ACPR Blog

The Bexhill and Hastings Observer have been very nice about my new books:

THERE appears to be no stopping inspirational Bexhill author Antonia Chitty, who, following on from the success of her previous two books, ‘A Guide to Promoting Your Own Business’ and, ‘Family Friendly Working’, has just launched a further two books entitled, ‘What To do When Your Child Hates School’ and, ‘Special Educational Needs – A Parents Guide’; which she wrote in conjunction with Special Needs teacher Victoria Dawson.

Explaining how she and Victoria came to write the book, Antonia said: “This book arose because my friend Victoria - who is a Special Educational Needs Teacher in Rotherham - kept saying she had really good ideas for practical help books. (more…)

My new book is up on the publisher’s website, even though it is not out until September. The site says,

“Every parent wants their child to be happy at school, but it’s not always that easy. In What to Do When Your Child Hates School, Antonia Chitty tells you what to do if school is making your child miserable or failing to meet their needs. Unlike other books, this guide will look at solutions within and outside the state education system, from talking to the school, looking at different schools, educating at home or even setting up your own school. Real life case studies will enhance clear explanations of your rights. Hear from parents, teachers and children about how to make the system work for you, or how to work outside it.”

Many thanks to Linda Baldwin for posting the first customer review for Family  Friendly Working on Amazon. She says, “A lovely book written by someone who has actually applied the advice and principles within this book herself as a mum who works from home. Discarding the rose-tinted specs, Antonia includes both high and low points of being a home based working parent by including many real-life examples of a truly broad range of flexible working parents, from party-plans to teleworking, freelancing or setting up a new business from scratch. Franchises and flexi-time are also covered in this wonderful book - a must read for every parent who is working and wondering how to spend more time with their family, as well as parents who are at home with their familes yet seeking a way to return to work or embark upon a family friendly career. ”

Cheers Linda!

Family Friendly Working: Inspiring ideas for making money when you have kids by Antonia Chitty

Publication date 18 February 2008

Every mum makes a tough decision about returning to work after having a baby. Having a second child can make the cost of childcare outweigh what you earn. And it’s hard to combine being there for your schoolchildren with a full time job. Mother and small business advisor Antonia Chitty has put together a guide for parents which is full of case studies and ideas for finding work that fits comfortably around having kids. She advises not only on starting a business, but also on working for someone else or freelancing, with lots of advice, pros and cons and contributions from other parents who have been there before. If you have had enough of trying to do too much in too little time, and feel torn between work and spending time with your children, this book will guide you through the options. Do you make something that might be saleable? Have you got a skill you could use to earn in the evenings or while the children are asleep? What courses might help you retrain AND still be there when the kids get home from school? Whether you need to earn something just to boost the family budget or have ideas for a business that could support your family if only you knew how to get started, this is the book for you. Buy it now from www.familyfriendlyworking.co.uk, www.acpr.co.uk or www.amazon.co.uk. Order from your local bookshop, quoting ISBN 978 1 905410 26 2 

Family friendly working is officially out on 18^th Feb, but we have had some coverage in advance in Prima AND Prima Baby magazines, as well as a review in Families Magazine.

Review of Family Friendly Working from Families magazine

If you find yourself, as so many mothers do, back in the office trying to squash five days work into four, not seeing your children as much as you’d like while spending almost your entire salary on childcare, this is the book for you.

Family Friendly Working principally sets out a list of options open to the mother (or father) who intends to work but doesn’t want to miss out on her child’s early years. From turning a cake-making hobby into a thriving business, to training as an antenatal teacher or becoming a house-to-house rep for an established company, the suggestions are limitless. It also covers the basic principles of setting up your own business such as applying for patents and protecting copyrights, finding manufacturers and creating websites. A thorough list of web addresses provides back-up support and ideas, all for occupations that can fit neatly into family life. Although the book concentrates on setting up your own business in some form, whether it be selling knitted tea cosies over the internet or buying your own franchise of Monkey Music, it also offers valuable advice on negotiating a better working situation with your existing employers through flexi-time, job sharing and compressed hours, an option definitely worth considering. It’s not all rosy out there in the world of the small business, as the author points out, but with some compromises having both a family and a job – and enjoying both – can be done. FSW Rating: Four Stars

A fellow author at White Ladder Press is looking for mums and dads to tell her about their kids and food. Please do email her if you can help:

I’ve just started work on a new book which is all about kids and food. It aims to look at the many and varied isses that arise for parents with a vague aim to successfully nourish their children and I’m on the lookout, as with the last one, for people willing to share their thoughts, experiences, and advice. So if you’ve got (or have had, in the reasonably recent past) a fussy eater or an overeater, a child with a bizarre predilection for one or other food group, a child with an allergy or other medical issue that’s linked to what they eat, or if you just have some very ordinary experiences or views that you would like to share on matters like how to encourage healthy eating, school dinners, passing on positive messages, etc etc, then I would be very happy to hear from you, on holliesmith@tiscali.co.uk. No real names required. No rewards either - just my everlasting gratitude. Please feel free to forward to friends, too. My thanks, and all the very best, Hollie Smith 

I got a call from the publishers of my book, Family Friendly Working to say that they have the first copies in, which is exciting. I am looking forward to a few copies landing on my doorstep. It is still a couple of months until the official release dates, but early copies will go out to the press for reviews.

My new book, Family Friendly Working, has its first review. The Bookseller magazine previews books so the book trade can get orders in pre-publication. Their reviewer writes:

“Many parents have to make tough decisions about returning to work after having a baby. So there is excellent potential for this guide in which a mother and small business advisor shares her ideas for finding work that fits comfortably around having kids.” The Bookseller Caroline Sanderson

I provided some tips for an article and apparently they have recommended my new book, Family Friendly Working. Would love to see it if anyone still has the relevant week’s magazine. The article says something along the lines of:

“Antonia Chitty, author of Family Friendly Working (£9.99 White Ladder Press Feb 2008) has the following tips for businesses that work well in your spare time:

1. Becoming a rep is one of the most common ideas for a part time business. Before signing up ask yourself if you are prepared to sell to your friends and family, and turn passing acquaintances into potential party hosts. If selling isn’t your strong point point, pass this opportunity by. If you’re up for some sales talk, find out if there are competing reps in your area – you’ll do better if you are selling something new, and ideally something you can’t buy cheaper in your local shops.
2. Set up a service. Have you got a skill? It could be anything from ironing to graphic design. If you have a talent or a few spare hours there’s always someone who wants a job done. Tips to find customers include popping postcards in the local shop window or posting flyers through doors of affluent local houses for services like cleaning or ironing. Target local businesses too if your skill could help them.
3. Hobbies that pay: if you’re crafty or a clever cook, you may be able to turn your hobby into a business. Ask friends and family if they would be interested if you started making something to sell. Check out local gift shops and craft fairs to see if there is a market for hand made cards and gifts. Talk to trading standards about what you would need to do if you want to sell cakes, jam or other homemade goodies. Be careful to work out the cost of your time and materials, and don’t underprice your handmade items.”