Mindful Family Game Night: 5 Games That Bring Calm & Connection to Your Home

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As a busy mum juggling teaching and family life, I'm always on the lookout for meaningful ways to spend quality time with my children. While traditional board games are brilliant fun, I've discovered something even more special - games that combine family entertainment with mindfulness practices!

Today, I'm sharing my carefully curated selection of family games that not only promise loads of fun but also help introduce mindfulness concepts to children in a natural, engaging way. Perfect for those rainy Norfolk afternoons or when you need to slow down and reconnect as a family!

Finding Calm in Chaos: 5-Minute Mindfulness Tricks for Busy Mums of Tweens and Teens

Today I want to chat about something that's been a total game-changer for me – mindfulness. Now, I know what you're thinking: "Kay, between work, managing the house, and dealing with pre-teen and teenage drama, I barely have time to breathe, let alone be mindful!" Trust me, I've been there. Juggling my roles as a mum to a 12-year-old and a 9-year-old, planning art lessons for my students, and trying to keep up with this blog, some days feel like I'm riding a unicycle while juggling flaming torches!

But here's the thing – I've discovered that even the tiniest pockets of mindfulness can make a world of difference. So, grab a cuppa (or a glass of wine, no judgment here!), and let me share some super quick mindfulness tricks that have helped me stay sane in the beautiful chaos of motherhood with older kids. 

Sleep Well, Mum: A Comprehensive Review of Simba's Hybrid Mattress Topper and Duvet Cover for Busy Mums

As a busy mum of two and a full-time educator, I understand firsthand the demanding nature of balancing multiple responsibilities. In the whirlwind of daily life, it's easy for sleep to take a backseat. However, neglecting sleep can have far-reaching consequences on both physical and mental wellbeing. Recently, Simba reached out to me and asked if I would like to review their Hybrid Topper and Hybrid Duvet Cover and with life seemingly so full on right now it's something I definitely wanted to explore. 

The Hybrid Topper is designed to transform any mattress in an instant with a comfort-boosting mattress topper. Unlike a more traditional memory foam mattress topper, our innovative design combines up to 2,500 ingenious Aerocoil® springs and a layer or open-cell Simbatex® foam to keep you cooler and more cushioned. This is something that I was immediately drawn to because if you've ever had a memory foam mattress you know that sometimes they can trap the heat which has actually disturbed my sleep in the past. But thankfully this is not the case with this cleverly designed topper. 

Embracing the Chaos: Navigating Life as a Busy Mum with Possible ADHD

It's time to reflect that 2024 already feels like it's a lot.  As an art teacher, middle leader in a secondary school, and devoted mum, life has been a whirlwind of creativity, chaos, and love and lately it has felt rather overwhelming. Today, I wanted to engage in an open and honest conversation about something that many of us may be quietly grappling with – the potential presence of ADHD in our lives, adding an extra layer of complexity to our bustling routines.

Living in the Fast Lane: Being a mother, a teacher, and an avid blogger is a unique blend of roles, each with its own set of challenges. When you introduce the possibility of ADHD into this dynamic, life can feel like a constant balancing act. From managing the daily to-do lists to navigating the intricacies of household responsibilities, it often feels like we should be able to do it all. It's just laundry, just a quick drive to drop off the children at the next club of the week, a pop to the shop to get tomorrows ingredients for the eldests food tech lesson - so why does it all feel like it continuously takes a toll?

Recognising the Signs: For many of us, the thought of having ADHD has likely crossed our minds more than once. Forgetfulness, impulsivity, and an insatiable need for stimulation can make our daily routines feel like an overwhelming battlefield. It is crucial to recognise these signs and, more importantly, to allow ourselves the grace to seek the support we may need.

Teaching Your Child to Embrace their Failures

Failure, often viewed as an unwelcome visitor, is an inevitable part of life's journey. As parents, guardians, or mentors, guiding our children through the labyrinth of failures is an essential aspect of their emotional and intellectual growth. Teaching children to embrace failure not only fosters resilience but also cultivates a mindset geared towards perseverance and self-improvement.

In a society that often glorifies success and achievements, the concept of failure can be daunting, even intimidating, for children. However, failure should be reframed as a stepping stone toward success rather than an obstacle. It's a natural part of the learning process, presenting invaluable opportunities for personal development and growth.

Emerging from "Wintering" - A Self Care Guide for Spring

I am currently reading a beautiful book by Katherine May, Wintering, and I am devouring this as food for my soul. Her words speak so much truth. And right now, I feel many of us are "Wintering" - By winter, she means not just the cold season, but "a fallow period in life when you're cut off from the world, feeling rejected, sidelined, blocked from progress, or cast into the role of an outsider." I mean this line pretty much sums up the past two years in terms of a global pandemic and now facing conflict within Europe. It very much feels like looking after each other and ourselves is something we have to cherish and make time for. 

Fun Days Out for a Little Me Time

When you have a family, your life begins to revolve around them. This is understandable. Your partner, children and pets are likely to be the light of your life and you’re going to want the best for them at all times. You’re also going to want to spend a whole lot of your free time with them. This is why when it comes to planning adventures, many of us end up heading out on kid-oriented days out. But it’s important to remember to fit a little me-time into your schedule too! You’re an individual and you’ll need a little time alone every once in a while. This time can be used however you want. It could be used to relax and wind down, catch up with friends or simply have a little fun. However, you want to spend your dedicated me-time, here are a few suggestions that can give you something to really look forward to!



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Is SkillShare worth signing up to?

Before I begin this article, I want to be clear that this is not a sponsored post. I simply love the site and wanted to share with you how I have been using it and whether I think it’s worth paying for the subscription. However it does contain affiliate links where by if you choose to subscribe I will receive a free month - I currently have paid a full year subscription out of my own pocket.

During lockdown I have tried my absolute hardest to not spiral into a pit of depression. For many of us this is the stark truth when having to be confined to the house and I have really had to change up my mindset and re-programme the way I view the situation. One thing that has really kept me going is taking on small projects and many of them have stemmed from SkillShare.

Why sleep should be no.1 in your beauty regime.

Sleep is just as important as diet but is often overlooked. It has been noted that the best time to sleep is between 10pm and 6am. In a recent article I read in ‘In the Moment’, author, Mira Manek claims that these particular hours are the most rejuvenating and as our biorhythms are programmed to follow nature’s rhythms ideally we should sleep when its dark and wake with sunrise. With our fast paced world we often look for quick ways to enhance our looks, whether its applying makeup to going to a cosmetic dentist to get that perfect smile - sometimes going back to basics is equally effective and transforming giving you that confidence boost that many of us crave.