Broadcast journalist, Jasmine Lowson, chats about life as a media mum and what she has been up to with her toddler and baby in tow this season!
Lollibop
I stopped going to music festivals in 1997. That was the muddy year at Glastonbury! I know every year has mud but that was notorious for turning the site into a churning Hades resembling city of darkness. Three days of squelch squerch, squelch squerch, squelch squerch, like in ‘We’re going on a bear hunt’. The music was great; the Prodigy and Radiohead stick in the memory but still, I never returned to a music festival… at least until now that is – Lollibop! The so-called big bash for little people. Regent’s Park was a sight to behold the Ibiza style ‘Minimission’ disco with former ravers competing in a “mummy dance-off”. Life size Rastamouse and da Easy crew being mobbed walking to the main stage surrounded with an entourage of proper tough looking bodyguards. Best of all; my daughter got to meet the real-life Shrek from the London musical. Unfortunately she was a bit too young to know who he was.
Peppa Pig Live
Someone she knows very well and adores is Peppa Pig who we went to see live on tour in Guildford. Her friend Arthur however was less impressed; screaming as soon as the lights went out, he had to be removed swiftly from the theatre.
Annabel Karmel
As far as my own heroes go, I was thrilled recently to be invited to a lunch hosted by none other than children’s food guru Annabel Karmel. She was telling journalists about her latest project devising the children’s menu for a One&Only luxury hotel in Mauritius. This includes Asian-themed bento boxes alongside more traditional fayre. It was bizarre as I listened, to think I was only mushing up one of her recipes that morning… something in cheese sauce, not a bento box. I bet Gwyneth Paltrow manages to rustle up a bit of sushi before the school run though.
Best Laid Plans
And, I refuse to read any more parenting advice books! A well meaning friend sent me one called ‘Twice Blessed – Everything You Need to Know About Having a Second Child.’ Whilst pregnant I eagerly embarked on the first chapter, only to feel disheartened to discover that I had not left the ‘ideal’ space (according to a poll of more than one thousand women) of two and a half years between children. I chucked it under the bed after that. Then a month later after fumbling around for a bit of bedtime reading. again, I ended up feeling deflated, after reading the section ‘Working Parents’. Apparently many find the demands of two children, keeping the household running and a job ‘intolerable.’
Great! I am returning to work in a couple of months time and was looking forward to it!
Hubbie News
My husband is embracing his inner geek at his new job, which in timely fashion, involves making educational apps for toddlers and young children (www.mindshapes.com). It is fun for our two and a half year old because she gets to test all the protoypes like Hickory Dickory Dock (teaches the time) or Hallowe’en special Casper (remember him?) which builds memory skills. I know it is inevitable that our children are going to be far more computer literate than us lot but it is galling when my two and a half year old shows me how to navigate around the iPad!
