A couple of mums I know rave about the brilliance of baby sign and I have become really curious about how this mode of baby communication works.

One of the most frustrating things when it comes to parenting a baby or toddler is being unsure of their feelings. The more we get to know our children, the better we become at reading their gestures, vocalisations and facial expressions but there are those whiney days when we sort through the list of potential irritants: hungry, tired, teething, hot, cold or just plain old grumpy?

Perhaps if there was a sign or gesture to articulate one of the above, communicating with baby would be far easier.

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In a Nikon sponsored study conducted by Opinion Matters, research revealed that almost half (46%) of mums and dads in the UK admit to taking more pictures of their first born child.

I am the mum of a one-year-old daughter and her father and I have taken masses of photos of our little princess – no exaggeration. We have certainly set ourselves a mammoth task with regards to matching the number of photos with baby number two.

When parents were asked why they took fewer photographs of their younger children, time pressures (46%) was the most popular answer, followed by parents not realising that more photos had been taken until they looked back (34%).

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We all know the benefits of exercise on our health, fitness and mood, Children’s need to exercise is no less (as any parent knows who’s been forced to keep their child indoors on a rainy day!).  With childhood obesity on the rise (a third of primary school children are now either overweight or obese), exercising for kids is more important than ever.  But now American scientists have discovered that not only is exercise good for children’s fitness, it can also make them brainier.

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At this time of year, illness seems to strike every family, one way or another.  As a parent, it can be particularly worrying when your child throws a fever.  The shivers and burning brow a dead give-away for a rocketing temperature. Here’s two of the most effective baby thermometers on the market right now.

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There is a huge choice when it comes to toddlers rucksacks and kids backpacks, I think I have unearthed the best children’s bag!

I’m not sure whether it’s a case of mimicking mummy’s omni-present handbag or just the innate desire to take precious things wherever they go, but children seem to adore having little bags to carry around.  My daughter will even put her favourite bag inside another bag, to ensure she is never short of the perfect carrier.

Monsoon make beautiful pint-sized totes for little princesses.  And Trunki do the coolest ride-on suitcases for junior travellers.  But surely the most practical everyday bag is LittleLife’s Toddler Daysack?

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