The MHP £50 Amazon Giveaway Win Today

Autumn is nearly over and it is time again for an amazing giveaway to celebrate the last of the fallen leaves. 

Autumn is nearly over and it is time again for an amazing giveaway to celebrate the last of the fallen leaves. 

There are plenty of ways to enter, simply scroll down to the Rafflecopter widget below to see the options. You will also see the terms and conditions below as well as all of the blogs taking part – please do take a moment to visit them to show your support to them.

Bloggers Taking Part

Here is a list of all of the bloggers taking part in this giveaway – please show your support by visiting them.

Underdog Online | Fun Free and Frugal | Shake a Cocktail | Great Yoga Tips | Nishiv | Garden Tea Cakes and Me | Bet Your Lifestyle | Be a Happy World | Sahara Vibes | Swift Earning | Filuv | All Trends Today | Dollars Revenue | Balance the Budget | Life With More Sparkle | The Elements of Blogging | My Lupis Life | Create Branded Business Books | Christmas in the UK | Sand and Sunshine | The Lace | Tea Driven Me | Journalist Book | Digital Marketing Tips for You | Money Tips for You | Project Poppet | Manifest with Loa | Mum’s the Wurd | Vegan Book | Blog Bay Bee | Not Got a Clue | Live Well Way | Sit and Take in the View | The Girl is Back | Singles Mania | Thinking Meat | Mum’s Money Corner | AWL Network | Adventures in Process | Robyn O’brien Photography | Robyn O’brien Photography Academy | Cotswold Lifestyle | The Happy Piggy Bank | Cheat Planet | Mental Health Parent | Mepma | The Thrifty Princess | Skylark Virtual Services | Pesto and Margaritas | Our Life Interrupted | Master Money Multiplier | Elite Education Academy | Cool Kid Crafts | Nelau | Blondarina | My Healthy Temple | Save and Earn | A Little Luxury for Me | Best 4 Mum | Forever Home |

 

The Prize

This prize is a £50 Amazon Giftcard

Terms and conditions

  1. There is one top prize of a £50 Amazon Giftcard
  2. There are no runner up prizes.
  3. Open to UK residents aged 18 and over, excluding all bloggers involved with running the giveaway
  4. Closing date for entries is midnight on 23.11.2022
  5. The same Rafflecopter widget appears on all the blogs involved, but you only need to enter on one blog
  6. Entrants must log in to the Rafflecopter widget, and complete one or more of the tasks – each completed task earns one entry in the prize draw
  7. Tweeting about the giveaway via the Rafflecopter widget will earn five bonus entries into the prize draw.
  8. 1 winner will be chosen at random.
  9. The winner will be informed by email within 7 days of the closing date and will need to respond within 28 days with their delivery address, or a replacement winner will be chosen.
  10. The winners’ names will be published in the Rafflecopter widget (unless the winner objects to this).
  11. The prizes will be dispatched within 14 days of the winner confirming their details.
  12. The promoter is Drew Media LTD t/a www.MakeMoneyWithoutAJob.com
  13. By participating in this prize draw, entrants confirm they have read, understood and agree to be bound by these terms and conditions

Enter now

Simply complete any or all of the Rafflecopter entry widget options below to be entered. You can also tweet about the giveaway daily to earn bonus entries.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The MHP Spooky Halloween Giveaway Win a £50 Amazon Gift Card

Halloween Giveaway

Boys and girls of the older age, it’s time to get ready for something not so strange, come join us and you will find we are doing our good old giveaway.

There are plenty of ways to enter, simply scroll down to the Rafflecopter widget below to see the options. You will also see the terms and conditions below as well as all of the blogs taking part – please do take a moment to visit them to show your support to them.

 

Bloggers Taking Part

Here is a list of all of the bloggers taking part in this giveaway – please show your support by visiting them.

Nishiv | Mum’s the Wurd | Vegan Book | The Life of Adventure | The Smokin Cuban | Blog Bay Bee | Live Well Way | Sit and Take in the View | Not Got a Clue | Fun Free and Frugal | Shake a Cocktail | Great Yoga Tips | Digital Marketing Tips for You | Money Tips for You | Deck and Dock | Mummy Saver Money Maker | Best 4 Mum | My Next Wedding | Save and Earn | Forever Home | Celtic Tigress | Birds and Lilies | Sand and Sunshine | Christmas in the UK | Journalist Book | The Way Up Fitness | Cheat Planet | Cotswold Lifestyle | The Happy Piggy Bank | Mental Health Parent | The Holistic Writer | Ambitious Working Life Network | Her Home Biz | Simple Happy Home | Kigbe | Singles Mania | Adventures in Progress | My Lupus Life | Balance the Budget | Life with more Sparkle | Create Branded Business Books | The Elements of Blogging | Robyn’s Photography Academy | The Thrifty Princess | Underdogs Online | Have a Merry Little Christmas | Lifestyle of a Londoner | The Economic Blog | Pesto and Margaritas | Crafting Her Scents | Crafting her Plans |

The Prize

This prize is a £50 Amazon Gift Card

Terms and conditions

1. There is one top prize of a £50 Amazon Giftcard
2. There are no runner up prizes.
3. Open to UK residents aged 18 and over, excluding all bloggers involved with running the giveaway
4. Closing date for entries is midnight on 23.10.2022
5. The same Rafflecopter widget appears on all the blogs involved, but you only need to enter on one blog
6. Entrants must log in to the Rafflecopter widget, and complete one or more of the tasks – each completed task earns one entry in the prize draw
7. Tweeting about the giveaway via the Rafflecopter widget will earn five bonus entries into the prize draw.
8. 1 winner will be chosen at random.
9. The winner will be informed by email within 7 days of the closing date and will need to respond within 28 days with their delivery address, or a replacement winner will be chosen.
10. The winners’ names will be published in the Rafflecopter widget (unless the winner objects to this).
11. The prizes will be dispatched within 14 days of the winner confirming their details.
12. The promoter is Drew Media LTD t/a www.MakeMoneyWithoutAJob.com
13. By participating in this prize draw, entrants confirm they have read, understood and agree to be bound by these terms and conditions

Enter now

Simply complete any or all of the Rafflecopter entry widget options below to be entered. You can also tweet about the giveaway daily to earn bonus entries.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Mentalhealthparent September Hamper Giveaway Win this amazing Mayfair Hamper

September Giveaway

September means children back to school and us parents can finally get on with a few jobs or maybe you are going back to work? Why not take a break with a lovely M and S hamper and win this in the mental health parent giveaway? There are plenty of ways to enter, simply scroll down to the Rafflecopter widget below to see the options. You will also see the terms and conditions below as well as all of the blogs taking part – please do take a moment to visit them to show your support to them.

Bloggers Taking Part

Here is a list of all of the bloggers taking part in this giveaway – please show your support by visiting them.

Good Life and Mind | Weddings and Wishes | The Heaton Farm | Our Travel | Shake a Cocktail | Great Yoga Tips | Blog Bay Bee | Live Well Way | Sit and Take in the View | Fun Free and Frugal | Not Got a Clue | The Katie Wright Life | The Finance Fettler | Doing the Impcosible | Lifestyle Original | Real Girls Wobble | Live Life Love | The Money Raven | Live Life Love Travel | Save and Earn | Forever Home | Tooth Brush Packed | Celtic Tigress | My Way to Green | Mum’s Guide to Life | Sahara Vibes | Filuv | Swift Earning | Money Tips for You | Digital Marketing Tips for You | Nishiv | Reduced Grub | Once Upon a Baby | Have a Merry Little Christmas | My House Dream | Free Pennies | Vegan Book | Mums the Wurd | The Smokin Cuban | The Life of Adventure | Skylark Virtual Services | Our Life Interrupted | Blackbird PLR | Angela Tempest | Three Words | Sand and Sunshine | Notes From a Kitchen | The Way Up Fitness | The Girl is Back | Singles Mania | Thinking Meat | Best Sub Box UK | Mum’s Money Corner | Youth n Trends | London Fridge | Stupid Lemon | Body Potency | Hello Sixty | Adventures in Progress | Manifest With Loa | Project Poppet | The Happy Piggy Bank | Cotswold Lifestyle | Making Experiences Planning Marvelous Adventures | Mental Health Parent | Cheat Planet | Create Branded Business Books | My Lupus Life | The Elements of Blogging | Life With More Sparkle | Balance the Budget | The Thrifty Princess |

The Prize

This prize is a M&S Tea in Mayfair Hamper

Terms and conditions

There is one top prize of a M&S Tea in Mayfair Hamper
There are no runner up prizes.
Open to UK residents aged 18 and over, excluding all bloggers involved with running the giveaway
Closing date for entries is midnight on 23.09.2022
The same Rafflecopter widget appears on all the blogs involved, but you only need to enter on one blog
Entrants must log in to the Rafflecopter widget, and complete one or more of the tasks – each completed task earns one entry in the prize draw
Tweeting about the giveaway via the Rafflecopter widget will earn five bonus entries into the prize draw.
1 winner will be chosen at random.
The winner will be informed by email within 7 days of the closing date and will need to respond within 28 days with their delivery address, or a replacement winner will be chosen.
The winners’ names will be published in the Rafflecopter widget (unless the winner objects to this).
The prizes will be dispatched within 14 days of the winner confirming their details.
The promoter is Drew Media LTD t/a www.MakeMoneyWithoutAJob.com
By participating in this prize draw, entrants confirm they have read, understood and agree to be bound by these terms and conditions

Enter now

Simply complete any or all of the Rafflecopter entry widget options below to be entered. You can also tweet about the giveaway daily to earn bonus entries.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

How to Choose a Good School for Your Child

how to choose a good school

Find out everything you need to know about choosing the right school for your child. You will want to know how to choose a good school for your child.

Choosing a school for your child is a major decision. There are many factors to consider, but at the end of the day, you want to find a school that will be the best fit for your child.

One way to do this is by understanding what types of schools are available and what their pros and cons are. There are many factors to consider such as the location, the curriculum, what to wear, and more.

But how do you choose the best school?

Many parents choose a school based on the proximity of the school, but that’s not always a good strategy. For example, you might have chosen to live near a great primary or secondary school to be able to minimize your child’s travel time and costs. But if your family has economic and social needs that are not met in the local schools. What if your child has special needs?

Choosing a school for your child can be a daunting task. You want the best education for your child, but you also want to do your research and find the school that will match their needs. Luckily, Technology has made this process a lot easier. There are many online tools that make it easy to compare schools in terms of academics, sports, location, and more.

What are the factors that make a school good? This article will help you find the right fit for your child. What are the key factors that make a good school? This article will help you find the fit for your child. What makes school work for your child? Here are some suggestions.

As a parent, you want the best for your child. This includes the school they will be attending. It is important to look at all the schools in your area and visit them.

This way you can see if it is a good fit for your child academically, socially and financially. You might be deciding between a state school or self-funded independent school. If your child has special needs they may require something called an EHCP (education health and care plan)

We were told by doctors that our son would never be able to go to school. He was autistic, and they said he would never learn how to speak or interact with others. We were so devastated that we almost gave up on him.

But then a friend of mine told me about a school that specialized in teaching children with autism. I didn’t know what to expect, but I was willing to try anything at this point. So we went there, and it turned out the teachers were all trained in special techniques for working with autistic children. They said they could teach our son how to communicate and read! It was such a relief!

So it’s extremely important to make many considerations. Visiting the schools and speaking to other parents and teachers asking questions. Do not just go by their latest Ofsted report. It’s about finding the right school for your child not how good the school is performing.

However, you go about it make sure you are happy with all the answers and that your child is included in the process. We all want a child to be happy to attend a school that’s what’s important at the end of the day.

How to Optimize Your Budget

How to Optimize Your Budget

How to Optimize Your Budget

The current financial crisis post covid and lockdown together with the fuel crisis are hitting all our pockets hard. It is time to re-evaluate your budget so you can optimize your budget. According to BBC Bitesize, they have a fantastic budgeting

section to help you manage your budget. How to Optimize your budget may require a little more research than simply adding up your current expenses. Once you know where you are spending the most, it will be easier to figure out what needs to change. Is your budget optimized for your needs? Find out if you’re spending too much or not enough with this helpful guide. A budget is a set of planned allocations that will be allotted to a goal. The goal can be anything, such as improving your financial situation, going on vacation, or even paying off debt. It is important to take the time to determine how much you are capable of allocating to this goal before devising the plan for your budget. Budgeting is a process of creating and documenting a plan for spending money on goods and services. This can help to understand the cost of living, set financial goals, create contingencies in case expenses change, plan purchases and identify ways to reduce spending.

optimize budget
optimize budget

How to Optimize Your Budget what is your monthly Budget

What is my monthly budget? How much should I spend on groceries? The answers to these questions will help you better understand your current spending habits. and will allow you to make more informed decisions about the costs associated. What is my monthly budget? This is a very personal question and can vary greatly depending on what you are spending money on. If your monthly income range is between $10,000 and $14,999 then an approximate average would be $500 to $600 dollars per month

Your monthly budget should be based on what you need to live comfortably and responsibly. Your grocery budget should be based on the number of people living in your household, the type of food you eat, and your shopping habits.

Your budget is one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make. It dictates how much money you can spend and save, so it’s important to get it right the first time. Learn more.

Your budget is important. It tells you how much you are spending or saving every month and it can help you plan for the future. But how do you know if your budget is optimized for your needs? With a few simple questions, this helpful guide will help you evaluate if your budget is set up for success!

Managing Expenses

These days, it’s not easy to make ends meet. There are lots of expenses that come up, often at the same time. So how can you make sure you have enough money to pay for everything?

If you want to make sure you’re able to pay for all of your expenses, then it’s important to build an emergency fund. That way, if something unexpected comes up and you need extra money, you’ll have the means to pay it. Creating an emergency fund is a crucial first step in financial planning.

There are three components to a budget: income, expenses, and savings.

The first step to set up your budget is to calculate your net income. To do that take your gross income (before taxes) and subtract the money you contribute to taxes, investments, or retirement accounts.

. A great way to set up a good budget is by having a percentage of your net income put aside for monthly expenses, monthly savings goals, and yearly savings goals.

The first step in creating a budget is estimating your monthly expenses. This includes all the bills that you need to pay every month such as food, rent or mortgage, tuition payments, phone plans, and Netflix subscriptions. The next step is calculating the amount of disposable monthly income left from this calculation – this will be the amount of money you can spend on things like clothes, entertainment, or going out with friends. Get out your calculator and sort through what you can save spend and then set your budget accordingly allow for a rainly day. You will thank yourself in 6 months time.

How to Cope with The Christmas Holiday Stress

I Need to Cope with the Stresses of Christmas!

I have found November a particularly difficult time this year. For a number of reasons related to my son and his college. He missed 19 college days and its also been very stressful due to my daughter’s mental health. On 1st December  I managed to get away for a night away with my best friend which was incredible and much needed.

I had time to relax and enjoy a normal life for a change.  So I write this because we go into December with so much expectation.  After Covid took away a NORMAL Christmas last year. Many are looking forward to a much improved Christmas with family and friends. However, the expectations of Christmas can become overwhelming.  Even getting the Christmas decorations up can become a stressful time. I was very late making my Christmas Cakes this year so I already feel behind I have only purchased a small number of gifts so I have decided to reflect on reducing that stress this year. At the end of the day, it’s about spending quality time with friends and family.

It is easy to feel the stresses and pressures of Christmas as we go through the season. However, there are ways to cope with those pressures and stresses. The first step is realizing how you feel. This starts with building a list of what causes those feelings. Then, you can start making a plan for coping with them.

One of the most common problems that people experience this time of year is holiday stress. In order to avoid this problem, it’s important to take care of yourself by including self-care activities in your daily routine and by getting enough sleep at night.

The Christmas holidays are a time of relaxation and celebration. It is also a time where we have to juggle a lot of tasks. Some tips for coping with the Christmas season are:

*Give yourself permission to not get everything done. You can’t do it all.

*Plan ahead, make lists, and prioritize what you’d like to get done during this busy time of year.

*Take care of yourself; remember that you deserve the break too!

*Socialize; interact with others and give your brain some rest by taking it out of work mode every now and then

*Eat well; eat healthy, nutritious food to fuel your body for all the tasks at hand

The Christmas season can be a hectic time for anyone, but it is especially difficult for those with anxiety or depression. Coping with the Christmas season can make anxiety and depression worse if you don’t know how to handle it.

Ways to Relax and Overcome Stress this Holiday Season

This section is about the ways to relax and overcome stress this holiday season. It discusses the negative effects of stress on your mental health, as well as some strategies to manage it.

The first thing that you should know is that stress has a negative effect on your mental health. It can cause many problems, including sleep disorders, heart problems, and more. You should make an effort to reduce or even eliminate it from your life if you want to be happy this holiday season.

There are four main things that can help you with managing your stress this holiday season: taking time for yourself, slowing down and doing less around the house, spending time with family or friends; getting enough rest; and practicing forgiveness. And don’t forget about exercise – try yoga or meditation!

This holiday season, we all need to stay healthy and happy.

Here are some tips on how you can remain calm and healthy during this busy time:

– Try a physical activity to keep your blood flowing and your spirits high. This could be anything from a quick walk to a rigorous workout.

– Be present with the people around you by telling stories, reminiscing, or just enjoying the company of those around you.

– Remember that it is not about what you buy but what you give. Whether it is giving someone a kind word or volunteering your time for an organization, picking up litter from the street, or donating food at a shelter – these acts of kindness will do more for your sense of well-being than any purchase ever can.

How to Cope with Christmas Stress: Tips for Coping and Resilience

Coping with stress in social situations is a difficult task for many people. It can also be complicated to understand the differences between stress and anxiety, and the difference between good and bad stress.

One of the most important things to remember when coping with stress, is to take care of your body. This includes eating well, exercising, getting enough sleep, and doing something you find relaxing or enjoyable. If you live in a busy environment with not much time for these things it can help to set some realistic goals for yourself such as getting up early for work so that you have time before work to do them.

It’s also important not just to try to block thoughts about stressful events from your mind but also talk about them with someone you trust or who can give you advice about how best to cope.

The holidays are always a wonderful time of year. But, for many, they can also be stressful. If you are one that worries about making mistakes or not being perfect, this stress is inevitable.

The holidays can be overwhelming with all the hustle and bustle of families, parties, shopping and decorating. To avoid holiday stress it is important to take care of yourself by practicing healthy habits like regular exercise and getting enough sleep. Setting reasonable goals for your family gifts, social events, and house decorations is also helpful in reducing stress levels during this time of year.

Win a Marks and Spencer Festive Christmas Hamper

Parenting is Stressful Win this amazing Marks and Spencer Hamper to help you manage the stresses of Christmas Planning

With Christmas right around the corner it is the perfect time to start thinking of maybe a little Christmas tea party to enjoy. I have teamed up with some UK bloggers to bring you this amazing giveaway.

This prize is M&S Christmas Tea in Mayfair hamper.

So hold onto your kettles! There are plenty of ways to enter, simply scroll down to the Rafflecopter widget below to see the options. You will also see the terms and conditions below as well as all of the blogs taking part – please do take a moment to visit them to show your support to them. 

Bloggers Taking Part

Here is a list of all of the bloggers taking part in this giveaway – please show your support by visiting them.

Blog Bay Bee | Not got a Clue | Sit and Take in the View | Money Making Mummy | Brig Knows Best | Fully Money | Make a Little Money | Touch of Wellness | Diet Exercise Lose Weight | Online Life Calendar | The Finance Fettler | Doing the Impossible | Positively Eco | The Heaton Fam | Good Life and Mind | Weddings and Wishes | Feli Family | Schoolhouse Cinema

She’s Changing Lanes | Make Money Online Creative | Photographyish | Sahara Vibes | Celtic Tigress | Forever Home | Eric Ales | Mum’s Guide to Life | Keene on Saving | Home and Garden Things | The Green Purpose | Make Money Blogging Now | Crafting Her Joy | Our Life Interrupted | Skylark Virtual Services | Home Town Furniture | The How to Heroes | Wow Gift Creations | Mudpies and Rainbows | The Parenting Insider | Thrifty Husband | Mrs Pinch

Blogger Creations | Harley Smith | Surviving with Coffee | The Blogging Portal | Spiritual Life Learning | Big Boys Cry | Sporf | Image Premiums | Live Life Love | Birds and Lillies | Journalist Book | The Way up Fitness | Cheat Planet | Cotswold Lifestyle | Mental Health Parent | Ellis Denning | Frugal and Fun | Blog Masters | 911 Blog | Bake More Cake

Inhome Insights | Craving Christmas | Lifestyle Saving Techniques | Insequiral | Ecoralive | Have a Fab Day | Mrs Money Pot | Wake up it’s Monday | Money Matters UK | Mortgages After 60 | Gonna Get Wed | Lifestyle of a Londoner | Manifest with Loa | Active Gardening | Skinny Spending | Discount Days Out | Gin and Gemini | Joyful Bite | Lula Grace | The Family Cookbook | Madam Blunt | Steely Soft | Interior Design Toolbox

Blogging 101 | Savvy Squirrel | Paper Writing | Pots of Pennies | Trust Nature | Full of Wishes | Life with More Sparkle | Balance the Budget | Guide to Health and Fitness | Money Money Money Online | Green Northerner | The Free From Mummy | Kitchen Recipe Book | Binancially Inclined | The Green Shilling | KiddoCo | The Life we Built | Annie Grace | The Thrifty Princess | Crafted with Perfection

Make Enough Money | Thrifty Minimalist | Lydony | A Little Life of Lovely | The Good Life in Somerset | Live it Your Way | Better Best You | Christmas Ahoy | Pounds and Pennies | Amaze Ball Gamer | All Sorts of Jazz | Lisa Cooking | Frugal Home Project | Dotranker | SEO Gold | Nishiv | Vegan Book | Mums the Wurd | Valid Articles | Houston Marcha | Citas Planet | Doggie Attitude

The Prize

This prize is M&S Christmas Tea in Mayfair hamper.

This includes:

  • 6 all butter mince pies (334g)
  • Classic Panettone (100g)
  • Clementine & cranberry Bucks Fizz (75cl) (Alcohol Content- 4%)
  • Luxury Gold tea tin (10 bags)
  • 8 Chocolate & orange cookies & cream biscuits (176g)
  • Classic recipe iced Christmas cake slices (240g)
  • Hand decorated fudge chocolate yule log (495g)
  • All butter shortbread trees (100g)
  • Grey wicker hamper

Terms and conditions

1. There is one top prize of the M&S Christmas Tea in Mayfair Hamper.
2. There are no runner up prizes.
3. Open to UK residents aged 18 and over, excluding all bloggers involved with running the giveaway
4. Closing date for entries is midnight on 23.11.2021
5. The same Rafflecopter widget appears on all the blogs involved, but you only need to enter on one blog
6. Entrants must log in to the Rafflecopter widget, and complete one or more of the tasks – each completed task earns one entry in the prize draw
7. Tweeting about the giveaway via the Rafflecopter widget will earn five bonus entries into the prize draw.
8. 1 winner will be chosen at random.
9. The winner will be informed by email within 7 days of the closing date and will need to respond within 28 days with their delivery address, or a replacement winner will be chosen.
10. The winners’ names will be published in the Rafflecopter widget (unless the winner objects to this).
11. The prizes will be dispatched within 14 days of the winner confirming their details. In this giveaway’s case prizes will be dispatched from 15th December.
12. The promoter is Drew Media LTD t/a www.MakeMoneyWithoutAJob.com
13. By participating in this prize draw, entrants confirm they have read, understood and agree to be bound by these terms and conditions

Enter now

Simply complete any or all of the Rafflecopter entry widget options below to be entered. You can also tweet about the giveaway daily to earn bonus entries.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sleep is an Antidote for Stress

Sleep is an Antidote for Stress

 

Sadly, stress is part of life. At some point, everyone experiences stress. Physical, emotional and other types of stress take their toll on our minds and bodies. That’s why sleep is so important. Sleep is an antidote for stress.

 

Our bodies use sleep to restore and recover. While we sleep our bodies carry out important restorative functions. Our brains rid themselves of toxins and sort out the events that happened throughout the day. Our bodies repair and restore themselves as well. It’s pretty amazing how much our minds and bodies remain active even when we are sleeping.

Stress affects the mind and body

Stress takes its toll on our minds and bodies. Stress causes the release of cortisol, a powerful hormone that triggers the fight or flight response in our bodies. This hormone can cause overwhelming sensations in the body, raise blood pressure, and cause anxious feelings. Sound sleep helps reduce the levels of cortisol and balance the chemistry in the brain and body. Chronic stress without adequate sleep can raise your risk for heart disease and stroke.

 

Stress affects our mood

 

Stress affects our mood. When we are stressed, we tend to over or under-react. This can lead to an onslaught of problems. Living in a heightened sense of worry or anxiety can result in eating too much or too little, emotional outbursts or withdrawal, or a wide range of other behaviors. After a long day of stress, the best thing to regulate mood swings is a restful night’s sleep.

Stress affects our relationships

 

Stress changes how we engage with other people. Being worried, anxious, or overwhelmed makes it harder to be present and engage positively with other people. From co-workers to family, stress can fracture relationships if we aren’t careful. Being able to unplug from people and take some time for yourself can help. Sleeping provides a significant amount of time to recharge and get ready to face the world again. Even the act of relaxing in bed prior to sleeping can aid in rebuilding your energy and make it easier to get along with others.

Sleep is the antidote for stress

 

Sleep is a wonderful remedy for a stressful day. Relaxing in the comfort of your bed and letting go of the worries of the world can give you new perspective, renew your spirit and energy. Sleep can be the escape you need from the pressures going on and give you the uninterrupted time to recover. Making sleep a priority, including naps when necessary, can help your mind and body recover from stress and manage difficult situations easier.

Fun Tips to Help Children Learn their Spellings

Girl Writing in a book

Fun Tips to Help Children Learn their Spellings

A step by step guide to teaching children how to spell

Teaching children how to spell is not as easy as it sounds. Teaching them how to spell correctly can be a challenge, but it does not have to be. These 5 tips will help you teach your child how to spell with ease whilst having some fun at the same time.

1) Use repetition, repetition, repetition.

2) Ignore minor mistakes-correct them later on.

3) Create a personalised spelling list that they are interested in and that will also help them learn their spellings.

4) Bring spelling into life by linking words with everything around you.

5) Variety is key-spellings are not all the same!

When it comes to learning spellings, it can be like pulling teeth to support our little ones. It doesn’t have to be this way, though. 

Back in the day, your parent would read out the word, perhaps telling you a sentence to give you context, and then you’d be expected to either give each letter of the word or write it down. That approach does not work for many children, so have a go at the following fun ways to practise spellings, and you should encounter less resistance. 

Mnemonics

The word mnemonic itself is tricky to spell. However, the thought behind the strategy will certainly help. Mnemonics help children (and adults) to remember difficult things, including spellings, such as because – big elephants can add up sums easily. Using your child’s spelling list, create some fun mnemonics together and illustrate them, placing them around the house to see them regularly. 

Ransom letters

Forget throwing out the catalogues and leaflets that come through the door daily. Instead, keep them and put them to one side for this fun activity that will have your child engaged. First, tell them the spelling word they need to spell and then, using the printed material, get them to cut out letters, creating the words, resulting in a ransom letter of their spellings. It’s a lot of fun and gets them to think carefully about the order of the letters, too. 

Magnetic letters

There is another use for the magnetic letters than simply leaving insults for your partner. In fact, their intended purpose was for younger children to experiment with creating words and sentences. So, why not tell your child the word and get them to spell it? Even better, ask them to incorporate it into a sentence.

Missing letters

The English language is a peculiar and nonsensical one at times. Many vowel sounds are actually a schwa (almost a grunt of a sound and shorter than a typical short vowel sound). Think of the word ‘chicken’ – it can be difficult to determine that the final vowel is an e because it is a schwa sound. Write down some of the spelling words on a piece of paper or a whiteboard and ask your child to complete it. 

Sticky notes

Choose one of the spelling words and write them down a letter at a time on sticky notes. Then, present them to your child in random order. They should look carefully at the letters and rearrange them into the correct sequence, spelling the desired word. 

Run and grab

For this activity, you will need flashcards with letters A to Z on them. I prefer to have them printed in A4 size, then spread them over the floor in a large area. Next, tell your child one of their spelling words. They should then run, grab the first letter, show you and place it back down, repeating until they have spelled the entire word. This fun, active way of practising spellings is excellent for using up pent-up energy, too.

How can we Encourage Reluctant Readers and Engage Them in Reading?

Ways to Encourage Reluctant Readers

I always struggled to get my kids to read books I thought it would be great to include some helpful tips for your reluctant reader. There are lots of reasons why your child is finding difficulty reading. They could be dyslexic or they are just bored with the choice of reading material.

A reluctance to read can be for various reasons. However, just because a child does not care for reading material does not mean that we cannot attempt to change their likes and dislikes, encouraging an appreciation for the written word. 

Here are some suggestions of how you could encourage the reluctant reader in your life. 

Read to them

Sometimes a child simply isn’t ready to read, and they must gain enthusiasm for stories and other texts. What better feeling as a parent than leaving them at the end of a chapter desperate to find out what happens next? Audiobooks are another valuable resource, especially useful for long car journeys. 

Vary the material

Often, we are so fixated on children reading the book that has been sent home from school that we neglect their willingness to read other things. Whether it’s a catalogue for a toy store or an instruction manual for their Lego model, a comic book, or a non-fiction book about Space, allow them the freedom to choose their own material on occasions. 

Role reversal

Kids love telling us parents what we’ve done wrong, right? Reversing the typical roles of the parent as the teacher and the child as the student allows your kid to take charge and boss you around. Read their reading book to them in the hope that they will pick up on your mistakes. Pay attention to the sound they have been learning and get them wrong. Then, they are likely to realize you’ve made a mistake and pull you upon it. 

Reduce the formality

How you structure your reading time with your child can make a difference in how well it is received. Forget the table and chairs. Instead, get comfy and cozy, wrap up under a blanket, hideaway in a den, and share a book, encouraging your child to read alternate words, then sentences, and eventually paragraphs and pages. If your kid is used to reading in the same place at the same time every night, perhaps that is why they are reluctant. You could create a spinner with a few different places written on, including the treehouse in the garden or even the bathtub, and get them to spin it each night and see which location is randomly selected. 

Read to soft toys

Parents aren’t the be-all and end-all when it comes to reading. Some children adore reading to their teacher but audibly groan when it’s time to read to Mum. Get them to grab their favourite teddies, arrange them in a circle, and read them a bedtime story. You can still access it on the periphery, but you are not the main focus like you usually would be.

Incorporate games

Is it still reading if you play games that involve sounding out the words? Of course! One of the most enjoyable games for younger children is ‘fastest finger first. After reading a page of their book, get them to wiggle their index finger and give them a word that they must find before you do. This game helps them to remember words and can also be super fun for both them and you. Just don’t let them win every time!