The Music that makes my day and helps build me up each day as a parent

Hello and welcome to another blog post. As I write this blog as I am listening to some good music and it what I do most of my days is listen to my music and its always tunes that makes my day and builds me up, giving me some passionate energy to be creative and ideas for blog content aswell as writing book and creating youtube videos: my books are all on Amazon.com under these names: Carrie Challoner, Carrie Lee Holmes or Carrie Holmes.

Link for my Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUDFIqjVKLy7NhtcR6Hy0Tg

I am writing another parenting book which is going to be like a Training book/Self help for parents and Life coaching.

It is good for kids to play music it can really help with speech and language and my son pronounciation is mature beyond his years and is why I played music since Henry was a baby, as it has always been a part of my life and it want it to be part of his life too.

Music can be soothing and I remember reading parenting books saying music should not be played to help him sleep but as a parent that is not the case. If it soothes and helps him with talking and listening so be it. You do what you have to do and is something that will benefit him no end.

Loud heavy metal would not help but songs that can help wake them up in the morning, can help with you kids getting ready to get dressed for school and music to help him listen to, to help him have a goods night sleep.

Youtube has a lot of lullaby music which Henry loved and it would be a godsend when reading a book was done and helped keep him calm and quiet to comfort him to sleep. Kids at night need soft and light music and turned down, you can get a night light to help too. Henry had a dimmer switch to the light in his room, which we used and when I did this he would be go to sleep without a fuss and then loved it when I would put some lively music in the morning and twirl until it was time to him go to school.

When it comes to kids and music you often have to listen to the nursery rhymes ten times over, not exagerating it is true, and you end up knowing all the words and when I used to do this and stop singing he would tell me off for stopping. So could I win the X-Factor when it comes to being a parent? or should I be shamed?

Absolutely not. If kids like it play it and as long it isn’t scary or too loud music can be wonderful asset to keep the peace and away from tantrums and tears.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

10 Parent Hacks and good habits

If you didn’t know I do have other WordPress sites where I talk alot about productivity and good habits, mainly on my WordPress site: https://everyonecanbuildacastle.com

I thought I would share some parent hacks and good habits:

1. With COVID guidlines alway make sure you have antibacteria wipes on you or pocket tissues and they wash their hands when they get to school and have hand gel on you too
2. Have a getting ready for school section. So use a room that you use all of the time to hang their school uniform with bags and coats near the front door
3. Go through their book bags, after school has finished and before they set off for school the next day
4. Buy snacks you can pack without being refridgerated like Veggie Crisps, a packet of raisins or if it is a piece of fruit you have it in the fridge with their lunch boxes if they have packed lunch
5. Have a regular clear out of their toys and clothes and what can be handed down or donated to other Children who may need the items the most. Check out my blog I did about this: Decluttering your kids rooms/Good ways to play outdoors
6. Have your kids do chores and teach them how to have a good daily routine and they help with tasks like Laundry, emptying bins or dust
7. Have them set up breakfast whilst you get yourself ready and have a functional dining table that can be used as a working from home table to breakfast to having meetings, to do homeschooling
8. Make sure you look after their teeth and check them regularly and teach them to brush twice day, the morning before school and after
9. Have them have sleepover so when they celebrate their birthday without us going home on our own. I used to do this a lot with friends. We’d go to a theme park in the day and then go back to one of the kids houses watch horror films and stay overnight. Sometimes my friends mum’s would order a Chinese takeaway or a pizza. Social interaction is important more since having two Lockdowns
10. Teach kids how to recycle and make jars as storage to keep baking or crafting activities and use containers from chinese takeaway shops to help keep bits in. Anytime you recycle it stops landfill.

So I hope you find these helpful and to let you know I have a new book out called Mum&Me available from Amazon.com in Kindle and Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Mum-Me-Gucci-Tits-Queens-ebook/dp/B096ZPLGR9/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1623602499&sr=1-1

I also have some online courses available so check these out too: https://carrieseducationnetwork.thinkific.com/

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Decluttering your kids rooms/Good ways to play outdoors

So the end of the school year is upon us and why not spend the final days of school a time to declutter and sort through their toys to get rid of ones no longer being played with for new toys that they do like to play and have them go through some toys to see what they would like to keep.

Narrow it down to having 5 things to choose from and they put the other items they don’t in a bin and the same with clothes and furniture in their rooms.

Give their room a makeover and create space for them to play and have a place where they can be quiet and do puzzles, create home worksheets and go through their books they love and others that they haven’t read. Hack go through the books and turn them around, to see which ones have been read and ones that they haven’t and if their are books not suited for their age anymore that have them go through with you so they can choose the books to keep and others for donating and sell.

Have them read out in the garden and have a home picnic. Have then choose the food for their picnic by laying items out for them to choose, and include fruits, yogurts and other healthy snacks.

If they love water and you have space invest in a paddling pool and when it is okay take them swimming. I as a kid had swimming lessons and helps them stay safe in water and invest in armbands and good swimming clothes.

Go through their summer clothes and see which still fit and again have a pile to sell or items to donate. Separate them into age category and then colour. any that have marks on that didn’t come out in the wash despose and keep notes of the clothes you’d like to keep, throw and sell.

Any pictures of them frame and put it into their bedroom or use cards they have received in frames as many greeting cards can make good artwork.

To do something for your kids birthday that is different and more fun like hiring a party bus. As a kid I loved the trolley buses that were decorated with ribbon and I could sit at the top deck which had fun activities on. A couple of my friends on their wedding day hired out a bus and it was good fun and something to remember.

Have them wash your car or sort the garden out, plant some seeds so they can help grow your own salad leaves, tomatoes and herbs.

Its all about fun and loving life so encourage, support and a nurture and have them live the best life they could possbily have.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Parenting on the go and how to get through the end of term/Breaking up for the summer holidays

So around this time is when the schools get ready to shut down for the Summer Holidays, even though some schools hire out the school for kids to join the summer clubs that operate on them, and they can be good so why not apply for your child to go.

Henry my son did and last year when I booked for him to join a club outside of school he really enjoyed it.

Kids feel it by the time it gets to this part of the school year, and can be a little grumpy when they know they have a few weeks left. So would you being the parent, as we go into Autopilot and try to plan for them but when I did this I then didn’t do all those things,

They need to rest and this is the perfect time, during the summer holidays to do that, so why not arrange a playdate to enjoy the summer weather and your kids can play happily in your garden of course if you have a flat not possible but can have a playdate in a local part somewhere.

Do you need to stick to a routine still?

Yes but you can let them sleep in as they can find the end of the a school year tiring, the same being a parent, and also have some days where they can have Pancakes for breakfast, making different food for the holidays different from when they eat when they come home from school.

Take them to have a breakfast in the garden when it is not too hot and then have a afternoon picnic in a local park. Do different things from the norm and why not go on a bike ride or for a walk with everyone.

Then eat out or pick up sandwiches and snacks to have outdoors.

Just make it excitable for them for the summer and then slowly wean then back into the school routine for when it returns.

Many thanks,

Carrie X

My New Book/Mum&Me

Aswell as writing blogs I am now writing books again and my book new unedited book “Mum&Me” is now available under my name Carrie Holmes on Amazon.com in Kindle version and two paperback version, a new edited version will be released soon see link below:

It is based on a Mother and Daughter relationship, how they doubt each others driving and often arguing over Elizabeth not being tidy and Elizabeth the main charactor gets annoyed with her mother obssessive purchasing on TV Shopping channels and buying items on the internet, but ends up ordering the wrong thing.

Then there is Gloria, who is Elizabeth’s arch rival with her false lips, face and boobs, and only time Elizabeth and her Mum agree on Gloria who is the head of her son’s school PTFA and asks for import but if it not one she agrees on, only she can nake the decisions, which gets on Elizabeth’s nerves.

So check it out and many thanks in advance if you do purchase it.

Carrie X

5 Ways to Keep kids safe in the summer

The last thing you need when on holiday kids becoming unwell and when having a Holiday in Menorca as a kid I got Sunstroke and lost may days of that holiday feeling so unwell.

With hotter climates you do have to make sure you children a safe from the sun, and not exposed to the heat and sun too much.

1. Make sure they wear a hat, too keep the sun away from their head
2. Use factor 30+ on their skin
3. Not playing out too long in the heat, try to keep them in the shade for sometime
4. Make sure they are wearing light colours or bright colours, so they state cool
5. Take a bottle of water with you when going out for the day and keep it cool

It is important to be outside for some Vitamin D, bt that the same time be vigilant about the hot weather and making sure they stay safe.

So I hope you find this blog informative and Many thanks for reading,

Carrie L.M X

Truth about Parenting/Having a hobby

Hello and check out my new Truth about parenting video, talking about how good it is for your kids to have a hobby.

I always had a hobby as a kid and so did my brother, and I would encourage swimming lessons, as this is a good way for them to be confident about water and learn how to swim.

If it is a sports club then why not learn to do sports coaching yourself. I am FA Qualified and ready to do my other badges, as you can set up a sports club for your child.

So I hope you enjoy this video thank you for your time,

Carrie X

Teaching kids about how to make sensible decisions and living in a world of choice

There are many things you can teach your kids that they will help them in the future and teaching kids to make sensible decsions is one of them.

So what do I mean?

When it comes to clothing for example let them choose what they want to wear by laying some of their clothes. When it comes to books, let them choose books which are informative and easy to read and will help them establish good practices.

As soon as they start becoming aware of how to feed themselves than allow them to choose an item from their basket or draw of healthy baby snacks to eat, and let them tell you wish one they like, and show them the options they have.

When it comes to learning and doing education, at home then why not break the day in chunks to do different things as kids don’t like to doing the same things all of then time and neither do I, so it is good to break the days up where they do some sit down learning, physical play like sports and then widing down time with a good book, for the end of each day.

Get them to do a bit of acting if they want to do pretend play and create a story of existing plays like the classic wizard of oz or dancing to their favourite music, and let them choose the songs and have a mini disco, and now they can see friends why not have a play date with other parents to put on a children party.

If there have been kids who may not have had a birthday party due lockdown why not do one now, so they can still see some of their friends and family again. The same with visiting their grandparents, let them decide who they wish to be at their party and write a guest list of all their friends and family. It is good to allow kids to get involved as this helps with their growth and development, and have them greet the kids coming along with family.

Being a kid it should be all about living and learning as they reach each age in their childhood. Kids only get one birthday so even have the write the invitations and thank you guards for afterwards.

Children love it when you involve them into your plans and give them choices, not too much though , just a few that they have set out in front of them.

So let them be involved in their development as life is about learning and helping kids look after themselves without being helped all of the time.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie L.M X