instinctivemum

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This week, on Thursday, my blog is officially one whole year old! When I sat down in my lounge – this time almost a year ago – and wrote my first ever post I genuinely never expected to become so involved and in love with a world in which, before that day, I barely knew existed.

Blogging helped me recover from my third and most hideous episode of post natal depression. It helped me self publish my book ‘A Monster Ate My Mum,’ and support so many other mums suffering with the illness too. I’ve met wonderful new friends, taken part in this year’s epic Team Honk relay challenge with @ladyemsy and @caro_mad, and been to some excellent and inspiring blogging conferences. I have been lucky to become a BRITAX Mumbassador, and yes through blogging I have also, I have to say it, had the opportunity to review some pretty fab things! All in all blogging rocks, and I’m so proud of the fact that my blog is still going one year on!

The blog has changed a lot and evolved in ways I never imagined when I started, and I love the fact that anything goes. Having three children spanning in ages from 12 to 1 I always have material to write about, but have also enjoyed blogging about my personal issues, education, feminism, my (mostly unsuccessful) weight loss and even my baking! (probably responsible for said poor weight loss!) Linkies have been an amazing way to find new blogs and promote mine; Silent Sunday posts have got me passionate about photography, and I have re-found my love of poetry thanks to Vic Welton and Ellie All At Sea. Maybe one day I’ll even be brave enough to take part in one of Stephanie Arsoska’s amazing virtual open mic nights! (and finish off my Summer Of Words story!)

In the last year I have also been lucky enough to publish some wonderful guest posts from brilliant bloggers; it never fails to amaze me how we are always finding new ways to write about well known topics and how brilliantly inventive bloggers are with their words.

Blogging is like an itch that needs scratching; it’s cathartic, therapeutic….uplifting. When people comment on my blog I feel so pleased that someone has identified with what I’ve written or has been moved enough to comment. It makes me smile and I must find some precious time to comment on others more.

In truth I have been finding it hard to find the time to write as much as I used to; mainly due to going back to work but also – very excitingly – because I am so involved with many other projects that have happened because of my blog. Which is amazing!! But…I will continue to blog as much as I can, for I truly love it, and feel privileged to be part of such a wonderful community.

Thank you, as always, for reading 🙂

If you like reading my blog then I’d love for you to please nominate me for a MAD blog award, I’ll leave you to decide in which category! You can nominate by clicking on the badge below. Thank you x

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If you are a blogger or read lots of blogs then you will already have guessed what this post is about…the Team Honk Blogger Relay Challenge!! However if you don’t know what I am talking about (where have you been?!) then read on…

So tomorrow sees the Team Honk baton – thanks to Team Oxford – reach Chipping Sodbury as part of this amazing challenge! It’s the start of three days where the baton reaches my neck of the woods – and it’s my turn to take part in the challenge and raise lots of money for Sport Relief!

So far there have been boats, running, onesies, and even elephants along the way – and an amazing sum of money has already been raised. People have pushed themselves out of their comfort zones and challenged themselves for this amazing cause!

The Team Honk Blogger Relay started in Lands End on the 12th January 2014 and finishes in John O Groats on the 23rd March 2014.
We aim to raise over £20,000 for Sport Relief!

In terms of modes of transport, you name it we have thought of it: pushchair pushes, roller blading across the Humber, boating round Bristol, #Honkopoly around London, fancy dress, onesies, bikes, scooters, planes, hiking, rafting and mountain climbing.
#teamhonkrelay involves over 200 bloggers, their friends and families in a route that zig zags up the UK taking in 38 regional teams.

Here you can see the official regional route details and dates for the relay : http://teamhonk.org/2014-blogger-relay/team-honk-2014-relay-route-and-masterplan/

And so tomorrow I shall, dressed as a pirate, take the baton and walk 13 miles from Chipping Sodbury into the centre of Bristol with @ladyemsy and @caro_mad! I’ve walked this far before, several times…but never without any training and to be honest I’m extremely nervous.

We will be completing challenges (as if walking 13 miles with NO training isn’t challenging enough!!) like the egg and spoon race and the conga. And as if it couldn’t be any more fun (?!) it also looks like were on a serious weather warning for more horrendous rain!

Then, once the baton has reached Bristol, there will follow on Monday a ferry ride, a flash mob Zumba dance overlooking the Clifton Suspension Bridge followed by juggling, running, horses and the most amazing things happening in Portishead on our last day. If you go on to our team link below you can see all of the details of what is happening in Bristol as part of the relay, and see who to follow on Twitter for fab updates and photos of it all.

So please, please if you can spare any money sponsor our fab Bristol team! (And thank you to all of you amazing people who have sponsored so far!)

It’s easy to donate:

You can sponsor the Bristol Team here: http://my.sportrelief.com/sponsor/bristolteamhonk
You can also do so on the Team Honk fundraising page :http://my.sportrelief.com/sponsor/team-honk-relay
Or through the text donate number: Text HONK to 70005 and donate £5 to Sport Relief .

Every single penny helps….

• £1 could provide a hot meal for a child in the UK living in extreme poverty.
• £5 could pay for a mosquito net to protect a mother and her baby in Africa from contracting malaria while they sleep.
• £10 could enable an older person in the UK who just lost someone they love to attend a group activity.
• £25 could run a sports session for disabled children in the UK, giving them the chance to play with other young people.
• £100 could feed 200 children living on the streets in India for one day.
• £300 could provide a water point in the slums of Tanzania, giving hundreds of families access to safe, clean water.
• £500 could provide six months of support for a young person in the UK with mental health issues.

The first ever Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Games take place from Friday 21st to Sunday 23rd March 2014. The public can join the fun and games by running, swimming or cycling their way to raising cash at over a thousand venues around the country, including the landmark events at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

TeamHonk pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/LoveAllBlogs/teamhonk-2014-relay-teamhonkrelay/

And follow me (@instinctivemum) @ladyemsy and @caro_mad tomorrow on Twitter to see how we get on…wish us (lots of) luck!

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This competition has now closed and the winner has been chosen.

It’s the AMAZING Baby Show time again…

Taking place from the 21st -23rd February at ExCel London, The Baby Show is the UK’s leading pregnancy and parenting event. There will be hundreds of stands, which will feature anything and everything baby and toddler-focused – from innovative new inventions to showcases from all your favourite brands.

There will also be hourly guest speakers including nutrition expert Annabel Karmel, breastfeeding expert Clare Byam-Cook, and infant research and professor Dr Robert Titzer. With giveaways and special offers galore, make sure you don’t miss out!

To celebrate BRITAX’s continued involvement with the Baby Show and my role as a BRITAX Mumbassador, I’m really excited to be able to give away a pair of tickets to the next Baby Show in February! BRITAX’s stall will be stocked with all the latest BRITAX and BOB products, as well as having exciting offers available to Baby Show visitors. BRITAX experts will be on hand too, to explain the latest technology and take you through all the car seats and strollers on offer.

The tickets entitle you and a friend to full access at the London ExCel Baby Show on a day of your choice. Little ones get free entry so they’re more than welcome to come along too!

Please use the Rafflecopter form below to enter! T&Cs apply.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

This post has been brought to you as part of the BRITAX Mumbassador Programme.

Robot: A robot is a mechanical or virtual agent, usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by a computer program or electronic circuitry.

I’m sorry it appears that Robot Number 478 isn’t performing well. He’s failing, he’s not doing what it says in the instruction manual. He is not achieving what he is supposed to be achieving. He’s not good enough. Make him work harder. If he gets something right make him do something more challenging. Never let him feel he’s achieved anything, you must constantly make him do more. What do you mean he can’t retain all of this new information? He has to. Failure is not an option. He must perform. He must reach the targets set out for him, in fact he must exceed them at all costs. He wants to do what…play? My goodness no there’s no time for that. All robots must work at all times. All robots must be overwhelmed with new ideas and new concepts and they must learn them all immediately. There’s no time for trying to understand these robots…they must do as they are told and get to where they are meant to be. Robots must always have more to do, they are never done and must never feel the joy of success. Push them harder, challenge them more, never let them relax. I know let’s make sure they are here for longer – robots don’t need sleep or time away to be just a robot. Why is Robot number 478 still not where he should be academically? Why is he not doing what he’s told? Test him again, test him more. What is wrong with him? I’m sorry, what did you say? ? I do not understand, what do you mean these robots are all different? What do you mean that they all have different talents and skills? That they will not all conform to our rigid expectations? You think all robots’ successes should be measured in happiness and not targets? That they only get one chance to be robots…one chance at having confidence, self belief and pride instilled in them. One chance at being inspired, motivated and enthused. Why is this all so important to you?

Why I say…because they are not robots…they are children. Beautiful precious children. And their education needs to change. Not to one with longer days, shorter holidays and more pressure and stress, but to one that embraces childhood and its beautiful simplicity. One that allows children to be children and rewards enjoyment as well as success. An education not measured by targets and levels…but by laughter and smiles. Children instinctively want to learn and have an innate desire to please. They are adventurous and inquisitive; they believe in fairy tales and magic and are filled to bursting with enthusiasm. They are amazing, deserve the very best…and if I had a magic wand I’d make our current education system worthy of them.

If only I had that magic wand…

You know you’re not welcome here anymore,
Go away, get out, I’ve shown you the door.
Don’t you dare come back and ruin my world,
I won’t let you, I’ll stay strong for my boys and my girl.

Get lost, jog on, go away, just scram,
I’ve worked too hard to get well and to be where I am.
You were beaten, overcome, I was rid of your hold,
You can’t break me, can’t destroy me, I refuse to fold.

My ears are shut to your self loathing attacks,
I shan’t be irrational, I’ll hold on to the facts.
You will not absorb my energy and spirit,
You can say what you like for I’ll choose not to hear it.

I’m stronger than you and I win every time,
There’s no point in fighting, all choices are mine.
Try all you like you’ll never beat me,
So give up, f*** off and jog on PND.

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It is precisely 26 days until my birthday…that’s 26 days which I can use to actually get up off my bum and do something more active! I eat well, but exercise always eludes me. Once I get into something regularly then I’m focused…especially if I have a goal. So, seeing as I will be 37 (eeeek!) in a few weeks – and on my birthday I have to attend a friend’s 40th birthday party – I have an incentive and need to start now!

Here is some advice and guidance from BRITAX about a thirty day fitness challenge…I might just give it a go! 😉

GET BACK IN SHAPE WITH THE NEW BOB 30 DAY FITNESS CHALLENGE!

We all love to begin the New Year with the best of intentions, vowing to ditch bad habits and have a healthier and happier year ahead. But as we all know, will power can dwindle all too quickly. Many people will already have abandoned their resolutions just weeks into the New Year – in fact Friday 24th Jan is ‘Fail Friday’ – the day where resolutions are most likely to be broken!
Are you committed to sticking to your New Year’s resolutions this year? Resolutions often sound easy but are harder to put into practice – resolutions like spending more quality time with the family, planning regular date nights with our other halves, eating more healthily as a family and exercising more to shift those extra baby pounds. We start with the best intentions to keep to them but they can often fall by the wayside.

We believe the key to successful resolution keeping, is to keep it simple, make it enjoyable and ensure its meshes with your everyday life!

That’s why BOB have teamed up with fitness expert, Laura Williams, to create a realistic 30-day fitness challenge for busy parents, designed to help you burn calories and tone up simply by doing everyday tasks around the home.

This 30-day calendar can be printed and kept somewhere you can read it every day – such as the fridge door. It will provide mums and dads with daily hints, tips and motivating advice that will not only make you smile but get your heart beating too – best of all, everything can be done whilst with your little one!

Check out more information on the exciting BOB range and don’t forget to print your very own plan and get active today! You can also get some more amazing advice and ideas from the Active Parents website!

This post has been brought to you as part of the BRITAX Mumbassador Programme.