Families First NI Dec/Jan 2014 by Families First

AV N AI OW LA BL E

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Your daily reward When you’re a mum-to-be, Appletiser is a naturally delicious everyday treat! The miracle of pregnancy is a wonderful experience. You want to be able to do the very best for your baby and ensure that what you put into your body is healthy and rewarding. Made with 100% pure apple juice and 100% pure passion, Appletiser is 100% perfect for you and your bump. In fact, just 250ml constitutes one portion of your recommended 5-a-day fruit and vegetable intake. It’s important to get your five portions every day to make sure you have a healthy diet – especially when you’re pregnant. You can also rest assured that Appletiser has no added sugar, colourants or preservatives. So if you’re craving something a little indulgent, yet healthy, why not raise a glass, or three, to your little one?

Welcome

to Northern Ireland’s Families First paper!

id you know that mums are now ruling the world both at home and in the boardroom? Yes, ‘Mumpreneurs’ mean business and this issue, we meet one of Northern Ireland’s most successful business women - Alyson Hogg on page 26. As a mum to a 22-month-old, I find it hard juggling a hectic work life with all the trials and tribulations of daily toddler life but this lady truly knows her stuff and has some helpful tips on how you can conquer the business world whilst still raising your kiddies. We highlight the importance of education and look at which is better for your little clever clogs – state school or private. Read our education feature from pages 6 to 11. Were you aware that families raising disabled and seriously ill children continue to suffer from extreme sleep deprivation? As the Family Fund presented their report ‘Tired all the Time’ to Westminster, we caught up with Caroline Roddy who rarely gets a full night’s sleep die to son Oscar’s condition. Read page 34 and 35. Find out all about our exciting coffee mornings, coming soon to venues all across NI where mums can bring their tots, have a coffee and share tips while the kids play and lap up the entertainment FOR FREE! It’ s expensive raising a family and we’re all too aware of this so we’ve brought you a wealth of beauty and fashion tips and tricks, none of which will break the bank. We outline tips on saving as a family on page 31 and if that’s not all, we bring you the latest advice on healthy eating and a host of other handy family fun information and events happening near you. We always put families first so enjoy reading and be sure to visit our website: www.familiesfirst-uk.com for lots more helpful advice and useful articles.

Find us on Facebook too! (The Baby Hub)

Contents 8 18 24 26 28 34 36

- Education - Fashion - Beauty - How to Become a ‘Mumpreneur’ - Families First Awards - Special Report - What’s On

Disclaimer While every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information in this publication and website. Babyface Marketing Ltd accepts no responsibility for any error or misrepresentation. All liability, loss, disappointment negligence or other damage caused by the reliance on the information contained in the publications or web site, or in any company, individual or firm mentioned , or in the event of any company, individual or firm ceasing to trade, is hereby excluded.

Babyface Marketing offer a range of support and advice to parents all over Ireland.

Here are a few of the things we do…

Relaxing at home tips for mums-to-be: While relaxing at home with Appletiser, try these soothing ways to restore and rejuvenate both mind and body.

les and soak • Light cand le bath, in a warm bubb aromas such using calming nilla and as lavender, va chamomile. s and itchiness • Keep drynes saging your at bay by mas specially tummy with a nancy eg pr ed formulat massage oil. self a ‘lie-in’ • Allow your t indulging morning, spen in a good book

Gently sparkling 100% fruit juice

Are you pregnant? Our Baby Bags and Baby Book are available in GP surgeries and are packed full of sample products, offers and advice for mums to be. If you have not received yours, then email your details to thebabybags@ babyfacemarketing.com Have Your Say! Our annual Families First Awards give parents their say in recognising the products, people and brands their families love and could not be without.

Be Pampered! Our Beauty Bags, also launching in 2014, are just for mums….full of treats and goodies for mum to enjoy. Register your interest at beautybags@babyfacemarketing. com Get Online! Our website www.familiesfirstuk.com offers advice to parents with topics ranging from trying to conceive to choosing a preschool! You can also post news on our noticeboard or become a premium member to avail of our buy and sell service. Check our www. familiesfirst-uk.com Our Facebook page www.facebook. com/TheBabyHub is a fantastice way to join our growing community, keep up to date with the latest news and find some great competitions. Families First NI • www.familiesfirst-uk.com

Get ready for school! Our new and exciting School Goodie Bags are now available for mums with kids in Primary School. These will be packed with healthy lunch ideas, useful items for school and maybe some treats for mum. To register for your School Goodie Bag send your name, address, email and contact number to backtoschool@ babyfacemarketing.com. You will then be able to download your voucher to bring to your local supermarket to redeem your bag. www.facebook.com/TheBabyHub • Page 3

Coffee Mornings! We are in the process of organising fun filled, sociable coffee mornings in various locations across Northern Ireland where mums will have the opportunity to meet other mums and the children can interact and play in a safe environment whilst enjoying all the surprise activities we will be providing. Check out our website www.familiesfirst-uk.com and Facebook www.facebook.com/ TheBabyHub for further details.

Feature

For every stage in life

there’s Vitabiotics Festive Flowers In advance of their busiest time of year, Families First spoke with David Ferguson of Belfast’s boutique florist Ferguson Flowers to discuss Christmas flower trends and creating the perfect Christmas arrangement for friends and family this season.

Christmas Perfect Gift Vase, from £29.99

In the weeks leading up to the Christmas season Ferguson Flowers is expecting to receive an increased number of orders from as close as Belfast and as far away as Hong Kong and Australia. Through online

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Christmas Classics Popular Christmas favourites are sure to be in high demand again this year at Ferguson’s, so expect to find plenty of deep red roses, holly and berries combined with touches of evergreen, pine cones, and mistletoe on offer in holiday arrangements in traditional colours of red and green. These classics are perfect to give as gifts, hang as a wreath on your front door, or decorate the centrepiece of your dining table. What’s more, the waxy needles of evergreen hold in moisture, keeping your arrangements looking fresh even when the heat at home is turned up.”

Rustic Touches “For a muted take on festive florals, popular arrangements in snow white and fresh green with touches of light pink add a rustic element to Christmas flowers this season. Spray roses in snow white and light pink will create a talking point on your mantle as well as turning heads down the aisle at Christmas weddings. Contrast stark whites with dusty greens and ivy for a whimsical snowy effect.”

perfectly planned aesthetic. For a high visual impact in an entry way arrangements of uniform flowers like long-stemmed red amaryllis placed in front of a mirror will add festive green and red colours to your home in a very sophisticated way.”

Winter Brights Hand-tied Bouquet, from £39.99

orders at fergusonflowers.co.uk, the company receives an onslaught of Christmas orders from family members who have moved away from Northern Ireland as well as customers in Northern Ireland hoping to send flowers abroad to loved ones. “In Ferguson’s, Christmas really is the busiest and most exciting time of the year,” David remarked. “This year we plan to fill over 1,500 Christmas arrangement orders and will continue to make deliveries up to Christmas Day to make sure they all arrive in time.”

Foliage Bouquet, from £34.99

Christmas Cracker Hand-Tied Bouquet

Luxury Rose and Cornus Arrangement, from £94.99

Sophisticated Christmas Accents “If your décor is more contemporary, then decorating for Christmas can sometimes be a challenge. Flowers can be the perfect way to infuse Christmas touches into your modern home without interrupting your

Jewel Tones for Unexpected Colour “Jewel tones are predicted to be widely popular this Christmas as an alternative floral gift for friends and family. Shades of jade, ruby and amethyst look stunning in winter and stand out against a backdrop of deep evergreens. Roses, hydrangea and even coloured pine cones feature strongly in this trend giving a quirky Christmas option perfect for fashionforward or younger gift-getters.”

Order your Christmas arrangements from Ferguson Flowers online at www.fergusonflowers.co.uk or visit their shop at 45 Belmont Road, Belfast. Families First NI • www.familiesfirst-uk.com

www.facebook.com/TheBabyHub • Page 5

Education

BEST KIDS’ READS

Matilda By Roald Dahl It’s almost impossible to choose between Dahl’s books, but Matilda is one of the most borrowed by children, so let us choose her, especially as this book helps refute the charges of misogyny occasionally aimed at Dahl. Matilda is the super bright, exceptionally gifted daughter of horrible parents who helps free her school friends and her lovely teacher Miss Honey from the tyranny of headmistress Miss Trunchbull. All of Dahl’s exuberance and cartoon brutality is on disaply here, just the way kids like it. Best for kids aged eight and up.

Dark Warning By Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick Taney Tyrell is a young girl growing up in the bustling Smithfields markets area of Dublin in the 18th Century. Despite living in close quarters with her father, stepmother and beloved brother Jon Jon, Taney has always felt distant and different. Gradually Taney realises that she possesses a special gift – the ability to see things before they happen. This gift of second sight, she shares with her late mother and her father fears that Taney may lose herself completely in her supernatural ability. Suitable for kids aged nine and up.

State vs Private

The Narnia Books By CS Lewis Yes, they’re very much of their time and place, an oak-panelled room in the oak-panelled 1950s – and maybe you’ll want to drop the last battle, where the whole Christian allegory thing becomes crudely explicit, behind the sofa – but until then it’s a riot of fauns, talking beavers and dancing dryad in a cracking set of stories. Suitable for kids aged eight and up.

A Northern Ireland Issue Too?

Oh No George By Chris Haughton This new picture book tells the tale of George, a dog who tries to be good, who hopes to be good, but seems to fail at every turn of the page. When left alone in the house, he eats a whole cake, he chases the cat, he digs the soil in the flowerbeds – oh no George! But he’s soon sorry and tries to change his ways. With vivid colours, bold shapes, a remarkable illustration, sparse text and subtle complexity, this well-crafted picture book presents a wonderfully humorous tale of how difficult is to be good. Suitable for kids aged two to five years.

The Gruffalo By Julia Donaldson

It may now be over-familiar but it’s hard to imagine a library without one of Donaldson’s catchy, rhyming tales. This is a marvellously entertaining story which brilliantly demonstrates how humour and metaphor can be so effective in communicating important messages. During a walk through the dark woods, a little mouse frightens off various predators by pretending to be on the way to meet a gruffalo. Suitable for kids aged three to seven.

Spellbound: Tales of Enchantment from

ancient ireland By Siobhán Parkinson and Olwyn Whelan (Illus)

Spellbound tells the stories of eight ancient legends of Ireland. The stories are all linked by themes and magic and enchantment and are perfectly illustrated with brightly coloured, decorative and evocative paintings. Magical and enchanting stories from ancient Ireland are beautifully brought to life by vibrant watercolour illustrations featuring echoes of Celtic illumination. Suitable for kids aged eight and up.

Curious George In this, the original book about the curious monkey, George, is taken away from the jungle by the man in the yellow hat to live in a new home, but uh-oh, what happened? Tough trying to be good, George is still very curious and takes a swim in the ocean, escapes from jail and goes for a flying ride on a bunch of balloons. This treasured classic is where it all began for the curious, lovable monkey ad is a must have for any child’s book shelf. Suitable for kids between six and nine years.

The Worst Witch By Jill Murphy It’s hard enough to be hopeless in any school but, when it is spells that go wrong, the results can have unpredictable consequences! New girl Mildred Taylor doesn’t quite get the hang of some of the magical homework set at Miss Cackle’s Academy for Witches. The resulting chaos is delightful and hugely satisfying. Suitable for kids aged between five and seven.

Families First NI • www.familiesfirst-uk.com

www.facebook.com/TheBabyHub • Page 6

Families in England often face both the ethical and financial dilemma of whether to educate their children in State or Private education. But with only 15 independent private schools in Northern Ireland, do parents here encounter the same predicament? Independent schools provide full-time education for pupils aged from four to 16 and are funded by fee-paying parents and income from investments. Unlike state schools, they do not receive any grant aided government funding. The schools can also set their own curriculum and have their own admissions policies.

numbers at independent schools do seem to be on the slide. The 2012/13 academic year saw 687 pupils attend the 15 independent schools in Northern Ireland. Compared to 2003/04 school year when there were 17 independent schools with 835 pupils. Going back a few more years to 2000/01 there were 1,255 pupils in independent schools in the north.

Dolores Loughrey, a lecturer in the University of Ulster’s School of Education, says that despite the perception of private schools providing better education, she would favour a state-run system with adequate means to fulfil all children’s potential:

The figures however could be down to overall decrease in the school-age population. In the state sector for the same periods, 2012/13 saw 159,331 children in primary schools and 145,658 in secondary education; 2003/04 saw 166,342 in primary, 155,394 in secondary; and in 2000/01 174,454 in primary and a secondary total of 155,553.

“There should be equal opportunities for all children no matter what their background or circumstances and my personal view is that I would be saddened if a parent felt the need to send their child to a private school for what they think would be a ‘better’ education when the state schools should be doing the job. “I am a big supporter of state education and state education works well if those schools are run well and funded well, which comes down to the government. There are not enough hard decisions being made on going forward with the future of education (in Northern Ireland) – we have been sitting on the 11plus issue for so long for example – and we need the right people at the top to make the right decisions.” Many of the independent schools in Northern Ireland are chosen by parents because they are affiliated with a particular religious belief. Pupil

The vast majority of children in Northern Ireland will be state-educated and one of the criticisms often levelled at the state-run system is that class sizes are too big. The issue of class size is something that has perhaps forced the hand of many parents in selecting a private education. According to the Department of Education’s website: “Schools have a statutory responsibility to ensure that class sizes for pupils in years 1 - 4 do not exceed 30 pupils”. For many this may still be too excessive and parents worry their child may become ‘lost’ in the volume of pupils and some turn to private tuition to supplement school learning. Simon McKee founder of Helping Hand Tutoring NI says that he sees parents seeking Families First NI • www.familiesfirst-uk.com

tuition from all types of school regardless if they are in state funded or private education: “The people who come to us really come from all walks of life but the one thing they all have in common is that they all work hard and save hard to provide extra tuition for their children. “Every child is an individual and it depends on them as to what they need and every child needs something different. Although tuition can be about getting ready for exams it’s not just about exam preparation. Sometimes a teacher might have 30 pupils in a class and a child might just need a bit more one-toone attention that they can’t get in a large classroom. A child could be ill and may have missed a bit of school and tuition can help them get back up to speed with what they have missed through sickness. “However, the biggest thing about tuition is to raise confidence. The exam isn’t the be all and end all. Raising the confidence of the child (through tutoring) to be more comfortable in the classroom and more confident in learning is very important.” Helping Hand Tutoring was founded in 2006 and has 400 vetted tutors from all over the province on its books, providing tuition from primary one pupils learning the alphabet to students studying for A-levels. It is also works in partnership with government-funded bodies to provide numeracy and literacy tutors to children in care and foster care in Northern Ireland. www.facebook.com/TheBabyHub • Page 7

Mr McKee continues: “Tutoring wouldn’t be for every child and I understand that private tuition is out of reach for a lot of people. That’s why we have launched a website called www. helpinghandeducation.com. It aims to bring home help within everyone’s reach.” On the site, parents can buy inexpensive mathematics booklets for primary-aged children and the company provides its services across Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales. The booklets are relevant to the child’s particular year group and cost £1.89 each. “It gives the opportunity for parents to be involved in their child’s school work, gives them an understanding of the type of things their child is being taught in school and gives them the chance to have an input. The best type of learning is often informal learning. For instance, if a child comes home and has homework about grams and kilograms, the children who will do best are the ones whose parents take down the cereal box from the cupboard and show them the grams and kilograms on the package and help them understand. “Tuition is a three-way thing and works best if the child wants to improve, the parent needs to be dedicated to helping their child and the tutor has to have that dedication too. Tuition needs those three things to be working together to be successful.”

Feature

Little Bears Scoop Award

They bring smiles to the faces of 140 children every morning, but on the evening of September 27, Michelle McFeeters and Kerry Hichens were smiling for a very different reason.

he duo, who own and run the Little Bears nursery in Bangor, were delighted to have won the award for the category of Best Business Development / Over Ten Employees at a glittering soiree in The Clandeboye Lodge on September 27. Hundreds attended the black tie gala ball and winners and finalists celebrated in style with a three course meal, entertainment and dancing. Michelle said: “We also made the top three finalists in the Best Company To Work For category, of which we are extremely proud.”

The pair make an unstoppable team and have grown their fleet of staff from eight to 22 in a few short years. They have also moved premises in that time. Michelle continued: “We moved around the corner and acquired 3,000 square feet of space so Kerry and I sat down and worked

Award winning Little Bear’s Day Nursery is owned and managed by Kerry Hichens and Michelle McFeeters, both aged 35 and with over 18 years experience in childcare each.

out what we wanted to do with it. New standards were introduced by Social Services this year and as we had designed the new nursery in keeping with these, we had no changes to make.” The nursery has grown phenomenally in the last few years and welcomes children from all age groups right up to

The Baby Room

The Toddler Room

primary school leaving age and even has 22 funded pre-school places. Michelle puts its success down to the rapport that the staff have with the families. “The settling in process is as much for the parents as it is for the children and we are both mums ourselves and we, along with all our staff, put ourselves in the position of the mums and dads. We’re not a day nursery just out to make money.” The nursery is so popular that Kerry and Michelle are considering opening a second one in the future. Watch this space!

Kerry and Michelle pride themselves on running a friendly and accommodating childcare service to parents and ensure that every day is fun filled and educational for the all the children whether they attend for 2 hours or 11 hours a day. In the nursery’s last inspection report from 31st October 2012, they received no recommendations from the inspecting Social Workers, which is extremely rare in the childcare profession. The nursery also now provides up to 20 D.E.N.I. funded pre-school places, which runs from 9.00am – 11.45am, term times only. For more information on these places, call into our Open Night on Thursday 12th December from 6.30pm – 8.30pm. For more information, feel free to call into the nursery at anytime or call 91273533 and ask for Kerry or Michelle. Families First NI • www.familiesfirst-uk.com

One in Five Children Aren’t Claiming Free School Meals

Just as it just been announced all schoolchildren in England and Wales will be entitled to free school meals, Education Minister, John O’Dowd, has called on all families in Northern Ireland entitled to free school meals to claim them. They say there is no such thing as a free lunch, but as it turns out, there is but they are just not being claimed! The Minister was speaking during a debate on free school meal uptake in the Assembly. During the debate he revealed that almost one in five children who are eligible for free school meals do not avail of them. Speaking after the debate, the Minister said: “Free school meals support the Programme for Government commitment to tackle disadvantage and close the gap in educational attainment between the least and most deprived communities. The particular challenges faced by pupils from lower income backgrounds in accessing, participating in and benefiting from, formal education are well documented and we should not underestimate the impact this can have on children’s learning and development, on their educational

attainment and ultimately on their lifetime opportunities.” In 2011/12 34.1% of young people who were eligible for free school meals achieved five or more GCSEs at grades A*-C, compared to 67.9% of those not entitled to free school meals. Working Tax Credit Eligibility Extended The Minister said he was also extending the Working Tax Credit eligibility criteria from September 2014. This means that children at post-primary school will be eligible for free school meals in the same way as those at primary or nursery, enabling an additional 15,000 pupils from low income households to benefit from free school meals and the school uniform grant as a direct result. The Minister concluded: “We must not underestimate the important contribution which a

Education Minister John O’Dowd enjoys a nutritious roast beef lunch with Kayla of St Malachy’s Primary School, Armagh, to mark International School Meals Day healthy, nutritionally balanced school meal can make to a child’s overall health and wellbeing, to learning and cognitive development and, in turn, to academic performance.” Save Money, Claim Now In 2012/13 almost 80,000 pupils were entitled to receive free school meals and approximately 78,000

were entitled to receive the uniform grant – an increase since 2007/08 of almost 24,000 and 53,000 respectively. Should your child be claiming free school meals? If so, contact your local Education and Library Board for advice.

A Bright Start To Childcare Access to affordable and integrated childcare Junior Ministers Jonathan Bell and Jennifer McCann have launched Bright Start - the Executive’s Programme for affordable and integrated childcare.

This year, the nursery won a Bangor Business Award for Business Development (with more than 10 employees) and were runners up in the award for Best Company to Work For.

They currently employ 22 people on both a full time and part time basis and provide high quality childcare for up to 85 children every day.

Education News

Open Night on Thursday 12th December from 6.30pm – 8.30pm

Unit 2a Ashbury Shopping Centre Ashbury Avenue Bangor Co Down BT19 6TH Tel: 028 91273533 Email: info@littlebearsdaynursery.com For more information, feel free to call into the nursery at anytime or call 91273533 and ask for Kerry or Michelle. www.facebook.com/TheBabyHub • Page 8

Speaking at the launch at Bloomfield Playcare, Junior Minister, Jonathan Bell said: “Bright Start, the Executive’s Programme for Affordable and Integrated Childcare, is central to the achievement of the primary focus of the Programme for Government: to grow the economy and tackle disadvantage. Access to childcare is critical to help parents, particularly women, into work, move families out of poverty and help to break the cycle of inter-generational deprivation.” Financial Pressures Junior Minister Jennifer McCann said: “Work is a sure path out of disadvantage. We want Bright Start, to help as many people as possible to take that path. Good quality childcare, which provides positive experiences and promotes children’s opportunities to develop, is a starting point for lifelong achievement.”With rising costs and tough economic conditions, many people are experiencing financial pressures. Amongst other benefits, Bright Start aims to: • • • • • • •

Sustain and create 3,000 childcare places for school age childcare targeted at families in need. Pilot a new approach to wrap around care in the schools estate to create a minimum of 2,000 places Support a Rural Child-Minder Start Up Package creating an additional 1,000 places in rural areas. Support locally based transport scheme in rural areas, servicing networks of childminders in rural locations. Support up to 1,000 school age childcare places in rural areas. Fund two further phases of the DHSSPS led pilot – Improving Outcomes for Disabled Children. Promote the financial assistance available to parents.

Junior Ministers Jonathan Bell and Jennifer McCann have launched Bright Start at Bloomfield Playcare

Families First NI • www.familiesfirst-uk.com

www.facebook.com/TheBabyHub • Page 9

Education

Pack a Punch With Your Lunch

SAFETY FIRST

We’re back to packing lunches for ourselves, our other halves and our children, but we still find ourselves staring aimlessly into the fridge looking for some sort of lunch inspiration to fly out and hit us! The Public Health Agency (PHA) and safefood are reminding parents about the importance of packing a healthy lunchbox for children. Parents of Primary One children across Northern Ireland will receive a copy of the leaflet ‘Are you packing a healthy lunch?’ through their school, which is full of suggestions on how to make the contents of lunchboxes tasty and healthy.

Why Not Cycle To School?

Apollo Petal Girls Bike Helmet £17.99, Halfords

Did you also know that walking or cycling to and from school would count towards your child’s daily required quota of exercise, would save money on petrol and bus fares and would train children to be safe and cautious on the roads from a young age?

Jennifer McBratney, Health and Social Wellbeing Improvement Senior Officer, PHA said: “It can be a challenge making up a healthy lunchbox, especially when trying to offer choice. However by making some simple swaps to the contents of kids’ lunchboxes, we can make up healthy yet tasty lunchboxes. Parents may be surprised to learn that around one in five Year 1 children in Northern Ireland are overweight or obese. Coupled with physical activity, the best way to avoid this problem is to ensure that children eat food which gives them sustained energy but is not loaded with fat and sugar. Once we become obese or overweight, this can be difficult to reverse and teaching children healthier eating habits will benefit them for years to come.”

Transport Minister Danny Kennedy and the Public Health Agency jointly launched a major £1.2million sustainable transport initiative to encourage children to walk and cycle to school safely. The Active School Travel Initiative is funded by the Department for Regional Development and the Public Health Agency and will deliver a programme of cycling and walking skills to 180 schools across Northern Ireland over the next three years. The programme will also work with parents and teachers to support schools to develop a culture of active travel.

The PHA has found that a typical child’s lunchbox containing a ham sandwich with white bread, a packet of crisps, a chocolate muffin, a yogurt and a 250ml bottle of cola is high in fat and sugar, coming mainly from the muffin, fizzy drink and crisps. This lunch will provide 26g of fat and 52g sugar (more than seventeen sugar cubes). It also contains no portions of fruit or vegetables, known to be good for health. Families First NI • www.familiesfirst-uk.com

Raskullz Mohican Safety Bike Helmet Boys £19, Argos

Potential Dangers The Minister was accompanied at the launch by the Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Elizabeth Mitchell. Speaking during the launch at St. Joseph’s Primary School in East Belfast, the Minister said: “It is important any child cycling or walking to school have the necessary skills to enable them to walk or cycle to and from school safely. Children need to be aware www.facebook.com/TheBabyHub • Page 10

of road space and the potential dangers when crossing roads. “We need to invest in giving our children these vital skills and this is why I have asked Sustrans to deliver this Programme to 180 schools here over the next three years. “Walking or cycling to school is a great way to keep fit and healthy and helps lower emission fumes in our environment. It is also, of course, fun. Exercise helps pupils to concentrate on school work and keep a healthy mind as well as a healthy body. I would like to commend pupils and staff at both St Joseph’s and Strandtown primary schools for their huge level of commitment to the Programme. October is International Walk to School Month and it’s great to see the number of schools growing who are taking part in sustainable travel activities. I would like to see at least 36% of primary school and 22% of post primary schools pupils walking or cycling to school as their main mode of transport by 2015.” Families First NI • www.familiesfirst-uk.com

Good Fun Mary Black the Assistant Director of Health and Social Wellbeing Improvement at the Public Health Agency said: “The Public Health Agency is delighted to support this important new initiative which will really help ensure that more children can take part in physical exercise, so important for their growth and development, not to mention the fact that it is good fun. Too many of our children do not get enough exercise and this poses real, long term risks to their health and wellbeing. Director for Sustrans in Northern Ireland Gordon Clarke said this was an exciting strategic programme which would make big changes to the way young people travel.“ He said: “The enthusiasm from the schools shows there is great potential to embed a culture of active travel in our schools and young people, developing healthy habits for a lifetime. Pupils, their parents and the communities around the schools will be healthier and more active, while learning how to navigate roads safely.”

www.facebook.com/TheBabyHub • Page 11

Thrasher Helmet £19.99, Toys ‘R’ Us

Cherry Lane Bike Bell £7.99, Halfords

Hi Visibility Child’s Slap Band Slap Wrap Armband Reflective £1.99, www.ebay.co.uk

Do you or does someone you love need some help with everyday activities because of illness, injury or simply the march of time? We can help, as your dedicated home care provider. Open Door believes that the elderly can live confidently and age gracefully in their own homes for as long as possible, either through the provision of individual support services or by providing respite services to their loved ones who act as unpaid family carers. We hope to make a positive difference in the lives of our clients who can continue to live fulfilling and independent lives. Most of our clients do not need nor want to be within a residential care facility. They want to enjoy financial and physical independence and they desperately do not wish to be a burden to family and this is where we come in. We simply provide a helping hand with everyday living, providing the safety net which allows both our clients and their families to feel emotionally secure by giving back their dignity, respect and independence. Examples of our home-based support includes light housekeeping, meal preparation, companionship and personal care. A small number of clients sometimes require the next stage of assistance, again without leaving the security of their own homes, and in these instances we offer respite, sleepover and live in care arrangements to help them out in the short, medium or long-term. If you would like to learn about how we can assist you then please contact Denise on 02891 823500 or email to denise@opendoorhomecare.co.uk

In the next issue! Out the 14th February. Guide to getting married Learn how to do it yourself with our: ‘How to’ Master class in sugar craft, and ‘How too’ Master class in home furnishings. Having a birthday party, check out the latest And advertise your event for FREE on our new notice board!!!! (75 words ) Plus lots more! www.familiesfirst-uk.com www.facebook.com/TheBabyHub Families First NI • www.familiesfirst-uk.com

www.facebook.com/TheBabyHub • Page 12

Kids Fashion

Little Cuties

TUTU CUTE...

Baker by Ted Baker Boys - £26 Debenhams

Toddlers are outdoing the adults in this season’s winter trends, so kit out your little cutie in some of these adorable ensembles...

Julien Macdonald Tutu Dress - £12 Debenhams

Baby K by Myleene Klass Leopard Print Jacquard Dress - £26 Mothercare T-Shirt - £3 Shorts - £7 Hat - £5 F&F, Tesco

Rocha by John Rocha Toddler Jumper - £20 Debenhams

Tutu Ensemble Debenhams

Boho Boy Boys Straw Hat - £5 F&F,Tesco

Tutu dress George at Asda

MUST HAVES FOR YOUR LITTLE MAN Little Bird By Jools Rainbow Stripe Gilet - £14-£16 Mothercare

Indigo T-Shirt - from £12 M&S

ONE TOP, THREE DIFFERENT LOOKS WEAR THIS... Autograph Dress, from £20, M&S

With THIS..

Toy Story Time Teacher Watch - £12 Woolworths.co.uk

FOUR OF THE CUTEST...

Little Bird By Jools Desert Boots - £16 Mothercare

Trainers - from £14 M&S

Boy’s Blue Espadrilles £9.99 Blue Inc

Blue and White High Tops, Matalan Families First NI • www.familiesfirst-uk.com

www.facebook.com/TheBabyHub • Page 14

Girlie Glam

Embellished Shrug George at Asda

Floral Headband - £5 River Island

Little Bird by Jools Puff Sleeve T-Shirt - £6-£8 Mothercare or THIS..

Multi-Coloured Flower Ballerina - £9.99 Shoe Zone

Little Bird by Jools Denim Pinafore - £13-£15 Mothercare

or THIS..

Shape Indigo Skirt with Large Pockets - £14 M&S Families First NI • www.familiesfirst-uk.com

Matilda Owl Purse - £5 Accessorize www.facebook.com/TheBabyHub • Page 15

Baby K By Myleene Klass Wellies - £12 Mothercare

Recipes

Pancake recipes

Maybe you have a favourite recipe you enjoy making with your family, please share it with us, contact us on advertising@babyfacemarketing.com hare it with us.

Cooking with Kids

Easy recipes for children - Cooking and baking is a fantastic way to get the kids to learn and practice a whole range of skills, it gives them a great understanding of food and what you can do with it. It’s messy, but lots of fun, and the opportunity to bond and really get to know your kids is fantastic. Be prepared, once you start, they won’t want to stop, it will fill a good couple of hours during the school holidays. We have selected a few tried and tested recipes for you to enjoy!!!

Sweet pancake recipes Pancakes are traditionally served on Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake Day, but they can also make a great dessert all year round.

Gingerbread men/biscuits If you have never made gingerbread men, you will enjoy the smell of these wonderful biscuits for days, they are really easy to make and the kids will enjoy cutting them out and decorating them. If you are really adventurous, you can make them into tree decorations! Ingredients 350g plain flour 1-2 teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 100g butter or margarine 175g soft light brown sugar 1 egg 4 tablespoons golden syrup Should yield 20 biscuits. Method Put the flour, ginger and soda into a bowl and rub in the butter. Add sugar and stir in the syrup and egg to make a firm dough. Roll out to about 5mm thick and cut out your gingerbread men. If you don’t have a gingerbread man cutter then use whatever you have - stars and hearts are just as tasty. Bake at 190 C /Gas 5 on greased baking trays (spaced out, as they will spread) for 10 to 15 mins until golden brown. Leave to firm up for a couple of minutes before placing on a wire rack to cook. Once cooled, decorate with icing.

Pancakes Pancakes are very simple to make, just mix together the following: 100g white plain flour 1 egg 150ml milk 150ml water Method Add to a lightly greased frying pan, appoximately a tablespoon at a time, leave the pancakes to set and when the bubbles appear and burst, this is the time to flip, but be careful, they might be a bit gooey still on the top. Eat immediately with a squirt of lemon and sugar. Alternative toppings • Fruit and cream • Fold into triangles and fill with Philadelphia light, pears and berries, and maybe use some squirty cream!! Yum yum! • Maple syrup • Working particularly well together, you can have maple syrup by itself or why not combine with cream and blueberries and even bacon!! Go for it. • Bananas and Honey • Bananas are a great pancake choice - they work well combined with cream, honey, maple syrup, chocolate spread or why not enjoy them by themselves • This is just a few ideas, get creative and let us know your favourite topping. Pancakes are best eaten warm, but they will keep for up to two days in an airtight container.

Pizza Well worth the time and effort at making and the kids will enjoy getting their hands in the mix.

Bread

Scone base (makes 2 pizzas): 225 g self raising flour 50 g butter or margarine 1 egg milk

Bread making is a fantastic activity for children, if they are annoyed or angry, they can really take it out on the dough. Their creativity can run away with them, making the bread in all things under the sun. Basic Bread Mixture 425g/15oz strong white bread flour (or use any combination of strong white/ wholemeal/granary bread flour) 2 tbsp melted butter, olive oil or vegetable oil 1 ½ tsp sugar or honey ½ tsp salt 1 ¼ tsp fast action dried yeast 260ml/9 fl oz warm water or milk

Method Rub the flour and butter together until they resemble breadcrumbs. Mix in the egg and then add enough milk to make a soft dough and knead lightly. Divide the dough into 2 pieces, or 4 pieces if you want smaller pizzas and pat out into rounds. Place on greased baking sheets, or preferably, non stick pans. Topping Tomato puree or tomato ketchup Dried mixed herbs, oregano or fresh chopped basil.

Method Put the flour into a large bowl, add the butter/oil and mix well, stir in the sugar, salt and yeast.

Method Spread tomato puree or tomato ketchup over the pizza bases, sprinkle with the herbs. Top with grated cheese and get the kids to decorate with whatever toppings you have in the fridge. Bake in a preheated 200 C/gas 6 oven, until golden brown.

Make a well in the dry ingredients and add enough of the water/milk to make a soft (not sticky) dough. If the dough is too sticky, just add a little more flour, or add a drop of water if the dough is too dry. Knead for 5 minutes and then cover and put aside to rise for around 45 mins. Knead again and put into a greased 2lb loaf tin. Cover and leave for a further 30 minutes.

Serve hot or cold with pasta and Pesto! Some topping ideas: • grated cheese (cheddar, mozzarella) • chopped peppers • chopped tomatoes • broccoli florets • sliced mushrooms • tinned sweetcorn • roasted vegetables • chopped pineapple • tuna Families First NI • www.familiesfirst-uk.com

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Bake at 200C/Gas 6 for about 30 minutes. Turn out and cool on a wire rack. Alternatively cut dough into about 12 pieces and make into bread rolls. Bake for 1015 minutes. Variations Once you have the basic recipe down pat, add other ingredients to the dough mixture before you leave it to rise. e.g Sunflower oil and seeds. A few tbsp of dried fruits, raisins apricots etc, Families First NI • www.familiesfirst-uk.com

www.facebook.com/TheBabyHub • Page 17

Womens Health

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS Worryingly, Breast Cancer is the most common type of cancer in women in Northern Ireland with at least one in eight people being diagnosed with the disease.

Shark Antibodies Attack Breast Cancer 8

Aberdeen scientists are investigating if antibodies found naturally in sharks could be used to target breast cancer.

According to leading NI charity Pretty ‘N’ Pink, the disease tends to affect older women but is becoming more common in women under 40, with nearly 1,000 new patients diagnosed every year. Early detection could save your life. 3 Red Flag Warning Signs: 1. A lump in the breast or under the arm 2. Changes in the shape or size of your breasts 3. Discharge of any kind, any pain, or2013 other signs that Families First Newspaper. Autumn cause you concern

Women's Health

AICR, the Scottish cancer research charity, has awarded biologists from the University of Aberdeen a grant of over £200,000 to analyse if IgNAR - a special antibody found only in sharks - can be used to inhibit the growth of cancer cells.

OMEGA-3 INTAKE MAY REDUCE BREAST CANCER RISK BY 14%

Pink, Girly & raising money!

A new study published in the BMJ (British Medical Journal) that investigated the association between omega-3 intake and risk of breast cancer has concluded that women who consumed the highest levels of omega-3 from marine sources were found to be 14% less likely to have breast cancer compared to those who ate the least.

Aveda Limited Edition Around one in four women with breast cancer have a type referred Hand Relief, £19, to as HER2-positive breast House of Fraser, This study was led by Professor Duo Li and researchers and scientists cancer, where a very high level of Belfast - £2 of the like Choose an Omega-3 supplement from the leading Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, China. A total of 26 affect older women but is HER2 is found on the surface of MorEPA Omega-3 Supplements, £26, different internationally published studies were investigated, involving purchase price of each cancer cells. The three-year study becoming common chemists nationwide 900,000 women; 20,905 of whommore had breast cancer. According to Dr. Hand Relief sold in will look at two molecules - HER2 Neville Wilson: “Given breastunder cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death among women, this study in that women 40, the UK will be given and HER3, found on the surface provides very important public health implications. By supplementing the diet with marine derived omega-3, a with nearly 1,000 new of cancer cells. When these woman can reduce2013 her risk of developing breast cancer by as much as 14 per cent.” to support crueltyFamilies First Newspaper. Autumn molecules 8 pair-up on the surface free research through patients diagnosed every of a cancer cell, they signal it The Breast Cancer year. Early detection to grow and divide. The study Research Foundation Families First Newspaper. Autumn 2013 8 will investigate if sharkWorryingly, IgNAR Breast could save your life. Families First Newspaper. Autumn 2013 antibodies can be used to stop Cancer these two molecules from workingis the most and sending this signal.common The 1. Aveda Limited Edition Hand Relief, type of cancer 3 Red research could pave the way for £19, House of Fraser, Belfast - £2Flag Warning women in Northern Evelyn Lauder of the purchase price of each Hand the development of newin drugs to Signs: Relief sold one in the UK will be given Dream Solid fight breast cancer in the future. with at Ireland least Milk_Shake Limited

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Pink, Girly and Raising Money!

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Shark Antibodies Attack Breast

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Womens Fashion

Glama Mama

Apricot Autumn Winter 2013 collection, www.apricotonline.co.uk

Ankle Boots £42, Curvissa

Take off that pinnie and put on your mini – it’s time for mama to hit the town! Blazer, £19, Primark

Boyfriend Jeans £21, Dunnes Stores

Nevada Hat, £8.99 www.getthelabel.com

Cropped Cobalt Blazer £24.99 www.missguided.co.uk

Dark Green Hat £20, Urban Outfitters

Blue Heels, £89, Dune

The School Runway! Dropping off the kids to school has never been so fashionable!

Studded Cobalt top £4, Primark

Creased Blue Jeans £19.99, Internacionale

Black Sequined Skirt, £19.99 Internacionale

Green Blouse £35, Marisota

Steve Madden’s Autumn Winter 2013 collection www.stevemadden.com

Loose Peach Knit Blazer £24, www.boohoo.com

Fellow Heeled Sandals £75, Dune

Waterfall Cardigan £42, Fat Face

Pleated Skater Skirt, £35 A|Wear

Laser Cut Bootie, £20, Primark Strappy Top, £14.99 www.missguided.co.uk

Sapphire Necklace, £8, Primark

Your daily reward

NOW AVAILABLE in 350ml handbag size and larger better value 1.25ltr

When you’re a mum-to-be, Appletiser is a naturally delicious everyday treat!

Families First NI • www.familiesfirst-uk.com

www.facebook.com/TheBabyHub • Page 20

The miracle of pregnancy is a wonderful experience. You want to be able to do the very best for your baby and ensure that what you put into your body is healthy and rewarding. Made with 100% pure apple juice and 100% pure passion, Appletiser is 100% perfect for you and your bump. In fact, just 250ml constitutes one portion of your recommended 5-a-day fruit and vegetable intake.

It’s important to get your five portions every day to make sure you have a healthy diet – especially when you’re pregnant. You can also rest assured that Appletiser has no added sugar, colourants or preservatives. So if you’re craving something a little indulgent, yet healthy, why not raise a glass, or three, to your little one?

Relaxing at home tips for mums-to-be: While relaxing at home with Appletiser, try these soothing ways to restore and rejuvenate both mind and body.

Families First NI • www.familiesfirst-uk.com

s and soak • Light candle le bath, in a warm bubb aromas such using calming illa and as lavender, van chamomile. ss and itchiness • Keep dryne ging your at bay by massa specially tummy with a gnancy formulated pre massage oil. lf a ‘lie-in’ • Allow yourse indulging morning, spent in a good book

www.facebook.com/TheBabyHub • Page 21

Gently sparkling 100% fruit juice

Beauty On The Go Beauty

Beauty

Why Didn’t They Think Of This Before?

Our skin needs serious moisturisation but we hardly ever have time to slather on a moisturiser. Nivea’s new InShower Body Moisturiser is the answer.

Us mums are so busy that unfortunately, a beauty regime often falls by the wayside, but here are some time-saving, quick fire tips and tricks to ensure mama doesn’t lose that beauty glow... Take Cover

We’re lucky if we have time to run a comb through our hair in the morning, so applying make-up is not usually high on our manic morning priority list, but we still need coverage. Let’s face it, after sleepless nights, a breakout of spots, or dare I say it, the onslaught of wrinkles, we do need some sort of coverage so be sure to try the new Karora CC Cream For Face and Body. One step up from

BB Creams (Beauty Balms), CC Creams (Colour Correcting) also address issues like redness as well as offering an SPF and antioxidants whilst still being lighter than a BB Cream. Road tested for us by busy working mother of three, Ricci McCoy, she said: “I don’t wear foundation during the day but wanted

This is a body moisturiser that you apply in the shower and then rinse off, just like you would a hair conditioner. You simply use it after washing with shower gel or soap, and then smooth it all over the body before rinsing it off. Easy! It leaves a nourishing layer of moisture on the skin and a soft skin feeling that lasts all day. There is no waiting for the moisture to sink in and there is no greasy feeling or ‘film’ – you can get dressed straight away! It’s a bargain too.

some coverage, but nothing too heavy. I loved this! It was so light and gave me great coverage.” This new cream from Irish beauty brand Karora is the first colour correcting, skin perfecting multi-tasking miracle cream and the first CC cream for face and body and is well worth a try.

Biotherm Blue Therapy Serum in Oil £44, Boots

When you’re a mum-to-be, Appletiser is a naturally delicious everyday treat!

Families First NI • www.familiesfirst-uk.com

www.facebook.com/TheBabyHub • Page 22

that they use treatments that they recognise as being harmful to their hair. Hair is becoming as important to us as body weight and height and added social pressures, such as the images of full and voluminous hair gracing the covers of magazines, mean it’s no big surprise that 77% of Irish females feel their hair is an important factor in their overall look. What is alarming, however, is that despite 51% of females confessing

concern over the health of their hair, this concern is often being overshadowed by the desire for instant hair gratification. Viviscal Maximum Strength Supplements are clinically proven supplements designed to add strength and vitality to lacklustre hair, giving fading follicles a healthy helping hand against the strain of everyday damage and styling.

Three Of The Best...

Your daily reward

in 350ml handbag size and larger better value 1.25ltr

From Cleopatra to Marie Antoinette, women have long used their hair to relay messages about who they are and as an indicator of wealth, status and power and 94% of Irish women admit to checking their hair at least once a day. A new survey commissioned by Viviscal has discovered that 53% of Irish males and females feel that the health of their hair is equally as important as how it looks. However, with the rise of heated styling tools and home hair dye, 64% of females admit

What are highlighters? What are they for? Which ones should we use? Using a highlighter on your cheekbones, brow bones and above the lip line is one of the easiest ways to create a youthful, dewy complexion and will take years off your face. Top Tip: Mix it with your foundation, moisturiser, or blusher to give your skin a gorgeous glow.

NEW IN! Biotherm Blue Therapy Serum in Oil Uniting the benefits of an oil with the efficacy of a serum in one formula, this clever new product uses micro-fragmentation technology, combined with electrolytes found naturally in the skin to transform the gel into oil allowing instant diffusion into the skin. Ultimately, skin is left smooth and radiant without feeling greasy.

94% of Irish Women Guilty of Vanity Hair

Highlighting The Issue

Karora CC Cream For Face and Body £21.99, McKay Pharmacy, Antrim; Bradley Pharmacy, Omagh Road or www.karoracosmetics.com

NOW AVAILABLE

Viviscal Maximum Strength Supplements, £49.95 for 60 tablets, from Boots or www.viviscal.ie

NIVEA In-Shower Body Moisturiser, £3.56 (250ml), Gordons Chemists

Vita Liberata’s Capture the Light - an amazing highlighter for the cheekbones, décolletage and legs available with coverage in Latte, Latte Light and Buttermilk, or without coverage in Gold and Rose £29.95 Boots

Benefit Watt’s Up Highlighter, £24. 50 House of Fraser

Relaxing at home tips for mums-to-be: While relaxing at home with Appletiser, try these soothing ways to restore and rejuvenate both mind and body.

Families First NI • www.familiesfirst-uk.com

www.facebook.com/TheBabyHub • Page 23

George Glow Shine Luminous Highlighter Sun Ray £3.50 Asda

Gently sparkling 100% fruit juice

Feature

Peek-A-Boo at Little Kingdom Kids Lisa Stevenson founder of Little Kingdom Kids says ‘LKK is with a doubt, the most fun day nursery in Bangor and is well worth a visit!’… Little Kingdom Kids are celebrating their 1st birthday in Dec in style by hosting a champagne reception for all parents to mark their first very successful year! Lisa says ‘We are honestly so chuffed to have achieved so much in such a short space of time. Team LKK has tripled in size since we opened due to the amount of kids we have! Our baby room has a 4 page waiting list and we are currently extending to accommodate this demand. Huge credit to my unstoppable Team – they really are phenomenal!’ Lisa really focuses on creating a happy working environment for her staff and believes this shines through to the kids. She continually supports and encourages her staff to be the best they can be. Lisa runs an employee of the month scheme along many other incentives to frequently reward her hardworking Team for their dedication. She says ‘I believe positive management receives positive results, I encourage our Team to work together & set their own personal goals.

This reflects hugely in their work ethic & accomplishments & creates a fantastic relationship between kids & staff.’ Team LKK go above and beyond every day, focusing on imaginative fun for the children. They thrive on being a ‘Day Nursery with a difference’ by creating a spectacular setting and spontaneous adventures on a daily basis. LKK have successfully completed over 250 outings within their 1st year. An example of their outings would be Gruffulo Hunts, visiting Pixie Hollow at Crawfordsburn waterfalls, watersports at Groomsport, creepy crawlie chase at Scrabo Tower, crab catching at the beach and extreme kite flying – the list is endless! With approximately 98% of people aged 22- 44 online in the UK, LKK’s Peek-a-boo system utilizes the power of technology to keep parents updated on their child’s progress whilst at nursery. Our unique Peek-

Families First NI • www.familiesfirst-uk.com

a-boo system is a real time reporting system that provides parents with up to date information on their child’s day at LKK including meals, how much they ate, observations, activities and much more. Little Kingdom Kids most recent survey shows that 96% of parents rated the Peek-a-boo system as ‘excellent’ and the remaining 4% ‘very good’. Lisa says, ‘our Peek-a-boo system has exceeded my expectations, parents loves it for many more reasons than I had envisioned. It’s 10 times quicker and more efficient than hand writing the children’s information into a book meaning staff can focus on what’s most important - the children.’ Little Kingdom Kids pride themselves on their excellent rapport with parents and children and always offer flexible and accommodating childcare. Lisa says ‘LKK is with a doubt, the most fun day nursery in Bangor and is well worth a visit!’

www.facebook.com/TheBabyHub • Page 24

Feature Mumpreneur Alyson Hogg

Mums Mean

Business! Why ‘Mumpreneurs’ are taking the business world by storm

f you use fake tan, you will have heard about Vita Liberata. It is one of the most famous tanning

brands in the world and is one of Northern Ireland’s most popular exports favoured by celebrities

and beauty editors everywhere. It is the chosen tan of the X Factor contestants, boasts Kelly Brook as its brand ambassador and has just celebrated its tenth birthday. The woman behind this phenomenally popular Northern Irish brand is Alyson Hogg, businesswoman, wife and mother of five. Alyson is what is known as a ‘Mumpreneur’ – which is quite simply a woman who combines running a business enterprise with looking after her children and they are appear to be taking over the world! Alyson said: “I was studying for a PHD and found it very hard with five young kids in a ‘blended’ family. I thought business might be easier, which tells you how much a PHD student knows! I built my business with blood, sweat, tears and a lot of patience and support from my family, especially my long-suffering husband!” When Alyson launched Vita Liberata in 2003, her children ranged in age from seven to 14 and like any ‘Mumpreneur’, Alyson did struggle juggling motherhood with launching and running a business. She said: “Business is like another child; a big unwieldy toddler going through the terrible twos for a very long time. Try to give 100 per cent to both. It’s going to be difficult and take a lot of juggling, but at the end of the day, you can’t let either slip so you’ve got to find a way to make it work!” Vita Liberata’s popularity has soared in recent years beyond Alyson’s wildest dreams. Highlights have included tanning the X Factor contestants, skin

finishing at London Fashion Week and even providing gifts for attendees at the world famous Golden Globes ceremony in America! Alyson recalls: “We also became the number one selling tan in beauty store Sephora USA just three weeks after launching! There have been too many highlights to mention. We have great products and a fantastic, passionate, talented team.”

Vita Liberata Skin Plumping Peptide Mist £22.50 Boots

Feature So, what’s Alyson’s advice to other would be ‘Mumpreneurs’ out there? “In business, you can’t take anything for granted – you have to interrogate, investigate and dig deep but most of all you have to be totally flexible, move with the trends and be completely in charge of what you’re doing and where you’re going. You must get ahead of the game!”

Vita Liberata pHenomenal 2-3 Week Tan £37.50 www.vitaliberata.co.uk

Alyson’s Top Tips For Mumpreneurs 1. Give 100 per cent to both motherhood and your business 2. Ask your family for patience and support 3. Don’t take anything for granted 4. Interrogate, investigate; dig deep 5. Make it work!

Alyson’s model daughter Caitlyn promoting the brand

Alyson’s beautiful teenage daughter Caitlyn, who has a successful modeling career, also became the face of the brand, something which Alyson feels immensely proud of. “It makes me so proud. It’s really great to have family involved in the business and on top of that, I’m obviously proud that my daughter is so successful in what she does. My children and husband are all really involved in the business so it’s very much a family success.”

“Business is like another child; a big unwieldy toddler going through the terrible twos for a very long time.” Families First NI • www.familiesfirst-uk.com

www.facebook.com/TheBabyHub • Page 26

Families First NI • www.familiesfirst-uk.com

www.facebook.com/TheBabyHub • Page 27

Due to the phenomenal success of the Families First Awards in Dublin in 2012 and 2013, we are now bringing them North of the border! The Families First Awards help families all over Ireland honour the people and products their families love and could not be without. Whether its your kids favourite foods, the places your family like to spend time or the people who mean the most to you and your loved ones, these awards give you the chance to reward them.

For our People Awards, we want to hear about the VIPs in your life and give you the chance to have them recognised for the wonderful things they do. If you think your mum or dad is Northern Ireland’s best, your sibling is a superhero in the making or you have a glamorous Granny we want to hear all about them..... For all you mums and mums to be, we

The categories: Mum of the Year Dad of the Year Child Superhero Superstar Sibling Grandparent of the Year GP of the Year Midwife of the Year Health Visitor of the Year Childminder of the Year Creche of the Year Nursery Assistant of the Year Teacher of the Year School of the Year Business Parent of the Year Award for Innovation

Best Baby Food Brand Best Nursery Brand Best Nappy Brand Best Car Seat Best Baby Feeding Product Best Baby Wipes Best Baby Skincare Product Best Nutritional Snack Best healthcare/ medicinal product for kids Best healthcare/ medicinal product for adults Best Childrens Wear Best Maternity Wear Best Activity provider for babies/ tots Best Family Friendly Supermarket Best Family Friendly Restaurant Best Family Day Out Most Useful Website

want to hear your pregnancy stories. Do you have a midwife or health visitor that made your pregnancy experience one to remember? Was your birth story a script for the big screen? We want to know..... What about the people who look after your kids when you are ready to get back to work? We would love to hear about the creches your little ones go to and the people who look after them? Is your local creche a home from home? Is your childminder or nursery assistant a cut above the rest? Does your child’s school or teacher encourage them to always do their best and give them the skills they need to do so? Let us know.....

Families First NI • www.familiesfirst-uk.com

www.facebook.com/TheBabyHub • Page 28

Voting is now open so to log on to www.familiesfirst-uk.com to have your say and nominate / vote for your favourites! Voting and nominations will close on ????? The winners will be announced online on ????? and will then be invited to a winners lunch on ???? Families First NI • www.familiesfirst-uk.com

www.facebook.com/TheBabyHub • Page 29

Leo Maguire A5 August 2013

2/8/13

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Page 1

Finance

Taekwon-Do Ireland’s Fastest Growing Martial

“You should aim for £3,000 in emergency savings”

Art Offers Family Fun For All

ollowing on from the success of the 2012 Olympics, Taekwon-Do has become the fastest growing martial art in Northern Ireland today.

Known officially as the scientific use of the body for self-defence, Taekwon-Do is graceful and powerful, yet dynamic, exciting and as much fun for both males and females from five years old to adulthood. It also offers an opportunity for parents to join and participate in a sporting activity with their children instead of watching from the sidelines. The Leo Maguire Taekwon-Do Schools is the largest TaekwonDo group across the province and Leo is currently the holder of the European veteran silver medal and is the Northern Ireland National Coach and President of the International Taekwon-Do Federation (N.I.). He has led the Northern Irish teams to success at both national and international level with the current National, European and World champions among the group.

Taekwon-Do Council (UKTC), Leo introduced Little Tiger Cubs to Northern Ireland which is a ‘Learn Through Play’ programme for children three to five years old promoting fitness and confidence while building the core skills that every child needs. This has proved very successful and as a group they are focused to expand both Taekwon-Do and Little Tiger Cubs even further across Northern Ireland in 2014.

How To Save Money As A Family Leo Maguire A5 August 2013

2/8/13

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This level of expertise is now being passed on to his current students as his fully qualified instructors are all national team members and dedicated to encourage each child to achieve his or her full potential. Leo said: “I believe strongly that following the teachings of the founder of Taekwon-Do, General Choi Hong Hi, has allowed me to produce excellence students of our sport and my instructors and I consider it a privilege to have the opportunity to pass our knowledge on to the next generation of students.” In 2010, through our association, United Kingdom

expensive than an A-lister’s annual Champagne bill, so how do we ensure It sounds patronising but the key is to have savings and I’m not just talking about saving for your eldest’s university funds, I’m talking about emergency money. According to the Money Advice Service, you need to be able to pay for an unexpected repair (car, home or dental), but it’s also important to have enough money to get you by for a few months if you are in a sticky situation. Say, you lost your job or split up with your partner and needed some time to get back on your feet – you’ll want a bit more than the cost of a new boiler or washing machine!

Another feather in the cap for Leo Maguire Taekwon-Do Schools (UKTC) was added as the Northern Ireland Junior National Team attended the Wishaw Open Taekwon-Do Championships in Glasgow on the 15th September and returned with a staggering twenty-three medals in total. This success is hot on the heels of the National Adult and Junior Teams record medal count in Edinburgh in May 2013 at the British Open when the teams brought a staggering forty-nine medals back to Northern Ireland including three triple gold medallists. Leo said: “As a group, we currently teach approximately 900 students weekly over 63 classes, keeping the instructors very busy.”

The website believes a good rule of thumb is to have three months essential outgoings available in an instant access savings account. So, if you spend £1,000 a month on mortgage or rent, food, heating bills and other things you can’t live without, you should aim for £3,000 in emergency savings. Build Up Your Fund The advice site continues: “You want to get your emergency fund set up as soon as possible and try to save regularly. “Just like you would save for a wedding

The group runs classes for Taekwon-Do and Little Tiger Cub’s at various locations across the province and new classes are opening through the year. To find out more, visit: www.taekwondo-ni.co.uk, or contact Leo Maguire directly on 07891 191 494. Families First NI • www.familiesfirst-uk.com

The cost of running your home a raising your family is becoming more we have enough ‘rainy day money’ in case things go belly up?

900 Students Weekly

Little Cubs

Page 2

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or a new car, work out how much you need to put aside, and set up a savings standing order for the right amount.”

For more advice on spending, saving and debt, visit: www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk

The Pot’s Empty But what if there’s not enough in the pot to save? “If you are only just making ends meet, you might think you can’t afford to save, but it’s surprising how you can find small amounts here and there and they soon add up. By the end of the week, many of us have a few coins left over in pockets and purses so gather these up and put them in a jar. Even just a £1 a week in loose change will give you a cushion of over £50 by the end of the year. Sometimes it’s hard to know where the money goes. Try keeping a spending diary for a week or two where you write down everything you spend. This will help you identify items you might be able to cut back on.”

Families First NI • www.familiesfirst-uk.com

www.facebook.com/TheBabyHub • Page 31

Finance

MoneySense at Home

Do you talk with your kids about tax, or let them work out the weekly shopping budget? These are just two of the ways a new resource to help parents teach children about money can equip their children with the essential money management skills they will need in later life. One third of families don’t currently talk with their children about money, so MoneySense at Home offers free and impartial financial education for families. It is supported by MoneySense Ambassador, parent and well-known broadcaster Claire McCollum. Free Tips Launched by Ulster Bank, ‘MoneySense at Home’ is an extension of the highly successful ‘MoneySense for Schools’ initiative, which is used by around 70% of post-primary schools in Northern Ireland, and is the largest financial education programme in the UK or Ireland. Free and open to all parents, ‘MoneySense at Home’ offers impartial tips and guides online, covering topics

including budgeting, savvy shopping, and managing debt. Helping launch the new resource, Claire said: “Research by MoneySense shows that about one third of families don’t talk with their children about money, and MoneySense at Home aims to support all parents to do so in a practical way. As a mother with two children who I really want to grow up with a good understanding of money and the skills they will need to make good financial decisions, I think this is a fantastic initiative that can provide invaluable help to parents. “Learning about money and how to manage it is an essential life skill and supporting this in both schools and at home will place our young people in a great position to make good financial decisions throughout their lives,” she adds.

NI’s Claire Claire McCollum has been a popular face on our television screens for over 12 years. She started her broadcasting career as Breakfast Newsreader with Downtown Radio before moving to UTV in 2000. Turning freelance in 2009, Claire has built up an impressive portfolio with BBC Northern Ireland over the last four years. Claire has become synonymous with many of Northern Ireland’s highest profile television events including The Olympic Flame arriving at Belfast City Hall, The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race and The Tall Ships visit to Belfast. Most recently she co-hosted the opening ceremony of the World Police and Fire Games for BBC Northern Ireland and is currently preparing to join Noel Thompson as Proms in the Park returns to Titanic Slipways for a second year. Head of MoneySense at Ulster Bank, Jill Smyth, said: “Many schools use ‘MoneySense for Schools’, which gives children a good start, but as all parents know, learning happens at home too, and it’s at home that children put money

management principles into practice. MoneySense at Home is designed to provide parents and families with a resource that they can refer to for support with areas such as budgeting, managing debt, talking to children about money, and getting the best value for money when shopping. “We are delighted to have the support of Claire McCollum, who is both a mother and a well-known and respected broadcaster, to help encourage parents to use the resource so that they can help their children build the financial capabilities that they will need,” she adds. The ‘MoneySense at Home’ website will include: •

Up-to-date guides

• Case-histories •

A blog

•

A live newsfeed of stories on budgeting, family financial issues, money management and smart shopping

•

A series of features on areas such as ‘back to school’ and making learning about money fun.

Top Tips From ‘MoneySense’

Launching ‘MoneySense at Home’, a new, free and impartial financial support resource for families in Northern Ireland, is well-known broadcaster and mum, Claire McCollum and 11-year-old Lauren Morrow who was finding out about the new initiative.

• Give your child responsibility for their own phone credit and clothing allowance. It’s the perfect way to teach them about shopping around and making choices in a relatively safe environment • You might not be the type of family that sits down together every night to dinner, but do try to have a regular time, perhaps the first Monday of every month, where you do make a point of catching up and discussing family finances • Talk to teenagers about how credit works, so that the shiny promise of plastic doesn’t run them into debt down the line • It’s good to get children thinking about how they can help to reduce monthly bills. You’ll soon discover that children of different ages will have different ideas, such as saving on water by having showers not baths, walking to school rather than using the car. You may learn something too! Families First NI • www.familiesfirst-uk.com

www.facebook.com/TheBabyHub • Page 32

Feature

Tired... ... All The Time? Sleep Deprivation Affecting Families with Disabled Children

new report has said that thousands of families raising disabled children are in desperate need of support and advice on managing sleep deprivation. The Family Fund presented ‘Tired all the Time’ to a packed audience of MPs, parents and sector colleagues at Westminster on October 21. The report forms part of Family Fund’s 40th year activities in raising awareness of its work and the barriers that families raising disabled and seriously ill children continue to face.

Feature Parents and carers raising disabled or seriously ill children have spoken out about the impact of lack of sleep in a new report by the Family Fund - the UK’s largest grant making charity for low income families raising disabled or seriously ill children. The report reveals the impact that sleep difficulties have on households, capturing first-hand experiences of over 2,000 parent and carers raising disabled children across the UK. Key findings show: • Over 93% are up in the night with their children • 49% have health issues due to the lack of sleep • 22% have had relationship problems as a result • 11% experience tiredness at work • 15% are concerned about siblings and the wider family’s health • Almost 1/3 had not sought professional support

Key Health Issue

is usually interrupted. Oscar’s problem is twofold; it’s firstly getting to sleep and then getting sustained sleep,” she said. Caroline, who gave up working when Oscar was diagnosed as being on the ASD spectrum, has experienced firsthand the problems that sleep deprivation can have on the family. “The more tired Oscar is, the worst his ‘stimming’ becomes, it can be very stressful for him and also his sister (‘stimming’ is a repetitive body movement such as hand flapping).

Going it Alone

“It is also very difficult to arrange days out as you can never be sure how well Oscar will sleep the night before; this limits the amount of time we can spend as a family. The lack of sleep has an effect on everyone in the house. I often tell people that I survive on a diet of coffee and chocolate.” Oscar is now a primary one pupil at St Brigid’s Primary School in the city, where he attends the ASD unit there. Caroline is very impressed by the level of expertise at the school. “When he has had a bad night they don’t stress him and he is allowed to have a sleep during the day,” she said.

A Problem Shared

Recognising a need to provide more help for parents with children who have autism, Caroline along with five other like minded mothers founded Circle of Support in 2011 - a support network for families with children diagnosed with or being assessed for ASD in the North West. “The group provides an important service for parents with children who have autism. Family support has also been invaluable and has kept us all together. There have been times when it’s all been quite divisive so it’s comforting to know that you can draw on the support of your family to help out. “Lack of sleep is just something that I have come to accept. To be honest I just brush it off as being part of Oscar’s condition but sleep deprivation could also be affecting many other children who have never been diagnosed,” she said.

Giving up Work

Caroline Roddy from Derry is the mother of five-year-old twins Oscar and Ava. Oscar has autism and Caroline is all too familiar with the survey’s findings. “On a bad night Oscar sleeps from about 10pm to 2.30 am. He can get up a further two or three times during the night. “I am lucky to get between three to six hours sleep on average per night and that

“The level of support available out there is limited and you really have to do it yourself. I really felt it was necessary to give up work in order to invest the time in Oscar and help with his development. I don’t know if this was just me personally or if it was down to the lack of available support,” she said.

Families First NI • www.familiesfirst-uk.com

www.facebook.com/TheBabyHub • Page 35

Caroline is not alone when it comes to the problems that accompany sleep deprivation. Parents, carers and the wider family members, including siblings are experiencing significant financial, social and emotional challenges as a direct result of not having enough sleep. Family Fund knows that sleep continues to be a key issue, this report is in response to the demand to raise the issue on families’ behalf, giving them a voice. The report intends to draw attention to this key health issue that can affect the whole family’s health and well-being with long-term consequences such as limiting opportunities in education and employment. Cheryl Ward, Chief Executive at the Family Fund said: “This report shows the daily mental, physical and emotional challenges that families with disabled or seriously ill children or young people face when sleep eludes them night after night. For many families, sleepless nights continue on relentlessly, year after year, sometimes well into adulthood with often varying levels of support or advice available. At the Family Fund we will, as we have for 40 years, continue to provide grants to support families across many areas of their lives including helping them to sleep better.” To gain a copy of the research report in full or to discuss partnership working, email Family Fund on: comms@familyfund.org.uk.

Whats On

Fun Stuff To Do! From December to February,

we bring you the low down of child-friend events happening near you this winter... What: Cinderella

What: Little Red Riding Hood Little Red Riding Hood is the big, bad pantomime at the Waterfront this Christmas! When: November 23, 2013 – January 4, 2014

Where:

Cinderella at The Courtyard Theatre - Polish off your glass slippers and get ready to have a ball and join Mr Hullabaloo for the timeless fairytale of Cinderella. From the creative team that brought you Jack and the Beanstalk, Snow White and Aladdin, Cinderella will be a fun filled family adventure that will have you and your family singing, dancing and clapping along! With only 180 seats available at each show, this intimate venue is perfect for children to get up close to the action and feel comfortable to join in and be part of the theatre adventure

When:

Waterfront Hall, Belfast

Cost:

November 28 – December 21

Where:

Child from £14, adult from £17

Info:

The Courtyard Theatre, Ballyearl Arts and Leisure Centre

Phone: (028) 9033 4400 (www.waterfront.co.uk)

Cost:

£9.50 (includes present from Santa)

What: Santa Sunday A great event for the whole family, with free gifts for all the children who attend as well as a visit from Santa himself! When:

Info:

Show Times: Weeknights at 7pm, Saturday and Sunday at 1pm, 4pm and 7pm. Phone: (028) 9034 0202 (www.thecourtyardtheatre.com)

Whats On

What: Aunt Sandra’s Christmas Show Let Uncle Jim and Uncle David bring back the magic of Christmas with the tastes, smells and jingle bells at their special Christmas Show. Receive a gift from Santa, watch sweets being made, go through the magic door and take part in the Christmas quiz with a chance to win prizes! Aunt Sandra’s would love to see you at their special Christmas show! When:

What: £3 Movie House Morning Screenings Take the kids to see a movie at any Movie House Cinema before noon and tickets will be just £3! It’s a special blockbuster Christmas treat and there’s plenty of movies to choose from. Films include Disney’s Frozen, Walking with Dinosaurs 3D, Moshi Monsters and Free Birds. Those with older children might enjoy The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug or The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Choose from any film ! *Price does not include 3D glasses where required. When:

December 17 – 24 at 11am, 12.30pm, 2pm, 3.30pm and 5pm with an additional 6.30pm show on 20 December

Where:

60 Castlereagh Road, Belfast

Cost:

£10 per person this includes an hour show, free sweets, a quiz, prizes, full candy making show and everyone will get a present from Santa, plus meet Mr Willy Wonka’s cousin.

Info: What: Kids’ Second Saturdays at The Belfast Barge Every second Saturday of the month, kids (ages 3-10) are invited to come and take over the barge. The day is filled with hands-on activities, storytelling and kid-friendly tours of the maritime museum. Each month we will feature a new theme When: Every second Saturday from 10am to 4pm

Phone: (028) 9073 2868

What: Segway! Dec 20, 2013 until 2 Jan, 2014 One hour off road adventure tour Where: on the Segway X2 units! These All five Movie House Cinemas: Dublin Road, units are so much fun to use. Yorkgate/Cityside, Glengormley, Maghera You will test you new skills over a and Jet Centre Coleraine. range of terrains and we will also Cost: have a few groups tasks/courses £3 per ticket to see who the best Segway rider Info: in each group is! www.moviehouse.co.uk When: December 27 from 11am – 5pm

Where:

Tannaghmore Gardens, (Tannaghmore Animal Farm), Silverwood, Co. Armagh,

Cost: £25

Info: Phone: 07764 448 673, or book online now at: www.segwayni.co.uk

Where:

What: Union J Magazines & TV Screens Tour. Due to demand, heartthrobs Union J have confirmed they will now play a second Show on 13 January. Hot on the heels of the success of their debut single ‘Carry You’, X Factor boyband sensations, Union J, have announced their first ever headline tour. When:

1 Lanyon Quay

Cost:

Sunday, December 8 from 4 – 5pm

child £4, adult £2

The Armagh City Hotel

Phone: (028) 9023 2555 (www.belfastbarge.com)

Info:

Where: Cost: Free

Info: www.armaghcityhotel.com

January 12 – 13

Where:

The Waterfront Hall, Belfast

Cost:

£25 to £30

Info:

www.waterfront.co.uk/whatson/ Families First NI • www.familiesfirst-uk.com

www.facebook.com/TheBabyHub • Page 36

Families First NI • www.familiesfirst-uk.com

www.facebook.com/TheBabyHub • Page 37

Families First

Mini Directory

Creative Corner Have fun with the kids with some exciting crafty activities for all the family to enjoy together and the best news is – you won’t need to spend a penny! Make Butterflies/ Hanging Mobiles

Set card, tissue paper, glitter and stickers out on a table and help your child create their own butterfly, bird or animal. You can use strong card or wire for the frame and hang it in their room when it’s finished.

Foot Steps

Ask each of your children to make a foot print for each month of the year (or more) to record the growth of their feet. You could put it in their own scrapbooks with hand prints, photographs and lots of other lovely childhood memorabilia – a perfect keepsake for when they are older.

Make a Mural

Spread some lining paper out and invite your kids and their friends to create drawings, patterns and shapes with as many colours and art materials they can find. The result could be put on the wall for all to admire.

Make a Cardboard House

Who needs bricks and mortar to build a great house? A couple of big cardboard boxes (one for the building, one for the roof) is all you really need to create a mini childfriendly house and your children will adore decorating it with pens, paint, glitter and crayons. If there’s space in their bedrooms, you could move it upstairs and let their toys live in it for a week or two, plus they’ll love showing it off to all their friends.

Fashion Design

Girls love pretending to be fashion designers. Get out lots of paper,

scissors, scraps of wool, ribbon, material, tissue paper, etc and a couple of models/Barbies and let them spend the afternoon designing clothes on the paper. Once they’re happy with their sketches, they can use the materials to make them into outfits for their dolls. A great way to add drama and excitement is by displaying their creations in a fashion show with music and a catwalk (i.e. the kitchen table!).

might want to throw a few pebbles into the mix, alternatively get a big shallow box or container and fill it with different shaped stones. You can pick them up at rock bottom (uhhum!) prices from your local garden centre and your child will adore a change of scenery.

Water Painting

Make rubbings from garden objects and create an art gallery in the hallway for friends and family to see.

Who says you need paints and pencils to create a masterpiece? Fill up a bucket of water and give your child a big paintbrush that they can use to paint the house, shed, patio, bricks... they’ll love watching the water stain everything a different colour and going back over the bits they’ve missed.

Flower Pressing

Sculptures

Rubbings

Pick a selection of flowers or leaves from your garden and let them dry out for a while. Put them between sheets of newspaper and press them by laying heavy books on top of a flat surface. When they are set in place, your child can use them to create cards or arty collages to hang on the wall.

Stick Names

Collect little sticks in the park and help your child make the letters of their name. You could mount them onto card and use them as a door sign for their bedrooms or attach them to string and hang them in their room.

Pebble Pits

From truck racing to diggers and barbies-at-the-beach, pebble pits offer a multitude of imaginative play opportunities for children of all ages. If you already own a sandpit you Families First NI • www.familiesfirst-uk.com

Make use of all those used boxes and containers by encouraging your child to create something unique. You could give them scissors, glue and paint and set them a theme (robots, rockets and princess castles are usually popular) or simply let their imagination run wild and get them to come up with something totally individual.

Collages

You could ask your child to make a collage out of items they’ve collected from the garden/days out or give them recycled card, paper and materials to create their very own masterpiece. This is another easy way to ensure lots of fun without a penny in sight.

Making Cards

Make cards for forthcoming birthdays/Christmas and any other special occasions. Children can www.facebook.com/TheBabyHub • Page 38

create their own unique designs or do finger/hand painting (perfect for party invitations).

Painting

Train 1 -2 -1

Painting big pieces of paper is a fun way to spend an hour or two. You could pencil in some faint shapes for them to colour in or leave them to create their own designs. If they like it enough, you could even use it as a mural for their bedroom wall.

Train one to one offers personal training in a private fully equipped Gym in Holywood Co. Down. Husband and wife team, Alison and Colin share over 20 years of experience in the fitness industry.

Lining Paper Fun

We recognise that each of our clients is a unique individual with specific needs and goals, therefore we make extra effort to adapt every programme in a bespoke, highly personalised fashion. We also offer female only group training at our girls bootcamp. Get fit, lose weight and have fun.

Lay some lining paper out and ask your child to lie down, draw around them and ask them to paint themselves. They can also do hand paints with paintbrushes, sponges and other arty materials – brilliant fun!

Posters

On rainy days sit them down with old magazines and get them to cut out pictures and make a creative poster. Mismatching heads with different bodies will add a humorous touch.

Paper Mache Animals

Mix some water and paper with glue for extra gloop and create little animal sculptures, towers or miniature cars. Once dried, your child can put it on their shelf or make something special for a friend or family member.

Colin 0780 1251331 Alison 0780 8597479

To advertise with us contact us at the following email address: Advertising@babyfacemarketing.com

Make Vases

Create vases with recycled bottles and paper mache and pick some evergreens, twigs and flowers to put in them. These make great treats for mums and nans and are a lovely way for children to be creative.

Families First NI • www.familiesfirst-uk.com

www.facebook.com/TheBabyHub • Page 39

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