A blog about being a pretty average dad… and stuff (formerly Henry's Blog)
Now that the end of the summer holidays are approaching, with the shorter days, lower temperature and everything else that autumn entails, many families will be thinking about putting their camping equipment away for the winter. As much as I’d love to go camping more, it’s a lot harder to persuade my family to head…
It’s been a bit of a while since I’ve been able to review a new Lego set, but I was recently contacted about the latest additions to the Lego Harry Potter range – and naturally, I jumped at the chance. The set I was given to review is named ‘The Rise of Voldemort’, and as…
One of the main advantages of camping, especially when you have a young family, is the cost-effectiveness it can offer. Sure, you need to buy some equipment to start you off – but once you’re kitted-out to a level you’re happy with, it can be virtually free. But what if you enjoy camping AND have…
Until very recently, I’d always written astroturf off as something that only belonged on hockey pitches. This despite the fact that in the past 3 or 4 houses we’ve lived in, our garden lawns have always caused an issue. For instance, in our last house we decided to get rid of the scraggy lawn (about…
If you’re anything like me, the thought of going to a campsite which is part of a group may fill you with apprehension. Whilst not strictly a “holiday camp”, the idea of these cut-and-paste campsites brings to mind cramped pitches, over-zealous staff and enforced fun – Butlins but with less comfortable beds, basically. Whilst our…
Living within your means is always a good idea. It ensures that you never have to suffer the stress of getting into serious debt. But, saying you are not going to overspend is one thing. Achieving it is another. If you want to live a debt-free life setting a budget and sticking to it is…
It feels great to be able to buy your children the things they want. The look on their faces when they realise that their birthday present is exactly what they have asked for is priceless. But, it is important to mix things up a bit and buy them practical things, as well. You need some…
Now that we’re safely into the summer holiday season, it feels like a good time to discuss teachers. Or more specifically, saying thank you to the saintly folk who teach our little monsters. With the end of term just a week or two past, how did you thank the teacher who has spent the past…
Or How to turn the least used room in the home into something special for the kids. As a dad, you know there’ll come a time when the kids outgrow their bedroom, and they’ll need more space to play. Lots of families find the living room taken over as a playroom by the little ones,…
Kids love a day out. The zoo; the cinema; climbing up a tree in the park – they’re often not too hard to please. But the one thing they don’t tend to like is a day in. Whilst some kids might enjoy a day snuggled on the sofa, when it’s raining, you’ve limited their screen-time…