Welcome to Our Family Life with Tech Savvy Mum.
Our Family Life blog started in 2009. Our actual family life started in 1996.
At the time I was the Art Editor for The Sunday People newspaper. One of my colleagues who was looking after our website asked people if they wanted to write a blog.
I said I would write one, but I had no idea what it was. I always put myself up for extra work before realising what's involved!
After doing some research, I found a few inspirational UK parent bloggers out there and thought our own family life could make content other parents can relate to or help them.
One day out of nowhere, I got a call on my way into work from our Deputy Editor. He asked me if I would be interested in writing a column in the paper. I was shocked, nervous, and most of all excited. I said yes straightaway.
My full-page column in The Sunday People ran for 32 editions. It was called 'Family Life'.
I sourced the content, wrote it, designed it and did the image production too!
I also got help from my husband Mark, who was a stay-at-home dad (or a dad as we like to call it) for 16 years, so he brought another angle to the column. And from my very clever sister-in-law Jenni, who has 2 boys (our nephews) and is an amazing author, and fab at cooking so gave me some wonderful recipes.
When 'Family Life' came to an end in the paper, I wanted to continue and write more so I launched the 'Our Family Life' website.
This website has grown over the years just like our family has.
I am so excited to bring you news of my new venture. I have been passionate about helping parents keep their children safe while online for over 6 years. Working with internet safety experts Internet Matters, recording videos on their YouTube channel I have learned so much.
With the launch of my new series called Tech Savvy Mum, I will be helping you to keep your precious ones safe in this new online world.
My husband Mark and I also write features on mirror.co.uk and we have worked with The Sunday People, The Sunday Mirror, The Daily Mirror, Take it Easy magazine and Lighterlife magazine. I have talked on BBC Radio 5 live, we have recorded videos for Mumsnet, been interviewed on Sky News, Channel 5 and talkRADIO and I am an ambassador for child internet safety experts Internet Matters.
I work full-time as the Art Director for The Sunday People and The Sunday Mirror newspapers. I love my job.
My days are spent working full-time enjoying my job designing newspaper pages, pullouts, logos, special magazines and anything else I say yes to - I always say yes!
On my days off and late in the evenings when the kids are in bed, I like to write content for Our Family Life.
I love learning and trying new things. I am a very need-to-know person and always like to read up on whatever I am involved in and really enjoy learning how to do things from YouTube tutorials - even if it is a smart 12-year-old telling me what to do!
I'm a bit of a geek, I love technology and I'm also addicted to social media. I am still one step behind our teenage daughter, Amber though!
Jacob loves Spitfires, and he is the Young Ambassador for The Battle of Britain Memorial at Capel-Le-Ferne, Folkestone, Kent. We have done a Facebook Live and an Instagram Live for them and have supported their crowdfunding to help keep the site open.
Jacob loves to visit. Our relationship with the Trustees of The Battle of Britain Memorial site came when we visited when Jacob was dressed as a Spitfire pilot for World Book Day.
Jacob has recorded videos for Internet Matters, and he has also appeared in an NSPCC TV and social media campaign to help parents keep children safe online (see above).
I’d really love you to join Our Family Life and become a Tech Savvy mum to help keep our kids safe online.
Don’t forget to follow us on all our social media channels and get in touch if you would like to work with us at ourfamilylife.uk@gmail.com.