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Issue One – January 2019 £1.00 Introductory Price

Welcome to Issue One

Letter from the Editor Victoria Coupe Hello! Welcome to the first edition of Mums in Mind Magazine. I’m Tor, your Editor and a married mum of two young boys. I started the Facebook group Mums in Mind at the end of June 2018. I wanted to have a safe place to help mums with issues like loneliness and self-esteem, and to provide advice and knowledge. Being a mum is hard and it can feel like you are winging it daily. But no matter how our day is going, or what is happening with our children, we get on with it. We are the glue that holds everything together. One day my son asked if one of his friends could come to dinner at our house. I said yes and contacted his friend’s mum. I got a really honest message back saying that the person didn’t want to come to dinner. At first I felt sorry for my son; how was I going to explain that to him? I replied and said not to worry. The mum explained that her little one had been having a hard year at school and didn’t want to go anywhere away from home. This resonated with me as my eldest had also been having a hard year. I had felt like the worst mum in the world, like I’d failed my son because I couldn’t make it better. I didn’t know what to do. When I received this mum’s message I actually thought, “Hooray, it isn’t just me” and that’s how the idea of Mums in Mind was born. We all need to know we are not alone. I’m no super-mum but I have been through two difficult births, a baby who I was told to say goodbye to, and all the tears, tantrums and extreme highs that motherhood brings. I love my role as a mum, but there are some days when I feel so lost that it’s great when I can talk to other mums who are going through the same things. So, this magazine is for you. It’s aim is to help you on your motherhood journey... it might not have all the answers you need right now, but if it helps in some way then that’s what matters. Whether you’re a new mum, a mum to be, an experienced mum, a mum who is done with having children or you want a whole house full.... just know that you do an amazing job every single day. Enjoy reading the magazine and let me know what you would like to see in future. Love, Tor xx mumsinmindorg@gmail.com

Contents

How to Help with Homework ............................................................. 5 The Importance of Sleep .................................................................... 7 Why is Exercise Important? ................................................................ 11 Easy Recipes for Busy Mums .............................................................. 13 How to Make Your Own Bath Bombs ................................................. 20 Diets Don’t Work! .............................................................................. 21 Making the Most of Your Money ........................................................ 23 The Art of Saying ‘No’ ........................................................................ 26 How to Find Your Style Personality .................................................... 29 Post-Partum Exercise – The First 6 Weeks ......................................... 31 Mum’s Guide to Holidaying in Spanish-Speaking Countries ............... 33 Book Review – Yankee Girl by Mary Ann Rodman .............................. 35 The Mum Checklist ............................................................................ 36

Real Mum Stories Chloe Campion ............................. 9 Jennifer Royle ............................... 14 Leila Magee ................................. 17

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How to Help with Homework

Alicia Hampson & Karen Greenwood Clear Steps Plus Education Homework – When, where and how?

might even learn a thing or two!

Children are generally more successful and motivated in school when parents take an active interest in their homework. It gives your child the message that learning and completing given tasks, to the best of your ability, are an important aspect to life.

Here are some tips to support you and reassure you that you are not alone in the challenge of homework:

However, this is all well and good, but what do you do if you don’t understand the homework yourself or your child is disinterested or seemingly cannot understand the work? The first thing to remember is you are doing and want the best for your child, that is the most important message you can convey. You are interested, you care and you will help them all you can – even if you don’t understand the homework yourself! You are not a teacher (in most cases!) and even if you are, teaching your own children comes with unique challenges due to the fact that you are ‘mum’ and ‘dad’. Helping with homework shouldn't mean spending hours hunched over a desk, cajoling, enforcing completion of homework or even doing the homework for them! Parents can be supportive by modelling study and organisation skills, explaining a tricky problem, or just encouraging kids to take a break. And who knows? You

Set up a homework-friendly area. Make sure your child has a well-lit place to complete homework. Keep supplies — paper, pencils, glue etc.— within reach.

Schedule a regular study time. Some children work best in the morning, following a snack and play period; others may prefer to wait until after dinner. Try to complete homework as soon as it is set if possible, whilst the requirements are fresh in your child’s mind.

Help them make a plan (Year 4 upwards). On heavy homework nights or when there's an especially intensive project to complete, encourage your child split the work into manageable chunks. Create a work schedule for the night if necessary — and take time for a 15-minute break every hour, if possible.

Keep distractions to a minimum. This means no

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TV, loud music, or phone calls. (Occasionally, a phone call to a classmate about an assignment can be helpful for older children.) 5.

in the subjects your child is struggling with. Attend school events, such as parent-teacher conferences, to meet your child's teachers. Ask about their homework policies and how you should be involved.

Make sure children do their own work. They won't learn if they don't think for themselves and make their own mistakes. Parents can make suggestions and help with directions. But it's your child’s job to do the learning.

Be a motivator, facilitator and monitor. Ask about assignments, projects, quizzes, and tests. Give encouragement, check completed homework, and make yourself available for any questions and/or concerns your child may have.

Set a good example. Do your children ever see you diligently balancing your budget or reading a book? Children are more likely to follow their parents'

10. If there are continuing problems with homework, get help. Talk about it with your child's teacher. Some children have trouble seeing the board and may need glasses; check your child’s hearing (my own daughter’s progress has improved tremendously since being fitted with a hearing aid). Others possibilities might be a need to have an evaluation for a learning problem or attention difficulty. There may be gaps in your child’s learning, in which case extra tuition for a period of time might be helpful in improving your child’s confidence and understanding. We truly hope we have given you some insight, reassurance or new things you might try to help your child with their homework. Useful resources for helping your child with homework:

“Praise their work efforts. Put results of achievements or art projects on the front of the refrigerator.”

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BBC Bitesize website https://www.bbc.com/bitesize

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YouTube videos (Warning! Watch the videos yourself first to make sure it is what it says it is!)

examples than their advice. If you are trying to help them with a maths problem you don’t understand, teach them resilience and perseverance by looking in text-books, searching the explanation on the internet or watching a video to explain how to solve the problem. Indeed, learning together shows your child that it is OK not to know, understand everything straight away and what to do if this is the case. It is also a valuable lesson in showing your child it is OK to make mistakes. 8.

Praise their work and efforts. Put results of achievements or art project on the refrigerator. Mention academic achievements to relatives, in front of your child.

Know the teachers — and what they're looking for

Further Information Karen Greenwood and Alicia Hampson (along with Tyrone McIvor), are the founders of Clear Steps Plus Education. Facebook @clearstepsplus Website www.clearstepsplus.co.uk

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The Importance of Sleep

Francesca Adinolfi The Sleep Consultant

If you are a mum you truly know what ‘tired’ means. Prior to having children, I would say that people were selfish and I felt tired too; I worked 45 hours per week and I felt knackered. Then my little boy arrived in 2014 and I experienced sleep deprivation, and I finally understood what other parents were trying to tell me! He would not sleep for the first 13 months of his life and after that he would wake up 5 am every day. This lasted for two years. I still wonder how I survived on that little sleep. When I finally thought I would get some extra sleep, my daughter arrived, and my son’s sleep went for a walk again! After receiving help from a lovely consultant, I took the decision to help others and to become a sleep consultant myself. So, what does sleep deprivation do to our body and mind? Sleep deprivation affects every part of our lives. MEMORY: A person who sleeps fewer than 7 to 9 hours per night is likely to have memory issues. During sleep, our brain forms connections that help us to process and remember new information. Lack of sleep is likely to affect long and shortterm memory. Problem solving skills and concentration are affected too. HEALTH: Your blood pressure can rise if you sleep less than 5

hours per night, putting you at risk of heart attack and other vascular problems. Your immune system is affected and you are more likely to catch flu and viruses. Lack of sleep also causes a rise in your blood sugar levels, and increases your risk of type-2 diabetes. Balance and coordination are affected, making you more prone to falls and other accidents. Probably worse than that however, is that being drowsy during the day can increase your risk of a car accident. It has been estimated that 100,000 crashes, 71,000 injuries and 1,550 deaths last year were related to falling asleep while driving. DIET: The chemicals that give the signals to your brain that you are full are off balance, so you will be more likely to overeat or use food to forget how you really feel. RELATIONSHIPS: Many women’s sex-drives go for a walk (like my son’s sleep). And the same is true for Dad’s too – when they are sleep deprived, their testosterone drops and their libido goes out the window.