Absolutely Mama Magazine: June 2018 by ABSOLUTELY Magazines

Mama JUNE 2018 • ISSUE 17

Inside this issue

Holiday

Marge in

STYLES

The Magazine for Stylish Mums

CHARGE Isla Fisher’s

Summer trends in maternity wear

grand finale

CAREER POTENTIAL The Step Up Club on reaching your goals

Exotic Escape

HAPPY EATERS Thomasina Miers’ tips for mealtimes

ISSUE 17 • JUNE 2018

Kid-friendly adventures

THE MAGAZINE FOR ST YLISH MUMS

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Offering you the luxury and comfort of private care, with the peace of mind that comes with being in the hands of the professionals at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. AS PART OF OUR EXCLUSIVE OFFERING, THE KENSINGTON WING PROVIDES:

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CA L L I N G A L L

Mamas & Papas 10 Lucky Parents T H E S E A RC H I S O N TO

FIND

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve teamed up with Absolutely Mama to find 10 lucky parents to become the face of our Mamas & Papas

Parent Approved Panel

As part of our Parent Approved Panel, the chosen parents take part in exclusive opportunities, including: reviewing new and best-selling products; attending VIP events; and sharing their parenting experiences with our customers.

HOW TO ENTER 1

Pick your favourite picture of you and your baby or bump

Upload it to Instagram, Facebook or Twitter, tagging @mamasandpapas and #parentapprovedpanel

Submit an entry form* at mamasandpapas.com/parent-approved-panel

*See the website for more details and our terms and conditions. Entries must be submitted by 28th May 2018.

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mama WELCOME

contents JUNE 2018

96 65

109 AGENDA 10 Mama Loves

On the wishlist this June

What’s On

Top local events and activities

New Books

Fab, fresh reads for little ones

ESSENTIALS 20 Babe Watch

All the baby kit you need

23 Father’s Day

Great gifts for deserving dads

ON THE COVER:

Seraphine

MAMAHOOD 28 Isla Fisher

The Hollywood star talks child-rearing and creativity

Insta-Mama

The Step Up Club on boosting your career after baby

HOME & INTERIORS 76 Nursery Notes Chic items for baby’s room

35 In the studio

78 Live/Work

FASHION 44 Here Comes the Sun

With Katie Leamon, illustrator for Papier stationers

Summer maternity-wear styles

52 Garden Variety

Perfect picnic attire for babies

WELLNESS 64 Fiesta Feasts

Thomasina Miers’ fuss-free recipes

68 Model Approved

Ruth Crilly talks about her beauty boxes for busy mums

Take a look inside the home of a set designer and architect

TRAVEL The Jet Setters

Tips on family travel from the intrepid founder of Kid and Coe

94 Beyond Marrakesh Refined family destinations

RESOURCES 109 Tot Gear

Kit to make parenting easier

110 The Great Outdoors

What nature has to teach our kids

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A cool treat for little feet www.youngsoles.co.uk Use code ABM18 for 10% off all orders Promotional code only applicable to footwear bought from the official Young Soles website. Offer expires 30 June 2018.

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mama WELCOME PUIPIA BABY P.20

Editor’s

LETTER BEST BOOKS: BOATS ARE BUSY P.16

TELL KIDDO P.76

ummer’s fi nally here and our thoughts are turning towards all things outdoors – so it’s fitting that this issue sees us look at the rise of outdoor learning for little ones. Forest schools and suchlike are fast becoming integral parts of our kids’ education, and there’s much to be gained from acquainting littles with nature and fresh air. For those of you returning to work anytime soon, don’t miss our interview with career gurus Alice and Phanella, founders of The Step Up Club. These two mumpreneurs are on a mission: they’ve created an inspiring space in which women can reclaim power over their career or build confidence – enabling them to take the leaps of faith required for career changes. We talk to them about parents’ eternal juggling act and the quest for that elusive quality: balance. We all know how hard it is to travel with kids. “It’s just not the same,” is a well-worn adage. So, for our June issue, we’ve homed in on exactly how to do an exotic escape with kids. It involves both a family-friendly hotel and an extremely well-appointed villa in a jaw-dropping setting, a surprisingly short fl ight and no time difference (so zero jet-lag). Enjoy the issue!

IGOR SHOES P.50

Hel en Ba r on E DITOR

@hel_bow helen.baron@zest-media.com

T h e M a g a z i n e Fo r S t y l i s h M u m s

Mid-weight Designer: REBECCA NOONAN, CATHERINE PERKINS Finance Director: JERRIE KOLECI Directors: GREG HUGHES & ALEXANDRA HUNTER Managing Director: SHERIF SHALTOUT

@ A B S O L U T E LY M A M A

For editorial enquiries please email: helen.baron@zest-media.com

absolutely-mama .co.uk

For advertising enquiries please call 020 3397 8706 or email: rochelle@zest-media.com

Editor: HELEN BARON Assistant Editor: GEORGIA MCVEIGH Fashion Editor: CHARLOTTE KEWLEY Commercial Director: CRAIG DAVIES Commercial Manager: ROCHELLE STREATER Account Manager: ZARINA KAPASI Marketing Manager: LUCIE PEARCE Art Director: PHIL COUZENS Senior Designer: PAWEL KUBA

For media partnership enquiries please call 020 7704 0588 or email: lucie@zest-media.com

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10 things we Absolutely

LOV E Holiday shoes, upbeat décor and summer handbags to covet

SPORTS STAR

HOOD DREAMS

Danse Lente The London brand takes inspiration from gymnastics for an SS18 collection of striking silhouettes and sculptural design. Imagine the clean lines of vaults, rings and pommel horses, robust hardware and the fluid movement of the athlete.

Ar ket Coolly contemporary, neutral in tone and crisply cut – as is the Arket way – this minimalist update of the classic fishtail parka is ideal for an English summer. £150; arket.com

danselente.com

SWEET LIFE

Th e Ja c ks on s Let your little one channel their inner Fellini with this chic tote. Crafted in braided jute and dyed a cobalt hue as blue as the Adriatic in high July, it’s large enough for mamas to use, too. Molto bene! £71; melijoe.com

SLIDE AWAY

D ia ne von Fursten b erg These striped sandals by the evergreen NYC-based designer are at the top of our wishlist this summer. They’re equally chic with white denim or beachwear – now you just need to find yourself a suitable beach... £175; net-a-porter.com

SOLE PURPOSE

Do l ce & G a b bana Kids The Italian duo has mined the traditional majolica ceramics of Sicily for inspiration for their latest kids collection. These rope-soled printed sandals are both beautifully simple and simply beautiful. £135; melijoe.com

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abso lutely ma m a LOVES

WALL FLOWER

Electric Dreams

SECR E T LI NE N STOR E Secret Linen Store’s collaboration with colour expert Sophie Robinson has resulted in this Dazzling Blue bedding set, which is setting a new standard for bright bedrooms. secretlinenstore.com

Junique Junique’s poster is just what we need to get into the summer spirit. Warning: evokes wanderlust. How much are flights to Florida right now? £24.90; junique.co.uk

TALL STORY

We e G a l l e r y Capture every height-related milestone on this rather cute wallchart; kids will love reaching each beastly benchmark – and it even looks good on the nursery wall. £30; shop.nationaltheatre.org.uk

BBQ Time

We b e r Weber has long since brought families together with their iconic barbecues. So it makes sense that they’ve taken it a step further – now kids can cook alongside their parents with a mini replica. £24.99; weber.com

r’s editock pi

Dynamic Twist

Muuto Copenhagen-based brand Muuto is the latest addition to Heal’s Designer Collections. Their stacked storage systems illustrate the evolving influence of Scandinavian design and innovation. heals.co.uk

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Monski Mouse Until 30 September Underbelly Festival, Southbank

PHOTOGRAPHY: DAVE PICKENS

If you feel the party aspect of your life has waned since having children, fear no more. Monski Mouse’s Baby Disco is designed specifically for little ones and their parents. Dance to some of your favourite retro mixes and pop hits – with the occasional heads, shoulders, knees and toes thrown in. monskimouse.com

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W H AT ’ S ON From military pageants to classical music, polo to dragons – these are the best events this June

3 O F TH E B E ST S U M M E R P E R FO R M A N C E S Highbrow to lowbrow shows this June

Aliens Love Underpants Until 3 June Underbelly Festival

Who knew that aliens loved underpants, too? Th is fun fantasy is guaranteed to get giggles from the whole family. underbellyfestival.com

Bach to Baby Ongoing Various locations

With over 50 concerts across the UK every month, Bach to Baby is the critically acclaimed introduction to classical music for tinies to oldies. bachtobaby.com

editor’s pick

Beating RETREAT 6 & 7 June  Horse Guards Parade

For a quintessentially British experience, visit the Horse Guards Parade for mares, fireworks, a music pageant – and, of course, Bearskins in abundance. With a marching display and the ceremonial lowering of the regimental flag at sunset, this is truly London in all of its crowning glory. householddivision.org.uk

Young Herbert’s Horrors 30 June The Cockpit

Herbert is a naughty pirate: he won’t eat his greens, nor will he be polite. So to move his boat, he needs to learn some manners. thecockpit.org.uk

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agenda

WHAT’S ON

Polo in the Park 10 June Hurlingham Park

While bringing little ones to the polo may initially fi ll you with dread, fear not: kids’ party organisers Sharky & George have got you covered. At the Sunday Kids Club, expect a Space Hopper Steeple Chase, rocket balloon launching and a waterbomb catapulting competition – plus much more. Go on then, one more glass of champagne won’t hurt. Hurlingham Park, SW6 polointheparklondon.com

Looking back

WOBURN PARK

HERE BE DRAGONS

Vauxhall tried out it’s new Crossland X in the monkey ring at Woburn Safari Park

n celebration of Vauxhall’s new Crossland X, the company teamed up with Woburn Safari Park for an animal-fi lled day of fun. Parents were invited to test the car in the drive-through safari experience where they were put through their paces in the monkey ring. It was a real sign of their resilience – if they could withstand the monkeys outside the car, then they could certainly withstand any little monkeys on the inside. vauxhall.co.uk

Until 30 September Kew Gardens

Become a “dragonologist” on a quest around Kew Gardens this summer. Scattered over a 300-acre site, six dragons are hiding around the grounds as part of a trail in association with BBC’s Blue Peter. Meet Ting, the resident dragonoligist, and have a tour around the Here be Dragons exhibition, before heading out into the wild to see how many you can fi nd for yourself. kew.org

3 Top Museums

B E A J O U R N A LI ST

LO N D O N A DV E NT U R E S

A STRO N I G HT S

Take a trip to the National Army Museum to let kids try their hand at journalism. They’ll discover the stories behind some of the many objects, and write a script for their own awardwinning documentary. Royal Hospital Road, SW3

Discover what makes London tick with the London Transport Museum’s halfterm activities. The resident dancer will give an immersive performance with cleaning tools and torches. And kids can let off some steam at the play zone. Covent Garden Piazza, WC2E

Stay overnight at the Science Museum surrounded by the latest technological advances and artefacts. It includes workshops, science shows, activities, breakfast and an IMAX 3D film – it’ll be a memorable night. Exhibition Road, SW7

Until 3 June National Army Museum

Until 3 June London Transport Museum

1 June Science Museum

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We love

BOOKS

Training the perfect parents, adventures on the moon and convertible cars are in our favourite books this June

Wo r d s G E O RG I A M C V E I G H

Parent Prep

LUNAR ADVENTURE LUNA AND THE MOON RABBIT By Camille Whitcher

It’s clear why this book won the Stratford-Salariya Picture Book Prize. Inspired by Asian folklore, a little girl befriends a magical rabbit that lives on the moon, and travels with him to magical woods and fields on enchanting bedtime adventures. £11.99 salariya.com

H OW TO TR AI N TH E P E R F E C T PA R E N T S By Rebecca Ashdown

There are plenty of handbooks on how to raise a child, but now the tables have turned. Follow Mimi’s journey as she trains her parents just how she likes them – with very successful results. Let’s hope she’s equally as successful with her puppy. £11.99 (hardback) templarco.co.uk

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BOOKS

DOWNCAST DAYS BOB’S BLUE PERIOD By Marion Deuchars

Following on from Deuchars’ fi rst book, Bob the Artist, Bob the bird is back – but something is wrong. After his best friend leaves, everything that he paints is blue. With help from his friends, he learns to paint in colour again. £10.99 laurenceking.com

ORANGE GOOSE & F R U ITCA S E RHYME FLIES By Antonia Pesenti

Convertible

CAR

Th is nonsense book combines the most unlikely of ingredients to make something fantastical. Introduce babies to the world of rhymes while they discover what it might be like to drink Fresh Orange Goose or carry a Fruitcase. £12.95 uk.phaidon.com

CONVERTIBLE POLICE CAR By Belinda Gallagher

Books just keep getting better, and this one trumps them all. It gives a whole new meaning to the word convertible as it flattens into a playmat once you’ve fi nished reading the simple story and then transforms into a car. £15 mileskelly.net

Animal Occupations

M A R I N E TH E M E

W H AT D O A N I M A L S D O A L L D AY ? By Wendy Hunt & Studio Muti

B O AT S A R E B U S Y By Sara Gillingham

Th is is an encyclopaedic exposé of the workings of everyday animal life. Applying human jobs to each animal, read on as the cleaner wrasse becomes the dentist, the hyena transforms into the comedian, and the giraffe turns into the lookout. £14.99 quartoknows.com

For nautical enthusiasts, Boats Are Busy is the must-have board book. Award-winning art director and designer, Sara Gillingham, features 15 simply designed boats, accompanied by their name and a short description for little boat-lovers. £7.95 uk.phaidon.com June 201 8

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Villa Bastide des Virettes, South of France

JUMP INTO SUMMER

ANYTHING ELSE IS JUST A HOLIDAY

Our beautiful catered villas in Mallorca and the South of France come with a private pool and experienced Scott Dunn staff. Your private chef will prepare mouth-watering menus, with ingredients sourced from local markets, while your host will take care of everything from bringing you fresh sorbets by the pool, to advising you on the local highlights. For little ones, we offer fantastic private nannies that will look after children from 4 months old. They tailor activities around their needs, interests and routine while always ensuring the fun factor. To start planning your luxury family holiday, visit scottdunn.com or call on 0208 682 5000

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Carry On • BABYBJÖRN •

The baby-wearing pioneers at BabyBjÖrn recently unveiled a strictly limited edition run of their Baby Carrier One in the sorbet shades of its Baby Power collection. Suitable for little ones from birth to three years old, the carrier is comfortable, convenient and pleasingly stylish – and it allows you to wear baby front-facing, rear-facing and on your back. £159; babybjorn.co.uk

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Babe Watch

Stylish must-haves for summer tots

Wo r d s H E L E N B A RO N

1. Get Set

2. Floor Play

3. Twinning

4. Printastic

5. Think Pink

Mamas + Papas Perfect for the new season is this fun and oh-so-cute flamingo-print set from purveyors of baby musthaves, Mamas & Papas. Handily, it includes a baby vest, hat and this awesome seersucker striped romper; ideal for summer. £22 • mamasandpapas.com

Totter & Tumble A more stylish alternative to overwhelming patterns and fiddly, jigsaw-style playmats are these Totter + Tumble ones. They’re reversible, wipe-clean memory foam playmats that come in a range of subtle patterns and cool, calming hues. £140 • totterandtumble.co.uk

Piupia Baby The brand’s latest summer collection does not disappoint. Earthy colours resurface while subtle tribal motifs appear on the softest rompers and tees (for both child and baby). Only locally-produced resources and materials are used. piupia.co.uk

aden + anais Nadia Ackerman of the Brooklyn-based Natchie Art Studio has teamed up with aden + anais to create an exclusive range. The Natchie collection includes blankets and swaddles, featuring hand-drawn images with a nautical theme. • adenandanais.co.uk

Newbie Newbie have now added swimwear to their line of affordable baby essentials. The organic Swedish childrenswear store combines sustainability with tasteful designs, various unisex styles, as well as outfits for siblings. £14 • newbiestore.com

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9 8 essen t i a ls

BA BY

6. In Bloom

7. All-in-one

8. Little Legs

9. Splish Splosh

10. Baby Journal

Elodie Details Swedish accessory design brand Elodie Details makes beautiful everyday baby and toddler essentials. We adore the bow-detail sunhats, as well as the frilled and pierrot collar bibs. You’ll also find changing bags in the charming floral prints. • elodiedetails.com

Petit Bateau Petit Bateau has created a new outfit that simplifies dressing your baby. The new “bodyjama” in blue, pink or grey is a vest and longsleeved babygrow that’s all-in-one and with fewer poppers to do up. Every little helps! £37 • petit-bateau.co.uk

Buho This brand epitomises Spanish bohemianism and that thread is carried out to adoring effect in these teensy baby leggings, perfected in a muted mustard tone. For more “paysan” chic see the rustic shirts and ribbed cardigans. • scandimini.com

Bambino Mio This lightweight, awardwinning reusable swim nappy has a concealed water-resistant layer and leak-proof legs that offer containment while in the water (you may just need to add a nappy if swimming for long periods). £9.99 • bambinomio.com

Clemmie Hooper From bestselling author and midwife Clemmie Hooper comes How to Grow a Baby, a journal for first-time experiences. From the first kick in pregnancy to surviving night feeds, document all the highs and lows as a new parent. £10.99 • amazon.co.uk

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essen t i a ls

DESIGN LETTERS Travel Journal, £28; beyondthestork.co.uk

DAD

STORKSAK Hero Changing Backpack, £125; naturalbabyshower.co.uk DIPTYQUE Baies Scented Candle, £47; mrporter.com

SWELL BOTTLE Moonstone Roamer Collection bottle, £42; intu.co.uk

TED BAKER Brogue Backgammon Roll, £45; amara.com

Mam love a s

TOM DIXON Stainless Steel Cafetiere, £300; mr.porter.com

FAT H E R ’ S DAY Great gifts for deserving dads

r’s editock pi LSA INTERNATIONAL 7-PIECE WHISKEY SET £300; johnlewis.com

WEBER Genesis 11 E-410; From £900 weber.com

STUTTERHEIM Stockholm Raincoat in Light Sand, £175; beyondthestork.co.uk

HAECKELS Men’s Travel Kit, £48; mrporter.com

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Pack Your Bags

You’re sorted for summer with these key essentials for kids Wo r d s H E L E N B A R O N

SUN HAT BONPOINT

Is your little miss wanting a more grown-up sun hat? Check out this example from famed French children’s brand Bonpoint. It’s crafted in crocheted raffia and featuring a fun, feminine cherry adornment (cherries in sunny yellow, we might add), and we’re loving the versatile wide brim – providing ample sun protection and it’s easy to pin up for a stylish flourish. £47; bonpoint.com

PALM PRINT

SUN CREAM

THE BONNIE MOB

LA ROCHE- POSAY

One of the most trusted French cosmetics brands now offers dermatologically tested SPF 50+ sun cream in a handy pocket bottle – perfect for protecting little ones from summer heat. £8.50; escentual.com CAMP BESTIVAL: THE GRANDADDY

Say “Aloha!” to the latest collection from the Bonnie Mob, one of our favourite British brands and specialists in trendsetting prints. Th is season sees palm designs, wave illustrations and sunglasses motifs artfully “scribbled” across pieces in juicy shades of orange and pink. Your warm-weather wardrobe, sorted. Prices vary; thebonniemob.com

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essen t i a ls KIDS

Freshly Squeezed MILK AND BISCUITS

Our new favourite kids label? A British/Chinese brand with a modern, distinctive style all of its own. Palm print dresses in the sharpest cuts and on-trend colours sit alongside this delicious citrus sweat in cotton fleece – perfect for cooler summer evenings. £50; melijoe.com

COMING UP ROSES CAROLINE BOSMANS

Th is directional Swedish brand has become a cult favourite, its signature style repeated in collector’s items including simple tees (like this one) and eye-catching tulle dresses. For the modern-day punk princess. £51; melijoe.com

FUN PURSE BON POINT

POOL SLIDES MINI MELIS SA

These are just about the sassiest summer shoes we’ve seen – the fruit of a collaboration between kids footwear brand Mini Melissa and the inestimable, always surprising Vivienne Westwood. These are slides for girls that love punk as much as they love pink. £85; alexandalexa.com

The season’s ombres, corals and sunset shades are captured in this adorable little purse from French childrenswear leader Bonpoint. It also comes in muted yellow and neutral shades – and features a cute cherry motif. £28; bonpoint.com

FLOAT ON SUNNYLIFE

All the way from Oz, this fun inflatable cactus is as succulent to look at – but nowhere near as spiky, thankfully – as the real deal. Perfectly sized for portability (deflated, of course!) and versatility. Did someone say “pool party”? £50; johnlewis.com June 201 8

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mamahood I S L A F I S H E R O N H E R N E W N OV E L p . 2 8 • E LI M I N AT I N G PA E D I AT R I C A I D S p . 3 3 • PA P I E R A R T I ST K AT I E LE A M O N p . 3 5 • G E M M A M E TC A LF E - B EC K E R S ’ ST Y LE I N S P I R AT I O N S p . 3 7

Career Goals • IN THIS SECTION , PAGE 31•

Boost your confidence and your success with Alice Olins and Phanella Mayall Fine, the women’s career and personal development pioneers. Writers, commentators, content whizzes and all-round generators of girl power, we talk to them about women, work and working for women. step-up-club.net

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Isla In

CHARGE The Hollywood star on turning her talent for acting – and love of kids – into a series of smash-hit stories Wo r d s H E L E N B A R O N

sla Fisher has come a long way – literally. Born in Oman and raised in Oz, she’s now a Hollywood fi xture, living with her family (she has two children by her husband, the comedian Sacha Baron Cohen) in Los Angeles. Isla has also covered a lot of ground professionally, starting out as a child actor, moving on to portray classic character Shannon Reed in Australian soap Home and Away, and fi nally making the jump to bona fide fi lm star with roles in hits from Wedding Crashers (her performance gained rave reviews for her comedic skills) to The Great Gatsby. In recent years, she has pushed herself still further, moonlighting as a children’s author with her acclaimed Marge series. Launching in 2016 with Marge in Charge – three anarchic tales about rainbow-haired babysitter Marge, whose innate unorthodoxy and talent for chaos causes no end of adventure for her charges, Jemima and Jakey – the books have been lauded by comic figures of no less standing than Davids Baddiel and Walliams. More importantly, they’re loved by kids across the world. We spoke to her about the latest instalment – released this month – Marge and the Secret Tunnel, and ask why she moved into children’s writing in the fi rst place... “I felt that for emerging or reluctant readers, there weren’t that many comedic books for kids who were just beginning to read. And then once they get a little older, there are all these really sophisticated authors, like Roald Dahl or Jeff Kinney or Francesca Simon. So I wanted to just make kids read more. It felt like a lost opportunity during that transitional phase, so I created material that I hoped would engage young readers and not push them beyond their years socially.” She’s referring, in one sense, to the character of Marge – any child’s dream babysitter; the type who cooks chocolate soup for dinner and eats too much cake at a birthday party. She’s essentially a child in adult form, able to get away with all the things children are routinely forbidden to do. We ask her if this idea – that children should worry less about being “good” and simply enjoy being children – is reflective of how she raises her own children. “Yes,” she says. “Even older children… are so risk averse. They’re taking a certain job or study a certain subject because that’s going to help them get on

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mamah o od PROFILE

It occurs to us that Isla has considered this stuff before – it’s not mere media training. She’s genuinely engaged with the power and possibility of children’s fiction. Does she, we ask, have strong views on storytelling as an artform? What does she look for in a book? “You know what, I used to read two books a week before I had kids. And now I have to read so many scripts that I know what to look for in a script. But books are a luxury I don’t get to indulge in as often as I’d like. I’m not a literary snob. I‘m one of those, ‘I’ll pick up anything: fiction, nonfiction’. I’m attracted to strong characters and an interesting plot, and the style of writing has to be engaging. But acting is sort of still the business of storytelling and, for me, it’s about helping me to create strong characters who have an emotional arc. I also try to keep all of the characters voices sounding different, and then when I’m writing a scene it’s the same as when I’m acting; I prefer if a scene starts in one place and ends somewhere surprising. I kind of like acting and writing equally, because I get lost in both experiences. And I do have a wonderful consistent dialogue with my editor, so it’s not such a lonely experience.” When we ask, however, if there are plans for more Marge stories in future, we’re surprised at Isla’s response. “Right now I’ve sort of said to myself that this was the last

“I CREATED MATERIAL THAT I HOPED WOULD ENGAGE YOUNG READERS AND NOT PUSH THEM BEYOND THEIR YEARS SOCIALLY ”

this other subject; there’s just so much anxiety. And then with the internet and Instagram and how that’s impacting teenagers and children socially and emotionally, it feels like we need to do more to let them be children.” But where did the character of Marge spring from? “I feel like if my two best friends had a love-child it would be Marge, because one of them is sort of an eternal Peter Pan who’s in total denial about reality, and the other one tells magical, amazing stories. The Marge stories are a bit like The Cat in the Hat meets My Naughty Little Sister, which are the books that I love to read to young children, because I just think that kids find it hilarious when adults misbehave; they’re used to other kids misbehaving, but, when Marge does it, it’s not like it’s in an intentional or mean-spirited way, she’s just encouraging them to unlock their creativity, challenging Jemima’s need to stop following rules for rules’ sake.”

book in the series, because I’ve written them at quite a cracking pace considering I’m not really a true author. It’s been work, and I’m really grateful for the experience and I’ve loved it, but I’m just looking forward now to spending time with my family.” So, while writing is all well and good, family is her true passion. And, she admits, motherhood has changed her in some ways. “Motherhood is my favourite topic... but I really want my kids to have a normal childhood without the pressures of scrutiny. Kids have the right to just be kids and play with their friends, and not worry about their photo appearing online. So I don’t really talk about them in public – I suppose motherhood has made me more protective.” Yet, for those who will mourn the end of Marge, there is some hope. We ask Isla about the writing process and her sources of inspiration, and the final part of her answer suggests that as far as future endeavours are concerned, anything is possible. “You know, I’m not really an author as a job. I’ve just been really lucky to be able to do it on the side of acting and it’s been so rewarding for me. And I’m still inspired continually.” Isla Fisher really has come a long way, from teen soap heartthrob to bestselling author and renaissance mother. But there’s clearly much more to come...

Marge and the Secret Tunnel by Piccadilly Press is out now June 201 8

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mamah o o d

INTERVIEW

INSTA MAMA Alice Olins and Phanella Mayall-Fine of The Step Up Club on supercharging your career @thestepupclub

Q Tell us about the Step Up Club – why did you start it and what experience do each of you bring to the company? A We launched the Step Up Club to answer a very specific need, and that is to enhance and help reformulate the careers of women working today. We are modern careers experts; everything that we do is grounded in academic research and packaged with a feminine touch. The long and short of it is that both of us have endured times in our careers when we felt misunderstood, unable to fulfil our potential, undervalued; underpaid, too, in Alice’s case. For Phanella, it became impossible to blend family life with the punishing demands of the City. Separately, we stepped away from our big, glossy jobs and took stock. Together, we decided to drive change. Step Up is all about bringing women together,

upskilling and preparing ourselves for the changes that invariably lie ahead in all our careers. Q What did you feel was missing from the career conversation? A Oh, so much! For one, in the main we still don’t talk about careers with the same style and panache that we do fashion, beauty and wellness. This is unfathomable and wrong. Not just that, but a lot of career development material is still only delivered in boardrooms; we’re all about democratising career development. Which is why we’ve spent the last year creating our unique Step Up School, a brand new online course that launches in June. This three-month course is designed to get women really understanding what success means to them, before helping to build their confidence, get them networking again, and help untangle the fears that many of us have: networking, mentoring and visioning. Q How are you “rebranding” networking? Is it for everybody? A By talking about it in real terms: networking is just conversations with a purpose. So many of us get hung up on career jargon, and are too fearful to drill down into what these concepts actually mean – and entail. Networking is the simple act of connecting with people, whether that’s in person or online, to achieve a purpose.

Is the idea of “balance” a myth? Yes, but having time away from the job is a necessity. We need headspace and physical distance from our work to be able to grow and thrive as people. The inevitable amalgamation of work and life thanks to social media and the internet has made the attainment of a distinct separation of the two all but impossible. However, balance is still very much a concept that we value, especially as mothers and women whose interests and passions extend in myriad directions! Q A

Step Up: Confidence, success and your stellar career in ten minutes a day, by Alice Olins and Phanella Mayall-Fine is available now on amazon.co.uk step-up-club.net June 201 8

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03/05/2018 11:18

mama h ood

Q&A

EMMA WITH HER THREE KIDS

woman in

WORK Emma France on the fight to eliminate paediatric AIDS

A MENTOR MOTHER IN ACTION

What is the mothers2mothers vision? In sub-Saharan Africa, HIV is still a leading cause of maternal death and expecting mothers struggle to access quality healthcare. mothers2mothers (m2m) unlocks the potential of women to eliminate paediatric AIDS and create healthy families. Our work is driven by the amazing 1,600 Mentor Mothers we train and employ every year – HIV-positive women who work tirelessly in their communities and at health facilities to ensure women and their families get the health advice, services and medication they need. Q A

How long have you been working at the charity? What was your route in and why do you love it? A I joined m2m more than seven years ago now. I was previously a project fi nance lawyer and fi nanced major infrastructure projects but realised that my true calling was in preventable issues and particularly in working with charities that could create the most change. So I retrained and started by offering my services to anyone that would have me, later spending years advising charities around strategy and change. And then I came across m2m – I started the European office in 2011 and last year took responsibility for our global strategic partnerships. Q

Q Can you tell us more about the Mentor Mother model? A Our Mentor Mothers are the reason I get out of bed every day. I’ve been lucky enough to have met some of them and their strength and resilience is simply astounding. They embody what health and hope looks like, and in 2016 alone, along with our partners, they reached almost two million children, women, adolescents and men, and virtually eliminated mother-to-child transmission of HIV among our enrolled clients. The model is so successful because these women have experienced what their clients are going through – they are armed with the knowledge of how it feels to be in their shoes and are trustworthy because they are from their community. It’s a simple, but incredibly effective, model of sisterhood. Q This year’s International Women’s Day celebrated Urban and rural activists. How significant was that for the charity? A It was incredibly significant as Mentor Mothers embodied this theme so perfectly – they really are everyday urban and rural activists, who work in their local health clinics and go out into their communities to seek out vulnerable clients. We celebrate them in our work every day, but this year’s International Women’s Day was the perfect way to get others involved in this celebration and recognition. They really are our Wonder Women!

OUR MENTOR MOTHERS ARE THE REASON I GET OUT OF BED EVERY DAY

Q How has paediatric AIDS improved in latter years in sub-Saharan Africa? A We have come such a long way with regards to paediatric AIDS. In 2001, approximately 1,500 babies were infected with HIV every day – the majority of whom were in subSaharan Africa – compared to more than 200 babies nowadays. But that number is still too high. The UN has set targets of eliminating AIDS and of ensuring healthy lives for all at all ages by 2030. So we can’t, and won’t, stop until every baby and family thrives and has a healthy and bright future.

m2m.org.uk, @mothers2mothers June 201 8

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04/05/2018 10:35

mamah o o d

K ATIE LE A MON

IN THE STUDIO

Meet Katie Leamon, illustrator, and mama of baby, Baloo E x t r a c t f r o m PA P I E R . C O M

BALOO HAS MADE AN APPEARANCE AT A FAIR FEW WORK MEETINGS

he design studio of Papier artist Katie Leamon is very much a family affair. Arriving for this shoot at the converted warehouse space in east London, where she creates her stylish and refined prints and illustrations, we’re greeted with homemade cake and a warm welcome from Katie, boyfriend Ruairi (who runs the day-to-day business) and assistant Seb (not kin but might as well be). Then a gurgling comes from a buggy in the corner and baby Baloo wakes up from his morning nap – wondering who these interlopers are in his studio. Once he’s satisfied that we won’t take his mum from him for too long and he’s cheerily pawing through The Fox’s Socks on his play mat, it’s time for work. “At the moment, while Baloo is still a baby, we pop into the studio but I am trying to work from home more so he can play,” Katie says. “He has made an appearance at a fair few meetings. He is such a people pleaser, happy to go to anyone and (almost) always smiling! So it’s made it a lot easier for us. I am trying now to get a few hours in there without him so I can crack on a lot quicker, but he is still feeding so I am never far from him. I think it will be a good message for him to learn about hard work and that work can be what you want it to be.”

KATIE SPENDS HALF HER TIME DESIGNING, AND THE REST APPROVING ARTWORK

Keeping it in the family has been the case for Katie and co. long before Baloo showed up. “Initially, I shared a studio with my brother, an artist, who helped me get on my feet,” she says. “My mum stepped in when I got busy, we are incredibly close and she was just helping me out at first. Then my sister was helping too and before long I realised I couldn’t go back to doing things on my own, so managed to work out a way to make it permanent. I am incredibly lucky to have a team managed by family members – there’s complete trust and loyalty that you would struggle to find anywhere else.” With her step-dad, step-uncle and family friends also involved, there’s little need to go paintballing on company bonding trips. “As a team we are very close and those of us

not actually related soon become part of the extended family!” With a small team helping her out with the practical side of things, Katie gets to spend half her time actually designing, and half her time approving artwork, checking samples, and researching new ideas. “I always have a sketchbook to hand to sketch and brainstorm new ideas. I try and create a plan for a collection as whole, and to grow from a concept or story. I then work with pen and paper before editing on the computer. I’ve recently bought an iPad Pro to streamline some designs, too. I’m quite old-fashioned so it is taking a while to get used to it.” Despite her embracing of modern techniques, it’s getting her hands messy that Katie loves best. Namely, in the case of her Papier collection, paper marbling: the method of floating inks on water and then transferring the patterns made onto paper. “I love the organic patterns created; it’s loose, free and playful but then when finished off can be very elegant.” The Marbre Vert design was made in her bath as it was the only place big enough to use an A1 piece of paper. It’s a work that has left an indelible mark on Katie – and her bathroom. “The blue in it is one of my favourite colours – but my tub has never looked the same since!” Katie has felt an extra impetus to create work that will make a mark for all her family since Baloo has entered their lives. “He inspires me to design. I love getting my paints out while he sits and plays next to me, and it has more meaning now as we are doing it for more of a purpose; to build a brand we are all proud of.” June 201 8

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BOARD

ST YLE

Gemma Metcalfe-Beckers of slogan merchandise brand Mutha Hood Goods shares her favourite things @ m u t h a .h o o d • m u t h a h o o d g o o d s .co m

KIDS’ WARDOBE ESSENTIALS

CHILDRENSWEAR BRAND

BOBUX SS18

Saltwater sandals in summer and Bobux shoes the rest of the time. We don’t buy a lot of shoes in our family – we tend to buy a pair a season, and we want them to wear well, which these do.

My top pick from the Mutha Hood shop at the moment is the twinning Power of the Girl tees. I love the original Strong Girls Club tee, and for me the latest design shares the same message but in a slightly more subtle way; for those days when you want to feel powerful but not necessarily shout it from the rooftops.

My absolute favourite label is Bobo Choses. I love the fun use of colours, the graphics and the fact that the clothes are unisex, playful and not too twee.

FAVOURITE THING TO DO I live for days out in National Trust properties. The girls run wild, I get to enjoy all the flowers and then we feast on scones as if we’re all in a Jane Austen novel.

June 201 8

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mamah o o d

Telling it like it is…

The Pressure

to Breastfeed

Alexandra Hunter shares her thoughts on a still-controversial subject

wenty months in to my parenting journey, I look at my beautiful little boy and all I want is for him to be healthy and happy with a full tummy. He won’t eat vegetables; he never has. I sometimes try to ensure he has a balanced plate of food that’s both homemade and nutritious and more often than not it ends up in the bin. Normally, I just do what’s easy and what he eats: baked beans with his processed fish fingers. He’s happy, I’m happy because I’m relaxed, and the plate’s empty at the end of the meal. I know this aversion to vegetables won’t last forever and as long as he’s eating and looking healthy – with enough energy to exhaust me and run around at the playground – I don’t worry that he isn’t getting his five-a-day. The early days of feeding my child were a different story. I always thought I would be able to breastfeed. It never occured to me that I might not. Society ingrains it in us – we

are expected to breastfeed, it’s natural to breastfeed, we should all breastfeed. My antenatal class demonstrated clearly, with carefully knitted breasts of varying sizes (who is it who knits those?), exactly how the baby would latch on. No other options were discussed in any detail and I assumed I would have no problems. My beautiful baby arrived and from day one he wanted to be fed all the time. Literally, all the time. He lost weight initially but we’re told that’s to be expected. He was latched onto me for most of the day and most of the night for months and he barely gained any weight. Neither of us slept much. I remember lunch with my NCT friends and our tinies about a month in – they fed their babies in a few minutes and put them back in their prams, complaining of leaky

COLUMN

boobs. My boobs never leaked and my baby remained latched on for the duration of the meal. He wasn’t getting enough food from me and I couldn’t see it. I tried so hard. I made the oat cookies (who knows how on so little sleep). I bought the supplements that encourage lactation. And I pumped like crazy, getting a few millilitres for hours of effort and retiring to bed crying, feeling like a failed dairy cow. I felt I was failing my perfect little boy. When I went for the three-month check, the nurse was worried about Seb’s weight, and referred me to the paediatric department at the local hospital. I got home from the check-up and got Seb ready to leave. As we were walking out the door, his nappy exploded (of course it did), so I rushed him back upstairs and tried to deal with the poo covering his legs, torso, babygrow and changing mat, as well as my arms. Having finally got him dressed again, I left for the hospital. It was the consultant who kindly pointed out that I had poo on my face. That just about sums up that period for me. That day, I was told to start using formula to feed Seb, and although it made me desperately sad at the time, I did as instructed. Sure enough, my baby started gaining weight, sleeping for longer and looking healthier. I, too, was able to sleep for longer between feeds and that meant I was happier. And, as we know, a happy mum means a happier baby. Mums are not failing if they can’t feed their babies via their own bodies. It matters that babies get what they need, not how they get it. If you choose not to breastfeed, that’s your choice and others should respect that. If I had my time with my baby again I would have stopped making us both suffer much sooner. I thought I was doing the right thing. I wasn’t. I have always trusted my instincts, but in my sleep-deprived, hormoneaddled state, I allowed society to tell me what it thought was best for my baby. We know what’s best for our beautiful babies – and we shouldn’t put additional pressure on ourselves. Just keeping a tiny alive and happy is a tremendous achievement. If the baby’s full of milk from bottle or breast, excellent. Tick “feeding” off the worry list. Feeding a baby is still such a difficult topic to discuss – and it shouldn’t be.

MUMS ARE NOT FAILING IF THEY CAN’ T F EED BABIES VIA THEIR OW N BODIES

June 201 8

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Th i n k B i g • SABINE GETT Y •

The 1980s Tom Hanks-starring blockbuster Big inspired Sabine Getty’s new jewellery collection, which explores common themes of childhood. The appropriately named Big Collection consists of nine geometric and oversized pieces reminiscent of children’s toys – wooden blocks and colourful games. It’s sure to appeal to the inner child in all of us. sabinegetty.com

June 201 8

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5 of the best POOL SLIDES STELLA MCCARTNEY Woven Raffia Sandals, £315; net-a-porter.com

mama

ST Y LE NOTES

Helen Baron rounds up the coolest pool slides and flattering summer dresses CALVIN KLEIN Canvas Slippers in Chambray, £30; calvinklein.co.uk

’s tor edipick

OFF WHITE Off White Corporate Logo-Print Rubber Slides £120; net-a-porter.com

Slim Fit BEYOU Deckchair Sliders £9.99; studio.co.uk

CLERGERIE Idalie Raffia Flatforms, £265; net-a-porter.com

•BOOB DESIGN•

Boob Design is predicated on sustainability. Garments are made from 100% organic cotton and, in some cases, recycled materials. From stylish, slim-fitting body-con dresses to looser designs, pieces are built for all stages of motherhood, with smart double function for pregnancy and nursing. boobdesign.com

absolutely-mama.co.uk

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fas h i on

LIFE IN COLOUR •Missoni•

MAMA

d-tobran tch a w

Th ink of Missoni and you think of ’70s bohemian-inspired glamour, iconic patterns of a striped, wavy and geometric bent and a fearless use of colour. The brand’s spirit is exemplified perfectly in the Mini Me collection for girls and in the zig-zag motif of our pick: the patchwork stripe dress. £750; missoni.com

EPONINE LONDON

we love BELT UP •Solid and Striped•

The Nina waist-belt swimsuit is at the top of our holiday wishlist. A cool pale blue in a flattering cut and more than a nod to retro styling. That’s a solid purchase in our book – and a snip at £165. net-a-porter.com

MINI ME •Bonton•

Chic French kids’ store Bonton has launched a Maxi Me collection for mother and daughter, comprised of 20 classic looks (think dungarees, frill blouses, white bohemian embroidered dresses and tops). Check them out online or at the new Westbourne Grove shop. bonton.fr

Grab Bag Joseph

t might look unassuming, but Joseph’s Sevres bag is the brand’s most coveted tote. Made from Italian leather and featuring a statement buckle, it offers a fresh take on the 2017 bucket bag. Pair up with androgynous separates and a linen sun dress. £476; joseph-fashion.com

WHO Eponine London was founded by designer Jet Shenkman in 2014 as a bespoke womenswear brand inspired by the elegant silhouettes of the ’50s and ’60s. Raised in the Netherlands, Jet came to London at the age of 21 to work in the Dutch Embassy before being transferred to Tokyo where she later worked as a personal stylist. After meeting her British husband, Greg, the two lived together in Hong Kong and started a family, before finally settling back in London in 2012. W H AT Worn by the likes of Kate Middleton and Dame Helen Mirren, each season the brand’s bespoke collection is conceived in carefully chosen couture fabrics in a variety of textures. In recent years, the collections have included capsule styles crafted from textiles sourced from Asia, including Japanese kimonos and hand-crafted fabrics from antique shops in the north of Thailand, all in Eponine’s signature classicallyinspired silhouettes. The latest collection looks to Russia and the Ukraine for inspiration. The result is intricately formulated designs featuring bold colours and elaborate embroidery. For a laidback summer look, counter the brand’s girly charm with a straw tote and a pair of leather gladiator sandals. eponinelondon.com

June 201 8

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Blush Pink Boho Maternity Top, £45 Light Over Bump Skinny Maternity Jeans, £59

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Here Comes

THE SUN No more warm-weather maternitywear nightmares. Here are some bump-friendly styles for a long, hot summer s er a p hi n e .c o m

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Blue Floral Knotted Maternity Dress, Â£55

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Blue Maternity Tunic Shirt, £45 Slim White Maternity Jeans, £52

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03/05/2018 15:53

Blue Diamond Maternity & Nursing Maxi Dress, Â£69

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03/05/2018 15:53

Palm Print Bodycon Maternity Dress, Â£49

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5 of the best ALL-IN-ONES

CARAMEL LONDON Antuk romper, lemon, £80; caramel-shop.co.uk

kids

FASHION NOTES

Summer splash-lands with bold bags, stylish swimwear and lots of colour THE BONNIE MOB Tahiti embroidered romper, £37.95; thebonniemob.com

Eastern Promise

•Isetan x Smallable•

MAMAS & PAPAS Embroidered romper, £16; mamasandpapas.com

Smallable and Japanese department store Isetan have launched a collaboration that will see both institutions open pop-up shops in their counterpart’s store. Shop online for exclusive items created to celebrate the exchange. en.smallable.com

CARAMEL LONDON Barra baby romper, navy/white, £75; caramel-shop.co.uk

r’s editock pi

CARAMEL LONDON Boon baby romper, pale blue, £105; caramel-shop.co.uk

absolutely-mama.co.uk

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fas h i on

KIDS

d Branus Foc

GOT THE LOOK •Alex and Alexa•

The leading online emporium has released its summer lookbook, fi lled with amazing inspiration for the season. Check it out to see the world’s hottest kids brands at their boldest and brightest – then create the capsule of your dreams for your own little ones. alexandalexa.com

LITTLE CREATIVE FACTORY A brand we love

NAVAL GAZING

Wo r ds HE L E N BA RO N

•Petit Bateau•

Petit Bateau ought to make good swimwear, when you think about it. And so they do – especially if your idea of good swimwear involves classic Breton stripe designs in the bright, airy colours of a classic French summer. Marvellously maritime. petit-bateau.com

CAKE DREAMS •Stella McCartney Kids•

We love cake. We love handbags. So why not combine the two? Th is super-sweet muffi n bag is capacious and delicious (to look at, not to nibble on). And no trips to the dentist as a result! £89; en.smallable.com

Jelly Tots Igor

he most stylish jelly shoes we’ve seen come in a range of colours – our faves being these bright yellow fellows. Choose from a buckle version, or a removable sling-back variety for slip-on convenience. Poolside perfection. £19.99; johnlewis.com

arcelona-based Little Creative Factory is that rare thing: a clothing brand that appears to be genuinely animated by the forms and phenomena of the outside world – and able to translate that energy into clothes that are at once simple and utterly distinctive. Too often, brands come up with a collection to which they retrospectively peg inspirations. But Little Creative Factory’s ideas and enthusiasms are stitched into every seam of its products. The latest collection, Dancers, offers a playful reimagining of classic dance clothing, from ballet skirts and jazz bodysuits to tap dresses. The links to the source material are self-evident: soft baby hoodies that wouldn’t look out of place in the New York dance milieu of Frances Ha; boxy ballet shirts for boys, cut to almost bolero length in the airiest of cottons; little bodysuits and apron skirts that look like they’ve been snipped out of a Degas. In fact, the painter is an important reference point throughout – there’s a dress named for him, and the entire collection is suffused with the pale, dreamy hues found in his work. The overall effect is of enchantment and fantasy made completely wearable. It’s a delicate balance, but Little Creative Factory manages it with perfect poise – just as any gifted dancer should. littlecreativefactory.com

June 201 8

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GARDEN VARIETY We’ve fallen in love with La Coqueta’s new styles, which are all perfect for picnic weather lacoquetakids .com

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The new weight loss Challenge that British mums love

GET YOUR PRE-BABY BODY BACK!

Buy now and save Â£9.50! Get twice as many flavours on all 14 and 28 Challenges, with the promotion code:

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B E ST N E W B E AU T Y B U YS p .6 2 • H E A LT H Y S N AC K S A N D S E RV I C E S FO R M U M S A N D M U N C H K I N S p .6 1 • M O D E L R U T H K R I LLY ’ S L AT E ST P R OJ EC T p .6 8

Eat Up

 IN THIS SECTION , PAGE 64

PHOTOGRAPHY: TARA FISHER

MasterChef winner and restaurant owner, Thomasina “Tommi” Miers, is also a mum. At home, she’s implemented some hard and fast rules at mealtimes, which she shares with Absolutely Mama, along with two fuss-free recipes that will keep the whole family happy. thomasinamiers.com

June 201 8

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03/05/2018 16:24

TRUST Incognito

incognito

anti-mosquito

100% effective against mosquitoes,* midges, fleas, ticks, wasps & many more. All natural, kind for you and our planet.

incognito spray and roll-on are 100% natural and are safe for children and babies from 3 months old. ®

Exclusive 20% discount code for Absolutely readers Use ABMA20 at checkout.

Our suncream is suitable for children 2 years and older.

www.lessmosquito.com *Clinically tested for 5 hours or more on Aedes aegypti mosquitoes which can carry Chikungunya, dengue & Zika. Also clinically proven to protect against malaria in conjunction with sleeping under an impregnated mosquito bed net. Use insect repellent safely. Always read the label and product information.

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HE ALTH

Super blends ONE EARTH ORGANICS

Eager to get your kid(s) into healthy foods? There’s a new, simple way to do just that, with One Earth Organics’ child-friendly superfood blend, Chocolate Dream. It’s full of sustainably sourced, nutrition-packed foods – like carob, chlorella and beetroot – plus it’s free from refi ned sugars. And, well, it tastes like chocolate. It beats force feeding them Brussels sprouts. £15.99; oneearthorganics.co.uk

mama’s

WELLN ES S N OTES Healthy food and fitness solutions for mindful mums and munchkins

ECO HOME

LET’S STRETCH

KINN

POMMAMA

We focus on what we eat and put on our skin, but do we think enough about how healthy our homes are? The mum and daughter who started KINN do. That’s why they’ve created this lovely line of eco-friendly cleaning products. From £3.50; kinn-living.com

London’s first, at-home personalised pregnancy yoga service has launched, offering sessions tailor-made by specialist instructors using the prenatal programme designed by an international yoga expert. pommama.com

Teething treats

NEW NIBBLES

uinoa, buckwheat and rice make up the base of Piccolo’s new wafers, which launch in May. They’re perfect for teething babies or tots looking for a quick snack, and come in coconut or mango flavours. Not to mention handy resealable packs. £2.49; l sainsburys.co.uk June 201 8

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6 of the best SUN DEFENCE PRODUCTS

MUSTELA Very High Protection Sun Lotion for babies (SPF50+), £16.95; mustela.co.uk

TRUE NORTH Protective Lip Balm 7.2 (SPF50), £10; truenorthcosmetics.com

mama’s

BEAUT Y NOTES

Protect yourself from the sun, ageing and the side effects of pregnancy…

JURLIQUE UV Defence Lotion (SPF50), £27; jurlique.co.uk

THE ORGANIC PHARMACY Cellular After Sun Cream, £35 (100ml); theorganicpharmacy.com

ORGANII New SPF30 sun cream, £21.95 (125ml); organii.co.uk

TanTastic •Green People•

’s tor edipick

BEA SKINCARE Solar Defence Oral Supplements, £32 (60 capsules); bea-skincare.com

The self-tan lotion from Green People incorporates rosehip, sandalwood and geranium, is non-streaky and certified organic. It also absorbs quickly, works for all skin types and smells sweet. You’ll look like you’ve been in the Seychelles for two weeks within two to three hours (and you won’t have left the house). £19 (150ml); greenpeople.co.uk

absolutely-mama.co.uk

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welln es s BE AUT Y

GENTLY DOES IT • B AY L I S & H A R D I N G •

Two new dermatologically tested hand washes have been added to Baylis & Harding’s award-winning collection. The Sensitive hand wash smells fresh and is free from nasties (no artificial perfume; no colours) and is gentle on little (and big) hands without causing irritation. It infuses Vitamin E, Vitamin B5 and soothing calendula, as well as oatmeal, milk and honey. £2.15; Tesco, Asda, Waitrose.

we love

(N)OZONE DEFENSE

SALON 64 The traditional salon is being redefined by Ricky Walters

•PREVISE•

You’ll fi nd Vitamins B5, B3 and C in the new hyaluronic acid-infused Ozone Defense Nutrify Serum by Previse. It helps shield your skin from air pollution and uses a powerful artichoke and green tea blend that promises to fight photo-ageing and the effects of ground-based ozone. It also aims to lock moisture in, tighten pores and improve skin elasticity. £49; harveynichols.com

BEAT AGEING •SWISS CLINIC•

The Skin Roller is the latest anti-ageing treatment from Swedish beauty brand, Swiss Clinic. It’s a micro-needling device that, upon rolling, opens up thousands of tiny micro-channels in the skin, stimulating the skin’s natural healing process, boosting the production of collagen and elastin, increasing blood circulation, and creating new healthy cells. Don’t worry, it’s a painless process. £89; swissclinic.co.uk

Pamper for pregnancy nspa

range of mum-to-be products has been specifically designed by nspa to take care of your skin’s changing needs throughout pregnancy and as a new mum, too. It includes a bump butter, soothing nipple balm, nourishing stretch mark oil and deep cleansing mud mask. £10; nspa.co.uk

Wo r ds G E O RG I A M C VE I G H

o doubt about it, Salon 64 is an original idea. As I walk in for a blow-dry with its founder and director, top London stylist Ricky Walters, I think for a moment I have arrived at the wrong place. With a coffee bar – soon to become a bar bar – to the left, and a long white table with a fire pit in front of me, the lack of products, noise of hairdryers and even mirrors suggest I have walked into a quirky but chic café – definitely not a hair salon. My fears are soon dispelled as the genius of the location comes to light with a tour. The long white tables magically transform into individual workspaces, with sections of the top lifting up to reveal a mirror and socket. As he takes me through to the clinically white washroom, Ricky explains this place is reinventing the traditional salon. It’s a place to relax with friends, and one should feel free to come in whether they are having a treatment or not. With expert hands, Ricky swiftly completes the wash, and I can try out one of the workspaces for myself. Not for long though, as the blow-dry is finished in all of about 15 minutes and, in keeping with the ethos of the salon, the offer is extended to stay and relax. I left with fabulous hair, more impressed than I have been in a while. salon64.co.uk

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Fiesta

Feasts

The celebrity chef and mama-of-three, Thomasina “Tommi” Miers, shares how she’s encouraging her kids to be healthy, happy little eaters Wo r d s K AT Y G I L L E T T R e c i p e s T H O M A S I N A M I E R S Photography of T homa sina Miers TA R A F ISH ER

or Thomasina “Tommi” Miers, eating is about togetherness and she always encourages her children to get involved in cooking at home. The MasterChef winner is a cook, writer, TV presenter, and the co-founder of Wahaca, a chain of Mexican street food restaurants across the UK. And the reason she’s so inspired by Mexican cuisine in particular is because, in Mexico, food is central to life, she tells Absolutely Mama. “Living is about eating together, never alone, about making time to sit down with friends and family over lunch, dinner, breakfast,” she says. “It is not considered an indulgence like over here, but an indispensable way of life, crucial to how they interact with each other and spend their time.” That’s why her three daughters love taco nights at home… “when they are masters of their own destiny and can fill their tortillas with what they want from what is on the table”. This kind of interaction is just one way Tommi manages to get her kids to have an interest in food. She also

urges them to flavour and taste everything as they cook. “I think it makes them feel in control and grown up. They seem to love it.” When it comes to what her children eat, Tommi takes a rather hardline approach. “The main thing is not to give a choice,” she explains. “If you just matter-of-factly put supper down and don’t ever question whether or not they will eat it you will save yourself much strife down the line. “My children know they only get one supper, they must always try things, and they know I will never make them alternative dinners if they don’t like the first one.” If they behave badly and refuse to eat, Tommi doesn’t worry too much, as they’ll never go hungry and can always have a giant breakfast the next day. “It sounds a bit hardcore, but it’s much simpler and gives them clear boundaries… And, clearly, if one of them really loathes fried eggs, or another pickled cucumbers, I won’t make them eat them!” Her recipe book, Home Cook, features more than 300 fuss-free recipes and a children’s chapter that’s full of food grown-ups would want to eat as well. Here, she shares with us two of her favourites, which are perfect for whipping up with the kids...

absolutely-mama.co.uk

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RECIPES

Fish Tacos

Ingredients

For the Tacos: 600g line-caught cod, monkfish or other firm fish • 100g mayonnaise • 100g crème fraîche • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil • 2 limes, quartered • 8-12 corn or corn and flour tortillas (2-3 per child) • 150g grated cheddar • fresh tomato salsa (recipe in the book) • Apple Slaw (recipe in the book) or shredded lettuce For the Guacamole • 1/2 red chilli, finely chopped, depending on your children’s taste • 1/2 red onion, very finely chopped • 1 small garlic clove • 1 tsp salt, or to taste • 3 ripe Hass avocados • juice of 1-2 limes, or to taste • small handful of coriander leaves, chopped, or to taste • 1 very ripe tomato, deseeded and chopped

Directions 1 First make the guacamole. Check the heat of the chilli by nibbling the tip furthest from the stem. Most generic supermarket chillies are quite mild, but, if it is hot, remove the seeds, or leave it out entirely if your children are totally heat-averse. Put one-

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quarter of the onion, the garlic, the chilli and salt in a pestle and mortar and mash to a rough paste. Cut open the avocados, remove the stones and scoop the flesh into a large bowl, adding the onion, garlic and chilli paste. Roughly mash the flesh with a fork, adding half the lime juice as you go. When you have a rough guacamole, stir in the remaining lime juice and onion with the coriander and tomato. Season with plenty of black pepper. If it doesn’t taste delicious at this stage, think whether it might need seasoning with more salt, lime juice or coriander. When you are happy put it in a bowl on the table. 2 Season the fish with salt and pepper. Mix the mayonnaise and crème fraîche together and put in a bowl on the table. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the fish for a few minutes each side until cooked through. Season with a squeeze of lime juice. Heat the tortillas in a microwave or a dry frying pan and put them on the table in a basket, wrapped in a tea towel to keep them warm. Place the grated cheese and salsa in separate bowls and add to the table with bowls of Apple Slaw or lettuce. Invite your children to fill their tortillas with whatever they want, roll them up and tuck in.

Grilled Tandoori Chicken with Man go Chut ney Serves: 4

Ingredients

For the chicken: • 6-8 chicken thighs, deboned (or skinless and boneless chicken thighs, if you can find them) • 4 seeded crusty bread rolls or small baguettes • 1 jar of goodquality mango chutney butter, for the rolls • 2-3 heads of baby gem, leaves separated • juice of 1 lemon, plus more to serve (optional) • handful of coriander leaves, roughly chopped • 1/2 cucumber, finely chopped (optional) For the tandoori marinade: 3 garlic cloves, finely grated • 1/2 small thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated • 1 small red chilli, finely chopped (deseeded if

feeding chilli-averse children) • 1/2 tsp ground turmeric • 2 tsp garam masala • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper • 250g natural yoghurt

Directions 1 First make the marinade. Mix the garlic, ginger, chilli, turmeric, garam masala, cayenne and half the yoghurt in a large bowl and stir to combine. 2 Flatten the chicken thighs between sheets of cling film by bashing with a rolling pin until roughly 1cm thick. Transfer to the bowl and rub the marinade into the chicken so that it is thoroughly covered. 3 Preheat the grill to high. Season both sides of the chicken, then place on a wire rack over a foil-lined baking tray

and place under the hot grill for 10-12 minutes, turning the chicken over halfway. When it’s brown on the edges and cooked though (check by cutting into a piece) remove from the oven to rest. 4 Split the rolls and spread a side of each with 1 tbsp of mango chutney; butter the other sides. 5 Slice the thighs into thick fingers and cram into each roll, along with the lettuce, any leftover cooking juices and an extra dollop of mango chutney. Squeeze over the lemon juice, season to taste, then top with coriander. Serve at once with the extra yoghurt in a bowl on the side, seasoned with some salt and pepper, a squeeze of lemon, and, if you like, the cucumber. June 201 8

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Model

Approved Fresh-faced model and mama Ruth Crilly tells us how she’s put together the ultimate beauty boxes for busy mums Wo r d s K AT Y G I L L E T T

uth Crilly is not just a pretty face. Sure, she’s a successful international fashion model, but she’s also a well-known writer and beauty-tester. Not to mention an academic, who started out studying Law before getting a degree with first-class honours in Literature and an MA in Creative Writing. Throughout her modelling career, which naturally relied on her looking her best at all times, Ruth developed a genuine interest in skincare and beauty. And so she’s also become known for her website, A Model Recommends, where she posts unbiased reviews of products and tips for her readers. This is what has led her to recently team up with Feelunique, the giant online premium beauty retailer, to launch two new boxes, both of which are packed with useful pamper products that are perfect for busy and stressed-out mamas (she’s got two kids herself). As Team Mama certainly fits that bill, we were obviously keen to find out more… What made you choose to work with Feelunique initially? I’m actually a Feelunique ambassador, so it was a natural progression in a way,

absolutely-mama.co.uk

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“IT WAS A BIT LIKE PUTTING A BAND TOGETHER IN THE X FACTOR ; I HAD TO KEEP ARRANGING THE PRODUCTS INTO GROUPS THAT WOULD WORK TOGETHER”

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but I love that Feelunique stocks such a huge variety of brands. It has all of the mainstream, well-known beauty giants, but also loads of niche brands to discover, as well as great imports that are usually hard to get hold of. How did you decide which products to use in each of the Ruth Crilly x Feelunique boxes? It took so long. I had a good idea, because I wanted it to be my favourites – things I know work well – but I had dozens of favourites, so those had to be whittled down. It was a bit like putting a band

INTERVIEW

together in The X Factor; I just had loads of products in front of me and had to keep arranging them into groups of things that would work together. What kind of mum would love one of these new boxes? Any mum would love these! But the Rescue Box is especially great for new mums who haven’t a clue where to start with their skincare, but know that their routine needs an overhaul. It’s got quick, easy, effective products that will work for any skin type. The Indulgence Box is amazing for stressedout mums who have no time at all to chill June 201 8

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BEAUTIFUL YOUNG PEOPLE ARE ACCIDENTS O F N AT U R E , B U T BEAUTIFUL OLD PEOPLE ARE WORKS OF ART. “I am a patient of Dr Horvath, my treatment includes Wrinkle treatments and Dermal Fillers. I could not be more pleased with my results; Dr Horvath listened to exactly what I wanted and has given me excellent results. He was professional, caring, understanding and very precise. I highly recommend him and his staff at the Hogarth Medispa.“ - Ashley, London AVAILABLE TREATMENTS: •Dermatology consultation •Mole clinic •Dermal Fillers •Wrinkle injections •Dracula therapy •Weight loss clinic •Thread vein removal

BOOK NOW FOR A FREE AESTHETIC CONSULTATION WITH DR BELA

facebook.com/DrBela.clinic Appointments: 0203 903 1321

The first 10 bookings receive a 20% discount from their first treatment* Use the code: ABSOLUTE

For more information on all our procedures and latest promotions please contact us on:

0203 930 1321 / www.DrBela.clinic We are located within the Hogarth Club; Airedale Ave, Chiswick, W4 2NW Earlier likes and re-likes are excluded. You don’t need to be a patient of doctor Bela to be eligible, but you should be able to pick up the prize should you win

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Located within The Hogarth Club

04/05/2018 10:52

wellness

INTERVIEW

“A GREAT BEAUT Y PRODUCT HAS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE – YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO NOTICE THE EFFECTS”

What’s inside?

out – it’s an excuse to make that time! And everything you need for a sort of mini spa break is there inside the box… In short, both are brilliant for anyone, but tired mums especially! What makes a beauty product great? It has to make a difference – whether it’s a pink nail polish that brightens up your day, a bath oil that instantly relaxes you, or a face cream that soothes stressed skin. You need to be able to notice the effects. Some take longer to work than others, but I do like an immediate beauty miracle. How do you find juggling the responsibilities of a busy work schedule and being a mama? It’s intense. I won’t lie. Sometimes it gets too much and I just want to hide in a cave, but I’m lucky in that I love what I do so it never feels like a chore. If anything, I’m usually frustrated that there’s so much I want to do, work-wise, but not enough time to do it. I’m not willing to sacrifice time with the babies at the moment, so I try to jam everything into the two nanny days we have a week.

The products you’ll find inside the Ruth Crilly x Feelunique boxes RESCUE BEAUTY BOX, £30

L’Oreal Paris Revitalift Cicacrem AntiWrinkle Cream (40ml) INDULGENCE BEAUTY BOX

Balance Me Restore and Replenish Cream Cleanser (125ml) Lanolips 101 Ointment Fruities – Strawberry (10g)

RESCUE BEAUTY BOX

NIP+FAB Exfoliate Glycolic Fix Gentle Pads, Sensitive (80ml) Color Wow One Minute Transformation Styling Cream (30ml) Magnitone London WipeOut! The Amazing MicroFibre Cleansing Cloth

INDULGENCE BEAUTY BOX, £45 Aromatherapy Associates Essentials – Relax, De-Stress, Revive (7.5ml x 3)

NUXE Crème Fraîche de Beauté 48-hour Moisture SOS Rescue Mask (50ml)

Have you got any work-life balance tips? Get one of the many apps that you can install to turn off social media on your phone/ laptop when you’re working. Then you can concentrate on the job at hand without being distracted by other peoples’ lives. And answering emails on the loo only is quite a good rule, too! [Laughs.]

Darphin Rose Aromatic Care (4ml) Aquis Hair Lisse Luxe Hair Turban Neom Tranquillity Scented Candle (75g) feelunique.com

June 201 8

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T H E M AGA Z I N E FOR STYLISH MUMS ma

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SNUZA.indd Absolutely Mama 1 magazine - SNUZA full page.indd 1

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home &

LI V E A N D WO R K : H O U S E TO U R O F A LO N D O N A R C H I T EC T p .78 P EG B OA R D S : WA LL STO R AG E AT I T ’ S B E ST p . 8 5

Stylish Storage • FLEXA •

Scandinavian design brand Flexa offers a refreshing concept in children’s furniture solutions: cots, beds and playroom furniture that combine playful styles and super-practical design – like this sweet bench. This is clever storage, stylishly designed, in a pop of the softest (and most on-trend) pink. £131; nubie.co.uk

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5 of the best BED LINENS

mama’s

N UR SERY NOTES Natty storage for tidy rooms and the softest bed linen for littles

Basket Case •Oli Ella•

From the sweet basket weave “luggies” to these apple baskets and hand-woven raffia seats (pictured), nostalgic designs for the modern family is what defi nes Oli Ella. We want it all! oliella.com

1. Stars Charcoal Bed Linen, £45; secretlinenstore.com 2. Cam Cam Copenhagen Wave Bedding, £68; beyondthestork.co.uk 3. Nobodinoz Eclipse Bedding £62; en.smallable.com 4. OYOY Cot Bed Adventure Bedding (including duvet cover and pillow case), £44; beyondthestork.com 5. Meri Meri Cosmos Duvet Cover, £82.50; merimeri.co.uk

absolutely-mama.co.uk

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h o me & interio rs

NURSERIES

BAG IT UP

d Branus c o F

• Te l l K i d d o •

Encourage littles to learn their ABC while they tidy up with these monochrome storage bags. They come in canvas fabric or in a sturdy paper; we love the cool typeface of the lettering. Another awesome design from the Tell Kiddo team. £14.95; lullabuy.co.uk

Meri Meri Words: Helen B a r o n

CHARITY BEAR

• We s t S t a n t o n •

West Stanton is once again helping to raise funds for Elle from Feathering the Empty Nest, who lost her baby Teddy at three days old. Twenty per cent from sales of the Cam Cam “teddy for Teddy” will go to The Little Roo Fund. Teddy Rose or Blue Grey, £22; weststantonstore.com

BABY BEAR • F i o n a Wa l k e r •

The sweetest little baby bear! Fiona Walker designs these adorable handmade wall-heads from felt and wool. We rather love the grey ones, which also include a rhino, elephant and English hare. They’re easy to hang and a perfect addition to the nursery wall. £29.95; nubie.co.uk

Wall Flower Wa l l S a u c e

uried in the beautiful Netherlands city of Haarlem, you’ll fi nd pattern illustrator Maria Vashchuk creating wonderful works of art for her studio, The Tiny Garden. She specialises in bold and quirky designs that are always fun, from brachiosaurus to blossoms. wallsauce.com

ot content with setting the standard for pretty partyware, Cheltenham-based Meri Meri recently moved into homeware and children’s toys – the results of which had many an Insta-mama lunging for her debit card. The design studio centres on a belief in childhood, and it’s a belief that runs through everything they produce, from themed party accessories to printed bedding, velvet cushions and even cupcake cases as desirable as the treats they will eventually contain. Our favourite new entry into the Meri Meri catalogue has to be the knitted fabric dolls, each with its own distinct identity. They come in a variety of looks, each as colourful and sweet as birthday cake. Even better, you can purchase accessory kits to allow your littles to restyle their dollies – as well as matching, full-size kids’ accessories. The star headdress and cape kit is great for adding a little enchantment, but best has to be the pyjamas and bunny dolly kit – cute white cotton ’jamas and a miniature rabbit dolly for your dolly. Consider your babe’s bedtime ritual officially sorted. Dolls from £53; dolly dress-up kits from £20.50. merimeri.co.uk

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L I V E & W O R K

Architect Duncan McLeod and set designer Lyndsay Milne McLeod on architecture for wellbeing in their playful west London home

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home & interiors essenHOME t i a lsTOUR Q&A

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Duncan McLeod: If you read books about architecture for wellbeing or happiness, one recurring theme is a sense of community. It’s important to me to create a sanctuary, but also to know what’s going on outside my walls. People say that on a street like this in London there’s no sense of community, but I think it comes down to how much effort you make. It gives me a sense of wellbeing to know the names of the local shopkeepers, for example; we say good morning to each other and make the time for a little chat. Lyndsay Milne McLeod: I bought this flat in 1994. I was living with some friends from the Royal College of Art when I came for a nose around. I remember thinking “there’s a fireplace in the bathroom, I’ve got to have it”. Then I bought the shop below in 1997 and used it as a studio for set design. Duncan and I started really knocking things about in 2005. 80

Duncan: The project took about 10 years. Six years of that was DIY – there were long periods when Lyndsay and I spent every night and every weekend on it. We bought each other a steel beam one year… I think we bored a lot of our friends. It was a good project for me though, being a young architect at the time. I learnt everything about how to put a building together, right down to what type of screws you need. Lyndsay: I love the house’s sense of potential. Even now, there’s still more we want to do and we really enjoy that process – it’s part of who we are. When you live in a building that you’re doing up, you get a sense of every space and angle over time. The way we use the space has changed now that we have Oban, our three-year-old son, and it’s worked in our favour not to do it all in one quick rush.

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home & interiors

HOME TOUR

Duncan: We extended into the old garden to build the studio. The brief was to have an office that didn’t feel like an office. We wanted something very crafted and soulful. The clerestory windows add a sense of height and drama but also mean that the light is controlled, which it wouldn’t be if we had skylights. The light that moves across the curved oak cladding is beautiful and changes during the day. We have a very human way of working with clients in which we try to define their notions of home, happiness and wellbeing before we design anything. It was the same here and we’ve designed the space to include things that are important to us: woodburning stoves, a projector for films in the living room and the outdoor spaces. The sliding staircase sums up our studio mantra that “there’s always a way”. I wanted to store my motorbike indoors. Lyndsay didn’t want to see it, so we came up with a solution that could work for both of us and this is the result. It slides to allow access to my motorbike when I need it, and hide it when I don’t. The whole team stood around thinking about what to clad it with. Someone suggested artificial Reproduced courtesy of grass and that was it. When we first installed it, Lyndsay hated it. THE MODERN

HOUSE

For more home tours and interviews, visit themodernhouse.com

Lyndsay: Oban absolutely loves it. And it doesn’t look unnatural, so I think subliminally you still get a sense of nature inside the house. The garden is now raised to the first floor. Oban plays out there a lot. What was great was that even though we built over a backyard, it was disconnected from the flat before. So bringing it up meant that we got more outdoor space and it’s accessible from the flat. It’s win-win. Duncan: The neighbouring commercial ground floor gardens are left to go to ruin. I would love for more people on the street to do what we did because if everyone had their gardens up here, you would get to see your neighbours more often and have a better sense of community. Lyndsay: This place is really born out of our characters. We like a sense of history and narrative. It’s important to us to feel comfortable and rooted. So we laid the tiles in the hallway in a pattern that reflects the old floorplan of the shop and we planted a mimosa tree on the terrace, directly above one we had to remove for the build. I think it’s important to feel grounded in the history of a place; we didn’t just want to slap something completely new in. Duncan: Your house should reflect who you are. When we look back at the project we see a sense of playfulness, exploration and surprise. We’ve got plans to design a yellow monkey cage on the top terrace for a trampoline for Oban and to hang a garden shed on the side of the house where the bathroom is to satisfy my desire for a shed and a treehouse. It’s all a bit of fun, really even before we had Oban we wanted to design a house that children would absolutely love; I think that’s how a house should be. June 201 8

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HEAD S PA C E

Is creating a beautiful setting enough to guarantee a harmonious and happy home life with a family? Probably not. Mama seeks some assistance from the School of Life

Wo r d s PE N D L E H A R T E

mages of beautiful family homes can be seen everywhere. Small children are artfully stumbling down stairs, their hair cutely dishevelled. Breakfast tables feature stylishly mismatched crockery, the crumby remains of a meal scattered elegantly. Sofas have cushions intact. A single pair of shoes is neatly arranged in a hallway. Th rows are casually tossed across flawlessly made beds. Swathes of well-ordered space is shot from all angles. If a visitor from another planet were to fl ick through the pages of a magazine, they’d think humans lived in flawless spaces with decorative objects tastefully displayed on shelves in groups of three. But here are some of the things you never see on Instagram. The total kitchen devastation caused by children baking cakes. Abandoned towels on the floor. Messy piles of dog-eared leaflets. Shelves of tatty books arranged with no regard for size or colour. Yesterday’s coffee cups. Discarded shoes, especially muddy ones, or lone ones. Unfi nished craft projects too big for the cupboard. The detritus of family life requires endless clearing up, throwing away, sorting out, and that is, ultimately, what home means. The key to a happy home life, according to the School of Life, can’t be found in a new rug or in matching towels or even in a loft conversion. Happiness comes through emotional intelligence, nurtured through ideas and discussion, and it’s entirely immune to the colour of your walls. The reality of family life comprises arguments, sulking, irrational

behaviour, door slamming and general emotional volatility – is this what we’re trying to tame with our storage solutions and our careful lighting? If home is a state of mind, how can we achieve the serene yet characterful home life implied by all the heavily styled images? The School of Life, Alain de Botton’s centre for the pursuit of emotional intelligence, has a few tools to offer. Many of them are simply conversation starters – but they’re very well thought out (not to mentioned elegantly packaged, so they also work as decorative objects for shelves). We start with 100 Questions: Family Edition, which is a simple box of cards, each featuring a leading question that can apply to all ages. It’s designed to be an improvement on this familiar exchange: “How was school today darling?” “Fine.” “Did anything interesting happen?” “No.” “What did you have for lunch?” “I can’t remember. Stop asking me things.” Instead, here are “100 carefully composed questions designed to get you into imaginative, thought-provoking conversations between children and adults”, neatly packaged “for families who enjoy lively discussions and meaningful conversations,” it says. It’s pitched to be revealing, rather than exposing, and to appeal to all ages. In my household, everyone is keen to play. First question: “If you had to join someone else’s family, whose would you choose?” Ouch. Th is could easily lead to one of our oft-revisited rows, which begin with the recrimination: “Stella’s mother would never put spinach in

“ WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO TAME WITH OUR STYLISH STORAGE SOLUTIONS?”

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macaroni cheese. I wish I lived with her.” But happily the ensuing conversation is remarkably civilised, leading seamlessly into the following cards: What’s the best thing about your family? And the worst? Again, getting quite close to the bone but without actually bruising anything or slamming any doors. Answers to “The best way to get me to do something I don’t want to do is…” are predictable, involving money and chocolate, while more wide-reaching questions reveal heartfelt convictions about plastic in the oceans and global consumption and waste. Soon we’re in an intense and wide-reaching discussion spanning capital punishment, the value of learning maths, artificial intelligence, the existence of God and whether parenting should be strict. Each of us learns something new about each family member, whether it’s the smell they most associate with school or their best-ever dream. Further questions include: “What makes you feel lonely?” “How strict will you be as a parent?” “What would be the best

job in the world?” “Describe your ideal school day”, and the devastating: “Do you think your parents and siblings spend too much time on phones/computers?” While we’re shopping at the School of Life – and on the subject of time spent on phones – we’re distracted by a stylish glass sand timer with enough yellow sand to mark out 15 minutes. Th is is another row-abater. When our youngest refuses to address her homework, we instate a 15-minute rule. Screen time can come in 15-minute increments. So can question time. And quiet time. And tidying up time. Soon we’re almost living to a timetable. Th is doesn’t work for everything: 15 minutes is long for toothbrushing, showering and the naughty step. Needless to say, the curvy timer looks nice on a shelf, too. Ultimately, creating a lovely space for your family to inhabit is important, but it needs to be fi lled with what the Germans might call “lebensinhalt” – literally, life content. (The School of Life also has a whole set of cards on the subject of untranslatable German words, but that’s another conversation). June 201 8

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h o me & interio rs

PRODUCTS

1. PI N O R AMA hay.dk

Pinorama is a flexible wall module that helps you organise your everyday life by providing a functional, stylish and versatile storage solution. The perforated metal features a cork backing and offers a wide range of accessories designed to fit onto the metal grid. From £29

ups

2. WI R E M E S H N OTICEBOAR D

Mama’s favourite wall storage pieces

blockdesign.co.uk

With its clean lines and minimalist style, this noticeboard’s grid design makes it perfect for keeping desk accessories in one place or for making a creative mood board. Hang it in either landscape or portrait position and it’s decorative as well as functional. £55

3. PAT TER N ED PEG BOAR D kreisdesign.com

Kreis has updated the practical pegboard concept with the Peg-it-alls, which are made from heavy-duty birch plywood and feature sturdy holes and pegs along with shelves and pegs of different types, all of which slot into the main board giving an endless range of storage options. From £95

4. PEG BOAR D blockdesign.co.uk

Add a pop of pastel colour to your office, home or studio with Block’s Pegboard, a unique and modern way to organise your home or work life. It also acts as the perfect design moodboard in your workspace. All Pegboards are supplied with a range of coloured wooden pegs in a mid-century palette. From £65

5. UTEN . S I LO vitra.com

Dorothee Becker designed the practical Uten. Silo organiser in 1969. The wall-mounted organiser helps keep odds and ends tidy in homes, offices and workshops. Uten.Silo is equipped with clips, hooks and containers of various shapes and sizes, providing practical storage space for all kinds of everyday objects and making it easier to find things. From £235

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At l a s  MOROCCO SPECIAL

Embark with us on a Moroccan adventure as we tour two luxurious family-friendly alternatives to the din and crowds of central Marrakech. Take a look at a palatial hotel set among golf courses and gardens at the city’s outer limits, and a privately owned villa featuring traditional Moroccan styling and panoramic views of the High Atlas mountains. Pictured: the Fairmont Royal Palm at dusk.

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N U F T N A WE W N U S E H T IN

care . ange ch ildr en ’s skin ch to on si is m a W e’ re on to ra ng e is sp ec ially deve lo ped Th at ’s wh y ou r su n care fr om UVA an d UV B rays. in sk e’s on e tl lit ur yo t protec it’ s ev en su itable An d, it’ s so mo ist ur isi ng, ro ne skin . fo r se ns iti ve or ecze ma-p wh ile th ey enjoy th e su n, So if yo u wa nt to re lax revolution . jo in th e ch ild re n of th e ch ildsfarm .co m

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INSPIRATIONS

Island Life •Elivi Hotels•

New to the sublime Greek island of Skiathos, Elivi is a family-friendly hotel that looks like it wouldn’t be – i.e. the height of luxury, with stylishly strippedback suites and impeccable service. Family travel without compromises? Check us in. elivihotels.com

mama’s

TR AVEL N OTES New hotel openings and three perfect Portuguese escapes...

r’s editock pi

TUSCAN CHARM •Fontelunga•

Specialising in laidback luxury, Fontelunga combines a boutique hotel and two self-catering villas. Old meets new in the design, and there are a host of activities and experiences for anyone seeking more than just la dolce vita. fontelunga.com

WINGING IT •Finlay and Co•

Finlay and Co is a British eyewear brand with a rebellious spirit and an attractive price point. Our choice for stylish travel is the winged Willow frame in blue – guaranteed Brit-chic cool – and for an extra touch you can get them persoanlly engraved. £165; finlayandco.com

3 IN THE ALGARVE Pensao Agricola (adults only)

The Magnolia Hotel

Anantara Vilamoura

Going child-free? A triumph of rustic minimalism, this converted farmhouse has three suites and surroundings of the most beautifully unspoilt tranquillity. Oh, and there’s a resident donkey, too. We love the serenity of the outlook and the minimalist design.

A fun, ’50s-inspired “motor hotel” design lends a quirky Palm Springs vibe to this Quinta do Lago establishment. Great for families, the young and the outgoing – not to mention Instagram fanatics, given the bright colours and sharp shapes of the architecture and décor.

It may be large, but this luxury hotel in Vilamoura – the first Anantara in Europe – boasts an intimate atmosphere and unparalleled service, as well as show-stopping architecture. A family holiday with all those refined grown-up touches you thought were gone forever...

pensaoagricola.com

themagnoliahotelqdl.com

vilamoura.anantara.com

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Q& A

Little Jetsetters

Zoie Kingsbery Coe on founding the family travel website of the future

for people who need the space of a home the most. That first-hand understanding of what works for families is behind our success. As a team, we include parents from around the world with children of differing ages, and we know our market well because we are our own market, which makes a real difference.

Q How did the company start? To what do you attribute your success? A We were on tour in Sydney as a family and were lucky enough to be checking in to the Four Seasons through my husband’s work, planning to stay there for a few weeks. But within two days we realised it wasn’t going to work for us as a family. Once Luca was asleep at night, we were tiptoeing around him in the dark, whispering so we wouldn’t wake him. I think all parents that have stayed in hotel rooms with their kids know this scenario! We realised he wouldn’t be eating any healthy home-cooked meals and we just needed more space to enjoy our family time together. That’s how it started. From that I realised that staying in a house as a family was the way to go. Spending too much time going through uninspiring websites, looking at uninspiring houses that claimed they were familyfriendly made me realise there was a real lack in the market

Q Do you review the properties personally? What’s the criteria for making it onto the site and do you organise home swaps? A We hand-pick the properties on the site according to whether they suit our criteria. We look for family-friendly homes, vacation rentals and hotels with charm and style, where children would be welcome and safe. Neighborhood is important - the more family-orientated, the better – and it’s a great bonus if the property has toys, books and games for kids, too. We accept listings from family homes, hotels and vacation rentals that fit these categories. Any property you see on the site with Kid & Coe Select highlighted is a property we have visited. As a team, we try to get to as many as we can, but with 1,300 properties worldwide, we haven’t got to them all yet. In terms of Exchanges, we help facilitate them by setting up a EAST SENORA RESIDENCE, system that makes it PALM SPRINGS easy to enquire about matching dates with another home exchange property, and offer advice, if needed, to help make it happen.

THE VILLA ORSI RESIDENCE, LAKE MAGGIORE

Q You’re married to DJ Sasha. Did the touring life instill a love of travel in you? A I had a love of travel long before that – my mum was an air hostess and we used to travel a lot as a family. Quite a lot of my early travel experiences centered around being in the back of that car on a road trip! But we would also take spontaneous trips to Paris or Milan, just for a long weekend, because we could all hop on a plane and fly, space available. Thinking on it now, how my parents did that without the wealth of knowledge available to us on the internet now is pretty cool!

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W E LO OK F OR FAM I LY- FRIEND LY H O M ES , VACATION R E N TALS AND H OT E LS W ITH STYL E AN D C HARM

What have you observed are the positives effects of travel on children? A I’m the first person to admit travelling with kids can be extremely challenging. Yet, as soon as the opportunity arises, I’m plotting our next “adventure”. It’s a bit like childbirth in that regard – you forget the painful bits! There is no better tool to help teach gratitude and awareness. Travel helps you remember the magic. Q

Q Are there any downsides as far as you can see? A The logistics and planning are a downside for me as a parent, and flying with a toddler is no picnic. For the kids, I really only see benefits for them (apart from, maybe, the damage that regular ice cream does to their generally healthy diet!). Q You recently moved to Ibiza. What does daily life there look like? A Ibiza is such a wonderful place to be, at least out of the “summer silly season”. The babysitter arrives early to help with Ivy, our littlest, and then I take the big kids into school, and then I head into the office, or the gym first, depending on the day and if Sasha is in town to help out with school runs and the like. The Kid & Coe team is in Europe and across the USA, so the day can be long. Working hours in Spain and Los Angeles don’t coincide at a happy time, so I know, usually, I’ll be on call late in the night. I try to plan my day so I’m able to get some exercise, eat well and fit my work in as well. Staying fit and healthy is essential for getting through high-stress days. After work, when the kids are in bed, I might meet my friends in a wine bar in the old town; other days I pick the kids up from

CARVAHLA BEACH RESIDENCE, COMPORTA

CAMPO RINALDO RESIDENCE, UMBRIA

work and we have a picnic on the beach for dinner. It’s all very easy-going and lovely and I’m grateful to call it home for now. Q Before that you lived in New York City – why the change? A I think a lot of parents go through this process when they live in a major city thinking through whether they are in the right place to bring up their kids. We moved from New York City to Los Angeles for a year as my husband had some opportunities on the West Coast that he wanted to pursue, and we wanted to see if we liked it. After a year, we knew it wasn’t the right place for us. Ibiza has always been my happy place – we’ve been spending the summer there for years and years. Pregnant with my third baby, and unsettled in Los Angeles, we took the plunge to move to Europe as a family – and it’s all worked out well so far. Q When travel is so much a part of your life, what do you look for in your hometown? A I love calling Ibiza “home”. It’s very different in the winter – it’s a calm, kind of sleepy Spanish village. It feels very safe and almost old-fashioned (not one store is open on a Sunday!). I most definitely miss home when we are away! I’m funny because I crave routine and the structure of having the kids at school, but I’m the first to say “yes!” when my husband suggests pulling them out of school to go on a family adventure somewhere for a month. Q Do you have an absolutely favourite place to be/holiday? A This is a hard one as there have been many great trips with my babies, all special

in different ways. A recent trip that comes to mind was when we went to Playa Las Tortugas and Sayulita, in Mexico. We had recently moved from NYC to LA, and had left behind all our family and friends. It was a bittersweet time, so we decided to pick somewhere close to Mexico to go on a mini “adventure”. We celebrated my son’s eighth birthday at the lovely Palmeras Residence, where they made him his favourite meal of fish and chips, and chocolate cake. There was no Wi-Fi, which was refreshing, and the kids roamed the beautiful grounds. We released freshly-hatched baby turtles into the sea and enjoyed the simple connection with nature and each other. Q If you could travel anywhere without kids, where would it be? A I’ve just come back from São Paulo, and I can’t recommend it more. What a vibrant, exciting city…

For $50 off your first stay, use the coupon code ABSOLUTELYMAMA on check out. Coupon is valid until 31 December 2018 and is not valid for use in conjunction with other offers and discounts.

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THE STUNNING GROUNDS OF THE FAIRMONT ROYAL PALM

Beyond

Marrakech Mama discovers two different and desirably indulgent family destinations on the fringes of the Moroccan capital Wo r d s H E L E N BA RO N

he famous orange light of Morocco is nowhere to be seen as we step off the plane in Menara Airport, Marrakech. It is just barely spring in the muchmythologised North African kingdom, yet the weather is already – to a British visitor – summer-hot and summer-dry. The light is white and dazzling, the sky a cloudless blue gently paled by dust blown in from the high Sahara. But whatever winds are troubling the firmament leave little trace below: we descend the aircraft steps in a sublime stillness of pure heat. This is why we have come, for the most part: light, heat, sun. Tired of waiting for Britain’s dreary spring to brighten up its act, yet unwilling to fly for more than a few hours with two young children in tow, we cast about for reachable destinations that could give us what we needed: a first few hazy hints of summer.

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UNDS OF AL PALM

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THE FAIRMONT’S BREATH-TAKING SPA

Much Googling followed, as we compared long-range forecasts and almanacs of weather in springtimes past. Mainland Europe and the Mediterranean looked to be too unreliable, while Cape Verde – comfortingly hot even that early in the year – couldn’t supply a sufficiently exciting place to stay. Marrakech – a 3.5 hour fl ight from London, with spring temperatures in the mid-20s and a plethora of riads, hotels and villas to choose from – won almost by default. So we booked, and we flew, and shortly afterwards we found ourselves checking in at our fi rst destination: the Fairmont Royal Palm, Marrakech. Located 12km from the Red City’s famous medina, the Fairmont is a palace in both aspect and amenity. The long, low main building sits amid 231 hectares of gardens and golf course, all slender palms and lush fountain grass, and is built in the impossibly elegant Moroccan style with abundant

French colonial touches. It houses everything from a cathedral-like lobby (with towering gallery windows overlooking the estate) and stylish cocktail-cum-sushi bar to traditional French and Moroccan restaurants. The many rooms and suites are mostly situated in smaller buildings of a similar style, ember-red and flame-orange in colour, ranged alongside and between the hotel’s other world-class facilities – a fully-equipped gym and sports centre, popular kids’ club and exquisite spa. The gardens are carpeted with pink flowers and woven with paths perfect for evening strolls, while golf buggies are on hand to ferry guests to and from different parts of the hotel as required – handy when a weary three-year-old refuses to walk back to your suite at the end of a long day splashing about in the swimming pool. The pool! It deserves a special mention. Seemingly half a mile long, criss-crossed by bridges of sunbleached wood, surrounded on all sides by strings of well-attended loungers and delicate plantings, it’s as much a masterly visual flourish as a leisure resource. It’s also heated to 25-30°C – relatively rare in Morocco, and almost unheard of in the shaded riads of the Marrkech medina – which makes it ideal for younger children. You can swim (or wade – it’s not too deep) from the separate paddling pool at one end of the gardens A PENTHOUSE WITH A DIFFERENCE to the café terrace at the other, taking in the sights as you go. And we did so – for two entire days. Our daughters took great delight in exploring the gardens by water, and we took delight in the lengthy naps they took thereafter, shaded from the afternoon sun by the spreading parasols while we ordered lunch directly to our loungers. With such

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T H E R OOM CA M E W I T H EVE RY B I T OF BABY KI T YOU COU L D W I S H F OR , F R OM A B OT T L EWAR M E R TO A BA BY BAT H

luxurious facilities out of doors, you’d be forgiven for thinking we wouldn’t see much of our room – but, in fact, it became a sort of refuge in the evenings, especially when the little ones were too tired for us to trust their moods in the hotel’s restaurants. Our family suite was huge, with a bath as large as most bathrooms, a walk-in shower that could easily hold six people, a walk-in wardrobe even larger, plus a spacious bedroom, private sitting room and two separate (but linked) terraces. It also came with every bit of baby kit you could wish for, from a bottle-warmer and steriliser to potties and baby baths. Even better, each day a friendly member of staff would trill “Bonjour!” outside our door before bringing in a tray of treats for the kids – a vital extra service when the snacks you brought with you were all devoured on the fl ight. The chocolatetrimmed waffle cone fi lled with chopped fruit proved particularly popular. We dined in our room one night and at the Moroccan Al Aïn restaurant the next; the latter is an essential experience, with beautiful Berber-themed dishes accompanied by traditional songs from local musicians. The maître d’ would occasionally join in on her favourite tunes

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GATEWAY TO THE ATLAS

I as she showed new arrivals to their tables and greeted returning guests like old friends. Our youngest, meanwhile, stood mesmerised in front of the players as the sun dipped and the dusty skies turned rose and red and orange at the horizon. And suddenly, there it was: the orange light of Morocco, in full effect. It was a fitting tribute to the Fairmont’s crowning achievement, which is the reframing of traditional Moroccan culture and style in an incredibly luxurious setting. It’s also a great reflection of the hotel’s suitability for families – its scale, amenities and impeccable service mean you can take the kids without worrying they’ll have an undue impact on other guests. In fact, a good half of our fellow visitors had children with them, and many seemed to take advantage of the kids’ club, which is open from morning to night (11pm!) and offers dedicated babysitters as well as a programme of activities. By the end of our short trip, we’d had our eyes opened to the singular seductiveness of Morocco. Thus inspired, we continued to our next stop...

t’s a straight road from Marrakech to the foothills of the High Atlas, the mountain range that bisects Morocco’s heartlands. As we leave the capital and drive towards the Ourika Valley, the blazing sun of our first few days gives way to more typical springtime weather: warm, breezy, skies fleet with cloud. We are headed for Bab Adrar, a private estate set beside the main road just over halfway between the mountains and the metropolis – home to a collection of luxurious villas created by a British property developer and his designer wife, in concert with one of Morocco’s best-regarded architects. The estate, when we reach it, could not be more discreet. Our driver turns off the tarmac and onto a narrow track marked by a single signpost. We pass fields of sheep and scrub grass before arriving at a high-walled compound with imposing wooden gates. A guard waves us through with a smile.

DAR ZITOUNA’S POOL CAN BE HEATED FOR TODDLERS

THE MASTER BEDROOM

SUNSET VIEWING AT VILLA DAR ZITOUNA

Rates for a Deluxe Room at the Fairmont Royal Palm start at £220 per night. fairmont.com/marrakech 96

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THE VIEW FROM THE VILLA TERRACE

T H I S I S ONE O F T H E G R E AT ST R E N GT H S OF DAR Z I TO U N A – I T OF F E RS T H E P R I VACY, F LE X I BI LI T Y A N D S PAC E OF YOUR OW N P R I VAT E VI LLA W I T H FEW O F T H E ASSO C I AT E D R ESP ON SIB I L I T I ES

And suddenly we’re in something close to paradise. The villas of Bab Adrar are strung along a single drive. Their walls, overhung with flowering bougainvillea, footed with cactus and more of that dusky fountain grass, add to the privacy. Our destination is Dar Zitouna, situated at the far end of the estate, with a sweeping gravel driveway that offers a tantalising fi rst look at the house – all rich orange plaster and monolithic Moroccan geometry – and its encircling gardens. Waiting for us at the door are the staff who will look after us during our stay: Nadia, our housekeeper; Zaira, our cook; and Aisha, our maid. They glow with welcome, fussing over the children and

making us feel instantly at home. Th is is one of the great strengths of Dar Zitouna: it offers the privacy, flexibility and space of your own private villa with few of the associated responsibilities. No cleaning, no making beds, no shopping for food at local supermarkets and sweating over a hot stove. The staff live on-site and are on-hand to help with anything. The house manager, Mustapha, is similarly friendly and only ever a WhatsApp message away – he handled all our requests, from booking taxis and transfers to printing boarding passes for the fl ight home, and did so with maximum courtesy and efficiency. Which left us to enjoy the house and its gardens to the full.

The house has five beautiful bedrooms equipped with the plushest, comfiest beds, large bathrooms with walk-in showers and plenty of space for kids to play. The décor is homely but very high-end, styled for tasteful luxury with plentiful nods to Morocco’s history and traditions. Yves Saint Laurent lithographs and photos of the Rolling Stones in Marrakech adorn the walls, while Berber rugs warm the stone floors. There are fi replaces in the reception rooms – lit each evening during our stay for cosiness – and most of the bedrooms feature French doors opening onto garden terraces. A traditional central courtyard offers a peaceful space alive with the sound of running water from a wall fountain; from here, steps lead up to a large roof terrace where both covered and open sitting areas command astonishing views across open countryside and the High Atlas beyond. The garden, meanwhile, is huge, a perfect lawn surrounded by rock gardens and decorative planting, through which run gravel paths scented by spring blooms and herb borders. A pétanque pit and pergola sit at the far end beneath three immense palms, while off to one side is the swimming pool – bounded by fragrant rosemary hedges, gated for additional peace of mind, with plentiful loungers and optional heating – a must for anyone with June 201 8

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THREE MORE TO TRY

K asbah Bab Ourik a

This popular small resort in the Atlas foothills is open to visitors for lunch and dinner. Kids will enjoy exploring the formal gardens and the food is great. ka sbahbabourika .com

EAT, DRINK AND STAY COMFY AT DAR ZITOUNA

one afternoon, oblivious to tinies in tow. Everything is truly our presence yards away. taken care of – and made A pleasantly tranquil more so by the knowledge encounter, and a sign of that you can spend your the ways in which the entire time actively EVERY THING I S T RULY Bab Adrar estate has enjoying it. TAKEN CARE OF – AN D been constructed Want a cool drink, in sympathy or lunch by the M ADE M ORE SO BY with, rather than pool? Nadia and her THE KNOWLED G E T H AT opposition to, the team are on-hand YOU CAN SPE N D YOUR local environment. to help. Fancy coffee ENTIRE TIM E AC T I VE LY Even more on one of the garden ENJOY IN G I T pleasingly – thanks terraces? Or dinner to the attentive care on the roof? Not of Nadia, Zaira and a problem. Aisha – we were able to The food is superb – you take a lead from our reptilian simply choose from a menu of visitor, spending our days at a slow, options 24 hours in advance and sunstruck pace, relaxing on the grass or the staff take care of the rest. Breakfast by the pool. Dinner was accompanied by the is included, while lunch and dinner are crackling of fi res in the hearth (we mentioned charged as extras (as is pool heating, the more than once that this would be a fi ne place very fi ne local wine and soft drinks). Prices, to spend a cosy winter night), while most of our however, are very reasonable – and the free evenings ended on the roof, watching the sun time and relaxation you get in return are sink behind the blueing mountains – and in obviously priceless. Our girls loved kicking balls around the no hurry whatsoever to take that straight road garden, playing with the pool inflatables and back to Marrakech. receiving a visit from a local camel (helpfully Dar Zitouna is available to book through arranged by Mustapha, though we eventually Marrakech Holiday Villas. Prices from decided they were a little young for an actual £3,950-£4,450 per week. ride). Another undoubted highlight was when a wild tortoise ambled across the lawn marrakechholidayvillas.com

~ ~

A g a fay D e s e r t

Glamping, camel-trekking and quad biking are just some of the different ways to explore this desert, 45 minutes southwest of Marrakech. scarabeocamp .com

E s sao u i r a

This port city on Morocco’s Atlantic coast, a couple of hours from Marrakech, catches the trade winds – and offers opportunities for kite-surfing, surfing and other water sports.

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LU C K N A M PA R K , W I LT S H I R E Wo r d s A L E X A N D R A H U N T E R

The Food

ucknam Park is home to the Michelin-starred restaurant Hywel Jones, housed in a former ballroom that’s almost as fantastic as the food itself. For those seeking a less formal affair, there’s also The Brasserie, which is connected to the spa and offers delicious dishes throughout the day. We opted for breakfast and a lunch here and weren’t disappointed.

The Hotel

ucknam Park is a five-star country house hotel offering luxury hospitality from a bygone era. Nestled in 500 acres of exquisite parkland complete with an award-winning spa, Michelin-starred dining, equestrian centre and cookery school, your first glimpse of the estate comes via the long driveway leading up to the house – a fine prompt to leave the real world at the gates.

For Kids

K e e p e r ’ s C ot tag e

short walk from the hotel is the delightful Keeper’s Cottage. Champagne and a delicious hamper of treats (including some for our four-legged companion) awaited us on arrival, and the cottage itself proved perfect for a family stay: all the charm and indulgence of the main house but with additional privacy and space for the tinies to do their thing. Food can be delivered from the restaurant (breakfast is brought to your door) or you can cook your own.

espite its grandeur and the obvious appeal it holds for adults, Lucknam Park is one of the most family-friendly hotels we’ve visited. Next to Keeper’s Cottage is The Hideaway, a brilliantly thoughtout indoor play centre with wonderful toys and activities for all ages – from dressing up and ping pong to sensory play – plus a children’s library, dozens of wooden toys and even computer games. Pony rides can be arranged, and there’s a wonderful adventure playground behind the spa. Children are also welcome to use the pool if they have energy left at the end of the day.

T h e S pa

SPA at Lucknam Park is exceptional; a tranquil, elegant spa that offers every comfort in a beautiful setting. After a much-needed manicure, we enjoyed an afternoon in the hydrotherapy pool, starting inside before venturing out to sit in the warm waters while gazing out over tranquil parkland. With five thermal cabins, a saltwater plunge pool, a relaxation room offering classes and a fully equipped gym, hours can happily be lost here. The hotel can also arrange babysitting, so you can really relax.

Keeper’s Cottage, Lucknam Park & Spa, Wiltshire, costs from £1,470 per night based on a family of six sharing on a room only basis. Two-night minimum stay over the weekend. lucknampark.co.uk June 201 8

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BUGABOO X WE ARE HANDSOME

Bugaboo and the Australian label We are Handsome have teamed up to bring us another limited-edition collection. The summer-ready accessories feature a toucan print set against a backdrop of tropical leaves, including the Bugapoo by We are Handsome Breezy Sun Canopy, which boasts mesh panels and UPF 50+ fabric to protect your little from the big bad sun. £94.95; bugaboo.com

June 201 8

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Damon MARRIOT

Damon Marriot is Product Manager at Nuna UK, and knows that buying a car seat can feel like a minefield for new parents nuna.eu

Ask the

EXPERTS Q

Parenting professionals and leading mumpreneurs answer some of your most pressing questions

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Q What should parents look for in a car seat, and what regulations do they need to be aware of? A In the UK, children need to use a car seat from birth to 12 years old, or until they are 135cm tall. Car seats fall into different categories:  Group 0: 0-10kg (approx. birth to 6-9 months)  Group 0+: 0-13kg (approx. birth to 12-15 months) and 40-85cm  Group 1: 9-18kg (approx. 9 months to 4 years) and 76-105cm  Group 2: 15-25kg (approx. 4-6 years) and 100-135cm  Group 3: 22-36kg (approx. 6-11 years) and 125-150cm Under the European i-Size legislation, a child must use a rear-facing car seat until they’re 15 months old, as their necks are not strong enough to take the pressure of a head-on collision. A good option for new parents is a combination seat like the Nuna REBL plus, which can shift from rear- to forward-facing and thereby evolve with your child. In the case of the REBL plus, this is done via a 360-degree rotating seat, which also means you can get them in and out of the car with ease. As combination seats last longer than a single category model, they’re a better long-term investment. i-Size seats are based on height rather than weight, so use this to determine whether the seat size is suitable for your child. Children can ride rear-facing until they are 105cm tall (approx. 4 years old) – which the REBL plus allows. i-Size also includes a side impact test – the REBL plus is super-safe with its smart SIP system featuring energyabsorbing foam. It also has ISOFIX connectors – another important (and reassuring) i-Size requirement.

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Nicole HASTIE

Nicole Hastie is a Carrying Consultant and Director of Kangaroo Care UK. She is passionate about helping parents learn the benefits of skin-to-skin contact with their babies vija-design.co.uk Q Should I put skin-to-skin contact in my birth plan? A Where possible, mother and baby should spend time skin-to-skin for an uninterrupted hour immediately after birth. Once essential checks have been made, ask for the noise levels and lights to be kept low, giving you and your baby time to rest and get to know each other. Ensure you are both warm enough and comfortable by wearing something that supports baby on your chest and covers your body to maintain your

T HE EXPERTS

own temperature. Baby’s heart rate, body temperature and respiration will usually stabilise during skin-to-skin contact, easing their transition from the womb to the world. Being held against mum’s skin can help baby’s immune system, reducing the risk of infection. Requesting skin-to-skin contact as part of your birth plan, and packing a comfortable and supportive Kangaroo Care top or wrap, will help you enjoy this simple but powerful way of welcoming your baby into the world. Births don’t always go to plan, but skin-to-skin contact has many benefits even when it cannot happen straight away. Choosing what to wear for skin-to-skin contact doesn’t have to be expensive. There are comfortable options, such as the Bandeau from Vija Design, which starts from just £17.99.

BIRTHS DON’T ALWAYS GO TO PLAN, BUT SKINTO-SKIN CONTACT HAS MANY BENEFITS, EVEN WHEN IT CANNOT HAPPEN STRAIGHT AWAY

Alexandra McCABE

Mama talks to maternity fitness experts FittaMamma about choosing supportive sportswear and staying fit f ittamamma.com Q Is it possible to stay confi dent and safe when exercising with a bump? A Keep your bump supported. Staying fit and active during your nine-month journey is good for you and good for your baby too. Mammas-to-be who exercise regularly tend to suffer fewer pregnancy niggles and discomforts, give birth more easily and recover more quickly postpartum. Medical experts recommend that all healthy pregnant women should aim for 30 minutes of exercise every day. There’s no reason not to continue to stay active throughout pregnancy but

often the length of time they continue to exercise is restricted by the size of their gymwear! Supporting your bump when you exercise doesn’t just boost your comfort and make you feel more secure, it helps alleviate the pressure on your pelvic girdle, improve your posture and help if you’re suffering from lower back ache. It’s important to feel good about yourself and that means feeling confident and stylish when you stay active. Well-fitting and supportive activewear will encourage you to maintain your pregnancy fitness. The FittaMamma Ultimate range has all the advantages of technical, highperformance gymwear, with support for your baby bump and your lower back. The tops feature a built-in bra to hold your boobs snugly, unique cross back support to lift the weight of your bump and a fi rm waistband to hug your hips and makes sure the top stays put when you exercise. The range is a great all round choice for any pregnancy exercise, whether you’re hitting the gym, parkrunning or stretching and flexing in the yoga studio. June 201 8

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Heather MORRIS

Heather Morris is a registered general nurse and state certified midwife. She is mum to Freddy, Harry and Jack metanium.co.uk

Can nappy rash be prevented? No matter how careful you are, most babies are likely to get nappy rash at some time. Nappy rash is usually mild and can be managed with a good skincare routine and a barrier ointment. Taking care of your baby’s delicate skin is essential in both treating and preventing nappy rash. Following these simple steps will help: • Lie your baby on a towel and leave your baby’s nappy off as often as you can, to let fresh air get to the skin. Q A

Lucy COE

Lead Midwife for the midwifery-led team at The Kensington Wing chelwest.nhs.uk Q What happens if I need to go to the loo during labour? A Firstly this is a really common question – and please do not worry! When you are in labour, it is normal to feel lots of pressure down below when you have a contraction and sometimes you can mistake this for actually needing the loo; but your midwife will be there to support you and help you to the bathroom if you really need to go. When it’s time to push your baby out, you actually use the same muscles as you would to pass a stool, so the sensation of this is very normal and nothing to

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• Change wet or soiled nappies as soon as possible. • Clean the nappy area thoroughly using plain water or alcohol- and fragrance-free wipes. • Don’t use talcum powder as it contains ingredients that could irritate your baby’s skin. • Try to bath your baby every day, but don’t use soap or bubble bath. • Gently pat rather than rub your baby’s bottom dry and avoid vigorous rubbing. • Use a suitable barrier ointment at each nappy change. Most mild cases of nappy rash can be easily treated with an ointment from your pharmacy and by following this skincare routine, but if you are worried always seek the advice of a healthcare professional.

NAPPY RASH CAN BE MANAGED WITH A GOOD SKINCARE ROUTINE AND A BARRIER OINTMENT

worry about. Our bodies are very clever and usually we don’t need to open our bowels for a day or so after the birth, which can give us a little time to heal. Sometimes you need an episiotomy. This is a small cut to your perineum performed by your midwife to expedite the birth of your baby. Episiotomies are not routinely performed, but stitching afterwards heals similarly to when you tear naturally, so you should still be able to go to the bathroom without any problems. It is also very important to think about your bladder in labour, as it’s best to keep it as empty as possible. Your midwife will remind you to try and go regularly, and within a few hours after the birth of your baby.

YOUR MIDWIFE WILL BE THERE TO SUPPORT YOU – OUR BODIES ARE VERY CLEVER

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Theodora LITTLE

Theodora Little, Dental Therapist, Hygienist and Prevention 1 consultant at Curaden AG, Switzerland discusses proper oral care curaden.com Q How can I be sure that my child is receiving proper oral care? A Improper oral care from inadequate dummies, teething products and brushing during infancy can lead to serious dental problems, such as tooth decay, overbite and misplaced teeth. Long-term use of such things as dummies can prevent the correct alignment and occlusion of teeth; as the child is still developing, anything held in their mouth for long periods of time can influence the developing jaw to grow around the foreign object. Th is can then result in a narrow palate and

Karolina LEWIS

Karolina Lewis is a mum of two kids, Founder and Creative Director of maternity nightwear and loungewear company, Bumpkyn London bumpkyn.co.uk Q Why is it vital to closely monitor foetal movement from the beginning of pregnancy? A Th is is such an important subject and often there isn’t enough focus on it in antenatal classes or by medical professionals. Many mums who experience a stillbirth say that there was a change in their baby’s pattern of movement beforehand, and it’s thought that up to a third of stillbirths could be prevented if mums reported their concerns promptly and babies thought to be at risk were delivered.

T HE EXPERTS

the upper front teeth tipping forward, resulting in what we call an “overbite”. It could also result in an “open bite”, where the teeth do not meet in occlusion, which can contribute to speech difficulties, such as a lisp, that may last until adulthood. Curaprox’s Baby Soother ensures no displacements or damage result from its use under ordinary conditions, due to the fact that it leaves enough room for tongue and palate to develop normally. Oral care becomes important as soon as your child begins eating – you need to clean their gums with a wet washcloth. If you don’t do this, you can increase the chances of damage to the child’s gums in later life. Oral care is also extremely important as soon as teething begins; even if it’s just one tooth coming through, you must begin brushing the baby’s teeth at least twice a day. Make sure you attend regular dental appointments with your child, clean your baby’s mouth even before teeth erupt, avoid bulbous dummies, sugary foods and drinks, and always try to make brushing fun!

Most women usually begin to feel movement between 16 and 24 weeks of pregnancy, and it is therefore essential for both mums and dads to get to know their baby’s movements and be able to react quickly. Here at Bumpkyn we recognise the importance of this, which is why we work closely with Kicks Count, a charity that aims to empower mums-to-be with knowledge and confidence about their baby’s movements during pregnancy, ensuring healthy pregnancies and healthy babies. Kicks Count have also developed an award-winning free app that lets you record the baby’s pattern of movement each day by tapping the screen; you can then observe patterns over time, making it a great tool. In any case, if you instinctively feel something isn’t right then you should always immediately call your midwife or the maternity unit to make sure. kickscount.org.uk June 201 8

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For changing bags that don’t sacrifice style for practicality, look no further than this Aussie brand – their Leda model (pictured) has the looks of the most desirable designer handbag while containing eight deep pockets, a wipeclean nylon lining and D-rings to help you secure it to a buggy. £200; sageandluna.co.uk

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NUNA DEMI GROW A stylish stroller that grows with your family

ouble strollers are big business these days, as increasing numbers of millennials have two or more littles in quick succession – perhaps a reflection of the increasing average age of first-time mamas. Nuna is the latest major player to try to capture this corner of the market, with the launch of the muchvaunted DEMI Grow. Thankfully, the stroller lives up to the hype. Importantly, it’s practical, retaining some of Nuna’s well-loved signatures – such as a “dream drape” extendable canopy, progressive suspension and a securely fastening all-season seat. The DEMI Grow functions admirably as a lightweight single, a double (carrying two babes of different ages, one in a seat and the other in a carrycot – sold separately) or a true twin, with both children in identical seats. Usually, strollers of this sort offer one child a standard seat and the other a smaller one – but not the DEMI Grow. Admittedly, in twin mode you do lose some access to the shopping basket, but hang a bag on the sturdy handlebar and you can still handle your daily carry. From £600 for stroller, single seat and accessories. nuna.eu

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Nature of

LEARNING If we want youngsters to develop into independent thinkers, parents have to learn how to let go and allow their children to explore the great outdoors, argues Robin Davies

ew parents would disagree that encouraging children to go outdoors and experience nature at close quarters is beneficial. Instinctively, most appreciate that a child that is playing in the garden, mucking around in the local park or building dens is doing what children should be doing and learning from their environment. Various studies have shown that outdoor learning can lessen anxiety, reduce attention deficit disorder, enhance creativity, increase memory and generally support wellbeing. However, this consensus has to contend with an equally powerful parental instinct – the overwhelming desire to be protective. From those early days, when a toddler first crawls off the picnic blanket onto the grass, a parent’s instinct is to haul their baby back. Yes, that grass may look fun and inviting, but who knows what children will put in their mouths or what nasty stuff lurks out of sight and too easily within reach? Even when

11 0

“IF WE WISH CHILDREN TO LEARN FROM THE O UTDOORS WE HAVE TO CURB OUR ANXIETIES AND RELEASE THE LEASH”

parents have learned to relax a bit and let them ramble off-blanket, we still worry our children will go too far or get too dirty. Parental concern is natural – and, of course, children should be taught how to handle the environment safely and responsibly. But excessive protection can be extremely damaging. The human brain was designed to explore. If we wish children

to interact with their surroundings and learn from the outdoors we have to curb our anxieties and release the leash. Children should be allowed to fall down and pick themselves up. Unfortunately, I suspect the situation has deteriorated since we were children. The ubiquity of online distractions has made the outdoors less appealing. In a recent survey, three-quarters of parents said their children would prefer to play sports online rather than in real life. And, as we tend to lead busier lives than our parents did, it’s tempting to let technology take the strain. Tempting, but mistaken. The sedentary, virtual lives too many of our children lead cannot be physically or intellectually healthy. Arguably, they need to learn to interact with the great outdoors more than ever. This is not just a question of packing youngsters off on a residential outward bounds course a couple of times a year, but allowing them to experience a multiplicity of environments – the street and park as much as the field and forest – as often as is practicable. Much of this has to be done by the school, because, to be really effective, outdoor

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learning has to complement and chime with the curriculum. But parents can start by not being too directive and allowing children to discover things for themselves. So instead of saying to really young children, “We’re going there and we’ll do this and see so and so…”, say, “We’re going on a journey, but we won’t know what we’ll see or who we’ll meet…”. All the latest research suggests feedback and openended questions help develop critical thinking abilities. On a walk, point out things, ask children who they think put that building there or how tall they think that tree will grow. It sounds basic enough – and it is. But it is amazing how

inventive even the youngest child can be with their environment given the opportunity. For instance, in the past I’ve asked groups of threeor four-year-olds to build a house for a mouse, which they tend to find easy. Then I ask them to build one for a worm. After a few puzzled looks they argue and persuade and work out that a house for a worm needs water because it’s slimy. A simple outdoors task has taught them to use deductive reasoning, ingenuity, teamwork and the art of negotiation. Children today lead incredibly structured lives – they get up, go to school, learn a pretty demanding curriculum, get packed off to an after-school club, go home, do homework, go

to bed and start all over again the next day. One of the most valuable things parents can do is to deliver them occasionally from that rigid timetabling. Let them create and develop critical thinking, let them explore and discover the outdoors on their own. If we want to nurture a generation of creative, confident self-thinkers, parents need to let children explore the environment around them – because otherwise that grass at the edge of the blanket will never seem safe. Robin Davies Assistant Director of Education, Cognita Group of schools

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Oliver Thomas Nursery School 1 Mathews Ave, London E6 6BU 020 8552 1177

to know Mama’s guide to London’s best nurseries and preschools

N O RTH WEST North Bridge House Nursery School/Pre-Prep 33 Fitzjohn’s Ave, Camden Town, London NW3 5JY 020 7267 6266 The Mulberry House School 7 Minster Road, London, NW2 3SD 020 8452 7340 Living Spring Montessori St Michael’s Church Annexe, St Michael’s Road, London, NW2 6XG 020 8830 7331

Nuffy Bear Nursery Brondesbury Park Fitness & Wellbeing Centre, Sidmouth Road, London, NW2 5JY 020 3432 8708 Sylvia's Happy Childcare 119a Chevening Road, London, NW6 6DU 020 8960 2217

NORTH Les Trois Oursons 4 Collins Yard, London N1 2XU 020 7099 0452

Little Stars Nursery 58 Allen Rd, Stoke Newington, London N16 8RZ 020 7254 4367 Puddleducks Nurseries Puddleducks House, r/o 75 Friern Barnet Road, London NW3 5JY 020 7267 6266 Hackney Care For Kids 61 Evering Rd, London N16 7PR 020 7923 3471 William Patten Daycare Nursery William Patten School, Stoke Newington Church St, Stoke Newington, London N16 0NX 020 3844 4227

Henry Fawcett Community Nursery (Leaf ) Clayton St, London SE11 5BZ 020 7582 0509 Base Zero Nursery Happy Days 109A Randlesdown Rd, Gramsci Way, London SE6 3HB 020 8461 3510 The Villa 54 Lyndhurst Grove, London SE15 5AH 0207 703 6216 Chairbears Day Nursery 9-12 Deptford Broadway, London SE84PA 020 8305 6588

SOUT H W EST The Knightsbridge Kindergarten St Peter’s Church, 119 Eaton Square, London SW1W 9AL 020 7371 2306 The Willcocks Nursery School Holy Trinity With All Saints Church, Prince Consort Road, London, SW7 2BA 020 7584 5054

E AST

Melrose House 55 Finlay St, Fulham SW6 6HF 020 7736 9296

Sahan Preschool Day Nursery 12 Stukeley Rd, London, E7 9QZ 020 3719 7002

Dulwich Montessori Nursery School St Stephen’s Church, College Road, Dulwich, London SE21 7HN 0208 766 0091

Creative Explorers Day Nursery 18 Gisburn Rd, London N8 7BS 07956 809748

Hatching Dragon Nursery School 1 Viscount St, London EC1Y 0AA 020 7256 9365

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SOUT H E AST

Hatching Dragons Westminster Units 3&4 Westminster Quarter, 2 Monck street, London, SW1P 2BQ 0203 912 2902

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reso urces DIRECTORY

Tadpoles Nursery School 68 Park Walk, Chelsea, London SW10 0NQ 020 7352 9757

Wee Ones Nursery 4 St Ann’s Cresent, London SW18 2LR 0208 870 7729

The Barnes Village Nursery 3A Station Rd, London SW13 0LP 020 8878 5111

The Orchard Day Nursery 201-203 The Broadway, Wimbledon, London, SW19 1NL 020 3880 7373

Gwendolen House 39 Gwendolen Ave SW15 6EH 0203 441 2450

Tiny Thinkers Childcare 192 Tudor Drive, Kingston upon Thames KT2 5QG 0203 441 2450

London Early Years Foundation 121 Marsham St, Westminster, London SW1P 4LX 020 7834 8679

W EST Little Chepstow Nursery 108 Lancaster Road, W11 1QS 0207 243 0243

One World Nursery 9 Knowle Cl, London SW9 0TQ 020 7924 9505

Rolfe’s Nursery School The Little House, 34a Oxford Gardens, London, W10 5UQ 020 8969 5805

Dee’s Day Nursery (Wimbledon) 2 Mansel Rd, Wimbledon, London SW19 4AA 020 8944 0284

New Studio Pre-School Kelfield Mews, Kelfield Gardens, London, W10 6LS 020 8969 5805

Learning Ladders Nursery Ground Floor, Falkner Court, Francis Chichester Way, London SW11 5HX 020 7622 9300 Kiddi Caru Day Nursery 2 Piazza Buildings Empress State, London SW6 1TW 0207 386 4505 Tiggers Nursery School, Putney 87 Putney Bridge Rd, London SW15 2PA 020 8874 4668

Denbigh Under Fives Group 5b Denbigh Road, Denbigh Road, London, W11 2SJ 020 7221 5318

The Square School 18 Holland Park Avenue, London W11 3QU 020 7221 6004

Carmelite Parish Centre Pitt Street W8 4JH 07810 712241

Holland Park Nursery School Kenley Walk Hall, Kenley Walk, London W11 4BA 020 7792 0323

Iverna Gardens Montessori Nursery School Armenian Church Hall, Iverna Gardens, London W8 6TP 020 7937 0794

Jack in the Box Kelmscott Community Hall, Ashchurch Grove, White City, London W12 9BT 020 8811 8099 Stepping Stones Nursery 5 Gayford Road, London W12 9BY 020 8811 1646 Bright Sparks Montessori School 142 Sinclair Road, London, W14 0NL 020 7371 4697 Vanessa Nursery 12 Cathnor Road, London W12 6JA 020 8743 8196 Little Owls Nursery 108 Lakeside Rd, London W14 0DY 020 3266 0044 The Kensington Kindergarten St Barnabas Church, 23 Addison Rd, Kensington, London W14 8LH 020 7371 4848

Caterpillar Montessori PO Box 105 11 London W4 5WU W4 5LG 020 8747 8531 Maggie and Rose 55 Finlay St, Fulham SW6 6HF 020 7736 9296 Millie’s House Nursery and Pre-School Distillery Lane, Fulham Reach W6 9US 020 8748 4303 Windham Nursery School Windham Road, Richmond, Surrey, London TW9 2HP 0208 831 6060 Merchant Square Day Nursery 13 Harbet Rd, Paddington, London W2 1AJ 020 7402 2227 Busy Bees at Hammersmith 3 Bute Gardens, London W6 7DR 0208 741 9945

Millie’s House Nursery and Pre-School Distillery Ln, London W6 9PL 020 8748 4303

The Corner House Day Nursery 82 Lavington Rd, London W13 9LR 020 8567 2806

St Peter’s Nursery School 59a Portobello Road, London W11 3DB 020 7243 2617

One World Montessori and Pre-Preparatory 69 - 71 Brook Green, London W6 7BE 020 7603 6065

Bunny Park Day Nursery & Nursery School 37 Manor Court Rd, London W7 3EJ 020 8567 6142

Ladbroke Square Montessori School 43 Ladbroke Square, London W11 3ND 020 7229 0125

Little Cherubs Nursery School Our Lady Of Victories Church Hall, 16a Abingdon Road, London W8 6AF 07810 712241

Hatching Dragons Twickenham 2 The Green, Twickenham, London, TW2 5AA 0203 912 2901

Kids Unlimited 34 Ladbroke Grove, London W11 3BQ 0845 365 2918

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PROMOTION

Talking Head

A Fine

EDUCATION

Candida Cave, the Principal of Hampstead’s Fine Arts College, talks about the importance of creative subjects in a technolgy-centered world

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“CREATIVE S UBJEC TS TEACH YOUN G PEOPL E AN A LYT I CA L THINK ING, CUR I OS I T Y AND A C R I T I CA L O UTLOOK”

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hich are the school subjects that teach your child valuable skills, both for their future academic pathways and their working lives? Maths and Engineering? Or Music and Drama? In recent years, there has been much focus on STEM subjects to prepare young people for careers in a world of rapid technological advance. But the Arts and Humanities offer benefits that can be regarded as even more valuable in a future society. There is great worth in developing skills that computers can’t do. Creative subjects teach young people analytical thinking, curiosity, and a critical outlook. They are powerful in preparing students to cope with questions that do not have a right and wrong answer. It is not that one group of subjects has more inherent value than another. Fulfi lment and happiness for children lies in fi nding aptitude – watching for natural interests and talents – and nurturing this, to allow each young person to fi nd what it is he or she can contribute to this fast-evolving world. At Fine Arts College, we have created an environment that seeks out and celebrates individual talent, whether in the Arts or the Sciences. We reside in a quiet courtyard campus just off Hampstead’s England’s Lane. This little world of calm is part of what our students fi nd so different about our school. We have no uniform, encourage independent learning, and expect informal but respectful relationships between students and teachers.

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Many of our students have come to us because they have felt restricted in more traditional private school environments, so we aim to create a space in which they can explore their talents and flourish. Founded in 1978 as a specialist college for the Arts, the college opened a Lower School for GCSE pupils in 1990 and began offering the full academic curriculum, including Maths and Science. In September, Fine Arts is expanding the Lower School to take 13-year-olds in Year 9. This has been a natural progression, as we increasingly fi nd parents who are seeking a school for younger children already showing excellence in creative subjects. Pupils will be able to take GCSE exams in Maths, English, and Science, but also be able to choose from a wide range of creative disciplines such as Music, Drama and Art. Regardless of our specialism, all subjects are taught by tutors who are passionate about their discipline. For parents, it can be comforting to know that there is no blueprint for a successful child. Our students have often taken an unusual route, moving schools to fi nd a space where their interest in noir fi lms, digital music technology or acting can flourish. Many of our alumni go on to fame and fortune in their careers. By allowing children to explore the areas of their education they naturally love, parents can help them to build a positive relationship with learning that leads to great things. Find out more about Fine Arts School at hampsteadfinearts.com or book a place at the next Open Day on 19 June by emailing Meena at mail@hampsteadfinearts.com

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Absolutely Mama Magazine: June 2018

Articles inside

A Fine Education

Nature of Learning

Beyond Marrakech

Little Jetsetters

Head Space

Live and Work

Model Approved

Fiesta Feasts

The Pressure to Breastfeed

In The Studio

Women in Work

Insta Mama

Isla In Charge