Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 26th March 2024 under Blog
It’s nearly Easter and children will be getting excited about all that Easter egg hunting and chocolate scoffing! Unlike Christmas when there’s so much prep, I used to find that the fun around Easter was a little last minute. I’ve put together some tips on how to plan the best hunt and Easter day with children in mind. Hopefully that means the day will go smoothly and if you’re meeting up with family, that you can enjoy time together.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 6th March 2024 under Blog
World Book Day and the slogan for this year’s International Women’s Day come together in this blog. “Inspiring Inclusion” is the slogan and that’s the motivation behind the book that we’re featuring for World Book Day.
“The ABC of You and Me,” is a children’s book written by ex-Tonbridge resident Shannon Molver. She is a mother of two daughters who now lives in Aberdeen, Scotland. The book shows 26 children who all have something that makes them who they are, whether it’s Lina who has learning difficulties or Solomon who likes wearing skirts.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 4th March 2024 under Blog
Hi, I’m Grace. I have been working in childcare for over 25 years. I have had the pleasure of being part of many families during this time. I am a mother to a wonderful son, who makes my heart sing everyday. I have always juggled family life with my work life, and many of the children that I have cared for have come to love my boy too!
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 24th February 2024 under Blog
It feels as though there is always a headline about food or food-related issues, and especially connected to children and family life, doesn’t it? It can all feel a little too much. Maybe your nanny takes over in the kitchen for the children’s meals which could be a relief but if she’s struggling too then perhaps you both need help!
Zoe Wilis of Real Life Real Kitchen based in Horsmonden, has just relaunched her website. Zoe has five children, and she homeschools but preparing nutritious, home-cooked meals remains a daily priority for her. How does she do it?!
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 19th January 2024 under Blog
This week is National Storytelling Week: reading stories to children is so important, and here are some reasons why.
Reading stories to children is time that you have together. Whether you’re reading to one child or more, it’s a time when you can really engage with them without distractions. Turn the TV off, put your phone away, cuddle up and read.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 27th November 2023 under Blog
Since COVID, so many more of us are working from home rather than going into an office and as much as you might prefer that all or some of the week, it could become tricky if you have a nanny in the house too. Your nanny could be looking after a pre-school age child/children or they might be waiting for them to return from school and getting on with children-related chores but either way it can be awkward for both parties.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 24th October 2023 under Blog
As we approach the end of the calendar year, you may be thinking about giving your nanny a pay rise and / or a bonus. Or it could be that you’ve never contemplated it before and you want to know how to go about it.
Here are my thoughts and, as always, I’m available to talk it through with you, just get in touch.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 23rd August 2023 under Blog
Sometimes there are issues between families and nannies and in this blog I want to help you with some of the most common ones. But before I get into that, I would like to take you back to the very beginning of the nanny / family relationship: the interview and contract.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 4th July 2023 under Blog
Do you feel as though you didn’t go into parenting knowing the whole truth? Many of us feel like that when the ‘joy of parenting’ isn’t obvious at 2am in the morning and you’re surviving on two hours’ sleep. But now local mum and entrepreneur, Silke Thistlewood, has done something about it.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 11th May 2023 under Blog
Hazel asked me to contribute to her blog by answering the question “what are the benefits of forest school?”
I thought I’d start by explaining what Forest school is as its often perceived by adult as “just getting dirty playing in the woods!” The official answer is “Forest School is a child-centred learning process, providing learner inspired, hands-on experiences in the natural environment. It’s creative and can increase a child’s confidence as they problem-solve and learn to manage risks.”
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 11th May 2023 under Blog
A question I get asked a lot is why nannies are so good compared to other options. Here are some reasons why I tell families that a nanny is a great addition to a family.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 17th April 2023 under Blog
When Rishi Sunak became PM, little did we know that on his agenda was a shake-up of maths teaching. He thinks maths should be taught to age 18 and whether you agree with that or not, it got me thinking about maths for little ones. I know I’ve talked a lot about developing language but I thought it might be useful for parents and nannies to know about how we can teach number literacy from a young age.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 1st March 2023 under Blog
This World Book Day we have interviewed Suzanne Hemmings who writes about equality, diversity and inclusion in her children’s books. After the recent furore over the proposed re-writing of Roald Dahl’s books you may be a little confused about how to approach modern topics in children’s books, but Suzanne is here to help!
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 8th February 2023 under Blog
This is a blog from my friend Caroline who recently relocated to California with her family about what to consider before you go and once there. I’ve also included some experiences from a nanny who helped her nanny family with their relocation and my top tips on how you might approach this, if the option to relocate arose.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 3rd February 2023 under Blog
So how would I explain this approach in a nutshell? I say, Steph and Lyndsey have looked back over the years at some of our most wonderful pioneers in childhood studies and have taken all the best parts of their theories and mixed them all together to create The Curiosity Approach.
On the surface it appears to be about aesthetics, beautifully created rooms with neutral tones, curious loose parts* and cosy areas.
But the approach runs much deeper than what appears to be on the surface, it talks to the core of what I believe childhood should be.
Treating children with respect, putting importance in their voices, caring about what their needs are as a whole not just about getting them to write their names and count in row and getting them back in touch with nature and the natural world.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 20th January 2023 under Blog
I find it hard to believe but on Christmas Day 2022, my son turned 18! I am now a mother of an adult! Those 18 years have flown by, but I started to reflect on what’s happened over those years and what tips I would like to pass on. So, here you are, some of what I’ve learned as a mother over the last 18 years.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 14th November 2022 under Blog
Nursery rhymes are timeless ditties that we all grew up with and continue to sing to our children now. But why is it important to sing nursery rhymes to our children? Why did our parents sing them to us and why do we carry on the tradition as parents ourselves? It’s World Nursery Rhyme Week so I thought I’d help you understand why they’re an important part of childhood.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 18th October 2022 under Blog
Recycle Awareness Week
How many bins do you have in your kitchen? If you’re anything like me, you probably have more than one and may even have several! Thankfully, we have more recycling bins than general rubbish bins which must mean we’re doing well when it comes to putting our waste to good use.
Don’t worry I’m not scraping the blog barrel here by telling you about my bins and rubbish – it is Recycle Awareness Week. This week is a chance for us all to focus on what we recycle and what we don’t and why don’t we, and it could be a good opportunity for you to start a conversation with your little ones and even your nanny about the state of recycling in your home and using sustainable products more.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 12th September 2022 under Blog
Dyspraxia
A friend of mine has a son who’s dyspraxic and I’ve been shocked at how little is known about this neurological condition. As my friend says, it feels as though it’s where dyslexia was 20 years ago – people have heard of it but don’t know a great deal about it. I wanted to share with you some of what I’ve learnt, sign post you to more resources and explain how your nanny could help with a dyspraxic child.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 21st July 2022 under Blog
Cycling is going uphill. In the UK, as we fight the obesity challenge and climate change, we’re being encouraged to get on our bikes rather than stepping into the comfort of our cars and public transport. Cycle lanes on our roads are more commonplace and cycling helmets are standard – if you’re anything like me you might tut at those cyclists who don’t wear one!
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 5th April 2022 under Blog
Did you know that today is National Walking Day? It’s a day to encourage us all to ditch the car and walk instead, the simplest and cheapest way to stay active and fit.
Learning to walk is such a milestone for babies. For convenience, you will still use a buggy – otherwise a trip to the supermarket could take several hours! – but it’s good to encourage your little one to walk as much as possible.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 16th March 2022 under Blog
If you haven’t got a family pet by now, then you’re bucking the trend! By March 2021, 3.2 million households had bought a pet since lockdown began, it was reported in the press taking the UK to 17 million pet owning households! Were you one of those 3.2 million?!
Pet ownership isn’t something to enter into lightly, but it can transform a child and a family, and be a great source of joy.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 3rd March 2022 under Blog
People say that there’s a book in all of us but not everyone explores that and actually puts pen to paper. It’s World Book Day and this year we wanted to showcase some authors who are mothers. They all have a different story about why they write and what they write about and some of these stories may resonate with you.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 4th February 2022 under Blog
I watched the programme the other evening on BBC TV about Jay Blades of The Repair Shop and his quest to learn to read aged 51. He had never been able to read stories to his children but wanted to try to read a story to his youngest daughter before she turned 16. It was an interesting documentary and well worth a watch.
This week has been National Storytelling Week: reading stories to children is so important, as Jay identified and here are some reasons why.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 31st January 2022 under Blog
When you discover that you’re expecting a baby, there are lots of emotions and, over time, a growing to do list. As your due date approaches, the baby’s nursery will climb that list and you might start thinking about how to decorate it. Here are some ideas for you on how to decorate your new born’s room but believe it or not, firstly, I’d recommend that you don’t rush.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 6th January 2022 under Blog
Tax Free Childcare
One of the most frequently asked questions that I receive is on tax free childcare. This is really quite a generous scheme from the government and you might be surprised to find that you are eligible.
The scheme pays up to £500 every three months or £1,000 every three months if your child is disabled and this can be used to pay for nannies, as well as other types of childcare.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 3rd November 2021 under Blog
Before we know it Bonfire night is upon us again and amid the ‘oooh’s and the ‘aaaah’s we need to know the safety of our children is not compromised.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 29th July 2021 under Blog
Lockdown may be easing and the world may be reopening to us but virtual, rather than in person interviews, are continuing.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 8th July 2021 under Blog
Holidays might be a bit of a taboo subject this year with the government’s traffic light system in place when it comes to trips abroad but a break from work is still a legal requirement for all employees. Regardless of whether you’re going abroad or planning a staycation, your nanny’s holiday rights must still be observed and it’s something that I am asked about a lot. Here are some frequently asked questions and answers on nanny’s holiday entitlement, including some information on what to do regarding amber list holidays and quarantining.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 8th June 2021 under Blog
When you decided to become a nanny, you might not have thought about the details of being paid but I receive a lot of questions about pay and in particular pay slips. They can look very complicated, full of jargon and technical language, but I have worked in the childcare industry for a long time and have seen a lot of payslips, so I put together this handy payslip guide to help you.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 5th May 2021 under Blog
Wednesday May 5th this year is International Midwives’ Day. I’m pretty sure that each and every one of us has come into contact with a midwife, either when we were having our own children or when we were born ourselves!
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 21st April 2021 under Blog
When my mum had me, it wasn’t possible for her to know whether she was having a girl or a boy. I know lots of you like to be surprised about the gender of your baby and want to wait until the baby is born but I also know that lots of people find out in advance.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 1st April 2021 under Blog
The last blog was on the impact of COVID lockdown on babies but this time, I want to focus on the impact on parents, and mums in particular. Babies don’t know life any other way which could be seen as a blessing, but parents do remember life before lockdown – they will have a support group of family and friends and not being able to see those people, especially during such a life-changing time, is likely to have had an impact.
But first of all, let’s start with before baby is born.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 26th March 2021 under Blog
In my first nannying role I used to care for a little girl called Scarlett, who I’m still in touch with, and she has just become a mum – a baby girl called Arabella! That’s made me think about all the babies that have been born during lockdown and the new families that have been formed or families that have grown during this difficult time. Scarlett has helped me write this blog about the impact of COVID on babies and also, the next blog on how it’s affected new mums.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 9th March 2021 under Blog
There’s a funny old saying that has always struck a chord with me: some say that when they pull the placenta out, they shove guilt in. When I write that down, my mind’s eye instantly conjures up an unwanted visual!
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 18th February 2021 under Blog
Happy 25th Birthday East Green!
25 years, 5 difference offices, two awards and hundreds of nannies, families, and placements! I can’t believe that East Green Child Care has reached a quarter century! Yes, we are 25 years old this month and although we’re in lockdown, I wanted to share it with you so that maybe you can raise a glass of some fizz if you’ve worked with me over the years.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 9th February 2021 under Blog
Here is the second instalment in our expert top tips from friends of East Green Childcare. If you missed the first, it’s here https://www.eastgreenchildcare.co.uk/expert-tips-on-managing-lockdown-part-1/ In this one we’ll cover children’s sleep, snacking and how to cope as a new mum or with a new baby in these strange times.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 5th February 2021 under Blog
2021 has not got off to the best start and as you read this in lockdown, you’re perhaps looking for some ways to make life easier! I have been in touch with some friends who happen to be experts in their fields to ask for their top tips on a few day-to-day hurdles that you might be facing. In the next two blogs we’ll be covering a range of topics: how to manage as a new parent, the daily food challenge and how to still be productive as well as managing difficult behaviour, home schooling tips and helping children to sleep.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 8th December 2020 under Blog
I am receiving lots of questions on what nannies can and can’t/should and shouldn’t do in these COVID times and similarly for families, so I thought I’d put together a brief guide of questions and answers.
I stress that one of the most important things that nannies and families can do is communicate! If this is proving difficult then feel free to call me to discuss.
Let’s start with the essential steps that must be taken to mitigate infection before moving onto pay and sick leave.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 19th November 2020 under Blog
The coronavirus has had a huge impact on our lives this year and one of the biggest changes we have seen is more people working from home. Businesses across the country have realised that working remotely can actually work as they have continued to deliver their product or service, whilst employees have woken up to the idea of moving to the country since they no longer need to live near their office or place of work.
This, combined with the Chancellor’s stamp duty holiday, has meant that we have seen an increase in people moving from London to Kent and Sussex.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 6th October 2020 under Blog
The Coronavirus pandemic has really shaken up the world of childcare and one of the things to come out of it, that I am noticing, is the increase in demand for temporary, or temp nannies. If you feel as though you need some help at home for a little while, this could be the child care solution for you.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 23rd September 2020 under Blog
After a very odd few months in the childcare industry, it was a pleasing distraction on the evening of Saturday 12 September 2020 to attend Nanny UK’s 2020 virtual awards’ ceremony. Imagine my delight when East Green Child Care Services won Best UK Nanny Agency 2020!
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 26th June 2019 under Blog
At East Green, we like to help you with all aspects of being a nanny and employing a nanny … and all the fun stuff in between! In this blog, though, we’re talking about when the nanny relationship comes to end – I know that for some of you, both nannies and families, it’s hard to imagine it happening but one day it will.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 18th June 2020 under Blog
Your CV should be a living and breathing document and not something that you only update when you’re looking for a new family. Situations that you have resolved, special scenarios that required a particular skill, new qualifications – these should all be added to your CV as examples of your strong performance and often if you leave it until you really need your CV, you’ve forgotten all the relevant details
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 3rd June 2020 under Blog
Prince Louis does it, as does singer Rihanna and Kelly Osborne and even actor James Nesbitt! What am I talking about? You might be surprised to hear that it’s thumb sucking!
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 18th May 2020 under Blog
Have we ever known a world event that has impacted every single family on the planet since World War II? There’s a whirlwind of emotions in each home at the moment but we can take comfort in that we are not alone in our fears or worries. Many of the fears we carry are justified and begin as reasonable concerns because our brain loves certainty and sameness to feel safe. But for some of us our worries can evolve into the irrational beast that is anxiety.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 24th March 2020 under Blog
Nannies and employers have been asking about how covid-19 effects their pensions, please see below info from Payroll For Nannies Payroll for Nannies
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 24th March 2020 under Blog
In these strange and scary times the information we are receiving is changing daily. As and when we get it we will be posting it on here and our Facebook page. Please see the Link below for the latest from Nannytax re nannies and employers.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 18th March 2020 under Blog
These are strange times in which we’re living at the moment and they might become a whole lot stranger when, on top of two parents being at home full-time, you add the children into the mix! If schools shut, I want to give you some ideas of things you could do to fill the time while you’re in self-isolation and activities that you can prepare for. Here are ten ideas but I’m sure there are more out there so feel free to share them with me: if we’re in this situation for a while, I’m sure we’ll need fresh ideas over the coming weeks and months!
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 25th February 2020 under Blog
Happy Birthday East Green Child Care!
I can’t believe that this month East Green Childcare is 24 years old and we’ve been nominated for Best Nanny Agency 2020 in the UK Nanny Awards! What a great birthday present!
It’s been a busy 24 years for me – I gained a husband, now have two lovely children as well as the time I’ve invested in growing the business. But just in case you were curious (or maybe nosey!), here’s how it all began …
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 17th February 2020 under Blog
Your tax code determines the amount of tax you pay each pay period and for current tax year the standard tax code is 1250L.
Whatever your tax code the numbers denote the amount you can earn each year before you are liable to pay tax, you just need to add a zero to the end of code and this then means the 1250 code gives you a figure of £12,500 you can earn before you pay tax.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 10th February 2020 under Blog
I was going to call this, what to expect from a nanny agency but then I realised that I don’t know if other agencies work like me! I want to explain the way I work, what you can expect from me, the expectations and standards I have, and why it might help you to find a nanny through a childcare agency rather than ‘going it alone’.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 28th January 2020 under Blog
Cranial osteopathy is something that many new mothers hear bandied around as a painless method of curing babies’ sleep problems, feeding problems and general maladies. Following on from the piece by local osteopath Claire Terry, I wanted to learn a little more about osteopathy centred around the skull and in particular, the cranium.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 13th January 2020 under Blog
I’m not afraid to tackle the big childcare issues here at East Green and after speaking to a nanny the other day, I wanted to cover nanny surveillance and the issues surrounding nanny cameras. You might have security cameras in your home to capture footage of criminals at work (hopefully never required!) but did you know that you need to inform your nanny? Perhaps the cameras were installed to keep an eye on your nanny – do you know your obligations and their rights? You could be breaking the law and damaging a very important relationship at the same time.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 3rd December 2019 under Blog
Have you heard of BYOB Comedy? No, it’s not bring your own booze but Bring your own Baby, an excellent idea that allows parents to feel like adults again without having to find a babysitter (although I could definitely help you with that!).
I found out about these comedy events through one of my families and they were raving about it! But first, I interviewed the creator of BYOB Comedy, Alyssa, to understand more about the inspiration behind it and how it works.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 19th November 2019 under Blog
When Hazel asked me if I would write a guest blog for her about how to look after yourself physically once your new baby has arrived I was delighted to say yes. I remember only too well how physically demanding having a new baby can be, even though my two are now both teenagers, and I see many new parents in my clinic suffering with baby-related aches and pains.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 6th November 2019 under Blog
Here at Little Big Sports, I am passionate about children and sport – for me they go together like strawberries and Wimbledon! It’s so important for children to be active but I appreciate that not everyone ‘gets’ it. Why does it matter whether children are active or not?
Here are my top ten reasons …
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 7th October 2019 under Blog
Imagine: a beautiful envelope lands on the door mat, mid October, inviting you to the neighbours’ Christmas party. These parties are legendary on your street and you’re thrilled to be invited! You’re so busy planning your outfit and what constitutes a suitable gift that you forget to organise any childcare, assuming that your parents will be free to babysit.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 23rd September 2019 under Blog
All employees must be allowed to take time off for jury service, including nannies.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 12th September 2019 under Blog
When families first set out on their childcare journey and are exploring all the options, they can be overwhelmed and confused by the jargon. I understand, don’t worry!
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 6th August 2019 under Blog
One of the things which shocks many families when they take on a nanny is the fact that they become an employer. Many families think that recruiting a nanny is like hiring a babysitter for the night – cash in hand, say goodbye when you come home and see you next time.
Employing a nanny is much more involved than that – you are an employer, you need to pay tax, issue payslips etc. There is help at hand along the way, don’t worry, not just from me but from other organisations like the nanny payroll companies, however, one subject which still causes a stir, is dealing with a pregnant nanny and all that that involves.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 5th July 2019 under Blog
Recently I’ve started gardening with my nine year old daughter and it’s been so lovely. My daughter and I, luckily, have a great relationship anyway – I know it will all change as she hits the teenage years! – but this has given us time away from the indoors and helped us connect in a different way.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 18th June 2019 under Blog
When I was pregnant with my first child I wanted to do everything I could to make sure the baby was safe, I guess that is a mother’s natural instinct and number one priority and so it should be. There are many arguments for and against exercising whilst pregnant and it is a completely individual choice. Here are my thoughts, for what they are worth….
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 24th May 2019 under Blog
I had two quite large babies (7lbs11 & 9lbs3) and I was pretty big with both of them, putting on around two stone with each. I, like many mothers was very keen to shift the extra weight as soon as possible, which leads me nicely to point one:
I had two quite large babies (7lbs11 & 9lbs3) and I was pretty big with both of them, putting on around two stone with each. I, like many mothers was very keen to shift the extra weight as soon as possible, which leads me nicely to point one:
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 13th May 2019 under Blog
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have chosen their son’s name and shared it with the world. It is definitely breaking from tradition when it comes to royal family member names but I’m sure they agonised over it just as much as I did with mine!
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 9th April 2019 under Blog
I started Googling sleep quotations for this piece and became very distracted! The one that caught my eye, though, was “People who say they sleep like babies, usually don’t have them.” It made me chuckle but, after talking to my friend Alison Humphrey-Walters, infant sleep coach, it made me wonder whether maybe we could all sleep as well as her baby clients.
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Posted By: Hazel Richardson on 10th April 2019 under Blog
At East Green Child Care Services, we not only help you find childcare that fits your family, we like to try to help you manage the costs that accompany such a relationship. Tax-Free Childcare is a Government scheme that was launched in 2017 to help working parents/carers with the cost of childcare. Tax free childcare can save up to £2,000 per child so it’s worth checking to see whether your family is eligible!
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