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All-day suncream

This waterproof suncream is a massive win for hot days in the water. 

When I was younger I discovered a waterproof suncream called P20. As someone who burns easily and always forgets to reapply suncream,  it changed my life. 

They recently brought out a new version for kids which is ideal for sunny days in a paddling pool or splashing in the sea. 

Most suncreams need reapplying after swimming, and can run into kids eyes in water and make them sting.

P20 soaks into the skin and gives factor 50 protection all day! 

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Name it to tame it

Behind every behaviour is an emotion. 

When we are little, our emotions range from happy to sad, but as we age new feelings start to reveal themselves. 

In the Whole Brain Child, the authors suggest a practice to help children understand their feelings called “name it to tame it”. 

When a child is experiencing a big emotion, the idea is to offer them a label, “you are feeling disappointed’. This helps them process their feelings and recognise them in future. 

The book talks about how important it is to explain that it’s normal to have big emotions, and their feelings will come and go. It's what we do with them that counts.

I have found this an important lesson for myself. I still feel guilty when I experience certain emotions, and reading the Whole Brain Child has helped me understand that I can’t control my feelings. What I can control is the way I behave when I feel them.

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Robot control

Why is it sometimes so hard to leave the house with kids?!

My default is normally to demand and harass. A better approach is to make it a game, and a recent little win for me has been to pretend my kids are robots and the (insert any object within easy reach) is their remote. 

A bit of playfulness can really shift the energy, and normally results in a speedier exit and a happier family as well.  

If you give this one a go please let me know!

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Butterfly garden

Did you know you can grow butterflies at home? 🦋

Companies like InsectLore send live caterpillars in the post sealed in a little pot full of food. Over the next week, they grow to TEN times their original size before spinning into chrysalides. Then you move them into a special little indoor butterfly garden to transform. A week later they emerge as beautiful little butterflies ready to be released.

My kids love watching the different phases and the magical moment when we set them free outside. 

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Digital wish list

Here’s a great way to manage present requests when you’re out and about. 

When one of my kids asks for something they see in a shop, instead of buying it immediately we add it to their ‘wish list’ on my phone. 

They know we’ll review this list near their Birthday or Christmas, and we can decide if it’s still something they “desperately need” ;)

You can use any note taking app for this. I particularly like Notion.

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Praising creativity

Did you know that (according to NASA) 98% of 5-year-olds are creative geniuses!

In their famous study, NASA also found that this number drops to 12% when we hit 15, and just 2% as adults.

I think one reason our creative instincts dwindle as we age is that we become more aware of how others may judge our work. To avoid failure or shame we stop trying.

Here are some ways to praise your child’s creativity that avoid creating the belief that their work only has value if other people like it.

Avoid non-specific judgements and ask them to tell you what they like about their picture, praise their effort and let them feel proud of themselves.

These language shifts also apply to praising academic success, athletic ability and even more general behaviour.

HT: This Little draWin was inspired by Joe Cofone and his brilliant book The Laws of Creativity.

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Tummy chanting

I’m always looking for ways to help my kids eat more healthy food. 

A while ago I explained that our tongues and tummies like different foods. Our tongues may prefer chips, but if we listen carefully we can hear our tummies chanting for things that are good for us.

Bringing their tummy to life as a character that needs their help is a great way to encourage healthy eating and avoid mealtime drama. 

Do you have any healthy eating tips? Please do share ;)

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Den building

I am always amazed by the hours of fun den building can provide. 

With just a few cushions and a rug roof my kids’ imaginations run wild - a camp in the forest, a secret underground lair or an enchanted castle!

I think they find delight in changing their environment and feel safe in small places.

This one works really well as a Surprise strew

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Stop word

Do you ever struggle to tell when a wrestling or tickling match has gone too far, and someone is actually getting hurt? 

Sometimes a cry of pain can sound like joy, and make it hard for children to know when to stop the game.

A few years ago I came across the idea of using a ‘stop word’, a pre-agreed word that helps clearly communicate pain or overwhelm. 

My kids chose the word ‘peaches’, and they both understand that if their sibling, or one of us, cries ‘peaches!’ they have to stop wrestling or tickling immediately.

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Swim seal

Ear infections are the worst! My son get's them super easily, particularly from swimming. Putting swim seal in his ears before he jumps in seems to really help. The drops contain tea tree oil and create a waterproof coating to keep water and bacteria out Thanks Swim Seal ❤️

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Travel pens

Tired of lost pen lids and crawling around under restaurant tables? 

We love our Stabilo Cappi pens and their clever connected caps.

With washable ink and non-rolling shape they are ideal for colouring on-the-go!

Thanks Stabilo ❤️

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Toothbrush time

Want to jazz up toothbrush time?

We love the Yoto Toothbrush Timer, a free 2-minute clip that encourages brushing with a catchy tune that has my kids bobbing around the bathroom. 

We play it on our Yoto Mini, but you can get it for free through their app here.

Thanks Yoto!

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Say what you want

A shift in how you ask your kids to change their behaviour could make your words more effective.

When my kids are doing something I deem antisocial, my natural instinct is to ask them to stop doing it.

A better approach is to ask for what I want them to do instead. “No running!” becomes “Walking feet!”, for example. 

To be clear, I find this one tricky, but when I do manage to remember, in my better parenting moments, I have found it brings better results. 

For other Little draWins around words and language see:

Can I help? Family values Perfectly you Come to terms Hey guys team! It makes sense Ban bossy

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Rolling snowmen

Do you want to build a snowman? Read on! 

This holiday we were lucky enough to have a white Christmas and I spent a happy few days creating snowmen with my kids. 

Television and children’s stories teach us that the first step is to roll a giant ball of snow, before pushing snow around the base to fix in place as the snowman’s body. 

This year we tried a new approach - rolling a cylinder! Rolling in a straight line is much easier and when you stand it up it’s ready to connect straight to the snow. Brush down the top to round the shoulders and the body is good to go!  

Best wishes for a play-filled 2023 with your little ones. Thank you so much for being part of my drawing journey.

[littledrawins]

Digital Habits

Earlier this year I had a confronting experience that made me rethink my digital habits. My daughter came running upstairs with my phone, desperate to reunite me with my device. Clearly the idea of her mother being separated from my phone felt unnatural to her, and something that needed resolving urgently. I started to consider how I was modelling the use of technology for my kids. This is a big challenge for me. I work in tech and love the creativity and connectivity it provides, but I know that my devices also have the power to distract and disconnect me. According to research, on average we now check our phones about once every three minutes. The dopamine hit we get from a new message or social media ‘like’ is so strong, it’s becoming harder and harder to stay focussed and present. I have had to admit an uneasy truth: I often use my phone to escape uncomfortable parenting moments. It’s something I’m working on. If you recognise that your relationship with your tech is impacting your wellbeing, focus or connection with loved ones, you may be interested in a course I am running next January with my friend Jonathan at Mind over Tech. The Mind over Tech Accelerator is now open for enrolment with a super early bird discount for one week only. Learn more here.

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Can I help?

Do you find yourself constantly asking your children to hurry up?

I’ve become aware of how often I roar, “Come ON!” at my kids, and have recently been trying to say, “Can I help?” instead. 

I sometimes feel I am rushing my children through life, and have decided I want to generate a family spirit of helpfulness, rather than harassment. 

It’s tricky not to be triggered by the dawdling and distractedness though, and definitely not something I manage all the time!

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Thanksgiving

This week, as is custom, I have been considering what I am grateful for. Thank you universe, for giving me children. Thank you my children for making me a better person. Thank you my husband for your love. Thank you my friends and family for your support.

Finally, thank you for joining me on my Little draWins journey. I hope you find value here. ❤️

With love