family with nonstopmama

Broadway and beyond

August 25th, 2010

A shout-out to all West End and Broadway-lovin’ mamas prone to belting out the classics from behind closed shower curtains: well worth catching, the small group of principal performers that make up Beyond the Barricade are currently on UK tour with their “Theatre Concert”.

Nonstopmama loved the show, which features back-to-back songs from musicals including Phantom Of the Opera, Les Miserables, Miss Saigon, The Lion King, and lots more. Definitely an end of the hols/back to school treat.

Upcoming dates include Worthing, West Sussex (this Saturday, 28 August), The Pavilion Theatre, Bournemouth (Sunday 29 August), St Peter Port, Guernsey (Sunday 5 September) and Bromley, Kent (Monday 13 September). For more info and a full list of tour dates, visit beyondthebarricade.com.

Posted by Jen in family, travel.

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In the swim

July 30th, 2010

SwimBabes At home or away, during the summer holidays most of us spend more time poolside. With the importance of safety and slowly building children’s water confidence uppermost in parents and caregivers’ minds, nonstopmama asked Laura Molloy – mother of two, a qualified swimming instructor and founder of Swimbabes - for some pro tips. Swimbabes offers swimming lessons for babies and children up to five years old at pools across northern England, whilst offering specialist baby swimwear, floats and games online.

Laura’s first child, Joshua, was born with a congenital heart defect. When he was well enough to come home from hospital, Joshua made such great progress he was able to participate in a swimming class for babies. ’Joshua had a brilliant time at his swimming lessons and it was very rewarding for both of us,’ explains Laura, who, inspired by their experience, decided to train as a baby swim instructor.

Laura had her daughter, Eve, just a week after Joshua had undergone major heart surgery. After he made a full recovery, Laura set up Swimbabes at a local pool and hasn’t looked back. The number of participating pools is growing fast and for every booking taken, the company donates £1 to charity (The Children’s Heart Surgery Fund in Leeds).

Here are Laura’s guidelines for making the most of your time together at the pool:

1. Make sure you are ready for your first visit to the pool.

Use bathtime to introduce your child to water and use toys and songs to encourage a relaxed, fun feel. Remember not to expect too much from your child and allow them to develop at their own pace. Once you think they are ready, introduce basic skills for part of your time in the pool.

2. Children love to swim with their parents.

For early swimmers, try to use holds in the water that maintain eye contact with your little one.

3. Remember the core skills and repeat them at each pool visit.

Encourage a strong leg kick and arm action, but for no more than seven minutes at any one time – then have a rest and play! Repetition really is the key to success for these skills.

4. Try and maintain a routine when you go to the pool with your child.

This helps them to feel settled and they will be happier to try new things gradually for part of the session. Also, try to recognise when your child does not want to swim. Consider external factors that may affect them. For example, if you take your child swimming after school they may be tired. It is better to find the right time for your child than try and force them to fit into a schedule which is not right for them.

SwimBabes 5. Remember all children progress at their own pace and in their own special way.

It is quite common for some children to seem like they’re not progressing at all, and then suddenly come on leaps and bounds in one session.

6. Babies and young children love swimming!

Once they are confident they will be drawn to the water – do be aware of the inherent dangers and even with the most confident little swimmer, always remain vigilant. If you stay safe, your child should thrive in the water.

For more info on Swimbabes classes and products, visit swimbabes.co.uk.

Posted by Jen in family, health, interviews.

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The Little Big Club Live in Concert – Giveaway

July 27th, 2010

The Little Big Club Live in Concert This giveaway is now closed and the winners have been informed.

Calling all London-based nonstopmamas: we’ve got a treat for fans of Bob The Builder, Barney & Friends, Angelina Ballerina, Fireman Sam, Fifi Forget-me-not and Pingu (phew!). All of these favourites feature in The Little Big Club Live In Concert, one of this year’s most buzzed-about family shows from Hit Entertainment and Premier Stage Productions.

The show is currently on UK tour and comes to London’s Hammersmith Apollo on 14 August, for two performances only, at 11 am and 2 pm. We’re thrilled to have been given four family tickets (each admits four people) to the London shows to give away.

To enter, all you need to do is be signed up to receive nonstopmama’s email updates (see top of page), ensuring that the email you give when you subscribe is the same you use to enter the giveaway below. It’s as simple as that!

Posted by Jen in family, giveaways.

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A dream come true …

July 22nd, 2010

Keith Jack as Joseph Meet the new Joseph! Last night, nonstopmama went along to see Keith Jack make his debut in the lead role of the UK tour of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice and directed by Bill Kenwright (we didn’t take much persuading. We love a great show and left with the programme, cast CD and fridge magnet. The t-shirts were tempting, but you’ve got to stop somewhere).

Keith, who shot to fame as the popular runner-up for Joseph in the BBC series Any Dream Will Do, got a fab reception as the curtain went up at the Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre - after an announcement over the PA that ‘there weren’t any cameras or mobile phones in the book of Genesis, so please switch them off’ – and a standing ovation when, finally, it came down (as finales go, it’s definitely grand. We loved it).

Keith has toured in the show before in the role of Narrator, a part played in this run by Trina Hill, who has just joined the cast. She does a great job, being on stage for most of the performance and constantly running up and down a staircase whilst singing (beautifully) at the same time. Impressive.

Keith takes over the title role in Bournemouth (book tickets here), where the show is currently running until 14 August (check all UK tour dates).

Posted by Jen in family, travel.

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501 Days Out For Kids … Giveaway

July 21st, 2010

501 Days Out For Kids In The UK & Ireland This giveaway is now closed and the winners have been informed.

Are we nearly there yet? In some cases, yes, and others, almost! With the summer hols upon us, what better giveaway than a big, glossy book filled with ideas for days out to suit all tastes and budgets – from big ride theme parks to museums and galleries, a bit of National Trust flora and fauna or a family-friendly farm or fun-packed beach resort. You’ll find it all in 501 Days Out For Kids In The UK & Ireland.

Put together by a team of writers, this is as much a coffee table book as it is a specialist travel guide (although, we warn you, leave it out to be flicked through and you’ll have no end of ‘requests’). With a destination per page and great photos throughout, it also features crucial details such as ‘Amount of Walking’ and ‘Best Time To Go’. It’s a great way of getting some fresh ideas, which you can then follow up online to check seasonal opening times, admission prices and so on.

We have two copies of 501 Days Out For Kids In The UK & Ireland to give away. All you need to do is be signed up to receive nonstopmama’s email updates (see top of page), ensuring that the email you give when you subscribe is the same you use to enter the giveaway below. It’s as simple as that!

Posted by Jen in family, giveaways, travel.

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Catch the Buzz at Disneyland Paris

July 8th, 2010

Toy Story Playland, Disneyland Paris Hot on the cowboy heels of Toy Story 3 (hitting UK big screens on 19 July), a new land devoted to the much-loved movies – Toy Story Playland – is due to open at Disneyland Paris on 17 August. Featuring a Slinky Dog Zigzag Spin, RC Racer (a sky-soaring, authentically luminous orange Hot Wheels track, inspired by the film) and more, it was still under wraps when nonstopmama paid a flying visit last month, but we found lots more going on to thrill small and big kids alike as part of Disney’s New Generation Festival.

Now in full swing, the New Generation celebrations continue all year, with new characters to meet and catch in the parades (back tickle from Buzz Lightyear, anyone?).

Old meets new at the must-see Disney Showtime Spectacular, where you can catch Mickey, Minnie and co. getting down with newbies including characters from Ratatouille, Mr Incredible and Elastigirl, Mike and Sully of Monsters Inc. and others.

Our hot tip if you’re visiting with Toy Story fans? Head for Woody’s Roundup Village at the Disneyland Park, where at specific times you can meet the hero himself, along with the rootin’ and tootin’ Jessie (check the schedule for times and details).

Toy Story's Woody and Jessie at the New Generation Festival, Disneyland Paris And, finally, if you’re thinking about revisiting the first two Toy Story movies and have a DVD player that’s Blu-Ray compatible, the Toy Story/Toy Story 2 (Blu-Ray) Special Edition box set is nothing short of fantastic in terms of clarity, sound and overall recreate-the-cinema experience (even on our not-enormous screen). To infinity, etc. etc. …

Posted by Jen in family, travel.

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Teddy Bear’s BBQ, anyone?

July 2nd, 2010

Little Tikes Get Out n Grill Barbecue If only all barbies were as easy to bring inside when the weather takes a turn for the worse. Designed to have “everything that can be found in a real BBQ” (or not if, as in our case, attempts have been limited to impossible-to-light disposables), this seriously smart new offering from Little Tikes – the Get Out ‘n’ Grill Backyard Barbecue (£39.99), widely available and at amazon – has all the authentic knobs and whistles (plus essential plastic burger, hot dog and ketchup) to keep mini-chefs busy in the summer hols, come sunshine or showers.

Once you’ve put it together, both the side hob and sink easily click off, so it’s not as tricky to store away as it looks. And don’t worry if the words “self-assembly” fill you with dread (have you seen the intro to the US sit-com Everybody Loves Raymond, with Ray stuck in the plastic activity castle he’s putting up for his daughter? ). This one is pretty straightforward (according to the person who helped us). More worryingly, we’ve caught ourselves eyeing up the real thing in the Homebase catalogue. Cover or no cover? Ash catcher or not? Maybe not. Throw another plastic shrimp on the barbie …

Posted by Jen in family.

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Five minutes with … Emma Forbes

June 18th, 2010

We’re loving Forbes Style, a new website created by TV and radio presenter Emma Forbes. Based in London and mum to Lily, 13, and Sam, 11, Emma’s site has inspiring yet practical ideas aplenty, from a failsafe cupcake recipe to making fab, vintage-looking cushion covers using scarves from Top Shop; organising the perfect (i.e. non-embarrassing) birthday party at home for teen girls and alternatives for the boys (an “I’m an 11 year old, get me outta here” theme for her son, featuring a challenge to dive into a bucket of plastic snakes and spiders, plus “bug”-covered cakes – genius) to coping with fear of flying and lots more.

Nonstopmama caught up with Emma about Forbes Style and life as a juggling mama.

How did you come to be a TV and radio presenter?

I sort of fell in to telly presenting – I had originally wanted to be a dancer, but gave it up due to injuries and because I wasn’t Darcy Bussell! The TV world was very exciting, with all the new channels, and I started to have a real passion for it. So I just wrote and wrote to people and the BBC were the people to give me a ‘break’, cooking on kids’ telly!

How do you manage the family/home/work juggle?

What helps me manage the ‘juggle’ of kids and work is a massive ‘to do’ list! I have been known to wake up in the night and add to it and I have endless Post-It notes with things to do on them – I can’t say it’s a hugely organised list, but it’s ongoing! I think, like all things, the juggle works sometimes and other times, if one child is sick or the slightest thing goes wrong, then it can all go pear-shaped very easily!

Food-wise, what helps you keep your energy levels up?

Nutritionally, I am a bit of a health food junkie – always the first to experiment with any new health food that comes out, flax seeds, you name it. I try to do healthy snacking or grazing – fruit, nuts and so on -but the odd Starbucks on route helps too, with a caffeine fix! I always, always eat breakfast – granola (I love Lizi’s organic granola), with flax seeds, blueberries and skimmed milk and roobosh tea. I always feel if I have eaten that it gives me the kick I need to get started. If I don’t eat breakfast, I would be crying by 11am …

What are your sneaky food weaknesses?

Carbs – ideally I would live off carbs – bread, pasta … I sometimes sneak in the odd cupcake (life’s too short without cupcakes). And chocolate I love, too. I feel if I eat Green and Blacks organic chocolate, it is somehow healthier for me!

Do you enjoy cooking?

I love cooking – I find it de-stressing. I know that sounds weird, but it helps me focus my thoughts, unwind and think about stuff. I guess I just don’t stress about it. I am a haphazard family cook – I tend to have little plan, buy what I like the look of and sort of hurl it together and hope it comes out ok! I get so tired of ‘fussy eaters’ – mine are great at eating, but they have friends over who tend to eat such limited food . So, as a quick and easy – but fun – thing for kids, I do what they call my ‘pasta bar’: I just boil up a huge bowl of some kind of pasta and then put out all sorts of little bowls with all different things in it – parmesan, chopped mozarella, olives, chopped carrots, tomatoes, chopped cooked bacon, you name it – and then they can add and make their own variation! A bit of olive oil and there you have it! There is always something in there that someone likes!

What about exercise?

Fitness-wise, I hate the gym. I have to be honest and say I would prefer it if I didn’t have to exercise, but I know I have to! I do yoga – more for relaxation and stretching than the exercise, and I power walk. I gets me outside and I stomp around a park and it feels good! I would love to try all sorts of things but have a bad back ,which means I can’t do things like spinning or Power Plate …

How would you describe your fashion style?

My fashion style is hard to pinpoint. I guess I am sort of classic with a modern twist! I don’t suit high fashion stuff, classic shapes tend to suit me better. I have my staples of endless black jackets – in different shapes! – t-shirts and jeans in varying styles. Day to day, that tends to be the look.

Any go-to favourites that always make you feel good

I have a couple of things that are my feel good clothes – they are normally always something that my husband has bought me, as he has great taste and chooses me the clothes that last. I have a fab black coat I love and two dresses that I know even on a day when I feel fat and ugly will make me feel human!

What helps you stay on top of things at home – are you a neatnik or more relaxed about the chaos of family living?

Around the home, I am a bit of a neat freak – or a ‘faffer’ as someone named me. I love ‘faffing’ – sorting things out, drawers, you name it. I don’t mind chaos, but I like it then cleared away and get quite a lot of satisfaction from doing it. My kids, by and large, are pretty neat too – my rule is if you leave it on the floor tossed away, then you clearly don’t want it and I will give it to charity. It may sound harsh, but trust me, it works!! They are both pretty good at keeping things neat! Chaos is good, but I couldn’t sleep with chaos …

What are your get-glowing beauty tricks?

When it comes to beauty steadfasts, I am never far away from a tube of Eight Hour Cream, or Carmex for the lips and I love moisturiser. I would never go to bed without slapping on huge amounts of moisturiser – particularly as I get older. I try to be really careful in the sun, too. I always have factor 30 on my face and wonder why I come back from holidays so pale!

How do you unwind at the end of the day?

What helps me unwind is just chilling out with my family. I find that childrens’ laughter, tales of school and all the general stories make me laugh and take away from the mayhem and madness of the media career! I love watching a good movie – ideally a chick flick that makes me laugh and cry – good food, good friends and a hot bath and bed!

You can check out Emma’s new website at forbestyle.com, or follow her on twitter @EmmaForbes.

Posted by Jen in family, interviews.

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Five minutes with … Charlotte Pearl

June 11th, 2010

Charlotte Pearl of Pink Lining We’ve long been fans of the Pink Lining range of gorgeous, oh-so-distinctive bags – the ‘Yummy Mummy’ changing bag and carry-all has become a modern classic – and accessories for mamas on-the-go (we featured the fab Christmas stockings, with all profits going to the NSPCC, last winter). So, we were thrilled to have the opportunity to catch up with Charlotte Pearl, the label’s London-based founder and a nonstopmama of three.

Here, Charlotte shares her tips for feeling pulled-together fast, packing for a family outing and staying on top of clutter at home.

Dress Creatively

• ’I think it’s much better to be quite spontaneous,’ says Charlotte. ‘What I wear often depends on my mood that morning, mixing and matching prints or fabrics is far more fun than something more traditional.’

• ’Your clothes are an expression of your personality but, so saying, I do a lot of walking in between school runs, the office and the playground. So as much as I love high heels, I live in flats during the day. At the moment, I love my brogues which I’ve pepped up by replacing the laces with peppermint green ribbons – functional footwear, with a quirky twist!’

• ’When stuck for ideas, I think the classic French combination of a navy skirt/trousers with a Breton striped top, lifted with a bright scarf, is always a chic option.’

Express beauty

• ’My make-up is very minimal but I always carry rose tinted Vaseline to moisturise lips and accent cheekbones,’ says Charlotte. ‘Although quite expensive, Dior nude skin, a compact complete with mirror, is a great quick cover-up to achieve a more polished look.’

• ’Spraying a little of my favourite perfume – Creed – through the air and quickly walking through it before I leave home ensures I’m subtly ensconced in my favourite scent and immediately uplifts me.’

Breakfast to-go

• ’Jordans quick porridge sachets take a few minutes to cook on the stove – they can also be microwaved – and are a healthy, filling breakfast – especially with chopped bananas,’ says Charlotte.

Get packing

• ’I have designed our changing bags with ease of packing in mind,’ she explains. ‘I tend to use every one of the pockets inside for Mother’s essentials, such as my mobile and blackberry. I zip valuables into the inside pocket. I can pack nappies and wipes into the pouch pockets, milk bottles into the insulated inbuilt bottle holders (I fill these with water and keep the milk powder in a separate container). I always pack snacks for the children (and me!) such as dried fruit, raisins, cereal bars and chocolate for emergencies! The children always have their mini Pink Lining rucksacks (which are lightweight and small enough that they don’t mind carrying them themselves), into which they pack some little toys, pencils and colouring paper.’

What’s in store

• ’I find storage at home is always quite challenging – with all the usual home paraphernalia, as well as my designs etc., I like finding alternative storage ideas. For example, instead of a bookcase, I have an old wooden dresser in the drawing room – the shelves are great for books and the cupboards underneath for DVDs and so on, then Pink Lining toy bags for all the toys. I have just found a great company that provides coloured metal school lockers I am going to order, to file away my work.’.

For more info and to buy Pink Lining products online, go to pinklining.co.uk.

Posted by Jen in family, fashion, homes, interviews.

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In the picture

June 8th, 2010

Its Your Story Since personalised gifts always go down well with children (from named mugs to photo jigsaws et al), we were keen to check out the It’s Your Story range of books which star the recipient with their name and photo (both feature throughout).

The result is a real treat and done very well. Other special details are woven into the story, such as the child’s favourite food, colour and so on, along with a personal message from you on the first page. It's Your Story

There are 16 books to take your pick from (the Zoo Adventure is being promoted right now as a fun, fresh idea for children to give Dads for Father’s Day – coming up on Sunday, 20 June – so Dad appears in the pictures and goes on an adventure with the child in the story). Very cute.

A special offer for readers of nonstopmama, It’s Your Story are offering a 10 % discount on all orders placed online until 31 August 2010. Simply enter the code “NONSTOPMAMA10″ at checkout.

Posted by Jen in discounts, family.

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About

Jenni Baden Howard Hi and a HUGE welcome to nonstopmama, the click-to glossy for time-crunched mamas!

Drop by daily for the bite-size scoop (we know you're flat out!) on beauty, fashion, homes, food, travel and more.

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Jenni Baden Howard
Editor

Jenni Baden Howard writes for a range of UK glossies and websites and was beauty editor on The Daily Telegraph's Style pages for six years. She has a weakness for dark chocolate and silicone kitchen gadgets and keeps meaning to do more exercise.

New! Nonstopmama is excited to announce we'll be featuring guest articles and video spots from a range of beauty, fashion, food, homes and parenting experts, along with writers from other websites, blogs, magazines and newspapers. If you'd like to contribute, do drop us an email!

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