Family and Parenting Archives - The Less-Refined Mind

Soaking Up the Christmas Buzz With Fenwick’s Colchester

Dec 7, 2018

I love Christmas. Actually, I think what I really love is the magical atmosphere during the festive run-up, more so than the actual day itself. One of my very favourite parts is going to local towns – but not necessarily for shopping – it’s the buzz and excitement I enjoy. (If the children are behaving) it’s pretty special just ...

Family and Parenting, Opinion

The Loophole That Means Preschool Can Steal Your Child’s Funding

Nov 27, 2018

I’m writing this post about two months before you’ll see it, while it’s still fresh and raw. Why am I choosing not to publish immediately? Because it’s not only a criticism of a loophole in the preschool funding system, but also of my daughter’s specific setting (her previous one, as she’s since been moved). And while I want every parent ...

Family and Parenting, Travel

Why We’re Choosing a Villa Over a Hotel For Our Summer Holiday

Nov 9, 2018

Our 2018 holiday was a big one – we threw caution to the wind and decided to chance a cruise with two small children and my mum to help out. We had some brilliant highs – but we also missed out on so much of what was on offer. Essentially, we paid for a helluva lot of entertainment that we were unable to enjoy. Which is so ...

Bullying, Opinion

The Label I Cannot Stand Being Thrown Around Like Confetti

Nov 6, 2018

As a rule, I try these days to spend most of my time in a bubble of positivity. I don’t want drama in my life and I’ve taken great steps to remove it where necessary. I will cut people out of my life, no matter who they are, if they bring nothing but stress or misery. That may sound harsh but it’s not something I do lightly; it’s a painful ...

Family and Parenting, Giveaways

Looking After Your Children’s Teeth With FOREO

Nov 2, 2018

FOREO recently invited Pixie and I to a really fun event in London. I had reservations about taking her into town alone, but I’m so glad I did. She was very well-behaved (shocking) and once she got past her shyness, she had a great time at the event. Plus it was for an important campaign: looking after young children’s teeth. ...

Family and Parenting, Positivity

Life Lessons for My Daughters, and Anybody Who Aspires to Be More Positive

Oct 19, 2018

It’s a super busy week for us (we’re moving today!) and I’ve been really hard-pushed to get much writing done. So I decided to raid my drafts folder this week – I wrote this post a little more than two years ago and never quite got around to publishing it; I’m not sure why. Reading back over it, it seems like ...

Family and Parenting

The Simple Trick That Helped My Baby Overcome Her Fear of the Bath

Oct 16, 2018

A few months ago we encountered a problem that I’m sure is common to many households, but it was something we’d never experienced with Pixie. And it threw me for six, because I had no idea how to resolve it. After previously loving bath time, Elfin became frightened. It sounds almost comical, but trust me when I say that when it happens the ...

Family and Parenting, Positivity

Improve Somebody’s Day Without It Costing You a Penny

Oct 12, 2018

I first wrote this post a couple of years ago and I’m re-sharing today because the memory still makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside! It’s a lovely reminder for me to be brave and push myself to do more ‘extrovert’ things, in spite of my intense shyness, because putting yourself out there for somebody else’s ...

Family and Parenting, Marriage, Opinion

Why I Take My Husband For Granted and Have No Plans to Change That

Oct 9, 2018

This week my husband and I celebrate ten years together. A decade – which means that when we got together that length of time was nearly half my life! It seems like quite a momentous milestone (we’re celebrating with a child-free night – the first time I’ll have left Elfin overnight!); so I thought I’d give you my tips on how to ...

Breastfeeding, Opinion

Breastfeeding Etiquette For Men: How to Support Women – Without Being Creepy

Oct 5, 2018

A few weeks ago I posted something on Facebook about breastfeeding. The post itself was less important than some of the comments. An old friend asked a question and made me consider something I’ve genuinely never thought about before: breastfeeding etiquette for men. Essentially, I’d been talking about a show the BBC broadcast about ...