spring 2009

created by mums for mums

mag

million mums
massive difference

how to be

happy here and now mummo.co.uk

mumpower

the start of million mums see p62

thanks to photographer Mike Owen and art director Neil Cunningham
 mummomag

Welcome
to this first ever online edition
of mummomag, created
entirely by mums for mums to
celebrate Mothers’ Day and the
launch of a very exciting
campaign ‘million mums’ ...

As mums, we are privileged to experience the rollercoaster ride of motherhood. The ‘ups’, the ‘downs’ and the
‘in betweens’. The love, the laughter, the tears and the shouting. Those precious moments of pure joy, those
gut-wrenching moments of terror, those ‚why me?‛ moments of despair ... and those frequent ‚banging your
head against a brick wall‛ feelings of frustration! And, of course, the kisses and cuddles and snuggles and hugs
that make your heart almost burst with happiness.

In all this, we know, deep down, that motherhood is the most amazing journey of our lives. In a recent
Mummo survey, 95.8% of mums who responded to the question “Are you glad you had children?” answered
with a resounding ‚yes‛!

Which makes it all the more tragic that many women have their experience of motherhood cut needlessly short.
Did you know that pregnancy and childbirth are the biggest killers of young women of reproductive age in the
world today? No? Neither did I until I discovered the White Ribbon Alliance and found out about the
shocking statistics on maternal mortality. Having spent far too much of the last five years moaning about the
everyday challenges of motherhood, I suddenly got a great big kick up the backside! How dare I complain
about something I was so lucky to be doing? I decided to see how I could help ... and the result is ‘Million
Mums’, a joint initiative between the White Ribbon Alliance and Mummo. It’s all about harnessing the
enormous power that we possess, as mums, if we act together. Collectively, I believe we can change the world.
And it doesn’t take much. Two minutes and a couple of quid ... that’s all. A million small gestures add up to a
gigantic impact. Please turn to page 62 to find out more and get involved.

This first ever mummomag is concrete proof of what we as mums can achieve, individually and collaboratively.
It’s taken just a couple of weeks from having the idea to making it happen. Every single bit of the magazine has
come from a mum, and between us we have created something that, hopefully, will be enjoyed by lots and lots
of other mums. In it, you’ll find examples of the huge variety of of skills, talents, knowledge and expertise that
we have. From the mum who adopted three children from the other side of the world ... to the mum who is
gearing up to leave her husband, kids and business (temporarily!) to go on the trip of a lifetime. From the
mumpreneurs ... to the mummies who blog. From journalist mums to designer mums. From fit mums to bendy
mums to imperfectly natural mums. From us to you, with love.

Happy Mothers’ Day!

© Mummo Ltd : March 2009: www.mummo.co.uk 3

contents

in this mummomag ...

mind and body
happy here and now Jo Rheam, Mummo 5
lovely fuzz Sue Llewellyn, Many Hands Media 7
flower power Amy Lydall, Bach Flower Registered Practitioner 10
a little bit of ‘me time’ More Than Just A Mother, mummy blogger 12
the big chill Marie-Laure Desire, Fulham Yogashala 14
who needs pills? Janey Lee Grace, Imperfectly Natural 16
fresh air fitness Kimberly Rothman, Fit Camp 19

family and home

the games we play Suri Poulos, Mind Lab Europe 22
do as I say, not as I do Potty Mummy, mummy blogger 24
extreme motherhood Jodie Hampshire, Aunty Ollie 25
happy meals Lisa Warner, Fink Cards 29
a reminder Jill McDonald, Jill McDonald Design 31
selfish?? … or essential? Sue Atkins, Positive Parents 32
that’s not my mummy More Than Just A Mother, mummy blogger 34
small talk Homeofficemum, mummy blogger 35
a mother’s love Tanith Carey, journalist and author 36

career and business

the Micro Scooter mums Anna Gibson and Philippa Gogarty, Micro Scooters Ltd 38
I had this great idea … A Modern Mother, mummy blogger 41
ten things you need to know Karen Wattleworth, Zoobookoo 42
yum yum yum Helen Colley, Farmhouse Fare 46
arty mum Carolyn Gavin, Ecojot 50

friends and fun

wish you weren’t here Wendy Shand, Tots to Travel 52
a life in photographs Sticky Fingers, mummy blogger 55
teatime tarts Hazel Fernandes, Tea-Time-Tarts Designs 58
mums join together Jo Rheam, Mummo 61

community and contribution

million mums, massive difference Mummo and the White Ribbon Alliance 62

prosperity
money saving tips Gemma Johnson, Babeecard 66
party like it’s £19.99 NixdMinx, mummy blogger 68

living your dreams

more to life than laundry Melissa Talago, Peekaboo Communications 70

happy here
and now ...
There’s so much pressure
for perfection these days
that, if you’re not careful,
you can end up putting
happiness on hold <
waiting for < ???
© Mummo Ltd : March 2009: www.mummo.co.uk
mummomag
There are days when perhaps it’s easier to be happy.
The sun is shining, the sky is blue, the kids are
running around outside playing nicely for a change <
so of course the house feels a bit bigger and stays a lot
tidier! Your hair’s looking good < and your partner
noticed. Your work’s going well < and your boss
noticed. Suddenly you’ve got bags of energy and
enthusiasm for life!
Then there are the other days. Those days. You know
the ones! The days when everything that can go
wrong does go wrong (or so it seems). When you roll
5
happy here and now

your eyes at another mum (usually as your child has

children have an amazing capacity
their umpteenth full-on screaming-at-the-top-of-their-
to live in the moment
voices-and-thrashing-on-the-floor tantrum) and say
‚Don’t worry, I’m just having one of those days!‛

It’s then, I think, that the happiness challenge really

kicks in. It’s so tempting to moan and groan and think
‚I’ll be happy when <‛ or ‚I’d be happier if <‛
(delete as appropriate)
the kids start behaving
my husband gets home on time
I can fit back into my size 12 jeans
we’ve moved to the seaside

Working with the White Ribbon Alliance on the

Million Mums campaign has given me a huge insight
into how lucky I am. Okay, so I haven’t turned out to
be the natural-born earth mother I somehow expected
to be, but at least I am a mother < and hopefully a
good enough one. In the grand scheme of things, and
particularly compared to many women in other parts
of the world, my grumbles are very minor ones.

So my personal quest (apart from finding a way to

move to the seaside!) is to work out how to be happier
in the here and now. I’ve spent a lot of my working
life helping people to set goals and move towards
them, and I think goals can be really powerful in
motivating you to make the changes you want in your
life. But, as I’ve got older, I’ve come to the conclusion
that if we spend too much time aspiring to be / do /
have something else, we’re in danger of not spending
enough time really living. Right here. Right now.

There’s a very loose underlying theme to this

magazine, and it’s exactly that. How to appreciate
who we already are and what we’ve already got.
How to stop chasing perfection and start loving the
imperfections of life. How to be happy here and now.

In the words of Babatunde Olatunji (a Nigerian

drummer, educator and social activist):

Yesterday is history.
Tomorrow is a mystery.
And today? Today is a gift.
That's why we call it the present.

Jo Rheam, Founder of Mummo


Sue Llewellyn shares a few
tips on how to squeeze big
joy out of small things ...
It’s hard to believe as I look up at my 22-year-old son
(all 6’6‛ of him) but I’ll never forget when he was just
two days old and I was staring at him in utter
amazement.
My eye was caught by the outline of his tiny little
head resting peacefully against the white sheet,
silhouetted by a soft cloud of wispy hair. Naturally I
burst into tears.
A passing midwife came over and asked if I was ok.
‚Lovely fuzz,‛ I spluttered, ‚he’s got such lovely
fuzz.‛ She smiled knowingly as I cried with joy. I
was quite simply overwhelmed at how something so
© Mummo Ltd : March 2009: www.mummo.co.uk
mummomag
lovely fuzz
small and so simple could make me so happy. And
it’s a lesson in life that I’ve never forgotten.
So what is happiness and how, when we’ve all got
such busy lives and 101 things to worry about, can we
take steps to be happier?
As mums, we’ve rarely got time to do anything for
ourselves, let alone take time out to stop and think.
But, as far as I’m concerned, it’s really important to
take a moment to check in with yourself.
Try pressing the ‘pause button’. Simply stop, stand
and stare. Just ‘be’. Right here, right now. What can
you hear? What can you see? How do you feel?
Notice the small things and you’ll see
the big picture.
We seem to forget that we are human be-ings and not
human do-ings. In the rush of ‘so much to do and so
little time to do it’ we seem to forget to enjoy life now
7
happy here and now
and to be happy. But why wait to be happy? Why
not simply stop being such a ‘busy body’ and start
living and being happy now?
Happiness expert Robert Holden suggests that we all
do a ‘busyness audit’ where we think of three ways to
be less busy and more fulfilled.
So, in my case, what’s the problem if I haven’t done
the ironing that day or if there are a few stray socks
lying around or if I am not a perfectly attired
Domestic Goddess cooing over my cupcakes? There
isn’t a problem. It’s just a question of attitude.
There’s no such thing as a Perfect Mother so in my
view we shouldn’t even try to be one. Simply be the
best you can and look at what you have done each day
and not at what you haven’t.
It took me years of feeling like chewed string to realise
that I wasn’t, nor ever could be, Superwoman. By
trying to be all things to all people it was all go all the
time < and I was burning myself out. Now I
appreciate that I am what I am, my kids still love me
and I’m happy.
Sometimes I look at people who are
exhausting themselves, just as I did,
and I see a parallel with the salmon
fighting its way upstream only to
spawn and die.
Where’s the fun in that?
These days I prefer to go with the flow and not against
it. I’ve finally learnt to accept the things I can’t
change, change the things I can < and hopefully still
have enough marbles left to know the difference.
I believe it’s all a question of attitude. Think happy,
act happy and you will be happy. Just try it. Try
smiling right now and I’ll bet you feel better. Go on;
let a great big smile spread across your face.
See what I mean?
Now think of a baby giggling as you blow a raspberry
on its tummy or tickle its toes or simply marvel at the
fact that he or she has found something inexplicably
hysterical. It’s a sound of the purest joy and it makes
my soul sing whenever I hear it.
In a noisy world full of man-made machines, it’s the
natural sounds that soothe and lift the spirits. Gently
running water, a light breeze softly whispering
through the grass or the sheer operatic wonder of the
dawn chorus. Hundreds of little birds joyfully
tweeting and apparently so delighted by the start of a
new day. It sure beats the sort of ‘Tweeting’ and
‘Twittering’ that seems to occupy us humans.
Go for a walk on a beautiful Spring day; close your
eyes, take a deep breath and just listen. Can you hear
what I mean?
Music is renowned for lifting the spirits and I just
can’t resist joining in and singing along - much to the
horror of my kids < but at least it makes them laugh.
In addition to his All Request Fridays where listeners
can pick their all-time favourite tracks, Chris Evans
has another regular slot on his Radio 2 Drive Time
show where he gets kids to ring in and tell everyone
about something they did for the first time that day.
The pride in their little voices over their simple
achievement is a joy.
There’s a lot to be said for thinking as a child and not
taking life too seriously; being curious about the
world around you and having fun.
My daughter and I have a ridiculously funny game –
or at least we think so – where we do ‘canned
laughter’, you know that awful fake laughing from a
studio audience. We take it in turns to do a terrible
 mummomag

fake laugh and then it’s a matter of seconds before

we’re both laughing our heads off for real.
6 ways to be (even) happier
Laughter really is the best medicine. Making others
happy and being happy together is not only a great • Be thankful
gift but also one of the true secrets of being happy. Make a list of everything you have to be
grateful for.
I believe that we should all appreciate what we have
right here right now. In fact, research shows that one • Be friendly
of the best ways to feel happier is to develop an Smile at, and say a kind word to, every-
‘attitude of gratitude’. Just sit down and make a list of one you meet today .
everything you have to be thankful for. I would bet,
despite the worries of the current economic climate, • Be kind - unwind
that the results will surprise you. The more you Take three long, deep breaths and pause
recognise and appreciate what you have right now, to reconnect with your self. Relax and
the better you’ll feel. go with the flow.

It’s a lesson that all of us mums would do well to

• Be mindful
remember as we frantically juggle kids, careers and
Weed out unhelpful thoughts and re-
life in general. As we stare into the washing machine
plant helpful ones. Pay attention to life.
and puzzle over the mystery of the single missing
sock, let’s stop for a second and think.
• Be yourself
Stick to your strengths and ask for help
It’s the little things in life that make us with your weaknesses.

happy; little things like lovely fuzz

• Just be
and laughter! Spend time with people you love and
laugh together.

Sue Llewellyn is a former BBC journalist and producer, now a media consultant
running her own business, Many Hands Media (www.manyhandsmedia.co.uk). She
also works as a healer and loves cooking and teaching her children to cook. Result:
her second son is apparently a genius in the kitchen!

Five words to describe me: optimistic, creative, energetic, enthusiastic, spiritual …

oh, and my other half has just said “irrepressible” so can I have six?!

My children: I'm lucky, lucky, lucky to have three absolutely gorgeous 'children' -
Charlie (22), Otto (19) and Rosie (18) - who, for some unknown reason, call me
Moon. I love them to bits. A family who laughs together, stays together!

Motto in life: something along the lines of „Don‟t worry, be happy‟!

© Mummo Ltd : March 2009: www.mummo.co.uk 9

mummo
mind and body
flower power
Forget drugs, try the
healing powers of plants ...
The Bach Original Flower Remedies were developed by a
well-respected homeopath, Dr Edward Bach, in the
1930s. He believed, as many doctors do today, that
attitude of mind plays a vital role in maintaining health
and recovering from illness. The 38 individual
remedies are a simple and effective system to help
promote emotional wellbeing.
They are very easy to use and safe for the whole family.
Simply place two drops of your chosen remedy /
remedies in a glass of water, tea, coffee or juice and sip
at intervals. Repeat a minimum of four times a day.
Bach flower remedies can also be dropped into bath
water, applied to pressure points or added to food.
Here are some Bach Original Flower Remedies that can
help with common emotional states:
Best for calming
Rescue Remedy is an emergency combination that
quickly restores inner calm, control and focus, helping
you to manage your daily stress. It’s available in a
variety of convenient and easy-to-use formats including
a spray, a dropper and even pastilles to suck.
Also try: Mimulus, if you need to feel calm about a
specific forthcoming event such as a visit to the dentist
< or a trip to the supermarket with the kids!
Best for low mood
Mustard helps to lift the spirit so that you can feel
happy, and is useful when you don’t have any
particular explanation for feeling down.
Also try: Gentian, if you are down because you have
recently experienced a setback.
Best for grief
Star of Bethlehem is a comforting remedy which
helps with the sense of emptiness and loss that can
occur when a loved one dies. It is effective for treating
the after-effects of any kind of shock, such as
unexpected bad news or witnessing an accident.
Also try: Walnut, to help you with the changes you are
experiencing.
Best for energy
Olive helps to restore feelings of strength when you
are tired out after making an effort, and is helpful for
both physical and mental exhaustion.
Also try: Hornbeam, if you are feeling tired before you
have even made the effort and require some
motivation.

Best for insecurity
Mimulus helps you to let go of self-doubt and to
create feelings of safety and trust. It can also be
helpful for phobias.
Also try: Crab Apple, if your insecurity manifests
itself through a focus on an aspect of your appearance.
Best for concentration
Clematis can help you to focus on the task at hand
rather than daydreaming about the future. It’s useful
for the fuzzy, light-headed feelings that often
accompany emergency situations.
Also try: Honeysuckle, if you are finding it hard to
concentrate on the present because your mind is
preoccupied with past events.
Best for anger
Vervain is one of many remedies that can help you to
deal with anger, particularly if it’s due to a feeling of
injustice or unfair treatment. Vervain doesn’t lower
your enthusiasm, it just protects you from going too
far and crashing or burning out due to exhaustion.
Also try: Impatiens, if your anger is due to impatience.
Best for jealousy
Holly helps you to overcome feelings of hate and
jealousy and promotes feelings of generosity towards
others. In addition, it can be useful in controlling
feelings of suspicion.
Also try: Chicory, if your jealousy is based on
selfishness due to your lack of personal fulfilment.
Best for fear
Mimulus helps you overcome fears of known things
such as flying, spiders or the dark. It can also be
beneficial for people who are generally shy and timid.
Also try: Aspen, if your fear has no identifiable origin.
Amy Lydall is a mum and Registered Bach Foundation Practitioner with her own
practice in Sutton, Surrey.
Five words to describe me: approachable, smiley, confident, caring
Vices: cheese and chick flicks!
Motto in life: If you are going to do something then do it properly
Favourite outfit: sloppy jeans and trainers
Favourite film: „City of Angels‟
© Mummo Ltd : March 2009: www.mummo.co.uk
mummomag
mummomag
1
Best for nerves
Larch helps you to believe in yourself and your
abilities, allowing you perform to your maximum. It
encourages you to take risks and get more out of life.
Also try: Rescue Remedy, to calm you down on the
day.
Best for guilt
Pine eases the conscience and allows you to move on
without feelings of self-reproach. It helps you to put
mistakes into perspective.
Also try: Centaury, if you can’t say ‘no’ to people
because of the guilt you feel.
Best for impatience
Impatiens helps us to be less hasty and more relaxed
and patient with others. It can also be helpful if you
find it difficult to work in a team.
Also try: Water Violet, if your desire to work alone
leads to loneliness.
These are just a few of the remedies available - there
are 38 in total. If you visit www.bachremedies.co.uk,
you can use the Remedy Chooser to help you find the
right remedy for your own situation. So, if you’re
struggling to manage your emotions (and, let’s face it,
which mum doesn’t from time to time?!), it might be
worth considering a few drops of distilled flower
essence before you do anything more drastic!
Bach Original Flower Remedies retail at £5.95 for 20ml
and are available from Holland & Barrett, Boots and
most independent chemist and health food stores.
For more information visit www.bachremedies.co.uk.
11
mind and body
a little bit
of me time
More Than Just A Mother
muses on the meaning of
Mothers’ Day ...
Blog post - 8th March 2009
Last Mothers’ Day I was in hospital, wincing every
time I sat down and smiling weakly at the garage-
bought card produced by my husband on behalf of
my newborn twins and their sixteen-month old
brother. I thought back to Mothers’ Days of old, when
my sisters and I would proudly present our mother
with breakfast in bed, flowers and chocolates, and
wait on her hand and foot till we went to bed. In the
run-up to the big event, gifts and cards were lovingly
crafted at school, Brownies, and in our bedrooms with
‘DON’T COME IN!’ posted on the door. Back in my
hospital room, one of the babies began squeaking for a
feed. I rolled gingerly over and the ‘Mum, you’re the
greatest!’ card fluttered to the floor and slipped under
the bed. Mother’s Day was over.
Twelve months later and I don’t recognise the woman
in the mirror. The bags under my eyes are more
Primark than Prada, and my ‘cleanse, tone, moisturise’
routine has been replaced with a hasty scrub before
bed with a Pampers wet-wipe. Several months ago I
attempted a visit to the hairdresser with the triple
buggy in tow. My tea was barely touched when a
chorus of objections was raised from within the pram,
shortly followed by a similar chorus from the blue-
rinse brigade reading TV Quick under the dryers.
Meanwhile the toddler was sitting quietly beneath the
reception desk, smearing the contents of a tub of
purloined hair-gel across the carpet. I left the salon
with a half-cut fringe and the threat of a baby ASBO.
Pre-baby I was a regular in the gym, pounding the
treadmill with my headphones tuned to MTV, and
priding myself on my toned tummy. Now the only
circuits I do are between tea shops and coffee
mornings, pushing the buggy in tune to whichever
CBeebies theme is lodged in my head that particular
day. My erstwhile favourite body part is zipped into
submission in the sort of high-waisted jeans favoured
only by The Golden Girls and Simon Cowell, and the
only exercises I do are sporadic pelvic floors, when
I’m prompted to do so by a risky cough.
I used to fantasise about George Clooney, a hot tub
and a pot of chocolate mousse (not necessarily in that
order, or indeed separately). Now I dream of being
alone; totally alone with the sound of silence floating
over me like a duvet. Even as I write this, the pygmies
are swarming round my feet, their game of Lego
towers abandoned in favour of climbing up Mummy’s
legs and pressing random keys on the laptop. They
often manage to change the settings on the computer,
leaving me with keystrokes in Arabic, or a screen set
at right angles. Over the months my trio has learned
to work together to press ‘control alt delete’ so many
times the laptop now rivals me for inertia.
It would seem that almost 94% of mothers would like
to have more time to pamper themselves
(www.mamababybliss.com). I’m guessing the other
six percent didn’t have time to answer; they were too
busy trying to escape their own children so they could
have a wee without curious onlookers. With three
children and a buggy the size of a baby elephant,
going to the loo in public places is a logistical
nightmare, and my under-used pelvic floor is once
again put under strain till we get home.

94% of mothers
would like more time to
pamper themselves
(whatever happened to the other 6%?!)
source: mamababybliss.com
Caught short one day I headed for Starbucks’ disabled
loo, the Mecca for mums with double buggies, and
wedged the buggy in the corner as I sank back in relief
onto the seat. To my horror, the toddler, on parole
from his own seat, made straight for the door and the
‘easy to use’ disabled lock.. Acres of freshly mopped
tiles stretched between the door, my two year-old’s
hand on the lock, and me; legs akimbo, desperately
trying to hurry through the gallons of wee I had been
holding in round the shops. The toddler looked back
at me with an impish gleam in his eye, and turned the
lock. With an effort worthy of an Olympic team-
member I squeezed my poor beleagured nethers and
launched myself at the opening gap, knickers round
my ankles, just catching side of a startled couple with
a tray of lattes and muffins before I crashed against
the door, slamming it shut..
I once read an article about new mums recreating the
‘spa experience’ in the comfort of their own home. To
my mind there is nothing remotely ‘comfortable’
about a house strewn with laundry, toys and rancid
muslins, but each to their own. The article listed
everyday items the reader could use to create their
home spa without expensive beauty creams and
potions; avocado, yoghurt, lavender bath oil, relaxing
music playing... It sounded blissful and as the children
napped I raced round the house with a washing
basket, throwing in objects that roughly approximated
those on the list. Ten minutes later, having forgotten
to put the water on, I lay in a luke-warm bath
generously laced with Mr Matey, a dubious
concoction of sweet potato and humous on my face,
and PG Tips staining my eye-lids. My iPod having
met an unfortunate end in the toilet some weeks
earlier, Row Row Row Your Boat was playing from
my son’s Fisher Price tape recorder. It was hardly
Champneys.
© Mummo Ltd : March 2009: www.mummo.co.uk
mummomag
Last night, with Mothers’ Day looming, I rang my
own mother to bemoan my lack of ‘me’ time. I shared
my fond memories of the breakfasts in bed of days
gone by, and hoped out loud that this year I’d be
encouraged to languish upstairs with a cup of tea and
a copy of Hello. ‚But it wasn’t like that at all, darling‛
she exclaimed. ‚Once the three of you had slopped tea
up the stairs and over the bedroom carpet, and I’d
pretended to eat my hard-boiled egg and soggy
soldiers, you’d disappear into the ether, leaving me to
clear up the mess you’d made in the kitchen and
scrape the glue and glitter off the walls, from your
home-made cards‛.
So it seems that Mother’s Day, like pain-free labour
and Gina Ford babies, is a myth. Like the mysterious
content of chain-letters, generations of women across
the world have perpetuated the fiction that, once
every year, those with children will be allowed at least
one day off. Such honesty from my mother was a
bitter blow to my naive anticipation of March 22nd,
and I slumped onto the floor as the children, with the
determination of ferreting terriers, made a bee-line for
my lap.
‚Mummy‛, said my toddler, ‚I love you THIS
much‛, stretching his arms wider than the world.
Who needs flowers, anyway?
More Than Just A Mother is a mummy blogger
with three small children, a boy of 26 months
and twin girls of just 12 months. Tragically, she
lost her little boy‟s twin brother when he was
just a few weeks‟ old. She lives in the
Cotswolds with her husband and family, and
has recently gone back to work full-time. She
writes an intensely honest, thought-provoking
and entertaining blog … plus a weekly column
on Bambino Goodies.
Things that make me happy: the sound of my
children laughing, catching up with my friends
over pizza and a glass of wine
Vices: blogging, white wine and chocolate
Motto in life: keep your eyes on the prize!
13
mind and body
chill
Marie-Laure Desire lets us
into a few moves to find
calm in a crazy world ...
Being a mum can be one of the busiest and most
stressful jobs out there and, if you’re anything like me,
you’ll sometimes find it a challenge to balance the
demands of your children, your relationship and your
work, let alone find time for yourself.
We all know what we should be doing, or what we
want to do, but for some reason we tend to put
ourselves last and end up running out of time for ‘me’
time! Or, at least, we don’t create the time for it. And
yet, just 20 minutes can make all the difference in the
world, refreshing you, recharging your batteries and
enabling you to function far more effectively.
More and more, yoga is being seen as a great way to
stay not only physically fit, but also mentally fit.
Marie-Laure Desire (seen here on the right) is
co-founder of the Fulham Yogashala, the only
studio in Britain to specialise in power yoga.
The studio offers over 40 classes a week
including power yoga, pregnancy yoga, kids
yoga and pilates for new mums.
A day in my life ...
My day starts at 6am with my own yoga
practice before my daughter wakes up. I then
have a meeting with my best friend and
business partner, Amelie (on the left in the
above picture). Amelie has just had a baby boy
on 28 February!
At lunch, I may teach a class but often i go
home to spend time with Noa. I‟m lucky the
yoga studio is so
close to my house!
I relax by ... doing
yoga of course. Or
enjoying time with
my husband and
daughter.
My day ends ...
after teaching a
class at 7pm and
going home to kiss
Noa goodnight.
I first began practicing power yoga to deal with a
stressful job. Then I used it to get back into shape and
find space for myself after having my daughter. It
changed my life and I now practise every day (even if
just for 20 minutes) because it gives me the energy and
patience to manage whatever comes my way.
I want to share a few postures with you that will help
create a sense of calm and well-being. They can easily
be done at home.

Warrior 2 click here
A self confidence booster, Warrior 2 is very important
for groundedness and creating a connection between
you and your goals for the day. It relieves stiffness in
the back, neck and shoulders, tones ankles and knees
and reduces fat around the hips.
Boat pose click here
Good to get those abdominals back into shape, Boat
pose helps with stamina. It strengthens the tummy
muscles (try it, you’ll soon feel it!) and also creates a
feeling of balance and wellbeing.
© Mummo Ltd : March 2009: www.mummo.co.uk
mummomag
Supported half bridge click here
Easier than it might look, this position frees you to
experience the full range of your emotions. Supported
half bridge strengthens back muscles, energises you
and removes fatigue.
Fish pose click here
This posture helps to release any tension in your neck
and shoulders, and expands your chest to increase
your lung capacity. It allows you to give of yourself
and receive from others freely. As a woman who may
be juggling the roles of wife or partner, mother,
employee or entrepreneur, it supports a desire for
patience, forgiveness and gratitude. You’ll get there.
Just take time to enjoy the journey.
By clicking on the links shown by each pose, you will be able
to access instructions on how to do that pose from the website
www.abc-of-yoga.com
15
mind and body
who needs pills?
Imperfectly natural mum,
Janey Lee Grace, suggests
some alternative kitchen
cupboard remedies <
Common ailments affect us all from time to time so
how can we treat the symptoms without resorting to
pharmaceutical products? Well, that one’s easy -
nature has actually provided us with all we need,
and sometimes being old style really is best. Before
you head off to the chemist to treat a cold, tummy
bug or headache, stop and see what’s in your kitchen
cupboards, or maybe your fridge ...
Colds and flu
In the wintertime, forget stocking up your medicine
cabinet with commercial medicines for coughs, colds,
etc. Remember old fashioned remedies like honey and
lemon. Many respiratory problems can be cured with
steam, just fill a bowl and put a towel over your head
– add a drop of tea tree or eucalyptus oil to the water
and steam away. This is also very beneficial for
children with respiratory problems - sit with them to
keep them safe under a big blanket or towel and play
tents or you can get the bathroom all steamy and add
some eucalyptus oil to the water.
For bath time, add a cupful of Epsom salts to the
water or better still Himalayan salt which has
wonderfully healing and detoxifying properties. You
can also use it on directly your food or for healthy
cooking too.

Manuka honey is antibacterial and soothing, take it by
the spoonful (it’s even more powerful with a little
crushed garlic!) or spread it on rye toast. The higher
the UMF rating, the better. Ginger is fantastic for
colds, too. Keep fresh ginger in the freezer and then
just grate a spoonful or two and pop it into a pan with
hot water and lemon, simmer it, strain and sip
throughout the day.
As a vegetarian I don’t eat it, but I’m assured by very
wise people that Chicken soup really is therapeutic in
many ways. Make sure you buy an organic chicken.
Insomnia
Always consider what you eat before bedtime.
Bananas, lettuce and turkey are all sleep inducing
foods but avoid alcohol and coffee for obvious
reasons.
Drink chamomile tea and, by the way, for tired eyes
relax with chamomile tea bags over your eyes (once
cooled of course!!). Lavender oil can be very effective
so put it directly onto your pillow or put a few drops
into an aromatherapy burner.
© Mummo Ltd : March 2009: www.mummo.co.uk
mummomag
Warts and veruccas
Warts will eventually go away on their own but for a
verucca, it sounds daft, but try putting the inner side
of a banana skin against the foot and taping it down
with a plaster. I’ve known the verucca to be gone
within a few days of application.
Splinters
If there’s a problem with physical removal, put a tiny
piece of good quality bread on it and tape it over with
a plaster. Believe it or not, the yeast content is said to
draw out the splinter.
Stomach upsets
For poorly tums or nausea, fresh ginger is excellent.
For debilitating morning sickness or travel sickness,
nibble fresh ginger or even a ginger biscuit if you’re
on the go. You can buy ginger capsules in health
shops, too. If your children suffer from travel
sickness, try the wrist bands that sit on the relevant
acupressure points, available from pharmacies. For
diarrhoea, sip water and, if you can eat, have some
grated apple.
Cystitis and thrush
Avoid dairy and sugars for a few days, take a good
probiotic and head for bed with a hot water bottle!
Drink copious amounts of water and, if you can get it,
unsweetened cranberry juice. Make your own lemon
barley water, but use agave or honey to sweeten it
rather than sugar. Aloe vera gel can help too.
Minor cuts and wounds
Honey is an all rounder healer that can be applied to
wounds, too. Manuka honey is antibacterial as well.
Look for an ‘activity’ rating of +16 or more if you can
afford it, but any honey will do the job.
Bruises
Arnica has become almost as common as aspirin, and
is fantastic for bruising and for shock. Most high
street chemists sell it now. Use the arnica cream and,
if severe, take a pillule of arnica 30. Apply a cold
vinegar compress to the bruise if inflamed or use
witch hazel. For more serious situations - for example,
when you know you are about to have an operation -
take arnica 200 for a few days before the op and
continue again during the recovery period.
17
mind and body
Bites and stings
For nettle stings you’d automatically reach for dock
leaves and for wasp stings reach for the vinegar. For
a bee sting, use bicarbonate of soda mixed with water
Rashes and irritated skin
For rashes and itchy skin conditions, there’s nothing
finer than soothing porridge oats. Fill a little bag or
thin sock with oats and run the water through it. It’s
very soothing for children with chicken pox, too.
Burns and scalds
Snip an aloe vera plant and use the juice (not great for
the plant, I know) or put on neat lavender oil, it works
incredibly quickly.
Toothache
You remember, oil of cloves, very old style but well
worth keeping in your medicine cabinet - it’ll do the
job until you can get to see a dentist. For teething
babies, crush a couple of homeopathic chamomilla
tablets on a spoon and rub it along their gums.
Earache
Drop a couple of drops of warmed olive oil into the
ear. Try massaging lavender or chamomile oil with a
base oil around the ear.
Janey Lee Grace is
mother to four
children with
fantastic names:
Sonny (10), Buddy
(9), Rocky (5) and
Lulu (3).
She is also the
author of several
books, including
„Imperfectly Natural
Home‟, „Imperfectly
Natural Woman‟, and „Imperfectly Natural
Woman: the Pocketbook‟. As if that wasn‟t
enough, she appears regularly on Radio 2‟s
„Steve Wright in the Afternoon‟.
She also runs a fantastic website with loads
more recommendations and a thriving forum:
www.imperfectlynatural.com
More from Janey …
Five words to describe me: passionate,
energetic, healthy, funny, impatient
Things that make me happy: walking by the
sea, drinking green juice, cuddling the kids,
having a romantic meal, finding a decent
alcohol-free wine
Vices: wine, chocolate, answering emails
Virtues: reliability, honesty, enthusiasm,
kindness … shall I go on?!
My motto in life: All the ripples of holistic
healing will one day add up to a sea of health
Favourite book: ‘The Continuum Concept‟ by
Jean Leidloff
Favourite film: any Woody Allen film
Favourite music: I‟ve got eclectic tastes -
Prince to Coldplay, Cocteau Twins to Dexys
Midnight Runners
Favourite meal: anything with loads of lightly
steamed veg
Favourite smell: fresh lemons
Favourite piece of clothing: A pair of sexy
stiletto boots, hurt like hell but worth it!
Most treasured possession: kids don‟t count,
they‟re only „on loan‟, so … my juicer
My children are: gorgeous, feisty, strong-
willed, musical, artistic - lucky, aren‟t I?!
A day in my life …
I wake up anytime between 6am and 7.30am
when the youngest two arrive in our bed. We
home educate which means that every day is
different, but we aim to have the older boys
getting down to some work by 9am. I head off
to the BBC late morning, the kids go to a wide
variety of home ed groups or tutors and have a
ridiculously busy social calendar. Early evening
I work on my website for an hour or so before
the kids‟ bedtime, and I relax by going to a yoga
class. My day ends when I start to make too
many typos!

fresh air fitness
Mum, medal winner and
founder of Fit Camp,
Kimberly Rothman tells us
why it’s better to exercise
outdoors <
At a time when we have more gyms, more books on
exercise, more fitness DVDs, and access to a vast
amount of information on exercise on the internet,
why are we so desperately unfit as a nation? Perhaps
it’s because we’ve stopped taking the natural
approach to fitness <
We need to do it outside!!
Think about it, how much of your time do you spend
indoors and how much outside? For many of us, a
typical day consists of getting up, getting into the car,
© Mummo Ltd : March 2009:
mummomag
going into work, getting back into the car and coming
home. Okay, if you’re not out at work full-time you
may get to spend a few more hours in the fresh air
(standing behind the swings in the park), but even
then, the majority of modern life seems to take place
indoors, in centrally heated or air-conditioned
buildings.
So how do you keep fit? Do you go to a stuffy gym
and spend all your time on the running machine,
bored and trying to stay motivated? Or do you head
for the fields? True, the blast of fresh air when you
first step out of your front door may make the gym
seem like a cosy option. But just five minutes training
outside will double your chances of getting the results
you really want <
It helps you burn more calories
Research has shown that we can burn up to 30% more
calories when we work out outside rather than inside.
It requires us to overcome gravity, ground reaction
forces and other environmental factors such as wind,
heat and cold, as well as changes in terrain. Therefore,
our bodies are required to use more muscles than in
comparable gym-based exercises and as a result more
www.mummo.co.uk 19
mind and body

calories are used up. Also, our core body temperature

will always work to stay around 36.8 C and it takes
energy to do this < so, if it’s a bit chilly outside, we
burn calories keeping warm!

It gives you a greater ‘feel good’ factor

Training outside, especially when it’s not particularly
warm, means that you need to keep moving. If you
are training with a good group, you will be doing a
mixture of aerobic and anaerobic work which will in
no time be releasing those happy hormones called
endorphins. The social benefits of group training are
well documented - in a nutshell, you get better results
because you push yourself harder than you do when It encourages you to move naturally
you’re training alone (the benefits of peer pressure!).
Coupled with all of the above is the fact that the
And the camaraderie of a group means you’re likely
outdoors gives us a terrain that works constantly on
to turn up far more often!
our pro perception (balancing ability), a vital part of
our everyday health and wellbeing. The running
It boosts your vitamins machine, for instance, changes our natural gait - if you
Vitamin D is made in the skin and is made from have ever compared running times indoor to out, you
sunlight. It is essential to take in this nutrient which will know it’s much easier to run faster on a machine.
not only helps to protect the immune system but also The body normally uses 103 muscles to take just one
helps in bone growth and maintenance of bone (to step but, on a machine, your body is forced to work
prevent such diseases as osteoporosis). differently meaning that the support muscles don’t
have to work nearly as hard. So, although you may go
It keeps you healthier faster on a machine, you are robbing yourself of the
body’s natural ability to work in unison.
The fresh air you breathe outside is very different
from a gym environment and doesn’t promote the
There are many different ways to approach outdoor
spread of coughs, colds and other viruses in the same
exercise so search around your local area for fitness
way that air conditioning tends to do. The outdoors
camps, running groups, outdoor gyms or other clubs
has a much more immediate effect on your brain
you can join.
patterns - if you’ve ever gone for a run or exercised
outside you will know that the effect is far, far more
Fit Camps are a fantastic way to lose weight, tone up and
invigorating than running on a treadmill.
get an energy boost … all whilst exercising outdoors. Visit
www.fit-camp.co.uk for more information ...

Kimberly Rothman is a mum of three and a medal-winning athlete, who only took
up sport seriously at the age of 31! She has now set up Fit Camps to help people
get the most from their workouts and kickstart new healthy lifestyles.

Five words to describe me: happy, determined, funny, optimistic, pragmatist

Things that make me happy: my children, my friends, my athletics, my home, my
work, all changing in order depending on the time of day and what‟s happening in
my life!

Motto in life: nothing is impossible!

Favourite book: „Awaken the giant within‟ by Tony Robbins - I read it one holiday
and it changed the way I thought about a lot of things.
 mummomag

looking good, Mummo loves

German label
Bellybutton, set
feeling fine up by five mums

Just had to include these images, which show a few pieces from the Spring / Summer ‘09 collection by German
label Bellybutton. Okay, I admit, I’m a sucker for aspirational marketing < but who wouldn’t want to look like
this and live a life like this?! They’re such feel-good photos I want to rush out and buy the clothes < and I’m not
even pregnant. Yes, believe it or not, this is maternity wear! Bellybutton also offers their own children’s clothing
range and a skincare range. If by any chance you’re tempted, you can find a list of UK stockists and also order
online at www.bellybutton.co.uk.
All photos courtesy of Bellybutton - www.bellybutton.co.uk

© Mummo Ltd : March 2009: www.mummo.co.uk 21

family and home
the games we play
Board games lead to
brighter children and
happier families <
It maybe child's play, but you'd be amazed at what
children can learn through games. Watch children
playing board games with each other, running a three
legged race or playing football – they’re having fun and,
at the same time, learning co-operation, teamwork, role
clarity, strategy and tactics.
Not only is there is a wealth of supporting research, but
there are also a growing number of educational
advocates who emphasise that the most productive way
of learning is through fun and hands-on experience and
that game playing provides the perfect tool.
According to the head of Ofsted, for example, children
who play traditional board games at home do better at
school. He said the games help children to think for
themselves, to wait their turn and to hold a
conversation with adults. And he expressed a concern
that computer games and television can discourage
children from activities that better stimulate their
imagination.
Stephen Twigg, Education Minister, said that play is
vitally important to education. The National Union of
Teachers conference produced a statement saying that
children, in particular, learn through play and they
want everyone to spend more time playing, as a
"crucial" lifelong learning tool. The National
Foundation for Educational Research concluded that
children should have more access to "play-based"
learning.
Even the venerable Plato said ‚Not by force shall the
youth learn, but through play.‛
So what can you do to reap the benefits of game
playing with your own children? Here are 8 steps to
help you get started <

Get some good games
Buy or dust off some games that are old favourites.
Games like draughts, dominoes, connect four and card
games, are not only terrific fun but they are also
stimulating, challenging and involve concentration
and strategy.
Make it a regular thing
Choose a convenient slot in your weekly routine that
is an ideal time for your family to sit down together
and play a few games, such as a Friday evening or a
Sunday afternoon, for example.
Set the scene
Add some elements to help ‚game time‛ become a
family tradition: add favourite foods (bowls of
popcorn or mugs of hot chocolate perhaps?), a comfy
warm setting (in front of a roaring fire?), invite
grandparents, etc.
Cater for all ages
Start with games that are suited to the youngest age
group present, or have a few games going at the same
time that fit the various age ranges. Make sure
everyone understands the rules and aims of the game
being played. Give everyone a chance by
demonstrating good moves and strategies on the
game board before beginning the ‚real‛ game‛.
Discuss game etiquette
Explain that to enjoy playing games we all have to
play by the rules, respect our partners and respect the
outcome of the game. In order to have fun playing
games together, we can’t gloat when we win and we
can’t get upset when we lose. If we play lots of games
together, there will be lots of chances for each of us to
win sometimes, and lose sometimes. Either way we
will have had a fun time playing together.
Be a positive role model
Show your own interest and enthusiasm for the game,
give it concentration and effort, both for your own
enjoyment, and also as a role model for your children.
Rather than play ineffectively to ensure your child
wins, instead, help your child learn from your game
playing skills. Discuss out loud the moves you are
making and why, to help your child understand the
strategies you are using. If your child makes a move
that is to their disadvantage, encourage them to look
again and guide them to see a better move by asking
them open questions such as:
© Mummo Ltd : March 2009: www.mummo.co.uk
mummomag
‚What are all the different options you have?‛
‚What will happen if you make that move?‛
‚What might be a better move that you could take?‛
‚I can see a way that you can win, can you see it?‛
Whether your child wins or loses, at the end of the
game summarise what you learnt from the game and
then ask your child:
‚What did you learn from that game?‛
‚What might you do differently next time we play?‛
Keep it fresh
Keep people interested in ‘game time’ by regularly
introducing new games. Surprise everyone by giving
the family a new game as a present every few weeks.
Games that can be played within an hour and involve
thinking, memory, strategy or calculation are
recommended - for example: Othello, Guess Who,
Mancala, Nine Man Morris, Scrabble, Chinese
Chequers or Rush Hour.
We hope you enjoy and learn from ‚game time‛ in
your family as much as we do in ours!
Mind Lab Europe was established in 2003 by Suri Poulos
and her husband, Darrel. Mind Lab believes that the best
way of learning is through experience. We use carefully
selected board games from around the world as a tool to
engage children and teach them effective thinking together
with social and emotional intelligence. Over two million
children in 34 countries have benefited from this innovative
and enriching programme.
Email suri@mindlabeurope.com or call 01628 509021
www.mindlabeurope.com
Suri Poulos is
American by birth
but has been in the
UK for over 21 years.
She lives with her
husband and their
four children in
Henley-on-Thames.
Favourite smell: gardenias
Things that make me happy: gardening, walks,
chatting with good friends around a dinner
table, helping someone else
23
family and home
do as I say,
not as I do
Potty Mummy ponders her
approach to parenting <
Are you a hypocritical parent? No. Are you sure?
Are you absolutely positive?
Ever said to your child ‚No, you can’t have any more
crisps, they’re full of salt and fat and very bad for
you‛ and then finished the packet when they’ve left
the room?
Ever doled out a measly handful of chocolate buttons,
and then wolfed the rest down yourself when no-one
is looking?
Have you ever said ‚Right, that’s enough television
for now. Let’s get outside into the garden, it’s a lovely
day‛ and then spent the evening watching mindless
drivel and repeats of ‘Friends’?
Have you ever commented on the fact that your
child’s bedroom is a tip and insisted that everything is
tidied away before the fun stuff happens, whilst
stoically ignoring the fact that your own bed looks as
if it’s a stall at the local Bring and Buy fair?
Have you ever insisted that your children finish their
dinner because it’s full of vitamins which they need to
grow big and strong, and then eaten a frozen pizza
(with salad, of course) after they’re in bed?
No?
Me neither.
Blog post - 28th January 2009
Potty Mummy is a former marketing consultant
with two little boys who writes a blog called The
Potty Diaries. She started it to talk about potty
training her eldest son but, now that both boys
are „done‟, sees it more as a way of stopping her
going potty! Here‟s how she describes herself …
“a stay-at-home mum still coming to terms with not
also being a career woman. Really. You’d think I’d
be over it by now: it’s been 3 years since I last
worked - and went to the loo with the door shut -
after all …”

extreme
motherhood
Jodie Hampshire tells us how
her life changed when she
adopted three children from
the other side of the world <
For my husband Robert and I, adoption has always
been the way we imagined we’d create our family. It’s
not a choice that is easy to explain, I think it is one of
those decisions that either feels right, or doesn’t..
When we moved from London to Dubai for Robert’s
job, I stopped working < and starting our family
moved from being something we talked about for the
future to a more immediate reality.
International adoption was the right choice for our
family and we started to investigate the options. We
came across an amazing man who had lived in Dubai
and who had adopted four children from Sierra
Leone, West Africa, as a single dad. After discussions
with him and other families, we started to look
seriously at Sierra Leone.
Many people have heard of Sierra Leone only through
the movie Blood Diamond, or the Kanye West song.
While the civil war has been over for some years now,
Sierra Leone is still recovering. It is ranked last out of
177 countries evaluated by the United Nations in an
index comparing poverty, life expectancy, literacy,
education, and other factors.
Sierra Leone has the world’s worst infant
mortality rate. Roughly 1 in 4 children die
before they reach the age of 5. More than half of
these children will die of preventable causes.
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Sierra Leone has the highest maternal
mortality rate in the world. 1800 in 100,000
women die during childbirth, compared to 8 in
100,000 in the US.
Approximately 64% of Sierra Leoneans do not
have any access to medical care.
After going through the home study process to
prepare us for adoption, we waited and waited <
until finally, in August 2007, we were asked to travel
to Sierra Leone to bring home our little girl. Then, in
December 2007, the three of us returned to Sierra
Leone to adopt our other two children, on our fourth
wedding anniversary.
I will never forget meeting each of our
children for the first time, it still sends
shivers up my spine when I think
about it. It is such a precious moment
for us and so scary for them.
When adopting children, most people concentrate
their energies on helping the kids settle. We were
completely focused on this, but did not really prepare
for the adjustment we ourselves had to make to being
parents. Probably this is something you can’t prepare
for until you are in the middle of it! We had gone
25
family and home
from living the life of London professionals with a
funky flat in Clerkenwell, lots of dinners out and
weekends reading the paper over coffee, to kids,
schools, playdates, all multiplied by three and all in a
matter of months. We had language and cultural
issues to bridge and lots of things to learn quickly as
new parents. I didn’t realise how grumpy months of
interrupted sleep would make me, or how full-on
being a mum really was. Parents we spoke to would
say we were taking on a lot of change in our lives, but
it wasn’t for ages, in the middle of sleepless nights and
trying to figure out ways to deal with tantrums, that I
stepped back and thought, aha, now I understand that
this is hard work! But the most rewarding work ever!
While taking on three children in the space of a year
has been tough for us as new parents, we can see how
happy the kids are to be together. They all knew each
other well before coming home, so have taken comfort
from having each other around. In fact, the kids
desperately want another brother!
Our life is slowly getting into some sort of routine,
which we’re grateful for. 2008 was a blur as we all
adjusted to our new family. Our eldest came home
with malaria, so we started off our new family life
with a hospital stay, which was not at all fun for her. I
then homeschooled her for the first months, also not at
all fun for her. In the end, I got some help with that
before (thankfully!) finding a good school. Our
youngest was not at nursery until later in the year. I
really cannot remember how we managed this, but am
pleased that all of the kids are now in a little routine
they are happy with.
Seeing the kids’ personalities take
shape is amazing. They are each so
different but somehow, as a family, we
seem to work.
The kids are all full of charm and energy, we are
definitely not a quiet family. We like to get outside
and play, to have music on to dance around to, to
swim and tickle and laugh a lot.
In the midst of everything I decided it would be the
perfect time to start a business, Aunty Ollie. I started
with kids bedding and am now producing a range of
kids clothing with cool, funky unusual printed fabrics.
Sure, it adds to the stress of life but is incredibly
fulfilling. I think it is great for the kids to see that
mum works too, and I’d be delighted if they were
entrepreneurial as life is a lot more fun that way!
Our life now is crazy, full-on and completely different
to our life just 18 months ago. I do have moments
where I go, oh, what happened here? But it is the best,
most perfect life I could have imagined.
I have a gorgeous family full of love
and am living life at full speed. I
wouldn’t change a thing.
Jodie Hampshire
lives in Dubai with
her husband,
Robert, and their
three children aged
13, 5 and 3.
In and amongst
caring for her new
family, Jodie has also
been busy setting up a new business - Aunty
Ollie - a range of bedding and clothing for kids.
Things that make you happy ...
I am a great believer in making your life as
beautiful as it can be, really taking pleasure
from the simple things - a beautiful cup to drink
coffee in the morning, a gorgeous framed
picture in the kids‟ rooms. I am mad for printed
fabrics so use these all over the house!
Living in the moment - something I was not
really great at pre-kids. Having my three
children makes me very focused on the here
and now.
Laughing with the kids and about parenthood!
After we adopted the children, our life (and
theirs) was turned upside down in ways I could
not have imagined. Last year was a complete
blur for my husband and I, and when we get
stressed one of the best strategies is to have a
laugh at ourselves. And of course three little
ones fond of dancing, tickling and running
about does give us lots to laugh about. As life
gets crazier we tend to laugh more and more -
bring it on!

the lowdown on Sierra Leone
The Republic of Sierra
Leone, in West Africa, is
one of the world’s poorest
countries < despite its
wealth of diamonds.
© Mummo Ltd : March 2009: www.mummo.co.uk
mummomag
Full name: Republic of Sierra Leone
Population: 6 million
Capital: Freetown (founded as a home for
repatriated former slaves in 1787)
Area: 71,740 sq km (27,699 sq miles)
Major languages: English, Krio and a
range of African languages
Major religions: Islam, Christianity
Currency: Leone
Main exports: diamonds, rutile, coffee, fish
Life expectancy: 41 years (men), 44 years
(women) (UN)
Sierra Leone emerged from a decade of civil war in
2002, with the help of Britain, the former colonial
power, and a large United Nations peacekeeping
mission. The country now faces the challenge of
reconstruction. Despite being poverty-stricken, Sierra
Leone is rich in diamonds. The trade in illicit gems,
known as "blood diamonds" for their role in funding
conflicts, perpetuated the civil war. The government
has attempted to crack down on cross-border
diamond trafficking.
27
family and home

More from Jodie …

Vices: Oh, too many to mention!!! OK, the ones I‟ll admit to - Thornton‟s
Turkish Delight and a cup of Earl Grey tea… Nothing better to end the day!

Movies – I‟d say I watched maybe a movie a year before the children came
along. Now, when I‟m feeling tired, I convince them we need to go to the
cinema to watch a kids movie (all so I can have a rest … when not being the
popcorn police!)

Magazines – visitors are shocked at the stacks of magazines around the house. I can‟t really justify it as
imported magazines cost a small fortune here. I know I need to downsize this addiction but, hey, I do
recycle them!

Virtues: As with all of us mums, I am great at multitasking! After school, I help with homework, cook
dinner, referee barneys between the kids, bath, visit some of my suppliers, answer emails, sort out our
teenager‟s Facebook glitches and so on and on (and on!)

Motto in life: I wish I could say something profound here but I think I live my life along the lines of just
getting on with things.

Favourite book: I really like Jhumpa Lahiri‟s books and also Rohinton Mistry, especially „A Fine Balance‟.
These books are full of colour and personality, and are so easy to escape into.

Favourite film: My two favourite films are both Mexican: „Like Water for Chocolate‟ and „Y Tu Mama
Tambien‟. Like the novels I love, these have beautiful imagery, larger than life characters, quirky stories.

Favourite smell: I love the smell of chlorine, it smells like childhood to me, and now, of tired, happy kids
who will fall into bed easily! I‟m also a bit of a premature Nana and adore the smells of rose and lavender.

Favourite piece of clothing / outfit: Continuing with my granny tendencies, I love dresses. If I ever get
some spare time, I‟d like to expand my kids clothing business, Aunty Ollie, to include vintage looking
adult dresses, skirts and tops.

Most treasured possession: The things I treasure are things like photos, memories (and sanity!)

My children: Our eldest girl is very caring and creative. She is quickly becoming a typical teenager with a
High School Musical obsession! Our little girl is about as girly as you can get. She has a collection of bags
to rival the Queen‟s, each sensibly packed with a pretend mobile phone, lip gloss, pretend money (all the
essentials in life!) If she could wear Mum‟s “high hill” shoes to school, life would be complete! And the
baby of the family, our little boy, is quickly morphing into a real boy. When he was a little younger, he
spent his days being dressed up in princess dresses and high heels by his sisters. While he is still partial to
lip gloss, he is showing a preference for pushing his toy cars around endlessly - hard as a woman to
understand but hey, it keeps him entertained...

A day in my life: Our day starts early as we get the kids up and out to school and nursery by 7.30am, I
head back to my (lovely, quiet!) house to work until lunchtime, when I head out for my horrendous school
run. The girls are in different schools and our boy is at nursery … so the afternoon is spent driving from
one school to another and trying to find something to do for the hour or two in between the different
finish times. This is usually a park in the winter, but more of a struggle when the temperatures hit 45
degrees over the summer! I am a slummy mummy and we don‟t do organised after school activities – the
logistics are impossible and, conveniently, I am a believer in letting kids play without being
overscheduled! The little ones head to bed before 7pm and my husband and I spend time with our eldest
girl, at the ent we‟re taking turns having a swim at night which is great. I fall into bed around 10pm and
never, ever have any trouble going to sleep.

Lisa Warner of Fink Cards
reveals how to build
family bonds over the
dinner table <
For many busy parents the words ‘quality time’
instantly conjure up feelings of guilt! Juggling home
and work is hard enough but finding room for that
magical hour of quality time every day seems a near
impossibility to many stressed-out parents. Well, I
think I may have found the solution and it’s been
sitting under our noses all the time!
Family mealtimes can offer so much more than just
food. It’s a time when your family can reconnect,
listen to and focus on each other - in a nut shell it is
prime quality time, and it’s available everyday!
© Mummo Ltd : March 2009: www.mummo.co.uk
mummomag
happy
meals
Public Health Nutritionist, Yvonne Wake explains:
‚Regular meal times give children the opportunity to
discuss problems with family members; it relaxes and
encourages them to wind down. Research shows that
families that eat together more than twice a week are
more likely to have closer relationships.‛
The research makes interesting reading but doesn’t
really come as a surprise. I have always been a big fan
of family mealtimes and over the years I’ve found that
my children have come to love the time we spend
together at the dinner table. We talk about important
events, people moving away, new jobs, new schools,
and precious anniversaries. Our conversations build
a rich family history. My children seem to soak it all
in, they never tire of hearing stories about when they
were younger, when me and my husband met, where
we lived and what we did. It all fits together and
helps to build their identity - sharing our stories
keeps family lore strong!
The regularity of dinner time, the comfort and security
it seems to offer at the end of a long day is reassuring
to us all. Our mealtimes have evolved in to something
29
family and home
more than just routine, I would say it has become a
ritual. I think Miriam Weinstein, author of ‘The Sur-
prising Power of Family Meals’ puts it perfectly when
she says this ...
"Sitting down to a meal together
draws a line around us, it encloses
us and, for a brief time,
strengthens the bonds that
connect us with other members of
our self-defined clan, shutting out
the rest of of the world."
Eating is a social activity and the benefits for your
child’s confidence and social skills are massive. The
dinner table is an excellent place to learn about
conversation and gain confidence in communicating.
If you need convincing, just ask a primary school
teacher what a boost regular family mealtimes can be
to a child’s language development!
I know you may be thinking that this is a recipe for
indigestion and just another demand on your time.
As the mother of four teenage children, I do
understand how tricky it can be to fit in a family meal
when your kids have umpteen after-school activities
and your husband gets home late. If you really want
to do it, though, it can be done. Follow these tips and
with very little effort you can create an oasis of quality
time for your family every day!
Build family meals into your routine
If after school activities or long work hours make it
difficult to eat together every night, try building at
least two family mealtimes into your weekly routine.
If it’s really impossible to set a regular family
mealtime, try a late evening dessert get-together or a
weekend breakfast instead!
Get the food sorted first
Plan your meals in advance. Not only will this save
you time and money but it will also save your sanity
when the ‚what’s for dinner?‛ chants start at 4pm
each afternoon.
Make it fun
Keep the conversation enjoyable, avoid nagging and
steer clear of any ‘heavy’ or potentially dangerous
subjects! Talk about happy memories, an upcoming
family event or holiday, or use conversation cards like
the ones we produce at Fink Cards. Questions like
‘Would you like to be famous?’ or Would you rather
be an adult or child?’ are usually enough to get
conversation started.
Involve the whole family
Make sure everyone is included and has the
opportunity to speak and be listened to! Be careful to
ensure that the topics of conversation are appropriate
for all family members.
Put up the ‘do not disturb’ sign!
One of the most important things you can do is turn
the TV off and let the phone ring! I have often let
phone calls interrupt our dinner, because I find it
difficult not to succumb to a ringing phone. However,
last week, when the telephone rang in the middle of
our meal, I found myself saying those magic words ‚if
it’s important they will ring back.‛ Something
amazing happened - there was a shift in everyone’s
attention, everything seemed to freeze for a
millisecond whilst my children registered what I had
just done. In that moment they knew that they were
my number one priority. I was focused on them and
nothing else was more important. For me this was a
revelation - right there round our table was the ever-
elusive quality time!
Lisa Warner has four teenage children and is the founder of
Fink™ a company that is passionate about communication
and on a mission to get people talking! Her family edition
Fink conversation
cards are designed to
get families back to the
dinner table. Lisa has
now produced a
teenage edition aimed
at getting young
people to talk about
tricky issues like sex,
drugs and
relationships!
 mummomag

a reminder ...
This was created
by Jill McDonald,
an American
illustrator and
mother of a little
boy, to remind
her of the
comforts of
home. Here’s
what she says
about it in her
blog:

‚It's the little

things that make
up life and the
same little things I
often forget to take
in & enjoy.
Just a subtle
reminder to
myself.
Slowdown, touch,
take a look, reach
out, remember ...‛

www.jillmcdonalddesign.com www.jillmcdonald.blogspot.com

© Mummo Ltd : March 2009: www.mummo.co.uk 31

family and home
< or essential?
Parent coach, Sue Atkins,
argues that ‘me’ time
makes mums more
effective ...
Being a mum is a wonderfully fulfilling, rewarding
and joyful experience. But it can also be an exhausting,
frustrating and overwhelming business too.
As a mum, you are often the lynchpin of your whole
family. If you are tired, stressed and snappy, chances
are your whole family is tense, as they take their lead
from you and pick up on your vibes.
So, how do you get the balance right between your
family’s needs and your own? How do you find a
way to be upbeat and enthusiastic rather than selfless
yet exhausted?
selfish??
One of the first things I encourage mums to do is to
remember what they enjoyed doing before they had
kids. This releases positive happy memories and
helps to relax you. Was it sitting down with a cup of
coffee and a magazine for half an hour, going to a film
with your partner, or having a bubble bath with your
favourite fragrance and a scented candle?
Thinking about this will help you to tap back into
what makes you smile, relax and feel nurtured. As a
mum, you are often so busy looking after other people
that you end up neglecting your own needs and,
before you know it, you’re running on empty.
I believe it’s really important to look after yourself
first because then you are in better shape emotionally,
physically and mentally to look after your family in a
positive way.
That’s why on planes they tell you to put your mask
on first, so that you are then in a position to help your
child with his or hers!
Overleaf is a wheel I use on my Work-Life Balance
Workshops. Take a few moments to relax and breathe
deeply and slowly. This helps you to become creative.

Start thinking of fun ways to recharge your batteries
and replenish your energy, and write one in each
segment of the wheel.
Now you’ve got seven ideas that you can act on once a
week, once a month or even once a day - whenever
you feel the need - to help you unwind, restore your
energy and lift your spirits. Pop these ideas in your
diary, keep them by the phone or pin them up on the
fridge to remind you.
I hereby grant you permission to
BANISH THE BIG GUILT GREMLIN!
I’m here to tell you that looking after yourself and
nurturing yourself is one of the key ingredients of
being a brilliant mum.
Let go of being the perfect parent
Lots of mums feel that only they can do all the jobs
that need doing properly. Only they know their kids’
bedtime routines or little foibles. But being a
perfectionist is unrealistic and exhausting. It also
denies your child the broader experience of others
contributing to their lives and doing things in
different ways.
So allow people to help you and don’t take it as a
weakness or a criticism or an indication that you can’t
cope. We all need a break so that we can bounce back
full of renewed energy and raring to go.
© Mummo Ltd : March 2009: www.mummo.co.uk
mummomag
Delegate
One of the quickest ways to alleviate the feelings of
overwhelm is to delegate jobs around the house.
Young children love to help and can start by laying
the table or putting their toys away. Teenagers can
bring down their washing and even turn on the
washing machine if you show them how (as they are,
after all, the most technically advanced generation!)
and partners really can load up the dishwasher if they
know it makes you smile more!
It’s about being open and confident about asking. It’s
also about expecting your family to be a team willing
to pull together to help each other.
So grab a pen and paper and brainstorm all the jobs
you currently do that could be shared out amongst
your family. Jot them down and allocate each one to a
particular person or people.
Now just relax, close your eyes and daydream.
Imagine your family happily and willingly doing their
jobs easily. Make the picture in your mind full of
colour and sounds, and bring the picture up close to
you. Feel how good it feels when everyone is pulling
their weight and being part of a family team.
Now ask yourself:
What will be the benefits to your children if they
learn to help? (independence, confidence, co-
operation, responsibility?)
What will be the benefits to you?
What could be some of the obstacles in the way to
this happening?
How will you get round them?
What do you need to do to make these new ways
into habits?
Relax, daydream and rehearse what you want to say,
how you want to say it and where you want to talk
with your family. This gives you confidence, clarity
and purpose.
Imagine it going well, enjoy those feelings and relax.
33
family and home

Nurturing your needs and giving yourself ‘time off’

that’s
and ‘me time’ is a vital part of respecting yourself and
valuing your very important role as a mum.

So commit to making a couple of small changes this

Mother’s Day. Look after yourself and watch your
confidence, enthusiasm and happiness soar.

Sue Atkins runs Positive Parents, a parent coaching

not my
company, and is dedicated to supporting parents in their
daily ‚adventure‛ to bring up great kids and create a happy
family. Positive Parents offers workshops and one-to-one
parent coaching (face-to-face and by telephone), plus highly
informative newsletters. Visit www.positive-parents.com ...
mummy!
a poem by More Than Just
Sue Atkins is a mother-
of-two and former
Deputy Head Teacher
A Mother <
who now runs her own
company - Positive
Parents. She is also a That's not my mummy, her tummy is too flat.
qualified life coach, NLP That's not my mummy, her hair is too clean.
Master Practitioner and
Thought Field Therapy That's not my mummy, her clothes are too
parenting specialist. fashionable.
That's not my mummy, her fridge contains too
Five words to describe me: enthusiastic, much food, all of which is in-date and organic.
passionate, committed, fun-loving and a good That's not my mummy, her legs are too smooth
listener (is that more than five ...?!!)
and her eyebrows don't join in the middle.
Things that make me happy: singing, salsa That's not my mummy, her career is actually
dancing, walking my dogs and watching going somewhere.
Chelsea with the kids and Kevin my hubby, That's not my mummy, her heels are at least
meals out with friends chatting and laughing four inches, yet she walks smoothly without
tripping.
Vices: white wine, cheese and onion crisps!
That's not my mummy, her skincare routine is
Virtues: compassion, integrity and honesty too thorough, and she actually knows what
toner is for.
Favourite smell: jasmine THAT'S my mummy! Her expression is so
harassed and bordering on hysteria. Hmm, on
Most treasured possession: my Tudor
second thoughts, actually I'll take one of the
farmhouse and my little red Mini!
others.
My children: Will (16) placid and calm like his
Dad. Molly (14) is funny and emotionally
soooooo literate - we like buying earrings and
going to Primark together!

I relax by: reading, salsa dancing and opening

a bottle of wine on a Friday Morethanjustamother
excerpt from blog
post 6th March 2009

small talk
In her blog, Homeofficemum describes
the kind of conversation that every
mother recognises <
"Muuuummmy!" Son 1 yells from the loo.
"What?"
"I've got one more poo and I can't get it out! It's huge
and it just won't come out!"
"Well, what exactly would you like me to do about it?"
"Get something and stick it up my bum to get it out."
"I don't think we can do that."
"C'monnnnnnnn. It juuuust woooon't cooooome
ooooooout! I think this poo has been in my bum since,
since < since I was born!"
Who says I don't get scintillating conversation?
Homeofficemum - blog post - 5th February 2009
© Mummo Ltd : March 2009: www.mummo.co.uk
mummomag
result!
The Mummo motherhood
survey suggests we’re
happier now we’re
mums ...
A while back, we launched a Mummo survey to find
out more about motherhood. I’ll be the first to admit
that I found becoming a mum a really big deal! And
that’s despite the fact that I had my children relatively
late in life so I should have known what I was getting
myself into! That’s despite the fact that I wanted them
desperately and was (still am, of course) utterly
thrilled to have them. Nonetheless, the transition to
motherhood rocked me to the core. I wanted to find
out how other women felt about it.
The survey is still live so these are only interim results,
but of the mums who have responded so far:
76.9% are more or much more satisfied with
‘family and home’ now than they were before
children (BC)
60.2% say that the statement ’I am happy’ is more
or much more true of them now than it was BC
67.6% say that the statement ‘I am fulfilled’ is
more or much more true of them now than BC
Great news, and some consolation for the physical
price many of us have paid for motherhood. Over
half of the mums surveyed (66.2% in fact) are less or
much less satisfied with their bodies and the way they
look since having kids! Luckily, it appears that our
post-baby saggy baggy bits don’t detract from our
overall contentment. And why should they?!
Want to have your say? Take the survey right now
and tell us how you found the transition to
motherhood. Go on, it’ll only take a few minutes
and, for each completed questionnaire, we’ll give
25p to the ‘million mums’ campaign as a thank you.
35
family and home

A mother’s
love

A mother and her new

daughter
She and I were alone. I heard her before I saw her.
She was making strong, broken noises of protest,
sorrow, from an unidentifiable region near my bed.
‘Yes, yes, I know,’ I said. ‘Never mind, I know.’
Immediately she was silent, listening. In this
soundless night, recognition started to vibrate, like a
fine filament, between us; quickened, tautened. I
swung in living darkness, emptiness; in the beginning
of the deepest listening of my life.

Rosamond Lehmann,
‘The Swan in the Evening: Fragments of an Inner Life’

An excerpt from ‘A mother’s love’, edited by Tanith Carey.

 mummomag

‘It wasn’t your baby’

There were two warring tribes in the Andes, one that
lived in the lowlands and the other high in the
mountains.

The mountain people invaded the lowlanders one

day, and as part of their plundering of the people,
they kidnapped a baby of one of the lowlander
families and took the infant with them back up into
the mountains. The lowlanders didn’t know how to
climb the mountains. They didn’t know any of the
trails that the mountain people used, and they didn’t Tanith Carey is a
know where to find the mountain people, or how to journalist who writes
track them in the steep terrain. Even so, they sent out regularly for The
Daily Mail and The
their best party of fighting men to climb the
Daily Mirror - as well
mountains and bring the baby home. as a huge range of
women‟s magazines.
The men tried first one method of climbing and then She is the former
another. They tried one trail and then another. After New York-based US
correspondent,
several days of effort, however, they had climbed only
Features Editor and
several hundred feet. Woman‟s Editor for
the Daily Mirror. She is
Feeling hopeless and helpless, the lowlander men also the former Consumer Journalist of the Year
decided that the cause was lost, and they prepared to and runner up for the UKPG Scoop of the Year.
return to their village below.
Tanith lives in London with her husband,
journalist Anthony Harwood, and their two little
As they were packing for the descent, they saw the girls - Lily (7) and Clio (4) - who she describes as
baby’s mother walking towards them. They realised “artistic, passionate, chatty, delightful”.
that she was coming down the mountain that they
hadn’t figured out how to climb. Five words to describe me: driven, focused,
honest, busy, inquisitive
And then they saw that she had the baby strapped to Things that make me happy: seeing my
her back. How could that be? children create things, whether it‟s drawings,
music or funny remarks
One man greeted her and said: ‘We couldn’t climb this
mountain. How did you do this when we, the Vices: overwork, wanting everything now
strongest and most able men in the village, couldn’t Motto in life: you
do it?’ make your own luck

Favourite book: “I
She shrugged her shoulders and said: don‟t know how she
‘It wasn’t your baby.’ does it” by Allison
Pearson

Favourite music: The

Jim Stovall, Killers
‘You Don’t Have to Be Blind to See’
New book due
An excerpt from ‘A mother’s love’, edited by Tanith Carey. out soon … 

© Mummo Ltd : March 2009: www.mummo.co.uk 37

career and business

mummo ‘preneurs

Micro Scooter mums

Mummo talks to Anna Gibson and
Philippa Gogarty, who have six
children between them and are
Directors of Micro Scooters Ltd.

I’m sure that many of our readers are familiar with

the ubiquitous pink and blue scooters that are at the
core of your business. Can you tell us a little about
how you both met and how you became involved
with Micro Scooters Ltd?

Philippa: ‚We met in 2002 as young mums at our first

baby weigh-in for our newborn sons. At the time we
were both living in Clapham, South London, and were
struggling to keep pace with an
ever-growing band of extremely
active kids. Anna had managed to
get hold of the Mini Micro Scooter
for her children and couldn’t
One day a
believe how it changed her life for
the better. The first order she took
scooter changed
for the scooters was for three my life, yeah ...
which at the time seemed a
considerable investment and which
were sold literally door-to-door,
amongst neighbours and friends. She knew the eye-
catching product would quickly become a talking
point at the school gates and in the parks so had the
brainwave of putting a sticker with her mobile
telephone number on the base of all the scooters she
subsequently sold and soon the orders were flooding
in.
At the time they were only available in a handful of
specialist shops so we joined forces and set out to
make it more widely available. This led to the
establishment of Micro Scooters Ltd in 2004 which
has sole distribution rights in the UK for both the
Mini and Maxi Micro Scooter. From there we set up
a dedicated website to sell the scooter:
www.micro-scooters.co.uk and also
established a loyal network of mums
who became ambassadors for the
brand and sold scooters on our behalf
for a slice of the profit – mum-to-mum
marketing at its’ finest!‚
What happened next to make the
company into the household name it
is today?
Anna: ‚At this stage we started to realise what a truly
amazing product we had and started developing
bigger ambitions for the company. With no previous
experience (I was a litigation lawyer by training and
Philippa was a fundraiser), we set about knocking on
doors and persuading some of the UK’s toy retailers to
stock the product; including the likes of the John
Lewis Partnership for whom the Mini Micro Scooter is
now its best selling toy. The products are now going
into distribution in the USA, South Africa, Holland
and Southern Ireland as well, so it is a very exciting
time for us.‛
 mummomag

Anna Gibson is one of the Micro Scooter mums. She has three boys - Edward
(8), William (7) and Jack (4).

Five words to describe me: happy go lucky … although that was before I
started a business!
Motto in life: Learn as if you were to live forever, live as if you were to die
tomorrow (Mother Teresa)
Things that make me happy: sailing, skiing, playing music, a walk on the beach
Favourite film: Erin Brockovich Most treasured possession: my cello Vices: a pint of lager!

The Scooters have become a real ‘trend’ particularly
round urban areas. Why do you think this is?
The products speak for themselves and their success is
due to the fact that once someone has seen them in
action, they can immediately see the value. The
stability and ease of use benefit even the youngest of
toddlers as soon as they start using them, giving them
independence and confidence. They offer parents not
only a good value toy, but one that benefits them and
their children in numerous ways: an easy and fun way
to get exercise, a way to speed up a slow walk, plus
they are portable, stylish and light.
What are the ups and down for you and your family
of being involved in a business like this - which
clearly takes a lot of your time?
Anna: ‚Having worked as a litigation lawyer for
seven years I then gave up to start a family. Four
years later I found myself the full-time mother of three
active boys who wanted to be on Clapham Common
every minute of the day. The Mini Micro Scooter
literally saved my life. I no longer had to struggle
with two in a double buggy and one on foot. I was
stopped by numerous mothers on Clapham Common
with enquiries for the scooter and knew then that it
was a necessity for every mother and child to have
one. I would never have imagined that four years later
our whole family would have come to depend on the
business as my husband Ben left his job to join our
ever growing venture. I feel privileged to work with
people I totally trust and to build a venture that we all
believe in so passionately.‛
Philippa: ‚I wake up every day unable to believe that
my dream is a reality. I work with my best friend and
people I love and, whatever anyone tells you, good
relationships are the difference between being happy
and unhappy. I am able to take my children to school,
pick them up and put them to bed. I sell a scooter that
I love and work with a Swiss design company that is
passionate and inspiring. Friends and my wonderful
husband will testify that it’s not all plain sailing and
the stresses and strains show as we grow from two
mothers to eight full time staff. However, I never take
for granted how lucky I am to have a business that
meets my emotional, intellectual and financial needs.‛
Anna, how has your previous career as a lawyer
helped you with this business?
‚Although my professional background as a lawyer
might perhaps, at first glance, not seem the natural
breeding ground for budding entrepreneurs, it has in
fact stood me in really good stead. I’ve learnt that
establishing a successful business requires a balance of
big vision with the ability to absorb small detail.
When you’re negotiating with the big retailers and
sorting major distribution deals, there’s no doubt that
you can potentially be overwhelmed by the scale of
the opportunity presented to you. To realise the
success of that sort of association and create a more
level playing field, the devil really will be found in the
contractual detail – something that is second nature to
me as a lawyer.
Equally, I never thought of myself as a sales person,
but when you are genuinely passionate about what
you do, you don’t need technique because you’ve got
integrity and that, I believe, is what people ultimately
buy into. We’ve had a fantastic four years and, with
our global expansion plans currently underway, it
feels in many ways like we’ve only just begun!‛
And what does the future hold for the company in
terms of product development?

© Mummo Ltd : March 2009: www.mummo.co.uk 39

career and business

Philippa Gogarty is the other half of the Micro Scooter mums. She also has
three children: Georgia (14), Thomas (8) and Dominic (7).

Five words to describe me: upbeat, optimistic, outgoing, friendly (at best),
stressed and bad tempered (at worst)

Motto in life: you only have one life!

Favourite book: „For Whom the Bell Tolls‟ by Ernest Hemingway

Favourite film: „Meet the Fockers‟

Favourite food: anything that anyone has bothered to cook for me!

Favourite piece of clothing: grey suede boots by Michael Korrs - bought in sterling hey day (2:1) and down
from $400 to $80 making them just £40!!!!

Most treasured possession: the boots, obviously!

Anna: ‚We feel that Micro Scooters Ltd is very much a Anna and Philippa demonstrate brilliantly how
reflection of our values as individuals and mothers. motherhood, rather than limiting your career options, can
Within that, our philosophy is that we will only sell open up a whole new world of opportunity where your
products that either make our lives easier because of previous professional skills can be combined with your
the benefits they bring to family life or because they current life skills and circumstances to create an
have some intrinsic educational value. As a result of unstoppable force!
the success of the Micro Scooter range we have been
inspired to search for other toys that meet that criteria Their success with Micro Scooters is living proof that the
and have recently discovered and added to the range best ideas come from identifying and meeting real need.
a couple of great new concepts including ‘Mic o Mic,’ You don’t necessarily have to come up with something
an ingenious self build set of toys that are fun to create totally new, you just have to spot, and then seize, an
and make great and long-lasting play-things, and the opportunity. Anna and Philippa also demonstrate that, if
award winning Weykick, a fastpaced table-top soccer you have a clear vision of how things can and will work, it
game for two players. is possible to be both highly successful career
women and fully involved, hands-on mums.
The new
They also understand and place great value on
Maxi Micro mother-to-mother recommendation. From the
Scooter is start, they were able to inspire and motivate other
women with young children to become involved as
intended
agents and ambassadors for Micro Scooters Ltd.
The Mini for children This not only helped to spread the word but also
Micro from 6 - 11, established an income stream for these women that
fitted seamlessly with their lifestyles as mothers.
Scooter is so years
It’s an approach that remains core to the success of
now the more fun! the business and that is being used as the model for
best-selling international expansion. There are now
opportunities in Micro Scooters’ new markets for
scooter in mothers living there to get involved at the start and
the UK help build success both for the company and for
themselves as part of the Micro Scooter network.

www.micro-scooters.co.uk
 mummomag

I had this great idea <

or at least I think I did!

now where’s it gone?

it must still be there

somewhere ...

oh well,
never mind ... A Modern Mother is an
American mummy
blogger living in the
Thames Valley with her
Scottish husband and
their three young girls
… known in her blog as
Emily, Alexandra and
HM (which is short for
A Modern Mother talks High Maintenance or
Her Majesty, both of
which are apparently very relevant!).
about how close she came
In her own words:
to fame, fortune and never
“I dove into motherhood head first. I had no idea
having to do her own what I was getting myself into. I had three
children in less than three years. Starting a blog
was cheaper than therapy, so I created A Modern
laundry again ... Mother.“

© Mummo Ltd : March 2009: www.mummo.co.uk 41

career and business

The fleeting moment < or

just mummy rot? Ten things
Blog post - 5th March 2009

.
This morning an idea popped into my head. It was a
you need
fabulous, marvellous, ingenious idea.

I thought about it all the way home from school drop

off. I started to get excited. Really excited. This idea
would change my life.
to know ...
It rolled round and round in my head. Then it started before you even
bouncing off the pavement, the houses, the trees, the
lamposts and then went back into my head, contemplate setting up
crystallising, getting clearer, bigger, grander.
your own business and
Yes, this was it. It would change my life, this idea.
Why hadn't I thought of it before? My pace becoming a mumpreneur!
quickened. I couldn't wait to put my idea into action.

Then somewhere between sorting out the pile of mail

on the landing, clearing up the Cheerios stuck to Karen Wattleworth, of
the pine breakfast table and revelling in the freedom
of going to the loo without a child velcroed to my leg, Zoobookoo, shares the
I lost it. It was like fog evaporating on an autumn
morning. Gone. Just like that, my grand idea was benefits of her experience.
gone.
It is over ten years since I started dabbling with my
Maybe if I thought hard enough it might come back to
business idea. And yet I think I have only just learnt
me. What was I going to do? Damn. Damn, damn. I
the 10th thing that a mumpreneur should know. Let
can't remember.
me save you some time.

Oh well, it musn't have been important.

In the beginning < we had just returned to the UK. I
was heavily pregnant, our 15-monther was into
Guess I'll fold the laundry.
everything and my job-seeking hubbie was like a bear
with a sore head. Finally I despatched him to the
garden shed to work out how to make a modern
version of an old Victorian puzzle we had often
A Modern Mother is founder of the following sites: discussed. That was the start of it all! Zoobookoo was
born. Momentum really picked up when the boys
Thames Valley Mums blog started primary school. Today we manufacture,
London Mums blog distribute and export several quirky, fun, educational
Expat Mums blog
products. Our ranges address the concerns and
British Mummy Bloggers
challenges facing parents who want the best for their
children (see our products at www.zoobookoo.com).
 mummomag

In my experience, there are ten things a mumpreneur 2. Focus and vision!

should know to significantly improve her chances of
You need a clear purpose for your business and then
success. These are in addition to all the good business
you must stay focussed on delivery. Your resources
practices of defining a genuine customer need, finding
are limited, don’t get side-tracked, remain true to the
a great product or service and supplying it at the right
core business concept (unless you have to change your
price, profitably and with excellent customer service.
focus for commercial reasons – then you have a new
These 10 things are the ‘soft’ but equally important
focus). However, you need to be looking forward,
elements (and you will still need a little luck!):
generating new ideas – how can we <.? Put aside
time for this once a quarter. No idea is silly – consider
1. Belief and commitment! everything – but it must tick all the boxes for your
You must totally believe in your idea. If you doubt it, business focus.
how can you sell it? Review the concept from many
viewpoints and believe in your heart that it really is a 3. Research!
great solution and that you can make it work. There is
Talk about everything - big and small - with lots of
no quick business fix. It takes time to build a business
people (ensure confidentiality). Test your concept.
– this is long-haul so you have to able to live with it
Will they buy it? How does it compare to the
and you need to be good at it!
competition? Nothing is impossible. Deliberately

© Mummo Ltd : March 2009: www.mummo.co.uk 43

career and business
think of doing things in other ways. People working
with or around you will have great ideas that could
save you money, take your idea to a new level or solve
a challenging production problem. Brainstorm.
Listen. Be exhaustive (a wee glass of wine can help
here!).
alphabet cube book for ages 3-6 years
with first phonics and
colour matching
4. Priorities and organisation!
Plans work. Make a plan - refine it, change it but
work with the plan. Assign deadlines and
responsibilities in writing (particularly if it is for you!).
File everything so you can lay your hands on it
immediately. Plan your time, your whole day. Have
a detailed contacts list. Run a to-do book - everything
goes in the book. Review it at the start of every
morning. Then in the evening plan what you are
going to do tomorrow. This is a military operation!
And your memory is not what it used to be!
5. Weaknesses!
We all have them, and we can all justify them: I rush
in (the excitement of it all bowls me over); I am
nervous about spending serious money (that’s the Scot
in me!); I am not good at delegating (that’s me the
multi-tasker!); I can’t sit still for two minutes (just like
my Dad). Identify and deal with your weaknesses.
Write them down and come up with ideas to re-train
yourself to behave differently. Try not to get annoyed
when someone says, ‘You’re doing it again!’
6. Grit and determination!
It is tough out there, whatever you are doing. Your
belief and organisational skills will give you
confidence. But you have to be brave. Put yourself on
the front-line. Deal with customers, prove your
concept to be true. Deal with concerns. Mistakes will
be made (I have many to my credit!) and you will be
gutted. But you have to pick yourself up, plan how to
handle it and get it right next time. In my first job I
was taught very quickly the difference between an
excuse and a reason! A reason is when you tackle
something head-on and provide an explanation and
ideally a solution; an excuse means you are
incompetent! Reasons reap rewards in all areas of the
business.
7. People!
Build good relationships with everyone (staff /
suppliers / customers / postmen / courier drivers <).
Spend more time concentrating on the very important
relationships. Listen. Try not to rush calls and
conversations. If you have been let down or are facing
a difficult situation, cool off over night before firing
off that email or making that call. Forge long-term
and healthy relationships. This is a great investment.
8. Mentors!
We all need one and I think mumpreneurs should
have several. I am hugely lucky to have my husband.
He has taught me so much. Ideally try to find support
from someone who understands running a business;
then perhaps someone else to bounce ideas off; and a
friend to chat with when you’re down or
overwhelmed. A different perspective can be
inspirational and invaluable.
9. Stress-busting!
This is a toughie. Mumpreneurs are often wee
whirlwinds, always on the go. Your business tends to
consume you. You are the business, the business is
you. You are quite naturally consumed by your
family too. That doesn’t leave much of you! It is easy
to become isolated. I have been on courses and read
books because I know I am not good in this area. I
now run three times a week (slowly!). My husband
and I try to get out together on a regular basis. Some
friends suggested a book club ... but there is still a
long way to go.
 mummomag

10. Publicity!
Recently it was brought to my attention that I have
never really pushed the business forward by putting
myself about and getting noticed - bit of a shrinking
violet. I had never really thought about it like that
before. Then I realised that (luckily) my business has
been pulled through and grown by our lovely
customers, and that I have to get more pro-active.
This is an area for improvement for me and this article
is the first step.

Life is short and there is so much to do. My husband

and boys keep saying I work too hard – but I’m
having fun – though I have to work on the balance. I
think I may have one of the best jobs in the world. I
coming soon <
am not a millionaire, but in the team we create and
deliver what people need and enjoy. Job satisfaction
is huge. I could not imagine doing anything else ...
the mummo
but perhaps we should brainstorm that over a nice
chilled bottle of white!
marketplace
Karen
Wattleworth
has two sons -
Bradley (12) so if you’re a mum in business,
and Douglas why not be one of the first to
(11) whom
she describes set up your stall?
as “sporty,
funny and
cool”.

She is the
founder of
Zoobookoo advertising in the mummo
International Ltd, a family business that creates marketplace is deliberately
fun, educational products for children …
inspired by her own kids! intended to be affordable
Five words to describe me: energetic, £5 per month for a standard ad or
enthusiastic, happy £10 per month for a premium ad
Things that make me happy: In order - doing
stuff with my hubby and the boys (film night,
dinner, bike ride, holiday …) – running my
business – that great feeling after a 4 mile run
(definitely not during) – going on holiday –
wine with the girls If you’re interested, just email
Vices: wine!
advertising@mummo.co.uk
to reserve a space!
Virtues: happiness and perseverance

© Mummo Ltd : March 2009: www.mummo.co.uk 45

career and business

yum yum yum ...

luxury whisky marmalade pudding

Helen Colley, the mum

behind ’Farmhouse Fare’,
talks to Mummo about her
famous puddings <

What motivated you to go into business for yourself?

‚I’ve always had a passion for cooking, which I think I

inherited from my Granny Anderson, who still
inspires me today when I’m creating new puddings,
and I always knew I wanted to have my own business.
In fact it never really occurred to me to work for
anyone else!‛

luxury sticky chocolate pudding


Tell us a little bit about what Farmhouse Fare does ...
‚Farmhouse Fare has been a well respected player in
the food retail world since 2002, operating from a
purpose built manufacturing kitchen on the outskirts
of Clitheroe - a rural market town in Lancashire. Our
puddings are made with families in mind and are
created to suit all moods. For example ,we have the
zesty Summer Fruit Pudding for warmer weather and
then the comforting Sticky Toffee Pudding - perfect
for the winter months!
Keeping true to the hand-baked methods, all of
Farmhouse Fare’s ingredients could have come
straight from your own kitchen cupboard. We use
things like quality Belgian chocolate, butter, hand-
sifted flour and golden syrup.‛
How did you get started?
‚I left college in 1984 as a strong-willed 18-year-old
full of ideas, so I decided to take the bull by the horns,
went to the bank and arranged a £250 loan which I
used to set up my own outside catering business. I
ran the business from my parent’s farm in Lancashire
and began catering for funeral teas, christenings and
weddings. The business expanded rapidly and we
were very successful - catering for social events all
around the country and even for royalty!
My family, including my husband and my parents,
have also been involved in the business from the very
beginning. My parents allowed me to convert farm
buildings so that I could run my catering business
from them. After foot and mouth hit and I decided to
concentrate on the puddings side of the business, my
father played a crucial role driving around the county
delivering the puddings to Booths supermarkets. My
mum has been incredibly supportive and has worked
with me through thick and thin - from book keeping
and human resources to washing up pudding bowls
in the early hours of a morning!
My family have played an integral part in the success
of Farmhouse Fare, and still support me in so many
ways - along with my Great Granny Anderson, my
husband and my children help to inspire me to create
new puddings.‛
© Mummo Ltd : March 2009: www.mummo.co.uk
mummomag
How did you find your first customers?
‚I was still running the outside catering company
when I held a charity coffee morning in aid of
Macmillan Nurses in 1999. I’ve always enjoyed
making puddings for my own family and I must have
been feeling quite nostalgic because I decided to run a
stall selling my Sticky Toffee Puddings, the pudding
that was my particular favourite as a child.
Anyway, the puddings went down a storm, we
couldn’t sell them fast enough, and I was literally
stampeded by people demanding to know why they
couldn’t buy them in the shops. So I approached
Booths Supermarkets and the puddings got listed in
all of their stores throughout the North West. I
couldn’t believe it and I was even more amazed when
Sainsbury’s approached us in early 2001 and began
listing our puddings. Everything was going great
until the foot and mouth crisis hit us in late 2001.
When I think back now to how naïve I was when I
originally approached Booths it makes me laugh.
After the success of the Macmillan Nurses Coffee
Morning and managing to sell my puddings in
various local butchers and delis, I went along to my
local branch of Booths with some puddings and asked
the store manager if I could stock my puddings on
their shelves! Of course the store manager said no,
that’s not the way it works - but was very helpful and
gave me the contact details for Booths’ HQ in Preston,
telling me I needed to speak to a buyer. I dressed in
my best suit and took my puddings to Preston. But, of
course, arriving at Booths’ HQ without an
appointment meant I was told to go home and make
one! I called persistently until I managed get an
appointment with the buyer who, on tasting the
47
career and business

luxury sticky toffee pudding

What have been the highlights so far?

‚The biggest highlight to date is growing the business

to the size it is today! We started the business from
my parent’s farm in Lancashire and now have custom
made premises of 42,000 sq ft - employing 100 staff
and producing 80,000 puddings each week.

It was a huge step leaving my parent’s farm but it

was the best thing we could ever have done for the
business. We now supply all of the major
supermarkets nationwide including the likes of
Booths, Budgens, Costco, Ocado, Sainsbury’s,
Somerfield, Tesco and Waitrose!‛

The proof of the Any low points?

pudding is in the ‚During the foot and mouth crisis

puddings, immediately loved them eating. we had a lot of difficulties. As well
and agreed to stock them. as the farm, the outside catering
business was also badly affected.
Luckily I didn’t have to approach from „Don Quixote de la Mancha‟ All of the restrictions meant that
by Miguel de Cervantes , Spanish
Sainsbury’s or Morrisons as they social events were cancelled,
author (1547-1616)
came to me, but Tesco was a little marquee work dried up and we lost
different. In 2005 I attended a a lot of crucial orders. Things were
lecture at the Manchester Business becoming increasingly difficult and
School where Tesco boss, Sir Terry that’s when I decided to concentrate
Leahy, was guest speaker. There ‚Make a remark‛, on the puddings side of the business.
was the usual question and answer said the Red Queen; We already had listings in all of the
section and I just kept thinking to Booths supermarkets and some
myself what a great opportunity it ‚it's ridiculous to Sainsbury’s stores and it quickly
was to speak to Sir Terry about my leave all the became clear that it was the
puddings being sold in Tesco. puddings which were going to save
conversation to the the business. So I sold the outside
The lecture theatre was full of suited pudding!‛ catering arm of the business for a
businessmen asking questions about mere £6,000 and began to bake
the state of the market and so on. I puddings day and night.‛
from „Alice‟s Adventures in
took a deep breath and placed my Wonderland‟ by Lewis Caroll,
hand in the air. I don’t know English author (1832-1898) What’s been the best business
whether it was luck or the rare sight decision you think you’ve made?
of a lady’s hand, but Sir Terry
requested my question! So I asked ‚A decision which proved hugely
him why Tesco didn’t stock my puddings. beneficial was approaching Business Link in 2002 to
get help with expanding the business. I had fantastic
Sir Terry was intrigued, asked me some questions support from Tim Bullough, so much in fact that he
about my puddings and invited me to send them in became Farmhouse Fare’s Finance Director. Tim was
for trial. I sent samples straight to him and received a invaluable when it came to restructuring the company
thank you letter in response which still hangs with from its original roots as a small outside catering
pride on the wall at Farmhouse Fare - the rest, as they company to what it is today.‛
say, is history!‛
 mummomag

We all know that hindsight is a wonderful thing.

What, if anything, would you do differently in
The proof of an idea is not to be
retrospect?
sought in the soundness of the
‚To be quite honest, I wouldn’t do anything man fathering it, but in the
differently - if wrong decisions were made, then we
learned from them, and it made us stronger and even soundness of the idea itself. One
more determined‛. asks of a pudding, not if the cook
who offers it is a good woman,
Where are you ‘at’ with the business now?
but if the pudding itself is good.
‚I sold Farmhouse Fare to the Daniels Group because
it was something I felt I needed to do for the benefit of Henry Louis Mencken, American journalist
(1880-1956)
the brand, although I remain with the company and
continue to be closely involved with the brand.

After all, the inspiration for Farmhouse Fare and all of

these puddings came from my Granny Anderson, so I
feel I should continue her legacy by making Life is a pudding full of plums.
Farmhouse Fare as great a brand as possible.‛
W S Gilbert, English dramatist (1836-1911)
What are your plans for the future?

‚In terms of what’s next, the future is looking very

exciting for puddings! We’ll be concentrating our
How do you juggle work and family?
efforts on the brand range in 2009 - I’ve got some great
ideas for new puds.‛
‚Often with difficulty! I would go so far as to say it is
sometimes very difficult to ‘juggle’ them at the same
What do you enjoy most about doing what you do?
time and something has to give. It does help to have a
very understanding partner, family and friends.‛
‚I really enjoy being able to take inspiration from my
family in order to create puddings that I know other
What do your children think of you being in
families throughout the UK will love. For example, I
business?
recently created a new dessert - Luxury Jaffa Cake
Pudding - to meet the demands of my children who
‚They are very proud of me and what I have achieved
wanted a pudding they felt was especially for them.
- and know that I have done it and continue to do it
It’s such a great feeling knowing that families all sit
for them, as well as for my own satisfaction.‛
down together to enjoy Farmhouse Fare puddings.‛

Helen Colley is a farmer‟s daughter, the mother of three children and founder
of Farmhouse Fare puddings.

My office is ... a small building next to my house, kitted out for the sole
purpose of working away at my PC and having meetings - a haven with
everything I need

My children ... are in various stages of education including further education

I relax by ... having a lovely soak in the bath with the door firmly shut!

My day ends ... when work or play decides for me.

© Mummo Ltd : March 2009: www.mummo.co.uk 49

career and business

arty mum
Carolyn Gavin lives in
Toronto, Canada,
with her husband
and 7-year-old
daughter, Lily. She‟s
5‟4”, has curly hair,
Showcasing the work of no tattoos, and a
great big English
bulldog called Ziggy!
Carolyn Gavin, an artist
She is the founder of
living in Toronto < a company called Ecojot, which designs,
produces and sells a “green and delicious”
stationery line, made in Canada from 100%
recycled paper.

Five words to describe me: happy, busy,

creative, searching, antsy

Things that make me happy: colour, flowers,

kids, animals, great design, environmental
awareness

Vices: shopping Virtues: loyalty

Favourite book: „The inheritance of loss‟ by

Indian author Kiran Desai

Favourite music: Amy Winehouse

Favourite food: freshly caught fish barbequed

 mummomag

You can see more of Carolyn’s work and get great insights into the life of an artist by visiting her two websites:

www.ecojot.com www.designerjots.com

© Mummo Ltd : March 2009: www.mummo.co.uk 51

friends and fun
wish you weren’t here
Holidaying with friends:
is it the perfect solution <
or hell on earth?!
You’re having dinner with a group of friends and the
subject of holidays comes up. Several glasses of wine
in, you all agree that going away together is the perfect
solution. You all have children the same age, it’ll cut
costs and be more fun.
But it doesn’t always work out quite how you imagine
it. Arguments can start before you leave. Some people
have bigger budgets than others, which makes choosing
the holiday destination tricky. Then there’s trying to
find a date that suits everyone and the inevitable
debates about travel arrangements. Once you’re there,
things can get even worse.
The children might not get on and suddenly you realise
that your parenting style is very different to those of
your friends. Arguments or stony silences start about
who’s doing which chores and who’s paid for more of
the groceries. And then there’s the daily debate about
what to do to keep everyone happy. The result can be
a stressful holiday and friendships in need of repair.
Sounds fairly nightmarish. But it doesn’t have to be.
Holidaying together as a group can result in a
fabulous holiday for adults and kids. The trick,
according to Wendy Shand, founder of family friendly
travel company Tots to Travel, is to plan well and
communicate effectively.
‚Even friends or family members you know really well can
prove difficult to stay with for any length of time unless
you’ve had a good honest discussion before you set off. A
bit of planning in advance can make the difference between
you all going away together again, or you not speaking to
each other for a while!‛
Wendy has these holiday tips when travelling with
friends or family:
 mummomag

Setting it up
Compatibility: Think about who you want to holiday Travel: Decide whether you’re all going to travel
with before suggesting it and try to choose people together or make your own way there. The latter can
with whom you are normally compatible. Try to be easier as it allows people more flexibility to fit in
choose people with children similar in age to your with their commitments and their departure
own and similar interests to yours. Any more than destinations.
three families holidaying together can get logistically
difficult so bear that in mind too. Before you go
House rules: Have a chat about house rules. There’s
Budgets: Ask everyone upfront what their holiday
nothing worse than one person constantly doing the
budget is. If the budgets are vastly different, have an
washing up or cooking and feeling like they’re the
honest discussion about what type of holiday
only one doing any chores. But equally, holidays are
everyone is after. If you’re not in agreement, agree to
meant to be for relaxing and no-one wants to spend all
holiday separately. If one family feels that they’re
of their time doing chores just so that they appear
having to stretch themselves financially to fit in,
helpful. Agree a rota or a general rule about when
they’ll be resentful of any additional costs on holiday.
dishes will get done or who’s in charge of cooking. It
Equally, a family who is willing to spend far more
can be fun to agree a set budget for each meal and
than the group average might feel that feel that they’re
assign teams to come up with the meal idea –
not getting what they really wanted.
including shopping in the local markets for
ingredients and creating a culinary feast.
Research: If you all know where you want to go on
holiday or the type of holiday you want, it makes
Money pot: Create a kitty. Have every family put in
things a lot easier. If you don’t, you need to get
an agreed amount of money to be used for groceries
together to discuss some of the options. In every
and alcohol. It’s far easier than people feeling as
group there’ll be those who’ll go with the flow and
though they’re continually putting their hand in their
aren’t too interested in researching holiday
pocket while others don’t contribute as much.
destinations, and there’ll be people who like to be in
Families can pay for their own extras when they’re out
control and who enjoy spending hours surfing the
and about.
web for holiday ideas. Agree who will do the research
– no more than two people. They can then present
Children: Discuss your children’s routines and your
their favourites to the group for a joint decision.
no go areas and try to be consistent. For example, if
one family lets their children stay up late in the
Accommodation: Consider the accommodation
holidays and another sticks to a 7pm bedtime, have a
options. Staying in a single large house puts the most
chat about it before you go. Come to a compromise –
pressure on you as a group to get on, as there is little
perhaps all children getting a slightly later bedtime
opportunity to be alone as a family. But it can be fun,
but not staying up all night with the adults. Similarly,
can save on costs and makes looking after children in
discuss your attitudes to treats and extras. If one
the evenings easier. A cluster of properties together is
family happily gives their children ice cream
a good option as each family has their independence
whenever they ask for it and another family limits
but can still benefit from the close company of their
them, it will result in arguments and upset children.
friends. Hotels or resorts can have the same kind of
Also chat about how you all discipline your children
benefits, but you’re likely to spend quite a bit of time
so that everyone is consistent. Even people you think
trying to find your friends amongst the other guests
are similar in parenting style to you can seem very
and it won’t feel quite as personal.
different when you’re staying with them every day.

Timings: Determine the length of stay. Most people

battle to live comfortably with another family for an
extended period of time, so try to limit the stay to a
week. Alternatively, stay for a fortnight but invite
different families for the first and second week.
Once you’re there
Independent activities
Have a chat on the first night about the things
each of you would like to do on holiday. Some
people might just want to lie in the sun, others

© Mummo Ltd : March 2009: www.mummo.co.uk 53

friends and fun

might be into activities and sports, while others
might want to do sightseeing or shopping. You
don’t all have to do everything together all of
the time. Agree to take turns looking after the
children so that you get a chance to have some
‘me time’ to do the things you want to do.
Talk
If any problems spring up, the best thing to do
is chat about them to clear the air, come up with
a solution and move on. Otherwise tensions
build and the holiday is far from relaxing.
Tots to travel has range of properties suitable for friends
travelling together, from large mansions in France and Italy
with enough space for everyone to have their independence,
to clusters of gîtes that accommodate several families in
their own properties but with shared outdoor eating
facilities, play areas and swimming pools. The properties
also come fully equipped with all the kit families need,
making it far easier for everyone to travel light. Some
properties even provide home cooked meals to cut down on
the workload, and babysitting so that you can head out as a
group in the evenings. These houses get booked up fast so
plan well in advance.

Enjoy it And now, to get you in the mood, just look at these ...
Holidaying with friends is a really great way to
spend quality time with people you enjoy.
You’ll find that you get to know far more about
them, their backgrounds, what’s really going on
in their world than you would ordinarily have
the time for in regular get-togethers.

Try new things

Travelling with other people opens your eyes to
new experiences and new ways of doing things.
Just because you’ve always done something one
way doesn’t mean you have to keep doing it
like that. Your children, too, will benefit from
trying things they don’t normally do.

Go with the flow

This is a holiday. Relax and bend the rules a
little. You’re all there to have a good time. So
remember why you wanted to go on holiday
with your friends in the first place and then get
on and have fun.

www.totstofrance.co.uk www.totstoitaly.co.uk

Wendy Shand set up Tots to France when she had a disastrous holiday in a French
villa and realised what parents needed when booking a villa - peace of mind!

Five words to describe me: energetic, determined, creative, articulate and family-
orientated
Motto in life: leave the party before you‟ve had enough (in other words, if
something doesn‟t suit you any more, stop doing it before you get fed up!)
Favourite food: I love pasta with pesto
Favourite film: „Swallows and Amazons‟
Most treasured possession: my husband, kids and cat, but if these don‟t count then it has to be our bed!

a life in photographs
Sticky Fingers muses on
the making of memories
blog post - 10th December 2008
When I was 5 my mother and father sold up
everything and went travelling. We packed our
worldly possessions into a van towing a caravan and
travelled through France, Spain and north Africa. Can
you imagine how much fun that would be for a child?
I spent my sixth birthday on a beach in
Morocco gathering shells ...
I made friends with the locals wherever we laid our
hat and I was 'home' schooled for a year. On my
return to school back in the UK, I was way ahead of
my contemporaries.
© Mummo Ltd : March 2009: www.mummo.co.uk
mummomag
You would think that at such a young age I wouldn't
be able to recall much of such a fabulous adventure,
but my mother had the foresight to help me keep a
diary packed with words, pictures, shells and tokens,
all serving as little memory joggers that, along with
the photographs we took, mean that wonderful
snapshot in my life is not just a fog of childish
recollections.
Now that I have children of my own, I do wonder
how much of what they experience will be
remembered. Will they remember the love and
warmth hubby and I try to lavish on them?
55
friends and fun
Will they remember the games we play in the garden
or the picnics in the woods?
Will they remember camping trips, holidays, friends?
Or will they remember us shouting at all the fighting
at all the mess or at the time they emptied the contents
of a beanbag over grandma's carpet?
My earliest memory is of visiting my brother in
hospital when he was born, so I would have been
nearly 3. But most of my memories come from
photographs that, I am thankful to say, has been a big
part of my family's life.
And now I am in the process of creating memories
that will still be with my children 30 or 40 years from
now. It's a wonderful, yet unnerving thought.
Will they remember my many mistakes or will they
just remember how much they were loved and adored
by two busy, distracted parents?
I am a keen photographer. I photograph everything,
every event, every walk in the park, every little
moment in our busy lives. I hope it will help serve as
little reminders to my two about the time they had
chickenpox and we had to play games every day for
two weeks because we were confined to the house.
Or the first time Dan rode a horse, or daddy taught
him to play golf, or the day he 'married' Heather.
Or the time daddy built their playhouse in the garden,
in the pouring rain because were so excited about see
it up.
Or the day Mia cut her own hair.
Or the midwife who delivered both my babies (nearly
3 years apart) purely by accident because it just
happened to be her shift.
Or the joyous Christmases when they were
surrounded by love and we couldn't believe our luck
that we had such a happy, healthy family.
I even photograph the sad times - the tears, the
tantrums, the fall outs - because they are all part of our
history too and I don't want them to believe their early
years were pain free.
And so I wonder, do you ever think about what
memories you are making for future generations? Do
you photograph events or do you just chalk it up to
memory.
 mummomag

More from Sticky Fingers

an insight into the world of a blogging mum ...

Vices: Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate. But I don't drink, I don't

smoke and I don't spend hours shopping, so I figure I'm allowed.

Motto in life: Treat others as you wish to be treated. I try to

really live that message so my children see it in action and,
hopefully, will take it up too.

Favourite film: One? Are you kidding? I am a total movie junkie!

Most treasured possession: My wedding ring. My husband is my

childhood sweetheart (we were at school together) and we have been
together for - gulp - nearly 18 years now. We‟ve had plenty of highs and
lows, but he's a keeper!

My children: I‟ve got two children, one boy (6) and one girl (3).

Daniel is such a sweet natured little man. He's a really mummy's boy and so empathetic and
considerate. He's just starting to get a bit cheeky and pushing the boundaries a little, but he does it in
such an adorable way it's hard not to just smile. As a newborn he was a model baby - slept, fed and
grew like a dream and 'discipline' consisted of sitting him down and talking. He listened, he took it in,
he stopped doing it. I know!

Mia is the total opposite. She is outgoing, feisty, independent and a real challenge. We didn't know
what had hit us when she came along! She is really naughty at times and really pushes us, but just the
cutest little tomboy and ADORES her big brother.

A day in my life ...

My day starts at 7am when the children jump on me in bed to wake me up. We have breakfast, get
ready then have a leisurely drive to school (we couldn't get into any of the local schools, grrr). But we
do park a distance away and walk the rest of the way. Then I drive Mia to her preschool nursery where I
spend AGES while she faffs around sorting herself out!

Then I drive home, put my slippers on and start work in my fancy office! I left my hectic job as features
editor on a regional newspaper in November and set up in business on my own and it's the best thing
I've ever done. Now I get to go for a walk in the sunshine at lunchtime, get my head down and work
and pick my children up without the stress of worrying whether there has been a hold-up on the
motorway, or how long I'll get to see them before I have to start getting them ready for bed.

I pick them up at about 5pm (Dan is in after-school club and loves it because he gets to play cricket and
tennis and chess (!) with older children) and we come home and have tea together. Bedtime is great
because they get on so well they just trot up to bed and entertain each other while they brush teeth/
wash etc. Two stories (or Dan reads to us) and that's it. Seriously, these kids are good.

Hubby and I then watch TV or (stop groaning) play on the Wii or sometimes we both still have work to
do so we sit in our little office and work! Before bedtime we always have a cup of tea, I have no idea
where that habit came from, and fall into bed.

Sticky Fingers

© Mummo Ltd : March 2009: www.mummo.co.uk 57

friends and fun

teatime tarts
Mummo showcases some
stunning stationery ...

Tea-Time-Tarts Designs is the brainchild of long-term

friends Hazel Fernandes and Catriona Andrews.
Whilst sitting on a beach together one day, watching
the world go by, they decided to start a range of
drawings that celebrated women and their fascination
with love, life and fashion.

They use their own lives, and the lives of their friends,
as inspirations for a range of quirky, whimsical
greetings cards and stationery. Their love of cakes,
coffee (and occasionally wine) regularly appear in
their illustrations!
 mummomag

Hazel Fernandes is one half of the Tea Time Tarts, and the half that‟s a mum
- her experience of motherhood, and the antics of her children, have
provided plenty of inspiration for the range! She lives with her husband
and two little girls. Her background in textile design, together with
Catriona‟s in illustration, combine to create an exciting and unique style.

Five words to describe me: busy, grumpy, creative, obsessive, kind

Things that make me happy: salsa and tango dancing, my girls, shoes,
dinner with my hubby

Vices: weakness for chocolate Virtues: hmmm, need to think on that!

Motto in life: If it doesn‟t get done, put it on tomorrow‟s „to do‟ list and forget about it!

© Mummo Ltd : March 2009: www.mummo.co.uk 59

friends and fun

More from Hazel …

My children: I have two gorgeous girls, Tia Lottie (5 and a half)
and Sophie Charlie Rose (2 years 9 months). Tia is an angel with
selective hearing, sweet, kind, sensitive and beautiful. Sophie is a
cute but naughty little minx - soooo funny, tomboyish, loud and
runs riot!

A day in my life …

My day starts at 6.45am when one or both of the girls climb in my bed and we have cuddles - it‟s my
favourite time of the morning and it all goes downhill from there. Breakfast and what follows is usually
me speaking in parrot fashion in increasing volume … get your pants on … GET your PANTS on … GET
YOUR PANTS ON ……. eat your breakfast … eat your …etc, etc. all the while trying to decide what to
wear for the all-important school run until we fall out of the house at 8.30, more like 8.35, and then ...

The School run: this is normally very nice, we walk to school, some times making up a 10min story
about the fairies who live in our house, and their antics with our bubble bath. On the way back I do a
lot of stopping-to-chat to other mums, sometimes relieved that I don‟t look the most harassed.

Tia is at school now and Sophie goes to nursery 3 days a week when I work. The days I don‟t work I take
her to Tumble Tots ,Tesco and occasionally town - she does get a lot of varied and educational outings!

I start work usually by 9.20am. My office is at the top of the house, usually obsessively tidy unless I‟m
doing artwork when it can look as if someone has tipped the recycling all over the floor (I call it
organised mess). I have salsa music blaring and occasionally get up to practise a few spins to break up
the monotony of staring at a computer screen. I also have a good vantage point and can spy on the
events of the street from up here.

Lunch depends on whether there are any appealing leftovers from the night before. My lovely
husband is a great cook. If yes, I‟ll grab that, if not I‟ll have whatever - cereal / chocci biscuits or fruit
and yoghurt. If I‟m busy busy, I may not have anything until after picking up the girls in the afternoon.

I generally work madly - checking my emails, a quick look on Facebook (to organise my social life),
research on Google, email banter with my business partner up in Scotland (who brightens up my day
by sending me „hottie of the day‟ emails) and then sticking some ducks in a row soon takes me to 3pm
when is ARRRGh!-Gotta-fly! time again.

The tea - bath - bedtime routine is chaos as usual. There will be tears from at least one of us (although
it is getting better) and the girls are usually in bed by 7. Tia‟s asleep by 7.02 but Sophie gets us to take
her for a wee (that gets stuck) 3 or 4 times, and then yells nursery rhymes down the monitor,
sometimes until 8.

Since I have a ludicriously short work day, I‟ve found I am very efficient when I want to be, either that or
the Boss (... now that would be … let‟s see … oh yes - me …) is very lenient task master. I do plan to
catch up with work in the evenings, but a large glass of wine is known to thwart that plan, unless I‟m
designing something that I‟m very into, and then I may do some more collaging of ducks into rows!

I actually now have a very sociable life, since starting salsa lessons two years ago. Monday we have a
night in (I love it - Heroes is on telly) or sometimes call our baby sitter (God love Gemma!!!) and go out
for a drink. Tuesdays is my new Tango class, Weds my night in with Resh (after taking the girls to
gymnastics, I‟m shattered anyway) , Thurs, I go to salsa and have a late night dancing and feeling like
I‟m not JUST a mum! Friday I‟m exhausted, tired and grumpy and I need a very large glass of wine.
 mummomag

mums join
together
One of the most powerful
features of Mummo is the
ability to set up groups <

When I first had the idea for Mummo (a scarily long

time ago now!) part of what I wanted to do was create
a way for mums to ‘find’ and communicate with each
other. It struck me that women, and perhaps mums
in particular, are generally great at supporting each
other and coming up with interesting, innovative yet
practical ways to get things done.
Never doubt that a small group of
I wondered what would happen if we could more
thoughtful, committed citizens can
easily track down and connect with the kind of other
mums we needed, whether we were looking for change the world. Indeed, it is the
mums in the same area, mums with the same sense of only thing that ever has.
humour, mums with the same passion for salsa or
mums with a certain set of skills. I also knew, from Margaret Mead, American anthropologist
my own experience in my own town, that a ’virtual’ (1901-1978)
community of local mums could be a phenomenally
powerful thing < and I saw Mummo as a way of
enabling this to happen all over the country.

A Mummo group is an ideal way to get together with Want to set up a group?
other mums over some common ground. You can
share 'insider' info, ideas and advice. You can join Mummo first of all and sign in
organise community initiatives or plan a campaign for click on ‘groups’ in the left-hand
change. You can contribute to a group blog and, soon,
navigation
you'll be able to place classified ads so that you can
buy, sell and trade within your groups. And, of
click on ‘new group’ in the pink
course, you'll also get to know each other and, more header panel or right-hand column
than likely, become good friends. All without leaving fill in the form and save - that’s it!
the house. And all for free!

© Mummo Ltd : March 2009: www.mummo.co.uk 61

community and contribution
million mums
The ‘million mums’
campaign calls on mums
around the world to help
make motherhood safe <
One of my close friends is expecting her second baby
any day now. I texted her last night to see if there was
any news. I received this message back: ‚No, nothing
happening yet, but we’re all pretty excited now.‛
That one short text sums up for me the difference
between pregnancy and childbirth here, in the UK,
and in the developing world. Here, for most of us,
pregnancy is a time of promise and anticipation,
culminating in celebration when our precious little
one finally arrives. Okay, so that may not be exactly
how it is for everyone but, regardless of individual
circumstances, as a society we don’t tend to see having
a baby as having one foot in the grave! And yet, for
women in many countries, that is the stark reality <
pregnancy and childbirth are the biggest
killers of young women of reproductive
age in the world today
more than half a million women die each
year due to pregnancy and birth-related
complications, leaving an estimated two
million children motherless
at least 80% of these deaths are
preventable
 mummomag

a woman dies
Imagine this <
every single minute
Imagine going into labour and saying goodbye to your of every single day
husband or partner, and your other children, knowing
that the chances are you may never see them again < due to pregnancy or birth-
In Niger, a woman’s lifetime risk of dying in
related complications
pregnancy or childbirth is 1 in 7. Here in the UK, it’s
more like 1 in 8,000.

Imagine going into labour and having to walk to the

nearest hospital <

In the developing world, women in the throes of

labour often have to walk miles and miles, across
rough terrain, in the heat of day or cold of night, to get
to any kind of medical support ...

Imagine going into labour and not being allowed to go

to hospital <

In some cultures, women are prevented from seeking

medical care because it’s too expensive or because of
the risk that they will be seen by other men.

Imagine going into labour and being left alone, for white ribbon = hope
days, to deliver your baby by yourself <

Half of the world’s women give birth at home, alone

or with only an untrained friend or relative to help.

Imagine what would happen if things went wrong

and there was no-one who could help <

More than half a million women die each year due to

pregnancy and birth-related complications. Millions
of others are left with horrific damage - like obstetric
fistulas - which often results in them being ostracised
from their own communities.

Of course, the women are only half the story. Often

their babies die too. If they survive, their chances of
living beyond two years are massively reduced
without a mother. Any older children also suffer
hugely. They, too, are more likely to die. They are
also far more likely to suffer from malnutrition and
stunted growth, and far less likely to get immunised
or educated. The implications for girls tend to be even
greater, leading to a continued cycle of poverty and
poor health.

© Mummo Ltd : March 2009: www.mummo.co.uk 63

community and contribution
Siti’s story <
Siti is an Indonesian woman who died eight years ago
after giving birth to her sixth child. Like most
women from her village, she worked very hard even
while pregnant. She awoke before the sun rose each
morning and did her household duties until her
husband's eyes closed late in the evening. She cooked
all the meals, but she did not eat with her family.
Instead, she ate after everyone had eaten their fill,
which often meant that she did not get enough food
for herself. She developed iron deficiency anaemia
and did not receive any antenatal care. Because she
had gone through pregnancy and given birth without
complications five times before, her sixth pregnancy
was not viewed any differently.
Although there was a trained midwife who lived in a
nearby village, Siti's family decided to ask the well-
known traditional birth attendant in their village to
assist with the birth. When Siti went into labour,
complications arose and she suffered from postpartum
haemorrhage. The decision makers of the family were
not home at the time, and Siti was not brought to a
health care facility until two hours later. Siti died
due to delays in seeking care, reaching care, and
receiving care, like so many women do in Indonesia.
This fabric panel forms part of an exhibition called
’Promises to Mothers Lost’, organised by the White
Ribbon Alliance to commemorate women who have
died needlessly in pregnancy or childbirth. It is
dedicated to Siti Nurjanah Binti Erna by Aliansi Pita
Putih Indonesia (Indonesia White Ribbon Alliance).
It’s a tragedy
The statistics on maternal mortality are nothing less
than tragic. Not just for the women whose lives are
needlessly cut short. Not just for the families left
bereft by the loss of their wives, mothers, daughters
and sisters. No, ultimately, this is a tragedy on a
bigger scale - for the communities, cultures and
economies of many countries in the developing world.
Mothers play a vital role in the economic health of
their families and communities.
Women are the sole earners for more than 25% of all
households. Their income is more likely than men’s to
go on food, education, medicines and family
needs. Each year an estimated US $15.5 billion in
potential productivity is lost when mothers and
newborns die.
In addition, when problems arise in childbirth,
families often end up spending money on medical
interventions that come too late and that they cannot
afford. Communities must then take on the burden of
caring for the bereaved and impoverished family, and
governments are forced to manage the widespread
effects of this cycle of poverty.
So what can we do to help?
As mothers, there is a huge amount we can do to
change this situation, especially if we come together
and harness our collective power. That’s the idea
behind the ‘million mums’ campaign ...

What is ‘million mums’?
‘million mums’ is a new campaign that aims to
tackle the challenge of maternal mortality. It’s
being driven by the White Ribbon Alliance, in
partnership with Mummo, and will run from
Mothers’ Day 2009 to Mothers’ Day 2010.
The campaign has two simple goals:
to bring together a million
voices to speak out against the
needless deaths of women in
pregnancy and childbirth
to raise a million pounds to
help the White Ribbon Alliance to
make motherhood safe
© Mummo Ltd : March 2009:
mummomag
Add your voice
Just go to the website www.millionmums.org and
provide your details.
You only need to give your name and an email
address and you’ll have added your voice to the
campaign. There has been no improvement in
maternal mortality statistics for over twenty years,
despite the fact that we know what needs to be done
and we know how to do it. Why no change? Well, it
seems that women are still a very long way from
achieving equality. They simply do not have the same
rights as men. Their lives, apparently, are less
important. We need to put pressure on the
governments of the world and call for them to take
action. Mums matter.
Donate some money
Just go to the website www.millionmums.org, with
your credit or debit card in hand, and give whatever
you can afford.
If a million people gave just a pound each, that would
make a truly massive difference. And, of course, the
more money you give, the more lives we’ll be able to
help save. In the developing world, it doesn’t take
much - just £10 will pay for an emergency Caesarean
section when a woman gets into difficulty in labour. S
Spread the word
Tell every mum you know. All of them. Send them
the link to this magazine or just the link to the
website www.millionmums.org.
As mothers, we know only too well how much mums
matter. For most of us, the experience of becoming a
mum strips us of any complacency or arrogance we
might have had and leaves us humble, exposed and
vulnerable. Suddenly, we’re excruciatingly aware of
how much we’ve got to lose. And we instantly
discover the unspoken bond between mothers, the
bond of understanding. There may be a thousand
other differences between our lives, but one thing
binds us together. We’re mothers, we love our
children, and we will do anything to protect them. So
please join ‘million mums’ ...
www.mummo.co.uk 65
prosperity

look after the pennies

and the pounds will
take care of themselves
(allegedly!)

Gemma Johnson, founder

of BaBeeCard, offers some
handy money-saving tips

Gemma Johnson is the co-founder of BaBeeCard

which is a prepaid MasterCard for mums and
mums-to-be. It enables the cardholder to save
money with amazing discounts such as 5% at
ASDA and Sainsbury‟s (including Sainsbury‟s
petrol), 8% at John Lewis, Ocado, Argos and
Boots, plus many other high street retailers. You
can reduce your weekly and monthly outgoings
on groceries, petrol, baby products and
everyday living essentials, simply by changing
the way you pay for the goods rather than
changing your lifestyle.
Gemma‟s top ten money saving tips are taken
from her Mums Money Tips Blog.
1. Check your benefits
Claim everything to which you’re entitled:
Check out Entitled To, to check your tax credits
and other benefits
Maternity Allowance / Statutory Maternity Pay
Childcare vouchers - check out how they work at
HMRC
Healthy Start vouchers - £3 per week of vouchers
for each child for milk, fresh fruit and veg
£190 mum2be government grant for you to spend
on anything you like - yes, even chocolate and
shoes ;-)

2. Make your own cleaning products
White vinegar dissolves dirt , soap scum and hard
water deposits. It cleans everything from floors to
countertops. It’s even gentle enough for hard floors
and the smell disappears when dry so your home
won’t smell like a salad.
Cleaning solution (mix in a sprayer bottle)
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup water
Undiluted white vinegar
Great for hard water and scum
Use for scrubbing the inside of the toilet bowl
Baking Soda is mildly abrasive and a natural
deodorizer. It’s great for grimy bathtubs - sprinkle
some on a damp sponge. It’s also good for removing
food deposits from the sink
Furniture Polish Recipe (mix in a sprayer bottle)
1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup lemon juice
Lemon cuts through grime and the oil will give the
wood a nice shine.
3. Budget and plan your weekly shop,
love your leftovers and exercise
portion control
Use a weekly planner or make your own to keep on
top of your shopping list and meals. BOGOF (buy one
get one free) doesn’t necessarily mean it will save you
money - only buy these items if you know you will
use them. Remember, a bargain is only a bargain if
you actually need it!
Check out www.lovefoodhatewaste.com for some
fantastic leftover recipes and a portion calculator.
Organise your kitchen cupboards so you can see at a
glance what you are running out of.
Buy seasonal & loose fruit and veg - make sure you
don’t buy too much as, unless your family are fruit
fanatics, it will end up rotting and being thrown out.
4. The working mum’s packed lunch
© Mummo Ltd : March 2009:
mummomag
There’s a new craze in town and it’s known as Al’
Desko’ - yep, you got it, eating a packed lunch at your
desk. ‚Goodbye‛ to soggy ham, cheese & tomato
sandwiches from the supermarket and ‚hello‛ to
homemade humous and roasted veg tortilla wrap!
Plan your packed lunches around your leftover
evening meals and store-cupboard staples. You can
also download my packed lunch recipe sheet here.
5. Trade in your old mobile
Sucker for a new phone? Then make sure you trade in
your old unused handsets - not only can it make you
some extra cash on the side, it can also help to de-
clutter your electronics pile.
Take a look at the companies below and simply send
off your phone and wait for your cheque;
Fonebank
Mazuma Mobile
Envirofone
There is also a charity called Stepping Stones Nigeria
that helps abandoned children. You can send your old
phones as an alternative way to donate. I think other
charities probably do the same.
6. Join a toy library, make new friends
7. Swap your books - don’t buy
If you’re a bookworm, you need to join the library if
you haven’t done so already. If you’ve got a full
bookcase at home then why not swap your unwanted
books online for ones you haven’t read.
These sites are free to join:
ReadItSwapIt
BookHopper
Title Trader
Swapitshop
8. Cancel memberships and
subscriptions you don’t use
Are you actually going to the gym each week? Do
you watch all the Sky channels? Are you really using
all your minutes on your mobile tariff? Go through
your direct debits and monthly outgoings and ditch
anything you are not getting maximum usage from.
www.mummo.co.uk 67
prosperity

9. Give up the unhealthy habits and

swap for an occasional treat
Any naughty habits you need an excuse to get rid of?
Smoker? Junk food / takeaways / ready meals?
Party like
Perhaps it’s the bottle of wine in the evening with a

it’s £19.99!
meal? The credit crunch is giving people motivation to
sort out their finances, use this challenging time to get
your health and finances in order. Giving up smoking
or takeaways, for example, will save you money each
week that could afford you a small treat for yourself
or the kids, like a fortnightly cinema trip (don’t forget
to take your own sweets and drinks) or a monthly
massage for you.
Lessons in Nixdminx
10. Enjoy life and believe that it will economics <
provide you all that you need
I am a big believer in what is meant to be, will be.
Start making small changes today, making way for Miniminx has lots of kids coming over for her
bigger and better things in the future. Don’t focus on birthday next Sunday. Things are different this year;
cutting back as a negative, think of it as a way to take with the job loss, credit crunch, and even Woollies
stock and be grateful for all that you have today. It’s gone to the dogs, I’ve put aside posh party planning
the little things like ‘me’ time, a healthy family, love, in favour of a pot luck party on a shoestring budget of
laughter and getting back to nature, that will help you £19.99.
keep the good feelings flowing.
Armed with glue gun, scissors, a dusty old craft box
and my laptop, I’m sure this will be an adventure in
www.babeecard.com thrift like no other. Being the complete jam tart that I
www.babeecard.com/mumsmoneytips am, I’ve scoured the internet in search of party
plagiarisms so you don’t have to. My top 5 tips are:

1. Hearty party hats

I made these fab hats - see pic below - and they’ve
Mummy blogger Nixdminx says the following
passed the ‘cool with the kids’ test. I got this idea
about herself and her blog (see next column)…
from jail bird home-maker-extraordinaire Martha
“I’m a bonafide Londoner who has worked in Stewart. They cost me £2.10 to make 9 (6m of
communications for a long time. My work has haberdasher’s hat elastic).
taken me to exciting places, introduced me to
fascinating people and kept me and my Miniminx
pretty well looked after. But that all changed
rather drastically when in December 2008 I was
credit crunched. I’ve been trying to find a job ever
since but it’s hell out there.

I set up this blog in November 2008 as a way of

staying sane in these crazy times and also to
diarise the trials and travails of this particular
single mum trying to find work in a world gone
mad. It’s turned out to be great fun and it’s a great
way to while away the hours while the phone
doesn’t ring.”

2. Credit crunch lucky dip
This is very enjoyable< You can erase your money
worries and get happy by shredding bank
statements, credit card bills and final demands.
Please try this at home, it’s exhilarating (but please
don’t if you’re in Public Office). Stuff the
shreddings into a large box (decorate with
wrapping paper) to create your own Cathartic
Lucky Dip. Wrap up all the ‘already-got-one-of-
those’ gifts from bygone years in free newssheets
and you’ve got yourself a welcome party diversion
that should last a good 30 minutes < and it doesn’t
cost a thing.
3. Tuppenny treasure hunt
Kids love nothing more than having a good
rummage around other people’s houses so they’ll
enjoy this one. It’ll keep the little blighters busy
while the mums gossip and quaff cocktails. Using
the old ‘keep it simple stupid’ principle, create a
simple treasure hunt. Pair off the kids and give
© Mummo Ltd : March 2009:
mummomag
them each a set of three clues to help them find the
treasure. The first clue will take them to a hiding place
with the second clue and so on until they find the
treasure (penny sweets wrapped in gold tissue paper).
If you’re a particularly mean parent and have a big
garden, the possibilities are endless and you could
create around 10 or more clues.
Warning: Don’t even think of preparing this after
more than a glass of wine, it could end up nonsensical.
Believe me, I’ve tried.
4. The delegation celebration cake
A couple of years ago, Miniminx had four friends
sleep over the night before her birthday party.
Ironically, it was two boys who stayed up to make her
cake with me while she elected to watch videos. I said
she could decorate the cake in the morning. When I
awoke the next day and headed to the kitchen ready
to get icing, I let out the loudest scream ever heard
down our street. A rat infestation would have left me
less shaken - she’d got up extra early with her friend
and decorated the cake. It was ghastly with a big G.
Knowing that this was so much fun, I’m now using
this to my advantage and this year, they’re under
obligation do it again. It’s going to save me hours of
piddling around with icing, colouring and
decorations.
5. Hope and charity party bags
I’ve got loads of wrapping tissue left over from
moving house and I’m going to make some simple
party bags by hand stitching a few sheets together.
With Miniminx’s blessing (she’s only half way to
giving it) we’re going to go through her old
magazines and cut out pictures of Zac, the Jonas
Brothers, etc, and glue them on < I’m not quite sure
what to put in them yet but the maximum budget will
be £5 < for the lot!
That leaves me with £12.79 to spend on food ...
Oh, and we’ll be having a minute of silence for
Woolworths!
Nixdminx - blog post - 22nd February 2009
www.mummo.co.uk 69
living your dreams
Mum of two and founder of
Peekaboo Communications,
Melissa Talago is off on an
adventure ...
Do you ever wonder when you’ll be able to hop off the
hamster wheel, ignore the laundry pile and do something
just for you? I did.
Waking up in January 2009, faced with another year of
rushing around after children, doing household chores
and running a business, I felt well and truly despondent.
It’s not that I don’t enjoy my life, it just seemed like I was
living in groundhog day, facing the same dizzying merry-
go-round day after day, year after year.
I felt like I was constantly waiting for
something, but I wasn’t sure what.
more to life
than laundry
So I decided that 2009 was the year that I was
going to make time for me. I wasn’t sure how.
But I knew it was going to be more than the
occasional spa day.
Then, one Sunday in January, I saw an advert in a
newspaper for the Clipper Round the World yacht
race. I showed it to my husband and said
‚Wouldn’t it be amazing to do something like
that?‛ His reply was: ‚If you want to do it, do it.‛
I laughed it off as an impossibility.
But I couldn’t let go of the idea and, that evening,
I sent off for the information pack. I quickly
received a reply and, within days, I’d filled out
the application form and sent off my deposit. It
was crazy. There were so many reasons why I
shouldn’t do it <
Firstly, there’s the race itself. This isn’t a yacht
race for the faint hearted. The leg I’d applied for
was a gruelling 5,300 nautical miles, taking five
 mummomag

weeks to sail from the UK to Brazil. The 68 foot yachts
are crewed by 18 people, only one of whom is an
experienced sailor. You burn about 5,000 calories a
day, work four hours on / four hours off, live in very
basic quarters and face everything the ocean can
throw at you.
Then there’s the emotional side of it. I am the primary
minder of our children. I work school hours from
home and am there for the boys pretty much round
the clock.
Who would be me when I was in the
middle of the ocean?
weeks of applying for a place, I headed off for an
interview (getting to it was a challenge in itself, with
severe snow storms and closed schools!). I got a place
and will set sail on 13 September 2009.
Until then, I’ve been getting to work on raising funds
with various events, setting up a blog to track my
progress ( www.moretolifethanlaundry.com), getting
in shape, arranging logistics and preparing my
children. Thanks to the kindness of my sister-in-law
who will help with the children for a while, and the
generosity of local mums who are donating their time
to help me with my fundraising efforts, not to mention
the unfailing support of my husband, it’s all starting
to look manageable.

How would I manage not being with my children,

given I’ve never been apart from them for more than
48 hours? And how would they manage without me?
Was this unfair on them? The guilt kicked in almost
immediately and had the biggest potential to derail
me.

Add to this the logistical problems that I’d face. I have

very little family in the country who could help and
my husband works in a senior role that takes him
abroad a lot. I have a business to run and clients to
look after. Who would take care of all the day-to-day
things that keep a household running, not only during
the five weeks of the race, but during the three to four
weeks of training at sea that I’d have to do in
preparation for the event?

And lastly, there was the small issue of paying for it

all. A berth on the race costs £8k. On top of that I
have to pay for insurance, a flight home, plenty of
sailing gear, a nanny to help at home and staff to
manage my business (www.peekaboocoms.co.uk). I
would have to raise the berth costs through
fundraising and pay for everything else by cutting
back on all luxuries – beans on toast for months!

Barking, right? Round about now is

when I might ordinarily have walked
away from it all. But what is the point
of life, if not to live it?

Exactly two months since that fateful day when I saw

the advert, things are going full steam ahead. Within

© Mummo Ltd : March 2009: www.mummo.co.uk 71

living your dreams
That said, my stress levels are at an all time high and
there’ve been many moments when I’ve questioned
my sanity, asking myself ‚Why am I doing this?‛
But here’s why. I hope to show my children that life is
there to enjoy, to be a role model for them showing
that you can be a good parent and a fulfilled
individual. That it’s ok to take on a challenge, to
believe in yourself, to do something for yourself, to
challenge yourself, to grab opportunities available to
you, to have zest for life, to experience things beyond
the day-to-day norm - this is what living is all about.
This is what adds the splashes of
colour to the painting of your life.
To all the other mums out there who are wondering
what happened to their old self under the piles of
laundry, know that it’s still there. You just need to
find it again. No matter how daunting something
might seem, if you believe in it, you can do it.
Take That, in their beautiful song ‘The Garden’, put it
perfectly when they say, ‚This is the life you’ve been
given. So open your mind and start living.‛
Hopefully that’s what I’m doing ...
‚Life is either a daring
adventure < or it is
nothing‛
Helen Keller
Okay, so we’re not all about to jump on a boat
and sail halfway round the world. But it’s worth
asking yourself, what would you want to do, if
there was nothing to hold you back and you were
guaranteed to succeed? What’s your dream?
And, whilst you’re mulling that over, why not
help support Melissa in her bid to sail 5,300
nautical miles and live her dream. Just go to
www.moretolifethanlaundry.com and sponsor her
£2 for a mile. Of this, £1 will help cover
Melissa’s costs. The other £1 will go the official
race charity, the Philip Green Memorial Trust,
which helps sick and disabled children all over the
UK and overseas.
Melissa Talago is
mother to two little
boys aged 5 and 3
who, as she puts it,
are “typical bouncy,
boisterous boys
who are more likely
to turn a cucumber
into a sword than
eat it!”
Melissa lives in Berkshire with the boys and her
husband. She works from home, running her
business Peekaboo Communications.
Five words to describe me: determined,
energetic, enthusiastic, busy, fun
Things that make me happy: listening to my
children giggle; laughing with my husband;
walking on my own in the countryside,
especially when it‟s crisp and cold; dancing like
a lunatic to loud music (anytime really, but
mainly with my kids!)
Motto in life: this is your life, so start living!
Most treasured possession: our wedding
album
Favourite smell: Freshly baked bread
I relax by: going for a run, or blogging - it‟s a
cathartic release to dump my busy thoughts
 mummomag

advertising
these adverts have been included in return for the
mums who run the businesses helping to spread
the word about ‘million mums’ and making a
donation to the campaign

if you would be interested in taking out a paid advert

in any future edition of mummomag, please email
advertising@mummo.co.uk

© Mummo Ltd : March 2009: www.mummo.co.uk 73

advertising
 mummomag

thank you
Mummo would like to
thank all these fantastic
people who have helped to
make this mummomag
possible <
(I promise I’ll try not to turn this into
an Oscars acceptance speech!)

all the mums who‟ve contributed articles, images

and blog posts
all the mums who, in return for their adverts, are
going to contribute to and help spread the word
about the „million mums‟ campaign
Dani Knapp at Need to Know PR, Jules Somerset-
Webb at Mothership Public Relations and Melissa
Talago at Peekaboo Communications … for being
so fab at involving their clients
Paul and Ela at Zerofee, for creating a beautiful
brand identity for Mummo and for always going
above and beyond
the whole team at the White Ribbon Alliance, for
taking a chance on my idea for „million mums‟ -
here‟s hoping it‟s a huge success
my lovely sister, for designing the front cover even
though she had quite enough on her plate already!
my mum, because she‟s my mum, because she‟s
been on granny duty and because she‟s just been
soooo supportive
my partner, for looking after the kids and making
my tea night after night so that I could do this xx
and last, but obviously not least, my children,
without whom I wouldn‟t be a mum and I wouldn‟t
be doing this - I love you “more than the sun and
the moon and the stars” xxxx

thank you
© Mummo Ltd : March 2009: www.mummo.co.uk 75
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