It’s real folks – an IVF lottery, the world’s first in fact. UK Fertility Charity To Hatch is set to launch a monthly jackpot, the winner of which will receive £25, 000 worth of fertility treatments at one of the country’s top clinics.

If standard IVF fails, the winner will be offered donor eggs, reproductive surgery or even surrogate births. Couples will be offered a tailor-made service.

Ticket prices had been announced at £20 each and as you can imagine, the Baby Lottery has provoked a massive public outcry.

Critics have an ethical problem with reducing human life to a mere game and sensational newspaper headlines have focused on the ‘win a baby scenario’ as opposed to the idea that the prize is treatment, not a baby.

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Are you excited to pop out a baby girl this year? If so, listen up; the MailOnline reports that the latest estimates reveal that a girl born this year is almost eight times more likely to reach the age of 100 than her grandmother.

What about the lads? While a baby girl has more than a one in three chance of becoming a centenarian, a baby boy has a one in four chance. Still pretty good odds I reckon.

I hit the big three-O next year; a little daunting admittedly! According to experts, I have nothing to worry about; twenty-year-olds are three times more likely to reach 100 than those of their grandparents’ age, and roughly twice as likely to reach 100 than those of their parents’ generation in their fifties.

So I potentially have plenty of years left to fulfill those long-forgotten dreams. Good to know although my twenties have been pretty good years – BRING ON 30!

Now, back to the point: the fact that overall a baby born this year is almost eight times more likely to reach 100 than one born in 1931, emphasises the extreme differences in life expectancy between generations.

Current trends suggest that by 2066 there will be at least half a million people aged 100 or more – and I could be one of those half a million people.  Thinking that far ahead is pretty daunting but the more I think about it, the more I am of the opinion that although old age is not the most pleasant of contemplations, more time with my precious family is a beautiful thought.

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What’s up with the ‘silent Sunday’ thing? What are silent Sundays? All UK mum blogs that I read have a ‘silent Sunday’ ritual whereby only a photo is posted – no words.

Is there some sacred mummy blogger rule that I am missing here? Did the guidebook say ‘no writing on Sundays’? Is the whole ‘day of rest’ thing taken seriously in the year 2011?

Silence is not in my nature. Dear mummy bloggers, I want to speak! I want to write and post on a Sunday!

I like the philosophy ‘don’t knock it until you’ve tried it’ but I don’t like to do things merely because trend says so. So I read up on silent Sunday.

‘Silent Sunday’ was started by Mocha Beanie Mummy (MBM). It all began in June 2009 when MBM started posting a photo most Sundays. Just a photo, no words – and no reason other than the photo attracted MBM’s attention, made her smile or summed up her week.

It became a ‘thing’ – sometimes words clutter a picture and there is a great deal to be gained from just looking. Inspired by the freedom to change thoughts when looking at the ‘Silent Sunday’ photo on different days and in different contexts, MBM invited you all to join. And you did.

The rules say:

* You use just one photo in your post.

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Alert, mummy bloggers! BritMums, the UK’s largest parent blogger network, has announced the launch of BritMums Live!, a whole new Mummy blogger  conference based around the parent blogging community.

BritMums is a great parent blogger forum, especially when it comes to discussing all those burning blogger questions – and you get a cool little cyber badge for your site when you register.

BritMums is a friendly and supportive group of parent bloggers who share posts and rants, start discussions and give a voice to the mummy blogger community.

BritMums Live! is a 2-day experience organised around a theme of dynamic collaboration, with workshops, casual meet-ups, roundtable discussions and parties – British mums LOVE a good party!

Over two days you will:

* Get inspired about creating content and improving your blog.

* Meet fellow bloggers at the biggest parent blogging event of the year.

* Learn the strategies and pick the brains of the best-read bloggers from our community and outside.

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There is no doubt in my mind that I am raising a techno baby – computers and phones are my nearly-two-year-old’s fetish.

While my biggest problem at the moment is preventing my child from sending random texts and calling 999 (true story), the mere thought of my thirteen-year-old daughter with a phone is utterly cringe-worthy.

I realise that thirteen is s decade away but if it occupies my brain space, surely I am not the only one…

In a recent report by Ofcom, it was revealed that 60% of teenagers are addicted to their mobiles. I really do not want this to be my child!

In response to Ofcom’s statistical revelation, renowned Scottish therapist, Andrew Johnson, has launched an ‘app’ to help teens overcome their addiction.

The app, called Disconnect, has had a 95% success rate amongst those who have used it in trials. The app uses a combination of relaxation techniques including deep breathing, visualisation and meditation allowing people to shift their perception of life without relying on technology.

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