Mookie Scuttlebug Review

Note: Watch the cute video at the end of this post!
Jack was sent a Scuttlebug to test and review. When it arrived I expected loads of bits of put together. The box it arrived in was small and lightweight, I thought bits may have been missing! I opened the box to find the Scuttlebug neatly folded up.

I removed it from the box and read the instructions which were included; all you needed to do was unclip the front wheel, lock it into place and do the same with the two rear wheels and the bike was ready to use! It literately took seconds to put up and put down (obviously you reverse the technique)!

The bike itself is sturdy and very light weight. Jack is able to control the bike with the handle bars. The height of the bike is perfect for Jack. He loves wizzing around the yard and house on it! The Scuttlebug has specially designed wheels which make it suitable for inside and outside. The wheels provide a smooth and noise free ride.

The Scuttlebug helps develop balance and steering skills. This is a big plus as Jack is learning to control the bike while he is having fun. I have already noticed him steering the bike in the direction he wants to go. The manufacture recommends this bike is suitable for children aged 18 months to 3 years (maximum weight is 20kg) I wish Jack had one of these bikes when he was younger! We have a big bulky bike stored in the garden; I can't fold it or put it away so it just sits there getting wet and slimy! Jack has never really seemed interested in it. The Scuttlebug folds down flat which means I can store it easy.

Jack loves the eyes on the Scuttlebug and he always wants to ride it whenever we go anywhere; because it's lightweight I don't mind him riding it out and about. If he gets tired it's not to heavy to carry. The colours are very bright and the design is a Bumble Bee. There are different colours and designs.
I would defiantly recommend this to my friends and I hope Jack doesn't grow out of it too quickly.

Three uncovers Britian's 'Midnight Mums'

Half of all UK mums (48%) admit to going online in the depths of the night just to get everything done, according to research by Three. With many resorting to catching up online at night, a third of mums (33%) now get less than six hours of sleep!

The survey of 3,000 mums across the UK found that they are avid internet users, with a third (28%) going online for at least an hour a day. As well as looking for parent advice and activities for children, the top online activities are E-mail, online banking, staying in-touch with friends on Facebook, looking for money saving tips and vouchers, as well as reading the news.

Research confirms that mums are always on the go, with most mums (82%) now having less than an hour of 'me time' a day, leaving the majority of mums (78%) stressed on a daily basis.

Three is working with celebrity mum Denise Van Outen and reaching out through NCT members, to help show mums the benefits of smartphones and having internet on the go - as the research indicated that mums can save 135 hours a year by having the internet while out and about.

Mobile internet on smartphones help mums keep connected and gives them the freedom to be online for both work and play, wherever they are, and at a time most convenient to them. Thanks to Three's All-You-Can-Eat data they can now do this without worrying about the cost.

Speaking about how mobile internet can help the modern mum, Sally Horrox from NCT said: "NCT wants people to have a parenting experience that enriches their lives and gives them confidence. Sharing information with a network of parents is a great support and benefit in parenthood, and this is what NCT is all about. The many ways that mobile internet is helping parents make connections is a great additional support for parents."
"We've noticed more of out members accessing out site and newsletter on their phones, which is one of the reasons we've launched out NCT Babychange app, helping parents save time when looking for quality baby changing facilities."

Celebrity mum of one, Denise Van Outen added: "My daughter has just turned one and keeps me constantly busy, so I can certainly empathise with busy mums."
"I love the internet and often tweet or go online late at night when I get some down time. Becoming a smartphone savvy has been a great eye opener and I've enjoyed making dead time, such as standing in shopping queues and waiting for friends, more productive. With the help of some amazing apps I now have instant access to my E-mails, bank accounts, news and travel updates at my finger tips."

Sylvia Chind from Three explained: "Our research shows that mums are particularly stretched for time and are really optimistic about how mobile internet could help them claim some of this time back. We want to share hints, tips and tricks on what mums can do with mobile internet to help their lives run more smoothly."
"We want to reach out to as many mums as we can. Our aim is to give mums confidence and peace of mind when it comes to using the mobile internet and smartphones, which is why we offer truly unlimited data on both pay as you go and contract plans."

Three is also launching a nationwide competition to find the UK's Busiest Mum. There is the chance to win an all-expenses-paif family holiday to the Caribbean for one deserving mum and her family. There are also BlackBerry smartphones available to time. To enter visit Three's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ThreeUK.

**Research was carried out by OnePoll in March 2011 for Three. The research was carried out amongst 3,000 mums with children under 16 years old in the UK **

Blog Link Exchange

Hi lovelies,
I am looking to find new blogs to read. I would love to exchange blog links. If this is something you would be interested in please post your blog address in a comment and I will add it to my list called 'More lovely blogs' and I hope you would display my link on your blog in a similar way.
I can't wait to see all of these lovely blogs which are about! It doesn't have to be parent related as I am always looking for new craft or cooking ideas.
Hope to get some links soon!

Free Potty Training Reward Charts

After last night, we have had a few accidents (which is expected) but had a few more wee's on the potty. I wanted to reward him for weeing on the potty but didn't want to use sweets or chocolate. I found a few websites which had some lovely free reward charts on which you simply print out. I thought the benefits of using a reward chart would show Jack that he has successfully used the potty by sticking on a lovely gold star. I am hoping this will help boost his confidence while using the potty. You could use a similar reward chart for anything; maybe for behaviour, sleeping or potty training.
I wanted to share these sites with you. Another way to save a few pennies!

• First up is for potty training and has a selection of different characters on (Cars, Diego, Disney, Dora & Thomas) 
• Next, this site has a wide selection of charts suitable for all areas which can be rewarded. There is also advice and coupons which can be used along side the reward chart system.
• There is some simple ones on this site which you can let your child colour in.

Below is the reward chart we have decided to use.

Proud Mummy Moment

Hi everyone!
Well earlier today I was stressing that Jack wasn't understanding the concept of using a potty.
I had been searching in internet for alternatives and seats which I could put on the toilet. I decided to buy a ThermoBaby Kiddyloo. A bargin at only £19.99! It's a seat which attaches to the toilet and has a step to allow him to climb on when he needs to go.

ThermoBaby Kiddyloo from www.samueljohnston.com

While we were shopping in Tesco's this evening; I asked Jack if he wanted Mummy to buy nappies. He said no. We discussed wearing "big boy knickers" (as I called the pull up pants "big boy pants") He seemed to like the idea and started saying he was going to be a big strong brave boy!
This evening when I was getting him ready for bed I asked if he wanted to wear "big boy knickers" to bed and he agreed. I asked him to try have a wee on the potty before he went to bed. To my surprise he pulled down his "knickers" and did a wee! I praised him lots and told him he was such a clever boy. I also explained he needed to tell Mummy in the morning when he needed a wee.
I hope he continues to enjoy using the potty and toilet seat when it arrives.
Any advice on how I can keep up using the potty? I didn't want to start bribing him with anything. Maybe I could reward him with a sticker chart or something?

11% 'denied first choice primary'

One in nine children is being denied their first choice of primary school, new figures suggest.

In some areas of England, close to one in five youngsters are missing out on their preferred option, while in others almost all get theschool they choose.

A Press Association survey using figures from 43 local authorities outside London reveals that just over 27,000 children (11.3%) have been refused a place at their first choice primary school for this September.

If these figures were replicated across the country, it suggests as many as 68,000 children could be missing out on a favoured place, given an average year group of 600,000 pupils.

The survey also reveals that a child's chances of gaining a place at their first choice depend on the area in which they live, with as few as 5% and as many as 20% missing out in various parts of the country.

Many councils say they have seen a rising birth rate in recent years and are providing additional places to meet demand.

Figures published by the Pan London Admissions Board last month, which are not included in the survey, revealed that 21% of youngsters in the capital did not get their first choice primary schools for this September.

Siobhan Freegard, co-founder of parenting website Netmums, said she would recommend that parents who do not get their first choice of school stay on the waiting list, as children can drop out and they may still get a spot. And she suggested that many parents find, after just a few weeks, they are content with the school their child did get a place at.

A Department for Education spokeswoman said: "There simply aren't enough good schools. The best are many times oversubscribed - forcing parents to send their children to weaker schools which lack the academic standards and good behaviour they demand.

"Children only get one shot at education which is why our reforms are designed to deliver higher standards and genuine choice for parents. We want to improve discipline, give greater freedom to heads, attract the best graduates to teaching, expand academies, set up new schools and we will not hesitate to step in to turn around weak schools. Only when every school is considered a good school will we start to remove the anxiety parents suffer when choosing a school for their child."

Today...

... we baked cakes!

I got a cake mix when we went to Tesco's yesterday. It is by Greens and called Thomas & Friends Vanilla Cake Kit. It was only £1.00 and I knew Jack would enjoy mixing the cake mix and decorating the cakes with the train sprinkles.

Jack helped by mixing the butter into the cake mix. We then added the egg and milk and Jack gave it a good mix. He then spooned the mixture into the cake cases. We put them into the oven for 8 minutes and waited for them to cook. While they were in the oven Jack mixed up the icing sugar to decorate the tops with. Once the cakes had cooled we set to work decorating them. I spread the icing and Jack stuck on the rice paper trains and sprinkles. You can see our lovely cakes below!