Archive for the ‘Home’ Category

Back To School Preparation

Monday, August 23rd, 2010

During the summer months, it is the norm to slip into a more relaxed routine with later bedtimes and no set schedule. As the summer holidays draw to a close, it is a good idea to prepare for the onset of the new school term by reintroducing your term-time routine. Here are some great tips to help you get back into the swing of things!

Bring Back Bedtime
A set bedtime doesn’t normally exist during the long school holidays but in order to get used to the school run again, it is a good idea to re-establish a good bedtime routine. A couple of weeks before the end of the holidays re-start your usual bedtime pattern – such as bath, story, bed – at your usual time so your kids can get used to a life during term-time. It is also a good idea to wake the children up earlier so they also find this easier once school starts.

Organise School Supplies
To avoid frantic rushes to organise school equipment, uniforms and lunchboxes at the end of the summer holidays, try to get what you need way in advance. Remember all the small jobs that need doing such as name-tagging your children’s clothes, ordering books and stationery and purchasing new uniforms. Ensure you know all the activities your children will be doing come the new term so you can have everything organised and ready to go once September arrives.

Maintain Reading Sessions
Throughout the holidays, try to read with your children daily. You can read with them at any time but if you are busy then bedtime is a good time to get out a good book. Take it in turns to share the reading and enjoy the quality time spent together.

Review Last Term’s Work
As the summer draws to a close, sit down with your child and review the work they completed at the end of the school year. This will help them to remember everything of which they are capable and will reinvigorate their interest in learning. It can also be helpful to revise reading, writing, spelling and maths so they enter the new school term with confidence.

Night Before Planning
No matter how prepared you think you are, preparing everything you will need for the start of term the night before will be a blessing! Put out your children’s clothes, bags and lunch boxes ready for the next morning so you avoid rushing around trying to find everything last minute!

Reflect On The Summer Of Fun!
Finally, spend time with your children reflecting on all the fun things you have done together during the summer holidays. You will have a good giggle remembering all the good times you have shared together. This will help to draw the holidays to a close so you can all look forward to entering a new school year with enthusiasm and certainty.

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The EM Quick Reference Guide To A Fun-Packed Summer!

Monday, August 9th, 2010

Empowering Mums is on a mission to make your summer holidays as fun-packed and stress-free as possible. This is why we have put together a list of great activities for you and your children to enjoy. You can refer back to this list time and again to maximise the time spent with the kids, and avoid any unnecessary boredom that might set in during the long weeks ahead!

1. Plan Events Together
Find out how each family member wants to spend their summer holiday and plan in everyone’s chosen activities. Make sure the wish list is realistic and try to fulfil everyone’s choices throughout the summer.

2. Make It A Date
Life for working mums and stay-at-home mums can be hectic so try to plan at least one night a week where you spend some quality time together as a family. A good way to do this is to have a Friday film night or a Saturday morning swim. Whatever you choose to do, make sure the whole family is involved in the fun.

3. Allocate Responsibilities
Don’t make more work for yourself this summer holidays. Give your children and partner household chores to do. Ensure your children make their beds every morning and tidy their bedrooms at least once a week. Make chores fun by rewarding them for their help, such as giving them some extra pocket money for filling and emptying the dishwasher, or a special treat for helping to clean the car. Although these activities can be mundane, enlisting the help of the entire family will mean jobs get done quicker, leaving you more time to spend together doing fun things. (more…)

Tips To Maintaining A Clutter-Free Home.

Monday, April 26th, 2010

If you have de-cluttered your home but are left wondering how you will ever maintain such an organised environment, these tips should help:

1. Avoid bringing more clutter into your home. Purchase only items you need and know you will use.

2. Avoid moving items around your house: put it away in its rightful place immediately or throw it away!

3. Ensure your family takes part in your efforts. Instil in them these essential life skills so they become organised and in control of their surroundings.

4. Tackle one room at a time when cleaning and tidying. This will help you to avoid becoming overwhelmed with any time-consuming tasks.

5. A mini de-clutter at the end of each month or season is a great habit to adopt. It will help you maintain the organisation of each room of your house without allowing the clutter to re-accumulate. (more…)

Empowering Mums Enjoys Cheshire Mind, Body and Spirit Fair

Monday, April 19th, 2010

I would like to say a big thank you to all those ladies who came to visit and support Empowering Mums at the Cheshire Mind, Body and Spirit Fair at the Northwich Memorial Hall on Saturday. It was great to meet you all and discuss your individual situations and needs.


Many signed up to our complimentary newsletter Empower, which is packed with topics relevant to mums, how to overcome life’s many challenges, personal development tips, Empowering Mums latest news and special offers. (more…)

De-Clutter Your Mind.

Monday, April 12th, 2010

When we think of de-cluttering, we tend to concentrate on the physical nature of clutter. However, it is often the emotional impact clutter has on your life that makes it so unbearable.

If your home requires attention, you are probably experiencing feelings of guilt and embarrassment, such as:

  • How did I manage to accumulate so many unwanted things?
  • How much money have I wasted?
  • Why can’t I maintain a tidy home?

The first thing to do when addressing your clutter is to rid yourself of the negative thoughts you are harbouring about your situation. All mums know just how easy it is to get in a mess! Why should your home be any different?

There are many tips Empowering Mums can offer to help you de-clutter your home, but it is essential you acknowledge the affect it is having on your life – your confidence, your self-esteem and your happiness. (more…)

Celebrate Your Success

Monday, January 18th, 2010

It is often the case that mums feel like life is one long treadmill of chores, work and planning. We forget to enjoy many aspects of life such as finding time to spend with the family and taking much-needed time-out from the grindstone!

It is also true that mums don’t give themselves enough credit for the good work they do and the success they achieve in life. So here are a few typical events in life that call for the occasional ‘Time Out Treat’ (in no particular order):

  • Getting the housework done on the day you planned to do it. TREAT: a cup of tea and your favourite biscuit with your feet up.
  • Earning a promotion at work. TREAT: a night out with your partner or friends (without the kids!)
  • Getting round to booking the car in for an overdue service. TREAT: A quick catch up on the phone with a friend.
  • Helping your child understand their homework topic and they achieve an ‘A Grade’ as a result. TREAT: Quality time together.
  • Winning a new contract for your business. TREAT: A mini facial at your local beauty salon.
  • Helping a friend with a personal issue. TREAT: A long soak in the bathtub! (more…)

New-Look Empowering Mums Website Launch

Saturday, December 26th, 2009

Empowering Mums is proud to announce the launch of its new, fresh and dynamic website, developed with you – our fantastic mums – in mind!

Our new-look website contains a lot of the information found on our previous site but now contains so much more to support you on your journey towards achieving confidence, balance and joy, including:

  • More Personal Coaching Options: Empowering Mums now offers a range of new coaching programmes including 1-2-1 and online coaching. We provide tailored coaching programmes to suit the many requirements, preferences and budgets of today’s busy mums. (more…)

Empower Goes Monthly!

Monday, December 21st, 2009

Empowering Mums would like to take this opportunity to thank all Empower subscribers who have supported us and enjoyed reading our free quarterly newsletter over the last twelve months.

We are now pleased to announce that we have listened to the requests of our many subscribers and, due to popular demand, Empower will now be issued to subscribers on a monthly basis and will remain a free online publication!

Empower will now feature a welcome note from Tracey Wall, founder and director of Empowering Mums and Empowering Mumpreneurs, a themed article, news about the latest events happening in the world of Empowering Mums and exclusive offers for Empower subscribers! (more…)

Maximise Family Fun With An At Home Holiday!

Saturday, August 1st, 2009

2009 has brought some real challenges for families across the UK. The credit crisis has resulted in a huge number of redundancies and many of us are working hard at ‘tightening our belts’. With the summer holidays on the horizon, the Mediterranean sun may have already set for many of us.

But fear not! It really isn’t all doom and gloom! It is possible to enjoy maximum family fun this year without even leaving the comfort of your own home. An At Home Holiday will not only save you money but it can be far more relaxing than a traditional break. The benefits of staying at home this year will leave you feeling relaxed and recharged almost from the outset: with no packing or travel, your time will be freed up for maximum fun! (more…)

How the Sometimes-Single you can strengthen your family relationship

Friday, April 17th, 2009

Have you ever observed your single, child-less friends? From a brief glance, you’ll notice they splurge happily on the latest trends; they can often be found working out at the gym or stretching at a weekly Pilates class; and they have time to relax over a glass of Chablis with colleagues. Delve deeper and you’ll find painfully high stilettos, a fabulous little black dress and matching lacy underwear all ready for that just-in-case, last minute night out with the girls.

Contrast this with your life. As a busy mum, you’re no doubt wearing Marks & Spencer’s safest white knickers under your uniform of jeans and a sweater, which probably has a slimy trail on the sleeve left by your child. Your last night out was to the school PTA meeting and, if you were lucky on Saturday evening, you may have sipped the best tipple your corner shop had to offer. The most fun you had with the bed sheets was when your partner offered to make the bed for you! (more…)