But They Sure Are Worth It
Education continues to be a topic of debate these days. From budget cuts, teacher strikes, and safety concerns, it’s no wonder many parents are looking toward private school as the answer.
But with that comes a financial investment, which gives many parents a moment of pause. Exactly what are you getting for the money? And is it really better than a public school education?
Your pet’s health is in your hands. Without your full care and attention, your pets aren’t getting the best.
For the healthy pet you want, you need to ensure that you cover all aspects of their needs. That takes knowledge of their lives.
Do you want the information need for the healthy pet you desire?
Follow along as we give you the big tips for a healthy pet.
Parenting a toddler can be quite a difficult task, especially if the toddler is mischievous and demands a lot of attention. Toddlers tend to keep their moms on their toes all the time. With so many other activities already lined up, keeping your toddler busy can be challenging. Therefore, we have come up with several interesting ideas to keep your toddler busy. These ideas are simple and easy to implement in very little time.
There is something about play dough that it instantly becomes every kid’s favourite. The moment they lay their eyes on it, they start exploring it. They squeeze, smash, pat, throw and enjoy every action that they can perform on the play dough. Playing with play dough can not only be fun for toddlers, but it also develops their fine motor skills, builds their imagination, improves coordination, strengthens their hands, fingers, wrists and arms. A variety of play dough is available at online marketplaces like AliExpress and David Jones. You can also make play dough at home using simple ingredients that sit in your kitchen.
The best part of keeping your toddler busy is that you will not need complicated and expensive toys. Almost all toddlers are fascinated with the stuff available in the house, especially cupboards. Give your toddler some of your pots, pans and spoons from the kitchen and watch them leap in joy. Kids have fun beating utensils with spoons. Give them spoons made of different materials like wood, metal and rubber. Ask them if they can differentiate the sounds. Another fun activity is that you can ask your toddler to stack different utensils to build a tower.
There are a lot of easy colourful puzzles available for toddlers. Jigsaw puzzles are a great activity for toddlers as it develops their fine motor skills and problem-solving skills. Moving the puzzle pieces and sliding these around helps them to develop their hand-eye coordination. Solving puzzles is also a brain exercise that helps boost a child’s memory as they learn to identify between shapes, colours etc. You can also make your own puzzles by following the do-it-yourself procedures available on the internet.
Give your kid some colourful building blocks of different shapes. Ask them to build things like towers, houses, etc. Colourful building blocks can keep a toddler engaged for quite some time. They are fascinated with bright colours and the way blocks can be assembled together. Playing with blocks is also another great way to develop a toddler’s hand-eye coordination.
Colouring is an activity that is not only fun but also helps to develop your toddler’s cognitive and creative skills. Colouring also improves their motor skills by developing their finger, hands and wrist muscles. Give your toddler some crayons or markers and a sheet to colour. Kids do tend to get bored of colouring. However, you can make the process interesting by providing them a picture of their favourite cartoon character, fruit or toy, to colour.
Toddlers love water. Activities involving water are a great way to keep toddlers involved and entertained. The list of water-based activities for toddlers is huge. However, the one that tops the list is watering plants. Provide some watering cans to your toddler and ask them to water plants. You might have to demonstrate initially. You can also ask your kid to wash some toys using soap and water and then pat dry using towels.
Sorting shapes is good to keep your toddler busy. This activity is not only fun but also helps to develop a toddler’s cognitive skills. Use toy sorters of various shapes and watch your toddler explore. You can point out to a shape and ask your toddler to hold and feel it to understand and learn the differences. Recognizing shapes and sorting them might take a while, but gradually your toddler is sure to master the skills.
All the above mentioned activities are a great way to keep your toddler engaged. These activities are not only fun but also help to develop your toddler’s reasoning, attention and fine motor skills. And, finally, ensure that you supervise your kids as they are busy having fun while engaged in these activities.
A trip to Italy certainly isn’t a “budget” vacation for most families. But, whether you’re visiting Italy with or without kids, it’s an adventure.
Tourists are descending on Italy in masses. In 2017, 420 million people visited the country.
It’s critical to plan your trip to manage the crowds for the perfect vacation. But how can you know what sites to prioritize?
On average, crime for nearly seven different types of offenses increases by almost 10% between June and August.
It’s no coincidence that these numbers rise in the summer months where teens are out of school.
To keep from becoming another statistic, it’s important to find things for teens to do in the summer—and whether educational, financially productive, local, or out of town—there needs to be an emphasis on fun.
The best way to plan your summer is to start thinking now and to engage your teen in the planning process. This will create interest, strengthen your relationship, and make them accountable for following through. Here are five great summer activities for teens to help you get started.
You can’t go wrong with getting creative. Tap into what your teen likes or is interested in and try to pick activities around that. This can be something you two do together (like trying a new recipe) or something they can do alone (like an art class).
You can also encourage them to try something new, which both sharpens their critical thinking skills and helps their brains to be engaged—even on break.
Sports teams will always be one of the best outdoor activities for teens because of the ease and availability of joining! There are hundreds of teams to pick from, at all different skill levels and price ranges.
Although paying for extracurriculars can get pricey, you can save money in renting or using second-hand equipment and by keeping a schedule to make sure you’re not missing any practices or games.
Your teen might groan at this option, but there are ways to make summer work/volunteering fun.
First, encourage your teen that the money they make is money they can spend. Sometimes reminding them of the benefits of having cash to do the things they want is enough to get them motivated!
Also, take time to research different work options with your child and figure out what would be of interest. Try to pursue something that would be an eventual lead-in for a future job or something totally unrelated that sparks interest.
If possible, work/volunteer together, or schedule an event that incorporates their friends for even more fun.
One of the classic and best summer activities for teens is summer camp. Not only is this a great away-from-home experience, but it allows your teen to make friends and bond with people outside his or her ‘bubble’ of school and home life.
Teens are also challenged by outdoor activities, team-building exercises, and adventures where they can expand their minds in different ways.
You can find local camps or sleep-away camps within your state or the country. Another option is summer camp abroad for a fully-immersive experience that teaches your teen life skills, getS them off their phones, and even boosts their resumes!
Finding things for teens to do in the summer can be a challenge, especially for parents who can’t afford some of the pricier activities. If the budget is a challenge, consider day trips to local areas, weekend camping, or even pitching a tent in your backyard!
You can also play tourist in your hometown and go to different museums, restaurants, and monuments that you may not have seen in years or totally overlooked.
If a summer vacation is an option for your family, try to plan one that includes all family members and potentially your teen’s friends, too. This can be a great way to bond with your teen and get to know the people he/she hangs around with.
Summer can be a crazy time for parents, but it doesn’t have to be. Whether you decide to enroll your teen in summer camp abroad, take him/her on family vacation, or even encourage a part-time job, you have the ability to make your teen’s summer fun!
To read other tips for parenting (and entertaining) teens, read our blog.
Being an adoptive parent presents you with a very unique set of challenges. Not only do you need to be familiar with the standard parenting techniques, but you also need to be able to handle some other issues.
There will be inevitable questions from your child about who their birth parents are. You need to be sure you’re ready to tackle any difficult questions as and when they present themselves. This article lists 8 tips on how to talk with your child about this subject.
If you have an adopted child, you know they’re eventually going to have questions about their own background. Since certain questions are inevitable, you should make sure you have a direct plan of action for when they’re asked.
Make sure to discuss this extensively with your partner so you’re both on the same page. You might not want to reveal all the details about your child’s past; the two of you might decide some things are better left until your child is older.
When you tell your adopted child about their past, the overall message should always be a positive one. Make sure you convey that your child is loved and that they’re a welcome part of your family.
In a lot of cases, you might also want to reiterate their birth parents love them as well. You might be able to explain in a positive way why they had to give your child up for adoption.
You should always be honest with your child about their history, but you shouldn’t necessarily tell them everything straight away. Some information may be better handled when they’re more mature.
You should never make up stories about your child’s birth parents. It might work well in the short-term to simply tell your child what you think they want to hear, but in the long-run, it’s always going to backfire.
Don’t feel like you need to be able to answer every question. It’s better to say you don’t know the answers rather than make something up.
In most cases, the birth parents of your child will have requested a semi-open adoption. If this applies to you and your child, it’s essential that you keep to these agreements.
For the most part, keeping up a relationship with your child’s birth parents ends up being a positive experience. Visit this website to learn about DNA testing, which can help with finding birth parents.
In the event that such a reunion isn’t possible, you should try and be honest about it as soon as your child has the necessary emotional maturity. Never let your child think they’ll meet their birth parents one day if you know it will be impossible.
The adoption of your child should be seen as a milestone to be cherished. Make sure you remember the date you adopted your child and consider celebrating it on an annual basis.
When you treat the anniversary of their adoption as a day to be remembered, they’re less likely to see their adoption as something to be ashamed of. If possible, you should consider getting the birth parents involved in the festivities.
You should also be aware of certain other annual events. For example, there is National Adoption Month and Birth Mother Day.
Sometimes, when you adopt a child, they might be a different race to you and your partner. In this situation, you’ll find the questions start coming a lot sooner than they would if you were the same race.
Your child will probably have a lot of questions about the differences between their parents and them. When that time comes, you’ll need to have some good answers prepared.
Take the time to learn about your child’s ethnic and cultural background. When your adopted child is a different race, it can present you with a lot of problems you might not expect. For example, you might find it hard to style your daughter’s hair, since the techniques you need to use will differ from what you’re used to.
Taking the time to learn more about your child’s background can be very helpful in dealing with these sorts of issues.
When you’re raising a child, there are always going to be issues. The majority of children experience some degree of emotional instability at one time or another.
There’s a good chance your adopted child will have some problems with their identity. This is normal for any child, but it can be especially difficult if your child was adopted.
Recognize that these kinds of issues are unavoidable. Just because your child struggles with their identity doesn’t mean you’ve failed as a parent. This is a natural part of raising a child, biological or adopted, so you shouldn’t let it demoralize you.
You or your partner should never avoid talking about your child’s birth parents because it makes you uncomfortable. While it’s certainly appropriate to wait until your child is older to divulge certain aspects of their story, you shouldn’t try to get out of a difficult conversation by changing the subject.
Avoid uncomfortable feelings when talking about your child’s birth parents by making sure you’re well-prepared for any questions your child might ask.
As an adoptive parent, preparation is your greatest asset. Make sure you and your partner develop a plan of action as to how you’ll approach difficult subjects, such as who the birth parents are. This will ensure that you’re well-equipped to handle any difficult questions whenever they come up.
Recognize that being an adoptive parent is not an easy path. But you should also appreciate that being an adoptive parent is an incredibly rewarding experience. However you look at it, you’re adding to and enriching your family.
Planning on having a biological child soon? Here’s what you need to know about maternity leave.
It’s not a secret that your body changes during pregnancy; it needs to accommodate a growing human being inside of you.
Which is why your stomach muscles stretch, your body creates a placenta for your baby, and your hips widen in preparation for the birth.
But something that a lot of women overlook, or forget, is that your post pregnancy body also continues to change.
Keep on reading to find out how your body will continue to physically change after giving birth, to meet the new demands of looking after your new-born baby.
Your body experiences a lot of hormones during pregnancy and even after you give birth. These hormones can change your body both physically and mentally, so it is important that you prepare yourself for these miraculous changes.
Your breasts will grow during pregnancy, but after giving birth, your breasts will be larger than they were before. This is perfectly natural.
After birth, your breasts get larger because your estrogen and progesterone hormone levels decrease, which allows prolactin (the hormone that allows you to start producing breastmilk) to take control.
Your body after birth will initially produce colostrum, a substance that is thicker than milk and high in nutrients and antibodies. Colostrum helps to protect your baby from bacteria and viruses and also helps your baby pass his/her first stool.
The increased blood flow and milk in your breasts will make them bigger and feel sorer for the first few days after birth.
The pain and discomfort you feel during breastfeeding can be relieved by frequently nursing your baby. You can also relieve pain by applying warm packs before breastfeeding and cold packs after feeding your baby.
For two weeks or so, your post pregnancy body will have baggier skin, especially around your stomach area.
Why will you have a baggy stomach? Your stomach expands to accommodate for your baby during pregnancy.
Your stomach should return back to its old self after a few weeks. Breastfeeding helps to tighten your loose skin, as does a healthy diet.
Once your physician says it is okay for your body to do some exercise, you can try some gentle exercises to help tighten your muscles. Try going for a walk every day with your baby and be sure to visit here for more tips on how to lose your baby weight.
During pregnancy, your hair might have been thicker and fuller – due to the hormones in your body. However, after giving birth your hair will start thinning and falling out due to the new hormones in your body after birth.
Don’t worry your hair will return back to normal after a few weeks or months. To help repair your hair you can try and use organic shampoos and conditioners.
A few weeks after you’ve given birth, your body will lose anywhere between four and six pounds of water weight. Well, there has to be something good that comes from needing to wee all the time right?
Women who are breastfeeding can also expect to lose more weight because nursing your baby can burn up to 500 calories.
If you practice a healthy diet and participate in the right amount of exercise (ask your doctor for more details about what is right for you) then you could be back to your old body sooner than you thought.
Many women experience accidentally leaking urine after giving birth. This is completely natural.
Your pelvic floor just experienced a lot of pressure during labor and sometimes the signals that are normally sent from the bladder can be disrupted.
Doing pelvic floor exercises can help prevent bladder incontinence. Spending less time standing and more time sitting can also help to repair your pelvic floor.
If you are particularly concerned, you can discuss your bladder movements at your pelvic floor assessment. Which is usually 6 weeks after giving birth.
Your body will shed the uterus and any extra blood, so you can expect fairly heavy bleeding for about a week after you give birth.
The bleeding will be heavy for a week, with bright red blood, but after a week it should start to lighten. This will happen whether you have a vaginal delivery or a C-Section.
Speaking of bleeding, when can you expect to have your next period? This depends on whether you are breastfeeding or not.
Women who aren’t breastfeeding can expect their periods to return with 6 to 8 weeks.
Women who are breastfeeding can enjoy being period-free for longer. Your periods will start again depending on when you breastfeed less, which for many women is around 6 months after giving birth. Yay!
Just because you might not have your period for a while, it doesn’t mean that you can’t expect a whole range of emotions.
This is very normal and is due to all the hormones that are in your body. You may cry more and feel more irritable. Your hormones will start to calm down after 10 days, so just breathe, you’re doing great mum!
If you notice you have drier eyes or blurrier vision than usual, this might be down to your pregnancy hormones. Once your hormone levels start to balance out again, your blurry vision or dry eyes should clear up.
If you are concerned about your vision or eyes, make sure you make an appointment with your optometrist.
Due to lower levels of estrogen in your body, you may encounter vagina dryness. Your body’s estrogen levels will eventually return to normal.
If you are ready for sex again and encounter vaginal dryness, be sure to use water-based lubricants and go slow and steady. You may encounter some pain or discomfort when you first have sex again after giving birth.
No one body is the same, so remember that you might encounter a range of different symptoms with your body after your baby. But it is all part of a natural journey.
Not sure if something is normal? There’s a lot of post pregnancy body information that is readily available for you, such as on websites, or in books and magazines.
Do not hesitate in contacting your doctor if you think something is wrong with your body.
And remember not to be embarrassed by any symptoms you encounter during or after giving birth – it is all natural.
Check out more parenting blogs for excellent tips and insightful advice from experts and other parents who have been there before.
What do you wish for your children as they grow older?
Kindness? Intelligence? Success? Good health?
We put everything we have into raising our kids to give them the best chance of having a good life.
But screen time is getting in the way of those efforts.
The amount of time children spend in front of screens has a direct effect on cognitive function. And it isn’t a good effect.
It’s impossible to completely break away from screens in the digital age we’re living in. Rather, we have to balance the negative effects by introducing more movement.
Exercise for kids promotes better mood, energy, sleep, and countless other physical benefits.
The common suggestion is at least one hour of activity every day. It depends on the intensity and what activity we’re talking about, but that’s a guideline.
So how do you get your kid moving in the right direction? Here are physical activities your kids will love, and their bodies will love too.
Most martial arts originated out of Asia and include five categories styles: striking (or stand-up), grappling (or ground fighting), throwing (or takedown), weapons-based, and low impact (or meditative).
Common martial arts practices in the United States are karate (striking), Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (grappling), and judo (throwing).
Overall, martial arts teaches self-defense, confidence, and discipline in a controlled environment.
We hope our children will never face dangerous situations and use self-defense. The reality is that anything could happen at any moment that threatens their safety.
Whether it’s a bully at school or someone on the street, martial arts give our kids with an ability to defend themselves.
Plus, it provides a competitive outlet to try their best at something.
Combine physical activity with internal growth and life skills. It will impact your children’s lives for years to come and keep them active and healthy.
If martial arts isn’t their thing, there’s always team sports.
Team sports such as soccer, basketball, and baseball are enjoyable aerobic exercises.
Aerobic exercise for kids gets them breathing faster, increasing their heart rate. This improves cardiovascular and immune function.
Not only that, team sports build character and instill values in children.
Working together with their peers requires learning teamwork, leadership, and communication skills. Being a part of a team involves time management and responsibility.
There are thousands of team sports that exist in the world. Find what peaks your child’s interests and go from there. Who knows, they could continue to play in recreational leagues for the rest of their lives.
If none of them do the trick, there’s always individual exercise.
Combine independence with vitamin D and you get outdoor activities.
Surfing, snowboarding, and skateboarding are both individual and group activities. This means there’s some freedom with time spent doing it.
After learning through either trial and error or lessons, they can exercise without having to follow a set schedule.
You can combine outdoor recreation with aerobic exercise or strength training. This could manifest in activities like running or rock climbing.
An added bonus of this type of physical activity is that it provides kids a lifelong interest to go to, even after they’re past the age of team sports.
Let’s face it — overstimulation is a result of the times we’re living in. There’s information coming at us from every direction at every moment because of technology.
We all experience this, of course, but our kids are growing up in it. What they experience at this age will affect them the rest of their lives.
Teaching our children yoga from a young age can combat this. It’s an introspective practice that teaches how to deal with mental and physical stress.
Studies are finding that yoga may alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression. This may be due to the pranayama (breath work) involved.
Breathing techniques affect our heart rate and calming us down immediately.
The practice of yoga improves concentration and attention span as well.
As far as the exercise aspect goes, asanas (postures) improve strength, balance, and flexibility.
Find a studio near you that offers kids classes. If there aren’t any available, there are free classes online (this one is a Spiderman edition!)
Whether your kids become full-blown yogis or use yoga to supplement other physical activity, it’s a great practice to introduce them to.
Speaking of introductions, make safety a baseline concern by introducing it to children at the beginning of any activity.
Remind them that they only have one brain and one body — you have to take care of it. That way, they’ll protect themselves even when you’re not around.
There are obvious safety concerns — such as wearing a helmet and protective gear — but others are more subtle.
Some sports (like skiing) need lessons rather than simply diving into it to ensure safety. Other sports are inherently dangerous because of high impact and speed.
Don’t let fear keep you from allowing your kids to try new things. Take into account the dangers of different activities and stay informed on relevant research.
Exercise for kids is important but it’s just as important for you to stay moving. The health benefits are not limited to kids.
If you’re interested in similar physical activities, do them together. This also provides an opportunity to bond over mutual interest.
No matter what they choose to do, remember that they will follow your example. If you exercise and eat well, so will they.
Here are more ideas on how to live a healthy lifestyle as a family so that screen time doesn’t have long-lasting negative effects.
Pets are those adorable little souls that make this world a better place to live in. They provide us with comfort and good vibes with their charming presence.
There are many advantages to having a family pet. One of these benefits is that having a pet helps lower stress levels. As a matter of fact, a study conducted in 2002 by the State University of New York at Buffalo concluded that people with a pet near them experience lower levels of stress than when a family member is near.
Another benefit of having pets at home is that they improve the family’s immune system, especially in children. Immunotherapy as experts call it, means that pets usually expose children to many different living organisms that help strengthen their immune system compared to those children who do not have family pets growing up.
1) Choose A Pet That Is Not Harmful For Your Family’s Health
When choosing a pet, consider factors such as allergies. Not everyone can handle furry friends because it can sometimes be harmful to them if they get exposed to these for long hours. Also, if you have younger children and you have reasons to doubt if they can handle pets, consulting your family pediatrician first to get professional advice is a great idea.
If some of your family members have allergies, consider picking a fish for a family pet. If your family is set on a furry friend, check out Pride and Prejudoodles on Pinterest for pets who have been coat tested against shedding.
2) Choose A Pet According To Your Family’s Income Capacity
Choose a pet you can afford. This does not only mean that you have to choose a pet you can buy but also you need to take into account the cost of maintaining and keeping one. For one, a dog which is a larger breed will consume more food than a dog of a smaller breed. Check if your family income can afford pet food, pet vitamins and pet injections.
Moreover, you also need to consider veterinary costs. Some pets, like cats, require regular general check-ups. Vet costs can be pricey especially if you have a lot of pets that need check-ups. Consider this before taking on the responsibility of being a pet owner.
3) Choose A Pet According To Your Home’s Capacity
Another consideration would be your home’s capacity. Can the new family pet have adequate space in your home? Can an additional pet still be accommodated and afforded with a sufficient level of comfort?
If you live in a relatively big house, you may accommodate large breeds of dogs. However, if you live in a small apartment, consider a smaller pet like a fish, rabbit, hamster, or a laid-back cat.
4) Consider Getting To Know The Pet First Before Bringing It Home
Before you decide to bring your potential family pet at home, consider getting to know its quirks and hot buttons first. Not all breeds of cats or dogs have the same personalities. Is the new dog comfortable with children’s touch? Is the cat a scratcher?
Consider these things before exposing your family to the pet. Make sure that you choose a pet that is well-trained and well-behaved. You would not want your dog biting your child or your cat scratching you.
Being a first-time parent is a beautiful thing but it can also be quite daunting. And as soon as people know you are expecting, advice pours in like an avalanche of information.
In fact, I think that if every mom earned a diaper for every tidbit of information or recommendation they received during pregnancy, they’d have enough diapers to last 2 years.
The intentions of those giving advice are good, but it can be overwhelming. So how are first-time parents supposed to know what is essential for their own baby and their individual household?
Read on to learn 5 of the most important parenting tips for first-time parents.
Your baby is tiny and fragile and you want to make sure she’s safe even when she’s asleep. She is OK. Get some sleep.
She’s also the most beautiful creature you’ve ever seen, so you want to take that beauty in, even when she’s sleeping. Don’t. Get some sleep.
You think that while she sleeps you should be doing laundry or cleaning. Don’t. Get some sleep. Sleep deprivation can creep up on you quickly, and before you know it you’re emotionally and physically drained.
The very best thing you can do for you and your family as a first-time parent is getting as much sleep as you can.
First-time parents tend to worry about how to be a good parent, especially when it comes to a new baby.
One thing that is essential to keep an eye on when caring for a newborn is their temperature during a fever. Make sure you have an excellent thermometer so you aren’t waking up at 2 am wondering if you should be calling your doctor.
Stock up on Pedialyte, Infant’s Motrin, Infant’s Tylenol, nail clippers, Q-tips, a syringe aspirator, vaseline, coconut oil, and diaper rash cream. The last thing you want to do when you have a new baby is google a 24-hour pharmacy at 2 am.
Check out 5 quality baby items here that are worth the investment.
Babies can come early, sometimes even 6 weeks early. If there’s anything you should have ready beforehand, it’s the car seat.
Buy a car seat and install it properly. The hospital won’t let you leave without one, and they won’t let you leave if it isn’t properly installed. If you have any doubts about whether you’ve installed it correctly, find a tech or a police station near you who will check it out for free.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed at the thought of buying a carseat, check out our recommendations and how to find the right one for your child.
Nothing is worse than changing a giant poop and realizing you’ve just thrown out the last diaper.
Get them delivered. It’s cheaper, it’s easier, and it’s one less thing you have to worry about.
Loco Direct has wholesale prices, speedy delivery, and plenty of samples.
Enjoy your time at home with your little one. Enjoy your partner. And relax.
Every worry or question that you have is a worry or question that a thousand other parents have had. Own your questions and ask them. Call your doctor rather than spending all day wondering.
Text a friend or a relative for parenting advice. You won’t bother them. They’ll be thrilled to help.
Let your partner take over and learn too. Even if you’re the type to want to control and do everything yourself, your life and your baby’s life will be better if someone else learns how to do those things too.
While it may be tempting to be the world’s best first-time parent, don’t try to do it all.
Stick to a short list of parenting tips and make those count. Everything else will fall into place as you learn something new each day.
And if you’d like to learn more, click here for all things baby.
Enjoy your time with your little one and your partner and have fun!