20210217_105205

HANDS up who remembers reading The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole as a child?

Well now the much-loved novel by Sue Townsend has been adapted into a stage musical and is running at London’s Ambassadors Theatre – and you could be there watching it with your family!

Set in 1980s Leicester, the adaptation of the best-selling book is described as ‘a timeless tale of teenage angst, family struggles and unrequited love, told through the eyes of tortured poet and misunderstood intellectual Adrian Mole.’

For a chance to win a family of four ticket, all you have to do is sign up to follow my blog via email and follow my Instagram account @themediamummy for an additional entry.

Sue Townsend’s The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole aged 13¾ – The Musical runs until 12 October 2019

Ambassadors Theatre, West Street, London WC2H 9ND 

www.adrianmolethemusical.com

Terms and conditions – Ticket competition for a family of four ticket to be redeemed on a Monday-Thursday show, subject to availability during July & August. Name to be drawn on Thursday 27 June, 11pm (UK time).

HAVE you ever tried to talk to your children about the dangers of oversharing online?

Well, Vodafone UK and Andersen Press have joined forces to publish a lively retelling of the classic story of Goldilocks, this time giving it the title #Goldilocks A Hashtag Cautionary Tale.

And they haven’t cut any corners, getting among the best in the business to write and illustrate the tale – children’s author Jeanne Willis and celebrated illustrator Tony Willis (Gangsta Granny, Horrid Henry).

The book makes it soo much easier to explain the downfalls of sharing too much on social media and in a totally light-hearted manner.

We were treated to a reading of the story by Jeanne herself at the launch in London at Foyles bookstore. Plus, the children had a chance to take part in a drawing masterclass by Tony which my daughter loved.

My kids are still young and are nowhere close to having their own social media accounts but my eight year old daughter is very aware of things like Facebook and Instagram so it doesn’t hurt to educate her on the dangers.

Research shows nearly half (48%) of children are aware of social media by age seven, according to their parents. Plus a third (33%) say they have used or looked at social media by this age.

Best of all the book is available to download FOR FREE at  www.vodafone.co.uk/digitalparenting. The book also marks the launch of Vodafone’s new Digital Parenting website, which is simply billed as a go-to-guide for parents on the latest digital safety and wellbeing issues – something useful to have close to hand in this day and age.

The celebrities were out in force on Monday night for the launch of Audi City in Mayfair and I’m sure the sound of those jangling car keys to the free cars they’d [allegedly] be picking up helped with their attendance…
Glamorous mums Thandie Newton and Sophie Ellis-Bextor were joined by the likes of David Gandy, Brian Ferry and Clive Owen at the launch of the car manufacturer’s first digital showroom.

After a quick chat with the dashing Rupert Penry-Jones about the Chris Cunningham art/light installation, I grabbed Sophie for an update on how life as a working mum has been treating her – the singer gave birth to her third son in April.
‘What are my tips to being a successful working mum? Winging it! I’m quite lucky as I can take my children to work with me – even when I DJ. I’ve just been to Ukraine and Moscow and took Ray with me and he was fine. He’s only 10 weeks old, so I’m still at the stage where I don’t really like to leave him.’
Going on to praise my blog (yes – I had to get that in somewhere!), she added, ‘I think there should be more support for working mums and I have the utmost respect for them and of course, full-time mothers – what you’re doing is fantastic.
‘My one piece of advice would probably be – don’t be afraid of being selfish – I couldn’t give up what I do and I think that’s important.’

Being a working mum is not easy – I’m sure you’ve heard it all before – and being a working mum in the media is just as hard.

The idea behind this blog is not to complain about working in the world of showbiz/entertainment journalism, while finding time to be the perfect mother to my two year old daughter, but to give myself an outlet to write about all the things I’m currently concerned with – namely celebrities, childcare costs and the joys of potty training. So expect to hear about everything from fashion, beauty and showbiz, to celebrity parents and child-friendly days out and products….