Bath time tantrums

My son’s mixed emotions about baths has changed a lot and there was a time where he wouldn’t sit in the bath and didn’t like his dad giving him a bath only me. I remember when he kept having bad diarrhoea that I would have to hose him down and it was very traumatic and felt so guilty but at the time it was the only option and toilet roll and wipes wouldn’t cut it.

This wasn’t when he was a baby, but around about 3 to 4 years old when he could stand in the bath, but making them fun he loved them again and would ask if he could have one and he would not want to get out.

Now he is older its not about him not wanting a bath or shower, its because he wants to continue to play and do his own thing, and he loves showers and being hosed down by the shower head and yesterday he had a bath as a change, because he is having swimming lessons on Saturday’s and one of the mums, who first taught Henry to swim gave me a tip on giving him a bath to help him practicing kicking his feet. The is the thing he loves swimming because he likes to go under water and float and then do some jumps., but when it comes to bath or shower he will lay on the floor and say he hates baths and having a shower.

He prefers a wash, with a flannel and water from the sink, which I do on some occasions but I want him to be properly clean. He did in the end enjoy the bath and he practiced and kicking his feet. I know it is him standing his ground so I try not to get cross, but it can be a challenge.

The first bath he ever had when he first came home was a challenge, we did practice when he was in the hospital before then, but it is very different from being in the hospital to having a bath at home and it was a nightmare and wrote about it in my first ever blog on this site: https://theparentingadventurestipsandtricks.wordpress.com/2013/12/19/the-parenting-adventures-begin/

Then after that we did get used to it, and did get the water right and would bath in a little bath in the living room where it was the warmest and he began to love them, and doing baby massage I would recommend a doing a class, because it helped us, he loved being bathed and being changed.

I don’t make a deep bath, but I will sit on the toilet with the toilet seat down and allow him to soak and I find it relaxing just allowing me time to just sit and be with my thoughts until he is ready to come out,and good to talk about what he did for the day. He does have a bath with his dads and protests but I know this is a phase and not going to be long term.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

@typicallondongal

Monitoring what our kids consume and ourselves

It is another end of a week and now I am back with my son and came up with this idea when I uploaded a new video series of Deals I have found this week, this is on my main Youtube channel that I have linked below. on the items I needed and it has made me see what I am consuming and do need to be healthier.

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels.com

This made me monitor what I consume that an affect my son. I am addicted to sugar and it is beginning to bother me, and not sure where to start to change this habit. This is the same for our kids, we should be monitoring on what I kids consume on a daily basis. I don’t want my son being on his tablet all day. Instead we go on walks and play football and rugby. This evening we did some homework without any fuss and felt that was result as normally he would protest, and I felt good in myself in doing this too, as I want my son learning and can play and go to trains that he loves as long as he does some learning that is going to help him in the long run. Our days out I use to educate Henry but encourage him to tell his dad or his grandparents on what he did at the weekend in the week to help with his communication which he struggles with.

This also means TV. I don’t watch much no, but on a Friday I do like it when son cuddles up with me to watch a bit of TV and allow myself to watch some in the evening and at the weekends in the morning. It helps me to switch off from being on my laptop.

I make sure that what we watch is appropriate for his age to watch and that means on this tablet too and we don’t when together my son and I watch TV whilst we eat. we will eat in the kitchen on the Kitchen table, and then after we have eaten then we can watch some a bit of TV.

On a Saturday he goes to swimming class and then we will have lunch and visit a local park and feed the ducks and just spending quality together in places where we enjoy going and places we like to visit, helps to build our relationship and getting a good amount of exercise as we will often play rugby or football.

I monitor what we eat together as I don’t always like to eat fast food but as a treat and have good home cooked meals. It is important to me and my son to have a good diet but still allowing treats but in moderation. However I enjoy taking him out for lunch and so I subsidise for that, but not do this all of the time.

The other area is sleep, I like to make sure my son has a good amount of sleep and me too. I say this as I am up on a Friday writing this blog, but I will be in bed soon and Saturday is my night off and so spend time off my laptop, and go back to it on Sunday, once my son is back with his dad.

So, lets work together and if you have tips on Monitoring what you and your kids consume then please do. Please leave below in the comments. If you’d like to be alerted of blogs I post on this site, then remember to follow me and if you have found this blog helpful to like this post.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

@typicallondongal

Going back to school

This week it has been half term, if you did’t know , its a yearly holiday that is a week in February. Check out latest day in a life video: https://youtu.be/Kx5LEyZCLqs

Photo by Yan Krukau on Pexels.com

We visited a few of our favourite places and yesterday spent time with my brothers family and my son when to a holiday club called Youngstars, so he could be with other children still and because he likes interacting with other children.

I have a week to myself this first week back to school, but usually I would be planning my days to be at my son’s home where he lives with his dad to wait for him to return from school and fit in some homework, play and make his dinner.

Check out these tips to help make life easier as our kids return to school:

Tip#1: if you are two parent family then see if you can swap or have a routine like me and my son’s dad has, so he waits with my son to be picked up to go to school and I wait at his house where his dad lives, to return from school, because of the distance. We make sure hand over when my son’s dad returns home from work, before I set off to go back to where I live in Wimbledon and plan weekends for my son to stay with me and spend time together then too.

Tip#2: If you have a bath and have one or more kids still in infant school, bath them together depending on age, of course if you have teenagers probably not, but if they are infants then this saves on water costs and time.

Tip#3: Have bags labelled with their names and do a list for each child and have a changing station,and have them help each other to get dressed and to wake them up why not do some dancing. My son loved it when we would do this, and really helps their mind and ready for the day. So this not really just after half term but this can help with the half term blues.

Tip#4: Anything you can get done the night before take advantage of this and have their lunches, if they have packed lunch, ready, along with spare clothing as some children can still have accidents along with their shoes and coats.

Tip#4: Have different bag, one for half term like a beach bag and one for the return of school as like me I carry less when my son returns to school, compared to when he is on holiday and I often do this at the weekends, and have a separate list of your own for when your kids return to school.

I really hope these tips help you and remember if you want to be kept up to date with my blogs then press follow and if you like this blog, click like, so I know that these blogs have helped you and made your life easier. That is what you need as a parent.

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Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

@typicallondongal

Kick Start Your Half Term

Yes my son is tucked up in his bed and I am up late going through my plans for the week and the first tip is:

Check the weather: This can affect your plans and so it is good to listen to the forecast so you have some idea if it worth going outdoors or not, and it also helps in knowing what to wear for the week. I am glad I have my trainers as I need them in my life., along with a scarf and coat with a hood and a good warm hat.

Tips 2:

Check Travel: Yes if you been in the UK we have had a few train strikes, which can affect plans and I check using the Trainline App to make sure they are running. Checking will help you to know where to go or where to avoid and if you can travel by bus instead. Thankfully looks like the trains are running tomorrow as I am taking my son up to central London which he loves and walk along the river, as he is obsessed with trains and I am lucky that I live where a few trains lines travel through and will be filming for my Youtube channel (typicallondongal Carrie Holmes).

Tip 3:

Free places to go: There are many things you can do that are free like visiting the park and tomorrow walking along he River Thames cost nothing, as I already have my Oyster card topped up to travel, and I will take a few snacks and where we are going there are places to grab something to eat, but I’d may just pick food from the shops along the way rather than going to a restaurant. The food is good along there but does get really busy, and can be expensive.

Tip 4:

Plan the days with your kids: Have them decide where to go, but to save tantrums if you can’t fit it all in, give them options and if you don’t do it this half term, then choose it for the next set of school holidays. As much as we’d like to split ourselves apart to go everywhere, it is virtually impossible, and check out sites like Groupon, Virgin Experiences, Buygift.com as they do have some ideas of what to do, and have then choose online.

It all about having fun and avoiding tantrums if that is possible.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Typical London Gal

Building a good Relationship with your kids

This week it is Children’s Mental health week, and wanted to acknowledge it because I am a mum who has had Mental Health illness and I am a mum with a son and my sons mental health is important aswell as mine and so it is good that I have a good relationship with him and if he has any worries he is able to share them with me.

Photo by Yan Krukau on Pexels.com

We have so much fun together and I want it to be that way, and I feel good when I have made him laugh and we enjoy things like dancing, singing and playing sports together aswell as doing other things, like “Yes” homework and this doesn’t always please my son, so what I will do is pre-reward him and say, “If we just do this we can then play” and you can make homework playful, like drawing and taking pictures that they can use depending on what the homework is of course. I get a little anxious about doing his homework because I have trouble with it, so I can see why he may not want to do it, but it is essential so I will say “This what we will be doing now and then we can play but this first lets do some homework” and we figure it out together and my mum I admit will help too as like I have said I have issues understanding it, like maths and yes it is a challenge, so if I can delegate to help him then that is what I will do.

Discuss with your children and what is going on in their minds. I have found doing this is through play like with playdoe or colouring in or as soon as he comes home we will sit and talk just for a few minutes so I can see that he is okay and is happy.

Setting a good example of good relationship can have a huge impact. I would never allow him to watch anything like Jerry Springer or the Jeremy Kyle show because he can copy and didn’t want him thinking that is how you communicate, and so it is good that you have good relationship around you and if there is a disagreement isn’t in front of him.

If they have questions answer them honestly but in language they can understand and not saying anything negative about the other person. When it comes to co-parenting it is important our son (my son’s dad and I) are on the same page, and take upon ourselves to help educate our son aswell as school and help build his mind and body, like making sure that Henry becomes independent and not reliant on his dad and I. The other thing about relationships is to tell them and show them that you love them, and that he learns about personal space. The other day I get a call from my sons school to say that he had been hit by another child in class because he got too close and it’s not doing anything inappropriately he just very affectionate which a lot of children can be fearful of so we teaching him to say hello and either high 5 or shake hands. Or just say Hello and answer a person as he will go off in his own world.

It is all about learning and teaching kids be ready for the big wide world.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Typical London Gal.

Getting that time with our kids

We are all busy creatures and have so much to do like I need to order another school jumper for my son and got errands to run and my son’s dad has booked holiday and had time for myself which I am thankful for. I feel the Separation anxiety a lot and miss him dearly so glad next week will be back to normal.

Wandle River in Wimbledon where me and my son walk a lot and took this last weekend.

This weekend we are going to see if we can go on the Thameslink train as we watched some at Hayden Station, and so hopefully we can go up London and do what we planned to go up London. Not sure if we can because many of the trains are scheduled to go on strike, and so if the still funny on Saturday then we may not be able to, and writing the words I feel the guilt.

I want to make it happen as I love going on train journeys and getting that time with my son is so important because I want him to have a bag full of memories and have a good childhood as I did too. My mum and dad would always take us out, and I would cry when I was a kid, over the fact that the day had ended.

It can be tricky especially if you have more than one child because of dividing your time, but it still possible, by making sure that you let the kids write down what they want to do, and then it financial.

Yes I feel it, prices going up, so it means saving which not many households can do, and looking what you can do for free. If you are on Universal Credit you can get a discount on travel and this covers bus rides and the tram, so in fact in writing this may take Henry on a bus rather than a train this weekend, and make sure he has lunch before we go, so not having to buy my food out.

You can also get discount on trains to by ordering a travel card. Me and my husband did this and even when my son came into our world, and if you book in advance you can get a discount. but lets see how long these strikes go on for.

Nevertheless , it doesn’t mean you have to travel. Half term will be coming up and just a walk in the park, and soon it will be time for picnics again and BBQ’s. Of course if you are overseas then you may be able to do this all year round, and you can still go out but wrap up and still have fun. Greggs are good for low budget food and their sausage rolls are great and their coffee is good. I know many make disagree, but is just a suggestion.

Time with kids important to kids not money and so do a reading a hour where each child get choose a book for you to read or they all read themselves and do like a weekly book club. My mum came up with this kind of activity, and why not have each share what they read and Works do a real good deals when it comes to children’s books and have them choose a new one, and have your children write their own stories. I love writing stories when I was a kid and not plugging, but letting you know, that I write books and available from amazon.co.uk Here’s an example: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Having-Baby-Parenting-without-Stress-ebook

I have more, under the names Carrie Holmes, Carrie Lee Holmes and Carrie Challoner. I was testing my name because of people remembering them. I have written two novels, A lonely walk to happiness, and my new one Mum&Me. Which aren’t for children but for parents to read and I love having that time to read.

Then you can play sports outdoors and camping I miss so much and would love to do this again. I love creating great adventures because of the wonderful memories I have when me, my brother my mum and dad would take us camping, and we would go with other families and so much fun.

Please remember to like this blog, because it lets me see what content you like and help this blog to build and to follow me so you can be updated when I post my blogs and don’t miss one.

Many thank for reading,

Carrie X

Typical London Gal