Reviews by Annabel Andrews, Alice Ellerby and Saffia Farr CircleTales Adventure Storytelling Game This is a beautiful game. My daughter (aged 12) enjoyed opening the box for the first time; the bamboo board and cards are really attractive. You start by turning over Moon Cards that contain through-provoking questions such as: “What fills you with …
Family Living
Do You Suffer From Time Sickness?
Jody Walton explains what this is and suggests ways to recover from it I recently came across the concept of ‘time sickness’, which is described as Waking up in the morning and feeling anxious with all you have to get done that day Never feeling that you are on top of your to-do list Sacrificing …
Natural Gift Ideas 2019
Reviews by Natalie Ellerby, Saffia Farr and Isobel Higley Starry Night Garnet Ceò Scarf This is a beautiful scarf in shades of winter burgundy. As well as being extremely comfortable, it is highly innovative. It is made using recycled polyester from plastic bottles and recycled cotton from t-shirts, combined with 4% silk and 1% cashmere. …
Dads and babywearing
Oscha Slings explain why they believe dads should carry their children As concepts of masculinity shift and change, some men are wondering how they will fit into the role of ‘father’. The parenting role men have traditionally taken can look very different from the modern man’s outlook on fatherhood. As fathers-to-be and fathers-to-be-again, looking for …
Celebrating Birthdays: Lou Harvey-Zahra reminds us that birthdays are about more than presents
Birthdays can become a yearly source of security, trust, joy, fun, acceptance, happiness, connection, and love for children. Rituals create feelings of awe and magic, and the understanding that life is sacred. Celebrations warm the hearts of children and all those around them, creating strong family bonds. Marking birthdays can enrich, inspire and honour a …
Clare Cole confesses she’s lost her way with family toys
We have too many toys in our house. This might sound a bit melodramatic, but it isn’t an easy admission to make as a ‘green’ mother of three. We started out with such good intentions. We were determined our children would have a childhood full of old-fashioned pleasures; of home-made toys and imaginary worlds, of …
Clare Cole confesses she’s lost her way with family toysRead More
The Revolution in Manhood
Healing the father-wound means we don’t have to pass it on to our children. Nothing is more urgent for our world than building a new kind of masculinity, writes Steve Biddulph Family therapists think differently from most people. And that difference can be the most useful thing about us. For example, in family therapy there is no concept of blame. …
Editor Saffia shares five things she learned from editing the Late Summer issue
1. How ‘empowerment‘ can mean many different things While I was putting together the page plan for the Late Summer issue, I realised we had a segment of very powerful writing about supporting girls and women. Aware that many women are struggling at the moment as the perceptions of society shift around us and we …
Editor Saffia shares five things she learned from editing the Late Summer issueRead More
The Calendar of Life by Kirsten Millinson
This is my calendar of life, the start of life as a family. Mine started in the autumn. Families start in different times, different places and different ways. In our journey to family there have been many times our children have spoken to us in many ways and at different times. Before conception, during pregnancy, …
Washable Nappies: Georgina Cunliffe describes the benefits and different types available
The reasons why parents choose to use washable nappies are many and varied. In the UK a typical child will use nappies for 33 months and in that time a parent will spend approximately £800 on disposable nappies. This takes into account multi-buy deals and supermarket own brands. A parent who chooses washable nappies will …
Washable Nappies: Georgina Cunliffe describes the benefits and different types availableRead More
Guilt-free Parenting
For a long time people simply followed the mainstream way of parenting, depending on what the norm was at the time. There are now many different ways to parent, with no one prescribed approach, and much more of an understanding that different children benefit from different approaches. Although these different parenting types are subject to …
Just five minutes: the importance of self-care
It can be hard as a parent to do anything other than snatch sleep and food in between work and childcare. When something is as important to you as your little one is, it can be difficult to have the time or the mindset to take a moment to yourself. But self-care is important. Self-care …