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By Alan, on April 20th, 2012
 New flash-sale site 'Casabu' has launched The launch of Casabu, the new daily deals website, is both hugely anticipated and very exciting for mums and their children. The newest flash-sale website will offer great deals every day and looks set to change the way that parents in the UK shop.
After 12 months of scouring Britain and the rest of Europe seeking out the most stylish and hottest brands, Casabu will now be bringing parents the chance to buy outstanding ranges of trendy babies and kids clothes, designer toys, beautiful maternity wear and even treats for mum, all with unbelievable discounts of up to 70%.
Casabu is simply a one-stop shop that provided everything a mum could need, right through from pregnancy, through childhood and up to pre-teen.
The first week of sales will feature UK brands such as, Their Nibs, Ben Sherman, Feu Follet and Koo-di as well as products totally new to the UK such as Swedish street clothes from Novastar. Fiona Bell – founder of Their Nibs says:
“Their Nibs are really excited to be one of the first brands featured on Casabu. It’s such a great way for parents to discover small boutique brands like us and with such fantastic discounts all brands will be affordable for parents.”
Flash sales have rapidly become the biggest trend in retail and work very simply; once signed-up to Casabu, you will receive a daily email or mobile alert bringing you news of exclusive sales, each sale lasting for a limited time. You then simply browse, click to buy, and sit back and wait for your beautifully-packaged items to arrive at your door.
Casabu is the smart, modern way for parents to save money on some of their favourite brand names as well as discover and fall in love with new ones. Members can access Casabu.com via their computer, laptop, tablet or mobile phone and can also keep track of the daily sales by downloading the Casabu app for iPhone/android or by following the site on Twitter @ casabu_tweets.
To become part of the latest shopping phenomenon sign up for free at www.casabu.com
By Alan, on April 18th, 2012
 'Spellbound Forest' offers a real treat for North West families this May Families from right across the North West are soon to have the opportunity to join a unique, family-focused outdoor theatre experience as The Spellbound Forest makes its long awaited debut in May 2012 in Delamere Forest.
For two days only, 19th-20th May, Wild Rumpus, the organisation that is behind the award winning ‘Just So’ family festival, is creating an outdoor spectacular of theatre, art, dance and music to tell the stories of some long forgotten English fairy tales, with the culmination being a mythical dance right in the heart of the forest.
Rowan Hoban is the co-director of Wild Rumpus, and has said that they believe that something quite amazing happens when families get to engage together in high quality arts in a wild and natural landscape.
Wild Rumpus has teamed up with The Forestry Commission to bring The Spellbound Forest magically to life. In a world where men become birds and tears become rivers, families will help create a brand new fairy tale especially for the occasion, with help from the Manchester Children’s Literature Festival, and can also contribute to a sculpture which will remain in the forest long after the event comes to an end.
“Once we started reading traditional English fairy tales, we couldn’t believe that we hadn’t come across these amazing, enchanting stories before,” organiser, Sarah Bird from Wild Rumpus, said. “The fairy tales that our children hear are dominated by the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Anderson, which are great stories, but have overshadowed these magical tales rooted in our own history and culture.”
Responsible for the award-winning Just So festival, an annual weekend full of festival fun aimed specifically for entire families to enjoy, Wild Rumpus specializes in programming high quality arts events which are as much for children as their parents.
The organisation hopes to coordinate further events which encourage families to visit natural environments and play and learn together.
“We’re inviting families to step outside their everyday lives and join us on a spectacular creative adventure through the forest,” says Sarah. “Delamere Forest is a magical location, and we’re so very pleased to have the chance to weave our magic there.”
By Alan, on April 13th, 2012
According to new research, children who are as young as eight years old are falling victim to both physical and mental bullying on the school playing field. 66%, or two thirds of the 1,010 parents who have children aged 8-16 have said that they have witnessed various forms of intimidation taking place while they have watched their children playing sports.
The study which discovered these findings was jointly organised by the Chance to Shine campaign and the MCC, Marylebone Cricket Club. It also found that teasing with 43%, swearing with 40%, taunts with 34% and verbal threats with 16% were the most common tactics used by sports bullies.
Over two fifths of parents, or 42% of parents reported that their child had lost confidence after being bullied on the sports field, and a fifth felt that their child was now reluctant to take part in the sports as a result of the mind games directed towards them.
In a separate survey that involved 1250 children aged 8-16, over two thirds, 68%, said that they too has seen verbal abuse during school matches and over a half, 51%, admitted that they had been at the receiving end of taunts, teasing and threats while on the playing field. A majority of 55% also said they had witnesses physical violence, with a quarter saying that they had seen one of their team mates deliberately kicked, tripped or knocked over.
The MCC and Chance to Shine, the grass roots sports campaign, have collaborated to teach youngsters to play matches in a competitive yet sporting manner, and are delivering the nationwide scheme to try and encourage fair play in the nations schools. The Chance to Shine coaches are delivering both lessons and assembly’s to get across the message of good sportsmanship to around 500,000 pupils in state schools, as part of the MCC’s Spirit of Cricket scheme.
By Alan, on April 10th, 2012
Campaigners have said that once the governments plans to shake up the legal aid system, thousands of children will lose access to the service. JustRights, the children’s rights group, have analysed government data that was obtained from a series of FOI, Freedom of Information, requests. It claims that 6000, or 13% of those who get help with their legal aid costs, will lose out in the new reforms.
The government has repeatedly denied this, saying that legal aid will remain in place for almost all children’s cases. The Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill is now returning to the Commons after suffering a series of defeats in the Lords.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Justice has said that the reforms are targetting legal aid
where it is most needed and this means that the bill is protecting spending for the majority of cases where a child is one of the parties, and they are maintaining 96% of their current spend. He added that of the remaining cases, many of them would have the potential to be eligible for ‘exceptional payments’.
The bill is removing whole areas of the law from the legal aid system as part of their plans to cut the Ministry of Justice’s budget by £350m and also speed up the system. Some of the controversial areas that are covered by the bill include women who are the victims of domestic abuse, disabled people benefit cases, and the children. The areas where the children will be most affected in is cases of immigration, housing, benefits and social welfare.
James Kenrick is the co-chairman of JustRights and he says that the government’ claim that 96% of the budget set aside for cases involving children will remain unaffected is very misleading. He said that when you look at the plans and the number of cases they intend to cut, it actually adds up to 13% of cases, a great deal more than the government are claiming.
By Alan, on April 7th, 2012
 Brilliant night time family events at museums return in 2012 The after hours celebration of the arts, heritage and history known as Museums at Night is back for 2012. Hundreds of UK galleries and museums are staying open late and hosting special events over the weekend of Friday to Sunday the 18th-20th May.
This years there is a great variety of events focused on families and children. In places such as Dorchester and Norfolk all museums will be open, making them the perfect destination for a short break, immaterial of the weather. If you fancy a sleepover in an historic building that is possible too.
Dr Who, helicopters, astronomy, battleships and dinosaurs are just some of the activities on offer, for the complete list of events log on to www.museumsatnight.org.uk
Family highlights include:
Bizarre:
Bompas & Parr, the renowned Jellymongers, who create spectacular culinary experiences ranging from architectural jellies to lakes of cocktails will be flooding the glass plate around the SS Great Britain, Bristol with jelly and neon replicas of the iconic ship. Not to be missed.
Sleepovers
The Great Tower Sleepover at Dover Castle: Dare you spend an exclusive evening staying in one of England’s most haunted castles? Live like royalty as you bed down for the night in King Henry II’s medieval Great Tower, dating back to the 1180s.
Pyjama Party at Childhood Museum & Sudbury Hall, Sudbury, Derbyshire. Come with your slippers, teddy bear and favourite bedtime story. Meet some storybook characters who can tell some tales
Enjoy the first ever Dr Who Adventure Family Sleepover at Manchester’s John Rylands Library! Watch two Doctor Who episodes – Silence in the Library and Forest of the Dead. Make your own Journal of Impossible Things, take a torch-lit tour of the Library, solve the mystery of the missing TARDIS and then sleep in the Historic Reading Room.
Explosion! The Museum of Naval Firepower offers a chance to sleepover in the galleries and in the Georgian former gunpowder store.
Families are invited to spend the night within the historic confines of Kenilworth Castle for an exclusive spooky sleepover.
Astronomy
Special late-night opening of the Astronomy Centre at the Royal Observatory Greenwich with a range of workshops and talks with top astronomers plus planetarium shows at London’s only planetarium.
The National Space Centre will host an evening of stargazing, both indoors and outside! With talks, workshops, planetarium shows and the whole Centre to discover, this is an exciting evening for the whole family.
Interactive
Join the Galleries of Justice Museum in Nottingham for a family friendly, interactive murder trail around the only museum of its kind in Europe! You will have to go on a hunt to find clues to discover the name of the victim, the suspect, the murder weapon and the location of where the murder took place to solve the ‘Murder at the Museum’, but be careful…there maybe a few red herrings in there somehwere!
Chirk Castle (National Trust) Medieval Garrison Experience. This is a unique experience for families to see life for the medieval soldier, after hours. Dress up in authentic costume, learn to guard the castle, have a go at archery and pike drill, explore the medieval tower and brave the dungeons. You’ll even get to try a taste of medieval food.
Lockin In at Ruthin Gaol, Denbighshire . A unique chance to have an after hours tour of Ruthin gaol, a Victorian prison, with stories and songs telling the tales of the prisoners who found themselves inside, from John Jones “Coch Bach y Bala” who escaped from the Gaol – twice and William Hughes, the last man to be hanged at the Gaol.
Aberdeen University, Zoology Museum. Enchanting tales, fashionable crafts, meet the experts, creepy crawlies, exciting trails, brain busting quizzes, hands on experiments and much more at Night at the Museums 2012.
The Helicopter Museum, Weston-super-Mare commemorates the 30th Anniversary of The Falklands Conflict with an extra special weekend. A Living History Encampment, War Time Re-enactment Society and Military Vehicle Display will all be on site for one of the biggest events the museum has ever hosted. Also over 30 flight simulators will be set-up in the aircraft hangars for visitors to ‘test fly’ the planes and helicopters used during the 1982 conflict.
Sci-Fi Night at the Museum of the Great Western Railway, Swindon. The force will soon be with you as Steam-Museum of the Great Western Railway opens it’s doors for an exclusive evening viewing of it’s block buster Sci-Fi Exhibition. Come and see your favourite sci-fi characters including Spiderman, Chewbacca, the Iron Man and more. Designed to appeal to both children and adults, special displays include original costumes and props from the Star Wars, Terminator, Gremlins and Iron Man series, plus many life-sized character figures.
Multiple Venues:
The Terracotta Warriors Museum has teamed up with all the other museums in Dorchester – Dinosaur Museum, Keep Military Museum, Teddy Bear Museum, Dorset County Museum and Tutankhamun Exhibition for a very special evening. All 6 museums and the Roman Town House will be open late for Museums Night.
Cromer, Sheringham and Wells in North Norfolk, will be transported back to Victorian times for Museums at Night weekend. Participating venues in the three towns will be opening their doors for a packed programme, including Victorian fire eaters, escapologists, an old fashioned photo parlour, fairground attractions, circus acts, a traditional train ride, cottage craft workshops, film, guided walks and the chance to meet lots of costumed characters. All events, the majority of which are free, are aimed at families, the local community and visitors to the area.
There are lots of other events across the UK. For details of all venues, events and activities visit www.museumsatnight.org.uk, where listings information will be updated right up until the weekend itself.
By Alan, on April 6th, 2012
Apple are facing a huge lawsuit in the US from angry parents whose children have run up huge bills via apps on their iPads and iPhones. A federal judge has granted the group permission to pursue the class action claim after Apple’s call for the dismissal of the claim was rejected.
The case revolves around in-app purchasing; where users buy virtual currency and add ons that cost up to £70 for games and various other software. The Apps that use this system are usually free to download initially, giving no indication of the costs to follow.
The parents are arguing that Apple are making it too easy for kids to spend money on such digital items as ‘smurfberries’, which are featured in the Smurf Village game without the payments being authorised by the parents. The in-app purchases are then billed to the iTunes account, and the credit card that is linked to the iPad or iPhone. There have been several incidents of kids running bills up of hundreds of pounds in both the US and the UK.
In the papers they filed to the court, the American parents have accused Apple of ‘inducing’ kids to make these in-app purchases. It says that amongst the thousands of apps that Apple offer for sale are many gaming apps specifically aimed at children.
It goes on to say that many of these games are designed to induce their users to then make payments, and as these games are highly addictive and deliberately designed to be so, they compel the kids playing them to buy large quantities of the games virtual currency, amounting to purchases of as much as $100, and often even more.
In their attempt to get the case thrown out,. Apple highlighted the controls within the iOS that parents can use to restrict in-app purchases, but the parents have responded by saying the aren’t strong enough.
By Alan, on April 4th, 2012
 Have jungle fun this summer at an NCT Cheeky Monkey Tea Party If you are looking for a great day out with the kids, the largest parents charity in the UK NCT are offering plenty of jungle fun to keep your little monkey’s amused.
Take them along to a Cheeky Monkeys Tea Party that is taking place near you and help to raise money to support both expectant and new parents in your community and across the country.
An NCT Cheeky Monkeys Tea Party is a fun filled event for the whole family, and are being hosted at all the 318 branches which are part of the NCT network. The tea parties will be hosted this summer, so join in the fun by going along to the event near you.
The parties include all sorts of activities for children such as storytelling, arts and crafts, mask and hat making, singing, dancing, face painting and games as well as raising much-needed funds for NCT.
Becoming a parent is an exciting time, but it can bring challenges too. With the funds raised by Cheeky Monkeys Tea Parties, NCT can continue to support families to prepare for the changes a baby brings and reach out to those in danger of isolation. NCT strives to give all new parents the skills, knowledge and decision-making powers to enable them to be confident parents.
To find out where your nearest local NCT Cheeky Monkeys Tea Party is visit http://www.nct.org.uk/branches and search for family events taking place on your doorstep.
Charlotte Cooper, Community Fundraising Manager, NCT, said: “With lots of exciting activities planned, NCT Cheeky Monkeys Tea Parties will be better than ever this year and there’s bound to be one happening not far from you. The tea parties are open to everyone – so invite your friends and neighbours, gather up the kids and have a fun day out while raising money for a great charity!”
As the UK’s largest charity for parents, NCT supports over a million parents every year through a life-changing experience, offering information and trusted practical and emotional support through a network of 300 local branches, helplines, website, classes and breastfeeding counselling.
By Alan, on April 3rd, 2012
Troubled teenagers in the UK now have the benefit of an early intervention clinic thanks to the launch of the new facility in London. This aims to address the serious lack of specialist care that is available in the UK specifically for young people. Since Middlegate Lodge closed in 2012, Britain has been devoid of any kind of rehab facility dedicated to children.
The new 10 bed residential, therapeutic unit is called the Alchemy Clinic, and will provide the assistance for what many parents and youth workers are calling a lost generation of teenage drug users, computer addicts and alcoholics. The Alchemy Clinic will provide specialist care for those aged 13-18 and will address some of the most significant behavioural problems that young people of today face.
The Alchemy Model has been specifically designed to deal with the destructive behaviours that are unique to young people with the aim of intervening early before the consequences of their actions get out of hand.
The AlchemyClinic is a ten bed residential therapeutic unit providing help for what many youth workers and parents are terming a ‘lost generation’ of teenage alcoholics, drug users and computer addicts. Alchemy will provide specialist care for 13 to 18 year olds, addressing some of the very specific behavioural problems facing young people today. The Alchemy Model is specifically designed to address the destructive behaviours unique to young people and to intervene early, before consequences get out of hand.
The Alchemy Clinic’s founder and Clinical Director is Steven Noel-Hill, a former FIFA Football Agent and father of two, who recovered from his own addiction to gambling and retrained as a counsellor at the renowned Priory Clinic. Steven specialises in adolescent interventions and established the clinic because he believes passionately in the effectiveness of the early intervention model. He also believes that young people are being short changed by a lack of dedicated services available to them. He says, “The National Treatment Agency believes that youngsters experiencing behavioural problems are best treated within the community, but I believe this is seriously misjudged.
The reality for young people at risk of going off the rails is that they are surrounded by temptation every day, when they are with friends and at school. Even the home environment can be too risky for many. The problem is not just drugs and alcohol but issues with excessive Internet use and gaming too. With the advent of social networking and smart phones these activities are incredibly difficult for adults to police. Early intervention in a controlled environment away from temptation is crucial to help these kids reassess their relationships with friends and loved ones, make more positive choices in the lives and to have a chance to make changes for the better.”
The aim of the Alchemy Early Intervention Programme is to recognise self destructive traits at an early age and to prevent youngsters ending up in rehab in their 20’s having lost their education, jobs, friends and families. Clients will spend a month at the centre, and will undergo a treatment programme designed to challenge and change their knowledge, attitudes and behaviours.
Emphasis is placed on group therapy and clients will be asked to explore the impact of their behaviour on loved ones and those around them. There will also be an extensive menu of workshops and lectures with access to some of the most dynamic and inspirational people in the field.
Crucially, unlike other traditional bootcamp settings, teenagers will not be locked away for a month in the middle of no-where, but instead encouraged to take advantage of the clinic’s city location and to get out and about in the community through a supervised volunteer scheme, regular exercise and group outings to art galleries, cinema or bowling. The aim is to teach clients new strategies to deal with their reality and to take personal responsibility for their behaviour.
Steven believes that it is a myth that addicts need to reach rock bottom before they can be helped. Working with adults at the Priory, Steven realised that many of their behaviours started years earlier, during adolescence. He explains: “Many of my clients exhibited problem traits during their adolescence, with events such as expulsion, excessive drug and alcohol use, self harming and excessive computer gaming characterising their behaviour. Parents and schools are too willing to believe that it is just a phase and they will grow out of it. But many don’t and we are left with young adults who are unable to cope with life. There is nothing inevitable about a self-destructive life pattern. With early recognition and intervention, lives can be transformed.”
Crucially, the Alchemy Clinic will treat the whole family, not just the individual, recognising the importance of parent’s and sibling’s involvement in recovery. Parents who have struggled to provide the very best for their children often feel a sense of hopelessness when things start to go wrong. The Alchemy Clinic provides an opportunity and platform for families to explore their relationships, assess and question their behaviours, deal with toxic issues and start to open up effective lines of communication.
The Alchemy Clinic will offer an important resource to the independent school sector and has established links with a number of independent institutions. With many schools adopting a zero tolerance policy towards drugs and other self-destructive behaviours, the solution is often expulsion, which merely passes the problem onto the next institution, or cuts education short without ever addressing the real issues.
Early intervention through the Alchemy Clinic will enable schools to offer specialist, tailored help and avoid the ramifications of expulsion. An educational programme is provided during the stay so that academic studies are not disrupted. Clients will be expected to undertake periods of study every day and tutors will be available for GCSE, A-Level and Baccalaureate students.
Alchemy is committed to aftercare. The success of their programme is measured by how well the student adapts back to life after their month long stay at the clinic. All students are expected to follow a comprehensive aftercare plan and Alchemy will work alongside schools to ensure that clients continue to receive the care and support they need.
To book treatment at the Alchemy Clinic visit www.alchemylife.net or phone 07857 501 152.
By Alan, on April 2nd, 2012
holidays that include extended family such as grandparents have greatly increased in popularity, as it is a way of getting your children looked after without having to spend money on expensive kids clubs and, often disappointing, creche facilities. RIAS insurers have done a study which has shown that 3.75m grandparents now regularly go on holiday with their family to provide assistance with childcare.
An alternative to this is to take a personal holiday nanny along with you. Today’s families are no longer just taking a jaunt to somewhere hot that has great views, they are using them as an essential breathing space from their everyday lives, and the constant stress of having to juggle their work and family lives.
“My Travelling Nanny” – a specialist agency providing Temporary and Holiday nannies – has noticed a marked increase in enquiries and bookings in 2012.
This popular and innovative agency has identified a niche market. It recognizes the need for a realistically priced service that is accessible to families who have to keep their eye on their spending.
In addition to Qualified and Experienced Holiday Nannies, they provide Holiday Mother’s Helps – an extra pair of hands and eyes for round the pool, and evening babysitting – an affordable option for families with a limited budget, as well as for families holidaying together who can opt to nanny-share.
My Travelling Nanny – run by mother and daughter team Linda and Michaela – has had success in business competitions as well as glowing testimonials and repeat bookings. They pride themselves in their personal service, reliability and efficiency.
By Alan, on March 31st, 2012
People are generally unaware of how widespread the disease herpes simplex is. It is a viral infection that can be caught in childhood and having a little knowledge about how to treat the disease can really help your child. Babies can also get this viral infection, so it is important you know what the symptoms are of the disease so you can identify them in your child, and begin to care to make them more comfortable.
The virus is one that can appear in many parts of the child’s body including the eyes, mouth, skin, genitals and even the brain. In some cases, although these are rare, it is possible that the disease can spread to all parts of the child’s body. Herpes simplex type I is a condition that generally affects the mouth, eyes and also around the waist. Type II of the viruses more commonly associated with the genitals.
Those children who are suffering from herpes generally acquired the infection when they are born. For children who are born vaginally there is a greater chance that they will acquire the disease at birth. Discussing genital herpes when you are pregnant is something that you will do with your doctor at the start of the pregnancy and they will be able to advise you about proper healthcare.
Interestingly, there are some cases where a baby is born with herpes, even though the mother has no symptoms of the disease herself. It is possible that young children can get herpes in the school environment. Generally a lot of items are shared and children are unaware of proper hygiene habits at this age. This can mean they will be sharing glasses, and generally putting things in their mouths that could have been in the mouths of other children. The viruses very easily spread and just this sort of contact is enough to pass the virus to another child.
Many doctors regard the virus as being harmless, but this is only because it does not put the child in any mortal danger. However, the various cold sores and outbreaks, can be uncomfortable and distressing for a child and not to mention, it is very unsightly. It is very important that if your child does get oral herpes, that they understand the steps they should take to prevent it spreading to other children.
You should make it clear to them that they should not be sharing cups with other children and they should generally avoid touching their mouth with their hands. It is always, of course, a good idea to instil habits of good hygiene to your children, such as regularly washing hands with soap for a long enough time.
The good news is there are a great many treatments that can be used for dealing with herpes. There is medication that is likely to reduce the number of outbreaks that a child has from the condition, but there are also medications that can be used once a breakout has already occurred. These medications will reduce the severity of the outbreak.
If you think your child might be suffering from herpes simplex, then the best action you can take is to go and see your doctor. They will be able to provide a definitive diagnosis and recommend a course of action for you to take. This will likely involve some sort of medication. You can also look up advice about how to reduce the risk of transferring the disease in your home, this will include various information about how to keep the virus isolated to your child and not spread it to any other family members.
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