La Belle Vie Magazine
-
Upload
la-belle-vie-magazine -
Category
Documents
-
view
215 -
download
2
description
Transcript of La Belle Vie Magazine
Issue 1
Summer 2016
L A B E L L E V I EM A G A Z I N E
Contents
Summer 2016
P. 6 Be kind to you
P. 9 Summer make up tips
P. 10 Summer Hair
P. 12 Trending
P. 13 Get hired
All about you
Home lifeP16. Cooking with children
P18. Places to visit
P.20 Are your children eating
hidden sugars?
P.22 Weaning worries
P. 23 10 reasons why art and
messy play are important for
babies, children and toddlers
P.25 Dance
Children
On the coverP. 14 Laura Middleton
Working mother running a
successful business
Editors Letter
I can not even begin to explain how
excited I am that the first issue of La Belle
Vie Magazine is live!
For those of you that don't know me I'd
say I have a strong entrepreneurial flair.
My husband often says too strong! La
Belle Vie Magazine came to me one day
when I was struggling on what monthly
glossy to buy. Glamour was no longer
relevant to me because I live in Primark
leggings and causal tops. Country Living
was certainly no longer relevant to me, a
Little Tikes slide and Crazy Coupe police
car appear in my once perfect Laura
Ashley lounge at 5:45am every morning! I
wanted to create something that every
mother could find inspiring, useful and
something to relate to.
Over the past few weeks I've had the
pleasure of working with some amazing,
inspirational and talented women; without
them this magazine wouldn't have been
possible!
I really feel that this issue is the
motivation issue. Hannah Bell from
Hannah Bell Clarity covers her
experiences from the early years of being
a mother and how you should be kind to
yourself and Laura Middleton, our lovely
cover girl, shares her story of running her
successful business whilst being a mum
to three young children.
Becoming a mother has been an insane
learning curve for me. Like most mums
there are countless things that I struggle
with. My sons needs are always put first,
as they should be, but it doesn't leave a
lot of time for mummy. I've learnt a really
important lesson lately. I'm a mother, I am
important too. Without me, my family unit
wouldn't function properly. Without me,
my family wouldn't be a family.
The message I'm trying to give here is
make sure you look after you. I'm not
talking about sitting on a rock overlooking
a lake, taking a selfie and uploading to
Instagram with #selfcare, (although lovely
to do if you can find the time) I'm talking
about the day to day looking after
yourself. With working, children, cooking,
washing and cleaning it's an endless list
of things needing your attention. Where
you do fit in that list?
We all know what a hard job being a mum
is, just please don't forget how
important you are!
Love Lucille x
La Belle Vie Magazine Contributors
Summer 2016
Editor Lucille Bowling
In order of appearance
Photography Mark Eglington
www.markeglingtonphotography.com
Make up Katy
www.facebook.com/makeupbykatyb
Hannah Bell Hannah Bell Clarity
Facebook Hannah Bell Clarity
07951 075110
Simi Sanghera Bellissimi Beauty
www.bellissimibeauty.co.uk
www.facebook.com/bellissimibeauty
Solitaire Weber Hairkandy by Solitaire
www.hairkandybysolitaire.vpweb.co.uk
www.facebook.com/hairkandybysolitaire
Sue Turnbull
Laura Middleton The Office Rocks
Kelly Rose
twitter @passionAteRNutr, instagram PASSION8NUTRITION
Facebook passion8nutrition www.passionatenutrition.co.uk
Claire Graham
www.clairegrahamblog.wordpress.com
Katy Shipman Calmer Parenting
www.facebook.com/calmerparentingnewcastle
Fiona Simpson ARTventurers
www.artventurers.co.uk
www.facebook.com/ARTventurershq
Lyndsey Adams Embrace Arts Academy
www.embraceartsacademy.co.uk
www.facebook.com/ambraceartsacademy
I find it difficult to comprehend that only 15 years ago scientists
actually believed that our brains were hard wired and we were
unable to change from our late teens onwards. I know now this is
definitely not the case and my passion is to share my knowledge
and know how to benefit others.
Following a fantastic 8 year career I decided it was time for a
fresh start and joined the police service.
Women were in the minority and the organisation was not quite
ready for female officers who wanted to have children and a
career.
Thankfully there were a small number of likeminded ladies who
had returned to work and although a daily challenge, unbeknown
to them they were carving the way for future generations of
ambitious, hardworking women for years to come. Absolute
trailblazers!
It is so refreshing now to see provisions and support for working
parents and from what I can see they are getting it right.
Throughout my twenty years police career I have continued to
study, I developed a thirst for knowledge, in particular how to take
control of the most powerful tool on the planet, our brains.
I am not a science buff by any means, it was simply my
fascination and thirst to make a difference that made me want to
get involved in improving the lives of colleagues and truly
understand how I could keep my brain fit and well.
This is where my current quest begins, I now provide children,
young people and couples with the tools, techniques and
experience to live their lives free from unhelpful behaviors and
limiting beliefs. It is an honor to be part of such remarkable
change and I truly love what I do .
On a personal note, my life has been full of twists and turns, I'm
quite sure I'm no different to any other working mum, but as I
reflect, the most powerful changes have arisen at those moments
in my life where I have been well and truly thrown lemons, often
big fat painful ones!
I have so much to share with you, but I want to start at the
beginning of my time as a Mum where I took the leap of faith into
the defining moment of motherhood.
It is some years ago now but I feel sure that the issues around
being a new mum are still as real as they were for me.
I was delighted to be asked to write for La
Belle Vie Magazine and very excited to
get started.
I feel honored and privileged, yet sad that
the endless publications available when I
became a mum were packed only with
pictures of flawless mummies with toned
tummies and perfect make up nursing
gorgeous cradle cap free babies. What an
image to live up to! As we all know this
generally isn't the reality of motherhood.
As a personal change expert and
wellbeing author I intend to bring you
helpful tools, techniques, inspiration and
above all a humorous insight into my
world as a busy working mum.
My only hope is that perhaps someone
will read my anecdotes and will trust that
everything is actually ok.
My early career brought me to the north
east of England to work with young
people in a residential setting.
I particularly loved delivering drama
workshops and have great memories of
the school annual productions.
I often think about those days and how
wonderful it would have been if I had
discovered then how we could really take
control of our brains to reach out
potential.
Be kind to you!By Hannah Bell
My daughter Alfreya is now 16 and the
phases of our relationship are always
changing, often turbulent but always
loving. When I think of the advice I would
give my younger self now!
My most vivid memory was our first night
together in hospital following a long and
traumatic labour, this not so tiny 8lb 1oz
beautiful precious bundle snuggling in
tight. I fell immediately head over heels in
love with her. I couldn’t sleep, I was so
exhausted but I couldn’t stop looking at
her perfect face and rose bud lips.
I felt overwhelmed with relief, she was
actually out and thriving, however the
enormity of the new responsibility hit me.
I can recall worrying who will be home
when she gets off the school bus if I'm on
a late shift.
My hormones and imagination were
running wild and I realised our lives would
never be the same again. Would I know
what she needed? How could I protect
her? and how was I going to coordinate
childcare and work with being the best
Mum I could possibly be? So many
questions and no easy answers!
My parents and family were a 90 minute
drive away and my husband's parents
lived an hour away and were elderly so I
knew we would need childcare.
A week prior to Alfreya coming into the
world my carefully selected childminder
had decided she needed to return to work
full time, so my head, as you can
imagine, was spinning.
There were three stereo typical type of mum back then, I think they
are possibly still around, none appealed to me and I worried that
society would make one fit in time. My choices according to the
media were; the neglectful career obsessive type, the lazy benefit
scrounger type or the rich idle yummy mummy type who were living
off their over paid husbands! This scared me was it so wrong to
want a career and a child? Other people seemed to achieve it, so
why was it perceived by society to be so unachievable and
impossible?
Looking back I gave permission for anxiety and worry around the
perceived enormity of my task to creep in like an uninvited guest at a
party and steal away precious moments of my early weeks as a
mum, time I would never get back.
I was unaware of this and found myself in a cycle of worry,
frustration and guilt for wanting to bring my daughter up in a world
where both a career and solid family life were not only accepted but
encouraged.
My husband seemed to have a special way with Alfreya and he
made it all look so effortless. He did so much, yet I felt I was
responsible for everything.
Breastfeeding kept me going, this was physical proof that I was
doing something right, she was thriving and her weight increased
weekly at the breast club weigh ins.
I felt awkward with other mums, they were so competitive and would
burst to tell you all about their little bundle of joys latest
achievements and developments.
I know now that I made myself feel inadequate, but at the time I felt
like I was in a race to reach baby milestones.
They all seemed so radiant and together, they would bring their
mums, aunts or sisters along and I felt isolated.
I was desperate to push Alfreya in her lovely shiny pram to
someone’s house and just say “put the kettle on”.
We lived in the middle of nowhere and pushing a pram down the
country road would be a
dice with death for the pair
of us, plus I didn’t have
anywhere to actually push
her. Friends were miles
away and family even
further.
I loved being a Mum but
looking back I feel cheated
that I gave up such perfect
precious moments to
unbearably fraught worries
that I was just not good
enough.
My mum was a stay at home mum until I
left secondary school so I felt like I
couldn’t confide in her about the work and
family balance I was desperately trying to
achieve. I just didn't think she would
understand. I firmly believed because my
situation had been my choice I couldn't be
seen to moan or feel overwhelmed by it
could I? I know now this was not the
case, however exhaustion can leave you
paranoid and irrational at times.
My maternity leave flew over and in a
flash and suddenly I found myself
attempting to express breast milk and
wearing Spanx so I could fit into my pre
pregnancy uniform trousers in the ladies
toilet at a police station! My husband was
also a serving Police Officer and he
remained on the shift where we were both
working prior to having Alfreya, which I
adored and desperately missed. I
reluctantly accepted a role, which would
mean working 9am5pm. We were
catapulted into a whirlwind of shared
childcare and constant juggling, it was
military precision planning and a late
arrest meant we were thrown into turmoil.
I worked hard at work, continually trying
to prove that I was still capable of being a
valuable Police Officer and when I
returned home I went into the zone of
making up for the time I had lost that
day. It was exhausting and I quickly
created a little Miss who associated me
with exuberant playtime, which often
lacked routine as I squeezed every
second out of the day with her, as I felt so
guilty I had left her for 8 hours.
I fell into bed most night, relieved that
another day had been completed and we
had escaped without a major incident .
Weaning, teething, sitting up first, words,
crawling, walking and a hazy lack of sleep
brought tears, fresh challenges and joy.
Pulled in many directions, but with a
sense of pride time moved on and I saw
Alfreya blossom into a delightful little
person with a contagious personality.
This wasn’t a stage or period of time; it
was actually up until quite recently when I
retired from the force, the last minute
note from school for the class play, frantically racing to sports
day and hunting out a costume for World Book Day with 10
minutes notice.
What would I tell my younger self? That’s easy, trust, you are
doing ok, be in the moment and I mean truly be there, leave
your phone, emails and absorb every precious second as
before you know it you will find yourself in a boutique prom
gown shopping and the little girl who idolized you will be rolling
her eyes at every dress you suggest. Over time I think the
roles of parenting have become somewhat merged.
Who is actually teaching who? Alfreya taught me how to be a
better mediator, diplomacy, how to embrace the unexpected,
setting boundaries, structure, adaptability, leadership,
forgiveness and above all patience. Being a Mum is love in
action, my heart grew exponentially. I truly learned about
learning from Alfreya.
Be kind to you, you are not alone and as you look around your
office, team or chaotic kitchen table if you work from home,
understand that every other mummy is or has felt like you at
some point. Use the time away from your career to reflect, is
your current role right for you.
I know of so many talented women who discover how
entrepreneurial they are when they are no longer immersed in
their organisational culture and politics.
Be kind to each other, its not a competition, but most of all be
kind to you and give yourself a break. You are wonderful and
you are creating an amazing being who will grow up with the
experience of how to enjoy a family and career and be
awesome at both.
I look at my daughter now, she is not a mini me, but a much
improved version of the original one. She is on the cusp of
woman hood and I am on the brink of a new phase.
Always walk through life as if you still have something new to
learn, because being a Mum is a lifelong process and we are
human beings, we’re not always going to perfect. Whatever has
thrown you off course will always bring you back to where you
need to be.
Summer make up
Bellissimi Beauty is a professional make
up artistry studio, with locations in the
heart of Yarm High Street and the newly
renovated Baker Street in Middlesbrough.
Bellissimi Beauty offers you more than
just a service. From the moment you
enter our studio you will be put to ease
straightaway by our personable and
friendly disposition. Your appointment will
be tailored to your needs and wants, and
we will go through each process step by
step with you. Appointments can last
between 3060 minutes depending on
what you require, and lessons start from
90 minutes. We also have our own range
of products which are available to
purchase instore or online.
With Summer right around the corner, our skincare regime and
make up should change slightly, so here are Bellissimi Beauty’s
top 5 tips:
1. Keep your skin hydrated! It doesn’t matter if you’re oily or dry,
keeping your skin nourished and moisturised is key. Not only for
your skin but also you will see and feel your makeup applying
better once your skin is in properly prepped.
2. Use a setting spray! It doesn’t have to be expensive but if you
feel your makeup gets greasy and slides off then a couple of
sprays will make a world of difference. We recommend Nyx or
Urban Decay.
3. Of course, use SPF. This goes without saying!
4. Waterproof eyeliner and mascara this is staple in our makeup
kits for the hotter days. Not only are they sweatproof they are
waterproof too!
5. We have recently been introduced to Daniel Sandler makeup
and we LOVE it. Their watercolour blush is a must have for
summer. Not only are their shades the perfect colours but once
applied they don’t budge! We find them much more user friendly
than cream bushes too which can become a bit greasy and cakey.
Check out these and many more of their amazing products at
www.danielsandler.com
We all get stuck in a rut with our makeup routine, if you fancy a
change then please do not hesitate to contact us. Bellissimi
Beauty pioneered the ‘BOMB’ revolution in Teesside Bring Own
Makeup Bag. This allows clients to bring their own products
without fear of being judged or feeling pressured into buying more
makeup as we are not tied to any makeup brand, so our opinion is
totally objective on what YOU need and want. We all have
products in our drawers from impulse buys to unwanted gifts so
why not bring them along and we can work our magic with them!
www.bellissimibeauty.co.ukwww.facebook.com/bellissimibeauty
Bellissimi Beauty89A Yarm High Street (above
Crofter’s)Yarm , TS15 9BG
Bellissimi Beauty226 Baker Street (the bright green &
pink building!)Middlesbrough, TS1 2LH
By Simi Sanghera
5 heat less stylesfor this summer
As a busy single working mum of 3, I find
getting everyone ready in the mornings a
military operation. Gone are the days you
can spend hours doing your own hair and
makeup. I'm lucky if I get 15 minutes in
the bathroom and that includes putting
my clothes on... So here are my top 5
simple hairstyles for busy mums on the
go.
Half up / half down with rope braid
Once you have twisted both sections, holding one section in
each hand, cross the pieces over one another in a clockwise
motion. The twisted strands should switch both hands. You
should be crossing them in the opposite direction from the way
you twisted your hair. If you twist and cross in the same
direction, your braid will unravel. Once you reach the mid section
or end of your hair tie off ponytail. Make sure your braid is tight
before you do this!
The stylish messy bun
!
First comb your hair. The take a top
section of hair and tie it off with a bobble
or small elastic to create a mid pony tail.
Put some detangling spray or gloss onto
your mid section pony tail. Only on the
lengths and ends. This will help to smooth
away any fly away strands of hair and
keep the braid looking tighter.
Clip away bottom section of your hair, just
for now. Flip your head down, and your
mid pony should be dangling down. Split
ponytail into 2 equal sections. Taking
one strand in each hand, twist each
section around your fingers in a counter
clockwise direction. Make sure you keep
your fingers tight on the twists. If you let
them go, they will unravel and you will
have to start over.
By far one of the most easiest styles to do, when you're in a
rush. Put your hair into a ponytail on the top of your head,
then you have 2 options....
1.using a doughnut – once you have tied your hair with a
bobble or elastic, place doughnut through ponytail, and
spread hair around doughnut. Then place another bobble
around the doughnut. This is to secure the doughnut in place.
Then clip any remaining hair around the doughnut, with bobby
pins.
2.Without a doughnut Once you have tied your hair, take a
section of the ponytail and wrap it round your fingers, and clip
into place with bobby pins. Continue until all hair is done, and
should form a bun shape around . Once either of these
options have been done, pull out some hair from the front,
sides and back..... after all its a messy bun, its not meant to
look perfect
By Solitaire Weber
The cheat fishtail braid into a low sideponytail
Take a small section of hair, not from the front, but from the side so
that it starts above your ears. Divide the section of hair into 3
sections. Use your fingers to hold the sections separately from each
other. Cross the right section over the middle section. Keep the
sections tight, so the finished braid won't come loose. Now the right
section has become the middle section.
Cross the left section over the middle section. Cross the left section
over the middle section again. Now you've completed the first
segment of the braid. Keep holding the sections taut and apart from
one another.
Continue crossing the right and left sections over the middle. Keep
weaving the left section over the middle, then the right section over
the middle, always holding all of the sections tight and separate.
Keep braiding all the sections until you run out of hair. Secure with
an elastic or bobble.
Repeat these steps on the other side, and then tie both braids
together to finish the look.
Article written by Solitaire Weber
Hairkandy by Solitaire
Hairkandybysolitaire.vpweb.co.uk
www.facebook.com/hairkandybysolitaire
hairkandybysolitaire_ Instagram
Trying to explain how to do a fishtail braid
is like trying to read a knitting pattern, and
I don't knit! So here is my cheat way of
doing a fishtail braid.
First make a parting in your hair, this
could be in the middle of just off centre.
Take your first section and tie it off, but
leave a gap of about an inch and a half
from the top.
Then push the lengths and ends through
the gap, to create a V shape. Take the
section underneath, and do the same
again. Take a section, tie it off, leaving a
gap, and thread your hair through again,
continue doing this until all the hair is
done, then tie the end off with a bobble.
Take the remaining hair from the other
side and tie this up, with a bobble,
including your fishtail braid. Take a piece
of hair from your ponytail and wrap it
around your bobble, to hide it.
Low ponytail with a twist
Very simple style to create. Simply tie your hair into a low
ponytail, leave a gap of around an inch and a half (like style
3) and push lengths and ends through the gap. This give the
back a lovely V shape. Don't forget to leave some pieces
down from the front to finish this style.
2 Basic braids tied together
TrendingOur favourite things this summer!
I'm a recent convert to organic food
products so imagine my excitement to
find organic cosmetics! Find out more at
www.facebook.com/smudgebyjilly
Summer picnics
It's all about eating alfresco with a picnic
blanket and watching our children enjoy
the sunshine and outdoors.
Summer wardrobes
From H&M to Rachel Riley, dressing my
son has never been so much fun!
LuLu & Charles Jewellery
I love these bespoke, handmade pieces!
Messy play in the park
It's the thing to do this summer. From
Little Leaners to ClartAbout, everyones
getting messy in the park!
Harry loves playing and mummy loves the
cakes! Find out more at
www.facebook.com/dragonfliesdurham
Get hired
By Sue Turnbull
One of the biggest issues facing people returning to
the job market is a perceived lack of skills, this
particularly affects many Mums who have taken a
break to have their children, or study and the longer
they are out of work the more this effect affects
their confidence.
It can be extremely frustrating spending hours
applying for jobs often getting few responses, or
those automated replies saying that unfortunately
on this occasion you have been unsuccessful.
The first question we should be asking ourselves is
Why?
Applying for jobs is really a sales activity and it can
be particularly difficult to highlight the skills that
make you the best candidate as we are naturally
very modest. We need to consider the employer’s
perspective before going any further, what do they
need? What will help their business?
Think about what you have done; you have had to
adapt to a life changing situation, you have had to
manage a changing budget, learn new skills,
prioritise tasks, manage your time and solve a whole
host of problems. Don’t forget the skills you used in
your last job, which you will never forget.
These are what we refer to as transferable skills and
are necessary in every job and sector.
Think about groups or activities you are involved in,
these can be used to demonstrate currency of your
skills on a larger scale as well as show that you have
not forgotten interpersonal and communication skills.
Finally, don’t forget to ensure you read the job
description and tailor your application to suit the job.
Sometimes a minor edit reordering the skills on your
application in the order that they appear on the job
description can make a difference as on many
occasions the first filter is done by computer
software.
However, don’t make it up it is illegal to do so. And
you need to answer questions at the interview stage
to explain how you have demonstrated those skills.
Good luck!
She also runs The Office Rocks, an
affiliate marketing agency based in
Sunderland. Since the launch in 2015,
The Office Rocks was announced as a
finalist for the 'Best New Entrant or
Relaunch' at the Marketing Awards
2016. Laura herself was a finalist for
the Business Person of the Year Award
at the Northern Business Star Awards.
Despite not winning the awards, she
was still ecstatic to be nominated "We
were 10 months old when we entered
the [Best New Entrant or Relaunch]
award and we were up against the
likes of Tesco mobile and Royal Mail, it
was amazing to feel recognised."
The Office Rocks started from an
office in Laura's front room, before
outgrowing the space with 4 staff
members and moving into business
premises in Sunderland. There are
now 7 members of The Office Rocks in
total. Plans are also being made for the
new year with hopes to develop a
social media marketing team.
So how does she manage everything?
"We have a childminder for our
youngest child. Other than after school
clubs I wouldn't say we have a routine.
Everyone knows what to do, I don't like
to be governed by routine. We live near
the beach so we'll go out and have fish
and chips then bed. Once the children
are in bed I'll start working." Having a
childminder looking after her youngest
child allows Laura to be in the office
during the day while her other children
are at school.
As most working mothers know, it's a struggle to find a healthy
work life balance.
Laura Middleton, founder and director at The Office Rocks has
not only created a healthy work life balance for herself, but also
her members of staff. Their working hours are 9:302:30pm.
"We've got a healthy work life balance. There's no afternoon
lull, standing around the kettle waiting for a boost; once the
working day is done we get on with life, going shopping or
preparing for the school run." I truly believe that its the fact that
Laura is a such a busy mum which results in this approach.
She would hate anyone to miss sports day and acknowledges
how the working hours benefit her staff. She is aware that
some mums wouldn't be able to work in the marketing sector
as they would have to manage their careers around their
family. Her staff are able to do the job they love, then head out
to the school run. For those of you that don't know Laura, she's
an incredibly busy mum of three children aged 8, 6 and 2.
"YOU CAN HAVE IT ALL"
Despite her successful business, she
believes that success is being happy with
every aspect of life. "Before my children, I
was unhappy with my personal
achievements. I'm really happy with my
family and working life. Overall I feel
happy, secure and settled."
Are you interested in starting your own
business? Laura has some advice for
you: "Don't be scared, I was put off for a
while because I didn't believe in myself.
No matter how much you doubt yourself,
you can have it all! Its about being
confident and accepting your strengths
and accepting help with your
weaknesses. Don't let others put you off,
put you down or belittle your
achievements."
I can't help but feel inspired by Laura, not
just her passion for what she does but her
determination to be a strong, positive role
model for her three children. Like you or I,
she is a mother doing her upmost to
provide for her children.
She's very strict on working time and acknowledges
the help and support of her husband and children,
explaining that her children understand if she has to
work. Her husband is very supportive, finishing work
early if she has a meeting and always asking if
there's anything she needs him to do. "I want to be a
role model for my children. My husband is very
successful, but I want my children to look at me and
see me doing well. My 8yearold often asks me
when she can come to work with me."
Putting her success down to sticking to her business
plan, she has monthly targets that she set in her
business plan and regularly increasing them. Passion
is something she believes is important to have in
business. "You need to be passionate about what
you do. When you have late nights, with the plates
crashing on the ground you need to be passionate."
Acknowledging her weakness with her organisational
skills she laughs as she recalls almost missing an
awards night because she thought it was a different
date! Describing herself as someone going a million
miles an hour, she sometimes misses the little things
due to being a big planner.
Laura and her team at The Office Rocks
Cooking with your childrenBy Kelly Rose
As far as we possibly can we want to set
up our kids for a life free from illness and
disease and to be healthy and happy. We
also do not want our kids to feel that they
are missing out. This is a balance I have
always found quite difficult, if you have
children I am sure you know what I mean
when I say ‘doting’ grandparents… Then
there is the doom of peer pressure, kids
parties and primary school sweeties. I
have tried to be calm in these situations
(not always successfully to be honest)
and focus more on what happens at
home and what I myself demonstrate.
In teaching adolescents, I focus on the
message and concept that food is
medicine, if your children can understand
that their food is fuel and affects how they
feel and think, then later on this will help
them make their own healthy choices and
understand illness and its correlation to
their own diet.
Fill your engine with the best fuelThe car analogy seems to help children
when first explaining about food as fuel
fill the car with anti nutrients (junk food),
then you may have an initial high of
energy, followed by a quick slowing
down; alternatively fill with healthy foods
and there may be a slightly slower start
however there will be a continuous flow of
energy.
Quick snack ideas:boiled eggs
mixed seeds
carrot and cucumber sticks
hummus
rice cakes
all fruit and veggies
blend cashew nuts and dates to make
your own naked bars
‘We do not want our kids to feel they are missingout’
Here are some treat recipes that will support an overall
healthy diet for your children. These can all be wrapped
and kept in an airtight container to be used throughout
the week. We tend to bake the almond cake for a
weekend treat with yoghurt cream or coconut icecream.
Always play with the recipes and add different options to
meet yours and your child’s preferences.
Kids clean cookiesIngredients
80g buckwheat flour/nut flour
20g ground almonds
2 tbsp butter/hardened coconut oil
2 tbsp coconut sugar/xylitol/yacon
rice/nut/coconut milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
Rub the butter in the flour with your fingers until all the
lumps of butter have gone. Add your preferred
sweetener, mix in and then gradually add the milk until
you have a cookie dough (blu tac consistency). Roll
out/flattten with your hands and cut into desired shapes
place onto a baking sheet and bake for 810 minutes
(preheated oven at 180 degrees celsius).
*for nut free option use 100g buckwheat or replace
almonds with coconut flour
* to make chocolate cookies replace 10g of the
buckwheat flour with cacoa/cocoa powder
Enjoy preparing and cooking with your children, and
always encourage your children to try new things.
Taste buds develop, they do not stay the same, let
your children know this it takes 710 times of trying
food to like or at the very least be able to accept it.
Never force, but encourage trying. Food can become
a control issue, so always aim to be calm and
nonchalant.
I hope you have gained value from this article and it
helps! Please visit my site for more posts, and sign up
for a free e sheet of recipes or complete the free
nutrient deficiency test to see if you are lacking in any
essential nutrient.
You can also find me on twitter @passionAteRNutr,
instagram PASSION8NUTRITION and Facebook
passion8nutrition
www.passionatenutrition.co.uk
References
‘British school children lacking in micronutrients
essential for maintaining optimal health and
preventing illness and disease’ (E. Weichselbaum and
J. L. Buttriss pages 9–73, March 2014).
Almond cake recipe
contains nuts
serves 8
Ingredients
200g ground almonds
85g butter plus extra for greasing the
baking tin
4 eggs
1 tsp baking powder
70g coconut sugar/honey or 40g xylitol
1 tsp of vanilla extract/vanilla pod seeds
optional: lemon/orange zest, tsp of
cinnamon
Cacoa and date yoghurt
2 tbsp of greek yoghurt/ creamed coconut
1/2 tsp cacoa/cocoa powder
1 medjool date chopped finely
* whisk eggs, baking powder, vanilla
extract, butter and sugar (melted
honey/Yacon syrup and butter
* fold in the ground almonds with a metal
spoon
* Then pour the mixture into a greased
tin. Bake in a preheated oven (180/200
degrees celsius) for 2530 minutes.
* Serve and enjoy! Lovely with berries
and or yoghurt.
Places to visit
Stuck for places to visit this summer
with your children? Our AZ of day trips
should help!
Alnwick Castle
Beamish Museum
South Lake Zoo
Holy Island
Saltburn
York
Windermere
Ambleside
Rosenberry topping
Preston Park, Stockton
Hamsterley Forrest
Forbidden Corner, Richmond
High Force, MiddletoninTeesdale
South Shields
Northumberlandia
Mother Shiptons Cave, Harrogate
Adventure Valley, Durham
Locomation Museum, Shildon
Lickety Spilts, Seaham
Archers Ice cream Parlour, Walworth
Hardwick Hall, Sedgefield
Killhope Mining Museum
Stanhope
Barnard Castle
Durham Cathedral
Cragside
Gibside
Richmond
Alnwick Castle
Lindisfarne Island Castle
Life hacksI love a good life hack like using a fizzy
drink ring pull to organise my wardrobe.
Here are my top life hacks that I'd be lost
without.
Choosing tomorrows clothes, today. I
would be in such a muddle without this! I
plan my work wardrobe for the week
every Sunday, then come 5:30am on a
Monday morning I'm up and ready to go.
Saves waking up the child who has snuck
into your bed trying to find that days
outfit. It's also a huge help with nursery
clothes, my son's wardrobe contains a
nursery section of clothes that I don't
mind coming home covered in paint or
that days lunch!
Meal plan. We used to waste so much
food, I hated throwing away food that had
gone off because I'd forgotten that it was
in the fridge. I find that meal planning also
helps control the amount that I spend on
the weeks shop, prevents waste and time
and effort preparing that days meal.
Write a shopping list. I regularly find
myself in Sainsburys finding things that I
like the look of, but don't actually need.
Writing a list, along side meal planning,
saves time, money, food wastage and
forgetting things!
Bulk cooking. If you've got a child that is a
fussy eater, like I do, having a go to meal
thats in the freezer is invaluable! I love
bulk cooking, it saves so much time and
effort in the long run and planning for it
with your weeks shop makes it so much
easier.
Online food shopping. The last few weeks
I've found myself ordering my weeks shop
online during nap time, then having it
delivered the next day during nap time
My son wakes up happy because we've got bananas
again and I'm happy that its one less chore to do!
Financial planning. I know when every bill is due, and
the amount. I know the balance our current account and
savings account. I know how much money we'll be able
to save that month and make sure we've always got a
back up plan. There's some fantastic apps that you can
get that help you plan your months finances, with
incomings, outgoing and disposal income. My
favourites spending tracker which is available for free
from the app store.
Premake lunch. There's nothing worse than running
late on a morning and having that days lunch to make.
Making it the night before eases time in the morning
and its a quick, pick up and go job.
Plan it. My husband regularly loses track of what we get
upto on set days. I love the organised mum family life
book. Helps everyone plan for adhoc events and makes
sure you don't forget that playdate.
Spare birthday cards and gift. There's nothing worse
than forgetting a birthday. I stock up on variety of
birthday cards from The Card Factory when they have
a 10 cards for £1 offer. I also keep spare gifts in the
cupboard in cases of birthday forgetting!
Having time with my boys. I don't think it really is a life
hack but having family time is a must! That, it doesnt
matter when it gets done, jobs can wait, quality time. It's
true what these facebook posts say, you'll never get
today again with your children enjoy it while its here.
Are your children eatinghidden sugar?
With 31% of children being considered
overweight or obese now in the UK, their
diet is now being scrutinised more than
ever.
A few months ago the government
introduced the new sugary drinks tax to
the budget with the hope that it will
reduce sugar consumption and in term
reduce the issues that sugars can cause.
Many people who drink sugary drinks are
fully aware of the sugar content but there
are many sugars hidden in regular every
day food, sadly including foods that are
considered “healthy” as well as foods that
you would expect to see it in such as
sweets and cakes.
What foods are these hidden sugars
found in?
Apart from the obvious sources of sugar
they are hidden in many regular everyday
foods, most notably in many processed
foods, especially those with the marketing
tag line “fat free”.
Fat is an essential nutrient for the body (unlike
sugar) as it helps maintain weight, and feeds the
nervous system. Many foods naturally contain
fat, including meats and dairy. When you take a
product such as these and remove or reduce the
fat then you are left with a food type that tastes
rather bland and boring, as well as nothing like
the original taste. Therefore they add sugars,
which is 100% fat free and the product tastes
nice again.
As a result, once you eat this your insulin levels
in the body increase to break down the sugars,
which then results in the body having a sugar
crash a short time later, and causing you to crave
more sugar again to give you the boost that you
need.
Your body uses the sugars as energy, when you
don't use all the excess sugars that you consume
this in turn becomes fat, sometimes not just
excess weight but around the vital organs. The
liver is one of the most important organs when it
comes to breaking down sugars and there are
cases of children having such bad fatty livers that
it is comparable to adult alcoholics!
What about Fruitdoesn't that contain sugar?
As I mentioned before fruit is an acceptable form
of natural sugars when ate as a whole. The
reason for this is the high fibre content of the
fruit, which is essential to a healthy digestive
system. Smoothies and fruit juice are often seen
as a good alternative to ensure our children eat a
whole balanced diet, with plenty of vitamins.
These do contain the vitamins that they
advertise, however when juiced the fruit content
loses the fibre and is the same as drinking sugar.
By Claire Graham
One well known brand of fresh orange
juice contains 10g of sugar per 100ml, in
comparison Coca Cola contains 10.6g of
sugar per 100ml.
What should we be feeding our children?
It is such a minefield out there when it
comes to trying to provide our children
with healthy, enjoyable foods that
sometimes it can make the mind boggle
so what should we be feeding our
children?
My recommendations are to try and feed
them foods as close to the natural state
as possible as you are very unlikely to
then over eat when it comes to sugars as
well as portions (have you ever tried to
eat 2000 calories of chicken salad?
Whereas 2000 calories of pizza would be
very easy!).
This isn't always easy, especially with our
busy everyday lives. This makes it very
important to plan ahead and ensure that
snacks are prepared.
Healthy snack ideas include rice cakes
with peanut butter, a small portion of nuts
(approx 12), a mini Babybel, popcorn or a
boiled egg as well as fruit.
Breakfast is one of the most important meals
of the day but many cereals are full of sugars.
Porridge, Weetabix or full fat natural yoghurt
with fruit is a great meal to start the day and
prevent sugar dips when the kids are in class.
For lunch wholemeal sandwich or wrap with
lean meat such as chicken or ham, fish or egg
and salad is a great option. Teamed with fruit
and maybe some vegetable sticks and dip
(houmous is a good choice if your children will
eat it) or yoghurt this should keep them going
until tea. For tea it would depend what you
have time to make. Stews and casseroles are
good options to put into the slow cooker when
you are short on time. If your children are fans
of spicy foods then a curry or chilli can both
be made nutritious and quickly (or avoid the
spices if your children dislike the spice), as
can a stir fry.
My final tip would be to get the children
involved with the cooking so they get to learn
about ingredients and it makes them
interested. On a weekend as a treat why don't
you make home made pizza. This is a fun
activity to do but will have less calories and
will be much healthier than any shop bought
or takeaway option.
Weaning worriesAs a new parent it can often feelthat the initial roller coaster ride
and steep learning curve that is lifewith a newborn (especially if youare a first time parent) is swiftly
followed by when and how to startweaning your baby onto solid food.This can be something that parentsfind daunting and there can beconflicting advice out there aboutwhen to start and what to start with.The advice from the NHS and otherhealth care professionals is thatyou should start to introduce yourbaby to solid food at around 6
months (2426 weeks). There are anumber of reasons for this, first andforemost nutritionally babies canget everything they need from milkuntil they are 6 months, added tothat their digestive systems needtime to develop enough to be ableto cope with solid food and this
may not be the case earlier than 24weeks. Babies also need to beable sit upright as if they areslumped when eating it can
increase the risk of choking. Somepeople choose (or are advised) to
wean earlier than 24 weeks,current research suggests babiesdigestive system will not be readyfor solid food at all before 17weeks (4 months) and that
weaning earlier than this can leadto food intolerances in later lifeparticularly if there is a familyhistory. If you are considering
starting to introduce solids before 6months then one of the signs thatyour baby might be ready to try
solid food is that they are taking aninterest in what you are doing
when you are eating and they arepicking up things themselves andputting them in their mouths. Onceyou have decided to start weaningthere are two other main things to
consider,
what you are going to start with andhow you want to approach it. Whenchoosing first foods if you are startingafter 6 months there is little that youneed to avoid, the main thing to beaware of is that babies find it moredifficult to process salt than adults soyou need to limit how much salt thereis in the food they are eating. Otherthan limiting salt intake babies of 6months and older can eat whateveryou are eating apart from honey asthis can contain small levels of
bacteria that are harmless to adultsand children but could make babies ill(babies can have honey after the ageof 1). If you are introducing solidsbefore 6 months then the generaladvice is to avoid certain foods that
are more commonly linked tointolerances and allergies. These
include dairy products such as cheeseand yoghurt as well as things like eggsand sea food. When it comes to howyou want to go about weaning thereare two main approaches that peopletalk about, spoon fed (or traditional)
weaning using purees to start with andthen slowly increasing how thick andlumpy the food is, or baby led weaningwhere you give your baby foods thatthey can pick up in their fingers and
put in their mouth themselves. There isno need however to pick one approachand stick to it, it is perfectly possible to
use a combination of the two. However you choose to approach
weaning starting around 6 months inbeneficial because babies will start toneed extra nutrients that it is moredifficult to get from milk alone, thisneed increases slowly however sothere is no need to be concerned ifyour baby doesn’t eat much to beginwith they can get the vast majority ofthe food they need their milk until theage of one. Added to this babies gothrough a period of around one to twomonths when they are most open to
trying new things
this happens between 6 to 8 months. Thisdoes not mean you to need to introduce themto every new thing or food during this time justthat you get them used to trying new things
while they are most open to it.Over all when it comes to weaning (as witheverything with babies) the main thing to
remember is what is best for your baby andyour family may not be what is best forsomeone else. There are many different
approaches to weaning and you do not needto stick to just one way, respond to what yourbaby is telling you, try different things andwork out what suits you and your baby.
If you would like to learn more about weaning,what foods to try and when, how much you
baby need to eat and things you might want tothink about when choosing foods for your
baby, then why not attend one of my weaningcourses, contact me through my Facebook
pagewww.facebook.com/calmerparentingnewcastle
By Katy Shipman
Now I know that many parents are put off doing
art and creative activities at home with their
little ones because of the mess which is why
people love to come along to our ARTventurers
classes where you can leave the mess behind
for us to clear up! But here's a little reminder
of why it's so important for us to get our little
ones involved in creative activities from an
early age :
1. Children learn by using their senses and art
is a great learning tool from a very early age –
it’s a very sensory, hands on experience and
young children learn best when learning
involves their senses.
2.Art stimulates both sides of the brain –
this means all children can participate
successfully, it helps develop both sides
of the brain and promote whole brain
learning.
3. Art promotes self expression and self
esteem – children love to show off their
creations and love to see their artwork
proudly displayed on the fridge or
grandmas wall! It’s also a way in which
they can express their emotions and is a
great stress reliever – playing with
playdough and the squeezing, squidging,
pressing and cutting that playdough play
involves is great for frustrated toddlers
and some studies have shown that it can
actually help with toddler biting problems!
4. Art and craft activities develop handeye
coordination – holding a paintbrush, cutting
with scissors, modelling with playdough…all
help to practice and improve these skills
5. Art helps to develop creative thinking
and problem solving abilities – from what
colour paint to use to what size cut to
make in the paper and how they are going
to make their imagined creation spring
into reality.
6. Art and craft activities aid concentration –
because they are enjoying the activity they
are willing to spend longer on it and this
helps improve concentration skills over time
By Fiona SimpsonGet messy and have fun! 10reasons why art and creative
play activities are so importantfor babies, toddlers and
children......
7. Studies show that children who
participate in art activities read better and
get higher grades in maths and science –
creative activities give children a head
start in basic maths skills and geometry
and even basic science…..think colour
mixing, mosaic patterns and bubble
painting!
8. Art encourages children to think more
about their environment – the colours
around them, exploring different materials
and tools and encouraging them to look
around them.
9. Art is a great social activity for all ages
encouraging friendships, group work and
strengthening relationships with friends
and family.
10. Art and craft is rewarding and fun!
Above all else, the important thing is to give your
child the space and time to be creative and let
them take the lead. Keep a box full of bits and
pieces on hand (There’s a great ARTventurers
blog post on our website will about putting
together a Magic Craft Box which is great to whip
out on rainy days!) and try not to stress about
the mess. If the sun is shining get outside and
take the creativity into the garden! Creative
activities are not just airyfairy feelgood things
they help your child develop intellectually,
physically and socially. So get out the paint,
glitter and glue and let’s get busy!
Fiona Simpson is the founder and MD of
ARTventurers – a mum of two little ARTventurers
of her own who has been running art classes for
children since 2008. ARTventurers run colourful,
creative (often messy!) art classes and parties for
babies, toddlers and children with branches
running across the north east and nationally too –
you can find out lots more about the fun they get
up to at www.artventurers.co.uk
When your child gets to the age of around
23years old, their personality is starting
to shine through and you’ll start thinking
of the ways in which you can encourage
and nurture those traits you see coming
through. Maybe they are outgoing and a
performer and one of the obvious choices
is dance classes, after all, they can shake
it along to the radio every day! Or maybe
they are shy and a little bit clingy, then
dance classes seem a good outlet to
‘bring them out of their shell’
As a mum of two and a dance teacher,
I’ve seen it from both sides. I’m sure there
are other reasons you may choose to
enrol your little one into dance lessons
but in my professional experience, those
two come up more often than not.
Embrace Arts Academy
So, you’ve decided to start dance
lessons, great. Now where do you look?
Nine times out of ten its ballet class that
you think of straight away. It’s a good
base for technique and what mum doesn’t
want their little girl in a tutu (I’m not
shunning out the boys here mind, I teach
a few boys and they are all in my ballet
classes). Ballet is the fundamental basis
and foundation for dance, its where it all
started back in the Italian Renaissance
Courts in the 15th & 16th Centuries, over
the years dance has developed and we are
seeing a lot more styles and genres of dance
emerging and taking the spotlight. One of the
most important things is that you choose
something your little one is going to enjoy
doing. There are lots of ‘dance schools’ in all
areas, and this is where you should do your
research. With dance you are trusting someone
with your child’s physical development, and
trusting them not to encourage or undergo
activities that may be detrimental to this. You
should make sure that the school you choose
has fully qualified and knowledgeable teachers.
Ask the questions, what qualifications do you
hold? What experience do you have? Ideally
you want to hear something about a recognised
dance association, NCDTA, IDTA, ISTD, BATD,
ABD, NDTA.
These associations are regulated and you
know that the teachers are trained and
regulated. This also depends on what you want
your little one to achieve from their dance
classes, is it completely recreational and purely
just for fun, or are you hoping they will progress
through a set framework and structured
classes? Any dance school worth their salt will
offer both, I do and so does the dance school
my daughters attend.
I run Embrace Arts Academy based in Low Fell
in Gateshead, I hold a BTEC in Dance, BaHons
in Dance, Post Graduate Certificate in
Education, Associate Membership with
Northern Counties Dance Teachers
By Lyndsey Adams
Association, Enhanced DBS checks, First
Aid, Full Public Liability Insurance and the
relevant licences needed to play music. I
carry these will me at all times and
anyone can ask to see them at any time. I
offer our exams and shows as optional
extras, the children are never separated
based on those that do and those that
don’t, and they are all there to enjoy and
have fun and dance. It’s also important to
remember that your children are still
young and impressionable at this point.
You want someone your little one will
‘click’ with. As a rule of thumb I will always
tell new starters that it takes on average
three weeks for them to feel comfortable
and that they are ready to join in and
participate fully in class. Even then this
sometimes doesn’t work, I have a little
boy in one class, R, he’s been with me
since my very first class, so coming up to
18 months now, and he still goes 23
weeks at a time where he won’t join in,
but a joint encouragement effort between
his mum and I, means we get what we
can from him. There’s a fine balance
between encouraging and being the
bossy teacher. Again, the type of teacher
you need, will depend on your own child’s
dynamic.
My daughter attends a championship
dance school, although she’s no
champion and never will be as she
doesn’t compete, but she attends this
school because as a mum and a dancer I
knew I wanted her to attend a school
where the teaching and technique was
second to none. I am furthering my own
training at the same school.
Why doesn’t she dance with me? Simple,
she’s my daughter and I would feel torn
between being mum and teacher. Some
people can do it, I can’t. This way, I get to
enjoy her dancing like every parent
should. I can take her to her exams and
get her ready and wait excitedly for her to
come out of the room (instead of
someone else needing to do it as I’m busy
in the exam room with all of my other
students) and I can sit and watch her
shows in awe instead of having a stressful
moment backstage because someone
can only find one tap shoe.
So when it comes down to the nitty gritty
of choosing a dance school for your little
one you need to ask these questions
1. What style do they want to do?
2. What kind of teacher do you want?
3. Recommendations from friends?
4. Qualified?
5. Do I think this person will make my
child enjoy this hobby?
Try it out, if it’s not a good fit, then try
somewhere else, we don’t mind. We are
in the job because we have a passion for
dance and teaching and we want to see
smiley, happy parents and children. So
when you’re choosing a dance school,
remember; you need to feel comfortable,
your child needs to feel comfortable, you
need to be sure you are confident with the
teacher’s qualifications and most of all,
everyone needs to be happy.