Planning Your kids future

It is time for me to look for secondary schools for my son Henry because his school wants us to choose now because of getting a place and what is going to be suitable for his needs.

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The school he goes now is a LAN school because he has ADHD, possible autism because the doctor when we last saw him said he could be, and has development delay. This his third school because the others said they couldn’t reach his needs initially when they said at first they could, and has been a battle, to be heard and for them to find somewhere suitable. He is a good kid, he will play up but he can is respectful and has a kind heart. Its his communication he still struggles with and not making conversation.

So is it certain that we have to prepare for his future, and meet his needs need to start now, and now he goes to a holiday club during school holidays and clubs at the weekend, and now goes to an afterschool club has really helped him with that.

The important things are money, dressing, being able to cook, follow hygienic habits and communication.

Then there is interests and hobbies and life skills. Henry has been interested in cooking, but he will quickly lose interest. His concentration has got better, he will sit down and read, but he loves his sport, and I am not going to stop that. I want him to be happy and continue to do the things he loves, but monitoring what he consumes, that will teach to be careful online too, for when he becomes an adult.

The more you teach them when they are younger the more they will continue, and learn about time keeping, how to keep places nice and tidy and practice too hygiene.

Practicing good eating habits and excellent table manners.

Taking turns when playing games and good listening and paying attention.

It is all about making sure they are somewhat prepared for when they venture out into the big wide world and building their life skills, to have good solid relationships and communicate correctly and are heard.

So I hope that you are finding the blogs helpful and thank you to those already subscribed and if you are not would encourage you to do so, and then you will be notified when I post a blog on this site, and check out my Pinterest and my social media platforms where I share my content and other blogs and content I publish each week.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Weekly Cheat Sheet: Creating Bonding Time With your kids

Yes is the start of another week and means it is time for the next Cheat Sheet. This weeks is about Creating Bonding Time with your kids and hope it gives you ideas and are completely free to download.

create-bonding-time-with-your-kidsDownload

I also post a cheat sheet on my site Everyone Can Build A Castle and you can share if you’d like and you can subscribe to this site you are always informed of new content on this blog site.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

New Cheat Sheet: Saving Yourself time

I have just posted on my other site Everyone Can Build a Castle and each week I post a free printable, a Cheat Sheet which you can download and save, and this weeks is about Saving Yourself time.

saving-yourself-time-Download

I hope you are enjoying these cheat sheets and more to come.

Each year I do a Life Coaching Programme on Everyone can build a castle and begins on the 1st May 2024 so please check it out.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

What mother hood is all about

Yes it was mothers day at the weekend, in the UK and was away until Monday, and came back and my son made me a lovely card, and bought me a book.

In the early years, being a mum it is how to change a nappy without them peeing or poohing on you, and your spouse/partner complains about the stench from your baby’s pooh, and organizing appointments, for vaccines and health checks. Thank the lord that men do get Paternity leave.

Getting up in the early hours, and now my son gets me up out of bed. He will turn off my alarm, put on my light and pull the covers off. They say as they get older, your children become the parent, and is very much true, and can begin, which noone tells you, when they are still a child.

He loves food and is always telling me in advance of what he would like for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and likes me to go to the toilet with him and do bed time story when my eyes are on the floor, due to the early morning wake up call, and tells me to get dressed.

Its about being calm, when your child’s father strips them down before you’ve filled up the bath, for bath time and your child is hysterical, in tears wondering what the hell is going on, and leaving them with your child for the first time, and both of us, wondering which way the nappy should go, and planning, on who is going to do the first feed in the morning, unless breastfeeding as I as a baby never drank from a bottle, and do the late night feed, in the early years.

I love that I get a lot of cuddles, meal times, going out and visiting places and we do a morning walk at the weekends or playing football and rugby, seeing children shows, and seen many at the Polka Theatre in Wimbledon, The Rose Theatre in Kingston and we have gone to the cinema, going on train experiences, because my son loves trains and just have great days out.

We as mums do a lot and thanks to my husband for his help, and my family as they helped a lot, and being a mum you need that, just to adjust and learn. Talking to other mums and going to different children clubs. My son does Swimming at the weekend and has now joined a rugby club and been awarded with medals. It makes all those sleepless nights and early wake up calls, worth it.

So I hope you had a good mother’s day, and next it will be Fathers day.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

New Weekly Cheat Sheet: Get away from it all

At the weekend my husband I went away for the weekend for a friends birthday party and it felt good to get away. I of course love my son, but it is important for them and you to have a break.

I hope this free cheat sheet helps you. It is can be tricky when away from your kids, because we don’t often do it so, when we do then we make the most of it.

getting-away-from-it-allDownload

Tomorrow it is back to normal. Seeing my son off to school, doing some shopping and working on my many projects.

There are more to come, and so if you’d like to be alerted then subscriber.

I also create videos on Youtube too and on Instagram, so check out these links below:

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

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

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

https://www.instagram.com/typicallondongal

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Getting kids to eat their food and enjoy it

As a kid myself I was super fussy and couldn’t have food touching each other on a plate and there were lots I didn’t eat. This changed as I got older but could be hard work as I liked plain food and wouldn’t eat a lot of chocolate which is good but would eat crisps.

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When I would go round to a friends houses I would feel anxious about having a meal and felt this inner dread in case it was something I didn’t like, but didn’t want to appear ungrateful. Thankfully my son likes many foods. He did go off vegetables and when it came to a sandwich like, Ham he would take it out and just eat the bread. Yet he has tasted curries, not the shop but the food, and Chinese, and wasn’t overly keen but gave it a try.

Cooking a meal together can help, and I showed a cookery book on Youtube and got a lot of views and so check it out: https://youtu.be/zMu_MGX5uBc

Now he will eat vegetables, but he is obsessed with chocolate and so had to limit his in take and really trying to not allow too much snacking, but still make nice meals and a variety.

Teaching kids to cook can be so beneficial and he likes to get involved and we do have weekly favourites, but no longer restricted and just put it on their plate even if they don’t touch it, as their taste buds can change, and along as they are drinking and eating something is important. I think it can stress us up when they are fussy and you feel mean when to persuade its good and they point blank push it away.

I had times I’d have to take 5 minutes to leave the room, when my son would cry and refuse. So would use meals like sausage and mash and blend it down and same with roast dinners and then he was fine, and making your own food can save you a lot of money.

Porridge with banana or Weetabix, or baby yogurts can be great for breakfasts and keep it simple as they begin to wean.

Take note of the meals they like and didn’t, along with allergies and if out and you are worried about then bring some food with you and if eating out check prior to going of the food they serve and if they do a kids menu.

Thank you for reading,

Carrie X

Keeping kids safe in the winter

Hello and happy new year! So it is really cold now, and my son hates wearing a jacket or coat. He detests anything that has a hood, so a bit tricky when going out, and never feels the cold.

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My son, since he was a baby has always had a good body temperature, but I know when it is super cold because he will, like last weekend, we went to play some football, wanted his jacket done up, and kids will let you know how they are feeling. He naturally been wearing a hat, usually mine, but has decided on his own to wear a hat, and you can’t force kids, So never fear, your child will see it for themselves of if they should wear their coat and jacket on. Not saying you shouldn’t care but stop feeling like a bad parent when they won’t put on a jacket when it is cold, and allow them to realise why they need to layer up, rather than nagging as from experience this will makes then resist even more.

The other thing is not to put the heating on too high, because they can overheat, and to help that is to invest in a room thermometer, which tell you what temperature of the room, and not near any radiators, or windows if possible because of the draft, and not to cover them too much when going to bed, or they take naps still, and when in their push chair.

Kids can get clammy, and sweat so if they are getting too hot then take a layer off, but if they are running around and not cold, once they stop play their body heat will drop, so then have them covered up and that they are non slip shoes on, when walking on icy pavements and paths.

Thank you for subscribing, and if you new that welcome. I hope my blogs help you and please give me feedback, as this helps my blog grow, and check out my Youtube channels and I share a lot on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Please see links below:

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

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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

The Strangest things kids do

Henry has a strange habit of putting a CD on the flour faced down, in the middle of the door leading to the kitchen and neither me or his dad can figure out why.

He has done this since he was able to walk and it is a CD with his name on it, and also wants to play it, so going to speak to Santa.

What stranges things do your kids do ? Please leave a comment below, about your kids?

My son also won’t wear a coat with a hood and often doesn’t like wearing a coat, and so got him a jacket where you can take the hood off.

I bought him a body warmer, and even that he is not sure of, but will wear jumper but won’t wear a fleece at all. He’s not sure about polo shirts, but has to wear one for his school, and has a pair of sandals for the summer, but takes us a lot of convincing for him to put them on, and loves walking making train noises, as he is mad about them. He wants to be a train, and fear this as he keeps saying he’d like to go on the train tracks, so little worried but of course will supervise him to make sure he doesn’t and will travel again up London by train, and if he wants to watch the trains for a little while, then we do.

As a baby he loved being winded, and this was from the very early days, and in hosptial as he was in there for a month, due to being premature, would when I was able to see him, as I development an Oral Virus, would wind him and he wouldn’t cry and enjoyed the sensation.

He wouldn’t sit in the bath at one point, but liked swimming , and only liked me to give him a bath, and once he built his confidence on his own, with supervision, started to out of the blue sit in the bath. He wouldn’t want to come out, and why often you have to repeat making him a bath, for example, for him to discover that it is okay.

Now as I write this blog he is dipping his cracker into his hot chocolate. I remember as a baby when he would wake up from a nap be really grumpy, and to calmed down when I put on the song, Only You by the Flying Pickets or if I read to him. I remember a little boy I knew as a baby, and was a kid myself still, loved the Eastenders song, and Henry would cry to You Spin right round, by Dead or Alive, and I think it was the video of it that freaked him out and not the actual song.

Not sure if he’d like it now, as not tried, so may experiment at some point.

He at first wouldn’t be excited about Christmas, and was not interested in opening up presents, but overtime this has changed, and loves it.

So I will be posting more as we get near to the festive season, and so have a good week ahead.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Cough and colds

I am not sure why but my son gets a cough and cold when we reach to the time of the year, Autumn and so gave him some Calpol as we checked his temperature and was a little high and put some Oabis oil on his pillow before he went to bed and put some on his feet too, and you can do the same with vapour Rub (putting it on the bottom of the foot) or the middle of their neck. Only Vapour rub not Oabis oil.

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The tricky thing is that because my son has a good body temperature and never feels the cold it is hard to know if he has a temperature, but if they looked flushed on the cheeks, is often a indicator that they may have a temperature that is higher than what it should be.

Often Boots do deals on their cough and cold medicines this time of the year, and I use if my son does have a high temperature Calpol like many parents or Calcough. However if not sure talk to the pharmacist or contact your GP, but in saying that it not always easy to get an appointment at his doctors, and when my son was ill last Spring, I gave them the details to the receptionist of the what was wrong with my son, and told us to go to A&E.

However, by insisting that I need to see the doctor, they gave me an evening appointment with another clinic and found he had Tonsillitis, and needed antibiotics and now it is all done online, so not sure how that will work, but dread contacting them because they at any opportunity push you away, and see why A&E departments are struggling, and so don’t allow them to put you off, and don’t take no for an answer.

It means putting the heating back on, but a lot of families because of utilities costs rising, it is making it tough to heat their homes, but with central heating you can put it on a timer, and set up for when your kids get home from school and in the mornings. We for free got our attic insulated by British Gas, my husband sorted that out, but it has helped with keeping the house warm, and not getting to hot in the summer, and once it reaches the limited temperature, the heating automatically cut off, and keep the thermometer in the room you use the most and will help you see if the heating needs to be turn on or off.

Invest in a blanket, and I bought one from TK Maxx and originally was for a sofa we had, but now it is in on my sons bed in Wimbledon and great for extra warmth and invest in a thick Duvet depending on age, as have a room thermometer as this will help make sure that your child’s room is not too cold or too hot.

If their appetite goes then try making soups and warm breakfasts like porridge with banana, Weetabix or toast, and for lunch or dinner, soups, that aren’t so heavy on their stomachs if they don’t feel like eating, but worried about them being hungry, and that they stay hydrated.

I do get a bit too concerned, so need to work on holding myself back and not making it out to be a big deal as this can make him worry too and say that he is unwell, so try to not go into panic mode and have a medicine in date, in the Winter time, should you child get a cough and cold, and if they are bringing up anything or being sick by coughing a lot, then seek medical help, as it may be a chest infection,which is easily treated.

Kids will have runny noses and working in nurseries, they all can have a runny nose and so use a tissue on each, making sure we wash our heads, and make sure I have tissues to hand and bulk buy.

A nice warm bath can help too and I still use Head to Toe wash from Boots and lasts for a long time and great for their skin and they do a moisturiser too, Boots and great if they suffer with eczema. Also helps clear their noses and their symptoms, along with clean bedding and I make sure that any towels used are washed and that if I have a cold I take medicines and precautions that I don’t pass it on.

So I hope you have had a good half term, and that this blog helps you and many thanks to those who follow me on this blog and if you have tips them please leave the tips in the comment section below.

If you like reading then I have written two The Parenting Adventure books on amazon, under the name, Carrie Challoner.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X