Anyone who’s ever been around children knows how messy (and smelly) they can be.

While we love the kiddies, cleaning up after them is not always the nicest of tasks, especially where it concerns the toilet.

One mum was tired of her little boys peeing and missing the bowl (a problem that shows no signs of slowing with maturity) and resorted to an ingenious hack.

Rebecca Seddon grabbed some shaving foam and smeared it across the toilet floor and even the bathroom walls.

The mum from Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, shared the trick on the Facebook page Mrs Hinch Cleaning Tips, where she’d heard of it before trying it herself.

At first, she was a little sceptical about its effectiveness but followers of the 200,000-strong group that she would update them if the lingering pee smell disappeared.

‘Shaving foam is meant to get rid of the smell of pee, [and I have] two young boys who think nothing of turning around mid-flow because they simply can’t wait to get back to what they are doing,’ she wrote on the post.

‘If this works I’ll be stocking up with cupboards full of the stuff. Can’t wait for the day I don’t have to wipe the seat before I sit down.’

Rebecca then tried it out, splattering the cream all over the bathroom before wiping it all off.

Lo and behold, the Gillette cream worked a treat, not leaving a single whiff of pee behind.

She updated the post and wrote: ‘Well I don’t know if it’s just psychological or not, but left the house for a few hours, came back and straight upstairs to have a sniff and it seems to have worked.

‘This has 100% worked! Not a whiff of pee this morning!

‘There’s been no more peeing around the toilet either, but that could be something to do with the fact I told them last night next time wee was around the toilet and not in it, I’d be using their toothbrushes to clean it.’

A fair threat.

Rebecca even shared a joke with the followers: ‘Gillette, the best a toilet can get’.

Her post went down a treat, amassing more than 1,000 likes – but it’s not the first time mums have used the messy trick.

Another mum-of-three said the tip also worked for her boys, who had a hard time aiming.

Other suggested making a game of it by putting in a ping pong ball and asking the kids to aim for it.

Someone still has to fetch the ball out, so it’s perhaps not the best idea.

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There are some things in life that just don’t need a designer counterpart.

And yet, major fashion houses throw their name on some pretty ordinary things.

Previously we’ve seen Jenga sets, volleyballs and pencil cases from Louis Vuitton.

But now Yves Saint Laurent is getting in on the action.

The luxury French retailer is offering condoms at £5 a pop on its website and it hasn’t gone unnoticed on social media.

Fashion enthusiast Chalukya who goes by @balenciogre on Twitter spotted it and shared the images with her followers.

She wrote: ‘Why am I so tempted to buy these YSL condoms when I’m not even going to use them, I just want to collect them for the sake of fashion.’

Anyone else tempted to buy the stuff can choose between six different prints.

The options include checkered, cob, zebra, leopard, heart and the YSL monogram printed on a black cover.

Chalukya’s mood was immediately relatable with other users who liked and commented on her post in their droves.

‘That’s the level of extra I aspire to be,’ wrote one while another said: ‘Imagine hosting a party and having a bowl of these in the bathroom.’

Others noted the disappointment of expecting another more fancy item from YSL but getting the condom instead: ‘Just imagine your man saying he bought you some YSL and he pulls this out’.

Of course, some had jokes. One person quipped: ‘Karl Marx couldn’t have predicted this form of capitalism’.

To that, another wrote: ‘I think he’d enjoy that they’re controlling the means of (re)production.’

Very clever. Now if anyone does actually want to buy, whether to use or as a collector’s item, you can purchase the condoms on the YSL website.

Those with a penchant for all things designer might notice other items listed next to the condoms which include £65 posters and £300 yoga mats.

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It’s no secret that a night out on the town can burn a deep hole in your pocket.

A new study has even revealed how many pounds we part with every time we head out – apparently, the average Brit has spent £70.69 when going out in the three months leading up to September.

People tend to splash more cash during the summer months, but this is the highest the figure has been since October 2016, when the survey first launched.

In fact, the amount we’re willing to spend on a night out has gone up 25% compared to last year.

The study, released by nightclub franchise, The Deltic Group, found that most of the money spent went towards cinema, restaurant, pub and nightclub visits.

As for what we’re buying, it’s not just nightclub entry fees or food and drink at venues, but also alcohol at home (the traditional pre-drinks) and transport.

Unsurprisingly, alcohol is a big part of the overall spend, with the average party-goer buying £19.34 worth of booze when out drinking – up 10% since last year – and £16.03 on food – up 17.7%.

Brits are also going out more often; in the three months leading to the end of this month, 61% of Brits went out, a figure which has increased 56.2% since 2018.

However, while they are keen to have a good time, the study participants pointed out that they do budget for the experience – and nearly a quarter will stop once the limit has been reached.

Others (25%) will hunt out discounts before heading out, or eat/drink beforehand (once again, the traditional pre-drinks).

Despite these figures, it appears that the UK’s night-time economy has seen better days – nearly 12,000 pubs have closed during the period of 2010 and 2018, according to Altus Group.

‘This quarter’s Deltic Night Index demonstrates that consumers are spending a significant portion of their disposable income on going out,’ said Peter Marks, chief executive of The Deltic Group.

‘However, these aren’t impulse purchases. People are clearly thinking about where and when they spend their money, as shown by the percentage of people that budget, and seek out the best value whilst enjoying a fantastic night out.’

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A swimming pool in Scotland held their first ever doggy swim day so pets could splash around alongside their owners.

The open-air Gourock Outdoor Pool, in Inverclyde, Scotland let canines take a dip at the weekend at the last swim session of the season.

Organisers were inspired by similar events which have taken place in England.

Stephen McNally, 43, went for a dip with his Spanish water dog, Ibby, after travelling Bishopbriggs, East Dunbartonshire, for the special event.

The pooch, aged four-and-a-half, loves splashing around in water and Stephen, who works as a resource manager, was happy to join her.

Stephen said: ‘Ibby loves the water.

‘If we go to a beach, it is hard to get her out of there.

‘But I was shocked to see that she enjoys surfing as well.

‘There were a lot of floats there and she enjoyed being on them.

‘It’s was such a great day and the water was warm too which was a bonus.

‘Everyone had a good time, I even heard some people came from as far as Ireland to be part of it.’

Organiser Natalie Skee brought her own dog, Esmerlda, a pug-beagle cross, for a swim.

Natalie, a team leader for Inverclyde Leisure, said: ‘We knew that there are pools down south that do this, so we decided to look into it and gave it a go.

‘I have two dogs and I brought one of them to the event.

‘I brought my puggle called Esmeralda. She’s a crossbreed of a Pug and Beagle.

‘She’s two-years-old and she loved it.

There were three sessions with 20 dogs at each session but tickets sold out quickly.

Natalie added: ‘I would like to think this is something we will do annually.

‘I think it’s a great idea and there is a big demand for it.’

Let’s take a look at the rest of the doggos enjoying their swim:

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There have been some major shake-ups in the business world as of late. Last week, the world watch on as employees from Thomas Cook lost their jobs, while earlier today, Forever 21 filed for bankruptcy.

Most of us imagine a future where we have job that provides a steady salary and a level of security that means we’ll never have to go without the necessities in life – somewhere to live, food, clothes to wear – but unfortunately there are never any guarantees.

If you’ve recently been made redundant or are concerned that the business you work for may soon close its doors for good, don’t panic.

Each person’s situation is different – perhaps you are worried that your skills aren’t transferable, maybe you work in a notoriously competitive industry or are concerned about not being able to feed your family.

All of these are valid concerns, but the most important thing to do when you find out that you no longer have a job is to take a breath before you make a plan to tackle the problem.

‘Panicking always leads to rushed and bad decisions,’ Karen Kwong, business coach and founder of RenOC, tells Metro.co.uk.

‘Always. And bad decisions means rushing into a job you don’t want and that is wrong for you. Panicking means doing things like being unfocused in your search, being incoherent in interviews and underperforming in tests and assessments.’

Redundancy is not always done in bulk, meaning it could affect just a few people or even just one (in this case, you), which can be more difficult to come to terms with. After all, if you’re the only one who was let go, the camaraderie that can help in these situations doesn’t exist.

‘It can be easy to shut yourself away and take it personally, but it’s vital you protect yourself from the feeling of “why me?” – not only is it a motivation-killer, but you’ll start believing those negative voices in your head,’ James Taylor, CEO at Macildowie, an East Midlands recruitment firm, tells Metro.co.uk.

Instead of focusing on the negative, make a list of everything you’re great at.

‘Most roles today require a certain level of entry’ skills, but depending on your previous role, you might have a unique and specialised offering that sets you apart from the competition,’ James added.

‘Even the most “basic” of skills, such as multi-tasking, teamwork and patience, can set you in good stead for a future career, so don’t discount these.’

Once you know where you shine strongest, it’s time to get started with the search – and first on the agenda is updating your CV and social media channels, Karen tells us.

Add skills that you acquired in your new job, projects you’ve worked on, clients of note (if any), qualifications and training courses, like the two-hour course on internal communication that you did at the company years ago.

Karen said: ‘Think about what you really want – job role, salary, culture, home life, learning opportunities – do you want more of the same or something different? Is this an opportunity to re-train or do further education?

‘Register with recruitment agencies to help them find you a new job from their clients. Upload your CV to job websites e.g. CV Library.’

‘Be proactive in your job searches – contact direct competitors of your previous company. Seek local job support advice or outplacement companies, as well as talk with your professional and personal network to identify job opportunities within the area.

‘Keep positive – apply for jobs daily and include cover letters in your applications; highlighting your interest and suitable experience for the job you are applying for.’

While you look for a job, make a budget for yourself and cut expenses where you can. If money is tight and you need a job, any job, and soon, it’s understandable that you might not have a lot of time to search for your dream job.

If you do end up accepting a new role out of pure necessity, continue your search at the same time; something better – with more money, freedom or possibilities to grow – might turn up just a few months later.

Don’t be afraid to put pressure on your employer, too.

‘A responsible employer doesn’t just let their employees go when they become redundant – they help them find new roles that their skills will match,’ said Jordan Bishop, vice president of human resources at Yore Oyster.

‘For example, last year we had to let someone go because more than 80% of their role had been taken over by a piece of software. But knowing that not everyone had that piece of software, we reached out to a few of our industry partners and were able to help that employee find a similar role with one of them.’

Additionally, look up your employment rights and give your contract another read to make sure you get what is owed to you.

Being made redundant could open other doors, especially if you received a decent pay packet. Perhaps this is the time to finish the book you’ve been working on for years but never have time to finish or maybe you could take a chance on a new industry.

If you have the luxury of spending a little time considering your options, then do.

Looking for a job or undertaking a project that excites you, rather than accepting the first thing that’s offered so that you have money coming in, might well benefit you in the long-run.

This moment could also be a grand opportunity to start your own business. If there isn’t a job out there that you want and you have the capital, time and passion, why not create one for yourself?

Vivi Friedgut was made redundant a few years ago and decided to launch Black Bullion, a company that partners with universities to supply students with free financial education and advice.

‘At the time it was a massive shock, but within a few days I realised this was an opportunity to create a new path going forward,’ she tells Metro.co.uk.

‘I’d always wanted to start my own business and this was the kick I needed to try.

‘The first thing I did was work out how much money I had and how long it needed to last – the circumstances of my redundancy meant I got a decent payout, so by cutting out all unnecessary spending I could last a year before I needed to get a job.

‘I also made sure to make a habit of waking up and getting dressed properly rather than lounge around in trackies.

‘Being out of routine is the most corrosive thing – you’re used to knowing what you need to do when and suddenly your time is your own. Getting out and meeting people is important for your mental health and working out of coffee shops meant that I met a few others in the same situation.

‘Redundancy seemed like the end of the world but truth be told, it’s the best thing that ever happened to me.’

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Kids – can’t live with them, can’t live without them.

You also really can’t trust them to not make a mess in the toilet or to not get into trouble while you use the loo yourself.

One mum left her toddler by himself for just a few seconds before chaos ensued.

Madeline Valdivia from Chicago, Illinois left her kiddie Samuel alone in the room so she could go to the bathroom, and when she came back from using the toilet ‘for 45 seconds’ she rushed to the aid of the toddler who had somehow ended up on a treadmill.

The one-year-old hadn’t just managed to step onto the exercise equipment, he ended up unwittingly going for a run (mood).

In a hilarious clip shared on Twitter, Samuel is seen petrified, holding onto dear life as the speed gets too much for him.

Been together since 4pm, no problems. I go to the bathroom ONCE 45 seconds in, and I have to rush out to this: pic.twitter.com/AN1iaZYe2k

— Madeline (@madelaneeee) September 27, 2019

Mum Madeleine then runs to him to slow the pace down, at which point an amused Samuel seems ready to go again.

Her son is always doing ‘silly, crazy things like this’, she told Mashable.

‘He likes to go on the walker and press start,’ she added.

‘He can’t reach the speed settings yet. The reason it was going fast is that my little brother was just on it and left it in a different setting so it automatically switched speeds after a minute of him clicking start!’

Of course, Samuel’s crying face became an instant hit with Twitter users who hailed the kiddo an icon.

They had plenty of captions to go with the clip, such as: ‘Going to the gym when you’d rather be home ordering food and watching SVU’ and ‘When you trynna stay healthy but hate every second of it [sic]’.

‘Everyone that goes to the gym can relate to this situation,’ quipped another.

As often happens when mums post about something amusing happening to their child, Madeline was met with some criticism.

Some wondered how she had time to grab a camera and film the event, while others said she shouldn’t be laughing at his misfortune.

A quick run never hurt anyone, right?

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There is no shortage of beauty advent calendars to choose from this year.

Many have already launched, including options from Glossybox, Holland & Barrett and Cult Beauty (a first-ever for this brand), and now there’s another one to add to the ever-growing list: Jo Malone.

As always, the calendar is filled to the brim with sweet-smelling products, with 24 doors containing small vials of perfume (9ml), candles and body lotion.

Signature scents from Jo Malone generally feature within the calendar and this year is no different with English Pear & Freesia in body crème form and Blackberry & Bay Cologne.

Other gems include the Basil & Neroli Cologne, Myrrh and Tonka Body Crème and the Pine & Eucalyptus Candle (because your home should smell as nice as you do).

There are also new additions, like the Bronze Wood and Leather Cologne Intense.

The Jo Malone calendar will launch online and in selected stores tomorrow (1 October), but you’ll have to fork out a pretty penny for it – this year’s calendar costs £320.

Despite having a high price tag, the calendars sell out very quickly, so be quick if you want one.

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Lady Gaga has been a style connoisseur since the start of her career.

The singer-turned-actress has no shortage of skills and is on the verge of becoming a beauty guru, as her much-anticipated cosmetics line has just dropped on Amazon..

That’s right, you can finally buy all the Haus Laboratories products.

Fans of the A Star is Born actress or those who are into the latest beauty products from celebrities can enjoy cruelty-free, vegan cosmetics for eyes and lips.

In addition to the six previous collections which were ready for pre-order, HAUS Laboratories is introducing three new products.

The Liquid Eye-Lie-Ner Matter Than Matte Liner in Punk, the Eye Armor Kit which comes with the Liquid Eye-Lie-Ner and Armor Wingtips No.1, as well as an Armor Masque No.1 Face Masque Armor Sticker are now available to purchase.

Other popular items that were hits in the US will be sold separately, such as the Glam Attack Liquid Shimmer Powder, RIP Lip Liner and the Riot Lip Gloss.

On its Instagram page, Haus Laboratories featured popular influencers trying on the stuff.

Some of the mega famous bloggers included Nikkie de Jager (NikkieTutorials), Trevor Barrett and Wesley Benjamin Carter.

Lady Gaga, real name Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, is the latest celeb to branch into the beauty industry following Rihanna’s success with Fenty and Kylie Jenner’s Kylie Cosmetics.

Haus Laboratories has been especially important to Gaga who was super involved in the process – from developing formulas, mixing shades, designing the packages and even when it came to casting models and filming.

‘This launch is so very special to me,’ Gaga wrote on the Haus Laboratories Instagram page.

‘This is a labour of love and passion to be the Warhol of an artist I’ve always wanted to be. I love everyone who works with me and we are a family on a mission: to inspire bravery, inspire a positive community that breeds self-acceptance.

‘We want you to see you as you see yourself.

‘This isn’t just makeup. It’s a battle. A battle for your life.

‘And I hope this makeup inspires you as much as makeup did when I fell in love with it and it helped me discover myself.

‘I love you. We want you to love yourself.’

You can browse the new products on the Amazon website.

Sadly this is just the European launch, so fans from other parts will have the world will have to wait.

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When Carrot the kitten was found on the streets of Prague, her eyes were so badly inflamed she was in constant pain.

The two-month-old kitten was taken into Handipet Rescue, a shelter for abused, disabled, sick, or abandoned dogs and cats, in a family home between Mělník and Prague.

There, shelter owner Jaq took Carrot to see a vet. But after intensive treatment and consultation with two specialists, Carrot’s eyes wouldn’t heal – the inflammation kept returning and she continued to suffer.

After waiting and hoping things would get better, vets decided the best option would be to remove both of Carrot’s eyes, making her blind.

Carrot can only see light and shadows but is free of the immense pain her eyes were causing.

And now, at five months old, she’s looking for a loving home.

Jaq tells Metro.co.uk: ‘Carrot is the same as any ‘normal’ kitten, she plays (toys with noises are her favourite, jingly balls), she is super friendly and loves cuddling.

‘She has a little puppy friend that she loves to hang out with.

‘Potential owners should treat her the same as any other cat. Just don’t leave the Waterford Crystal somewhere it can get knocked over.

‘Once she finds a home she will work out her surroundings by smell and hearing.

‘She could only be an inside cat, the outside world would be a dangerous place for her. She could however use an outside cat enclosure.’

Just a few weeks after surgery Carrot is able to get around easily using her ears and nose. She knows exactly where her litterbox is, so doesn’t have any accidents, and is always able to track down her food.

She loves people so much she’ll often follow them around just using their scent, adores a cuddle, and ‘purrs like a train’.

While Carrot is based in Kadlin, an hour north of Prague, her new owners could be based anywhere around the world. Most of Handipet’s animals leave Prague, including one cat whose owner flew over from the US just to collect her.

In a Facebook post that’s reached more than 10,000 people, Jaq wrote: ‘Sweet little kitten Carrot is looking for her forever home and she asks you kindly not to be put off because she is blind.

‘Carrot loves life, people, dogs and other cats.

‘If Carrot has stolen your heart she would love to hear from you. Aunt Jaq will pass on your messages to her.’

If you’d be able to give Carrot the loving home she deserves, you can get in touch with Handipet Rescue by emailing jaq@petheroes.cz or getting in touch through the shelter’s Facebook page.

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We are all chronically time-poor. So the last thing we want to do is spend hours of our precious free time in the gym.

And spending more time working out isn’t always necessarily efficient or effective. Short, sharp workouts can have more of an impact on your overall health goals – as long as you know what you’re doing.

Many personal trainers and even the NHS say that you can get fit with as little as 15 minutes of exercise per day – but if you’re compressing your workouts, you want to make sure they’re as efficient as possible.

David Wiener, training specialist at fitness app Freeletics, has given us his top tips on how to get a brilliant workout in just 15 minutes. Think of all the things you’ll be able to do with all that extra free time…

Plan your workout

One of the best ways to save time when it comes to exercising is to use your time wisely and plan your workouts.

If you arrive at the gym with no plan, you’ll likely waste time thinking about what to do next, and not only does this waste time, it can reduce the quality of your workout.

If you’re unsure where to start, a fitness app can guide you through a full-body workout which is tailored to your individual goals and how long you’re able to spend training.

Minimise distractions

Undoubtedly the best way to make the most out of a short workout is to minimise distractions and focus on the task at hand.

For some, this may mean exercising alone with a motivating playlist, rather than with a friend.

It may mean switching off the notifications on your phone, so you’re not tempted to answer phone calls or reply to texts and emails.

Also, try keeping your rest periods short so you’re not tempted to waste time.

HIIT it

High Intensity Interval Training or HIIT, as it’s better known, is the best way to get an effective, quick workout.

Interval training is a great way to increase your fitness levels and calorie burn and it’s performed by alternating intense periods of physical activity with short periods of rest so that your body can recover briefly before you up the intensity again.

Not only is this style of working out a great time saver, its brilliant for building endurance and boosting the metabolism.

Utilise your bodyweight

Bodyweight training is incredibly effective, and one of the beauties of this style of training is that you don’t need any equipment, meaning you’ll spend less time waiting around to use the machines or the free weights.

It’s an incredibly versatile way of training, and you don’t even need to be in the gym.

If you’re really pushed for time you can get a quick, effective full-body workout wherever you are, and whenever works best for you.

Give yourself a time limit

Setting yourself a time limit is a great way to maximise the time you spend in the gym ensuring that you make every second count.

If you find that your workouts are taking too long, set a timer and race against the clock, this will make your workouts faster and more efficient.

Ace your warm-up

Warming up before exercising is very important as it helps to prevent injury and prepare your body for the workout ahead.

A proper warm-up should last between five to ten minutes, but there are clever ways to speed this up and save time.

Start by foam rolling for two-three minutes followed by a quick, dynamic series of mountain climbers, jumping jacks, arm and leg lifts, and hip raises.

Embrace supersets

They may sound scary, but supersets are a great way to save time and get an effective workout.

In simple terms, a superset is when you do two different exercises back to back without taking a break.

Shortening the rest period will also increase the intensity of your workout and doing more movements in a shorter space of time will equate to increased energy expenditure, upping your calorie burn.

Make a back-up plan

There are never any guarantees that the equipment you want to use will be free, so in addition to your planned workout, it’s a good idea to have a back-up plan that you can turn to if the equipment you want to use is busy.

For example, if you’re planning to use the bench press and it’s busy, you could try even weighted push-ups.

Or if the stair masters are a no go you could try doing steps ups.

You could even substitute the treadmill for the cross trainer and vice versa as they offer a similar body mechanical movement.

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A self-taught DIY fan has built an incredible replica of a Flying Scotsman train carriage in just 89 days.

Mum of two Emma Hammond, 47, built the 24ft by 8ft mobile train carriage, which she calls The Flying Yorkshireman, in her back garden for £7,000.

It now serves as a one-bedroom holiday home for guests who fancy a stay in Emma’s farm in Harrogate, Yorkshire.

If you’re imagining a standard train carriage with crowded luggage racks, think bigger.

The carriage is pretty special, complete with a cosy bedroom and antique features Emma picked up from Ebay, including authentic train door handles, signs, and lights.

Photographer and massage therapist Emma said: ‘How it came about is all a bit weird – I’d thought about it a lot, drew out some plans and it just sort of happened.

‘An old railway runs through our farm which was where the idea initially came from, and I got further ideas from visiting the York Railway Museum.

‘I’ve also always had an interest in trains and drew a bit more inspiration from the old Pullman train services, which I love.

‘I started building it all off a trailer, I think I might be the first person ever to build a train carriage from scratch.

‘I had no previous experience with DIY and I didn’t really Google how to do anything – the biggest thing I had ever built beforehand was a garden couch from old pallets, and that wobbles!’

Outside of the carriage is decking with seating and a wood-fired hot tub, so guests can relax as they look out over the Yorkshire Dales.

The making of the holiday home was complicated, especially when the process landed Emma in the hospital with a concussion.

When Emma was making steps up to the trailer, one broke, causing her to fall and knock herself unconscious.

The mum spent two weeks feeling dizzy and disorientated, but refused to let that stop her from her DIY challenge.

This wasn’t the only setback Emma faced – she also had to have three hour shoulder stabilisation surgery towards the end of the journey due to a previous rugby injury.

She spent six weeks with her arm in a sling and had to paint and sew the finishing touches to the carriage with just one arm.

Emma said: ‘I left the hospital after my fall feeling like I’d been hit by a train, but once the concussion had passed I started to get back on it again.

‘I had to go steady, which wasn’t as fast as I wanted to go at this stage.

‘By the end of the build, I was exhausted, aching and wondering what I was thinking by choosing to build a railway carriage.

‘The shoulder surgery meant that I had to finish the trailer with one arm – with a bit of help to fit the shower.

‘Luckily, I managed to finish everything for August 1, and welcomed the first guest just half an hour later after sorting the final touches.’

The mobile carriage sleeps two people and costs £85 per night, with an extra £25 charge to relax in the hot tub.

Emma added: ‘It’s such a shame the train to Harrogate doesn’t still run through the farm still because that would have been even more unique and amazing.

‘When people first arrive they ask me, ‘where did you buy this from?’ and I tell them I made it myself.

‘At first, they don’t believe me when I say that, but I had a book printed which shows the whole building process so after they see that they do actually believe me.

‘It makes me feel good that I’ve done a great job of making it look real.’

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When you have little ones, your focus is often convenience.

What’s the easiest way to keep them fed, happy and entertained? But that can mean that thinking about the environment can take a back seat.

But parenting doesn’t have to mean drowning in clingfilm and plastic packaging. There are some easy steps you can take to become a more eco-conscious parent.

Blogger Karen Maurice has pulled together a list of her top sustainable parenting tips to help you lessen your impact on the environment while you’re bringing up your kids.

Get your little ones to wear aprons

It means their clothes will stay cleaner for longer, so you don’t have to wash them as often. Great for the environment and for you.

If your child is particularly resistant to wearing an apron, don’t panic. My daughter refused to wear one until her grandma bought her a special one and now, she’s more than happy to.

So choose one with them that they love, and they’ll be much more likely to wear it.

Swap disposable baby wipes for reusable ones 

It might freak you out at first, but you’ll soon discover that reusable wipes are much better at clearing up mess.

You can either buy them new or just cut up an old towel into wipe shaped pieces.

Now there will be some scenarios when you just need a wipe that you can throw away. So, on those occasions just use disposable wipes as it’s the exception rather than the norm.

Or you can buy biodegradable disposable wipes, though they are more expensive.

Buy hard soap

Wash your children with good, old fashioned bars of soap packaged in cardboard boxes.

There’s no plastic packaging and because they are smaller to transport than liquid soap, they use less fuel to arrive at your door.

Just make sure your child doesn’t leave the soap in the bath or it’ll disappear in no time.

Invest in a reusable drinks bottle 

Then you avoid the inevitable request for one of the highly marketed plastic drinks bottles, which they’ll see on their travels.

Also, they then get to choose what drink goes inside it.

Make your own snacks, or use food pouches that you can recycle

In order to do this, I find that you just have to be a little bit more prepared.

Each morning I’ll cut up some fruit and put it in a little reusable pot. Both my kids adore berries, particularly strawberries and raspberries, so in summer it’s very straight forward.

Winter requires a little more effort, but you can easily cut up an apple or grab a banana (just don’t leave it in your bag or you’ll have a yucky mess).

Now, sometimes life is just too busy to prepare a snack. So, it’s really helpful to have a stash of Little Freddie pouches in the cupboard.

They’re a sustainable baby food brand because their pouches can be recycled via their zero waste to landfill recycling initiative. They even send you the free returnable envelope which you can pop in the post.

Make shopping a game

My children have an eye for anything bright and plastic, particularly if we’re in the supermarket.

The magazine aisle is always the toughest one to walk past. So, when we go in, I give them something to look for and choose.

It might be an item of fruit or a favourite flavour of ice cream, but that way their attention is focused elsewhere.

Shop for second-hand fashion

When they’re little it is really easy to find lovely second-hand clothing for your child.

There are some amazing online boutiques that sell high-quality second-hand clothing.

Alternatively ask friends, neighbours and relatives. People often have stacks of clothing in their lofts which they are desperate to be rid of.

For my daughter, there is nothing more exciting than a bag of preloved clothes. It’s like Christmas all over again.

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If you think we live in an equal society, ask yourself this: have you ever payed £70 to eat brunch?

This is exactly what happened to me just the other week.

Besides work I’ve found myself socialising less and less over the past years. In part because I’d rather be snug in my pyjamas watching Netflix, but mostly because I’ve suffered increasingly from anxiety, caused by the inequalities I face as someone with an impairment and a full-time wheelchair user.

So, after repeatedly bailing on friends invitations, I reluctantly accepted an invite to brunch. My friend had scoped the venue for accessibility and had assured me that I’d be able to comfortably and safely join him.

The only snag was it was on the other side of London, which meant that I’d be left with a hefty taxi charge – £72 to be specific.

Like many others with impairments, wheelchair users like me rely on door-to-door service when we travel and, for the most part, cannot easily access other modes of public transport such as buses or London Underground, which often means paying a premium for accessible services.

This means that when I go for a quick coffee, or on a date, the cost of travel and lack of access always looms over my head. I’ve become very selective on how often I leave my home.

This is something much of the disabled community face. The charity Scope identified that, on average, people with disabilities end up paying extra costs of £583 per month.

Why not brunch somewhere local, thus cutting down on travel, one may ask? In truth, I’m tired of compromising, feeling like a burden, and not having equal choice when going about my life.

It’s common courtesy to thank the waitress for a nice meal but no non-disabled person ever feels obliged to also thank the waitress for letting them use the toilet during the meal.

I should be able to join my friends at their chosen venue without worrying about how I’ll be getting there, if it’s accessible or how much money it will cost me.

I often say that us disabled folk aren’t asking for a rhinestone unicorn made from gold. We simply want to live in an equal society – one that adheres to the Equality Act 2010.

However, equality seems a long way off. Even popping in for a cuppa at a friends’ is out of the question for many of us, with over two thirds of Brits say their homes are no-go zones for wheelchair users.

So what does an equal society look like for those with disabilities? Model and disability activist Dan Edge says an equal society is ‘where both physical, attitudinal and, in many cases, financial barriers for disabled people are removed.

‘So they have equal access to education, healthcare, employment and leisure activities to the same level and quality of life as their non disabled peers.’ I can’t help but agree.

Even when we do see society accommodating our needs and trying to be more inclusive it is often tarnished with the expectation that we recipients should be grateful for provisions made for us.

I’ve often been met with glee from restaurant staff as they proudly state they have an accessible bathroom, or cab drivers reminding me that the ramp they have on board was purchased with their own money – as though I should show my appreciation and give them a thank you for simply doing what’s asked of them by law.

As Abbi Brown, a disability rights campaigner, explains: ‘Accessibility shouldn’t mean having to ask for a ramp to be fetched from the back of a store cupboard, or feeling forced to act effusively grateful when the ramp arrives.

‘Of course, it’s common courtesy to thank the waitress for a nice meal but no non-disabled person ever feels obliged to also thank the waitress for letting them use the toilet during the meal.

‘True accessibility allows us to enjoy and appreciate the services provided by an establishment without feeling that our existence is a burden.’

I went to brunch in the end and I had a great time. Spending time with friends in a safe, comfortable environment is self-care – especially for disabled people who are at risk of being isolated – but the final cost overshadowed a lovely experience.

Unfortunately the message that an inclusive and equal society is not only beneficial to the person with a disability, but will in fact benefit the whole of society, seems to be lost.

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Londoners are perfectly aware that we’d save a lot of money if we were to pack up and move north.

But that knowledge doesn’t stop us from wanting to weep when we see just how cheap rent can be in spots outside the capital city.

In our weekly series, What I Rent, we take you inside different people’s rented properties to paint an honest picture of the reality of renting.

We’re mostly in London, but sometimes we’ll venture around the UK to show citydwellers exactly what they’re missing.

Last week we spent time with Jamie, who pays £895 for a one-bedroom flat in Brighton.

This time we’re with Dayna, who pays just £400 a month to share a two-bedroom flat in Leith, Scotland.

Hey, Dayna! How much do you pay to live here?

We pay £800 for a two-bed flat. my flatmate and I split it straight down the middle.

Bills are around £200 a month, my flatmate is a student so council tax is my burden to bear.

What do you get for what you pay?

Two bedrooms, one bathroom, a super open hallway and weird downstairs space where we keep a bookcase, kitchen and living room – the living room is a total novelty because the last time we lived together we didn’t have one.

Do you think you have a good deal?

Yes. This was the tenth flat we viewed in the area and everything for the same price was super cramped or outdated – net curtains and damp? Nae thanks.

We’re in an amazing location, the flat is really unique and the letting agent is on it when it comes to sorting stuff out.

How did you find the flat?

We’ve been here three months. I’ve just moved back after living in London for four years and Mairi, my flatmate, has just moved back to Edinburgh after a two-year stint in Berlin.

We originally weren’t going to view this flat because the photos of it were awful – it looked tiny.

After nine failed viewings we decided just to come along anyway because we were in the area and thank god we did.

There was another guy viewing the place while we were there but we became best pals with the agent and took it there and then. Sorry Michael, it’s our house.

Are you happy where you live?

Absolutely – Leith is such a hub of activity in the face of adversity. The food and drink scene is booming and independent businesses are constantly popping up despite student flats trying to take over.

There are businesses on the main stretch of Leith Walk that have been there for decades and its one of the few roads in Edinburgh you can grab furniture, scran and second-hand clothing in one go away from the centre.

Mairi and I have lived in different neighbours before but Leith is our best choice yet.

After living in London for years I’m still not over the fact that I can catch up with a mate in a pub ten minutes away from my house instead of arranging to meet somewhere an hour away for both of us – and that’s before the cheaper pint price. London was crucial for my career but Edinburgh will always be home.

Do you feel like you have enough space?

I mean this is probably biased as I have the bigger bedroom, but yes.

We’ve got tonnes of storage, loads of cupboards and for the two of us this is perfect – even if I’ve given myself a concussion on more than one occasion thanks to the sloped ceilings (which is no problem for my 5’4″ flatmate).

What’s it like sharing a place with Mairi?

Mairi and I have lived, worked and travelled together before and have been best pals of eight years so this is no bother – after four years of living in different countries it’s the best feeling ever to be back together.

She’ll kill me for being this much of a sap.

How have you made the flat feel like home?

All of artwork has been created by our friends – we’re lucky to be part of such a creative circle of pals (especially because I can’t design for shit).

Are there any issues with the flat you have to put up with?

Neighbours, if you’re reading this please stop playing guitar into the early hours of the morning – there’s only so many times I can hear ‘No Woman No Cry.’

Do you have any plans to move again?

This is us for now – Mairi is studying until next year and I have no desire to return to the big smoke – sorry Edinburgh, you’re stuck with us.

And have you thought about buying a place?

Hahahahahaha – I’m a freelance journalist.

We’ll take that as a no. Shall we have a look around?

What I Rent is a weekly series that’s out every Tuesday at 10am. Check back next week to have a nose around another rented property.

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Birth is an incredible thing. The things a woman’s body goes through in order to bring new life into the world is magical, inspiring and seriously painful.

But, while you might be aware of things like contractions and dilation, you might not realise that a woman’s skeleton actually moves during childbirth. Wild.

A mind-blowing photo of a woman in labour clearly shows a bulge in her lower back – which experts have explained is a bone from her pelvis.

If you haven’t experienced giving birth, this might sound like the stuff of nightmares, but the pregnancy care centre that shared the photo has reiterated that it is totally normal.

‘Can you see that bulge on her lower back? That is the rhombus of Michaelis,’ wrote Tangi Birth Services in a post on Facebook.

‘During the second stage of labour, a combination of bones including your sacrum actually move backwards and in doing so, increases the diameter of your pelvis.

The post went on to say that it’s an entirely normal process which is also known as the ‘opening of the back’.

It allows your baby the maximum amount of space to turn as they navigate their way out into the world.

‘In order to facilitate the opening of your back, you should use active birth positions where you are upright and leaning forwards.

‘Your body was made to do this! And your body and your baby work together!

‘Birth is not something to be feared … it is something to be understood!’

The encouraging post has already garnered more than 22,000 comments and 50,000 shares. And the women who read it have been left feeling seriously empowered.

‘The more I read about childbirth and labour the more new things I learn about our bodies as women. It’s truly an amazing experience. Powerful, exhilarating and I truly feel like the goddess I am to bring life into this world,’ said Shanice.

‘Our bodies are designed for this and we should go with the flow. Once I got my head round that I wasn’t scared and enjoyed the experience,’ added Louie.

The birth centre says they shared the picture to raise awareness about the different stages of the birth process to remove some of the stigma and fear still associated with labour.

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Oh. My. God. Beloved sitcom Friends celebrates its 25th birthday this year and shops certainly haven’t disappointed with their throwback merchandise.

High street favourite Primark has gone all out for anniversary with items such as matching Rachel Green and Monica Geller pyjamas, a Central Perk mug and a lobster pen.

But one shopper was left not so pleased after he returned home with a unisex T-shirt – only to find it had a massive typo splashed across the front.

In all fairness, the mistake is pretty hard to spot at first glance.

On closer inspection, the t-shirt reads ‘I’d rather be watching Friends’ but is missing the letter ‘i’ in ‘watching’.

Oh dear.

Disappointed shopper Dan Molloy took to Twitter to share his experience, stating that he hadn’t noticed the mistake until he had worn it out.

@Primark I got this top from you and have now noticed the typo in it.

How ridiculous that noone (including me) noticed it and it was allowed to be displayed and sold.

I no longer have my receipt, what can I do?

Thank you pic.twitter.com/rCEi3RM01q

— Dan Molloy #GetWellSoonMina (@DanM1703) August 12, 2019

He tweeted to Primark: ‘I got this top from you and have now noticed a typo in it.

‘How ridiculous that no one (including me) noticed it and it was allowed to be displayed and sold.

‘I no longer have my receipt, what can I do?’

Thankfully, Primark’s customer service team were not on a break and replied to the tweet promptly, saying than Dan would receive a full refund if he returned his T-shirt to a nearby store.

The news comes after shoppers were in hysterics over an awkward spelling error on a Primark Disney bauble – having spotted that the ‘r’ and the ‘i’ were the wrong way around in the word ‘Christmas’.

Could Primark be any more wrong?

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Long have us citydwellers thought we should pick up and move to the seaside for the sake of our mental health.

Now there’s some proper scientific backing for that pondering.

New research suggests that those who live close to the sea have better mental health than those who live far from the coast.

That’s regardless of their household income, so it’s not as simple as just being able to afford a home – there seem to be mental health benefits specifically from living nearer the sea.

Researchers from the University of Exeter used survey data from 25,963 participants and found that those who live less than a kilometre from the coast are 22% less likely to have symptoms of a mental health disorder than those who live 50km or more away.

People in low-income households less than a kilometre from the coast are around 40% less likely to have symptoms, compared to those earning the same amount living more than 50km away.

We don’t know exactly why this is, but researchers believe their findings back up the idea that ‘blue spaces’ – like green spaces, but with the sea – can improve your wellbeing.

Dr Jo Garrett, who led the study, said: ‘Our research suggests, for the first time, that people in poorer households living close to the coast experience fewer symptoms of mental health disorders.

‘When it comes to mental health, this ‘protective’ zone could play a useful role in helping to level the playing field between those on high and low income.’

Dr Mathew White, environmental psychologist at the University of Exeter, said: ‘This kind of research into blue health is vital to convincing governments to protect, create and encourage the use of coastal spaces.

‘We need to help policy makers understand how to maximise the wellbeing benefits of ‘blue’ spaces in towns and cities and ensure that access is fair and inclusive for everyone, while not damaging our fragile coastal environments.’

It’s important to note, of course, that the causes of mental illness are complex. While the results of this study might tip the scales in favour of living by the coast, we can’t declare that packing up and moving to live by the sea is a magical cure for all mental ills.

After all, it’s hard to be in the best mental space if you drastically change your life with no safety net in terms of a job, friends, and a place to live.

If you’re struggling with your mental health, chat to your GP or a therapist before planning a big move.

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A little girl has written to the CEO of Tesco accusing the supermarket of sexism after discovering that only boys’ school trousers had real pockets.

Nine-year-old Eleanor Waterman was very annoyed when she discovered that the school trousers she had chosen from Tesco had fake pockets.

She was so annoyed, in fact, that she wrote a letter to the supermarket’s CEO Dave Lewis expressing her outrage.

Her mum explained that Eleanor had written the letter because she just couldn’t understand why the boys got real pockets, but the girls didn’t.

‘At the start of term, Eleanor put on her new school trousers – bought from Tesco and chosen specifically because they have pockets,’ said Eleanor’s mum Carly.

‘When she put them on and realised the pockets were fake, she was shocked and annoyed.

‘She just could not understand why they would put fake pockets on trousers.’

Carly said that Eleanor found the whole thing incredibly unfair and that she is already sick of being treated differently just because she is a girl.

‘She understands that this is a result of cultural inequality and sexism and she doesn’t like it.’

Eleanor and her mum were surprised and delighted when they received a response from Tesco.

The reply, from Iain Drummond, on behalf of the CEO, said they were ‘very sorry’.

‘I can understand how frustrating this is especially as there are pockets in the boy’s trousers,’ said Iain.

‘I have shared your letter with our Clothing Buyer so that they are aware of your feedback. I am confident that they will take this on board to make sure that we offer a more inclusive option to both boys and girls in the future.’

The letter also included a £10 Tesco voucher. Iain added: ‘I hope that you can buy, in the meantime, a more suitable pair of trousers or put it to some good use.’

So if you want to make a change, writing a letter looks like a good place to start.

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Normally, you only get one shot at proposing to your partner.

But one man got plenty of do-overs. Canadian boyfriend Colton Vaters realised the trick to rehearsing a proposal was to make sure the person being proposed to doesn’t know it’s happening.

So the 23-year-old tried it 30 times just to get it perfect. And his hopeful fiancé Danielle Campbell was none the wiser.

Colton, a dad of two, spent six weeks ‘proposing’ to Danielle after he was inspired by Edi Okoro, who pulled the same antics for a month.

Like Edi, Colton went in hard by actually placing the ring he bought into Danielle’s hand while she was asleep.

The cheeky chap had bought the ring five months prior to proposing. He wasn’t sure how to make a grand and dramatic gesture so decided to break it down into multiple proposals and document each one.

In images shared on Facebook, he shared 26 times he’d secretly pulled the ring out in front of Danielle. There were more attempts before the real thing but Facebook didn’t let him upload all 30 pictures at once.

In some of the daring shots, Danielle can be seen with the ring on her back, in her hand and even on the nipple of a baby bottle (thank God he pulled it away before the kids saw it).

The hilarious photos went viral on Facebook, where he wrote: ‘I can finally share this! This is how I proposed to Danielle.

‘I bought the ring about five months or so ago knowing that I wanted to propose, but I had no idea how I was going to do it.

‘So I began brainstorming, and that kept going, and kept going and I had no idea what I wanted to do. I knew I wanted it documented, I knew I wanted some laughs, but it’s a proposal so you want it to be romantic.

‘How do you get any laughs from a proposal without making it a joke? It became almost frustrating because it’s a big moment and you want to do it right!

‘That all changed when I saw a post about how someone else proposed. He took secret photos of his now fiancé with the ring and her in the same photo in more and more daring scenarios. This to me sounded like a lot of fun. Game on.’

Off he went, ready to pull out the sparkler in as many places as he could.

‘I started taking the ring with me everywhere I went and taking as many photos as I could without her noticing,’ said Colton.

‘I also left the ring in various spots throughout the house for different periods of time.’

Though he had a lot of fun coming up with new ways to ‘pop the question’, Colton knew he wanted the actual proposal to be special and hoped Danielle wouldn’t notice the attempts.

He booked a photoshoot for the couple so a professional photographer could capture the moment.

He added: ‘I really hoped she wouldn’t notice the ring or me taking the pictures because if she did, I would’ve proposed then and there.

‘I wanted to do it during a photoshoot we had scheduled to catch it all live time.

‘It all went to plan and I would highly recommend this to anyone planning on asking the big question in the future. It was a cool way to make the proposal fun, and take the stress away.’

Please enjoy all the other pictures of Colton’s proposal attempts:

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The first of October kicks off the national stop smoking campaign Stoptobe – an initiative designed to help smokers ditch cigarettes once and for all.

We all know kicking the habit has substantial health benefits but new data has shown it could offer life-changing financial rewards too.

Data compiled for Telegraph Money, by financial planning firm Quilter, found that smokers could save as much as £59,645 over the next two decades – if they use Stoptober to quit altogether and instead invest their cigarette money in the stock markets.

The financial benefits of giving up smoking is not a new discovery, but Heather Owen – a financial planner at Quilter – stresses that investing the savings could create ‘truly life-changing’ amounts.

Those who give up solely for October every year could save £5,000 over 20 years, if they invest.

The data breaks it down.

Anyone who participants in Stoptober would save around £167 a month – based on the average price of a 20 pack of cigarettes costing £10.77 and average consumption being 10 per day. The maths means that anyone who quits entirely can save around £2,000 a year – which is £40,000 over the next two decades.

If this money is then put into the stock markets, it’s thought almost £60,000 could be raised – taking into account a 5% growth per year (the average throughout the British stock market history).

Heather told The Telegraph: ‘Once they put that money to work through the stock market they can expect to give their finances a helpful boost over the medium and long-term.’

But the savings don’t stop there.

Insurance companies often take into account whether someone smokes, increasing their prices for those who do. So significant savings could be made from giving up in this area too.

It seems there’s more than one reason to try and ditch the cigs this October.

Good luck.

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