Jen Walshaw | Mum In The Madhouse

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Author name: Jen Walshaw

Mum-in-charge Jen Walshaw runs the UK’s top parenting blog Mum in the Madhouse, and she describes herself as a “fat, feisty and over 50” Northerner. Based in North Yorkshire, she’s mum to young adults and a big believer that family life is messy, creative and fun. In 2009 a double mastectomy gave her the nudge to start blogging; with two boys under three she needed an outlet and a digital scrapbook to capture their chaos.Jen’s posts are a mix of crafts, kid‑friendly recipes and honest parenting, peppered with northern humour. She’s happiest when up to her elbows in tea, fabric and pizza dough – sewing and making homemade gifts – before sneaking off to write about it. As a proud Northerner she warns PRs that a “quick pop down to London” isn’t quick at all. Her blog has earned her a stack of accolades, including the Cision #1 Mummy Blogger title in 2024  and consistently topping Vuelio and Tots100 parenting‑blog charts. Whether she’s advocating for diversity and body neutrality or sharing tales of parenting teens, Jen keeps things chatty, real and refreshingly down‑to‑earth.

Easy Monkey Paper Puppet with Templates

I am delighted to be teaming up with Nature’s Path to share with you a fab Easy Monkey Paper Puppet with Templates.   Nature’s Path, the organic and gluten-free expert, is bringing its two well-loved kids cereals ‘Envirokidz’, to the UK. Already family favourites in Canada and the US, Leapin’ Lemurs and Choco Chimps are delicious organic […]

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Whoville Christmas Tree Inspired by How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

This fabulous Whoville Christmas Tree is inspired by the classic Dr.Suess How the Grinch Stole Christmas (UK Link/US Link)!  Do you know that it is 60 years since it was first published and HarperCollins sent me a fabulous 60th anniversary edition of the book which totally was the inspiration for this Green Ginch tree!

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Five ways to encourage your teens to do the ironing

Five Ways to Encourage Your Teens to Do the Ironing | Practical Parenting Tips

Five ways to encourage your teens to do the ironing is a paid post in collaboration with Euronics.  I think that mum had me ironing tea towels and pillowcases from when I was about ten years old, however, I wouldn’t have trusted my boys with an iron at ten, in fact, it is only recently

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Does a Dishwasher Save You Money Over Handwashing? | Cost & Efficiency Analysis

Does a Dishwasher Save you Money? is a paid post in collaboration with Sainsbury’s.  Since getting a smart meter a few months ago, the male proportion of the household has become obsessed with comparing the cost of devices in the house and one of the things that have come up is that using a dishwasher

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4 fabulous sets of Acts of Kindness Advent Calendar Printables. Random acts of kindness perfect to print and use for an advent calendar or kindness jar

Acts of Kindness Calendar Printables | Spread Joy Daily

It is hard to believe that we have been doing an acts of kindness advent calendar for four years.  It all started when I was concerned that the boys were becoming rather immersed in the commercialisation of Christmas and of advent. I wanted them to understand and learn about Christmas and advent being about giving,

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