CURLY AND CANDID

I need to drink more. No, I’m not talking about sneaking the odd gin and tonic in here and there, I’m talking about that free running stuff that comes out of the tap. We are very lucky that here in the UK we have access to fresh water wherever we go and it is free (ok, we pay water rates but that incorporates everything from the washing machine to the shower as well as drinking water).

Why Now?

Why am I making a pledge to increase my water intake now? Now is as good a time as any and to be honest I’m well aware of how lax I’ve been in the self-care stakes when it comes to drinking enough! I have definite health, weight and activity goals, I wear a fitness monitor bracelet thingy, I go to Weight Watchers and track my food and yet up until now I’ve made little real effort to boost my hydration. A lack of motivation and a smidge of laziness on my part if I’m being honest.

I’m choosing now because there is no good reason to wait.

Why is Hydration Important to Me?

Hydration should be important to all of us. Our bodies are made up primarily of water, our cells need water, our joints require it for lubrication, it helps regulate our temperature, delivers the nutrients we need to where we need them, helps to flush out the toxins and other rubbish our bodies build up and more.

Not meeting hydration targets and becoming dehydrated may cause headaches, dizziness, fatigue, you wee less (and urine may be darker) and these are the least harmful side effects with severe hydration being incredibly serious. This guidance from the NHS shows that hydration really isn’t a joking matter.

I always make sure that the boys are properly hydrated because it is important and I figure that it’s time to apply the same standards to myself and my own health and well-being. If you’re looking for more reasons to hydrate and how to achieve it have a look at the Hydr8More website which has a fabulously informative blog as well as being home to a funky water bottle I’ve had my eye on for a while (two types, one for plain tap water which uses a special natural filter to soften water or a newer fruity version that you can use to infuse your water with fresh fruit flavour).

The Pledge

I hereby pledge to increase my tap water intake (I’m not a fan of wasteful throwaway bottled water). I will track my progress and I will report back. Today (at the time of writing) is the first Monday of August 2015 and there’s no better time to start now.

Wish me luck.

Top Tips and Tricks

Do you have any top tips or clever ways to boost hydration when like me you tend to forget? I’m determined to make this change for the good of my health but any advice or clever motivation tips would be much appreciated!

Stay hydrated!

World Class Local Childminder — I’m sure Clare will forgive me one day for taking this picture

From the tender age of 18 months Taylor started having sessions with a local, very experienced, much loved and respected childminder here in Thirsk, Clare Garthwaite. Clare has been a childminder for approx 13yrs and is a gem. If you’ve ever found yourself looking for childcare you’ll no doubt have found yourself in the difficult position I was back then which is finding somewhere or someone that you feel comfortable leaving a precious child with.
It ain’t easy!

I researched the private nurseries locally and nothing felt suitable, personal enough or just right. I hadn’t considered a childminder as an option because I assumed (wrongly) that it would be too expensive and certainly more so than nursery. As it turned out for me both financially and from the all important care point of view finding Clare was by far the best possible thing that could have happened.

For the past three years I have been able to work from home guilt-free knowing that Taylor has been enjoying a wide range of activities, indoor and outdoor fun, experiments, visiting local attractions and using services such as the library, has made and maintained friendships, practiced his early years skills. The list goes on and on. He’s left Clare’s care now purely because he starts school in September but she’s very much missed already!

I’m writing this post firstly to tell people that using a childminding service such as Clare’s is a very valid childcare choice, is often more flexible that private nurseries and for us has been truly fantastic.

My second reason for writing to let local people know that Clare has vacancies! As a couple of her mindees including Taylor have moved on up to school etc she now has spaces which is something she hasn’t had for some time. Have a look at the pictures below to see just some of the activities Clare has offered (there are thousands more but I can’t share pictures with other children in).

To find out more about her service specifically get in touch via her FB group Clare’s Childminding group and message her for availability information, costs and everything else. She’s more than happy to have an informal initial visit to discuss your needs (and this helps with parent wobbles about leaving the little ones too, trust me).
If you want to ask me any questions about Taylor’s time with Clare email me via the contact us page but suffice to say I can’t recommend her highly enough.

Thanks Clare for three fabulous years!

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Original content here is published under these license terms:		X

License Type:	Read Only

License Abstract:	You may read the original content in the context in which it is published (at this web address). No other copying or use is permitted without written agreement from the author.