How to Take Care of Those Little Teeth*

Caring for your teeth, whatever your age, relies on establishing a rigid regime. Good dental health is not only important for your overall health and fitness but can also affect your confidence and perceptions of your appearance.

When encouraging little ones to adopt teeth cleaning as part of their daily routine, parents can encounter difficulties though. Many young children are reluctant to brush their teeth or struggle to do it correctly – so how can you help them take care of their little gnashers?

Show them how to brush their teeth

While brushing teeth twice a day is always recommended, it is equally important that teeth are brushed correctly. Using too much force or brushing in the wrong direction could mean children don’t clean every part of their teeth and could even result in damage to gums or teeth enamel. Dentists can show your children how to brush correctly using props and tools but you can encourage this learning by helping them at home.

Brushing for them may not be possible, least of all because little ones often want to appear independent, so why not brush your teeth at the same time as them? That way you can set an example of what to do, offering advice and assistance where necessary, and also show them that dental hygiene is an important part of their life both now and in the future.

Explain when to brush

It can be counter productive to brush your teeth straight after eating. Not giving your saliva and digestive enzymes enough time to break down your food means you risk compacting small pieces of undigested food into your gums. That’s why you should wait at least 45 minutes after a meal before brushing. Make sure your child’s dinners and breakfasts are prepared with enough time to allow them to eat at a comfortable rate and wait the necessary time before brushing.

Use the right products

Brushing technique is an important part of dental hygiene but which products you use is equally as important. Child-friendly toothpastes, mouthwashes and other dental hygiene products are all readily available but it may be possible to buy products suitable for the whole family.

A toothpaste that cleans as well as whitens such as Oral B pro expert will leave teeth gleaming for the next day and you can find out if they’re suitable for children by reading the packaging or speaking to your dentist. A little mouthwash, go for an alcohol-free variety, will help eliminate any excess bacteria while floss is great for helping guard against gum disease by ensuring every part of the mouth is thoroughly cleaned.

Image courtesy of Michal Marcol / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Is It Just Me: Who Thinks It's Time to Leave the Jackson Kids the Hell Alone?

I must start by saying I was a fan of Michael's music. I found his behavior a bit stranger with every year that went by, but you can't argue with how talented he was.

As anyone with less than normal parent's knows though, as a kid, you're not responsible for them or what they get up to, right?

Which is why I find it really sad, awful and shameful what has happened this week to Paris, Michael's middle child and only daughter.

The fact that a family who seem intent on rinsing every penny out of his estate, a media obsessed with feeding it's Jackson addiction via the children, and AEG raking up any reason they can find to discredit Michael and his family at the cost of his children's feelings has led to a 15 year old girl feeling like the only way out of the mess is to attempt suicide, well, the whole lot should be hanging their heads in shame.

The fact is, being 15 sucks, and I should imagine being under the media microscope at that age makes it doubly worse, if not triple. Not only do you have to contend with being seen as more responsible, becoming interested in boys, choosing a career, and the rest but she is hounded.

If it is the case that AEG and it's threats to expose that Michael wasn't really her Dad- something we'd all thought was the case since the children were born but which matters not a jot in the grand scheme of things- has pushed her over the edge, at a time when she is probably still grieving for her father, it's just inexcusable.

The fact is, whether or not Michael Jackson physically got someone pregnant the old fashioned way, or borrowed from a sperm donor friend is so unimportant.

What matters is that this young girl-who is utterly beautiful by the way, and if you ask me looks like a mixture of her Mum Debbie Rowe and her auntie Janet (look at the eyes and then look at Janet in the Scream video) saw Michael as her Dad. He nurtured her, they spent lots of time together for the large majority of her life. He was, sperm or no sperm, her Dad.

It may have been an unconventional lifestyle, granted, and her Dad may have had a warped view of what a childhood should entail- hardly surprising considering his own childhood- but clearly the girl loved him, and clearly she will miss him dreadfully for many years to come.

I understand that AEG will have the right to defend itself against claims made by the elder Jackson clan, but they did not have to use this, surely? Surely it would have been fine to say that Michael lied about his condition and that his family were aware of his personal struggles, rather than using something they knew would be a sensation?

Ultimately, of course they will argue that they did not foresee Paris' reaction, which was extreme. But they are partly responsible for the devastation it caused, whether others argue that she must have been semi aware of the suggestion before it hit the headlines?

When you strip this down, she is a child who is hurting. 

Let's just do what we never did to Michael, give the Jackson kids space to breathe, and only if they choose to seek the limelight should we peer nosily into their lives. 

What's your view? 

Guest Post: Celebrate Good Times.... Come On

This is a guest post for you today! Lazy Girl is off being Lazy in the garden!


As parents, it's easy to get caught up in the mundane moments of life. Feeding schedules, diaper changes and regular temper tantrums are all a part of our routine. These moments are only made better by all of the first that we experience with our babies.

I will never forget the first time my kids giggled, rolled over, crawled and of course walked. There are many other moments throughout the course of a young life that are cause for celebration. It's in these instances that we forget about the lack of sleep, personal life and love life that we are experiencing.

Long ago I decided that I would reward these occasions. It was less about spoiling my kids, more about congratulating myself for keeping my kids healthy and happy through another pivotal moment. I don't mean that statement to sound disheartening but keeping kids alive and happy is the hardest job I have ever had. It's hard enough to keep myself healthy, adding another human being to the mix is just plain tough. 

All of this comes from my most recent miniature party I had with my youngest child. It seems as if he has gotten a bit jipped as it wasn't quite as exciting when he rolled over as it was the two babies that came before him. I still did a little happy dance for him, but to be honest by the time he came around I was a little exhausted and didn't have it in me to cause the stink I had with the other two.

Well today that all changed. Tanner started walking and this was cause for more than cheers and an uploaded video to Facebook. As I was trying to figure out what I would do to honor this big day I began to reflect on the things I hadn't done. It was then that I decided that a gift was in order and so was a cake. I called up our local bakery and had one made that said congratulations Tanner, this could be added to a scrap book I had yet to start. By the time his siblings had started walking that were on their second book, so I felt I needed to make up for lost time.

The next step was a gift. He is your typical boy that loves cars, dinosaurs and anything that makes noise. I used a ToysRUs coupon for a fire truck that filled his desire for loud things and wheels. I printed out the deal, packed him in the car and we were on our way. First stop bakery, second stop toy store. 
I am well aware that he doesn't really "know" what is going on, but there will come a time that we share this story with him and it is important that he feels the same amount of love and adoration as my older kids. I also know that buying gifts for every occasion is a recipe for disaster. I do however believe that there are special moments that deserve celebrations. This was one of these moments and it revamped me as a mother.


Caring for kids comes with a lot of less than desirable things. We can counter balance those moments by celebrating the good times, no matter how little they may seem. For many families it isn't possible to splurge on a cake and new toy, but if you plan ahead you can have things ready for those special times. Take advantage of the random savings that come your way and come the release of Black Friday online deals make a list of the pivotal moments your kids will be experiencing over the next year. If you can purchase them early you will save a ton of money while never feeling as if you are unable to glorify the significant days to come. 

Image courtesy of photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
consideration was received for the editing and publishing of this article

The Annual Britmums Live Handy Hints Post- 2013 Edition

Yay!

(Insert over excited jumping around movement here).

It's so close to Britmums Live now, I can almost smell the waft of free wine in the air.

However, like every year, I have seen many a tweet or Facebook status with people getting the pre-conference jitters. So, like every year before, here is my handy hints post, this year merged to include the "this is me" meet and greet element (seen as most of you know me by now. I'm so old now I remember when blogs came by carrier pigeon, neatly typed to your doorstep).

Firstly, the Handy (ahem) Hints.

Most important of all, don't stress out! We are, all of us, at the Conference to meet up with those people who have commented on our blogs, or tweeted at us, or liked a status on Facebook. We are not there to have rants at each other. Promise. (Oh and before Susannah tells me off. We are there to learn too).

It's something I've seen new conference novices worry about online in the last few days and that's both sad and worrying. I've never, ever, witnessed a row of any sort at Britmums Live (or Cybermummy before it). I have no idea where this has come from, and, even me in my most controversial and 'could have easily gotten a slap from someone' days never once had anything but a giggle at Britmums. So, please, please don't worry. 

You'll find lots of people are just as nervous as you- walking into a massive room with only the small avatars or possible badges from a blog to go by to introduce yourself to people is nerve wracking. However, do not feel that you can't come and join a conversation- another thing people worry about is that we all know each other and you are the only one there who knows no one. Totally not the case! 

I know a few of us oldies all know one another through years of pitching up to conferences but we love new people coming and joining us. We wont shun you, or walk away. It's not school after all.

Right, as for clothing- wear what feels right. 

Gok Wan and Trinny and Susannah are not going to be on the doors, doing a "you wore that to Britmums, well you aren't getting in sweetheart". So, if jeans and a t-shirt with comfy shoes works for you, then that's great. Likewise, if walking in heels and wearing a dress is your thing, do that. 

Anything goes bar puked on jamas (seriously, if anyone wears a Onesie though I'll buy them a drink for their bravery), so don't worry about the latest yummy mummy fashions and spend a huge amount in Boden only to feel uncomfortable. If you feel comfy, you will be comfy, and you wont spend time worrying if your hem is too high or your boobs are in danger of spilling out.

Business Cards are great. The first time I went to a conference, only a small handful of us had these, and I made mine myself (not a good idea). Now, they are a handy way to show off your own individual style and give the brands that are there a way of getting hold of you after the event. If you're not a PR friendly blogger who will happily take a goodie bag home and that's it, that's fine, but a card can be given to your fellow bloggers ( I loved the Sunday after Britmums last year as I spent the day going through all the blogs I had cards for).

COME ALONG TO THE PRE-MEET UP!

Last year, I casually mentioned that I would wait around in Starbucks across the road from Chiswell Street on Friday afternoon. I thought that, perhaps, three people may turn up. I was so wrong! We rammed that place!

So, once again, if you fancy meeting up early, are shy and want to go to a small meet up before the big one to ease yourself in, or if you just want a crowd to go back to if you get a bit overwhelmed at the weekend, then come along to the pre-conference Coffee and Cake meet up.

If you click you can make this bigger :)

I'll once again be at Starbucks on Friday from around 12.30, anyone who fancies meeting up is welcome to come along between 12.30 and 15 minutes before the doors open at The Brewery. We can all walk down together, walk in together, and it's great if you are newer and don't know anyone yet. 

Also, if you happen to be coming via Paddington, let me know and we'll work out if we can meet up there too. The nearest Tube station to the event is Moorgate.

HELLO. HERE IS ME :)

This is little old me at last years Britmums. I wont be wearing the hat but I will be wearing glasses. And probably jeans. I will also wear a nice vest top and show off my tanned arms as well (although I wont be getting my legs out. Or wearing a crop top, you don't need to be seeing the Battle scars of pregnancy as Elder calls them).

I will probably be found hooting with laughter with Pippa and Amy. Or walking around hugging people. Or trying to pinch free wine. 

I will however be there for anyone who wants me. So feel free to come and find me for a hug, a joke and a bit of a hand hold. I don't bite, contrary to some urban legends.

So, who is coming then? I promise you, even if you are nervous right now, you'll leave with a big fat grin on your face, belly full of cupcakes and full of ideas.

Cannot. Wait. My friendlies.

Lazy Girl Versus Wardrobe- Ow.

In our house, we have a pretty "keep it until it falls apart/blows up/we find better second hand and cheap (or free from Freegle) attitude to home furnishings. I've never been one for matchy-matchy prints or a theme. In fact, the theme I'd tie to our house is probably "Steptoe's Yard chic". I refused to join the ranks of the flatscreen TV brigade until our very big and heavy CRT TV went bang, even when it took 5 minutes for the sound to come on every morning. It worked. It would do.

When you rent, as we do, and as we found out in the last 5 years, you can very happily and eagerly redecorate and get everything just so in the house. Then your landlord can come and put the boot in the whole thing by selling up, or kicking you out. 

Even though we've been here for 3 years now, we did decorate to a point but did it cheaply and didn't mind if we moved. We were nearly doing just that a few months back but the landlord decided not to bother after getting peed off with buyers and the estate dickheads agents who drove us and him mad. 

So, we have kept furniture that was here when we moved in, and it was old. Not old in an antique and chic way. Old in a chip board 80's MFI nightmare way.

The wardrobes in our room went first when I got hold of a nice painted shabby chic pine set for £20. And then the bed frames that were here and brand new when we came in went as well, as Littlest outgrew his cot and we bought him a bed with drawers and Mini decided that she'd gone off the brand new double bed the Landlord had given us, so we didn't need to worry the first few nights about putting beds up for the Brats. Earlier this year after I painted her walls again, she decided that she wanted a small bed again. 

All that was left until this week was the old wardrobes in the Brat's bedrooms. Littlest decided to bugger his a few weeks back by forcing the drawers open, so the middle and bottom ones had sunk. This is down to his "sleep dressing".

Yes, he doesn't sleepwalk. He gets up at 3am, and dresses himself. He's put on shoes as well a few times and got back into bed. It's only more laughable when you consider he swears blind in daylight hours he cannot get himself dressed.

So, knowing that both were ruining the looks of the rest of the rooms and taking up far too much space, I declared a war on the wardrobes and put the feelers out to my contacts in home clearances (the joys of volunteering in a pop up shop!) and had a good search on Ebay.

I love Ikea things. I find they have all the ease and affordability of MFI in the 80's without being darn nasty to look at. We have an Expedit cabinet in the living room for the TV and some of Elder's records, and I have loved Mammut kids stuff for quite a while.

I expected to have to spend about £120 for two Mammut wardrobes on Ebay as they were around that. But, I thought, it's worth it to demolish the old ones which had started to sway in protest everytime I opened them.

In the end, I bought one double Mammut in pink for Mini- costing £11.51 as the lady had listed it as simply being a kids wardrobe (good Ebay tip that, don't search for the actual make or maker, search a general term or a misspelling and you'll often save quite a bit), and a single blue one for Littlest for £30. Bargain!

We also got given a set of Ikea shelving for Elder's records too, so we actually have space now in the living room as they do tend to take up vast amounts of space on the floor (all 10,000+ of them).

So, with the house taking shape and smartening up, it was time to demolish the old wardrobes.

Mini's was easy, I unscrewed it, and with a few gentle bangs with a mallet it came apart neatly and safely (bar the two dents in the wall. Opps). 

Littlest's was the last to go. It didn't like going either.

It decided to fight back. The doors didn't want to come off. Nor did the back board or the shelf. It was a pain in the arse. 

It didn't help that the Brats wouldn't bugger off downstairs and let me get on with it. Four times I told them to bog off back downstairs and 4 times they went and came back again. Until I found Mini behind me, just as I was at a stage where I was going to knock the swaying wardrobe over to make it collapse. 

I turned round to tell her it wasn't safe and to go in her room, and I let go of the side I was holding. At which point it collapsed.

But instead of collapsing the way I would have guided it to, safely against the wall, it fell the other way. On my foot. 

Ouch.

Both the sides (the heaviest part) fell on my foot, along with the inner shelves. It bloody well hurt I can tell you. Mini casually wandered off without offering help or to call her Dad up. The little bugger. I had to (whilst swearing) lift the sodding thing off my foot, then hobble to the banister to call Elder up for help.

My foot is swollen, its cut to ribbons and my toe has gone bluey purple with bruising.

I knew I hated those sodding wardrobes. I also thought they weren't the safest in the world either. But at least they fell on me and not one of the Brats.

I think from now on I may join the ranks of the soft furnishings lover and start buying Ideal Home magazine.

And ditch the old furniture before it fights back!

School Gate Dating? How to Tell if a Mum is Interested in You! *

It's the start of the school year and you are casually strolling up to the gates for your first day, only to be faced by a group of people, their faces showing a mixture of nerves and competition.

I'm not talking about the kids by the way, I mean the parents. It's even worse if you're a bloke. Once you step inside that playground, after a quick ring check you could become the target for single mums.

Should it be unwanted attention (although I highly doubt it!), you could always wear a ring on your finger but then you do lose any chance of a mum sowing interest in you in the future. After all, how many parents are going to go after a married man – especially when there's the possibility of the mother turning up the next day.

It will probably be quite simple to figure out which in the wall of mums are single straight away but how do you ever know if they're giving you the come on or just being friendly? Offending a playground mum is a bad move. Your kids are in the same class for heaven's sake. The mum's child is bound to be bad-mouthing you around school – not what you want your little one to hear I'm sure.

So, establishing whether a mum likes you is essential. The main clues are in her eye contact, body language and conversation. If she is always quick to rush off and barely looks you in the eye, stay clear. If she seems genuinely interested in conversation and suggests a play-date you might be in there.

The kids can be a great way to start a relationship as you both have something in common immediately. If your play-date goes well and there's plenty of adult chat as well as tending to the kids, it might be time to ask for a date without the little ones tagging along.

First impressions are really important. Let's assume you are lucky enough to bag yourself a date with someone from the school gates, your place needs to look good. There's nothing wrong with having a few kids toys lying around (don't forget she has kids too), but dirty underwear and the like is a no-no. Make sure your sofas and armchairs are up to standard too – give them a good clean and maybe invest in something new if your existing offering is a little worn?

*This is a guest post by Sainsbury's. If you are a single dad trying to impress someone special in the playground, visit our website for a wide range of furniture, from sofas and armchairs to coffee tables and dining chairs.

Image courtesy of imagerymajestic / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Is It Just Me: Who Thinks Suing Newsagents over Men's Mags is Daft?

Erm, can I just point out that, despite the broad shoulders, and the height, I am, in fact, very much a lady. Not in the way David Walliams used to say "I'm a Laydee" whilst dressed as one, no, an actual lady who has had babies and everything. Or, as Loaded would refer to me, "a Bird".

See, that's kind of fitting to this story, the reference to Loaded magazine, as it seems Lawyers are actually arguing, on behalf of feminists, that selling Loaded and it's similar lads mag titles in a newsagents however big or small could, apparently, amount to sexual harassment, and said shopkeeper should be sued for such.

Really?

Why?

Don't Let Your Man Turn DIY Into a DI-Don't! *

It's a Bank Holiday and many men will be going to their shed, dusting off their tools, and heading to their local DIY store to complete those must finish (about 6 months ago) projects that our fellas are famous for.

In our house, Elder loves DIY, he is actually a painter and decorator by trade. However, whilst he can happily and competently slap a few layers of paint on a wall, and bang up a few shelves, he's no good at plumbing. Or wiring. Or anything that doesn't involve a minor nail fixing to the wall.

That doesn't stop him though.

Matilda Mae: Come on Get Bidding!

You know what I love about the little circle of blogging mates I am proud to be part of? When we put our minds to something, boy can we do good.

Matilda Mae was tragically taken from her wonderful family at 9 months old, which is hard for any parent to deal with. But what is more remarkable, more awe inspiring than how many lives this beautiful angel touched is that her Mum, the equally beautiful Jennie Edspire has turned a grief inducing loss into giving her energy and channeling her grief to campaign, raise awareness and fund raise for the Lullaby Trust.

Along with Ghostwrittermummy, they have set up an Ebay Auction and some great brands and bloggers are involved, so there are some great items to be had. Some are ending very soon, so if you have an Ebay account- or if you don't sign up now!- pop on over to the auction and dig deep.

You can find the auction at UniqueGeekChic, and there are items from Thorpe Park, Stork, Nuby, Kurio and many more to snaffle up.

You can think of it as treating yourself or your loved one and, at the same time, you can donate to what is such a brilliant cause.

I have so much admiration for the strength that Jennie has had, the woman is a super hero frankly.

So, off you go, and get bidding now!

Is It Just Me: Who Fails to See the Point of Eurovision?

As a kid, Eurovision was something I looked forward to with excitement. In my house, we'd have lemonade and crisps (trust me, that was a treat, nay an event in our house), and we'd use casual racism against the French, the Germans and anyone else we could think of something mean to say about. 

The costumes of the other countries used to cause much hilarity, not to mention the throwback hair styles, and Terry Wogan's "that's what I was thinking" style of commentary.

Now it's different.