Review // Baby's 1st Christmas ideas with Jaques of London

It's going to be Bea's very first Christmas and we all cannot wait!

Having a baby in the house has up'd the festive magic and everyone is feeling it, probably everyone except Bea as she is pretty clueless to what time of the year it is.

The boys are even more excited than usual as they can't wait to see her face on Christmas morning.

In the early stages of pregnancy Jon and I decided that we would try to be more environmentally friendly when it came to baby items and toys we would try to invest in more wooden ones than plastic.

So for Christmas, we have asked everyone who asked to buy wooden toys rather than the plastic-type, as one they always tend to last longer and they look nicer and it's better for the planet.

Jaques of London have a beautiful range of wooden toys for one-year-olds and as Bea is nearly one I was very kindly sent some to review.

Bea is a very busy baby and is into everything, so when deciding which ones to go for it was tricky as there was such a great selection of wooden toys to pick from.

In the end, I decided to go with a shape sorter and a shape stack, the boys all had similar toys when they were her age and they were always a big hit, so I knew I was on to a winner.

I love the bright colours and how well the toys are made. the shape sorter has a range of different shapes, which are all labelled, so when the baby is bigger they can start learning the correct names for the shapes as part of their early learning. 

The shapes are lovely and smooth and perfect for tiny hands to grab hold off. 

Everything fits into the box and can be tidied away easily at the end of the day. 

Something that is always a big thing in my house, as I'm not a fan of having toys scattered around once the kids are asleep.

The shape stacker is in a beautiful rainbow flower design, perfect for my little rainbow baby and perfect for having out on display when the toy is not in use, another advantage of wooden toys is they also look nice popped on a shelf in a nursery or playroom when they're not in use.

Bea took straight away to the shape stacker and instantly started taking the flowers off the pole and trying to put them back on, her hand-eye coordination isn't quite there yet but I don't think she's far off.

Both toys are perfect for helping children develop their problem-solving skills and fine motor skills, skills that are essential in growing children.

I think they're both great educational toys all around and I know Bea will get plenty of fun from both for a long time to come.

They both make perfect Christmas presents or even first birthday presents.

 They came beautifully packaged and all ready to be placed under the Christmas tree for the big day.

Jaques of London have a great range of wooden toys for all ages on their website, so if these two gifts don't take your fancy I'm sure you'll be able to find some that do.

**I was gifted these items for free in return for an honest review, 

all thoughts are my own

Should I Consider a Holiday Camp for My Child?

 

Holiday camps are a great way of letting your child develop individual skills that will enhance their development as they grow. It’s an exciting opportunity for children to take part in that will bring lasting memories and a world of adventure to a child. 

You may be wondering, should you look into holiday camps for your child? 

Well, this guide from a childcare centre in London should help you sway your decision.

Developing your child’s skills

If your child is keen on adventure, looking for things to do that will excite them, then a holiday camp is a no brainer. There are different versions of holiday camps across the country, but children are usually taken on an experience or trip for a day and returned by the end of the working day. 

Depending on where a child’s taken, a lot of unique skills and interests can be developed as a result, such as critical thinking and decision making skills. If you want your child to develop in new ways, maybe consider a holiday camp.

Is your child comfortable around others?

Something to consider is how they’ll handle being alone for long periods of time. Maybe your child is really invested in day trips out, or they prefer keeping to themselves and avoiding conversation. 

There’s no right or wrong way of nurturing your child’s social skills, but you should be prepared for what may happen. Your child may also come out of their shell, if they’re shyer, thanks to going on a holiday camp during the summer.

Take them on a test run to see how they do

If all else fails, you can look to pick your child up after a few hours of being with other children if they’re feeling overwhelmed. 

They can learn to slowly build their confidence and social skills through going to holiday camps and it can make them feel involved with the other kids.

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Understanding Your Child's Curriculum

A child’s curriculum will be essential to their understanding of complex subjects and to allow them to progress nicely through their school career. For parents, however, it’s key to learn about your child’s studies and what they’ll be doing throughout their time at school. It’ll also help you find ways you can help your child with their homework and future revision for exams.

 

In this guide from a prep school in Middlesex, we take a look at the ways you can build your understanding of your child’s curriculum to help them through school.

A basic understanding of the UK curriculum

What’s helpful is learning how the UK curriculum is laid out for students. Firstly, the curriculum is laid out in key stages, from key stage 1 right through to key stage 5, which will dictate what your child learns as they develop.

 

In their earlier stages, key stages 1 - 3, there’s a stronger emphasis on understanding numeracy, literacy and science-based skills. 

They’re learning how to develop transferable skills that can be used in future studies. When they reach key stage 3, they’ll be taking on more specific subjects like History and English Language to develop their skills further, as well as exploring what subjects your child likes.

 

Key stage 4 is when children will begin studying for their GCSE exams, and key stage 5 is when they enter A-Level studies. 

These two periods will allow children to focus their efforts on the subjects they want to study, alongside compulsory subjects.

How to understand a child’s curriculum

The best place to learn more is by visiting the school’s website. There will be clear direction as to what’s studied throughout their years at the school and also details on if you’d like to talk to teachers about the curriculum in more detail. 

Parents evenings are also a great time to further understand a child’s studies and what they’ve been getting on within class, as well as continually following your child’s work at home and being involved in their progress.

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How to Raise a Respectful Child

Respect is a core value and skill that children should be able to follow and understand as they grow and become more aware of the world around them. 

Not only are respectful children more trustworthy and understanding, but you can strengthen the bond between you and your child. This guide from a private school in Kent will show you how you can raise a respectful child and build an established relationship.

Explain what respect is in layman’s terms

Half the battle is showing your child what respect actually is without using too many complicated words. Use easy terms that your child knows the meaning of and guide them through practical examples.

 The main themes of respect are admiring others, knowing when to honour someone’s opinion, being kind towards everyone you come into contact with and clearly listening to others.

Identify times when your child is being disrespectful

There are times when your child will be rude and unkind, whether it’s purposeful or not. This is when you should step in and tell your child how they should be behaving, and question why they were rude to someone else. 

Anger at a young age is harder to curb than when you’re an adult, so try to not get visibly angry at your child’s behaviour. Instead, look for ways to show them that that’s not how they should act in front of others.

Praise them for being respectful

If you’re seeing signs that your child’s doing well in a situation, give them praise for what they’ve done. They’re more likely to remember those moments when they’re older and work towards doing good when they’re with friends, family and even those they don’t know. 

Any time you see your child do something good you should aim to give praise, even if it doesn’t amount to much. It’s good to see your child feel motivated to do well and make a good effort where they feel they can add value.

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Exploring Moral Values with Your Child

 

Moral values are key beliefs that all of us as human beings should follow and instil throughout their lives. They define what’s right and wrong and separate the good and bad, which children should be made aware of as they grow up. 

As parents we should be guiding our children through these core values that will shape and define your child into educated and mindful adults. 

 

In this guide we take a look at how you can explore moral values with your child at this private school in London.

• Be their role model

A lot of times, children will be following their parents and seeing what they do to better themselves. Even in the slightest of actions children will be keen to follow their parents in what they do or what they suggest. 

This is where you should be acting positive actions in front of your child and let them follow your guide. If they see how you treat others, offer respect and express gratitude in front of others, they’re more likely to follow your lead.

• Practice through role playing

You can quiz your child gently by having them look at different situations and see what they’ll do when you pose them questions. Ask them what they would do if they saw a friend in distress, or if they saw a child dropped their favourite toy and didn’t notice. 

Depending on how old your child is, you’ll be able to instil positive values in your child from an early age.

• Play problem solving games

Board games are a great way of getting kids to solve problems and understand that they won’t always win! Show them that while making mistakes or “losing” doesn’t mean that they can’t handle problems in the future. 

The more problem solving games your child plays, the better they can handle whatever’s thrown at them.

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Life update

I've been a little bit absent from the blog in the last few months, due to life being so up in the air, the house move, a new baby, a new area and still feeling a bit blah after Bea's birth I needed a break and to try and get my head together.

I think I'm nearly there, I've taken another off year uni as I just couldn't juggle the studying and chasing Bea around the house and I'm trying to just focus on not overloading my plate and trying to do things that bring me joy rather than stress.

The house is all unpacked and the rooms are all starting to look how we want them, Bea still needs her wallpaper doing but we have planned to get that done before Christmas.

We had ordered a new kitchen to be installed in the new year, but have decided we need to put that money towards new windows.

We currently don't have double glazing and the house is super cold.

We have to stick to the current design of windows which is sash windows due to living in a conservation area and not wanting to change the look of the house as we love it and on our last count, we have 21 windows of all shapes and sizes, we also need 3 new doors, as the current ones need updating.

Ru's room is coming along

I found a lovely lady on Etsy to make my house sign.

Noah got into the local secondary school and then a three weeks after starting school the younger three boys were all offered a place at the local primary, which meant no more school runs in the car and we could all walk to school!

It also means that they will get straight into the secondary as they are part of the same school!

Things have all seemed to really work out.

I just need to find some local baby group and things to do with Bea and life will be brilliant.

Bea is now at the stage where she needs to be getting out and about and exploring the world.

She's so active that I know she'll benefit from it, I just have to stop being such a hermit and get in my car.

We are loving exploring the local area and have been on lots of adventures.

Our yearly tradition of pumpkin picking was picked up this year, Noah decided he didn't want to come along so it was just the four kids but we made sure to pick out Noah a decent sized pumpkin for him to carve.

The past week and a half we have all minus Jon been on lockdown!

Noah got Covid on Halloween, just as I had planned a day out at Pensthorpe as they had a special spooky trail on, so we had to cancel but thankfully we can re book once we are all better.

As Noah tested positive we took everyone to get a PCR test just to make sure no one else had it, turned out all the boys did.

Bea also came down in a rash and had a fever, after talking to 111 and the doctors we did a lateral flow on her and her test came back positive too.

Noah's symptoms were a high temp and he has been feeling really tired,

the twins have had poorly tummies,

Ru had a temp of 40 degrees which would only come down to 38/39 but otherwise felt ok

Bea had a rash, runny nose and a temp of 39 but again seemed ok within herself.

Being double jabbed I though I would get away with it, but unfortunately I didn't and just before this weekend I tested positive.

I spent most of the weekend feeling rough and I have lost my sense of smell, thankfully now I'm not feeling too bad.

Noah goes back to school tomorrow and the others are back on Friday, I'm still in isolation until next Tuesday and I cannot wait to get out and go for a walk!

Bea is now 9 months old!!

I can't believe in 3 months time she'll be turning one!

I will do a whole post on her and her milestones in a few days.

xx

 

Belle Fever collaboration

Like most women I love jewellery, I'm a sucker for anything shiny.

Belle Fever have very kindly sent me this lovely personalised russian linked necklace I was instantly over the moon with it!

My babies names all on one piece of jewellery than I can wear forever.

About Belle Fever.

Belle Fever are a lifestyle brand, Belle Fever offers a collection of products and designs that will help you along the way. 

Getting things done through unconventional methods is our goal, and we want to be around for all of your moments. 

Their aim is to provide you with confidence, comfort, and support.

With nine years under its belt, Belle Fever has sold more than one million customised, handmade pieces and counting!

 From coast to coast in Australia. 

Over the years, they have grown to include hundreds of different designs and products to satisfy everyone's tastes.

I love the chunkyness of the rings and that I can see all the names nice and clearly. 

It's nicely weighted and hangs perfectly

The necklace length which is the free standard chain length at 45cm is the perfect length for me, but if you wanted it a little longer you can select to have it in 60cm for £5.

The Russian interlinked rings necklace comes in a few different tones, Rose gold, Gold, Silver or even all three tones.

It is currently on offer at £46.00 rather than £61.00, which could make the ultimate christmas present for your own mother, your wife, your girlfriend or even your best friend.

 

The necklace comes in an elegant display wallet to house your necklace when you're not proudly showing it off.

I really love my necklace and I always get compliments about it when I have worn it out, getting all five children onto on piece of jewellery seemed a bit impossible but I was so happy to see it could be done, without it all looking squished in.

Belle Fever have a different range or personalised jewellery, something to suit everyones tastes and to meet everyones budget.

I can offer my readers a special 15% discount just in time for Christmas just use

MINIBEAST15 at the checkout.