We love the Middletons. The Osbournes and ‘The Incredibles’ as well.

A new study carried out by Perform asked participants which famous family type best fits their own.

The majority of participants likened themselves to the Middleton clan –high-achieving traditionalists. Ozzy Osbourne’s animated brood – classed as alternative easy-going liberals – followed in popularity and the super sporty fictional superhero family ‘The Incredibles’ was also top on the list.

According to the British families study, the Middletons are synonymous with being musically and academically accomplished as well as travel savvy. People who most relate to the Osbournes are those who value humour and do … Continue reading →

Flying with toddlers can be a difficult experience, both for parent and child. I recently took a long-haul flight from London to South Africa with my husband and almost two-year-old daughter.

Our holiday was planned around my daughter’s second birthday; the flight (excluding airport taxes) is free before a child turns two… and we are all about saving money. BUT a total of twenty-four hours flight time with a wiggly, restless toddler taught me that saving money is not always the best option!

Let’s just say that I thought that an 11kg two-year-old sitting on my lap for a ridiculous number of hours … Continue reading →

Winter is still with us and it is dark, very dark… all the time (it feels like). So who needs a black out blind?

That said; being prepared is never a bad thing.

Last summer I cottoned on to the need for a black out blind only after my poor toddler started waking up with the birds at 4am. Then I had to search for one – no easy task.

In anticipation of a gorgeous summer (here’s hoping), Lightsoutblinds are sure to assist with some lovely weekend lie ins – for you and your kiddies.

Recently selected as a favourite by a panel of … Continue reading →

I know that I am one of many mums who are becoming increasingly aware of nappy pollution. It’s no secret that nappies burden landfill.

My two-year-old daughter will inherit a planet that I am busy polluting with nappy waste. Seventy per cent biodegradable is my nappy of choice but even that no longer seems good enough. The nature that I take for granted may not be around for my little girl to enjoy. It’s sad and scary.

Loads more mums seem to be opting for the cloth nappies that their mums used to use back in the day before the convenience of … Continue reading →

* Bananas are a good source of potassium, which is essential for maintaining heart, nerve and kidney function.

* They contain an amino acid called tryptophan, which is needed for the production of serotonin, a brain chemical that regulates mood.

* Bananas are also a good source of vitamin B6, which is needed for the … Continue reading →

We all know how important milk is as part of a baby’s diet. To start with, it is the only part of their diet, a way of filling little tummies throughout the day and night.

Later it becomes a drink that can all too easily be replaced with water, juice or other drinks. Over time, the contribution that milk makes to a child’s daily food intake becomes less and less.

But milk remains an important way of helping children get their required daily amount of calcium throughout childhood and beyond, the importance of calcium for kids is great because calcium continues to … Continue reading →

Gorgeous Jennifer Garner is pregnant with her third babs – brave lady! What I want to know is the lovely Mrs Affleck’s secret to looking good.

In a recent interview with the Pregnancy & Birth, Jen said two things about putting on weight during pregnancy:

“I’m not a woman who stays tiny while pregnant, like I thought I would.  I definitely give myself the freedom to eat whatever I want.”

But wait ladies… before you climb on your ‘she’s just one of those lucky mums who eats what she wants and bounces right back after birth’ band wagon! The secret to looking good comes … Continue reading →

Most kids want a pet. Puppies and kittens often come top of the list, with hamsters and fish being a low maintenance compromise for families (i.e. mums!) who are short on space and/or time.

If your children are pestering you to get them a pet, you might be reluctant on the grounds that the novelty will soon wear off and you will be left with the upkeep, which is most likely true, but there are many benefits of a family pet.

A pet can enrich the lives of every member of the family, so it could be worth thinking about.

Having a pet teaches … Continue reading →

Naming a baby is no haphazard endeavour. Most mums and dads think long and hard about the perfect name and spend even more time agreeing on what to call their little bundle of joy.

The process is fun, frustrating and one of the coolest things about becoming a parent.

Here’s an interesting statistic: 8 per cent of parents regret their choice of name for their child (as researched by Yourbabydomainname.com.

I didn’t think that the percentage was particularly high but I guess if you consider the world’s population, now numbering 7 billion, 560 000 000 people are walking around with names that their … Continue reading →

Keen to keep your man at home? Make him a dad. At least, that’s what Anthropologist Christopher Kuzawa from Northwestern University in the US says.

We’ve all watched enough films to know that having a baby is no way to ‘keep your man’. But a new study offers compelling evidence that becoming a dad makes a man’s testosterone levels drop.

This can be interpreted in many ways but men being faithful and fewer nights at the pub after work are what some are saying.

More than 600 in their twenties were studied for over a five-year period. During this time, around a third … Continue reading →