Helen, Author at Actually Mummy

Beauty Legacy – who do you #FeelBeautifulFor?

November 17, 2016October 16, 2014

Image credit: Stephanie Belton If your best friend said that about you, she wouldn’t be your best friend for very long. It has already begun. GG, at 9, has started to compare her body and face to what her friends have. She’s not the only one – they are all doing it. It has become a ‘thing,’ as they begin to fret about their shape, their hair, and the minor features they believe to be less than perfect. I have always told her how beautiful she is, because she actually is. She has a smile that can light up a …

Diabetes: Wot so Funee?

August 4, 2016October 14, 2014

Now I know what you’re thinking. What could possibly be funny about diabetes? And you’d be right. It’s not funny at all. Every single aspect of it is just bloody awful, and the fact that it is occurring to a child makes it infinitely worse. But you know what? She is doing it. All those fingerpricks, injections, snacking at odd moments, not snacking when she wants to – she is beginning to take it in her stride. And she has found things to laugh about – oh what a joy it is to see her infectious smile still there, to …

Review: Nintendo 3DS XL console

March 26, 2019October 6, 2014

Creating Mii on Tomodachi Life by Nintendo

Right, the kids are at school and I have the house to myself. *Looks around shiftily and draws curtains.* You’d be forgiven for thinking I have an illicit visitor to entertain, and in a way, I do. You see GG and the Bug have been given Nintendo 3DS XL consoles to review for Netmums. They have promised to play and explore all of the features on the new ‘elements of joy’ in our house, and I have promised to write up everything we’ve discovered about them so you can decide which Nintendo DS console is right for your family. But …

Verulamium Spa: how to relax in style.

October 4, 2014

It’s been a stressful few weeks here. People tell me I’ve never looked better, and that’s down to the weight I’ve lost; I wish I could have lost it training for my half marathon, or eating a sensible diet, but actually, it’s all down to stress. Every cloud… To be honest, when my 2 closest friends suggested a spa morning I didn’t think I’d be able to take advantage of it. The enormity of what is happening in our lives right now doesn’t allow for random and happy thoughts to dwell for any length of time, and everything …

Instant Ink – never miss another homework deadline

June 18, 2016October 3, 2014

I saw something last night that took me out of my norm, and threw me right back into the chemistry lab of my schooldays. My daughter and I visited a local secondary school so she could start deciding where she’d like to go. Part of the tour involved the science department. I watched as my 10 year old fed a copper solution to a hungry bunsen burner, as her face lit up with ‘epicness’ when the flame turned green. She, like her mother 35 years ago, is going to love Chemistry, and I feel excited for her already. But one …

How I survived Brownie Camp

August 4, 2016September 26, 2014

I accompanied my daughter to Brownie Camp last weekend. What was I thinking?! Quite aside from the eye-rolling and quite tangible disgust that her mother was in her space on a residential trip, my daughter knew that I would be tired for days afterwards. Nine-year-olds are not well-known for going to sleep early. Or lie-ins. They are notorious for wanting to eat cake and to keep the fun going as long as possible. And who could blame them? An opportunity to run in the woods, away from the usual rules of home, homework, and music practice. A chance to quite literally swing …

It never rains…

September 4, 2015September 17, 2014

I like to think I’m an optimistic person. I don’t count magpies and assume the ugly thieves have the power to change my life. I put umbrellas up indoors – it’s practical when drying. And new shoes always go on the table for labelling before they make it to the cupboard under the stairs. It would be bad luck if they didn’t, given my children’s capacity for sending their stuff to lost property. But recently I’m wondering whether I’ve accidentally offended the gods of fate. As some of you know, my 9 year old daughter is dealing with a recent …

The bickering ends. Occasionally…

September 10, 2014

I yelled at my children this summer. I yelled so hard I thought my head would burst, and I made them cry. I was ashamed of myself almost instantly. But the bickering had become incessant. It felt like all I ever said was “Walk away. Just ignore. Move away. Stop.” And I it just continued. I felt invisible. My children just couldn’t seem to help themselves for picking at each other, poking, pointing, grumbling, criticising. But then we took a holiday. And on our return I found these pictures in my camera: Hanging out in the empty fountain at Lisieux, in Northern …

Expressions: Silly questions your mum will ask about diabetes

May 21, 2019September 6, 2014

Stupid questions your mum will ask about diabetes

The Type 1 diabetes diagnois came just over a week ago. We were diagnosed at the GP, and sent straight to paediatric A&E for training in how to manage it. Of all the questions I expected to hear my mum ask the doctor there, this one never crossed my mind: Will she ever be able to experiment with illegal drugs..? My mum is a worrier. She projects into the future. Whilst I reassured her that I’m only 9, and really not interested in heroin, she thinks about all the things I might want to do as an adult, that she …

Expressions 20: My brave girl

May 21, 2019August 30, 2014

This is GG, aged 9 and 3 quarters. On Tuesday she was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. This is her 24 hours later, in hospital, having already learned to prick her own fingers for blood sugar testing, and inject herself with insulin. I am proud, and humbled by her bravery. She is the most amazing person I know. This is her 48 hours after diagnosis. She will not let this change her: I will not be sharing posts this week; we have just so much to get to grips with right now, and I need to focus on my family …

Wot so Funee? A new baby sister

August 26, 2014

Ah, that got you, didn’t it? I can quite categorically reassure you that there is no sister on the cards, baby or otherwise, but a conversation with my daughter over the summer made me grin. We met some children to play with while we were on holiday in France. Each of the chosen friends had brothers and sisters, with varying degrees of likeability, according to age and interestws. We got to talking about whether GG and the Bug are enough for each other, or if things would be better with an extra sibling, of either variety. GG was very …

Back to school shopping list

May 8, 2021August 25, 2014

6 weeks of freedom! Exactly one month ago, I ditched my school uniform and we headed out for the traditional McDonald’s end of year tea. I breathed the 9 year old sigh of freedom as I sat back with my McFlurry and contemplated the long lazy summer ahead. Then I froze. Outside, just over the road, was a sign in the stationer’s window: Back to school.. WHY!!!? Why do they torment children with the back to school message when they’ve only just broken free? I’ll tell you why. Because there’s so much to organise, and parents are so harrassed while …

Expressions #19

May 21, 2019August 23, 2014

I knew if I took a break from Expressions for a couple of weeks I’d come back with something worth posting. Of course, it’s not difficult to take beautiful photos when you’re sitting around a pretty French harbour drinking the first Orangina of a family holiday. More on that another day, but this is my favourite shot of the holiday. I rarely get a totally natural shot of the Bug, given as he is to wild grins or teenaged glares when the camera appears. But this is him happy. We left that hat in this café, and he’s been sad …

Tell me about your Mum: Tesco Mum of the Year Awards 2015

March 26, 2019August 21, 2014

Last Autumn I went to a party. Not just any old party, this was one of those surreal, dreamlike events where I ate beef two tables away from Boyzone, tried not to gaze at Jason Merrells over my pâté, and gossiped with Eileen from Coronation Street about what everyone else was wearing. This was the huge perk of being an ambassador for the Tesco Mum of the Year Awards. In actual fact though, it was difficult to stay starstruck for very long. Every single person in that room – famous or not – was in tears at some point, as we …

Because of Asthma

May 22, 2019August 13, 2014

I’m finding it hard to breathe. My heart is racing, and there’s a fluttery feeling in my stomach. My skin prickles, and I don’t know if I’ll be able to get through this. It’s panic, no other word for it. And the reason? I just received an email containing this sentence: Thank you for registering to run in the 2014 Royal Parks Half Marathon for Asthma UK. We will be in touch over the next week to welcome you onto the team. My daughter has asthma. She’s had it from birth, in a viral form, but this summer saw her …

Ideas for a day out in London with kids: Freaky Rivet

June 5, 2017August 7, 2014

I’ve seen a number of posts recently from parents worrying that their children are getting too much screen time during the long school holiday. Personally I’m comfortable with an hour or so of TV or gaming – kids need to switch off and mine are definitely happier for a bit of down time. But too much will turn them feral, and so once my official work hour is over, I’m all about getting them active, or using their imaginations, in a fun way. Getting kids active in the holidays. This year we’re working with an organisation called Freaky Rivet, to …

A family day out at Kew Gardens

May 22, 2019August 4, 2014

Climbing trees is obligatory at Kew Gardens

Our friends I once had a conversation about family with my mother-in-law. She is a lady who sets great importance in family. To her, family takes precedence over everything. I get it – my own mum (and goodness gracious my Dad!) would have been the same, if I’d let them get a word in edgeways. And yet, I argued with her; I think that as generations have moved forward, as children have flown the nest further afield than they once would, there is a new kind of reliance on friends. Where once, mine and my husband’s mothers would have almost …

Expressions #18: panic

May 22, 2019August 2, 2014

NB: Expresssions will be taking a break for the next two weeks. I’m finding it hard to keep up with posts as well as spending decent time with the children during the school holiday, so I’m taking some time out. If you’d like to continue with weekly #expressions do please tag me on twitter and I’ll happily read and share. Expressions will be back on 23 August. For now, go ahead and add your links to this week’s post. We took advantage of the good weather to celebrate the Bug’s birthday with a BBQ, inviting his best friend to come …

Homemade Banana Ice Lollies Recipe with Crunchie Chunks

May 26, 2020July 31, 2014

Banana ice lollies recipe It really has been the most glorious summer so far. Being able to fling open the door each morning and let the kids play outside feels free and makes everything so much more relaxed during the school holidays. And what could be better on a hot afternoon than a homemade ice lolly? We have a new set of ice lolly moulds, and time on our hands, so I set the kids to work on their favourite flavours. Crunchie bars and banana milkshake featured strongly. So of course we needed to make a frozen treat that …

Wot so Funee? How to get more pudding.

July 30, 2014July 29, 2014

Lovely puddings at Sands Resort Hotel in Cornwall

In honour of the Bug’s birthday this week, we’re going to share one of his recent classics. Both of us are good eaters, but we’re never made to clear our plates. That’s one thing Mummy has always been adamant about – a habit of clearing your plate stops you listening to your body’s signals, and often means you overeat. Apparently. So despite the school’s tendency to administer stickers for empty plates, Mum’s not having any of it. That said, we’re not allowed to avoid the things we don’t like, and there’s a cut-off point before which we’re not allowed to stop. …

Helen