Tim Atkinson's Blog, page 25

Advent, door one

This is one of my favourite seasonal poems. I'm not especially religious, not in a secure or satisfied I-Know-That-My-Redeemer-Liveth sort of way.



But at Christmas, more than at any other time, that little germ of spirituality stirs. I wish it would germinate and flower. But it's enough to know, each year, that it's still there. It gives hope.



And that hope is fed by words like these, the more so when read by readers like this. I'm afraid I've no idea who she is. The reading is taken from a broadcast of John Tavener's Ex Maria Virginae from St John's College, Cambridge, in 2005. So it might be someone from the college. Equally, it might be somebody from Clare, as it was the Choir of Clare College that were performing the music.



No matter. It's beautiful. And beautifully read.




 

... the goose is getting fat!

Yes, it's that time again, the time when although it might be far, far better to give than to receive, many of us would happily do neither. Because, apart from the children (of course) what DO you get for people who have almost everything? Or who want nothing?



It's a conundrum I hope the next few dozen words will help you solve. We might not be in the Gwyneth Paltrow league but there's a lot less homeopathy... in fact, there isn't any! But there might be a bit - just a bit - or aromatherapy.



So, without further ado, let's get festively fragrant. Why not create the perfect mood this Christmas with Amphora Aromatics' home aroma range?









From festive and warming Orange & Clove through to refreshing Citrus Tonic and Sparkling Wine & Pink Grapefruit, Amphora Aromatics' home aroma range of natural aromatherapy candles, reed diffusers and incense sticks instantly transform a room - creating the perfect way to relax and unwind or put family and friends in party mood this Christmas.



Prices range from £5.50 for a 20-hour candle; £9.50 for a 40 hour candle; £13.50 for a natural reed diffuser and £9.00 for a refill. A sleeve of 15 incense sticks is £3.00. To find out more or order contact www.amphora-retail.com or Tel: 01179087770.



So, the lights are low, the air is fragrant, the tree is lit. Then what? Sit in front of the telly? No way! Earlier this year we were sent one of these to try.





ROXI is a music entertainment system that lets families listen, sing and play together. It’s the first music streaming device to offer families five products in one; it includes access to millions of songs, a karaoke-style singalong, music trivia games for all the family, worldwide radio and even sound therapy for yoga and meditation fans! You can create your own playlists, or listen to ones put together by the Electric Jukebox curation team, which includes celebrity curators Robbie Williams, Sheryl Crow, Alesha Dixon, and Stephen Fry.



Given that kids today can spend a staggering 23 hours a week isolated on phones, tablets, game consoles and computers it's nice to find something (other than the telly) that might actually bring families together. So why not let ROXI transform your living room into a stage, sing your hearts out and make memories together with music. ROXI by Electric Jukebox is available in Red, Blue, Charcoal for £199 from www.electricjukebox.com.



Now, apart from batteries (essential!) what should every household have in reserve at Christmas? Glue, of course. Something, inevitably, always gets broken. But instead of the messy stuff in tubes, might I suggest some of this - Sugru? The new family-friendly formula is even better and I know it's not exactly a gift idea but it could still make all the difference to a happy Christmas.








Pretty versatile, huh? Just, whatever you do, don't use with Lego® or any other, similar (or even not-so-similar) toy building product. Use some of this instead.





ZURU’s Mayka Toy Block Tape has been billed as one of 2017’s greatest inventions. It instantly transforms virtually any surface into a base for toy building blocks, figures and accessories, giving a whole new lease of life to toys that might otherwise sustain interest through the festive season! One side features a bendable, flexible surface with a toy block pattern that is compatible with leading toy block brands and can be cut to any desired size. The other side has a re-usable adhesive backing to allow builders to construct on nearly any object, around corners and on curved surfaces to make 3D creations. So, in other words, building blocks are no longer limited to vertical creations! Mayka Toy Block Tape is 100 per cent compatible with Lego® bricks, Kreo and all other leading toy block brands and is suitable for ages 3+.



Of course, if you're away from home this Christmas, you might need something portable, packable and practical to take away for Santa to deliver on Christmas Day. As well, of course, as something likely to appeal well beyond Boxing Day.



Olaf's Frozen Adventure 23-Piece Travel Art Kit is an art kit for when you're on the go or simply wishing to store their crafty essentials in one neat place. Featuring beautifully festive character artwork from Olaf's Frozen Adventure.



Finally, a couple of books that might - just might - tempt the tech-obsessed gamers in the family away from the screen or console for a while. Because they're about - you've guessed it - gaming, and coding too.





The Gamer's Guide to Coding by Gordon McComb is an illustrated, interactive guide to coding that will enable readers will discover how to create, test and play fun 2D computer games. No prior programming knowledge is required to become proficient: just follow the easy step-by-step examples to program and share games on an Apple or Windows PC, Android device, or Apple iOS tablet. With code instruction in JavaScript—a user-friendly programming language used in millions of websites—this book is the perfect springboard for mastering any coding skill.



And if that sounds a little too hands on, how about this?







Author Jonathan Hennessey and illustrator Jack McGowan present the first full-colour, chronological origin story for this hugely successful, omnipresent art form and business in the form of a graphic novel. As he did with The Comic Book Story of Beer, Hennessey provides readers with everything they need to know about video games - from their early beginnings during World War II to the emergence of arcade games in the 1970s to the rise of Nintendo to today's app-based games like Angry Birds and Pokemon Go. Each chapter features spotlights on major players in the development of games and gaming.



That's it for me for another year (as far as Christmas shopping goes) although feel free to add your own suggestions if you wish. You never know who might be making a list. And checking it twice.



And, of course, when the big day arrives, have a very merry Christmas!

Free night of fun and specialised childcare for parents of SEND children

An email arrives offering something more valuable than gold, as far as most parents are concerned - time. To whit, time to spend with their partner, time to themselves which - when one is a parent of a child with Special Educational Needs and/or disabilities - is doubly difficult to find.



A charity is offering the parents of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities children a night of all expenses paid fun and specialised childcare. Its asking members of the public to nominate parents they think deserve a night out, and will pick at random three families from across the UK.



But hurry! Nominations have to be in by this coming Monday (20th November). Click the link below to find out more.



https://www.childcare.co.uk/free-night-of-fun-and-childcare-for-parents-of-SEND-children





About Nasen



Nasen (National Association of Special Educational Needs) is a charity organisation who have been operating since 1992. Nasen is a membership organisation who support thousands of practitioners by providing relevant information, training and resources to enable staff to meet all pupils’ needs. Working with dedicated education professionals, their aim is to ensure that practice.

Parents are heroes... introducing Roxi!

'Being a parent is the hardest job in the world,' the man says. So here comes Roxi to the rescue!






 

God Save the Queen

On this day, in 1975, the Sex Pistols performed for the first time, supporting a band called 'Bazooka Joe', apparently. Wonder what happened to them?



Anyway, on THIS day, this one now, in 2017, we learn that the Queen (to whom we pay our taxes) is numbered among the many thousands revealed by the #paradisepapers to be... what? avoiding? evading? To be doing whatever the term for legally getting round paying her own, or some of her own, tax liability.



I find that ironic, given some of mine goes (in the form of the civil list) to her.



And if, for a moment, we can just at least raise a slight question about the monarchy (I've got battle scars for this having been denounced by the Daily Mail for doing so) might I just make one point, which is this. It seems awfully unfair to collect them, be paid a stipend from them, and not fully pay them. Doesn't it?



I know, I know, she's a wonderful lady, an inspiration, did great things in the war and no, I don't want an elected president and I DO think the tourist dollar is vital (not that they'd stop coming if the Queen wasn't Queen-ing)... Let's keep the monarchy, I say. But let's not pay for it.



And while we're about it, ma'am... let's make sure we all pay our way, shall we?



 

The Babysitter's Survival Guide

New on the book shelf this month come two of the most useful titles I think I’ve ever had to review. The Ultimate Slumber Party by Jamie Kyle McGillian and The Babysitters Survival Guide by Jill D. Chassé, both from Sterling Children's Books.



First, the dreaded 'slumber party'!









I say 'dreaded' more from the possibilities than reality. Those we've had, in the past, have been reasonably successful. But there's always the nagging doubts together with the fear of hearing the question, 'can I have a sleepover?'



But fear no more. What this comprehensive guide to throwing the best slumber party doesn't contain by way of ideas for themes, to icebreakers, games, recipes and crafts probably isn't worth knowing. It's even got punch-out invitations and pages of stickers for truly professional party planning!









Next, babysitting. How can a babysitter entertain a fidgety kid, lull a toddler to sleep, or comfort a child who’s feeling sad or upset? Whether you're in the business of babysitting yourself or need a babysitter, this book has all the advice you’ll need. It's billed as 'the ultimate babysitter's helper' and filled with recipes, activities, strategies and essential advice for emergencies. But it's more than that - as a parent, having this to hand when the babysitter arrives could be a godsend.





How to Throw the Ultimate Slumber Party

Invitations, Games, Crafts, and More!

By Jamie Kyle McGillian

9781454925194 – Paperback – £12.99 – Sterling



The Babysitter's Survival Guide

Fun Games, Cool Crafts, Safety Tips, and More!

By Jill D. Chassé

9781454923183 – Paperback - Sterling Children's Books – £12.99

Why parents should work with their children to tackle online security

Social media: love it or hate it, you can’t avoid it, and that goes for our children, too. It is everywhere. So, what can parents do to help kids stay safe online?



The first thing is not to fight against it. This is how the world works now. When we say social media is ‘everywhere’, we mean everywhere. Instagram has recently trumpeted about reaching 700 million users, while Twitter has now claimed to have active user numbers in the region of 328 million. Meanwhile the leader of the pack, Facebook, has soared to over 2 billion active users as of June 30, 2017. The list goes on.



It’s hardly a flash-in-the-pan, either. Facebook boasts a whopping growth rate of 20 million active users per month, while Pinterest’s monthly active users went up to 175 million earlier this year. Another popular platform, Reddit, is thought to have added 16 million users to their platform. The world has never been so connected. You’d have to be a social media hermit to avoid it.



It’s easy to explain its popularity. Devices, phones, accounts and apps are everywhere. It’s never been simpler to stay in touch, to upload, share, tag and like.



But there’s a catch. And it goes back to the numbers game that the platforms themselves play. Because although we like to teach our kids to share and share alike, you can share too much. And they can get caught in the numbers game of seeking more and more ‘likes’. And then there’s cyber-bullying and the sinister world of strangers appropriating your online information.



There’s also the time-factor, too. It’s easy to let devices devour whole days, especially on weekends and during school holidays, leaving homework as well as straightforward social interactions, books and good old ‘playing’ lagging far behind.



Like any parent, I’m concerned. But for me, banning phones, blocking access without explanation and building cyber-walls won’t work. I’m tech-savvy but I know my kids will soon outstrip me in the wherewithal to wheedle their way around any restrictions I put in place.



As ever, education is the key and talking to your children, discussing the issues with them and preparing them for what lies in store will go a long way to helping them steer a safe course through the social media seas. It’s basic parenting, after all.



But just as teaching children to cross the road safely can’t eliminate the danger caused by a reckless driver, no amount of open and honest discussion and education is going to completely close off all risks.



Which is where products like Kaspersky’s Security Cloud come in.



Kaspersky’s solution is much more than a way of keeping kids safe online. Kaspersky’s Security Cloud is a service which provides privacy protection, password encryption and even a VPN (Virtual Private Network) for ultimate protection across devices. It guards against malware and viruses on laptops and android devices too.



It also allows parents to see if a child tries to access an unsuitable site, giving them the chance to veto a child’s choice. And that, for me, would be the starting point to a discussion. In answering the question ‘why?’ (‘why won’t you let me watch/access/play that?’) this is where the serious business of online education begins.



Parents should always let their children know that a device is being monitored and what steps are being taken to keep them safe. Open, honest and age-appropriate discussion is as important than any technological solution. But when used alongside Kaspersky’s Security Cloud, that discussion can begin before any damage is done.



The software can be set up to link up to 20 devices via the main MyKaspersky account (which you must install in order to get started) all of which then need the have the Kaspersky Safe Kids app installed. You can tailor the restrictions to suit and a traffic light system of levels makes it easy to assess what is and isn’t going to be suitable.



Not, of course, that that should be an end of the matter.  My advice would be to prepare to justify your decisions and reason with your children. And prepare to be wrong! Not all unknown online content is going to be bad. Let’s not forget there’s an awful lot of ‘good’ out there as well.



After all, over 2 billion Facebook members, 700 million Instagrammers and over 300 million Twitter users can’t all be wrong!

An English garden...

I can't claim to have green fingers. But I do like a nice garden.



Trouble is, they're hard work. So when FFX (one of the UK’s largest independent suppliers of high quality tools, fixings & building supplies, based in Folkestone, Kent) got in touch to see if I could use some help (a couple of products from their website https://www.ffx.co.uk/ in return for an honest review) I jumped at the chance.



Autumn is the time of year when all sorts needs to be done (so I'm told). And the lawn is one of them. Give it a good rake, then treat it with some autumn fertiliser and that should see it through the winter.









And with the Einhell EINBGSR12 Garden Spreader you can take the guesswork out of spreading and ensure the entire lawn has an even covering. It's light, easy to use and with seven distribution settings, versatile enough to have a variety of uses. 












Weeding, of course, is something that goes on at all times of year. But this Draper GRT/DD Gardeners Tool Cart and Seat certainly makes life easier. And - being on wheels - it has the added bonus of being quite attractive to the children. Dress up weeding as a game that involves scooting round the garden on this little trolly (which handily holds all your tools as well) as you can sit back, relax, and watch.







Now that's what I call gardening!

Groovy Baby Bubblebum music

If, like me, you've got small children and if, like any parent, you're concerned about their safety and if - like plenty fortunate enough to have done so - you've recently been on holiday, read on.



(Even if you haven't or you aren't or you weren't, read on. It won't cost you anything!)



Anyway, children, cars, travel. In the UK children have to use a child car seat until they’re 12 years old or 135 centimetres tall, whichever comes first. Over 12yo or 135cm tall and kids must wear a seat belt. So far, so straightforward.



But what do you do on holiday?



If the holiday involves travelling by car, no problem. But you can hardly take a car seat on an aeroplane, unless...



Unless someone makes one that neatly folds up when deflated, stores in its very own bag

and weighs no more than a packet of digestive biscuits. AND one that meets all EU & US regulations and easily fits into backpack or glove box or suitcase or carrier.



That seat, dear reader, is the Bubblebum. We've got one. They're great.



And you can have one, too. And not just any one, but a fabulously flag-waving Union Jack version.







To enter, click the Rafflecopter widget below and keep your fingers crossed. Good luck!



 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Roald Dahl Day

Happy Roald Dahl day, the day on which (in 1916) the great man was born!



Like many men of genius (I don't think that's taking things too far, do you?) Dahl was a complex individual. Some of his views weren't what we'd call 'politically correct'. Others were downright damnable.



But Michaelagelo was an unlikeable character and it doesn't stop us admiring the Sistine Chapel ceiling. And Gaugin's paintings sell for millions despite the fact he slept with 13-year-old Tahitians.



Separating the art from the artist isn't always easy. So let's concentrate on the art, shall we? And one particular scene from one particular book that happens to be one of our favourites.



Just don't watch if you're about to have lunch...