Friday morning I woke to the news that the UK had voted to leave the EU. To say I was in shock would be putting it mildly. I spent the day moving through a range of emotions from bewilderment and denial to anger and frustration. By bedtime I had somewhat accepted the result but I still cannot understand it.

The UK did not overwhelmingly decide to leave the EU, virtually half the people who voted choose to remain. There is no landslide victory, no 'Independence Day'. The country has been divided. In families, work places and friendships across the country people are at odds. Politics is causing fractures in places it has never even breathed before.

​In general it would appear that the younger generations very much want to be part of the EU and the older generation, who have seen the biggest changes to our cultural landscape, want out - many of them did not want 'In' in the first place. Of course this a sweeping, broad statement and lots of younger people will have voted Leave and older people voted Remain, but there is a pattern in the voter demographics which supports this age divide. I also believe a lot of Leave voters are rational, intelligent people. The decision made at the polling booth must have been fuelled by a sense of deep unhappiness with the current government and state of the country as I have struggled to find one reliable statistic, plan for the future or credible expert which supports their vote.

And we can't get away from the crux of what this vote has been about: Immigration. Boris may declare that immigration is not the issue, it is about control. But let's just be honest, it is about immigration. When every economic expert tells you it is a bad idea to leave the EU and you do it anyway because 'you just can't get an appointment in the Doctor's surgery' (a statement I have heard 4 times since the vote last week) then it is about immigration. Let's just ignore the fact that immigrants pay more into this country in taxes than they take out. It is no surprise the Leave campaign decided to omit that fact from their campaign leaflet.

​I do not believe such an important decision should be made on a less than 2% majority. And don't even get me started on the fact that only 72% of people turned out to vote for one of the greatest political milestones of their lifetime. Both parties behaved badly during the campaign, but they are politicians so I don't know why we are shocked by that. But the blatant lies told by the Leave campaign, which can be easily fact checked, cannot be brushed under the carpet. In no other profession would you get away with this kind of behaviour. The people who voted Leave have been sold a lie and the campaign should be held accountable. ​Perhaps when the false promises begin to reveal themselves for what they are people will see they have been misled. Boris has already mentioned free movement remaining which will confuse those who voted Leave to get back control of our borders. Let's not forget the elephant in the room; the £350million a week promise to the NHS, the backbone of the Leave campaign, retracted just hours after the result.

We are now heading to a very uncertain future and whilst I hope it won't be a negative one, the sense of unity the EU was based upon is gone.

I believed in being part of something bigger than ourselves.
I believed in helping our neighbours when they fall.
I believed in living and working together, side by side, as citizens of Europe.
​I believed we were all equal to each other regardless of the lottery of birth

What I believed in has gone. And no matter how much the Leave campaign U-turn and claim we are still part of Europe (just not the EU) we are very much on our own now, And I'm not surprised by that, half the country just stuck two fingers up at them. 

I know we all have to come together now and make this work, the wheels have started turning and I can't see this being stopped now. So let's all put down our swords and agree to disagree on the politics and find some of that rallying spirit we British are so famous for finding in hard times, like when it rains at Wimbledon. If we don't we'll have to rely on Boris to make this work and we all know how that will turn out...

​We all love the taste, sights and sounds of summer – but we don’t love the stains and grime that comes from enjoying the sunshine and making the most of the great outdoors!
 
Helping you to enjoy every moment this summer, with memories of walks, sunbathing and sangria, rather than the wine, grass and sun cream stains, Astonish has pulled together a good clean summer pack that will leave your home and clothes as bright as the sunshine.

When Mums-to-be ask me my must have product for a newborn my first recommendation is always a bedside dropside co-sleeper cot. In my experience the quality of sleep for both for Mum and baby is greatly improved by having baby so close but yet within their own separate bed space to calm any co-sleeping fears. It also makes breastfeeding at night easier. The new Next 2 Me Crib by Chicco is undoubtedly one of the best bedside co-sleeper cots on the market due to it's versatile and portable design. With the imminent arrival of my Little Nephew we were sent a Next 2 Me for my Sister and I to review. Here's what we think!

Lately I have been thinking about setting up a bank account to save as much as possible for our children's future. The thought of how much money we will need to give them for that final boost into adulthood is a little scary. But if we start now at least it won't be quite such a shock 15yrs or so down the line! So what are the things we need to save for?

Living outside the M25 public transport is limited. Trains run into London well but getting around the local area you basically either walk or drive. Having two girls I think it is exceptionally important that they learn to drive and can get themselves from A to B safely, especially at night. Driving lessons are expensive but in my experience you learn much faster with professional instructors such those at  Pass'N'Go, than by being taught by your parents who have bad habits! Of course once your kids have passed there is the expense of the car and insurance to think about too.

The new Disney Princess hair care range from H&A features seven Disney Princesses, each with their own hair care needs! We were sent some samples including hypoallergenic shampoos, conditioners and detangle sprays to try out and some lovely Princess Party bags. This got us thinking about what each Princess would need in her party bag. 

Ever wanted to design your own totally bespoke jewellery? Now you can with DIWAH.

​The DIWAH website takes you through seamless process, enabling you to create your own striking unique necklace, to your exacting style and taste in 3 easy steps. Once you have completed your design, DIWAH’s team of jewellery designers will handcraft your necklace, piece by piece, to match your design exactly!

Father's Day is fast approaching and this year we have decided to stay home and avoid overcrowded, overpriced restaurants this year. We are planning a Father's Day feast for Husband packed with his favourite foods. He is a huge fan of Mexican food so fajitas are top of the list and they are a fun food for kids too. This fab recipe from Newman's Own includes another of his favourite foods; chorizo. Perfect!

Since my eldest daughter, Little E, was tiny she has been a handful, or as her nursery used to diplomatically call her 'a challenge'. She is now a precocious 5yr old and the last few weeks have been particularly difficult. I've been called into school 3 times to discuss her behaviour and at home I've reached breaking point. It has gone beyond the point where I can commiserate with husband over a gin at the end of the day. I'm wound up even in my sleep. Just how do you discipline a child who seems impervious to authority? I've by no means cracked it but here are some of my top tips to help discipline children who don't fit the mould.​