Innehållsförteckning för Best Of 3 2018 från Chat Specials

Finding your place in this world is harder for some than others. Claire (pg40) started to pull her hair out from a young age and shut herself away from the world. But taking a leap of faith – and some circus magic – brought her smile back. The gorgeous Tuesday (pg15) knows exactly who she is! And when people suggested she hide herself away because she was pregnant, she shut them up in spectacular fashion. As much as we strive to protect our kids, sometimes there are freak accidents we just can’t avoid. Shan (pg34) had treated her son George to a fairground ride, but it would end in a blood bath. When Lisa (pg24) saw smoke coming from her car, she knew her baby was still inside and risked…

I loved it when my son Lee would come home from university for the holidays. ‘This is for you,’ he’d wink, handing me a load of dirty laundry. Rolling my eyes, I’d give him a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. ‘That’s very thoughtful of you,’ I’d joke. Lee, then, 21, was doing a degree in computer science at Durham University. He loved creating music, and was also a genius at maths. I was so proud that he was now following his dreams. But one weekend in 2008, he came home and I noticed he’d lost weight. ‘Are you OK?’ I asked. ‘I don’t feel very well,’ he sighed, laying down on the sofa. The next morning, he really struggled to get out of bed or eat breakfast.…

Writing a CV Writing a good CV is a fine art. Experts at job search website Monster.co.uk  give us their top tips on making your CV stand out. Stand out Your CV should show off your unique blend of skills and experience. Include examples of your successes, problem solving skills, and all your previous achievements. Keep it simple Your choice of font and layout are key to making a possible employer continue reading your CV. Simple formats work best, and try to stay away from using bold and unusual fonts. Go alternative Recording a video CV could give you more of an edge and show off your creativity. It’s not what employers will expect and it may put you ahead of other candidates. Know your audience Your CV…

Chism wheeled his teacher’s body down the school corridor Teacher Colleen Ritzer walked down the quiet corridor, flashing her trademark smile to the few left at school. The moment was caught on the surveillance cameras. It was typical for Colleen, 24, to put everyone at ease. Even though it was only her second year of teaching, she was clearly a natural. The home bell had long rung and most of the students had left already, but as usual, Colleen had stayed late. Her pupils were always her number one priority and that was the reason she was still at school. One pupil had been on her mind a lot. Philip Chism, 14, had just moved to the area with his family, and Colleen noticed he was struggling to adjust. She…

Claire Ory, 24, Bristol Sitting on my bed, I could see strands of light brown hair peppering the carpet. Lots of strands. No, we didn’t have a dog. It was nine-year-old me who was shedding all over the floor. Well, I say shedding. I wasn’t losing my hair, exactly. I was pulling it out. Every day, when I got home from yet another awful day at school, I’d run up to my room and start pulling. I didn’t understand why, but the moment I felt the sting of the root being plucked from my scalp, a warm, tingling relief flooded through me and made me feel so at ease. I’d discovered this by accident, after randomly pulling out a hair one day. Now it was a compulsion. The only thing…

Relaxing in the bath, the hot water washed over me and eased my pain. It was March this year, and I was a whole week overdue with my second baby. My contractions had started a few hours earlier, but, calling the midwife, I was told to stay home for as long as I could. So, while my boyfriend Macauley, 20, and our son Zenon, two, were fast asleep, I decided to sink into a soothing bath. The hot water seemed to do the trick, though, as my waters broke just after I got in! ‘We need to get to the hospital now!’ I cried, waking up Macauley. I called my mum straight away, and soon we were speeding off down the A30 towards Treliske Hospital in Truro, 26 miles from…

My son Samuel had just fallen over again while playing outside. ‘Up you get!’ I smiled. It was September last year, and Samuel, then four, seemed to be falling over all the time, even though he had been walking perfectly well for years. My husband Paul, 51, and I thought he was just a bit clumsy, like most kids. But his balance only seemed to be getting worse over time. He was constantly tired And, sometimes, he’d vomit first thing in the morning. He seemed tired all the time, too. Then, one day, while playing with his toys, his left side suddenly went limp. I was terrified. Straight away, Paul called his childhood friend Sue Francis, 49, who was a physiotherapist. We’d already seen the GP about the vomiting, and…

Mystery visitor This is our office cat Biscuit. We’re not sure who he belongs to – or what his real name is – but he comes to visit often and is usually found asleep in the car park! Becky, Durham Just horsing around My daughter Jade getting to grips with riding our horse Titan. He’s so patient with her. I see a future showjumper! Jackie, Halifax Cameo performance My cat Demi loves nothing better than to hide away in the blankets and disappear for an afternoon nap. Here she is on a rare camera appearance. Emmie, Kirkcaldy Er, where’s my food? Bella was quite upset that I didn’t set a place for her at the dinner table. She sat there sulking for ages. Michelle, Bath THAT’S SO BRITISH BEING MORE…

The young lovers rebelle against the world and left ELEVEN dead d With his hair slicked back and a wardrobe of white t-shirts and tight jeans, Charles Starkweather, 19, was doing everything he could to emulate this idol, James Dean. After watching the 1955 film Rebel Without a Cause , Starkweather had found an affinity with the lead character. A troubled teen who was fighting against society to make his way in life. Starkweather knew plenty about that. At school, he was bullied for his bowlegged walk, caused by a birth defect. He had a speech impediment and although well-built, he was short. The biggest chip on his shoulder was his poor working class background. He was consumed by the poverty of his family and when he dropped out of…

Katharine Hill, the UK Director of the national charity Care For The Family ( www.cff.org.uk ) answers your questions. At breaking point Q My 15-year-old has completely gone off the rails. He stays out late, breaks curfews and has no respect for me or his dad. He was such a lovely lad – what can I do? Gillian, London A The teenage years are a time when children seek to assert their independence. It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t put boundaries in place and hold your son accountable. Boundaries are about security – set some ground rules with consequences. For example, if he is late home, he’ll not be allowed out the following night. Set a good example by not shouting – this will keep the lines of communication…

Sitting at the kitchen table in my grandparents’ house, I worked carefully on my colouring book. ‘That’s very good, Helen,’ my gran smiled. Aged fi ve, I preferred to play quietly by myself while my brother David, then seven, played outside with our grandfather. We both loved visiting our grandparents. And our Uncle John – Mum’s brother – lived with them, too, so he made a fuss of us. After I’d finished colouring, John, then 21, came over to me and ruffled my hair. ‘Got you this from the shop,’ he said, handing me a comic. ‘Not fair!’ David sulked later. ‘John never buys me anything.’ I’d always been Uncle John’s favourite. Whenever we stayed, I’d sleep in John’s room and he’d sleep on the sofa in the living room…

Tigger stands at 6ft tall! You could say I’m a sucker for the underdog. As a manager for Birdline UK Parrot Rescue, I’ve adopted several pets over the years, from parrots to chinchillas. In December 2014, I was browsing a Spanish Facebook page – Mastins For Adoption. A hefty breed, Mastins (Mastiffs) are often used as guard dogs in Spain. Unwanted strays are taken to kennels. But in Spain, there’s a 12-day rule – if an animal isn’t housed, it’s destroyed. One poor pup’s story drew me in. With ‘tiger’ stripes in his fur, Tigger was 10 months old. He’d been rescued in the nick of time by the organisation Protectora Pulgosas. Instantly, I fired off a message and used savings to pay £360 to have Tigger shipped to the…

We love taking snapshots of our meals when eating out, and social media is full of delicious looking dishes that give us food envy. But imagine if photos of your own grub could also trigger envy? George Rouse, head chef at George’s Kitchen, shares his secrets on making food look as good as it tastes. Play with your food Going against everything your mum has ever told you – it’s okay to play with your food. You’re never going to get things right the first time round, so experiment with different positionings, colours and ingredients until you’re happy. I’m constantly reworking dishes until I get the right shot. It’s true, ‘people do eat with their eyes’ and on social media, it’s the only way they can, so make sure you…

As I walked into the farm shed where my boyfriend, Scott, 23, was milking the cows, nervous butterflies swirled around in my stomach. ‘What’s wrong?’ he asked, catching sight of the worried expression on my face. ‘I’m pregnant,’ I blurted out, before I had the chance to back out. It had already taken me two whole days to pluck up the courage to break it to him. ‘You’re joking,’ he laughed, turning his attention back to milking the cows. ‘I’m not!’ I cried. ‘We’re having a baby.’ Scott’s jaw dropped open in shock. After we both had time to digest the news, we were delighted at the thought of becoming parents. We hadn’t really planned on starting a family so soon, but the surprise was a welcome one. Scott and…

Ask our doc Dr Dinesh Silva, co-founder of Doctaly.com , the new ‘on-demand’ private GP appointment service, answers your questions. So painful Since I’ve been breast feeding, I’ve had reoccurring mastitis. How can I prevent it? Nikki, London Mastitis is painful. It is usually caused by blocked ducts in the breast that cause back pressure and subsequent infection. It is important to look at your risk factors for developing mastitis. If you have had mastitis before, it may be that you need a different antibiotic. It is important to promote the flow of breast milk, so having well-fi tting bras is vital. Gentle massage or gentle heat can help if you show the early signs of a blocked duct, like a lump. You should also look at…

For years, I’d go to the bingo halls. Then, in October 2013, I thought, Why not give online bingo games a try? Well, I loved it from the minute I joined! Sometimes I’d chat to other players in the chatrooms. There’s a lovely community feel! Then, one day in October last year, after getting in from work, I snuggled in front of the TV in my jimjams. Me and my partner Chris, 51, both work long hours, so it’s always great to put our feet up! That evening, I decided I’d like to play a game of bingo in Tiki. I logged on to Chat Mag Bingo and bought six 10p tickets for the next game, then watched the soaps on TV as the numbers were dabbed off my cards…

When Stephen King was just 10, he was fascinated by the crimes of Starkweather. He kept a scrapbook with cuttings about the case, hidden from his mum, and would later create many characters based on Starkweather including The Kid in the book The Stand. ‘I used to clip and paste every news item I could find on him, and then I’d sit trying to unravel the inner horror behind that ordinary face,’ King once said in an interview. ‘I knew I was looking at big-time sociopathic evil, not the neat little Agatha Christie-style villain, but something wilder and darker and unchained. I wavered between attraction and repulsion.’…

Hidden away Tuck your shoelaces under themselves to stop them from untying when you’re out and about. I did this with the kids’ shoes at first, but it works great for me, too! Theresa Duncan, Nuneaton Tea-total clean Pour cold green tea into a spritzer bottle and use it to clean windows – they come out spotless! Carla Rios, Poole It’s better to be safe than sorry... I always keep a piece of paper with my name, contact details and emergency contact details in my wallet. That way if something happens to me, someone knows who to call. Linda Bowman, Tiverton Friendly reminders My grandma is always forgetting to take her tablets, so I wrote the days of the week on the back of the pack so that she remembers…

A spokesman for Vauxhall says; ‘We are continuing our investigations following reports of fire in the area of the heating and ventilation system in a number of Vauxhall Zafiras (Zafira B model launched in 2005, not current Zafira Tourer). While the number of incidents is very low in proportion to the number of vehicles on the road, we take this issue very seriously. The safety of our customers is our number one priority. Vauxhall is writing to all affected Zafira owners to invite them for a free inspection of their vehicle’s heating and ventilation system and to replace any parts necessary at no cost to the customer, returning their vehicle to a safe operating condition.’…

Mostly A: RED Red is the colour of success and grabs everyone’s attention, which is exactly what you want! You have lots of plans and ideas, so surround yourself with this powerful colour, especially with your clothing, and start to really stand out from the crowd. Mostly B: BLUE You are a natural worrier and you’re letting stress get to you. Blue has a tremendous power to manage stress. It will help you clear your mind and make you see that you are capable if you approach things without putting pressure on yourself. Mostly C: GREEN You love nature and being around people, so green is perfect for you. It symbolises harmony, but it also encourages renewal, which will remind you that you don’t always have to put others before…

Joy Smith, 52, Coventry Polishing off my steak, I dropped my cutlery to the side of the plate. ‘That was lovely, but my God I’m full,’ I said, clutching my stomach. ‘Are you OK?’ my daughter Demi asked with a concerned look on her face. ‘Yeah, it’s just my stomach again,’ I replied, feeling a little queasy. I’d experienced bloating for as long as I could remember, but I’d been having pains on and off for a few months. That evening, I lay awake for hours with excruciating pains shooting across my middle. The next day I arrived at work, exhausted, and still in agony. ‘Everything alright Joy?’ my colleague asked, as I doubled over by the door. ‘Maybe it was the food last night,’ I growled. ‘I think I’m…

Dealing with lice Going back to school can fill parents with dread because of the risk of their child getting lice. With up to 20% of UK children having head lice at any given time, it’s a common thing to worry about. Pharmacist Daniel Brash gives us his tips on avoiding lice: Check your child’s hair regularly – spotting lice early means you can treat them quickly. Remove the lice with a comb – battery combs are popular, as they comb through the hair while passing a small electric current, killing the lice. Baby-boosting meals Do certain foods improve your chances of falling pregnant? Absolutely! Naturopathic nutritionist Amy Morris suggests these baby-boosting foods if you’re trying: Pomegranates – boost blood flow to increase the chance of conceiving. Salmon – rich…

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SUPER NANNY Do you enjoy wide open spaces, fresh air, and all the cuddly cuteness you can handle? Being a panda nanny might be the job for you. The role is pretty self-explanatory: panda nannies are expected to feed, clean and look after captive pandas around the clock. But these gentle giants can be pretty demanding. They require dozens of kilograms of freshly prepared bamboo every day, and their apples need to be cut into bite-sized chunks. So while it might seem like great fun to play with a panda all day, you should consider it carefully. The job pays around £220 a month and is as physically demanding as a full-time nursing job. FINDING THE FUN If we left it up to the kids to choose our next holiday,…