8 Strategies for Promoting Well-Balanced Technology Use for Families

August 10, 2024

Technology is everywhere, shaping how we communicate, work, and even relax – and with it comes many challenges. For parents, technology use can bring incredible opportunities BUT it can also significantly impact family life (and not in a good way!).
Since striking the right balance is crucial for our children (and our own sanity!), this article explores some practical strategies to ensure your family benefits from technology without being overwhelmed by it.
1. Understand the impact of technology
Technology offers great benefits, like educational resources, connectivity with loved ones, and endless entertainment. With the right apps, learning becomes engaging, and staying in touch

How Can a Busy Mum or Dad Practice Self-Care?

October 20, 2023

Being a mum or dad is incredibly rewarding, but let’s face it, it’s also quite demanding. From school runs to preparing meals and balancing work, it feels like there’s hardly a moment to catch our breath.
With that being said, it’s essential to remember that taking a bit of time for ourselves isn’t a luxury—it’s vital for your overall well-being. Easier said than done, we know! But when we’re at our best, so are our families. Here are our top self-care ideas for busy mums and dads to help you take time for you.
1. Take Short Breaks
One of the best self-care

Child grabbing a tissue to represent childhood illnesses

Common Childhood Illnesses: A Parent’s Guide

January 10, 2023

Before nursery, most children only interact with close friends and family. So when they start spending their days with several other children, it can be a bit of a shock to the system. As a result, they often suffer from a steady (and at times unrelenting) succession of childhood illnesses. So we wanted to talk through some of the viruses your child could contract during their time at nursery.
From symptoms to treatments, we will cover each illness in detail – so you’re well prepared for the upcoming winter.
Coughs and colds
Without a doubt, the most common childhood illnesses are coughs and

How to Prioritise Self-Care as a Parent

November 14, 2022

As a parent, your needs are always secondary to your child’s. However, too many parents use this as an excuse to neglect their own needs, run themselves down and (ultimately) make themselves ill. So, to help address this unhealthy habit, we are sharing our advice on how to prioritise self-care as a parent.
1. Understand that you can’t pour from an empty cup
Before we dive into how to prioritise self-care as a parent, it’s important to discuss why self-care is so important.
The truth is, you cannot be the best version of yourself if you’re unhealthy and unhappy. So, if you want

Father and son playing in the snow to represent keeping your children warm

Winter Warmers to Keep Your Children Toasty and Warm on Cold Days

November 1, 2022

As winter approaches and we welcome the colder weather, we (naturally) worry a little more about our children’s health. After all, cold and flu season can hit them pretty hard! So we wanted to discuss the importance of keeping your children warm this winter. But that’s not all! We’re also sharing our top tips to help ensure they remain healthy and happy despite the harsh weather conditions.
Why is it so important to stay warm in winter?
It’s no secret that we become more susceptible to coughs, colds and respiratory viruses throughout the winter. But why is that? Well, there are a

Fruit skewers to represent packed lunch ideas

10 Packed Lunch Ideas For Parents

September 5, 2022

With September right around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about school lunches again. So we wanted to offer you some inspiration. (Because, let’s face it, making exciting packed lunches every day is not as easy as it sounds.) So, with that in mind, here are 10 packed lunch ideas your children will love:
What makes a healthy packed lunch?
Before we start sharing our packed lunch ideas, it’s important to explain what goes into a healthy packed lunch.
According to the NHS, a balanced diet should include:

Dairy products (or non-dairy alternatives) like milk and cheeses.
Protein sources like meat, fish, pulses

Mother and son to represent to represent preparing your child for starting school for parents with anxiety

Prepare For Starting School: A Guide for Anxious Parents

August 8, 2022

Preparing your child for starting school is a scary experience – not just for them, but for you too! So we wanted to talk through our favourite tips to ensure you feel calm and collected on their first day.
Here are 5 strategies to help soothe your anxiety:
Take care of the logistics
There’s a lot to organise for your child’s first day of school. Transport, uniforms, lunches – the list goes on. So it’s understandable if you’re feeling stressed. The good news is that you can eliminate these anxieties by tackling your to-do list.
Start with the essentials (buying uniform, practising the school

A family eating breakfast to represent sharing a family meal

5 Benefits of Sharing A Family Meal

June 1, 2022

With everyone juggling such busy schedules, sharing a family meal can seem like a rare luxury these days.
But what if we told you that family mealtimes could greatly benefit your child’s development? Would you still reserve them for special occasions?
Here are 5 benefits of sharing a family meal to make you reconsider makeshift mealtimes:
1. Better communication skills
Family meals are the perfect opportunity for children to practice their communication skills. Sitting around the dinner table, asking questions and listening to one another teaches your children how to retell stories, express their emotions and develop their vocabulary.
Mealtimes are also an ideal opportunity

How Young Children Can Help in the Kitchen

As adults, cooking is a part of our everyday lives – so it only makes sense to get our children involved in the kitchen. After all, we’ve all got to eat! So we may as well make some memories in the process! To show you how young children can help in the kitchen, we’ve put together a list of simple tasks and techniques for you to try based on your child’s age and abilities.
So, without further ado, let’s dig in:
0-18 months
Although your infant may not be old enough to participate in the cooking process, there’s plenty you can do to make

An image of three women hiking to represent the Snowdon challenge

Our Snowdon challenge: how this fundraising event has made a difference to our Schoolhouse Team

April 1, 2022

On April 30th 2022, eleven of our lovely SchoolHouse employees are climbing Mount Snowdon to raise money for ‘Talking Hands’.
‘Talking Hands’ is a charity that supports deaf children and their families by delivering activities and hosting events across Wales. Our goal is to raise enough money to supply their Rhymes and signs Mother and Toddler Group with lots of new BLS books and toys (along with other helpful resources).
Why we chose ‘Talking Hands’ as our Charity of the Year
At the heart of Schoolhouse are 5 Core values: Nurture, Inspire, Enjoy, Encourage and Learn.
These values are at the centre of all