Frost Magazine is interested in anything that keeps children that little bit safer, so we were interested in LittleLife’s new Buggy Blackout. I test drove it on my granddaughter’s pushchair in this VERY hot weather. It worked a treat. Before we tried it she couldn’t rest, seemed far too hot (well, weren’t we all) but once we put it on, she was so much cooler and more cheerful. This is what LittleLife says would happen. I like it when the product does what it says ‘on the box’.

Frost Magazine found the research by Swedish Paediatrician, Dr Svante Norgren frightening. It revealed that covering your child’s pram with a blanket or muslin can lead to stifling temperatures as high as 37^oC inside the buggy, putting your baby at a high risk of overheating or even Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). The research showed that covering the pram with a thick blanket dramatically increased the temperature from 22^oC to 34^oC and then 37^oC, resulting in a dangerously hot environment for babies who can’t regulate their temperature.  LittleLife’s new Buggy Blackout offers a far safer solution because it’s made from cool and breathable fabric so our grandchild was  not only cool but also protected

Part of LittleLife’s new 2018 Sleep Accessories collection, the Buggy Blackout has a universal design that can be used together with a wide range of pushchairs, buggies and strollers. Ideal for creating a cool and dark environment in which your baby can nap peacefully. As well as blocking 99% of UV rays from reaching your child’s delicate skin, the mesh fabric also offers protection against flying insects and wind chill to keep the child comfortable.

It’s also easy to put on, so Grandma isn’t fiddling in this heat to get started on the walk.

What I did think the research revealed, and needs highlighting is that  when babies become too hot they will become quiet and limp, meaning you may assume they are sleeping peacefully rather than in significant danger.

So with this Buggy Blackout you can check easily because it has a practical design with a zipped double door at the front. The double-layered door means that you can easily check on your little one without disturbing them and one door can be left open and secured at the top of the blackout for greater air circulation when temperatures rise.

I thought it a genuinely important and efficient product. Anything that keeps our children just that little bit safer is priceless.

For convenient storage between uses, the LittleLife Buggy Blackout comes with a handy storage sack.

For more information about the Buggy Blackout or the rest of LittleLife’s Sleep Accessories collection, visit www.littlelife.com.

* https://www.svd.se/varmen-blev-farlig-i-barnvagnen  or  https://www.thelocal.se/20140711/swedes-risk-infants-lives-by-covering-up-prams

Pop-Up Opera are back for autumn with a reimagining of Bizet’s famous masterpiece La Tragédie de Carmen as they continue to challenge the perception of opera and bring it to the next generation.

In 1981 Peter Brook collaborated with composer Marius Constant to reimagine this emotive opera and, now, Pop-Up Opera will stage this stripped back incarnation. Sung in French with Pop-Up Opera’s signature ‘silent movie’ captions in English, this dark and thrilling piece may not always be as you expect.

Their retelling of this intense and tragic tale follows the four key multi-faceted characters in a thought-provoking drama of unhinged love and jealousy.  Actions are not without consequences and the stark reality of the repercussions for Don José are laid bare as the story unfolds in a series of his tormented flashbacks.

Director John Wilkie comments, Peter Brook’s incarnation of Prosper Merimee’s Carmen has fascinated me for many years – everything is trimmed away from the grander adaptations with which many are accustomed to focus on the intense interaction, the tragedy of the four protagonists. This production will be set at the end of the Spanish Civil War and we will investigate
the psychological elements that lie at the heart of this retelling of Carmen’s tale. I am immensely looking forward to bringing life to La Tragédie de Carmen with this very exciting team.

Pop-Up Opera’s combination of unique venues and cast of outstanding singers showcase this innovative opera

company’s  consistency in capturing the essence of this incredible refined and raw art form.

Tour:Sat 22nd Sept Court Gardens Farm, East Sussex, 7.30pm Orchard Lane, Ditchling, Hassocks BN6 8TH

Tues 25th Sept Asylum Peckham, 7pm Caroline Gardens Chapel, Asylum Road, London SE15 2SQ

Find out other tour dates (and there are many):  Website www.popupopera.co.uk

Twitter @PopupOperaUK, #LaTragedieDeCarmen

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/popupopera

‘What would you like to drink?’

Do you find yourself struggling to think of an option that would really thrill?

Well, Frost has some great new ideas for you.

First – alcohol (of course). So why not try Britain’s oldest wines and spirits merchant – Berry Bro^s & Rudd, St James’s, London? Besides all their amazing wines, I can recommend two other of their products.

First – the ginger liqueur – named King’s Ginger, because it formulated by them in 1903 for King Edward VII, no less.  And I can see why the king liked it. Smooth and light with the ginger warmth at the back of your throat – delicious neat or with ice.

Second – No 3 London Dry Gin – named after their premises – No 3 St James Street. A classical dry gin, celebrating juniper at its best.

And – great news – you can try these and their other products, because they also host private events – fine food dining and wine tastings within their (two acres) of cellars, deep below the London streets. What a fabulous experience. See their website for details.

But what if you’re driving, or simply don’t want alcohol? Well, easy – go to The London Essence Company for some really special beverages.

I was blown away by their Grapefruit and Rosemary Tonic Water – in a large glass, with plenty of ice, this delicious mixer, created from distilled botanicals and natural flavourings was perfection.  And, if needed, it will complement a good gin too. Other flavours include bitter orange and elderflower, and pomelo and pink pepper, in addition to classical tonic water.

And if tonic water is not for you, try their very special ginger ale, made from steeped ginger root and aniseed distillate, or their rhubarb and cardamom crafted soda.

Stocked by Waitrose and Ocado.

Well, after all that writing, I think I need a drink.

By Dr K Thompson, author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q

http://faitobooks.co,uk

As a grandmother of a toddler, I am always keen to explore new ideas to make learning fun, so my attention was captured by Mrs Wordsmith.

This is a series of reading aids for 2-5 year olds, based on research into learning and vocabulary retention. Subscribers receive a monthly pack containing a picture book, a word-of-the day workbook and a pack of word cards.  There is also a word-of-the-day display stand so that the child is able to see it and learn it throughout the day.

The books and cards are beautifully illustrated with amusing pictures to help the child learn. Mrs Wordsmith uses word-pairing – a proven system which links similar words. It focuses on different types of words every month, selecting words most commonly used in everyday speech.

The aids help children navigate the nuanced range of feelings they experience, giving them the words to tell the difference between upset and frustrated, and they help them to be aware of their needs, with words like hungry and sleepy.

There is also a separate pack available for older children (7-11 year olds) called Gargantuan.

If you want to try before you buy, you can download a free sample from the website. I’ve tried it with my grandson, and it is a lot of fun for both of us.

https://www.mrswordsmith.com/products

By Dr K Thompson, author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q

http://faitobooks.co,uk