A reason for mums to sit down whilst kids are entertained!!

Right now I SHOULD be getting my daughter ready for school and changing my son’s nappy but I’m blogging instead!  I know that once I get up and start being domestic that I won’t see this computer again for at least 12 hours and there is something I wanted to do first!

As you know, Time Management Mum is about the MUM, not kid focused (although they do play a part of course!!) so I was keen to tell you about a new way to put your feet up for an hour or so whilst the kids are occupied, as we all deserve a sit down from time to time!

If you have pre school age children, you will no doubt have heard of ‘In the Night Garden’.  Well the people who create this TV show have brought out a movie which is showing at Picture House Cinemas across the UK where you pay £3 for a child entry, you get in free and the child gets a toy too!  Double whammy!

The screenings run from 20 March to 2 April and you can check local cinemas and times at the website: www.inthenightgarden.co.uk

PLUS, if you are London based, you could get to go for free if you are a mummy-blogger!  The screening is on 20th March and you should join the British Mummy Bloggers social network and you can find out more there.

I love the cinema as it really is a valid excuse to sit, eat chocolate and do nothing for an hour or so and the kids are happy whilst you are doing it!!

Now, if only I could get a free screening to see the gorgeous Owen Wilson in Marley and Me…..

….. And the winner is…..

Terry Anne!

Terry Anne’s “Me Time” was inspired – it consisted of bubbles, massages and music! Absolute bliss!!

If you missed it, here was Terry Anne’s post:

“My me time has all year round availability. I venture out of the door into the garden and indulge in the 102degrees warmth of the hot tub.

I can relax quietly, listen to the CD player or have a massage with the various water jets.

The added bonus for me is that when in or around water I become very creative, so I often have “light bulb” moments and come up with great new ideas for my business.

Twenty minutes indulgence and I feel like I have had a weeks holiday and ready to face the world again. Bliss!!!”

Terry Anne wins a fabulous ‘Busy Book’ – a fashion led loose leaf planner to diarise her busy life!  It’s on its way Terry Anne – well done!

Ladies, I loved all of your ideas (except perhaps the Sudoku on the toilet – sorry Sam but it reminded me of my hubby who takes the paper to the loo and it drives me mad!!)    🙂

However if you really wanted your own exclusive Busy Book, you can still get one for £39.99 here.

Keep reading Time Management Mum because in the coming weeks I’m re-launching with a fantastic new blog design and will have some great Guest Bloggers, special features for busy mums and more competitions!  Watch this space!

I’m having the whole weekend as ‘Me’ Time now because I’ve just handed my book over to the publishers and this will be my first weekend off in months!  I’m also going to see the Live X Factor show with my daughter tomorrow!!!  Catch you later hot mamas!

Nadine – the Time Management Mum

xx

Competition!! Gimme your ‘Me’ Time!!

Being a juggling, business owning mum (and wife, and trying to be a domestic goddess but not doing so good at that as my cream carpets need a good shampoo – but let’s not go there girlfriend!)

Well, as I was saying, a busy mum like me needs all the ‘me’ time she can get – and so do you!

Today at the school gates another mum made me laugh as tomorrow is Friday – this means ‘Family Learning’ at our school.  I don’t know if every primary school does this but Family Learning is where you go in with the child and stay for approx 45 minutes into the lesson to observe the class and see what the kids are learning.  Parent’s don’t have to go but if they can, the kids love having ‘mum’ or ‘dad’ there and any toddlers or babies that are with ‘mum’ that day are also in the classroom so the kids all find it fun!

Family Learning is great for the kids but can be a drag for some of the parents, because they can’t always make it because of work then they feel bad as their child lays a guilt trip on them, so whenever Family Learning is cancelled – a lot of the parents’ are secretly pleased!:)

Well as it is Family Learning tomorrow, Ive promised my 6 year old I will be there.  One of the other mums has her first Friday off work in months and said how she was looking forward to it, so when another mum reminded her it was Family Learning tomorrow, her face fell and she said she was going to tell her son that she had to work!!  We all laughed – I’m sure she probably will come tomorrow, but sometimes a busy mum has to be creative with getting her ‘me time’.

So it’s COMPETITION TIME…..

I want to hear about your ways of getting some ‘me time’ for yourselves in your busy lives.  Don’t worry – the blokes and kids don’t read this blog so no-one will ever find out!  But tell me what is the most creative way you have ever found to carve out some time….

To make it fun, I am offering a prize to (what I think is the) best or funniest tip!  The winner will receive a Dream PA ‘Busy Book’.  This is a loose leaf personal organiser with a year 2009 week to view diary insert, in a stunning red colour!  The front cover features the kitsch ‘Dream PA’ girl logo embossed into it and it was designed for the stylish modern busy woman to plan her life!  The Busy Book retails at £39.99 and you can read a little more here.  I will be getting photos of this organiser but not until mid Feb so until then you’ll have to make do with a ‘cartoon’ image!

If you want to be in with a chance of winning, simply submit a comment to this post including your first name, your tip or story and your email address so I can contact you if you win!  If you’d prefer to keep your email confidential, then PM me at enquiries@thedreampa.co.uk telling me your tip but if you do this you still need to comment on the blog!  The idea is to share the tips and stories around!!

The competition closes on Friday 27th February at 0900 and I will select the winning story and post the results by 1700 – Good luck!

PS) If you can’t wait that long and want to buy one of these fabulous personal organisers (I use one myself every single day – it goes everywhere with me!) then you can click here and purchase one directly.  That’s an idea – with it being red, it could make a great Valentines Day present!  You’ll have to tell the fella!

PS) Any mums can share their stories but for the purpose of the competition, it’s UK entries only.  I’m not Rockefeller!!