12 Lessons I've learned in the last 12 months.

We have officially been in some sort of lockdown for a whole year. This time last year Boris said we must stay at home and thankfully the majority of us have when it was asked of us. It has been a challenging time and I am hopeful that things are starting to improve now with the vaccines being rolled out and restrictions being lifted.

I think we have all learned a lot over the last year and these are the most valuable lessons I have learned:

The importance of family.

I knew family was important but didn't realise how much until I couldn't hug them or even see them! I really do appreciate my family, now more than ever! It's been well over a year since I last saw my great Aunt and over a year since I last hugged my dad but I have got to spend more time with my girls. Before lockdown I hardly saw my girls as they were out with friends. Now they've been at home we've got to spend some quality time together and it has been lovely.

Our NHS is the best in the world.

I knew this anyway thanks to them helping my girls with their heart defects but they have been more than amazing over the last year. They have worked themselves to the bone and put their lives at risk to help. Without the local doctors things could have been a lot worse for my dad when he caught Covid.

Online shopping is a god send!

I don't think many of us would have managed without online shopping whether it be food, crafts to keep the kids busy or gardening supplies. Yes, I complained about getting a grocery slot sometimes but they have kept us fed.

How to wash your hands properly!

I thought I knew how to wash my hands but over the last year I have taken extra care with the hand washing and have washed my hands a lot more. I have done everything in my power to keep my family safe and they were so sick of me nagging about handwashing at one point but now it has become a habit.

The importance of nature!

I knew nature was an important thing but didn't realise how much until we were stuck at home. We made the most of having a garden planting things and just spending time out there. We also have been going for plenty of walks which we probably wouldn't have done without lockdown happening.

Kids are more resilient than you think!

At the start of the lockdown I really worried about my girls but I think they have came out of this doing OK. Don't get me wrong we've had a few wobbles over the last year but both of my girls have made me so proud. They have both stuck to the rules of the lockdowns, mostly. We did have a little moment this time last year when Becky and her girlfriend tried to bend the rules a little but me and her mum were having none of it. They haven't seen each other in person since Christmas when they swapped presents but are counting down the days until they can see each other again.

Leggings are a wardrobe essential!

I think I have worn jeans about 5 times in the last year. lol I have lived in leggings either with a long t-shirt or jumper in the colder months. The best one's I have found are amazingly from Poundland, in their Pep & Co section. They are only a few pounds and are really stretchy and are not at all see through.

How hard the teachers work!

They are amazing and have pulled out all the stops to make sure out children have been educated throughout the time we have had to spend at home. I don't imagine it has been easy for them, they weren't taught to teach that way. I did feel for some of Ellie's teachers when on Zoom lessons none of the kids were keen to put their cameras on or speak through the microphone and they felt like they were talking to and teaching nobody but they soldiered on.

Home schooling is hard!

And the work is even harder! The French and Maths work that Ellie had to do was way over my head. We might have had a few arguments about it because with the maths they have changed how it is taught to kids nowadays compared to how I was taught. Ellie did well with her work, sometimes she needed a little nagging to get going or to stick with it at the end of the school day but we hung on in there until the end and thankfully she is back at school now.

The importance of freedom!

I wasn't one for going far from home or even going out that much until I was told I couldn't. We did have plans to visit my great Aunt last summer but that couldn't happen. We have had no days out in over a year unless you count the odd time we have gone into town shopping for birthdays or Christmas. I miss the freedom of being able to visit my dad. Before lockdown I would go at least a few times a week and the kids would too. They loved going to his business and doing odd jobs for him. I can't wait to be able to be able to have a day out with the kids or to visit my dad.

To appreciate the simple things in life.

Being home alone, a cup of tea, spending time with the kids, gardening, baking, no pressure to go out, getting DIY jobs done, discovering new places on a daily walk, writing letters and lazy mornings.

The importance of telling people you love and care for them.

Many of us have lost family or friends over the last year and I read something online from the mum of someone who passed away, how she thought that they didn't really have any real friends that cared about her. The condolences on her Facebook page said differently. It has taught me to tell people how much I care about them.

What have you learned over the last 12 months?

Casualty! It hit hard! (No Spoilers).

This wasn't a planned blog post. I wrote it on Saturday night after watching the newest episode of the TV show Casualty. Have you seen it yet? Even if you are not a fan of it, watch it. It gives a whole new perspective of Coronavirus!

I feel bad, I clapped for the NHS on a Thursday night but never actually thought much about how it really effected the NHS staff. I knew they were tired and the PPE situation was dire, they were struggling for empty beds but but that's all I thought about. I was thinking more of my family and those close to me than the people who would care for them if they were ill.

Watching Saturday's episode of Casualty it gave an insight into what hospital wards looked like during the first wave as doctors and nurses put their lives on the line to save others. It was hard hitting and by far the most emotional episode I've ever seen and I have seen a fair few in my time, I had to pause it half way through just to have a break from crying!

A delivery of body bags, way more than was expected was the first thing that shook me, their first case of Coronavirus and realised the patient should have been isolated. Jade not being able to understand what was going on because of the masks. (She relies on lip reading because of her hearing loss.) That hit me hard because my girl, Ellie struggles with that too. She's only deaf in one ear but does lip read a little to pick up the rest of the conversation. We didn't realise how much until people started wearing masks. 

There was so much reality in this episode of Casualty. It seemed more like a documentary than a soap/drama show. The lack of PPE, patients being sent to care homes while infected, families being told they couldn't be with their loved one's while they passed away, friends dying and so much sadness. 

Connie said, ‘The NHS was on its knees already… then we get hit with a pandemic and they expect us to perform miracles.’ We saw bravery, kindness in abundance and several miracles but not, sadly, for poor *****. The ED will never be the same again. 

I don't think life is ever going to be the same again. For those who've lost loved one's, for those who've worked in hospitals and for those who have been ill. 

I know it's just a TV show but it gave us a glimpse of what life was and still is like in our hospitals. It is a horrible time we're living in and that episode of Casualty highlighted it. The NHS is on it's knees and those who are breaking the rules, meeting up with friends and travelling all over are just adding to the strain. Those idiots need to watch this episode of Casualty to give them a reality check.

Everyone working for the NHS staff deserve a pay rise, they are the people keeping this country running. They are our heroes and as much as I thought I knew it Saturday made me realise it even more.

Did you watch it? What did you think?

Top 10 greatest causes of morning stress!

Breakfast is the most stressful time of the day because of tantrums, queues for the bathroom and running out of milk for cereal a latest study shows!

A study of 1,000 parents and their children uncovered a never ending list of early morning responsibilities with more than two thirds feeling there are never enough minutes in the morning. Getting yourself and the kids out of bed on time, getting little ones to brush their teeth and making sure everyone eats well were found to be the top culprits behind morning stress!

As much as I have found ways to speed up the morning routine there is still stresses especially at this time of year when it's cold and seems so dark on a morning. My girls just don't have the motivation and I only have the motivation because I know I don't have to go out into the cold and don't have to do the school run anymore. lol

Top 10 greatest causes of morning stress:

1. Kids not getting out of bed,

Becky takes some nagging to get out of bed on a morning. She is only at college 1 day a week so she see's no reason to get up and rush about. I usually get her up when Ellie has gone to school at about half past eight. Ellie on the other hand is not so good at getting up now. In the summer she's great but if it's still dark and chilly she is very reluctant to move from under her duvet. I have to shout upstairs at least 3 times to get Ellie out of bed at the moment. I can't blame her, I'd rather stay in my warm bed most days. lol

2. Kids getting dressed

Becky is great at getting dressed, she will try to stay in her pj's all day and I do have to nag a little. Ellie is OK at getting dressed as long as her clothes are out ready for her. She get's them ready herself before she goes to bed which is a help but if they're not there in front of her she will faff around and walk around aimlessly unless they are handed to her.

3. Getting the kids to leave the house on time

Becky has to leave the house on time on a college day, if she doesn't she will miss her bus. Ellie is not so great at leaving on time, it feels like am constantly nagging to get her out the door on time. She's never late for school which amazes me but I do worry that she will be.

4. Kids brushing their teeth.

Yes! I have to nag both the kids to brush their teeth on a morning. On an evening they are brilliant but not on a morning.

5. Kids eating breakfast.

Both the girls often walk out of the door with their breakfast in their hands. Becky used to have it sussed, she would take a porridge pot or a cereal bar along with a cup of tea in a reusable cup to eat and drink on the bus but now she has to wear a mask on the bus, that isn't possible. She is now having to eat and drink on the way to the bus stop. Ellie always fights eating breakfast despite her being the one who usually eats the most. She usually has toast. I would rather they both eat a proper breakfast sitting at the table but at least if they have it on the go there is something in their stomach.

6. Finding misplaced items such as school uniforms, school bags or shoes.

My girls are pretty organised when it comes to keeping track of their belongings. I make sure they have got everything ready the night before.

7. Kids putting shoes on.

Ellie really winds me up when it comes to putting her shoes on. She faffs around so much and it can easily take her 10 minutes to put her socks and shoes on. She always finds something really important that she needs to talk about just as she needs to put her shoes on.

8. Getting yourself ready for the day.

I only get myself ready for the day once the kids have gone to school. I think it's easier that way. I know if I was to go and get washed, dressed and feed myself I wouldn't be there to encourage/nag the kids to get ready.

9. Kids having a tantrum.

I think we are past the stage of tantrums now. Hooray! The kids do have their moments when they haven't charged their phones or want extra money.

10. Setting alarm to snooze.

I am so guilty of setting the alarm to snooze. I wish I could stop myself doing it but I can't. I have started going to bed earlier on a school night but so far I am not quite ready to stop hitting snooze.

What are your biggest stresses on a morning?

Putting money back in the pockets of young people with Child Trust Funds!

Everyone born in the UK between 1st September 2002 and 2nd January 2011 was given a Child Trust Fund through the government. New parents were handed a voucher of up to £250 to start off the fund and up to £500 for parents on a low income. They were a tax free saving accounts set up to help make sure that every child that qualifies arrives at adulthood with a savings account!

Parents, family, friends and the children themselves could save money and add up to £9,000 a year. The year starts on the child’s birthday and ends the day before their next birthday.

The choice of account and control of that account belongs to a parent or guardian until the child turns 16 when they can choose to manage their own account. When the child is 18 they can take the money out of the account and do whatever they please with it.

My girls both received their money and we put them in savings accounts and the money has been sat in those accounts since we received the vouchers. To be honest we forgot about them. We have saved for them both in separate savings accounts linked to my bank account. We did at one point lose track of the Child Trust Funds when we moved house, for a long time I couldn't even remember which bank/savings company we had put Ellie's with.

There are an estimated one million lost Child Trust Funds, according to charity the Share Foundation. Often this happens when a family moves home and forgets to update their CTF provider with their new address. It is easily done.

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has a handy tool where you can find out which provider the Child Trust Fund is with which I used to find my girls accounts.

You need to log in using a Government Gateway ID which you should have if you've filled in a tax return or have renewed your driving licence online. If you don't have one they are easy to create. You simply fill in your details, including address and phone number and your child's details, including name and date of birth and you should hear from HMRC within 15 days telling you which provider holds your child's account. You then contact your Child Trust Fund provider to reclaim the account.

Becky turns 18 in a few months and she will be one of the first young adults to be able to take advantage of the money out the trust fund. She is planning on taking her money and spending it on driving lessons. Well as soon as the lock down is over and driving instructors can get back to work.

Does your child have a Child Trust Fund? Do you know where their money is saved?

Arguments about shoes!

Forget arguments about homework, screen time and junk food. It's the humble shoe which causes the most rows in British households according to new research!

The nationwide study found British parents can spend a whopping 10 minutes hunting high and low for their children’s shoes every single day which is a staggering 61 hours over the course of the year!

I can quite believe that!! I try to enforce the rule that shoes get taken off at the front door but it doesn't help when the kids sometimes come in the back door and their shoes could end up anywhere in the house, sometimes upstairs even when they're not allowed.

I have all the day to day shoes at the front door and all the others in the cupboard under the stairs. Once a week I clear the bottom of the stairs of random shoes which shouldn't be there like my boots which my teen borrowed, Ellie's trainers for PE or wellies which Stu wore when he was strimming the nettles in the back garden. (It obviously means he walked through the living room with them on! Eesh!)

Almost one in 10 British mums and dads said that locating and putting on their children’s shoes when leaving the house meant they were routinely late for everything.

Every morning I can easily say to Ellie get your shoes on about 4 or 5 times before she actually does! It drives me crazy. When she does go to put her shoes on it seems to take an age to get them on her feet. Becky is not much better. She always seems to wear hi-tops for college which seem to take forever to lace up.

It’s not just hunting for shoes that causes friction. The study also found that British mums and dads are at loggerheads with their kids when it comes to buying new footwear, with one in ten parents confessing to being livid at having had to fork out on new shoes as their child had lost them at school.

Thankfully that hasn't happened to us. I would be furious if either of my two lost their shoes, especially at school!

There is also the arguments about shoes being scuffed beyond repair with 22 percent saying that scooter usage routinely ruins their children’s footwear and leads to huge rows.

We have had that before. It took me a while to figure out why Ellie's shoes were so scuffed until I saw her using her foot as a brake when she was using her scooter! Grr!

One in five of mums and dads admit to splashing out on expensive trainers that their child doesn’t need because of constant badgering from their little ones to keep up with the latest trends.

I am one of those parents. I bought Ellie some new trainers for PE just so she would look good at her new school and Becky is always wanting the latest, fanciest trainers. She doesn't always get them but I have bought her them in the past. I do make sure the kids have either worn the latest pair out or have grown out of them before buying new one's. I think branded, expensive one's do last longer than the cheap one's. I have a pair of Nike one's which I wear nearly every day that I've had for two years and a cheap pair which are dropping to bits which I've only had a few months.

Do you have arguments over shoes with your children?

Kickass girls we adore. #InternationalDayOfTheGirl

Throughout October I will be joining in with Big Family Organised Chaos and her linky for Blogtober18. Today's prompt is: Kickass girls you adore! 

Female role models are so important. If we can’t look up and see women who have been successful we are less likely to be successful ourselves and the same goes for our daughters. They need girls to look up to as well. 

In the world of celebrities and social media stars it can be hard to find role models for young children.

I asked Becky who she thinks young girls should look up to and she said Millie Bobby Brown who is one of the stars of Stranger Things. After her TV success she now uses her power as an influencer as best she can, spreading positivity and encouragement online.

She Tweeted her support for a young girl who shaved her head for ovarian cancer awareness, promised to show up to a fan’s birthday after no one turned up to his Stranger Things party and started a Twitter account, @milliestophate dedicated to preventing bullying and cyber bullying.

The first girl which springs to my mind is Malala Yousafzai! After being shot by the Taliban in 2012 for speaking out against its ban on female education the Pakistan native went on to become the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. She co-founded the Malala Fund to secure girls the right to a minimum of 12 years of quality schooling.

My girls have grown up watching Emma Watson as Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series. Whilst acting she finished a B.A in English Literature, she was a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador, she helped launch the UN HeforShe campaign, is dedicated to empowering young women across the globe and advocates for girls’ right to education, fair trade and sustainability.

I asked Ellie who she thought was a good role model for girls and she said JoJo Siwa. She might be sickly sweet, covered in stupid bows and really annoying but she does do some good.

She’s passionate about ending bullying, she even wrote a song about it, "Boomerang". It deals with the issue of cyberbullying. The song's message is to not listen to haters who write evil comments to you on the Internet.

 

I asked Stu to choose a Kickass girl and he came up with Buffy the Vampire slayer. I rolled my eyes so much thinking he was not taking me seriously but he explained.

Obviously she slays vampires while working her way through high school, college, holding down a job and having an ill mother. She does all of that and saves the world, a lot! 

Buffy faces her fears, is 100% dedicated and determined despite the obstacles she faces in her life. She doesn't want to be in the popular group of girls and sticks by her friends and just because she is a pretty blonde girl people underestimate her. She got sad, angry, depressed and showed girls that it's OK to show your emotions. 

Which kickass girls do you adore?

15 things that make you a nosy neighbour.

New research from Anglian Home Improvements has revealed the lengths Brits go to to spy on people next door with a third of people admitting to regular curtain twitching, 27 percent saying they turn the television down to listen to arguments, 15 percent peeping over the garden fence to get a better look at their neighbours and as many as one in ten regularly coming out into the street in their dressing gown in the style of Last of the Summer Wine’s Nora Batty....

I hold my hands up and admit I am a nosy neighbour. Since swapping the living and dining room around I can see out of the front window and my fella is forever telling me to stop being so nosy....We live on a quiet street because there is no road outside the front but there is always something going on here and I like to know about it....

Signs of a nosy neighbour. How many of these have you done?

1. Curtain twitched.

All the time. At least once or twice a day. lol

2. Turned the TV or radio down so you can listen to goings on.

Yes, especially on a night if I'm in bed watching TV. It is so funny to hear drunken people coming home from a night out.

3. Peeked through blinds.

Peeked, I've stuck my whole head through. lol

4. Opened a window so you can hear more of a conversation.

Yes! Next door are hilarious when they are in the middle of a full blown argument where one of them usually walks out only for them to change their mind after a few minutes to find the other has locked the door. They will then start arguing through the door. I always open the back window to listen in. They can't see for the wall but I'm sure they have heard me and the kids laughing at their antics. 

5. Spied when they get a new delivery.

Not really but I have spied on new people moving in to see what they're taking in to their house.

6. Peeped over the garden fence while they are having a BBQ.

No, I don't think I have.

7. Came outside in your dressing gown to see what was going on.

Yes, all the time. I have even gone out in my pj's and took rubbish out to the wheelie bin just to have a nosy.

8. Cupped your ear to the wall.

My teen and I do this all the time. lol

9. Taken a parcel for a neighbour and had a sneaky peek inside. 

No never! I have looked on the label to see where it's from though.

10. Popped over so you could see a new kitchen/conservatory.

No, I am not that friendly with my neighbours. I would if they asked though. lol

11. Put an empty glass to the wall.

I've tried but I could hear better without it.

12. Snooped when you were meant to be watering the plants or feeding pets.

I have never had the responsibility but I probably wouldn't. 

13. Taken food or treats over as an excuse to see the inside of their home.

I have in the past but not recently.

14. Had a look at their letters or mail.

Only when a parcel has been delivered here. The old neighbours were well dodgy and when a parcel was left here I saw the name and found them on Facebook. My thoughts about them being dodgy was proven right. 

15. Looked through their letterbox or window when they were on holiday.

Not through their letterbox but I have glanced through the window while walking past.

Despite keeping tabs on their comings and goings 70 percent of adults are happy to take in parcels for their neighbours, half are willing to keep an eye out if any other residents go on holiday, and ten percent are even happy to babysit their neighbours’ children.....

I will not take parcels in for next door now. They just don't answer their door. I don't know why? The postman or delivery driver will knock and they ignore it. I can here them in the house and they just don't answer. I will take them in for next door but one or anyone else on the street but when you just can't be bothered to answer the door it's just taking the mick.

Are you a nosy neighbour?

Do you argue about technology with your family?

As a family we rarely argue....The only thing my fella and I have ever argued about is food. lol. Our first ever argument was over a chicken burger....We'd been for a night out and I bought chips & garlic sauce and a chicken burger. I ate the chips and sauce and he wanted the burger because I wasn't eating it.....I was going to though. I always saved the burger for breakfast...lol 

The only thing we ever have slight disagreements over is technology & electronics....Ugh! 

Technology has been named as the number one cause of arguments between parents and children at home, igniting more disputes than bedtimes, homework, chores, curfews or pocket money according to new research from insurer Protect Your Bubble.

I really think that is true! 

I love Becky my teenager to bits but sometimes I think she is addicted to her tablet.... We put a timer on her tablet and on a school night she is allowed 2 hours and on a Friday night and a weekend she is allowed 3 hours which I think is more than enough. She can earn extra time by doing chores around the house.

I have seen people at her school up until the early hours of the morning online....It can't be good for their health or their mental state...Becky is in year 10 at school and is in her GCSE years....She will be getting more and more homework to complete. I don't want her rushing through the homework just to get on to her tablet....

Another rule we have as a household is the kids do not take their tablets/laptops upstairs....I want to see what they are doing online which means they are always switched off before bed. 

The time limits doesn't stop Becky trying to bend the rules....Like I said Becky had 3 hours during the school holidays for electronics....We only have a timer on her tablet but will flit between that, the laptop, xBox and her sisters tablet thinking I won't realise how long she had on everything....I do notice! She is not happy when I kick her off electronics and make her find something else to do....

Ellie my youngest isn't left out of the timed rule but she will happily spend half an hour on the computer them go and play with her dolls for 2 hours, spend 20 minutes on her laptop then go and play with something else for an hour so it doesn't really apply to her....She hasn't reached the age yet where she is addicted to technology and I hope that time never comes....

Almost half (48%) of children have damaged or broken a piece of tech costing £125 to replace on average.

Yep! My girls have both broken their tablets in the past and had to have them replaced....What springs to mind is in 2016 a few days before Christmas Becky dropped her tablet and broke it...It was a good job she got money off my dad for Christmas to buy a new one.....We only had a little extra to pay. Thank goodness for the boxing day sales. Last year Ellie dropped her tablet and has smashed her screen. She had to make do with an old one until Santa brought her one for Christmas....

To be fair both my girls are usually careful with their electronics....Ellie does seem to go through a lot of headphones though. She has a habit of chewing on the wires. Oops.

Children are using gadgets at an increasingly young age too with kids typically receiving their first smartphone aged 11, first games console aged nine and first iPad aged eight, although – perhaps surprisingly – more than six in 10 (61%) of children under the age of four have at least one gadget.

I can understand children receiving their first smartphone when they are 11. That is the age they start secondary school.....Becky got her first smartphone when she was 11 just so I could stay in touch with her when she was walking too and from school without me....Smartphones seem like the smart option. 

Becky has harped on that she wants and iPhone because all her friend have them. Have you seen the price of them? It is more than a months rent, even for an old one! We have convinced her we are an android family...

Over Christmas Becky got a new phone and Ellie has got her old one....If Becky didn't get a new phone Ellie wouldn't be getting one until she started secondary school...Ellie isn't connected to the internet and she has £10 credit which she shouldn't really use. The only people she will phone and text is Becky, her dad or me. My dad pays about £13 a month for us all to be connected as well as him and his girlfriend and we get free calls and texts to each other with the O2 family bolt on.

Thankfully my girls have never been one for games consoles....Becky harped on for an xBox and we got her one and up until Christmas she hardly used it....She got a couple of new games which has given her some interest in it again....There was a point where I used it more to watch You Tube videos. lol

When my girls were little they had no gadgets.....I think it's because things like tablets were not the big thing, they are now. I think if I had a younger child they would use technology like a tablet. They are handy to keep children amused when travelling or just for 5 minutes peace.

Do your children have gadgets and electronics? Do you argue over them?

Most searched for in 2017...

Google remains the most used search engine on the web and its annual list of the most popular searches has been released....It always interests me.

The UK's top 10 trending queries were:

1. Meghan Markle.

I searched for her a couple of times....I had no idea who she was at the beginning of 2017 and now she's nearly a member of the royal family! I like her and I didn't realise she used to be a blogger. Her and Prince Harry look so in love. It's just heart warming.

2. iPhone 8

I definitely searched for this just to show Becky the price of them and to reinforce the fact she wouldn't be getting one for Christmas. Even now they are more than a months rent for us....I think iPhones are over priced and over rated. Hmmf.

3. Hurricane Irma

I took interest in this because one of my relatives was in Florida for her honeymoon and my great Aunt who does not use the internet wanted to know what was going on....It was shocking the destruction it caused....

4. Fidget spinner

My girls were obsessed with these....Becky still loves them but they were just a fad with Ellie. Phew!

5. Manchester bombing

I really don't know what to say about the Manchester bombing....It is still shocking that it happened and even though I live nowhere near Manchester or know anyone who was caught up in it, it still leaves me feeling emotional....It was amazing to see the country and world come together.

6. Grenfell Tower

Another devastating tragedy which should not have happened....It is horrible to read that more than 100 families who lived in the London tower block are still waiting to be re-homed....I don't usually talk politics but the government could have and should be doing more to help!

7. 13 Reasons Why

Netflix's teen-oriented drama about a high-school student who takes her own life. I searched for it when I saw it trending on Twitter and I started watching it. I never got around to watching it all....It was OK what I saw of it but I just couldn't get into it.

8. Tara Palmer-Tomkinson

Aww! Bless her. I remember searching for her. Becky my teen had fallen off her scooter and landed on her face. We were in A&E getting her checked over (She was fine) when I saw Tara Palmer-Tomkinson trending on Twitter. I know not to believe everything you read on there so to Google I went.

9. Shannon Matthews

While writing this I couldn't think why Shannon Matthews was on this list but then Googling I realised why. The Moorside!! The two-part drama based on the kidnapping of Shannon Matthews. If you haven't seen it, try too! It was such a good show.....

10. iPhone X

hahaha! This was just another reason my teen wasn't getting one for Christmas. Nearly 2 months rent. Eesh!

 I searched for all of these things when they were in the news....Did you?

Tips for keeping children safe online - #SID2017

Safer Internet Day is recognised in over a hundred countries and the day offers the chance to promote safer and more responsible use of online technology and mobile phones among children across the world.

The internet is such an important part of children's lives....They use it for school work, to socialise and to play games....It is essential for young people and us as parents to understand how to reduce these risks....

Keep your computer in an open area - If your computer is in a place where you can easily keep an eye on your children and their online activity it will deter them from doing something they know they are not allowed to do and it also gives you the chance to stop behavior before it happens.....

Set rules - Make sure your child knows the boundaries of what they are allowed to do on the computer, how long they are allowed to be on it and what sites they are allowed to visit....

Use parental controls - Computers and even mobile phones have parental controls. You can block selected websites and email addresses by adding them to a filter list, you can set time limits and prevent your child from searching certain words....The four main internet service providers - Sky, BT, Talk Talk, and Virgin Media – have free parental controls that you can switch on from the router. If the controls are on, any device connected to your internet will be filtered through parental controls.

Teach your child to protect their privacy - Teach them to never to give their name, phone number, e-mail address, password, postal address, school or picture without your permission....Not to open e-mail from people they don't know and not to get together with anyone they meet online.

Be involved - Ask your child to show you their favourite things to do online and show an interest in what they do....This will give you a much better idea of what they're getting up to. Just as you ask your child about their day at school if they spend a few hours on the internet in the evening have a chat about what they’ve done and seen online.

Know who they are speaking to - If they are using email, instant messaging or chat rooms try to get a sense of who they are chatting with and whether they actually know the person in real life....Explain to your child that it's easy for people to lie about themselves online and pretend to be someone they are not...

Keep lines of communication open - Let your child know that they can come and talk over any questions or concerns about problems they may have encountered on the computer.

Know the age limits - Stop your children from signing up for a Facebook profile or YouTube page before they're 13 which is the minimum age....

Keep Up With Online Trends - As children get older they become more savvy about new social networks and apps and if you don't make an effort to keep up with them you could be allowing them to place themselves and their personal information at risk. 

Set a Good Example - Your kids pick up on what you do so model good behavior online. Don't engage in practices you wouldn't want them using such as posting questionable photos, trolling people or using bad language.

Top 100 baby names for 2016

I posted the Top 100 baby names for 2014 well in 2014 and it is one of my most viewed posts ever! I thought I would update it....A while ago BabyCentre announced the UK's top 100 boys' and girls' names of 2016.

Space Odyssey and Star Wars have given parents baby name inspiration....Star Wars names Leia, Kylo and Finn have all had a boost.

There's a new trend for superhero names. Kara from Supergirl, Harley and Quinn from Suicide Squad and Wonder Woman's alter ego Diana have all charged up the charts....Felicity from the comic book series Arrow flies into the top 100 after a long absence and Thea from the same series has also gone up thirteen places. 

The top 100 list for boys and girls reveals that more new parents are taking inspiration from the world of celebrity and showbiz for their baby name choices too. 

Although more adventurous names are on the rise when it comes to the top baby names for boys and girls tradition wins over trends. Oliver and Olivia remain the most popular choices with parents.

The highest new entries to the top 100 include Arlo, Ezra, Kai, Jesse and Albie for boys and Mya, Luna, Lexi, Heidi and Lyla for girls.

Top 100 Boys Names.

Top 100 Girls Names.

Looking at the names now Ellie has dropped a couple of places in a couple of years and Rebecca has dropped out of the top 100 :(

I think if I was to have a baby now I would struggle to choose a name....Out of the top 100 I think I would go with Zachary for a boy and Willow for a girl....Willow does make me think of Buffy the Vampire Slayer though. hehehe

Are your children's names in the top 100?