturopetfoods.com /naturopetfood

Although a charity in its own right, NPM’s main aims are to help spotlight other animal charities during NPM to help them raise funds and, of course, to spread the responsible pet ownership message.

So, with so many of us enjoying sharing our homes with our pets, how can you and your kids join in the NPM celebrations?

Perhaps you could put on a pet show or organize a pet themed fete or fair in your local community? How about speaking to your local veterinary practice about a pet event where you could work together to

WIN

A SELECTION OF PRODUCTS FROM THE ADAPTIL AND FELIWAY RANGES!

Adaptil & Feliway are the UK’s leading vet behaviour products, proven to support dogs and cats during life’s stressful events such as; travel, settling into a new home, stays away from home, vet visits and noise fears. For more information visit www.adaptil.co.uk and www.feliway.co.uk

One lucky reader can win a selection of Adaptil and Feliway products.

Simply enter online by visiting www.mumssurvivalguide.net/ceva Closing Date May 31st 2014.

Three fantastic new products from the experts at Sanicat

S

anicat is part of the Tolsa Group, a company dedicated to making life more enjoyable for pets (and their owners) with brilliant hygiene products. This year, we’ve added even more inspired items to our range.

If you can’t change your cat’s litter tray every day, we now have Aloe Vera 7 days. Designed to last a whole week, its pink, highly-absorbent granules are low on dust while freshening the air with a natural aloe vera scent. The texture is so soft, even kittens’ delicate paws will love it, and it gives cats of all sizes a feel-good factor throughout the day.

For those of you with the most demanding cats there is Sanicat Gold.

Created to ensure cleanliness and comfort in the home and health for the family and your pets, Gold is a 99.9% dust-free clumping litter with the soft scent of talc. It is convenient to clean, long lasting and made of high quality bentonite.

Or why not try Sanicat Crystal Fresh? Made of super-absorbent silica gel, it takes care of odours so quickly, you won’t even notice it’s there. With results that good, no wonder it’s a favourite.

For more information visit www.sanicat.eu

No purchase necessary. The winner will be the first name drawn at random. The winner will be notified no later than 5th June 2014. The judges’ decision will be final and the competition is not open to employees of LincolnBrody, Ceva Animal Health or their agents. By entering into the competition you agree to receive future marketing and promotional information from Ceva Animal Health and Lincolnbrody. If you do not wish to receive future information please indicate this on your entry. Please refer to the full terms and conditions at www.lincolnbrody.co.uk/competitions

WWW.MUMSSURVIVALGUIDE.NET Sobre fondo blanco a dos tintas, 39 en negro y en color Pantone 362 C.

At the heart of NPM lie its Top 10 Tips For Responsible Pet Ownership which are: 1. Think carefully before getting a pet and learn about its special requirements.

2. Ensure your pet is sociable and well trained.

3. Provide a nutritious and well balanced diet.

4. Provide suitable housing and bedding.

5. Clean up after your pet and worm it regularly.

Naturo Pet Foods Review We now have a new member of the team, Nala, our designer’s new rescue dog. Not surprisingly, she was delighted when the nice people at Naturo sent her a selection of their delicious dog foods to try.

M

ade from 60% meat or fish mixed with healthy brown rice, vegetables, oils and minerals, these meals look like a rather good paté.

We liked the ethos of meat with full traceability back to the farm it was from.

Feeding your dog a nutritious diet helps towards keeping them healthy and the vet’s bills lower. They obviously taste great too, as Nala’s bowl is soon licked clean and shiny. When we asked Nala what she thought of Naturo’s food, she said ‘Woof!’ and her tail wagged rather a lot. With lamb, chicken, duck, salmon and turkey to choose from, the saying ‘it’s a dog’s life’ has taken on a whole new meaning. Nala’s tucking into duck tonight and she definitely recommends it!

6. Protect against disease.

Your vet can provide you with advice.

7. Prevent unwanted litters and neuter your pet when appropriate.

8. Groom your pet regularly.

9. Control your pet and ensure it is properly identified.

10. Take out pet insurance for dogs, cats, rabbits and horses to cover against unexpected veterinary fees and third party liability. promote responsible pet ownership and raise money for a good cause?

Every year schools around the country get involved in the National Pet Month campaign so don’t forget to speak to your children’s school, play group or nursery school to see how they can join in. NPM also encourages vet practices to visit schools during the month so check out details at www.nationalpetmonth.org.uk.

During previous National Pet Month campaigns some supporters have joined forces with their local vicars to put on a pet friendly service or arranged fancy dress themed events with their local pet stores. They have had some fabulous photo competitions too! The possibilities are endless, with the only limit your

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www.naturopetfoods.com imagination so please join in and help our pets!

For details of how to get involved go to www.nationalpetmonth.org.uk where you will find lots of information and have the chance to sign up as an NPM supporter. It only takes a minute and it’s free! There’s even an interactive map where you can list your pet event and check out what’s happening near you.

Throughout the month there will be all kinds of fun competitions to get involved in so check out the NPM website www.nationalpetmonth.org.uk, follow National Pet Month online at www.facebook.com/NationalPetMonth and on Twitter @NatPetMonthUK

/naturopetfood National Pet Month April 1 – May 5, 2014 *Research carried out on behalf of the PFMA (Pet Food Manufacturers’ Association)

Some Stains Are Tougher Than Others

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Because not all stains are the same, Dr. Beckmann Stain Devils are uniquely formulated to be stain specific.

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Receive 20% off Dr.Beckmann products online*, using promotional code MUMSG14 Promotional code valid until 31st August 2014. One transaction per household. *Orders placed at www.dr-beckmann.co.uk

Mum’s Kitchen

Easter Treats!

With thanks to our friends at Wright’s, here are four tasty baking recipes for you and the family to enjoy this Easter.

Easter Cupcakes Mini Eggs are a real favourite nesting nicely on these chocolate cupcakes made with Wright’s Chocolate Fudge cake mix - foiled eggs, mini cream eggs or maltesers also work well!

Ingredients

Method

Cupcakes

Decorations

•5 00g Wright’s Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix

•1 packet (24-36) Chocolate Mini Eggs

✔M ix all the ingredients under “Cupcakes” to form a smooth batter, for 1-2 minutes.

• 200ml Water

•2 tablespoons Grated White Chocolate

✔ L ine a standard 12 hole muffin tray tin with muffin cases.

•6 0ml Vegetable Oil

✔D ivide the mixture between the muffin cases.

Topping •2 00g Dark Chocolate (70% cocoa solids)

✔B ake in a preheated oven 180°C (360°F), Gas Mark 5 for 20-25 minutes until firm to the touch.

•2 50g Unsalted Butter (softened) •2 50g Icing Sugar

✔A llow to cool completely before decorating.

•1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

✔M elt the dark chocolate in a

heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally. ✔A llow to cool. Meanwhile in a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, icing sugar and vanilla extract together until smooth. ✔A dd the melted chocolate and beat until thick and creamy. ✔P ipe each cake with the chocolate icing a place 2-3 mini eggs on each as per illustration. ✔S prinkle on the grated white chocolate.

Easter Slice This Easter Slice recipe is a real treat anytime, with its layer of lovely melted marzipan in the middle, especially served at Easter and traditionally served at Christmas too.

Ingredients

Method

•5 00g Wright’s Premium White Bread Mix •1 Size 4 Egg

✔M ake up a dough using the bread mix, half the beaten egg, butter, sugar, spice and water. Save the other half of the egg for use later as an egg wash.

•7 5g Butter

✔R est for 5 minutes.

•3 Tablespoons Sugar

✔B lend in the currants and sultanas, divide dough into 2, mould into balls and rest for 5 minutes.

•1 Tablespoon Mixed Spice •2 20ml Warm Water •1 00g Currants •1 00g Sultanas •2 50g Marzipan • I cing Sugar for Dusting

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✔R oll one dough ball out to a 20 x 24cm sheet and place in a 4-sided baking tray. Egg wash lightly. ✔R oll out the marzipan and cover the first dough sheet - egg wash lightly. ✔R oll out the second dough ball and use to cover the marzipan. Prick the dough with a fork and use remaining egg to wash the top.

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✔C over with a damp tea towel; lightly oiled plastic or polythene and leave to rise in a warm place for 3040 minutes until doubled in size. ✔R emove the cover before baking.

Bake in a preheated oven at 220°C, 425°F, Gas Mark 7 for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Remove from tin and put on a wire tray to cool.

Allow to cool completely, dust with icing sugar and cut into fingers.

Simnel How about this stunning Simnel Cake as your Easter Sunday Centrepiece made with Wright’s Carrot Cake mix? It creates this superb Simnel Cake!

Ingredients

Method (Makes 1 cake – 12 portions)

Cake

✔A dd the juice and zest of the two oranges to the mixed fruit and leave to soak for 1 hour.

✔A llow the cake to cool before removing from the tin and place in the centre of the cake board.

✔P lace the cake mix, ground almonds, water and oil into a bowl.

✔B rush the top of the cake with warm apricot jam.

✔ Mix together to form a smooth batter.

✔W eigh out 150g of the marzipan and roll out a circle to 19cm (7 ½ inches).

• 500g Wright’s Carrot Cake Mix • 200ml Water • 60ml Vegetable Oil • 350g Mixed Dried Fruit • 150g Marzipan • 100g Ground Almonds • Zest & juice of two oranges Decoration • 1-2 tbsp Apricot Jam • 450g Marzipan • Fresh Flowers & Ribbon • 9-10” Round Cake Board

✔ Add the fruit mixture and mix well. ✔ Pour half of the cake batter into a deep round pre-lined 19cm (7½ inches) baking tin. ✔R oll out 150g of the marzipan into a 18cm (7 inches) round and place on top of the batter in the baking tin. ✔ Pour over the remaining cake batter. ✔S mooth over the cake batter making a slight dip in the middle of the cake. (This will help produce a flatter cake) ✔B ake in the lower half of a pre-heated oven 160°C (320°F) gas mark 3-4 for approximately 90 minutes.

✔P lace the circle of marzipan on top of the jam. ✔D ivide the remaining marzipan in half, using one half to form 11 small balls and set round the edge using water. ✔P lace under a preheated grill to brown slightly. ✔D ivide the remaining piece of marzipan into 2 and roll each one into a long rope about 23cm (9 inches) long and twist round each other. Place the twisted marzipan around the bottom of the cake. ✔D ecorate with fresh flowers in the middle and finish with ribbon round the top of the cake.

Hot Cross Buns Making your own hot cross buns can be a real family favourite – in either white or wholemeal Hot Cross Buns. The recipe will call for 2 mixes: Premium White (for white buns) OR Wholemeal (for brown buns) AND a Wright’s Ciabatta - this will yield 30 good size hot cross buns - less if you decrease the ingredients. Have fun!

Method ✔ T his recipe makes 30 hot cross buns. A smaller quantity of buns can be made by using half a pack of each mix and half the quantity of other ingredients.

Ingredients •5 00g Wrights Premium White bread mix OR Wholemeal bread mix •5 00g Wright’s Ciabatta Bread Mix •1 15g Fat •2 8g Milk Powder •1 00g Sugar •2 25g Mixed Fruit •2 Tablespoons Mixed Spice

•1 size 4 egg •5 20ml Warm Water •1 00g Self Raising Flour mixed to a smooth paste with 150ml of cold water for crosses.

•5 0g Caster Sugar dissolved in 100ml Boiling Water For Glaze

✔A dd the fat, sugar, milk powder, mixed spice and egg to the bread mixes. ✔U sing 520ml of warm water make up the dough following the instructions on the pack. ✔A dd the mixed fruit and blend through the dough. ✔D ivide the dough into 30 pieces and mould into balls. ✔R est for 10 minutes.

✔R emould the pieces and place on a greased baking trays ensuring they are in straight lines to make the piping of the crosses easier.

Number on each tray depends on size of tray. ✔P rove in a warm place for 35-40 minutes or until doubled in size. ✔U sing a piping bag fitted with a fine nozzle (1-1.5mm) pipe crosses carefully on the proved buns. ✔B ake in a preheated oven at 220°C (425°F) gas mark 7 for 15 minutes or until golden brown. ✔R emove from oven and brush immediately with sugar solution to give glaze.

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Support k r o w e m o H s m’ Mu

Advertorial

Get support with

Autumn Publishing is proud to create books that provide children with fun and positive learning experiences and offer parents and teachers reliable and informative materials that can easily be used for classroom and home study.

H

elp with Homework has helped children’s learning since the late 1990s, selling over 3 million copies worldwide.

Created by a team of educational consultants, writers, illustrators and designers who help generate materials suitable for children from pre-school through to Key Stage 2, the books have strong educational integrity. With prices starting from £2.50, they are also incredibly good value for money!

The Help with Homework series aims to help children develop their skills and abilities as part of the exciting process of growing up.

With several subjects to choose from and various targeted age ranges, there’s now a great way to help your child succeed at school.

in terms of its adherence to Early Learning Foundation Stage (EYFS) and Primary National Curriculum demands and how best to reflect fluctuations in aims and approaches.

Autumn Publishing is passionate about inspiring young minds and will continue to seek out new developments in education, presentation, technology and communications that will help children in their early years.

Try it for yourself!

Why don’t you have a go too? It’s easy to see how much fun learning can be, almost like counting 1 . . . 2 . . . 3!

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Jack thought his book was ‘fantastic’! He enjoyed the ‘really good activities like matching games, word searches and putting in the word stickers for the missing words in sentences.’ According to mum, ‘He really enjoyed it and rushed to get it off the shelf after breakfast – amazing for a boy who often wakes up and says he is disappointed that he has to go to school!’.

Max (9+) – Maths Essentials *The Help with Homework series is available now, including Flash Cards and Reward Pads.

Go to www.autumnchildrensbooks.co.uk

Autumn Publishing are offering Mum’s Survival Guide readers an incredible 30% discount from the entire range of their Help with Homework series!

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Jack (5+) – Reading and Writing

Pia aged 7 and dad Chris tackled the Science Help with Homework book in the 7+ range. She found the book fascinating, teaching her everything from the human body to predators and prey. Dad Chris really enjoyed the bonding experience of working through the exercises together at the kitchen table and was amazed at how well the books encouraged Pia’s thirst for knowledge.

Use the code homework at the checkout to claim your fantastic discount! To view the full Help with Homework range visit:

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Mum’s Survival Guide and Autumn Publishing joined forces with some very special volunteers to see what they thought of the Help with Homework range. Here are Jack, Pia and Max’s thoughts:

Pia (7+) – Science

Pro-active in approach Autumn Publishing continually monitors forthcoming trends and changes in curriculum objectives. Where possible, materials are trialled in classrooms and teacher/pupil feedback is obtained in a bid to continually improve and extend product ranges.

Many of our materials are developed in consultation with external writers and advisors, including primary teachers and educational editors, who oversee the content

TRIED AND TESTED

Max, who is 9, said: ‘Some of the maths was easy because I’d already done it, but it was good to do it again and practise. I liked that there were lots of different types of things to do. I could always understand what I was meant to do, but sometimes the problems were quite hard. Quite a lot of the activities were really fun.’ Mum Kate said, ‘I thought the books were well laid out, attractive with the bright colours and the cartoon illustrations made them seem fun rather than ‘homework-ish’.

For more on our testers’ reviews along with their parents’ thoughts, please visit www.mumssurvivalgide.net

Mum!

Mum’s Home work Suppo rt

...can you help with my

HOMEWORK? Of all the parenting hats we wear, teaching is one of the most important. So when it comes to your child’s school homework, what’s the best way to help? Emma Brooks investigates.

HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH? There’s no fixed rule about how much homework your child can expect, but in the UK, it usually looks something like this.

Years 1 and 2

60 minutes a week

Years 3 and 4

90 minutes a week

Years 5 and 6 30 minutes a day or equivalent over two/ three evenings or at the weekend Since 2012, homework isn’t based on national guidelines anymore, and is very much down to the head teacher. So if you think your child’s struggling, you might be able to make a change – as long as other parents feel the same way.

What’s homework for?

Hey coach!

There’s a lot of debate about how much homework children should get (the norm varies from country to country and school to school). But wherever you live, the principle is the same - homework helps kids practise what they’ve learned in class, while getting used to thinking on their own. It also shows teachers how your child is getting on, and any areas where they might need help.

So rather than running the race for your child, think of yourself as a coach or buddy. Someone who motivates them, praises them and gives them the odd tip, then stands back to let them shine.

So I can’t do it for them then?

We’d all like our child to get a gold star every time, but if you’re the one doing the work, it could backfire. Yes, most seven year-olds need a bit of guidance here and there, but once they’ve left primary school, they’ll be expected to do their homework by themselves. And that’s the key.

Not only is working independently a crucial life skill, but getting a ‘B’ on your own builds more confidence than mum getting an ‘A’ for you. And making mistakes is a part of learning too.

Here are some ways to do it:

✓ Timing is everything

You can’t fight nature, so don’t expect your child to do their homework when they’re exhausted. Straight after school is usually a good time, but you’ll know what works for you.

The most important thing is to get into a good, regular routine, when your child isn’t too tired or hungry.

✓ Break it down (and talk them up) Sitting down and doing things on your own can be hard for children (and some adults!). A lot of it comes down to confidence and knowing how to break things WWW.MUMSSURVIVALGUIDE.NET

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HOMEWORK DOS & DON’TS have a flat, well-lit homework area ✓ Dorotable with all the stationery they need (so they don’t have to go looking for a pencil sharpener mid-session). o be aware of modern teaching ✓ Dmethods, like phonics and ‘chunking’.

Do create a homework routine that you ✓ both agree to. o give your child a small, healthy ✓ Dsnack before starting to keep their energy up. o chat about the homework they’re ✓ Ddoing and how it connects with school. o turn off the TV, although music’s ✓ Dokay if it helps them concentrate. on’t give your child the answers, ✘ Dalthough you can remind them how to work it out.

down. You can help by taking a few minutes to talk through that day’s homework, and dividing it into smaller tasks. Decide together how long each task should take (a timer or special clock can help if they’re a real fidgeter), and give them praise as they go through ticking off each one.

✓ Practice, practice, practice

While you can’t do your child’s homework, practising skills with them – and making it fun – is where parents can really make a difference. Whether it’s maths or a foreign language, games, songs and other learning-infused activities can all help them learn without pressure.

And don’t forget reading – research shows it’s the most important thing you can do to support your child’s education.

✓ Do the nerd thing

Topics at school can change from week to week, so if your child is interested in something, from Pharaohs to frogspawn, let them be nerds and explore the subject to their heart’s content. Documentaries, picture books, days out and craft activities are all ways to get under the skin of a topic and make it come alive. Join in the fun, and you might learn something too.

✓ Be library buddies

Today, kids are encouraged to do their own research from a much younger age, and that’s a good thing, as it’s a brilliant habit to get into. Hit the local library together to get the facts on volcanoes or Henry VIII, and you’ll be introducing your child to a great free resource they’ll use for the rest of their lives.

✓ Get web savvy

Of course, your child’s most important research tool is going to be the internet. This raises worries for most parents, but think of it as the perfect opportunity to use the web alongside your child, teaching them about safety as you go. And it’s not just about staying safe – you can also talk about where information comes from, and why some sources are reliable… and others distinctly iffy.

Remember, children shouldn’t use the internet unsupervised. Parental control settings are essential, but knowing how to stay safe online is a lesson children need to learn with you as their guide. So make sure you give them some basic rules to follow, and put the computer in a family room with the screen facing out so you can keep an eye on things.

Find out more about child internet safety at www.kidsmart.org.uk/parents

on’t teach your child methods you ✘ Dused at school. It could confuse them.

Don’t let homework become a chore. ✘ Keep it fun and make it a special time that you both look forward to.

✓ Show me, tell me

From time to time, part of your child’s homework might involve presenting what they’ve learned in school to their family at home. This gives you a chance to support your child’s learning in the simplest and best way possible – by taking time to listen to what they have to say.

HOW TO HELP YOUR CHILD WITH READING & MATHS Helping your children reading

Helping your child with maths

✓

Even if you didn’t enjoy maths at school, there are lots of ways to help your child be number-confident.

ead little and often as part of your R routine, keeping books within easy reach.

ake time to talk about each page and ✓ Twhat they see.

Find books on topics your child likes, ✓ from fairy tales and animals to fashion and sport.

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oint out shapes in everyday objects and ✓ Pbuildings t the shops, let them help count grocery ✓ Aitems and money Look for numbers on street signs and car ✓ registration plates.

want to get there before the tide goes out? check the traffic reports

in a jam with your bank? check our website

ALL THINGS

BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL WIN A YEAR’S WORTH OF PRODUCTS

To enter visit www.dr-beckmann.co.uk/mumssurvivalguide