Does your child having a temperature send you into a panic? Before you reach for the calpol read on, understanding the process of fever may help alleviate some of that anxiety. Fever is one of the immune systems way to neutralise a threat inside the body (bacterial or viral). A temperature is considered elevated when it is higher than 100 degrees F. Although, it can be uncomfortable, it is a protective response and enhances the body's defense mechanisms. At some point, most children develop high fevers with minor viral illnesses. While a fever signals that a battle might be going on in the body, the fever is fighting for the person, not against.

Never has it been such a confusing time to be a mum. The government have invested huge amounts of time and money encouraging mums back to work after having a child and many feel huge pressure from their employers to return to work quickly. Equally society does not reward stay at home mums either financially or with any status and this lack of respected identity also can push women into feeling they must work again. Ultimately most 21st century mothers are seeking the out of reach home/work balance. Mothers struggling under a torrent of conflicting parenting advice are told that nurseries will damage their children, the naughty step is counter-productive and that toddler misbehaviour is their fault.

Travelling with children can be stressful. They get bored so quickly and hate being confined. Last year we drove to the South of France which surprisingly went quite well considering the air con packed up on us a week before we left. The French motorway system is brilliant they have these places to stop called Aires, each one is different but they all have picnic tables, toilets, space for the kids to just run around and some even have mini playgrounds. Can't understand why we haven't got something like that here.

Red, sore and blistery bottoms can be incredibly uncomfortable for little ones and once the dreaded nappy rash appears it can take a while to heal. Teething tends to be time when it can be problematic, my first daughter suffered terribly from it whilst in cloth nappies. The most used and commonly known nappy cream is Sudocrem which lists liquid parrafin as one of its many ingredients. Liquid parrafin is also used in lanterns and the production of paints, dyes, pigments, wax, polythene, and insecticides and is considered to be a carcinogen or cancer causing agent.