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16Sep
Prep Tips for a Pandemic-Era Back to School Season

With only a two year old, in all honesty, Daddyandmunchkin knows nothing about the return to school, so here’s a guest post from Lydia Chan.

While back-to-school prep always seems to frazzle parents, starting up school amidst a pandemic makes things more challenging. Being prepared can go a long way toward easing frustrations, though. Consider these prep tips to help you stay safe and get ready for a smoother school year.

Amp Up Your Electronics

Be sure to address your household’s electronic needs before the first day of school, whether virtual or otherwise.

Prep Kids (and Their Spaces)

From virtual classroom resources to in-person prep, your kids will need to prepare for the school year. Here’s what to think about.

Photo from Rawpixel

Banish Germs Year-Round

Combating cold and flu season isn’t the only germ-related concern this school year. So, you’ll need tougher cleaning protocols for your family’s health and peace of mind.

Heading back to school can be both liberating and frustrating for parents. Between worries over germs and concerns on the effects of technology, it’s easy to become overwhelmed. But with these tips for navigating digital classrooms, boosting kids’ confidence, and eliminating as many germs as possible, you can enjoy a calmer back-to-school season.

About the Author

Lydia Chan understands the life of caregiving for another. After her mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and she found herself struggling to balance the responsibilities of caregiving and her own life. She is the co-creator of Alzheimer’s Caregiver, a website that aims to provide tips and resources to help caregivers.

Thanks for reading,

Daddy and Munchkin

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12Sep
Get Toddlers Involved

Raising good little humans can start very young. From as little as 1 year old, Munchkin wanted to help around the house and by letting him help, we feel we are raising a well rounded human and giving him the skills to succeed from an early age. Its very simple to include them in little tasks to get toddlers involved and build their life skills.

Grub’s up

Giving Munchkin access to snack choices and letting him select from breakfast options supports developing his independence with free choice, which aligns with our Montessori style of parenting. Similarly, by letting him help with dinner preparation, whether that be cutting up some vegetables with a child safe knife, or letting him mix on the hob, we feel we are building those skills he will need in the future and his interest in what he’s eating and where it comes from.

Shop shop away

Another simple way to get toddler involved is at the shops, or when the delivery arrives. Let them select a snack, or what vegetable to have with a meal to include them, then get them to help put it all away too. This is good for language too as Munchkin will ask when he doesn’t know what something is, learning along the way.

Wash, splosh and scrub.

Adults generally hate doing the washing and unloading the dishwasher, but toddlers seem to love it. Let them sort through the clean washing, and pass it to be hung out to dry, or give them the ultimate trust of unloading the dishwasher, passing cultery and plates to you to put away. Similarly, toddlers love to get involved in a little cleaning, as much as they do a poor job, but it helps them feel part of the family team.

Out and about

For me, teaching life skills out and about, is just about telling them everything to understand the world. From what a wind turbine is, to how a shop operates, to why we need petrol for the car, I just tell him everything, all the time.

The most important of these being crossing the road. I would tell Munchkin to stop, and look left and right even when he was just a little 6 month old on the way to rhyme time and I’ve never stopped since in the hope it’ll be drilled in for when he one day ventures out alone (eek!).

Cash talk

With less physical cash out there, due to easy contactless payments and of course, Covid-19, its useful to talk about money when its spent as otherwise he doesn’t really see it. We do this by showing him money when we do come across it, and explaining what it means when we beep our cards. When Munchkin is old enough we will also set up his own pocket money bank account such as a Starling kids account (available from age 6) or prepaid card so he can learn to spend or save his own pocket money.

Thanks for reading,

Daddy and Munchkin

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13Jul
Worth the Side Hustle? Top 4 Options for Stay-at-Home Parents

A parent’s work is never done. According to a survey by Salary.com, the proper compensation for a stay-at-home parent should be around $160,000 (£115,000). The work never stops, but that doesn’t mean the money is coming in. There comes a time in many parents’ journeys where the finances are looking a little tight, and the need for extra income becomes real.

But for many folks, a full-time traditional 9-5 just doesn’t fit their lifestyle. It doesn’t leave much time for what’s most important – taking care of your little ones. Fortunately, the gig economy and online opportunities can help. In this article, we discuss four side hustles that will earn you money while allowing you to work from home.

side hustle for stay at home parents
Image from Unsplash

1.    Virtual Assistant

Do you have a working computer, Wi-Fi, and excellent people skills? If so, consider a virtual assistant position for your next side hustle! This growing profession is one of the easiest ways to make money online. All you have to do is perform basic administrative tasks, such as scheduling appointments and entering data, leaving you with more than enough time for your kids! You can earn anywhere between $8 and $30 an hour (£8 to £22).

2.    Freelance Blogger

Blogging is one of the best ways to generate income while retaining your schedule flexibility. You’ll be able to work on your own time and write about what interests you. The rise of mommy and daddy bloggers have taken the internet by storm, and for a good reason. Hosting costs less than $10 (£7.20) a month, and sites are easily monetizable with ad revenue, affiliate marketing, or sponsored posts. The sky’s the limit for this one – you can earn anywhere from a couple of hundred dollars a month to six figures.

3.    Consulting

This is the perfect job for goal-oriented people who love to help other people succeed in life. Consulting involves developing a strategy or plan to help clients achieve their goals. This job typically requires accreditation of some sort. A great solution is to get an online degree, which will enable you to get certified while simultaneously keeping up with your busy lifestyle. For example, a degree in computer science offers excellent growth potential and can be applied to varying subjects such as logic, architecture and systems, and AI. You can then use your newfound knowledge to consult for those who require your expertise.

4.    E-Commerce Business

While starting your own business is no small endeavor, the payoff is that it’s a great way to supplement your income. Get inspired by other “mompreneurs” and “popreneurs” to provide products or services of value. The best thing about running a small business is that it has minimal upfront investment and setting up and is easily done from the comfort of your own home. Try to monetize a unique skill or hobby to increase market value. Some people sell handmade crochet patterns; others sell used clothes. Some may choose to print art, while others sell car tutorials. You have the freedom to go wild here and find something that you’re passionate about while raking in those dollars!

There you have it – the best online jobs for you to bring in some extra money while still supporting your family. Making good money doesn’t need to be time-consuming, dreary, and demanding. Nor does it need to mean more time away from your kids. Once you find that happy medium of an enjoyable yet monetizable job, you’ll feel like you hit the golden ticket. So get out there and try your hand at some of these jobs!

About the Author

Cheryl Conklin is an aspiring writer, blogger, adventurer, traveller, and creator of Wellness Central. She uses wellnesscentral.info to share her thoughts on wellness along with the great resources she finds on her own wellness journey.

Thanks for reading,

Cheryl, Daddy and Munchkin

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26Apr
Ways for Dads to bond with a Newborn

From the moment you enter the maternity ward, your world flips upside down. You used to be the decider of your sleep schedule and knew roughly what time of day it was by how you felt. Suddenly, as you appear from that sauna hot room of first cries, sweat and tears, everything has changed. Your now a Dad and so here’s some tips to help bond with that little ball of cuteness.

Rewind! Bonding starts with the bump

I got a little ahead of myself there. Bonding actually starts way before you even think about packing your hospital bag. From six months of ‘cooking’ inside Mummy’s belly, your little one can begin to learn. I’ll admit its weird at first, but then this is the time to introduce yourself, so they know who you are from day one. Oh and so they are used to your terrible singing voice from the onset!

Hello, little one

From day one there are many things you can do to build your bond, many of which are super simple.

Be present

No little one is going to bond with someone who isn’t there. Make sure you’re at home and engaged with the new arrival. Cancel some pub trips, sport or xbox time, get on the sofa, and have a snuggle. Share the feeds, where possible and get up during the night, and share the feeds and nappy changes. Sit by the bath and help at bath time. Read a book at bedtime. Just be there.

Do things babies enjoy

It may seem obvious. But engage with the new baby by doing the things babies enjoy. Pull faces, smile, sing, rock, snuggle, and be the general goof you know you are. You’ll be rewarded by looks of joy, later smiles and then giggles.

Display affection with kisses and cuddles and have some skin to skin time. It works just as well for Dad just as much as Mum.

Have some one on one time

This has a double benefit. It gives Mum some time for some ‘me’ time and gives you time with your new child alone. Go for a walk, and get the satisfaction of all the smiles you get from passers-by. Or go one further, take your baby to ‘Rhyme time’ or ‘Messy play’ or ‘Baby massage’.

If you really want to go to town, and your other half doesn’t mind returning to work early, do we me and my Wifey did, and share parental leave. My wife Natalie took the first six months, and I took the latter. This meant I had 8 hours on one on one with Munchkin every week day and boy, did we have fun. You can read about SPL (shared parental leave) in this post.

And that’s as simple

Thanks for reading, do you have any other tips?

And if you are a new Dad, have a read of ‘Five tips for a New Dad‘ which echoes similar sentiments to this post with other tips for new Dads.

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19Apr
Anticipation 2021

As we approach Summer and the potential end of “lockdown” and our journey on the “road map” out of the restrictions, we must all be feeling a slight wave of trepidation.

I am luckily not a nervous type of person, with no history of depression, so I have got through the last year relatively unscarred mentally. I am keen to get back to normal, with obvious care at all times, to meeting family and friends, be it in the garden. I have already started observing the weather forecast with great interest, but as us British know, it can be very unpredictable.  

My main area of concern is going back to the theatre or a trip to London. Last year we had lots of tickets booked for various events, which were obviously all postponed, so as from July, we have our first night out at the theatre. This means close contact with strangers, and although I should have my full vaccine cover by then, it is a worry.

My other worry would be my Mum. She is generally well at the moment, showing no signs of her progressive lung cancer. I want to get her out to see her friends, enjoy her garden, just generally have fun and be happy. So project Mum, is my priority, starting with lunch in the garden, then with family, as soon as possible.

My retirement with Brad, was obviously not as planned. We had the first 18 months organised with gin afternoon teas, a tour of England and Scotland, other camping weekends and a once in a lifetime trip to three countries in Asia, as well as the countless theatre shows. These fun events peppered our new life together without the daily grind of going to work and to help get used to seeing much more of each other. To be honest, I feel that I see him about the same, as I still am quite busy. I have my wonderful day looking after munchkin, I see and help Mum 3-4 times a week and I now help supervise a community fridge, one morning a week. This takes in donations from the public, or shops with produce reaching sell-by dates. This is available for anyone to come in and to take as needed.  So our marriage, in retirement and “lockdown” has survived and we look forward to our future together.

All our plans have been on hold, and not cancelled and we already have booked a camping trip in May locally and our UK tour is back on for July. (do I sound famous!) So despite some anticipation, I am ready for the rest of 2021.

Thanks for reading, how are you feeling about the road map out of restrictions? Drop me a comment below.

Nanny of Munchkin

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17Mar
Five tips for a New Dad

You are excited, but apprehensive. You make the most of those final full nights rest before being flung into a world of changing nappies, sleepless nights but magical moments. Everything changes, so here are my five tips for a new parent, from my experience.

Day one for me

1. Share the Responsibility.

This is 2021, and parenting isn’t the Mum’s job, so its time to share everything. Share the piles of baby washing, the feeding (if you can), the bath times and the bum changes. Chances are you are both equally knackered, so make it the best for you both.

Oh that note, don’t sleep through the night feeds (as hard as that can be). I would always wake, and ask if there was anything I could do or if Natalie wanted some company. This meant I’d usually do the bum change, then pass to Natalie for a feed.

2. Remain in the moment

I started blogging and my Instagram during time off with our Munchkin, but this is where time begins to fly. So pull yourself away from your devices and have some quality time with your little one. You can read about my realisation of this in ‘Living in the Present‘.

3. It can be overwhelming. Take some ‘me’ time.

This could sound like the opposite of points 1 & 2, but its also important to have some time to yourself. Make time for whatever helps you unwind, as all that play and baby books could send you a tad crazy. So make a deal with your partner to give an hour to them, and half one yourself.

4. Split all the jobs and always offer to help

Similar to point one, split all the other jobs. Take a 50:50 approach and see how it helps. My wifey and I split everything, from the cleaning, to the washing to the garden. As a result, there’s never a disagreement and with a little baby around, that’s more important than ever.

5. Make time for your partner

It’s easy to spend all your time on your little one and forget about each other. It may seem silly, but it can be good to schedule in a ‘date night’ or trip away (when permitted) while the Grandparents get some baby time. We had a spa night away in Munchkin’s first year. It was great to have some chill time and some ‘us’ time.

Do you have any other tips for new dads? Let me know in the comments.

Thanks for reading,

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Koh review
12Jan
Koh review – The all in one cleaner

I never thought I cared that much about cleaning, then I spent months at home during lockdown and kept seeing the same adverts. One cleaning solution for all jobs, which powerfully cleans the oven but is equally safe for kids toys. There was only one way to know if it works. I had to give it a go. This is my Koh review.

koh review

Koh Purchase

I bought one of their packages. This included cleaning solution (delivered in a wine box style container), reusable washable cleaning cloths, a refillable spraying bottle and some tough diamond scrubbers. That’s a significant saving of single use plastic bottles and cloths. Its also eco-certified, vegan and cruelty free.

Koh Review – the tests

I tested the bathroom first. Blimey did it shine like never before, and all without burning my nostrils and throat with bleach (the usual occourence when scrubbing the grout.

Then came the true test, the oven. Following the instructions, you spray and leave the solution on for two minutes, then spray a diamond scrubber and get to work. Our oven needed some TLC, but after one go it improved substantially, and after two looked good as new. No over-priced, hazardous oven cleaning set in sight.

A few months later

A few months down the line, impressed, we tried the mop package. With reusable, washable mop pads this is another game changer. It also comes with a neat little silicone scrubber and hair catcher. The pads attach and detach easily, and machine wash for re-usability.

Overall…

The solution is scent free. However, that makes it personalisable. Add a few drops of your favourite essential oil to the bottle, shake, and you’ve got your own personal fragranced cleaner. We’ve currently got some lavender scent and its lovely!

Then the most important one. It’s child safe (although keep the neat solution away from their little hands). What it means, is we can go from the oven to his toys, knowing when dry, they are perfectly safe to play with again. And we can use it with the mop, knowing he can crawl or walk over it straight after!

Price wise it also pays for itself. With what I now have, compared to the oven cleaner, non washable mop pads, mop solution, window cleaner, cloths, bathroom cleaner, bleach…. etc etc I now just have one solution.

Therefore its cheaper, safer, effective and better for the environment!

I’ll sum it up easily:

Those all important stars….

Price, safety, useability, environmental impact

Rating: 5 out of 5.
Koh Website

Update

Since writing, Koh have been in the lab and come up with something clever. Koh protect is a new solution which keeps surfaces decontaminated for 7 days fro the usual 99.9% of bacteria. That’s amazing.

Do you have any eco friendly cleaning switches? let me know in the comments below

Daddy reviewed, Munchkin approved.

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17Dec
Wood you like to play? Choosing wooden toys

With a planet drowning in plastic the switch to wooden toys may be one thing to help prevent the crisis. With wooden toys becoming reasonably priced, featuring popular characters, readily available and aesthetically pleasing why wouldn’t you?

We knew we wanted to make Munchkin as single use plastic free as possible from before he was born (though, we admit, it took months to be totally plastic free). So we switched his nappies, wipes, removed nappy bags, bought second hand plastic (or promised to re-gift or hand down) and always aim to buy wooden toys. Read about our plastic swaps and promises in the links below.

Our latest plastic free promises
The plastic problem and our promises

Admittedly, with toys, its not always this simple. Toddlers are stimulated by lights and sounds, where wooden toys can be more aimed at role play, or mentally challenging tasks like puzzles, shape or colour sorting. Knowing this, we didn’t avoid plastic to allow Munchkin access to these features, but use Facebook marketplace, or when buying new, are happy knowing we will use this for Baby-G 2.0, or sell on or donate in the future.

However there are many a wooden alternative to plastic toys and their prices are decreasing. Just weeks ago, we found a solid wooden alphabet animal shaped puzzle in Wilkinson’s for £5. The big shows are also going plastic free with ‘Hey Dougee’ and ‘Peppa Pig’ getting eco-friendly with their offerings so there’s something for every child.

  • a £5 wooden alphabet puzzle from Wilko’s
  • Wooden Peppa Pig toys

My only worry now though, is when you take a glance up the older children’s aisles in our toy shop. It seems the older kids get, the more limited the wooden offerings become. Lets hope this changes before Munchkin grows up.

So why not treat your little one this Christmas, and also help save this wonderful planet for their future?

Thanks for reading,

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30Nov
Just in case you were wondering…

Just in case you were wondering…

I felt compelled to write a few words about what I was up to at the moment, obviously no fantastic holidays abroad, no day trips to London or theatre experiences to talk about, but I have been busy!

Tuesdays are just so special, looking after the munchkin. He is so full of energy and so funny. He picks up songs and actions so easily and literally copies a lot of what I do and say. We have a little walk out in the morning to the park and to go puddle hunting! He chatters non stop, listens for the planes and trains, points out birds and dogs and hands me many stones and wet leaves. My son is working from home, at the moment, so I see him too, which is great. We go out again, in the pushchair, in the afternoon, to give his Dad a bit more peace to work in.

I see my mum regularly and this involves a little cleaning and getting her shopping. This has also involved getting her new fencing and a shed, sorting out other sheds, rooms and cupboards, buying various household items, doing her online banking and bills. There is always something that needs replacing or looking into.

The gym has been a blessing, but now it is closed again, I am back to walking, as long as it is not raining. My husband and I practice on our guitars regularly and a bottle of wine occasionally accompanies us! I have done some baking, but that always involves calories, so have tried pickling onions and homemade coleslaw. We do tend to watch tele in the evenings and old episodes of “task master” has kept us entertained.

That almost sums up life, at the moment. Longing for the chance to see friends and family on a regular basis and the possibility of a normal life seems to be almost there.

Thanks for reading,

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25Sep
The Wonderful World of Weaning

Food glorious food

Just before Munchkin’s 6 month milestone we started weaning. The wonderful world of weaning that is.

From the off you could tell he loved food when he grabbed the first spoonful and took it to his mouth. This surprised us both. Though, it was shortly followed by a face of disgust.

  • The first spoonful 😊
  • The following look of disgust

One month later after the taste-test phase we are on to three meals a day. Generally porridge for brekky, a puree for lunch with a crisp and some fruit to suck on and something with more solids for dinner.

Yummy Ella’s kitchen melty crisps which Munchkin immediately took to.

We have tried and tested many baby foods and making our own purees but when it comes to a baby food company, the standout for us is Ella’s kitchen.

This is for two reasons above the good taste; organic ingredients and our Munchkin’s preferences .

For starters, home freezing. Ella’s kitchen purées are generally freezeable. This was a necessity for us when starting out, as our Munchkin would only have less than a quarter of a pouch.

Secondly, all their packaging is recyclable as part of their Ellacycle scheme via Terracycle. (I’ll praise and tell you more about Terracycle in a future post 😊 which you will find here, but if you want to do more here’s a handy dandy link).

The next weeks’ dinners

I also thought that there is a lot of contradictory information out there on weaning. So what we did is look over that advice and follow what we felt at the time. For example with solids we experimented early and stepped back if it was too soon.

Overall, my main piece of advice would be to enjoy it. It’s messy and can be a worry but it’s fun to discover what your baby likes and seeing them cover themselves in food like our Munchkin in the gorgeous shot below.

Thanks for reading,

Daddy and Munchkin.

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