How to have fun without the sun Mummy Bear style!

How to have fun without the sun! Our bear (far left) having fun with her cousins.

Face painting, food, fun and if you’re lucky (!) a little bit of sunshine!…

We’ve been enjoying all of these recently.  At our bear’s new school’s Fun Day. And the following day with her cousins, when face painting, a few games of rounders and of course loom bracelets were all on the menu!

The school fun day was drenched in sunshine and the family party… wasn’t. Instead, we had to shelter from rain akin to a tropical storm!

But we’ve proven that you don’t absolutely NEED sunshine to enjoy yourself.  It does help of course, but you can still have summer fun 🙂

What summer fun have you been having?

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Read my emotional and inspiring true story ‘Diary of a Complicated Pregnancy’. Available now through my website at Virtually All Sorts. 50% of sales to the charity Action on Pre-Eclampsia. …and visit my facebook page or follow me on twitter @ComplicatedPreg

Also available – my indispensable guide to avoiding ‘Working Mum Guilt’. Whether you are about to return or have already started back, this book offers practical solutions and feedback from real Mums with real families in real situations. Covering topics such as Post Natal Depression, childcare options, yours and your child’s development and time management – Ditch the guilt today! … and visit my facebook page or follow me on twitter @WorkingMumGuilt

How to make starting school easier for you and your child

 

Above: Our little bear’s drawing of her new school 🙂

 

It’s an exciting time in our house at the moment, with our little bear taking the leap to ‘big’ school soon.  To help other parents, I’ve put together this short guide to help make starting school a little less daunting for you and your child:

 

• Encourage your child to talk about school and draw their school (like our bear’s pre-school did – see the above work of art!  Initially I thought they were sets of traffic lights because our bear’s school is near to traffic lights but when I asked her, I was told they were ‘tables in the classroom’…!)
• Use positive language within your child’s earshot when talking to anyone about school.  If they hear ‘negative’ words such as ‘scared’ or ‘worried’, they will soon pick on this and any excitement may easily be turned into anxiety.
• Make use of free pre-school or nursery sessions.  At the time of writing, the government fund free hours.  Walk into any reception class and you’re likely to see that it’s like a pre-school setting.  The only noticeable difference at our bear’s school was the uniform.
• Talking of which, get the uniform sorted out as soon as you can.  Then wash it to make it smell like your own washing.  A very good reason for doing this is because some pre-schools have ‘uniform days’ for the leavers before they break up for summer holidays.  Even if they don’t have a ‘uniform day’, still get the uniform to give your child a chance to try it and get used to changing themselves.  (They’ll need to be able to change for P.E.)  Get them to ‘show it off’ to friends and family.  You should consider buying the next size up to allow for growth between now and the school term.  If you do all of this early on, you’re likely to have more stock to choose from (there will likely be offers on and the stock will deplete!) and that first day of school will be so much easier for everyone!…
• Make use of  ‘new starter’ welcome days/sessions and ‘New Parent’s Evening’ sessions.  If you child’s school invites you in for a welcome session, go!  Book time off work, arrange childcare for younger siblings if necessary.  Make this a time for your child.  It really will help with those first days for you and your child.  You will have peace of mind and be able to visualise the classroom, school hall, toilets etc.  Your child will have less (if any) reservations about stepping foot into their school on the first day – and beyond.
• If you feel your child has needs that the school should be aware of, make an appointment with the Head Teacher and/or include a note with the registration paperwork.  For example, your child may have had issues with toilet training/be not long toilet trained.  Tell the school in a way that is official but discreet.   Just not in front of your child or other parents.
• Finally… Relax!  Enjoy this next milestone.  If you’re relaxed and excited about it, your child is much more likely to be as well!

 

Go forth and conquer !

 

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Read my emotional and inspiring true story ‘Diary of a Complicated Pregnancy’. Available now through my website at Virtually All Sorts. 50% of sales to the charity Action on Pre-Eclampsia. …and visit my facebook page or follow me on twitter @ComplicatedPreg

Also available – my indispensable guide to avoiding ‘Working Mum Guilt’. Whether you are about to return or have already started back, this book offers practical solutions and feedback from real Mums with real families in real situations. Covering topics such as Post Natal Depression, childcare options, yours and your child’s development and time management – Ditch the guilt today! … and visit my facebook page or follow me on twitter @WorkingMumGuilt

Thank you.

Follow Carol Cameleon’s board Parenting blogs I love… And think you might too! on Pinterest.

‘Frozen’ – the abridged version…the sequel

While I was pottering around, our little bear was pottering around too.

“Mummy, come and look at what I’ve built!” she shouted proudly.

“Oh wow! Aren’t you clever?! You’ve built some stairs.  Well done!”

To which our bear said, “they’re Elsa’s stairs in ‘Frozen’!”

The End

~

We hope you enjoyed the abridged version – the sequel.  You can read ‘Frozen’ – the abridged version here.

And true to our household’s current obsession with ‘Frozen’, here is a little poem that I posted recently on my blog called

‘Frozen’ – don’t be left out in the cold!

~

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Read my emotional and inspiring true story ‘Diary of a Complicated Pregnancy’. Available now through my website at Virtually All Sorts. 50% of sales to the charity Action on Pre-Eclampsia. …and visit my facebook page or follow me on twitter @ComplicatedPreg

Also available – my indispensable guide to avoiding ‘Working Mum Guilt’. Whether you are about to return or have already started back, this book offers practical solutions and feedback from real Mums with real families in real situations. Covering topics such as Post Natal Depression, childcare options, yours and your child’s development and time management – Ditch the guilt today! … and visit my facebook page or follow me on twitter @WorkingMumGuilt

Thank you.

Follow Carol Cameleon’s board Parenting blogs I love… And think you might too! on Pinterest.

‘Frozen’ – don’t be left out in the cold…

You might have heard of it…

If not, where you have been?

It’s the animated story

That everybody’s seen…

~

It’s an obsession, a possession,

You only need to see it twice

And before you know it the songs

Are in your head, so this is my advice…

~

Embrace it, love it, sing along,

At the top of your voice,

In the car, in the shower,

Or at the shop… you’re spoilt for choice!

~

If you don’t embrace it with arms open

It’ll get you anyway…

You’ll be singing the songs in your sleep

At the end of the day.

~

Still not sure, got reservations?

Don’t be left out in the cold!

“Let it go”, get into ‘Frozen’,

Get ready, be brave, be bold!…

By Mummy Bear

~

Coming soon… ‘Frozen’: The Abridged Version!

Don’t miss it!

~

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Read my emotional and inspiring true story ‘Diary of a Complicated Pregnancy’. Available now through my website at Virtually All Sorts. 50% of sales to the charity Action on Pre-Eclampsia. …and visit my facebook page or follow me on twitter @ComplicatedPreg

Also available – my indispensable guide to avoiding ‘Working Mum Guilt’. Whether you are about to return or have already started back, this book offers practical solutions and feedback from real Mums with real families in real situations. Covering topics such as Post Natal Depression, childcare options, yours and your child’s development and time management – Ditch the guilt today! … and visit my facebook page or follow me on twitter @WorkingMumGuilt

Thank you.

True love through a little girl’s eyes… or is Walt Disney’s?!

It’s simple, this crazy little thing called love.

A princess finds ‘true love’ in her prince charming.

And they all live happily ever after.

The End.

Well, it must be right because Walt Disney said so!…

Our little bear loves to colour and this is one of her latest offerings.

A love heart of course!

~

I’m joining in with The Reading Residence and Redpeffer’s The Theme Game with this week’s them of ‘love.

Come and join in!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Read my emotional and inspiring true story ‘Diary of a Complicated Pregnancy’. Available now through my website at Virtually All Sorts. 50% of sales to the charity Action on Pre-Eclampsia. …and visit my facebook page or follow me on twitter @ComplicatedPreg

Also available – my indispensable guide to avoiding ‘Working Mum Guilt’. Whether you are about to return or have already started back, this book offers practical solutions and feedback from real Mums with real families in real situations. Covering topics such as Post Natal Depression, childcare options, yours and your child’s development and time management – Ditch the guilt today! … and visit my facebook page or follow me on twitter @WorkingMumGuilt

Thank you.

This adventure they call ‘parenthood’… a poem

This adventure, this journey

They call ‘parenthood’,

Began with 2 lines on a test,

Mouths wide open we stood…

~

…In disbelief, in awe,

In excitement, in glee,

A mummy and daddy to

a new life we would be.

~

The tears and tantrums would come,

All this and much more,

And that’s just me and hubby

Throwing ourselves on the floor…

~

It’s a privileged position to nurture a baby,

To guide them, to love them,

Unconditionally,

No ‘maybe’.

~

The best adventure you’ll have

Of that there’s no doubt.

There’s no love quite like it,

As we have found out…

By Mummy Bear

~

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Read my emotional and inspiring true story ‘Diary of a Complicated Pregnancy’. Available now through my website at Virtually All Sorts. 50% of sales to the charity Action on Pre-Eclampsia. …and visit my facebook page or follow me on twitter @ComplicatedPreg

Also available – my indispensable guide to avoiding ‘Working Mum Guilt’. Whether you are about to return or have already started back, this book offers practical solutions and feedback from real Mums with real families in real situations. Covering topics such as Post Natal Depression, childcare options, yours and your child’s development and time management – Ditch the guilt today! … and visit my facebook page or follow me on twitter @WorkingMumGuilt

Thank you.

As one chapter closes, another one begins…

Chapters

I love that our bear has

A natural love of books,

And her little place for reading them is

Her bookcase, her nook.

~

Since newborn we’ve read to her,

We’ve got through books galore.

As soon as she could speak she said,

“Mummy, Daddy, I want more!”

~

Then she ‘graduated’ to ‘proper’ books,

With less pictures and more words.

It’s lovely until bedtime…

“I want the whole book!”, can be heard!

~

From the beginning, “Once upon a time…”

Skip some pages, let’s pretend

We’ve read the middle,

Skim read to “The End”!

~

But I love reading with our bear,

And she loves reading too.

With the school ‘chapter’ starting very soon

I’m sure she’ll take the cue…

~

To keep reading, writing, learning,

To seize the 3 R’s with zest.

The beginning, middle, now the end of

Pre-school… ‘big’ school’s coming next!

By Mummy Bear

~

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Read my emotional and inspiring true story ‘Diary of a Complicated Pregnancy’. Available now through my website at Virtually All Sorts. 50% of sales to the charity Action on Pre-Eclampsia. …and visit my facebook page or follow me on twitter @ComplicatedPreg

Also available – my indispensable guide to avoiding ‘Working Mum Guilt’. Whether you are about to return or have already started back, this book offers practical solutions and feedback from real Mums with real families in real situations. Covering topics such as Post Natal Depression, childcare options, yours and your child’s development and time management – Ditch the guilt today! … and visit my facebook page or follow me on twitter @WorkingMumGuilt

Thank you.

‘A perfect messy place’

A perfect messy place

“Let’s make something”,

Said our bear to me,

As she ran out on

The grass with glee.

~

Her little toes,

Her little feet,

The sun was out,

And what a treat!

~

From our treasure hunt,

We had some ‘loot’

We’d had fun,

We’d had a hoot!

~

Making in the garden…

A perfect messy place;

A moment to treasure,

At a leisurely pace.

~

With paper, glue,

Sparkles, glitter,

Butterflies fluttered,

Birds went twitter.

~

What a lovely moment,

What a lovely day,

But the best bit?

Hardly any tidying away!

By Mummy Bear

~

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Read my emotional and inspiring true story ‘Diary of a Complicated Pregnancy’. Available now through my website at Virtually All Sorts. 50% of sales to the charity Action on Pre-Eclampsia. …and visit my facebook page or follow me on twitter @ComplicatedPreg

Also available – my indispensable guide to avoiding ‘Working Mum Guilt’. Whether you are about to return or have already started back, this book offers practical solutions and feedback from real Mums with real families in real situations. Covering topics such as Post Natal Depression, childcare options, yours and your child’s development and time management – Ditch the guilt today! … and visit my facebook page or follow me on twitter @WorkingMumGuilt

Thank you.

Childhood: making wonderful, happy memories…

Picture source: teachingheels.com

I often watch in wonder as our little bear plays with her toys.  From princesses to ponies, from prams to reading her teddies stories, from writing her name to sticking and gluing…

It’s a fascinating world.  Sometimes I feel like I’m intruding in her own private little role-playing world.  Other times I’m invited to play along:

“Which princess are you mummy?”

On an ill-informed day, I invariably choose the wrong one.

On a pre-empted day, I strike gold!

I also love to see our little bear play nicely with her friends.  One particular friend was born just 3 days after our little bear.  They seemed to ‘click’ at their first playgroup meeting, even though they were just a few months old.  As I did with her mum!

Equally, I love to hear our little bear chatting away with tales from the day spent with her little friends at pre-school and the childminder’s.  It’s so lovely to hear!

She’s a busy little bee is our little bear.  Which is why it’s nice for her to have ‘down-time’ on a weekend.  Vital in fact.

I hope she’s building some wonderful, happy memories of a wonderful, happy childhood.

I’m linking up with #TheThemeGame of  ‘childhood” at The Reading Residence and Redpeffer.

Looking for something new to do?  Join in!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Read my emotional and inspiring true story ‘Diary of a Complicated Pregnancy’. Available now through my website at Virtually All Sorts. 50% of sales to the charity Action on Pre-Eclampsia. …and visit my facebook page or follow me on twitter @ComplicatedPreg

Also available – my indispensable guide to avoiding ‘Working Mum Guilt’. Whether you are about to return or have already started back, this book offers practical solutions and feedback from real Mums with real families in real situations. Covering topics such as Post Natal Depression, childcare options, yours and your child’s development and time management – Ditch the guilt today! … and visit my facebook page or follow me on twitter @WorkingMumGuilt

Thank you.

Parenting: a whole myriad of chortles and chuckles…

A whole myriad of chortles and chuckles can be had in this house!

Why?

For the most part it has to be said, it’s because of that crazy journey called parenting. Seemingly, not one single day minute goes by without a little gem coming from the mouth of our little bear…

The most recent being on the walk back from pre-school.  They are currently reading ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ by Eric Carle and in fact have some ‘pet’ caterpillars to feed and (hopefully) turn into butterflies.  Each morning our little bear is learning about the foods the caterpillar eats, from the healthy to the down-right scrummy!  This is how the little chat went (in between mouthfuls of raisins!):

Our Little Bear:  “If you have too many sweets you will have a tummy ache and your teeth will turn black.”

Mummy Bear:  “Yes, they will.”

OLB: “Or chocolate!”

MB: “Yes…”

OLB: “I’m not going to eat any more sweets or chocolate ever again!  I’m going to save my pennies for a toy or DVD!”

MB: “Oh okay…”

OLB: “And you can’t have any chocolate ever again either Mummy.  Or your teeth will turn black and fall out!”

{silence from me while I try not to let out a startled laugh, while at the same time digest this bombshell… no chocolate ever again?!}

MB : “Oh…”

So you see, this is why the parenting journey is a whole myriad of chortles and chuckles!  You just never know what’s going to pop into their little heads and come out of their little mouths next…

While I recover from this little chat and come to terms with having to stash away my chocolate for post-bear bed-time, why not have a read of some of the other posts linking up with #TheThemeGame of ‘parenting’ at The Reading Residence and Redpeffer.

Looking for something new to do?  Join in!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Read my emotional and inspiring true story ‘Diary of a Complicated Pregnancy’. Available now through my website at Virtually All Sorts. 50% of sales to the charity Action on Pre-Eclampsia. …and visit my facebook page or follow me on twitter @ComplicatedPreg

Also available – my indispensable guide to avoiding ‘Working Mum Guilt’. Whether you are about to return or have already started back, this book offers practical solutions and feedback from real Mums with real families in real situations. Covering topics such as Post Natal Depression, childcare options, yours and your child’s development and time management – Ditch the guilt today! … and visit my facebook page or follow me on twitter @WorkingMumGuilt

Thank you.