TREE CHANGE DOLLS

   Two years ago my sister-in-law was frustrated when her daughter asked her to buy a Monster High doll. She refused to such a doll as she thought it was not appropriate for a seven year old girl. The Monster High dolls are teenagers but they look like prostitutes. They have full makeup, wear provocative clothes and extremely high heels. Sonia Singh, who has two little daughters, also didn't like the look of dolls nowadays. She decided to restyle the dolls to give them the look of young girls. She repainted their faces to have a more childish look, combed their hair into pony tails or braids and sewed them new clothes. Sonia shared the results of her work on Facebook and she received very positive feedback from mums from around the world. She branded her restyled dolls "Tree Change Dolls" as the first photos of the dolls were taken on a tree in her garden. Currently Sonia shares her experience of doll restoration on her web page and encourages parents to provide their children with more appropriate dolls. She would also like to affect toy manufacturers to rethink the type of dolls they produce.

Tree Change Dolls by Sonia Singh

   Some time ago when I saw a Barbie doll in a second hand store I decided to buy it and give her a second life. I shared the idea of saving the poor Barbie with my daughter and she liked it very much. First we washed the doll in warm water with fabric softener. Then we detangled her hair with a brush and made her two braids. Next I slightly repainted her face - changed the lip color to be more natural and made the eyebrows a little bit thicker. Finally I sewed her a dress from a piece of my daughter old clothing. I believe the result of our work is quite impressive. Now our Barbie looks like a happy teenager and my daughter loves to play with her. 

Our Barbie "before and after" transformation

   The best thing about restoring our Barbie is that I spent a great time with my daughter. Now she is asking me to buy another doll to restore it ;)

SOUVENIRS (NOT) MADE IN CHINA

   At the beginning of June I went on vacation with my family to Niechorze which is on the west coast of the Baltic Sea. We spent ten days having a wonderful time there. The weather was perfect and the beach was not overcrowded because it was before the peak season. However the local sellers noticed the increased number of tourists and began to open stalls with souvenirs. They were located along the path to the beach and every time we passed by them my kids asked me to buy something. My daughter even made a list of things that she wanted me to buy her for the day i.e.: an ice-cream, waffle or toy-seal. To minimize the risk of buying useless or poor quality things it's good to choose them from the following categories (all verified by us):

• Books - No matter how many books you have at home it is always worth taking the opportunity to buy a new one ;) After finishing the last of my books on the third day of our stay this year, I decided to look for a new one in the nearby book outlet (for sure I will not make this mistake next year). The prices were low but it was hard to find a decent book as I'm not a fan of romances, thrillers or guides. Eventually I bought "Efekt Domina" (Eng. Domino Effect) written by Dominika Kulczyk with 75% discount.
• Jewellery - In almost every seaside town you can find stores with jewellery made by Polish jewelers. Last year I bought silver earrings that I often wear to work. This year I bought a silver locket for myself and a heart-shaped pendant made of pink quartz and a bracelet with amber beads for my daughter. 
• Accessories - Two years ago I bought a grey leather bag with a fringe that became my favorite and despite the passage of time it kept its appearance. You can also buy a leather wallet or a scarf but you should avoid buying another key-chain or fridge magnet as you probably already have a drawer full of them. 
• Toys - It is really hard to avoid buying toys when your kids have a chance to look at them each time you go to the beach. Most of them are made in China and their quality is very poor. Last year I bought an Elsa doll for my daughter but even though it looked nice in the box the quality was tragic. The doll dress tore up on the first day, then she began to lose her hair and finally she broke her arm... We had to say goodbye to our Elsa and throw it into bin :( This year to minimize my kids temptation and avoid bad quality things I bought new toys before our holiday: a kite from Decathlon and a family game Dobble. My kids were happy with the new toys and during the holiday I bought only a toy-seal for my daughter and a wooden train for my son.

   The best souvenirs that we brought back from our holiday were memories of nice moments that we had together: long walks along the seaside, building sand castles, eating chocolate ice-creams or looking at a seal that was laying on the beach. We took kids on a narrow-gauge railway ride to Trzęsacz, where you can see the ruins of a church from the 14th century. We also visited Muzeum Rybołówstwa w Niechorzu (Eng. The Fisheries Museum in Niechorze). I took a lot of pictures and I plan to print and put them into our family album so that we will recall our memories during the cold winter evenings.

Walk by the beach at sunset

The grey seal

The ruins of a church in Trzęsacz

THE LITTLE WITCH

   “Once upon a time there was a little witch who was only a hundred and twenty-seven years old”-that’s how the story of the Little Witch and her talking raven Abraxas begins. "The Little Witch" (Pol. Malutka Czarownica) was written by Otfried Preussler, a German children's author. "The Little Witch" was written in 1957 and first published in Poland in 1960. Preussler invented this story for his little daughter who did not want to go to sleep because she was afraid of bad witches. Preussler tried to explain to her that witches do not exist. Then his daughter asked him if he was sure. His desire to answer this question became an inspiration to write the adventures of Little Witch.

   Every year, on Walpurgis Night, all the witches of the land meet to dance on Brocken Mountain. Little Witch is still too little to be invited, but this year she decided to sneak in anyway - and got caught by her evil aunt Rumpumpel. Little Witch was judged for her offense by Great Witch. Her broomstick was burned and she was made to walk home. She was told that she had a year to become a good witch if she wanted to be invited to Walpurgis Night next year. After all, what does it mean to be a good witch? Little Witch advised by Abraxas began to become a better witch and by the end of the story, she proves to be the biggest and best witch of all, but not the way the mean witches expected it.

   "The Little Witch" is one of those magical books that, when read in childhood, are being remembered for a lifetime. I regret that I did not know this book when I was young, but it made me feel like I was a child again for a moment. The novel is full of spells and extraordinary adventures that make it special and one of the most important and beloved. I've already read "The Little Ghost" written by Preussler to my children and they enjoyed the story, so I believe "The Little Witch" will steal their hearts as well.

"The Little Ghost" and "The Little Witch" by Otfried Preussler

DINOSAURS IN LUBIN

   During the long Mai weekend we visited my mother who lives in Lubin. We had dinner together and then we went to Park Wroclawski. The park was founded in the 19th century by adapting a part of the forest by the river Zimnica. In the 70's of the 20th century the park area has been enlarged to 14.47 ha. The park is located close to the kindergarten that I attended to when I was a child. I spent there many hours running and playing with other children. That time the park was a wild place with hardly any paths.

   Currently the park does not remind the place I remember from my childhood. In 2014 the park has undergone an extensive revitalization. Many educational paths have been created. In the south part of the park you can see various species of birds that live in aviaries including pheasants, owls, storks or eagles. In the east part a dinopark is located. You can meet there the most popular dinosaurs like diplodok, brachiosaurus, triceratops or the most scary tyrannosaur. My children had fun looking for dinosaurs hided among the tress. In the north part you can visit Mini Zoo with farm animals like chickens, rabbits, pigs or goats. At the end of our trip we went to the playground that has many attractions for children. I wanted to see the over a century old trees but I gave up that idea as it was impossible to get my children out of the playground.

   We spent really nice day in the park and what's even better after the whole day our children were completely exhausted and fell asleep as soon as we got into the car.

   The park has its own page on the parki-lubina.pl website, where you can find a map with detailed information on birds, trees and dinosaurs. I'm really glad that the park has it's "golden days" now and I hope it will preserve its good condition for many years.

Pheasant

White eagle

CZANTORIA

   I remember the times when I was able to pack my things into one backpack, get on a train and embark on a journey to the mountains. I slept in mountain shelters, ate local specialties and had the best moments of my life. Currently my children are still too little to take them on a mountain trip so I thought that it would be nice if a mountain could come to us. I invited the Little Czantoria when I heard that she is on her way back from visiting Śnieżka. We spent a great evening together. If you also would like to get to know the Little Czantoria I encourage you to read the book "O górze, która wybrała się w świat. Przygody Małej Czantorii" (Eng. About the mountain that went into the world. Adventures of the Little Czantoria) written by Weronika Górska.

   The Little Czantora lived for many ages in the shadow of her bigger sister, the Big Czantoria. She felt lonely and unappreciated. She couldn't stand being ignored by tourists and nearby residents any longer. One day, or rather night, she stood up on her feet and set out into the world. She met Łysa Góra, Tatry, Śnieżka, Olimp, Vesuvius and, of course, the Alps, the highest and most extensive mountain range that lies in Europe. Each of the mountains presented a different type of personality. Łysa Góra was too proud to admit that no witches these days arrange Sabbaths on her peak. Vesuvius and the Alps exalted themselves in front of their little cousin. Olimp, even though he was focused on how wonderful he was, made the Little Czantoria foll in love with him. The Little Czantoria found a true friend, Śnieżka, who also shared her passion about travels.

   The journey the Little Czantoria had, will not only teach you a lot about the mountains in Poland and Europe, but also about feelings and emotions, both positive and negative. The book is also a kind of satire on tourism and climbing. I truly believe that it's great for both small and adult readers alike!

O górze, która wybrała się w świat. Przygody Małej Czantorii by Weronika Górska

SECOND-HAND GOODS

   One of the reasons to buy preowned things is to save money as they are usually cheaper than new things. You can also decrease the amount of litter by giving a second life to things that have already been produced. When I was a child I wore clothes that I received from my older cousins and had school books that my mum received from her friend who had older children. For sure my parents saved money by equipping me and my sister with second-hand things but that time I wasn't as optimistic as my parents were. The clothes were not my style and often not my size and the books were dirty, crumpled and drawn on  with a ball point and crayons.

   To avoid the disadvantages of used things I follow three main rules:

1) I buy only things that are good shape, size and quality.

2) I buy things that I would buy new with normal price.

3) The price of the second-hand object is much lower than the new one.

I mostly buy used clothes for my children. I choose clothes that are in good condition and I know my children will like them. I avoid buying dirty clothes unless I’m 100% sure I will clean them easily. To plain t-shirts I add buttons, ribbons or lace (also from a second-hand store) to make them nicer for my daughter.

   I also have a few clothes in my wardrobe that I bought in a second-hand store. A salmon pink midi skirt from H&M that was new, with a paper tag attached and cost a tenth of the original price. I also have a floral dress from Oasis that had a stain on the front but I removed it easily and now I can wear it to work. I also bought winter trousers that are perfect for winter trips.

   As well as clothes I buy toys for my children. Recently my daughter asked me to buy her a toy monkey. It wasn't easy but I found two little monkeys in the second hand store that were available in 2017 in McDonald as an addition to a Happy Meal. You can still get those monkeys on eBay but they cost 6$ and I got mine for 2 zloty ;)

   I also buy used books that are old editions or no longer available in book stores. The things that I definitely won’t buy include underwear, shoes and bedclothes.

DOLLHOUSE

   When I was a little girl, I dreamt about having a dollhouse. I saw a dollhouse for the first time in  an American family movie in early 90's and I fell in love with it. In Poland dollhouses were not popular (none of my friends had one). As it was almost impossible for me to get a real dollhouse I made my own from a shoe box and furniture out of match boxes. The carpet and the curtains I cut out of colored materials. I had a little baby doll that lived in the house. My dollhouse was not half as beautiful as the American version but I was proud of it and spent many hours playing with it.

   When you become a parent you have the power to decide what toys your children will play with. More or less consciously you select the toys that you dreamt about when you were a child. It is then not surprising that I bought a dollhouse when I found out that I will deliver a girl :D I chose the Sylvanian Families City House with Lights. The Sylvanian Families toys are very good quality and made with attention to detail. As there is not much space in my current apartment, the City House waits in the attic of my parents-in-law for it's big day to come out. In order to mitigate the waiting time I bought another smaller dollhouse that I gave my daughter on her fourth birthday. This time I chose the Sylvanian Families Cottage House. The house was partially furnished and one rabbit figure was included. I bought the whole rabbit family separately, who now lives in the house. The additional furniture I ordered in aliexpress.com as the original sets are quite expensive. The substitute furniture is good quality and fits to the dollhouse perfectly. My favorite element is the sewing machine, it's made of metal and some parts of it are movable.

   My children like playing with the Cottage House. They remove everything from inside and refurnish it. After they finish I 'clean the house' and have a great time ;) To make the house more cozy we made several decorations. I am most proud of the cotton balls we made of little pompoms hung on a thread, a bouquet of flowers we made of beads and carpets cut from an old curtain.

   I made my childhood dream come true with the Sylvanian Families dollhouse but the most important thing is that I shared my passion with my children and now we can all enjoy it.

Sylvanian Families City House with Lights

Sylvanian Cottage House (Interior)

Sylvanian Cottage House (Front)

Children's room

Living room

THE HAPPIEST KIDS IN THE WORLD

   When I was browsing books in Biedronka about a month ago, in search of children books, I noticed a book with a nice cover and a catching title: "Najszczęśliwsze dzieci na świecie czyli wychowanie po holendersku" (Eng. The Happiest Kids in the World: How Dutch Parents Help Their Kids (and Themselves) by Doing Less) by Rina Mae Acosta and Michele Hutchison. I want my children to be happy so I decided to buy the book and discover how the Dutch succeed in raising the happiest kids in the world (which was proven by the 2013 UNICEF report).
   The book describes the day-to-day activities of Dutch parents from getting pregnant to raising teenagers. Rina Mae Acosta and Michele Hutchison - an American and a Brit, both married to Dutchmen and raising their kids in the Netherlands report back on what makes Dutch kids so happy and well adjusted. They share their personal observations but also refer to interviews with other parents and authorities in raising children and international reports examining children's quality of life.
   The following aspects can be distinguished from the Dutch model that make it successful:

• Happy children have happy parents - Most parents in the Netherlands (26,8% men and 75% women) work part-time which gives them the additional time to rest, have hobbies and play with their children. 
• Time together - Everyday they eat meals together. Children have chocolate sprinkles (hagelslag) for breakfast and simple hot dishes for supper. The atmosphere during the meals is nice and open and everyone is allowed to take part in the family discussion. 
• Gezelling house - The Dutch live in cozy and comfortable houses furnished with wooden and natural elements. The houses are their shelters where they can feel safe and rest from every day duties.
• Simple and economic life - They don't like to spend too much money when it is not needed. They prefer to go camping holiday rather than on an expensive all inclusive trip. They do not organize lavish parties but invite only the closest family members and friends and serve simple snacks. 
• Rules and boundaries - Children are given clear rules and when they do not follow them they are not punished but encouraged to apply them next time and praised for good behavior.
• Spend time outside - Children spend most of their time outside playing with other children in the garden or nearby park. Both parents and children cycle almost everyday regardless of the weather (even during the rain with an umbrella in one hand).
• Avoiding pressure - Parents do not compare their children to others. The children do not have to be the best. They are not overloaded with homework and have only a few scheduled “activities”.
• Independence - School children are allowed to play outside unsupervised. They are left to make their own decisions but need to take consequences of their choices. 
• Governance support - Dutch parents receive support from their governance from nursery to help with a newborn to school education and the posibility of a part-time job. 

   All of this allows Dutch parents to enjoy their parenthood and keep the work-life balance. Of all the above points in the Dutch model, I miss the additional free time the most as I work full-time. I wish I could spend more time with my children, be able to meet my friends more often and have time for craft activities...

The Happiest Kids in the World: How Dutch Parents Help Their Kids (and Themselves) by Doing Less
by Rina Mae Acosta and Michele Hutchison

LONDON

   When I'm thinking about a place that I would like to visit London definitely wouldn't be on my list. I prefer the quiet countryside to noisy cities. I like to be close to nature, stand my bare feet on green grass, smell sweet flowers, hear birds singing and feel the sun and wind touching my face. 

   I went to London on a two-day business trip. I used a direct connection to Stansted Airport by Ryanair. There I took a railway to Liverpool Street station. My office was on the other side of London Bridge and I got there in 20 minutes on foot. I stayed in London Bridge Hotel. My room was small with a little round window and A view of a building on the other side of a narrow street but the bed was soft and comfortable and I did not hear any noise from outside. I did not have many opportunities for sightseeing as the main part of the day I spent in the office. On the first day I only had a chance for a short walk along the Thames and it was already getting dark so I could't see much. On the next day I did a quick shop and in the evening returned home. I bought cheddar for my husband, a miniature of a black taxi and a red doubledecker for my children and a bar of Toblerone. 

   I only spent short a time in London but it was impossible not to notice a huge contrast between wealth and poverty. Next to modern offices, people dressed in smart clothes with laptop bags on their shoulders you can see homeless people living on the streets among piles of rubbish. Everyone was in a hurry trying to get to the destination of their journey as soon as possible. It was difficult to walk along the path without being hit by anyone. Even in the evening the streets are full of people, some returning home or to a hotel, some going to meet friends in a pub and some jogging around the others.

   I was happy to be back home, where I'm not overwhelmed by skyscrapers, crowds of people, noisy street and rubbish.

Above clouds with Ryanair

The Shard

London Bridge

Millennium Bridge

Tower Bridge

London Taxi

Liverpool Street Station

WEEKEND IN KARPACZ

   I'm really glad that recent winters are not as cold as they were in my childhood. They look like an extension of autumn rather than a separate season. The only disadvantage is that I cannot take my children on a sled because of a lack of snow.

   When I received an invitation to visit my friend in Karpacz at the end of February I didn't hesitate too long. Firstly I truly missed my friend, as we do not have many opportunities to meet in person, as she lives in Bristol and comes to Poland only once or twice a year, and secondly a weekend in Sudety sounded like a perfect plan to rest from everyday duties. I also counted on a little snow to make a snowman or throw snowballs with my children.

   On Saturday morning we ate breakfast, packed warm clothes and snacks for the road and set off on a journey. After two hours of listening to our children crunching corn snacks, complaining "My butt hurts!" and asking "Are we there yet?" we reached our destination. My friend welcomed us with her husband and her mother. After a short rest we went for a walk. It was snowing and my son wasn't happy about it, he was covering his face with his hands trying to avoid falling snowflakes. After 30 minutes of walking my daughter started to cry as she felt too cold. We carried our children home as soon as possible. The rest of the day we spent on warming ourselves near the fireplace, eating chocolate and drinking hot tea (and red wine after our children went to bed).  

   On the next day we went for a short walk and visited Muzeum Zabawek (Eng. Toy Museum). The museum is located in the renovated building that belonged earlier to the railway and one room is dedicated to its memory. You can see there train models, old documents and train tickets. The exhibition of toys is located in the main part of the building. I was delighted with dollhouses from the previous century. I could have spent long hours looking at the cleverly crafted furniture but with my children running around I was only able to give a quick look and take a photo. My son was interested in dinosaurs and toy cars and my daughter in little toy animals (I had to take a photo of every little creature).
   The way back home was definitely better as our children fell asleep as we left Karpacz.

Winter walk in Karpacz

Together on a snowy path

Living room in a dollhouse

Bedroom in a dollhouse

The railway exibition