Weighing Children in School; A Guest Post

I recently wrote about the National Child Measurement Programme and why I would not allow my son to take part. I received a lot of interest in the post and one of the main comments I received was that people did not realise their children didn't have to take part, or they are unaware that weighing children in school happened at all. This scheme happens in all state-run schools, every year (I'm not sure about Private Schools), but you have every right to opt out. The weigh-in takes place during Reception year and again in Year 6. If you don't receive a form to sign to opt out, inform your school in writing if you would prefer your children to be excluded. 

Afternoon Tea at The Grange Hotel, Winterbourne, Bristol

We bought our Afternoon Tea experience using Virgin Experience Days vouchers and were really looking forward to it. I wasn't sure if it represented the best value, as I paid £39 for what turned out to be about an hour, whereas I spent the rest of the £100 voucher on a spa day for two, with a manicure and pedicure thrown in, but we are all big fans of tea parties in general and it's even better when you don't have to make it yourself! The voucher was originally for two, but I phoned and asked if I could bring L along as well, and if it would be possible for them to include some plain cheese sandwiches for him, as he can be a little suspicious of unknown sarnies, and I wanted there to be at least one he would eat. Otherwise he would soon be full of nothing but cake and I felt this could be a recipe for disaster in a confined space and polite company!

Why is Money Management not Taught in Schools?

Most things in life we are not born able to do. When babies are born, they have to learn pretty much every skill they will rely on later in life, from walking and using the toilet, to rolling their eyes and answering back. A lot of these skills will come from parents and in later life their teachers and peers will have an impact on how they grow and develop. Education falls into two camps; academic, which is mainly school-based, and moral, which often comes from a family focus. It should be a partnership between home and school to ensure that children get a complete education. Learning, not just the three 'R's, but also  how to make good judgements and wise decisions, like the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are encouraging here in Maria's post from Happy Mummy.

Win a £25 Amazon Voucher with Lesser Spotted Comper

There’s a new competition website launching soon for UK entrants and this one has a bit of a difference. The launch date is October 5th and the site will focus on Pinterest, Instagram, Low Entry and Local Competitions, giving you an opportunity to easily find competitions that sometimes slip under the radar. There will be giveaways throughout the day on the Facebook and Twitter pages on the day of launch, so it is well worth getting a follow in now, so you don’t miss out. Here’s Sandy, who runs the site, to tell you all about it and introduce a new competition to celebrate the launch!

My Sunday Photo: My Misty Mornings

Parenting and Trying to Relax

Different parents face different hurdles when it comes to relaxing. I've heard new parents tell me they can't even relax on the toilet! I've certainly faced different challenges since having a boy, they seem to be a whole different species when it comes to chilling out. Even playing computer games or watching TV seems to involve an element of pent up nervous energy finding its way out. I must admit, I have been known to resort to headphones to get some peace. I use a Youtube audio cast featuring hairdryer noise and it's brilliant for clearing your mind. I know it sounds mad, but it really works.

Hard Surface Cleaner from EcoEgg Review

You may remember, about a month ago, I reviewed the Laundry Egg, from Eco Egg and found it to be a revelation in space, and money, saving household products. So, this month I am having a go with a really intriguing product, the Hard Surface Cleaner from Eco Egg. I had never heard of a hard surface cleaner before, so I wondered what you could use it for. It turns out, pretty much anything, with a few small exceptions. So I set out to put it through its paces. We were sent the Hard Surface Cleaner pack , which is available at a very special price for today only (September 26th) on QVC as Today's Special Value item. You can buy it for just £14.98, which is a huge saving on the standard retail price of £23.54.