Being a Mum is hard, super, duper hard. I am a work-from-home Mum and struggle to find the balance between parenting and working as I do it under the same roof at the same time.
Some times I have deadlines to meet and Brad is at work so sometimes I use TV to parent my eldest whilst the youngest naps. I am not afraid to admit that and stand by that completely - It is okay to let your TV parent your kids sometimes.
This Summer holidays we have used the Kids TV channels a lot. There has been so much rain and somedays we just don't fancy venturing out into it so colouring, activities and TV has been used a lot. We downloaded and printed the BT Kids free activity pack which you can download too by clicking on the link. During our one-to-one time during Iris' afternoon nap we've been connecting the dots and colouring in. It's a great way to encourage creativity using their favourite characters and TV shows.
We've made the Mickey Mouse roadster racers helmet and Iris got involved with being dressed up too.
Lucas loves being creative and loves crafts, drawing and colouring and we're loving the free activity pack as it's something new and he also thinks I bought it for him and it gained me a lot of top parent points.
Lucas is Disney channel mad and loves Disney Jr but he also loves Nick Jr and cartoonito too. BT kids bolt is £4 so that is super cheap for loads of channels. It includes Disney channel, Disney Jr, Disney XD, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr, Nick toons, Boomerang, Cartoon network and cartoonito - So, something for every child and age group.
I am more than happy for a few times a week for Lucas to be parented by Peppa Pig, Doc Mcstuffins or Mickey and the roadster races. I know that if I have things to do or be completed that I can chuck on these channels and they'll keep him occupied.
TV doesn't have to be seen as a bad thing for your kids either. Lucas has learnt so much from watching Thomas and Friends on cartoonito. He tells me about engines I didn't know existed, about signal boxes, train parts, tenders and train wheels.
The same goes for Peppa Pig, I mean she's taught him to have a little attitude but, he also has learnt about rainbows, stars, space, power cuts, the dentist and other things from Peppa pig.
Doc Mcstuffins has taught him all about doctors and illnesses and accidents and well he just loves Mickey Mouse.
Being a work-from-home Mum I am very grateful for kids TV and even if you're not a work-from-home Mum, using TV to give you an hour or so of quiet time and calm time whilst you drink a cuppa, tidy up or just look at your lounge not covered in a sea of toys and not have to listen to the kids bickering or fighting over the same blooming car when they're surrounded by hundreds or them and to not have to hear "Mum, Mum, Mum, Mum, Mum, Mum, Mum, Mum, Mum," over and over again too.
Being a parent is hard and I have so much gratitude for these TV channels and BT!
*This is a sponsored post. All words and opinions are my own*
