5 Natural Remedies To Heal Wounds For Active Kids

24/12/2021

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trig points

*This post contains affiliate links 

Cuts, wounds, and burns are common woes young children encounter especially when travelling or on outdoor adventures. Even minor injuries are hard to deal with because they can be painful. Moreover, they are slow to heal as young ones can scrape them. The bigger concern is that they wouldn't let you apply antiseptic as most products sting. As a parent, it can be disconcerting to see the pain and discomfort of your child. Luckily, several natural remedies speed up wound healing, provided you use them regularly. Here are the ones you can rely on for healing kiddie-wounds.

Ice

The simplest remedy you can find at home is ice. It is easily available, so you need not struggle to look around for it during an emergency. Applying it directly to a cut can stop bleeding instantly, and it prevents blister formation in case of burns. The best part is that the numbing effect eases the pain quickly. It works for everyone, and your little one will actually like the idea.

Turmeric

Another wound-healing remedy you can easily find in your kitchen is turmeric. The golden spice has natural antiseptic and anti-inflammatory action, so it works as well as any medicated ointment. It soothes the skin and heals the wound. You can apply it directly to the affected area or mix it with mustard oil to make a thick paste. A concoction of turmeric also offers healing benefits for internal injuries.


Manuka honey


Honey

Children love honey for its sweetness. But it helps with wound healing as well. Even better, try manuka honey for injuries as it has antifungal, antibacterial, and antimicrobial properties. It dehydrates and kills bacteria around open wounds. Applying manuka honey ointment to cuts and burns can provide immediate relief and accelerate the healing process. Every parent must add this healing aid to their first aid box.

Garlic

Garlic is acclaimed for being a digestive aid as it combats infections caused by bacteria in food. But surprisingly, it is effective for wound healing as well. Applying fresh garlic paste on open cuts and wounds helps. Garlic has antimicrobial action that prevents external infections. It can even lower the pain and help stop bleeding. Not to mention, it accelerates the healing process.


Garlic



Aloe Vera

Another wound healer you can find in your backyard is aloe vera. It works as a natural antibacterial and antimicrobial, and you can use it as a safe and natural alternative to topical ointments. It has phytochemicals that reduce inflammation for effective results. Apply aloe vera gel on cuts and wounds to see rapid healing. Make sure you use it daily on the affected area. Let it dry and rinse the wound for the best outcomes.

It is easy to deal with cuts, scrapes and burns naturally. Everything boils down to knowing the natural remedies that work and using them regularly. You can trust these remedies to heal the sensitive skin of your child. The best part is that you need not worry about side effects. Keep them at hand so that you can address minor injuries at home without stressing out.
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Money Saving - how to keep your home warm this winter

22/12/2021

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cosy home

*This post contains affiliate links 


Like most people, I am nervous about the rising costs of heating which is only going to add strain to what has already been a stressful year. We all like to be able to save and have extra money to spend on things we love such as travel and weekends away but if you don't stay on top of your gas and electricity this year you may be in for an unpleasant surprise. 

There are however some easy and budget-friendly things you can do to keep those heating bills down this winter and I thought I would share a few with you. 

1. Wrap up warm

While this may seem obvious, many people want to be able to walk around their home in a t-shirt all year round but as the temperature drops instead of jumping straight to the heating switch, first put on a jumper or fleece jacket and get yourself moving. I always have chores and jobs around the house and as soon as I've done some vacuuming I no longer feel cold. Also by wearing a fleece when you do put on the heating you will feel warmer quicker and won't need to put it on for as long. Also using thicker blankets and duvets as well as rugs on the floor can all help to keep you feeling warmer and cosier for longer. 


cosy clothes


2. Block out draughts

We all have areas of the home that feel colder than others and this could be down to a draught (I have this with my back door and one of my living room windows). A simple solution to this is a draught excluder and you could try making your own and for very little cost and you could even turn in into a fun family craft such as this one from The Guardian

3. Lower your Thermostat

Did you know that lowering your thermostat by one degree saves around 3% on your fuel bill - such an easy thing to do and can really help you to save a few pounds. Many people have theirs set at 21 degrees although Public Health England suggests 18 degrees which means by lowering it to 18 you could save over 10% on your heating bill.


thermostat


4. Get your boiler serviced

The worst thing is having your boiler break down in the middle of winter and I know as it's happened to me (in fact 5 days before Christmas). The one way you can prevent that from happening is by making sure you get your boiler serviced around every 12 months to ensure it's running efficiently and safely. You do need to make sure it's done by a reputable servicing company such as Toasti whose engineers are all NICEIC approved and Gas Safe registered engineers. 

5. Bleed your radiators

It's recommended that your bleed your radiators around once a year as this ensures that they work properly and prevent air from getting trapped inside them because when they do it stops the warm water from circulating around the radiator leading to the radiator being cold at the top and hot at the bottom and unable to efficiently heat your home. Here is an easy step by step youtube video to show you how to do it.


radiator


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5 meaningful & lasting gifts ideas

15/12/2021

7 comments
house plant

*This post contains affiliate links 

After the year we have had, for many. of us, our priorities have changed, for me personally, less is always more and finding gifts for friends and family that are meaningful, practical and reusable is key. So I thought I would share a few fun and unique last-minute gift ideas.

1. Affirmation cards from Mal Paper

This 52 affirmation card deck is to help inspire daily affirmation practice and this small change can help you start the day the right way and encourage happiness and productivity. I also love how pocket size friendly this is and could make the perfect gift for friends and family (or even yourself) who have been struggling a little bit over the past year. 


acacia wood


2. Natural Acacia Wood Mug from The Clean Market

I'm in love with these beautiful handcrafted acacia wooden mugs and I have ordered myself another 3 so I can have a set of them. If your looking to make your kitchen a more sustainable and plastic-free space then these mugs are perfect as they are suitable for hot and cold drinks, are natural and robust and of course water-resistant as well as being naturally antibacterial - a win-win all round. 

3. Find time for calm with Moment Pebble

Are you interested in mastering mindfulness or just want to have something that prompts you to take a moment for yourself when life gets too stressful? Well, the moment pebble can help to reduce stress and anxiety in 30 seconds and is great for those who have a busy lifestyle but need quick moments for time out. The moment pebble gets you in the habit of having short mindful micro-pauses throughout the day which can have a huge difference to your wellbeing. 


moments pebble

4. Create a family heirloom with the gift of silver

If your looking for something particularly special or you have a bigger budget and want to invest in an item that will stay within your family for a long time then check out AC Silver large collection of jewellery and homewares that while yes are more expensive are going to last a very long time. The owner Andrew personally handpicks all the items using his vast experience and their catalogue includes antique and vintage pieces as well as new. They also offer a 10yr Diamond guarantee with free annual clean

5. House plant subscription from Beards and Daisies

Now in all honesty who wouldn't want a month house plant subscription? I know I would and Beards and Daisies offer just that, a new house plant (minimum 12cm) and a ceramic pot to your front door each month and they even do a pet-friendly subscription as well. We all know that many house plants help to clean the air in our home as well as being very pretty to look at. Beards and Daisies is also committed to being sustainable with 95% of their packaging either biodegradable or recyclable


house plant
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Inspiring creativity & a love for reading with Night Zookeeper

14/12/2021

8 comments
Night Zookeeper


AD - This is a collaboration with Night Zookeeper: Escape from Conform Prison #mynzkhero  

When it comes to gifting over the festive period, I always aim for the majority of our presents to have a purpose, to be useful or educational or inspiring, especially when it comes to children's presents. Recently we were invited to review the process of creating and ordering a personalised book from Night Zookeeper and my boys couldn't be more excited to see one of their creations in a printed book and this without a doubt with encouraging even the most reluctant of readers to start turning pages.

Firstly what is the Night Zookeeper series?  Well, it's a set of 5 beautifully written and illustrated books by Joshua Davidson, aimed at 7-12yrs olds with the purpose of inspiring your child to fall in love with reading by offering a more interactive story setting that encourages children to use their imaginations with storylines that prompt action and highlights the importance of critical thinking, creative arts and freedom of expression. 


kids drawing


What makes the personalised book so unique? The personalised book - Escape from Conform Prison allows children to design the hero! They can do this either online or with pen and pencils which they upload and then their unique imaginative character will be brought to life on the pages. 

This book is also unlike any others my boys have ever read as they get to pick the path their hero takes with choices being made within the story that affects the hero's journey. This also means you can re-read the book and try different routes. It's so cleverly crafted that ever since my boy's books arrive they have been making time to read a few pages (as reluctant readers this is very exciting). 


Night Zookeeper

I don't want to give away too many details about the actual story (and we have yet to finish the whole book ourselves) except to say that it's a wonderful tale about friendship, working together, freedom and the importance of thinking out of the box. 

The whole process was really easy, my boys love to draw and they love animals so it was an easy pick for them to be inspired by our own pets for their hero's. Also, I personally can't say enough about the pride and excitement my boys felt when they saw their creation in print! 


night zookeeper


The quality of this book and the vivid colours used in the illustrations along with being able to personalise it in your own unique way makes this a fantastic gift for children. It costs £18.99 and ships within 3-5 days so the last orders for Christmas are around the 17th. Also, don't worry if you don't have time for your child to upload a design or you want to give this to a friend - you can purchase a book gift voucher which they can use when they are ready and comes with a printable activity sheet and instructions on how to create their hero character. 

Overall my boys loved creating their book, the whole process was fun and the beautiful illustrated 220-page book is a lovely addition to our mini home library and is something we will keep for a very long time. 


Night zookeeper

night zookeeper


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6 Educational Gifts for Kids

10/12/2021

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Mechanics

*AD I was sent PR samples of some of these gifts, no payment & was not asked to include them in any lists - these are my own genuine recommendations 


When it comes to Christmas I always try to find a balance of fun, practical and educational toys for my boys especially as I always aim to bring purposeful things into the home. So I thought I would put a small gift guide of a few gifts I have come across lately that I feel ticket the educational box while still making lovely presents. 

1. Welcome to Planet Earth Book £11.99

This is a wonderfully inspiring and positive book to share with children that look back on Earth's history while looking forward to a greener future and taking the reader on a journey exploring all the possibilities life and the planet hold. 


Planet Earth


2. GeoMag Mechanics Gravity

These Mechanics kits combine STEM engineering concepts, creativity, problem-solving and fun and take the normal marble run to new levels. These swiss made kits can also be joined together and expanded so the possibilities are neverending and what is also great to see is that they use 74% recycled plastic. 

3. I'm A Genius 4 Sciences Kit £19.99

This science kit is packed with 4 very different activities, meaning there will be something to spark a real interest in Science from palaeontology, chemistry, minerals and botany. This kit is great for kids 8yrs+ and it has everything you need including measuring cups, test tubes, protective goggles and gloves as well as chemistry tools, a mineral block to excavate, a t-rex to build and seeds to grow. You can order this online from Toys and Bears.


Genius 4 Sciences


4. Timberkits

Timberkits is a Welsh company that makes world-famous wooden automata kits which are perfect for young children through to adults with a variety of ability levels. They offer an array of magical moving characters and themes that you. help bring to life while grasping basic engineering concepts while also working with natural organic materials. All the products are made in the UK and are plastic free so they make for fantastic eco-friendly gifts. 

5. Word Fever by Tomy £19.99

Are you ready for a fast pacing word game that is not only fun but educational and also suitable for adults and children so you can play this together? You get 1 topic, 1 letter and a total of 12 seconds to find the right word. Its use of artificial intelligence means the device adapts to the player's age and strengths so all players of different levels can play together. The device also provides hours of entertainment as it offers over 300+ topics and 3000 questions so you won't get bored quickly. 

6. The Adventurers Activity Journal by BookBlock £14.99

This activity book is packed with ideas to foster fun and creativity for children aged around 4-9, although I know 11yr will love this journal so it's dependent on your child. It's 192 interactive learning pages which are beautifully illustrated and brings together geography, travel inspiration, facts and games that will inspire the most curious of minds. It's also worth mentioning that this journal has been created by an early childhood education specialist and the covers can be personalised which is a lovely added touch. 


Adventure journal


Of course as always I believe that any toys that encourage play outdoors are educational in themselves and there is an array of choices, from sports kits such as cricket sets and football nets to skipping ropes and cars, Wowow toys have a great selection. 




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6 Gifts that celebrate inclusivity and equality

04/12/2021

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Lego everyone is awesome


We live in such a wonderful and diverse world, with so many cultures, languages, experiences and stories, these things should be shared, encourage and celebrated. Encouraging diversity and equality in our homes should be a priority, I know it is for me and for my son's, as I would like to see them grow up in a better more inclusive world and that extended to as much of our life as possible, including the gifts we give over the festive period. So I thought I would share a small selection of gift ideas that help encourage this. 

1. Lego - Everyone is Awesome 

I absolutely love this Lego set that celebrates positivity and kindness in our families, our communities and our world as well as the power of playing together. This set was designed by Matthew Ashton, lego's Vice president of design and also a member of the LGBTQIA+ community who wanted to do more to create visibility and that everyone is welcome when it comes to lego, no matter your background, race, age, gender and who your love. 


inclusive books


2. Little Box of Books - the inclusive children's book company

The little box of books puts together one-off gift boxes as well as subscriptions with a focus on inclusivity for kids and I think their whole ethos and concept is fantastic. We recently tried out one of their boxes and it came with 4 great books that both of my boys loved and have asked me to reread on a few occasions. The boxes also come with some additional activities and a little treat along with free postage and best of all for every monthly subscription of books they donate an additional book to their charity partner Doorstep Library. 


inclusive peg dolls


3. Inclusive Peg Dolls

These inclusive peg dolls are great for kids who love creative and open role play. They are hand-painted, made in the UK and their aim is to promote inclusivity and encourage understanding regardless of gender, skin tone, religion or ability and they made a great addition to any role play station. 


Have pride


4. Have Pride - An inspirational history of the LGBTQ+ movement

This is a great book for teens and a way to learn together more about the LGBTQ+ movement and history from around the world in an informative, comprehensive and age-appropriate way. It covers important events such as the Stonewall riots and AIDS crisis as well as the brave individuals and groups who have fought discrimination and helped to break down barriers. 


Colour me crayons


5. Colour Me - Skin tone crayons

It's important when children are creative and want to explore their artistic side, that they have the right tools to do that and reflect the wonderfully diverse world we live in. These skin colour crayons mean everyone can be represented and included. Colour Me is a pack of 12 non-toxic, vegan crayons and for every pack bought Colour Me is donating 5% of their profits towards helping underprivileged children in South Africa. 

Rebel girls


6. Goodnight stories for Rebel girls Postcards

Based on the bestselling book, this pack of 50 postcards celebrate amazing women from across the world who have changed history, who are pioneers, leaders, warriors and have broken down barriers. Each postcard is a work of art, with a short bio of each woman, alongside powerful quotes, you can either send them or display them. This would be a perfect gift for your favourite feminist in your life.  

This is just a small selection but I hope it's given you some inspiration when it comes to buying meaningful gifts this year. 



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Are you ready for your Tax Return?

03/12/2021

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Tax return

*This post contains affiliate links


While most people are just thinking about Christmas at the moment, if your self employed you may be looking further ahead to January and the dreaded Tax return. For some reason it always seems to creep on my quicker than expected and I always feel a little under prepared especially as I do my own tax return for my freelance work. For years I have been considering employing an accountant although they can be quite pricey but opting for a bookkeeping service as they are usually a little more budget friendly while still offering a lot of the advantages that an accountant would provide and here is why.  

Bookkeeping is among the most basic requirements of running a company, but it is also among the most complex and challenging parts of owning a business. Understanding why you need bookkeeping services and the cost of having them plays a very big hand in the growth of your company in the long term.

Bookkeeping and Accounting

Every small business requires a certain amount of bookkeeping, to begin with when establishing their business. The primary concern when starting is smaller responsibilities such as recording transactions and paying bills.

As the business begins to grow, more focus will be put on financial reporting which then leads to the requirement of direct oversight by a qualified professional in bookkeeping services in Manchester. Your accountant will help you put together financial intelligence to make sound business decisions, but the bookkeeper is the person who helps to provide all of the data to be able to make those decisions.


calculator



How Bookkeepers Keep the Fire Burning

A qualified bookkeeper takes on several responsibilities regarding your business finances. They are in charge of your financial books by keeping tabs on your expenditures and revenue and make records of transactions and collating the information to create a general financial forecast to help business owners drive their growth and fix problems in their profitability.

There are other smaller duties that bookkeeping services also cover, such as data entry, bill paying, inventory management, invoicing and maintaining vendor and client lists among many other areas.

Costs Involved

You save on the early days of your business by doing your minuscule bookkeeping. As time goes forward, the money your business loses from you not being front and centre by handling all the finances behind the scenes becomes more and more apparent.

The costs of outsourcing a bookkeeper will vary depending on certain factors such as their experience level, the type of service you require, and the amount of work involved in time. Some may also factor in the types of responsibilities that are involved regularly and your company's ability to support the service they provide.

Depending on the number of transactions that take place in your company, you may only need them once a month or less, or if your transactions range into the hundreds and thousands every day you may require them to be more regular every week to keep up with the work.

When you evaluate the cost of bookkeeping services in Manchester or somewhere local to your home, you are evaluating your company's worth not just now, but where you see it moving forward.


accounting


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