We all want our kids to have an amazing time this summer but this year school holidays are looking a little different to normal. I’ve put together some favourite ways to help you fill the summer holidays with ideas that won’t break the bank. 

As a mum of a 7 and 11-year-old, Francesca was getting increasingly frustrated at the press constantly telling us kids are growing up stressed and that mental health issues were on the rise. So she created The HappySelf Journal, a daily journal that keeps kids engaged and develops important habits that will set them up for life. 

HotTea Mama is the award-winning range of tea supporting women from bump to baby, and beyond. I chat to the co-founder Bethan about how she’s running her business in lockdown, the inspiration for starting HotTea Mama and how she juggles her small business with family life. 

I’m finding parts of lockdown life hard. We all do, I’m sure. We’re human. We have good days and bad days, we have mood swings, we find our kids annoying sometimes and we feel scared about the future. Full-time family life is utterly exhausting and draining. Sometimes, I just don’t want to hear another ‘mummy, mummy’.

In the last week, shit has got real; things have notched up a gear. I know some families are self-isolating already and like many mums out there, the thought of a 7-day lockdown with my kids fills me with fear. Here’s a few suggestions to help you get through it.

International Women’s Day seems the perfect time to celebrate some of the fantastic female founders I’m working with. Kicking off our new series, Behind the brand, is Harriet, founder of the “miracle” self-heating eye masks Spacemasks. If you don’t know about Spacemasks, where have you been living?!

As much as I’d love a surprise spa break, I’m not really expecting anything on Mother’s Day. I’m not one for posh jewellery or grand gestures because it’s actually the small things that make me happy these days. I asked some lovely mums what’s top of their wish-list for Mother’s Day. 

Sex! We’re all at it like rabbits aren’t we? There’s candles dotted around the bedroom, perfectly chilled Prosecco in our hands and we’re both ready for a long night of hot passionate sex. Or not. Let’s face it, we’ve got kids now. The days of steamy sex sessions are long gone and sex has unfortunately dropped to the lower end of the priority list. 

With three children in every primary class now suffering with mental health, from anxiety and low-confidence to bullying and bereavement, lots of us are looking for answers. How do I help my child express his emotions and deal with failure?