February 2013 | Mum In The Madhouse

February 2013

What age is the right age to go to your first live concert?

MadDad and I are avid music fans. Both of us love live music and have been to countless concerts and festivals. All of these have been BC (before children) and we have been thinking about when is the best time to take a child to their first live concert. I am not talking about talking a baby or toddler to a festival, but going and sitting though a live music concert.

Both the boys have seen The Wiggles live, but I am not sure that compares to a live concert. For a start the volume is a lot lower, designed to protect children’s vulnerable ears when a show is specifically designed for them and also the concert venue is filled with other children, so you know that attendees will not mind other children possibly screaming or crying.

The boys were 5 and 6 when we took them to their first proper concert we took the boys to was Glee Live at the O2. However, we were lucky enough to be able to watch the show from a private box with food and refreshments, so they boys did not need to stay in their seats. This was a brilliant introduction to live music, as we had the CD’s so they knew all of the songs and happily sung and danced along. Concerts also tend to happen after the boys bedtime and Glee was no exception, but being in a private box they had room to fall asleep and we could carry them.

Considerations to make

How long is the concert? Can your child sit though that length of time
Remember to factoring the travel time either side of the concert. My friend Cass at Frugal Family went to an Olly Murs concert this week and they didn’t get out of the car park till 10ish and Master Frugal actually fell asleep during the concert.
Does the artist have a matinee. One Direction often so, as there target market is tweens and teens.
Is the band Child friendly – remember lyrics are not censored when live! Use your common sense.I know that Rihanna would not be appropriate for the boys, not only language wise, but mannerism and dress wise, Although you can click here for Rihanna tickets, as I know that she is great live!
Talk values. Explain that you love the music, but do wish that the band wouldn’t swear and that often the flamboyance is put on for the stage. Your child needs to be mature enough to understand the difference.
When you do go

Make sure you agree a meet up point in case you lose each other
Protect your child’s ears. You can not reverse hearing damage
Talk about what they can expect to see at a concert and how busy it will be.
Be prepared for obscenities and have a response ready for if your child questions the use of swear words.
Have fun and relax.

What age is the right age to go to your first live concert? Read More »

Black and Decker Steam Mop Review

The Black & Decker® steam-mop™ with Autoselect® digital handle commands and steam burst technology easily gets rid of tough to move marks and germs with minimal effort, ensuring that your floors are sparkling clean. Ready to use in 15 seconds and it will run for 25 minutes on a single tank.

With Autoselect® digital handle command technology, simply push the button to select the specific floor type -hardwood/laminate, tile/ vinyl, or stone/marble – and the mop automatically releases the right amount of steam. Autoselect® helps to assure thorough yet delicate cleaning on all sealed hard floors and is even safe on sealed hardwoods. The addition of steam burst mode removes even the most stubborn dirt – it releases 50% more for steam in a concentrated 5 second burst when you need that extra cleaning power, you don’t get from ordinary steam mops. With the unique and innovative design of the delta lift off head you can, with a quick push of the foot peddle, use the triangular cleaning head to get in to all the corners of your home.

Kills 99% of bacteria and germs – no chemicals required.
Quick dry and streak free, it takes less time and work than a mop and bucket.
Swivel head for ease of use around furniture and awkward areas.
Self standing for convenience with auto shut off when locked in the upright position.
1600 watts.
6m power cord.
0.5 litre water tank capacity.
Ready to use in 15 seconds.
Steam ready indicator.
Steaming time 25 mins per tank.
Machine washable pads.
Suitable for all floor types.
Accessories included.
Weight 3.07kg.

Black and Decker Steam Mop Review Read More »

Reevoo and Kia

Their website now contains honest and hopefully unbiased reviews from actual customers.

In order to encourage people to submit a review they have teamed up with Reevoo to provide independently verified customer reviews. Reviews are never edited and the bad are shown along with the good. If a review is from a dealer or retailer Reevoo make it clear and reviews are transparent and only from verified purchasers. Reviews are not edited or altered. You can even ask existing owners questions about any of Kia’s cars.

Kia are helping to simplify the car buying process, making it easier for car seekers to find the best Kia vehicle for them. So whether you are in search of a new car or already a proud Kia owner, head to Kia’s website and check out the Kia reviews!

This is one of the reasons that Kia were named Car Manufacturer of the Year 2012 by Which?, the UK’s leading consumer association.

I also really like the fact that Kia offer a free 7 year (100000 mile) warranty too.

Reevoo and Kia Read More »

Half Term in Orlando

Maxi and I are spending the half term holiday in Orlando, Florida thanks to Visit Orlando. This is perfect timing for us to explore it all prior to our family holiday there in November with my brother and his family.

We will be exploring the major attractions including including Walt Disney World, Sea World Parks and Universal Orlando Resort.

I have taken a look at the Orlando Holiday Planning tool, so I know that the weather is going to be great and have packed our swimming things and the sun cream and for the first time I will not be taking prescription sunglasses on holiday and I am looking forward to being able to see things from the top of any rides we go on and not worry about my specs falling off.

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Samsung, Monkey Thieves – sponsored video

If your house is anything like mine, your fridge will often be packed to the gills.So much so, that you have to take all sorts out to get to the item you want, leaving the door open for an age which is inefficient and heats the fridge up and more than that it is rather annoying

Even worse, when ever I ask one of the boys or MadDad to get anything they always open the fridge door and stand for an age looking for it , only to respond with “I can not find it”, leaving it to me to find it and my blood boiling.

Not so with this Samsung Fridge, it is so easy to see things and get at them even a monkey can do it!

It features an Easy Slide shelf which effortlessly slides out to enable more efficient organisation and easy storing and removal of groceries, while reducing dead space deep inside.   It also features a wider and deeper Big Guard door shelf, which is perfect for storing big and tall bottles or milk, milk and more milk.  This fridge really does not have any dead space.

In the bottom mounted freezer you can even control the temperature to keeps foods fresher for longer and even better it has  No Frost Technology prevents ice buildup on the inside of the freezer wall, so I would never have to defrost the freezer again.

It is also energy efficient, the digital inverter compressor automatically adjusts in response to cooling demands making it perfect for men that can never find what they are looking for in the fridge!

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Al Fresco Holidays Young Story Writers competition

Do you have a budding novelist in your house?

Thompson Al Fresco Holidays have a fantastic Young Story Writers competition at the moment. The competition is for budding young story writers aged 6-12 years old and open until the 31st March 2013. Your child has to write a short story no longer than 500 words with the theme My Fantastic Journey. You never know they could win a family holiday for up to six people.

You might want to get your young story writer some inspiration and Jeremy Strong’ has created his very own story created exclusively for Al Fresco Holidays.

Al Fresco Holidays Young Story Writers competition Read More »

Team Skylanders

The good points:

The boys do not fight when playing Skylanders together. Although there is a lot of “battling” in the game, this does not creep out in to real life like it can in some games with the boys.
It is a pretty social game. They can share their figures with friends that also have Skylanders, even if they use a different games platform as the figures are universal.
Maxi loves the Mini games.
Even if you do not have extra figures you can still play a lot of the game.
No more worries about what birthday present to buy as it seems all the children play Skylanders, so a character is a great present.
The not so good points:

It can be hard for an adult to get their head around. I initially thought that we had to but the other 48 figures to be able to play all the game.
It is complicated getting to know which element each figure belongs too (for adults)
It could get expensive if you gave in to pester power

Team Skylanders Read More »

How Do I Care For My Laminate Flooring?

How Do I Care For My Laminate Flooring?

Any mum will tell you that keeping a tidy home is no easy feat. From tackling the bathroom and kitchen to reminding kids they need to make their beds and pack away their toys, cleaning the home is a full time job.

One area which can sometimes be overlooked in our quest to get everything spick and span is the floor. Laminates are a practical solution for the family home – but how should you care for them?

1. Sweep Daily

Sweeping your laminate floors daily will help to keep them clean and free of grit which could damage the floor. Some people choose to clean their floors by sweeping them, while other people use the hard floor attachment on the vacuum.

Whichever you use, the important thing is that the job is carried out regularly. Regular sweeping or vacuuming will mean that your floors need to be washed less often, saving you lots of time and effort.

2. Use A Damp, Flat Mop

When you do wash your laminate floors, you don’t want to use a dripping wet mop as this will leave stains on your flooring and could potentially seep through to the floorboards underneath, causing damage and possibly rot. Therefore, when you are washing your laminate floors, use a mop that is as dry as you can get it.

3. Pay Attention To Manufacturers Suggestions

Every laminate flooring is different and they all need to be looked after in a different way. Always follow the specific instructions you’re given carefully to ensure you don’t cause any unnecessary damage to the flooring.

4. Trial And Error

Often with laminate floors, people ask what they should clean them with. Very often, this is trial and error and varies depending on what people like and feels cleans their floor best. Some people prefer to make up their own floor cleaning solution, although this can be risky if you don’t know what you are doing. Opting for a dedicated laminate floor cleaner instead is a great option and guarantees your floor will be cared for properly.

Caring for laminate floors doesn’t have to be a hard or lengthy job, providing that proper precautions are taken. Your floors are expensive and you’ve worked hard to be able to afford them, so you might as well look after them to the best of your ability as they will be costly to replace in the future. Not caring for floors properly can lead to permanent damage, spoiling them forever.

How Do I Care For My Laminate Flooring? Read More »