7 rules for chic, child-friendly decor
A veneer of microplastics lay waste to a handcrafted Moroccan rug. Baskets overflowing with construction vehicles in DayGlo hues obscure meticulously arranged shelves. Skyscrapers created from magnetic tiles tower over occasional side tables. Children and decor are like oil and water — only a pack of wolves could wreak more havoc with your interior design schemes.
The paraphernalia of childhood is, quite simply, not chic. Sure, you can start with pastel-shaded wooden toys and industrially designed playthings, but the primary-coloured polymers are, at some point, coming for you.
After seven years writing about my experiences with my children, I know far better than to tell any other person in service to the next generation what to do. However, if you are feeling that they have
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Daily Mail
9 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Mother of tragic girl, nine, who died with her father in house blaze was away on Eid pilgrimage when disaster unfolded
A mother is returning from a pilgrimage today to find her husband and youngest daughter, aged nine, have perished in a house fire. Another daughter - aged 11 - is fighting for her life following the blaze at their home in Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire on Sunday morning. The tragedy happened as mother was away observing Hajj in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, for the Eid celebrations. She left the father, a taxi driver, looking after their three children, an eldest son daughters, aged 11 and nine. The son was staying with relatives over Saturday night so was not inside the red-brick semi detached house in the quiet cul de sac on Russell Close, when the fire took hold. Former neighbours Andy Boys, 30, and Mehvish Iqbal, 29, came to lay floral tributes outside the fire damaged house, which has the doorway boarded up after firefighters wrenched off the front door to gain entry into the blazing building. Mehvish said:'My son used to play outside with her little girl, the one that has passed away. It is just awful. 'To know that the mother is away in Mecca and she is coming back to this, I don't know how she is going to deal with it mentally. 'The girls are lovely little girls, I pray that her older sister pulls through.' Andy added: 'They were lovely neighbours, we lived next door.' A number of floral tributes have been left outside the house. Another neighbour said: 'I heard sirens on Sunday morning and then looked out to see the smoke and the emergency crews doing CPR on the dad and kids. It seemed to go on forever, it was horrendous.' He said the children attended Crossley Fields Junior and Infant School. Another neighbour said: 'Mum was away in Saudi Arabia for Hajj. I've been told she is coming back today. My heart breaks for her. 'I know their eldest son was stopping elsewhere with a relative when the fire started. Dad is a taxi driver and such a nice man. It's is devastating for everybody and we just hope the other little girl survives.' Councillor Ali Arshad, who represents Heckmondwike on Kirklees Council as a member of the Kirklees Community Independents Group, said he had asked the community, which he described as 'close-knit', not to speculate. He said: 'There's been no speculation. Everybody has respected the wishes of the family.' He said the family of the victims were 'absolutely amazing people', adding: 'They keep themselves to themselves and are always cheery and willing to help.' Both the girls were both taken to hospital for immediate treatment, but tragically the nine-year-old died later that day from her injuries Enquiries remain ongoing by detectives following the double fatal house fire. Police were called at 6.19am on Sunday morning by the fire service to an address on Russell Close, Heckmondwike to a report of an ongoing house fire. Officers attended the address at which an adult male and two young girls had been removed by firefighters. The girls, aged nine and 11, were both taken to hospital for treatment. Despite medical attention, the male was sadly determined to have died at the scene. Tragically, the nine year old girl passed away in hospital later on Sunday. The 11-year-old female remains in a critical condition. Detective Inspector Paul Greatorex of Kirklees CID, said: 'We are continuing to work with colleagues at the fire service to investigate this dreadfully sad incident which has resulted in a father and daughter losing their lives. 'Extensive enquiries have been ongoing since yesterday and we have been working to locate and support relatives of the victims both here and outside of the UK at what is clearly an awful time for the family. 'While our enquiries remain ongoing we do not believe there are any suspicious circumstances regarding the cause of the fire and will be preparing a file for the coroner in due course. 'Our support for the family involved clearly also still continues.' West Yorkshire Fire Service said: 'We were called at 06.11 yesterday to reports of a house fire on Russell Close in Heckmondwike. 'We sent four crews (2x Dewsbury, Spen Valley and Morley). 'Firefighters retrieved three people from within the property, two of whom were taken to hospital by ambulance. 'Our fire investigators are working with police to establish the circumstances of the fire.'
The Sun
14 hours ago
- The Sun
Pregnant mum-of-4 trolled for being ‘lazy' as she shows the state of her council house first thing in the morning
A PREGNANT mum-of-four has been labelled "lazy" after sharing a look inside her council house kitchen first thing in the morning. Nicole Austin is no stranger to causing a stir on social media, particularly when she posts videos showing just how messy her house actually is. 4 4 4 And one accusation she regularly hears is that she's lazy - a description she found herself attracting once again after explaining why she and her husband leave their dinner washing up until the morning. "Sometimes I'm just too tired to do the evening washing up after dinner," Nicole said in a video on her TikTok page. "And in our household that's okay! "Rest is way more important to us than doing some dishes. "And that's how it should be." Nicole added that because she's a "morning girl", she's always "bursting with energy" as soon as she gets up. "So at 6am, 7am, whenever we get up, we come downstairs and we clean everywhere," she continued. "This is 90% of the time before the kids are even up. "So the kids don't even know the difference before anyone comes at me for that." Nicole predicted some of the responses she was going to receive, as she said she's even "waiting for the threats of social services". My council house always looks dirty despite endless scrubbing - it's all broken or hanging off hinges & I can't fix it "But come on, if you're that exhausted, why are you pushing yourself to do some dishes that can easily be done a few hours later after you've got some sleep?" she said. "Putting rubbish away, taking bins out and things like that. "I do understand. But some dishes? No." When it comes to her own priorities, Nicole insisted she "prioritises my peace". "I learnt this because I used to burn myself out all the time," she said. "Now I prioritise my peace. And sometimes that does mean going to bed and getting that extra hour sleep. The household items you're not cleaning often enough IF you want to ensure your home is squeaky clean, you'll need to listen up. Below are the household items you're forgetting to clean, and how to get them sparkling... Remote Controls: Wipe with a disinfectant cloth. Use a cotton bud for crevices. Light Switches: Wipe with a disinfectant wipe. Use a mild soap solution for tough stains. Door Handles: Clean with an antibacterial spray. Wipe down regularly. Underneath and Behind Appliances: Vacuum or sweep regularly. Mop with a suitable cleaner. Shower Curtains and Liners: Wash in the washing machine. Use a bleach solution for stubborn mildew. Kitchen Sponges and Dishcloths: Microwave damp sponges for one minute. Wash dishcloths in the washing machine. Computer Keyboards and Mice: Use compressed air to remove debris. Wipe with a disinfectant wipe. "And I'll never feel guilty for that!" "Do you do your kitchen clean up at night or first thing?" Nicole asked in her video caption. "Or whenever you feel like it? BIG controversy!" As Nicole predicted, people slammed her in the comments section, with many having some choice names for her. "Lazy lazy lazy people," one raged. "This is what's wrong with GB these days. Self diagnosed scroungers!" "Don't matter how tired I am, having a clean home for my children to wake up to in the morning is a priority, even when I was heavily pregnant," another said. "You also have a man tell him to pull his weight instead of leaving it to you - it's just pure lazy." "Nope, I cant... it leaves smells in the house. and coming down to the smell of last nights dinner makes me feel sick," someone else said. "I couldn't sleep knowing there's a mess waiting for me - I would be an overwhelmed mess in the morning," another insisted. However, others defended Nicole, with some agreeing with her that it's more important to put self care first. "I don't get the comments on here," one said. "Leaving washing up overnight isn't the worst thing in the world! "If you know it is going to get done the next day then what's the issue?" "For God's sake," another added. "Stop coming for this lady just because she hasn't done her cleaning. "Leave her alone!" "I do & I've got a dishwasher, rest is important," a third commented. "No-one's on their deathbed wishing they'd done the dishes every night before bed," someone else said. 4
Times
18 hours ago
- Times
It's not too early to start getting ready for secondary school. Here's how
The first three months of a baby's life are sometimes called the fourth trimester. Sure, the baby is out, but those months remain a liminal period. Year 7 is very similar. There is a real culture shock when an 11-year-old moves from a cosy primary school where they are the biggest child to a large community where they are the smallest. At this time of year, many schools host information sessions to help children to prepare for the change. • Everyone talks about 'transitioning' to year 7 like it's something that takes days or weeks. In my experience it takes all year. My eldest child is 14 and in year 9 but my son is 11 and nearly through year 7, so we are only just reaching something like settled. The move to big school doesn't just hit children hard. It's a challenging moment for parents too: seeing your confident, outgoing child looking small and terrified, swimming about in a too-big blazer, is a gut punch. Waving a nervous child off into a gigantic fortress you last saw on a tour 18 months ago, where you know they will get lost at least once, is horrible. To be forewarned is to be forearmed. If September brings your first experience of year 7 as a parent, here are some tips from me, as well as some actual experts, on navigating it all. You are still in charge — sorry 'The biggest change between primary and secondary school is the contact between the school and parents — there are no quick chats with the teacher at the school gate,' says James Whiting, deputy head of Altrincham Grammar School for Boys in Manchester. 'Parents need to inform themselves how to communicate with the school early on.' A mistake some parents make is to assume that now their child is in year 7 they need to go it alone. Children vary wildly in their natural capacity for executive function, but most will benefit from help and reminders for at least the first half of term. You're not smothering them if you do this. 'To-do lists on the wall and occasional spot-checks are good sense,' Whiting adds, 'but you don't want to do everything for them long-term, as they will develop an over-reliance on you. That's unsustainable if nothing else.' Yes, they do need to be independent Matilda Gosling is a social scientist and the author of Teenagers: The Evidence Base. She says that independence is a cornerstone of development in secondary school children. 'They have to develop resilience and I would encourage parents to resist safetyism — the feeling that there are an overwhelming number of risks we need to protect our children from,' she says. Travelling independently is key, says Gosling. 'As early as is practical they ought to be travelling to and from school on their own. A good idea is to practise their journey a few times when there's no time pressure, so on the weekend or in the summer holidays before they start.' John Jerrim is a professor of education and social statistics at University College London and agrees that getting to grips with independence is best done sooner rather than later. 'Teaching children some independence can start in year 5,' he says. 'So much is going on in year 7 that you want to start on organisational skills earlier and gradually build them up so year 7 isn't such a sheer drop.' It's helpful to create a dedicated space at home for crucial items like the travel pass, PE kit or schoolbooks, so your child knows where to find things without having to ask. So is getting into the habit of prepping the night before. When I first found my daughter packing her schoolbag for the next day I clenched a fist in victory and said, 'My work is done!' (It isn't.) Dreaded smartphones There can be few parents left who think giving a child a smartphone is risk-free. Anecdotally, ownership among current year 7s seems to be down, but it remains that about nine in ten 11-year-olds have their own device. Joe Ryrie from the campaign group Smartphone Free Childhood says their research shows that most parents don't want to give their 11-year-old a phone but worry that they will be left out if they don't. 'We hear mixed reports from parents whose children start secondary school without a smartphone,' he says. 'But the most common fear, that they will be left out socially, looms larger than it ought to. Online group chats aren't where friendships happen, the chat is often meaningless junk, more about mass communication and showing off than actual connection.' Parents who miss the location-tracking services of a smartphone tend to combine an old-fashioned phone like a Nokia with an AirTag. It's a bit clunky but broadly works. 'We know that tech companies are working on 'smart-ish' phone models that have the functionality of a smartphone but without more of the damaging elements,' Ryrie says. 'As a campaign group, we are also working hard to change the culture, to make it more normal and acceptable to start year 7 without a smartphone.' Friendships Modern schools know that making friends is important and mix students up for some classes, so no one is stuck with the same 25 people for seven years. The more of the year group your child meets, the higher the chance they'll find a kindred spirit. 'Deep friendships come out of shared experiences,' says Whiting, of Altrincham grammar. 'Joining lunchtime clubs, after-school clubs and sports teams is key, and here's where parents can help by encouraging their child to sign up to things and take advantage of opportunities.' If your child doesn't find friends for a while, don't worry. Friendships are crucial in the teenage years, when children naturally separate from their parents, but less so in year 7. 'In year 7, the family unit is still so important ,' says Dr Gavin Morgan, a clinical psychologist. 'Parents mustn't worry unnecessarily if their child is a slow starter, socially. You can't force friendships anyway so it's out of your hands.' The key thing is to keep calm and not interrogate a child in a panic as to why they haven't got any mates. 'You really don't want to make your child think that there is something wrong with them,' Morgan adds. Happiness Is there any truer phrase than 'You are only as happy as your least happy child'? Parenting a gloomy child is hard work: what you most want is for them to be happy, so that you can be happy too. But this isn't realistic. Secondary school is a big change: it can be boring, relentless or worse, and that's before puberty gets its claws in. 'A really striking message I found from my research is secondary school students need to experience healthy stress in order to build up resilience,' says Gosling. 'They need to meet a stressful experience and then come out of it the other side knowing that they can handle difficult things.' Gosling also advises not talking too much about mental health. Teens are on the constant lookout for their new, adult identity, and while talking about feelings is important, choosing 'depressed' or 'anxious' as a persona is unhelpful. 'Treat feelings lightly,' she says. 'Deliver the message that bad times always pass and if they feel down, it won't last for ever.' Be aware that your instinct to jolly them out of a 'mood', or offer endless solutions, is more for you than for them. It's fine to suggest going for a walk or some other distraction, but telling them to 'cheer up' will make them feel worse. Warning bells ought to sound if your child persistently refuses to go to school, but general grumpiness is normal. 'Parents will sometimes get a bleak picture of a school life, especially just after school when children are tired and hungry,' says Morgan. 'Plus, they've been at school all day, having to mind what they say and do, holding all sorts of things in.' When they see a parent it can trigger an opening of floodgates, so an awful lot of grumbling can be taken with a pinch of salt. My number one strategy for post-school ranting, passed on to me by my sister who has four boys, is to give them something to eat and then leave them alone. By bedtime, they're usually fine.
