I loved hearing Jacqueline Wilson’s story: the struggle to find a quiet place to write in her flat as she grew up, her love of a new notepad and pen from Woolies, the challenge of actually finishing a story. She had a massive stroke of luck as a teenager and got her first job, miles away from home, working for DCThompson, writing for magazines. Did you know that, as the youngest journalist  on the staff at the time, DCThompson named their new magazine, Jackie, after her?
Wilson talked a little about her new book, The …

I’ve noticed a recent trend. More and more of my friends are getting pets instead of having another child. I’m guilty of this myself – you might have spotted Jasper, right, pop up on my Facebook profile this week.
There are expensive cats, pedigree dogs, one friend has even been nurturing chickens in her garden for the last few years since her youngest started school. And she freely admitted to me today that, as a stay at home mum with kids in school,  she enjoyed having something to look after. Nevertheless, J …

This week seems to have been all about holidays. We made a slightly scary and impulsive decision to go to Morocco last weekend: we’ve held off being adventurous while the kids were babies, but now K is nearly 3 there is no reason to hold back! We’re booked with the Adventure Company, which grades the child-friendliness of its holidays. Dh uses a wheelchair so we always need to make sure a holiday is accessible too. We’ll report back on how we get on, on the blog.
It’s mums 70th this summer …

Cornwall with its beautiful diverse landscape is where many families spend wonderful summer holidays and short breaks, enjoying the scenery and activities this fantastic part of the country has to offer.
There are lots family friendly activities for all the family to enjoy, young or old, so no excuses not to make the most of your break away to Cornwall.

Why not simply enjoy some of the beautiful beaches Cornwall boasts and let you little ones paddle in the waves whilst you relax and enjoy the gorgeous scenery and peace and quite sand …

The Lake District is a fantastic place to take a family holiday. There are lots of family friendly activities to keep children entertained whilst helping you enjoy a well deserved holiday in a beautiful part of the country. With a large array of outdoor activities available there is something to suit everyone.

Beatrix Potter is a much love children’s author and with her home situated in the Lake District, there are lots of activities orientated around her and her adorable characters. From visiting The World of Beatrix Potter to wandering around the Beatrix Potter …

Are you fed up with he way your life is headed? Do you have a dream you would love to fulfil but just do not have the time or motivation to achieve it?
Well Channel 4 are looking for a family who is fed up with their current life/job and want to make change over the next few months to change theirs and fulfil their dreams. Here is what the production company are looking for:
True North Productions are looking for a family to take part in a new Ch4 programme which …

Your whole life changes when you become a parent, everything you can image is never the same again so if you find yourself as a single parent, the prospect of dating can be quite daunting. So here is a guide to help you start.
Prepare Yourself
Before you consider dating again, you need to prepare yourself and make peace with your recent break up. No matter how hard a break up has been on you, you must deal with all of your emotions  before considering dating again. This is especially important where …

I’ve been really working hard on the house since Christmas ended. Bags have been taken to the charity shop, kids bedrooms have been cleared and sorted, and it is looking much better. We can’t get round the fact that we could do with another bedroom or two(!) or simply a larger room for the boys but getting things out of the house really helps make more space.
I’ve also been working on taking care of what we do have, aiming to have less stuff but value what we do have. D, …

I’ve been asked by one of my publishers to look into the possibilities for a book about food and children with special needs. I want to scope out what this book might cover, and whether this is actually the book that parents of kids with special needs really need, or if there is another area that is more of an issue. So, can you help me by answering a couple of questions:

If your child has special needs, what are the biggest issues for you right now?
And is food/eating an issue? …

There’s not much in life for free any more, and often when you get something for free, you can see why. The Lego kids magazines, however, show that sometimes you CAN get something great for nothing! We’ve been subscribing to the magazine for over a year now. Every few months each of the kids gets sent a 20 page magazine with puzzles, cartoons, and ideas for new Lego builds.
The magazine is produced in different editions for different age groups and the builds are easier in Lego Club Jr magazine than …