The importance of the library

Hey readers,

Ever since I was a young girl I adored the public library. I used to go there every week.

 Even though I lived in the care system and other kids would tease me because apparently, it is not the done deal to read books, you should be smoking a spliff instead.

 I still loved going to the public library and it was my favourite thing to do. I used to get excited for when the day came.

 I felt so free to be surrounded by books of all sorts and knowing I could make the decision to which ones I wanted to read.

Now that I am an adult, one of my favourite places to go is the library. I love reading and the feeling of escaping in a book. It stops me obsessing about my thoughts for awhile allowing me to have a breather.

Libraries are a beautiful place for all to access. It doesn't matter about your background, age, sex, disability etc the doors are open for you to come and explore if you wish.

I love the fact now that I am a parent I can share my love for libraries on to my children. They too can have that experience in choosing books and learning. escaping and the enjoyment of reading.

 Not to mention that the library has a role to play in education as it provides the tools to further reading and help the child understand the topics that are taught when they are learning.

I find so much joy going to the library and just taking time to look around, knowing I can borrow anything feels like I am in Willy Wonka Chocolate factory for bookworms. 

I love that there are new and old titles you can take out. I like to time to read sometimes books, there is a sense of community when others are doing similar things to you. 

Even though you might not speak to anyone, there is that sense of community spirit.

Also, I go to the library now as an adult to do my blogging work. I use it as a place where I can get a lot of work done in a short space of time.

 Having that opportunity gives me a sense of achievement and I feel good after as I have not wasted time being distracted at home.

I come to the library as they offer invaluable service for my children to take part in the community by having library activities such as in the past rythme time with then they were younger.

 It introduced them to books, songs and words. I now can go there with them for storytime to help get them excited to read and be around other similar aged children.

 In the summer my library offers reading challenges and at the end the child to read x amount of books gets a certificate.

 My eldest loves this because feels proud that he has achieved something. Also during the summer holiday, they offer activities and storytime each week to go alongside the summer challenge. 

It is a great way to do something structured once a week that doesn't cost me a lot but helps my son's development and rewards him in other ways.

So, as you can see there are so many benefits for libraries, I am lucky that my library hasn't been closed down as it would be a real shame for a lot of people. 

Especially vulnerable and elderly as it does provide a positive service to the community.

Cheers for reading X

My Sunday photo 09/02/2020

Hair bobble hacks

Hey readers, 

I have a ton of hair bobbles and thought what can I do with all these hair bobbles other than putting my hair up in a ponytail. Here are top hair bobble hacks you can use. 

1. Trousers.

If your trousers are too tight then a way to create an instant extension is to thread a hair bobble through the buttonhole and wrap it around the button, while you can still enjoy your trousers but also have room to breathe.

2. Cords. 

Got a load of leads that makes an area look messy, no problem use a hair bobble to wrap around the leads to keep your cords neat and tidy. 

3. Pencil grip. 

Wrap a hair bobble around a pencil or pen then you have an easy grip to help with easing the writing strains when using a pen/pencil. 

4. Wine bottle. 

place a hair bobble on the neck of the bottle this will then mean the hair bobble with catch any wine drips after pouring a glass of wine. 

5. Curtains.

If it is windy and you have the windows open and the curtains flying everywhere which drives you mad then simply wrap a hair bobble around the curtain. This will give you an instant solution in stopping the curtains from blowing everywhere and tie them in one place.

6. Food bags. 

Need food bags to keep food fresh and what to reuse at a later date? No worries wrap that bobble around the bag and there you have instant food bag clips and don't have to spend a fortune on bag pegs. 

7. Pump soap dispenser.

Wrap a hair bobble on the tube of the soap dispenser, just above the neck of the bottle. Now you have the soap dispensing not as much soap and a slower pace means you save money and don't waste money. 

Do you use hair bobbles other than ponytails? Love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below. 

Cheers for reading X

Overwhelm

Hey readers,

My word of the week is:

Overwhelmed


You know that feeling when you have too much to do and not enough time. God I am definately feel like an old person saying that, but it is so true. I'm so tired again as we are in the middle of decorating and it feels like everything is on top at the moment. A few times I have had to have time out as needed some head space. I think the cluster and distribution brings me a bit down. This is because  nothing is in order and chaos is added to the feelings. Why does everything take twice as long when you have toddlers, I'm just so frustrated. I wish I was laid back and just went with the flow. Today, I'm just going drink tea and read and sod everything as that is the kind of mood I'm in.
Sorry for being another depressing one but I am too honest for my own good at times. This is me and my life.
Cheers for reading X

Things you need to about visiting warwick castle.

Hey readers, 

If you are looking for a brilliant day out in Warwickshire than one fab place to visit is Warwick Castle.

History.

Warwick castle has so much history dating back well over 1,100 years.

There are many stories about the different architecture changes over the years, where battles have occurred and then the castle, in the end, being used as a royal stately home. 

Rooms.

There are many rooms you can view and see how the royals used to live with the decor and the mannequins help give you a feel of what it used to be like. 

You can walk around the entire castle and up all the different towers. Once you reach the top you can see the breathtaking views of Warwick and beyond. 

Grounds.

Overall Warwick castle showcases over 64 acres of stunning grounds where you can wander and take in the atmosphere. 

During the warmer weather, you can picnic as there are plenty of benches to have to make a day out for the whole family. 

Within the Warwick Castle grounds are the beautiful peacock gardens with water fountains and you can see many peacocks roaming freely, which my 6 and 8-year-old loved observing how they behaved. 

Horrible History Maze. 

At the beginning entrance on the left of the grounds, you can get a passport card and find stamps in the Horrible Histories mazes.

The maze has different features of history such as the Slimy Tudors and Frightful First World War. 

The maze will get children who love the show or books of Horrible Histories and it is open all year round and included in the ticket.

 The maze is a fun place to get lost and find many dead ends and tricks to stop you in your path. 

Once you get all 6 stamps you can claim a free pop badge at the shop in the grounds. 

Birds of Prey. 

During the winter season, there is the Bird of Prey where you can see the birds of prey show what powerful and beautiful creatures they are. 

These include vultures and owls that fly from the castle ramparts. 

Castle Dungeons.

There are the castle dungeons, though with the age of my boys they didn't recommend it (6 & 8) so we opted out on that to visit. 

Nonetheless, this is another attraction offered at Warwick Castle where you go down and experience the dungeons and see live actors demonstrate the darkest and bloodiest times at the castle. 

The Time Tower.

The Time Tower goes through a visual journey of how Warwick Castle began and how it became the place that it is now.

 You can listen to the stories of the powerful figures that shaped the history of Warwick castle. 

Wintertime.

During the winter season, Warick Castle opens from 10am till 4pm.

 There are plenty of toilets including disabled and baby changing facilities. 

Merlin Pass. 

Warwick Castle is also part of Merlin Attractions (I have a done a post here explaining all about Merlin).

So you can visit as many times as you want with the pass, which is handy for me living not far from Warwick. 

However, getting to Warwick Castle is straightforward enough the Castle is well signposted, and less than two miles from junction 15 of the M40. 

Address. 

Warwick Castle,

Warwick, 

Warwickshire, 

CV34 6AH (for standard parking).

Train.

Warwick Station is approximately one mile from the Castle. A direct service into London Marylebone (1 hour 45 minutes) or Birmingham Snow Hill is available.

Standard car parking cost £6 (but free with a premium merlin pass). 

Sunflower Lanyard Scheme.

Also to mention that Warwick Castle does support the Sunflower Lanyard scheme for those with hidden disabilities. 

The lanyards are a discreet way of bringing hidden disabilities to the attention of our staff.

Cheers for reading x

my Sunday photo 02/02/2020

Help your child feel confident.

Hey readers,

Sometimes children are complex or they have for whatever reason may not feel confident in doing something. 

  My eldest is quite anxious and nervous regarding certain things and I have worked with him to help reduce that anxiety.

 Here are some things you might want to try with a child who does not feel confident to help boost their self-esteem.

 Positive praise.

The most important tip to help boost a child’s confidence is to make them feel good about themselves. 

You can do this by giving your child positive praise because it is focusing on the good things that the child has done. 

The child themselves might not see the good so it is important to praise them for when they have done something noteworthy and speak to them about it. Y

ou need to keep praising your child as this will help them gain that confidence to know that what they are doing is good and it is getting the praise it deserves.

Allow your child to try it out and learn for themselves.

Sometimes the best way to help a child learn is to allow the child to learn by themselves in a safe environment.

 Let them do something without your help to see what works and what doesn’t. 

This is a great learning tool and I think one the best ways to get a child to learn.

 I know it is easy to instantly go in and help your child. However, allowing them to test it out themselves gives them that first-hand experience.

 They are more likely to remember what happens and no what to do instead to get a better result. Also, they can build their understanding of a subject by trial and error.

Encouragement.

Encourage your child to do something even when the child protests. 

Sometimes they are scared to try something, which is why it is good to encourage them to do it and give it ago.

 You never know they may find out they like the thing they have tried. Sometimes going out of your comfort zone can be scary at first however, it can once be done do wonders for your self-esteem.

Ask for their opinion.

One of the greatest ways to get an understanding of your child is asking for their opinion and listening to what they have to say. 

This helps build a strong relationship on respect and understanding on both sides.

 It allows your child to feel appreciated and ultimately it will give them trust to know that there is a safe place to come to and be heard.

Make a special time together.

A great way to give your child something special is having 1-2-1 time with them doing something that they enjoy.

 You don't have to be flash, it could simply be having a child read a story or letting them tell you something about what they have done that day.

 I think it is important for the child to have dedicated time as it gives them attention and to feel loved.

 It is not always easy for the parent when so much is going on but even ten minutes of interrupted time together makes a massive difference for the child.

Cheers for reading X