How to make a sucessful New Year's Resolution

How to Make Successful New Year’s Resolutions – more about ‘why power’ than will power.

Answer 5 questions to make your 2011 resolutions successful.

Have you ever made a New Year’s resolution? Maybe you resolved to lose weight, stop smoking or get fit. Did you see it through? The vast majority of people do not and by the end of January they will be back into their old habit patterns after promising this year would be different.

Sound familiar? Ian Henderson, coach and professional speaker, says to make your resolutions stick you need to answer five big questions:

What do you want?

This must be specific (measurable) and focused on what you want to do or have rather than what you don’t want or don’t have.

Why do you want it?

This is the biggest question and gets to your real motivation. You need a big why or your efforts will fail at the first test. Your why might be that to continue causes you so much pain that there really is no alternative. It may be that what you are looking to achieve is so powerful for you that you will do anything to get it. The bigger your why, the easier the how is. Without a big enough why, the how becomes difficult.

Does your goal fit in with who you are as a person?

To be successful it must connect with who you are as a person and what you strongly believe in. If it doesn’t, you will find ways to sabotage your efforts to change and you will be making the same resolutions again next December 31st.

How will you do it?

This is about taking committed action. The good news is that your actions don’t need to be revolutionary. Break a big goal into smaller, achievable targets. Lots of small successes built on each other can make a big change over time.

When will you do it by? 

As soon as possible does not appear in any diary. Putting a date on your goal increases your focus.

Ian says that, "With so many people giving up on their resolutions it seems that they look forward to the New Year to make a new start on old habits. Don’t let this happen to you this year.” 

Weekend Offender Exclusive Dealer Jacket - A Gadget Dad Review

Bring On The Rain?

Weekend Offender just launched their exclusive "Dealer" jacket, which is like all their jackets is looking very sharp, stylish and lightweight. But this one's got a hidden talent...

The Dealer jacket has a clever and unique transparent "Dry View" viewing cover to the front of the pouch pocket. This unique dry view pouch allows the wearer to clearly see the inside of the pouch pocket, thus enabling them to read text messages or to play games in the pouring rain.

Weekend Offender - The stylish Dealer Jacket

Features:

• Specially coated, micro-ripstop fabric in airforce blue.
• Unique double zip neck opening.
• Unique "Dry View" window.

Unique Dry View Window

Check out the review video

(for HD viewing view directly on our YouTube channel)

RRP £80 Available from www.weekendoffender.com

Gadget Dad Verdict:

Weekend offender offers "bad boy" british style clothing. Their web site is cool and their blog is up to date with new products and celebs wearing their clothing range. Also had some funny YouTube videos!

Coming back to their new "Dealer" jacket, the jacket itself looks great and stylish. The 'clear view' pocket was a great idea, but while doing the short video outside for 10 minutes in light rain I came to realise that it had a few short comings.

First thing I realised was that it as a bit difficult to close the unique "clear view" compartment while in the rain without getting your device wet. What would have made this a clear winner to me would be elastics around the area for your hands to go in, so that you would push your hands and device through and the elastics would then "close" around your wrist. This would also make the 'clear view' area less prone to getting wet. The jacket itself also let water in after only 10 minutes in the rain. It seemed to seep water through as if the water repellant coating had come off.

I did like the idea of the double zip neck opening which made it a breeze to take off and put on without messing up your hair style.

Pros:

• Really stylish design.
• Unique 'clear view' window.
• Specially coated micro-ripstop fabric in airforce blue.
• Unique double zip neck opening.

Cons:

• Clear view pocket could have done with some elastic openings for ease of use and more protection agains rainy days.
• Water repellant coating could have been better.

Gadget DadRating: 6/10

Till the next rainy day!

Gadget Dad

Magical Santa Review - A Letter From Santa

My son is 4 and a half and I have been doing everything I can to keep the magic of Christmas alive... that and fairies and everything magical out there. I reckon it's a much more interesting world while we are little, we believe in magic and everything is possible.

So it is my goal to keep magic alive... because the world becomes that much more interesting!

I told my son that he should tell me what he wants for Christmas  and that I would write a letter to tell Father Christmas. He promptly went to give me a long list including a new ipod (yeah right! Talk about anything being impossible!) but amongst that he wants some Disney Cars Monster Trucks, so I told him he should stick to that because Father Christmas has lots of toys to get for everyone so he shouldn't be greedy.

I then went on to www.magicalsanta.co.uk and personalized a letter from Father Christmas for my Funny Bunny and had it sent.

Magical Santa offers four distinct letters, which can be tailored to each child (brilliant if you have more than one child so that they don’t look as though they’ve got the exact same letters as each other!).  Each letter has been written by a published children’s author, and each is written for a specific age group and gender. You can add your child’s name, gender, friend or relative’s name, what they’ve achieved this year and what present they really want. You can even choose from four different designs of decorated letter paper.

The other day the letter arrived in the post in a beautiful envelope with a picture of a Father Christmas on it, it was addressed to my little boy (as I had entered his details), I showed him the letter and he read his name on the front... his eyes lit up and he said "a letter for me?!?" with a smile on his face, he then went on to jump around asking me who it was from!!!

I told him it was from Father Christmas and after even more jumping around he eventually stopped to open it, After he opened it himself I read it for him, it was a bit long but it was written in a way that he understood it and was extremely interested and excited so he listened all the way until the end!!

This letter brought much joy to my little boy and my heart warmed with happiness seeing my little boy so happy and excited... but most importantly it keeps the magic of Christmas alive in our house.

Now he is excited for Christmas Eve when Father Christmas visits us at midnight, we are very impatient and very special in our family, Father Christmas actually sits down and we get our presents directly from him, we even get a photo of us sitting on his lap with him giving us the first present! I'm not sure if it's a family tradition or a Portuguese tradition but it's what we do... and it's magical for the kids!

Rating: 10/10 for making my boy so happy!

The letters normally cost £2.99 (including free delivery* within the UK) when ordered directly from the site. But if you click on http://www.magicalsanta.co.uk/ref/mfogg, the rate is further discounted price to only £1.99!

Monica x

Jessops Launches Beautiful Baby Competition 2011

Your tot's chance to star in Jessops' spring 2011 catalogue.

Jessops, the UK's leading photographic retailer, and parenting publisher Magicalia are pleased to announce the opening of their Beautiful Baby Competition 2011.

Launched to find the cutest cherubs and loveliest little-ones in the UK, one lucky winner will star in Jessops' spring 2011 catalogue. The winning baby will also become the face of Jessops' Kiddies Photobook which will be displayed in all Jessops stores.

As well as the knowledge that their little angel will put a smile on the face of thousands of shoppers around the country, there is also the chance for parents to win up to £1000 of photography equipment.

Twenty-five runners up will also be chosen to star in Jessops' Kiddies Photobook on display in-store, and each will receive a £25 Jessops voucher. To ensure no one gets left out, Magicalia will be showcasing a selection of the entries via an online slideshow in February.

To enter, simply click on the 'win & free' tab on the ThinkBaby or MadeForMums websites at www.thinkbaby.co.uk or www.madeformums.co.uk and upload your fabulous photo.

Best of Luck!

Monica xx

Baby's First Calendar Give Away Winner

Congratulations to Carolin M. from Bristol who won our Baby's First Calendar Give Away!

The winner was picked at random by my 4 year old :)

Monica x

The Christmas take over

PaperTigerNStitches Baby's 1st Xmas Ornament

This Christmas is my little girls first, she's not going to remember all the fuss at 3 months old but I will, and that's what's bothering me.
She’s the first grandchild for my parents and I can't help feeling that everything I'm trying to do to remember her 1st Christmas is being taken away from me.

My mum bought her a Christmas outfit, we'd already decided on a little dress we liked but not bought it yet, we then saw the perfect advent calendar with little doors to open that would last her years but through the post arrived an advent calendar made by my mum that she can keep every year instead, then we decided that instead of big presents this Christmas because she would get so much we would start a charm bracelet for her so that when she's older she'll have something to remember each birthday and Christmas by, along with that we'd get some books which the lead character has the same name as my daughter, they come in a series so would be a great addition and we could build those up every year, but on telling my sister our plans she announced that my mum had found those books and bought them already, my sister incidentally is making her a stocking which she will keep year after year. So now what is left for me to do?

This is my first child, my first Christmas with her and I want her to have a memory of one thing that mummy and daddy got for her first Christmas that she returns to every year, but instead we'll just have photos of everyone else’s presents.

I know they're all meant well and I love that she is being thought about and loved and I understand that she is a long awaited grand child but I just think we could have been consulted?

My partner thinks we should go ahead and get her the things we were going to and she'll just have duplicates but I'm reluctant as it isn't really the same. I think I'll just roll over like I usually do so I don't upset anyone and keep the peace and I am really grateful for everything anybody does for her so it's not like anyone’s done anything terrible! Plus I love Christmas and don't want anything to spoil it.

Having said that if my mum finds this blog (which is unlikely) I know she'd take it the wrong way and feel I'm unappreciative but all I want is to do just 1 thing for my daughter for her 1st Christmas.
Any ideas of keepsakes that I can make or buy for Christmas?
 Emily x

Attempting to plan ahead...

Yes, anyone that knows me knows that I am not too much into planning ahead... planning ahead to me involves writing something on my calendar and leaving it at that.

Not because I can't do it, it's more to do with "I never know what will happen tomorrow" syndrome... so I only plan ahead in detail when I absolutely have to.

Eating on a budget and with not much time to cook, lately we have been falling into the evil ready meals route far too many times than I have liked and this has resulted in particularly me and Booboo not having as many healthy stomach "turns" as is appropriate.
After having 2 kids that is not great for me as my digestive system is sluggish so I put on unhealthy weight and have trouble going to the loo, and then comes the "I am too tired to do anything" attitude too!!! So I need to get back in control and do the right thing.

Another thing is we have been eating far too much meat and not enough vegetables, we all know about animal cruelty and how cows massively contribute to global warming, but realistically I know that we can't be vegetarian, so I just want to cut down on our meat intake and really increase our vegetables, pulses, and other good stuff.

In my attempt to "fix" all of the above and I came up with a "Menu" for the week ahead, a menu that I hope we will achieve eating healthily on a budget.

For lunch we will eat left overs from dinner, I will make more to accommodate as I don't have the time to be cooking lunch and dinner.

Dinner Menu for a Week

Wednesday (today): Chilli con Carne with carrots & Rice
Thursday: Meat Free Sausages with caramelised onions & Fine Green Beans
Friday: Portuguese Pea Dish with Chorizo and Egg ( Ervilhas com Ovos Escalfados ) 
Saturday: Garlicky Potato, Carrot & Ham Bake
Sunday: Tomato & Red Lentil Soup with bread on the side
Monday: Salmon & Onion Fishcakes with Tomato Salad
Tuesday: Portuguese Dish - Gay Chicken (Frango a Paneleiro)
Wednesday: Tuna Nicoise Salad

So I will try to stick to the plan and tell you what happened next week!!
Hopefully a fresh pre planned menu will also restore my enthusiasm for cooking because I have been so bored and fed up with cooking!

What do you do to keep your "menu" fresh & on budget?

Monica xx

Compact Baby Changing Solutions

Busy mums on the move will love the handy baby changing solutions offered by Koo-di, including the latest b.box®, which carries all of baby's changing essentials in one compact case and can conveniently be popped into a handbag.

Complete with a wipe clean changing mat which folds into its storage compartment; a built in refillable wipes container which can be accessed from the outside for sticky fingers and inside for nappy changing; plus room for two small nappies and a tube of cream, mums have everything they need for that emergency nappy change, without needing to lug around a huge changing bag.

The colourful, trendy b.box® is made from durable polypropylene plastic which ensures it holds its compact shape even when fully packed and a flexible arm within holds everything snugly into place.
So whether you are popping out to the shops or on an outing to visit friends, pop your b.box® into your bag or glove compartment and you can relax and know you are prepared for every eventuality.

With slightly more room, but still compact and ideal for travelling is the Koo-di Handy Changer which fits everything little one will need on a journey including nappies, bibs and a change of clothes.
Mums will love the cheerful polka-dot design of this bag plus the two removable matching pouch pockets (great for cotton wool and creams). It also includes an elasticated strap to hold bottles or food jars in place as well as a large wipe clean changing mat.

Koo-di Handy Changer fits under your pushchair!

Ideal for almost every occasion, the Handy Changer is extremely versatile and can double up as a baby toiletry bag!

All available now from www.myfunnybunny.com

Monica xhttp://www.myfunnybunny.com/ourshop/cat_286038-KOODI.html

Jeep Boy's Cotton Rich Socks Review

Jeep JB701 Boy's Contrast Heel and Toe Cushion Sock

With he demands of school wear, sports training and that all important social life, it's no wonder that on average boys between the ages of 3-13 can get trough a whopping 50 pairs of socks every year!

Synonymous with the Jeep heritage, each style from the 4x4 leader has been designed for peak performance. perfect for keeping feet as comfortable as possible, these reliable and hardwearing socks are fashionable, reasonably-priced and long-lasting saving his parents bank balance!

Perfect for everyday 'back to school' wear, these socks have been designed for comfort. Each pack contains a black, charcoal and grey pair of socks to offer stylish choice every morning. They are available in sizes 6-8.5, 9-12, 12,5-3.5 and 4-6. The JB701 is made from a combination of 70% cotton, 20% polyester, 7% Lycra and 3% Nylon that's breathable and suitable for every day use.

Verdict:

Face it, boys will be boys and they will always go through everything faster than expected. That's why these rugged socks from Jeep will make them stretch their normal sock wear and tear limit to the brink of their "wooly" existence. These socks are good quality and at £4 for 3 pairs you can't go wrong, at just over £1 a pair they are good value considering the quality.

They are so padded and thick that my son even wears them around the house instead of slippers! Also nice and warm to wear with his slippers in these cold snowy days we have been having!

Pros:

• Each pack comes with black, charcoal and grey pairs
• Very thick and comfortable
• Breathable
• Great for everyday use as well as sports

Cons:

• Could have done without the Jeep tags as stitching seems to come off with time. ( Could have done with the branding being embedded in the sock as it has on the sole)

Rating: 9/10

Until next time

Gadget Dad

Jabra Street BT3030 Bluetooth Stereo Headset - A Gadget Dad Review

Music and talk meets the streets!

The white Jabra STREET is a stylish Bluetooth hands-free system that plays music from any enabled device such as mobile phones and Mp3 players.

Not only does it look good, it sounds great, finally a product that lets you listen to music from your mobile - without damaging your style!

Play, pause, skip - remote control your music without touching your mobile. Yep, that’s right - no wires!

No need for phone envy - keep it in your pocket! When a call comes in, your tune pauses and the call connects. A microphone in the dog tag picks your voice up, loud and clear, no hands, no missed calls.

The dog tag design keeps the wearing style simple, just wear it around your neck, but if that isn't your style, use the optional clip, clip it to your belt, your bag, your pants - you choose the look, you choose the style. You can also stash it in a pocket!

Great for those who are always on-the-go!

Features

• Up to 7 hours of music playing
• Up to 8 hours talk timeCreate your own style
• Exchangeable earphones
• Optional lanyard and clothing clip
• One device for music and mobile

Check out the cool video presentation on their website here!

Also available in black with an rrp of £49.99 and available from most good retailers.

Gadget Dad Verdict:

Jabra specialise in bluetooth headsets and again came up with a great design to make yet another headset look cool.

The set up was a breeze and i had no problem pairing it with my smartphone. I also had no problem playing music on this and the sound was great. Music was paused when there was an incoming phone call and continued after the call.  The in call sound was very clear and if your phone has voice activated dialling this unit supports it.

I have the white one but a black one is also available. This should also be a great stocking filler!

This is especially great as you don't have to have your phone on show, so hoodnickers* don't get tempted to steal you or your kid's phone.

I liked it so much I bought one for my brother in law as a Christmas gift! (I have 3 brothers in law so even if they read this they won't know if it's for them or not!!)

*Gadget Dad slang for thieves! lol

Pros:

• Setup made easy enough for a little monkey to do!
• Comes in Black and White
• Can wear it around your neck or on a clip (even fit it in your pocket)
• Comes with one year warranty
• Can be used with iPod touch

Cons:

• couldn't find any!

Rating: 9\10

Till next time and steer clear of the hoodnickers!

Gadget Dad

New on Kids Stuff: Paper Toys

If you haven't noticed yet we have a new page called Kids Stuff, where we and other readers share with fun and educational stuff you can do with your kids that can be found around the web.

To find the page just click on the link on the left hand side blog menu and you can see what else we have!

Today we have added Paper Toys, a website where you have hundreds of templates for paper toys that you print out cut, fold & glue!! Absolutely stunning templates like this festive one of Santa's House.

Santa's House is great for older kids to build by themselves or for the parents to build with younger kids, a good activity that daddies will enjoy too!

If you do build it, take a picture and show us!! We will post it up for you ;)

Don't forget to pop back to our Kids Stuff page for other activities for your kids, no matter what age!

Let us know if you want to share anything with us and other readers :)

Have fun!

Monica x

A "shared" wedding...

In April it's my 10th anniversary, me and my husband got married 10 years ago here in England and only his parents and sister got to attend.

His family is scattered all over the world now but mainly in South Africa which is where he is from, he was very sad that the rest of his family didn't get to be at the wedding and we always wanted to renew our vows over in SA so his family could be present when we renew our promise to be each other's forever.

Yes it's corny but its true, after 10 years I still shriek of happiness when I think that my husband is gonna be off work and with us at home on his days off, I sometimes even shriek with excitement when he calls me from work saying he is coming home, I still get all lovey dovey when he shaves just for me and not because he is going to work and we still call each other more than once a day when he is at work or we are apart for some other reason.

I truly believe that we are still in love even after 10 years, I don't mean we just love each other, I mean we are still madly in love with each other... I will proudly declare on my renewal of vows my love for him.

So, enough of the lovey dovey stuff....

Last year when we were on holiday over in SA, my sister in law got engaged, after that, she and my mother in law suggested why don't we set a date for us to go over again and do our renewal of vows too?!?

We discussed it and thought it was a great idea, the family would get invited to one event, at one location but with my sister in laws wedding on one day and our renewal of vows on the next day :)

Great so it was decided, now all I have to do is organise all our bits.... with 4 months to go and us totally skint!!!


We have the venue... http://www.assegaaibosch.co.za absolutely stunning nature reserve, but I need a dress for me, a dress for my dolly BooBoo, something for my hubby and something for my FunnyBunny. Invitations for the family and whatever else....

Monica xxx

Baby's First Calendar Give Away!!!

For your change to win a Baby's First Calendar go to this page here where you can find the question you need to answer!!!

 Good Luck xx

Competition closes at midnight on 12th December 2010

UK residents over 18 only, one entry per household.

We were featured on Mummy Loves...

We were featured on Mummy Loves... Blog a nice interview about the business and myself and how I got to start My Funny Bunny Ltd!

 Oooh and a discount code too, so go and have a read! M xx

Thanks for the Lovely Blog Award

Thanks to The Undomesticated Scientist for awarding us the lovely blog award!!!

http://undomesticatedscientist.blogspot.com/2010/11/loverly-blog.html

Monica xx

Peppa Pig World is coming!

Visit Peppa Pig World's website to enter to win Golden Tickets!!

Paultons Park is always looking for more ways to help you and your family have a fun day out and 2011 will see the family theme park launch a very special attraction when it unveils Peppa Pig World. Exclusive to Paultons Park, Peppa Pig World is a magical kingdom that will bring your children’s favourite TV characters to life and is guaranteed to raise a smile.

Tickets to Peppa Pig World at Paultons Park is a cool Christmas present for your child and a treat for them to look forward to. A truly unique stocking filler and family day out to remember, this is a Christmas gift that will not be forgotten. Visit www.peppapigworld.com/christmas

With seven magical rides, fun animated attractions, indoor and outdoor play areas and even a Peppa-themed toy shop, Peppa Pig World will keep your little ones entertained for hours. Peppa Pig World will even be home to a Muddy Puddles water play area and Daddy Pig’s Big Tummy Café! The only difficulty will be getting them home without a grumble but Peppa Pig herself will be on hand to help.

Peppa Pig World will open its gates on 9th April 2011 but you can register to buy tickets online now from the Peppa Pig World website at www.peppapigworld.co.uk to ensure you don’t miss out. The website is packed with fun activities to entertain your child such as maps of the park and pictures of its rides to get your children really excited!

Why not logon and enter their golden ticket competition which will enable you to visit Peppa Pig World first, on Saturday 2nd April a week before it is open to the general public.

Paultons Park, the family theme park in Hampshire, has been entertaining families for over 25 years. With 60 plus rides and attractions, thrills and excitement are the order of the day and now with its special Peppa Pig World addition there is even more fun to be had!

Monica xx

The Designer Toilet Roll Company - A Review

Seriously...did you ever think you could wipe yourself in designer luxury?!? Lol I didn't!!!

I was directed to www.thedesignertoiletrollcompany.co.uk to choose a product to review, I was really curious because I thought... "Designer toilet paper? Whoever heard of such a thing!?"

I sincerely imagined some "blingy" toilet paper with designer logos on it.... costing £20-£30 a roll!! hehehe

To my surprise I encountered a sophisticated website offering sophisticated toilet paper in a really cool range of colours and designs!!! So that is what designer meant!!

I chose the black and white design toilet paper (1st on the left), I was "forced" to really because my toilet has black/grey tiles, so pink or lime toilet paper would have looked weird but I sooooo wish I had a neutral toilet that I could have all the different colours and change them according to my mood!!!!!

They also have trendy kitchen roll and I must say that I also wish I had a kitchen that looked like the one below.... then I would buy matching kitchen roll for when I had friends over! ;) My kitchen looks like this except at the moment its very messy!!!

I had some friends and family over and absolutely everyone that used the toilet asked me about the toilet paper!! Definitely one to impress!! This is great for when you have dinner parties, friends over, special occasions...

Oh well if you can afford it why not treat your bathroom and bottom to designer toilet paper all the time?! ;) Don't forget the kitchen too!

Verdict:

The paper is beautiful and the designs are really well defined and printed, the choice of colours is amazing too. Although for me this would be kept more for special occasions as they are a bit over my budget but if you can afford it... why not?!

This gets a 4/5 from me for the sheer style and beauty of.... yes, toilet paper!

I forgot to say that they have other novelty toilet paper too... one of them looks like bank notes so you can wipe your bottom with money! hehehe

Monica x

Generate Free Publicity for your business

For all the families working for themselves, I introduce to you Sue Papadoulis, here she gives you advice on doing your own pr:-

If you’ve already launched your own business, or are about to, there are some easy and effective public relations and promotional strategies you can employ to generate free media coverage.

1. Try public relations strategies before committing any money to advertising 

A first-hand recommendation from a journalist can inspire potential customers significantly more than a paid advertisement. A positive story in the media represents a trust-worthy source of information about your product. A consumer is much more inclined to try it if it comes with third- party endorsement. It gives them a sense of safety – that someone else has already tried it out and enjoyed it. If your product or service is featured in the media it may also fall into the category of a ‘must-have’ product.

2. Learn how to think like a journalist 

The biggest secret to generating free publicity is to think like a journalist.

If you can hone your mind to think like a journalist you’ll master the art of generating tens of thousands of dollars worth of free publicity. This is done by taking an objective look at your business and coming up with a newsworthy story angle that will interest the media.

A journalist will only respond to you if what you’re providing makes their life easier. They are endlessly harassed by public relations people and business owners wanting coverage. If you can provide a good story that is of interest to their audience, and submit the material in such a way that is simple to understand and well written, then they will happily return your calls, maintain regular contact and become very interested in your products.

3. Separate real news about your business from promotional-speak 

When preparing a media release or any other written material for the media, don’t get caught up in marketing speak and clichés. It’s not enough to simply copy content from a brochure or your web site. Write a media release in the same manner as a news article.

If you’re not a good writer, hire someone to write a media release for you. A well written media release can achieve publicity, while a poorly written one is likely to be discarded.

The proof of a well written media release is when you read your media release word for word as a news story in a paper or magazine.

4. Match your target audience to the media outlet’s target audience 

It’s no use pitching a story about a new financial planning product to a hit music radio station that reaches teenagers.

Make a list of media outlets that your consumers read, watch or listen to. Familiarise yourself with these outlets and determine which segments would be interested in a story about your product, and then investigate the journalists who write for these sections. For example, if you’re selling a health product find out if your local paper has a regular health section and who edits it then send your information specifically to that person.

Consider trade magazines or business association publications and newsletters that relate specifically to your industry. These reach a niche market and may be much more effective than mass market publications where you’re fighting for space with other businesses from a range of industries.

5. Find a newsworthy angle that is of real interest to the media outlet’s audience 

Newsworthy angles relating to home-based businesses could include the launch of your business, the development of a new product, or a major achievement such as an award, a jump in sales, a new web site and the like. But, what if your business has been running for a while, there are no new products and you haven’t reached any major milestone recently? I can guarantee there will still be newsworthy angles you haven’t considered.

Begin by coming up with some major topics that interest consumers in your target market. In general, consumers and many mainstream media outlets are most commonly interested in the following key subjects: health issues, lifestyle (travel, charities, children/babies/families, holidays, beauty, clothing, fashion), education, personal lives (love, romance, sex) and money (how to make it, keep it, protect it). How can you generate a story angle that fits into one of these categories and relates to your product?

Think about trends – what’s in the news right now? Are environmental issues, carbon emissions, the economy, interest rates, teenage drinking, or cosmetic surgery making headlines? Can you offer a comment on any of these issues and relate it back to your product?

For example, I had a client who was a financial planner. She promoted herself as offering:

A wide range of products 

Great service 

Great value for money

There is nothing newsworthy in this information so it would be of no interest to a journalist. After some probing, I also discovered she offered:

- A mortgage reduction program in which participants signed up for a 12 month course from which they could be sacked if they didn’t follow her advice.

- A home budget program which applied a business budgeting model to a household.

These two programs would be of interest to a journalist if they were packaged in the right way. I promoted the mortgage reduction program as a “Budget Boot Camp” to beat the “Home Mortgage Blues”. The media release caught the attention of the major Sunday newspaper and a local radio program both of which interviewed my client and ran the story. A local television station saw the newspaper report and also picked up the story.

6. Be concise and consistent

Writing a media release or submitting material to a media outlet shouldn’t be seen as a one-off activity. Regular and consistent contact will develop your image as a reliable media source and will ensure journalists take note of you and your business.

It’s therefore important not to include every element of your business in a single media release. You are more likely to receive ongoing media coverage if you provide one news angle per release and make the copy short, sharp and concise. Come up with 12 angles for the year and send out a media release per month. Even if you don’t score coverage immediately, a journalist will begin to notice that you’re being consistent, creative and innovative – and they will eventually respond.

7. Send media material that matches the outlet

Many media outlets run long features, as well as short news pages. Determine which area you want to target and write the copy accordingly. Your target media outlet may regularly run lists such as a column of Top 5’s (for example, a city’s Top 5 places for breakfast, Top 5 baby web sites etc), or new product items. Count how many words feature in these lists and then write your information in the same way. If a journalist can simply copy what you’ve provided for use in their own format it makes their life easier, which is one of the biggest factors in securing media coverage.

8. Make a great pitch 
Many media outlets prefer email contact but there are rules to follow when making an e-pitch. In the body of the email include a personalised greeting (“Dear Jane”, rather than “To Whom It May Concern” or nothing at all), your story angle and where it fits into the media outlet (such as a new product section), details about the product, and a call to action for the journalist (would the journalist like a sample or set up a time for interview?).

When sending a media release, copy the text into the body of the email. Never send an attachment as they won’t be opened. In fact, some media organisation firewalls prevent attachments from being received.

If you’re contacting the media by email you’ll also need to maintain a database of email addresses.

9. A professional approach 

Approaching the media needn’t be an intimidating proposition. You need to be armed with a well-written media release featuring a great news angle, and a professional outlook that is centred on helping the journalist (this is a very important point – treat them as you would your very best customer).

When contacting a journalist be sure you know your angle, have plenty of back up information, have images to provide (or be available for photographs to be taken of you), and consider your timing. Think about if it’s a convenient time for a journalist to take your call. A major pitfall is calling right on deadline – you can expect zero response if you pick the wrong time. For example, it’s never wise to contact a radio newsroom in the last 10 minutes before each hour as the news bulletin approaches.

It’s also important to always be on hand to provide additional information as soon as it’s requested. It may be the case that the journalist has left the story to the last minute and if you’re not available to help meet the deadline, they will simply find someone else who can.

10. Develop an ongoing relationship 

Once you’ve made a media contact, it’s important to keep the flow of information and communication going. It doesn’t mean hounding the journalist every day, but simply keeping them regularly informed about product updates and developments. This may be as simple as sending a monthly media release or asking a journalist if they would like to be added to your database to receive a regular e-newsletter.

You know you’ve succeeded when you become a regular reference and contact point for the media. Establishing a solid relationship with a journalist is a win-win. They access relevant and reliable information, and you reap the benefits of ongoing media coverage. Remember my financial planning client? By following my advice on how to approach the media and behave professionally, she now has a regular weekly radio spot. She’s become the station’s expert on the topic and is regularly contacted for her views on financial matters. Once you’re viewed by the media as an expert in your field, you can expect consumers will also see you that way.

© 2008 Home Biz Chicks
Online entrepreneur Sue Papadoulis publishes the popular e-newsletter Smart Biz Chicks. If you’re ready to jump-start your home business to make more money and have more fun and free time, get your FREE tips now at www.homebizchicks.com

Baby's First Calendar - A fabulous idea!

I am always on the lookout for the next interesting product to offer to our customers over on www.myfunnybunny.com 

When I saw the Baby's First Calendar, I had to have it, I thought how I wish this had been around for the first year of my son and daughters life!! I was given a Baby's Record Book for both of them, both times the books were put in a drawer or a cupboard and kinda of got forgotten, therefore I have a buch of little papers with different notes scattered all over the house and random stuff scribbled in the books.

Not very good, specially because our memory is not great either so we keep on bickering, my husband says my boy did something at xx months and then I say no... he did it at xx months! and then comes the endless looking at pictures (like I did just a few days ago) just to look at how many teeth my son had at 12 months!!! Seriously I could go on and on with the examples!!

I think life would have been much easier and organised had we had one of these... Afterwards you can look back at all your baby's milestones and also at all your appointments and stuff you did the whole year, like baby groups and other stuff. It will be great to look at all that the baby and you did years and years down the road when they have had their own baby :)

This is definitely a really cool pressie for mummies to be, baby showers and new baby presents!

So here... I introduce our very latest addition to www.myfunnybunny.com, Baby's First Calendar, I am proud to say is owned by a small family business right here in England and the calendar is 100% made in the UK! Also a small donation is given to the FSID (Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths) for every calendar sold.

Baby's First Calendar was created by parents for parents!

They have included everything they felt was useful for busy parents during the first year of your baby's life. Baby record books often get forgotten in a drawer, but with this fun, bright calendar poster and stickers on your baby's nursery you will never forget to record those important milestones that you won't want to ever forget!

A bright bold calendar with stickers for every special occasion. Simply stick them on to make recording those special moments quick and easy. Mark down appointments and notes to help stay organised - just like any ordinary calendar

It includes a thermometer which is an essential item in any baby's room to make sure the temperature is neither too cold nor too hot, so you can see it at a glance and make sure the room temperature is just right. They've also included some important advice from The Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (FSID) to help keep your baby safe at night.

Also included are two spaces to put your favourite picture of your baby at birth and your baby on their first birthday. We've also added in an area to write down your baby's birth date, time, weight, name and more. This makes it even better as a memorable keepsake to look back on in many years time.

This is everything you need to make Baby's First Calendar an essential buy for you and your baby!

Your baby's first smile or clap could be weeks away, so have your Baby Calendar and Stickers at the ready!

For more information, pictures or to buy your very own Baby's First Calendar visit www.myfunnybunny.com

Monica xx

Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Feeding Bottles Review

I am breast feeding the majority of the time but wanted to introduce a bottle as I wanted to combine feed so that I had the choice and flexibility of both. I started using the bottle once a day with expressed milk at 3 weeks old and have since also used formula on occasions when I haven’t been producing enough breast milk.

I used the Tommee Tippee closer to nature bottles and they do look like they mimic the breast, my baby took to them straight away and then went back on the breast for her next feed so she wasn’t confused or frustrated between the two.

The flow seems to be fine for her as she doesn’t totally glug it and it doesn’t let air back into the bottle. I can’t really comment too much on the anti colic easi-vent as my baby has had really bad colic whether on the breast or bottle and is on gripe water which still isn’t curing it, so for her they don’t seem to work but on the other hand they certainly don’t make her any worse when she is bottle fed. I think I just have an incredibly windy baby and the fact they don’t make her any worse than being on the breast must mean they are doing their job.

The bottles are BPA free and are easy to clean, they come out of the steriliser (I use the Tommee Tippee Microwave Steam Steriliser) looking bright and clear, unlike some bottles that have a dull look to the plastic. I like the shape of the bottles, they are easy to hold and use.

Overall I like the bottles and it has made it easy to combine bottle and breast with no latching on problems so I can rest assured that she is not going to reject the breast and I can be flexible with how I feed her. I would recommend to other mothers introducing bottles and combine feeding.

Emily x

Taking Control

Pic courtesy of "Bridget Jones Diary" the movie

As most of you will know I gave birth 5 weeks ago by caesarean. I thought the road to recovery would be long and painful but by the end of the first week I felt confident doing most of the things I did pre-pregnancy apart from not being able to lift heavy objects and drive. I believe that what helped my confidence and aided my recovery was... Wait for it... My control pants!

I'll explain… I was advised to get a pair whether I had a natural birth or c section by a few friends who had been given the advice from their midwives, and after I had the baby the physiotherapist that visits and shows you certain exercises also told me to get a pair - and it really was the best thing I did.

Not only do they hold your tummy in and make you feel like you've got a more flattering figure but they help hold in the ‘sag’ you get after giving birth – especially after having a c section they seem to hold everything in place and stop your tummy from pulling making it less painful, they also help with the swelling and mean that you don’t have pants that sit on your scar line or pinch half way up your tummy.

I invested in a few pairs so I could wear them during the day every day. You don’t have to spend a fortune, I found pairs in Matalan for £6 which I think is very reasonable and they were the ones that come up to just under your boobs. They are also handy, as they come up so high, for hiding your tummy when you’re breast feeding so you can lift up your jumper and not expose any flesh.

Confidence in your figure after pregnancy is such a big thing as you haven’t worn your everyday wardrobe for 9 months and if you’re anything like me, you’ll be itching to get into your pre pregnancy clothing, it made me feel great when I went out 8 days after giving birth and a few people commented on how great I looked and that my tummy was hardly there, the control pants were helping hold everything in and create a more flattering, flatter stomach - just hearing someone complimenting you boosts your confidence. The pants have also meant I can get into clothes that I would otherwise be self conscious in so I have got back to normality quicker than I would have imagined.

I just wanted make other new mums out there aware of the benefits of control pants as not all midwives tell you about them and such a small thing made me feel so much better in a lot of ways – and if they’re good enough for Bridget Jones, they’re good enough for us yummy mummy’s!!

Emily x

Tommee Tippee Explora ® Easy Drink Cup Review

Explora Easy Drink Cup Features:

Advance-flo technology for easy drinking

Unique soft-flex spout protects gums
Easy to hold handles
Hygiene Cap
Truly non spill & leak proof
explora® learning to drink the easy way
BPA Free
Easy to hold with non detachable handles

I got one of these cups to try out with Boo Boo, I must say that I have quite a large collection of all different cups and beakers, mainly to the trial and error I went through... so I have many cups I don't like but I use them because I can't bear just throwing them away!

I in fact also have the old version of these Tommee Tippee cups and although they were good, these are even better and more mummy friendly. I say mummy friendly because they are easier to clean and most definitely easier to open! The previous cups and some of other brands have a "push in" lid which is all very well to close if you have a flat surface to put them on and do strength on but if you are on the go... not so good! The worse part is when you need to open them...you have to pry them apart and most of the time you get milk or whatever is inside them all over the place!!! Never mind if you have long nails :(

Well... these are screw lids, no not leaky screw lids, nice and leakless!! Nice and easy to close and open, so you can just stand anywhere you want, not next to the sink.

I like the fact that they are BPA free too, and it looks like all of their feeding products are, its great to know that my child isn't getting contaminated with rubbish chemicals.

Boo Boo tried them out and she likes them, they are easy to hold, drink out of and are quite easy for her to put them back on the table with no toppling over thanks to the rubbery "lip" at the bottom which also prevents them from being pushed off the table unintentionally.

Available in most supermarkets and on www.tommeetippee.com where they also have some videos and info to show you how the cup works.

Verdict:

I have very often washed this cup straight away to be used straight after despite having mountains of cups and beakers in the cupboard! I am definitely going to buy the Easy drink Beaker and going to investigate into the sports drinkers they have.

Pros:

• One of the most important things is that they are easy to use & clean!!!
• BPA Free
• Easy to hold handles

Cons:

• It would be great if manufacturers could have collection points or freepost address for the recycling of bottles and the like, because what do you do with them when you don't need them anymore? They just end up going in the rubbish. I think consumers would really like that, what do you think?

I give this cup a 9/10

Monica x

Tommee Tippee Explora Heat Sensitive Weaning Spoons Review

Explora ® Heat sensitive spoons in Pink

Comes in a pack of 6 feeding spoons
Easi grip handles for little hands
Soft tip spoon for tender gums
Deep bowl spoon which helps hold the food on the spoon
Larger scoop - great as baby's appetite grows!
BPA free
Suitable for all forms of sterilisation
Available in Blue, Pink & Green

I have used these spoons since Boo Boo was about 3 and a half months old, my little girl with a big appetite was drinking loads of breast milk (and I produce it like a milking cow, trust me! lol) but it wasn't enough, from my experience with my boy I already liked these spoons so knew what to buy when I started slowly weaning my Boo Boo. 

These are "totally awesome" as the americans say, they are shaped just right, you can't really see in the picture but the handle has a little "dip" just before it gets to the tip or spoon scoop... this makes it comfortable and easy to feed the baby as well as now 13 months on she is feeding herself with it comfortably.

I also like the fact that if the food is too hot the spoon turns yellow to warn you, I always check it myself anyway but this is a great little reminder or warning to check it.

The spoon scoop or tip is also soft and bendy which is great for when baby doesn't have teeth so it doesn't hurt their gums, but also easier for toddlers to feed themselves, my Boo Boo sometimes fails to get most the food off the spoon with other spoons as she fails to move her hand up or down in the motion we do to get everything off the spoon so some of it ends up on the floor or all over herself... but the tip of this spoon is soft and bendy which means that it moves in her mouth and she can use her teeth to get all the food off and at 16 months she has all her teeth let me tell you!! So that means more food in her tummy and less on the floor!

These are available in most supermarkets so you can just buy them along with your weekly shop, alternatively you can visit www.tommeetippee.co.uk to find your local stockist.

Verdict:

Totally awesome! 

Pros:

• Great shape and comfortable for you to feed your baby and for older baby/ toddler to feed themselves
• BPA Free
• Heat sensitive so tells you when food is too hot
• Excellent value when you buy it at 4 months and its still useful at 3 years old!

Cons:

• Couldn't find any...

As far as baby spoons go, this one gets a 10/10!

Monica x

Dark and Dreary to Fun and Cheery?

Since the clocks went back two weeks ago it's been getting dark so early here!  It hasn't helped that it's been persistently grey and rainy either.  My go-to free activity with Blondie Boy used to be a walk at the country park or a walk around The Glasgow Fort to go window shopping, but now as it's getting bleaker, colder and darker I'm at a loss at what to do outside the home, but is still free.

Any ideas of what to do with a very active 10 month old that doesn't cost anything?  I guess I could just bundle him up and hit up the park if it is dry, but does anyone have any other ideas?  Most I've seen are for older children.

Blondie

Tesco Super Fit Nappies Review

Tesco have come out with brand new "upgrade" to their Tesco Super Fit nappies, they are now slimmer, lighter, with a better fit and less bulk between the legs making them great for baby’s daily adventures. From playing and stretching to crawling and climbing, they offer freedom of movement and comfort.

Using ultra-absorbent Maxi Dry technology, there is no compromise on absorbency even with a thinner design. They offer excellent protection against leaks and maximum performance which mean peace of mind for mums and dryness for little explorers.

They seem to work the same way as more expensive brands without the hefty price tag, I liked them just the same as the ones I normally use but my husband was more partial to our current ones. I think you should give them a try and see what you think.

With my boy (when he was a baby) we had a lot of trouble with leaks, no matter what nappies we used, it would just happen!! Changing sheets in the middle of the night wasn't great specially when it was the 2nd or 3rd time and I'd run out of clean ones! 

Now with my little girl I have never had that problem, so for me these worked the same as the expensive ones but at around £2+ saving compared to the brand I use for the pack of 26.

So give them a try and see what you think, every baby is different in my experience, so if you really do have to use disposable nappies why not save yourself some ££?!

Available at your local (UK) Tesco or online at www.tesco.com

Verdict Summary:

Seems to work the same as the more expensive brand I use, for a saving of around £2.25 for a packet of 26! It all adds up. I say it gets a 8/10

Monica xx

Bounce and Rhyme

Blondie Boy and I decided to go check out Bounce and Rhyme Time at our local library. Blondie Boy loves reading and singing so it seemed like a perfect fit! Plus it's free and was only a mile and a bit walk from our house.

There were lots of other Mommies and babies as well as some older toddlers and children, too. The session started with a "Hello" song to all the babies and then worked it's way through lots of nursery rhymes; the older children got to request their favorite songs.

Unfortunately for Blondie Boy I couldn't sing along to most of the songs-- some of them I'd never heard in my life (Wind the Bobbin up), some had different tunes (Baa Baa Black Sheep) and some had different words (Wheels on the Bus). I guess that's one of the downsides of being an American Mommy abroad and I had to wonder what a similar type of class would be like back home in the States.

I can't bring myself to sing "incy-wincy spider" instead of "itsy-bitsy spider" so poor Blondie Boy is going to grow up singing differently to all the other kids. Any other moms/mums have this problem?

Blondie

Audeo Perfect Bass PFE 022 earphones + Mic - A Gadget Dad Review

CRANK UP THE BASS!

Audéo Perfect Bass earphones are fitted with specially designed, in-built filters that ‘tune’ sound waves to boost low frequencies and provide cleaner bass tones. The result is a punchier more exciting output, that doesn’t compromise on the overall sound quality.

Utilising their experience in comfort and fit, the latest innovation from Phonak includes three sets of interchangeable, silicone ear pieces – each ergonomically designed to sit comfortably in the ear, even after hours of use. As well as increasing stability and reducing cable noise, this extra secure fit reduces unwanted external noise by up to 23 decibels – the equivalent of ambient music in a restaurant or background conversation.

Like the first generation of Audéo Perfect Fit earphones, the new bass version allows the wearer to enjoy crystal clear sound quality at a lower, safer volume - reducing the risk of hearing damage. Experts predict that one in ten 30-year-olds could be wearing a hearing aid by 2020 due to irreversible hearing damage caused by continuous exposure to loud music from earphones**.

Audéo Perfect Bass Earphones are available in black from www.audeoworld.com, priced at £85 with a microphone and £68 without, also available at other retailers. They are compatible with all standard MP3 players, iPod and iPhone models with a 3.5mm stereo jack.

**The Noise Abatement Society, 2009

Gadget Dad Verdict:

Great sound quality with perfect fit.

After you have had a go at testing which ear tip fits you best, you get a secure and snug fit which helps blocking out the outside noise. Packaging looks great too which is always a bonus specially when giving as a gift!

Earphones are ergonomically designed, very comfortable to wear and look stylish.

This particular model has a microphone and this worked great, no complaints from people that called me either, they heard me nice and clearly.

They come with a 2 years warranty which I find great as normally these products come with a 1 yr warranty, this makes me feel much more confident about the quality of the product. On top of that Phonak are originally specialise a hearing aids... can't think of anyone better to trust in to put a pair of earphones in my ears... they definitely know what they are talking about! 

Pros:

• 3 different sized earphone tips for a great fit
• Microphone - great for using with your phone
• Swiss engineering
• 2 years warranty!
• Look great
• Great sound
• Phonak actually specialise in hearing aids, so they know what they are talking about!

Cons:

• Would be great if they were available in different colours

Rating: 9/10

Gadget Dad

DAP Dog Appeasing Pheromone Review

Bonfire night and the nights leading up to it can be a very exciting time for children and adults alike but not so much for our furry members of the family unfortunately, the loud sudden noises can be very frightening specially with their heightened hearing, cats and dogs can get very stressed out.

Both my mum's dogs get extremely frightened, trying to hide everywhere and barking at the fireworks... while my dogs tend to retreat to their bed and seek comfort by being together as mother and daughter or they come and sit next to us.

One of my dogs is a Yorkshire Terrier and just over 10 years old, in the past couple of years she has been a bit paranoid in regards to cats and birds in the garden, she will always check out the garden door, and bark uncontrollably ven if she just sees something like a leave moving on the floor.... I mean, the dog goes straight to the garden door if she hears the word cat or kitty cat!

Lately that has been happening a lot, BooBoo loves cats and seems to be fascinated with them, I don't know if it's because she has dogs at home so cats are something unknown, cute and exciting in her little toddler brain, but they are ever so cool and interesting, so we have soft toys in cat form and books with cats in them and at 16 months one of the words she grasped was cat!! 

So now each time our dog hears the word cat, there she goes off to the garden door and more often than not she barks... not nice for my ears and not nice for her as she gets so nervous she doesn't listen to anyone around her, if we let both the dogs out she will have a go at the other one and they get in a squabble, never actually hurt each other but  obviously not a good thing to happen.

So a couple of weeks ago when D.A.P. asked me to review one of their products I was excited, I had seen an advert before but wasn't sure if it would work with my stressed out Yorkie, so now to be given a chance to test it out was great. I chose the electric diffuser, as it covers 50 - 70 sq m and the dogs are mainly on the ground floor of the house so it seems appropriate.

Full range of D.A.P Products

I put it on the plug near the garden door, that is where the barking happens and the dogs bed is not too far away from there either, and it seemed to do the job, with no smell whatsoever so you don't even know its on. The next day I didn't put it on, I wanted to make sure it wasn't a fluke, that she was just not paranoid the day before so I left it off for a whole day, and my Yorkie returned to her normal psycho self barking at things that  weren't actually there!!

The day after I put it on again and she seemed to be more calm the whole day, with a little bark here and there but not psychotic & paranoid as usual! 

So now when my husband is at work, (which is when most of the barking happens), I put the diffuser on and have had more peace in the house and a much more relaxed dog! So I am all for this D.A.P diffuser as it does seem to be working and I will definitely be buying another vial when this one finishes.

A happy dog = a happy me! No more shouting at the dog and less headaches for me.

I looked at their website www.secrettohappypets.com and they have the same stuff for cats called Feliway and you can get a free 60ml spray of either!! They also explain how it all works and why.

There is also website specifically targeted towards your pets firework fears and I found this http://www.petfireworkfear.co.uk/top-ten-tips-for-dogs.html for dogs and http://www.petfireworkfear.co.uk/top-ten-tips-for-cats.html for cats that might help you deal with the situation better and make your pet feel safer.

It also can help puppies or adult dogs settle in new homes, staying in kennels, staying home alone, visiting the vet, travelling, busy times like Christmas and other holidays, with fear of fireworks or with the anxiety that comes when the family has a new baby.

Verdict:

It works even though there is no smell to it, for me its a bit of dog magic going on! Makes my Yorkie more "chillaxed" and therefore less stress and headaches for me too.

Pros:

• Easy to use
• Various products available so you can choose what is more appropriate for your situation.
• Natural - DAP® is a synthetic copy of the natural canine appeasing pheromone proven to help support dogs in a range of stressful situations.
• Safe - it is canine specific, odourless, non-sedative, non-systemic and can be used alongside all other types of medication.
• Proven - The efficacy of DAP® has been demonstrated in 18 studies published in scientific journals and at veterinary conferences around the world.
• Trusted - it has been used by behaviourists, veterinary experts and welfare charities for the last 10 years.

Cons:

• Electric diffuser could have a more aesthetically appealing design.

Monica x

For more reviews visit our Reviews Page

Be inspired by Clay Dyer

The next time you think you have it hard and can't cope, think again, if you put your mind to something you can achieve it. Clay Dyer is an inspiration!

My Mother's Sixth Sense

As I was having a peek at the BMB Carnival being hosted by Laura at Are we nearly there yet mummy? blog I came across a very interesting post about A Mother's Sixth Sense by 21st Century Mummy about her experience with her daughter at nursery and her sixth sense... I am still curious on how she dealt with the situation as I would have probably verbally assaulted the nursery worker at the least!!! But pop over to her blog if you want to know what happened!

Anyway, that brought on thoughts about my mother's sixth sense, I believe every mother has a sixth sense, it's part of nature and the bond between you and your child, just like they say twins have a sixth sense when stuff happens to each other.

Way back when I was in year 7 like most kids I would sometimes throw a "sickie" to see if my mum bought into it... my mum like most would send me off to school, unless I was really ill my mum would send me off to school, a cough or similar wouldn't keep me home... she was quite strict on that, she worried about my education like we all do in respect of our kids.

Even when I was getting bullied at school my mum wouldn't let me stay home, she always told me I had to be strong and if I didn't go to school it was the bullies that were gonna win.

One day though I woke up as usual and came down to have breakfast and my mum told me "You are not going to school today." I asked her why, as I was actually looking forward to some stuff happening that day, my mum turned around to me and just said "I don't know why, you are simply not going because I said so." I thought it was quite weird, but who was I to argue with her since I could have a day of doing what I want and relaxing at home while all my friends are having to go to class? Haha I thought "Suckers!"

That was that... Until I went back the next day.

The next day as I was approaching the school I saw a huge crowd of people by the gates, vans and reporters included, amongst those people was some of my friends and their parents.

I went into the playground and asked what my friends what had happened and it works out that this massive tragedy had happened and my group of friends were in the playground and saw it happen right in front of them, this would have meant that if my mum hadn't kept me home I would have seen everything.

The result was horrible and one of my friends went slightly crazy (understandably) and started getting violent which meant he attacked me (he was one of my best friends and even had a crush on me) and some other people too, including teachers. Amazingly before this happened he was one of the sweetest, most kind and gentle boys I knew and we were together at school most of the time as we were very good friends. Other kids were very traumatised and reacted in different ways, others had to change school, etc.

Now tell me... if it wasn't for my mother's sixth sense, what could have happened to me?

Monica x
R.I.P. Mr Lawrence, we all loved him dearly, the best and most caring head teacher I ever had.