Why my Son Won't be Participating in the NHS Child Measurement Programme

Like all parents in England, when my child started school, it wasn't long before we received a letter informing us that he would be weighed and measured, as part of the National Child Measurement Programme. This was, apparently, in order for the NHS to build an accurate picture of the heights and weights of UK children. Fair enough, I thought. That sounds like a worthwhile exercise to get behind. So I didn't object, and thought nothing more of it, until, out of the blue, I received a letter informing me that my son, who had dressed himself for school that morning in clothes aged 4-5, was in fact, overweight. The 4-5 year old trousers were actually pretty huge and I had to draw the waistband right in.

My Sunday Photo: Pile of Lemurs

My Weird Christmas List

Sorry to mention Christmas, but for some reason, it always starts creeping into my mind, once everyone goes back to school. I know what L wants, he's easy, but adults are so much trickier. They get more difficult as they get older too, because they've either already got it, or just decide to buy it anyway, in a fit of retirement-induced boredom (mentioning no names, you know who you are!). So I thought I would share with you all the strange things I've thought of, that I would quite like for Christmas this year. Perhaps it will give you inspiration for your own relatives, or just a window into the inner workings of my slightly bonkers mind. 

Concentrix - What Now? An Update and Thank You!

After all the excitement of Lynn's appearance on The Victoria Derbyshire show yesterday, great news has been announced with the decision not to renew Concentrix's current contract. After all the support that Lynn has received from readers of this blog, we would both like to thank everyone for all the signatures on the petition and the tweets and comments that helped with this very important cause. A lot of people have been asking about the next steps, as it doesn't end here. Lynn, and many people like her, are still without essential funds and there is a bigger fight to be won.

The Kindness of Strangers, an Unexpected Outcome

A couple of days ago I invited a good friend of mine to guest post about a subject that has affected her and her son very badly, when Concentrix put another family into poverty. I wanted her to have her say, because she was at her wits' end. It was yet another HMRC out-sourced agency that caused the immeasurable distress that she found herself immersed in. She, we, wanted to talk about how that pans out at the bottom. After the leaf has made its way through all the beaurocratic branches, all the facts, figures, number crunching, forms, tick boxes, etc, what does it actually mean to have nothing to live on? 

True White Mirai Toothbrush - Review and Giveaway

I love gadgets and I'm especially fond of toothbrushes. It might sound a bit bonkers, but I have always felt you should invest as much as you can in your teeth. Dental work is very expensive, not to mention pretty unpleasant! A little time and money spent now, could prevent a lot of pain, and even more money spent, later on. It's also reassuring to know you are doing the best for your teeth. You only get one adult set, after all. So, when True Company offered to send us a new design of toothbrush, worth £150, to review, how could I say no? Curiosity won me over and I couldn't wait to give it a try. The good news is, they have also agreed to send one to a lucky winner, so don't forget to enter the competition at the bottom of the post!

My Sunday Photo: Sunset Over the Severn Vale