Kids Archives - With love from Lou

Encouraging Your Children’s Pastimes

31/07/2019 by Louise 24 Comments

Once you have children that get to a certain age, they will start to show an interest in different things here and there. That is something that is to be celebrated, as if nothing else it means that they are becoming more individuals and learning to appreciate certain things over others. If you want to be the best parent you can be, you will probably be keen to try and encourage them in their pastimes and hobbies as best as you can. That will ensure that they are going to be much more likely to really enjoy them and that they will get much more out of them. You might even help them to learn a skill or craft which they will use throughout their lives. So how can you make sure to encourage your children’s interests? Let’s take a look now at what might be involved.

FIND CLUBS

If it is the kind of thing that your children can do with other people, then you might want to think about finding a club that they can join. Clubs are a good way to really get into something much more strongly and easily, and you will find that it is a great means of ensuring that your children really do feel encouraged. Take a look in the local area and see if you can find any that seem to be particularly worthwhile. You might have to go around a little bit, and it might be a case of trial and error if your child prefers one club to another. But all in all, it will help them to get to know the thing itself better and to meet new people, both of which are going to be very good for their development indeed.

TREAT THEM TO THE EQUIPMENT

Whatever the hobby is, there is bound to be some kind of equipment that goes along with it, something that they need in order to engage in it. If it is a sport, then there might be a bat or a specific ball and so on. Likewise, if they are getting into music, they might need a particular musical instrument. Whatever it is, you can encourage them by treating them to some of the equipment that they are going to need. That can be a great way to show them that you care too, and that you really want them to practice that particular thing, whatever it might be. If you are worried about the cost, remember you can always go second hand. Even Yamaha used pianos or old footballs will work well enough.

ALLOW THEM TO CHANGE

Remember that it is not necessarily the case that your children will just stick blindly to one thing. In fact, most children will go back and forth between different pastimes, and that is something you should expect. What’s more, you should actively encourage and allow them to change their minds a few times, as this is how they will actually get to the bottom of what they really enjoy. If you can do that, you will find that they feel a lot more encouraged.

Do your kids have any pastimes they’re currently enjoying?
Be sure to let me know in the comments below!
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Collaborative Post

Living Arrows – 2/52 {2019}

14/01/2019 by Louise 7 Comments

Hi and welcome to my second week of the Living Arrows project. I was overwhelmed by the number of views and comments I got on last weeks post, so thank you to every single one of you who read it. I really appreciate it. Lots of you have been messaging me throughout to ask how Oscar was doing. And I’m pleased to report that he’s much better, thank you. I think he was just a little overtired after Christmas and New Year.

In case you’ve never heard of Living Arrows before, I’ll tell you a little bit about it. It’s basically a series about celebrating childhood through weekly photographs. The project originally took its name from a poem by Kahlil Gibran, “You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth” and every Monday many bloggers share a moment from their week and invite others to do the same as part of a link-up.

Every blogger does their Living Arrows post a little differently, and the way that I decided to do it was to share three pictures from our week – one of Stacey, one of Oscar, and one of them both together. And tell you a little bit about each photograph as well. I hope it’s something you guys will enjoy having a read of, and I think it will be a nice little series for me to look back on at the end of the year to see how much my children have grown. So, are you ready for this week’s snaps? Then let’s go!

On Friday, we headed into Nottingham to see the Pantomime before it ended. It was Peter Pan and featured the hilarious Joe Pasquale, Only Fools and Horses star, John Challis, and the lovely Jack McNeill (whose voice you might recognise if your kids are fans of Little Baby Bum). We had a great night and didn’t stop laughing from start to finish. I think I’d go as far as to say it was one of the very best pantomime’s I’ve ever seen. And I’ll be writing up a full review of it later this week.

Then, on Sunday, we visited my grandma in the residential home where she lives. She’s suffering from dementia and can get super confused about things when we’re talking to her. But she loves us being there anyway, so we try to go as often as we can. Anyway, on this particular visit, my nephew and his girlfriend also called in to see my grandma, and they brought their beautiful twin babies in with them too. Here is Stacey having a cuddle with Noah, the oldest of the two …

… and here’s Oscar with Erin, the youngest. You probably won’t believe me when I tell you this. But the twins are actually going to be one next month! They only look about three months old, don’t they? They shouldn’t have been born until the end of May last year and had a very traumatic entrance into the world. We’re very lucky to have them and are super thankful to the staff at the neonatal unit who cared for them in those critical first few months of their lives. They’re really coming on now and we love spending time with them. I think you can see from Oscar’s face here just how proud he is to be their cousin!

And there you have it, my Living Arrows post for week two. I hope enjoyed it, and I can’t wait to read through some of the other posts in the link-up. Be sure to let me know in the comments below if you’ve taken part this week. And if not, I’ll pop the badge below so you can click through to find out more about it.

Thanks for reading guys.
Until next time, take care.
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Living Arrows – 1/52 {2019}

07/01/2019 by Louise 22 Comments

Ooh, this is exciting! You may remember a couple of days ago I published a post on my aims for 2019. And one of the things I said I wanted to do this year was publish more personal posts here on my blog. So I thought what better way to kick that off than by joining in with the Living Arrows linky for the first time ever!?

If you’ve never heard of Living Arrows before, it’s basically a series about celebrating childhood through weekly photographs. The project originally took its name from a poem by Kahlil Gibran, “You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth” and every Monday many bloggers share a moment from their week and invite others to do the same as part of a link-up.

Each week I’ll be aiming to share three pictures from our week – one of Stacey, one of Oscar, and one of them both together. And I’ll tell you a little bit about each photograph too. I hope it’s something you guys will enjoy having a read of, and I think it will be a nice little series for me to look back on at the end of the year to see how much my children have grown. So, are you sitting comfortably? Then let’s go!

The first picture this week my daughter Stacey actually took on Snapchat when her and Oscar were messing around at my mum’s house one afternoon. And even though it’s not the best quality, I felt I had to steal it to feature in this weeks Living Arrows post as I think it shows just how close they are as siblings. Don’t let them fool you though – they fight like cat and dog just as much as they get along! LOL.

On Saturday, the kids and I headed into town so they could spend some of their Christmas money. But while we were out, Oscar started to feel unwell and kept falling to sleep. I thought having some food might make him feel a bit better, so we headed to Pizza Hut for tea. But as you can see, he fell asleep there too and didn’t want any food. I felt like such a bad mum for not realising he was under the weather before we left home.

Luckily, Stacey was feeling just fine. And we managed to demolish most of a pizza, some cheesy chips and a pudding between us. Once we’d eaten we went straight home so Oscar could go to bed, and I’m pleased to say he was feeling much better by Sunday morning. Phew!

And there you have it, my first ever Living Arrows post. I hope you all enjoyed it, and I can’t wait to read through some of the other posts in the link-up. Be sure to let me know in the comments below if you’ve taken part this week. And if not, I’ll pop the badge below so you can click through to find out more about it.

Thanks for reading guys.
Until next time, take care.
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The Pros And Cons Of Buying Designer Clothes For Your Kids

05/08/2018 by Louise 18 Comments

My daughter Stacey will be 15 next month. And when I asked her what she’d like for her birthday, she gave me a list that was mainly made up of high-end makeup products and designer clothes. This is very different to the lists she’s presented me with in previous years. And I have to admit that it sent me into a bit of a panic.

You see, Stacey is a big fan of fast fashion. Which means she likes to wear the seasons hottest trends. And this is absolutely fine when we’re shopping in stores where these trends are fairly cheap. But what about when they’re not? In today’s post, I thought I’d take a look at some of the pros and cons of buying designer clothes for the kids. Read on to find out more.

PROS

Kudos – I think it’s safe to say that lots of teenage girls lack confidence. And if you can make them feel a little bit better about themselves by allowing them to wear clothes that are going to earn them kudos with their friends and boost their confidence, then that’s got to be a good thing. Right?

They have a nicer fit – there’s no getting away from it, clothes that are more expensive look better when worn. The cuts are more refined and careful, giving a much more stylish appearance.

They’re made of quality materials – higher grade cotton, more wash-friendly man-made fibre combos, or luxury fabrics that just don’t appear in cheaper brands. Designer clothes offer a higher quality of raw material, which means they’re much more likely to last longer.

They’re likely to be eco-friendly and ethical – designer brands can afford to be more choosy about how and where they source their raw materials, and how they set up their production processes. Cheap clothes are often still made in Asian sweatshops – something we as consumers conveniently choose to ignore when on the lookout for bargain buys. Designer labels can (although not always) offer that ethical background that makes a very worthwhile statement.

They can often be bought fairly cheaply – the great thing about designer clothes is that they can often be bought fairly cheaply if you know where to look. Charity shops are usually full of designer clothes that have had very little wear. Designer stores may hold a sample sale when a new line of clothing is due to drop. And online stores such as Azal Collections luxury clothing or OD’s Designer Clothing regularly offer designer clothes with a percentage of the RRP knocked off! How cool is that?

CONS

Price – paying more for designer clothes is inevitable. What isn’t so clear is whether you’re paying for the increased quality or just the name. My guess is it’s a combination of both. You might find there are mid-priced brands available that have similar quality and are missing only that unique brand name.

Kids grow fast – depending on how old your kids are, you might find that they grow out of their clothes super quick, meaning they hardly get any wear out of them. This is bad enough when it happens with cheaper brands, but you could really feel the pinch when it happens with more expensive items and you suddenly find you’re needing to replace them.

Envy from peers – if you buy your child designer clothes, it could go on to cause some jealousy among peers whose parents can’t afford to splash out on more expensive items for them. This often leads to bitchy comments in the playground, which could then potentially destroy some of that new-found confidence we talked about earlier.

Fickleness – what’s in one season is often out of favour the next. You can spend a great deal of money on items that will look seriously out of place in a few months time if you don’t select your designer items carefully. The best advice is to opt for fashion staples that rarely go out of fashion, and avoid those fad designs that are at risk of going out of fashion too quickly.

From looking at all of the pros and cons on my list, I think I’m going to compromise with Stacey and buy her just one of the designer clothing items that she has on her list. It has to be something that won’t go out of fashion too quickly, though. Like a nice pair of jeans or a classic jacket. Hopefully, she’ll be happy with that.

Have you ever bought designer clothes for your little ones?
I’d love to hear what your thoughts on doing so are.

Thanks for reading guys.
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Planet Bounce Inflatable Park – Nottingham

24/04/2018 by Louise 15 Comments

A couple of weeks ago the kids and I were lucky enough to be invited along to Planet Bounce in Nottingham to see what we thought of their brand new inflatable park. If you’ve ever been to Planet Bounce before you’ll know that it used to be a trampoline park, but with similar places popping up all over the place they decided to stay one step ahead of the game and offer something that no one else has. And I have to say, I think it’s really going to pay off!

I just want to quickly apologize in advance for the poor quality photo’s. It was really hard to get pictures that weren’t blurry with so many people bouncing around beside us. I think they show just how much the kids enjoyed their day though. I’ve also included a little video at the end of my post so you can get more of an idea of what it’s like inside.

So, Planet Bounce is situated in the Glass House on Huntingdon Street in Nottingham, which is literally a two-minute walk away from the Victoria Bus Station. I think it’s a great location for having an inflatable park as it’s easy for everyone to get to, no matter where you enter the city from. You can either book your tickets online in advance (which I’d highly recommend doing as they work out a little cheaper) and then collect your wristbands when you arrive, or you can pay for your session at the cash desk on the day.

We went along to one of their ‘Jump’ sessions, which run from 11am every day during peak season, and from 12pm every day off-peak. Jump sessions are suitable for anyone aged 4-65, and they give you access to the main inflatable area, which is huge! A standard jump session lasts for an hour, which I thought was just the right amount of time for Oscar (who is 4) to enjoy. But you can also book a consecutive session if you want to spend more time in the park. I think Stacey and her friend Reanna would have happily stayed another hour.

As soon as we entered the inflatable area Oscar’s face lit up, and the first thing he did was run to Luna Landing, which is very much like a bouncy slide. I think you can see from the excited look on his face in the picture above that he thoroughly enjoyed jumping off the top and sliding down really fast! One thing I noticed early on was that all the inflatables have names that you’d associate with outer space, and the colour-scheme matches just perfectly. It’s little things like this that I appreciate, and it made my visit even more magical.

All three kids enjoyed playing on Luna Landing and came back to it time and time again during the hour we were at Planet Bounce. I even had a go myself, and was really surprised at how quickly I flew down it after jumping off the top! Oscar tried several times to reach the top without using the steps, but each time he just slid back down again – which he thought was hilarious. They also enjoyed playing on Air Mountain, which I can only describe as being like bouncing around on a big blue jelly. Oscar needed a little help from the girls to get up on there, as he’s still quite small. But that didn’t bother him in the slightest.

As well as being able to slide down Luna Landing, Planet Bounce have an awesome Helter Skelter Rocket Slide, which is super cool! Oscar whizzed down this quite a few times during our session. I wasn’t quick enough to get a photo of him coming down in though. Typical! I liked that he could use the Helter Skelter Rocket Slide safely by himself, and it seemed to be very popular with the younger children using the park.

As with most indoor play areas, Planet Bounce have included a Ball Pit for the kids to enjoy. And Oscar spent a lot of time in here during our visit. It was just deep enough for him to lay down in and cover himself with balls! I did think it could have done with being a little bit deeper though, as Stacey and Reanna took a run and jumped into it when there were no other kids around, and they ended up hurting their feet a bit as they weren’t expecting it to be as shallow as it was. It’s still lots of fun though. I mean, who doesn’t love a good ball pit?!

Both Stacey and Oscar enjoyed racing up the Crater Climber! Stacey was brave and climbed to the top before jumping off, but Oscar seemed to think it was another slide and would climb a few steps and then slide back down again. But I guess that’s the beauty of visiting an inflatable park like this – you can use the apparatus however you want without having to worry about hurting yourself. After all, you’re guaranteed a soft landing wherever you are!

Oscar thoroughly enjoyed chasing his big sister through the Gravity Flares at Planet Bounce! He also used them to do a little boxing, and enjoyed bouncing through them as well. I think he liked being in this bit of the park as it was a lot quieter than some of the other bits, and he’s not a big fan of large crowds.

The only time this area really got busy was when some of the older children finished the Rocket Man Run, which is a super cool obstacle course. Sadly, I didn’t get any photos of the Rocket Man Run as Oscar wasn’t big enough to go through it. I think it’s safe to say it was Stacey and Reanna’s favourite part of the whole park. They told me it was fairly dark inside, and you had to make your way through the course and finish by sliding down a big bouncy slide. It sounded really cool! There are loads of pictures of this over on the Planet Bounce Facebook Page if you want to take a closer look.

And last but certainly not least, all 3 kids loved trying to keep their balance on the wibbly wobbly Gravity Pods! As you can see from my pictures though, they managed to get there in the end. I think playing on these got the biggest giggles of the day as every time one of them managed to get up on one of the pods they’d suddenly lose their balance and fall off. There were 3 pods in total, and trying to jump from one to the other without falling was a big challenge. The girls managed to do it just before we had to leave, and were really proud of themselves.

Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Planet Bounce, and the kids have already asked if we can go back. I feel like it’s a lot more inclusive now it’s an inflatable park rather than a trampoline park. When it was a trampoline park there was no way I could have gone in and enjoyed bouncing around with the kids as I have scoliosis and find it difficult to jump around constantly. It’s much easier to keep my balance on an inflatable floor and I feel it’s a good way of getting some gentle exercise as I could jump as much or as little as I wanted to. There was a much better atmosphere too. Stacey always felt like the staff were on edge in case of accidents happening before, whereas they seem a lot happier now. This suggests to me that an inflatable park is much safer overall.

One thing I will say is that all that bouncing around is sure to make you hungry. But never fear, as there is an on-site cafe where you can grab some refreshments and ‘refuel’. The cafe area is a lot cosier than it used to be, and I love that they’ve continued the space theme throughout. Snacks and drinks are reasonably priced in the cafe too, which is great.

If you fancy seeing Planet Bounce in action then make sure you check out the video we uploaded on YouTube. It will give you a real insight to what a visit to an inflatable park is really like. And thank you again Planet Bounce for letting us come along to try your facilities out. We loved every second!

Have you guys ever been to an inflatable park before?
I’d love to hear your thoughts on them.
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Transforming Kid’s Rooms with Wallsauce Mural Wallpaper

21/12/2017 by Louise 57 Comments

I don’t know about you guys, but I always find decorating my kid’s rooms a bit of a chore. Yes, they usually look good when they’re done, but they can also take a long time to do, cost an absolute fortune, and create more of a mess than I really want to be dealing with. Then, of course, if I decorate it in a certain theme (think Peppa Pig or Paw Patrol), you can guarantee they’ll have moved on to being a fan of something else the next week.

At the same time, though, I like my kids to have rooms that they are proud of. Rooms that really show their personalities. So decorating is a must. And my favourite way of doing up the kid’s rooms without it becoming a big job is to use awesome mural wallpapers. They’re so easy to apply – you just stick them on to the wall as you would do room stickers – and they stay put until you want to take them back off again!

I recently came across a website called Wallsauce, who sell a wide range of kids mural wallpaper. Whether your little ones dream of taking a spaceship to the moon, living in a fairytale kingdom, or having a bedroom in the jungle, Wallsauce can make their dreams come true!

From animals and scenery to education and the solar system, you’ll be sure to find the perfect children’s wallpaper mural for the little one in your life. All children’s wallpaper murals are made-to-measure to fit your wall and are available in a range of materials to suit your needs.

Today I thought I’d share my favourite ones with you guys here on my blog, just in case you’re wanting to do up your own little one’s rooms in the near future. So, without further ado, let’s get started …

Sunken Pirate Ship

First up, I’ve picked out this sunken pirate ship wallpaper, as my youngest, Oscar, loves everything and everything to do with pirates! I love how the sea creatures are using the ship as a play-thing. It would be sure to make the perfect focal point for a pirate-themed bedroom. Aargh, yes it would!

Map of the World with Animals

I have to say, I absolutely love this bright and colourful map of the world wallpaper with super cute animals scattered all over it. It’s so educational! It even has the names of each country and sea written on it in a bold font. I reckon it would make the perfect feature wall in any nursery or toddlers room. It’s just great.

Fun Dinosaurs

Little dinosaur fans will love this super cute mural wallpaper with a pre-historic print! Featuring a range of cute, illustrated dinosaurs, this playful and harmless dinosaur wallpaper will add colour and character to their room. I’m sure you guys will agree that it’s absolutely roar-some!

Flamingos

Flamingos are big news right now, and I think this gorgeous mural wallpaper depicting them in lots of different poses would be perfect for a teenage girls room. I know my 14-year-old daughter, Stacey, would absolutely love it! I think it would well in other rooms in the house as well. I could definitely see me using this particular print in my kitchen or bathroom.

Winter Wonderland

For a truly magical bedroom transformation, how about turning it into a beautiful winter wonderland? Showcasing cute polar bears in a mystical setting, this mural wallpaper is ideal for children of all ages. If I was decorating Stacey’s room with this, I’d most likely team it with pink and purple accessories to give the room a real ‘ice queen sleeps here’ kind of feel.

Union Jack Montage

And last, but certainly not least, I’ve picked out this super cool Union Jack Montage mural wallpaper. I think this would look amazing on the wall of a teenager. It has loads of images that you’d associate with the London, such as Big Ben, the Queen, London Buses and the iconic red telephone box, and they all sit side-by-side in red, white and blue to make up the Union Jack. It’s just fabulous!

And there you have it, my favourite children’s mural wallpapers from Wallsauce. There are loads of other designs to choose from too, so you’re bound to find something for the whole family. Wallsauce also has a December sale on at the moment, where you can get 10% off all murals. How cool is that?! You just need to enter the code ‘DEC17’ when you check out.

What do you think of decorating children’s rooms with mural wallpaper?
Let me know in the comments below.

Thanks for reading guys.
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Have a Kid-Size Summer Music Festival

10/05/2016 by Louise 29 Comments

How many summer festivals have you got lined up this year? If the answer is none or you’re wondering whether the local plant sale counts, chances are you have kids and clean toilets mean more than the Pyramid Stage these days. Yes, it’s sad but true; children and acres of mud don’t go well together. And you know ‘family friendly’ still means an expedition size kit and being tucked up in the tent by 9pm sharp. But before you resign yourself to online Glastonbury highlights, can we make a suggestion? Forget ear-defenders and throw a few mini-festivals of your own this summer. We can’t promise you superstar DJs or celebrity food trucks. But with a bit of imagination, a few equally festival-deprived friends and kids who don’t know any better, you can pull off a great time and still get to sleep in your own bed. And, anyone who’s spent the night in a flooded Somerset field, knows that’s the best bit.

Own a little of the Isle of Wight

If you’ve never done the Isle of Wight, think Summer of Love, mellow and anything goes in the sound department. This one covers all bases from rock and indie to electro, calls its zones after Hendrix and Beatles classics and adds a whole new meaning to beachy fun. Here’s what you need.

Sound Stage
The Who, Queen (you can have the legendary Freddie Mercury, Isle of Wight’s making do with Adam Lambert), Turin Brakes, Stereophonics, The Kills, Pendulum, Sigma and dozens more. Take a look at the line-up and put together a playlist.
The Look
Retro is the way to go and releasing your inner hippy is only perfect.
Fun and Games
If you can juggle or work a Diablo, you are king of the tribute festival this summer. No circus skills? Go all out on face painting instead, add a paddling pool and sand pit (your very own beach), create a comfy chill-out zone in the shade and make room for dancing and arm waving – Isle of Wight essentials.
Food and Drink
This one couldn’t be easier: home-made burgers, organic rolls and fresh, local salad greens. Kids want to be drinking chilled apple juice while grown-ups can go authentic with artisan cider.

T in the garden

For three days every July, Perth gives up being genteel and goes all out for T In The Park. The annual Scottish legend is brilliant if you don’t mind the weather, midges and Tennent’s Lager. On home territory you can adjust to taste, make it kid-shaped and still have a great time.

Sound Stage
Headliners this year are The Stone Roses, Calvin Harris and Red Hot Chili Peppers and there’s plenty of dance party in the slam tents. Check out the real T in the Park line-up and just do your own thing.
The Look
It’s Scotland, it’s summer, so wearing as little as possible (especially in the rain) is the way to go.
Fun and Games
Forget the circus and concentrate on a ceilidh for authenticity here. The T In The Park Ceilidh Tent is much loved and gives you plenty of scope for a right old carry on with plenty of jigging, reeling and fiddle tunes as loud and long as you like.
Food and Drink
The Scots love anything you can put on bread, so this is one to throw open the back doors (check out these stunning external bifold doors from Vufold, very handy when hosting gatherings at home), light the grill and get barbecuing. Avoid traditional lager and go for award winning Scottish craft beer instead and try zesty iced-tea for the kids.

Notting Hill Carnival your way

The UK’s most famous carnival rounds off summer all over Notting Hill in August. It’s loud, mobbed, bright and fantastic. But even Family Sunday can be too much with toddlers and under 5s. Here’s how to bring the Caribbean home for the best bits.

Sound Stage
This one’s famous for sound stages and anything from dubstep to steel bands works. If you’re new to the noise, have a look at the ultimate guide and take it from there.
The Look
Bikinis, beads, plumes, short trousers, big hats, painted skin and as much colour as you cram on your body is the rule.
Fun and Games
If you’re up for a bit of mess, you could try Jouvert (the carnival custom of throwing bright, powdered paint around). Smearing melted chocolate on people’s faces is another tradition. But just dancing with wild abandon goes a long to getting Notting Hill right.
Food and Drink
This is another one for the barbecue and if you don’t have jerk chicken you don’t have a carnival. Wash it down with Red Stripe (naturally) and stick to mango and papaya smoothies for the under 18s.

And remember, once the kids are tucked up in bed you can keep the party going, outside or in – your event, your rules and no sodden campsite to worry about. Have fun.

Would you consider having a kid-size summer music festival in your backyard?
I’d love to hear from you so make sure you leave me a message in the comments below!

Thanks for reading guys.
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Are Private Schools Really Worth It?

11/02/2016 by Louise 7 Comments

For parents around the UK, it’s one of the most polarising debates there is. Depending on who you listen to and what you read, the lazy inference to draw in this country is that the gap in quality of education between private schools and state schools is widening at a rapid rate, but that the difference in cost is spiraling too.

Indeed, according to this article, the average day fee at private schools has risen by 340% (150%, inflation adjusted) in the last 25 years to £13,000 a year, while combined cost of fees and other education-related expenses for boarding from the age of 13 could amount to an eye-watering £450,000 per child over their schooling career.

So it begs the question, is sending your kids to a private school really worth the breath-taking amount of money some of them are demanding?

The argument for private schools

It’s difficult to argue in anything other than general terms, so there are plenty of exceptions either way. But with private schools, the superiority in terms of results seems to be significant. A study last year revealed that 48.2% of private school pupils achieve an A* or A grade, while the corresponding figure for state school and other non-paying students is just 22.5%. Indeed, 30% of all A-grades in the UK came from private school students, despite them making up just 13% of all A-level entrants.

Is this a reflection on the intelligence and ability of the students? Not necessarily. But it’s clear that the resources private schools can afford in terms of education have a huge impact, with students often benefitting from better teachers, smaller classes and superior facilities. What’s more, it is widely accepted that in terms of networking and contacts, private schools hold all the cards for students looking to eventually unlock future opportunities.

The argument against

The most significant counter to the above is of course the crippling expense. Why pay all that money when you can go to school for free? Or, as a happy medium, attend a grammar school? It isn’t as easy as that, of course, and state schools in particular are often oversubscribed, and may require you to move into the catchment area to stand a chance of being accepted. But clearly it is night and day in terms of cost.

Also, private schools have been known to garner a reputation as being non-inclusive, among other issues which are difficult to confirm with cold, hard facts or statistics. Either way, it’s fair to say private schools might not be for everyone, at any price.

Making your choice

Obviously, deciding which way to go is entirely up to you, and weighing up the pros and cons is something you need to do as a family. It’s probably a good idea to reach out and speak to experts too, in order to make an informed decision.

As far as possible, you want to eliminate cost from the equation. It may be that you have your heart set on sending your child(ren) to private school, but that you need some assistance in the form of a personal loan. Taking on debt to help finance a private school education may not sit well initially, but provided the terms are reasonable and the APR low, you may well consider it justifiable as an investment in their future, especially if it is just acting as bridging finance, and you are anticipating a windfall such as a bonus from work in the near future anyway.

Whichever way you favour, make sure you start thinking ahead as soon as you can. Being in a good catchment area is important no matter which school you enrol your child into, so you need to be planning years in advance ideally. And in the sometimes unstable world we currently live, a good education has become all the more paramount as we yearn to give our children the best possible opportunities in life.

What do you think of private schools? Are they really worth it?
I’d love to hear your opinions so why not let me know in the comments section below?

Thanks for reading!
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Homework Tips & Tricks

28/08/2015 by Louise 36 Comments

This post on Homework Tips & Tricks was originally posted on 2nd September 2014, but I wanted to re-publish it for you guys today incase any of you are looking for some help when the new school year starts in a couple of weeks time. I hope you enjoy it …

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from Stacey over the past 6 years, it’s that once the school bell rings at the end of the day, she doesn’t want to think about it again until tomorrow. I totally understand where she’s coming from of course, but when the teacher has set her some homework and she says she’ll ‘do it in the morning’, I don’t think it’s very healthy for me to let her have her own way.

It goes without saying that children are more successful in school when parents take an active interest in their homework – I genuinely think it shows them that what they do is important.

However, helping with homework doesn’t mean spending hours hunched over a desk. Parents can be supportive by demonstrating study and organization skills, explaining a problem that their child is finding tricky, or just encouraging them to take a ten minute break. And who knows – they may learn a thing or two as well!

If you’re looking for ways to help your child make the most of their homework time this year, or are just after a few tips to help it run more efficiently then never fear – I am here to share my top 10 homework tips with you today.

01. Know the teacher(s) – and what they’re looking for
Always make the time to attend your child’s parents evening. At Stacey’s old primary school they usually had two – one a few weeks after the new school year started and then one a little further into the school year. At parents evening you get to meet your child’s teacher and discuss their progress with them. I usually ask if there’s anything that we can do at home to help her and all but one of her teachers so far have been happy to provide me with some ideas. I also know from experience that they don’t mind you calling up to ask any questions you may have either. After all, it shows that you’re taking a keen interest in your child’s education.

02. Set up a homework area
I usually encourage Stacey to do her homework at the kitchen table. We don’t have a television in there so it’s a distraction-free zone! I usually set up the table for homework time around an hour before Stacey is due home from school so I can be sure that everything she might need is already there – from paper and pencils to rulers, scissors and glue. I always find that it’s best to do homework in a well-lit place as well, rather than somewhere that is quite dark.

03. Schedule a regular study time
I admit that this one can be tricky! Stacey has dancing lessons after school on Monday’s and Tuesdays and I like to make sure she’s eaten before she heads off, which leaves little or no time for her to do her homework. And then of course she’ll say she’s too tired to do it once she gets back. But on days when she has no after school activities she likes to come in, have a drink and a snack and change in to some more comfortable clothes before she makes a start on it. Other children may find they work better after they’ve had dinner or after they’ve had a little play time.

04. Help your child to make a plan
If there is more than one piece of homework to be tackled, we find that breaking it down into manageable chunks works best. We create a work schedule for the evening if necessary and I make sure that Stacey takes a 10 minute break every hour so it’s not too overwhelming for her. I also try to sit with her and catch up on some blogging if I know she has quite a lot of work to do so she doesn’t feel alone, and I think it sets a good example as well.

05. Keep distractions to a minimum
At homework time I don’t allow any television, loud music or cute little brothers. And this year Stacey also has a mobile phone so I will be banning that at homework time too. Having said that though – if your child is struggling with something and you don’t think that you can help, a quick phone call to a classmate might really benefit your little one and I would of course allow this. Just don’t let them strike up a conversation about anything else while they’re at it!

06. Make sure children do their own work
I’ve made the mistake of giving Stacey the answer on more than one occasion, and what will she have learned from this? Nothing! Children won’t learn if they don’t think for themselves and make their own mistakes. As a parent you can give suggestions and help with explaining the problems, but ultimately it needs to be their answer on the paper – whether it’s right or wrong!

07. Be encouraging
Children love it when parents take an interest in their homework. Encouragement can be given in lots of different ways – by asking questions about up and coming tests, holding up flash cards, checking homework or just bringing over a fresh glass of juice when they’ve run out. My advice here though is to always make yourself available at homework time for any questions or concerns that your child may have.

08. Set a good example
Stacey has always enjoyed reading and doing puzzles, and this is more than likely because I read and do puzzles a lot myself! If your kids see you doing things like balancing your budget (or updating your blog) then they’re more than likely to start following your example rather than your advice.

09. Praise them for their efforts
Kids thrive on praise! I often stick Stacey’s merit certificates on the fridge and mention to friends and relatives how great she’s done at something. It makes her smile and encourages her to do well again in the future. And if she’s done something exceptional then I will often treat her to a small toy or a meal out at her favourite restaurant. Sticker charts also worked really well when she was younger. You know your children better than anyone though and can probably think of many other awesome ways to praise them that they will love!

10. If there are continuing problems with homework, get help
As I mentioned before, teachers are always happy to take your call! They are there to help and care about your child’s education just as much as you do. Please don’t be frightened to pick up the phone and ask for help!

And there you have it, my top 10 homework tips. I hope you found this post helpful and I’m more than happy to answer any other questions that you guys may have as well – just leave me a message in the comments box below, or drop me an e-mail at withlovefromlou@outlook.com and I will get back to you as soon as possible.

Do you guys have a homework routine, or any other tips to share?
I’d love to hear them if you do!

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