Rewarding Your Children

So I have started to give my son pocket money. He has to do some reading each day, keep himself dry at night and help with errands, example he enjoys helping his Grandpa with the bins as he works in a school, and is saving up because he wants to buy a Chelsea T-Shirt.

Photo by Monstera Production on Pexels.com

Do you do the same? You can leave a comment below

That is how I learned about money and would save it for something I really wanted, but it doesn’t have to be money. You can do a different reward, like getting marbles and everytime they do something good, they get a marble in their jar, a method they use at my sons current school. Then can give an extra award once they have gotten a certain amount of marbles in their jar.

Or you can do it with lolly sticks, where you write on om them of chores and as they do this they can have a reward, like going out to eat at their favourite place or watch a film.

An Idea that I got from Jordan Page: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwiWP41wLx0&list=PL23Z9xu_4WdggzSVNFafl6HWnuri7JVmZ&index=16

We humans are like animals that when we do something like a chore we do it again, when we reward ourselves, and the same with children.

It is good to have children be responsible as they grow so they can look after themselves and not be helped all the time. I want my son to know how to read and write, and do errands like setting them a budget when out shopping if they behave and help them with your shopping, and makes the shopping trip much more easier.

Have them have a morning routine by time. So when gets up around 6 to 6:30am, which is the time he wakes up, must make his bed, then have breakfast between 6:30 to 7am, and then must get dressed, the at 8:15am he is to put on his shoes and socks.

When he returns from school around 3:45am, he is to take off his uniform, and can play, until dinner time between 16:30 to 17:30, have a bath or wash and then do some reading once his dad has gone to bed, and then watch something, or play some more before he has to wind down before bedtime.

He then before bed which is usually between 19:30 to 20:30, but is rewarded if he doesn’t moan with a bedtime story and if he eats his dinner he can have a sweat treat, and in the day at the weekends, he can play football or rugby, or go to his favourite park where we like to walk, or go on scooter around another local park where I allow him to scooter on his own and where I can easily see him.

If you didn’t know my Life Coaching programme, Summer Project 2024 begins tomorrow and already filmed a video talking about it, if you’d like to know and starts from May to August 2024, and help you have a better life and a better year: https://youtu.be/-E2LmAU0xBg

Thank you for following me on this site, and I usually film vlogs on my Channel Typical London Gal and so a new vlog will be up this week, tomorrow Wednesday and so please subscribe if you’d like to keep up with those videos and have a new Educational Youtube channel too: CarrieEducationalYoutube-ws4xp

I will be uploading each week as I start this years programme.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Creating Memories with your kids

The Christmas rush is here, and we can all feel that we haven’t got anything ready, and worry that the gifts we bought our kids may not be well received, and panicking a little.

Remember to take the price tag off and remember they won’t see the price, and even an empty box can still be fun and paint it to make it into a hide out, or into a Fort, and so, kids want fun and love anything that makes them laugh, sings a song or play imaginary play.

Party games always do well, including the old fashioned ones, like Pass the Parcel, musical Statues or musical chairs. Have your kids make presents. I love handmade gifts. I am going to get back into making handmade Christmas tags, greeting cards and food too.

I love Christmases as a kid, and yes there will be children that may not receive a gift so its not about how many presents you buy for your kids, and why not print off photos and have them make a scrap book, of the Christmas cards they received and something they can look back on, and if you have a foodbank donate a gift, and have your children do the same of their old toys they no longer use.

You can create photobooks on google with your google images, and these can make some gifts, and something they can look and keep forever.

If you have just lost someone, and you may feel sad about them, and your children feel sad too and not going to be there for Christmas. Have your children light a candle and do a display in their memory and have a toast to them. The first Christmas without my nan, who lived until she was 80, or around that age, was hard and then my parents got divorced, was tough and change can be hard. So the greatest gift is a hug, kiss and reassureance that things will be okay, and important to mend feuds so your kids have see all the people they love at Christmas, and don’t keep them in the dark, and be honest to them.

Yet I am installed with lots of good memories and that is what counts. I was lucky and it was good to see my cousins and aunty and uncles, and seeing friends. Coming together for our kids is whats important, and the greatest gifft to them, is you.

So I wish you a wonderful Christmas. I may blog over Christmas, and will be uploading on my Youtube channels and social media sites, see links below:

https://www.youtube.com/@typicallondongal

https://www.youtube.com/@mywayofliving1602

https://www.youtube.com/@carrieseducationyoutubecha4891

Link for my Pinterest:

Social media:

https://www.instagram.com/typicallondongal/

Tweets by Carrie82434764

https://www.facebook.com/typicallondongal/

You will alerted if you follow me on this site, and not miss a blog, so remember to subscribe and then you won’t miss a blog. Many thanks to those who subscribe to me now, it really means the world, so lets celebrate and work together to share the love in the parent community.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

5 gifts to buy for Kids for Christmas

Yes it is now December and I have bought 4 gifts, and still got to get my son a few more. I don’t go over the top, and budget but still want to let Santa know of what my son wants and make note of what he will be getting, and as Henry has grown it has been many different things.

Photo by Suzy Hazelwood on Pexels.com

Musical instruments and musical audio equipment: My son has a CD that he has been wanting to play and he loves dancing to musical, like Blippi and Justin’s House, and so got him a portable CD player and also my brother some years back got me a record player and so given this to my son so going to buy a record to see if it will play and in my opinion always a winner, and great to pass down to other kids.

Bikes, cars and scooters: Great to help kids with their motor skills, and helps with mobility and having fun outdoors, and great for playdates in the park and if in good condition can be passed down, and great way to get exercise.

Experiences: I did a video about this, on my youtube channel my way of living. https://youtu.be/i–zbKpxuos I bought a couple of Christmases ago a London Bus tour to see the lights of Christmas via Groupon, and my niece was bought by her nan, Horrible Histories tours, and was unwell to do it, so I was given the tickets from my sister in law, and it was really good, and my niece still went to next day, which I was glad about, as it was worth it and so if your kids like boat tours, then I recommment them, and there are many you can do.

Join your kids to a club. As a kid I always had a hobby, and for me that was dancing and great way to help your kids form good skills and interact with other children, and a great gift. Henry goes swimming and goes to a holiday club, and following on, on Experiences, why not invest them into a kids, club. Many offer a trial and have a whole year of fun. and making more friends. So good to have a hobby, and I enjoyed it. My niece goes to drama classes, and my nieces have done hobbies, and one of my nieces works at a local stable, and horse riding is a really good to do. My son was having horse riding at school, and really helps build their skills, rather indoors looking at a tablet all day.

Games. These never run out of fashion and loved playing games during the Christmas period. We would play many card games, board games and last year we played Pictionary and always a winner. It reallly helps to wind down after having dinner and having good family fun.

So I hope this helps give you gift ideas, and will be blogging more and then will a break over Christmas but will be posting on my Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/typicallondongal/and my Vlog channel: https://www.youtube.com/@typicallondongal

If you like a good book to read, then check out my book Mum&Me and will really make you laugh: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mum-Me-Gucci-Tits-Virtue-ebook/dp/B0BGSS7H9K/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3UIL0SMWJHEUM&keywords=mum+%26+me+carrie+holmes&qid=1701688294&sprefix=mum%26me+carrie+holme%2Caps%2C1163&sr=8-1

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie Challoner

Kids get ready for Christmas

Yes it is coming up to the big C and deciding what to buy for our kids, oh sorry more Santa will be and means having a good dinner, and consulting Santa on what gifts our kids want.

Photo by Nicole Michalou on Pexels.com

So, first of all I think choosing what you kids can help with and set a date to have the Christmas decorations going up, and why not make everyone a hot drink whilst you decorate in your matching PJ;s, with some Christmas music playing.

Take them to go and see the lights in town, depending on where you live and many places in London will have Ice Rinks and I love a Christmas market where they have a Santas Grotto, like the Southbank in London.

Create a Christmas folder. I will be going to get mine out to update and I have decided on the theme for gifts and like traditional in many households, write a wish list.

Get out the games. Last year we played Pictionary type game, and growing up would play card games. Shut the box is a really fun game and great way to have everyone playing together rather then on mobiles or tablets and make it a tradition and each year buy a new game.

Have a table for the kids to eat together, depending on the room you have. Each child has a cracker they can pull and activities on the table to help with them not getting bored whilst waiting for the food and nominate one child and one adult to give out the gifts and take note of which child it was that did it that year, and then have another child do this on the following year or boxing day, to hand out the presents.

I have done a printable for Christmas tips and so check out here:

christmas-guide-for-parents-2023Download

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Organising a kids birthday party

It feels me with terrible fear, especially when ti comes to pleasing kids, and so if I can have help, it is always welcome.

Photo by Vlada Karpovich on Pexels.com

First of all,

Where to host it:

Who has a mansion? Not me, but do you need one? No. Just a space where they can play and a place they can eat.

Giving kids bubbles can be a very welcomed item and who does not like bubbles?

So check where you want to host it, to see if a bubble machine can be used or manual ones, that kids can blow to create bubbles of joy.

Check to see what decorations you can use and will they supply tables and chairs and food for the party. My niece had her party at one of the Ninja Warrior Adventure Parks in and the kids loved it. All had a good time.

My son’s last birthday party was a local gym where they can jump and climb, and one of my other nieces, who is now a teenager now, had a BBQ at home with friends and family.

Do they supply a cake or can you bring your own? Is there parking? and where are toilets and just case, fire exits.

Get your kids involved:

Ask what each child would like and plan ahead, as many places get booked up, and plan at the beginning of each year, to save money towards it.

Make sure they don’t go empty handed. If the child has siblings or friends even, to help out. If other parents offer, take them up on it too.

Have the kids make decorations for it, with drawings and setting the tables and the child who birthday is, decide who they want to invite.

Check the weather forecast:

The birthday child, have them write the invitations, and make sure you have suncream on hand and put it on all on before they get dressed and have fans too, and put out some suncream for other parents to use on their kids.

Supply water and ice. If it is an autumn or winter party then have blankets out and have the kids wrapped up, and make hot chocolates, or inside and have a movie night, or sleep over, if it is super cold outside.

Have the paddling pool out if it is good weather and put it in the invites that this will be out, so parents know to bring towels and swim wear.

Be aware of bouncy castles especially if it is super windy and have someone who knows how to put it up safely and it is secured to the ground, and you supervise your kids on them. Make sure kids don’t have sharp objects, their pockets are empty and they take their shoes off, and is enclosed because of the heat, and not too many children ln at once.

Have items out for parents

Like alcohol, teas and coffees, with soft drinks.

Games that the parents can get involved, like tug of war, a dancing contest, fancy dress and gifts for parents and family who have helped organize the party and helped out on the day.

I did a series last year on birthday parties and so check these out: Great experiences for kids/Gift and birthday idea series, Birthday and Christmas Series, Birthday Ideas for kids, What can you buy for kids at Christmas or even birthdays

If they have tea or coffee machine in the venue that can be used for parties. Leave out some change for your guests and a open bar where they can help themselves to drinks so you can spend time supervising and chatting with them and their parents.

Expect last minute guests and changes

Have extra items, as there are always those who reply last minute or are
late, and so if you are doing party bag, cake and food, have a bit extra for
those who turn up or turn up with no reply and feel bad because a child has
missed out.

Expect cancellations, and tell the child who birthday it is that they can’t come but, make separate arrangement with them, like doing a playdate later on in the year, and still have a party bag for them so they are still acknowledged and your child gets to spend time with them, for your child’s birthday.

Have a set date of when replies are got to be in and rather than using paper
RSVPs, set up a WhatsApp Group, event on Facebook, email or telephone number.

Do a maybe list of guests, to do extra gift bags, or food, but also if they have siblings coming or they ask if they can come, doing extra means you can cater to them too and be excluded.

Then at the end of the day if you get offered from parents and children to help clean up then accept, or you get offered to go to move on to somewhere else, then why not accept this invitation too.

If you have kids who birthday’s coming up then happy birthday, and have a lot of fun.

Thank you to those who have followed me, it really means a lot, honestly it means the world.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Spending time with my son and building his skills

It is so important like all parents want, the best for their child and have a good relationship and gaining trust, because children will have emotions and feelings which as a parent we need to respect, and so doing different activities can help with that.

Took Henry to the Cinemas for the first time during the holidays and a great way to spend time together

Playing games that is not a competition but that you can do together. My son loves spending time with me and my mum playing Lingo. This is game show on TV, but you can download the APP which is free and helps with their knowledge of different words and spelling, and often we, including my step dad will get involved.

Do the chores and dance around the house. I talk about this a lot because to help get my son ready for school I would often put on some music and dance before my son had to go to school and would often when cooking dinner would put some music on. I will sing to him but he tells me to be quiet when I try, and so don’t think mother (me) will be on X Factor or The Voice anytime soon, but some kids love it, and how me and Henry bonded was by sharing the love of dancing listening to some good music and as a kid myself it was a tradition at a kids birthday to play musical chairs or statues, and learned the times table via music. It is a cassette tape and using music to learn the times table.

Let them take the lead on some tasks. Now my son is getting independent, I will when shopping have him carry the trolley or put items into the trolley. Getting them involved is a great way to like shopping, as often as a kid I would play up, and Henry would often get upset when shopping, but now he is alright and be somewhat in charge so I allow him that freedom, and helps him be more responsible.

Get fit together. Last week me, my son was on his scooter and wanted to go by the river and then I began to run to keep up with him and really enjoyed it, so going to make it a weekly thing at the weekends, to take Henry on his scooter and I am going to put on my running clothes and run. Getting fit together helps with keeping it going and energize and enjoy the nature around you and just spending that time together helps me want to keep doing these type of things together, and is fun.

Use bath time to have a chat. When my son has had baths, I will sit on the toilet seat and sing or talk and because they are relaxed and so are you, it is good to catch up on their day and why not read to them too. Now he has a bath his dad who mainly does bath time will have him practice kicking his feet which was advised by his swimming teacher, and it can be such a lovely way to share the day and how they did at school. So would recommend.

Get ready for bed. Once my son has had his wash, bath or shower I also use this time to get ready for bed too. I will stay up a bit once he has gone to bed, but not all of the time, but make sure there isn’t too much light. It is good to have a good night sleep and wake up together in the morning, and have breakfast together and get ready for the day. I will leave my son to get dressed whilst I go upstairs to make the beds and do encourage my son to make his own bed and just sets the tone for the day ahead.

So today my son has gone back to school and will would like to reflect on them. I may do this as a video, but I will see.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie L.M X

My Parent Gift Guide is ready

Hello and welcome. It is now the end of November and yes we are a day away from December.

I wish I could pause the time and slow it down a bit. I have bought some more gifts and so I have been ordering from Amazon, who I always go too, for some great deals and items. It’s all about sets for me this year and you can get some really good deals.

So you can buy craft sets and games. I have done a gift guide video: @typicallondongal and will be more coming as we get closer.

To help you I have created My Parent Gift guide printable and so here it is:

christmas-guide-for-parents-2022Download

This has many ideas and I hope that you find them helpful.

For me it is budgeting and of gifts that have longevity and items that will definitely get used, and so find out as the child’s parents of what they are into and have a spending limit and give a child money or a gift card, and they can choose what they want.

So have a good Christmas time and there will be more blogs to come.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Typical London Gal

Great experiences for kids/Gift and birthday idea series

I hope you have been liking my series of blogs and in this series it about celebrating birthdays and Christmas gift ideas. In this blog I sharing some great experiences for kids.

Photo by Elina Fairytale on Pexels.com

Firstly though I would like to share my first Gift Guide video I have uploaded and published on my main Youtube channel. Check it out via this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXwBe4M__Gw

So experiences. They can be brilliant rather than a toy that may never be played with and one year I bought my nieces a experience at Chessington World of Adventures to feed the giraffes and they loved it and created them a letter from Santa to invite them and could choose a day they can go and do it. They ended up being there for nine hours.

Lets support the local theatres and see a show. The are the famous theatres in London but there are local ones, like where my son lives they often put on shows at the Epsom Playhouse and the Polka Theatres. They do a load of kids shows for all ages and the one near me in Wimbledon have a softplay area aswell and I am taking my son to a pantomime at the Wimbledon Theatre and another one at the end of the December in Woking. It is worth it and they don’t have to be for a lot of money. There are companies called Groupon and buyagift.com do special offers on seeing a theatre show and it s great afternoon or evening out.

If you unable to afford it then why not create an experience at home, like a Christmas afternoon tea with turkey sandwiches and cakes. I am taking my son on Saturday to see a football match at AFC Wimbledon and tickets not that expensive, £20 adults and £5 for kids under 18 years.

Why not have a football night and have hot dogs and burgers indoors and can be made into a playdate so they can watch it with their friends, and save you a lot of money and create an invitation to invite their friends around. Make these by hand, with plain and different coloured paper.

Create a camping experience and have them camping out in the garden, if they love camping and again have there friends over to join them and make a bonfire to melt marshmallows. Not necessarily in the winter but create a voucher for it and set a date and write a letter from Santa to tell all about it and what will be included. Like there will be friends coming and games they will play or telling spooky stories.

Arrange a sleepover for your kids and invite other family with their kids around and play party games like, pass the parcel or musical statues. Have them play a board game, which I feature in my gift guide I have linked above of classic games they can play and have a lucky dip.

It is all about making in special and personally for them to have a memorable time and have lots of fun without spending a fortune.

~Why not organize a day where they are in charge of the day and can choose different experiences that can be booked in the year ahead, like go Ice skating. As a kid my mum and her friend would take us to Queensway in London and often at Christmas time they have an ice rink near the museums in South Kensington in London and such good fun. Yes again you may need to save for it but is worth it. Go for a meal at their favourite place and give them a list to write to choose which experience they’d like to do and if they are good get to do what they have chosen and really great to create everlasting memories.

I hope you find these tips helpful and will be doing more blogs as we get nearer to Christmas and birthdays coming, and if you’d like to tell us what experiences you loved that others on this blog would like to read then please do so below.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Typical London Gal

Birthday and Christmas Series

Hello, hello and hello. Do I say it, that we are approaching the Festive Season of joy , yet because the prices of things going up it can put strain on it rather than enjoying it, so if you have any toys your kids don’t use anymore then why not donate them so other kids can enjoy them too, and work together so we all can still smile and enjoy Christmas.

I filmed my first gift guide yesterday and so this will go up by next week and going to do a series of blog posts and videos of how you can create your own gifts and experiences for Christmas.

Christmas is spending time with family and friends. Forgetting all the hate and things that annoy you and having a good dinner and a good day.

Go second hand, it can really benefit but do you maths. I do buy items and going to find decor in charity shops but still keep a list and have a budget.

You can create your own Advent Calendar and I am going to look around and see the different ones and Poundland often do some brilliant Christmas decor so I will taking a look and my favourite online store Amazon for decor and presents and make them fun.

Photo by Nicole Michalou on Pexels.com

Birthday Ideas for kids

Hello we are in September and for me is the time I have to plan for some birthdays coming up and so need to be very sensible about where my money is going. I am in no way blaming the birthdays effecting my spending on myself as I like planning what to buy for the birthdays coming up, its just I have to really get to grips of making sure I save for the birthdays coming up. On Sunday it is my nieces birthday and because she is older than her sisters and is a teenager now, I buy going on the age of each child, and get to grips with their current loves.

Photo by Ivan Samkov on Pexels.com

The price of a present should never be the factor, it is what the present means that is important. Get your kids involved and see what they’d like to give to that other child, and have them fill in the birthday cards, and if you have craft paper and tools, why not make a card, or gift.

Why not make paper flowers and The Works has materials for crafting and often used them to invest in crafting and so we will be making Christmas cards with Henry, and have him make some gifts, like photo book of images that you have saved, or give a DIY gift like craft tools as a present.

If they like books you can give a book token so they can choose the books from the store, or if they have a tablet why not buy them a Kindle Book as you can download the app and they use it take advantage. You can get books for free via Amazon Kindle.

Make a collage of you kids and write to a kids TV show where they show a child’s birthday, they say that everyone always have 5 minutes of fame, so why not if they love CBeebies for example you can send in birthday cards and will really put a smile on your kids faces, as that is the aim and will always have that to remember.

Get tickets to go and see a local football team. On my sons first birthday I saved and took him to a football match and even though it was raining we still had a good time. If you go to see a lower league team, often kids go free and pay on the day of the match. I know I may have mentioned this before in a previous blog, but is one of my favourite ideas, because it helps support the smaller clubs, or to a rugby match any sport is really good fun go to. This Sunday I am taking my son to watch a local rugby league game and he loved it last time.

Then there are local parks, and the gardens I have close to where I live, South park Gardens, and often there are kid birthdays, and as the days are still humid can still do and then there are places like Bocketts Farm and they host kids birthday’s as my youngest niece had her birthday there. Check out my Day in a life videos on Youtube as I have done a video showing me and my son at Bocketts Farm: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUDFIqjVKLy7NhtcR6Hy0Tg

It is my birthday in September and so if you do too you can still have a birthday party and make it a family occasion.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Typical London Gal