Exciting new low risk franchise with The Family Grapevine!
Would you like to publish your own edition of The Family Grapevine? Now you can start your franchise for only £1000 plus VAT! We are very anxious to help new franchisees as much as possible during their first year of business, and we are aware that you may face even more problems than usual launching a new edition in a difficult economic climate so we are offering applicants the opportunity to purchase a territory using our new scheme. You will pay a deposit of £1000 + vat on joining. If you decide not to continue no further fees will be due.
‘Take Up Top Up’ Paternity Leave Campaign
The charity Working Families has launched a new campaign to raise fathers’ awareness of their rights to paternity leave and to encourage employers to ‘top up’ statutory pay to full pay for the two weeks of leave. The campaign in being launched to raise awareness about fathers’ rights. But we also need adequate levels of pay if fathers are to be encouraged to take leave. That’s where employers can come in.
Videos to dance to with your kids!
After trying the Wii-Fit Plus in Argos just before Christmas we started to think about getting a Wii. But I could see that it might not be a sensible investment – after a while we would lose interest. What we needed was something we could access on our laptop, so we could get moving in any room in the house, something with infinite variation so we would never get bored, and preferably, something which would make us laugh. This week I hit upon the perfect solution. Our latest family hobby is dancing along with Youtube videos!
Grab a free Brollysheet here!
Are you taking your child through toilet training, or do you have a child who wets the bed? We recently ran an article on Brollysheets which looks really useful for parents strugling with wet beds. We are really excited to hear that Brolly Sheets want Family Grapevine readers to test their sheets. If you would like to have a free Brolly Sheet all you need to do is email Ruth at Brolly Sheets.
The most popular Baby names of 2009
Jack and Olivia were the most popular baby names of 2009 in the Top 100 list compiled from a national survey of 580,000 babies born in 2009 by parenting club Bounty. Jack, the moniker of Messrs Tweed, Nicholson and Straw, retained its title for the 15th year on the trot. Olivia secured a second successive stint as the girls’ favourite having taken over from Grace in 2008. The highest climbers this year were Lucas, which raced 24 places up the charts to make number 15, and Maisie, which rocketed up a staggering 29 places to 41st.
What Kids Think About Britain Today
A fascinating survey of 1,200 five to thirteen year olds has been commissioned by National Geographic Kids magazine. The survey, entitled ‘What Kids Think About Britain Today’ revealed that 99% of children counted themselves lucky to live in the British Isles. The majority believed that the best thing about being a child living in Britain was the great variety of things to do. This was followed by the wildlife and countryside. The weather topped the list of worst things about Britain.
What’s the 2009 family car of the year?
Having looked at my Christmas budget (we’ve overspent already and we haven’t bought the food yet!) I thought I would torture myself further by looking at cars I can’t afford! I was particularly curious to know what family cars were being touted as the best in 2009. Top Gear, being one of the industry’s most recognised and respected publications, seemed a good place to start. They have named the Skoda Yeti as their ‘Family Car of the Year’.
Wee problem has stylish new solution
As a mum who has dealt with long-term bedwetting I really know what it’s like. I found that most of the waterproof fitted sheets on the market degenerated quicky and needed to be replaced within a year at best. Worse still, their lack of absorbency and huge surface area allowed the wee to ‘travel’. I frequently had to wash the pillow, pillowcase, duvet and duvet cover as well as the waterproof sheet itself. Trying to stay calm and patient is not always easy in the middle of the night, especially when your child’s sheets are soaked through.
Seventy Five ‘Free-From’ Christmas Treats For Food Allergics And Intolerants!
As a mother of a child who was anaphylactic from 5 days old to 15 years old, I remember well struggling with foods for special occasions, especially at Christmas. I also know plenty of mums having a culinary crisis over a diabetic auntie or a coeliac brother-in-law. If you are dealing with a last minute panic over gluten-free Christmas pudding or a dairy-free turkey stuffing, don’t panic! Whether you want to buy or to cook for your self, Foods Matter has 75 freefrom Christmas dishes for you to choose from.
Don’t let dangerous gifts spoil your Christmas
Consumers are being warned to check they haven’t bought any dangerous toys or other products in the run-up to the busy festive period. Children’s toys account for more than a quarter of the 1,000 items recalled in the EU in the past six months according to the Consumer Focus Labs’ Recalled Products website. This includes a batch of Be My Baby dolls, which were last month voluntarily recalled in the UK by the company which sells them because they contain a dangerous level of toxic chemicals, and therefore pose a risk to young children.
UK’s pregnant mums are worrying more about money than healthy eating
More of the UK’s expectant mums are worrying about money than about what they feed themselves and their unborn child, according to the latest research conducted for the Organic Milk Cooperative (OMSCo). The survey, sampling 2,485 pregnant women from across the UK, revealed that 37% of soon-to-be-mums were concerned about money whilst just over a third (33%) were worried about eating properly. Nevertheless, the primary concern was for the health and well-being of their babies with 81% of pregnant mothers admitting this was the thing which worried them most.
Finding a home for your elderly parents
Perhaps this is not the most conventional of reading matter for The Family Grapevine, but we are aware that many of our readers are at that stage of their lives where they have to take on the additional role of finding suitable housing for their elderly parents. When I heard about the latest Government report on this subject, I thought it would make interesting reading for those of you in this position, trying to make sense of the alien world of retirement housing.
Win a First Aid Kit for babies on the move! Closing date 15th December.
The Family Grapevine has teamed up with Baby Aid so four lucky readers can win a great new take-anywhere first aid kit for babies and children worth £14.00 (RRP). It’s perfect for those little emergencies whether you’re at home or on the go, on holiday, or out in the park with friends. It’s small enough to fit into your changing bag or even a handbag. It’s ideal as well for keeping in the car. Click for details of how to enter!
New rugby training classes for under-fives
High-flying franchise business Little Kickers – the company behind the UK’s most popular pre-school football training programmes, is to offer to offer new rugby training classes for under-fives. Little Kickers were recently double-nominated in the prestigious British Franchise Association Awards. They have recently announced a move into pre-school rugby training, building on their successful football courses through a global franchise network.
Wii Wish You A Merry Christmas?
The Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine have released a fascinating paper on the history of video game related injuries and conditions. Although it is a light-hearted paper there are doubtless some underlying concerns for parents. The paper discusses the medical pros and cons associated with a number of different games consoles, from the early days, when medical reports highlighted concerns about the long hours people spent in front of screens and the possibility that this could cause deep vein thrombosis or ‘eThrombosis’ to the more recent phenomenon dubbed ‘Playstation 2 (PS2) Thumb’.
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Kids and Sleep: Dispelling the Myths
We all know how important it is to make sure our kids get a good night’s sleep, but how can we ensure they do? Sammy Margo, author of The Good ...
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CookIt! children’s cookery competition
CBBC food adventurer and Gastronuts presenter Stefan Gates is challenging young cooks to “Create a dream meal for you and your friends” in CookIt! 2010. Stefan is heading the panel of judges from The Guild of Food Writers who run the children’s cookery competition, which is supported by Gold Top milk. Children taking part in this year’s competition will be asked to let their imaginations run wild as they create a delicious two-course meal designed to enchant and delight their friends. With the aim of getting children excited about food, The Guild of Food Writers is calling for entries from children across the UK now!
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When Harry met Santa
Many children lie in wait by the chimney at Christmas just to catch a glimpse of Santa. Not so for one Norfolk boy – he just got to meet him. Harry Jeckell, aged 14 from Horsford in Norfolk, has just returned from a special trip to Lapland, courtesy of Make-A-Wish Foundation® UK, the charity that grants magical wishes for children and young people fighting life-threatening illnesses. Harry, who is deaf and fighting an acute gut disorder called Short Bowel Syndrome, was flown out with his parents Katherine and Barry Carter, and his brother Alex, to Rovaniemi Airport in Finland on Thursday 17 December.
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