Author Archives: Catherine Balavage

Finding a Voice: Uplifting Memoir Chronicles Man’s Journey to Thriving with Developmental Learning Disorder

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developmental disorder, book, inspiring, book, learning disability. Damian Quinn is just like anyone else. His mind races with ideas; he’s intelligent and has the potential to achieve great things. But Damian has spent his life contending with one thing most don’t – the inability to form words and communicate properly.

In his new memoir, ‘Finding a Voice’, Damian takes readers from his early years when the only word he could say was “mimmy”, through to adulthood where he thrives as a successful disability advocate and Vice President of Afasic. This charity has saved his livelihood.

Synopsis:

The power of communication is essential; some say a necessity. We all do it, humans, insects, birds, cats, dogs, etc. No matter which species we belong to, we all communicate. Unfortunately, some people struggle to do so. Damian was one of them.

Developmental Learning Disorder, a speech and language disability, which Damian has had from birth, causes sentences to come out muddled and slow, even though all Damian’s ideas are there. Here Damian talks about how DLD has affected his life, and how the charity Afasic has been there to support him throughout.

Find the struggles that Damian had to go through in his life for him to speak.

Finding a Voice recounts the journey Damian has taken. From the early years, he was struggling to be diagnosed and have the disability recognized, to being heard as Vice President of Afasic.

Finding a Voice recounts the journey Damian has taken. From the early years, struggling to be diagnosed and have the disability recognized, to being heard as Vice President of Afasic.

“My pronunciations, semantics and discourse have been profoundly affected by DLD,” says the author, who has moved back to his hometown of Leighton Buzzard. “As you can imagine, this caused many issues growing up and going through the education system, particularly back in the 1980s when disability wasn’t understood or dignified as it is today. However, I have used my experiences in adulthood to carve out my own success; one that embraces the challenges I face. Unfortunately, DLD affects about two children in every classroom in primary school and sadly that it is more common in boys than girls.”

Continuing, “I wrote this book to share one man’s honest account of disability, both to help raise awareness and understanding among non-suffers, and help those who struggle with conditions like mine to understand they are not defined by it. Their success is not connected to it. I want everyone to understand the odds are always stacked in our favour, no matter the challenges we face in life.”

Reviews have been glowing. Chelsea writes, “I received my book this afternoon and finished it this evening. It was a fascinating read and very informative about DLD and the struggles Damo has faced growing up. It’s an emotional read at times, especially when Damo talks about his feelings behind feeling like he failed his parents. Damo is an absolute delight to know, and I know his parents would be very proud of who he is today! I urge people to read this book and educate themselves on this – fantastic job!”

Justin adds, “This is the heartwarming story of Damian who has grown up with a Developmental Learning Disorder. Damian at an early age, was diagnosed with a Speech and Language Disorder. Damian shares his experiences of living with a disability from his early childhood to his adult life, showing how having a disability has not stopped him from achieving great things in life and helping others with Speech and Language Disorders through the charity called Afasic. This is a most enjoyable and informative read.”

‘Finding a Voice’ is published on November 9th and available from all good bookshops as well as all online book retailers, including Amazon- https://amzn.to/37yTafq

You can find his website at https://www.dysphasia.co.uk/

 

Nap times, politics and radical feminism? New book explores Mumsnet today.

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the politicisation of mumsnet, politiczation The Politicization of Mumsnet

 By Sarah Pedersen

Publication: 15th October 2020

PB, £16.99, ISBN: 9781839094712

I have to be honest. My feminism has dulled at the edges the past six months. Two children under five and numerous work commitments have left me with a lethargy towards feminism and politics in general. Well consider me awake now. I forgot about the feminism threads on Mumsnet. I also forgot at how much snark Mumsnet gets because of its perceived anti-trans reputation and middle class readership. Personally I think that everyone who attacks Mumsnet for being middle class, and for assuming it is so, rude. I also note that Reddit and 4Chan have users with controversial views and no one gangs up on them quite as much.

The Politicization of Mumsnet is a brilliant book that is well thought out and researched within an inch of its life. It had so many facts it blew my mind.  Mumsnet is a huge achievement and it has saved countless women lives. Women generally becoming Mumsnet users during the most vulnerable, and isolating time of their lives. Men and Women are relatively equal until women have babies. Women’s biological clocks also put them at an unfair disadvantage. Read this book and you will want to level the playing field. An absolute triumph for Sarah Pedersen.

You can listen to Sarah Pedersen on Women’s Hour here.

‘This book dispels two myths about Mumsnet:  that it is heaving with entitled, middle-class yummy mummies, or drowning in hate and bigotry… This book is informative, amusing and a call to feminist action.’ – Julie Bindel, writer and activist

Whether you love it, loath it or are totally baffled by it, Mumsnet is a social-media phenomenon.  It now has 14 million users and over the past two decades it has grown to become the largest parenting website in the UK.

As the site developed, Mumsnet discussion topics evolved beyond traditional ‘mothering’ subjects to encompass politics, feminism and current affairs.  In fact, it now bills itself as a ‘site for grown ups’ with limited moderation and a commitment to free speech.  Brands swarm to it and it is a ‘go to’ source for journalists seeking a female viewpoint.

 In The Politicization of Mumsnet, Sarah Pedersen from Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, explores Mumsnet’s role as a powerful and influential forum, including its use by politicians to try and secure the votes of middle-class women in the UK. The 2010 General Election was even dubbed “the Mumsnetelection” highlighting a growing awareness that women discuss politics online in places that have been traditionally perceived as non-political.

Its active community of users has led to high profile campaigns about rape awareness, miscarriage care and the premature sexualisation of children. The type of campaigns that Mumsnet supports is driven by the interests of its members, but also the realities that the site itself has had to face relating to libel.  Mumsnet has become part of the establishment in its contributions to government inquiries and as a place for ministers to air policies for families and children.

However, in recent years, Mumsnet has also become a central part of a resurgent women’s rights movement in the UK.  Understood as a safe space for gender-critical voices, the site has spawned real-life activism and continues to be both praised and attacked for its support of free speech on controversial subjects.  Pedersen argues that its openness to these discussions has allowed the site to function as a subaltern counter-public.  This development has led to both praise and bitter criticism of the site and a positioning within a resurgent grass-roots radical feminist movement in the UK.

Sarah Pedersen asks where does Mumsnet go from here?  While there is no doubt that the site will continue its campaigning on issues that concern its members, it must also continue to offer a space for women to discuss issues that are important to them, and to share and receive support and comradeship.

Fans and critics alike would do well to remember the quote from Robert Campbell after Mumsnetters had caused his agency’s advertising campaign to collapse within 48 hours……. “Don’t mess with Mumsnet”

About the Author:

Sarah Pedersen is Professor of Communication and Media at Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen. Her research focuses on women’s use of media, particularly for political purposes, using both contemporary and historical sources.

 

The Politicization of Mumsnet By Sarah Pedersen is available here. 

 

Vahdam Teas Releases New Range of Sustainable Adaptogenic Turmeric Teas

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I have become obsessed with turmeric and putting it in things. I even add it to my tea. I had my inflammation makers tested by Thriva recently and I had little to low inflammation in my body. I think this is thanks to all of the turmeric I consume. I have been reading a lot about nutrition and I have recently done a Harvard course in nutrition. The evidence that turmeric is good for you is pretty solid.  I decided to go all out and try actual turmeric teas and turmeric latte. 

I tried the Turmeric Ginger teabags and the latte mix. Both are easy to use and I think they taste great. Granted, not everyone likes turmeric, but I find that if you persevere with it, it grows on you. Even if you were not a fan to begin with. I am a fan of Vaham teas.

Award-winning family-run ethical and sustainable luxury tea brand VAHDAM Teas has launched a new range of ​certified organi​c and​ vegan turmeric teas and latte mixes. 

turmeric, turmeric teabags, teabagsBlending premium-quality immune-boosting Indian turmeric with ingredients and superfoods including ginger, ashwagandha and moringa, the range is 100% natural and caffeine-free and packed with powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

turmeric, turmeric teabags, teabags

VAHDAM Teas brings India’s finest teas and superfoods to conscious consumers around the world – as endorsed by Oprah Winfrey, Mariah Carey, Martha Stewart and more. VAHDAM Teas is also a certified ‘Climate Neutral’ and ‘Plastic Neutral’ brand, and donates 1% of its revenue to educating its tea growers’ children under its social initiative,‘TEAch Me’.

Vaham Teas are available here.

Has Your Child Regressed Academically? Try The LeapFrog LeapStart

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As millions of children return to full time education this month, a new poll of parents suggests the extent to which the nation’s children have regressed academically, following months of being at home.

leapfrog leapstart

Despite the best efforts of hard pushed parents to homeschool, 45 percent said their child had lost out on their overall education, with 44 percent saying they found it hard to keep their child concentrating on school work in the home environment.

In fact, 45 percent say their child’s handwriting has deteriorated and a further 44 percent claiming their child’s spelling had got worse, according to the findings.

I was excited to review the Leapfrog LeapStart.  I am always looking for ways to educate my children and help them learn. I find teaching children is about sparking their imagination. They get bored easily and you always have to come up with new ways and angles to keep them learning. 

The Leapfrog LeapStart is a brilliant interactive learning system.  There are different books you can buy to put in the LeapStart and help your child learn. The books click in easily and the system is easy to use. It supports your child from preschool to primary school. The stylus is perfectly designed for children to grip. 

The system comes with a preschool sampler book but there are plenty more books to buy. There are over fifty key school and life skills it teaches your child. From maths, music, and reading. The LeapStart really engages your child. This is a innovative system and I cannot recommend it enough. 

According to the survey, of 1,000 parents with children between the ages of two and seven, commissioned by educational toy brand LeapFrog, as many as 49 percent fear their child’s social skills have suffered following six months without nursery or school.

A further 39 percent said they had not managed to get their children to regularly read, with 34 percent claiming their child had lost all interest in reading since schools shut – and 33 percent admitting their child had barely picked up a book this year.

 

In fact other important skills have suffered too, as 40 percent of parents said their child’s maths had deteriorated, causing them concerns about how they will understand basic number work this term.

 

Overall, 41 percent of parents have major concerns that their child is currently academically behind where they need to be during this term.

 

Worryingly, more than one in ten (12 percent) said their child had completely lost interest in learning.  And following almost six months without attending nursery and school, it’s no surprise that both parents and children are struggling to maintain focus and find new ways of engaging in the curriculum.

For parents who are concerned their children may be behind in their development, there are plenty of resources available, including the LeapFrog LeapStart, an interactive learning system for children from  2-7 years.

The interactive LeapStart is recommended by 97% of teachers[1][1] and can help provide learning for children at home. With over 30 activity books available, children can learn a variety of subjects including maths, science, reading and writing, making learning at home both educational and fun.

 

Mike Lynch, Senior Brand Manager at LeapFrog, who commissioned the survey commented: “It is unsurprising to see that our research indicates the majority of parents surveyed feel their children may have regressed academically during the closure of nurseries, pre-schools and primary schools this year. Despite parents’ best efforts, home schooling can be challenging.

 

At LeapFrog, we are passionate about supporting children’s learning and development in the early years. Our LeapStart interactive learning system engages children through colourful, imaginative activity books, complete with a magic stylus that triggers audio. Designed to build key skills such as counting, problem solving, reading and writing, the LeapStart is an essential home learning tool.”

Research by leading educational toy brand, LeapFrog, has revealed that six in ten parents believe their child has regressed academically this year due to schools closing because of COVID-19.

Recommended by 97% of teachers, the interactive LeapStart is great way to combat this, boosting learning through play at home, while supporting the national curriculum in the early years. With over 30 activity books available, children can choose from a variety of subjects, including science, reading, writing, problem solving and more. Add to this little ones’ favourite characters, including Mickey Mouse, Elsa, Peppa Pig and Paw Patrol’s Chase, learning at home has never been such fun!

Annabelle Boto, KS1 and KS2 teacher, commented: 

“The LeapStart is a fantastic way to spark curiosity and love of learning in children throughout the primary age phase. The technology is simple yet stimulating, capturing children’s attention, and then allowing them to use their intuition to access a plethora of entertaining and educational resources. The stylus is useful for the development of fine motor skills, and is an excellent tool allowing the child to navigate through the books.  

Each book provides a different experience, LeapStart is successful in finding the correct balance between entertaining the children, and educating them. Several options of tasks means there is something on offer for everyone. The activities help children to work on their problem solving abilities, as well as building their confidence in an educational situation, and increasing their ability to concentrate on the task in hand.  

The books largely reflect the KS1 curriculum, therefore providing an excellent way for children to prepare and consolidate what they are learning in school. Early years children love the LeapStart, it provides a fantastic opportunity for children to familiarise themselves with problems over all different subjects, inspiring them to give things a go and recognise how fun and exciting learning can be.”  

 

The LeapFrog LeapStart is available here.

The books that have changed me by Margaret Graham (aka Milly Adams and Annie Clarke)

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The books that changed me, or should I say perhaps, developed my understanding… Heavens, so many, but let me take a stab at it.

Margaret Graham, Annie Clarke, Milly Adams, books that changed me

As a child I read The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett in which an obnoxious orphan Mary Lennox arrives to live with her uncle at Misselthwaite Manor in Yorkshire. Archibald Craven  locked  the door leading to his wife’s beloved garden on her death. He also secreted his son, with crooked legs and back , in his own quarters for his own safety, and went about his business elsewhere, leaving the kindly servants to care for this disparate household.

The children find the secret garden, and slowly as they work within it, and  as the seasons roll on, the healing of both begins.   This book introduced me to a love of gardening, to the relentless rhythm of the seasons which has given me solace and a sense of something ‘bigger’. It grounds me.

Then as a teenager I read I Never Promised you a Rose Garden by Joanne Greenberg. This is the story of a  schizophrenic young woman, who spends some years receiving therapy ina residential centre. As  the young woman recovers she is devastated to realise that the world is not perfect, that happiness is not a given. That there are ups and downs, and one must find a ‘centre’. But as the psychiatrist says: I helped you heal, but I never promised a rose garden, I promised you a life.

I found this profound, and it stabilized the angst of a teenager, and was a great guide as an adult.

As an adult I was struggling to write my first novel – to navigate my way through the muddle of my thoughts, . I read Cinderella to my children one evening, and realised that it is the clearest example of the common structural form. It enabled me to write my first novel, and create almost 30 other books. It also allowed me to teach aspiring authors, perhaps the most rewarding part of my writing life, apart from editing Frost Magazine.

Basically, there is one protagonist, Cinderella, she has helpers ( mentors) and enemies (antagonists). Cinderella is on a journey, which is the plot, in order to resolved the theme, which for me was her quest to find love. Fourth must be Reginald Hill’s Dalziel and Pascoe novels. Erudite, immaculately structured with characters in complete balance, and scattered with laugh-aloud humour. They freed something in me, and made me brave enough to be myself, and allow the humour I inherited from my parents free rein.

Fourth are the Reginald Hill Dalziel and Pascoe novels, beautifully structured and written, with a superb balance of characters. Erudite, fascinating, and laugh-aloud funny. They gave me the courage to allow myself to use my own sense of humour, inherited from Mum and Dad. 

Fifth and perhaps most importantly From Both Ends of the Stethoscope by award winning author Dr Kathleen Thompson

Dr Thompson is ‘the doctor who knows’ what it is to face the chilling cancer diagnosis, and then find your way through the maze of information and treatment. The book is set out in an extraordinarily accessible way for the patient, and also for those like me who have friends with this  illness,  it gives me a way of helping, of listening, of supporting. It is life enhancing, and invaluable.

If I can sneak in a sixth, The Variety Girls series by Tracy Baines made me realise I should have been on the stage, not stuck in a study writing. You see, I could have ‘hoofed’ with the best of them, and hugged the spotlight, and showed off, and my mum would have been shocked, then proud, as I received a standing ovation – just me, not the rest of the chorus, of course. Ah, well, I can dream.

 

LastRound: Resuable Cotton Swabs, Tissues & Cotton Rounds Review

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As England’s ban on single-use plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds finally came into effect this month LastSwab has come into its own.

By now there are plenty of reusable options out there to replace plastic straws, not to mention stirrers, but less so for cotton buds.

LastSwab is the first-ever sanitary, reusable Q-tip. In England an estimated 1.8 billion plastic-stemmed cotton buds are used and thrown out each year after just one use, these are one of the most significant ocean pollutants today. Each LastSwab lasts up to 1,000 uses and comes in a biodegradable case that keeps it protected and makes it easy to carry on the go. It comes in two styles, one for cleaning and one for makeup.

Danish eco-startup LastObject have a few different products and each one is brilliant. Frost loves LastObject and the work they are doing. We all need to do as much as we can for the environment, and swapping our tissues, cotton buds and tissues for the reusable ones that LastObject make is a significant step. We have to all stop saying it is ‘just one’. Read this great piece on LastObject’s site. The products are easy to clean and are high quality. 

 

last round, environment, sustainability, the last one, last round, environment. , last tissue
What problem does LastTissue solve?
Every year around 8,000,000 trees are cut down to make facial tissues for the US alone. As individuals we can make a difference by changing our own habits. Every time you blow your nose with a LastTissue, you save 2 liters of water.

last round, environment, sustainability, the last one, last round, environment., last swab,
What problem does LastSwab solve?
Every day 1.5 billion single-use swabs are created. A vast amount of these end up in our oceans and landfills. By using a reusable swab, you prevent around 1000 single-use swabs from being used and discarded.

last round, environment, sustainability, the last one, last round, environment.

LastRound is a reusable cotton round made from 100% renewable raw materials – 70% wood fiber and 30% organic cotton, making it more sustainable than a 100% cotton option. Unlike other reusable cotton pads on the market that are cloth, LastRound feels and looks like single-use rounds used for makeup removal and applying serums. LastRound comes in a case with seven rounds and can be washed and reused over and over again.

Single-use cotton rounds made with non-organic cotton use vast amounts of chemicals, pesticides and fertilizers. According to the WWF (World Wildlife Fund), cotton production is the largest use of water among all agricultural commodities; It takes 2,640 gallons of clean drinking water to produce 1,000 regular cotton rounds.

You can buy these great products here. I highly recommend that you do.

 

New Natures Plus Collagen Peptides – Boost Your Beauty From The Inside.

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Introducing the latest product launch from Natures Plus – Collagen Peptides! The only collagen product on the market that has a full spectrum profile, its unique formula contains all of the six major collagen types – I, II, III, IV, V & X – making it the most complete and highest quality collagen available, delivering exceptional whole-body benefits.

I tried  Natures Plus – Collagen Peptides and I was impressed. You can take one scoop or two and add it to numerous things. I took mine with water and it the taste was not too bad. It does not leave an aftertaste. I think collagen makes a difference, it leaves your hair, skin and nails in better condition for one. I would definitely buy this. 

collagen, peptide, review, NaturePlus,

The “glue” that holds everything together, collagen is important for feeling and looking your best! In addition to giving your skin elasticity and a glowing vitality, collagen is also the scaffolding upon which bones and cartilage are built, allowing for smooth mobility in joints. Your body’s collagen is essential to your health!

 

Utilising only the highest quality sources of collagen, the Natures Plus CollagenPeptides is sourced from grass-fed beef, sustainably caught cod, cage-free chicken and eggshell membrane, making it the best choice for your health and planet.

 

With its uniquely clean taste and low odour, you can simply add one to two scoops to a glass of water, juice, coffee, tea or even broth. It also contains added enzymes to maximise absorption.

 

Martina Della Vedova, nutritionist at Natures Plus explains: “Collagen is lacking from most modern diets. In fact, research has shown that our bodies’ production of collagen starts to diminish at around the age of 18! This makes supplementing collagen critical for optimum health. By supporting collagen production and body repair we can feel and see these tissues getting stronger and healthier.”

 

 

Natures Plus Collagen Peptides available at www.Health-Emporium.co.uk or via the Health Emporium App for £29.95

 

Introducing Little Hoppa, the award-winning range for children.

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play table, reviews, parting, toys, review, little hoppa The Little Hoppa ® 3-in-1 is the ultimate baby toy and smartest investment you will ever make as a new par- ent. The adventures are endless!

Made completely from sustainable, non-toxic and planet-friendly materials, this multi-functional toy transforms from a wooden baby gym to a baby bounc- er, to a children’s activity table. It’s innovative design grows with your child, keeping them entertained from birth to 4 years.

Each stage is filled with new discoveries that spark the imagination, whilst developing dexterity and strength. Plus, it’s award-winning good looks mean you’ll never need to store it away.

The Little Hoppa story

It started with a list on a scrap of paper…..

A tired new Mum with a passion for interiors sat surrounded by plastic baby products that were functional but oh so lacking in style.

A tired new Mum searched high and low for products that were fun for her baby, kinder to the planet AND would complement the contemporary home she had so lovingly designed.

A tired new Mum could not find the products she so desperately wanted, and so, whilst feeding her new baby, on a scrap of paper she set about writing a list of all the things that she could only dare to dream existed.

And in that moment the Little Hoppa was born.

Designed by Mum of two and successful interior stylist Sofie Hepworth, the Little Hoppa addresses a serious gap in the children’s market for plastic alternative, multi-functional, children’s toys that are fun for kids, kinder to the planet AND stylish too!

https://bysofieofficial.com/product/little-hoppa-3-in-1