Mum Reviews...

Press Release: SLaM & OCD ACTION LAUNCH ‘OCD AT SCHOOL’ WEBSITE

The South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust’s Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Service for children and young people has partnered with OCD Action to develop an innovative new website to provide information on OCD to young people and parents. 

The ‘OCD At School’ website aims to bring awareness of OCD into the school environment, helping educators to spot the signs of OCD and to provide support to pupils with the disorder.

SLaM and The City Bridge Trust worked with OCD Action to bring together educators, parents and young people with OCD to develop the OCD At School project.

Dr Isobel Heyman, head of SLaM’s OCD Service for children and adolescents, said the new website would provide advice to both young people with OCD, and their parents and teachers.

“OCD is a debilitating condition which affects around one per cent of young people under the age of 18 in the UK.  As the symptoms increase, OCD can consume the a young person’s daily life.  Peer and family relationships of often suffer and individuals may even become housebound or stop attending school,” Dr Heyman said.

21st Century Baby Blues!

Screaming and chucking the toys out of the pram – and that’s just the parents…

 ·  First 24 months following childbirth are the most stressful time of our lives

 ·  Changing nappies, choosing baby names and interfering in-laws drive us to distraction

The first two years following childbirth are the most stressful years of our lives – that’s the verdict of a new study which suggests that the first 24 months following a first born witness more bickering and marital strife than at any other time across the course of a lifetime. 

The survey of 2000 British parents with children under the age of 16, was specially commissioned to mark the DVD release of ‘Life As We Know It’ out on Monday 28^thMarch. This lighthearted rom-com starring Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel, explores the hilarious calamities of unexpected parenthood when the couple are left to bring up their best friends’ child and quickly realise that they must juggle careers and social calendars whilst setting their differences aside.

Guest Post: Should Your Youngster Have a Laptop?

One of the interesting aspects I found in Christmas shopping for youngsters this year was the large selection of toddler's first computers. I was amazed at what a young age these little ones are now being exposed to technology, even by way as something considered as  entertainment, being introduced as a child's toy.  I have to admit though it did get me thinking as to the pros and cons of this and enticed me to do a little research. Here are some of my thoughts on laptops for little ones.

Too much too soon?

My first reaction was my goodness, can we not just let them be kids for a little while? Then upon looking closer at these first laptops I realized that they are quite entertaining. There are some excellent learning opportunities even from a toddler's age that is being offered through them. With all the children's activities that can be found on the net it opens up doors for kids that may not otherwise have access to these types of venues.

Research shows investing in women’s education will reduce global hunger

Aid agency issues call to action on International Women’s Day

NEW YORK (March 7, 2011)—Concern* Worldwide, the international humanitarian organization, marks International Women’s Day March 8 with call to action for international governments, civil society and men and women everywhere to addressgender inequality and increase the opportunities of girls and women significantly.

Analysis (Global Hunger Index, “The Challenge of Hunger: Focus on the Financial Crisis & Gender Equality,” 2009) by Concern and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)suggests that improving girls ‘and women’s educational attainment, economic participation, health status and representation and influence at a political level will actually reduce hunger, showing that investments in greater equality have multiple indirect benefits.

Yet, according to the latest UN estimates, 69 million children worldwide are not enrolled primary school and 54 percent of these are girls. Girls are also more likely than boys to stop attending school before they complete primary education and have a significantly smaller chance of progressing to secondary school in many parts of the world because of poverty, attitudes and beliefs about the status of girls relative to boys, abuse in schools and discrimination.

‘Ideal Mum of the Year’ returns for the 2011 Ideal Home Show

**CALL FOR ENTRIES **

‘Ideal Mum of the Year’ returns for the 2011 Ideal Home Show 

-Shower your Mum with luxury gifts from Elemis and the Hilton Kensington-

Why wait until Mother’s Day to say thank you when you can spoil her now?

Do you know a Mum who always defies the odds and overcomes any task to look after her family? If so then we want to hear from you.

Back for 2011, the Ideal Home Show, running 11^th – 27^th March in London’s Earls Court, is searching for fabulous women to take part in the‘Ideal Mum of the Year competition’. The competition celebrates hardworking modern day mums, and this year’s search aims to seek out those extraordinary super-women who manage to juggle work, life and parenting in order to satisfy their families’ needs.

The competition offers families around the country a chance to say thank you to the most important lady in their life and to give them a well-earned break with gifts from luxury brand, Elemis, the Hilton Kensington and Windle & Moodie salon.

This can be your own Mum, or an Auntie, Friend or Grandma that you feel deserves the title of ‘Ideal Mum of the Year 2011.’

Guest Post: Lead and Asbestos Risks in the Home

New Guest Post just published on Breastfeeding Mums: Lead and Asbestos Risks in the Home.

If you'd like to see your work published and promoted on our site, contact us for further information!

Guest Post: Tongue-Tied? Snip that Frenulum

I've just posted a great new guest post over on Breastfeeding Mums website - Tongue-Tied? Snip that Frenulum.

If you'd like to see your work published and promoted on our site, contact us for further information!

Guest Post: Is It a Good Idea to Hire a Male Babysitter?

It would seem that perhaps there is a stigma attached to using males for babysitting services. This dates back into history when it was most common for the women to be assigned to the child rearing and the home responsibilities, and was the man’s job to bring in the money.

Times have certainly changed over the years and there is many more stay at home dads now that take on the role that was once considered to be only for females. This includes the babysitting responsibilities as well. There are some excellent male babysitters that have a great deal of experience in dealing with children and are fantastic, and very reputable in the babysitting role. So when considering a babysitter for your children, it really is most acceptable nowadays, to consider one of either gender?

Getting Your Kids to Enjoy Nature's Medicine

Are you like many Mom's who are totally frustrated with trying to convince the kids to take their eyes off the television and their fingers off the games controls and spend some time outdoors? If so, then perhaps these suggestions will help you in your battle against the cyber world so your kids will enjoy a healthier outdoor atmosphere.

How you will approach this task will depend on the age of the youngsters. This can be anywhere from when they first discover the television right up into their teens.

For the little ones make up an outdoor adventure focusing on something they are intrigued with. Perhaps your little guy likes insects and bugs, where your little girl is mesmerized with butterflies. The plan is, that you heard about this really neat new bug or butterfly that is around and you are going on a nature hunt.

Guest Post: Investing in the future – what are your options?

In today’s precarious economic climate, investing your hard-earned cash might seem like a risk too big to take. But if you do your research and invest wisely, the rewards could be great.

In the most basic sense, an investment is anything which you put money into now in order to receive a (hopefully larger) lump sum in the future. The most familiar example to many of us is a personal pension; paying a certain amount into a pension fund on a regular basis will provide you with a lump sum on retirement (usually 25% of the total invested) and a steady income for the rest of your life.

Currently the limit to what an individual can pay into a pension fund is set at £225,000 per financial year, or £1.8 million throughout their working life. Some of this can come from the Government, who will pay contributions based on the individual’s rate of income tax. For example, a basic-rate taxpayer who wishes to invest £1500 into their pension will pay £1170, with the remaining 22% coming from Government contributions.