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Toy Review: Playmobil Take Along Farm (Playmobile 4897)
The Playmobil Take Along Farm is a new toy in our house. Here's a little bit about how our 2 year old plays with it and how it fits in with our other toys.
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And the nominees for best parenting blog are…
Readers I need a little favour! Would you be so kind as to vote for Fred, Ted and company at the Boots Family & Infant Awards. It’s a huge privilege to be nominated along with some amazing Irish bloggers. We’re the only Montessori focused blog that has been nominated and more than anything I want to encourage more parents to try Montessori at home! Just click the image below and then ‘Vote for this product’, there’s no registration required and it only takes two seconds! MASSIVE THANKS!!!
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Montessori from Birth: Parenting For Peace
One of the things that people seem to notice most about Alfie (and Montessori kids in general) is his maturity. I don’t mean in the sense that he isn’t childish – he’s not even two yet! I mean in his peacefulness which strangers recognise in his ability to wait patiently, to fix himself a snack, to answer questions or follow directions and to find purposeful activity in whatever environment he’s in. Montessori with a Newborn How has this happened? Through the principles of Montessori. From the start of Alfie’s life we allowed him independence. From the moment he was born we accepted his individuality. We tried to understand that he…
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What To Pack In Your Hospital Bag
Packing your Hospital Bag to have a baby is like packing for a holiday. Except you don’t know where you’re going, how long you’re staying, what you’ll be doing or who you’re going to meet! My goal when packing my maternity bag was to remove the need to make any decisions during my labour and also to make everything easy/quick to access. There are so many variable when it comes to planning birth and there’s no way to know exactly what will happen. Since you don’t know what your recovery will be like my approach is to cover all bases and prepare for a 3 day stay. Baby’s First Outfit…
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What’s On Our Bookshelves – Summer Books for Toddlers
A look at what’s on our books shelf these days, including books about bugs, beaches, birds and building tree houses in New York.
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Plastic Free July
In January 2018 I made myself and my family a promise that I would try harder not to damage the earth in the name of convenience. Plastic Free July has been the perfect time to recommit myself to reducing plastic. I made a few straightforward changes that immediately cut or reduced our plastic consumption. Getting started can be the hardest part, once you’ve bought a keep cup and reusable shopping bags what more can you do? And is it possible to make any changes when you’re a busy mum? After all, you don’t quite fancy making your own soap or foraging for your dinner! It is absolutely possible! And while…
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Review: Shnuggle Baby Bath
Before having Alfie I read lots of those “Ten Things Your Baby Doesn’t Need’ articles. Many of them mentioned a baby bath as an unnecessary expense. Heeding the advice of all these Mommy Bloggers I opted not to buy a baby bath….and regretted it for the first few months of Alfie’s life! If only I’d heard of the Shnuggle Baby Bath! Here’s a parenting pro tip; wet babies are slippery and very hard to hold. I will now happily declare that a baby bath is actually an essential purchase for any new parent! However not all baby bath’s are created equal and the one I got for him was little…
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The Symbiotic Period – Caring for a Newborn with Montessori
The first week’s of a newborn’s life are referred to as They Symbiotic Period. Their primary occupation in this phase is adjusting to life outside the womb. Unlike other phases of child development this phase is shared with the whole family. When you have a newborn it’s easy to forget that this tiny, mewing bundle is no longer an extension of your body! It is important to respect the child during the Symbiotic Period and give them the space, love and time they need to absorb the changes that birth brings. Parents and siblings have similar needs during this wonderful time. What is The Symbiotic Period? “Developing the right type…
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Montessori Baby Shower Gifts
The best Montessori baby shower gifts. Toys a newborn will use and adore in their first months.
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May In the Kitchen Garden
FINALLY! Spring is here and it’s time for the May update from our Kitchen Garden. Normally at this time of year I’m seeing big bursts of growth. I’d expect big bushy tops on my carrots, delicate curls and swirls around my pea frame, a thick carpet of salads and the suggestion of strong roots on most things. Well not this year! It feels like it’s only in the last few days that it’s stopped raining. In fact there was even had a frost last night so all my delicates had to be covered! Square Foot Gardening To maximise the yield from our small beds we are practicing Square Foot Gardening…