April 2017 - Being A Mama Abroad

In Reviews

Best Travel Toys For Babies – When Visiting Grandparents Abroad

April 28, 2017 No Comments

Visiting grandparents or relatives abroad with your baby? There is so much to think about, so much stuff to pack when you travel with a baby. Apart from your own gear, you need million other things for your baby. Space is limited, and there are baby essentials like clothing, travel system or medication, so it’s important to leave anything unnecessary behind. Toys? Yes, you need some of your baby’s favourite, but you don’t need a lot.

Baby’s grandparents will probably take care of things like cot, baby bath, high chair, car seat and other baby essentials. Ours did, so I didn’t want to bother them even more by asking to get some toys to keep my baby entertained.

In Baby

Babies As Our Teachers – Things We All Should Learn From Them

April 23, 2017 8 Comments

Babies are incredible little creatures. When they are born, they are so dependent on us adults. They learn from us, they need our love and comfort, they need our full attention. We are the ones who teach them how to walk, speak, interact with others, and so on. As they grow older, we teach them important life lessons; to respect others, how to be a good person and many many more. But there is something truly amazing about the way babies experience the world around them. They are present in the moment they are in. There is no past and no future, just now. I believe that as much as we teach them, they can teach us a great deal about life as well. We were all babies once, but it seems as if we have forgotten how to enjoy our lives. After watching my ten-month-old for a while, I…

In Baby

5 Reasons Why To Teach Your Child Her Mother Tongue

April 16, 2017 2 Comments

I was asked by a family member a while ago what language am I talking to my daughter. When I said that it’s mainly Slovak, she was pleasantly surprised. She also told me that she knows few Slovak couples living abroad who didn’t teach their kids our native language. That sparks a question. Is it really that important to teach a child your mother tongue when you live in foreign lands? You see, when you live abroad, you may feel that you have to teach your child a community language first and if that language is English, it just makes so much sense. English is widely spread around the globe and you would much rather your child to be fluent in an international language, right? I agree, but don’t dismiss your mother tongue just yet. It should still be on your list of top priorities. While to me it comes…

In Living abroad

Easter Traditions In Slovakia – We Get All Wet And Whipped

April 12, 2017 No Comments

Since I left Slovakia twelve years ago, I was only home for Easter once. This year it’s going to be my second time. While I’m looking forward to experiencing the Easter traditions all over again, not all customs are very enjoyable, especially if you are a girl.

There are things like traditional Easter food I love, yummy home made cakes, the family atmosphere I miss so much and then there is ….Easter Monday.

But let’s start from the beginning. We’ll get back to Easter Monday in just a short while. So how do we celebrate Easter? What are Easter traditions in Slovakia?

In Baby

Flying With A Baby Checklist And Tips

April 10, 2017 4 Comments

Visiting our families abroad and hence flying is a regular part of our lives. We’ve had two abroad trips with our ten-month-old so far and are about to visit Slovakia again, so I think it’s a good idea to share some tips about organising and planning for the journey. If you want some hints about the actual flight and how to survive it without too much stress, then read this.

Now then, do you want to know how to pack when traveling with a baby? What do you need for the duration of the flight? Read this checklist for flying with a baby, plus I offer some of my tips here and there. This guide is about short haul flights only (2-3 hours), so please bear that in mind.

In Living abroad

Summer Is Finally Here – Oh Wait, It’s Only A Spring

April 5, 2017 No Comments

Winter is definitely over and the summer, I mean spring, is finally here. It’s so easy to get confused when you live in the UK. The time changed a few weeks ago, and the days are becoming longer. But that’s not the real reason why you might get confused. Oh no. It’s the fact that with the first sun rays after the winter British people go a bit ‘summer crazy’. They start walking around half naked, fill up the parks, roofs on cabriolets go down, and the ice cream vans suddenly appear everywhere. And it’s still only 15 degrees Celsius outside. But hey, we have the sunshine.

In Parenting

It’s Not A Competition – Comparing Your Baby To Others Isn’t Helpful

April 2, 2017 2 Comments

Getting advice and tips from other mums is great, but there are also times when mums get too competitive and treat motherhood like one big contest. Some mums just love to boast and brag about their babies’ achievements, making you feel like you are doing it all wrong.

Comparing ourselves and our children comes naturally for most mums. We compare the milestones of our babies and everything in between; the sleep pattern, feeding, behaviours, etc.

Comparing your baby to others can make you feel jealous and inadequate. It’s not healthy, and you probably know that babies all develop differently, they all have their little personality and temperament from a very young age.

Even though, it can be hard to avoid the comparison trap. I know that I’m guilty too.