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Gareth Ellis
- Jan 14, 2022
- 2 min
The Taboo Of The Stay at Home Dad
I’ve been a Daddy for almost four years now. I know what you’re thinking, Rupert’s only three, how can you have been a Daddy for four? Well, I counted myself as one the moment Jess told me we were going to be having him. There are some who may not agree. Who think that you’re not a parent until the baby arrives, or the baby/child arrives in their home, but I chose to view it differently. For the most part I love being a Dad. I love getting out and about with the kids and taki
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Gareth Ellis
- Jan 11, 2022
- 2 min
Independence Days, Sometimes
I love my kids. They’re funny, they’re sweet and although I may be biased, they’re bloody gorgeous as well. But bugger me they can be a bit full on at times. Currently, Rupert wants to do everything for himself – everything but use a potty that is, but that’s another matter. Now, I know what you’re thinking, a bit of independence is great, children should learn to do things for themselves, and yes I’m all for that. Now, imagine independence while picturing a three-year-old po
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Gareth Ellis
- Jul 30, 2021
- 3 min
Never Wake a Sleeping Daddy
I love sleep. I’m a man who needs to get his eight hours a night in or I feel perpetually tired throughout the day, moving like a zombie who’s been kept awake all night. I know what you’re thinking; becoming a Dad was the worst thing that I could have done because your sleep schedule gets torn up, pooed on, and thrown out of the window by your adorable little angels. When babies are tiny you almost enjoy it. With both Rupert and Emilia, I wanted them to cry sometimes because
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Gareth Ellis
- Jul 1, 2021
- 3 min
Safety First
I’ve always been a cautious kind of guy. When I was younger I didn’t really want to climb trees or do anything dangerous, I rarely talked back to my teachers at school for fear of the repercussions, and I liked doing things that were safe. So, it’s no surprise that as a Dad I am very cautious with the kids as well – I think the number one phrase that comes out of my mouth when I’m with the kids is either ‘careful’ or ‘be careful.’ Jess and I have a very different approach to
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Gareth Ellis
- May 17, 2021
- 3 min
Hooray for Indoor Play
Today has been a very big day in our return to normality. Today marks the day that people can see each other indoors and get that all important hug they may have been missing for the past however many months. For me, it means that indoor play dates could soon be a thing, and with the weather being as bad as it has been just recently that could be a godsend. The problem my wife Jess and I have found is that without being able to meet anyone outside of your support bubble, we’v
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Gareth Ellis
- May 14, 2021
- 4 min
Mental Health Awareness Week
I am struggling. It hurts me to say it, to admit it, but I’m having a hard time right now. I’m putting on a face a lot of the time but behind closed doors the bad days are outweighing the good. Jess has gone back to work and I’m full-time Daddy, something I thought would be a lot easier and much less exhausting. However, as it’s mental health awareness week I thought I would share not only my true feelings, but a little about my journey as well. In the past I’ve struggled wit
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Gareth Ellis
- May 12, 2021
- 3 min
Being a full-time Daddy
Just recently I started a new job. I say new, I’ve been doing it on a ‘part-time’ basis for two and a half years, but now I’ve been ‘promoted’ to full time Daddy. My wife, Jess, went back to work this week after taking the last year off on maternity leave and I’ll therefore need to be on hand to take over the parental responsibilities. I’m not scared, you’re scared. To be honest, I’m not really that worried about it. For starters, they’re my children, and I know them pretty w
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Gareth Ellis
- Apr 27, 2021
- 3 min
Review: Thrift Farm
As parents we’re always looking for things to do with our children. Sometimes it can be something simple in the garden or a nice walk, and other times it’s a day out. When they’re babies it’s fairly easy, you get to do all the things that YOU want to do and they come along for the ride. But as they grow, children have an increasing awareness of what they like and what they don’t. With Rupert, we can’t often pass a park without him running in or wanting to play, and fortunatel
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Gareth Ellis
- Mar 25, 2021
- 2 min
Nursery Rhymes are Nonsense
Nursery rhymes and children’s songs are weird. I mean, have you ever properly listened to one? At the moment, it’s a common occurrence to hear the phrase ‘Alexa, play children’s music,’ to keep Rupert and Emi entertained. But in listening to that every day for the last two months I’ve learned a lot of the lyrics to these songs and my god are some of them weird. Take, for example, Old Mother Hubbard. It’s a charming song that starts out simple enough. Old woman has a dog, goes
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Gareth Ellis
- Feb 19, 2021
- 2 min
9 Months In, 9 Months Out – Part 2
Just recently, Emi turned nine months old. And yes, just like every other month, I can’t quite believe how fast time is going. I know, I know, it sounds like a cliché, but it really is true. Time flies when you have children. In the nine months she’s blessed our family she’s grown so much and already learned a hell of a lot. This time, around 18 months ago, I was writing a very similar blog about Rupert turning nine months, so I’ll try not to compare the two of them too much
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Gareth Ellis
- Jan 16, 2021
- 2 min
Teaching Tolerance, not Stereotypes
This week, Emilia turned eight months old. She’s had a big week this week, because as well as pulling herself up from sitting to standing, she’s also started to crawl (she seems like she’s going to be an all or nothing kind of girl.) As well as developing at a pace that makes me wish she was still a tiny bundle of joy, her hair is starting to get longer too. With longer hair comes the responsibility of keeping it out of her eyes with clips etc, and soon I know it will advance
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Gareth Ellis
- Jan 5, 2021
- 3 min
The Fun of Feeding Two Children
When you have to feed one child it can be difficult, feeding two can be hectic. We started feeding Rupert solid food when he was around six months old, starting with mashed banana, and advancing to things like Weetabix and sweet potato. For the most part he fed really well. He was one of those children who you couldn’t shovel the food in fast enough, he was just ready with his mouth open for the next spoonful. As most of you will know, all children are different. So, some chi
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Gareth Ellis
- Jan 1, 2021
- 6 min
Review of the Year: 2020
This year has been a strange one. Dominated strongly by one thing, we’ve seen the best and worst of the human spirit as people battled through tiers and heartbreak with laughter and strength. It was a year where we welcomed our beautiful daughter, Emilia, to our family and she made us feel complete, yet we weren’t allowed to meet up with family so they could share in our joy. Here’s a rundown of life in the Ellis household in 2020. January: Rupert walked for the first time ou
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Gareth Ellis
- Dec 18, 2020
- 2 min
Book Review: There’s Two of Us Now
Jess and I love reading to our children. Rupert has a story or two before he goes down for a nap, and two more (sometimes the same two) when it’s time to sleep for the night. With Emilia it’s hard to hold her concentration for that long but still, you’re never too young to be read to. Our beautiful boy, Rupert, arrived in November 2018 and when his sister, Emilia, arrived in May of this year we wondered how he would not only take to being a big brother but how he would adapt
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Gareth Ellis
- Nov 19, 2020
- 2 min
Celebrating a birthday in lockdown
This Sunday was a weird day. It was the first time in 35 years that I’ve had a birthday in lockdown. But I’m not alone though, there will have been millions who this affected, not only back in March but also across this whole year – including my mother-in-law and Rupert too. Hopefully, my MIL had just as good a day as I did because despite the lockdown I had an amazing time. Yes, I could only see my Dad and brother outside, and one by one, and yes I couldn’t hug them or go ou
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Gareth Ellis
- Nov 2, 2020
- 2 min
Reading to the kids, on your own
Hands up, how many parents out there, even non-parents have ever played with their/a child’s toys or eaten their food? I have to admit that sometimes I’ve had a little taste of Rupert’s yoghurt, or some other tasty dinner we’ve made him and he’s not eaten. Then, of course, I justify it by saying that it was going to go to waste anyway. Well, it was, right? There are also, so many of Ru’s toys that I’ve shown more interest in than him and on more than one occasion I have built
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Gareth Ellis
- Oct 20, 2020
- 3 min
Review: Pumpkin Picking at The Patch MK
This weekend was a first for the Ellis family – as it was the first time any of us had gone pumpkin picking. Rupert is a massive fan of getting out and about, Emilia is always beautifully behaved wherever we go and Jess and I just like spending time together – so it seemed perfect. Let me first start out by telling you a little bit about the premise of the day in case you’re thinking of heading there yourself. The Patch is a working farm area, Mount Mill Farm to be exact, bas
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Gareth Ellis
- Sep 26, 2020
- 2 min
‘My kids amaze me every day.’
Some might say I’m easily pleased, but I am amazed by my children every day. I know that’s a bit of an obvious statement but genuinely they do something every day that I will marvel at (and no-one else is all that bothered.) Even the little things they do seem to make me think they’re both geniuses. For example, Rupert loves to help put the washing machine on. He gets the clothes, puts them inside, he gets the fabric softener from the cupboard and then presses the button to p
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Gareth Ellis
- Aug 24, 2020
- 2 min
Lockdown Life as a Working Dad
In the last four months I’ve been working from home, much like a number of people around the country. However, when you say working from home you envision waking up 15 minutes before work starts, rolling into the shower and then making it downstairs with a coffee in front of your laptop with a minute to spare before work starts. Working from home when you have two children, one of whom is a newborn, is completely different. Here’s a typical day for my wife and I. 5am – drag m
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Gareth Ellis
- Jul 21, 2020
- 3 min
Not Fair to Compare
When you have children people always tell you ‘no two children are the same.’ You do your best not to compare but sometimes it’s impossible. So and so’s little one down the road walked at 10 months, that other baby is already eating solids at five months, matey boy’s son slept through the night from six weeks. I hate the competition of it. Most of us learn to eat and talk eventually. I mean, I’ve not yet met a person who crawls everywhere like a baby, pointing up at the coffe
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