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If you love taking photos of your family but sometimes find that they just look a bit flat and posed then I’ve got some tips that’ll help you infuse them with joy and life.

See, I like a good posed photo as much as the next person, but the photos I fall in love with of my children are the ones that show who they really are. The ones that capture those in-between moments. The ones full of genuine smiles and laughter you can almost hear just looking at the pictures.

If you want to add a few more photos like these to your family albums then keep reading for my top tips for bringing more joy to your pictures.

Capture movement

A lot of the time the problem with those posed photos is that they look a bit stiff. When you ask someone to stand still for a picture they don’t always know what to do with themselves, so they end up looking weirdly unnatural.

So don’t ask your kids to pose. Don’t even ask them to stand still! Let them play, run, and have fun, and then capture those natural moments.

Some of my favourite photos to take are of my children on the swings in the park. It does take a few attempts to get the timing just right but when it’s so worth it when you do get the shot!

Use colour

Another easy way to add some fun and joy to your photos is to make a point of including bright colours in them.

Dress your family in reds, pinks, blues, and bright yellows. Take your kids out in the garden and take photos of them with flowers in the spring. Add fun, colourful accessories like hats and sunglasses. Include their favourite brightly coloured toys in the photos!

Of course there’s always a flip side to things like that, and sometimes if you capture a particularly joyful moment the photo can look gorgeous in black and white!

Forget about taking a ‘good’ photo

On the subject of not always following the rules, sometimes to really capture joy and honest moments with your family you need to let go of the ideas you have about what makes a ‘good’ photo.

In an ideal world our photos will follow the rule of thirds, the subjects will be looking at the camera (or at least into the frame), and they’d always be beautifully sharp with perfect lighting.

But when your main priority is capturing joy it’s often best to let those rules go.

Don’t worry about controlling everything. Let your kids have fun. Make them laugh however you can and then capture those perfect, real expressions.

You’ll get photos that are far more natural and that really show how your children are when you do this instead of asking them to give you a ‘nice’ smile for the camera, or when you worry so much about getting the lighting and composition right that the moment passes before you can capture it.

Hopefully these tips will help you have fun with taking photos of your family and add an extra level of joy to the results that’ll you’ll love looking back on in the future!

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Whatever your situation is as a mum, whether you go out to work or stay home with the children, if you’re one done or are juggling 3 under 5, whatever it is your dealing with, it can feel really hard at times. So it’s really important to make time to just focus on yourself for a bit now and then.

Taking that bit of time to do something you enjoy or just to be by yourself without someone needing you can make a huge difference to how well you can cope with all the demands of being a parent.

So here are 5 things you can do this autumn for a little bit of self-care:

1. Bake something seasonal

I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels the pull to do some baking at this time of year. And I know that a big part of that is probably down to Bake Off being back on, but still, getting in the kitchen and baking something is a great way to get in a bit of self-care this autumn. Especially if you make it something seasonal.

If you want something to take your time over then cinnamon buns are possibly the most perfect thing to make. But if you need something a bit quicker then try something like these carrot and apple cakes, or some cinnamon roll pancakes.

Look for recipes that have autumny spices like cinnamon, ginger, and mixed spice, or have a play around and see if you can put a seasonal twist on your go-to recipes by adding some of those spices. These Welsh Cakes, for example, already have some mixed spice in but I think they’d also taste really good with some extra cinnamon in the mix.

2. Watch your favourite autumn film or tv show

Once the kids are in bed grab a snack and cwtch up on the sofa to watch one of your favourite autumn films or tv shows.

Classic films to watch this time of year are things like Practical Magic and The Craft, which are perfect with Halloween just around corner. But if you’re not in a spooky mood you could go with a romcom like When Harry Met Sally or You’ve Got Mail.

And as far as tv shows go you can’t go wrong with another rewatch of Gilmore Girls!

3. Get out for an autumn walk

Getting outside for even just a short walk can make a huge difference to how you feel. There are tons of benefits to getting out in the fresh air, getting some daylight on your face, and being out in nature, so heading out for a walk either by yourself or with your family is worth doing whenever you have the time.

And autumn is a great time to go out for a walk in your local park, with the leaves changing colour and that slight chill in the air that helps wake you up when you’re feeling a bit meh.

A great way to add even more of a self-care element is to head out on a photo walk. Take your camera or your phone with you and go on an autumn photo walk. Looking out for autumny things like conkers and colourful leaves, and finding creative ways to photograph them adds an extra bit of mindfulness to your walk that is brilliant for helping you feel calmer and happier.

4. Treat yourself to a seasonal drink

Take a bit of time out for yourself and treat yourself to your favourite limited-edition hot drink. Whether you go for the classic pumpkin spice latte or try something new like the maple hazel hot chocolate from Costa, enjoying something a bit special can add that extra little bit of joy to your day.

If you do like to treat yourself to a Costa now and then it’s well worth downloading the app and scanning your code each time you go because for each drink you buy you get a ‘bean’, and when you have 10 ‘beans’ you can cash them in for a free drink.

As a member you also get a free piece of cake for your birthday as well as regular offers through the year for things like money off food.

And if you pop in my referral code TW6HL when you sign up you get 5 ‘beans’ with your first order, so you’ll be halfway to that freebie already!

5. Change up your skincare routine

Adding in a bit of pampering is a classic way of getting some self-care, but you don’t have to spend hours on it to feel the benefits.

Just picking out a new shower gel and body moisturiser with a scent you love can make your regular shower routine feel a bit more special. Warm scents like vanilla are really lovely for autumn, and you can’t go wrong with Palmers cocoa butter to really treat your skin afterwards and leave you smelling gorgeous.

Need a few more ideas for adding some self-care into your life? Then take a look at this list of 20 quick self-care ideas for busy mums.

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The way I see getting older is that we can either fight it or embrace it, and I’m more of an embrace it type person. But then I also think that getting older doesn’t mean you have to stop doing the things you enjoy or wearing the things that you want to wear. This idea that we should ‘grow up’ and give up certain hobbies or stop dressing in certain ways makes me quite sad, because why should we stop having fun just because we’re not so young anymore!

If you have the same sort of attitude, aren’t planning on giving up your t-shirts and hoodies any time soon, and have a sense of humour about getting older then I think you’ll love these 5 tees from Geeksoutfit. You just might need to explain one or two of them to your kids who won’t necessarily get all the 80s and 90s references!

Rotary Dial T-shirt

This one really is for the older millenials and Gen Xers who remember having one of these rotary dial phones at home, or at least remember their grandparents having one. It’s not quite a geek t shirt but more of a nod to the technology that lots of us grew up with that kids today just won’t recognise at all!

“I’m this old” T-shirt

How many of these old bits of tech would your children recognise?! I think the floppy disk might look familiar to mine, but only as the ‘save’ icon!

I love the style of the pictures and font on this one, as well as the fact that it’s just quite a fun geek shirt to show your sense of humour about getting older.

“We had nine planets” T-shirt

Oh, poor Pluto! There’s not much that’ll make you feel your age than realising how long it’s been since Pluto had its planet status taken away!

I do love this tee though, especially in this gorgeous shade of red. If that’s not your colour you can also get it in black, navy, army green, and green.

Commodore 64 T-shirt

There must be a joke here about if the Commodore 64 was your first computer then your knees hurt every time you get up. Or something like that.

All I know for sure is that Treasure Island was a brilliant game and you can’t convince me otherwise!

“I am older than the internet” T-shirt

Now this one may well blow your kids’ minds because if you’ve only ever known a world where the internet exists it’s pretty hard to imagine living in a time without it!

So if you’re weirdly proud of the fact that you were born in the before times then this could be the tee for you.

So there you have it. My top picks for tees that’ll tell the world that you’re getting older and are absolutely fine with it! And there are even more to choose from with Geeksoutfit, along with a great range of nerd t shirts and even star wars Christmas pajamas that are perfect if you have a geeky side that you want to share with the world too.

Disclosure: this is a collaborative post

There are some key conversations us parents need to have with our children as they get older, to make sure that they’re properly equipped for everything life has to throw at them.

And one of the biggest things we need to talk to them about is sex. It might not be the easiest of conversations to have but it’s so important to make sure that our children are given age-appropriate information about sex and relationships. Especially when it seems that the sex education provided in schools often doesn’t go beyond the bare minimum.

In fact, when online pharmacy Curely asked 600 adults about their thoughts and experiences around sexual health, 46.3% said that they thought sex education in schools only covers the basics. And when they were asked if the information they were given in school prepared them for real-life situations almost 20% said that they were ‘not at all’ prepared as a result of what they were told in school.

Of course, as parents we shouldn’t be leaving all this to the schools anyway but it’s interesting to know how much (or how little) is actually being covered in sex education classes.

One thing it’s well worth chatting to our children about is to be careful of trusting things they see or read about online when it comes to sex. While the internet has made it a lot easier to get information and find answers to questions we might have, it’s also not really regulated so false information can spread really easily. Curely’s survey found that 57% of people agreed that the internet spreads a lot of misinformation. So make sure your children know they can come to you if they’re ever in any doubt about things they’ve read online.

The other key things to discuss with your children are contraceptives and STDs. Again, not the most fun topic of conversation, but vital for making sure they go out into the world with all the knowledge they need to enjoy sex safely.

One added benefit of talking openly with our children about these things is that they’ll hopefully then feel more comfortable talking about them in the future with their partners and with medical professionals. Just under a third of the adults in Curely’s survey said that they’d avoided discussing their sexual health with their doctor because they felt embarrassed, and this embarrassment in general seems to be the biggest hurdle stopping people discussing issues around sexual health. So if we can have these conversations with our children as they grow up, hopefully we can make some positive changes for them and help them have more open conversations when they’re needed later on in life.

If you want to read more about the research carried out by Curely, including interesting stats on contraceptive use and attitudes around STDs, then make sure you read their full report.

Disclosure: this is a collaborative post

Parenting a child with a genetic disorder presents unique challenges that can feel overwhelming. As a parent, you’re tasked with not only managing your child’s medical needs but also understanding and addressing the complexities of their condition.

This journey demands a combination of resilience, knowledge, and support. To help you effectively handle these challenges, we’ve compiled essential tips for managing a child’s genetic disorder. These strategies will empower you to advocate for your child, coordinate care, and maintain a balanced family life while ensuring your child’s well-being.

1. Educate yourself about the condition

The first step in managing a genetic disorder is to thoroughly understand the condition your child is facing. Knowledge is power, and the more informed you are, the better equipped you’ll be to make decisions and advocate for your child. Research the genetic disorder, its symptoms, and treatment options. Connect with specialists and attend educational seminars or support groups.

Stay updated on recent studies and advancements in treatment to be aware of new therapies or interventions. Gaining a comprehensive understanding of your child’s condition will also enable you to communicate more effectively with healthcare providers and advocate for the best possible care.

2. Build a support network

Managing a child’s genetic disorder can be overwhelming, so it’s crucial to build a strong support network. Reach out to family and friends who can offer emotional and practical support. Consider joining support groups or online communities where you can connect with other parents facing similar challenges.

Sharing experiences and advice with others who understand your situation can provide comfort and valuable insights. Regular interactions with these groups can also help you stay informed about new resources and strategies.

3. Coordinate with healthcare professionals

Regular communication with healthcare professionals is essential for managing your child’s condition. Establish a team of specialists who are knowledgeable about your child’s specific disorder and ensure they collaborate on their care. Schedule regular check-ups and keep detailed records of your child’s medical history, treatments, and any changes in their condition.

Effective coordination with your child’s healthcare team can help you stay on top of their needs and make informed decisions about their care. Don’t hesitate to seek second opinions or ask for referrals to specialists who may offer additional insights or treatment options.

4. Implement practical adjustments

Managing a genetic disorder often involves making practical adjustments to accommodate your child’s needs. This might include modifications to their daily routine, special educational resources, or adaptive equipment. 

Assess your child’s needs and consult with professionals to implement changes that will enhance their quality of life. For instance, if your child has Turner Syndrome, adjustments such as hormone treatments and regular monitoring of growth and development may be necessary. Evaluating and adjusting these accommodations regularly can help address evolving needs and improve their overall well-being.

5. Focus on your child’s emotional well-being

Children with genetic disorders may face emotional and psychological challenges as they grow. It’s important to support their mental health and well-being alongside their physical care. Encourage open communication and create a supportive environment where your child feels safe expressing their feelings.

Seek professional counseling or therapy if needed, and help your child develop coping strategies to manage their emotions and build resilience. Providing opportunities for social interaction and personal interests can also contribute to their emotional stability and happiness.

6. Stay organized and plan ahead

Organization is key to effectively managing a child’s genetic disorder. Keep detailed records of medical appointments, treatments, and medications. Use a planner or digital tools to track important dates and follow-ups.

Planning ahead can help you stay on top of your child’s care and prevent any issues from falling through the cracks. Establishing a routine for managing paperwork and medical information can also reduce stress and ensure that nothing is overlooked.

7. Advocate for your child

Being an advocate for your child is crucial in ensuring they receive the best possible care and support. Learn about your child’s rights and work with healthcare providers, educators, and other professionals to ensure their needs are met.

Don’t hesitate to speak up and seek out resources or support services that can benefit your child’s well-being. Engaging in advocacy can also help raise awareness about the condition, potentially leading to increased support and resources within your community.

Conclusion

Handling a child’s genetic disorder requires a comprehensive approach that integrates medical care, emotional support, and practical adjustments. By staying informed about the condition, building a strong support network, and advocating for your child’s needs, you can face these challenges with greater confidence and strength.

Remember, connecting with healthcare professionals and other families in similar situations can offer invaluable support and insight. With the right resources and strategies, you can help your child thrive and ensure they receive the best possible care and opportunities for a fulfilling life.

Disclosure: this is a collaborative post

In unpredictable financial times, it’s important to take steps to future-proof your legacy. This is where family financial planning comes in.

Family financial planning allows you and your family to achieve your individual and collective goals comfortably while also enjoying life experiences. 

It also helps put in place an additional layer of financial security to overcome any bumps along the road to your financial future. With proper family financial planning, it becomes easier to pass major milestones with minimal worries. 

At first glance, creating a comprehensive plan for your family finances may appear intimidating. However, that is not the case. 

In this guide, we’ll explore everything you need to know about family financial planning and the different ways you can use it to future-proof your legacy. From understanding the importance of family financial planning to creating wills and trusts online and planning for retirement, we’ll teach you everything you need to know. 

Let’s begin!

What Is Family Financial Planning?

Family financial planning (FFP) is a unique approach to managing your financial resources effectively. Through FFP, you apply various strategies to receive a long-term outlook on your family’s finances and plan for the future.

This type of planning goes beyond just your monthly income and spending. It aims to create long-lasting financial security and stability for your future self alongside your family. 

Why Is Family Financial Planning Important?

Financial planning is the process of creating a plan to achieve your specific financial goals. Everyone has different financial situations with different incomes and goals. That’s why the process isn’t a one-size-fits-all plan, especially when you add a family into the mix. 

By working with a plan, you and your family can explore the things you want to do and options you may not have had access to, such as purchasing a home. 

When it comes to family financial planning, everyone’s goals are different. Many believe that family financial planning is all about elevating your lifestyle and preserving your wealth and assets. 

While this is true and part of the process, the ultimate goal is to protect you and your family from financial hardship in the future. 

4 Ways to Future-Proof Your Legacy with Family Financial Planning

There is no one way to go about creating your family’s financial plan as the exact steps may vary depending on your needs. However, there are a few standard steps that can help you get started. 

Let’s take a look at four effective ways you can get started with your family financial planning process:

1) Create an estate plan

Having a young family doesn’t excuse putting off estate planning. If you would like to leave something behind for your family after you’re no longer here, an estate plan is an essential piece in your financial roadmap. 

From wills to trusts and powers of attorney, you need to take steps to protect yourself and provide for your family. With the introduction of online legal service providers, the process of obtaining these essential legal documents has also become much simpler. You can now work on putting these essential documents in place from the comfort of your home. 

Through estate planning, you decide how you and your family’s assets are to be managed, preserved, and distributed. By having a sound and enforceable estate plan in place, you can avoid putting your family through a lengthy probate process and ensure your wishes are fulfilled. 

2) Diversify your assets

In times of uncertainty, it’s incredibly important to have a diverse range of assets within your personal finances. 

You need to diversify, not only by holding different classes of assets but also by investing in various industry sectors, regions and valuations. 

With diversification, you can reduce any potential losses and look out for your family’s financial future. 

3) Protect your family with insurance

As you’re building your family financial plan, it’s a good idea to consider investing in insurance as well. If different products and policies are chosen carefully, insurance can be a helpful investment and an essential part of your financial plan.

Through insurance planning, you can assess your family’s needs and risks and find the ideal insurance plans to mitigate them. With the right insurance plans and policies, you can safeguard your family’s finances, home and other assets during emergencies or unexpected situations. 

4) Plan for your retirement

It’s never too early to start thinking about and planning for your retirement. Many believe that there is plenty of time to go before retirement. However, time is fleeting and starting a pension as soon as possible has become a necessity. 

Start by creating some retirement goals based on what lifestyle you want for yourself. Set aside savings for retirement and look into workplace pension plans as soon as you can, to ensure that you are well-off when you retire. 

To sum up

A well-crafted family financial plan can help you improve your family’s finances and work towards your individual and collective financial goals. 

The important thing is to stay flexible with your plan and make adjustments based on whatever life throws your way. 

With the above tips and steps, you can get started on your journey and create a strong and effective plan to establish a healthy financial future.

Disclosure: this is a collaborative post