Living with a MAT

It was parents' evening earlier this week at Squeaky's school.  Yes, the same school that she only started going to, for 2 hours a day, at the start of September.  They don't waste time.  Aside from the shock to the system that a parents' evening bears no resemblance to the concept of "evening" as understood by any other part of civilisation, starting as it did at 3.30pm, I was looking forward to it.

Squeaky gets regular homework, roughly every other week, which I do my best to help with - though google did come to my aid when I was faced with a circle map, a concept I'd never heard of before.  But the school also run a monthly family challenge called Family Values, and I was hopelessly confused by it, so I wanted to ask some questions about that.

Well, anyway.  Squeaky's teacher is lovely, we had a comfy seat in the staff room & she proceeded to tell us that our precocious little madam is, well, just that, in not so many words.  Apparently she's smarter than the average Squeak, and they want to put her on the More Able & Talented programme (MAT).  At 3.  Having only been there 7 weeks.

Not this sort of mat
Image courtesy of  John Kasawa/Freedigitalphotos.net

Well, obviously we already knew she was a small genius, what parent doesn't?  But it's rather nice to have it confirmed by someone who knows about these things.  It's such a cliché of parenting in the internet age, every Mumsnet/Netmums member's child is reading War & Peace at 2, and composing symphonies over their home-made sugar free baby led weaning flapjacks.  And I'm secretly Kate Moss.

I loathe competitive parenting.  I've agonised over telling, well, anyone about this (and was beaten to the decision by Squeaky Daddy who posted it as his facebook status within half an hour).  I've told people I trust, but there's no way on this little green earth I'm mentioning it to the mums in the school gate queue.  After all, all I know of their children is the few minutes a day I see them outside the gates, I don't know how easy or hard they're finding things.  Wouldn't it feel terrible if your child was falling behind at a young age, and someone was bragging about their tiny overachiever?

So, once they go back to school after half term, Squeaky will have her own Play Plan, designed to give her some extra challenges & extra stimulation to move her forward & reach her potential.  It's something I think is very positive - the same terminology is used - Play Plan, Individual Education Plan, for children with additional learning needs at either end of the spectrum.  I'm encouraged by the recognition that smart children need support as well as those who are struggling.  It didn't happen in my day (old fogey that I am), I remember being bored rigid by the school's choice of books for me, reading Judy Blume books long before I was old enough to understand what periods were, and effectively being left to self-teach in maths because I was working a full term ahead of the rest of the class.

So wish us luck, we've got a challenge ahead of us.  Keeping Squeaky motivated, maintaining the momentum from school, and just trying to keep up with her.  I'll do my best to record what life is like in the MAT programme, or at least as much as Squeaky will tell me of it.

Kellogg's Give A Child A Breakfast - Competition

You've read my recent post about the Kellogg's Give A Child A Breakfast campaign, haven't you?  Well, how would you like to help your local school's Breakfast Club, by giving them an amazing £50 of vouchers to help provide children with a healthy & nutritious breakfast?

That's right, I've got £50 of Kellogg's vouchers right here in my hot & sweaty hand, ready to send out for you to give to your school's breakfast club.  And if your children aren't in school, or your school doesn't have a breakfast club, there's sure to be another school nearby that does.  And they'd be more than happy to accept these vouchers.  (And if you still don't know of a school, I know plenty!)

Not this Breakfast Club!

Breakfast clubs are amazing.  I visit families every day who struggle to make ends meet, and have to go without basics to keep the house warm, to pay the rent, to have school uniforms. Breakfast clubs can ease a little bit of that pressure.

So, you want to help? And you want to win?  Here's what you need to do:

Leave a comment telling me your favourite breakfast, and a way to contact you.

Simple as that!  Nothing complicated.

Entries are open now, and will close on Friday 1st November 2013 at 11.59pm.  Any comments left after this time will not be counted.  Worldwide entries accepted, but the prize is only valid for donation to a UK school - so if you're overseas, think about where the vouchers are going!

A winner will be picked at random after the closing date.  My decision is final.

Best of luck!

Spots, Zits, Call them what you will

When I was younger I believed in all sorts of crazy things.  Unicorns, gold at the end of the rainbow, and the concept of there being a time in my life between the spots going away and the grey hairs starting.  Well, as the grey hairs started when I was 15, and at 37, the spots still haven't left that's clearly never going to come true.  I've tried all sorts of things to settle my skin down, but if the Belisha Beacon that's currently taken up residence between my eyebrows is anything to go by, they've not been all that successful.  Creams, gels, medicated washes, light therapy.  Maybe it's time for a bit of professional help.

I've considered talking to my GP, but in all honesty I spend so much time in there with one ear infection after another, I can't build up the nerve to talk to them about my spots.  I'm sure they'll just tell me to go away & get over it, they're far too busy with people who are actually ill.  But acne has a big knock on effect, it's not just about the uncomfortable & unpleasant looking spots, it affects your confidence, your mood, your job chances - who's going to want to be served their dinner by someone whose face looks too much like the pizza you've just ordered?

Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici/Freedigitalphotos.net

I recently heard of a company called SK:N clinics who are specialists in dermatology & dealing with awkward skin conditions.  SK:N clinics offer all sorts of non-surgical treatments to help deal with acne prone or problem skin, with skin peels starting from just £105 – I've got creams that cost more than that (which I won, admittedly, but even so!)  It doesn't cost the earth, and when I consider what I've spent over the years in trying to treat my skin problems myself, I'm kicking myself for not having thought about it sooner.

Acne scarring can also cause a problem.  It's not as simple as your mum used to tell you, that if you pick it, it'll scar, if you leave it alone it'll go away.  For one thing, who can really leave it alone when there's a nice juicy spot there, ripe for squeezing? Scarring isn't directly caused by squeezing anyway, it's caused by damage to the tissue beneath the skin, which can build up excess collagen trying to repair the damage caused by the spots, leaving that familiar pock-marked effect.  Even the rich and famous (or snooker players, I'm more familiar with them) can't escape this, though they have better make up than us.

Stephen Hendry still bears the scars of youthful acne

Acne scarring is treatable, using chemical peels, laser treatment, or the one that grabs my attention the most, a dermaroller, which creates thousands of tiny contact points on the skin, promoting skin renewal  using your body's natural healing process. It's a technique that can be carried on at home between consultations, and sounds like a high tech, skin version of the lint rollers that were so popular in the 1980s for removing fluff from jumpers.

I'm actually thinking quite seriously about this now.  Less these days for my face, but I'll be honest with you, acne can strike in other places as well, and I'm quite conscious of my acne in other areas.  You don't need a diagram.  The dermaroller is safe to use on all areas of the body, so this might just be the one for me.

What about you?  Have you ever sought help with problem skin?  What are your experiences?

Disclosure. This is a sponsored post. I was not told what to write & all opinions remain my own. Links are provided for convenience, I am not a member of any affiliate scheme & will not receive reward for their use.

Interviews. We love them!

I used to give Interview Skills training quite frequently in a former job, it turned out to be something I really enjoyed, seeing people who you knew were more than capable of doing a job, but didn't come across well in an interview develop the skills to sell themselves.  It's a vital skill in the job market, being able to come across well in an interview, and to give the best of yourself in the hope of scoring that top job.  If you want to learn more about interviewing, and hone your own skills (and I'm too far away for you to bribe me with cake), you could do far worse than to visit the Total Jobs Job Academy and pick up some tips. (My personal number 1 tip is to give yourself that one last look over in the bathroom mirrors before your interview - there's nothing worse than a dodgy looking stain)

There's been a vital vacancy in our house for a little while.  Since the retirement of Upsy Daisy, the important position of Most Beloved Nighttime Cuddly Toy has been filled with a series of temporary replacements, but now it's time to recruit a permanent team member.  So, I've held an interview with one of the likely candidates – Spanish Dolly.

Spanish Dolly takes the hotseat

So, Spanish Dolly, what special skills can you bring to the role of Squeaky’s Cuddly?

Well, I speak Spanish, I can count up to ten and say “Buenos Dias” and “Adios”, so we can talk in Spanish and learn new words.  And I know lots of songs from the Mini Disco.  I’ve got a bunny on my dress because bunnies are soft and cuddly, and most importantly I’m very squishy, so I’m really good for cuddles & cwtches.  That’s a Welsh word.  I know some Welsh words too.

OK.  What would you do if Squeaky had a nightmare?

I’d give her a big hug, and tell her about when I lived in Spain, with my brother and sister, Steve and Ponty.  I can’t close my eyes so I don’t go to sleep, so I’d always be there in case she woke up in the night, and I don’t get tired.

What about daytime then?  Nighttime Cuddly Toys don’t get daytimes off, unfortunately.

I’m good at dancing, I can fly, and I like going to new places.  Did you know that I went to Spain with Squeaky last year to find my friend Daisy (not Upsy Daisy).  I don’t mind getting messy, because I’ve even had a trip in the washing machine before, and I just come out smelling nice. I love having adventures, as long as there aren’t any animals that might try to eat me.  I’m a bit scared of being eaten.

Thanks Spanish Dolly. Have you got any questions for me, or Squeaky?

Yes.  Can I have some milk and a biccie now please?

So, would Spanish Dolly get the job, do you think? The final decision is up to Squeaky, but I think Spanish Dolly's in with a good chance, the other candidates include a hobby horse called Moo-Moo, a large Broccoli called Broccoli, and a slowly deflating balloon from a pizza restaurant.

This is my entry into the Total Jobs & I Am Typecast Interview competition.

Peppa Pig Daddy Pig's Puddle Jump App Review

We've recently become the proud owners of an iPad in Squeaky Towers, and that means something important. No longer do I have to look at press releases and adverts for apps that are only available for Apple products with an envious look in my eye (and a glare towards my elderly android phone)  So when the chance arose for Squeaky to try out the latest Peppa Pig app - Daddy Pig's Puddle Jump, I was hot on the download button.

Daddy Pig's Puddle Jump app is pretty much what it says in the title.  You can choose to be Daddy Pig, Peppa or George, and guide your character to jump over bushes, on trampolines, down slopes and into muddy puddles.  You're awarded one, two or three mud splats depending on how well you do on each round.

Except it's pretty much impossible to work out how the splats are awarded.  We've been back & forth through the levels, and nothing seems to make any difference. Hit the puddles, jump higher, miss bushes, run faster, hit the trampoline at the end. I really can't tell, and that's a bit disheartening for a very competitive three year old, who is determined to get three splats on every level, but can't find out how.

Sadly too, the puddle jump app is the only game on this app.  For £1.49, the same price as other Peppa games, it doesn't hold the attention that long.  Maybe we've been spoiled with Happy Mrs Chicken and Polly Parrot (both of which have recently updated & have a new mini game each!), with 5 mini games and the stickers to play with, but this is a stand alone game, and even though Squeaky is a Peppa obsessive, she gets bored with it quickly, and moves on to other apps, or trying to sabotage my emails.

How?

Unless your child has already got the other Peppa Pig apps, and is the kind of obsessive completest who has to have absolutely everything in every possible format (see my Hitch Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy collection!), then this isn't the best value Peppa app available.  Squeaky enjoys it, but enjoys others more.

Peppa Pig, Daddy Pig's Puddle Jump is available from iTunes for £1.49.

Disclosure: I was provided with a code to download this app free of charge for the purposes of this review. I was not told what to write and all opinions are my own.  Links are provided for convenience only, I am not a member of any affiliate scheme and will not receive reward for their use.

Mini Malaprop

I've written before about how entertaining it can be when Squeaky misunderstands things when she's learning Welsh at school, and some of the very cute variations of songs she comes out with. But the truth is, she does that in English too, as do most children, and much as I don't want to put her off by laughing, there's times when the malapropisms are just so funny I can't help myself.

For instance, the day she decided to put my washing basket on her head in her best Dalek impersonation, and walk around the house shouting "Inseminate".  That was a tricky one.  How do you keep a straight face?

Dalek-child.

It's not just children though. I've come to realise through Squeaky, how difficult a language English actually is to learn, and how lucky we are to learn it as our mother tongue, because I really don't envy anyone trying to learn it as a second language.  It reminds me of the Greek guy who ran a sandwich shop round the corner from my work, many years ago, who proudly announced to me one day while I was buying an expensive sandwich & can of a certain energy drink: "Red Bull gives you wind!"  And all that time I'd been blaming his sandwiches!

Lunch Less Ordinary Challenge Week 3

This week, Mission Deli Wraps have set their Lunch Less Ordinary bloggers a really fun challenge, and for once I had the time to get involved.  It's the third week of the challenges, but the first time I've had the chance and the braincells to enter.

The challenge was to make a wrap inspired by your favourite film or book.  I thought, and thought, and thought a bit more.  Dirty Dancing?  Not really appropriate for a 3 year old, and it's quite difficult to put a tortilla wrap around a watermelon!  Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Galaxy?  I didn't have the ingredients for a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster, Tesco had sold out of Arcturian Mega-gin.  So I decided it would be a better idea if I asked Squeaky for her choices.

We couldn't come up with a Toy Story sandwich, or at least not an edible one, there's not much food in the film.  And so we turned to her favourite book, and that's when inspiration struck.  The Very Hungry Caterpillar.  Who says that wraps have to be savoury?  Sadly there was a lack of appetising looking plums & strawberries in the supermarket, so we had to improvise slightly from the original, but we took an apple, pear, orange, banana, melon, pineapple and grapes, and got wrapping.

The starting point for our Hungry Caterpillar wraps

 

On Friday he ate through five oranges, but he was still hungry!

A wrap in progress

It's a wrap!  We even found our Hungry Caterpillar plate.

The sweet wraps were really tasty, and a healthy treat for lunchtime, or a change from the usual supper time biscuit.  I think next time I'll cut the fruit a little smaller to make the wraps easier to hold, but the taste was amazing.  The tortillas went very well with the fruit, just a little touch of flavour (I used the plain ones, Mediterranean Herb didn't sound right for this, somehow!)

Om nom nom!

What do you think?  Is fruit the future? We think so!

This is our entry for the Mission Deli Lunch Less Ordinary Challenge.

Parragon Book Buddies - The Adventures of the Owl & the Pussycat

This month's Parragon Book Buddies book is The Adventures of the Owl and the Pussycat by Coral Rumble.

The Owl & The Pussycat in the story aren't the ones you remember from the Edward Lear nonsense verse, these are a young boy & girl, dressed up, having an imaginative adventure in their own little boat.  Beautifully illustrated by Charlotte Cooke, it's not quite the story you expect.  I won't spoil it for you, but be ready for a cheeky seagull, and lots of fun.

Squeaky loved the story, once she stopped asking me where the owl was, and arguing that it was just a little boy dressed up (she didn't seem to have the same issue with the pussycat), and loved pointing out the various things the children had found in their adventures as the story went on.  The rhyming scheme is awkward in places, if I've got my English Literary critique hat on, but it's bouncy, lively and funny, and that matters far more than a strict iambic pentameter!

I think maybe she likes it more because she hasn't yet encountered the Edward Lear poem, though I can see that ode raising a whole lot of questions of its own when we do finally come to read it.  For me, I liked the winks to the original (the children's boat is called Petit Pois, though it isn't pea green), but there's always a little bit of the first version of something you encounter being your personal benchmark against which everything else is judged. (I can't watch a lot of movie remakes for just this reason).  Don't get me wrong, we love it, it just gives me a little shake when it doesn't go in the direction I expect it to - there's no honey, money or Five Pound Notes to start with, though they do sail away for a year and a day.

Squeaky loves this book a little more than I do, and it's a welcome addition to our bedtime collection.

The Adventures of the Owl and the Pussycat is released on 13 October 2013, and is available from Amazon and other retailers.

Disclosure: I was provided with the above book free of charge for the purposes of this review. I was not told what to write and all opinions are my own. Links are provided for convenience only, I am not a member of any affiliate scheme and will not receive reward for their use.

Hugo Frosch Hot Water Bottles

You can tell it's heading into autumn.  The leaves are turning golden & red, the nights are drawing in, I've had to turn the headlights on in my car on the way home from work, and I've resorted to a hot water bottle in bed.  I love a good hot water bottle, I think it comes from 8 years living in the wild of Wet Yorkshire (yes, that was deliberate!). So when the chance came to review the Hugo Frosch range of German hot water bottles, I was a happy woman indeed.

My last hot water bottle became a casualty of last year's house move, when it met with a tragic accident, the details of which are too distressing for hot water bottle lovers to face, even now.  RIP Walter the Water Bottle.  I hadn't found a suitable replacement for Walter, until Hugo Frosch came to my rescue, and sent me not only a replacement for Walter, but a friend as well!

I received a traditional hot water bottle in a knitted cover, and a small heart-shaped bottle in a red velour cover, which Squeaky immediately claimed as her own.  The small one is a transparent red bottle, and oddly smells slightly of strawberries. I'm sure it's not my imagination,  I sniffed the other bottle & that smells like every other hot water bottle, so I can't be making it up, can I?

Why a German hot water bottle, I hear you wonder to yourself, what's so special about it?  They are actually a bit different to the normal bottles I've bought in the past, with a rubber washer on the cap.  These have a longer stopper, and a rubber screw in be neck, rather than metal.  I have a feeling, though can't be sure, that this is likely to make them longer lasting, as there's no risk of water damage to the metal parts, or the rubber washer wearing out.  The cap is just a little bit different, and I noticed it.

The bottles are good quality, and the covers soft and comfortable, conducting plenty of heat to your feet (or wherever else you put your hot water bottle, dear reader), without being uncomfortably hot. They retain heat well, and were still slightly warmer than room temperature by morning, rather than being a stone cold weight in the bottom of the bed.  The bottles are also recyclable, something I'd never really thought possible in a hot water bottle, and have a 2 year leak-proof guarantee.  Hugo Frosch also make an eco hot water bottle, with no plasticisers or PVC, making them a sustainable option for the future.  I don't quite understand how they work, but I'd love to find out.

Squeaky and I are loving our new hot water bottles, she cuddles hers at every opportunity, and I have to admit that mine is on my lap right now as I'm typing - it's getting decidedly chilly here, but I'm determined not to put the heating on just yet.

A selection of Hugo Frosch hot water bottles is now available in the UK from Amazon

Disclosure: I was provided with the hot water bottles as detailed above free of charge for the purposes of this review.  I was not told what to write and all opinions are my own.  All links are provided for convenience only, I am not a member of any affiliate scheme and will not receive reward for their use.

Kelloggs Special K Porridge Review

I was recently sent a set of Special K's new microwaveable porridges to try out.  I really like Special K, it's got quite a stand-out flavour, and despite being marketed as healthy, it's also quite enjoyable.  But as the weather's getting colder, my mind turns to warmer breakfasts.  The sound of a Special K porridge, with the mix of 3 cereals definitely appealed to me.

The porridge comes in 3 flavours - Original, Almond & Honey and Red Berries, with strawberry and raspberry pieces.  Each box contains 6 (in the flavoured ones) or 7 (in the original) individual packs of porridge, and the bags have a line on them so you can use them to measure out the right amount of milk to add to the porridge.  Simple idea, huh? I can never find a measuring jug in the morning, and as Squeaky's getting older, we have less & less cups around with measures on the side, so this comes in handy.  The bags are a bit delicate though, I have to wait until I can see straight, or there would be milk all over the kitchen floor.  2 1/2 minutes in the microwave, and another couple of minutes to cool & thicken, and breakfast is served.

The big question, the taste.  Great.  The original does taste a bit more like Special K than standard porridge, which makes it a more interesting proposition, and I really liked this one.  It's my favourite, and I'm going to have to go & buy some more at this rate!  The Almond & Honey is a bit richer & sweeter, with small almond pieces, which I was quite relieved about, not being a big nut-eater.  And the Red Berries is just yum, quite indulgent.

The box makes a big thing about there being 30% less fat in the Special K porridge than "other porridges".  As I had one of the other brands of microwave porridge in the cupboard I decided to check out those claims.  And comparing the nutritional info of the un-made packets, yes, there is 30% less fat.  However, there's more sugar, more salt, and more calories.  I feel slightly swizzed at this point.  There's less fat again when the porridge is made up, because it uses less milk (and therefore makes up slightly less porridge) than the other brands.  I know this is actually quite common in reduced fat foods, but it's the first time I've really seen it for myself.

Red Berries porridge & apple juice.

Would I buy them again? Probably, I like the flavours, especially the original, and we do eat a fair bit of microwave porridge over the winter months.

Special K Porridge is available in the major supermarkets for around£1.99 a box of 6/7 packs.

Disclosure: I was provided with three boxes of porridge, as pictured, free of charge for the purposes of this reveiw. I was not told what to write and all opinions are my own.

A Story: By Squeaky, Aged 3 3/4

Once upon a time there was an old Daddy called Mine.  Daddy was asleep and snoring and keeping Mummy awake.  Daddy's stinky socks decided to have an adventure to the woods.  The right sock said "I want to stay here."  The left sock said "You can stay here and I can stay in the woods, and don't come with me!"

Image courtesy of Gualberto107 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The Right sock sang like this "la la la la la" Then the left sock said "I want to go home" The right sock went round and round and round to think about it.  Then the socks went home and said to each other "Bye bye, sleep tight"  And they all lived happily ever after.

The End

(Story dictated by Squeaky in the car on the way home from school.  Lovingly transcribed for your enjoyment by yours truly)

Garrett Gourmet Popcorn Review

Garrett popcorn is something of a Chicago institution.  You know how London has its pie and mash, Blackpool has its fish & chips, well Chicago has Garrett popcorn.  And I've been lucky enough to try some out for myself, as Garrett are soon to be launching in the UK.

When I mentioned online the fact I was tucking in to my tub of Chicago mix popcorn (a mind-melting combination of caramel and cheese popcorns, trust me, it works!), my American ex-pat friends got very jealous, until I told them about Garrett's forthcoming UK launch, which was met with the response "Best News Ever!"  Honestly, I didn't realise it was so good.  That's where I was wrong.

Chicago Mix

It really is rather lovely stuff, you know.  The kernels are a special variety unique to Garrett, air popped so there's less fat, and I don't think I spotted a single unpopped kernel in my popcorn, something of a record.  The caramel is sweet, without being excessively so, the cheese is sharp and full flavoured, and together, well it shouldn't work, but totally does.  I love sweet and savoury taste combinations, so this was right up my street.  The fact that Squeaky Daddy doesn't like popcorn, and Squeaky herself is a bit hesitant is all the better! Mine! And I don't have to share!

Your popcorn is served!

The information says that Garrett fans proudly show off their cheesy fingers, and I can believe that, the cheese powder does stain your hands a bit, not one to eat before an important meeting, or when wearing your wedding dress!  But I don't care about that, I'm a child of the 80's, Wotsit fingers were a way of life in my mis-spent youth.  Garrett prepare their popcorn instore fresh every day, and I can't wait to join the queue in London, because I've already finished my sample!

Pop along to http://www.garrettpopcorn.com to keep an eye out for their UK launch, it's going to be something amazing!

Disclosure: I was provided with the above sample of Garrett popcorn free of charge for the purposes of this review. I was not told what to write and all opinions are my own. Links are provided for convenience only, I am not a member of any affiliate scheme & will not receive reward for their use.

Kellogg's Give A Child A Breakfast Campaign

Have you noticed something recently, on the telly, or your morning cereal?  Kellogg's have launched their Give a Child a Breakfast campaign.   And they want you to get involved.

Shockingly, an average of 2.4 children in every class go to school each day without having had breakfast, which is over 10% of the average class size.  That can impact on their concentration, their energy levels, and ultimately, their educational achievements.  I know if I haven't had breakfast, I'm sleepy, dopey, and grumpy until I get something to eat (never mind the other 4 dwarves!).  Imagine how that feels when you don't have the option of hitting the coffee machine & office biscuit tin.  That's why breakfast clubs exist.  They give children the chance to have a healthy, balanced breakfast, in the company of their school friends, free of charge.  Arriving to school hungry means a child loses the equivalent of an hour's learning a day!

For some families, that means that they can afford maybe to keep the heating on a little later in the evening, some fresh veg to go with their tea, the cash to join in with a school trip.  For others, it means that their child is safe and supervised if parents start work early in the morning.  That may be all the difference between a parent being able to work, and not.  It improves the chances of the whole family.  Did you ever think a box of cornflakes could do so much?

Squeaky's school has a breakfast club, and when she's in the morning group at the nursery class, I hope that she'll be joining her friends and other children at the club.  I honestly believe that it'll help her learn about a balanced diet, and provide her with a great start to the day.

If you follow this link you can donate breakfasts free of charge, just by using the social sharing buttons, or watching the video.  Kellogg's are aiming to donate 2 million breakfasts to breakfast clubs across the UK through this campaign, as part of a wider aim to donate 15 million breakfasts in the UK by the end of 2016 through breakfast clubs and donations to foodbanks (a cause I've blogged about before), and an incredible half a billion breakfasts worldwide to people in need.

Watch out soon for another opportunity to help out your local breakfast club.

Disclosure: I have not received payment for this post. I will be hosting a further post in relation to this topic shortly.

Information in this post has been obtained from "A Lost Education: The reality of hunger in the classroom" published by Kellogg's, with answers arising from a YouGov survey of 762 teachers in June and July 2013.