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Family Farm Holidays Cornwall

Coombe Mill

"Tales from the farmers wife" shares the funny and interesting happenings on our lovely holiday farm with Farmer Nick and our 6 children. A behind the scenes look on balancing family, farming, the holiday business and cooking for all. 

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Country Kids from Coombe Mill Family Farm Holidays Cornwall

Toddlebike

Toddlebike is a unique 'pre-balance' bike that allows Toddlers aged 1-3 to begin their cycling adventure. Sturdy, lightweight (0.8kg), multi-terrain and waterproof it is a practical buggy alternative.

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Doctor Dilemmas

by CoombeMill 29 November 2011 12:25

Looking so Vulnerable

I have a poorly soldier upstairs today. 7 years old but when feeling unwell he looks so much younger.

My Poorly Boy

 

Doing the right thing

It is hard as parents to get it right when children are unwell. Last night Guy was running a temperature of 103 degrees and finding it hard to breath. I was torn between Googling symptoms, checking for meningitis rashes wondering whether to call the out of hours doctor or just dosing him up and going to bed! In the end I did all the above except call the doctor and rationalised that it was just the nasty cough making his chest hurt! This morning he climbed out of bed and collapsed in a heap as his legs had given way. I would have been most alarmed by this but my other children have had this 'dead leg' syndrome with a temperature and virus before now, so I just calmly helped him to the loo and back to bed to sleep it off.   

Did I get it Right?

To see him now tucking into his toast and hot chocolate on the sofa with his Care Bear I  am happy, that on this occasion, I did the right thing. It is not easy though, even though I have 6 children and the experience of many poorly soldiers through bugs, viruses and infections over the years I still worry with each one if I should be taking them to the doctor. I don't want to waste the doctor's time or infect the rest of the surgery, but at the same time they are a tad too precious to take chances. Parenting is no easy business and really does require us to have our wits about us and be a bit of a 'Jack of all Trades'!

What do you do when faced with a poorly child?

 

Your Blog is Great Award

by CoombeMill 28 November 2011 08:40

I'd Like to Thank......

 
The lovely Red Rose Mummy at http://redrosemummy.blogspot.com/ for giving me my Tell Me About Yourself Blog Award! Red Rose Mummy is a fairly new blogger with so much to offer. If you are not already following her on twitter or signed up to her active and well written blog then I can highly recommend it.

 
 
I was honoured to receive the above mentioned award, until I realised it came with strings attached!
 
1. I must tell you seven things that you don't know about me (gulp).
2. I must pass this on to 15 other bloggers (gulp again, sorry if you have been had before).
 

Thinking hard on 7 things about me that anyone would want to read, but here goes:

 
1.I didn't get into reading books for pleasure until I hit 40, but now have to read every night before I go to sleep and more if I find an opportunity window. All those wasted years! 
 
2. I was a bit of a rebel as a child, being asked to leave both Brownies and Sunday school for being a disruptive influence!
 
3. I used to have to taste butter, margarine, spreads and lard straight from a spoon at 9am every Tuesday morning in my 20s...... I was the "Fat Buyer" for Tesco. Product tasting was all part of brand development  and so I found myself in the kitchens approving or not the latest fats. Things improved for my waistline when I moved into Salads and Health and Beauty. I was also the condom buyer at one time, I could tell some tails from those days!
 
4. I can't abide parsley! I was sick on it as a very young child and my mother only confessed that in my 20's as she was sure I would grow out of my hate for the poor unobtrusive herb.
 

5. Despite living on the Farm, my husband would say I am no more a natural at farming now than I was 9 years ago! I love the animals and coming out on the daily feed run, especially on a Sunday morning, but I spend all my time chatting to our guests and taking photos and still have to check with Nick which animals have what food when I am in charge (not very often)!

6. I only need 4 or 5 hours sleep a night. I used to curse this and lie awake for hours,now I find I actually work best from 11pm when the house is quiet and I can really concentrate. This is also when I write most of my blogs!
 
Oh my have I rambled through to 7 already?  
 
7.I am quite incapable of managing twitter on my phone passed the bare basics. I have to blog in the office on my main work PC.  I am doing a 2 in 1 with this one and linking this confession to  the lovely Clare at  where I was tagged in the "Where do you blog" meme. So here is my (rather messy) office.
and I am  now tagging   and  to carry this one forwardMy Office
 
I am dutifully passing the prestigous "Your blog is Great award" on: With 15 at a time appologies if you have already been tagged elsewhere for this!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Silent Sunday

by CoombeMill 27 November 2011 00:44

Silent Sunday 27.11.11

Theo and one of our Runner Ducks

 

Silent Sunday

Country Kids from Coombe Mill

by CoombeMill 26 November 2011 17:43

A quick reminder about Country Kids

I set up Country Kids as I have a firm belief in the benefit to children of happy healthy outdoor play. Rosy cheeks from running around are good for mind and body. Join in and support outdoor play with a picture or 2 of your children enjoying the freedom of the outdoors from the garden to the park, woods or beach. Whatever is near you that you and the children can enjoy. Post on your blog and link up here. An old picture or post or this weeks' adventure are all welcome.

Shortlisted 5 for a Coombe Mill Kids Sun Hat from weeks 1 - 5

 http://greenmumsblog.wordpress.com/2011/10/21/country-kids/

http://thisisme-sarahmumof3.blogspot.com/2011/10/country-kids.html

http://redrosemummy.blogspot.com/2011/11/street-where-we-live.html

http://www.plus2point4.co.uk/2011/11/05/country-kids-lacock-abbey/

http://thisisme-sarahmumof3.blogspot.com/2011/10/autumn-sunshine.html

http://www.littlesheep-learning.co.uk/blog/2011/country-kids-bike-riding/

http://kidzoutdoors.com/blog/?p=601

OK so I can't count! Too many lovely entries but I will choose one next week for the Coombemill Sun Hat. Keep those pictures coming and thank you to everyone who has linked up so far. I have enjoyed seeing and reading every post.

Country Kids week 7: Our Kids In Charge of the Saturday Animal Feeding

Kids walking our new goats

Collecting food and feeding the free range ducksTopping up the Hay with DadWalking the goats

Country Kids from Coombe Mill Farm Holidays Cornwall

Are Manners old fashioned?

by CoombeMill 23 November 2011 20:50

Thank you and please are such simple wordsplease

It really doesn't take much to say, and really shouldn't be hard to remember, yet time and time again I sounds like a broken record repeating "Did you remember to say thank you?" whenever my kids accept a lift or play date. From toddlers up we start on the "say ta" or "say please" and "what's the magic word?" Yet to children it clearly has no meaning as it takes years before it comes naturally. (I hope I am correct here and it's not just mine!) I can truthfully say that only now can I trust my age 9+ children and still have to prompt the triplets sometimes (age 7).

Do manners really matter?Thanks

I guess this is a personal thing but I do feel they are important. I have to bite my tongue if children visit us and continually forget to say please. I have caught myself before now saying "was that "yes please Fiona?"" For me it is all tied up with respect, especially for older family members like grandparents and Aunts and Uncles, but even amongst my own children I find myself correcting them for being rude to one another.
In my own childhood I was definitely at home with the ultimate Mummy and Daddy manners police and from those times I can sympathise with the emotions of children, the feeling of "what's the big fuss, why are b***** manners SO important anyway?" I try to explain to my children why I want them to have an acceptable level of manners, how it helps their social interaction, encourages others to respond favourably to their requests and opens up more opportunities for them to do the things they enjoy when other people providing these treats feel valued and respected.  

What about table manners?

I do feel I have failed here compared to my parents. They painstakingly ensured I never dared to "shovel" so much as a pea on my fork at the dinner table. Even the correct holding of cutlery was paramount. As for waving a knife in the air or speaking with my mouthful, these were a "cuff round the ear" offenses! I was an only child, so in my defence I do feel my parents had a much easier task as "The manners Police" than Nick and I . Of cause I have taught mine how to do it all properly, but actually enforcing the teachings on a daily basis is another matter altogether! Increasingly I find if the plates are clean, they sat on their bottoms and didn't eat with their fingers or insult a sibling it counts as a successful meal! 

Sunday DinnerOur Sunday Dinner Table with mixed manners!

 

How much is for my benefit?

I can't deny that being told that my children were very well behaved, well mannered or such like sends a glow of pride all through my body. I am sure there are times when they are less polite, but my well mannered friends fail to report back on such occasions. Receiving positive feedback is always lovely but essentially I am not on the manners case for my own gratification but for the opportunities I believe basic manners will still open for them in life.

Times change

As a child I would never have dreamt of calling a friends' parents by their Christian name, in fact friends parents from my child hood I still address as Mr and Mrs in my 40s because that is the respect I showed to the older generation when I was young. I know this is out of date now and only reserved for school teachers and am very happy for my children to call friends parents by their Christian name and for their friends to do the same with me. I think a little more 'cheek' is also acceptable now without appearing rude. There is still a line which is not to be crossed, I just belief the line has shifted a little and I am keen to ensure mine are aware of this and remain on the appropriate side.

Enjoying the Sunday Roast bone   Then on occasion I just let them enjoy!

Jed with the Sunday roast bone

 

Which manners do you feel are important and how do you instil them into your children?