Sensory Issues and Fussy Eating Phases - An Update

In 2014, I wrote a post about my five year old son's struggles with food, with some ideas on how to tackle a similar situation, using everything I had learnt, along with some input from other bloggers who had faced similar situations. Last year, I edited it and reposted Top Ten Tips for Sensory Issues and Fussy Eating Phases, with a few updates based on what I had subsequently learned about sensory issues. Since then, things have continued to improve, and I thought it would be good to post an update, mainly to reassure other parents that it can get better, vegetables won't always be the food of the devil and scurvy won't take hold by the time they reach secondary school.  

Veganuary Inspiration and Recipes from Great Food Bloggers

Since 2014, Veganuary has encouraged the nation to embrace Veganism and give up their meat and dairy consuming ways for the month of January. There is a world of reasons why people take up the Veganuary pledge at the start of the year. It might be because animals often suffer in the production of the foods we enjoy, it might be to ease the pressure on the environment from meat production, or even to support a New Year's resolution for a healthier lifestyle. Whatever the reason, if you have taken up the Veganuary pledge, and are already struggling for ideas, your Veganuary inspiration starts here.

Why New Year's Resolutions are So Last Year

I've been having a long think about New Year's Resolutions. So long, in fact, that this post is a day late, but more on that later. My issue with resolutions is this; if you resolve to do something that you have previously failed at, are you setting yourself up to fail? It seems that so much emphasis is placed on resolutions; ie, what you intend to get right in the new year, that that you are almost obliged to come with something you are currently dissatisfied with. But do such public declarations of intended success ever end well? Particularly if you don't first address the reason you haven't previously achieved it?

Beautifully Simple Gifts to Make with Children

Everyone loves a handmade gift, and it's a great way to get children involved with the gift giving process. Little ones don't have much concept of shopping, or choosing gifts for important relatives, so a gift they have made is something that they can personally be a part of. Two problems often arise with crafts though: they can be time consuming and surprisingly expensive. In this post I have some ideas of gifts you can make with household items that won't break the bank, take ages, or make a crazy amount of mess. If you're having a last minute panic about gifts from your children, this might just be the answer!

T'was the Night Before Christmas, a Modern Tale

This poem was my entry for a competition in 2016, where you had to modernise the poem T'was the Night Before Christmas. I didn't win, so maybe it's terrible, but it took me ages, so I thought I would republish it this year, as a reminder that there are a lot of people going without this Christmas. I thought it would be good to highlight the fact that sometimes we don't see what is right in front of us and anyone can be struggling in one way or another. So, if you get an opportunity to help someone out, or make them smile this Christmas, have a go, it might make you smile too!