Sometimes we are stuck as parents on the activities to do with our children, well not anymore.

At the cuddle blog we have put together 40+ themes on different topics each with 5 - 10 activities, books to read on each theme, and a list of materials you need for the activities. Now, all you need is your time and an enthusiastic child. These activities are tailored to children between 1 - 5 Years old.

Some Themes Covered

1. Animals
2. Nigeria
3. Valentine
4. Volcanos
5. Transportation
6. Bugs
7. STEM
8. Fruits
9. Life Skills
10. Flowers
11. Forest
12. Christmas
13. Easter
14. Space
15. Rainbow

so much more...

We have used this themes to Homeschool our kids in one year and I am sure your kids will love it too.

Click this link to purchase your copy

It's that time of the year when I take stock and tell you about my blogging journey in the previous year and share my goals for the new year. 

My Blogging journey in 2022 was up and down. I got some collaborations but not as much as I would love and honestly, as a Blog, I really don't just want to do blogging campaigns the way it's done in this country by doing ads and just getting briefs that sometimes you as the creator know won't work for your audience. I really wanted to get to that place where I could say no to offers that didn't align with my brand. I found my voice in 2022 and I told a brand I wasn't interested in their business if they kept stressing me the way they were, I told another brand I would only speak the truth about my experience with their products as they gave me a list of words they wanted me to say. I only said the ones that were true about my own experience with the product. I could do that because I have another source of income and I wasn't desperate for their money and it was just a plus. I wrote fewer articles in 2022 because it was my first year as a mum of 2 and I am still navigating all that it entails. 

This year I am hoping to work with just brands that align with my audience and what will mean a lot to them when it comes to ads and for brand campaigns, I am hoping to work with brands who don't just want to dish out briefs and send to all the bloggers in the niche to execute the same things but actually find campaigns that are meaningful to each of the creators so they can make it theirs, I think the marketing will be more effective. For any brand that would love to work with me in that direction, I am open to discussions on brand alignment and values. 

Read 2022 Blog recap here.

Let's talk about what was achieved last year from the post.

 There are a few things I bought this year that really really helped our Homeschooling journey this year.

2. Magnet tiles: This has been a hit in our household because my son will spend hours building, the downside to the one we bought is that it easily falls, but that's what is available to us here in Lagos. If you are reading this in another country I would recommend something more durable. 

What has been your 2022 favorite homeschooling resource? 

This year's Homeschooling Conversations has been one for the books in a good and not-so-good way. 

It was one of the hardest events to put together for me and initially, I thought it was because i've generally had a tough year with the addition of another baby but I soon realized that it was more than that. I had the least support in terms of volunteers, monetary donations & sponsorship this year, so there was the financial burden I had to carry and decisions to make as to what was important to keep or let go of. 

I decided to charge a 500 ticket fee for this year's event because I wanted to have people committed to attending the event but less1 month before the event a huge chunk of people were still having issues with the payment platform, I had to make the decision to either spend the time with support trying to sort it out or conserve my energy and scrape the payment altogether and the latter is what I did. 

The challenges faced didn't mean there was no help in the midst of it all,  a friend of mine helped to reduce the cost of the venue we used from 600k to 150k by talking to her Boss for us. Someone gave me 50k to add to the payment for the venue. About 3 days before the event someone sent me 80k the exact amount we needed to do a very minimal decoration to make the place look nice just, we were able to get an affordable Livestream person after initially getting a bill of over 300k, after not doing product photography jobs for a while I got some jobs that could help me cover some of the costs and so on all of these seemingly little big things gave me the courage to keep going. 

On the day of the event, I woke up excited and I would say everything went smoothly for Day 1, my excitement spilled into Day 2 with so much nervousness because it was physical and so many moving parts which also meant after I do ALL I know to do, MANY things could go wrong. We were ready for the slated 10am but then one of the speakers was in traffic, the attendees came late too so we had to move the event by an hour. 

We could only send messages to the limited phone numbers and emails we had and of course, some people sent me messages to ask, some called and it all just made me agitated, sad, and upset. We started and things were going smoothly up until the middle of the event and the internet in the hall stopped working which interrupted the Livestream. We were all looking for alternatives and all till it was finally sorted. Hardly sat down throughout the event, just monitoring the Livestream and making sure one more thing doesn't go wrong. 

I was the last speaker for the day and if you by chance listened to the presentation, I was not on my A game at all, I was so sad at that point at how everything went that I kept repeating most of my words and all the things I prepared in my mind just flew out the window. 

I met a number of people that day too and I am grateful for every single person that came that day. 

When I got home that night, I couldn't hold back the tears, I cried about how difficult it was to put the event together, I cried about how my expectations were shattered by the number of people that didn't show up for the event, I cried for the physical pain and tiredness my body felt, I cried for the sacrifice. I cried because I could finally exhale. 

My husband was there to give me some perspective and remind me why I started in the first place. 

I had to log off my social media for a bit to gain some clarity because I started questioning and doubting myself and why I was doing what I was doing and ultimately weighing if it was worth it all. 

I've spent some time resting and gaining clarity and while I don't know what the future holds I am positive that all the past conversations we've had was worth it and I am grateful for everyone that contributed one way or another. 

Ruth 

Lois 

Tobi

Chinwe 

Mercy 

Mercy 

youreverygirl 

Adekemi 

Chiamaka 

Deji 

Chioma 

Toyin 

Nkechi 

Your contribution made a difference in bringing the event to life. I am hopeful that in spite of all the challenges everything is working out for good. 

You can catch the replay for the 2022 Homeschooling Conversations below: 

Full Day 1: Here

Full Day 2: Here

Playlist of the different sessions: Here 

If you joined the event and you have feedback please leave a comment or send an email to thecuddleblog@gmail.com 

Thank you.

Earlier in the year, I was featured on a TV Program called Babbles. Here is the interview Enjoy 

                                                      

My sister found us one on IG. Not much to say really, just note that the place is not accurate on the Map. You can give them a call to get the right place once you enter the estate. 

Cuddles had fun. 

Prices: 

3,500/child Training for one hour, they give you socks and skaters. 

Their page gives the other list but know that it's for one hour although they wrote "daily" on the rates. The hour is usually enough. 

Cuddly loves: 3/5