I will never forget the day when we were visiting someone else’s house and Andrew, who must have been aged two or three at the time pointed to her ironing board that she was using and asked innocently "what’s that?" I remember babbling something about only ironing when he was in bed asleep but I don’t think she was convinced! The truth is I hate ironing and would  rather kill the ozone layer with my tumble dryer than stand all day getting rid of creases. And ironing is one of a long list of jobs that we, as mums, have to pack into a already crammed day. So when I recently came across a book by Tanith Carey called How to be an "Amazing Mum" when you just don’t have the time I grabbed it off the shelf. The subtitle is the Ultimate Handbook for hassled mothers  Basically its a book packed full of  short cuts and tried and tested advice on containing mess, quick lunch boxes , my favourite, faster laundry and other things. You won’t find it all helpful to your own lifestyle but I like the woman’s thinking – we all need more time on the important things like spending quality time with our kids so try this. WARNING – this isn’t necessarily a cost saving book as a lot of her time saving devices cost money but don’t let that put you off.

Obviously if ,as you read this, the beds are made and the lounge isn’t covered in lego then this isn’t for you but for the rest of us – it could save you some precious minutes of sanity.

Spending so much time together over the summer holiday has tested my boys tolerance of each other to the limit! We have had both insults and punches hurled already and we are only half way through! And next week we shall all be in a tent so time alone will be even more difficult! (Am so praying for sunshine!)

Reading this article reminded me of the importance of reminding them that they are responsible for their own actions and reactions. Dan and I constantly remind the kids they are responsible for their own belongings. Now its time to emphasise that they are responsible for their behaviour too.

I read the above article recently and thought it would be useful to share. If, like me, homework can be a weekly battle, you may find some solutions. My main issue is trying not to feel responsible for their homework or doing it for them. One particularly challenging saturday morning my 9 year old reminded me that it was his home work!

The challenge comes, I think ,when you know they can produce better. I have found on these occasions, a quick chat with the teacher helps. They can then address it from a different perspective. We are, after all, in a partnership with them in bringing our kids.

Anyway, click on the link above, and let me know how you get on. Here’s to harmonius homework!

Don’t despair though! Any bad habit can be unlearned but it just takes a bit of commitment. Andrew eventually stopped sucking his fingers when he broke his arm at the age of 5 but that would be drastic action! Up until then we had found it really difficult to get him to stop. With Matthew we managed to prevent him sucking anything but he does like his cuddly toys in bed. However we have left them behind on occasion so he can sleep without them if needed.

We have all been victims of what the baby whisperer call “accidental parenting” and done things in desperation. The important thing is to return to the normal routine as soon as possible. Tomorrow is another day! That was my mantra when the boys were small! Just try  to remember who the parent is!

In lots of areas of life we are called to be “Balanced“. We need to have a balanced diet, a balanced work and family life, and balanced finances! And I have been thinking a lot about being a balanced parent. As regular readers of my blog know, I read a lot about parenting. And what I am finding is that a lot of the books have some core things in common but I never agree totally with everything the author says. I just read a book recently which inspired me to hold my children more accountable for their actions but I didn’t agree with everything the author said. That is why the article above appealed to me. It talks about the two extemes of parenting. - the control freak and the pushover. Beware – reading this article can lead to a need for repentance! On reading the descriptions of both styles of parenting, I can only conclude I have two extremes, depending on what buttons my children push at the time! Luckily this article gives some ideas of how to become more balanced. It doesn’t give you all the answers, but as I said at the beginning no one thing does. As the article states

“Your child needs you to think for yourself and express your thoughts, beliefs and values. This helps him do the same for himself later.”

So click on the link above andsee how balanced you are…….

Find out more at http://www.htb.org.uk/family-life/valentines-dinner

To help you on your way with the Marriage week challenge to have a meal together, check out the discounts you can get at certain restaurants at vouchers.co.uk. Here you will find lots of discounts or meal deals. Do check the small print though as some deals are not valid on valentines day! You can also check out the discounts on gifts and even interflora for even more romance!

In our busy lives today, all too often we don’t make time for the most basic of social functions – eating together! So this Marriage Week, why not make the time to sit down together and share a meal for two?? If you can make the time, why not share the preparation – and the clearing up! If you haven’t got time to cook, how about a take-away, or a romantic meal at a local restaurant. Take time to savour the sights, smells and flavours of a great meal together.

What does your daily communication as a couple consist of? Organising the family and home, questions about the kids, what needs to go on the shopping list? Or perhaps some of the big decisions of life – whether to move house, what new car to buy, your health or ailments? When was the last time you sat down and just talked about “you” – the challenges of life, what’s motivating you, what’s dragging you down, how it feels to be you – or perhaps your hopes and dreams for your future together? Make some time this week to sit down together just to “talk”!

When we first fall in love life always seems to be full of fun – but as the years go by, sometimes we forget to play together! This week, why not make some time to do something together you both enjoy. It could be as simple as going for a walk, watching a movie together, or spending an evening in your local pub. Or of course you could do something adventurous – go para-gliding or bungee jumping! Or perhaps, you could just curl up together in front of a fire, and read stories to each other. Still short of ideas – download the guide to creating fun-filled dates. Whatever it is, try and find something you can both take part in, and which will remind you of the fun times in your relationship!

You can find out more on the national marriage week website at  www.2-in-2-1.co.uk/mwuk/index.html

Have fun!