10 tips for travelling with kids – Travelling with kids can be a potentially traumatic experience, there are lots to think of, from what to pack to the flight itself. Here are my top 10 tips for travelling with kids: 1. Take it slow Take your time and make sure you have everything you need beforehand. This will give you more time on travel day and hopefully you will feel less rushed on the day. 2. Getting through security When travelling via an airport it’s best to explain to your kids what’s going to happen before you get to the airport. Letting your kids know beforehand they have to put thei ..read more

Introducing your kids to dogs – I love dogs and have done so ever since I was a child and met our first dog Bray a handsome German Sheppard. I know firsthand that a kid can be best friends with a dog, dogs are great companions and can also teach the kids a lot about responsibility when taking care of a dog. With that said there can be issues with dogs and kids, here are a few things that are worth bearing in mind when considering getting a dog when you have a child. Depending on the age/height of your kid/s they can literally be in your dogs face, this on its own can be quite threatening ..read more

How to deal with your kid’s swearing: Now I have to hold my hands up that I have had to put my fair share of money in the swear jar. This is something I have actively tried to improve upon when around the kids, especially now they are at the age where they copy everything you do, as well as egging each on. As my kids are getting older the more and more they come across swearing from TV shows to the horror show that is the internet. My kids (aged 7 & 4) have become fascinated with swear words, they find nothing funnier than a well-timed sh*t or bloody hell. At this age range, they need help ..read more

Time management for single dads – As a single dad with kids, making the most of your time with and without your kids is important. So after reading a few articles and listening to a few podcasts on the subject, I thought it might be useful to make a bit of a list of the tips I found most useful (with a few of my own tips thrown in) Make a list A great way to start is by making list, when I write my list down it becomes real and I know what needs to be done that day and make myself accountable to get it done. I try to keep the list as realistic as possible, I found that a list of 4 or 5 things ..read more

Top 6 Dad Hacks For New Dads – Being a dad is great but can also be tough. This is why, when possible it’s good to be able to take shortcuts, the little hacks that will help you get through the day. With everything your kids can and will throw at you, you need all the help you can get. So here are my top 6 dad hacks for new dads to hopefully help you out.   Grab a Nap whenever you can This one is for when your kids are babies (though still applies when they are older). Just Nap, when they go down you go down. It sounds like common sense but a lot of the time you are tempted to power throu ..read more

What A Single Dad Looks For In A Girlfriend – After my marriage broke down it took a while to get back into dating. When I felt comfortable to start dating again (about 7-8 months for me), I went on a few dates with no expectations of them going anywhere. Being a dad of two who has his kids 50% of the time I had to make sure I wasn’t wasting my time or my dates time. So after six months, I started to ask myself what I was looking for in a woman and potential partner. Here’s what I (and probably most single dads) want in a girlfriend.   You’re good with kids and like ours. This is a no bra ..read more

How to negotiate with your kids – In my experience kids don’t do what you say, and when they do it’s fairly rare they do it the first time you ask. I’ll say “It’s time for bed.” “It’s time to go home.” “It’s time for your tea!” But I’ll get told “not yet” or “in a minute”. This can be madding and I get sick and tired of saying “no”. So what can you do about it? Blow up? Maybe give in? Or you can try and negotiate. Here are some of the things I have learned while trying to negotiate with kids. Limit the area of debate. Limiting the area of debate helps you and the kids know what you actually ag ..read more

What I learned my first year of co-parenting – It’s tough after any relationship breaks down, regardless if you have kids or not, but having kids means you are always going to have some sort of a relationship with your ex. Here’s what I learned my first year of co-parenting that helped me keep that relationship civil and benefited my kids the most. 1. Try not to worry Your first thought might be that splitting with your partner will ruin your kid’s lives as well as your own. At first, that’s what if felt like, between not seeing the kids as much as you used to, then when you do see them it’s n ..read more

How to grow and maintain your beard – I first grew by beard when my ex and I split, though I was never really clean shaven in the past I had never grown a full beard before. Getting over the split I fancied a change of look and decided to grow my beard. I have been growing my beard for just over 3 years and I tend to give it a trim and tidy once a month or on a special occasion/night out. Here is my guide on How to Grow and maintain your Beard. Growing your beard Try not to mess with your beard. This is easier than it sounds, don’t shave, don’t try and trim it, just don’t mess with it. Yo ..read more

5 days out with the kids in the North West – I’m very grateful for this great guest post from my friend Helen (find her on Instagram @helens3456). The North West has a wide range places to visit with the kids and make for some great days out, here are a few of our favourite. 1: Smithills open farm Bolton Smithills is one of our favourite places to go! It’s a working farm so lots to see, there’s a play park, donkey rides, animal corner with meerkats & birds, horses, deer, a tractor ride, lamb bottle feeding, chick and rabbit handling, calves to feed and milking to watch! We watched a calf b ..read more