Sainsbury's

Back To School: Sainsbury's School Uniform (Review)

August 23, 2013 by TheBoyAndMe 1 Comment

As we race towards the beginning of the Autumn Term, I seem to be like King Canute in that I cannot hold back the ebbing tide of my little boy growing up!

The endless list of things that I need to make sure he has for school grows (lunchboxes, P.E. kits, shoes, daps, labels or stamps to claim everything as his, etc.), and so it was fortunate that Sainsbury's sent me a full school uniform outfit to test out.

Sainsbury's school uniform

We received:

a red sweat shirt (link unavailable as not on site anymore)
a white polo shirt (normally a 3 pack costing £3.50, reduced to £2.63 at the moment)
a pair of permanent crease trousers (normally a 2 pack for £6.00, reduced to £4.50 at present)

I'm impressed with the quality of the cotton in the polo shirt, and it feels loose and comfortable for The Boy. The sweatshirt is soft and thick, with an elasticated hem which helps keep him looking smart and will stop the Winter draughts from blowing up his back. The teflon-coated trousers are pull on and have an elasticated waist, with an adjustable inside to ensure they won't fall down. We were sent the 4-5 years trousers and as you can see from the photos above, they are actually a little long. The Boy is 110cm tall so these are definitely on the larger side.

I'm quite impressed with the quality of the uniform and the value for money is definitely comparable with all the other supermarket uniforms.

I am very aware of how important it is to some parents that the uniform which they buy is sourced ethically, and that the damning newspaper reports from a few years ago are a thing of the past. Sainsbury's ethical trading policy shows how important it is to them as well.

I just wanted to share this cute little video as well, showing that school uniform definitely needs to be hard-wearing nowadays!

I was sent these products for the purpose of this post, my opinion is honest and unbiased.

The Open Road (Guest Post)

February 24, 2012 by TheBoyAndMe Leave a Comment

Within the past eight months, we've started to make longer car journeys with The Boy, the first was in June when we went down to Winchester for my father-in-laws birthday, the most recent was to west Wales for a weekend break, the longest was to Manchester (eight hours to do 190 miles!) to meet some friends. Trips before last June saw The Boy falling asleep in the car after about thirty minutes and sleeping happily for an hour or so. Then the moment hit when he stopped doing that and just became bored very quickly. Now when we set off, we have a plethora of things we take in order to make the journey more comfortable.

In this guest-post, Sainsbury's bring you some more ideas.

Long Car Journeys: The Ultimate Survival Guide

Not many people relish the thought of spending hours in the car, but there are a few simple tricks that can make long journeys slightly more bearable. After all, the trick to getting through endless hours of driving is good planning, and if you’re well prepared then everything should run smoothly.

Start by checking out your car before you go – and leave plenty of time for a last-minute visit to the garage should you need anything. Make sure your oil and water is topped up and that you have plenty of washer fluid. Check out those tyres too – not just for wear and tear but for pressure as well.

Next you need to plan your route, not just in terms of directions but also for fuel and comfort stops. There’s nothing worse than being stuck on a motorway with miles to the next service station if you’re busting for the loo or running out of fuel, so be prepared and plan your stops in advance.

Remember to get your paperwork up to date. Getting stopped by the police, especially when you’re away from home, can be a stressful experience. Avoid any unnecessary hassle by checking that your car insurance and MOT is in date, and that your insurance covers your needs for the journey.

Be prepared for the worst. Yes, that might sound a little dramatic, but having a few provisions on board is only sensible if you’ve got hours of driving ahead of you. Make sure you’ve got a few pillows handy for passengers to avoid sore necks, pack enough food and water for the journey, have a blanket and a torch ready for emergencies and carry a working mobile phone just in case (but don’t use it while you’re driving).

Make sure you take regular breaks, or swap over with another qualified, insured driver on a regular basis. Driving can be really draining, and just a small lapse of concentration can be potentially fatal on a busy road. Avoid the risk and stop every few hours, even if it’s only for a few minutes.

Ensure that there’s plenty for the kids to do. Bored children can be a nightmare on long journeys, so have plenty of activities planned beforehand. In-car games are always fun, or if you fancy a bit of peace and quite then download some audible stories for them to listen to on their headphones. There are also some great in-car entertainment systems available if you run out of inspiration.

And finally, keep your cool. Long car journeys can be stressful and troublesome. Make sure you’ve got some great music to listen to, or tune in to an interesting radio show. You could even use the time to teach yourself another language with an educational CD! Just try to make the most out of your long journey.