WOW! Can you believe it’s nearly time for the kids to break up - again! For a few weeks (few? few?! 6 or 8 no less!) it’s a relief to know that you can leave the Fairy Lunchbox to grow mouldy  and stop feeling guilty whenever you spy the Annabel Karmel healthy packed lunches book staring at you on the kitchen shelf (ok,ok, you’ll read it for September. Right.) For me, the greatest thing about the school hols is knowing that, for a while at least, there’ll be no more rushing out of the door bleary eyed, getting halfway to school and hearing that little voice pipe up: “Muu-um…you did remember to pack my P.E kit…homework book…£2.50 school trip money…bake a cake for the sale…grow a plant from that seed I gave you…buy Sophie a birthday present for the party today…didn’t you?” Ooh, the pain. The guilt! But, I do try my best - like most of us busy mums. So, I for one, am happy the holidays are here so that I can spend some unrushed, relaxed time with the children and hopefully the sun will be shining in cheery old Chiswick!

In between having fun in the sun, I will be making sure my growing band of fabulous Mums will be on call for any of you busy, busy mums. Of course, we all want to spend some time with the kids, but there are reasons why you might need a Mum on Call this summer:

CALL ON OUR MUMS FOR THE FOLLOWING SUMMERTIME SCENARIOS:

* Sports day and school summer events - let us look after and entertain your little one at home so you can concentrate on the your older one’s fun days.

* Teachers thank you pressies and cards - why not ask us to go and get them for you? Or else, we’ll look after your child while you pop out and get it done in half the time you would if your child was with you!

* Helping out at school - If you’ve got a small baby/toddler you might not get a chance to help out in your older child’s school, well now you can! We’ll look after your little one while you help out at school and get team points from the teacher and your older child!

* Picnic party in the park! If you’re organising an end of term picnic party in the park for your children and friends, you might want a Mum on Call to help you set it up, organise some games and play with the kids. You can even book a couple of Mums to take the children to play while you and your friends enjoy some child-free al fresco dining!

* If you need to go out to work for a few hours, want to visit the gym or meet a friend and you don’t want to book the kids into a holiday club for the whole day, then our Mums will be happy to pop in and take over for a while, so you can  get on with things.

* Packing for holiday and holiday shopping. Call on us to sit on your overpacked case - or, we can look after your kids while you streamline your holiday essentials! Or we’ll help you pack.

* Summertime dinner with hubby. Have you any grown up evening summer invitations - or are you planning a few nights out? We’ll babysit for you.

Well, the above are just a few reasons why you might need an extra pair of hands during the summer holidays and you know, as always, me and my Mums are only a phone call away!

Be in touch soon!

Lisa x

Hi everyone

I hope everyone is well. I’m feeling great. I had a fabulous break during the half term in Spain with the family and then, last weekend, I went away again with a couple of friends! I’m not usually so decadent and jet-setting - honest! It was just that a couple of my girlfriends (busy mums, of course) were in desperate need of recharging of the batteries and persuaded me to join them on a girly break to Sitges, near Barcelona. Okay, well they didn’t need to twist my arm - but the fact that wanted my company meant I couldn’t say no could I?!

We all agreed in the playground on Monday morning that we haven’t laughed so much in ages - and we felt like young girls again - you remember the days - B.C - Before Children! We had no responsibilites and we could do what we wanted, when we wanted (drink Sangria and sunbathe mainly) and not worry about anyone or anything else. It was FAB! And I truly recommend that you take some regular time out with your friends - it doesn’t have to be a whole weekend, but an evening at the pictures (NB. must book to see SATC!), a leisurely lunch or dinner - whatever. It really does make you feel human again. Time out with the girls minus partners and children should be available to time worn mums on the NHS! Hey, let’s start a Mums Need A Break protest at No.10 and see whether old Gordon would go for it. Doubt it somehow! But you know what? It sounds corny, but when I got home on Sunday night and peeped in on my peacefully snoozing kids, I knew that for all the fun I had away with my friends, I wouldn’t want to be anything else but mum to my three. But by Monday morning they were fighting over the Coco Pops and I was wondering when I could pencil in my next break!

Remember, if you do want a break for a few hours - our cheerful, experienced mums will help out!

Be in touch soon!

Lisa x

It’s school holidays - again! Don’t they come around quickly? Well…I’m off to Spain with my three and hubby and I’m really, really looking forward to the rest. My first break since staring up Mums on Call and it couldn’t come at a better time. The kids will swim and play on the beach - no xboxes, exams, tv - just pure childish fun and frolicks old fashioned style. And I will try and catch up with the latest Jodi Picoult novel (check her out - she’s fab!) and take the time to really chill out before I come back to earth - aka Chiswick - with a bump!

I might be on holiday - but don’t think I’m leaving you busy mums in the lurch. I already have my bookings sorted out for next week - and although I may be on the beach - I will have my trusted Blackberry by my side to keep in touch with the office so if you are looking for a Mum on Call during the half term - we can still help!

Adios Amigos - be back soon (too soon!)

Lisa x

www.landmarkartscentre.org

This Sunday, i’ll be down at the Mum, Baby and Toddler Fair at the Landmark Arts Centre in Teddington which - if the last fair was anything to go by - will be a great day out! Apart from Mums on Call, there will be over 50 exhibitors offering everything from books to babygrows, massage and maternity wear as well as a programme of short shows by local activity groups for kids to join in with. Entry is £2 and it’s free for under 16s - why not check it out?

As you all know, most of our mums work around Chiswick at the moment, but due to the interest I’ve had in surrounding areas, I thought venturing to Teddington for the mum, baby and toddler fair would be a good way of introducing myself to busy mums that are crying out for an extra pair of hands to help with the kids and their family chores. I’m also hoping to meet lots of lovely mums from the local area who are looking for family friendly work to join our expanding team of Mums on Call.

I’ll be at the fair from 10.30 - 4.30 - it’d be great to meet you!

Lisa x

If you’ve got little ones, then you may remember that last month, the Chiswick branch of NCT had one of their famous NCT sales at the Town Hall. Knowing that there would be lots of exhausted but happy mums there who could just do with a ‘Mum on Call’ I offered a one year free subscription to our services (worth £60) as a raffle prize, and as a thank-you, the NCT put my flyers into the goodie bags that they were handing out to the mums on the day.

I got a friendly email shortly after from the mum who won the subscription. She loved the look of our flyer and thought the company sounded just what she needed, so she was happy with her win. We were able to send a fabulous Mum on Call over to her to look after the kids one Saturday evening while she had a much needed night out with her hubby. How did it go? Well, FANTASTIC! Our NCT raffle winner said she was thrilled with our wonderful French Mum on Call - who not only has tremendous experience with her own grown up children and her little grandchild, but throughout her career, she has taught French to all ages at local schools. So, if you need a babysitter for the evening - or during the day - and you wouldn’t mind her helping your little one brush up on their French skills, then you know who to call!

Here’s hoping you have a wonderful bank holiday and remember, if you’re looking for some help with the children or you want to make a dent in your family to-do list, our mums aren’t just any old mums - they’re Mums on Call mums!

Sorry for the delay in my posts - I’ve really been trying to get the hang of blogging but my IT skills really do leave a lot to be desired. Still, at least I’m having lots of luck elsewhere, because we are IN THE NEWS! Well…it’s not News at 10 coverage - but parenting magazines and websites - even better!

Seems like the parenting magazines are getting wind of Mums on Call and the services we offer because I’ve recently been interviewed for Junior magazine (the Vogue of parenting titles don’t cha know!) and the wonderful Prima Baby. Junior magazines feature, ‘Mummy’s Little Helpers’  focused on the new spate of businesses out there - like us - who are making busy mums’ lives easier. And the Prima Baby angle was on mums who were inspired by motherhood to start their own child/family related business - all very interesting and great publicity! As soon as I’m clever enough to upload/download the features, I’ll have them on here for you all to see…

If any of you ever view www.mumandworking.co.uk you’ll find a fab Q&A with me all about the trials and tribulations of setting up a business and also about our plans for the future…v.exciting! But it’s not just magazines and websites who are interested in Mums on Call…

I’m sure you all know that amazingly energetic ‘Pied Piper of Chiswick’ Amanda from Amanda’s Action Kids. Well, she kindly invited me in to speak to her mums and carers all about Mums on Call because she loved the mums helping mums concept so much - and she has us on speed dial for her little girl too! Amanda and I go back a long way…my 14 year old daughter loved her classes when she was a little one, and so did my middle and youngest children. In fact, secretly, I think I loved going to Amanda’s classes even more than them! Just watching the kids’ excited little faces while dancing, playing and learning - and seeing their confidence grow with each class - no wonder Amanda is so popular all over the country now! And that’s why I’m looking forward to taking the family with me to one of her new family fun days - check them out for yourselves on www.amandasactionkids.co.uk

Well, I’ve got to dash now - school pick up, ferrying the kids to their various activities, putting the dinner on, recruiting more mums ….Have fun!  x

This is my first go at blogging - so do excuse me if things aren’t perfect first time - it’s so exciting though - even for a 40 year old techno-phobe mum!

I have so much to talk about since our launch at the beginning of the year. Things are really starting to pick up with busy families calling the Mums on Call office daily, asking “Can you help us?” and more often than not, we reply with that well known phrase, made famous by none other than that builder named Bob - “YES WE CAN!”

I’ve had a lot of mums wonder “What is Mums on Call? - I’ve never heard of Family Concierge” Well, the thing with Mums on Call is that we are a new type of service - not a nanny agency - and not a business type concierge service  - but a rather unique concept that seems to be filling a gap in the market. We are an extra pair of hands for busy mums (and dads) who want help for a few hours here and there, and we offer wonderful, experienced and trustworthy, friendly women - who have kids themselves - to help you. Here are a few examples of what some of our team have been up to over the last couple of months…

Working Mum had been told by her son’s nursery that they couldn’t take him as he had just developed conjunctivitis.  However, the eye infection didn’t stop Working Mum’s little boy still being full of beans and she still had an important business meeting the next day. Working Mum called our office that evening and by the next morning, we had a happy, smiling Mum on her doorstep before she left for work. Working Mum was thrilled that her meeting went well and her little boy had a fun day with his Mum on Call!

Student Mum has a baby and is studying for a PhD. She tries to work around baby’s nap times, but it’s not always possible - he might decide he wants to play instead! That’s why she books a Mum, for a couple of hours a week, to take him out for some fresh air in his buggy. She gets to study without interruption and baby and his Mum on Call get their exercise!

Time Poor Mum (that’s all of us!) books a Mum once a month to entertain her toddler at home for a few hours. She gets to catch up on the gossip with her child-free friend, over a leisurely lunch.

Party Mum was hit by the reality that in a couple of days it was her daughter’s birthday and she had promised to have a group of 9 year old girls at her house…as well as having her smaller children to contend with. She picked up the phone and we arranged for a party loving Mum to help her pick up the girls from their school, drop them home and then assist Party Mum with a house full of lively children. Party Mum was delighted that she’d asked for help from Mums on Call - her daughter had a great birthday and Party Mum was stress-free!

These are just some of the things our Mums on Call can help you with…so, if you’re ever wondering whether we might be able to help you - just ask!