Emma and Mikes Little Kingdom

We’ve all heard it, haven’t we? Sometimes whispered under the breath. Sometimes said to our faces. Sometimes posted online by strangers who’ve never set foot in an early years setting. “They’re just babysitters.”

I remember reading a thread on a parenting forum – a discussion about early years options – where someone boldly declared that childminders weren’t as safe, skilled or educated as nursery staff. That we were the “lesser” choice.

It stayed with me, not because it was true but because it’s so common.

But I’m not just anything. None of us are. We aren’t just wiping noses or watching the clock. Childminders are not just filling time until school starts. We’re not just there.

We are the safe base, the trusted grown-up, the first teacher, the calm in someone else’s storm. We are doing some of the most important work there is, and we do it with knowledge, intention and love.

The truth is it probably won’t be the last time we hear it. Every time it happens, it’s a reminder of how much work we still have to do to shift the narrative – to speak up, stand together, and show the world what this profession truly is.

Because we are not babysitters. We are educators. We are nurturers. We are highly trained professionals doing complex, skilled, emotionally demanding work – work that forms the foundation of everything that follows in a child’s life.

🗨️ By Georgina Young, founder of The Young Ones Childminding

Read the full article 👇

https://bit.ly/4nXm9Nj

🥦 Voluntary Industry Guidelines & Bitter Vegetables
The new UK voluntary industry guidelines state that:
“When reviewing existing or devising new products, food producers should consider producing more vegetable and savoury foods than fruit-based and sweet foods, using more bitter and less sweet vegetables as ingredients, and refraining from masking the flavour of vegetables.”
Why is this the case?
👉 Babies are born with a natural liking for sweet tastes, so they don’t need extra encouragement to enjoy them.
👉 Bitter flavours (like broccoli, spinach, or green beans) can take more getting used to.
Early and repeated exposure helps little ones build familiarity with these flavours. That’s why the guidelines highlight the importance of incorporating more bitter veg - so children can gradually learn to accept and enjoy them as part of a varied diet.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/commercial-baby-food-and-drink-voluntary-industry-guidelines/commercial-baby-food-and-drink-voluntary-industry-guidelines

Sharing books with children who can’t actually read? Telling a story to your bump? Sounds a bit silly… until you realise what’s really happening.

Children love it! When you share books and stories, you’re wiring their brains for language, sparking imagination, and showing them how good it feels to listen and connect. They might not follow the plot, but they feel the story in your voice and rhythm.

As they grow, they want to hold the book themselves, to explore how the pages turn and where the story goes next. They’re discovering that books have a beginning, middle and end, and that stories and moments live inside those pages. Storytime can form part of a routine; a calm moment before bed, or just a quiet time to share and connect.

It’s not about learning letters or sounding out words. It’s about building a love of stories through small, familiar moments - long before they ever read for themselves.

🍽️ Rethinking Mealtimes: Why Gentle Structure Can Support Picky Eaters

“If I limit the length of mealtimes, won’t my child eat even less?”
This is a common concern, especially for little ones that are more selective eaters or have smaller appetites. But something surprising often happens when some structure is introduced.

If food is constantly on offer, children may not have the chance to build up their appetite between meals, meaning they might not arrive at mealtimes ready to eat.

A gentle time boundary, say, 30–45 minutes for a meal, can help to establish a natural rhythm of hunger and fullness. It’s not about being strict or rushing children to finish, but rather providing a calm, focused window for eating.

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