Is your wardrobe ready to POP?!

It’s not easy being a SMOG. What is a SMOG I hear you cry? Well, um, actually it is a 'smug mother of girls’. My mum told me about the phrase after reading it in The Daily Mail (so it must be true). I assume it means that typically girls are perceived as being less trouble than boys – after all ‘boys will be boys’ (whatever that means!).

Jo and George from 'POP'

 

Of course it’s a load of rubbish. I might not have to regularly break up Star Wars re-enactments that have got woefully out of hand – or visit A&E with broken bones from tree climbing, skate boarding and roughhousing (again, whatever that means), but girls come with their own foibles and challenges. And a lot of girls also break bones, love Star Wars and can throw a punch like a heavyweight (I include myself in that last category, so leave a comment on this blog or I’ll send myself round!!!).

One of the major issues with raising my girls has been clothes. It’s fair to say that my younger daughter was known far and wide for her love of tutus. It didn’t matter if it was cold, if we were knee-deep in mud or actually at a ballet class, a certain ‘Hello Kitty’ tutu was always part of her outfit. I had to wash it nearly every day to keep up. Her elder sister can be just as obsessive – she has been through phases of only wearing pink, only wearing t-shirts that don’t cover her tummy, refusing to wear long-sleeved items unless they are under a shorter sleeved one (?) and is currently a trousers-only girl on the basis that tights are annoying (yes, they are).

Apparently boys wear clothes too...

 

So perhaps unsurprisingly, our wardrobes tend to have items that are well-loved-but-way-too-small-that-cannot-ever-be-thrown-out and items that have been rejected completely because of colour, fit, fabric, sleeve-length or some such nonsense. This means a lot of clothes that still have plenty of life left in them are grown out of  – and that I’m not keen on buying new clothes unless I know my girls are going to wear (and wear and wear) them.

Well, a girl can never have too many shoes - am I right?

The solution? Decent second hand clothes sales! And specifically the ‘POP’ ones run by local mums Jo and George (sales take place in Hare Hatch and Wargrave). Before the sale I take along my barely worn but lovely children’s clothes to be priced up and hung on the rails – and during the sale I take along my two little angels to select items to their own (albeit peculiar) tastes. At the end I get a little money and I spend a little money. My girls get clothes they’ll wear – and someone else’s children get to wear the items mine have spurned. It’s a win/win situation!

Girls Rule and Boys Drool!!

 

And while you have just missed the last children’s sale (silly moo, like it on Facebook now so you don’t slip up again) – you can take advantage of the duo’s first sale of Ladies clothes and accessories on October 15th. I’ll be taking along some items that still have the price tag on (oh, I’ve just realised where my girls get their ridiculous behaviour from) – and hoping to nab a few new winter wardrobe pieces at purse-friendly prices!!

Were you at POP this time round? Or was your wardrobe?! Show these local lovelies your support by commenting below...

Henley Literary Festival - running on empty!

Why does the petrol light always go on when you are in a bit of a rush? And why is it that I’m always in a bit of a rush anyway? Well it did, and so it was that I drove in a mild state of panic to Bix Manor – a rather lovely llama-inhabited (seriously, this is my serious face) 17th century brick and flint barn – for the Henley Literary Festival's ‘From Blog to Book’ event. Two celebrated bloggers Maggy Woodley and Helen McGinn were there to talk the audience through how their enormously popular blogs jumped off the screen and into the covers of real-world books.

From Blog to Book

Maggy Woodley is the author of Red Ted Art - Cute and Easy Crafts for Kids. And boy, she knows how to ‘upcycle’. The book gives the reader inspiration and practical tips on how to get down and dirty with kids as they craft everything from lavender wands to salt dough beads. Sections cover Halloween and Christmas, paper crafts, edible goodies, sewing and everything in between. Many of the crafts are environmentally friendly and fall into the ‘thrifty’ category too.

Helen McGinn meanwhile made it quite clear her talents lie closer to the wine cellar than the sewing box. A former supermarket wine buyer her unpretentious blog has now become The Knackered Mother’s Wine Club: Everything you need to know about wine and much, much more. The book gives golden-rules and tips on wine buying bypassing sniffy snobbery and industry jargon. Helen also writes a column in the Daily Mail and appears on Alan Titchmarsh Show giving advice on how to choose that perfect bottle.

So how exactly did these passions end up published?

The two lovely bloggers turned authors

The easy way
Helen’s blog started after a ‘light bulb moment’ while googling breastfeeding advice. She happened upon a blog that helped her in an entirely new way and she didn’t feel intimidated or overwhelmed – unlike official sources of advice she had previously struggled with. And that’s when it hit her – choosing wine could be just as scary for the uninitiated. So instead of just passing her knowledge onto friends and family in a weekly email, she started to blog about which bottles she was buying. Pretty soon the Knackered Mother’s Wine Club had attracted a legion of fans – and even had one fan give up a less-than-fulfilling day job and open up a wine bar! It wasn’t long before her blog caught the eye of a publisher. Six months later her book was written (using comments on her blog as a guide to what readers wanted to know).

And what if you are hoping to follow in her footsteps? Helen advises that you write on a topic you feel passionately about (for her they’ll always be more wine to try…) and find a good online community to support you (she recommends Britmums). And then, just maybe, a book might be born!

The not-so-easy way
For Maggy Woodley, Her Red Ted Art blog began as a way to relive her happy childhood memories of crafting with her own children. She found being creative also gave her the extra outlet many Stay At Home Mums need to recharge their batteries. As her blog grew in popularity she found she was often asked to review craft books – and it wasn’t long before she knew she wanted to pen one herself. After building up her ‘blogging CV’ with pieces in the national press and creating a dedicated social media presence on Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook, her perseverance paid off and a publisher said yes it had been considering her as a potential author. From there she nabbed herself an agent, used the blog to see which crafts were most popular and those that people were generally more apprehensive about and set about putting her passion into publication.

Looking back, Maggie realises she had tremendous support from her family and feels she’s found the perfect way to integrate what is now her job with her family. Her children are included in her crafting – and appear throughout the pages of her book. For her, the personal connection and identity a blog makes is the all important factor for getting the book deal – because it’s that sparkle that will make the title shine out from the bookshelf.

Shopping bag by Books Are My Bag campaign

Do you have a book inside you that’s fighting to get out? And what kind of blog do you think would make a best seller? Comments below please!

The 2013 MAD Blog Awards – my top 5 highlights

Now it could be said that bloggers don’t get out much – and that’s why you’ll find them tippy tapping on their keyboards late into the night. Well, let me tell you that is a misconception. MAD (Mummy and Daddy) bloggers can party – I know, because I’ve seen faces being licked and ladies with red petticoats ‘surfboarding’ well past Cinderella’s bedtime. Yes, I was lucky enough to be at the 2013 MAD Blog Awards ceremony. It was quite some night – and here’s why:

 

I got to meet a CBeebies celeb

When I prized open my mascara-caked eyes on Saturday morning, I had the ultimate trophy for my kids; a picture of me and Dr Ranj from Get Well Soon.  Dr Singh is actually a real-life paediatrician, and a bloody good live presenter too – he wasn’t flummoxed by the autocue when it went too fast (or stopped completely), missing presenters or even when he said ‘breast’ instead of ‘best in a room that was 95% female. Oh how we laughed. He even let me take a selfie with him. And when I showed my disbelieving youngest the snap she said ‘He has the same smile as on TV, and now I’m smiling too’. Awwwwww.

The doctor will see you now...

 

There were some shit hot bloggers there

I enjoy writing my blog, and some kind people have told me they enjoy reading it. The finalists (and the winners natch) in the MAD Blog Awards however, take it up to a level I can barely dream of. They run web sites that inspire, educate, entertain, help and support other parents. I was lucky enough to meet the lovely Hannah Smith from Mama Bear With Me in the lift. She was a finalist in the Most Entertaining Blog category and writes about her life with her two small boys. Like me she has a poor sense of direction (instead of going to the basement we ended up on the 9^thfloor) – I can only hope she got home okay! Then there was the rather stunning Louise Turner from All The Camping Gear, who was up for the Best Family Travel Blog, and the powerhouse that is Fi Star-Stone of Childcare is Fun, who picked up an Award for Outstanding Contribution.  And finally I had a brief, but entertaining, exchange with Annie from Mammasaurus, who won the Most Innovative Blog Award. Thank you for taking the time to speak to me ladies.

Where the best of the bloggers come to meet

 

There was an awesome goody bag!

The event had some serious sponsorship – companies like JohnLewis, Mothercare, Puffin Books, TK Maxx and HomeAway sponsored individual awards, while some of the lovely frocks bloggers were rocking were supplied by WishWantWear. And then there was Mr Mozzarella – from Just Eat. A little bit strange, but hey, everyone loves a takeaway! But when all’s said and done, nothing, but nothing, replaces the thrill of a goody bag – and what a goody bag it was – full of lovely treats to dish out to my long-suffering hubby and neglected kiddos. A Horrid Henry book, sparkly Kids Stuff bubble bath, Brabantia stickers, badges, magnets and mirrors from Camaloon, chocolate From Seagate UK, Start-rite vouchers and Oriflame lippy – all presented in a lovely Parentdish (the headline sponsors) tote. Riffling through it gave me something to do on the train home too!

I met the Tots100 Team

I got to help out at the MADs courtesy of Tots100, the UK’s network for Mum and Dad bloggers, which has more than 5,000 members. It produces a directory of parent blogs, and analyses and ranks all of the blogs in its community, measuring popularity, engagement and influence. And boy, do the people from the Tots team work hard at the MADs! Scurrying around, setting things up, taking things down, ushering peeps to make up, running a live blog to cover the event, taking photos, operating a surf simulator, making sure the presenters, finalists and winners are all where they should be and generally putting everyone at ease. Imagine life without the MADs. Hats off to them (and particularly Sally Whittle, the founder of the MAD Blog Awards and Tots100, who I hope is under a large gin somewhere)!

I spent the evening at a plush London hotel

The awards took place in Kensington’s fabulous (and family-friendly) Royal Garden Hotel. The night kicked off with a drinks reception (I do like to be offered bubbly from a shiny tray) and was followed by a scrumptious three-course dinner (I sat next to the dewy-complexioned Yolanda Barker from Totz2teens). They even made a swan out of chocolate. I’m not sure how. And I got to do all this 5-star wining and dining without having to load the dishwasher afterwards. That, my dear friends, is a true treat. Thank you Tots100!

A chocolate swan - but how????

 

What's the most fabulous event you've been to? And did you get a snap with a celeb? Let me know in the comment box below!

Go back to work they said, it’ll be fun they said

Last week I learnt a few lessons. And those lessons were about combining paid work with motherhood. I had the chance to earn some cold hard cash on a project that was facing tight deadlines. It would necessitate late nights and gritted teeth, but it would be a good ‘in’ with a new client and give me the chance to see if I’ve still got it.

True, I’ve done a bit of work here and there since having kids, but mostly I’ve been a stay-at-home mum. I was happy to take a career break while they were small, play tea parties on the floor, take them to toddler groups, sing Baa Baa Black Sheep in front of strangers, then get them to and from pre-school and infants as they got a bit bigger, attending all the assemblies and shows, and generally being hands-on and hassle-free. But now my days (well, 9am to 3pm!) are my own and the writer/editor/grammar Nazi inside of me is beginning to stir. And there was job on offer…

 

Barbie is up against the clock...literally.

But, the transition from SAHM to Working At Home Mum was not as easy as I thought. This was not an ideal job scenario granted – I needed to put in a full working day for a complete week – including some weekend work. My hours had to be split into working until the kids came home from school and then getting back into the office once they were in bed. Working until late, or indeed early the next day.

Get your game on

Suddenly I realised just how much I’d let my ‘home office’ slip. I used to run my own business, but somehow the office is also a junk room now, my printer needed replacing and I have enough glare on my screen to summon Batman. So before I could even earn some money I had to lay a whole load down on some new equipment and – horror – tidy up the place. I also had to quickly learn how to cheat my way around an outdated version of Word (I love you Internet forum nerds), hook up a second monitor and talk to strangers. I basically had to be (or at least appear to be) professional. That was a shock to the system I can tell you.

Ask for and accept help

My days were basically going like this: get up, get kids up, take kids to school, work, pick up kids, feed kids, put kids to bed, make packed lunches, tidy house to prevent flies from colonising kitchen, work. Occasionally I would treat myself to some toast – or a few hours of sleep – nothing crazy though – there were deadlines to meet. I did make the gym a couple of mornings too, which slotted into the client’s timeframe nicely – honest!!

 

Take it Mummy - 'cos Santa's sack ain't gonna fill itself...

 

Since my husband was away for the entire week and most of the weekend too, as well as playing crazed career mum I was also having a run as a single mum. I’m generally not very good at accepting help from friends or family, and did turn down a few offers. I suspect I felt like I should be able to cope. However, the weekend was tricky to manage, and would have been a bit unfair on the kids; there’s only so much ‘free-play’ or CBeebies you can expect two children to undertake together before it gets violent. Luckily my Mum was scheduled to babysit on Saturday night anyway, and she offered to come early and stay the next morning too. (Yes, not only did I have to stay sober at a friend’s party, I had to get up the next morning and work – the sacrifice!!!).

Don’t overdo it!

This is a lesson I learnt, but didn’t actually ‘pass’ the test on. Talking to other working mothers I have now discovered it is very hard to get working hours that suit your family life. There’s always a compromise it seems. While working like I did was pretty hard core for a first foray back into my career, it would hopefully be a one-off. I would aim to schedule future projects far better – and only put in a few hours a day – ideally when it was daylight. I’d be looking to increase that work, once the kids were older and more independent. Although saying ‘no’ can be hard in the freelance world, and it was a never in my nature before!

 

Oh Bed, when can we be together again?

Needless to say, by the end of the week I was exhausted, but glad I’d done it. I’ve realised a few things that should help me craft the ideal work/life balance that all working mums (and dads) are struggling to find. Maybe there’s a future for working me out there somewhere – as long as I’m not blinded by my screen before then…

Have you found the ideal job to combine with caring for your kids? Is it something you worry about? Perhaps you are wondering how you could go back to work and still run a home? Comments in the box below please.

 

Show me the carrot...!

On the whole my kids don’t need that much modification. In fact, their default settings are generally quite pleasing. A few tweaks here and there, and they’ll grow up to be shiny, happy people with lots to give back to their world. Well, that's what I tell myself anyway!

In the past, when I’ve wanted to them to stop doing something – or indeed – start doing another thing altogether (I’m so demanding!), I’ve resorted to high stakes bribery – usually a shiny new top perched on the top of the fridge until the desired outcome is reached. I’ve made makeshift charts that require a certain amount of ticks – and doled out sweeties as incentives. And this is how we’ve navigated such milestones as dumping dummies, accepting a new swimming teacher (‘but I love Angieeeeeeeeeeee’) and STOPPING SHOUTING ALL THE TIME (yeah, Mummy needs one of those charts, but the kids can’t afford the Marc by Marc Jacobs dress I’ve requested, so the shouting will continue until they get me that frock).

Shameless bribes for children

 

But, since part of the mummy job, is on-going support and encouragement (right?) there are always a few things we need to work on, a few behaviours I’d like to see more of. And as they’ve got older, there is less of getting rid of undesirable behaviour and more of reinforcing the positive. And this is where a decent reward chart comes in; specifically where a Radical Rewards chart comes in...

Radical Reward Charts are designed by artist Vita Bosque-Greene, and look more like posters than the type of incentive charts you might be used to seeing. Some of the designs will particularly appeal to boys and older children too. Themes include Creepy Crawlies and Gruesome Graveyard for example. This is not the place to come for Princessy pink or fussy fairies!

 

Chart their success!

 

 Experienced guide

The charts use a 20 step progress route that can be used again and again, and the child goes up the chart rather than receiving points or stickers in a straight line. At the top of the chart lies the reward of your choosing (in this house it was a toy £5 note, to be exchanged for a real one when the summit was reached). The company also sends out some simple guidelines to help you use the charts effectively and the founder, Amanda Noble-Simmons, a mother of four herself, offers online support to further guide you on your child’s behaviour and best use of the charts. The top tip I picked up was to have a half-way mark incentive, as to reach the top of the chart might take some time, and younger children can lose interest if the result seems unobtainable. 

 

Instead of pre-set behaviours, the chart is open-ended so that parents can tailor the process to reward any good deeds they wish to see more of. When you buy the charts you can also opt to have a photo of your child laminated by the company and sent to you along with your chart. My two loved the novelty of seeing the tiny mini-me versions of themselves climbing up the chart. Or if you prefer you can use a cheeky-looking carrot to climb up the chart on your behalf (he’s holding a stick – carrot and a stick – geddit?). There’s no need for the naughty step Amanda believes, when you concentrate on reinforcing the positive.

It's all about the veg - not the stick!

The verdict

I have to say my kids loved the charts. They took some time to choose a theme and would have liked some more girlie ones with pet animals on apparently but opted for the Wacky Wildlife style. We had sweets at the half way mark and a list of ways to climb the chart (including tidying their bedrooms, being ‘super’ kind or helpful and completing school-type work during the holidays in an attempt to bypass the summer brain-drain!) by the side. I also randomly moved them up for behaviours that weren’t listed (as suggested in the accompanying advice), for example when somebody at the swimming pool commented on how well they were behaving.

The girls really took to the novelty of having mini-versions of themselves ‘achieving’ and the eldest told me that the chart made her ‘determined to get to the top’! Once they had reached number 20 and got their hands on their money, they were keen to start the process all over again too!

From mummy’s point of view, the charts will last and can be modified to suit both my children and the different ages and stages they pass through. And it covers up a wall that needs painting with rather fetching art!

Do you use reward charts – and do they work for your offspring? Do you have another method of reinforcing positive behaviour you care to share? Comments in the box below please!

For the purpose of this review Radical Reward Charts gave me two Wacky Wildlife charts free of charge. Thank you!

Sparkly mouse ears on – we’re going to Disneyland!

Anyone who doesn’t love Disney hasn’t got a soul. Yes, it’s a huge corporate money mill but what’s not to love about a cheeky green fairy, two dogs that share meatballs and a baby elephant that can fly… And so, since it had been three years since our last visit, we decided to go back to Disneyland Paris.
 

We're here for the kids...honest!

There are of course, many options when it comes to a Disneyland Paris visit. You can stay on site in a Disney hotel, board a special Eurostar train – or just rock up at the gates when you happen to be in the neighbourhood. We chose the latter, mainly because we love the rest of Paris too and our children aren’t really old enough to fully enjoy the new Walt Disney Studios Park or use the more full-on rides. I should add that while my five and seven year olds like Disney princesses and fairies and cute dog and cat characters they do NOT like the films and will fall to pieces if words such as ‘Ursula’ or ‘Cruella’ are even mentioned…

Where we'd all like to live

It’s very easy to get to Disneyland Paris under your own steam. You just need to get an RER A (red) train towards Marne La Vallée (it runs from Charles de Gaulle Etoile, Auber, Chatelet Les Halles, Gare de Lyon and Nation stations). The Disney station is called Marne la Vallée — Chessy, so just check that your train stops there (overhead signs highlight the stations that train stops at, and once on the train you can double check on the screens inside too), and basically follow the brown signs you’ll see everywhere! The journey takes about forty five minutes and the trains run about every fifteen minutes. Don’t get on a train marked Boissy-St-Léger, that’s the wrong bit of the A line!

All aboard!

We hadn’t bought a ticket to enter Disneyland before we left the UK because three years ago we bought a ticket from the train station that covered both our journey there and entrance to the park. This is no longer available, and indeed there has been some media criticism that Brits are generally paying more than the locals to get in. If you do plan to go to Disneyland in the future, it’s probably worth registering with the site and seeing what special offers come up (bear in mind that the Park is an outdoor venue though so it will be cheaper when it's likely to be cold or wet!). And finally although it cost us around £200/£250 to get in to the Park for a day, the Park is open from 10am until 11pm, and we got there as it opened and left at 10pm. If you work out the cost per hour – and compare it to more low key places you often take your kids to and only stay a few hours – it actually isn’t that pricey.

It's a small (and magical) world

Once inside the Park the magic really does begin. There are five ‘lands’ to explore – with Fantasyland being most suitable for the younger guests and Discoveryland the place to go for Laser Blast kicks and the infamous Space Mountain ride. My youngest enjoyed the ‘It’s a small world’ and Dumbo rides, while her elder sister thought the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ one (in Adventureland) was best and loved ‘driving’ a car in ‘Autopia’ (in Discoveryland). There was an amazing selection of rides they could actually go on even at their age, and also a great pirate-themed play area complete with wobbly wooden bridges.

Whooooooosh!

When they needed a bit of a rest, we could hop on the train that encircles the entire park and have a look at what we fancied next. Generally queues were short and there was plenty of space to walk about (Fantasyland seemed the most crowded and I’m convinced that’s because of the pushchairs!). And needless to say my two soft-toy fetishists loved the shops full of high-end Disney merchandise and struggled to choose ONE TOY ONLY! But if blogging ever made me rich (unlikely), I’d go back and buy them one of everything and maybe a Dumbo for me…

Can I have one...pleeeeeeeeeease?

The only down side for us was that the parade was cancelled due to ‘inclement weather’, which we were very disappointed to find out as we had sat and waited 30 minutes for it to start. We were also a little confused as to which forecast the Disney staff were following, because the weather remained fine and sunny for the next three hours we spent in the park. I really felt, if there was a danger of rain or a thunderstorm and that made it unsafe for staff and visitors, they could have postponed it for half an hour and then made a decision. On our Previous visit we did also catch a few more ‘Princesses’ out and about, and I think that this was probably the last time my elder daughter will really think of them as princesses rather than just people dressed up. With the parade cancelled, I thought they might send some of the characters out on foot to meet and greet.

So much to do - and all day to do it!

All in all, we had a lovely day at Disneyland Paris. I’d really recommend it, if you think your child is old enough to last a full day and remember it properly. When it was time to leave we had one very sad little lady on our hands (younger sister was ready to go home by then). I promised her (and myself) we’d come back because if Disney can’t make it better – nothing can!

Don't cry - we'll be back

Are you tempted – or horrified – by the thought of an entire world dedicated to Walt Disney characters? Have you been to the Paris resort or another Disneyland as adult or a child – and are your memories magical? Let me know in the comment box below.

The first part of my Paris trip - with tips on how to get there and where to stay is here.

Paris in pieces – the basics

How did we get here?

 

To say I love the Eurostar is an understatement. I have many fond memories of great (and easy) mini-breaks to the continent pre-children and of business trips travelling first class, supping on bubbles and reading glossy mags (and that’s what they are now – just memories…!!). 

 

Keep up Mummy!

 

Perhaps it’s not surprising then that this is not the first time we have headed off to Paris 'en famille' using this dream machine. But, there are a few things you need to know before you book your tickets! First up, seats on Eurostar core routes like Paris (and Brussels and Lille) can only be bought four months before the departure date. And they sell out fast. Don’t wait for a week or two so you can book a return journey all at once. Get your trip out the day it is released to be sure you can choose the most suitable journey time, get the best price and reserve the seats around a table (essential if you are a family of four). And then – do exactly the same for your return! The tickets for the Disneyland Paris service go on sale six months in advance (I like to think that’s just like buying a ticket to heaven…).

Bedding down

We booked our apartment via Holiday Velvet; the service was impeccable and I would certainly use the company again. It has a whole host of apartments of different sizes in different arrondissements with clear descriptions of the location and facilities on its web site. Reading between the lines (which I don’t advocate since squinting causes wrinkles) the same apartment is also available via Perfectly Paris. 

Worth waking up for

 

The apartment suited our needs well – it has two bedrooms, plus a well-equipped kitchen and bathroom with both a shower and a bath (daughter one is a ‘showerphobe’) and a dining room and living room. This meant that there was plenty of space for the kids to play (and make a mess). It was also architecturally beautiful with gorgeously tall windows, high ceilings and intricate cornices. But while we had narrowed our search down by arrondissement we hadn’t given any thought to things such as – is it near a Metro? (luckily, our apartment was very near two stations, which was just as well when you have spent all day walking about Paris in a heat wave and your five-year-old has really had more than enough of walking thank you very much!) or what sort of sights were nearby (Montmartre since you ask…). Those sorts of things really make a difference to a holiday – we were lucky this time but next time I will double check (what I really mean is, I will delegate this job)!!!

Montmartre

Getting around

 

I feel bad saying this, but I think the Metro could be better than the London Underground. It just seems so much less crowded and there is quite a lot of (multi-lingual) staff around to help out. We survived by buying a 'carnet' of tickets rather than individual tickets which saves about 30 per cent. The carnet gives you 10 tickets that can be used by the whole family (as well as the same person just taking 10 trips!). Maps are up on the walls, but you can ask for one at the ticket office to help you work out your route. We got about ten, since my girls do like to collect things - and I'd rather it was maps than old sweet wrappers or yoghurt pots (no, seriously, this is my serious face). 

 

A ticket to ride

If you and your family are physically capable of knocking off a lot of top sights in a small space of time – and that is how you like to spend holidays – then the Paris Pass might be an option for you. We looked into it, and downloaded the free on-site guide to the city, but decided our kids couldn’t keep up the pace needed to make it worth the price (yeah, that’s right the kids couldn’t keep up, not that we wanted to laze around supping wine in the shade every lunchtime). However, once I had visited the site and downloaded the guide, I did go on to receive an offer of 10 per cent off a pass (so if it is for you, do try and hold out and see if you get the same offer…).

 

As chilled as the wine...

And finally a word of thanks to the people at Holiday Velvet, within our apartment was a fantastic street map, which helped us no end. It was a Michelin Paris Par Arrondissement and it is well worth buying if you are heading off to the city.

This is just the first write-up of our family trip to Paris; I still have the major sights, Disneyland, Paris for kids and shopping bits to file. Not sure which to do next though – so let me know which you would prefer in the comment box below…

My Disneyland Paris review can be found here.