About 21stCM
21stCM, the lowdown: One year ago, my life-long dream to become an expat became a reality. I left the gloom and doom of London to start a new life in Singapore with my husband and 3 year old. I was 5 months pregnant. The first few months were crazy, a very steep learning curve – we have learnt how not to relocate! Our second daughter was born in May.
My loves in life are travelling, writing and of course my children. I worked in travel and have travelled all over the world, now I am doing it with my children. I am a freelance journalist for various parenting, travel and lifestyle titles, and a regular contributor to The Honeycombers and Conde Nast Traveller website. Please let me know if you’re interested in me writing for you.
You can see some of the articles I have published on the In Print section.
About My Blog: 21st Century Mummy is not just about my experiences as a mum to my two beautiful daughters as they grow up (and I grow older!), it’s about family travel, news, reviews and my take on life in general. Now I live in Singapore, I can give an international perspective on life too, both as a former London mum and now as an expat in Singapore. I write about pretty much anything and everything that takes my fancy. So far, I have taken the decision to keep my family anonymous and I never include pictures of my children, although plenty of people do know how I am. I do accept advertising and sponsored posts, so please get in touch about rates.
I love writing my blog and I do it because I can write about anything I want. I could spend all day on blogging or on Twitter (you’ll find me @mummytweets), but I try not too.
21stCM x
PICK YOUR BATTLES.
IT’S ONLY A PHASE, IT WILL PASS
If you’d like to get in touch, please comment below.
Disclosure Policy
The owner of this blog may be from time to time compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topic. Even though the owner of this blog may receive compensation for posts or advertisements, they will always give their honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those topics or products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the bloggers’ own. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question. This blog does not contain any content which might present a conflict of interest.
To get your own policy, go to http://www.disclosurepolicy.org
{ 55 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi 21st Century Mummy,
Having read your blog I thought I would drop you a note about Little Dish. We make fresh, healthy food for kids using only 100% natural ingredients, with no added salt or sugar. We create our recipes with a paediatric dietician to address the nutritional needs of young children and all of our dishes are taste tested by kids. Our meals are currently available in Tesco, Waitrose, and from Ocado.com. Hillary Graves is Co-Founder and Managing Director of Little Dish as well as mum to two: Monty who is 2 ½ and Ridley who is 6 months.
We currently have a range of 7 meals and 2 sauces and have just launched two new meals this week; Salmon & Broccoli Pasta Bake and Chicken with Vegetables & Giant Couscous. I was wondering if you would like to taste test some of our recipes with your daughter and friends?
I look forward to hearing from you.
Hi Charlotte
I know Little Dish products, and would be happy to do a taste test with my daughter.
Great! Would you like to drop me an email with your address and I can send some to you next week. We’re off to the Baby show shortly at Earl’s Court…
Hi Charlotte,
I just saw your reply to 21st century mummy and just wanted to say we have tried your little dish cottage pie which was delicious. I think I enjoyed it as much as my daughter did. We live in Fulham and I am a full time mum to my 2 girls and am always interested in new products aimed at toddlers and babies because my eldest is a fussy eater and so I am always experimenting to find things she will like.
I would love to try some of your other new flavours on my daugher if you are launching new ones or become a regular tester. I have 2 girls – a 2 year old and a 7 month old.
thanks
hey Janine, this is really cool! You should talk to my friend, she’s the editor of Mother & Baby mag, re writing parenting features. In fact, email if you have any story ideas, she’s the features editor there, say I put you in touch. She is alwyas looking for one page opinion pieces, I just did one re maternity leave and how boring it is, so any ideas like that, she could be keen, like how about on becoming a full time mum having worked for the first 2 years?
Tash xxx
Hi Tash. Thanks for your really nice comments and for the contacts. Will get in touch with them. How’s Brighton? xxx
Hello!
WE NEED YOUR HELP – THEY ARE GOING TO CLOSE THE SANDS END PLAYHOUSE IN FULHAM!
The Sands End Playhouse in Fulham is being closed down in September because of loss of funding due to government cuts. They will sell off the site to private developers or a private nursery thus depriving all local babies or toddlers of somewhere safe to play and learn and for local mums to meet up.
It has such a standing in the local community amongst mums, carers and nannies that we cannot stand by and let the local council do this.
It has been there for 40 years and the government has decided not to fund them any more. They received a letter this morning saying that they have not got their funding and it will therefore close in September. THEY HAVE 5 DAYS TO APPEAL.
However the council must receive 500 EMAILS BY MONDAY MORNING in order for the appeal to go ahead.
They run a under 5′s playgroup (drop-in centre for carers and children) every morning and after school clubs for working parents. They have an indoor area with toys, painting and activities and an outdoor space.
It only costs £2 per family as a donation as its 70% is funded by the council. The people who work there have been there for 25 years and are really lovely and put a huge amount of effort into running it.
It really is terrible and will be a huge loss to the community. Could you please send an email over the weekend, stating what a great loss it will be and that they should reconsider.
The email addresses to send to are:
steve.hamilton@lbhf.gov.uk
ali.delisle@lbhf.gov.uk
jane.law@lbhf.gov.uk
Many thanks
Dear 21st Century Mummy
I just wanted to say thank you for listing our site as one of your top travel sites.
I’m not sure whether or not you are a member of Mr & Mrs Smith but if you email me directly (tamara (at) mrandmrssmith (dot) com, I’d be delighted to give you a free membership (or extend your membership if you have one already).
On another note, we are planning huge improvements to the way our site handles bookings with children and would love to get your initial feedback on our plans – would you be up for it?
Tamara
I thought my name and website would appear! Emilie from http://www.mumetmoi.com
Speak soon!
Hi Janine, it was lovely meeting you today! I hope your lovely little girl is feeling good after the bump and I hope Santa made it all better
Px
Really nice to meet you too. She is okay, despite the huge egg. Santa (and a giant gold chocolate coin) cheered up a lot! x
Hello. A friend just told me about your tweets and website. I have just moved from London to Singapore (on Sunday!). have a 3.5 yr old girl and 1yr old boy. Given up work in order to come here for husband’s job. Some of your tweets really resonante with me – lack of green things to eat etc! We are staying centrally for a few weeks whilst trying to find place to live and settle little girl in new nursery school and generally get to grips with extortionatly expensive supermarkets, opening bank accounts and getting a mobile phone etc.. . Do get in contact if you feel like it…
Catherine
Hi,
My name is Carrie and I am working with the team who is putting on the Parenting Summit, a free online event featuring several leading parenting experts sharing tips for parents via video. The event will take place online from March 1 through March 8, 2011 and will be free for participants to benefit from. You can see the site at http://www.ParentingSummit.com (we’re adding new speakers as we speak). This event is being put on by the same team who put on the Leadership and Influence Summit, which had over 20,000 participants take part! http://www.LeadershipAndInfluenceSummit.com – We have a proven track record of making these events work.
The purpose of my email to you today is two-fold:
1. Promotional Partner: We’d like to ask you if you would join us in getting the word out about this event by sharing it with your followers. You can post a note with a link back to the registration site on your blog, Facebook and Twitter to encourage others to sign up now. This is a free offering we are making to parents as a way to help equip them and the children. If you’d like a banner or a graphic that you can add to your site, we can make that available to you as well.
2. Additional Parenting Experts: If you know of a highly credible parenting expert who you think we should add as a speaker, please let us know. We’re looking for a few more well qualified experts to add, but they need to be reputable. Even if you think that person could be you, please let us know and let us know why. As you can understand, we want to share the best information that we can with parents and keep the integrity of the content high.
As a THANK YOU for helping us get the word out about the event, we are going to create a “Best Parenting Guide” that will include a link back to your blog / website as a suggested resource for parents and participants of the Parenting Summit. This guide will no doubt bring you a solid amount of additional exposure.
I look forward to hearing back you from soon. From one Mom to another, have a great day!
Carrie Taaca
Parenting Summit
P.S. If you would prefer to talk to someone via phone about this event… please call my colleague, Daniel, at 904-230-7529.
Thanks!
Hi Janine
WHAT DO WE WANT?: Sudocrem has just launched its first Facebook comp and we’d love for you to share with your readers.
In one quick sentence…
Sudocrem are looking for your best pictures that show your child (under 3) doing something funny. It may be pulling a face, doing a dance, dressed up as a prince/princess… whatever you like! The prize; a £400 Family Merlin Pass.
If I can help you with anything else please just say.
Hayden Allen (on behalf of Sudocrem)
P.s. Finally, if you’ve got the time we’d love you to complete our Mummy/Daddy Blogger questionnaire, we’re carrying out a national study to understand how the PR industry can better work with you!
CLICK HERE TO COMPLETE http://polldaddy.com/s/CA96105E27ED0080
Greetings!
I hope this note finds you well!
I just wanted to let you know that the Parenting Summit is now LIVE. You can go to http://www.ParentingSummit.com to access and view the great line-up of speakers. It’s all free and on-demand. Due to such overwhelming response, we’re also going to extend the viewing access through the end of April, so if you want to share this summit info with your followers, please do.
Thanks and I hope you have a great day!
Carrie Taaca
Director of Outreach
http://www.ParentingSummit.com
Hi Janine,
Original Little Sprout forwarded your blog entry about their products (& Trotters!) to us and I was wondering whether you would object to us posting it on our blog? Obviously we will post a link back to your site and name you as the author.
Many Thanks
Elaine Shaw
Hi Elaine
That’s nice of them to send my link, I didn’t realise you guys have a blog. Yes absolutely post my review. We miss Trotters
.
Janine
Brilliant! Thank you Janine.
It’s all still early days for the website and blog but we’re getting there!
Elaine
Hi.. I love reading your blog.. how is Singapore.I have been an expat for 7 years now, 4 years in Hong Kong and 3 in Vietnam, I have two girls 5 & 6.
I am just launching my website in the next day or two.. I could never find the perfect bag when I travelled with my kids, so I set about designing one.. anyway I tested the Vietnam and Hong Kong market and everyone loved the bag, so now I am going to sell them On-line in the UK, Austrlia and Singapore ( I will be at the Fancy Fare in the Orchard Hotel in May).
Do you think you would review the bag or do a competition giveaway.?
You can visit my blog at http://www.miatui.wordpress.com
Thanks Charlotte
Hi Charlotte, great to hear from you. Do you live in Saigon? I loved it when I travelled there as a backpacker! I’d be very happy to review your bag, which looks fab, and do a giveaway.
x
Hi 21st Century Mummy,
Having read your blog today, I thought I would email you about my family-run business in case it is something you would like to review/blog or write an article about.
My Travellling Nanny is a unique agency offering affordable and flexible holiday childcare for both in the family home, and travelling away with families.
For Holiday placements, Travelling Nannies are an alternative to relying on Hotel facilities, Creches, Clubs and Babysitting services. Many of our customers opt to stay in a villa and take a Travelling Nanny, increasing their freedom, privacy and holiday enjoyment, without sacrificing the childcare facilities. Families who holiday together can also share a Nanny, making it an even more cost-effective option.
We offer University Students, as short-term aupair style childcarers, and Qualified Nannies, and Teachers too. Many of our Nannies have additional skills – for example we have swimming instructors, bilingual nannies, maternity nurses, sports coaches, speech therapists etc.
Let me know if it is something that interests you, and good luck with the new arrival and Singapore expat life.
I hope to hear from you soon,
Michaela
Brilliant idea – I remember talking to some friends a while ago, saying we thought someone should do something like that!
Hi there,
I have a question about your site, would you mind emailing me back @ kthomas@primroseschools.com?
Thanks,
Kathleen
Hi there,
Greetings from FoodNews PR!
Am looking for expat bloggers in Singapore can chanced upon your website.
Would you be keen to attend a tasting at a modern Japanese restaurant Kinki at Customs House?
Let me know if it is possible?
You can reach me at sarah@foodnews.com.sg
Hope to hear from you soon.
Cheers,
Sarah
Hi there
Having read your blog and realised you have just had a new addition to your family (hope you are all well), I wanted to let you know about the fab new Snoozeshade designed by a mum in the UK for mums…. It is a fantastic 2 – in – 1 Black out Blind and UPF50+ sunshade which fits any pram or buggy. It is really good for hot countries and for maintaining baby’s daily sleep routine without having to be stuck inside (as I seemed to be with my 2 when they were smaller!!!). I was obsessed with black out and this great new invention is the total answer to the daily nap whilst still being able to go out or just for use on holiday when you still want to go out at night in the bright lights for a ‘peaceful’ dinner…. The Snoozeshade is now available for distribution in Asia. I would be very happy to send you one for review. Regards Lisa
Hi Lisa, Fully aware of the snoozeshade, but I don’t have one and would love to review it. BTW I am @mummytweets – not sure if you realise
Hi Janine,
We are contacting you on behalf of our client, PureGear. They are a new line of smart, simple, and sensible mobile accessories with premium quality and affordable pricing. You can learn more about them at pure-gear.com.
We’ve noticed your blog and are wondering if you are interested in reviewing the Smartphone Support System for iPhone 4, or other PureGear products in the future? We think this particular product would be great for the multi-tasking parent!
http://www.pure-gear.com/shop-by-category/signature/shell-holster.html
If so, please forward your mailing address where you would like to receive product for review.
Thanks!
Best regards,
Janet
PureGear Digital Public Relations Team
Hi,
I thought you might like to have a look at a copy of a new book by Naomi Stadlen, How Mothers Love. Naomi is a psychotherapist and the acclaimed author of What Mothers Do (2005), which has gathered a huge following of mothers all over the world and was described by the Guardian as ‘the best book on parenting – brilliantly insightful’.
How Mothers Love is a sensitive exploration of motherly love, based on Naomi’s long career of speaking to ordinary mothers about their day to day experiences of motherhood. She has been running discussion groups called Mothers Talking at the Active Birth Centre in North London for twenty year, is a trained breastfeeding counsellor and works for La Leche League.
I thought you might be interested in reading a copy of the book, and if you found it of interest, reviewing it on 21st Century Mummy. I would really recommend it as non-intrusive, sympathetic, insightful reading matter for mothers. And Naomi recently told me about a woman who had said that her husband had read it and said how much it helped him to understand his wife’s experience.
Anyway, let me know if you are interested!
Thanks,
Madeleine
Hi Madeleine, thanks for your comment, it sounds like an interesting book, however I live in Singapore at the moment.
Hi there
I wondered if some of your readers might be interested to come along to our Pilates studio in Fulham. We are about to introduce Mums on the Run classes and we’re also wanting to invite all the mums around Fulham who attend mums groups and coffee mornings. First class is free. If anyone wants any info they can email me directly at alison@bootcamppilates.com
Thanks!
Hi Alison
Thanks for your comment, sounds like a great idea. Good luck.
Janine
Hi 21st Century Mummy!
I was recently searching recurrent miscarriage in Singapore and came to your blog. I realize from reading your post that your diagnosis was made in London, but I do wonder given your familiarity of the topic if you could provide any doctors here that deal with this ‘challenge.’ I’ve had three (after a healthy girl, no problems, that is now 3.5)… I’m feeling a bit sad and overwhelmed. Thank you so much!
Hi, sorry for what you’ve been through, I will drop you an email.
Hi Janine,
I realise from reading your blog that you’re based in Singapore now, but I was wondering if you might be interested in the chance to win a family holiday to France in 2012? You can view our competition page here:
http://www.pagel-france.com/win-a-family-holiday-2012
I thought, as you’re a travel writer and blogger, our site might be of interest to you.
Regards,
James
Hi 21st Century Mummy
I hope you are well.
I was reading through your blog and thought you and your readers would be interested in Crave Maternity’s new Rental Collection. Crave are the world’s first major maternity manufacturer to launch an in-house rental collection.
I would love to send you some more detailed information. I read on your blog that you are currently pregnant, would to like to test the rental collection and review it on your blog?
If you drop me an email I will send over some more information, in the meantime here is a link to the collection which was launched last week http://www.cravematernity.co.uk/categories/rental-collection/.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Best Wishes
Emma x
Hello,
Am loving your blog, particularly your piece on who you used to fancy – I too miss Rob Lowe in B&S…!
I wanted to chat to you about a new mobile website that’s just been launched called http://www.babyoutandabout.com – a new mobile website that provides parents with ‘local knowledge’ if they find themselves in an unfamiliar area of London and desperately need a place to change a baby or a park to entertain bored kids.
To make the site work properly, we’re asking parents to share their knowledge of where to go in London for a family friendly meal / coffee / playground and so forth, so it becomes a sort of Trip Advisor for parents.
The site already has some data already on it. What we’re hoping to do is ask mums belonging to London playgroups to help us add info to the site, and in return we’ll give each playgroup up to £50.
If we can get enough London mums to help populate the site, the hope is that it will spread out across the UK, so if you end up in the middle of e.g Oxford and need to find a park with some swings, you could just log onto the site and find somewhere, using the map to guide you there.
We’ve drafted a blog post on it and wondered whether it would be something you might be able to help us publicise? Mums are the only ones with proper local knowledge and without them the site won’t be of any proper use, so as many as we can get to use and support it the better.
Thanks in advance, Sarah
Hi, great to hear from you, I now live in Singapore so this is not really relevant to me. Good luck with it, it’s a great idea.
Hi Janine,
I’ve just come across your site and think it’s a great resource for parents!
I thought you and your readers might be interested in our new company; The Little Concierge Company.
The Little Concierge Company http://www.thelittleconicerge.co.uk is a premium service delivering baby essentials; nappies, milk, food, toiletries and much more to holiday destinations all over the world.
Parents can choose superior quality baby products and with one click of a mouse, their items will be shipped to their destination and waiting for them on arrival. The Little Concierge also takes care of Mum & Dad, offering a large selection of parent’s essentials and luxuries.
The Little Concierge Company saves families time, effort, stress and money. When availing of The Little Concierge, parents no longer need to pre-pack bulky baby products and pay excess baggage, are no longer reliant on unfamiliar and overpriced nappies, formula or baby food. The Little Concierge offers a professional, yet friendly service, enabling Mum & Dad to relax safe in the knowledge their children will be looked after.
If you’d like to learn more about us please do not hesitate to contact me.
Kind regards
Elizabeth Leigh
Founder of The Little Concierge Company
Hi It sounds like a great idea. Perhaps next time I travel I will try it out.
If you are interested, I could do a sponsored post/run an ad on my site.
Hello 21st Century Mummy!
I wasn’t sure how to formally reach you, so I’m using this as the first step if I may?
I’m working on the PR for this year’s children’s BAFTA awards and the presenter, Barney Harwood, is issuing a call for action to all children so that they get voting for who they want to win in each respective category.
I think it’s important for children and in their interest to get voting. Helping to give the winner recognition for a category such as “Learning – Primary/Secondary” or “Pre-School Animation” will help to ensure that programmers out there continue to deliver children material that is both educational and entertaining in all the right ways! Nominees include “BBC Bitesize KS2 Maths” and beloved shows like “Peppa Pig”.
I have content for you from Barney Harwood himself, issuing the call for action to kids. Would you be interested in featuring this on your blog? It would be great to urge parents to get their children involved.
If you provide an email I can send you through further details, as well as a link to Barney’s message.
Thanks and I look forward to hearing from you!
Nathan Paice
Nathan@romleydavies.com
020 7148 3770
07770 927 279
Dear 21st Century Mummy
Would you like to review a new online publishing service? My client Bathtub Admiral has just launched two books via its website, a baby book and a cook book. Both are designed and created by you using their easy online software and personalised with your photos, recipes, memories and lots of text opportunities to describe events. All those torn out magazine recipes can be put into the cook book with handed down recipes from family and friends. Or put your baby’s first year’s into a photobook, scan ID bracelets and include lots of information about events so that the images aren’t just a collection of photos but full memories for your children when they grow up. Would you get in touch if you’d like a voucher code to produce your own book?
WIth kind regards
Michelle
Sorry for the detail in replying. Thank you for approaching me, it sounds like a great idea but I am so snowed under at the moment, that I’d hate to not be able to put the review up for a long time.
Hi Janine,
Appreciate if you can drop me an email. I would like to invite you for a parenting event which I think you will find helpful.
Thanks!
Hi,
First thank yo uso much for taking the time to blog.
I came across a part on the blog that talked about your daughter being “constantly hungry.” My daughter, who is 2 and a half years old is this way as well and has been since about 3 months or so. I guess I am writing to you in hopes of finding any advice you have on this. I have talked to her doctor and have not received any great advice.
Thank you so very much.
Hi. I didn’t get any good advice and just had to try not let it bother me. I just made sure she was eating healthy food, eating frequently (healthy snacks). We moved to Singapore when she was just over three. She now hardly eats anything (not sure if it’s the hot weather or the environment or just her age), so now I have the opposite problem, trying to get her to eat. Good luck.
Hello Janine,
I chanced upon your website while trying to google ‘Original Sprout Singapore’ for ourselves. I saw you had an article on the Babywash.
Just wanted to let you know that since 9 months back, we have started importing Original Sprout directly into Singapore. It is available at our salon called ‘pout’ located along Upper Thomson Road, or online at http://www.pout.com.sg
Best Regards
Ivena
pout
Great news, how much does it cost here?
Hello,
The Original Sprout Hair & Babywash costs:
S$16.50 for 4oz
S$36.00 for 12oz
S$78.00 for 33oz
We’ve got the entire range here!
I’ll have to pop along when I run out!
Hi Janine,
May I ask your permission to link my website page on Original Sprout Babywash to your review on the product please?
Hi Ivena, I usually charge for links on my website.
Oh, actually I meant the other way around. The link to 21stcenturymummy will be placed on my website. I just wanted people to read your review of the Babywash, if that’s alright with you.
Oh yes, sorry, of course you can! In that case I’d be happy to swap links.
Oh that would be fantastic! I’ve inserted links to 21stcenturymummy both on the Original Sprout product main page as well as on the Hair & Body Babywash page.