Business award for Moneymore mum who teaches babies sign language

Naomi Palmer, 35, founded Blooming Kids NI after having a tough time with her first child, Noah, now two.

Her company was named NI4Kids Family Friendly Business of the Year at an awards ceremony in Belfast City Hall.

The entrepreneur, and mum of two, now spends half her working week teaching babies to speak sign language and educating them on environmental issues.

“Teaching them basic signs like milk, water, food, mummy, daddy - all of those simple words - it reduces frustration,” she said.

Asked how you would explain environmental issues to toddlers, she said: “Very simply we do a topic every week.

“One week we would do weather, then another week would be water, animals etc.”

As well as these very forward thinking classes, Naomi also teaches baby yoga, massage and reflexology.

“I was inspired/ shocked/ beside myself when he [Noah] was born,” she explained.

“He was very bad with colic and reflux - it’s very uncomfortable for them and the only thing that I found soothed him was the baby massage.

“It also helped me to get out and about and meet other mums... that’s just as important from my point of view.”

When they are not at class, Naomi has set up the Facebook page Mid Ulster Mums to help keep them connected.

“When you have a baby it can be quite isolating,” she added. “Especially in Mid Ulster - you can’t just walk down the street if you’re out in the country.

“So at the end of the class they all stay for another half an hour to have tea and coffee.

“I also organise dinners every two months through the Facebook group Mid Ulster Mums,” she continued.

And she must be doing something right as it was the mums who attend her classes who nominated her for the award.

“I’m not sure what they said,” she explained. “I was one of three finalists. When my name was called out I was absolutely shocked and delighted.”

Based between Moneymore and Desertmartin, Blooming Kid NI holds classes at Naomi’s home from Thursday to Saturday.

The rest of the week she splits her time between looking after Noah and Abigail, nine weeks, and working for Belfast City Council.

Asked how she found the time to start her own business, she said: “Blooming kids doesn’t seem like work to me because I just love it.”