Brantano - shoe shopping with expert fitting

When it comes to their feet, it is really important to make sure that children wear comfortable, well fitting shoes. Little feet need room to grow in order to promote healthy development. Children's feet can have growth spurts, which can be hard to predict so regular measuring to check their foot sizing is really important. Ill fitting footwear can cause the child discomfort in the short term and may lead to foot problems or deformities in their adult lives.

Today, we took Freddy to Brantano in Telford so he could try out their free expert fitting service and get a brand new pair of shoes for school in order to review the experience and service.  

Brantano have conveniently situated out of town branches in retail parks, where the shoes are displayed on the shelves in pairs allowing shoppers the freedom to select them and try them on immediately at their leisure. No waiting for assistants to find the ones you need. Shoes are arranged in sizes making it easy to see exactly what is available in your or your child's size.

Brantano stock top brands such as Startrite, Clarks and Hush Puppies. as well as Skittles, US Brass and Blox. They have an extensive range to suit all budgets and tastes, with many styles on sale.

Firstly, Freddy had his feet measured by a trained member of staff using a specially designed foot gauge to measure the length, width and depth of his feet. Staff are trained to be expert fitters for all shoes across the brands, and the lady who saw to Freddy was very friendly and made him feel at ease. As a mum, knowing I am getting Freddy shoes in the correct size is really reassuring as his foot health is very important to me (having lived with a bunion myself, I know the damage that ill fitting shoes can do!)

We were given a kids' fitting guide, a Back to School brochure, an "I'm a Brantano Kid" sticker, a certificate to tell us his foot size and a reminder card to remind us to get his feet remeasured for free in three months time (with no obligation to buy shoes if his foot size hasn't changed). I thought this was a really nice touch.

Armed with the knowledge that he was an 11F with an average depth, we were shown to the relevant shelf where we were free to browse the pairs of boys' shoes in his size. As he doesn't have a wide foot or anything out of the ordinary with his sizing, we had the pick of most styles available.

Freddy had his eye on all the funky trainers from Adidas, Nike and Skechers as well as character pairs featuring Skylanders, Angry Birds, TMNT and Minions. Unfortunately for him, they aren't really suitable for school uniform so we headed to the more appropriate footwear on the shelves!

Freddy then moved his attention to the boys' school shoe range. There were dozens of pairs in a range of brands, materials and styles, all in his size. It was so convenient to try on pair after pair without having to rely on asking a member of staff to fetch them from the stock room. Having both shoes available allowed us to see exactly how they looked as a pair and how they felt to walk in. This gave us the opportunity to try as many pairs as we needed to find Freddy's perfect shoe.

Bonus features such as scuff resistant uppers, one touch fastening, anti-microbial treatments, easy clean outers and flexisoles mean you can find a shoe that can keep up with the demands of even the most demanding schoolboy.

Freddy tried on lots of pairs and eventually chose a pair of velcro fastening, black leather school shoes from Buckle My Shoe, which cost £32. As soon as we had settled on the pair that Freddy liked, the lady who had measured his feet came to check the fitting, feeling for his toes and checking around the shoe for the width fitting.

The final check was the walk as he strutted his stuff with the Brantano aisle as his catwalk. We were assured that his shoes were indeed a good fit and he looked really smart in his comfy new footwear.

The Brantano experience suited us really well. We really appreciated the staffs' help when we needed assistance with the measuring and the checking of the shoes that we chose for Freddy. But we also liked being free to work our way through the pairs on the shelf in our own time without having to ask for a particular size or waiting for someone to fetch a matching shoe. This makes Brantano a more streamlined and fun shoe shopping experience that suited my family perfectly.

Freddy is going to look so smart with his new school shoes on Monday. I've put the reminder card on my fridge to jog my memory to take him back in September for another fitting to make sure that he always has shoes that fit his growing feet.

You can find out more about Brantano and view the great range of school shoes available to suit all budgets and tastes at www.brantano.co.uk. 


“I am a member of the Mumsnet Bloggers Network Research Panel, a group of parent bloggers who have volunteered to review products, services, events and brands for Mumsnet. I have not paid for the product or to attend an event. I have editorial control and retain full editorial integrity”.

The Importance of Tyre Safety in Winter

Back in October over 1000 Mumsnetters were surveyed on the subject of tyres and tyre safety for a survey commissioned by Michelin. The findings revealed that in the majority of cases, men take on the responsibility for buying and fitting tyres, but 97% of the mums surveyed agreed that all drivers should take responsibility for their vehicle and its safety. 

Ian is generally the one who takes the main responsibility for our car maintenance and tyre safety in our house, putting us in the 73% of households where the man assumes this role. Even though I let Ian do the 'dirty work', I do take an active role in decision making and take an interest in the car's safety. After all, as the main driver of the daily school run, I am responsible for my children's safety and I want to be sure we are as safe as we can be.

                                                   

Safety and longevity emerged as the most important criteria to Mumsnetters when choosing tyres, but car handling and fuel saving were important too. Only 19% referred to the importance of tyre labelling, even though tyre labels include important information such as the tyre's rating for wet braking stopping distances. This suggests that we are generally not very familiar with the labeling system even though it could improve our awareness and help us make better informed choices when it comes to buying tyres for our cars.

When it comes to the law, 38% of those surveyed didn’t know the legal tread depth and 67% were unaware of the penalty for having bald tyres. None of us want to fall fowl of the law and the penalty of 3 points and a fine per tyre is easily avoided by making sure our tyres are safe and meet legal requirements.

38% only checked their tyre pressures twice a year or less. I have to admit, we only check the tyre pressure if we think the tyre looks like its going a bit 'puddingy'! 

66% said that they would consider or be prepared to buy winter tyres in the future. Only 7% of Mumsnetters currently own winter tyres, which is above average when compared with the UK as a whole.  We swear by ours, so I was surprised that this figure was so low.

Ian is an absolute advocate of fitting winter tyres to our cars once the weather gets colder.  Winter tyres are not just designed for snow covered roads, they improve the car's performance on wet roads too, making braking distances shorter by 4m at 50mph. My school run is a three mile trek down a very windy, narrow country road.  If it's icy or wet, the journey can become quite treacherous, so anything that can help me to have better grip enabling me to stop safely is a bonus.  The safety of the kids is paramount, and for us, investing in winter tyres is worth every penny.

65% are prepared to pay extra for a quality tyre brand which confirms that the majority of Mumsnetters recognise its worth paying for the improved performance and safety associated with a recognised premium brand. Not all tyres are the same, and it's worth getting the best that you can afford.

When it comes to buying tyres, we use a local, independent tyre retailer, because they are always very helpful, honest and accommodating. I think having a good relationship with a reliable shop gives me the confidence in my ability to take the lead when it comes to dealing with tyre issues.

Here is an infographic of the main findings of this survey:

“Michelin Total Performance brings together an optimum mix of performance areas such as grip, long-life and fuel saving without a trade-off. Michelin tyres are the best match for the daily driving challenges that Mumsnetters face.”

            


This post is in collaboration with Mumsnet and Michelin to help spread awareness of tyre safety. I have not been compensated to write this post but have been entered into a prize draw. Find out what other Mumsnet Bloggers have to say about tyre safety here.

Flora's Funspiration Activity Guide for Kids

We all sometimes need a bit of inspiration when it comes to coming up with new, fun ideas for things for the kids to do.  With the Easter holidays here and the prospect of at least a few rainy days, I know I'll be trying to come up with lots of activities to keep my little ones busy.  So I was delighted to find that Flora Buttery have produced their Funspiration Activity Guide filled with simple and fun ideas for keeping children entertained.

With fifteen activities, each needing no more than five things and taking fifteen minutes to prepare, it's an essential guide for busy parents.  Featuring ideas such as cupcake baking to holding a fashion show to launching a rocket, there is so much inspiration for activities that there will never be a dull moment this Easter!

Written by Tanith Carey, award winning journalist and parenting author, the guide is perfect for when you want to spend some quality time with the kids, trying something new. There are also things that the older kids can do independently to keep them busy. Activities can be adapted for doing indoors or outdoors, so if it brightens up you can take it outside. Everything can be adapted to the age and ability of the children.

Mumsnet have challenged me to try out one of the activities with Kizzy and Freddy.

We loved a lot of the activities, especially the recipes and crafts, but the idea of the Kids on the Catwalk challenge really caught their imagination. All you need is a selection of clothing, accessories, some music and a space for the kids to strut their stuff!

The kids decided on the theme of Summer Wear and Kizzy decided to try her hand at upcycling some old clothes, as suggested in the activity guide as something for older kids to try.  She had a pair of knee length denim shorts and a t-shirt that she she wanted to upcycle into something funky and fresh for the fashion show.

Take some old clothing that you want to upcycle.

Mark out where you want to cut down the item.

Carefully cut the clothing, saving the cut off pieces to use for scrunchies, wristbands etc.

Kizzy got creative and made a funky new outfit consisting of a tie-up crop top with denim sleeves, cut down shorts, hair scrunchies and wrist band! Adding a pair of shades, her outfit was complete.

Freddy enjoyed the accessories and posed in sunglasses and hats, harnessing his inner Romeo Beckham!! He loved delving into the pile of scarves, hats and glasses to change his look.

We set up a space to make a runway and put out chairs for the audience.  We played some summer tunes and the children paraded on the catwalk, with walks that they had choreographed themselves.

It was such a simple activity for the children to enjoy, extended to include the upcycling of the clothing, which Kizzy really enjoyed doing.  It's such a confidence boost for children to get up and perform.  Afterwards, we did a modelling session with me as the photographer snapping some lovely photos of Kizzy in her summer outfit.

We will definitely be trying out some more of the activities - next on the list is to 'Put on a Puppet Show' using odd socks to make the puppets.  I have loads of odd socks at the bottom of the airing basket that will lend themselves perfectly to becoming sock puppets!  I particularly enjoy the activities that incorporate a craft activity followed by a performance, because it keeps the kids busy, unleashes their creativity and I get to enjoy the show afterwards!

The Funspiration Activity Guide from Flora is completely free to download from the Mumsnet website:
http://www.mumsnet.com/pdf/flora-buttery-funspiration-guide.pdf


“I am a member of the Mumsnet Bloggers Network Research Panel, a group of parent bloggers who have volunteered to review products, services, events and brands for Mumsnet. I have not paid for the product or to attend an event. I have editorial control and retain full editorial integrity”.

Vision Correction Options for Children

"I wrote this review while participating in an influencer campaign by Mumsnet on behalf of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care and received a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate."

Out of my five children, one has perfect vision, one wears glasses for reading and three wear corrective glasses all of the time.  Needless to say, opticians, eyesight and the issues surrounding wearing glasses have been a major part of our family life.

Myopia (or shortsightedness) affects 1 in 6 of the world's population, typically developing by the age of eight and worsening throughout the teenage years.  This has been typical of the condition in my eldest son Joe, now 25 and my daughter Ella who is 17.  Both permanently wear glasses to correct their vision. Four year old  Freddy has Amblyopia in his left eye and has worn glasses since he was two years old.

Some research has been done on the subject of Parent’s & Children’s Views & Attitudes About Vision Correction by Mumsnet on behalf of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, manufacturer of ACUVUE® Brand Contact Lenses.

When a child becomes a teenager, they reach a very critical and vulnerable time in their life where they face multiple challenges: they are tested physically, academically, personally and socially.  The issue of vision correction can add to their problems.  Wearing glasses can mean teens find it difficult to take part in sporting activities. Taking them off to participate means they can't see what they are doing, which can lead to further embarrassment. Some may feel insecure about their physical appearance and their social acceptance by their peers. This insecurity can lead to youngsters not wearing their glasses at school, which can adversely affect their academic performance.  Sometimes wearing glasses is not the best option for a youngster who needs vision correction.

Studies show that for some children, wearing contact lenses can have benefits that go beyond simply correcting a child's vision and can offer significant benefits to some children.  According to research, children who wear contact lenses generally feel better about their physical appearance, athletic ability and social acceptance compared with children who wear glasses. These children also report greater comfort with peer perception and higher satisfaction when engaging in social activities. Contact lenses can even help to improve academic confidence in some instances.

We have contemplated the use of contact lenses with our older children, in particular Ella. Ella's last pair of glasses had small, rectangular lenses which meant she'd constantly look over the top of them, disturbing her vision.  This lead to her getting some quite severe headaches. This was a real problem associated with glasses wearing that we hadn't anticipated. Thankfully her new specs have stopped this problem, but it's definitely worth considering the pros and cons of all the available options for vision correction.  As a young woman, image is very important. Although I think she looks beautiful in her new designer glasses, there may be times when she could feel more confident without them.  On nights out, for special events or on holiday, the freedom of being glasses-free could be a real benefit.

As Ella is soon to embark of the challenges of leaving home to go to university, this is the time for us to seriously think about the option of contact lenses as a possible permanent solution for vision correction. Anything that can make life easier and boost a teenager's confidence during the more vulnerable times in their life is something worth considering.

I've always believed that contact lenses are something solely for adults, but according to studies, children as young as 8 years old are capable of wearing them and caring for them.  Age is not the sole factor in deciding whether a child is a good candidate for contacts, but being young doesn't rule them out from consideration.  I was really surprised by this, particularly as this bodes well for Freddy in the future who has one perfectly good eye and one which needs vision correction.  It could mean that when he is older he may be able to go glasses free and enjoy sports and physical activities unhindered, by wearing a single contact lens in his bad eye. For a physically active child this could be extremely liberating, giving them the opportunity to join in without the worry of breaking their glasses.  It is definitely something that I will be asking about in a few years time.

Both glasses and contact lenses are good options for people who need vision correction. Parents should talk to their eye care professional about what vision correction options are best for their child.  To locate an Eye Care Professional in your area, visit the “Find an Optician” tab at www.acuvue.co.uk.  

The Dove Self-Esteem Project Empowering Young Girls to Realise their Potential

To celebrate International Day of the Girl, Mumsnet are working with Dove to promote the Dove Self-Esteem Project (DSEP) and the launch of their new online space packed full of resources specifically designed to help parents build their girls’ body confidence and self-esteem.

Research from DSEP highlights that 60% of girls globally are missing out on participating in daily activities, sports and experiences because poor body confidence and low self-esteem is holding them back. Half of UK girls have ‘missed out’ on participating in activities because they don’t like how they look. From avoiding activities such as swimming, running, dancing and gymnastics to not joining sports teams, trying out for school productions or even putting their hands up in class, girls are missing out.

As a mother of three daughters aged 11, 17 and 21 this is a subject that is really close to my heart.  I understand what it is like to feel self-conscious and have low self-esteem as I have myself suffered with body confidence issues. It is not easy growing up at the best of times, but having a poor body image and a lack of confidence can be debilitating for a young girl.  Missing out on going out or joining in with activities because of these issues is just so very sad.  I was the tall, thin, awkward girl who sat in the corner at discos because I was too embarrassed to get up and dance, even though I desperately wanted to join in.  I hate to think of any girl feeling like that.

I was all too pleased to get involved and help promote the message of the DSEP campaign.  

Dove’s mission is to help the girls of today, our women of tomorrow, to develop a positive relationship with the way they look, helping them raise their self-esteem, and realise their full potential. Dove believes the next generation of women should grow up to be happy and content, free from misconstrued beauty stereotypes and the burden of self-doubt.

The website is packed with information and activities for parents, teachers and mentors to help girls overcome the beauty related anxieties which can negatively affect their self-confidence.  With sections on Teasing and Bullying, Friends and Relationships, Growing Up, Boosting Self Esteem and the Role of the Media, the information is aimed at girls aged between 8 and 16.

As a mum, I have always considered open and honest communication between myself and my children as a fundamental element of my parenting.  I believe that it is through talking with my children and through sharing my own experiences, we can reach a level of trust that means nothing will ever be taboo or off limits. Any problems they encounter can hopefully be shared early on, without any shame or judgment, before they become too overwhelming. With my older girls we have experienced the horrors of anonymous cyber bullying, issues of bad body image, the dangers of the pro-anorexia websites, the cruelty of jealous love rivals, the pressures of boyfriends and the reality of teenage depression and self-harming.  But through communication and finding relevant resources for help, we have dealt with these problems as a family.  

It is important to empower our daughters to help them deal with problems by giving them the tools they need to equip themselves from an early age to hold themselves in high regard, boosting their confidence and self-esteem by giving them a good self-image.  Helping and supporting girls through the emotional ups and downs of growing up will hopefully see them emerge as confident  young women ready to take their place in the world.

Kizzy is my youngest daughter who has just turned eleven and is in her final year of primary school.  I chose to focus the activities on her giving us some quality time together to discuss the issue of self-esteem and give her a confidence boost.

What do you love about your body?

According to research, only 4% of women think they are beautiful.  We clearly default to a very critical opinion of ourselves.  However we find it easy to say what we admire about other people.  So me and Kizzy took part in an activity where we had to say five things that we like about one other and five things we liked about ourselves.  For me, I always focus on my negatives (like most women clearly and sadly do) so to ignore the flabby tummy, the greying hair, my xanthelasma and my less than perfect skin was actually quite a revelation. Without just looking at just physical appearance, but also looking at personality and character it was much easier to be kind to myself. I like my long legs.  I like the fact that I have lost weight and have a good relationship with food now. I like that I am a good mum, wife and daughter.  I like my green eyes and I like that my body has carried five beautiful children.  It was easy to find five things I liked about my amazing daughter: her full lips, her long eyelashes and blue eyes, her sense of humour, her personal style and her empathetic soul are all wonderful aspects of Kizzy.  Physicality is just one part of who she is!  Valuing other aspects of what makes us who we are helps to remove the unhealthy obsession we have with beauty stereotypes.

It was then my daughter's turn to say what she liked about herself and about me.  Kizzy likes that she is tall. She likes that she can make people laugh. Kizzy delighted me with her next answer, saying she likes that she is not perfect because 'perfection screams a lack of adventure'!  She also likes that she is kind to other people.  Kizzy also likes that she can crinkle up her nose!!  It took her a while to get going but then thought of more and more positives about herself.  When I asked her five things about me she said I was loving.  I never think about myself first.  She likes my determination when I do things.  She likes me 'saying it how it is'! Plus she likes that I make her laugh.  She saw right through what I looked like and considered aspects of my personality, showing that she clearly isn't obsessed with looks.  That made me very proud!

FLAW-LESS Exploring Global Ideas of Beauty

One of the activities we enjoyed was a game of pairs where you matched things that might be considered as 'flaws' with descriptions of ideas of beauty from around the world.  Kizzy has got really full lips and was pleased to see that legend has it that big lips make girls very expressive and give them the ability to sing songs, make jokes and tell stories.  This is definitely true of my little all-singing and joking comedienne.  It shows girls that there isn't just one idea of beauty and that we are all beautiful in our own way.  In China hairy moles are considered a sign that you will live a long and happy life and in some parts of the world, a big chin means you are fun loving!

Cyberbullying

Since January 2009, the UK charity Family Lives reports that it has seen calls to its bullying helpline increase by 13%, while calls specifically about cyberbullying have soared by 77%. Appearance is a common target for cyberbullying attacks – and girls experience it twice as much as boys.  We have seen cyberbullying firsthand and it is horrible, chipping away at a child's self-esteem and feelings of self-worth.  Talking about it is the most important thing and trying to understand why the bullies are doing what they do.  My eldest son said something to his sister at the time which I thought was very insightful, "People bully you because they are jealous of you.  They want something you've got or they want to be you."  In many cases I think this is quite true, with girls being mean to other girls because of their own insecurities.  I teach Kizzy to treat people with respect both off and online and to expect the same in return.  If anyone ever says anything online that makes her feel bad, she needs to turn off that device and tell me straight away.  Never try to reason with or beg a bully to stop.  It just fuels the fire.  Step away and tell a grown-up.

How to express The Real Me

Here is a lovely activity to do with your child:

1. Ask your daughter to find a photo of herself she likes and print it out.

2. Stick the picture on a sheet of paper.

3. Complete these sentences and write them on:

 'I am unique in many ways. These include...'

 'Three things I enjoy doing… '

'Three things I'm good at…'

'Things I'm really proud of about my family's background and culture…'

This celebrates your child's uniqueness and is a really positive way for a girl to embrace what makes her special.  She can share this activity with her friends and find out more about them too.

The Role of the Media

It's no wonder that we are image obsessed when the media distort real images of women to fit in with the stereotypical image of what is beautiful.  Sharing this video with Kizzy showed her that the images she sees in magazines and on billboards are not of real beauty...they are fake.  Necks lengthened, eyes widened, cheekbones accentuated and skin airbrushed, the end result is not an authentic representation of a real woman.  If girls understand this, maybe they won't feel the pressure to conform to this unreal expectation.  Real beauty is so much more than what can be achieved with photoshop...real beauty comes from within and transcends the physical.  It's the person you are inside!

                           

Kizzy really enjoyed looking at the DSEP website with me.  It was nice to find out more about what she thought about the idea of beauty, body image and growing up.  Hearing her mature attitude to many of the discussion prompts really pleased me.  Although she is the tallest in her whole school, I was so happy to hear her say that she thought it was a positive thing, making her unique and special, rather than being embarrassed about it.  Kizzy experienced firsthand the effect that low self-esteem had on her older sister and I think she learnt a lot through that and came out much stronger with an understanding of how bullying and lack of body confidence can prevent you from reaching your full potential and enjoyment of life. Thankfully, Kizzy does seem to be quite a confident young girl, coping with the changes she is going through, with a close support network of friends at school.  She is one of the lucky ones.

If you are the parent of a daughter or if there is a young girl in your life who needs a boost in her self-confidence, I would recommend the Dove Self Esteem Project website as a great free resource for activities, games, videos and advice, which can help you to empower them to realise their full potential.

Help spread the word at #doveselfesteem

Learn more about the Dove Self-Esteem Project at: selfesteem.dove.co.uk and at: 

www.facebook.com/DoveUK

“I am a member of the Mumsnet Bloggers Network Research Panel, a group of parent bloggers who have volunteered to review products, services, events and brands for Mumsnet. I have not paid for the product or to attend an event. I have editorial control and retain full editorial integrity”.