Archives for March 2015

Universal Pram Organiser Review + GIVEAWAY

18/03/2015 By All Mum Said 35 Comments

We have recently upgraded our pram/stroller and the only negative about it is; it doesn’t have a drink holder, somewhere to put your keys or phone, etc. I love Poppets’ new wheels but a pram organiser is a must have for me. About 2 days after receiving the pram I received an email asking if I would like to do a universal pram organiser review and giveaway. It was like it was meant to be! Of course I said yes.

The thermo insulated pram organiser is available in 2 sizes – regular (35-45cm span) and large (40-50cm span). I received the large one because it was the perfect size for my pram/stroller. I can fit my wallet, keys, phone and drink or baby bottle/sippy cup in it with ease.

This universal pram organiser has so many wonderful features to offer.

Starting from when you first attach it; simply thread the velcro around the pram handle, through the loop and seal. It is now ready to use.

Easy to store your belongings with top loading. If you require a little more safety for you valuables, simply use the zip compartment.

It is made of Neoprene which not only maintains drink temperatures but is also very easy to clean. Just chuck it in the washing machine.

There is no need to remove it when not being used as it doesn’t stick out and take up room.

It is available in 3 colours – Aqua chevron, Black, Grey chevron.

I personally find this pram organiser to sit well on my pram and as I choose black to match the pram it blends in and looks like it is meant to be there. Very impressed and would highly recommend. If you would like more information or would like to buy a universal pram organiser than click over to the online baby store Elektra Bub. Elektra Bub offers free shipping but to sweeten the deal – to receive 15% OFF your purchase use the code: elektra15.

Prize Includes: 1x Thermal Insulated Pram Organiser. Valued up to $34.95. (Winners choice of size and colour)

**As the winners are chosen based on skill and not chance; you will be sharing for 0 extra entries however I’d love you to share the giveaway with friends and family. Sharing is caring and karma loves kind people. **

a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you want to enter more giveaways click over here.

Terms & Conditions:
1. Australian residents only.
2. Judges decisions is final
3. Winners must make contact within 72 hours.
4. This is a game of skill. Chance plays no part!
Therefore no extra points are given for sharing however it is good karma!!
5. All Mum Said is not responsible for delivery of prize.
NOT endorsed by or have anything to do with facebook.

Disclosure: I received the above product for the purpose of this review. All opinions are my own.

Quick & Easy Sausage Rolls Recipe

17/03/2015 By All Mum Said 8 Comments

Have you been looking for a quick and easy sausage rolls recipe? Well look no further because this is the last sausage rolls recipe you will ever want or need. It is perfect for party food, dinner, lunch and basically any time you feel like a snack. This quick and easy sausage rolls recipe results in delicious flaky pastry and a mouthful of flavour that will leave you wanting more.

Easy Sausage Rolls Recipe

Ingredients:
2.5x sheets puff pastry
10x chevaps (skinless sausages)
Tomato paste (I use one with herbs in it)
1x egg

Method

1. Cut pastry into 4 even squares.
2. Add small line of tomato paste across the top of each square.
3. Place chevaps on top of tomato paste.
4. Roll the pastry.
5. Use fork to seal pastry and roll over so seal is on bottom (to avoid pastry unrolling)
6. Brush with egg.
7. Bake at 180°c for approx. 30 minutes.

Serve with mash and sauce. ENJOY!

These are so delicious and leftovers are perfect for school/work lunches.

Click for more beef recipes or if you are looking for pies, the chicken and mushroom and chunky steak recipes can not be beaten.

5 Things to Consider When Teaching Your Child to Drive

16/03/2015 By All Mum Said Leave a Comment

Throughout their lives, children pass milestones every day as they grow and develop into responsible, independent adults. Learning to walk, losing their first tooth, and starting school are all exciting times for both the parent and child, but it’s when they head into adolescence that celebrating their milestones becomes a tricky, daunting task.

Eventually, the time will come when you find yourself in the passenger seat of your car, with your teenager at the wheel for the first time. Teaching them to drive is inevitable, so it is important to encourage them to learn the skills they need in a safe and comfortable environment. It’s a hard task that only gets better with time, so here are five things to remember when teaching your child to drive.

1. Patience

First and foremost, you need to be patient while teaching your child to drive. Whether it’s when you’re explaining a task to them or providing constructive commentary, you need to remember to be patient. This is especially important if your child is taking longer than you anticipated to learn a particular skill, function or movement.

2. Remember Accidents Happen

While it is easy to be hard on them, especially when your vehicle and safety is in their hands, you have to understand that accidents can happen and it is all part of the learning process. When teaching your child to drive, it is a good idea to confirm that they are covered by your insurance provider as part of your policy. It is also important to ensure your child knows that accidents can happen quickly and easily on the road, often resulting in huge financial, mental and physical consequences. Despite your best efforts, they may find themselves in a bad situation on the road, so make sure they are aware that they can contact legal professionals such as GC Traffic Lawyers to obtain advice and a work licence in suspension periods if necessary.

Not this badly (most of the time)

3. They Are Probably Stressed Too

As uncomfortable and stressed as you may seem, it is almost certain that your teenage driver will feel the same – perhaps worse. Learning to drive is a stressful experience, often prolonged by frustration on behalf of both parties. If you can make the experience as comfortable as possible, the learner driver will get more out of each lesson and will become a better driver in time.

4. Encourage Safe Driving

Whether we like it or not, our children tend to mimic our behaviour – the good, the bad, and the ugly. When teaching your child to drive, make sure you are not passing on the bad habits you have developed over time. Make sure your child not only knows the road rules before taking the wheel, but ensure they understand why they are important when operating a vehicle too. As a parent, it is often a good idea to take a refresher test of the road rules in addition to reading the drivers’ handbook with your child.

5. Take a Deep Breath

When you feel like yelling at your child or another car on the road, stop and take a deep breath and consider moving on. Remember that it is an important learning curve for everyone involved, so you’ll need to take a deep breath, relax a little, and continue with the lesson.

At the end of the day, learning to drive a car is a scary, but equally exhilarating experience for teenagers, so make the experience as educational as possible to prepare them for driving.

What are your tips on teaching children to drive?

Feel free to post them in the comments below.

This is an S2 POST.

How to Help Your Child Find Their Path

12/03/2015 By All Mum Said 2 Comments

As a parent, you surely understand the importance of guiding your child as they forge their own career and life beyond school. There is absolutely no wrong time to encourage your child to think about their career, and even young students can benefit from awareness of particular job options and the steps required to create a future full of happiness and success.

Connection Between Interests and Career

One of the best things you can do is help your child realise how their interests can influence and be relevant to their future career path. It’s helpful to enlighten your child to the fact that not all these paths have to involve tertiary study; university study is not for everyone and not all careers require a degree.

Many young people appreciate knowing that a broad range of relevant, interesting and practical courses are available through high quality training providers, such as Careers Australia, and many of these courses develop the skills needed to enhance participants’ chances of securing lasting employment.

Observation of Work Environments

Take your child to your own workplace or facilitate their exposure to a range of work environments. Through observation, your child will develop an understanding of the skills required for various jobs and the sorts of behaviours expected in professional contexts.

Do the Research

In this day and age, we are fortunate that a wealth of information about many careers is freely and readily available on the internet. Through research into career options, children will acquire a better appreciation of the industries that interest them most and the sorts of jobs available.

Encourage Volunteering

Volunteering is one of the best ways to be exposed to the realities of work while making a positive contribution and having a hands-on experience. A range of organisations actively seek volunteers and others will take on people for work experience. Sometimes, exposure to a workplace in a voluntary capacity will convince an individual of a career choice or reveal that it is not appropriate for them.

Help Your Child Take an Interests Quiz

If you or your child have few ideas of the careers they might be interested in, taking a quiz to highlight their specific interests can be helpful. Many of these tools are available online and are an effective way to define interests that can then be pursued through a career.

Holiday Employment

The best time to consider career options is during holiday periods. Taking on a job during the holidays may be a good idea for your child. Even if the job they take on is far from ideal, your child will benefit from learning about skills needed for various positions and the skills needed to communicate with people at a range of levels within an organisation.

Above all else, as a parent you should be encouraging and optimistic as you help your child to find their path in life. Show your child that you believe in them and their dreams, and will support them as they forge their path in life beyond school.

This is an S2 POST.

Oricom Non-Contact Thermometer Review + GIVEAWAY

09/03/2015 By All Mum Said 57 Comments

Every parent knows the difficulties you can experience when your child is sick. They either want to cling to you and not let go; not allowing for toilet breaks, food, basically space of any kind. Or not want anyone to touch them at all. Both of these can make it hard when you need to take their temperature especially if they are young.

I cannot speak for every child but I can say that 2 of mine never stayed still long enough to get an accurate reading from the underarm or oral thermometers. They would get frustrated and pull it out. Now that they are older they understand the importance however I’m sure Poppet (almost 2 years old) is going to go through the same “don’t touch me – why aren’t you holding me – I said don’t touch me – I want cuddles” phase her brothers did. Which is why I am welcoming the Oricom non-contact thermometer into my home with open arms (wide open arms!).

Oricom Non-Contact Thermometer

The Oricom FS300 aka Oricom Non-Contact Infrared digital Thermometer is so great that it is hard to express in words its magic. I would go as far as saying it is the best digital thermometer on the market! I absolutely love this thermometer because as the name suggests it requires no contact. But better than that; it is fast. It takes less than 2 seconds to give you an accurate reading. Oricom recommends that you test on the forehead (temple) or behind the earlobe at 2-3cm away for a reliable reading. This thermometer is extremely versatile for general use as it allows measurements including body, room and surface temperature.

The Oricom non-contact thermometer is smaller than I expected but the size is perfect, not too big and not too small. It is an ideal pocket size that you can take it just about anywhere with you.

I absolutely love how easy it is to use. You can set it have a quiet beep when measurement is taken or make it silent. It stores the last 32 measurements for your convenience and it is as simple as pushing the start button to get the temperature of your child. It really couldn’t be more easy. The large backlit LCD display allows for easy viewing day or night.

Due to the fact it requires no contact, it is hygienic and eliminates risk of virus transfer. This is a huge selling point for me as I don’t want bugs and illnesses being passed to everyone in the family. The thermometer requires only 2x AAA batteries and as I have come to expect from Oricom, it comes with a 12 month warranty for the unlikely event you have any issues with it. Visit the Oricom website for more information on the Oricom non-contact thermometer.

Prize Includes: 1x Oricom FS300 Non-Contact Infrared Thermometer. RRP $99.95.