Ah, I’ve said it, haven’t I?

The C word. The word we’re all trying to avoid as long as possible.

However, it would seem the other C word (children) don’t seem to be adhering to this same we-shall-not-speak-of-this policy.

Therefore, this has left me with no choice but to start doing my research into what toys are must-haves this year.

So here’s what I’ve found in the tech-related genre:

Ricky the Trick Lovin’ Pup

Many of us get the “I want a puppy” speech at least three times a year. Thankfully, this Christmas, you can fulfil your child’s wish without any mess or walkies.

Meet Ricky.

He’s a robotic puppy but one that, I have to admit, looks pretty darn cute. And he has 100 different sound and motion combinations, so he’s capable of a fair few tricks and surprises. Plus, he even comes with a selection of treats.

Ricky is priced at around £110.

Nerf Laser Alpha

Nerf guns have been all the rage for a while, but this one goes one step further, allowing you (I mean, the kids) to embark on live-action laser quests. This nifty device registers each hit through sounds and lights and can even be connected to its own app which tracks performance, earns power-ups, locates opponents and allows you to customise each blaster.

Priced at £29.99 to £49.99

Lego Technics Bugatti Chiron

Now, if I’m honest, I think this is one of the toys many dads will encourage their kids to ask Santa for this year. This 1:8 scale model of the Bugatti Chiron is brought to us by Lego and promises hours upon hours of fun.

However, while in real life this car will set you back £2.5 million, the Lego equivalent’s not too cheap, either. It costs approximately £329.99.

Hoverboard

When you see one of these flying past you in the street, they do make you stop and stare.

Also known as balance boards, these clever gadgets allow you to change their direction and speed using just your feet. This means they do take some mastering but that’s all part of the fun. A hoverboard is also great for getting your kids out into the great outdoors.

Prices vary depending on the brand and how high-tech the hoverboard is but you can expect to pay around £200 to £500.

I-Top

While this may be the cheapest item on this list, that doesn’t make it any less fun.

In fact, this stocking filler will have you reliving your childhood while you’re watching the kids play with it.

This spinning top has been brought kicking and screaming into the 21st century because it not only spins round and round but also counts the number of revolutions. It even allows kids to go head to head to see who can get the most spins.

As you can see, there’s a wide variety of tech gadgets out there this year – many of which will keep you as entertained as the kids!

Everybody reaches a certain point in life where they begin to feel an urge to shave as many years off as possible, both in the way they look and in the way they feel. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to do this, and there’s certainly nothing wrong with acting on these desires.

To act on them, you have to be proactive and you have to resolve to put some work in — if you don’t, you’ll barely shave a day off. To see what needs to be done exactly to make yourself look and feel younger, take heed of the advice that follows.

Frames of youth

If your eyesight just isn’t what it used to be, then it might be time to get yourself a pair of glasses. Don’t see that as being necessarily a bad thing, because it can benefit you in regards to the way you look and feel.

For starters, having an eye test is the single best way to detect any underlying health problems that you may have, and it is one of the most proficient ways of examining the condition of your brain without going through a CAT scan. So, if you want to stop the onset of ageing plights before they take a hold of you, get yourself booked in for an eye test. As well as that, a trendy pair of Mister Spex men’s glasses has the potential to provide you with the frames of youth through the way they can camouflage creases and highlight the bone structure of your face.

Embrace a new diet

Shaving years off of your look isn’t just about directly changing things about yourself, it’s also about changing the way you live — more to the point, it’s about changing your diet.

Ketogenic diets — plans that consist of high fat, low carb eating — are proven to have an impact on any physique, no matter the age of he or she who embraces it, so that is certainly one that could benefit you if you embrace and then stick to it. A diet that could prove to be even more beneficial for you is veganism — studies have shown that such diets provide a healthy amount of fibre and antioxidants through their plant compounds, and that they are far richer in vitamins A, C and E than normal diets are, and this only ever has a positive impact on the skin.

If you or anybody you know suffers from arthritis, then you should know that going vegan helps to reduce the pain of that, too. The probiotic-rich, raw food diet found in most areas of veganism has been proven to improve common arthritis pain, like joint swelling and stiffness in the morning. This is because these types of vegan diets are what are known as anti-inflammatory diets, being made up mainly of foods rich in whole grain.

You have every right to shave years off of the way you look and feel if you want to, and don’t let society tell you otherwise!

If you ever find yourself stuck when it comes to buying birthday presents, fear not because you’re not alone. Don’t be worried if you regularly find yourself struggling at it, either, because it’s a tough job at the best of times, and it’s made even harder when it’s a milestone celebration that you’re buying for or your particularly picky other half.

To combat the stress of buying birthday presents as well as to waste as little time, effort and money on doing so as possible, from now on, only ever buy gifts that are beneficial to the receiver. Some of the best and most generally useful gift ideas can be found below.

Driving lessons for non-drivers

The most beneficial birthday presents are those that actually benefit the receiver’s life through the things that they teach them, one such educational present being the gift of driving lessons. If you know somebody that hasn’t yet learned to drive, the reason for them not doing so, whether they admit it or not, may be because they haven’t pushed themselves to do it — you gifting them with their first few lessons will see them get the push they need to get over any hurdles that they have previously failed to navigate.

When it comes to choosing the perfect driving education package, you should choose one that offers intensive driving lessons for all learners as that will see your gift receiver get the support they need for the level that they are at, be them a complete novice or someone with a little bit of previous driving experience. When they are passed and on the roads, they can return the gift by giving you lifts!

Stuff for the kitchen

Most of the time, homeowners only ever tend to treat themselves to things that will boost the kerb appeal of their home or make the inside decor of it look nicer. This means, more often than not, the kitchen, quite sadly, gets ignored.

It’s time to stop ignoring the kitchen, seeing as though it is one of, if not the most, important rooms in your friend’s home, by gifting them with presents that can be practically used within it. Whether it’s an organiser to keep all of their knives and forks in place, a sturdy cheese board, an apron that will hide stains or even a bed for their kitchen sponge, if you feel that your friend’s kitchen needs some TLC in a particular area, then make sure you’re the one to provide it with it. Your friend might not be too enthused by the gift at first, but they’ll be more than thankful in the long run!

Money

You may feel like handing your friend money for their birthday is like admitting defeat, but this is just about as sensible and beneficial a present as there is. When you hand your friend a wad of cash in their birthday card, you give them free rein to get whatever it is they want, meaning they are likely to end up getting something that does, in fact, benefit their life. Is there anything more beneficial than that?

The next time you are tasked with getting a birthday present for somebody, make sure to try and find one that is as beneficial as possible.

Having a family of your own is likely an experience like none you’ve had before. It’s a chance for you to pass on family traditions, create some of your own, and raise kids with values that you hold dear. One objective that many parents hope to achieve for their family is instilling healthy habits when it comes to food and fitness. It can be challenging considering the number of outside influences such as sweets and junk food, but it’s definitely possible. One of the most practical ways that you can achieve it is by making healthy living a lifestyle. On that note, you’re going to find three fun ways of keeping your family healthy below.

Set Fitness Goals

When attempting to keep your family healthy, one of the first places that you should start is in the area of goal setting. Look at your health presently and think about what you’d like to achieve in terms of healthy living. This could be having more energy, managing a condition better, or losing weight. In terms of the latter, there are several ways to lose weight which include trying shakes, creating a diet plan, clean eating, and exercise. This will more apply to you as parents than it will your kids but seeing as though you should lead by example when it comes to healthy living; it’s equally important. Overall, you should try and set goals that will help improve your health as a family and that are both realistic and attainable.

Have Family Fitness Days

When looking for fun ways to keep your family healthy, you should definitely think about having family fitness days. This could include physical activities such as riding your bikes around the neighbourhood on the weekend, having a dance competition at home for an hour or two, or watching a family-friendly work-out routine together. You can also try other fitness activities at home such as exercise games, yoga, store-cupboard fitness, as well as running. To make it inclusive and give everyone something to look forward to, try asking everyone what their favourite activities are and take turns doing them.

Create Meal Plans Together

Meal planning is another fun way to keep your family healthy as food is a significant aspect of your daily lives. Also, health has a lot to do with what you eat, so healthy eating is key. You should, therefore, think about meal planning as a family and finding healthy alternatives to some of your favourite foods. In case you need ideas for healthy food swaps, you can swap whole milk for semi-skimmed, white bread and rice for wholegrain varieties, unhealthy snacks with nutrient-filled ones, and swap the frying pan for the grill when cooking meat.

Healthy living can be less of a chore and more of an adventure if you take the right approach. This is why making it exciting, providing rewards and incentives, as well as setting goals, so you have something to look forward to is key. By doing these things, you could increase the likeliness of keeping your family healthy and having loads of fun in the process.

Every parent will want to encourage their children to learn to drive as it will provide them with so much freedom and independence (plus it also means that you no longer have to taxi them around!). Every parent will also be very cautious as driving is a huge responsibility and can be very dangerous. With this in mind, there are a few things that it is worth teaching your kids about motoring before they reach the age where they can get behind the wheel.

Road Safety

The most important thing to teach them from a young age is road safety as the roads can be highly dangerous for both motorists and pedestrians. They should be taught how to be safe when walking and crossing the road from a young age, but it is also important to teach them how to use the roads safely so that they will be an intelligent and aware driver in the future. You can do this by explaining exactly what you are doing and why when you are driving. In addition to this, it can also be a valuable experience to cycle with them on the roads so that they can begin to get confidence on the road and understand the rules.

Vehicle Maintenance

It is also important to teach a youngster about how to properly look after an automobile. Vehicle maintenance is crucial for making sure that the car runs properly and stays in a good condition for years to come. It is worth teaching them how to inflate the tyres, change the tyres, change the oil, clean the car and other similar maintenance jobs. They should also be taught about following the service schedule, taking the car in for an MOT and how to get repairs at a garage.

Buying a Vehicle

Teaching them how to buy a used car is also a smart move as this is something that many adults struggle with and it could end up costing them. This can be done whilst purchasing their first car and you should show them how to research for cars online at places like AA Cars, how to speak to a dealer, how to examine the vehicle and what to look for on a test drive. You can then teach them about negotiating, the important paperwork involved, how to find the right insurance policy and other options like extended warranties, GAP insurance etc.

The world of driving can be fantastic and the majority of youngsters will want to learn how to drive when they are old enough. This should be encouraged as a parent, but there are many aspects that they should be taught from a young age so that they can start to learn with a decent amount of knowledge of how to be a safe and responsible driver.