Post in association with Asda

There comes a time in a family where you feel like you have bought All Of The Christmas Gifts. Do you know what I mean? Like you’ve thought of all of the things people would like, bought them for them, and really none of you need anything anymore.

There are a couple of ways you can go with things when you hit this point – you can give up and agree that you don’t need presents anymore OR you can start buying personalised towels with your dog on them.

I know which way I’m going.

Personalised Christmas gifts

I didn’t wait until Christmas to take this round to my mum’s house and give it to her partner Mitch.

Mitch LOVES Mako – I’m not exaggerating when I say he loves her more than any human – and every Christmas so far we’ve given him a calendar full of pictures of her. He always puts a towel down on the sofa for Mako, so this was the absolute perfect gift for him.

Mako had a quick look, clearly understood what was expected, and settled in.

Personalised photo gifts

(Mako is also modelling a Halloween bandana that Belle crocheted for her. Mitch was less keen on this.)

Asda do such a wide range of personalised photo gifts – you don’t have to stick to personalised towels and you’re not obliged to put a picture of Mako on anything, although let me know if you’d like me to send you any as she IS adorable. They have all the usual things like calendars and canvases and cushions and mugs but they also do a few bits that I’ve not seen anywhere else, like a personalised photo memory game.

Yep, you can now capture special family memories forever in a game that you can cherish and play at family get togethers for years to come. OR you can mix things up and include some the worst pictures of everybody and have a jolly good laugh at their expense. I didn’t exclude myself either. I’ve always taken a lovely photo, as you can see:

Personalised pairs game Asda

Photo pairs game Asda

I especially like how my mum and Mako are making the exact same expression in this one.

None of these Asda photo gifts are expensive, but they’re cute and fun and they mean something. If you’re struggling to know what to get for people for Christmas this year then why not create your own family photo game, or maybe a family photo jigsaw for everyone to get stuck into on Boxing Day over a tin of Roses and a tub of Twiglets?

Asda personalised photo gifts

 

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I can remember very clearly the first time I read a Mo Willems book. Baby Joey was about two years old and I had taken him to the library. I’d picked out a selection of books from the big boxes in the middle of the children’s section and I was imagining us getting comfy in a beanbag or something and reading through each book in hushed tones.

Joey was having none of it of course, and instead was running from one side of the children’s library to the other, over and over, stopping only to pick up a Mr Men book at one end and drop it by my feet at the other.

While Joey got on with things, I looked through the pile of books I’d chosen and settled on Don’t Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus. I sat very nicely and read it to myself in hushed tones.

I loved it. I think I laughed out loud. To myself. In the children’s library.

What I didn’t realise, which I only discovered when I just looked it up on Amazon, is that’s it’s over 20 years old! I couldn’t believe I’d not seen it before. I guess I’ve been out of the kids’ books loop for a while. The pigeon has had a lot of adventures it turns out. I especially liked the sound of The Pigeon Finds a Hotdog.

When I was offered a sneak preview of Willems’s new book for Christmas then, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive The Sleigh, I said yes please immediately.

Don't Let The Pigeon Drive the Sleigh

The pigeon has a gumption that you can’t help but admire, even when he’s shouting at you. He’s a pigeon who knows what he wants and isn’t afraid to yell at people until he gets it. He’s the version of myself I’d like to be, if getting angry didn’t make me cry and look feeble. (Although I did raise my voice to a woman in a petrol station this morning, which I might tell you about in another post.)

I’ve been meaning to write this post for so long that the good news is that this preview copy is now obsolete as Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Sleigh is now OUT and available for you to buy. It would make a jolly nice Christmas present for any small people in your life, or buy it for yourself if you’re the sort of person who likes to sit quietly in the library reading kids’ books.

 

This preview copy was a gift. Post contains affiliate links.

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Advertisement feature in association with Yoopies

If you thought Yoopies was just a babysitting service then think again. Yoopies can help you find flexible, affordable care for the whole family, whether it’s a babysitter, petsitter, cleaner, tutor or carer. Read on to find out more.

For over 20 years my life revolved around primarily one thing – childcare. Where would the children go to preschool? Could I work around the hours? What about the ‘settling in’ period at school? School holidays?? All of these were the basics that enabled me to work and earn a living, without even factoring in potentially wanting to have a social life as a single parent.

And then, as I was just about off the hook, (apart from becoming a Granny), I decided to get a dog. I sometimes wonder what goes on in my mind when I’m making decisions like this. (My motto is ‘Ready, fire, aim’ – it’s meant to avoid overthinking, but perhaps underthinking is more of an issue?)

The whole dog situation was fairly horrendous to start with – I felt trapped and overwhelmed by the responsibility and was sure I had ruined my life forever. Spoiler: I hadn’t, I now love her to pieces. It was touch and go for a while though.

Mucky puppy

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sensory play ideas

Sensory play is a vital tool to help babies learn about the world around them. It involves stimulating their senses through different textures, colours, shapes, materials and sound. Research has demonstrated that sensory play can have several benefits for babies, including cognitive, motor and physical development.

Babies’ brains are like sponges, constantly absorbing and processing new information. Sensory play experiences help to build neural pathways in the brain, which are essential for learning and problem-solving. An example of this is learning about the permanence of objects. Prior to learning this, babies perceive an object to have been lost when it goes out of sight. However, through games such as ‘peek-a-boo’, where babies see your face disappear and then re-appear again, babies learns that objects are actually permanent.

Through exposure, you can teach a baby about different textures, such as rough or smooth surfaces. You can also teach them to recognise different colours and shapes, particularly in their early days as they develop their eyesight. Sensory play also helps to develop your baby’s fine motor skills, as they use their fingers and hands to manipulate different objects. This is important for later development, as it will help them with everyday tasks such as writing, drawing, and even typing on a laptop.

How can I give my baby sensory experiences?

There are many different types of sensory play that are suitable for babies, depending on their age and developmental stage. For example, babies as young as six months can enjoy playing with soft toys, looking at black & white contrast cards or playing with small rattles. They can also explore different textures, such as sand, water, and play dough, which provide a range of tactile experiences.

Sensory play can also be incorporated into everyday routines, such as bath time, tummy time and meal time. For example, bath toys such as cups and sponges provide a range of sensory experiences. They may also enjoy playing with small musical instruments such as mini pianos, castanets and tambourines, purpose-built to help them experience different sounds.

As babies grow to become toddlers, they can engage in more complex sensory play activities, such as using tweezers to pick things, placing objects through shape sorters and balancing pieces. These activities help to develop their creativity and imagination, as they learn to express themselves through different media.

How can I easily find sensory toys that are suitable for my baby?

We, at Grow With Me, offer a subscription box that gives babies access to sensory toys appropriate to their age. This takes out all the hassle of having to constantly research which toys are appropriate and safe for your child.

Our toy box subscription runs for 0-24 month olds. Each box contains high quality sensory and wooden toys, which includes rattles, sensory balls, mini musical instruments, contrast cards and many, many more! Our research-based play box has been designed to improve motor skills, imagination, independence and creativity, all whilst having tons of fun!

We recently launched our quarterly box, which costs £60 for 3 months, which works out at just £20 per month. Each box contains 6-9 toys from leading brands such as Hape, Lamaze and Bigjigs. This subscription includes everything you’ll need to give your baby the best sensory experience in their younger years. It also contains 2 books to read to your child, many of which contains sensory cues in the form of different textures, colours and occasionally sounds!

Written by Vishal from Grow With Me

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Advertisement feature : this post is in conjunction with Boots UK but all thoughts are my own.

What do you think of when you think of a family nowadays? It’s definitely not the traditional mum, dad, two kids and a dog of the 1950s.

For many of us, Mother’s Day raises some interesting questions about what it means to be a mother and, whether or not we have our own biological mothers in our lives, who the people are that represent that safe place. Who are the women in your life that are like mothers to you, the unsung heroes who show you that same unconditional love and support? It could be a friend, an aunt, an older sister – anyone who you know that you can always turn to for words of wisdom and encouragement.

If you’re lucky enough to have people like this in your life, the next question is are you planning to do anything to celebrate them this Mother’s Day? Boots believes that all of the ‘mums’ out there deserve thanks on Mother’s Day. Whoever the mum is in your life, Boots has Mother’s Day presents to suit.

Luxury Mother’s Day gifts

Personally, as much as I’ve enjoyed the homemade cards and ‘breakfasts’ in bed over the years, now I appreciate gifts that are things that I wouldn’t buy for myself, homemade gifts, treats that are maybe a little more than I’d usually spend, or presents that make me feel like I’m being spoilt.

Boots has lots of gifts for mum like this.

Mother's Day gift ideas

Chanel Le Mousse cleanser from Boots

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Sponsored post in association with DEFRA

Last week I went to some of my favourite nearby gardens, where they also happen to have some chickens. After some searching online, I think they are Golden Sebright chickens, one of the oldest British bantam breeds. Apparently, they were the first poultry breed to have its own specialist club for enthusiasts, and are a largely ornamental chicken. They lay tiny white eggs and are too small to be kept for meat.

I have a lot of respect for a largely ornamental chicken. It’s kind of sassy to say ‘you know, I’m not much use for anything other than being pretty, but keep me anyway.’

Golden sebright chicken

And to be fair to them, they ARE beautiful. I hung out with them for a little while, and they were full of personality.

If I didn’t have three cats and an excitable dog, I could see myself as a backyard chicken kind of a woman. I would go out and sit with them and let them climb into my jumper for a hug and we’d probably chat about our hopes and dreams and boys.

In this post though I want to talk to you about an issue that is impacting backyard bird owners throughout the UK. It’s not ‘which jumper is best to cuddle your chickens in’ – it’s bird flu.

What is bird flu and why do we need to know about it?

Avian influenza, more typically called bird flu, is a disease affecting birds in the poultry industry, backyard birds and wild birds alike. It’s normally a winter disease, peaking between December and February, but in 2022, for the first time ever, there were cases found in wild birds during the summer.

Although there is a very low human health risk associated with bird flu, it can be very harmful to bird populations as well as natural biodiversity more generally. We’re currently experiencing the biggest outbreak of bird flu that we’ve ever seen in the UK and it’s vital that all bird owners understand what they need to do to protect both their own birds and the wider bird population, no matter how few birds they keep.

It’s definitely not all doom and gloom though, and as a bird owner there’s plenty of guidance available to help you. To help keep bird flu under control, a UK-wide Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) was introduced in October 2022. The AIPZ made it a legal requirement for all bird owners to follow some simple rules around biosecurity, including: View Post

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Advertisement feature in association with First News

When my sister Annabel and I were little we had our own newspaper called The Banjo Times. It was excellent – a sort of magazine style journal packed full of useful news and views, horoscopes and fashions that Annabel had ‘rubbed’ on her fashion stylist set. (If you know you know.) Sometimes our one-day-to-be-step-sister Rebecca would contribute illustrations, and now she’s a well known children’s book author and illustrator, so there you go. Would she be where she is now without that first break on The Banjo Times? We will never know.

As I’ve got older I’ve gradually isolated myself from pretty much any kind of news because I find the tone generally so downbeat and depressing – it feels like it’s only ever the bad news that makes the headlines. I definitely feel like I miss out, but it seems impossible as an adult to properly filter the media you consume.

Not so for kids thanks to First News, the UK’s bestselling newspaper for kids.

First News subscription offer

I think I should probably just start reading First News myself

First News is an honest but upbeat newspaper for kids aged 7-14, full of news stories, accessible articles on world events, interviews, photos, games and more. It’s a weekly newspaper, delivered either as a paper copy through your letterbox or digitally via the Frist News app. Although it’s a newspaper for children, and does give children a platform to share their stories too, it’s written by professional, award-winning journalists, so you know your kids are getting a high standard of reporting.

It’s not that First News wants to avoid talking about difficult subjects either, it’s just that they want to make sure that the news kids are consuming is age appropriate and impartial. We can’t stop kids overhearing the news on the radio or TV, but catching snippets of the news or conversation like this can be scary when children don’t have the context for it.

First News back issues

First News gives that context in a straightforward way, meaning when kids do hear their parents talking about the cost of living crisis for example, it seems way less frightening.

It’s not all news though, there are sections for kids to write in with their own stories, sports coverage, books, news on gaming, and competitions and cartoons too.

First News

If First News sounds like something that your kids would enjoy, then you’re in luck! First News has very kindly offered a FREE subscription for one lucky reader, which can be taken either as a three month print and digital bundle, with actual newspapers delivered to your door, or a 12 month digital subscription via the First News app.

To enter simply complete as many of the options in the widget below as possible. The more you do the more tickets you’ll get in the prize hat. The competition will close at 11.59pm on November 3rd 2022 and full T&Cs apply.

In the meantime, if you want to crack on and give First News a try, or maybe buy it as a gift for Christmas, you can get a no obligation free four week trial here.

Good luck!

Win a First News subscription

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Snowbizz family ski holiday

When families come together at the end of a day after spending an eventful time on the slopes and share their experiences, it has to be one of the most magical ways for generations to create memories together. The key, however, is to do research and plan ahead.

Preparing for a ski vacation with a young family and older adults can feel like a challenge, especially if you have never done it earlier. The good news is this family winter holiday can run smoothly without any stress providing you keep these seven tricks of the trade in mind.

Book everything in advance

From rental ski equipment, boots, ski passes and ski lessons try and book everything in advance. Alternatively, look for a ski operator who will offer these services and other rented essentials, directly to your accommodation upon your arrival. This will eliminate time spent queuing up once you reach and ensure extra peace of mind for the whole family. Additionally, if you so wish, you will be able to hit the ground running as soon as you get there.

Booking your holiday earlier in the year ensures that not only you get the right flight, accommodation and resort of your choice, but also the best deals as well. Many companies offer early bird incentives like free child equipment, cheap lift passes and big discount on accommodation, with children under a certain age getting to stay free. While booking, you must ensure you use reputed tour operators. For example, if you book Family ski holidays with Ski Famille, you can be assured of a hassle free trip. 

Snowbizz family ski holiday

Carry the right gear

Young children heading out to alpine envy will need protection from the sun, cold, and reflection from the snow. Clothes are a critical element to be considered before heading for the slopes. To improve the overall experience for the kids, buy them waterproof clothes that are comfortable and include base layers, socks, and gloves, preferably of merino wool, to keep them warm. Use bright jackets to help in identification on the slopes and slippers for indoors.

Choose the right destination 

Walking long distances in ski boots while carrying heavy ski gear will in no way get the family holiday off to a happy start first thing in the morning. The nearer your accommodation is to the ski lifts and other facilities, the more seamless will the entire process be. If you have small kids, consider the transfer time. Since short transfer is an important point to consider, so try to get one that is within two hours from where you are.

Les Gets in France, for example, has some of the most accessible and easy baby slopes in the French Alps and where beginner runs are only steps away from the accommodation. Also Meribel, one of the world’s biggest ski slope areas, has dedicated 50% of the ski domain for kids and beginners, in addition to having top-class ski schools and day-care facilities.

Snowbizz family ski holiday

Use family-friendly accommodation 

While hotels are the best option when having teenagers on board, if you are traveling with younger children, family-friendly chalets with a self-catering service will serve the purpose perfectly. Having your own kitchen means the fussy eaters can be attended to without any problem. Book the whole chalet for a family group to add to the fun of the vacation, but book early as they sell out fast.

Chalet Bogart stands tall in the Les Gets center and is one of the firm favorites with families as it offers all the comforts and is easily accessible to the lifts and the village. In the Reberty 2000 region, there are some popular chalets in the fabulous 3 Valley ski area. Chalet Chamois is a proper family resort that lies literally on the piste with dedicated nursery slopes to ski-in and ski-out. It has plenty of non-ski entertainment like childcare, game rooms and other family-friendly activities.

Consider lessons

Rules regarding ski-schools and lessons vary greatly from resort to resort. Make sure to check on some important factors such as minimum age requirement, duration of the lessons and how many people are limited per session. Lessons taken as a family can turn out to be far cheaper since some resorts like La Plagne accept as many as five persons per lesson. One of the best experiences of a family ski lesson is the whole family gets to ski together with the instructor. You can observe how the kids followed what the instructor taught and reinforce those when you ski with them.

Another common mistake is to look for ski lessons when arriving at a ski destination. Many times there will be no room as these are often booked well in advance by families. When hiring an instructor, make sure they understand the kid’s language. Check on the website of the resort that displays information on booking lessons and instructors before leaving from home. Ski lessons are a must for those kids who are initially afraid to go on the slopes in order to familiarize them with gear, knowledge and the environment.

Family ski holiday

Make choice of a good terrain

Few things are more embarrassing and stressful than dragging yourself all the way to the top of the mountain with the family entourage in tow only to find out that it is way too steep for some of the members. Even an experienced skier needs to first take it easy and then gradually work up to challenging terrain.

It is essential, therefore, to have complete knowledge of the ability level, especially of the children, and of the mountain, you intend to ski and its terrain. To clear any doubts ask passerby or spend time studying the piste map thoroughly as with the responsibility of taking kids one should know where they are at all times. There may be time to do these slopes on a later date, but it will be much harder to restore shattered confidence.

Have fun on and off the slopes

Take efforts to make your family holiday skiing trip super exciting by creating memorable moments on the snow that the kids and the family will cherish forever. The best way to go about this is to involve the kids the moment you decide on your upcoming vacation. Talk to them about their expectations from the ski holiday.

Family ski vacations provide the perfect opportunity to spend quality time with someone you love, something which is sometimes difficult to achieve back home. You could be spotting deer from the ski lift while heading up to the mountain or huddling with them over a cup of hot chocolate in front of the fireplace at the resort and discuss about the day spent at the slopes.

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The recent ‘Wren Eleanor’ TikTok movement has had a positive impact on child safety online, inspiring parents on social media to remove
photos and videos of their kids to protect them from potential child predators. It has also helped to encourage more discussion about children’s privacy and safety online, which is always going to be a good thing.

We all know as parents that the internet is potentially a dangerous place for children, but how many practical steps do we actually take to help protect and educate them about potential dangers and online safety and could we be doing more? As well as installing things like a trusted virtual private network, what other things should we be thinking about?

What are the dangers for kids on social media?

There are many potential risks for young children using social media, both direct and indirect dangers and those coming from their peers or from older people. Let’s take a look at a few of the most common concerns for parents:

Child predators

The internet has made it much easier for child predators to form relationships with children because it’s so easy to pretend to be someone you’re not and make a child feel safe when really they are anything but. As with most of the issues we discuss in this post, communication and openness is key with your child. They need to be absolutely clear that they can talk to you about anything, and that anybody online who encourages them to keep a secret, to not tell their parents something, for whatever reason, is DEFINITELY something that you as a parent need to know about.

Be strict and vigilant about the sort of platforms your children are using to make sure that they are age appropriate and that you have the relevant safety mechanisms in place and don’t be afraid to actively monitor their activity and messages. Talk to your children regularly about the importance of their privacy and safety online, reminding them not to share personal information or photos.

Cyberbullying and stalking

Where the threat of predators normally comes from adults, cyberbullying is something that children can experience at the hands of their peers, either people they only know online or perhaps children they know from school or clubs who then take bullying or stalking online. Staying safe from cyberbullying can be trickier when it’s from children the same age, especially as children are more likely to play it down if it’s someone they feel is meant to be a ‘friend’.

Again, encourage open and honest conversation and make sure your children understand their own boundaries and feel able to tell you about anything that makes them feel sad or uncomfortable.

Self-esteem

When we think about child safety on social media we need to look beyond the predators and the bullies and think also about the indirect impact on their emotional wellbeing. Even though we know as adults that the images and videos we see on social media are often airbrushed, or at the very least a rose tinted view of reality, we can still get drawn into comparing ourselves and for children this can be an even bigger risk.

Not only does social media present a distorted view of reality, it gives an artificial idea of what it means to be a ‘good person’ in terms of measuring a person’s worth by the number of likes their photo might get. It’s really important to have frank, ongoing discussions with children about the realities of social media and to encourage as much offline activity as possible that validates them and gives them a sense of self-worth from other things.

Conclusion

The dangers for kids of the internet and social media come in many forms and often when we as parents least expect it. While we may never be able to protect them completely, there are things that we can do to help keep our children safe. Adding safety features to your devices at home, imposing honest and transparent internet usage policies in the home and, most importantly, having a trusting and supportive relationship with your children, are all key to keeping the whole family happy and safe.

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Advertisement feature

I had twenty years of one or other of my children being at school or college.

Imagine that, twenty years! Twenty years of packed lunches and nagging about homework and traipsing round shop after shop looking for exactly the right kind of skort. Twenty years of heading to Clarks and taking one of those tickets like you’re at an old supermarket deli counter, looking around at all the other parents who’ve also left it until August 31st to buy school shoes.

My point is, it’s a long time, long enough that you’d hope I’d have learnt a few lessons and be able to impart some back to school wisdom.

Here are a few things I’ve picked up along the way…

Always get the school photos

I know, they’re a rip off, and at the time you think ‘well I KNOW what they look like, I don’t need to pay £27.95 for that privilege’ but take it from me, you will forget. And yes, you’ve very likely got masses of photos of them already, but really how many photos of them do you have looking smart in their school uniform, posing for the slightly eccentric school photographer?

The top one here is Bee. The one underneath is me at a similar age. Whenever I think of myself, this is how I picture me still now, aged 44.

Are school photos worth it?

School photo View Post

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 This post is a collaboration with Stagecoach, but all thoughts and experiences are my own

Belle and I very much enjoy a day out, but there are two factors lately that are making day trips feel like a lot less fun than they should be.

One is the driving. I don’t know if it’s just that I’ve been really busy this year, or that I’m getting old or something, but the thought of getting in the car again and driving for God knows how long just to have to drive all the way back again isn’t getting me excited. Secondly of course there’s the cost of fuel. When we got our car three years ago it cost about £60 to fill up. Last week it cost me £93. I’ve never been someone who doesn’t go somewhere because of the petrol cost but it’s hard to ignore at the moment isn’t it?

So, I don’t want to drive and petrol is too expensive, so what to do??

COME IN STAGECOACH!

To be honest I never think about buses. I think because I’m prone to travel sickness I’m a little wary, but since I discovered Dramamine while touring, my travel has been pretty revolutionised. I have checked emails in the BACK OF A CAR! Who’d have ever thought it! I’ve got the coach from Taunton to Bristol airport before, but I’ve never thought of going on a bit further and into the centre of Bristol.

I decided to take on the Stagecoach bus trip challenge and plan a day out by coach.

I started off on the Stagecoach journey planner, investigating the route to Bristol. The coach that goes to Bristol from Taunton is the Falcon, travelling between Plymouth and Bristol, all day every day. It has plug sockets and Wifi, comfy seats and seatbelts – very different to what you might think of when you think bus.

Falcon bus service View Post

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Guest post

Fostering is one of the best journeys a person can take. It gives vulnerable children a warm and caring home – one that keeps them safe and secure. It’s not an easy thing to do, though, and even the best parents in the world struggle with fostering at times. But the good times certainly outweigh the more challenging aspects of the work, and seeing a child happy is the ultimate reward. But as a single parent, you might wonder what it means to take on that responsibility without a partner.

Can You Be a Foster Parent If You Are Single?

Being a single person doesn’t affect your fostering ability. If you are kind, caring, and compassionate, and have enough love to give to a child in need then you certainly have the foundations of a great foster parent.

There are some things that you will need to consider when thinking about fostering though. This includes your work and whether you can fit this in around fostering, whether you have a strong support network of friends and family around you, and if you have a spare bedroom in your home that is comfortable and warm, and always available to a child in your care.

There’s lots to think about but one important piece of advice to anyone who is considering embarking on this incredible career is to never just assume that you wouldn’t be able to foster. Speak to a fostering agency or your local authority and they will be able to offer tailored advice around your personal circumstances.

If you think you want to foster as a single parent, it’s crucial to understand what it entails. Read on to learn more.

Fostering Becomes Your Career

When two people decide to foster, often one of them can stay in full-time work, depending on their situation. As a single parent, however, the chances are you will need to make fostering your full-time career. If you have a job, you might need to consider leaving it to take up fostering full time. For some, that is a plus, as you get to do what you love from the comfort of your own home, which often means spending more time with your own children too. Plus, you’ll receive a generous financial support package to help cover the costs of caring for a child as well as provide you with a professional fee for your hard work and dedication.

Your Support Network is Crucial

A solid support network is crucial when caring for vulnerable children and young people. You’ll quickly learn just how important the support from your family and friends is when you become a foster parent, even more so when you’re doing it alone. Luckily, though, becoming a foster parent naturally builds a support network. You will have your social worker to talk to, as well as a close community of other foster parents. If you need help, reach out!

Fostering is Always a Challenge

You can’t expect every moment as a foster parent to be easy. That’s not just because you are a single parent, though – it’s because being a parent is always challenging! Whether you’re looking after an infant, pre-teen, or teenager, there will be obstacles. As long as you go into the fostering journey without any expectations and you are ready and willing to work through the challenging parts, you will make an excellent foster parent.

Experience with Children is Helpful but not Essential

You don’t even need to have raised children of your own to foster, although some experience with children is beneficial. As a single foster parent, you will have a lot on your plate, after all, from managing meals to supporting your child in school, and everything in between. If you have no experience at all, you might find it useful to volunteer at your local Scouts group or something similar, so you can build up your skills and confidence around children. Plus, there’s lots of training to complete too.

It’s An Extremely Rewarding Experience

While fostering is not a walk in the park, it is an extremely rewarding experience. You will get to change a young person’s life, and in the process, they may also change yours. If you think you can do it, contact Fosterplus for more information. Your fostering journey is one you won’t regret.

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