Helen

Colourful midlife mum to two teens. Determined not to do as she's told and slide off into invisible old age. Much cooler at 50 than she was at 15. Host of the Teenage Kicks podcast, about mental health for teenagers.

Parents Guide to GCSEs 2021: Practical Tips to Help Kids Get the Grades

Teachers explain how to get good GCSE results even during Covid-19

How do you get the best GCSE results you can during Covid-19? If your child was expecting to be sitting GCSEs in 2021 the chances are they and you have been been feeling quite stressed since the announcement that GCSEs will not go ahead “as normal” in 2021. Photo by Ivan Aleksic on Unsplash The uncertainty around how GCSEs will be graded has certainly caused some worry in our house as our daughter prepares to achieve exam grades based on something completely different to what she was expecting. And the lack of clarity over what exams will look like in the summer …

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What I’d do if I won the Lottery

bored at home in lockdown

Working from home is my comfortable place. I’m an introvert; I may put myself out there in bright colours, and I’m not afraid of the limelight, but deep down I get my energy from quiet time alone. So lockdown should be my friend, right?  Well, sort of. I loved the first lockdown – time with my family, space to really think about my business and plan the big changes I’d been putting off for decades. But now we’re onto lockdown 3 the joy of that time has worn of and honestly? I’m bored.  What I do when I’m bored Do …

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11 Ways to Stay Active In Lockdown

Pexels Whether you’re in the midst of a national lockdown or just hauling up at home to stay out of the way of COVID-19, staying active whilst staying at home isn’t easy. Add a teenager or two into the household, and it can feel almost impossible. However, it’s so important to stay active for your physical and mental health. So, if you’re looking for some inspiration or just a little nudge, hopefully, these tips and ideas will help you!  Set intentions  To get yourself motivated and really excited about getting active, try setting intentions for yourself and what you’d like …

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Activities To Do With Your Kids Over The Weekend

Pexels The weekends are an excellent opportunity to fit in some quality family time with your kids. They’ll love the chance to connect with you on a deeper level and have some fun too. The following activities will give you a few ideas of what you can do with your kids when you have a little free time over the weekend. It’s always wise to have a variety of ideas handy that you can turn to, depending on the weather and what mood you’re all in. No matter what you do, put your phone and work tasks away and be …

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Top 3 Reasons To Enjoy A UK Staycation Instead Of Going Abroad

Credit (CC0 License)   What’s the first thing that pops into your mind when planning a family holiday? For most of you, your mind starts wandering to all the viable destinations across Europe and the rest of the world. You’re thinking about where you and your family should visit, which sets you down the path of checking for flights and hotels. Well, what if you did things differently and chose to enjoy a UK staycation? This is where you enjoy everything the UK has to offer, meaning you can stay in your home country.  Already, some of you are dubious …

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Teaching Teens Finance

Photo by Breakingpic from Pexels The teenage years are the perfect time to instil the real-world financial lessons adults need to know. Getting this right can save your child a whole lot of mental health issues later in life. It can also save you the stress of worrying about them. With that in mind, here are some tips on teaching teens finance.   Make sure they understand credit scoring   As a minimum, your teenager needs to understand that their credit score can influence a lot more than their ability to get credit. For example, it can factor into whether …

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Building a Home? Top 7 Home Interior Design Tips

Building a home is one of the most rewarding milestones; however, it isn’t cheap. You had saved for down payments, property taxes, and homeowner’s insurance, you have used a housing loan calculator and knew how much mortgage you can take on: now your reward is your own home, but lightly furnished. Pixabay – CC0 License Every homeowner wants to create an inspiring interior design that makes an excellent first impression of their homes. There are so many elements to consider, from lighting options to the paint that works best for your rooms. Best Interior Design Tips Paint light and neutral …

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4 Reasons To Ignore Hotels In Southeast Asia

No hotel? Where are you going to stay? It’s not a silly question because the vast majority of visitors to foreign countries only think about staying in traditional accommodation, and it doesn’t get more conventional than a hotel. Plus, there’s not much to dislike as the rooms are comfortable, they serve food, and have a pool to keep the family entertained. Pixabay – CC0 Licence   So, when it comes to Southeast Asia, a trip you’ve been planning for the past few months, you might be surprised to learn that hotels don’t present the best value for money. There’s no …

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Tips to Help Yourself as a New Parent

As a new parent, the experience can be pretty overwhelming. There’s so much to think about, and this new bundle in your life suddenly becomes your world. With that being said, here are a few ways that you can help yourself as a new parent. Image Source   Get All The Essentials Before The Arrival Essentials are important because there’s going to be a lot that you need and you may not have any experience with what baby essentials you need and should have ready. Moses baskets are important to get because otherwise, they won’t be able to go into …

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Teenage Kicks: How Gina Coped When Her Brother Died Suddenly in Their Teens

Death of a brother at 17

  “My brother died suddenly when I was 17”   Gina Lee Lyons had a perfectly normal childhood until her Dad left her Mum when she was 12. That started a chain of events including the family losing their home, and her older brother spending time in a category A prison. When she was 17, Gina’s brother was killed suddenly in a car accident.   How trauma shapes lives We talk about how Gina’s mum gradually became an alcoholic, and how Gina herself “got through” those years, without really dealing with her own despair, or processing any of the ordeals …

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The Best Times To Take a Family Trip To London

Some might say that there’s no bad time to organize a trip to London (when the world gets back to normal, anyway), and it’s hard to disagree with them. The bustling capital of the UK, one of the best cities in the world, has a lot to offer at any time of the year. However, if you’re planning a trip to the city once things calm down, then there are a few times that you want to go in particular. Here are a few examples of when London really shows its best self. Image – CC0 License   When the …

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