As parents we strive to do the best we can for our kids in the hope that they’ll turn into half decent human beings.
There always seems to be something we think we should be doing more of (changing the bed sheets) or less of (watching CBeebies) and things we want to stop doing altogether (swearing in front of the kids).
So New Year is… Read the full story
So here we are, fully in the swing of Veganuary.
You’re almost over your cheese cravings and you’re starting to realise that most dark chocolate is vegan. Praise be to the plant-based Gods!
The real problem is thinking up new, exciting and easy dinners.
After all, one can only eat so much chilli and burrito bowl.
Which is why you need to grab your phone and hit ‘Follow’ on these vegan Instagrammers.
From chefs to celebs, they’re the folks to give you some culinary inspiration – whether that’s recipes, restaurant recommendations or accidentally vegan products.
Instagram is honestly your best tool for living a varied and happy vegan life. You’re so far from being… Read the full story
Brides-to-be are sensitive souls.
I’m not even talking about bridezillas here. Even the most level-headed bride has probably developed a hair-trigger once she’s within a year of her wedding.
She’s planning a fabulous day-long party for all of her and her fiancé’s friends and family, plus a honeymoon (which has to be the BEST HOLIDAY EVER), plus she’s supposed to look the most beautiful she has ever looked.
The lady is under a fair amount of pressure, okay?
You know how… Read the full story
A letter written by a dying woman has been shared online by her family after she passed away last week.
Holly Butcher was 27 when she lost her battle with Ewing’ sarcoma – a rare bone cancer.
Before she died, she penned an open letter which she asked her family to post to Facebook.
And in it, she talks about wanting to live on and forgetting all the trivial things that women our age worry about like cellulite and traffic.
‘It’s a strange thing to realise and accept your mortality at 26 years young,’ she writes.
‘It’s just one of those things you ignore. The days tick by and you just expect… Read the full story
I remember sneaking into my sister’s room when she wasn’t home and finding her teenage diary.
Reading through, I was horrified to discover that the diary entry for the week before read: ‘I found Lucy’s diary and read it. She’s so embarrassing’.
The cow. Oh, the irony.
Growing up, we can sometimes wish that our… Read the full story
You might think that on the first Sunday of 2018, people would be trying to keep out of trouble.
They’re still trying to make good on their New Year resolutions and they’ve just spent a week getting over NYE.
Now is not the time for sharking.
Except, apparently, on Tinder it is. Because today, 7 January, is Tinder’s busiest day of the entire year.
Yep, it might be Dry January for some but for others, they’re looking to get as much moist action as possible.
Tinder says the first Sunday of January is ‘consistently the busiest day of the year’ for the app as it kicks off what is known as ‘dating season’… Read the full story
Did you know that Ikea is purposely designed like a maze to lure customers into buying more than they need?
Sure, it’s every furniture junkie’s dream – it’s got literally everything you could ever want to litter your tiny house with.
But a trip to Ikea has to be planned with military precision if you don’t want to have a full-on meltdown in the home accessories room.
You can be sure that plenty of relationships have met their end in that royal blue warehouse.
Which is why one dad has put together a survival guide on how to navigate the Scandinavian shopping experience with your partner.
Brad Kearns shared an epic account of his… Read the full story
This year’s Golden Globes red carpet is going to be a little different.
Rather than a showcase of sparkly dresses and expensive jewellery (although both will likely make appearances), the 2018 Golden Globes red carpet is set to be a display of solidarity with the Time’s Up movement.
Time’s Up has urged anyone in the industry who wants to take a stand against the culture of sexual harassment, abuse, and inequality in Hollywood to wear black for the red carpet, as well a Time’s Up pin.
It’d feel a little strange waxing lyrical about the beauty of dresses when the outfits are more than just fashion, they’re a statement.
So we won’t. No ranking outfits, no discussion, just red carpet arrivals as they arrive. We’ll let actors’ choice of clothing do the talking.
New Year has come and gone, which means you’re probably feeling very gung-ho about your New Year’s resolutions.
You won’t be shocked to hear that in 2018, most of us are pledging to save money, spend more time on personal wellbeing, travel more and spend more time with family and friends.
We’ve discovered a dream holiday that will let you tick off every one of your New Year’s resolutions in less than a month — cruising the Caribbean with Virgin Holidays.
Virgin Holidays know what makes a cruise and they’ve got the ultimate holiday that’ll give your 2018 a jumpstart, whether it’s your first cruise, or your 100th.
They work closely with all of the major cruise lines to build their bespoke packages, ensuring you have the holiday you’ve always dreamed of – at a great price.
The Virgin Holidays Sale is on now and runs… Read the full story
Great news everybody – today is peak divorce day.
Yup, according to this cheerful analysis by relationship charity Relate, January 8 is the day couples are most likely to formally separate.
A perfect storm of lousy weather, a bitter Yuletide spent with in-laws, and an emaciated bank balance forces simmering tensions to the surface.
Personally, I don’t think break-ups are necessarily a bad thing.
Clear the dead wood, innit.
Plenty of fish, all that.
So once you’ve decided to pursue the bracing emotional blitzkrieg of a well-timed… Read the full story
Last November’s debate about making mental health education compulsory in school went down well and provided MPs with plenty of food for thought.
But how should we actually do it?
Surely we’re not going to ask teachers to stand up in front of a class of 6-year-olds and deliver a lecture on psychology? Although something tells me that this is what the critics are… Read the full story
Ah, the Golden Globes.
The ceremony’s fashion was a little different this year, with the majority of stars wearing black as part of the Time’s Up movement – a protest against the culture of sexual harassment, abuse, and inequality in Hollywood.
Hair and makeup was a way that women could express some joy in beauty in the midst of dismantling the patriarchy of the film industry.
While many kept things pared back and sombre, others went for colour, graphic eyes, and bold hair choices.
Here are our favourite hair and makeup looks of the Golden Globes.
Marchesa’s dominated red carpet choices for years.
All those ruffles, layers of tulle, and embellishment you’ve seen everyone from Sandra Bullock to Blake Lively? Marchesa.
But this year Marchesa was noticeably absent from the red carpet; a sea of black as part of the Time’s Up movement.
Why? Because Marchesa is the design label of Georgina Chapman, who also happens to be Harvey Weinstein’s wife.
It’d be a bit strange for the stars to wear a bit of Marchesa while protesting Hollywood’s culture of sexual harassment, abuse, and inequality, sparked by the revelations of Georgina’s husband’s behaviour.
So it’s not surprising that not a single person wore Marchesa for this year’s Golden Globes –… Read the full story
Nail art’s great, but it’s a load of faff.
Unless you’ve got very steady hands and a willingness to commit to a weekly manicure, it’s not really a beauty trend you can properly explore.
Well, not traditional nail art, anyway.
You might not be able to manage painted on designs and sticking gems to your talons, but if you are keen to jazz up your nails, you can always go for a fingernail tattoo.
Sounds intense, we know, but apparently the process of creating nail tattoos is pretty pain-free. If you can handle the weirdness of some light scratching on your nails, you’ll get through it.
Unlike those temporary stick-on nail… Read the full story
It’s a phrase as old as time, but seriously, where does time go?
It might be too early in the year to be so pessimistic but before you know it, it’ll already be Christmas. Why does time seem to escape us so quickly, as adults?
If you cast your minds back to being a kid you’ll remember summer holidays feeling like a lifetime and even a day feeling endless.
Biologists and authors have completed a lot of research into the timeless topic and come up with a few reasons as to why the older we get, the quicker we seem to experience time.
One… Read the full story
After months of waiting in excitement and suspense, our new arrival made an early appearance in November and life as I knew it dramatically changed.
Everyone always said it would be the making of me when our little one arrived and, hopefully, as time goes on, this will prove to be the case and I’ll do her proud.
Another new year has come to pass and with it the age-old expectation to think up some resolutions to stick to.
You might have already drafted a long list of goals to improve your life in 2018 or none at all, but I have one idea that may be the most beneficial thing for you: unfollow your faux friends you thought were good friends on Instagram.
Unless you’re planning to snuggle up in front of a cosy fireplace, or you’re making a giant bonfire, you probably want to avoid combining wood and open flames.
But Alton Towers clearly don’t give a toss about conventional fire safety wisdom, as they’re opening a rollercoaster made of wood and themed around fire. Cool.
Today Alton Towers shared details of Resort of the Wicker Man, a snazzy new roller coaster themed around, well, Wicker Man.
What makes it special? It’s made of wood – Alton Towers says it’s the first wooden rollercoaster to be built in the UK for 21 years – and there’s fire involved.
As people ride through… Read the full story
You’re not alone if one of your New Year’s resolutions was ‘please, please stop spending so much money and save SOMETHING’.
Loads of us can feel hopeless when it comes to budgeting and bank balances. And while we all know we should be doing grown up things like saving a portion of our salary each month instead of spending it all on new boots, the actuality of changing our habits and putting money in a different account can feel overwhelming.
It’s easier to start small. That’s where the 1p saving challenge comes in.
Created by parenting website PlayPennies, the 1p saving challenge is a super simple way… Read the full story
The last year or so has seen veganism gently muscle its way into the mainstream.
Consumer demand has pushed a bunch of major outlets to start offering up plant-based options – Pret has been leading the way in vegan ‘grab and go’ food, Wagamama launched a brand new vegan menu last year, and you’ve been able to order a delicious sweet potato, chickpea and spinach curry with your cheap pint at Wetherspoons for a fair while now.
Unfortunately though, just because a place offers vegan food, doesn’t mean that it’s good. You can often… Read the full story
