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My Little Loves

Back to the school run

Back to school – Already!

I honestly don’t know where the last 12 weeks went and I would love to tell you that “I am a beginner” at this school mama jazz but we are in this game 5 years now so I really should be more prepared.

I feel like I have just released my freshly made (in my head) 10 and 7 year olds back to the school yard. Back to their teachers and friends and really my number one wish is that, they come out of school as happy as they went in!

No one prepares you for the feelings that hit you as a mother the first week back each year. 

The excitement of them returning to school and the joy of us finally getting a well deserved break can sometimes be over shadowed by the fear of them not enjoying themselves. 

Will they make friends? 

Will they remember to go to the bathroom? 

Will they eat their lunch? 

Will someone tell them to “go into the shade!” If they are turning red!

Will they be happy?

The list is endless and the anxiety we feel as parents is fierce.

5 years in and mine have been too early, too late, eaten the contents of their lunch box in the back seat of the car, stripped off uniforms in the heat, fought over missing library books and of course, the obligatory spilling of drinks all over the back seat leading to smells like no other and all this before I race them in to school in time for the national anthem so they aren’t fined for being late!

How does one do this for 16 years? 

I may not be able to solve most of the above problems for you. So I will just jot down a few that make my life easier.

Let’s call them ‘small wins!’

  1. Lunches – Checking out blog posts on the just kidding feed as Instagram lunch box queen @ieatmypeas has covered this so well. So many tips and tricks to make life easier for picky eaters and mothers like me who haven’t a clue!
  2. Back packs – There are some lovely choices out there. My top tips would be to have the bag ready for the next day before bedtime so there is less stress in the morning. 
  3. Having the uniform out, underpants, socks, shoes. I find when it is laid out there are fewer arguments in the morning. I also get them to have their breakfast in their pajamas so there are fewer spillages! 
  4. Car seats – Being safe should be everyone’s first tick off the list. High back car seats to and from school are a must! For the school tours or school buses I would highly recommend the Mi Fold for those who need one handy in their school bags. There should be no price on a child’s safety but these really are priced well in Just Kidding and fully approved!
  5. Tricky words – If your like me and need extra time for spellings. Do these while stuck in traffic! Pick 5 tricky words each morning to role off in the car especially helpful the morning of your little loves spelling test so the words are fresh in their mind.

Hope everyone’s first week or first week back goes smoothly and wishing everyone s fun year ahead!

Love, Helly x

Trip 1 or 6 – A few of my travel tips!

If you are about to embark on the 1st trip with your 1st child, or your 10th trip with your 3rd child, traveling with kids will always be daunting. There is so much to think about. What to pack? How to get there? It’s a mind boggle with so many potential worries.

These are some tips that I believe will help parents from going insane.

Some are for babies, some are for older children, some for you but one thing is for sure, preparation is key and once you arrive at your destination it will all be worth it!

Take it slow – You do not need to be the first on the plane nor do you have to be the first to get off the plane. Sit back and let everyone else rush around you. Take deep breaths and move when you are ready.

Don’t over pack – Remember that almost everything can be bought abroad. It might not be the same brand, but you’ll manage. Your nappy bag will count as your carry on, so make sure you’ve got everything. Baby wipes in abundance, Nappies, Baby food/Snacks, For bigger kids chewy sweets to avoid sore ears on take off and landing, change of clothes for all, one plastic bag to store anything that may get destroyed, headphones and a little bag with medicines you might need.

Brand your little – This may sound awful. How could you lose your child? Honestly – It happens. You are busy and they are distracted and airports are bright and shiny! A friend told me that she started writing her number across her child’s arm for such events and I really thought this was clever.

Baby wearing or a travel stroller for the win! – This is of course a personal choice. I am the crazy person that loves a sling and also a Yo-Yo. The sling for going through all the security points and also I can feed her in the sling and she would happily sleep in it. The Yo-Yo for when I am in need of my own space and she is happy to sit and watch everything around her. The one thing she loves about airports – People watching!

Small gifts – When you really feel like you need a break -new toys wrapped up make for a great distraction. It may only give you 15minutes but any 15minutes is a win in my eyes.

Tablets – All screen time rules should go out the window for a bit of peace! Who’s with me? In all honesty though, Netflix allows you to download their favorite shows on to your device and it has saved me on so many occasions. Remembering that a lot of planes don’t allow the on flight entertainment to start until up in the air and sometimes there is a big wait from boarding to that point. You can also get kid friendly and educational games that they haven’t played yet to hold their attention.

Snacks – If in doubt, no amount of food is an issue. Keep feeding. Hopefully not all sugary treats (just so you have some hope of a nap) but my little’s love food so it is a great distraction.

Timing is everything – I like to plan my flights around bedtime if at all possible. Evening flights can be more expensive, but a sleeping child is good for my sanity and of course everyone else’s ears. Give yourself a couple of hours if connecting on to another flight to stretch legs, visit bathrooms, eat, talk, play, and get ready for the next flight.

Where to sit? – The middle of the plane gives you the option of using the bulkhead seats. Not only would you get more legroom and more floor space for play – it also means the possibility of a baby cot. However, it also means that you wont have any storage under the seat in front of you. Sitting at the front is similar to the back, except the kitchen area is typically smaller, and busier. One other thing to consider that really depends on the child’s age is, window or aisle seat? You need to decide is it better to be tucked away or have space to move.

Check in online – One of the biggest blessings the internet brought to us was online check in! Minimize your time once you arrive at the airport. One of the easiest things to do is online check in. All you have to do is drop the bag and go through security. All about the easy, stress free options.

Arrive Early – You may have checked in online but it is still far easier to do the queues of visa control and bag drop at your own ease. Get through it calmly and try to let the kids run about and use up all of their energy closer to your departure gate.

Keep calm – what is the worse that could happen? Yes your child could scream or make you feel like all eyes are on you but who really cares. It is a moment in time that you will have survived. Sit back and enjoy what ever moments are enjoyable.

Remember that YOU will be FINE!

When you get there treat yourself to something you like.

Happy Holidays!!

Helly xx

Seat of stokke Dreams

The Stokke Tripp Trapp has always been a fantastically luxury choice of high chairs. Developed in the 70’s and it is still rocking the baby market – The seat of dreams!

Made of solid European beech wood. An intelligent design that grows with your child. It provides a comfortable, ergonomic seat which can be used at any age. It has been made to fit right up to the kitchen table so that baby can be apart of the family dining experience.

It allows Littles to eat, learn and play alongside those they love.

It is available in a range of colours and you can add extra comfort and colour with the additional accessories.

Since becoming a parent 10 years ago, I have noted that some brands continue to push out new products, whereas Stokke has really kept with more of a core offering making tweaks and evolving these select few along the way, rather than extending the range too much.

The Tripp Trapp high chair is a classic example. It’s designed for use from birth right up to adulthood – how’s that for longevity so what more do you need?!

With a classic Scandi design, this chair (calling it a highchair seems like it’s doing it an injustice) hasn’t changed much since it’s original design back in 1972.

I should say at this point – my best friend has had hers since the 70’s. It has now sat all of her own Littles.

Another reason I love and believe in the product!

The simplistic design ensures it’s easy to clean with no annoying nooks and crannies, and the high quality beech wood means it doesn’t wear like other materials would over time.

For babies, I really like that the Tripp Trapp can really be mixed up based on your baby’s size, weight and parents preference.

The Newborn Set makes it more of a baby chair, and then from six months, the Baby Set works the standard chair as more of your conventional highchair – perfect ergonomic back piece and supportive chair restraints to bring baby up close to the dining table, or with the harness and tray table works well as a standalone chair.

Post toddler you can use as a standard chair – no belts, buckles, trays etc, just a chair that sits neatly under your table and can take up to the weight of a fully grown adult.

The Tripp Trapp Chairs are available in an array of classy colours ranging from pops of red and yellow, to varying natural woody shades and stains.

The great thing is that they can either be a standout feature because of their iconic design and colour, or work well with an established colour scheme you already have.

As we already have a Scandinavian vibe going on, we have stuck with the original beach wood and whites.

The new stylish Junior Cushion, can be added for a softer overlay on the seat for little bums aged around two to three. This simple cover has a gripped bottom to prevent it from moving, and it sits flushly on the chair for comfort.

For more information on the Stokke Tripp Trapp and new accessories, visit Just Kidding and as an added bonus you can get 10% off by using my discount code HELEN10

Happy Shopping…

Helly xx

Boot Essentials…

Well truth be told… A LOT… But here is why!

As a Mama in Dubai there are many items I need to make my life easier. I am sure every Mama is the same and writes notes all over their house, car, children to keep up with the day to day chores.

That is me!

I am one of those Mama’s!

A Mama that is really good at writing said post it notes but useless at ticking them off. Which is so strange as in the workplace I am all about ticking jobs off one by one and not leaving my desk until they are done. So why do I not get the day to day jobs done?

Often it is because I am not prepared. I think of something I want to tick off the list but realise fast enough I don’t have the items I need to do the said chore. So I have decided to simplify my life a little to make life easier and I am starting with our car. Below are the items I am loving that I have neatly (for now) stored away in the boot or items that I am using daily that I cannot live without!

YoYo by Babyzen

I feel like every pregnancy we find one item that we couldn’t have done with out! This pregnancy was our first using the amazing Babyzen Yoyo from newborn. If you haven’t heard about this dreamy travel stroller yet, it was the first pushchair to be approved for cabin luggage (measuring only 56x45x25cm when folded up). It can be folded with one hand in a few seconds – and there is a strap to carry it over your shoulder like a light baby bag. Previous trips when our older girls were small, we have been told, “your stroller will be there for you when the door opens” – LIES… it is never there! So thankfully this light stroller is as easy to push and easy to store. You can purchase it from Just Kidding and as an added bonus the colour packs are incredible and so reasonably priced. You could have a colour for every season if you wanted. Popping the link here for you to check out yourself.

MiFold

This Grab and Go booster seat has been a life saver! Whether it has been for Uber journeys, school pick ups – when you need another car seat (safety first folks) or like this summer, used to protect our children in Ireland, Amsterdam and Cyprus. As we know every child is different and MiFold adapts to suit every child. You can adjust it to fit the Childs height and width and it provides a safe and secure fit every time. I have major trust issues with care seats and I trust this one hundred percent. I will be doing a proper video on this soon as I really want to show parents how easy and safe it is to use… Stay tuned but in the mean time you can purchase here.

Skip Hop Back Seat Mirror

I am sure many mums are like me and start to panic when they cant see what their little one is up to? It is such a catch 22 because as soon as it is quiet in the car I am relieved that she has fallen asleep, but within a minute I then panic and need to pull in to check that she is ok. This mirror makes it easy to remain calm. Every traffic light or stop sign I can glance (when safe to do so) at my rear view mirror which shows me the skip hop mirror and gives me a sneak peak into what she is up to. It is really easy viewing, fits on to the headrest of my car and allows her to look at her reflection also – Which she loves! It also has shatter proof mirror and padding around the edges which makes this Mama happy as her safety comes first. Click here to purchase.

Just Essentials Summer Seat Cover

Had me at hot pink!? In all seriousness though. It protects her maxi cosi and is easy to wash when needed. The most important part is that it keeps her cool and cosy. This product is now on sale for DHS 15! Honestly – It is a must have! Click here to check it out.

Just Essentials – The Coolest Car Seat Sun Protector 

Fiadh-Belle’s spare car seat is in her Daddy’s car and I always get nervous that as it is not being used it will fade with the sun. Not only that but it is roasting at the moment and I don’t want her to burn herself on the buckles if she ever has to go into this car. A friend told me about these covers that the sun bounces off and I was sold. This is an ESSENTIAL living in Dubai as far as I am concerned. You can view and purchase here and it is currently on sale!

Thank you so much for reading 🙂

Love, Helly xx