Osper - Financial Independence for Children

When Osper offered my son, L, the chance to buy his own Christmas presents, he was thrilled. It's lovely when your children are just as overjoyed to buy gifts for others as they are for themselves! It also had the potential to be really fun for him, because he does love to be independent. He is very good at maths, and enjoys working out what things cost and whether something is a good deal or not. I think it's important that children are educated about money.

The Book of Everyone: A Gift for Anyone!

Everyone has that friend or relative who is impossible to buy for. Like the dads, grandads, brothers, etc, who have got to that age where they have enough money to buy all their own boys' toys and do. Or the mums, sisters and girlfriends whose hobbies don't seem to involve anything tangible, just chatting and possibly drinking tea. So inconsiderate, when they know you need to buy them a gift, there are only so many tea accompaniments you can buy! I have this problem every year, so I was thrilled to find the answer, in a personalised book idea, from The Book of Everyone.

How to Contribute to our Homeless for Christmas Fundraiser!

This post is for bloggers and companies who are interested in sponsoring our event, for details of how to join in and compete, please read Support CentrePoint with The Big Facebook Treasure Hunt! 

This Sunday we are hosting a charity event on Facebook to raise money for two homeless charities, who are working hard to provide comfort and support for street sleepers over the Christmas period. As you can imagine, this is an especially lonely, cold and depressing time for those without a permanent home and I wanted to do something to try to help.

I'm Not Scared! With Zooropia at Bristol Zoo Gardens

This is the story, in pictures, of L's recent visit to Zooropia, an arial assault course at Bristol Zoo Gardens. Especially designed for children aged 5 to 12, it's about 6 metres high, but surprisingly safe. L made short work of it, while I happily looked on from the safety of terra firma. not being a fan of heights! L really enjoyed it and is keen to go again. It's perfect for him, as it's a physical activity and he really enjoyed the fact he could do it on his own. This experience is brilliant for building confidence and self esteem and there were lots of adults taking part too! The descent is via a zip wire, which, apparently, is the best bit! 

Support CentrePoint with The Big Facebook Treasure Hunt 13/12/15

It's particularly difficult to imagine homeless young people at Christmas. As the nights draw in and the weather turns, too many people, many of them barely more than children, are trying to keep warm and dry. As I write this, the wind is howling outside and I wonder how on earth anyone could cope without somewhere warm to go. How do you survive without being able to sleep? How terrifying must it be to live without a front door between you and the outside world every night? Like many of you, I am a mum, first and foremost. My children are my world, it doesn't matter how old they are, I will still want to protect them and I will still worry about them.

Marvel Avengers Children's Watches from WatchShop.com

I've always found it tricky to find the perfect gifts for the men in my life. There just doesn't seem to be the choice that you get with ladies. It's no surprise that, as L gets older, I'm having the same problem. This week, though, the people at the WatchShop.com have provided a solution that I hadn't really considered before. They sell all sorts of watches and jewellery to suit every pocket and starting at just a few pounds, but it's their children's watch selection that really impressed me. A large range, with lots of styles and characters to choose from, there's something for every child's personal preference and we all know how important that is! 

My Sunday Photo: Bristol Harbour at Night

Bristol Harbourside at Night