Parenting: 10 things your child will grow out of (and 5 that they won’t)
Parents: don’t worry about these things – they’re just a phase
Free to Dream (Freestyle Libre review)
Hey, stop what you’re doing for a minute, will you? I just need you to do something for me. It will take about 2 minutes – if you’re lucky – then you can carry on with your work/play/nap/dancing (delete as appropriate). Hey, can you stop again please? Sorry, I just need you to do that thing again, won’t take too long. I know, I know, you’re dancing/singing/talking to your friends/marking coursework. Sorry, but it’s got to be done. Hey, sorry to interrupt AGAIN, but can you just… yes, again, yep I know you’re busy, I know it’s important, you’re having …
10 Tips for Cutting Costs as a Family #SaveSmarter
Last week I took a test. Devised by Aviva, the Financial Personality Tool promised to enlighten me as to my own particular strengths and weaknesses when it comes to money. It got me completely right, and opened my eyes to some opportunities to be a bit smarter about how I save, spend, and manage my finances. I took the test for my husband, and it agreed that my suspicions were correct: we should never have got married… That shock out of the way (who am I kidding, it was never a shock – I love him to bits, but gawd …
Stable Diabetes: it’s Mission Impossible #DPC16
I don’t know who this photo belongs to, but if anyone does, I’ll gladly credit. The man is a genius. If you’re living with diabetes I know you’ll be nodding at this point; if you’re not, please believe us – stable diabetes is not something that ever happens, particularly if you’re type 1. “Is she not stable then..?” There is nothing that infuriates a diabetic more than this question. Apart from possibly “Are you allowed to eat that?” See this image for the answer to that question. Then I promise we’ll crack on with the point of this post, but allow …
Diabetes: forget sugar and injections, it’s all about education. #DPC16
I’ve procrastinated with this post. Last week I was one of the official bloggers at the Diabetes UK Professional Conference (DPC). Professional. That means scientists, doctors, and researchers presenting findings from their studies, and debating new approaches in diabetes care. I run a parenting blog. Some of my readers are parents of children with type 1 diabetes, by virtue of the fact that I occasionally write impassioned posts on the subject since GG’s diagnosis. I applied for the position of conference blogger, but I questioned why I was awarded it. Most of my readers do not have diabetes on their …
Helping Kids to Make Healthy Friendships
I’ll never forget the year my best friend send me to Coventry. There were six of us in our group, and I was completely oblivious of our status of ‘top dogs’ in the classroom, though I can see it now. We occupied the centre of the room, three double desks set together, making everyone else satellites to our clique around the edges. We’d been together right from the start, though Kaye and I were best friends. Both strong personalities, we probably vied for position, although conveniently, I remember her being the most confident. I’m the classic boiled egg – what …
Safer Internet Day: Should children have social media accounts?
The average age of a cyber criminal is 17 One in ten 16-19 year olds know someone who has engaged in a criminal activity online A third would be impressed if a friend hacked a bank website and replaced the logo with a cartoon One in ten would be impressed if a friend hacked an air traffic control system. (Research findings from internet security software provider Kapersky Lab). I once had an argument with a secondary school teacher about children and social media. She was unequivocal: children of any age have no place in social media. It’s too dangerous, they’re …
Bronchiolitis: When it’s more than just a cold
“No, it can’t wait. Did you drive here? Is there someone who can go home and pack a bag for you? Ideally you’d go straight there.” Have you ever taken your baby to a routine GP appointment, and left with an instruction to take him straight to hospital? It’s scary. It was the day after my daughter’s christening that she developed a cold. It had been a lovely day, warm and full of smiles and sunshine. Everything was perfect, we were all well, and the day went beautifully. So I was surprised when she started with a snotty nose and a …
Judgement – a Life Lesson for those who are judged, and those who judge
How best to support your friend who is going through something difficult.
Why diabetes is like a toddler
What would you say is the worst thing about having a toddler? The obsession with the word no, and a refusal to comply with any request? The sleepless nights, as your child won’t sleep, or will sleep, but not in his own bed, and only for intermittent bursts? His unpredictability, and tendency to tantrums out of nowhere? His uncanny knack of figuring out a way round all your best laid plans? Or his lack of common sense and logic, which frequently puts him in dangerous situations, as you hurtle in to save him? It’s the same with diabetes. Toddlers and Diabetes at …
Perfect Stocking Fillers for Girls from Little Ondine
Recently my girl turned 11. There is some grace to a birthday celebration at this age. Gone are the full-scale parties for 25 with an entertainer and endless curly sandwiches that used to see me collapse into a glass of wine at the end. Now she just wants sleepovers with a few friends. Easy! They run it themselves, and all I have to do is order pizza. The hoard of make-up and tinctures that took up residence on my kitchen table was a sight to be believed. These 5 girls have more make up between them than I think …
The Ghost of Christmas Past and my Perfect Christmas
We put our tree up this weekend. It’s always a big deal, never a chore. In the pursuit of family traditions, I’ve always made sure that Christmas tree weekend is special. So no, you can pass on those Chelsea tickets, welcome the cancelled football match, and even – just this once – skip swimming lessons. Put on the Christmas playlist, overboil the mulled wine, and warm up some mince pies, because Christmas tree weekend has to happen in a certain way every year. I apologise if I’m a little prescriptive, slightly bossy, and rather a neat freak, but this …
Dear Type 1 Diabetes
Dear Type 1 Diabetes, I’m just writing to let you know what I think of you. I haven’t ranted too much in the last year since you rudely set up camp in our lives, but the time has come. It might get sweary. Actually, strike that; this is going to get totally sweary, and I make no apologies, because it’s about time you were told. Type 1 Diabetes, you are a nasty, vindictive little terrorist, with an impeccable and malicious sense of timing. I have gradually come to accept that you are a law unto yourself. It’s not about food, …
Diabetes: This is WAR
This weekend we played a game of Bananagrams. One of those games that you either love or hate. My need for order and precision, my discomfort with change means it’s not my favourite. But it grows on you. Those who like to shake things up, change them for the sake of it, experiment, they love it. It makes GG happy. If she doesn’t like a word she’s used, she’ll change it. I wish everything was that simple. I left them to tidy up, and when I next looked, they hadn’t. They’d all wandered off, apart from her. She sat at …
Parenting: The truth about diabetes
Today is a difficult day. Today I have mixed emotions. On this day last year I took my nine-year-old daughter to the GP, expecting to come home with a prescription for antibiotics. Instead, we were sent straight to hospital and admitted for training in how to manage type 1 diabetes, and life as we knew it was over. I asked her how she wanted to mark the anniversary of her diagnosis; if she wanted to just forget about it, or if she’d like to celebrate how far she has come since that awful day. She saw it as an excuse to …
Being Brave: BritMums and Type 1 Diabetes
In June 2015 I attended the BritMums Live conference for parenting bloggers. I have been many times to the event, and have transitioned from nervous new blogger to being relaxed and excited to catch up with friends and discover new brands. I have spoken at the event in previous years, and gained valuable experience in public-speaking. I have even read a blogger keynote speech before – a funny one that gave me the satisfaction of a few audience laughs. This year though, I was brave. This year I spoke out about what it means to suffer a life-changing event in …
Shoulda Woulda Could Of
If you’re anything like me, the title of this post makes your blood boil. It doesn’t? Read on… As my children get older, I am increasingly concerned about social media. Ah! my family (and that teacher I met once) exclaim. At last, she’s seen the light! All that grooming and online bullying, not to mention the the dangers of accidentally clicking on something no young eyes should ever see. Thank goodness. But it’s not that. I still firmly maintain that the earlier a child gains supervised access to social media, the more likely it is that he will learn …
Why Type 1 Diabetes is like a newborn baby
This time last year I was excited about an impending event. The MAD Blog Awards finalists had just been announced and I was on the list. I rubbed my hands at the thought of a great night out with some fabulous bloggers, and started planning my dress. I probably cracked open a bottle of something fizzy and told Twitter all about it. It’s a big deal, The MAD’s and I’m always so thrilled to be a part of it. Six months later I arrived at the awards ceremony with bleeding heels from a last minute stagger along Knightsbridge, having thrown …
Parenting: How to Rock the Period Talk
Taking the awkwardness out of periods for parents of young girls
Football Mum of the Year
I sit here merrily typing at my kitchen desk, courtesy of Actually Daddy. Saturday mornings are his territory; it’s my day for a lie-in, and for catching up with Facebook work. Saturday is when he takes the kids to football practice. I was perpelexed when my six-year-old daughter told me she wanted to join the football club at school. I signed her up, and intensified our shoelace-tying lessons – she was totally doing that stint on her own! No way was I standing in the cold on a dark winter’s evening while my child threw herself around a muddy field. …