A Small but Important Part of our Micro World

Ok so it’s my turn to blog now, I am not going to talk about resolutions – I had some and have achieved none so that’s that in a short sentence. What a shocking month February is….cold, dreary and a long time until summer. How could anyone contemplate giving up that much needed glass of wine at the end of a long day?.... So, instead of talking to you about all the things that are not going to happen, I thought I would talk to you about the things that are going to happen in the world of Micro Scooters. Far more important than the various toy fairs we have been attending is the new nationwide children’s scheme we are launching. It is starting at Birmingham Children’s Hospital and the plan is to donate a fleet of micro-scooters to the play and physiotherapist specialists at twelve children’s hospitals and wards throughout the UK.

Having talked to the medical professionals, we know that our scooters will help young patients with their balance, motor skills and fitness levels without realising they are going through rehabilitation.

Such treatment can be a painful process for some children, so the scheme has been welcomed by everyone.

As a mother, working with hospitals and others charities that Micro Scooters helps, makes you realise how lucky you are to have healthy children. It also makes you aware of how quickly life can change and to count your blessings daily.

So, suddenly with this in mind everything is now in perspective and to complain about the gloomy month of February seems rather pathetic. If you have any thoughts on our hospital scheme then please let us know, we would love to hear from you.

Happy scooting!

Anna

A Macro Look At Our Micro World

It’s tough for women. We have so many hats to wear – businesswoman, mum, wife, housekeeper – to name just a few. I know I have trouble juggling them all at times. So we’ve decided to share the realities of running our business with you.

Some months Anna will blog about her world, at other times it will be me – Philippa. Either way, we’ll look at life from all sorts of perspectives be it funny, chaotic or downright difficult. If something strikes a chord, feel free to leave a comment as we’d love to hear from you.

Beating the blues
OK, hands up – it’s been a few months since we blogged. It’s always one of those things we keep meaning to do which seems to end up at the bottom of the list. So we made a resolution to blog with the best of them in 2011 – here goes.

Talking of resolutions – who came up with that idea? Just at a time when you’ve had the stress of organising a family Christmas as well as taking care of plans for New Year celebrations. Oh and then having to get the kids ready to go back to school. So, on top of all that, is the added pressure of making a resolution to better your lifestyle which usually involves giving up something rather enjoyable (like food and drink).

So, this year I decided I have to get fit and lose weight - again. Once you reach a certain age, there’s no stopping your body doing its own thing, is there? After a week of relentless calorie counting, I was a little peeved, to say the least, to have gained 2lbs! My body doesn’t seem to know the meaning of metabolic rate.

However, I have persevered and gone back to pilates and started to run. Then someone pointed out the blindingly obvious. Get the kids involved – challenge them to scoot a certain distance each day whilst I cover the same mileage on foot. So far, so good on the fitness front.

OK, so sometimes there has to be a small bribe involved to get my children out when its cold or wet but it’s a lot cheaper than gym membership, I can tell you. And the great thing is we’re getting fitter together as a family.

The weight-loss is proving trickier. I am now down to about 2 calories a day thanks to juicing. If this doesn’t work, I might look for a worthy cause and go on hunger strike as it seems nothing else is going to work.

Happy Resolutions Everyone!

Philippa



Each Wednesday, Eastbourne Mum, Francesca Vogels, gets together with a group of friends to train on their scooters, many of whom got them for Christmas. They follow a different route each week to vary the terrain and it provides a great cardio workout, even proving challenging for a number of the ladies who work within the fitness profession.

Commenting on the Mum’s Scooter Club, Francesca said:
“Having worked at a local infant school as a P.E teacher, I was put in charge of the travel plan. We wanted to introduce healthier methods of getting to school as well as ways of cutting down our Carbon Footprint. The use of scooters was the obvious answer.

Kids can reach quite a speed on these things and it was hard for some parents to keep up. I started scootering to school with my children and soon lots of other parents followed suit. We came up with the idea of the Scooter Club as a way of improving our fitness as well as having fun”.

Micro Scooters UK are so impressed with the idea they are looking into setting up Mums Scooter Clubs as a national scheme. Let us know if you'd be interested in setting one up?

The Stig road tests reasonably priced scooters for the Sun newspaper and picks the Maxi Micro Scooter as the winner

KIDS' scooters are EVERYWHERE - and are here to stay if the success of just one firm is anything to go by.
British mums Anna Gibson and Phillipa Gogarty started distributing Swiss brand Micro scooters only five years ago.

They now sell 120,000 a year and expect to turn over £4.3million in 2010.

1. Ozbozz My First Scooter, £19.97, age: 2+ Mum: This converts from four wheels to three to two as your child grows and gets more confident, so its many components make it tricky to assemble.

Stig: Like three wheels, a bit wobbly with two. 4

2. Bob The Builder Tri Scooter, £39.99, age: 3+ Mum: Built solidly, wide handlebars, no brake.

Stig: It's very big and very slippy. 5

3. Razor, £60, firebox.com, age: 6+ Mum: Snaps together in one move. Two-wheeler with spark-producing rear brake.

Stig: Awesome - but I can't see the sparks. 8

4. Zinc Venom, £24.99, age: 6+ Mum: Brilliant device pumps water into the handle, letting you squirt your friends.

Stig: Love that it pumps water. Easy to use. 4


5. Maxi Micro T-Bar, £87.95, age: 6+ Mum: Easy to put together. Two front wheels, smaller rear, steer by leaning, rear footbrake.

Stig: It's great and easy to use. Mummy, you could use this because it goes bigger. 9

6. Mini Micro Blue, £ 47.95, age: 3+ Mum: Easy to assemble. Rear foot brake, two front wheels, one behind. Steer by leaning.

Stig: At first: This is hard to steer. Later: I love this scooter, it's cool. BEST VALUE 9

Bizzie Baby Review

It is a proud moment when as a Mum or a Dad you see your toddler master and indeed perfect the skills of a fully grown surfer. But believe us that is what happens within days, when you give your child a Mini Micro! Developed with the help of Swiss medical experts, the Mini Micro scooter gives young children independence whilst helping to develop their critical balance and co-ordination skills.

£47.95 Available online at www.micro-scooters.co.uk

Awards
Lydia Awarded the Micro Scooter 4.7/5

Reviews ()

Product Tested By Lydia Niziblian – Kitty & Tadhg Ages 5 & 2 Years

Lydia Awarded the Micro Scooter 4.7/5

The scooter looks funky, has lovely colours, a cool design and is sturdy. The kid’s first impression was ‘wow!’ Easy to navigate website, loads of novel and fun ideas for kids and adults (from micro Scooters to the fab looking Ezyroller!) and gifts and items to custom your scooter. The packaging is fine, the scooter is in a fair sized box with an attractive imagine and integral carry handle. It took three minutes to read instructions and assemble. I assumed I'd forgotten something, but no, it's very easy. The micro scooter has the minimum recommended age as 3, but reading the manual, it seemed as though it could possibly go lower age-wise. This became an issue as soon as Tadhg (just turned 2) decided no way was his sister having it all to herself and within seconds was able to use it properly! Kitty (aged 5 at the upper end of the spectrum) thought it was great also, and wouldn't feel 'babyish' using it (she has a normal micro scooter already). The micro scooter is great for zipping about on, especially on trips to shops/park etc. Quicker than walking, more fun, and not as different as bringing a bike or trike. It’s helped both children with balance and co-ordination, as well as confidence that they can 'do it'. My daughter loved riding it, and my son wanted to ride it in the house and take it to bed! Sturdy and very well made indeed. Obviously a quality scooter but still expensive in comparison to others. Both children love it to bits, so I'd definitely consider buying it. An excellent quality scooter, it's a great introduction to scooters. Obviously very easy to use, as our 2 year old was whizzing around on it within minutes (and couldn't manage a 'normal' two wheel scooter). Lovely design looks bright and funky. Only downsides are the fact it doesn't fold (you have to take it apart into 2 pieces) and a slightly high price tag. Overall a fabulous buy though, and would make an excellent present! Lydia Niziblian – Kitty & Tadhg Ages 5 & 2 Years


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Product Tested By Linda Cosgrove – Jared
Linda Awarded the Micro Scooter 4.5/5

The micro scooter is a very sturdy and funky looking product. The website holds very comprehensive information. It’s easy to find information/categories and provides details for large variety of age groups. The scooter has a bright attractive design, easy access and sturdy box; it only took two minutes to assemble! I had no worries at all with letting my children play with the scooter. Very good for attention keeping. Would be played with tirelessly. Stimulates imagination in so far as it was tried out on many different surfaces with differing results. The children had to try different angles to allow scooter to travel in different directions. Learnt quite early on that he had to use hand/eye coordination or would fall off. Very sturdy construction, it has withstood some pretty rough treatment with no obvious damage even when left out (inadvertently) in adverse weather with no problems. Very happy with the scooter, my son enjoys it a lot and joins in with his older brother and sister now and they play together. I loved every aspect of the scooter too apart from the price, because I simply could not afford to pay this much, but I very much enjoyed testing a perfect quality product! Linda Cosgrove – Jared


Stockist Information

WEB: www.micro-scooters.co.uk
EMAIL: info@micro-scooters.co.uk
TEL: 0845 258 7532
Micro Scooters Ltd 110 Coast Road West Mersea Colchester Essex CO5 8NA

Green Kiddie Review

Check out the great review received from Green Kiddie;

School Holiday is Fun! Get Some Summer Vacation Ideas

Summer vacations may be joy for pupils, but quite a tricky time for parents. Often childcare costs are unaffordable for working mums, or for those who stay-at-home or work from home, screaming kids and chaos might get a bit too much. Relax. While I cannot offer affordable childcare (it’s down to the government, isn’t it), here are some lovely (and eco-friendly) ideas to have fun with your kids.

Summer time in the UK is wonderful this year, so make the most of it! Activities in the park will not only help you fight the stress, but it’s a great way to stay close to nature and spend quality time with your kids.

Enjoy a walk in the park… with a kid on a scooter

You can choose the scooter type depending on your child’s age – they are various and usually start from age of three. I find it a great way to spend time outside and keep my little princess active. Besides, this will help ME stay fit without the need to pay for a gym membership.

The very first day we received the red, limited edition, mini micro scooter, we ended up in the park with my daughter: me – chasing her and screaming “STOP”, and she – the happiest child in the park, probably thinking “I’m getting faster than mum – this must be a good sign I’m growing”. After a couple of days only she’s riding her scooter perfectly well and enjoying her time in the park to bits No more frustrating morning trips to the nursery, I recon, when she wants to jump off the buggy and run in the opposite direction. It’s good exercise for me, and great fun for her every time we go outside.

The scooter itself is a must-have: an award winning, Swiss designed product. It’s light weight, portable (so we’re definitely taking it with us on our family vacation abroad), and it’s also great design! There are 3 new limited-edition mini micro scooters in red, green and yellow. It gives toddlers independence whilst helping to develop their critical balance and co-ordination skills. It comes apart in two pieces and will fit easily on top of a buggy or in the corner of a cafe. Comfy!

Mini Micros are low to the ground, which makes them very easy for young children to feel comfortable on. Basically, they do not need to have one foot considerably higher than the other, as with some other scooters. Because they are low to the ground, this also aids balance. Additionally, the foot plate is made of light-weight plastic, which is actually an excellent material as it avoids the danger of your child scraping or banging his ankles on a hard piece of metal - which, believe me, can happen a lot with the metal models.

The Mini Micro Scooter does not steer in the usual way i.e. by turning the handlebars left or right. Basically, it turns when your child leans to one side, thus putting his bodyweight in the direction that he wants to turn. Whilst this may seem strange at first (to you, perhaps, more than your child) this is actually a very good method of changing direction for a young child. With my own son, it was not long at all before he was effortlessly gliding around corners.

It's also very easy for my little one to balance on it as it's got 2 wheels at the front as opposed to the back. I can recommend it as a perfect starter scooter!

So what else you could do while you’re enjoying your day in the park? Pick up flowers and leaves. Make beautiful summer flowers bouquets to decorate your child’s room! Or… get crafty later in the afternoon (especially if weather is drizzling – we can’t expect the summer is always bright in the UK, right) and make wonderful…

London Mumpreneurs

Anna and Philippa took to the floor last week to speak about how they set up Micro Scooters Ltd at a conference especially for mothers who run or who want to run their own businesses. Read on for a taste of what the event was about and how it went....it was a relief to know that we inspired some other mums rather than putting them off and also to know that despite our lack of public speaking experience it seemed to go down quite well. We were inspired to hear the stories of the other mums who run their own businesses...

London Mumpreneurs Inspired to Reach for the Sky in 2010 –
Gender Barriers will start to close for Women Entrepreneurs

Demand for networking events for female entrepreneurs is growing after the first London Mumpreneurs’ conference last week was sold out -
New dates for 2010 now confirmed

London, UK – 10th March, 2010 – The first London Mumpreneurs’ conference entitled ‘Reaching for the sky … from humble beginnings’ held on 4th March 2010. It was hosted by London Mums and Eddie Catz and was packed with 80 energetic mumpreneurs networking and discussing challenges and useful tips when creating and running a business. They were inspired by phenomenal speakers including former presenter of BBC show ‘Something for the weekend’ and mumpreneur Amanda Hamilton, founder and managing director of JoJo Maman Bébé Laura Tenison, Co-Founders and Joint Directors of Micro Scooters Ltd Anna Gibson and Philippa Gogarty, celebrity entertainer Amanda Frolich, catering guru Kumud Gandhi, and moderator and author Penny Avis.

London Mumpreneurs left the event with a positive outlook for 2010 inspired by stories from the speakers and their peers who have made it. 13% of businesses in the UK are currently women-led. The fact that mumpreneurs in the start-up and SME sector are making noticeable inroads to gender barriers has been confirmed by a new UK poll of over 1,000 women entrepreneurs from a Business Link study published on 5th March. 20% of women entrepreneurs feel they have to work harder than men to prove themselves in the business world; a significant improvement from this time last year, when a similar poll showed 38% felt they had to work harder.

Some of the topics discussed at the Mumpreneurs’ event were achieving a sensible relating to work-life in-balance, how to find a mentor, time management and childcare issues, which are often seen as business obstacles to setting up on your own. Lessons learnt from the speakers were focused on resolving the problem to balance a business and a family:
1) ‘Begin with the end in mind’ (Amanda Hamilton)
2) ‘The Internet has levelled the marketplace and anybody has the same business opportunities so start-ups can now compete with the big companies.’ (Anna Gibson and Philippa Gogarty)
3) ‘Naivety is great when you start a business because you don’t know what you are going to get into and makes you brave.’ (Laura Tenison)
4) ‘In business always try to look like a swan gliding effortlessly across the water even if underneath the surface your legs are paddling like mad just to stay afloat’ (Penny Avis)
5) ‘Go and talk to someone who already runs your type of business’ (Laura Tenison)
6) ‘Involve the kids in business depending on their age. Even quite young children can do things such as count and roll coins. If you work at home and your child is old enough, you might have him or her actually work in your business by doing basic office work such as filing.’ (Monica Costa)
7) ‘Make networking with mumpreneurs facing the same challenges one of your top priorities’ (Maria Johnson, founder of Eddie Catz)
8) ‘You don’t get if you don’t ask’ (Amanda Hamilton).

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