I don’t know about you but I go through phases with my reading, sometimes I don’t read for months then I go through a spate of devouring books like they are big fat slices of my favourite chocolate cake (with cream!). Also depends on how busy work is, or the demands of the children and other stuff and how much time I get to relax!! I’ve just ordered a copy of the Penguin book The Help by Kathryn Stockett as recommended by @exmoorjane on twitter. See http://bit.ly/aLWJms

I love stories set in the deep south of women’s struggle and this sounds like no exception….

Enter a vanished and unjust world: Jackson, Mississippi, 1962. Where black maids raise white children, but aren’t trusted not to steal the silver…

There’s Aibileen, raising her seventeenth white child and nursing the hurt caused by her own son’s tragic death; Minny, whose cooking is nearly as sassy as her tongue; and white Miss Skeeter, home from College, who wants to know why her beloved maid has disappeared.

Skeeter, Aibileen and Minny. No one would believe they’d be friends; fewer still would tolerate it. But as each woman finds the courage to cross boundaries, they come to depend and rely upon one another. Each is in a search of a truth. And together they have an extraordinary story to tell…

Cherie Blair reviews it saying ‘It weaves together the beginnings of black rights but also of women’s rights. We learn that one of the characters, Skeeter, is as trapped by the expectations of her parents and friends as are the black women she writes about. It also shows how, despite the lack of equality distorting the realtionships between the women, there was room for genuine friendship and affection, as well as incredible callousness.’

So – that leads me to your comments – I’d love to hear about what you are reading right now, or your last book and your recommendations. Add your comment below!!

Are you looking for a flexible job, something fun where you are in charge for a change! Being a direct sales agent for Tish Tash Toys could be the perfect solution giving you the opportunity to start earning extra straight away.

Many of our agents are busy Mums, some with a job as well, who find that running their own Tish Tash Toys business is a way to make money and lots of new friends too! You can simply pass a catalogue or two around friends and family and take orders or create a more profitable career. There is the potential to earn a lot more if you arrange toy parties, visit playgroups and attend school fairs.

If you are looking for a way to earn extra working from home, then becoming an agent for Tish Tash Toys could be the perfect solution for you. Tish Tash Toys is a family business based in Devon, which was set up almost five years ago by Sharon and Daniel Pavey. They have two children of their own, Alexander is four and Natasha (or Tish Tash !) is seven years old.

There are currently around 150 Tish Tash Toys agents across the UK. Agents choose when and where they work, from toy parties and coffee mornings at local baby groups and nurseries to exhibiting at fetes, fairs and baby shows. You can be confident about selling good quality toys from a range of suppliers from Pintoy and Plan Toys to Manhattan Toy and Le Toy Van. Most of the range is environmentally friendly, with a good selection of traditional and wooden toys.

Want to chat to someone about becoming a work at home agent? Click here.

My mother had five children and my father had five children. I am the only child, from their marriage 37 years ago. They separated when I was very small and my mother remarried having four more children. My father had several relationships also having a further four children. I have 5 half sisters – Samantha, Susan, Lorraine, Marie and Keelie. I have 3 half brothers – Thomas, Richard and Craig. We all share one parent in common!

I have two very beautiful much wanted and planned for children but unlike my prolific parents, I will not be giving birth to any more offspring. I may foster or adopt one day but will not be pregnant again. This makes me a little sad especially as I grew up thinking I too wanted a large family, but there are three very good reasons why I have made this decision not to have any more kids!

1. There are too many people in the world – see my previous blog post on the Optimum Population Trust’s Stop At Two Pledge http://www.tishtashtoys.com/blog/2009/08/i-love-my-kids/

2. I now feel a bit sorry for the two children I have, having to deal with the effects of a soaring world population and the predicted catastrophic results of increased greenhouse gases – so maybe it’s best not to inflict such an ordeal on any more human beings from my loins!

3. I grew up with 4 younger siblings and not much attention from my mother (who was single for part of my childhood). I don’t think my mother intentionally ignored me, she just seemed to be either pregnant or looking after a small (noisy!) baby for most of my childhood. I love all my siblings dearly but I don’t think most of us were planned and really thought through. My own mother recently said as much as she loves all her children, if she did it again she would only have two children, and advised me to do the same.

In my family now, there are two parents and two children so there’s always a knee to sit on or a cuddle to be had. Put even one more child in the equation and I’m not sure how we’d share ourselves and I’d be heartbroken to watch either one of my two (pictured below) ‘pushed out’. If you are a parent reading this, you will understand how there never seems to be enough hours in the day, especially if you also work full-time like I do.

If you are still reading….I would love to hear your comments. Please post below.

On Saturday 3^rd October 2009, the inaugural Mumpreneur Conference will be kicking of at Birmingham’s City Inn. I won’t be able to attend this first year as I’m putting the MUM back into Mumpreneur !  It’s my little boy’s 4th birthday and I will be up to my eyes icing cake, filling party bags and finishing off the Captain Mack outfit I’ve been creating for the past two weeks!

Aimed at bringing together mums in business, the conference will provide these mumpreneurs with advice and information on moving their business forward, as well as vital opportunities to network with like-minded women.

Organised by mums running their own businesses, the event aims to overcome the issues surround standard business conferences. Selecting a central location with great transport links, means its possible for mums from all over the UK to join in this fantastic day. Taking place on a Saturday means that there’s no rushing off for the school run, and babysitter may be in easier supply. The conference is suitable for businesses of any size, whether it’s a large company with employees, or a small sideline for the weekends only. The event will be take place in a relaxed and fun environment, where it doesn’t matter if your child split coco pops down your blouse that morning, and discussing lack of sleep and dirty nappies will also be accepted as suitable networking. The cost of coming along on the day has also been considered, and the prices are simply to cover cost of lunch and refreshments throughout the day, making it affordable for everyone.

The event is perfect for any mother (or mother-to-be) who is looking for ways to stay at home with their children, who is about to launch a new business, who has recently arrived in the business world, or even mum’s whose businesses have been up and running for years.

While seminars and workshops will take place throughout the day, with an inspirational speaker joining us after lunch, and an exhibition including business advice and opportunities all suitable for mums, the highlight of the day will be the awards ceremony.

The Mumpreneur Awards are split into six categories.

• Best Start Up

• Best Green Business

• Best Direct Sales Rep

• Best Franchisee

• Best Online Business

• The Inspirational Business Mum

The Best Direct Sales Rep Award will be presented to the mum who has created success for herself and turned her business into something great. The award is open to all mumpreneurs who are direct sales representatives, and party plan consultants, for any company. The winner will be able to prove her success in business, and may have created a unique and innovative way to make her business stand out from the crowd.

With most business awards restricted to directors of companies and brand new businesses, those people running their own party plan business, or franchise, are left unable to enter. The Mumpreneur Awards gives the opportunity for these people to be acknowledged for their hard work and success of their business.

Entering the awards is simple. Visit the website www.mumpreneurconference.com and complete the nomination form. Your nomination will be judged by a panel of business mums, and winners will be announced on the day.

The Mumpreneur Conference and Awards takes place on Saturday 3^rd October, from 10am to 4pm at the City Inn, Brindley Place, Birmingham.

Tickets cost just £11.50 and include a buffet lunch and refreshments. These can be purchased through the website, but are limited, so book now to avoid disappointment.

Www.mumpreneurconference.com

We launched our new 2o10 range of children’s toys yesterday on the website www.tishtashtoys.com and the catalogues are due back from the printers next week so it’s all GO GO GO here at TTT towers!! We are now recruiting new agents so if you or anyone you know is looking for a new job then please get in touch! Simply click here for more info on what is involved in becoming one of our gorgeously fabulously wonderful TTT agents!

It’s the perfect job for mums who want to stay at home and run their own business basically. Fancy yourself as a successful mumpreneur, then look no further. We have agents all over the country who love selling out traditional and wooden toys at toy parties, coffee mornings, baby groups, post-natal groups, fairs, fetes…..everywhere they can really, depending on where and when they want to work. We always get a great response to our range, as we hand-pick toys we love and are high quality and well made. Most of our toys are eco-friendly too and and are popular with grannies and new mums alike.

See www.tishtashtoys.com for more details

The number of direct selling companies providing opportunities for parents – particularly mums – is rapidly increasing. In today’s financial climate, the number of people needing to earn extra money and be able to work around family commitments is on the rise. Family-friendly jobs can be hard to find. However, the Mum and Working website specifically looks for family-friendly companies with genuine opportunities in direct selling.

Direct selling is nothing new: Usborne Books have sold their beautifully illustrated books since the 1970’s, Avon – the leading direct seller of beauty products – started trading in 1939, and Betterware have been a direct seller of home wares since 1928. These companies – and many more – can be found advertising on Mum and Working.

If you have young children, then perhaps a company such as Mini IQ may be suitable for you. Mini IQ’s associates sell children’s books, toys and games, all carefully selected to stimulate children’s development. Alternatively, there is Child’s Play, the international publisher of a range of books and resources. There is also a new company – Poppy’s Books – who sell an excellent range of books from a variety of publishers, including Walker Books and MacMillan.

If books are not for you, there are also toy companies and sellers of children’s fashion. As well as Tish Tash Toys, there is also When I was a Kid, which was set up by Linda Warner to sell a range of traditional toys. If you are more interested in fashion, then Arabella Miller might be for you. It is one of a number of new direct sellers who sell children’s clothes. It was set up by a mother who was struggling to find organic cotton clothing for her daughter in order to reduce the skin irritation she was experiencing. For those looking for something different in children’s wear there is the funky Stardust Kids with clothing inspired by punk, rock and urban culture. There is also Knitti, with its beautiful range of knitted clothes. To sell a wider range of children’s products, such as toys and nursery furniture, you could try Magic Fairy Wings. Alternatively, there is Little Green Tots, whose baby and children’s products are all ethically sourced.

If you fancy a break from thinking about children, then why not work for a company selling products aimed at adults? For people with a chocolate passion, there is Coco Moyo, whose demonstrators do chocolate tasting and making events, or Chocolates for Chocoholics, whose distributors do parties in the run-up to Christmas and Easter. If your talents lie in the kitchen, then perhaps being a Pampered Chef or My Secret Kitchen consultant would suit you. Pampered Chef consultants sell a wide range of kitchen equipment, whereas My Secret Kitchen sell food products such as their beer bread mixes.

If you prefer to stay out of the kitchen, and DIY or gardening are your hobby, why not consider becoming an agent for Girlie Gardening or Tomboy Tools, selling a fantastic range of products to brighten up any gardening or DIY activity.

At the other end of the spectrum, there are the jewellery and beauty product companies such as Virgin Vie and Body Shop at Home. Virgin Vie – was set up in 1997 as part of the Virgin group – the consultants sell beauty products, jewellery and homewares. The Body Shop at Home consultants sell the familiar products that we all know, together with products not available through any other Body Shop outlets.

Whatever you are interested in selling, Mum and Working has found a number of exciting opportunities to earn some extra income, meet new people, and have fun.

Article by Bridgette Barrett – recuitment consultant & agent for Tish Tash Toys. Click here to find out more about working from home with Tish Tash Toys.

As we enter the New Year - particularly in this time of recession - many of us will be counting the cost of Christmas. With the list of companies going out of business increasing by the day, the credit crunch is clearly taking its toll - unemployment is increasing and costs are rising. One in four people in Britain now have a second job in order to make ends meet, and this will no doubt increase over the next few months. Newspapers such as the Independent and The Times, as well as many websites are full of ways to earn extra cash. So if you are looking for a way to earn extra money to increase your household income, you could try working at home in 2009.

Tish Tash Toys is a family-run direct sales company offering a wonderful range of wooden and educational toys. It is similar to many other direct selling and multi-level marketing opportunities that you may have heard of such as Usborne Books, Avon Cosmetics, Virgin Vie, Truly Madly Baby and Mini IQ, where agents sell from a catalogue and work on a commission basis. It offers the perfect solution to those who want a job but prefer - or need - to be home-based. It is also ideal for those people needing additional income to supplement that of a full or part-time job.

Currently, there are over 100 agents nationwide, and Tish Tash Toys is looking to recruit more representatives all over the country. During January 2009, Tish Tash Toys is actually offering you the opportunity to join for free! This is an ideal solution for anyone who wants the opportunity, but can’t afford a financial outlay. 

As with all direct selling companies, becoming an agent is an ideal job for parents, as you can tailor your working hours around children and any other family commitments. Working from home also means that you don’t have to seek additional childcare, saving you money. An additional incentive is that parents of young children are already in contact with many potential customers, such as other parents or childminders.

So if you are looking for a way to earn some extra income and would like a job that is flexible, based at home and family-friendly, why not give Tish Tash Toys a try - after all with the ‘Join for Free’ offer, you have nothing to lose.

Article by Bridgette Barrett - Recruitment Consultant for Tish Tash Toys.

Thinking of joining us - click here today!!!

Article by Bridgette Barrett

Whatever your parenting issues, there is sure to be a website specifially developed for you. From pre-conception advice, pregnancy support and birth preparation, through to managing toddlers and taming teenagers, the internet has something for everyone these days!

There are websites that focus on the first stages of parenthood – conception, pregnancy and birth. These websites, such as the Baby Website and Babyworld, offer a wealth of advice, which is particularly useful for first time parents. However, there are also sites created by companies, who have spotted the increased popularity of parenting websites. These are a vehicle to promote their product, but also provide parents with advice. Examples of these include Pampers Think Baby and Cow and Gate’s website.

As your child moves through the next stages of development, more general sites are available, often catering for parents-to-be, right through to teenagers. Websites such as Raising Kids, For Parents By Parents, Just Parents, Netmums and Mumsnet, deal with all parenting issues and dilemmas, whether it be potty training, getting back to work, or teenage stress due to exams. For some parents – including many of ouir Tish Tash Toys agents – parenting websites were the way that they found work at home opportunities.

However, there are also many specialist parenting websites that cater for particular groups. Although the websites mentioned so far are aimed at all parents and have sections for dads, they are often dominated by mothers. There are however, websites aimed at dads such as Dad and Dadtalk. For lone parents, there is Gingerbread and Lone Parents; for the parents of twins or multiple births there is Twinsclub. The number of sites seems endless, with Mother at Work, Mothers over 35, Green Parent and many more. There is even the backlash against other parenting websites in the form of the amusing Bad Mothers Club.

All these parents websites offer advice, reviews of products, and articles. However, their key feature is the discussion forums where parents can share stories and offer peer support. They offer a place where you can share your stories, successes, failures and fears in a safe and secure environment. Often, they provide the most important thing for a stressed parent: someone to talk to.

Looking for an extra income and want to be part of a supportive team, make new friends and start a new rewarding career? Our Tish Tash Toys agents have their own forum where they discuss work and everything else. Find out more about becoming an agent for Tish Tash Toys by visiting www.tishtashtoys.com

Article by Bridgette Barrett

Launched in 1996, Babyworld was the first UK based parenting website. Since that time there has been a dramatic increase in websites aimed at parents, and more specifically at mums. From Gurgle – recently launched by Mothercare – through to the Bad Mothers Club, there seems to be something for everybody. Apparently 61% of mothers with children aged four years or younger regularly visit family and parenting websites. So why have websites for parents seen such an expansion over the last few years?

Of course, since the mid nineties, there has been a rapid rise in internet use generally. However, there must be other reasons for the particular popularity of parenting websites. A common theory is that there has been a decline in the number of extended families, because people have had to move around the country for work. This means that the support and advice from family members that used to be available for parents is no longer as easy to access. Also, there has been an increase in divorce rates and the numbers of lone parents, so many people don’t even have a spouse at hand to lend support. All of these factors have culminated in parents looking for a new support network, and parenting websites have filled this gap perfectly.

Parents can log on whenever they like 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and know that there will be other parents to talk to who will offer advice and support. The sites are fulfilling a very real need for parents who are seeking help, information or just a chat. One of their attractions is that you don’t get just one opinion or idea – you get many.

Netmums has been described as ‘a national institution’. Mumsnet was set up in 2000 and has over one million visitors each month There are around 20,000 posts each day on Mumsnet. These are not simply places for people to find advice and support, but are a powerful agent for change.

Surveys on parenting sites have been used to inform and encourage change on national issues such as the Traffic Light Labelling system for food and the Working Better initiative. Both Netmums and Mumsnet have now published their own successful parenting books. Netmums was awarded a £500,000 grant by the Department for Children, Schools and Families when it became clear that they were providing a counselling service, but had no money to fund expert help for people who desperately needed it. Ministers – such as the Secretary of State for Health – have attended panels to ask the view of Netmums and Mumsnet members. Clearly, as well as being a place to get advice and have a chat, these websites are giving a voice to a substantial group of the population.

Mumsnet and Netmums are just the tip of the parenting iceberg. There are many more websites out there providing parents with a valuable source of advice, help and support.

Looking for a part-time job? Tish Tash Toys are looking for parents who love wooden traditional toys, and need a flexible job to work around their families. See www.tishtashtoys.com TODAY !!!

Article by Bridgette Barrett

As we are all too aware mortgage rates, food bills, petrol and energy prices are on the increase, due to what has become known as the ‘credit crunch’. The credit crunch is a drop in the availability of loans or an increase in the cost of taking out a loan. What we all know is that it affects our daily lives as we have less money in our pocket to spend. This has led many people to look for ways to boost their income, with part-time jobs and overtime for example and cut their monthly outgoings in order to beat the credit crunch.

The credit crunch affects everyone, even those households that have previously considered themselves financially secure. Research by AXA shows that in 15% of the more affluent homes, previously non-working spouses have had to find employment, or main breadwinners have had to supplement their income with a second job, like a night shift, weekend job or other casual work. It has also been calculated that the average adult – if they were suddenly made redundant – could only last 52 days out of work before it has serious financial repercussions. Over a third of adults would only be able to last 11 days. People are cancelling life insurance policies, reducing pension contributions and saving less. We are all concerned that our jobs, income and security are all at risk in today’s financial climate.

There is a lot of evidence to show that this summer (2008), the credit crunch has really taken affect. Bicycle sales are up, and car sales are down by over 6%, as people try and avoid using their cars to save on diesel, petrol and maintenance costs. Sales of tents and camping equipment have dramatically increased as families look for cheaper alternatives for their holiday, and despite the weather, campsites have seen on average a 10% increase in bookings on previous years. All over the country people are trying to reduce their day to day outgoings.

The other alternative of course, is to boost your income. This is a more appealing solution for those people who are finding it difficult to pay their bills or treat themselves to life’s little luxuries. However, this can be difficult: after all, your boss isn’t simply going to hand over extra money. Many people are taking on second jobs. Whether it is exploiting a hobby for financial reward, a part-time job, a temporary position or working from home for a company such as Tish Tash Toys, over 1.15 million of us now have a second job. It seems the credit crunch is forcing more of us to look for new ways to make ends meet.

If you are reading this article and looking for a flexible job in order to boost your income, read on! We offer genuine home based income opportunities which could solve your financial problems! Much of the training and support is based online and team support and training is available. If you need to work from home, possibly base a career around a young family and need to find extra work, then my family based company may be able to offer you a solution. I am afraid it is NOT a get rich quick scheme but a real self-employed opportunity which involves committment and time (much the same as any job really!) See Tish Tash Toys for more information. Agents needed NOW all over the country.