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I have what you’d call a love/hate relationship with my daughter’s hair. I love it when it looks neat and tidy, I hate it when I have to plait, wash or comb it – and so does she.

When she was younger I could almost get away with doing it while she slept, but as she’s got older we’ve gone from me chasing her around the house with a comb in my hand, to her sitting down for half of the ordeal before deciding she’s had enough. Oh, and did I mention how she hates to have water or shampoo touch her hair?

With her kinky afro hair I’m always on the lookout for any brands claiming to have an ‘easy comb’ or ‘detangling’ effect to make at least one aspect of the hair-dressing procedure less harrowing.

I’ve  recently been trying Mini Naked De-tangler Shampoo and while it wasn’t an obvious choice – ie not aimed at afro-haired children – I was surprised (and glad) to see it did the job. Part of the Naked range, but specially for little ones, it’s almost completely (97%) made from natural ingredients.

Admittedly I wasn’t too keen on the smell when I first started to use it, but I think that may have been the combination of lavender oil in the ingredients alongside aloe vera – I’ve never been a fan of lavender and it always takes me a while to get used to the aroma!

It retails at about £3 which isn’t too bad, especially as afro hair doesn’t need to be washed every day  – which is quite lucky really as I don’t think I, or my daughter, could cope with the trauma!

IF you follow my posts, you’ll know I’m a huge fan of Aveeno Baby, it works fantastically on my son’s skin and I have no complaints!

Now the brand has teamed up with baby food expert Miriam Cooper, aka Mimi’s Bowl, to mark Allergy Awareness Week with two yummy recipes suitable for even the most sensitive of tiny tummies.

A perfect partnership, Aveeno Baby’s range of skincare products are specially designed using oats to be gentle on your little one’s skin – the latest Dermexa range has been created for eczema-prone skin.

While Miriam works to show how you can create healthy and simple meals for the family at home, especially when introducing your baby to solids for the first time during weaning.

Weaning is when you may start to notice your child’s skin becoming irritated due to allergens, so these two recipes from Mimi’s Bowl are allergen-free #winning.

For more information visit www.mimisbowl.com. Aveeno Baby products are available to buy at all major retailers.

The dark-haired TV presenter was more than candid about coping with life as a working mum when I bumped into her at make-up brand Benefit’s pop-up pub launch of Gabbi’s Head recently.

When querying exactly how she copes juggling a successful career in the media with the pressures of motherhood (while looking so glam!) she joked ‘A large glass of wine!’

Joking aside, the 38 year old mother of two confided ‘It’s definitely about having some sort of balance – and making sure you take time out for yourself.

‘Recently I’ve been working six day weeks – the phone’s ringing, I’m dealing with a four and a seven year old, a bunch of pets and animals – and people will then comment that they think I’ve lost weight! But once I know everything has been done and is in its place – I’m a bit OCD! – it’s important to make that time for yourself, whether it’s a massage, a glass – or bottle! – of wine.’

Speaking for lots of other working parents out there, Gallacher added ‘It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when it’s coming at you from all angles, but having a balance and taking some time out occasionally – that’s what works for me.’

I’m going to try and to be a bit more prepared for the next school holiday and think about things to do with the kids in advance, and not just leave it to the night before!
I’m lucky to have discovered 5 Minute Fun who come up with simple – and enjoyable! – ideas to keep little fingers busy and most importantly allowing you to grab five minutes to yourself.

It was great to see both my toddler and nine year working together to make a fabulous owl from the goody bag they kindly gifted us!

I’ve spoken before about how difficult it is to get them to enjoy the same activity, so this was a Godsend.

And the activity cards (only £1.99 atm!) could keep the whole family occupied for ages doing little fun tasks, in the house or outside, which don’t involve any extra cash being spent.

Check them out ahead of the forthcoming Easter holidays!

www.5minutefun.com