I have mentioned before that I am a great believer that experiences bring more happiness than things and this year we are going to be giving our boys a year of experiences. This will be a great alternative christmas gift for us all as a family and I have been thinking of a special way to do this.
I have talked before that it can sometimes be frustrating as a parent when you want to instil a love of books and reading in your kids and they are reluctant readers. Over my years as a parent I have struggled to reconcile the fact that Maxi is not a book worm like I am and that Mini has become. However, that doesn’t mean that he doesn’t read, just that he reads in different ways. I have also learned that I need to find something that engages him and with the new Star Wars movie coming out later this year these Star Wars books really did.
I am really lucky that I have two boys that take no encouragement to be sporty and active. They love being out playing with their friends and often only return home if they are hungry or it is dark! For the last three weeks the MiniMads have been testing out the Yvolution Y Fliker Lift. Want to know what they thought of it? Read on…
How much do your children know about how other kids their age live in different counties? I am going to admit that my boys are somewhat sheltered when it comes to poverty and the rest of the world. I am also going to admit that it is my fault that this has happened, that I have protected them from a lot of the things in the news. But now they are nine and ten, I feel that they are old enough to learn more about the world and the people in it.
Although I agree that nothing can replace the wonder of reading aloud to your children. I have been a fan of audiobooks since my boys were small.
I love reading and I am so pleased to have been able to pass that love of reading on to my boys. Mini has always been a ferocious reader, but Maxi was a reluctant reader up until the last year or so. One of the things to remember as a parent is that reading doesn’t always have to equal books and comics are a great way to encourage readers. So here are our current top comics for ten year old boys.
Do your kids give their teachers a gift at the end of the year to say thank you for teaching them? My boys have always made something as a token of their appreciation to their teachers. At Christmas we are renowned for our thumbprint robin or reindeer mugs, so we like to shake it up a bit each year depending on the sex of their teachers.
There is only a week until Mother’s Day in the UK and there really isn’t the need to spend a lot. In fact most mothers would just be delighted with a handmade card and a lie in, trust me on that one! However, if you do want to spoil your mum on a budget then you have come to the right place.
Who does love a homemade gift. They are much more thoughtful that a purchased one. I love the thought and love that goes into them, plus they are often less expensive too. We have some amazing links to last weeks Fabulously Frugal, so please do keep them coming. I know that these gifts would make a wonderful Mothers Day present. Homemade Gifts
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 to give the love of your life something to smile about during her pregnancy. Prenatal Massage If you think that your partner would appreciate a practical gift this year, why not treat her to a prenatal massage? A massage by a fully trained professional may help to alleviate many of the aches and pains that […]
Bloggers we are a fickle bunch and we seem to have a gift list as long as your arms, well the ones I ask do, so here is our great gifts for bloggers list curated by Mum in the Mad House.
Men can be difficult to buy for, so I thought I would share with you some of the things that Husbeast has had and loved. Some of these recommendations are of things we have received to review, and some of them, are things that we have bought and he has loved. So here is the Mad House’s guide to great gifts for Dads.
When I was younger I would have got really upset at receiving something for the house as a present, but now it thrills me to get something that I want! I also have found that the older I have got the more expensive my tastes have become! The Mad House’s guide to great gifts for Mums, but it really is Great Gifts I would Want to Receive, so I hope you are reading boys! Smellies
Is there anything better than receiving a homemade card……. yes, a homemade gift and I love receiving gift a child has made. Over the years the boys have made lots of gifts, in fact it is something that we have become know for. We make the Grandparents and family gifts and also their teachers get a kid made gift at Christmas too. 5 kid made gifts that you would like to receive!
We love books and the boys are allowed to ask for books for Christmas according to our mantra:
If you are still wondering about what gifts to give people, then why not take a look at my last minute gift guide.
ATK All Terrain Kart – £175
Now I do not have a review for you on this as the weather has not been kind to us and we haven’t had time to really put it though it’s paces, so will be coming back to you in Spring with a full review What I will say is it is a great size for older children when they outgrow their other ride ons. It is aimed at 7 to 12 year olds and it is a perfect pitch. My boys are beside themselves to go on it for more than 5 minutes!
Sound Asleep Pillow – From £12
My boys love listening to music in bed and often go to sleep with either music on or listening to a story and with these fab pillows they can listen to MP3 players without having to use speakers or headphones. Mini’s has come in very handy to play his Relax Kids MP3’s which I swear by. You can see Miss Frugal using hers. The boys are younger, so I make sure that I put the music on for them.
LEGO Creationary – £20
We love LEGO. In a BIG way. We bought he boys this for last christmas and it has been one of our most played family games. We ALL love to play this together, even I can win at this. You choose a card and have to build what is on it and your team member has to guess what it is. The wonder of LEGO games is that you can change the rules to suit you, so we have timed races, who can built the best, build offs and lots of other games all from the one box. It is brill and I do not say that lightly.
Brabantia Tea41
I am a tea monster and I love this set from Brabantia as it is perfect for me during the day when I want a cup of tea, but do not want to make a pot as I am a tea leave user. It is also perfect for herbal teas and infusions such as mint tea. It contains everything you need to enjoy the perfect cup of tea. The tea buddy is so handy it attaches to the side of the cup and can be used to carry your biscuit, cake, chocolate or even put your used tea bag in (Yes I know not everyone uses leaves).
I have made no secret that as a family we love Micro Scooters. Both the boys have a Maxi Micro, we also have a Macro Sprite and one of their stunt scooters. We are also loving the accosories that they have and the boys have been testing some more out.
Scoot Beamz (£6.99)
These have been a huge hit and I have had four of the local mums ask me about them. They are lights that for on to any scooter. You can have them on fast flash, slow flash or constant and they come in four colours. They make the boys stand out on dark and dismal days.
Rucksack (£25)
