Yesterday, February 22nd we decided to visit the mega rides fun fair at Newton Abbot racecourse with our 4 year old daughter. The funfair seemed a great price £1 entry per person and 99p a ride. NB: Nice Mums Devon does not endorse the use of pets being given as prizes at fairs. 23/2/2014 Tried & Tested: Prickly Ball Farm by JoToday we decided to use our Groupon voucher for prickly ball farm as the last treat for our daughter's 4th birthday. I visited the Facebook page and website before we left to ensure I knew my way and to see what excitement lay ahead. It has a few play areas and a grand prix with a couple of peddle tractors. My 4 year old loved the play areas and I had trouble prising her away to see the animals so I would say the play areas are a hit! There were toilet facilities at either end of the farm so you were never far away from a loo and with children that is a definite plus! 15/2/2014 Jo Blogs.....![]() So my journey continues, 4 weeks/30 days following a kick start plan and how am I doing? Well I have lost 22 inches! Trousers that I couldn't get on now fit! I don't crave sugar, biscuits, chocolate, cakes etc What have I learned? I can cook! I can afford to eat proper food and most importantly feed my family well! I have a new found love for food, proper food not the sugar laden or high fat variety! I have been slowly introducing my habits and meals to my hubby and my daughter who are enjoying home cooked meals daily regardless of whether I am working or not. I am making the transition to gluten free at the moment slowly changing tbe stock in my cupboards. This I will only partiality do with hubby and Alexis as I won't force my lifestyle on them unless it was for their health as recommended by a health professional. I am still baking once a week with my daughter I love doing a good cake and cannot wait to try almond or coconut floor replacement in my recipes :-) I have done extensive research into my diet and its effect on the human body at all ages and its all positive so making small changes like replacing the floor is no issue. The difference in my appearance is amazing I have attached progress pictures and I apologise for them now as they are gross but a step on the journey for me :-) My girl turns 4 next week, I am off work all week and have my parents down so going to be interesting how I am going to stick to the plan and do my daily exercises! Update on my journey soon... As soon as I got pregnant I started researching parenting. I looked into various styles and ideas and fell in love with the loving, caring way of parenting offered by Attachment Parenting.
I followed the principles and held my baby close, popping him into a cute baby carrier when we were out and cuddling up to him in my bed when night time came. When asked about my parenting I would proudly declare that I was an AP mum. I wore the title like a badge of honour and felt secure knowing that my parenting had a style, an ongoing theme. No making it up for me, I knew exactly how my baby should be brought up. As my baby grew I became more confident in my parenting and new mum status. I stopped following the rules so closely and started freestyling a bit, like using a pram if I was going to have shopping to carry, it really was easier than using a baby carrier. I still held my beliefs in attachment theory and the parenting style associated with it, and never strayed too far away. I soon stopped telling people I was an AP parent. It wasn't a conscious decision, I just didn't feel the need to announce it anymore. I'd latched onto a label when I needed it to help with the insecurities new motherhood can bring, but when I felt more confident I no longer the label. It was around the same time I noticed some of the other AP parents on Nice Mums Devon and other sites. The majority of posts on NMD are asking for advice, and mothers from all different backgrounds, and styles will comment what they think is useful. It was the AP parents that always stood out with their comments. Often they gave what I consider good sound advice, but there was another reason their comments stood out. While the other mother would comment once, the AP 's would comment and comment and comment again, often making clear their horror that someone would dare to consider leaving their baby to cry for a split second or someone not baby wear. They'd push their beliefs so much that their advice giving appeared to quickly turn to what looked like bullying, criticising anyone who didn't do things their way. I've noticed the preaching that comes from AP mums all over the internet, and watched Peaches Geldof parroting her memorised facts and figures on ITV, to be hailed a hero by all those who forgot the same mother chatted on her phone once while her baby fell out of the pram. Its not Attachment Parenting thats the problem, but the parents themselves. Their refusal to consider any other ways to parent, and condemnation of those that do things differently with the implications of 'bad parent' hanging in the air. I like the principles of AP, but the playground bullies of the AP world have made it an embarrasment to be associated with it. So I've moved onto my own style of parenting. It doesn't have a name or any well publicised principles, its just called being a mum and involves doing what feels best for my child. I don;t need a label or to make any declarations about how others are doing it wrong or right, because who really knows in the end when each child is so very different. I love my new way of parenting and am pleased to say I am not embarrased by it one little bit. Love Steffi 8/2/2014 Carly from Nice Mums Blogs......![]() Hi all Just wanted to say how joining the nice mums team has changed my life! I've been a member of Nice Mums Devon for a while and used the page daily, it was lovely to find a group of mums who could interact without getting into arguments, who had all been through the same and help & support each other! Then in October Steffi asked me to join the behind the team scene and become an admin, of course i jumped at the chance (anyone who personally knows me knows im up for anything lol) It was extremely over whelming at first and im sure Steffi tried to scare me off haha but i relished the challenge and ive loved every minute of it. Before nice mums me & my son were kind of alone, not many friends, we would always go out but usually just the 2 of us or my other half at weekends when hes off work but it was becoming kind of tedious just being us all the time, i missed having an adult conversation, having a laugh with other mums, and generally missed having fun (there's only so much fun you can have with a 3 year old) ALL of that has changed now! Im meeting new people on a daily basis, people come up to me in the street and say hi, im basically a new more confident person and i have to admit Aiden absolutely loves me now, We go everywhere together (hes my sidekick) but hes got soo many new friends and loves going to all these new places. Were also loving the recycling collecting, Aiden loves playing with all the 'rubbish' We go to all these new places each week, meet new friends and have fun with other people instead of it just being us! So a long story short i just want to say a humongous thank you to Steffi, Dani & Mel one for putting up with me lol, and letting me join the team! Also to each & every single member who made me feel welcome to the page as a new admin and as a friend. 7/2/2014 Member Profile: Anais Hay![]() What do you do for a living? I work as a Young Parents Housing Support Worker for Devon and Cornwall Housing. I also waitress in a restaurant as well as deal with their social media, website, promotion, tripadvisor and other admin tasks. I am also in my last year at university studying Children and Young people BA. Who do you live with? My partner and my 3 year old little boy. My partner has a 10 year old from a previous relationship who is here most weekends. Tell us a bit more about your children. What sort if personalities do they have? Raphaël is a cheeky, intelligent comedian! He makes us laugh every day and does not stop talking! He is kind and considers everyone’s feelings. He does very well at nursery and I believe he is an overall well-rounded child. What’s the best thing about being a mum? The sheer love I have for my little boy. Having someone who loves me just as much back and who can make me smile even when times are hard. What has being a parent taught you? Patience What’s the most important piece of advice you want to pass on to your children? The value of money and why we have to work so hard to provide but also to be an open child-not afraid to approach us with any problems. How has your life changed since becoming a mum? I am more resilient. I may have less time to concentrate fully on studies and social events, but would not change it for the world. Who is your favourite celebrity mum? Do not have one Tell us a bit about your home? Whereabouts is it and what’s it like? It is a 3 storey townhouse in Torre Marine, Torquay. It is a modern, spacious home and is the first investment we have made. We bought it under the shared ownership scheme. What would a typical day in your life entail? Exeter, Salcombe area, Where is your favourite holiday destination? Cornwall-St Ives and Carbis Bay What are your top three favourite shops? Home bargains, New Look, Hollister What’s your favourite book? Any books on child centred practice What baby or children’s items can you not live without?
Describe your fashion style: Top tips on how to balance work and family life: My son inspires me to keep striving for the best and to keep going when times are hard What plans for the future do you have?: I would like to build up a new business which would incorporate involving the community, supporting the local need as well as being a safe place for children and parents to come. There would be a healthy outcome tied on to this. If you could live your life again what would you change and what would you keep the same? Only thing I would change is having had to have a caesarean. No matter how hard I try, I will always struggle to get the stomach I want, and this causes me a lot of the time to be very critical of myself. |
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