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.

5 Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas for Pregnant Women

Pregnancy is usually a wonderful time in a woman’s life, but it can involve stress, exhaustion and frayed tempers from time to time. Valentine’s day represents the perfect opportunity to express your love to your pregnant partner, but it’s important to send a message of love and thoughtfulness. These five Valentine’s Day gifts are certain […]

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Encouraging Learning at Home for Older Children | Effective Strategies and Tips

Both of my boys are at an age where they have a real thirst for knowledge and there are times when they want to continue that learning at home.  We were recently sent some Letts “Wild About” learning books. This got me thinking about when it is appropriate to use workbooks at home and how

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Making Salt Dough Jewelry with Kids | Fun and Easy DIY Craft

We love salt dough.  It is a brilliant art and craft material and we love creating with it.  It is not just a kids craft material and to demonstrate that we wanted to share with you our heart-shaped salt dough jewellery which is the perfect craft for preschoolers through to teens. We used our go

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5 Things Pregnant Mothers Should Include in Their New Year’s Resolutions

If you’re expecting a baby during the first few months of the New Year, you’ll need to negotiate all the excitement and temptation of the New Year celebrations. But rather than look upon this as a challenge, you could view it as an opportunity to make some lifestyle choices for a healthier pregnancy. These New

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