Weekly roundup 34: Not quite Leo season

GRASPers, you're on this journey with us in the good times and the bad, right? I remember about a year ago I got turned away from a shop that was out of stock of something because of "covid and Brexit" (verbatim quote from the shop assistant). How cynical I was to sneer and think, oh come on at least give the actual reason.

This week we were supposed to launch the Mushi reusable kids cleansing cloths, but found out on the day they were supposed to have been received by our warehouse that they were in fact no where near reaching UK shores yet. The reason? A COVID-related lockdown delayed the cloths' release from the port in Shanghai, and extra Brexit-related checks delayed the shipment on its route through Europe. Who's laughing now?

ANYWAY, we move again - the clothes will be good to go (out of our warehouse and into your postbox) in a couple of weeks. A second drop of the mats will follow soon after. I'm truly sorry for not having better news about GRASP goodies, and it's why we've been a little quieter in the last week. But on the flip side, we've been busy squirrelling away on the blog. Enjoy a few highlights below and let me know what you think! 📩

- Shreya

All time is precious

Hey, we have no products to sell, you can't blame us for getting a little existential! Brook's done some quick (and devastating) maths about how little time we actually get to spend with our kids that you'd count as dedicated, 'quality' time. If you're waiting for some zen moment to really bond, it's not going to happen. So you have to find a way to make the non-quality time work for you.

Mealtimes are about more than eating

Hot off the press, I've nabbed the soapbox to write about a similar thing - specifically the lengths I go to in order to make mealtimes 'quality'. Even more specifically, about using at least one meal a day a time for us to come together as a family and touch base, where the food we're eating is incidental to the conversation we share. It's not an easy thing to bring about at home when so many things compete for our attention, but I think it's worth it.

How Mushi microfibres can clean your kids better and protect their skin

Ahead of the Mushi's inevitable launch, you might be wondering why we're so hyped for it. It's... a cloth. Have a read of why the design means Mushi is actually going to be the post-mealtime saviour you've been searching for.

And now for something completely different: The man in seat 61

The news reports of half-term airport chaos have made my stomach turn - huge commiserations to you if you were caught up in it. If you're thinking of getting away at any point and want to avoid air travel, my friend told me about an amazing man's amazing knowledge of GLOBAL train travel. You can use his website for everything from planning a trip from your choice of start and end points, to getting specific tips for accessible travel. A godsend!