Written by BECCI @one.busy.mother


Thursday morning took some of us lucky mamas to the new global flagship Mulberry store, for a morning of champagne, canapés and some flower arranging.

The smell of flowers filled the room and we were soon on our way to creating a tulip arrangement with the girls from FLOWERBX. I’ve always wanted to know how to create that ‘swirl’ and with the tips and demos I managed to perfect a little hand tied bouquet (alright I had quite a lot of help and realised I’m slightly heavy handed) but it looked beautiful and I got to bring home my vase of flowers, carrying it with great pride on the tube, it’s now sat pride of place on my kitchen table.

I know exactly where I ll be ordering my flowers from now on. The FLOWERBX.​ creates the chicest of blooms that can be delivered straight to your door, they are reasonably priced and guarantee that the flowers will stay fresher for longer. They also offer a same day delivery option. You can also subscribe to a regular delivery of beautiful bouquets to your door. Lets face it, we all deserve beautiful flowers. Check them out.

FLOWERBX are also happy to offer a Welcome10 discount code which offers £10 off any orders over £50.

So Mulberry has been quoted as wanting to create


‘A place to rejoice, discover, learn and connect’


Well we certainly ticked all those boxes. The atmosphere and buzz was just amazing and once again Jenny and Mother’s Meeting brought together and connected a truly inspiring bunch of mamas. I couldn’t think of a better place to hold a Mother’s Meeting or a way spend my morning, it was a real treat.


Junie Poonie (@junie_poonie) got us all asking
Do you know how amazing you are ? With her beautiful welcome cards


Well I certainly felt amazing after spending my time with you all. I would like to thank @mulberryengland , @theflowerbx and @Mothersmeetings for a perfect Mother’s Day treat I hope you all know how amazing you all are.



#bestmumeventsever

Ps Jen, I wasn’t joking about asking the hunky waiter to come to all the future MM events ! Seriously his ‘topping up’ was on point and I think the other mamas will appreciate his efforts, just saying :)

Happy Mother’s Day all of you amazing mums, if you fancy treating yourself or your mum, Mulberry have kindly extended an offer for us all to take advantage ...see below for details See you all soon xxxx




Becci
@one.busy.mother

A Mother’s Day Offer from Mulberry
Why not go beyond a bouquet of flowers this year and pick up a Mother’s Day gift from Mulberry?


You’re sure to find something she’ll love at Mulberry as the brand’s leather goods have achieved iconic status for good reason. Don't miss the 60's inspired new season accessories and ready-to-wear featuring bold colours and modern floral prints.


Plus, if you spend over £250 in store on the 30th or 31st of March and you’ll receive a luxurious Mulberry lambswool scarf in a heritage check, designed and made in the UK. A gift for her... and a gift for you!

MOVIN' TO MARBS BY JAZMINE BRAMHA

Imagine being at your best mates house, in the middle of practicing wedding hair styles, to then receiving a text from your husband saying there is a possibility we might be moving country, to then realise a week later it’s a definite and 2 months after that you would be arriving at your new destination, in the same year you had your first baby... 


Hello and welcome to my life! 


One year, two countries, a baby turned toddler, a career put on the back burner, new surroundings, two different languages; neither of which I could string a sentence together with, plus driving on the opposite side of the road... Oh, and of course trying to keep some ‘normality’ to everyday life in the midst of all of this. 


Yes, this is me, Jazmin, my life, my family and our current year having moved abroad for a new life, living out our dreams and doing so before our little boy grows to old to do so, allowing us time to adjust and hoping enough time to get settled. 


I love that word, ’settled’ I mean, are we ever? 


When I first arrived in Switzerland (our first location) I knew this was it and I had to make it work. Otis was 8 months old and from the day he was born, even before that when he was growing in my tummy, I was determined to be that ‘mum’ who loved to socialise and took her kid along everywhere she went. I was determined not to ‘hold back’ on doing things, seeing people, going places just because I now had a mini human to look after, so I kept this thought through the whole experience. 


I suddenly had...
No comfort zones
No friends
No family
No history with the place I was living 
A different language to learn, pick up on and understand  
New surroundings 
And even a new kind of supermarket that felt alien! 


So I took to social media and used it like a new dating app for ‘mamas who wanna be mates with me’ and started scrolling through and finding groups! 
Groups within groups, pages of group activities, language groups based around mums having kids, groups who went to soft play, groups who met in the parks, you name it, I found it.


I introduced myself every where I became a ‘member’ of online. I became a name that would pop up, be commenting on posts I found interesting, to a point I had a few girls say ‘hey’ on a long lake walk I used to do (again to try hang at cool places and find friends; oh, that so makes me sound weird! Honestly I’m not! Ha!) until one day I had a message from another girl hoping to find a new friend too. 


We hit it off, our kids hit it off and jackpot, I had a friend. The summer became one to remember, our kids grew together, we explored more groups, made our own groups and tried new cool ways to bring mamas together across Switzerland. 


From here I created More Than Just Mothers - Inspired from MM of course! Sonny my husband, being a kick-ass graphic designer created me a look, image that attracted a vibe I was after. This then attracted a new bar with the what I can only describe as the best go-to parent and kids bar everrrr, who wanted us to hold our weekly meet ups there. Wow, they had started to ask me?!?


From here, Fridays were ours! 


A morning, day, we all came together, kids played and mums chatted away over coffee, the best homemade chocolate chip cookies and on many occasions prosecco and wine! 
In and dated with new mums wanting to connect, More Than Just Mothers became a hit not just for expats, but local swiss mums also! Suddenly I found a new life in a town I classed as ‘boring’, yet it was me that just hadn’t met the right ‘group’ yet! ​

My name is Maria Evans and I coach and mentor teenagers. My Instagram account is @theteencoach. 


Is there anyone talking about teenagers on the ‘gram? 
Just shout if you need anything else! 
There is no doubt that Instagram is a life-line for parents of young children, There is so much support for the challenges that parenting little ones throws at us. Whether you are looking for tips on breastfeeding or how to wean a dairy-intolerant infant, you only need to search the right hashtags and there will be a whole hosts of accounts waiting to support you through the next step on your parenting journey.
This is not always the experience for parents of teenagers. It can be difficult to find people talking about the challenges of parenting teens on these squares. There are many reasons for this; teenagers aren’t always that ‘instagrammable’, teenagers are also online themselves, and would quite rightly object to you broadcasting your parenting woes to the rest of the world.
My account @theteencoach is all about parenting the teen years. When asked about the one thing we can do to make this stage in parenting manageable and even joyful, I always reinforce the importance of finding their spark.
Find their spark – what does that mean?
Your teen’s ‘spark’ is the one thing they have that they care deeply about, that fires them up. If teens have ‘it’ then everything else falls into place. They have a reason to be motivated, they find a sense of purpose and belonging, they care deeply about something, they show up and are committed.
Having a spark can also provide opportunities for kids. Recently ran a workshop on healthy relationships with social media to a group of teenage girls from various local dance schools. It didn’t take them long to figure out what their spark was-they had been dancing since they were little. When I asked them what this provides for them that social media could not I was inundated with answers; working with young children, starring in productions, traveling the country, keeping their body and minds healthy. These girls have had a wealth of opportunities because of the joy they have found in dancing.
 
When I worked in secondary schools I would often come across kids who did not have any hobbies, interests or strong beliefs about anything. These were the kids who watched too much TV and spent hours on games consoles. Now don’t get me wrong, I believe kids should be allowed to watch TV and spend time gaming, it’s important for kids to keep up with their peers and have cultural capital. Most young people want to fit in as it makes them feel safe in this often vulnerable stage of life. But when too much time is spent on screens there is little time for anything else. What’s more, there is little desire to DO anything else.
How has my experience with teens impacted myself as a parent?
I am on a mission to give as many opportunities to my kids to enable them to find their spark. It’s difficult (but not impossible) for teenagers to take up a new hobby. They often start to feel shy and self-conscious when starting something new. However, if you catch them when they are younger they are often bolder and don’t really consider being the new kid as a problem.
So yes, I am a chauffeur for my kids. I take them to various clubs and activities after school most days. We subscribe to First News, a weekly newspaper aimed at young people, to help our eldest get used to reading and learning about current affairs (a year’s subscription was a birthday present from his grandparents). He doesn’t always read it willingly, and would be happy to skip to the puzzles at the end, but we have it built into our routine now that when we are waiting for his brother and sister at their ballet class we read through the articles together. I do strongly believe that kids just want our time and there are so many ways we can give it to them.
I have 3 children so it does require a lot of ferrying about, and it is expensive. I am very aware that we are in a privileged position to be able to do this; I work from home and we have the resources to be able to make this part of our rhythm. But there are loads of things parents can do that don’t cost anything.
Cost effective ways to find their spark
Helping your kids find their spark does not have to be expensive. It could be that a strong belief about something is the thing that fires your child up. It could be that they really love animals and care deeply about animal welfare. How can you keep that spark alive? Talk to them about it, help them do some research. Perhaps they could get involved in an organisation that campaigns for animal rights.
Other things we do include taking them places at the weekend and we always try to keep costs low. We go to our local beach to play football, swim if it’s warm, and we always try and encourage them to do a five-minute beach clean and talk about why that is important. They love doing various arts and crafts projects. They love helping me and my husband cook. I struggle to keep my cool with these sorts of activities because of the mess that it inevitably involves, but I try my best to keep calm (this doesn’t always happen) and let them carry on as it is all part of the bigger picture- finding their spark.
This may sound like we are the perfect parents. We are not!
I am aware that this post may sound like I am a super parent. I assure you I am not. It has taken us a long time to get to where we are with this, and it hasn’t been an easy journey. There are many days in school holidays for example when I know my kids have had too much screen time because I have needed that break to just get through the day. My kids watch TV and play on the iPad every day when I am cooking dinner. They often have TV in the mornings when my husband and I are getting everything ready for the day ahead. Our culture likes to make us feel guilty about all the things we are doing and not doing as parents. When something goes wrong with a young adult, the parents are often the ones we blame. The guilt we feel about getting it right can be overwhelming; we can all be super hard on ourselves. All we can do is what is right for us and our families. Time away from screens and being shown other ways to pass our time is always a good idea.
Life is always better offline
Providing opportunities for our kids to see that life does exist outside of social media and screen time will show then that actually life is better offline. So if you have younger children then think about how you can lay those foundations in the early years in a way that fits best for your family. And if you have teenagers and you are still unsure of whether they have a spark then don’t lose heart. Keep insisting on that family time and talk to them about the things that matter to them. The spark is there, it just might need a little oxygen and fuel from you to get it burning brightly.

We drank fresh juice, feasted on a buffet that dreams are made of (everything from mini cheesecakes to fruit salads and pastries galore) and we listened to the panel discuss


‘What are the issues facing women today?’

Is technology helping or hindering ?’

And is ‘Having it all what modern women want ?’


Some hard facts were brought up by Clemmie .....
One in 7 girls in developing countries are married before the age of 15 .....
Only 20% of senior management rolls are held by women in this country,
And Only 22.8% of national parliamentarians are women.


So, although celebrating international women’s day is a major step forward, we still have got a long way to go globally, to reach a place of equality.


Clemmie said that she finds it frustrating to think that she raises her sons and daughter as equals, only to believe that when they eventually go off to work they are likely to be treated differently because of their sex. Thankfully more companies, like Superdrug are now celebrating and embracing diversity, inclusion and equality, and this is the start of a major change in the workplace for women, and one that hopefully our children will benefit from. Clemmie also advised that women stand their ground and own motherhood whilst at the workplace, being firm in decisions and asking for what you believe you are entitled to.


Social media and today’s technology was discussed and bought both positive and negatives to the panelist’s lives. The fact an entire business can be run on your phone on Instagram obviously being a huge plus, but that screen times are now going through the roof, and mindless scrolling is taking over, with constant comparisons to others, and images of perfection, often causing us to feel inadequate or anxious. Dr Pixie also mentioned the fact our teens now spend most of their time online scrolling or gaming (something that I really can’t get my head round with my own teenage son) sitting in a room chatting on headsets, seriously what has happened to meeting up at the local park? What is it going to be like in another 10 years time?


But do women want to have it all ? A resounding yes, why not? But also remembering it’s the everyday things that are really important, putting your kiddies to bed, knowing they are safe and warm, enjoying a cup of tea and a Mr Kipling cake and watching Netflix (thx Jen for keeping it real)


Sisters, Mothers and friends gave our panelist’s inspiration, drive and support in life, females boosting each other up, sharing experiences, celebrating and supporting each other. All pushing each other forward and inspiring women to ‘have it all’ Instagram followers Being a strong community of support and drive for our panelist’s too.


I was horrified to learn that women spend a third of their lives in menopause, yes really!!!! and on top of that we have pregnancy, child birth and periods to deal with. Pretty good job that we are all lifting each other up and having super power coffee mornings like this one to get us through.


With also a chance for some pampering and the opportunity to get your boobs checked with coppafeel, Superdrug really did have this event fully covered. I left (with not only an absolutely amazing goodie bag that my daughter and I have had great fun rummaging through) but also hope and reassurance that both my daughters are growing up in a very different world to the one our mothers and grandmothers grew up in, feeling hopeful thay one day they will work for a company like Superdrug who are empowering women and supporting equality.


Thanks for an absolutely amazing morning Superdrug, and MM for bringing us together and once again driving home that women have the Superpower .....and we must never forget it!


Photos by the fab @kellyreevesphotography

Aveda Lifestyle Salon and Spa, Covent Garden



WRITTEN by @one.busy.mother

At the amazing Aveda Lifestyle Salon, sipping on Prosecco (why not?) sat with a massive bunch of beautiful mamas and babies, we listened to a panel of hair experts and pro mamas (MM Jenny, Emily @earnyourroast, Jade @mother_of_all_adventures and Dr Mayoni @drmayoniclinic talking all things hair and how pregnancy and hormones can leave us feeling pretty crap and our hair looking generally a bit shit really!

Mike of Aveda (@michalelendon @avedauk ) ... who has over 15 years experience and 35,000 haircuts in the bag ) said the link between our hair and emotions is pretty strong, so when our hair changes post pregnancy we need to learn how to work with the hair we have now and gain back control of owning our new dos to help us to regain our confidence.

So why do we loose so much hair after baby ?
I know for me, during pregnancy my hair was lovely and thick, it grew loads and felt really soft and healthy. Then a few months after I gave birth (mine was worse with my daughters ?? Anyone else ?) it fell out by the handful, it sat really flat and felt dull and lifeless! At times I felt like a coconut had more hair than me. When you already feel like your belly is like a deflated balloon, your boobs are drooping down to your waist, haemorrhoids hanging out your bum (sorry too much ) and a newborn baby hanging off your hip, the hair is like the final straw!


It’s actually completely normal to loose hair post baby, annoying as it is. During pregnancy our normal hair loss process slows right down and we hang on to extra hair, so when our hormone levels return to normal we loose that extra hair along with our normal daily amount (20- 100 hairs) so it seems like a lot. It seems that it happens more when we wash it, but that is simply because our hair is down and being washed, so if you’ve had your mum bun in a few days and then you take it out to wash it, all that hair that’s been stuck up in your bun will come out in the shower, making it seem like loads. I had times when I thought I would have no hair left at all.


You need to carry on washing and styling your hair as normal. Keep your scalp healthy and clean, using good products like Aveda ( the team are happy to advise you and will give you a free scalp and hair health consultation if you pop in)


Regular cuts, but not 6 weekly, as despite what we are led to believe, this does not encourage hair growth, it just blunts the ends making hair look healthier, and thicker


So do yourself a favour AND


Speak to a professional...


Although it’s very easy to grab the nearest hair dye from boots for a DIY Jobbie in desperation, find a nice salon and someone who can help advise on colour and style. See it as an opportunity to grab yourself some time, let someone look after you and make you feel better about yourself, even if you have to take your baby along with you. You will still leave feeling better.......Self care and new hair !!


Our hormones fluctuate so much during pregnancy and post partum, it’s inevitable that it will play havoc with our skin, hair, bodies. Dr Mayoni stressed the importantance to eat well and be kind to yourself during but also after pregnancy.


This is not the time to deprive your body and put yourself on to a restrictive diet but a time to really ensure you are eating nutrient dense, healthy foods.


Vitamin D is vital during pregnancy and after for breastfeeding, and even after that, so continue with your supplements, also we found out today that Mushrooms are a good source!! Get your mushrooms cooking ladies.


I have looked in to some other foods to eat in abundance post partum to help keep you running nicely and the locks looking fab...


PROTEIN
Fish, Eggs, Nuts, Legumes and seeds.
ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS
Walnuts, chia seeds, Flaxseeds, Salmon, Sardines
VITAMIN A Sources
Beef, Sweet Potatoes, Kale and Spinach
VITAMIN C sources
Kiwi, Orange, Strawberries, Broccoli
B VITAMINS
Almonds, Black and Pinto beans, Lentils, Turkey, Eggs, Avocado and yoghurt.


Supplement if necessary, find one containing iron, folate, zinc and magnesium. I particularly LOVE Wild Nutrition (@wildnutritionltd ) as they are all food grown supplements and therefore easier for the body to metabolise.


Jade (mum of 5... Supermum) found mixing up her hairstyles and colour during and after pregnancy was a good way to make her feel better, and boost confidence. Emily said she found resuming exercise did wonders for her self esteem and finding herself again. ( oh and both agreed to stay away from the home colouring kits! )


So although we may all be a little greyer, slightly thinner on top, feeling a little less like our Pre-mum selves, if you can get yourself to the salon and have a nice fresh cut and colour, use the best products for your hair at home, and make the best of what you have... mix up your parting from time to time, work out those hair muscles, soon you will feel like you are back in the game with your hair 💪🏻. Try to remember that once your hormones balance out again your hair will return to its normal shedding cycle. If you can try to keep on top of eating healthily, boosting your mood with some exercise (if you can, follow Emily for some motivation ) releasing those happy endorphins, and take time out when you need to, as in go and enjoy some time in the salon chair, You DESERVE it, you will start to feel more like you again.


Thanks for my goody bag Aveda .... how I love a goody bag :) can’t wait to try my products out later too.

Are you one of those people who just doesn’t know what to wear on a daily basis, plagued with the debate in your head of “do I like this, is it me, is it too safe, is it too daring..?” SAME! Did you then find that having a kid/s added another layer on top of these daily questions... “Do I look too mumsy, do I look like I’m trying to be a ‘cool’ mum..?”
Yep, after the baby-vom clothes have been able to be disposed of and normal dressing can resume, WTF do you wear, especially back to work? Trying to find the balance between being true to yourself and your style, and then conforming to what you ‘should’ wear is real.
Firstly, I hate conforming and I don’t feel anyone should do anything based on what they ‘should’ do if it compromises your self-worth FULL STOP. I went back to work for the same company and after coming to terms with my own identity crisis after having a child (we all go through that right?) I realised I then had to grapple with my colleagues perception of me as well. All very well if you’ve (finally) adjusted, but what if your work colleagues haven’t. The crunch for me was being asked if I was having a mid-life crisis after getting my nose re-pierced... I’m 31 FFS !!!!
I’ve had a long, fun career in the fashion industry, travelling, shooting, events, party-ing. Obvs having a baby and moving out of London, my life and priorities are different now... But why should you feel you have to prove yourself to others? Yes I’d rather go to a Mini Rodini sample sale now over a Stella McCartney one (don’t get me started on not having any money either!) but a reminder in any industry, that your colleague with children, shouldn’t just be defined by that label. The ‘old, fun me’ still exists, but you’re always going to have the newbies who only know you as the Mum who has to run for the train everyday to get to nursery pick-up on time.....
In this confusing climate of societal expectations placed on you and your body during motherhood, it’s no wonder it’s confusing. On one hand you’re being told to “dress like a Mum” eg. sensible, respectable, covered up to hide your Mum-bod, VS the unrealistic “​ ​#​goals” fed to us via role models such as the Jenners and Kardashians of Motherhood. Stick to your gut, don’t compare, keep to your style + don’t lose your identity (as well as the lie-ins, energy and sanity of having children!) ..Be proud of YOU, your body + your unique style, don’t worry about anyone else’s view on you!

Lucy Werner, Founder of Thewern.com @wernchat 
A consultancy to help startups and small businesses. ​

Why a dose of self-hype is as important as self-help

• A brief journey of being self-employed and having a baby -

Before I had my first baby, I ran my own company with a team which I tried to manage whilst taking mat leave. In parts, I really enjoyed still being able to use that part of my brain, but there were also moments, when the choice was taken away - such as having to write a press release two weeks post-partum - that were difficult.


For numerous reasons the business wasn’t flourishing without me (another post for another time on why getting a co-founder can be a great idea). Originally, I had planned to return to work full time at three months using shared parental leave, but when the time came, I wasn’t ready.


At six months, I still only felt ready to be back part time and immediately had to make the remaining team redundant.  At my lowest point, I remember sitting in a coffee shop feeling like a failure and ugly crying quite publicly. I wanted so badly to create a PR business that served small businesses, but I couldn’t make it profitable and be the Mum I wanted.


I then threw myself into house selling / buying and just making ends meet and before I knew it – 2018 had gone. My business had just existed and a whole year had passed me by. I’d ignored my own advice of having a communications plan, promoting myself and any direction. I hadn’t got anywhere because I hadn’t even put in my mind where I wanted to go.


The media industry basically shuts down over Christmas, enough was enough, so I took a fortnight off.  I used the excuse of letting my French mother-in-law and partner have some quality time together and locked myself away. I created a vision board, I completed the No Bull School end of year review and I set myself goals and tasks for 2019. Then most importantly I started to share them.


I started to pitch myself for guest posts, speaker panels, sharing more tips to back up my knowledge on my social channels and other witterings to hopefully give a glimpse into my personality. I joined four different networking groups, I’ve literally never been so busy, but I’ve never made so many contacts and had so many ideas. I hyped myself to everyone and anyone that would listen about what I wanted to do. I overhauled my Instagram with a rebrand and started taking baby steps towards my five-year goals.




From 12 months of being a work ghost to hyping myself for just one month - I secured three guest panels, three blog posts, grew my audience, made some lovely new friends (mostly through Mother’s Meetings obvs) and even secured a business book deal! All of which whilst doesn’t dramatically change my business day-to-day are part of my long-term business plan. It’s a marathon not a sprint for sure.


If you had told me, even in November, that I would get these things I wouldn’t have believed you. So, my lesson learnt, and to pass on to you ladies is learn to self-hype. It feels scary to put yourself back out there, but as soon as you step out of the shadows, I’m testament that amazing things can happen for you personally and professionally.


Lucy Werner, Founder of Thewern.com @wernchat
A consultancy to help startups and small businesses. ​

BY  koalastinka ✪