Bamboo Childcare are exhibiting at Manchester and Cheshires premier baby show 'Mother's Instinct' on Sunday 28th November 12pm - 5pm.

 

The show takes place at The Waterside Hotel in Didsbury. Entry is free and open to everyone - there will be retail stalls from the area's leading businesses with fantastic offers, competitions and promotional discounts on the day, plenty of entertainment for the kids and a centre piece catwalk activity centre showcasing several live demonstrations.  And of course we'll be there too so come along and say helloo!!

There's nothing more important than the safety of your child, so when you or your spouse has something come up at the last minute, or your child is not able to attend school or nursery a go-to list of emergency providers is incredibly important when you're short on time.

 

 

The first thing you need to do is make a list of the people closest to you that you know and trust. Call those people and ask them if they'd be willing to watch your kids in an emergency. Planning ahead and compiling a list will make a last minute engagement or emergency much less stressful because you'll already have a good idea of who will be there to watch your child. However, not everyone has friends or relatives that are able to help you at short notice. Bamboo Childcare can offer you suitably qualified and checked Nannies at short notice. We will endeavour to deal with your request whatever the time 7 days per week and can find you a suitable childcarer from a period of four hours to a week.

 

If you have an immediate need for childcare or just require more information about our services do not hesitate to contact us on 08448225727.

Taking young children out to a restaurant can be a stressful experience for the parents and also for the other diners without children. However parents perception of their toddlers behaviour is probably much worse than it actually is.

 

There are people who don't want to sit next to families, particularly fashion conscious 20 and 30-somethings working off a hangover," says father-of-three Peter Harden, publisher of Harden's Eating Out With Babies And Toddlers, which was co-produced by parenting website gurgle.com. So the advice is to try and choose your table carefully or ask the waiter/ waitress to find you a suitable table.

 

Top Tips for dining out with young children by Mumsnet Katie O'Donovan

Go to a restaurant that won't stress you or the kids out

 

Go when the toddlers are not too hungry

Take a stash of books or small quiet toys

Try and sit away from the romantic couples

There is safety in numbers

If your children cannot be quietened take them outside until calm is restored

 

Harden's top 11 for toddlers 

 

Giraffe

Pizza Express

Carluccio's Caffe

Wagamama

Byron

Strada

Nando's

Jamie's Italian

Ask

Cafe Rouge

Zizzi

Based on survey of 8,000 restaurant-goers for baby food firm Plum and Harden's

 

Please complete our pole on whether you think toddlers should be able to dine in restaurants 

  

Information gained from BBCnewsmagazine online

Manchester City cpuncil is planning to save 26% of its budget for children's service by only allowing access to the children centres to some families rather than open access to all as is the current policy. They are also planning to remove all qualified teaching roles in the centres

 

 

 

The council is then planning to commission the centres out to the private and voluntary sector.

Does the 'mozart effect' really exist.  Recent research has claimed that exposing babies to music can boost IQ, improve health and strengthen family ties. Scottish Opera hope to research this further in their musical productions geared towards babies which are planned to be shown at the following venues:

 

Wythenshawe Forum and St John's Church Knutsford May 24 and May 25.

The Lyceum on Union Street, Oldham Saturday 28th May

Manchester International Festival from July 2-17 at Salford Quays. 

The show is geared towards stimulating development through music, sound and live singing in 30 minute sessions.

 

 

For further information please read following link from Manchester Evening News

 

 

 

Bamboo Childcare and Glo Family set to celebrate National Family Week at Glo Family Cheadle

 

Bring your family and join the fun!

Charity Family Fun Day

03 June 2011 10.30am – 12.30pm

98 Stockport Road, Cheadle, Stockport, SK8 2AJ.

 

National Family Week is back (30 May – 5 June 2011) and promises to be even bigger and better with a fun-filled week of activities, events, money saving offers and competitions for the whole family to enjoy. Now in its third year, National Family Week is the largest celebration of families and family life in the UK. This year over 6,000 family-friendly events and activities will take place all across the UK during the week and Bamboo Childcare and Glo Family are proud to be part of this great family initiative. On 03 June 2011 10.30am at Glo Family join us for a fun-packed day out in support of National Family Week 2011 and don’t miss out on this opportunity for a great day out with your nearest and dearest. 

 

The average family spends just 49 minutes a day together according to a poll commissioned by National Family Week in 2010 so it’s time to shine the spotlight on spending time together as a family and highlight the importance of this. Bamboo Childcare and Glo Family would like to invite families from Manchester, Stockport and Cheshire  to join us for a charity Fun day on Friday 3rd June 10.30am – 12.30pm in the gorgeous gardens of Glofamily,  Cheadle (If it rains the fun will reconvene in the studio). We will have a number of activities on offer during the a morning including Pyjama Drama, Little SuperStars, Face Painting, dance and summer craft activities.

 

Tickets are a steal at £2.50 per child with all proceeds going to Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital. Home made biscuits and juice will be on offer for the children.

 

 

Please contact Bamboo Childcare on 08448225727or Glofamily on 0844 8007380 for further information or to book.   Please note places are limited so book early!

 

 Join us for some family fun and celebrate your family during National Family Week this year.

 

For more details on Our Charity Family Fun Day, to see what else is happening in your area and across the UK and to access huge giveaways, great competitions and loads of special offers, visit www.nationalfamilyweek.co.uk

 

Women in the UK face many challenges such as juggling work with childcare, balancing family life with worklife, social life with domestic duties, making the right decisions for childcare and education. Over the last 100 years these challenges have changed and women have gained so much, however that is not to say life is easier in the UK than it was then for women, just different. 

 

 

International Women’s began in the early 1900s when women started to march and demonstrate to demand the rights, better working conditions and most memorably the suffragettes whom fought for the right to vote, hence the change in the opportunities, social standing and lifestyle of women in the UK.

 

We must use this day to celebrate the success of women but also to remind people that women are still unrepresented in some areas of business, are underpaid compared to men and in some industries do still experience inequality. Also across the world women are repressed and experience a lack of opportunity in terms of education and health and social care.

 

International Women’s Day is a means to ensure that the women of now and the future have even more opportunities both locally and internationally than we do today.

Half term is coming and for working parents with school aged children this can be both a logistical and financial concern.

According to a leading provider of childcare vouchers, parents are missing out on thousands of pounds of savings for after-school and holiday childcare.

 Figures from Computershare Voucher Services (CVS) show that the majority of childcare vouchers are generally used on nursery care (68% on average each month) compared to 8% of parents who use the vouchers for afterschool care or activities.

Even during the summer months of July and August, very little voucher uptake was recorded for  day time activities and holiday activities, which suggests many parents are not aware that vouchers can be used in this way and for children up until the age of 16.

For example did you realise that vouchers can be used for the following once your child has started school:

 

·         Out of school clubs

·         Childminder

·         Nanny (if registered with Ofsted)

·         Extra curricular activities

·         Holiday clubs or schemes

·         Activity holidays including Camp Beaumont, PGL and Supercamps.

 

Also thanks to new legislation introduced in 2008, schools that offer qualifying childcare can now accept Childcare Vouchers. This could include activities such as music lessons and sports clubs*, providing they are:

·         invoiced separately to compulsory education fees

·         taking place after school hours

·         are not a part of the National Curriculum

·         taking place on the premises that forms part of the school’s annual inspection.

 

With half term approaching please be mindful that there may be activities on offer, and childcare options available where vouchers can be utilised, so don’t miss out! 

*In England only.

We were pleased to attend the Open day of Yournursery ltd in Openshaw on Saturday 4th September. 

 

The Nursery is provides a wonderful nurturing and stimulating environment for children in so many respects. The rooms are large and airy whilst still maintaing a 'warm' feeling that children need. The equipment available is great with everything from an indoor tree house to soft areas for sleep and relaxing.  Sue has also put a lot of thought into the physical needs of children such as, providing toilets that are of different sizes, so they can be used by toddlers just starting toilet training to children of pre-school age.

 

We are pleased to have supported Sue with her staffing needs and wish her all the best for the nursery over the coming months and years.

 

If you require more information about the nursery or would like to enquire about places please contact sue Moore on 0161 220 7662 or enquiries@yournurseryltd.co.uk

A study by the Society for Research into Child Development has concluded that when mothers return to work months after having a child their babies’ wellbeing is not adversely affected. 

 

The outcome of this report is welcomed by the many women such as myself and my business partner Hayley Knowles, who have struggled with the guilt of returning to work after having children, particularly as other research has informed us that returning to work may negatively effect our children's development. Once my first child had settled into nursery I knew that I had made the right decision to return to work and now my second son also enjoys his time there. I believe that their development has been enhanced due to the provision at the nursery they attend and with a part-time nanny they get excellent care.. 

 

The key to happy and well rounded children seems to be good quality childcare, whether it be at home with parents/carers or a nanny or outside provision with a childminder or a nursery.