Tilly's Nest Nursery/kleuterskool

Until you realise you are the safe place receiving:

The whining.
The screaming.
The dramatic sighing.
The “Muuuuum!” every 14 seconds.
The meltdown because their banana was cut the wrong way. 🍌😂
And, of course, the 700th request of the day.

They can be absolute angels for everyone else…

Teacher: “He was so lovely today!” 😊
Grandma: “She didn’t make a peep!” 😇
Mum: “Interesting… because I’ve been negotiating with a tiny dictator since 4pm.” 😂

So yes, being their safe place can mean they let all those big emotions out with you.

But here’s your reminder:

You can love them deeply and still find their behaviour incredibly annoying sometimes.

You can support their feelings without saying yes to everything.

You can hold the boundary without losing your entire mind. 😂

And if you need to hide in the bathroom for 3 minutes with a cup of coffee…

I didn’t see anything. ☕️

You’re doing better than you think, Mum ❤️

Mum advice you didn’t ask for… 😂

If you give your child a phone at 7:30pm, don’t be surprised when they’re still wide awake at 9:47pm. 👀

Screens can be a lifesaver sometimes. We’ve all needed five minutes to cook dinner or drink a hot cup of coffee!

But when screens become part of the bedtime routine, they can make it harder for little ones to settle down and get the quality sleep their growing bodies and brains need.

For young children, too much screen time can also mean less time talking, playing, imagining and connecting with the people around them. Those everyday conversations, stories, songs and games are some of the best ways to help children develop their speech, language and social skills.

So tonight, try swapping the screen for:
📚 A bedtime story
🧩 A puzzle
🎵 A few nursery rhymes
🤗 Extra cuddles and a chat about their day

Your child won’t remember every cartoon they watched, but they’ll remember the moments they spent with you. ❤️

Mums, what’s your bedtime routine? Do you have a no-screens rule before bed? 👇

Mum advice you didn’t ask for… 😂

Your child does NOT need one more glass of water.

They don’t need another snack.

They definitely don’t need to tell you something that suddenly became extremely important at 8:47pm.

They need to GO TO BED. 😂

The bedtime routine somehow goes:

🛁 Bath
🪥 Teeth
👕 Pyjamas
📖 Story
💧 Water
🚽 Toilet
💧 “I’m thirsty again”
🧸 “I need my teddy”
😩 “Muuuuum…”

And somehow it’s now 9:36pm and you’re questioning every parenting decision you’ve ever made. 😂

Mums, what is your child’s favourite bedtime excuse? 👇

MUM ADVICE YOU DIDN’T ASK FOR 😂

🚨 NO SWEETS BEFORE 9AM! 🚨

And honestly… let’s talk about the why.

Too many sweets can mean a whole lot of sugar, less room for proper nutritious food, and that lovely combination of hyper → grumpy → emotional → “I’M NOT TIRED!” → completely exhausted. 😂

So yes, I’m the boring mum saying:

🍳 Breakfast first
💧 Water first
🍎 Proper food first
🍭 Sweets later and in moderation

Because a child eating sweets at 7:30am and then bouncing off the walls before school is not exactly the peaceful morning we had pictured. 😂

And before anyone says it… yes, children can absolutely enjoy sweets. We’re not banning fun. We’re just not making Haribo the main food group. 😂

Mum rule of the day:
Treats are treats, not breakfast. ❤️

What’s one food rule you refuse to bend on? 👇

You can sellotape any object, blocks, cars, dolls. such a simple idea, but it’s secretly doing a lot of heavy lifting for development 😊

When you tape toys to a table and let children “rescue” them, you’re creating a little problem-solving adventure in disguise. Here’s what’s really happening beneath those busy hands:

🖐 Fine motor strength & control
Peeling tape isn’t easy for little fingers. It strengthens hand muscles, improves grip, and builds the control they’ll later need for writing, cutting, and buttoning.

🧠 Problem-solving skills
Each child has to figure out how to remove the tape. Do they pull slowly? Use two hands? Start at the corner? It encourages thinking, trying, and adjusting.

👀 Hand-eye coordination
They’re watching closely while their fingers work, learning to coordinate movement with what they see.

⏳ Focus & patience
It takes time to peel tape properly, especially for younger ones. This gently stretches their attention span and teaches perseverance.

💪 Sensory exploration
That sticky, stretchy feeling is actually great sensory input. Some children love it, others are unsure at first, but it helps them process different textures.

🎯 Independence & confidence
There’s a real sense of “I did it!” when they finally get the toy free. Small wins like this build confidence beautifully.

If you want to extend it a little:

* Use different types of tape (masking, clear, washi)
* Tape in different directions or layers
* Hide small items under the tape for a “treasure rescue”

It’s one of those activities that looks like play… but it’s quietly preparing them for big school skills.