There are seemingly innumerable balls to juggle and plates to spin whilst ensuring all members of the family are kept safe, secure, happy and healthy. There are guides and gadgets galore to help with everything from staying internet savvy and safe to making sure they do their school work and eat their greens; from keeping them entertained to making and capturing precious memories for all of you.

However, this parental advice mountain can be overwhelming in itself. Here are some starter tips through the maze.

1. Internet Matters

Internet Matters is a not-for-profit organisation that aims to help parents and carers keep their children safe in the digital world.

Understanding the risks associated with the latest apps, devices and online trends can feel overwhelming at the best of times, let alone while educating children from home. Working with policy makers and industry experts, Internet Matters’ online safety resource hub contains a range of information to help parents make a positive change to children’s digital lives.

The expert guides and resources are broken down by topic and age to help you learn about online safety in a manageable way. Alongside this, there are wellbeing and learning resources to support all ages from nursery and pre-school children to teenagers.

Find out more at internetmatters.org

2. Beano

Beano has been encouraging children to enjoy regular reading for over 80 years. Every weekly issue can help improve literacy skills in young and reluctant readers. It’s a fun, accessible way to introduce phonics, spelling, working memory, reading and comprehension.

Parents and teachers have congratulated Beano for using correct English to deliver stories. Every issue delivers fresh vocabulary, perfectly pitched humour and entertaining storylines.

You can always trust Beano to make reading fun. The comic’s core readers are aged seven to 12. By subscribing to Beano, you will not only give a lucky child a weekly blast of laughter and learning, but you’ll also save loads of money. A subscription is much cheaper than buying Beano in shops.

Find out more at beano.com

3. Frog Bikes

As parents, we want our children to get the best start in life and for them to grow into happy, healthy, and successful grown-ups. Increasingly parents face daily battles with ‘screen time’ – whether it’s TV, games, or even just phones. Introducing kids to cycling from an early age gives them lifelong skills to keep them active.

This is why Frog Bikes has invested in research to develop a range of high-quality, lightweight kids’ bikes to encourage more kids to get out and enjoy the freedom of cycling.

On a lightweight bike that is correctly fitted to the child, they find it easier to learn, develop skills quickly, and can keep up with mum and dad. Every part of a Frog Bike is designed specifically for smaller riders, so the bike is the best fit possible and easier to handle.

Find out more at frogbikes.co.uk

4. Notebooks by Clairefontaine

Despite the world becoming increasingly digitalised, the need for notepads, especially in the school and university environment, won’t disappear anytime soon.

Physically writing notes can aid in the learning process, allowing people to retain the information for longer. Writing by hand can also improve general wellbeing, enabling the writer to relax.

Since 1858, Clairefontaine has created extraordinary notepads with exceptional paper quality. For over 160 years, their books and pads have featured the iconic super-smooth, brushed vellum satin-finish paper loved by pen fans globally.

Find out more at clairefontaine.com

5. Bassetts Vitamins

Bassetts Vitamins are so deliciously soft and fruity, everyone can love taking their daily supplement. There’s one for the little ones, the big ones, even the sort of in-betweeny ones, helping everyone get what they need to support their healthy, active life. They contain no added sugar, natural flavours and natural colours.

Bassetts Vitamins Multivitamins in Strawberry Flavour for 3-6 Years contain nutrients, including Vitamin A for healthy vision and skin and Vitamin D for healthy bones and muscle function.

Bassetts Vitamins Multivitamins in Raspberry Flavour for 7-11 Years contain nutrients to support the health of eager and adventurous youngsters, including Vitamin B2, B6 and B12 which help to release energy from food.

Bassetts Vitamins Evening Primrose Oil & Multivitamins in Orange & Passion Fruit Flavour for 12-18 Years have been tailored with a blend of nutrients and Evening Primrose Oil. It contains Vitamin B6 to help balance normal hormonal activity.

Find out more at bassettsvitamins.co.uk

6. Halo Capsule

Most people would rather clean little and often than do big spring cleans. To clean effectively we need helpful tools that are easier to use, with the power to get it done without compromising.

Halo Capsule is a patented, innovative new cordless vacuum. Using premium carbon fibre, it’s the first cordless with all the power and capacity of a full-size corded vacuum. It also encapsulates your dirt so that it is effortless to remove from your home.

The Halo Capsule is independently verified to have the cleaning power of the best-corded vacuums. Its unique compostable pouches lock dirt away and hold 1.6 litres (five times more than some models) meaning less time emptying and no cleaning filters.

Find out more at capsuleclean.com

7. Cewe

Make the most of the upcoming summer months by creating a collection of new memories to account for all those moments that have been missed this past year. With the world around us open again, as you begin to venture back out there, capture all these special moments on camera and combine them into your very own CEWE Photobook.

The photobooks range in size from small to XXL, with portrait, landscape and square options. You can choose from nine different formats, with six different high-quality paper types, including three premium photographic paper options in addition to a wide variety of cover and binding options.

Find out more at cewe.co.uk

8. Wet Ones

Make the germs squirm. Take Wet Ones as your dedicated pocket protector on every single one of life’s journeys. Plus, there’s a new handbag hero in town, and it’s going to be big this year – the Wet Ones hand sanitiser which kills 99.9% of bacteria.

All Wet Ones wipes are biodegradable and contain no plastic. Their sanitisers contain pro-vitamin B5 and aloe vera to prevent your hands from drying out.

Whatever your day brings, we can guarantee that our reliable and sustainable antibacterial hand wipes and sanitisers will keep it mess-free and stress-free – giving you more time to enjoy what’s important.

Find out more at wetones.co.uk

9. Readly

Readly is a digital subscription service that offers unlimited, all-you-can-read access to thousands of magazines and newspapers from the top UK and international publishers in one app.

The service is fast, easy to use and available on desktop, mobile and tablet. What’s more, each user receives unlimited reading on up to five devices, so the whole family can enjoy their favourite magazines. Magazines are downloadable to read on the go or offline, all over the world. 

Readly is a great source of inspiration for hobbies, such as gardening but also a way to relax and enjoy some much-needed ‘me-time’.

Find out more at readly.com

10. SPACETALK 

SPACETALK® is an all-in-one smartwatch, phone and GPS device that has been designed for kids aged between five to 12 years. But the cool thing about it is that parents have complete control over it.  

Created with the needs of families in mind, this Australian-made smartwatch includes a range of safety features made specifically for children, including the highly-accurate Location on Demand, which enables you to pinpoint your child’s exact location whenever you need to know.

This smartwatch isn’t internet-enabled, so you don’t need to worry about your child accessing things that aren’t appropriate for them. It also has a School Mode function which turns the device into a simple wristwatch, so they can’t get distracted when they should be concentrating on their studies. 

Find out more at spacetalkwatch.co.uk

To see your company in any upcoming features we are arranging please email laura@hurstmediacompany.co.uk or editorial@hurstmediacompany.co.uk

The post The 10 top ideas to help you keep calm and carry on parenting appeared first on Checklists.

This is according to the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Swimming and recognised national governing body Swim England.

Learning to swim builds confidence in children, improves development of both fine and gross motor skills as well as their balance. Plus, it is both fun and an excellent way to build fitness. In addition to all of these benefits, it saves lives. According to The Impact of Coronavirus on School Swimming and Water Safety report, drowning remains one of the most common forms of accidental death in the UK.

According to the report, “With pupils not receiving face-to-face learning for a significant part of the 2020-21 academic year school swimming lessons were inevitably massively affected. Additionally, even when schools were ‘open’, public swimming pools across the country were shut, meaning that for schools without their own pool, it was not possible for lessons to take place.”

A staggering 247,000 children missed out on any participation in swimming during the summer term of the 2019/2020 academic year.

It may well be that your little fish has some catching up to do. If they have missed out on very early swim experience, it may be they lack confidence and the best way to address that is to make sure they catch up on lots of swimming experience.

Checklist spoke to Jacqui Tillman, head of sports and Aquatics at Everyone Active, to ask for her top tips when it comes to teaching your little fish to swim.

Have fun in the water

Learning to swim from a young age is important for many reasons; not only does it teach vital life skills but it also develops children in other ways, such as helping them to build confidence and social skills.

It’s important to make sure that however they learn that they always enjoy themselves when doing so.

Make it familiar

For babies, getting in the water is a new and sometimes daunting experience. It is important to make them feel safe and happy so you can build a relationship between you, your baby and the water. This way they will feel comfortable in their new surroundings, increasing their confidence and speeding up their progress.

Try singing songs, blowing bubbles and reassuring them through lots of smiles, splashing and laughter. They will soon be joining in with you.

Fun and games

Young children learn more effectively through play so as they start to move on to the next stage of their swim development make everything into a game to keep their interest. For example, see who can ‘scoop out the most ice cream’ from the water to develop their stroke or use pool toys to engage them.

The more fun they have the more they will enjoy their time in the water and the quicker they’ll start to develop their technique. You’ll also enjoy it more too.

Encourage competition

As children get older and more confident, they may develop a tendency to get bored in the pool but by introducing competition in a fun way you can keep them motivated and active.

Using Dive Sticks to play games is a great way to have fun whilst building confidence, and encouraging competent swimmers to dive under the water, either individually or with others. Ask them to try and beat their previous best time to collect all the Dive Sticks from the bottom of the pool or team up with their friends for a sink and retrieve relay race.

Many people see the ultimate goal of learning to swim as repetitive length swimming, keeping fit or just a survival technique but it can be so much more than this. Being in the pool can be social, stress relieving and most importantly a chance to enjoy yourself!

For many people lane swimming is fun but the water has so much more to offer whether it be playing water polo, diving or synchronised swimming. Teaching your little ones how to have fun from an early age and throughout their swim development will mean they get the most out of being in the water and will reap the rewards later on.

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As restrictions lift, it feels as though the seas are beginning to calm after a storm that has ravaged our lives for the past 19 months. As we assess the damage, one of the biggest impacts, as we knew it would be, has been effects of the turmoil, on our children’s mental health. (See also this month’s feature on the effects of lockdown on children and their education)

Checklist spoke to therapist and counsellor, Kim Kelly and asked for her thoughts on how best to help our children face life’s post-Covid challenges and nurture their mental health. She told us that one of the greatest assets in maintaining good mental health in children and teens, is resilience.

“Resilience has been defined as “the ability of an individual to function competently in the face of adversity or stress. According to many empirical studies, resilience is positively correlated with positive indicators of mental health, such as life satisfaction, subjective well-being, and positive emotions. Resilient young people become resilient, confident adults and all the happier for it.  We can support our children and teenagers to build and nurture resilience, by trying to follow these simple steps:

1. Love

This is not just the love-you-to-death, you-can-do-no-wrong variety.  This is the kind of unconditional love that holds your young person to account, keeps firm boundaries and lets them feel the consequences of their actions.  It says: I love and support you, even when there are difficult times. I will support you to learn from difficulties and challenges, but I won’t excuse or defend poor choices or behaviour.

2. Get things wrong

Help your young person to see stuffing things up as a chance to learn and not an embarrassing, shameful thing to be avoided at all cost.  We will all make mistakes. If our learnt response is shame and humiliation, we will become scared to try new things, talk to new people, dance at a party, take a risk. So, practice. Ask for the wrong drink in Costa, then correct yourself; drop your bag at the till in Boots, if you’re brave enough tuck your skirt in your knickers (not you, Dad!). Experience the discomfort and then the evidence that nothing bad really happens and your confidence and resilience will grow

3. Approach the things you fear

Anxiety is a tricky customer.  When we feel fearful and anxious, everything in our body tells us to avoid that thing. We avoid it and feel better in the short term. But all we learn is that whenever we get that anxious feeling, we should avoid it and hide from it. If I feel anxious about going to a party and I stay away, I never learn that it was a great night, I have lovely friends, I can do a handstand drinking a glass of water (just me then?). 

Move toward the feared thing, not away from it. Start small – if you feel anxious going into a large supermarket, start with a small shop.  If you feel anxious about going to the barbers, start going when the shop is most quiet.  It doesn’t matter how small the increments are, as long as you are moving toward.  Make the steps small enough to be achievable, but big enough to feel challenging.  No steps at all is NOT an option when growing resilience.

4. Keep boundaries

There are rules and consequences all the way through our lives and like the toddler that insists they don’t need a nappy anymore and then pees on your neighbour, adolescents will argue until they wear you down …because they know you can be worn down.  See LOVE above – and love them enough to hold your boundary.  Don’t argue – that’s time and breath you will never get back. Don’t over explain, this is not a debate. Be fair and reasonable but hold your line.  There will be tears, but like the toddler your teenager will be all the better for having learnt the action and consequences lesson at home, rather than in the office or worse still, the police station. Remember you are only as good as the last boundary you let slide.

5. Trust them

No bubble wrap! No, “I’ll pack him a lunch or he won’t eat all day” or, “I’ll ring the teacher and tell them it’s not your fault”. Trust your young person to do the things that need to be done.  Help, support and guide them, but let them do. The finest way to make a responsible individual is to treat them as such.  Yes, there will be mistakes – see GET STUFF WRONG above.

6. Needs

Talk about their needs, not your wants.  Don’t assume you know.  Ask.  A teenager comes in crying after an upsetting falling out with their friend.  You know how it goes: you join in the criticism of the friend, say you’re relieved because you never liked them anyway and give them suggestions of three other people you know who would be a better friend for them.  The teenager says, ‘All I wanted was a hug not a bloody lecture’! Then make up with the friend and accuse you of not liking their friends!

When your teen is in a fizz, ask them, what do you need? Hug? Debate? Problem solving ideas? Chocolate?  In this way, we teach good communication to our youngsters.  We teach them to look at and identify their needs, we give them the autonomy over their emotions and the ability to ask for the right kind of help when they need it.  They will become more resilient in the face of adversity.

7. Talk about their solutions

Not your solution.  Ask what would be helpful in this situation?  What can I do to help? Encourage their problem-solving skills, help them to learn trust in themselves when approaching difficulties.

8. Listen

What we say is less important than how we listen.  We have two ears and one mouth – so listen twice and speak once. That is not the same as agreeing with everything your teen says or a walk over. It is showing a willingness to hear their perspective and to value their input even if you don’t agree.

9. Do the crime, do the time

Sometimes there will be consequences and sanctions.  Make sure the consequences are proportionate and fit the action.  Grounding a teenager for a week because they forgot to buy milk doesn’t leave you far to go when they pinch your car keys.

10. Laugh

That’s it! Watch a funny movie together; learn Nicki Minaj’s monster rap for their ridicule and entertainment (and your embarrassment); eat ice cream together for breakfast. In short, make opportunities to enjoy each other’s company, communicate and chat.  An environment where there’s warmth, fun and love even in the hardest of times, helps us to build resilience in any storm.

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The post The 10 steps to build resilience in your child appeared first on Checklists.

“We’ve all experienced a very challenging time with the lockdowns, and as measures have eased it will be tempting during the hot weather this week for us to want to spend lots of time outside with our families and take our pets, but taking our dogs out with us for walks or to the park could really put them at risk of suffering heatstroke or exhaustion.  It’s really important that we take extra special care of our pets and wildlife during this extremely hot weather.”

Dogs and horses need exercise, even when it’s hot. But the RSPCA says you should avoid exercising them in excessively hot weather. Experts advise walking or riding in the morning or evening when it’s cooler. When walking dogs keep in mind that pavements can get very hot in the warm weather – if it’s too hot to touch with your hand, then it’s too hot for a dog’s paws.

1. Never leave pets in hot vehicles

Never leave pets in vehicles, caravans, conservatories or outbuildings in the warm weather. Dogs, and other pets, can overheat and die if left in a hot environment, such as a car. Heatstroke is extremely dangerous for animals as it is for people and according to the British Veterinary Association, one in seven dogs affected by the condition dies as a result. Just don’t risk it. Don’t leave your pets in the car.

2. Check the heat of the floor

When walking dogs keep in mind that pavements can get very hot in the warm weather – if it’s too hot to touch with your hand, then it’s too hot for a dog’s paws.

3. Keep them cool!

When it’s hot at home and your pet is struggling to find somewhere cool, wrap an ice pack or frozen water bottle in a tea towel, or use damp towels for your them to lie on.

4. Stock up with sunblock!

Stock up with sunblock! Animals can get sunburnt too – and as in humans, sunburn can sometimes lead to skin cancer. Use animal-friendly sunblock or special SPF fabric clothing. Pink-pigmented skin burns easily – particularly areas around the nose, ears, tip of tail and stomach (particularly for sun-baskers!). Light-coloured pets are most at risk, are very short haired, or have any thin or bald patches of fur. Sunburn is typically very painful, causes skin damage and can sometimes lead to skin cancer. use pet-safe sun cream. Sunburn in pets looks just like sunburn in humans and you should look out for signs of redness, crusting, itching, flaking, blistering or pain. If your pet does burn, gently apply cold compresses to cool their pet’s skin, keep your pet out of sunlight and consult your vet.

5. Find shady spaces

Ensure animals have constant access to shade and fresh drinking water at all times. For animals that are kept outside, remember that as the sun moves during the day so too does the shade. Remember – somewhere that was shaded in the morning could be in full sun by the afternoon.

6. Make some cool snacks

Dogs enjoy a cool snack as much as the rest of us! Add ice cubes to your dog’s bowl, freeze their kong or for a real treat, make an ice lolly for your dog from pet-friendly ingredients! For inspiration, have a look at this RSPCA recipe for easy-to-make peanut butter treats Youtube.com

7. Hydrate your pets!

Keep guinea pigs cool and hydrated by making them a smorgasbord of crunchy, fresh vegetables.

8. Keep away the pests

When the sun arrives, so do the pests. Ticks and fleas carry diseases from typhus to Lyme disease and as with most things, prevention is better than cure. Make sure your pets are up to date with their flea and tick treatments and talk to your vet if you’re unsure. If your pet does pick up a tick, it’s important to remove them straight away. To avoid squeezing the body or leaving the head in, which will increase the chance of it passing diseases on, you’ll need to twist the tick off. This can be done using a tick removal tool, which can be picked up at pet shops or the vets. Your vet will be able to show you the best way to remove a tick by twisting. Do not try to burn them off or use lotion to suffocate, as this won’t stop the possibility of getting bacterial infections like Lyme disease, and risks causing injury

9. Get creative

Encourage pet chickens to stay in shaded areas by hanging up a homemade vegetable garland.

10. Splash around!

Fill a paddling pool or spray a hose for your dog to play in, but always supervise them around water. 

To find out more, speak to your vet or check out the new RSPCA website all about Animal Welfare: rspca.org.uk/strategy

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More Harry Potter mash-up of a rabbit, a deer and Buckbeak, than any credible result of evolution, there’s no denying they’re weird. I’m not entirely sure how Nature looked at the alpaca and thought, ‘Yeah, that’s a good day’s work’, but somehow, they made the final cut. Saucer-eyed, buck toothed and slack-mouthed, with a perpetually dropped lower lip, they look in equal parts, astonished and astonishing.

It took me another 10 years to become an owner of four of the estimated 45,000 alpacas that now live in the UK. Indigenous to South America, they are most densely populated in the Peruvian Andes. Closely related to llamas, with which they are often confused, there are two different breeds of alpaca – the huacaya (pronounced wa-ky- a) and the suri.

The huacaya, which makes up 95% of the alpaca population and is the most commonly seen in the UK, has a dense, fluffy-looking fleece, growing straight out from the side of the animal. The suri by contrast, has a fleece that hangs down like shaggy dreadlocks, making it look like a cute version of a 1970’s lampshade.

Products made from alpaca fleece are niche, luxury items with a price tag to match, but they are sought after with good reason. Described by the Peruvian Incas as La fibra de los dioses, ‘The fibre of the gods’, alpaca fleece is as soft and luxurious as cashmere, lightweight and incredibly warm.

If you fancy getting up close and personal with alpacas, an alpaca show is a good way to find out more. Breeders bring their pride and joy to showcase to a fascinated public. Or if you’re looking for something a bit more hands-on, then perhaps alpaca trekking is for you. Basically, it involves taking an alpaca for a walk in the countryside and I’m told it’s very relaxing. For more details about alpaca showing or trekking, you can visit the British Alpaca Society website.

If you’re considering keeping these unusual animals, you can also find plenty of information about their care and welfare on this site. Bear in mind it’s a long-term commitment, alpacas live into their 20s and they are herd animals and shouldn’t be kept alone but ideally in groups of three or more. However, be warned – the fact that you love alpacas is no guarantee that they’ll have the same opinion of you.

Alpacas, it turns out, are naturals at social distancing. Guarding their personal space is really not a stretch. They’re pre-disposed not to like you. Or each other. Or anyone really. They don’t want to be close to you and although they live in groups, they keep each other at legs’ length. Strong legs it turns out. Strong legs, with hard hooves at the end, that pack a really painful kick. Just in case you weren’t sufficiently deterred by the radioactive, projectile spit…

One minute they’re humming companionably at each other, swapping opinions in Les Dawson impressions of gossipy old ladies disapproving of everything around them. The next, they taking outraged offense at one of their compadré’s hummy opinions.

Swinging their neck round in a melodramatic huff, they’ll launch an enormous glob of foul-smelling slime at the surprised recipient. And sometimes it’s not at another alpaca. Sometimes it’s at you! God alone knows what internal alchemy percolates this slime to such heights of stomach-churning pungency, but by all that is unnatural in the natural world, this gunk is biological warfare.

Still love them? Yes, me too.

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It is never too early to start planning for your retirement. It sounds like a boring thing to be thinking about in your twenties and too far off to seem real, but consider:

If you want to retire on say £30,000 a year, then you will need a retirement fund of more than £600,000. That kind of pot is going to require some planning and a lot of saving, so don’t waste any time. After all, the earlier you start to save, the less you will need to save yourself, as growth will be a bigger factor on the size of the fund that you will achieve. Checklist spoke to Nico Goymer of The Wealth Group (Financial Advice and Wealth Management) in Evesham for some pointers on retirement planning at different stages in our life.

In your 20s

When it comes to retirement planning, it really is a case of the earlier the better. Consider setting up a Lifetime ISA (or LISA). A LISA is a tax-free account for saving towards your first home or your retirement, with the government adding a 25% bonus to anything you save.

You can save up to £4,000 a year, either as a lump sum, by regular contributions, or just topping up funds when you can. The state will add a 25% bonus on top. So if you invest £1,000, the state will make it up to £1,250 and if you save the full £4,000 annual allowance, you’ll be saving £5,000 a year. Then there’s interest on top of that and because it’s an ISA, it’s tax free.

If you have parents or grandparents with deep pockets, think about asking for ISA contributions for birthday presents. Every bit helps. It’s more bricks in the wall and remember, the state will add an extra 25% on top of anything you’re given.

In your 30s

Always join the company pension scheme. Younger investors often think retirement is just too far away to be worrying about, but the implementation of Auto-enrolment means many more people now have pension schemes. While the scheme will be a good start and it’s great that a culture of retirement planning is being encouraged in principle, in reality, your scheme on its own is unlikely to be sufficient for your future needs.

Our 30s is often the time that other priorities are calling on our income. Mortgages and the costs of young families often demand most of what the taxman hasn’t already claimed. But try to top up your pension with regular payments if possible – even if it’s only a very small amount. Research different pension schemes to find one that’s flexible enough for your needs and bear in mind that it’s usually the most tax-efficient way of saving for the future. Remember, funds invested when you are younger have more time to grow.

In your 40s

This is likely to be a time when our earning capacity is growing and consolidating. Perhaps a little more is available after the household budget has done its worst. Try to establish whether you might have spare income to supplement your retirement savings. If you’re not certain it really is spare, perhaps put it into a savings account that can be accessed if needed. Then, at the end of the tax year on 5 April each year, if the savings really are available, at this point invest into your pension or an ISA.

It helps to build and develop a retirement plan if you haven’t done so already. Set yourself clear objectives. Ask yourself:

1. What age do I want to retire?
2. How much income will I need in retirement?

Working backwards, consider how these questions will be answered and what funding is potentially required. Consider:

Typical rates of withdrawal are 4-5% p.a. from a pension fund. What guaranteed income will you receive in terms of both state pension and company final salary pension? What assets might you have in terms of investment, inheritances or properties?

If there is a shortfall, do you plan to address this through: Pensions? ISAs? Bonds? Other investments?

In your 50s

This is a time to consolidate the efforts you have made to date. Typically, demands on your monthly income are starting to ease, with children becoming (for the lucky ones anyway!) more financially independent.

Continue to invest as much as you can afford in your pension fund and while most private pensions can be accessed from the age of 55, consider delaying drawing on it if you don’t need the funds and continue to save a little longer. Typically, older savers are likely to focus deposits on their pension fund rather than ISAs or other investments as the tax efficiency is more attractive than the prospect of growth alone over a shorter period of time.

In your 60s

Congratulations! You’ve rounded the corner to the Big Six-O and won yourself free prescriptions and free eye tests! And if you live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, a free bus pass too! (If you’re in England, you’ll have to wait another six years until you’re 66.)

Copies of Saga magazine suddenly start dropping onto your doormat and you’ll find you’re eligible for discounts to all sort of attractions and activities – many of which you didn’t even know you were interested in!

Today, you’re eligible for state pension when you reach 66, but it is set to rise to 67 by 2029 and to 68 by 2039. Current maximum state pension is £179.60 a week (HMRC July 2021), but with an ageing population and a financial future that’s more uncertain than it’s ever been, who knows what the value of it will be in 10, 20 or even 40 years’ time. One thing’s for sure, if you start planning early, you’ll be thanking 20-year-old you for looking out for your future self all those years ago.

Visit wealth-group.co.uk

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The post The best ways to plan for a rocking retirement appeared first on Checklists.

A deadly cocktail of toxic chemicals and plastics, in the form of ingredients and packaging, lurks in countless cleaning and lifestyle products to unleash innumerable ills inside and outside our homes.

Everything in our homes and lifestyles impacts on the environment. Furniture can be the seat of many ethical and sustainability issues, from sourcing to chemicals, resources to labour and emissions impacts, from timber to cotton, leather and toxic flame retardants.

There’s a long list of toxic nasties in the most mundane of products, substances that have been linked to a host of health problems, including allergies, hormone disruption, organ damage, cancer and birth defects. Add other eco-evils like plastic pollution, palm oil and animal testing into the mix and you have a perfect, calamitous, environmental storm.

Chemicals are present in so many household and personal care products. They can destroy the delicately-balanced ecosystems where they end up, poisoning and sapping nutrients and oxygen in rivers and streams, suffocating and starving aquatic life and marine vegetation.

Then there’s plastic – in micro and macro forms – from the particles clogging up air and water to vast waves of discarded packaging floating in oceans across the globe. Plastic particles, hidden in everything from sun cream to hair products, are inhaled and ingested by animals and humans alike.

It is estimated that one in three fi sh eaten by humans contains plastic. Researchers are also seeing the impact of plastics on UK seabirds, many of which are declining at an alarming rate.

They ingest it, get fatally entangled in it and use it, equally lethally, in their nests.

A post-plastic planet is easier to imagine when you know how, though, as sustainable swaps abound. There’s a green and ethical, plant-based, chemical-free, zero-waste, cruelty-free alternative now available for every aspect of our lifestyles.

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Whatever family you have around you – and whatever stage of lockdown you find yourself in – there’s still a whole host of products and services here to help. From nursing essentials and toys to keep little ones amused, to home-schooling help and even how to prepare for your retirement, the following guide is here to help all family members get through this together…

1. Tilbea London Audrey Maternity Nursing Dress

Mum-to-be looking for the perfect statement maternity dress? Look no further than Tilbea London and their Audrey Maternity Nursing Dress, a gorgeous design complete with hidden nursing function.  The vibrant colour combination gives the elegant neckline and three quarter sleeve a helping of sass, while the subtle ruching on the waist make this the perfect pre- and post-baby dress.

Tilbea London was created after founders Claire and Nicky became pregnant for the first time, struggling to find nursing clothes that reflected their personalities. After huge success creating YouTube videos for new mums and mums-to-be, they realised they weren’t the only ones who wanted more from a maternity wardrobe than what the high street had to offer. As such all Tilbea London pieces are designed with either hidden nursing functions or easy access details. These carefully-designed touches help women on their exciting journey through pregnancy and beyond – and at affordable price points meaning they’re accessible to all.

Visit Tilbea London

2. Plum My First Wooden Playcentre

If you’ve been stuck at home with a toddler over the last few months you certainly have our sympathy. Spending days out entertaining them might not be an option right now, so why not invest the money you would have otherwise spent on farm parks and zoos with Plum Play’s My First Wooden Playcentre? The perfect outdoor treat for those 18 months and above, it encourages healthy, active play while aiding the development of gross and fine motor skills. Watch them climb the built-in wooden ladder to a raised platform where they can take in the views, before sliding down the four foot slide. There’s a colourful rock wall to make them feel on top of the world, before taking the cargo net down to the ground and starting the adventure again. They even have their very own den under the frame, with access through a colourful fabric door.

Visit Plum Play

3. Honey, I Home-schooled The Kids

If you’d have asked most parents over Christmas 2019 if they ever thought they’d home-school their kids – while working – you’d have pretty much got a ‘not on your Nelly’ response. Now look at us all. One such mum who did decide to do just that – five years ago to be precise – is Loose Women star Nadia Sawalha. Nadia, alongside her husband Mark, removed their two children from mainstream school after seeing them struggle with bullying and school phobia. Now, at a time when so many of us are having to adapt our roles as parents and teachers, they bring their experiences – both good and bad – with their book, Honey, I Home-schooled The Kids.

Offering a candid and practical guide to teaching at home, the book shares obstacles, insights and resources that all parents can learn from, whether they’re looking for help in supporting their child at school, or if they’ve decided that they would benefit more from being home schooled.

Buy Honey, I Home-schooled The Kids

4. The Den Kit Co The Nature Hideaway Kit

Fed up seeing your kids’ faces glued to a screen? We might have been told to ‘stay at home’ but that doesn’t mean you can’t think outside the box when it comes to enjoying the great outdoors. The Den Kit Co The Nature Hideaway Kit is ideal for reigniting a love of nature in any child aged eight or above. Designed to inspire children to play imaginatively – while challenging their ingenuity and teaching new skills – inside the canvas duffle bag you’ll find a powerful monocular to spot wildlife, a ground sheet removing any wet weather excuses, camouflage netting to get up close to birds, animals and mini-beasts, plus a jotter book with spotter sheet, perfect for sketching and recording discoveries.

This is also a gift that gives back to nature; a minimum contribution of £2,000 from the sale of the kits will be made in support of the National Trust’s conservation work.

Buy The Den Kit Co The Nature Hideaway Kit

5. Learning Resources Artie 3000

Schoolwork – both at home and in the classroom – isn’t all about printing out a thousand worksheets dedicated to fractions and reading comprehension. Coding enthusiasts will love playing with Artie 3000, the award-winning coding robot that introduces children to real programming languages.

Artie puts the ‘A’ in STEAM, making coding relatable and fun for kids. Learn to code and get drawing with STEAM-style robotics to create visual masterpieces. Perfect for beginners and advanced coders, if you can code it, Artie 3000 can draw it! Children can start coding with Artie’s simple setup and pre-programmed designs, and learn with Drag & Drop, Remote Control, Point & Click, Blockly, Snap!, Python and JavaScript coding languages.

With its own built-in Wi-Fi server, no internet connection is needed. All kids need is a tablet or computer to control Artie, testing the programme on the online simulator, before setting Artie on a sheet of paper and watch as he draws what’s been programmed.

Buy Artie 3000

6. Lascal Mini BuggyBoard Woodland Animals

A trip to the shops with a sleeping baby and a just-walking toddler might seem cute at first, but just wait until the toddler refuses to walk any further and you don’t have the pushchair space available. Step forward Lascal’s Mini BuggyBoard in this cute Woodland Animals design; a ride-on platform that fits more than 99% of pushchairs, prams and strollers. Instantly eradicating the hassle out of new year walks, it’s an affordable, practical and safe alternative to a double pushchair, creating a platform on which an older sibling can stand when their legs get tired. With a large anti-slip surface, side protection, reflective decals and a firm, comfortable platform, the BuggyBoardkeeps your child safely between your arms in crowds and high traffic areas. Going around corners, over kerbs and through doorways is also easy with BuggyBoard’s precision engineering and built-in suspension. Plus, when not in use, the BuggyBoard simply hooks up and out of the way.

Buy Woodland Animals design

7. Micro-Scooter Sprite Classic LED Micro Scooter

Want to nip to the shops for a pint of milk but your kid refuses to walk? Leave the car keys at home and get them on the move with this brilliant scooter from Micro-Scooter. Suitable for aged five to 12 years, this two-wheeled scooter now comes with LED light up front and back wheels. Its smart LED tech uses induction energy to turn the power kids create as they scoot into bright white light, meaning no batteries and no fuss! Whether building up speed or negotiating obstacles, kids can do it with ease thanks to the Sprite’s intelligent design. With adjustable handlebars for years of scooting fun, its lightweight aluminium frame offers the ultimate agility, while the perfectly-sized footplate is neither too big nor too small.

Buy Sprite Classic Led Micro Scooter

8. Garmin Vivofit Jr 3 Kids Fitness Tracker

With nearly a year of missed PE lessons and days out swapped for staying in, now it’s more important than ever to ensure your kids stay active. Sure, Joe Wickes is still helping out, but for those looking for more of an incentive why not try this brilliant Fitness Tracker from Garmin? Suitable for ages four and up, it boasts daily 60-minute activity goals and  offers built-in fun and educational games – unlocked through activities. Tracking their steps, as well as sleep and daily activities, its parental-controlled app monitors and assigns tasks and chores! It also has an ICE feature to add emergency contacts, is swim-safe up to 50m, and comes available in a range of bright colours and colour display has different watch face options.

Buy Fitness Tracker from Garmin

9. Studio Creator Video Maker

Got any kids at-home who, whether you like it or not, are desperate to be a successful YouTuber when they’re older? This Studio Creator Video Maker is the perfect tool for designing engaging content, leaving it looking just like one of their online idols. 

Everything you need to make your content look more professional is inside the box. It creates backgrounds you want in a few simple steps – just set up the Green Screen to give you the perfect backdrop and then edit in the background you want. It’s never been easier to create the atmosphere you want for your Instagram or YouTube video or TikTok dance, either. Use the adjustable tripod to hold your smartphone, then turn on the LED ring light which tilts 180° to get the perfect angle. You can even choose between three different light settings to enable you to create content day or night.

Buy Studio Creator Video Maker

10. My Pension Expert

Kids flown the nest and busy with families of their own? Once you’ve finished high-fiving at all the free time you’ve been given it’s time to pay some serious thought to your future, regardless of whether your retirement’s on the horizon or you’ve a few years left in employment. My Pension Expert is the UK’s highest-rated independent financial adviser, specialising in retirement. They specialise in providing independent advice to UK consumers about their pension plans, arranging millions of pounds of retirement income options each week.

Providing a service that takes the stress out of retirement planning, they offer advice on retirement finance products, from annuities to flexible drawdowns. Their team of qualified independent financial advisers takes the entirety of an individual’s financial situation into account, before making recommendations which suits their specific needs. The adviser then explains each option in a clear, jargon-free manner to ensure they make a well-informed decision about their financial future. They even take care of as much paperwork as possible, to ensure their client experiences minimal hassle.

To find more informationt: My Pension Expert

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TIPS FOR PARENTS

It’s all-too-easy to overlook your own stress levels because you’re too concerned with the rest of your family’s needs. From new mums caring for a newborn to families with kids of all ages, it’s important to take time out and ask for help when needed. Men, too, suffer in the family unit, with 38% of first-time fathers concerned about their mental health.

OK, so you might not be able to rely on your parents for babysitting right now, but there’s bound to be someone in your support bubble that can lend a hand with your brood. Take advantage of help when offered, giving you space to take a walk, enjoy a nap or grab a hot bath.

TIPS FOR KIDS

Just like adults, kids can suffer from stress – and COVID-19 certainly hasn’t helped the situation. Classic signs of stress in children include being irritable or clingy, having difficulty sleeping and finding it hard to concentrate, so now’s the time to lavish your kids with the attention they deserve. Routines are important, as tempting as it is to let them go to bed late. Try to limit any news or social media that could have an impact on their emotions – and encourage them to keep in touch with friends or family members, if you’re unable to currently meet in person.

TIPS FOR WORK & SCHOOL

One minute the kids are back at school; the next it’s live lessons, continuous snacks and worksheet-related bribery. Bound to increase stress levels around the home, parents are suddenly transformed in to teachers while your kids push every boundary going.

Here, routine is again key, producing a clear and achievable timetable for children to follow if their school doesn’t supply one. Don’t be surprised if one day it works wonderfully and the next your child struggles – 52% of parents have found themselves in the same situation. Adults working from home should also make sure they work to set hours, with just 30 minutes extra work a day equating to 10 hours unpaid per month – that’s £174.80 for Brits on the average salary.

TIPS FOR THE FUTURE

These days it’s stressful enough for someone in their elder years just stepping out the front door – not to mention worrying about their retirement. With a recent survey revealing one in eight are considering delaying retirement due to the downturn in financial markets caused by COVID-19, plans for the future are up in the air.

Now more than ever is the importance of keeping in touch with your friends and loved ones. A phone call or email is a mood-booster for both sender and recipient, while popping a note through a neighbour’s door continues contact while showing you care. Again, keep to routine, and spend time on a new or existing hobby to pass the time, be it a puzzle, out in the garden or catching up on your favourite TV show.

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