Cultivate Deeper Family Ties Through Creative Home Projects

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In a world where the buzz of technology often drowns out real-life interaction, finding genuine ways to connect with family members is increasingly essential. Tackling do-it-yourself home improvement projects presents a unique opportunity to beautify your living space and strengthen familial bonds. These endeavours encourage collaboration, creativity, and communication, laying the foundation for lasting memories, a stronger family unit and cultivating deeper family ties.

Transform a Space with a Chalkboard

Transform a plain wall or door into a dynamic chalkboard, creating a space where family members can jot down messages, sketch, or exchange ideas. This becomes a creative outlet for daily interaction, fostering fun and imagination. Your home transforms into a center for creativity and closer connections. Through this project, you actively encourage everyone in the family to contribute and collaborate, enhancing the sense of togetherness.

Crafting a Memory Lane

Creating a dedicated space to showcase family photos and memories transforms a part of your home into a living story of your shared experiences. This activity brings everyone together to select and arrange these memories, fostering a sense of unity and nostalgia. It’s a heartfelt way to personalize your living space and celebrate the journey you’ve taken together as a family.

Launching a Family Enterprise

A family embarking on home improvement projects and deciding to document their journey through a blog or Instagram account not only shares their progress but also connects with a wider community interested in DIY ventures. Creating a cool logo for their online presence helps to make their project more recognizable and memorable to followers. It helps to use a text logo that resonates with the essence of the overall project, making it stand out. Free online logo generators offer an accessible way to design this logo, providing the flexibility to tailor the logo’s design to match the family’s unique story and aesthetic.

Constructing a Personalized Library

Building a bookshelf tailored to your family’s needs and space is a project that embodies teamwork and creativity. From planning to execution, this task encourages collaboration, offering a practical solution to storage needs while adding a style touch to your home. The finished product is a testament to your collective effort and creativity, enhancing your living space and familial bonds

The Art of Candle Crafting

Embark on candle-making together to explore creativity and sensory delights, experimenting with scents, colors, and shapes to craft candles that mirror your family’s tastes. This activity offers a calming and engaging way to bond, creating unique, homemade candles. These candles illuminate your space and add a personal touch to your home. Through this shared endeavor, you deepen your connection, making lasting memories.

Green Thumbs Indoor

Setting up an indoor herb garden offers a delightful introduction to gardening and the joy of growing your own herbs. This project adds a splash of greenery to your home and promotes teamwork as each family member cares for the plants. The result is an aesthetically pleasing space and a functional one that enriches your cooking and brings a sense of accomplishment and pride.

Revitalizing Old Furniture

Embarking on a furniture upcycling project allows your family to express its creative side while working together to breathe new life into an old piece. This collaborative effort involves making and applying design choices, culminating in a unique piece that enhances your home decor. The process is as rewarding as the outcome, symbolizing teamwork’s power and transformation’s beauty.

DIY home improvement projects offer a rich avenue for families to connect, create, and collaborate. These activities result in tangible improvements to your living environment and foster stronger, more meaningful relationships within the family. By investing time and creativity into these projects, families can build a foundation of shared experiences and memories that enrich their lives and strengthen their bonds.

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, Munchkin and Sprout

DEEPER TIES

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Make Video Games a Positive Part of Family Life

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Video games are woven into the fabric of contemporary culture, serving not just as entertainment but often as social hubs. To make the most of this modern pastime, it’s crucial to foster a healthy, balanced, and engaging gaming environment for the entire family. This article shared courtesy of the Daddy and Munchkin Blog will lay down practical guidelines to help you strike that perfect balance between immersive gaming and overall well-being.

Set Boundaries, Not Just High Scores

While achieving high scores or conquering formidable bosses is thrilling, the Child Mind Institute notes that it’s equally crucial to set and adhere to time limits for gaming sessions. These limits ensure that real-world responsibilities like homework, chores, and family time are not neglected. And remember, taking breaks for your eyes and posture is essential for a healthy gaming experience! So, game responsibly and enjoy the best of both worlds.

Family Pow-Wow

Communication shouldn’t stop at the game’s chat function. Parents should engage in open conversations with their kids about the games they play and the people they meet online. These discussions are essential opportunities to share insights about online safety, cyberbullying, and appropriate in-game social behaviour.

Spice Up Your Virtual Worlds

Playing the same type of game can become monotonous and limiting. Encourage your family to explore diverse genres—from role-playing games to trivia. This varied experience can broaden skill sets and promote family bonding. Cooperative multiplayer games are a great way to promote teamwork and mutual respect.

Level Up Your Thinking Cap

Certain video games go beyond mere entertainment, offering brain-tickling puzzles and scenarios that require critical thinking. Introduce these games into family playtime to elevate your problem-solving skills collectively. These types of games are not just fun but also mentally enriching. They provide a fantastic opportunity for families to bond and challenge each other.

The Carrot on the Stick

Consider using video game time as a treat for accomplishing real-world tasks. This can work like a charm in motivating children to complete homework or household chores. It’s a win-win situation where tasks get completed, and the gaming time becomes more rewarding. Plus, it encourages a healthy balance between responsibilities and leisure activities.

Your Family’s Entertainment Haven

The benefit of having a designated gaming and entertainment space extends beyond mere organization. Curating this space with comfortable seating, immersive audio, and optimal lighting can elevate the gaming experience. Plus, a specialized gaming room can add a unique charm and value to your home. Ultimately, having a dedicated space for gaming allows for uninterrupted enjoyment and immersion in your favourite games.

More than Just Fun and Games

While your primary reason to invest in a gaming setup may be to enhance your gaming experience, it’s worth noting that such investments can add to your home’s resale value. Just remember to log all the changes you’ve made and keep receipts for purchases. Features like high-quality surround sound, ergonomic furniture, and modular storage can be appealing to future buyers. So, not only will you enjoy your gaming sessions, but you may also see a return on your investment when it’s time to sell your home.

Beyond Joysticks and Scoreboards

Video games are not solely about hand-eye coordination and fast reflexes. Studies cited by Effectiviology have shown that regular, moderated gaming can improve cognitive abilities such as decision-making and strategic planning. Far from being a mindless activity, gaming can be both engaging and educational when approached responsibly. So why not embrace the benefits of gaming and unlock your full potential?

Gaming doesn’t have to be a solitary or mind-numbing activity. When approached with a balanced perspective, it can offer an array of benefits ranging from cognitive development to family bonding. The key to a fulfilling family gaming experience lies in responsible gaming habits, open conversations, and judicious choices. Implementing these customized tips can help families game together in a way that’s both fun and enriching.


The Daddy and Munchkin Blog promotes shared parental leave, documents the smiles, and shares some honest product reviews. Contact us today to learn more!

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.

My opinion

As an avid gamer myself I see the benefits of gaming when used with time limits.

Munchkin is yet to step into the world of console gaming, however I am eager to get him his first Nintendo Switch to start him off next year. My approach would be to keep any consoles downstairs to avoid my kids spending too many hours away from the rest of the family, keep time limits and use as a reward and make sure we have many multiplayer options so we can play together so one day beat me too????.

Thanks for reading,

Daddy, Munchkin and Sprout

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Children and divorce

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Even though I went through parental divorce as a teenager, its something I’ve never thought to touch on.

It was tough, with the threat of losing our family home, losing all contact with my Father and the added stress of court visits.

Luckily for me, I was of an age that I totally understood, and if I learned one thing from it its that my vows to Natalie will never be broken. But to other ages or situations the effects of children and divorce could be felt much more strongly.

This is something I’ve never written about before, that is, until Anthony Bennett reached out to me. His company (Milavetz Law) have put together a in-depth post covering topics such as the effects of divorce, how to help children through divorce and advice on managing co-parenting. Something I’m, thankfully, not experienced to talk about but was really worth sharing for those who need it.

Find their post here ➡️ milavetzlaw.com/children-and-divorce/

Thanks for reading,

Daddy, Munchkin and Sprout

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Two parents and their child in the sun with the forest behind. With the url 'daddyandmunchkin.blog' and the post title 'Why choose a forest staycation. Center parcs review.
Why Choose A Forest Staycation? Center Parcs Review

Center Parcs has always held a special place in my heart, from countless family holidays with both my family and my wife’s. Naturally we would love to instil that love in Munchkin and Sprout too.

But what is the fuss all about..? Here are my top reasons to consider a forest staycation with our Center Parcs review.

Two parents and their child in the spots center. Center parcs review
Sherwood Forest Winter 2021

There’s multiple locations

You pack your bags, fill the car to the brim and jump in. There’s five UK locations and one in Ireland, so likely one close by to you, though it is nice to try a new site from time to time.

We usually stay local but ventured 4 hours to see the Redwoods of Longleat on our last visit and it was so worth the longer journey, even with a small child in tow.

Longleat Summer 2022

Everything is on site

When you’ve had a wonder you can take your car to the Villa, unpack and relax, knowing everything is on site and you don’t see to see another car, apart from the odd center parcs van, for another few days or a week. Everything is in walking distance, but you can also hire some wheels if you want to travel faster.

There’s an included fantastic pool, multiple restaurants, an on-site supermarket and tons of activities, so you never really need to leave. Over the many holidays we have had I’ve tried nearly every activity, from a relaxing spa day to jumping 10 metres on to a blow up cushion with no harness!

Relaxed, away from normality

You really feel the benefit of nature here. They are all in forests so you can instantly connect with nature. You walk or cycle to the facilities and can breathe in that fresh air and truly relax. You’ll often get visits from swans, squirrels and ducks and if you’re very lucky, may spot a muntjac deer even at your villa door.

If you need more there’s the Aqua Sana; award winning standalone Spa’s with a huge choice of spa experiences and treatments. It’s something I always add to the break to get a bit of chill time with the wifey, away from the kids!

Fantastic pool

What drew me as a child was the pool. Always at tropical temperatures, with mutiple flumes and outdoor rapids and lazy rivers. Then now they’ve added some thrill rides too to keep me coming back. It’s the best pool experience I’ve had in the UK and will keep the kids entertained for hours on end.

Fantastic activities

If you want to try something new, there is something for everyone. There is a huge lake in each location where you can take a boat, try paddle boarding, or take on the aqua park.

For adeneraline, you can then trek in the trees, take on quad biking, jump from a 10 metre tall tower, or get messy in paintball. You can then take it slower with pottery painting, falconry, or a wildlife walk. There’s a creche for children too and many many childrens activities from football school, to arts and crafts to exploring nature.

Super restaurants

When you need a bite to eat there’s a plethora of restaurants including well known companies such as Starbucks, Bella Italia, Cafe Rouge and Las Iguanas as well as their personal offerings like the Pancake House (where everythings either in a pancake or on a waffle), Rajinda Predesh (their Indian) and Forester’s Inn, with a woodland pub feel.

At the Villa there’s a fully equipped kitchen, and food delivery service too.

Perfect family time

With everything easily accessible all you need is you. We have had holidays here with 3 month olds up to 70 years old as it really is a destination for everyone.

Munchkin has been twice in the first year of his life, twice in his second and will go twice in his third year too (the lucky sausage!). Next year we will also be introducing it to Sprout too.

Sum up and those all important stars

Center Parcs always delivers for us, from a couple retreat to a family holiday. Its expensive, but worth every penny and that’s why we revisit year after year. So it deserves the full 5 stars.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

So that’s our Center Parcs review. What’s your favourite UK holiday spot? Let us know in the comments.

If you enjoyed this review, check out our other UK family reviews such as Hobbledown, Camping or Chessington.

Thanks for reading,

Daddy and Munchkin

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Seriously, Take Kids Camping in 2023!

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Some of my best childhood memories came from the camping trips I had with my Grandparents and Mum. We would find a good site, pitch up, get the croquet and games out, play endless garden games and relax. It was childhood at its best.

Ready or not, I’m coming to find you! – Hide and seek camping style!

It’s something I always wanted to pass to Munchkin. This year, Nanny and Grandad were already planning to go to a local site so we joined them for a one-night trail run. The short, it was fantastic, so seriously, take kids camping!

The sky’s awake so I’m awake!

As a parent, we often worry about our child sleeping well. So the thought of camping in the summer with an early sunrise and sharply rising tent temperatures was enough to add a bit of fear with taking Munchkin camping.

Going to a local site eased the fear a little. If worst came to the worse we could escape home in the middle of the night and return the next morning.

So, we put our fears aside. Bought him his own character airbed and a new Paw patrol nightlight and took familiar things like his pillow, duvet and favourite bed toy from home. We made sure we had long walks, lots of activity and a little bit of a later night after a late takeaway dinner.

The result: he slept through undisturbed until morning.

kids camping
Phew. Out light a light switch.

Home away from home

To make him feel at home and included, we made sure whatever we had, he had. He had his own little camping chair so he could sit around the firepit with us, and his own personal airbed. We let him help with activities such as pumping up his bed, helping with the washing up and building the tent – he especially loved the mallet, offering to help hammer in the pegs. We took a good selection of toys which could be used outside and garden games. Ensuring he never got bored.

Playing like at home

We also take his tablet with Amazon kids+ (I’ve review that here). This was good whilst we pottered around getting food ready and for his usual bedtime routine with a few stories.


For great days out with young children see our reviews of Hobbledown and National Trust properties ➡️


Affordable holidaying

The most important thing, especially with the current cost of living crisis, is that camping can be affordable. You can pick up a good sized tent for a family of 3 or 4 for under £50 and pay a quarter of what is it for a low budget hotel room for the pitch. There’s a bit of prepayment for things like chairs and airbeds, but at this time of the year you can find cheap camping stuff everywhere, for example, we picked up our foldable chairs for a little over a tenner and borrowed other bits from my parents. It was obviously more pricey this time, but will make an affordable getaway next time and the next…

A reasonably priced tent for us three. Oh and a car to store everything else

The trial run

As it was Munchkin’s first time a we opted for this as a trial run for future camping.

The reason for a short trial run of camping was two-fold. Firstly we needed to see if Munchkin would sleep. Second, we needed to see what items we needed and inevitably you will forget something the first few times! Like any holiday, imagine going away and forgetting the baby milk, or a favourite cuddly toy!

Prepare for all weather

In the UK we all know we can experience all four seasons in one day. We went in June.

Summer is probably the hardest as you never know what you are going to get. So pack the sun cream and shorts, the coat for the cooler evenings and the wellies and waterproofs if it rains. Plus, plenty of spares if they get muddy or wet. Be overprepared.


Given this was just our trial run I imagine ill update it over the trips to come.

Do you have any advice on camping with kids?

Let me know in the comments below.

Thanks for reading,

Daddy and Munchkin

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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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Never Having Second thoughts

My Life Choices

A post by Nanny of Munchkin

As I approach a rather big birthday, I can look back on my career and feel rather pleased with how things went, would I have done anything different? Absolutely not.

I knew from the age of 11 that I wanted to be nurse, followed by a career in midwifery and never even considered another occupation. I choose my ‘O’ levels accordingly and applied at the age of 15. I was given a place on the course, dependent on my exam results, to commence when I was close to 18. This was not a life choice, it was an absolute given.

In May 1979 I started and had a hard working, but rewarding 3 years of training, with a really lovely group of people, some who I am still friends with today. Training was very practical in those days, you learnt on the job and was never supernumerary. As a second year student you could be in charge on a night shift which would never be heard of today. It was scary at times, but being thrown in the deep end was a quick way to learn.

After qualifying in 1982, I spent 1 year on a medical ward and the next 23 years on a paediatric unit. I loved working with babies and children and liked the variety of specialities, medicine, surgery, orthopaedics, urology etc.

The great thing about nursing was that when I had my family, I could work part-time nights so maintaining a career, with little time away from my children.

In 2006, came my first major life choice. I decided to leave my job to start training in midwifery, to follow my original career plan. For many reasons this did not work out and six months later, I was unemployed.

I found a job within 3-4 weeks and this became the best job I ever had. I started work at a local Walk-In-Centre and spent 12 very happy years there, with again, many lovely colleagues. I had returned to a job where patients had a huge variety of conditions, with expanded my knowledge immensely. Each shift was interesting and though hard work, time would fly by. So, although midwifery did not work out, it led to greater things and the highlight of my career.

The responsibility increased over the years and the staff changed. Some shifts became overwhelming and the pressure increased, so I decided to try another change of career to a less challenging role and returned to the local hospital to work in a day clinic. Generally it was a good move and I enjoyed the work, but some of the staff were not very friendly and after one year, I decided to take early retirement.

This was a huge decision, as I would loose a large amount of my pension, but after waying up the pros and cons I finally left in 2019.

Again this worked out for the best, with my Dads rapidly deteriorating health, I was on hand for both my parents as needed. Today, I still look after my Mum, although my Dad has now passed away.

So after 40 years of working for the NHS, I feel I have done my bit. My career has been interesting and when it came to opting for a different pathway, it always worked out for the best, no second thoughts required.

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If Only I Knew

If only I knew, what this be job would be,

Call it carer, childminder or just Nanny

An early start, always mindful, it can be quite a long day

But payed in kisses and cuddles, the very best way.


You hear people say, it’s the best job in the world

Their smiling happy faces, do prove this

Knowing, they know, you will always love them

When you hand them back with a wave and a kiss.


If only I knew, what I would feel, to see that little face

Such an overwhelming desire to hold and treasure

The feeling of love was just so strong

This little bundle could do no wrong.


So he grows and explores and is always changing

He smiles and talks and is so entertaining

If only I knew what becoming a Nan would be

The highlight of an already wonderful life for me.

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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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Living In the Present

When you start to gain followers, or you are even simply posting or chatting to your friends, its easy to be hooked to our devices. Even before having Munchkin, I’d use my phone as a comfort blanket, allowing me to avoid conversation at ease when I felt uncomfortable.

However, I have recently had the realisation, when I think about Munchkin’s future, that while having a phone may be essential for him one day, we want him to prefer to play a game with us, read a book or get outside.

It is also stark when you have a look at that bit in your settings which monitors your app usage. I’m not going to say a number of hours I saw in mine, but, I can tell you I was shocked. Oh instagram, you are rather addictive.

One thing I realised, it that even if I put put only three to five stories in a day, I’d do them as they happened, then respond to responses instantly. This could take a lot of time, and that was time I was not then spending with Munchkin. It made no difference to take the photos and videos, then post later when I’m not missing the next thing. Particularly, when with a child, that next thing could be their first word, or first steps or any of the thousands of little but exciting developments they gain in their first two years.

Also, notifications don’t expire. You don’t miss something because you didn’t pick up your phone when it just buzzed. The notification will be sitting there later waiting just as it does when it comes through the first time. And 99 percent of the time, that message can wait, as the point of instant messaging is, messaging, not constant conversation-ing.

If you really need help avoiding you device, see if your phone has a built in focus mode, or download an app such as Freedom, or Forest, which let’s a hypothetical forest grow for all period of time you’ve saved. I found my phones focus mode has helped working from home.

So, I guess I’m sort of writing this as my pledge. To be the best Hubby and Daddy I can be all the time and stop Instagram (other social media devils are available) stealing me away from being in the moment.

Thanks for reading,

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