Starting School - Five Tips For Making It Easy

IMAGE: THE MOTHER LOAD | Starting School

Have you got a little one starting school this year? How exciting! No really - it is!

You may be punching the air with jubilation at the prospect your child stepping into this new chapter, or perhaps you're feeling a little nervous and sad as you say goodbye to endless days spent together having pyjama mornings, morning babycinos at your favourite cafe and daily nourishing day naps. That's okay. It's kinda normal to feel a tinge of sadness; in fact it's kinda normal to feel both excited and a little sad all at once. After all, it was really only five minutes ago that we were wearing our favourite maternity outfits and affectionately referring to 'the bump' wasn't it? The beginning of a little person's school journey is a wonderful milestone and these years will bring them so much happiness, excitement, independence and amazement as they learn all about the world around them.  With that in mind, I thought I would share a few things that I think you can do to make the transition as easy as possible for both of you (but mostly for them!). There's no hard and fast rules but here's what I learned from our experiences of starting school all those years ago.

Raspberry And White Choc Muffins - Julie Goodwin Style

IMAGE : THE MOTHER LOAD | Raspberry And White Choc Muffins

So as my quest for Mother Of The Year continues, at some point every week I'm baking homemade yummy stuff for the lunchboxes. I know - I'm a regular Margaret Fulton. Sadly, I missed out on a MOTY nomination this year but I reckon these muffins would have definitely got me over the line.

Today, it's raspberry and white chocolate muffins, a recipe taken from the fabulous Masterchef herself, Julie Goodwin. I love Julie - she's down to earth, she cooks stuff that all of us can successfully conquer (not major flouncy stuff) and it's always deadset yummy. So in the spirit of sharing the deliciousness, here's Julie's recipe. It works. And it's yum.

Raspberry and White Choc Muffins

Ingredients

2 cups of self-raising flour

3/4 cup caster sugar

3/4 cup white choc buds

1 1/2 cups of raspberries

2 eggs

1/2 cup of milk

1/2 cup of vegetable oil

Method

Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl (include the choc chips).

Chop half the raspberries, combine all the berries with the dry ingredients.

Make a well in the centre of the bowl.

Whisk the eggs, milk and oil in a smaller bowl. Pour into the well and mix with a spoon or spatula until just combined and there are no lumps (but don't over mix)

Spoon mixture into muffin cases and bake at 180C for 20-25 minutes.

Eat at least one warm - it's a crucial step. And while each bite may require two hours on a treadmill to cancel out the damage, I have no doubt you'll agree that it's totally worth it. 

Lunchboxy Stuff...

IMAGE: WWW.LITTLEBENTOWORLD.COM

* NOT A SPONSORED POST BUT AN AFFILIATE PARTNERSHIP EXISTS.

Look! Bento Lunch boxes!! I know! Bento!

Do you have a bit too much love for lunchboxes like me? If not, you're excused and may I suggest you read one of my more sensible and thought-provoking posts. If you  love the plasticware vibe in a most unhealthy way, let's chant the mantra together:

"While my plasticware drawer may be spewing containers, dividers and colourful lids, I do indeed have room for one more lunchboxy thing".

Say it with me.

"While my tupperware drawer may be spewing containers, dividers and colourful lids, I do indeed have room for one more lunchboxy thing".

Are you now convinced?

IMAGE: WWW.LITTLEBENTOWORLD.COM

You need to check out Little Bento World. They have really cool lunchboxy stuff and if you're on the long and arduous quest for the perfect school lunchbox as I am (it's been an eight year journey so far), head to their website here and all your plastic-based problems may well be solved. Or at least your craving for that one more piece of cute plastic will be fulfilled. Either way, winning!

(Now get yourself to therapy before it's too late, you plastic obsessed minx...)