Bobux children's shoes

The shop has been open for nearly 10 years now and we have often been asked to stock a range of children's shoes (choice is limited locally). It is something we have looked into on numerous occasions but could never find the right thing.....until recently!

This season we have tentatively dipped our toes in the water (pardon the pun!) and we now have a fantastic range of children's shoes from a New Zealand brand called Bobux. It took us a while to find the right thing, I was quite particular about what I wanted. With my children I have felt that their first shoes were always too stiff and restrictive. I found Bobux whilst on a routine visit to Bubble London. I instantly loved the shoes. Made from Eco-leather with fully flexible soles and natural cushioning, your child really can move freely in them.

"Mother Nature had it right; bare-feet are best when little feet are growing. However, that's not always practical in today's world. Bobux is the next best thing."

So, now we are committed to Bobux as a brand we want to tell as many people as possible that there is an alternative to the stiff shoes found on the high street. However, the challenge is that we also feel the shoes should be fitted correctly. Now, this is tricky. Whilst I acknowledge that a certain amount of information is necessary to fit a child's shoe, I am not a complete purist. I know that with a bit of reading and common sense, most parents can make sure their children's shoes are fitted correctly, particularly if the shoes are as soft as Bobux (I also know numerous parents who have their kids' shoes fitted by an 'expert' only to find they cause blisters, tripping, gaping....)

The dilemma is that, to date, we have only sold these lovely shoes in store where we can fit them and make sure the correct size is purchased. In order to bring the brand to as many of our customers as possible we need to sell them online. I would always, ideally, advise visiting a shoe store and getting your child's shoes fitted, but what if this is not possible?

Here is the question....would you buy shoes for your child online??

The veg plot....growing fast!

It has been such a lovely warm Summer's day today. I have done my usual get the kids to bed then wander to the bottom of the garden to water the greenhouse and check the veg plot.

We have definitely had some vigorous growth. Everything looks great. We have started to harvest daily cucumbers and courgettes. The peas are nearly ready, the carrots have shot up we have had two huge bowls of lettuce for various social occasions and the potatoes are nearly waist height!

My frustration is that it is all a bit hit and miss. Being a busy mum I can only give it time when I have it. I know there must be loads of families out there that grow their own veg and wondered if anyone has any great time saving tips they can pass on? Or nay particular veggies/varieties that you have found to be easy and reliable to grow? If so, please share your wisdom so that families growing their own veg can benefit from it!

Swaddling

I had an interesting discussion in the shop today about the practise of swaddling. We chose to swaddle all three of our babies from birth until about 4 months of age and found it did help calm and settle them.

I had recommended the Aden and Anais Swaddles to this customer, telling her how popular they are, which prompted a discussion about the safety of swaddling. I decided to do some reading around the subject this evening and advice seems to be varied and inconclusive.

The FSID are officially still not recommending swaddling, however, they also say that loose bedding should not be used. As sleep bags are not suitable for small newborns, I am not clear what bedding they would recommend for a newborn.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that swaddling means the baby feels 'cuddled' and therefore is calm and secure. Most parents report their baby sleeps better whilst swaddled, it also helps prevent them waking with their 'startle reflex'. Of course, if they are well wrapped, swaddling also does away with the concern over loose bedding. SID is not statistically more common in cultures where swaddling is common practise.

The latest research on the FSID website is here and is worth a read if you have time.

However, if you choose to swaddle your baby, the guidelines, in a nutshell, are:

• use light materials

• never cover your baby's head

• wrap securely to avoid loose materials

• place your baby to sleep on his/her back, NEVER place a swaddled baby to sleep on their front.

• swaddle your baby routinely from birth and do not change their routine until they can roll over.

• once your baby can roll over they should no longer be swaddled as they need their arms to help adjust their head position.

• make anyone else caring for your child aware of their sleep routine

I am not a sleep expert and have no medical or childcare qualifications but I do like to provoke thought and discussion and help parents make informed choices. I hope this helps!

The Tiger Who Came To Tea

Myself and my youngest went to see The Tiger Who Came To Tea Live on Stage today. The book has always been a firm favourite of hers so when I saw posters for the show I knew she would love it.

The performance was a great mix of the classic story combined with music and songs, there is even a chance for the audience to get up and sing. The production was simple (I think intentionally) but so effective and pitched perfectly for kids at preschool or early years.

Our outing made me realise that we probably don't do enough of this. There always seems to be something else on, somewhere else we need to be, work to do, house to clean etc. It reminded me how little time there is before she starts school. I have made a promise to myself to do some more special outings before our days are limited.

It was such a great show, if you have young children and fancy a trip to the theatre, you really should check it out!

New Brand!

I had a lovely chat on the phone today with Fiona at Naturally Cool Kids. We started off talking business and ended up talking about the pros and cons of running a business as a mum!

Anyway, the long and short of it is that we are really excited to have placed our first order with Naturally Cool Kids. Naturally Cool Kids is a new skin care range for kids. It is totally natural and made in the UK.

Each one of the products has its own unique benefits. With no chemicals, parabens or SLS, they use natural and organic ingredients to protect and moisturise young skin in the summer sun, and soothe and protect from the symptoms of colds in the winter.

From shampoo and bodywash, to sun protection, and prices from just £3.95, take a look at the range of 6 products. There is something for everyone!

And if you're interested, we both also said we cannot imagine working for someone else!

Beautiful baby skin

One of our most popular toiletries ranges in the shop is the Weleda Calendula Baby range. It is pricier than some 'mainstream' brands but when you look at the ingredients and how they are produced, the price is justified. And once you have tried the product, nothing else is quite the same!

Calendula, it would seem, is an amazing plant. Medicinal uses of calendula are manifold. Many date back centuries. It was once said that ‘where Calendula is, no pus will form’, and it’s most famous for wound healing, reducing inflammation, and as an antiseptic, so used to treat countless skin conditions from skin ulcerations to eczema. Such large amounts of calendula are grown for medicinal use in the former Soviet Union that it has earned the plant the nickname ‘Russian penicillin’.

Traditionally it has been prescribed for sore throats or mouth ulcers, and used to treat damaged and inflamed skin caused by mild burns, boils and sores, as well as everyday cuts and grazes. A French study (published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, April 2004) showed that calendula may help radiation related skin irritation.

Weleda has used calendula in a variety of products for many years – including shampoo, toothpaste and massage balm, as well as wound healing preparations – and has also put this expertise to good use in the Weleda Baby range. Its effective yet gentle action makes calendula ideal for sensitive skins. Unlike many products, it’s been tested on easily-irritated skin.

Although this award winning Weleda Baby range has been designed for the super sensitive skin of babies, adults may find they want some too!

The shampoo and body wash gives a rich creamy lather that our whole family loves, and the baby cream bath is fantastically soothing and moisturising for sore skin.

If you find your routine bath and shower products are causing dry or tight skin, you should give this range a go. It will make your skin as smooth as your baby's.

Feeding the family...

Mealtimes in our house tend to be swayed by the meal itself. That is, if I have cooked something the kids like, they are usually chatty, relaxed and light-hearted. Conversely, if I have made something they don't like, the dinner table becomes a battle ground.

I wonder if this is the usual pattern in most homes? Cooking for five people every day is hard work (and I like cooking!) I find my life sometimes spirals into an endless carousel of planning, shopping for, preparing, cooking and cleaning up after, meal after meal. If you are a regular reader you will know we have a veg plot at home. We get a fabulous weekly veg box from Riverford (see the photo for today's box of delights!) and I make most of our bread using Shipton Mill flour. I wholeheartedly believe that, as a parent, one of the most important things you can do for your family is give them a healthy relationship with food. So when we have one of those battle-time dinners, I do wonder why I bother?

I would not say any of our children are fussy eaters (they were all breast-fed and have all been raised on a vegetarian diet) but they certainly know what they like.

Due to a mixture of determination not to have fussy eaters and logistical complications, I have consciously adopted the 'I will cook one dinner and we will all sit down to eat it. If you don't want to eat it that is fine with me but you will sit at the table for the duration of the meal and if you don't eat it there is nothing else until the next meal' approach. My aim is that this will:

a) get everyone eating a good variety of foods.

b) remove any incentive for not eating by leaving the table early.

c) reduce mealtime conflict/meal related anxiety.

d) not use food as emotional bribery.

e) present mealtimes as relaxed family times.

I am clear on my aims and I live in hope that if we persist, one day it will sink in! However, I do sometimes question how long it might be before we get there wonder whether there is room for a little relaxation of the rules??

If you have any thoughts or tips I would love to hear them!

Festival Season

I can't quite believe it but it seems that it is Festival Season again. Which ones are you going to? Does anyone have any tips for going to festivals with kids?

•We would not want to go without our Bushbaby Minipack- essential for keeping them close in crowds without them feeling restricted by holding your hand.

•People are obviously thinking about insect bites because we have been selling a lot of the Green Baby Squeeze and Stick Mosquito Patches.

•Washing hands is not always easy so take some Green Baby Hand Sanitiser to keep germs at bay without harsh chemicals.

•Klean Kanteen drinks bottles are great for making sure the whole family always have a drink available without spending a fortune.

•For little ones a decent baby carrier is a must at festivals, they don't tend to be too buggy friendly!

Let us know if you have any other great family friendly tips for festival going or know of any must-have products for parents and their kids.

Have fun!

Garden update

We had our plans for yesterday afternoon called off because of the rain, so we headed home for a bonus afternoon in the garden, a chance to get some long awaited jobs done!

The veg patch is looking good. The salad is growing well, we have had a couple of cucumbers and plenty of radishes. The first courgettes will not be long and the peas are nearly ready.

Yesterday's jobs started with clearing some weeds and planting some 'spare' tomato plants outside as an experiment (the main crop are in the greenhouse). We added some fertiliser to the fruit trees and the courgettes and watered them well. Despite yesterday's rain the ground is still so dry below the surface. We have sown another row of peas in a space that was left because we have had a complete disaster with beans, none have germinated at all and I am not sure why. Does anyone have any ideas? We normally find them easy to grow...

When all that was done we decided to pot on the last of the tomato plants and have left them at the front of our house with a 'free to a good home' sign, in the hope that someone wandering past might fancy nurturing a few tomato plants!

The picture shows our youngest in gardening mode, check out the Frugi tunic dress that she is wearing for the second consecutive Summer (needs leggings underneath it this year but still looks cute!)

We should soon be harvesting and feasting on the fruits of our labour....can't wait!

Hypnobirthing

I used a form of hypnobirthing whilst pregnant and giving birth to my third child. As it is totally non-invasive and drug free I felt it was worth a go. My experience was entirely positive and I love telling other mums about it so when I was approached by Katharine Graves I told her I was more than happy to help her spread the word!

What is Hypnobirthing?

Hypnobirthing is a relatively new practice, with the origin of Hypnobirthing usually accredited to Michelle Leclaire O’Neill in 1987. Since then it has become widespread throughout Europe and the US.

The process of childbirth is a natural one, and so there is no logical reason why it should be painful, as we have been designed to reproduce and give birth in this way. The fear of a painful childbirth, perpetuated by the stories which people are keen to share about traumatic births, is in many cases the cause of the pain. As we are in fear and tense we are not allowing our bodies to behave naturally, thus causing tension and pain.

Hypnobirthing is a form of hypnotherapy for birth, which can help mothers to have a calm and more comfortable birth often without the need for drugs or medical intervention. Employing techniques to help you achieve deep relaxation and release fear, Hypnobirthing allows you to work with your body, rather than against it during the natural process of childbirth.

Many mothers who choose Hypnobirthing find that they experience a calm, comfortable natural birth. Some find that they don’t need any pain relief, and that by using the techniques of Hypnobirthing often the length of labour is reduced. Hypnobirthing lessens the physical impact of childbirth, leaving you feeling more alert and in control.

Hypnobirthing helps you to overcome the fear which leads to tension and pain by teaching methods to release these fears and become deeply relaxed. This involves learning self hypnosis techniques to bring about a state of deep relaxation and calm.

Hypnobirthing courses not only teach self hypnosis techniques, but also massage techniques to stimulate endorphins. Not only are these feel-good hormones, but they are also your body’s natural anaesthetic. You will also practice visualisation exercises to keep you positive and grounded, whilst also learning about how the body and mind can work together in harmony.

If your experience of birth is gentle and drug free, so is your baby’s. Birth is the most formative experience of our lives, and if a baby enters the world gently and calmly, to be received by a mother in the same state, this will have a profound effect on how it forms it’s first relationships in life. This is the blueprint for every other relationship it forms, and will have an effect throughout its life on all the people that it meets. The importance of this cannot be over-estimated.

Katharine Graves teaches Hypnobirthing to mums to be in the London area, and offers a wealth of information on Hypnobirthing on her website.

Please let us know if you have any hypnobirthing stories or experiences that you think might help other couples trying to decide if they should give it a go.