Top 10 iPhone Apps for Busy Parents

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I confess to being attached to my iphone. Its as important as my keys, my purse and my lipstick! As we head back to school I have realised the part my lovely iphone has played in this lovely summer holiday so far…..so i thought i would share my thoughts. (I am sure this is relevant to other phones too).

1. Met Office Weather – I use the free app from the met office. The met office is extremely reliable and i find i can time the washing, dog walking, cycles and picnics with reliable precision. Its actually really handy when you are managing kids and a dog. I even kept the postie up to date last week when i said it would rain at 3pm and indeed it did> i think he was impressed.
2. Facebook – This is a brilliant way to keep in touch with people whilst you are busy with kids. I have family who have recently moved abroad. I feel i can keep in touch much easier with each others families. I see updates on starting driving (hitting speed bumps too fast, missing junctions etc)…..things we would probably never discuss but interesting. I would also say the kids have enjoyed facebook too – they see my collection of family photos very quickly. They are not registered as you have to be 13 years old and I plan to stick to that.
3. AA days out – a handy wee app that uses your current localtion (or will search one). It provides enough detail for me to venture to the attraction and a phone number too. Its actually made me see whats on my doorstep.
4. Mr Giggle – This is my favourite game just now. Its silly and simple. You match up coloured squares and then they disapear giving you a few extra points. I enjoyed this on holiday and on the plane. Addictive.
5. Talking Tom (and his friends) – new to the talking apps i have come around very quickly. The kids love these and have a lot of fun with the voice copying and changing charachters. We especially love the taking bacteria called John. Simple but funny as he multiplies.
6. Plane Finder – My little boy is an avid plane fan and this is a total winner. The app appears to locate planes, let you know what type of plane it is (747 etc) , departure and arrival airports and then a little picture. Its really good fun if you are out and about and a plnae goes over. We have had great discussions about the flights, destinations, holidays. You can after a little practice track planes come into land. Thumbs up for wee boys (and potentially older boys too!).
7. Impossible quiz – This has been a winner for my eldest daughter and I. It is literally impossible. I did find once i got into the way of its thinking I was able to move through the quiz. We had lots of fun with this. Just to let you know we have finished it
8. Top trumps – We love a game of top trumps however carrying a pack of cards is not always possible…so here is another option. We have the dinasours and so far its good. I wouldnt say it holds anyones attention as long as the card game but its good if you have a bored child and need something to do when out and about. Good for traveling.
9. Skype – My family have jumped into skype and with it being free its been great fun. We use the chat messages. I even managed a video skype from Egypt showing the pool. Good fun and the kids are able to use it easily too. It does seem to crash and i have had a few problems however i feel the benefits are greater than the hassle factor.
10. X plane – again for my wee boy. I dont know much about it other than its flying and it cost £3. He says its the best money we have EVER spent…so i guess it must be good.

I hope this wee list is useful. If you have your favourites id like to hear about them so leave a message. Thanks.

What does a Doula REALLY do?

This week we bring you an interview with a very busy working mum as part of our continuing series of working mummy interviews. Kim Turton is based in Canada and juggles life work balance quite uniquely allowing the demands of a busy doula paractice to develop as well as looking after her 4 boys. Read more for a little insight into a doulas life/ work balance.

Tell us about yourself and your family:

My name is Kim Turton and I am 53 years young!  I love being in my 50’s I feel much more secure with life! I have been a single mum for 13 years, and raised four boys, 16 – 18 – 21 – 29.  My third son has just graduated high school, one left! And two of my sons have moved out.   I totally adore them and I have a great relationship with them all.

Tell us about being a Doula:

I became a Doula in 2001 with my pay came from being a cashier in a grocery store.  Now I Doula full time, having attended over 200 births, My working day is between 3 -33 hours.   I am also a breast feeding counselor, I teach private prenatal, write birth stories for my clients as well as being a Reiki Master.   Oh and a published Author, with more book ideas in the works.

How do you fit in work with the family?

It’s a juggle sometimes, and I rely on their dad and team member’s parents for pick up/drop off of sports and other activities.   Family functions we don’t attend if I work.  I show up at their activities even after a long birth, and I encourage my children to participate in all their specific interests.

Tell us about your life/work balance?

Balance – that is interesting, I so love my work, going to a birth is easy for me, even at 3:00 a.m.  My partner of almost 13 years is very understanding, we tried living together and that just didn’t quite work, it’s so tough to mix a family, and honestly with my schedule I don’t have the quality time required.  However we are still together but we only see each other once or twice a week, it can be a challenge.

What are the challenges to being a working mum?

Of course I miss some of the kid’s events for sports or school, but then I count my missed parent/teacher appointments as a blessing.  When they were young the child care was very difficult.  I would drop off at their dads once in a while when needed.  It helped when the oldest son could take over that responsibility. It is a challenge when my child comes home sick and I am at work already, trying to find care can be a struggle.  My oldest son learned a lot in those years.

How do you cope with these challenges?

I struggled; it was hard to ever think you will get out of that ‘time’ which is a true test of how strong we are as a woman.   It has made me realise I can do anything I put my mind to, leaving a husband with four young children – I say look at me now – raised them – successful career – and very happy!

If you could give working mums a couple of tips on coping. what would they be?

•  Find someone that is solid that you can talk to, ask for help or advice.
• Always remember that sometimes we need to vent BUT we make our own decisions.
• Believe in yourself, your decisions should come from the heart.
• At night I relax in a tub and let everything go, totally floating into the warm water.
• Take time for you every day in any form is very important.
• Oh and it helps when you ask the Universe for help.

What do you plan ahead?

Not much, my pre-requisite when booking appointments is, “can I cancel at the last minute”.  If they say “no can do”, I don’t make the appointment.

What is your favourite plan ahead family meal? 

Roast – everyone loves it and it can be put in the oven early.  I make sure I always have food (and milk) in the house that the kids can make themselves.  I thank the school for cooking classes.    Years ago, I always had easy to make meals, so if I wasn’t home someone could whip up dinner.  We ate lots of take out pizza and drive thru burgers.

What is your favourite book?

When I get the time I love to read about self improvement – how to manifest – and the 2012 changes, and sometimes easy to read romance.

Where is your favorite family holiday destination?

A couple of years ago I took all my boys to Disneyworld in Florida, that was the best holiday for everyone.

What is your favorite family film?

Last movie we saw together was Star Wars a couple of years ago.  They are so into different movies than I am.

Tell us about your book: 

My book  What Does a Doula Do? . I am proud to say it  is a #1 Best Seller on Amazon, it talks about doulas and the benefit of having one, describes all the ways we can help labor, making it shorter and easier. For me most importantly; women can read positive and true birth stories, there is a lot of birth preparation information included.  This book empowers both women and men for their birth experience.    So far everyone says it’s an excellent read.

Where can we find you :

On my website . I have a blog and encourage anyone to participate.  This site describes what I offer as a doula.

Kim – thanks for taking part in our working mum interviews. As always I am amazed at what a woman can do when she puts her mind to it. We wish you well with your book and your Doula work. It all sounds great – well done again.

p.s We look for working mums to interview. So if you have a good story drop us an email at sonya@thebabygurus.com. Thanks!

Military Planning For Working Mothers

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Our working mummy interviews continue with Julie. She is an absolute star.  She willingly (I think) gave her time to mentor us when we were just starting out as part of the chamber of commerce mentoring scheme. I can honestly say our time together has been invaluable. Julie was brilliant at mentoring The Baby Gurus in the right direction (often in a lovely coffee shop). So here is how Julie manages her life work balance with two little boys, a work away husband and two Labradors.  Funny as always!

Tell us about you

I am Julie Ashworth and I am Managing Director of BroadReach Ltd. A Retail Consultancy that works with and develops Retail leaders. I am married to Dr MalcolmMcGregor and we have two sons, Angus 8 and Torin 6 . We also have two Labradors, Isla and Jura

How do you fit in work with the family?

In hindsight pre school was a piece of cake…no 9-3 deadlines!

On a non client contact day it’s all routines;

• 7-845am breakfast and cook school lunch
• School run
• 9.15-2.45pm WORK!!
• 2.55-5pm activities and homework
• 5pm Tea
• 6pm Bath
• 7pm Bed
• 7-8pm domestics ( washing machine/dishwasher etc)
• 8-11 /12/pm WORK!

On a client day…….pay someone to do all of the above and get on a plane or train around 5am and get home somewhere near midnight or get the sleeper

Where possible avoid client time on Friday afternoons (as its half day at school)

Tell us about your life/work balance?

It’s fine. It’s tough but fine. Children aren’t small for long and providing there is a balance its ok

What are the challenges to being a working mum?

Oh where to start!… Time……..always time….never enough of it. My boys ask…….’why do we run everywhere’!…….. Then there is the guilt…….!!

How do you cope with these challenges?

Planning…………military planning……..

If you could give mums a couple of tips on coping as a working mum what would it be?

1. Use the night before…….lay the breakfast table (I thought I was turning into my MIL but it really helps)…check the school bags …….lay out uniform.
2. Use Skype when you’re away for catch up, stories and homework
3. Diarise the full year’s school breaks and activities….colour code so you know the non negotiable (activities etc)

What do you plan ahead?

Everything

What is your favourite plan ahead family meal?

Roast chicken

What is your favourite book?

At the moment SLAP by Christos Tsiolkas

What is your favorite family holiday destination?

We just book flights and go……….we just book the first night and then we travel

Best family day out destination?

On a rainy day Dynamic Earth is always a winner………no rain and you’ll find us at the beach at North Berwick

Favorite family film?

Swallows and Amazons

How do we find your company?

www.broadreachltd.co.uk – Experts in Retail Leadership

Thanks Julie for taking part in our blog interviews. You are an inspiration to many (including us). I always loved the fact you carried a pencil to make corrections.

Time Saving Meal Planning For Working Mums

eating can be fun!

We continue our interviews with working mums. This week is Sally-Anne who is such an asset to us at The Baby Gurus. Here are some of her great ideas on how she copes with achieving a good life/work balance.

Tell us about yourself

I am Sally-Anne Holman,  age 48 (yuk!). I am an antenatal teacher. I work for The NCT and The Baby Gurus!  I am also a postnatal doula, working with women and their families following the birth of their baby.

Tell us about your family

I am married to David and we have two boys, Tom who is 13 and Will who is 10.  They are at a great age and I really enjoy them.  They are very different characters – chalk and cheese!  We live in New Malden, Surrey.

How do you fit in work with the family?

I choose how and when I work.  This makes a huge difference.  So I only work in term time and I tend to work school hours.  As the boys get older and more independent I will be able to extend the hours I work.

Tell us about your life/work balance?

I love the work I do and this makes all the difference.  I am totally unstressed (usually!) about work which means that I am much less stressed when I am around the family.  I used to work in further education, which was really stressful, and although I worked less hours than I do now, I was always tense and this affected my home life – for me the answer has to be – do something you love.

What are the challenges to being a working mum?

Trying to be in several places at the same time!

How do you cope with these challenges?

I can say no to work which helps a lot. I plan my own diary.

If you could give mums a couple of tips on coping as a working mum what would it be?

When I started planning the week’s meals in advance this made a real difference to my stress levels and the variety of food that we ate!  I now sit down on a Sunday with a couple of cook books and plan the next seven days meals.  I then write out the shopping list and this means I only go to the supermarket once – at most twice – a week.  The best cookery book for great tasty and super quick meals is Nigella Express – I would really recommend it.  I have had other Nigella books and have had some notable disasters but I can honestly say that everyone of her Express recipes has been a success.  I also love all the Jamie Oliver books.

Sally-Annes top tips for planning ahead (great for busy working mums)

1. Take time at the weekend to plan the weeks meals
2. Ponder over a few recipe books for inspiration
3. Best done with cuppa in hand for a little “me” time
4. Set the menu for the week
5. Check cupboards etc for stock
6. Write down shopping list
7. Then follow the plan
8. Keep these plans for future reference.

What do you plan ahead?

Se above!  Plus my husband and I also sit down regularly to go through diaries so that we know who is where when, who needs/has the car and who is taking the children to various activities.

What is your favourite plan ahead family meal?

Chicken and tomato bake – see Jamies’ Dinners!

What is your favourite book?

The Virgin Blue by Tracey Chevelier

Favorite family holiday destination

Skiing – anywhere! Euro camp – anywhere!  Cornwall.

Best family day out destination

The theatre to see a musical followed by supper at our favourite tapas bar

Favorite family film

Any of the Toy Story or Shrek films

(My personal favourite films are The Railway Children, Love Actually and The Reader.)

Thanks Sally-Anne for taking part. We are delighted to have you as part of our team and love how organised you are. Love your planning ahead cooking ideas! Sonya

10 Reflections Of A Novice Blogger

Wow what a learning curve blogging has been so far. I am 7 posts and 12 weeks in. A few months ago I probably wouldn’t have been able to locate a blog never mind set one up.

I am fairly new to blogging and I must say I am enjoying it. Here is a little self reflection of the journey so far in the faint hope that this gives you a novice’s top tips for blogging.

My journey so far…..

1. Writing a blog post can be a massive challenge…. to get over this hurdle - just write and read it later…..it might be rubbish or an inspirational article sometimes at the time of writing its not that clear which it is. I save mine in a file for later (in fact the basis for this blog is from that very file).
2. Finding out what I like –  I notice that “text heavy” blogs don’t grab my attention. A nice picture and a short story floats my boat.
3. I write a  better when I am interested in what I am writing about– the working mummy interviews have been brilliant and feedback to me has been good (which helps a lot). Each woman does it so differently yet succeeds so well –fantastic! I am now working on parenting top 10′s.
4. Getting the title right – I noticed quickly a bad title gives that blog a poor start. I keep an eye on my WordPress statistics and this finding is reflected quickly. Catchy title helps….not forgetting it must be relevant to the article. An example is I posted “The Tapas and Baby juggle” (it no longer exists) – no hits later I then changed it to  ”How does she do it?” and it got 6 reads straight away…it then plodded along. Compare that to “A Glamorous Mum, A Prince and a Ball” and it got 52 in the first few hours and has been the most read so far. Cooking with Gas!
5. PR – this has been a little unexpected. I wrote about Amy and it was picked up by PR at Capgemini who loved it resulting in this nice article.
6. Another discovery was getting 2 ping backs (that’s when someone sites your blog) – to be honest I had no idea what it was. I thought I had pressed the wrong button. Turns out someone liked what I had written
7. How to get traffic to our new site – I am no SEO however I can see from the statistics that I have generated good flow of traffic through Facebook, Twitter and our fabulous new website – that was my initial aim so I think I can tick that off now. Take a peak and see how we are doing.
8. Scribble – my pad is at my side when I write and it is amazing how many times I go back for a bit of inspiration or a fact. Get one and cherish.
9. Growth – I am excited at the number of people who are reading our blog. Each post gives me the confidence to do the next. I am now on the next phase – the blog is now  up and running with a flow of readers. The next step is to get subscribers – I had one but they vanished – was it something I said?
10. I have really enjoyed

• Little Mummy - brilliantly set up and makes an income!
• A Peak at rankings at Tots 100  (will I ever be there?)
• When i am on twitter i tend to click on new blog posts – if i am following them on twitter their blog should be of interest
• I have enjoyed reading great ideas from  Antonia Chitty

Let me know if this helps. Happy Blogging! Sonya

A Glamorous Working Mum, A Prince And A Ball

Our series of fascinating working mum interviews continue. Each week we bring you a little insight into how a working mum copes with her daily challenges of seamlessly managing her life/work balance. This week we bring you the very glamorous Amy who, over the years has worked tirelessly for a great cause. Read on for some helpful advice.

Tell us about you: I am Amy Sieweke 37. I am UK Head of Community for my company Capgemini, global management consultants.  I look after our charity and community portfolio and it involves everything from volunteering with young, vulnerable people to attending incredible events.

Tell us about your family Gerard and I have 2 fabulous little boys, Max (6) and Leo (4)

How do you fit in work with the family? I am so lucky that my work in flexible in terms of hours and where I work.  Additionally I have incredible support from Gerard and my parents who are very hands on grandparents.  Some of my job can include the family so we do community activities together whenever we can which is great fun!

Tell us about your life/work balance? I am much more balanced now than I was in my 20s.  I firmly believe in the 80/20 rule and prioritise what is really important.  I find that having children really focuses the mind to getting things done as efficiently as possible and I really switch off at the weekend to focus 100% on family.

What are the challenges to being a working mum? Feeling like you are not achieving 100% in each area of your life!  It is a constant juggle and with every area of your life so full, can be very tiring too.  But when its all going well….. it’s so fulfilling and worth every second!

How do you cope with these challenges? I know it’s a cliché but sleep works wonders! If you have a good nights sleep you can handle anything.  I also have at 1 night when I try to go to bed super early (when we put the children down at 7!) it really sets me up for the crazy week ahead.

If you could give working mums a couple of tips – what would they be?

1. Never refuse help or support
2. Sleep well
3. Eat healthily
4. Laugh
5. Don’t take life too seriously!

What do you plan ahead? Packed lunched, evening meals and presents for the million birthday parties the children attend.  We are now really good at taking time off during the children’s school holidays and going away.

What is your favourite plan ahead family meal? Lasagne

What is your favourite book?  At the moment – children’s book is Diary of a Wombat

Favorite family holiday destination – Just been skiing in Saint Gervais and it was so child friendly

Best family day out destination – We love Kelvingrove Park and the café there

Favorite family film – Home Alone (my 6 year old looks like Kevin!)

Tell us about your next big event:  I am really looking forward to The award winning ‘green carpet’ event I run for The Prince’s Trust – The Capgemini Black and White Ball this year on 18^th June at the Grand Central Hotel.

Thanks For taking part Amy as I know you are very busy working mum and extremely committed to the work that you do.  I was very touched when i heard about the great work of The Prince’s Trust and the commitment from Capgemini – for anyone reading this and would like to take on a challenge in aid of a great cause – look no further than here. Thanks Sonya

The Insiders Guide to Life/Work Balance and Mummy Blogging

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This is the third in our series of working mum interviews which are turning out to be fascinating (even if we say so ourselves). This week we bring you Susan Mann, a busy working mum who juggles, still finds time for her established blog and too top it all loves pasta (us too!). We know its not easy juggling family life and work so understanding how others do it can provide a sneeky peek and an insiders guide……Susan does it brilliantly…..so read on.

Tell us about you

I am Susan Mann, aged 33. I work for an IT company where I am the Operations Manager. I am responsible for the Engineers, making sure they know what jobs they are doing, making sure customers are happy and doing the schedule. I also do some software development.

Tell us about your family?

I live with my husband of 3 ½ years and my two boys aged 2 and 4.

How do you fit in work with the family?

I have never known any different I work 4 days a week which my mum watches them two days and my in laws watch them 2 days.

Tell us about your life/work balance?

I try to spend as much free time as I can with my boys, we go out together and do something as a family at the weekend.

What are the challenges to being a working mum?

Trying to get the cleaning, washing and shopping done when time is limited and you want to spend it with your family.

How do you cope with these challenges?

Try to get it done as quickly as possible. Try to be organized enough to do online shopping.

If you could give mums a couple of tips on coping as a working mum what would they be?

1. Don’t be too hard on yourself
2. Enjoy the time you have with your family.

What do you plan ahead?

Food shopping, I try to buy some of the smaller items in my lunch break.

What is your favourite plan ahead family meal?

Pasta is one I know we all eat and love, just making sure we have all the ingredients in and a nice desert for after.

What is your favourite book?

I enjoy reading any of the Disney books to the boys.

Favorite family holiday destination?

Elente in Bulgaria.

Best family day out destination?

Glasgow Science Centre.

Favorite family film?

Disney Tangled.

Susan is an established mummy blogger bringing a wealth of knowledge to a wide audience. Susan copes admirably with a young family, challenging work and brilliant blogging. If you wish to read Susan’s blog it here at www.susankmann.com. If you wish to learn more about becoming a cyber mummy then here’s the place to go CyberMummy (you might even meet Susan).

Thanks Susan for taking part. It’s really interesting how smoothly you juggle and still have time for blogging. We are impressed!

Related Articles

• Working Mummy Interviews – How to Achieve Balance (thebabygurus.wordpress.com)
• Working Mummy – How does she really do it? (thebabygurus.wordpress.com)

Working Mummy – How does she really do it?

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Our series of working mum interviews continues. This week we bring you Claire, a working mum of two who manages to juggle spanish life with a running a company and looking after her family. How does she really do it? Read on for insight into life/work balance and some great tips.

Tell us about you

I’m Clare Sparks and I’m all too quickly approaching 40.   I’m a work at home mum and between Spanish lessons I work on Baby Abroad a baby travel website I created last year.

Tell us about your family

We’re four in total.  Me, hubby and 2 gorgeous girls aged 6 and 3.  Three years ago we were given an opportunity to move to Madrid and have absolutely loved our time here.  My girls go to a Spanish school and as a result are bilingual. I wish I could say the same for me, but I do get by.  We’ve really enjoyed our education into Spanish culture and we’ve totally fallen in love with long leisurely weekend lunches.

How do you fit in work with the family?

Three years ago when on maternity leave with my second daughter I couldn’t get to grips with how I could possibly manage a full time job when my eldest started school.  The timetable, the holidays, the teacher training days seemed to make it impossible for me and that was before considering needing to be there if one of the children was unwell.  Moving to Spain gave me the opportunity to start working flexibly to fit around the school day.

Tell us about your life/work balance?

For me, work life balance is about having my cake and eating it.  Flexible working was one factor, but making sure it was a good intellectual challenge was important too.  Starting up a business has given me just that, but the nature of the work means I can still take my girls to school and pick them up after, and be there for them when they need me.

What are the challenges to being a working mum?

When working at home and running the house at the same time, I think the temptation is to get the house stuff done first and work later.  It means that work time gets squeezed and squeezed.  Just because you’re working flexibly doesn’t mean it can always be part time.  It’s also sometimes hard to switch off as there’s always opportunity to just check emails or website stats.

How do you cope with these challenges?

I’ve learnt that I really need to prioritise.  It’s so obvious, but I’m at times guilty of getting the more trivial things done first as they’re the easiest.  I’ve learnt to take a deep breath and just get on with it.  I’m also trying to compartmentalize my time too so I don’t just drift from one distraction to another.

If you could give mums a couple of tips on coping as a working mum what would it be?

1. Put a lock on the fridge!
2. Seriously, plan your week, write to-do lists for both work life and home life and make separate time for each of them.
3. I’d also suggest picking a few mums in business forums to network on.  Other working mums are great for providing and exchanging business or technical advice which is essential if you’re working on your own.  They are also be fabulous at motivating others too.

What do you plan ahead?

We’ve recently started planning our weekends ahead.  It’s so easy after a busy week to get up late, mill around the house in pyjamas all morning before finally deciding what to do for the day.  So now, we plan what to do before Friday, get up and out and back to the house to relax after.  It means we’ve been really making the most of weekends and our time together.

What is your favourite plan ahead family meal?

My favourite family mean plan is deciding which tapas bar to lunch in!  We are truly spoilt on that front – the children love the food and it’s so informal that it’s incredibly kid friendly and stress free.  If I’m cooking to plan ahead, for me, a beef and Guinness casserole is great in the winter.   We can go out and leave it cooking all day to be super tender and if there’s time when we get back, make some pastry for a comforting pie.

What is your favourite book?

My all time favourite is A Suitable Boy by Vickram Seth.  I read it years ago when I was commuting by train.  It’s so beautifully written and a fabulous insight into another culture.

Favorite family holiday destination?

For the family, I like a good beach, a pool to relax by and for the children to play in, but with plenty of options for days out or activities together.  I’d like to return to Puerta Pollensa in Mallorca some time.   We went when my first daughter was 18 months old.  There are plenty of child friendly restaurants, a pedestrian promenade that’s great for a post lunch walk, a safe beach and opportunity to hire a car to get out and about to see what else Mallorca has to offer.

Whats your best family day out destination?

Here in Spain, it’s an animal park called Faunia.  The animals are housed in ecosystems, for example, the jungle area is hot and humid with exotic birds and squirrel monkeys, or a nocturnal section for bat watching.  There are some really unusual creatures and so it is visually great for the children and interesting for the adults too.

What’s your favourite family film?

My three year old has just got to the stage where she’ll just about sit through a full length feature and it’s lovely to snuggle up together on the couch for a family film.  We’re suckers for any of the Pixar/Disney type films and favourite of the moment is Toy Story 3.

About Claire and Baby Abroad

Clare Sparks is creator of BabyAbroad the baby travel website, designed to inform UK parents taking their holidays with babies and young children abroad.  The site allows you to share holiday reviews with other parents, find tonnes of useful information about travelling with a baby (e.g  buying baby milk and nappies abroad, car seat regulations, etc) Claire is looking for parents to provide good honest reviews – if you are interested get in touch via her website.

Thanks Claire for taking part in our working mummy series. We love your approach to life/work balance especially the long weekend lunches. Brilliant!

Working Mummy Interviews – How to Achieve Balance

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This is the first of our series of interviews with working mums. We have found how each mum juggles her life/work balance totally amazing. Each mum has a different approach and each achieves a successful balance for her and her family. This weeks mum is coach Anna Davis – read on for some really good tips.

Tell us about you? I am Anna Davis, and I am only just in my 30’s (and I don’t mean 30!)

I am a coach, consultant and trainer who helps individuals and businesses find balance, fulfillment and success in their lives and careers/businesses. I use a variety of tools and techniques including helping people clarify their goals, manage their time, overcome procrastination and get organized.

Tell us about your family

I have a wonderful husband and 2 gorgeous boys, 5 and 7. My extended family lives in the South of England, so I have no family support in Scotland

 How do you fit in work with the family?

I am ruthlessly organised and extremely disciplined about the boundaries I place around my business time and my home/family time. I work school hours plus Wednesday afternoons, and the occasional evening.

Tell us about your life/work balance?

I am passionate about balance. I think balance is the key in all aspects of our lives. I make sure that I have enough time for my business whilst maintaining time for the most important people and activities in my life, namely my boys, husband, friends and time for exercise. This doesn’t just happen, but I consciously strive for it continuously.

What are the challenges to being a working mum?

One of the hardest things for me is changing pace from the high speed business world to the slow, slow, stop speed of a 5 year old. Another challenge is to remain confident that I am doing the best I can in each area of my life (I am a recovering perfectionist!). And finally, I have to be extremely organized to make sure things don’t fall through the cracks

 How do you cope with these challenges?

I try to compartmentalise each aspect of my life so that I am focused on one aspect at a time and I am not thinking/feeling guilty about any of my other responsibilities. I have systems and routines for everything from shopping, to the family getting up in the morning.

If you could give mums a couple of tips on coping as a working mum what would it be?

Know that there is no way to be a perfect mum but there are a million ways to be a good mum. Remind yourself, as you would remind a friend, that you are doing your best. Plan your meals ahead of time and do a weekly shop in which you get everything you need (save the odd pint of milk). Don’t worry about the cleanliness of your house. Your kids are more interested in time with you than how clean the kitchen is. Reduce laundry – only wash things that are dirty and buy non-iron clothes (don’t iron unless it’s a special occasion). Last but not least, have a family planner, keep it up to date and refer to it daily.

What do you plan ahead?

I have a weekly routine which is well established. I also plan leisure time ahead – weekends, nights out and holidays. I have electronic lists for recurrent planning.

What is your favourite plan ahead family meal?

A roast. Everyone loves it and leftovers make an easy next meal.

What is your favourite book?

Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson – a reminder that we can achieve whatever we want if we set our mind to it.

Favourite family holiday destination

We had an amazing time with First Choice near Paphos in Cyprus

Best family day out destination

The highland folk museum at Newtonmore, which sounds really dry but is fantastic fun. A great walk and definitely worth a day out

Favorite family film

Wall-E holds a special place in my heart as it was the first film we went to see as a family and is heartwarming.

Tell us about your company

I own and run Balanced Mum. I help people with their time management (or focus management as I call it), either as individuals or on group courses. I help you clarify your goals, become organised and overcome procrastination. For Mums, my company  specialises in time management and life and career coaching. For businesses, my company Achieve Balance specialises in time management and business coaching.

Thanks Anna for being part of our working mum series we are very impressed at how organised you are. We hope some of these great ideas help other working mums. The Baby Gurus.

Top 10 Baby Steps To Attending Exhibitions With Children

Image by National Media Museum via Flickr

Many parents want to go to exhibitions with children but find it quite challenging. I know myself that if it doesnt look family friendly i just give it a miss.

We have been “experts” at The Scottish Baby and Toddler show for many years now and can see what makes an exhibition parent AND child friendly. For parents an exhibition can be a bit of a challenge so here’s my reflections and thoughts.

Over the years we have noticed that parents often have the same worries and there are still gaps in the information that they are seeking. The past few years we focused on emotional well being for parents and this resulted in a great publication which you can get free via Greatvine. Other common worries are behaviour, stress, money worries and just being REALLY REALLY tired. We ran a worries and wishes wall over the past few years – giving parents a chance to air their concerns. Many brought a tear to our eyes others made us cry with laughter- all of them brought an increased awareness of the common concerns to others who read the tickets.

Here are some of my favourites from our worries and wishes wall from 2010

• “Worry is now part of being a parent and I’ll always worry no matter how old”.
• “I wish for a healthy baby and will grow up knowing how loved it is”.
• “We will be good parents”
• “I wish for a porches and a husband” (personal favourite)
• “To find a career change to make me feel worthwhile as a mother and a businesswomen”

Over the three days of the show we speak to thousands of parents all there looking for information, shopping for bargains or testing the latest products at The Scottish Baby and toddler show.

This years Scottish Baby and Toddler show promises to be bigger and better. With the introduction of toddlers into the mix I think it will be good fun. I am really looking forward to hearing Anabel Karmel speak (I used to love her meat loaf recipes) Jo Tantrum (always interesting to hear advice on baby sleep). British Red Cross and Road Safety Scotland will also be there demonstrating their skills – a must for new parents.

Going to an exhibition can be a challenge especially for parents – so here’s my top 10 tips for going to the show with a baby or a child

1. Book advance tickets – you can simply walk past the queues and save a few pounds
2. Before you go look up exhibitors and note who you want to see
3. Wear comfortable shoes – sounds silly but at exhibitions you will walk, a lot!
4. On arrival look at events timetables then choose what you want to hear. You can now plan around that.
5. Using the crèche? – work out before hand if you plan to use it. Visit this area next and see if there is a waiting list.
6. Get your hands dirty – exhibitions are the best place to try lots of products before you buy. Exhibitors will gladly show you there products, you only have to ask. Have a shopping list with you.
7. Don’t over tire children – if they have had enough perhaps let them have a run around in a quiet area, play area or in the open spaces. Remember don’t let anyone get over hungry that just adds to the stress levels.
8. My strongest advice is to take your time. It can be overwhelming when you first arrive but with a plan of attack your visit can be very successful.

Final thoughts – we will be on hand over the weekend to speak to parents on any subject from pregnancy to parenting.  If you are going along come and see us at the expert and information zone….even if its just to say hello and you read our blog