Tuesdays is Hartbeeps Day for us in our week of baby groups in Darlington. Again, shying away from traditional playgroups because we have seen the rewards of going to taught sessions; Hartbeeps offers something for both children in our household. Either as individuals for the benefits of one-on-one time or as a pair, I never have to worry about anyone missing out, thanks to their understanding that people often have children close together in age.
The tunes in Hartbeeps are often based on ones you know, with a little Hartbeeps twist. So children benefit from the sense of familiarity as well as developing their listening skills.
2. Set routines that may help you at home
The sessions follow the same structure, which is fantastic as children learn through repetition. The activities are never the same, as the theme is changed weekly throughout the term, but the basic core structure remains, which allows the children to anticipate what is next. The wind-down session is great to incorporate into your own bedtime routine. I have two children who go to two different sessions but the fundamentals of the wind-down are the same, so it allows them both to be familiar with what is happening through the use of songs, a Hartbeeps star and turning the lights down. This has often saved me when doing bedtimes when I am solo parenting!
3. Some Cheeky Classics Which Will Make Parents Smile
If you were anything like me and enjoyed a nightclub or two back in the noughties, even the occasional jaunt to Ibiza, you’ll appreciate the little nods to a simpler time in your life with Hartbeeps versions of classics such as Nalin and Kane- Beachball in some of the sessions! If you were more of a fan of latin music, they’ve got something for you too as the Lambada was modernised for the farming community to become the Lamb Baa Baa.
4. Lovely Classes
All of the parents in our classes are absolutely lovely. I don’t have the easiest of toddlers and Ali, who owns the franchise has been absolutely amazing. If it wasn’t for her, I’m sure I wouldn’t leave the house with my toddler because his behaviour was feral. We started the Happy House class so that we had some one-to-one time, but it was rough. As he is not vying for my attention with his brother, he likes to use the opportunity to let me know that his emotions overwhelm him. A new baby, hearing and speech issues meant he was emotionally in turmoil a lot of the time. Ali has been so kind and patient with us both. She’s been incredibly understanding and encouraging in the sessions with him, taking it as a win if he joins in and tries again next time if he doesn’t. I’ve also never felt judged by anyone for his behaviour and always extremely welcome. She also takes the time to comment on any social media posts she sees of the boys. People really do buy into people and Hartbeeps really does feel like you belong to a village which supports each other. I can’t express enough for any parent a little bit scared of baby groups or has a feral toddler, that Hartbeeps really is fantastic.
5. Quality
The content of the classes is exceptionally high quality and so are all of the props! I’ve never seen such an exquisite parachute – but the parachute used in Baby Beeps and Baby Bells is something else! You never have to worry about cleanliness around little babies in this class, it is the cleanest and anything that comes into contact with the children is the highest quality I’ve ever seen in baby groups in Darlington.
6. Something For Everyone – baby groups in Darlington that you can stick with!
We’ve found something that the children can enjoy as individuals or if I need to, I can take them to class together. The classes are grouped by development stage rather than age but as a rough indication, Baby Bells class is for newborn to won’t sit still any longer, Baby Beeps is for little explorers and Happy House is for toddlers and suitable until they start reception. So your child can have that sense of familiarity from the start, which can only be a good thing. The baby groups are available in Darlington and Newton Aycliffe through the particular franchise owner we are familiar with. Other areas are available. Trials are encouraged as each person will put their own spin on delivery.
Disclaimer: All views my own and all classes paid for. I have not been asked to publish this post.
When your baby has a bunged up nose or is wheezy, it may be challenging to know whether to treat your child at home or if you need to take your child to the doctors or hospital. Tees Valley CCG, working with County Durham CCG (my local CCG hence my interest in amplifying their message!), has produced several Little Orange Book resources, designed to help the parents of babies and small children displaying cold symptoms and breathing problems. These are issues causing great concern to parents right now with Strep A causing serious issues, bronchiolitis and RSV cases being on the increase.
During the pandemic, children have mixed less, and some under-twos haven’t yet developed the usual immunity to everyday illnesses. The NHS expects more babies and toddlers to get common viruses like Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) during the winter months.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a common virus most children catch before they turn two. Whilst most cases are mild and can be treated at home, RSV can be more serious in tiny babies, premature babies, and those born with a heart condition or respiratory illness.
Is your child displaying any of these symptoms? Or others that may concern you?
Cold symptoms and a rattly chest/ dry cough
Rattles and wheezes that make it harder to feed
A high temperature
Pauses in breathing
A change in colour
Try consulting the materials linked below to ensure your child receives the proper medical attention:
You can also watch a short video (below) to find out more about the symptoms of RSV and what help you can access if you are concerned.
The entire Little Orange Book, which covers a wide range of ailments in children from common minor illnesses like teething, constipation and colds, through to more severe conditions, can be downloaded here.
The list of things to consider when you are expecting a long one. From choosing a pregnancy diet to selecting a car seat from Foryourlittleone, there are many things to consider. And one important thing that you cannot overlook: a birth plan. Even though most of it may go out of the window, when you are classed as a high-risk pregnancy it is even more important to research and understand the importance of having a plan.
Let’s look at some of the reasons below:
It Provides A Guide For Your Care
Your birth plan is a written document describing how you want your labour and birth to go. The report can be no more than a few sentences long, or it can be several pages long. By doing this, you can tell your doctor or midwife what you want during and after your birth. This way, you can outline how you wish birth to be. Having a birth plan lets your providers know what you want, so you can have the best experience possible during labour.
It Helps You Learn About What Is Ahead
Making decisions during labour isn’t the best move. Writing down your wishes beforehand allows you to be more involved in your care. In addition to clarifying your thoughts and anticipating different scenarios, the process of creating a birth plan can help you decide what support people you want in the room and what type of pain relief you prefer. The birth plan you choose can always be changed during labour, however, it’s best to have a birthing partner who can help you to make sensible decisions.
It Enables You To Have A Formal Conversation
It’s usually recommended to discuss your birth plan at your 36-week appointment, but looking at it earlier at home can pay off. If your provider is reviewing your birth plan, your preferences can be accommodated safely according to your unique history and the development of your pregnancy. You can discuss choices with your provider ahead of time if some choices are unavailable due to health reasons.
It Keeps Your Health Care Team In The Loop
There are usually several doctors and nurses involved in your care as you go through labour. Labour starts at any time, and there is no way for you to know which provider will be available. Making sure you are on the same page with your provider ahead of time is helpful.
If Things Don’t Go To Plan, It Provides You With More Options
Throughout labour, there is fluidity. You may need to make changes to your birth plan, and this is OK. Maybe you wanted the least amount of medical intervention but you change your mind. If something isn’t going to plan, your provider will recommend a continuous fetal monitor when a baby shows signs of distress. It is possible to have certain elements of your ideal labour with a birth plan, even if other components are too risky. Labour conditions can change rapidly, and every labour is different.
As you can see, it’s very important to have the birth plan in place, even if it doesn’t always go ahead. It can help you to feel more in control and informed.
There are currently record numbers of children in care and around 13% of the foster carer workforce retiring or leaving every year. The Fostering Network estimates that fostering services across the UK need to recruit at least a further 8,600 foster families in the next 12 months alone. There is a particular need for foster carers to look after teenagers and sibling groups.
I have recently supported one of my very best friends to become a foster carer, by providing a reference and she was approved. She has a lot of love to give, time and stable home life. I couldn’t be prouder of her.
UK Fostering NE supports fostering families in their care of vulnerable children and young people that are not able to currently live at home and are often needing additional support and understanding. The friendly and professional team is based in Sunderland and covers Tyne and Wear; County Durham and Northumberland; as well as parts of the Teesside area in North Yorkshire.
There are many routes to Foster in this country, which is confusing in itself. But they must be inspected by Ofsted, like schools and colleges, so this can give an indication of how to find a good one. So check out Ofsted ratings if you would like to look into the possibility of fostering.
Whilst having kids is great, there is one thing that you will quickly realise as a parent. Kids are messy, and this mess isn’t just resigned to your home; it can appear anywhere you have your children with you.
This even means that you can start to see their mess in the car. If you use your car regularly or drive it long distances (or even if you don’), the last thing you will want to find is a messy, dirty and disorganised car, whether it’s a brand new Bentley or a bit of an old banger.
But, where do you start? How do you keep your car clean when you have kids just ready and waiting to mess it up again?
Have space to organise
As a parent, you need to make sure that your car has space to organise and tidy some of the things that can build up in there. Of course, many of these things already have another home, but if they don’t, you will need to make somewhere for them to live. This may mean adding storage to your boot or any other part of your car.
Clean regularly
This might seem like an obvious tip, but kids can quickly make a mess of your car, which means that if you don’t want that mess to build up over time, you will clean it regularly. Even better, make it a chore and ask the children to help you to clean your car once a fortnight.
Give them a place for trash
If you don’t give your children a place to bin their trash, how can you expect them to keep the car clean? Ensure that your kids have their own trash disposal spot that they can use to throw their junk away rather than it ending up on the floor.
Cover your seats
Worried about the state your seats are going to be in? Not sure that you know a way to clean them? If this is true for you, you will want to invest in car seat covers. These protect your seats and are completely washable, which means that you don’t have to worry about replacing them regularly.
Remove the smells
Cars can get stinky over time, which is even worse if you have children eating snacks in your car. If you don’t want to ban them (which might be a better idea if we are honest), then you can always leave a bowl of vinegar in your car overnight and then remove it in the morning. The smell will be gone.
Have stain remover to hand
Whilst you may not be able to clean the seats when you are driving, you can get to wherever it was that you were going. This means that it is worthwhile having a stain remover in your car ready to use if you spot a stain. This could be shop bought or hand-made, it is down to you.
There are plenty of ways that you can try and keep your car as clean as possible, even with your kids doing their best to make it messy. So, what are you waiting for? Try these tips out and see if you can gift yourself a beautifully clean and organised car.
Sometimes we have to create space to spend time with our children. It is typically the case that everyone in the house is busy working, in school, or taking care of a lot of other things. So when it comes to spending time with the children, taking up hobbies together can build both of your skill sets, give you some quality time and the best thing about it is that people who have hobbies are typically happier too.
Swimming
Not only is swimming good for you, but it is a life skill too. There are many health benefits that we could talk about, but splashing around in water is so much fun! My little ones love swimming and the eldest is at the stage now where he would really benefit from us starting him at swim classes. This will help him with his confidence in the pool, as well as give him a head start when it comes to lessons in school because I know this was something I dreaded!
Puzzles
Most of the time, small children will have a range of wooden puzzles and small jigsaws with large pieces to help them with their motor skills and spatial awareness. As they grow up, you can keep that interest nurtured by having a family board game night. Start with more simple puzzles and jigsaws, and eventually move on to those huge table-filling sized jigsaws or even the 3D ones. Depending on the complexity of the puzzles, they can last over a few weeks too. You could have any board game of your preference here though.
Writing
Writing is one of the best creative outlets and stress relievers. So encouraging your children to get into writing can give them that tool very early on. But to make it an activity that you can all take part in, you might need to think a little outside the box. Creating a family journal or scrap-book will give everyone the chance to get creative with their pages. Family members can add photos, drawings, receipts, ideas, and so much more. At the end of the year, you can look back over the collection of everyone’s pages. It is also a great space to create a yearly bucket list and see what you can tick off.
Gardening
You don’t really need a garden to be able to grow things with the kids. There are many seed packets that are reasonably priced and often have a really good yield too. Sweet peas grow very easily, and succulents are great for learning how some plants can develop roots when removed from the main plant. Tomatoes can be started off very easily in a small pot and transferred to the garden at a later date if that is what you want to do. Lettuce grows quick, and so does cress, which makes them great options too.
Spending time with the children doesn’t have to be expensive, and most of the time they are happy to watch a movie and relax with you, But sometimes increasing everyone’s skill levels and learning together is a lot more fun.
