Time to read: Approx. 3 minutes Whilst flicking through the newspaper this week I was reminded of the importance of giving our children quality time. Researchers from University College of London And Essex University have concluded that spending just 30 minutes on activities a day together can really boost your child’s cognitive and social skills. I have read plenty of articles similar to this over recent years and they always spark something in me. Several years ago I began volunteering for a children’s charity as a befriender. Whilst I only spent 1 hour a week with the child I was quite shocked to discover more about their day to day life than I knew about my own children. This was not bec

Fitting exercise into your daily life seems to move lower and lower on your to do list and often disappears all together as the preparation for Christmas seems to take over. The combination of an increased household work load, short daylight hours and possibly a rise in boozy nights out (And subsequent morning fuzzy heads !) make it tricky to motivate yourself to get out on that run, cycle, gym or attend that class. One of the best things we can do for ourselves to keep the stress levels down is to work out. Those endorphins that are released not only keep us happy but allow us to cope with all the extra pressures that come along over the festive period. And, of course, let’s not forget that