MAMA FROG- Alternative Parenting Blog

March 2016 marks a decade of my life spent running pubs and five years running my own pub business. I'd like to think I know a thing or two about running a proper pub. When I say a proper pub, I mean just that. A proper pub shouldn't be a social club, sports club or a restaurant. It's a special space, with personality and a heart.  1. Allow dogs in the public bar 2. Open before noon 3. Have a proper fire 4. Offer a bar snack menu 5. Have a website 6. Have at least one local ale on 7. Have a community notice board 8. Serve Sunday lunches 9. Serve a pie in winter 10. Have porkscratchings  11. Use the local butcher or farmer 12. Have at least one pub pet 13. Have space designated for families 14. Serve ice 15. Use a bell to call last orders 16. Serve at least one French and New world wine by the glass. 17. Have a vegetarian and vegan option on their menu 18. Have jugs with a handle 19. Have at least one old photo of the pub. 20. Have a dart board 21. Offer a friendly welcome 2

Autumn is here, the season of falling leaves and pumpkin spice everything. Porridge is a favourite treat of  Edwin's. It's a easy dish to go vegan too, I personally think coconut milk makes a lighter and less claggy porridge. Today we combined two Autumn treats- pumpkin spice and porridge. It's sugar free but tasty and a great way to start a day of adventure. Pumpkin spice porridge Porridge oats (2 cups) Coconut milk (1 cup) Water (1 cup) Tsp vanilla essence Tsp cinnamon Pinch ginger Pinch nutmeg Chopped pecans Raisins Chopped dates Simply stir the mix on a low heat until it hits your desired consistency 

There's some new guests in the pub beer  garden. Meet Anna and Elsa. The surprisingly quiet and retiring girls have joined us as they were booted off the allotment plot they've been calling home for the last year. It's all a bit sad as they belong to my Niece who's three and can't have any pets in her flat. These gorgeous ducks are nice and safe though now with us. I think they will make a lovely addition to our garden.

One of the toughest places to hold on to your parenting ideologies is out in public spaces. There's more hazards than at home, other parents who we presume are judging us and other kids who often act in unpredictable ways. As a parent you are no longer operating in "test conditions " , if anything these are the places your parenting practice, is put into practice. My view is that when we are out I need to be hands off where possible. The role of a parent after all is to guide and support children into independence. This means (for me) that my kid is the one running feral. That doesn't mean that I'm not watching or supervising him- I am. Nor does it mean I'm not petrified when he runs over to the big kids, climbs the 10ft slide or runs toward the road. But I try and operate a safe distance policy. Positioning myself just far enough away that he feels he is independent buy not too far that I can't run and scoop him up as he slips through the monkey bars. Whe