Blog

It's Christmas!!!

December 23rd, 2009 | Martina Hennesy | Comment (0)

So the time has come to buy the last of the Christmas dinner, wrap the last of the presents and get the heck out of the shops and relax!! How nice….. family, food and festivities!

At Tots2Teens we would like to wish you and yours a very Happy & Peaceful Christmas!

As this is Tots2Teens first Christmas we would also like to say a huge Thank You to everyone who has helped and supported us this year we hope Santa is good to you all!

Martina & Claire xx

Filed under: Family Holidays on December 23rd, 2009 by Martina Hennesy | Comment (0)

Here Come the Girls ….

December 21st, 2009 | Martina Hennesy | Comment (0)

So I have had two Christmas girlie nights out over the last two weekends, laughed so much that I could burst and chattered until we were all hoarse!

These types of get togethers are becoming few and far between – nearly all the weddings have been and gone and between bumps and babies the public houses of Dublin and Cork are feeling the pinch! Suffice to say that recounting our college days leaves us to relive them and I can officially confirm that I am getting old….. and worse still feeling old! My legs and whole body hurt from dancing and giddy acting and my head pounded like never before…..

Before New Years Eve I need a plan of action – the ‘don’t have a big night’ advice will fall on deaf ears, while I know my limits the excitement of the night out sometimes means that I don’t listen to the sensible little voice in my head.

I was pregnant on 31st Dec 2007 and didn’t have a sitter in 2008 so I am seizing the moment this New Years and heading to a Ball with a gang of friends – so any tips for an out of practise Mum – glass of water with each drink, curry chips before going to bed, fry up first thing the next morning???

Filed under: New Mum on December 21st, 2009 by Martina Hennesy | Comment (0)

Teenagers Under Pressure to Have Sex

December 18th, 2009 | Claire Hayes | Comment (0)

Almost one third of teenage girls and 8 per cent of boys have come under pressure to start having sex, according to research presented by the Crisis Pregnancy Agency, writes Paul Cullen in the Health Plus supplement of The Irish Times ( 15th Dec. )

A new campaign launched to encourage young people to wait longer before having sex highlights the negative side of having early sexual experiences.

It seems teenagers below the age of consent, 17yrs, who have sexual experiences express regret and are more likely to experience crisis pregnancy, have an abortion or contract a sexually transmitted disease.

It also seems that our schools and teachers have fallen down in the responsibility of education our teenagers in relationships and safe sex. Some say that they received no sex education in school and claimed that what they were taught was too biological.

Get your teenager to check out www.b4udecide.ie which includes polls, video interviews with teenagers on forming healthy relationships and reasons why its better to wait for that first experience.

Filed under: Childrens Health on December 18th, 2009 by Claire Hayes | Comment (0)

All Loved Up!

December 8th, 2009 | Claire Hayes | Comment (1)

I’m a week into having a new baby in the house and I have to say it gets better and better.  I keep waiting for the adrenaline rush to wear off but I’m so in awe of how beautiful my new baby girl is I don’t think it will ever happen.

There’s something about a new baby that brings out the best in people.  I’ve had endless cooked dinners dropped off at the house in the last week and I haven’t had to do the school run in a week – friends have just clubbed together to help out.
The baby is very placid, perhaps it’s to do with being no.4.  She’s had to get used to the noise levels in the house and is happy to sleep through whatever is going on in the background.
It may sound mad but I actually look forward to being awake with her at night as it means one to one time with her which is hard to come by with 3 others to look after.

Now I know from past experience that once the sleep deprivation kicks in I will be writing a completely different blog but for now I am all sweetness and light about what a fab thing having a new baby is!

Filed under: Having a Baby, New Mum on December 8th, 2009 by Claire Hayes | Comment (1)

The 6pm Handover

December 3rd, 2009 | Martina Hennesy | Comment (1)

Has anyone ever experienced what I call the 6pm handover…

When I was on maternity leave I would ask my husband when he would be home from work, usually this was around 6pm particularly in the early days.  Once it was 6pm it would be like an alarm ringing in my head and if I didn’t hear the key in the door I would get more and more frustrated… You see this was my time to go to the loo in peace, hop into the shower or cook the dinner, generally just hand baby over and have a break.

Not that spending time with my gorgeous baby was a chore but having someone else take control at that time of day was very welcome….

Any other new mums out there recognise this feeling???

Filed under: Having a Baby, mum to be, New Mum on December 3rd, 2009 by Martina Hennesy | Comment (1)

And Baby Makes 4!

November 30th, 2009 | Martina Hennesy | Comments (2)

Claire had a Baby Girl yesterday – a slightly early entry into the world but both Mum and Baby absolutely perfect!

What struck me was once those early signs of labour hit getting ready for baby number 4’s arrival is very different to baby number 1. When I had my first baby a little over a year ago it was all about me really, all relaxed and focused on when to go to the hospital, had I everything in my bag etc. For any Mum on her second birth onwards it must be like what I experienced in Claire’s house – school uniforms being organised, lists of collection times, tracksuit days, school runs were all being prepared. Questions were being asked about what exact present the baby would bring for his/her siblings – ‘match attaxs’ being the preferred option on that particular day… how does the baby come out, would it be sore and would it take 3 weeks (hopefully not says Claire!) were all questions that needed to be answered!

After all that excitement, exhaustion and elation that goes with the birth of any baby Claire is no doubt trying to relax for the next few nights before returning home with the new addition…. At least she wont be short of little ‘helpers’ once she gets home!

Filed under: Having a Baby, mum to be, New Mum on November 30th, 2009 by Martina Hennesy | Comments (2)

‘Family Day at Musicmaker’ 8th December

November 27th, 2009 | Claire Hayes | Comment (0)

The Dublin City Business Improvement District (BID) has teamed up with Musicmaker on Dublin’s Exchequer Street for a FREE day of musical workshops, taking place on Tuesday 8^th December from 11.00am. The event is organised by the Dublin City BID as part of Family Fun Day in the city, and is the top event this year for up and coming young Irish musicians.

All three floors of the Dublin rock institution will be heaving with activity as a full programme of educational musical workshops are planned for the day. The FREE event – packed day will feature drumming and percussion workshops, both electric and acoustic guitar demos as well as home recording tips from top musical experts. Some of the leading names from the Irish music industry will give talks on the day, while you will also be given the chance to rock ‘out’, as a selection of live bands take to the Musicmaker stage to entertain the crowds. A host of raffle prizes are also up for grabs. While the first 100 guests to register in store on the day will be entered into a draw to win an Electrical Guitar starter pack! Tune into Phantom 105.2 on the day to hear Michelle Doherty broadcast live from the store between 10.30am and 2.30pm.

Commenting on the event Richard Guiney, CEO of the Dublin City Business Improvement District said, “We are delighted to team up with Musicmaker for this fun packed family day. This is a great opportunity for young Irish musicians to get an insight into the music business and pick up tips from some of the leading names in the industry. I would encourage anyone with an interest or passion for music to come along to Musicmaker, on Tuesday 8^th December as part of the city’s Family Fun Day. Who knows we may even discover the next Bono!”

The event takes place on Tuesday 8^th December in Musicmaker, 29 Exchequer Street, Dublin 2 from 11.00am. The workshops are free and are suitable for aspiring musicians of all ages; pre-booking is advisable. 

Please telephone the Dublin City BID on (01) 8994017 or email bidsforkids@dublincitybid.ie to reserve a space.

See www.dublincitybid.ie or www.myspace.com/musicmakerdublin for more information, or email musicmakerlive@gmail.com .

Music Workshop details:

11.00am: Recording technology workshop with Cathal Molloy and Littlewood Studios

12.00pm: Samba and Latin percussion workshop with Simeon

2.00pm: An introduction to jazz with Conor Guilfoyle

3.00pm: Modern guitar with Mal O’Brien

Filed under: How to Entertain the Kids on November 27th, 2009 by Claire Hayes | Comment (0)

Eating For Two?

November 24th, 2009 | Claire Hayes | Comment (0)

Did you know that 1 in 50 women will develop an eating disorder while pregnant.  So, new research has discovered.  Concerns about weight gain are expressed by many pregnant women.  Nobody wants to put on excess weight during pregnancy but to grow a healthy baby you usually have to gain 22-28lbs during the course of your pregnancy.

Two of the main eating disorders are anorexia and bulimia.  Both these conditions can lead to the following complications during pregnancy:

Premature Labour

Stillbirth
Caesarean section
Diabetes
Complications during labour
Depression
Miscarriage
Pre-eclampsia

However its important to note that the majority of pregnant women with eating disorders can have healthy babies.  Having someone to talk to who understands the problem is important, so do be honest with any issues you have surrounding food.
Try to eat well balanced meals with all the necessary nutrients and seek medical help if you find you are having difficulty coping.

Filed under: Having a Baby on November 24th, 2009 by Claire Hayes | Comment (0)

Top Tips for Preparing for a Baby or Childs Photo Shoot

November 23rd, 2009 | Martina Hennesy | Comment (0)

We all want gorgeous photos of our children to proudly hang on our walls and give to doting grandparents etc. Here are some ‘top tips’ by Amanda St John of ‘Wrigglers and Gigglers Baby Photography’ on preparing for a baby or childs photo shoot to ensure you get the best photos possible.  

After all, if we are going to all that effort and expense we want happy photos, not cranky ones!

 

 

Timing
1. Like anything with a babies and children timing is everything. It is vital to book your photo session for a time that they are happy and content.  Always use their routine as a guide and never book at at time when they usually are eating or sleeping. We find that morning time is best for most babies and toddlers.
Clothing
2. Choose an outfit carefully for your child. Avoid bold prints and logos as these can be very distracting to the eye. They will also date quicker. Try and choose something simple and classic such as jeans and t-shirt or a simple dress. If you are getting into the photos as well wear a colour and style which is similar to your childs. This will make your photo’s look so much better and will put the emphasis on you and your faces, instead of being distracted by your clothes.
Communicate with the Photographer
3. Make sure you communicate your expectations to the photogrqapher so they have a clear idea as to the style of shot that you want. If they have a clear brief then they can be more intentional about getting this instead of spending too much time on shots that you aren’t interested in.
Bring a favourite Toy/Blanket
4. One of the most important things is to ensure that your child is happy when getting their photo taken. They must feel at ease and relaxed. It often helps to bring something of their own to help them feel ‘at home’ (unless like Wrigglers & Gigglers, your photographer is coming to your house to do the shoot).
Have FUN!
5. Enjoy yourselves! Your photography session should be fun. If you are relaxed and enjoyong yourself your baby will pick up on this and your photos will reflect this too.

I had the pleasure of meeting with Amanda on a recent photoshoot. Looking for an alternative to the studio session photography (aswell as an affordable set of professional photographs) I called upon the services of Amanda & Josh to capture snaps of my little Wriggler.

The guys came to my house and while they were completely professional they still managed to make everyone feel comfortable and we had lots of fun and laughs. The best thing about it all was that my son was completely relaxed at home so the snaps were natural and it was stress free for everyone! We didnt have to worry about whether we were wearing the right colour or bringing spare clothes for baby as our entire wardrobe was upstairs.

Shortly after the shoot we received a link to all our photos and could choose the ones we wanted. A CD of fantastic photos then arrived in the post with recommendations on where to get them printed and advice on size etc.

A truly fantastic service and I can understand why Wrigglers & Gigglers were recommended to me – I would have no problem recommending them, a faultless service. Wrigglers & Gigglers are really the affordable professionals and a pleasure to deal with.

 
Wrigglers & Gigglers
Baby Photography

087 9967863

amanda@wrigglersandgigglers.com
http://www.wrigglersandgigglers.com/

Filed under: Having a Baby, New Mum, Parenting on November 23rd, 2009 by Martina Hennesy | Comment (0)

National Women's Enterprise Day

November 20th, 2009 | Martina Hennesy | Comment (0)

Today is National Women’s Enterprise Day so if you have a burning desire to set up your own business or to act upon that great idea you have been thinking of then there is no time like the present.

So what help is to hand for budding entrepreneurs – the first port of call in my opinion is always your local enterprise board. There are 35 Enterprise Boards in Ireland and they are responsible for promoting enterprise and micro business development in Ireland.

Enterprise Boards aim to assist new business start ups, through provision of financial assistance (which is limited currently), training seminars and courses on business set up, providing mentorship and networking activities so that you can meet with peers and like minded entrepreneurs to share ideas and experiences.

So are female entrepreneurs still lagging behind their male counterparts?

Statistics on Female Entrepreneurs 

- Men are 2.5 times more likely to be active as an early stage entrepreneur than women.
- One in ten Irish men and one in twenty four Irish women are early stage entrepreneurs.
- Only four out of ten women believe that they have the knowledge and skills to start a business.
- Women are less active across all age categories, across all income categories, whether they are employed full time or part time and across all education categories bar one. (Women with post graduate qualifications have the same rate of early stage entrepreneurial activity as men).
- Irish women are less likely to have a recent entrepreneurial role model.
- Irish women are less likely to believe they have the skills and knowledge required to start a business.
- Women are similar to male entrepreneurs in terms of age at start up and education levels.
- A higher percentage of women entrepreneurs come from part time employment or from a ‘homemaker’ role.
- GEM has reported a difference in rates of entrepreneurship between Irish males and females every year for the past five years.
- As income rates increase for men, rates of entrepreneurship also increase. This is not the case for women.

Running your own business is never easy, it is alot of hard work, long hours and can be very challenging however in my experience it is also completely rewarding, exciting and gives you a sense of achievement that working for someone else could never do.

From setting up my own businesses I have found that people are very open and willing to providing you with advice and help, particularly other female entrepreneurs so aslong as you are not afraid to ask for help or work hard then you should go for it!

Filed under: stay at home mum, Working Mums on November 20th, 2009 by Martina Hennesy | Comment (0)