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.

Teenage Boy Fragrance Gifts

Teenage Boy Fragrance Gifts is a paid collaboration with parfumedreams. Buying fragrance for teenage boys can feel like a rite of passage—it’s often one of the first “grown-up” gifts they’ll use daily. Whether you’re shopping for a birthday, Christmas, or milestone celebration, these colognes, body sprays, and eau de toilettes are teen-approved and parent-friendly. I […]

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How to Throw a Gingerbread House Decorating Party

Check out our fun ideas for throwing a gingerbread house decorating party. Every Christmas Eve we have a party with our best friends with kids’ Christmas party games and delicious food. We have been doing this since our children were tiny, but now they are older we have graduated to a gingerbread decorating party.

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