All together, I’d say it was a totally successful event. It’s not what I have done for the past four decades, but it’s a new chapter…and it’s wonderful.

The post Time for Tea appeared first on Oddfamily.co.uk. A parenting blog where the children run the show.

There comes a time in every child’s life when they become interested in cooking, whether it’s just putting some bread in the toaster or wondering how to make a roast dinner. However, the kitchen can sometimes be a dangerous, which is why it’s always advisable to set some ground rules that they can easily follow.

However, sometimes some of the fun can be taken out of cooking when it becomes stressful and there are just too many rules for them to follow. Allowing some freedom is key to letting kids experience the joys of cooking for themselves, so there are actually some rules for you to follow too! If you’re thinking of teaching the kids how to cook, here are five rules that they might want to set for you.

1. Mistakes will be made and that’s okay

One of the things about learning is that mistakes have to be made to learn what to do and what not to do. Can you remember being taught how to do something and not making any mistakes along the way? That’s because it’s natural to mess up sometimes, so if the kids burn the toast sometimes or are too keen on the flour for cakes, that’s just part of the process!

2. Don’t worry about the mess

If there’s something that kids everywhere are known for, it’s creating a mess out of nothing. However, this shouldn’t stop you from letting them loose (obviously to an extent!) in the kitchen, especially when it comes to preparation; it’s almost mandatory for everyone to create a mess during this stage, no matter what the age!

3. Let them experiment

Sure, you might know that adding mustard to your cupcakes isn’t going to win you an audience with Mary Berry or Paul Hollywood any time soon, but that’s part of the fun for the kids. Allowing them creative freedom to find out what works and what needs to be thrown in the bin adds a lot to the experience and who knows, maybe one day they will be able to create something that would make Ms. Berry and Mr. Hollywood jealous?

4. Take your time

Unless you are starting slowly and teaching the kids how to toast crumpets, you should never rush a cooking session. Children are able to retain information far easier when it’s told to them at a slower pace and they will also struggle to enjoy it as much if you’re rushing around the kitchen in between assignments for work. Make an afternoon of it, giving you and the kids plenty of time to clean up afterwards too.

5. Tuck in!

Cooking is a process that requires patience and as children aren’t exactly the best when it comes to attention spans, waste no time in tucking into your food once it’s ready. Nothing could be more frustrating for a child than being told they have to wait a few extra hours before they can eat something that they’ve just made, so prepare the cutlery for immediate munching! If their first attempt isn’t quite as delicious as it should be, it might be a good idea to break the news to them gently…

Bodnant Welsh Food run their very own kids cookery school details of which can be found here

The post 5 Rules for cooking with kids by kids appeared first on Oddfamily.co.uk. A parenting blog where the children run the show.

LC Kids Membership details can be found here, and funds raised through LC Kids directly support Lincoln Center’s arts education activities, outreach initiatives, and free performances. To learn more watch this video.

LC Kids is kicking off their family programing, this weekend with a special performance of Sleeping Beauty with David Gonzales (recommended for ages 6+) and next weekend, Story Pirates Greatest Hits Show (recommended for ages 4+). Plus LC Kids Spring Fling, a free event in May.

Sleeping Beauty with David Gonzalez

Saturday, April 18 at 11:00
Clark Studio Theater, 165 W 65th Street, 7th Floor
(recommended for ages 6+)
Tickets: $10-25

Story Pirates Greatest Hits Show

Sunday, April 26 at 11:00
With a special activity presented by the Children’s Museum of Manhattan
Stanley H Kaplan Penthouse, 165 W 65thStreet, 10th Floor
(recommended for ages 4+)
Tickets: $25

LC Kids Spring Fling

Saturday, May 9 from 11:00 – 2:00
A fun-filled day of performances, crafts and activities designed for kids across the plazas of Lincoln Center!
(recommended for ALL AGES!)
Tickets: FREE

You can sign up for an LC Kids membership or learn more about the programs here: kids.lincolncenter.org

The post Lincoln Center Kids appeared first on Oddfamily.co.uk. A parenting blog where the children run the show.

Make Sure Your Water Temperature is Controlled

If you don’t have controlled water temperature, your kids can play with the hot tap whenever they feel like it! Hot water doesn’t need to be all that hot for it to damage or burn your child’s skin. Make sure you water temperature is controlled and they’ll be much better protected when they’re in the bath, or when you send them to wash their hands. There are things you can do to your boiler to accomplish this.

Have a Step Stool

A step stool will help your child to reach the sink and the toilet all by themselves. Depending on how old they are, you shouldn’t send them alone anyway. However, once they reach a certain age, they’ll want to become more independent by doing things like this.

Install a Child Friendly Toilet Seat

A child friendly toilet seat will make it easier for them to go to the toilet, not to mention more appealing! Adult toilet seats can be far too big for kids and leave them almost falling into the toilet bowl when sat down. A smaller toilet seat will make them much more comfortable and stop them from feeling scared at the thought of using the toilet. You can then stop stressing out at the thought of them being too frightened to go!

Include Fun Accessories

Fun accessories in the bathroom will make it look more appealing to your kids. It might even help them to enjoy bath time more! You can include colours and patterns that they like, and make your bathroom a fun place to be. It can still look like one of those fancy bathrooms online, just more colourful! There are lots of different bath toys that you can include too!

picture credit

Lock Away Anything Dangerous

If you have anything dangerous in the bathroom, make sure you lock it away. You may have scissors, nail clippers, and medicines in your cabinets. Put a child lock on there so that your kids can’t get anywhere near them when they’re in the bathroom. Sometimes they get curious, and this is when bad things can happen. Take safety precautions like this and it won’t happen to you!

Avoid Having a Slippery Bathroom Floor

There’s nothing worse for kids than a slippery bathroom floor. They are clumsy at the best of times, so make sure you have a non slip, water resistant bath mat down for when they have just got out of the bath. Don’t buy any mat, because these aren’t water resistant and will start to stink the place out.

Bath Mats

A bath mat is your best bet for stopping your kids from slipping over in the bath or shower. Don’t take any chances and make sure they can stay upright!

Follow these tips and your kids will be just fine!

The post How You Can Create a Kid Friendly Bathroom appeared first on Oddfamily.co.uk. A parenting blog where the children run the show.

by  Leonid Mamchenkov 

As all of us know, parenting is a full time job and comes with no days off. So it’s important for grownups to keep their stress levels under control. An let’s face it a relaxed parent is the best kind there is – happier, more content and in a much better position to deal with tantrums. With that in mind here are some tips for removing stress from your lifestyle so that you can be a more relaxed parent.

Make extra time

How can you make extra time, you might be wondering? Well, it’s simple: get up 15 minutes earlier in the morning to allow for those times when the school uniform isn’t ironed, or the car won’t start. When you’re heading out, leave 15 minutes earlier than planned so that traffic jams, emergency stops and road closures don’t get in the way of your day going smoothly. In short, when you make more time, you create less stress. This is one useful habit that is well worth the effort to cultivate.

by  Hernan Piñera 

Meditate

So you’ve managed to adopt the habit of getting up 15 minutes earlier to make more time in the mornings. But what about adding another 15 minutes to that for “you” time? One great way to get centred and focused at the start of a busy day is to get up early and meditate before you do anything else. This will give you a peaceful chunk of time to yourself before the kids wake up, and you will feel calmer and more in tune with your thoughts for the day ahead.

Keep your hobbies

Being a busy parent doesn’t automatically mean giving up your favourite hobbies. Even if you just manage to keep one afternoon or evening a week free, you will feel better and less stressed by doing the things you love. If you can’t get your spouse to mind the children for that short window, why not bring the kids to a friend, relative or child minder for a couple of hours – you could even enroll them in their own class at the same time.

by  ecodallaluna 

Use your evenings wisely

Once the kids have gone to bed you should use your free time to unwind, rather than taking on new tasks around the house or tackling the washing up. Your spare time is important, and needs to be honoured, otherwise you will burn out. Here are some ideas for ways to unwind:

• Put your feet up and watch a film together, or better yet catch up on your favourite Netflix box set while you have the television to yourselves!

• Try out the grown up version of Bingo and possibly (shh!) win some money with online bingo games from 32Red, for example. Other online casinos you could try include Games.com, or Luna Casino. For the fun and simplicity of bingo though, a specialist site like 32Red might be your better bet.

• Have conversations with other adults or just have a laugh with friends you don’t have time to see often by chatting on Skype – keeping in touch with your non-parent friends is important too.

So, what are your favourite ways to de-stress? Let us know in the comments.

The post 5 tips for stress-free parenting appeared first on Oddfamily.co.uk. A parenting blog where the children run the show.

Where age appropriate, engage your kids in the process of setting parameters for screen time.  The more they are part of the process, the greater the chances they will willingly follow the new rules. If your children are accustomed to three and four hours of screen time a day, this won’t be an easy transition. If this is the case, there may be more success in reducing screen time in stages instead of harshly pulling the plug at once.  You’re asking your kids to develop new habits and this doesn’t happen overnight.  Initially, limit screen time to one hour per day on school nights and three hours per day on weekend evenings. This includes TV hours as well as games, videos and music video streaming.  You’ll need to work with your kids to introduce other activities to fill the time they’ve been spending passively watching screens. More than likely, you’ll begin to see school grades improve as well.  Dinner table conversations are apt to be more pleasant and eventually creatively will return and your kids will truly be happier more imaginative individuals.  As a parent you are making the right decision that will have a long term positive impact.

The post How To Limit Screen Time For Kids appeared first on Oddfamily.co.uk. A parenting blog where the children run the show.

Recently My Voucher Codes surveyed parents to ask them whether they felt they had a better childhood than their children have. The results were eye-opening and did get me thinking, hence this post.  The majority of parents surveyed (47%) hoped that their children could enjoy the same upbringing they themselves had. However a number of parents felt that was not the case, for 21% of those surveyed whilst 32% wished they could have aspects of their own childhood and that of their children, a best of both worlds.

The results also showed that technology was considered a good and bad thing, 32% of parents felt that their children have too much of a reliance on technology, while 59% felt that technology had a positive effect offering their children more opportunities. I am one for not relying too much on technology to entertain your children, especially when they are young, yes technology can be a useful learning aid, but it shouldn’t be used as a babysitter when you’re busy. In fact recently I have talked about how to limit screen time for kids, looking at how less and less children seem to be playing out doors due to the explosion of devices.

I think as children get older its harder to say no to them, it’s not just the children that feel the peer pressure to have the latest things, pressure from other parents can make you feel like you don’t want your child to do without. From the survey 28% of parents feel they could be stricter, even I feel this sometimes, it doesn’t make you a bad parent. Instead it’s good to focus on the positive modern life bring, yes we are more consumerist and our children are always wanting something, but it is a good lesson to instil that actually you can’t have everything you want.

For me as a parent I will carry on pushing my children to spend as much time outside, learning or imaginative play. I want to keep them young as long as possible and certainly don’t want them to grow up too quickly.

The post Won’t anyone think of the children? appeared first on Oddfamily.co.uk. A parenting blog where the children run the show.

For working parents, this time of year can seem almost impossible. Before thinking of what activities you’ll put your children to, you first need to consider how you’ll cover all their free time without quitting your job.

This becomes a strict organisation exercise. With proper planning, the impossible is in fact possible. If you have the resource of grandparents to look after the kids over summer, utilise it. If they aren’t available to you, you should consider partnering up with other working parents to schedule play dates, you’ll halve the amount of time you need to cover and the amount of activity preparation you’ll have to put in.

Churches, schools, libraries and community centres often have summer holiday schemes which allow give you the opportunity to cart the kids of to a fun-filled day with tons of new friends – most of whom have parents who work too (these connections are vital, nurture them!).

Aside from ways to unload the kids onto others, you can attempt to structure your shifts around your partners to have the kids looked after at home by the two of you. If one you works a 9-5 job and the other works shifts, see if shifts can be arranged for weekends and evenings so there’s always someone home. However, this inherently reduces the amount of time you have left to spend all together as a family. If possible, try to both book a week or two off together, so you do manage to sneak in some quality family time.

If all else fails, you might be able to book off some unpaid parental leave, this might be more financially viable than forking out for childcare.

Once you’ve actually got a little time to spend with your little ones, you have to start planning things to keep them occupied. This is the fun part, potentially.

You can entertain the little ones relatively cheaply. Try ‘playing car wash’. I.e. get them to clean your car. Give them a bucket of water and a paint brush and have them ‘paint’ the outside of the house. Equip them with cheap water guns and a packet of water balloons, unleash utter carnage. Plus side? They’ll probably come inside cleaner than when they stepped out. Send them into the garden to forage for ‘potion ingredients’ (leaves, pebbles, daisies) and have them mix them up in a mixing bowl full of water. Add baking soda and vinegar. Sit back and watch the amazement.

However you manage to mind them and plan to entertain them, just try not to let the holidays become synonymous with utter terror. This time of year is special to them, and at some point you’ll regret spending the six weeks fretting instead of enjoying seeing them have the best summers of their lives.

The post Summer Holiday Survival Advice appeared first on Oddfamily.co.uk. A parenting blog where the children run the show.

If you happen to be caring for your baby, and they’ve been going on for over an hour. You manage to get them quiet and you’re stuck on the couch or the bed, scared if you move they’ll wake up. Well not to worry about entertaining yourself. You can visit kittybingo.tv- the best online bingo site where you can get amazing bonuses to start your adventure with. Laptop? Nope, just grab your phone as the site is responsive to any mobile devices and tablets too!

Let’s talk about some tips for travelling with your baby:

Plan Your Airplane Seat

Make your booking way before you’re planning on travelling. Not a week but maybe a month or so. Why? Because when you’re travelling with a child, the airline makes sure you and your child are placed in specific spots where they have child safety restraints. Try to get a front seat because the back of the plane tends to be noisier.

If you’re going on a road trip, make sure you have a car seat for your infant and it is adjusted per their height and weight.

Unpacking On Your Arrival

As soon as you arrive to your hotel or villa, set your room up and unpack all your baby products and make sure the environment is baby safe. Make sure you have everything you need so you have time to drop by the store and get things that are missing.

Create a play space where it is safe and secure for your baby to play and crawl around while you take a shower or get dressed. Throw some toys around and a colouring book to get them occupied and it’ll make them feel more comfortable with the unfamiliar area.

Kitchen space! If your room doesn’t have a kitchenette make one! Create a spot where you can store all your bottles, baby food and formula. So, you know when you’re waking up to feed at two in the morning you know exactly where to go.

Strollers And Baby Backpacks

Sometimes it’s hard for infants to adapt to places. Most of them might have trouble sleeping through the night knowing they’re in some strange crib! To make sure you and your baby are healthy, sync your siestas to theirs. If all three; mum, dad and baby are on a roll all night. Take turns to baby sit during the day while the other parent goes for a stroll with the baby and the other takes a power nap.

Keep healthy while taking a walk with your baby while he or she is in a stroller, this might keep them calm. It will also give them time to catch up on the sleep they lost during the night while you go sight viewing. If they are not comfortable in the stroller, make use of a baby backpack, but make sure you try the backpack out before going public with it before it turns out into major chaos!

Reserving Correct Rooms

Book a room where you are sure you won’t bother anyone if you know your child is prone to waking up crying during the night. A double room or a suite is more spacious to move around when you have more than one toddler. And, where it is easier for you to sneak off to the beach or go to the bar for a drink.

Romantic Dinner?

If you feel like spending time with your wife or hubby, grab some dinner early. Not only will it be romantic, you’ll also be stress free as you are more likely to have free space in the restaurant. Moving around with the baby’s bag and stroller shouldn’t be difficult and there’s more space to park it.

The post 5 Tips For Travelling With A Baby appeared first on Oddfamily.co.uk. A parenting blog where the children run the show.