4 Ways To Keep Your Children Entertained This Summer!

July 30, 2018 Leave a Comment

It’s the time of year which every child across the land looks forward to – the long summer holidays! Only Christmas rivals the delight of the school gates shutting for the next six weeks. Although summer is a fantastic way for families to spend quality time together, it is also a time which fills many a parents hearts with trepidation. Thoughts of “how will I cope?” springs to mind. There is also the inconvenience of work, most people in employment don’t have the luxury of taking six weeks off work, unless you are a teacher!

 

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The summer holiday gives everyone the chance to rest and recuperate. It is well documented that the pressure children are under at school is immense, they are tested at every opportunity and the early mornings and after school activities can take their toll, resulting in grumpiness and tiredness. Lazy mornings during the summer gives children the opportunity to get their full allocation of sleep, how much sleep kids should get depends on their age, activity levels and the child as an individual. There are guidelines according to age, but there are considerable variants. Children need varying amounts of sleep according to life stages. If they are entering a growth spurt, more sleep is necessary which is one of the reasons why teenagers appear to want to sleep 24/7!

 

Unlike older people, to relax children do need activity. It is good to be bored on occasions as long as there is lots of opportunity and stimulation around them. Being bored actually stimulates the creative nature in children.

 

Most people book a holiday during the summer holidays, which will break up the weeks, but you still have a few weeks to fill. The remainder of this article will look at ways of entertaining your children through the summer break.

 

Free activities in your local area

Often local towns and villages put on free festivals and activities during the summer holidays. Try to look for a programme of events and book your days around them. Perhaps your town has a free puppet show at 2pm in the market square, you could pack up a lunch to eat in your local park, followed by the show, an icecream on the way home and that’s one day ticked off the calendar!

 

Visit your local library and see what events they have over summer. Often libraries have storytelling sessions followed by a craft session, visits by local authors and summer read schemes.

 

Some country parks and stately homes are run by the council allowing free access in the summer. Privately owned visitor attractions also have a couple of days allowing free access.

 

Arts and crafts

Before the summer break starts, try to collect a stash of items that can be used for arts and crafts. Cardboard boxes, scraps of wool, silver foil, paper, pens and paints can all inspire creations. Don’t forget plenty of glue and sticky tape!

 

Some art and crafts ideas could include creating homes for dolls, making pom pom creatures, painting and drawing. Your child will probably make their own plans as they have a tendency to have oodles of imagination.

 

Games and jigsaws

Remember all those games and jigsaws your child got for Christmas, only to be played with once? Summer is the ideal time to dust them down and get playing with them. Long lazy days mean that jigsaws are likely to be completed in time before bed and the extra long game of Monopoly can be accommodated!

 

Games and jigsaws are perfect for rainy days.

 

Go to the beach

 

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If you live fairly close to the beach – fantastic! If not get the train and make it part of the fun. Lakes are also lovely to visit in the summer. A trip to the beach can be as expensive or cheap as you like. Head to a more deserted spot, well away from the amusements to do some beach combing and sculptures. Pack all your loose change and divide it between your children for a fun hour or two in the amusements – making it clear that once the money is spent it’s gone!

 

A packed lunch will make the trip more affordable and pack a big picnic rug to prevent sand in the sandwiches!

 

Try to create fabulous memories for your children’s summer holidays. If you try to get out of the house once a day, even for just a short walk the summer will be less likely to be filled with squabbles and grumpiness. Children are naturally inquisitive and they love to learn and experience new things.

 

Have fun and have a wonderful summer!

 

Filed Under: Children, Family, Kids, Summer, Vacation

Bare Republic Sun Block

July 30, 2018 Leave a Comment

I received this product for free from Moms Meet (momsmeet.com) to use and post my honest

opinions. Compensation for this post was provided and this page may contain affiliate links

 

My family and I love swimming, camping, and everything outdoors. My boys can be outside all day with no problem, but when it’s time to apply sunblock, they give me the hardest time in the world. I’ve tried letting them apply sunblock lotion to themselves and even playing a game with the spray bottle, but nothing seemed to give. As soon as I thought I was out of options, we found Bare Republic Neon Stick Sunscreen!  They come in 6 fun neon colors, Lighting Yellow, Electric Blue, Wicked Purple, Goblin Green, Atomic Orange, Pin-Rock Pink and they even smell good! They are naturally scented Coco Vanilla, Citrus Cooler, Coco Mango, and Pina Coco scented sunscreens. What’s not to love about this sunscreen, it’s fun and smells good!

My boys can’t get enough of them! They have so much fun ‘drawing’ on themselves and love how good they smell! This makes all of our outdoor events more enjoyable not having to fuss to apply sunblock. The sunblock sticks are easy for them to hold and compact enough to put in their pocket as walk to the pool. Being able to carry the sunblock sticks makes them feel very important. The colors go on so easy and very visible. Of course, if you want a brighter color, you just have to go over it a few times. My boys have a fair skin color, so we had to go over the orange and yellow a few times.

I love the fact that my boys enjoy applying sunblock and it’s not such a pain anymore. But most of all I love that it is safe for all of us to use. It is SPF 50, water resistant and last 80 min. Another huge plus is it will fade away when it is time to reapply. Unlike other sunblocks that can harm or burn your skin. Bare Republic Sunscreen is for the entire family, so we don’t have to buy a separate ‘kid’ sunblock. They are also free of chemical actives, synthetic fragrances, petroleum, parabens and anything else we wouldn’t want to put on our skin or leave behind in nature. They are also known as cruelty-free sunscreens that combine antioxidant-rich oils, plant extracts, and non-nano mineral actives Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide to offer broad-spectrum protection from UV rays

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Family, Lifestyle

A Pup Really Could Be Your Entire Family’s Best Friend!

July 6, 2018 Leave a Comment

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Chances are that if you’re reading this post, you have some sort of interest in introducing a canine companion to your family unit. This could be one of the best decisions that you have ever made. Dogs make perfect pals and can also benefit your children greatly too. Kids with pups tend to be much kinder, healthier, calm, and comfortable. So, if you think that a four-legged friend could well be the perfect addition to your family, here’s absolutely everything that you need to know in order to meet their wants and needs!

 

Food

 

Dog food is widely available and tends to be sold in almost any supermarket or corner shop. This isn’t all too surprising considering so many of us have canine companions. But not all dog foods are created equal and believe it or not, some will prove a whole lot better for your pet than others. Seeing as your dog is entirely dependent on you when it comes to eating a healthy and balanced diet that meets all of their nutritional needs, it’s extremely important that you don’t just throw down the cheapest or most convenient feed in their bowl each morning or night. You need to do your research to find what’s best! Another thing to bear in mind is that every breed requires different portions of food. A Yorkshire Terrier, for example, will require different portions to a cockapoo. So, do a little research regarding your dog’s breed and how much they should be eating. If you’re ever in doubt, consult your vet. They will be able to tell you whether your pooch is a healthy weight or not and will be able to recommend exact portion sizes for them as a unique individual.

 

Grooming

 

All dogs have different coat types. However, generally speaking, there are six main coat types that you should familiarise yourself with – smooth, double, silky, wool, wire, and combination. The type of grooming that your pooch will require, as well as the length of their hair, will ultimately determine what grooming regime you will have to carry out for them. Most shorthaired molting breeds will only require an occasional bath at home. This is relatively simple to carry out yourself, as long as you are particularly careful around their eyes, and try to avoid letting the water running into their ears or mouth. Your vet can then clip their nails and take care of their anal glands. Long haired or non-molting dogs are likely to be a little more tricky, as their fur doesn’t shed, so will grow and need trimming. Curly haired dogs’ fur is also more prone to matting and will need to be brushed out. For these kinds of dogs, a trip to a professional groomer is preferable. These specially trained individuals will know how to wash, brush, and cut their fur into shape.

 

These are just two responsibilities that you will need to take on in order to keep your pooch happy and healthy! So, keep them in mind and ensure that you can cater to the breed you’re interested in before taking a new family member on!

Filed Under: Family Tagged With: , , , ,

Coping With Secondary Infertility

June 18, 2018 Leave a Comment

Raising children is wonderful, isn’t it? When you have your own children, you spend every day in a state of bliss mixed with wonder mixed with frustration at the small creatures that you have to train into adulthood. You go from wanting to hide in a closet with a glass of wine to avoid the knocking, mashed-potato covered minion that you created yourself, to standing and staring while they sleep in total awe that you have created this little piece of immortality. It’s a rollercoaster of a ride and for most people, having one or two children is the goal in their life. They get to have a family, their first born gets a sibling and everyone is happy.

Except, there are a minority of people that suffer with secondary infertility. If you haven’t heard of it, you’re not alone. When you try for and conceive your first child, there’s a part of you that feels a flood of relief. It’s like ticking a box to say that your body can function the way that it was built to by nature. You can create and carry life within your womb; it’s a blessing. So, when it comes to trying for another baby and nothing happens, you’re not immediately concerned. After all, you’ve got a toddler tearaway running around chattering to imaginary friends and tormenting the cat. You’ve already confirmed that you can carry children, so it’s bound to happen again eventually, right?

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Well, no, not quite. Secondary infertility is the struggle to conceive children again after a successful conception and pregnancy of a first child. It’s not something that’s talked about, mainly because there are a bunch of clichés that people hit you with when you try to explain that you’re struggling to conceive despite months of trying. Some of these are:

 

“Oh, well at least you CAN carry a baby.”

“Even if it doesn’t happen for you again, at least you have the one child already.”

“How can you be struggling, you’ve been pregnant before!”

Each of these clichés is a needle in the heart of a woman yearning for another baby to carry, nurture and birth. The thing is, secondary infertility has no rhyme or reason to it. It has no pattern, no predictability and you can find yourself desperately clawing for information as to why you managed to conceive once, but despite regular ovulation and sex, it’s just not happening again. Some couples try for years before turning desperately to affordable IVF. They go through heartache trying to figure out what’s ‘wrong’, but if the medical professionals run their tests and scans and can find nothing, this is often far worse. At least if there’s a reason to blame, you have a focus, a thing to think, ‘yes, this is why I can’t get pregnant, and now I can fix it.’ Once you know the problem, you can find a solution. Secondary infertility unfortunately has solutions that are more than just the sperm meets egg plan.

When you have a child already, there is an added layer of heartache for secondary infertility: you already know what you are missing. Your body has already experienced the joy of pregnancy, labour and birth. You’ve already got the war wounds of scars and stretchmarks on your belly to represent fecundity and fertility. And now your fertility has abandoned you and the guilt of not being able to provide your child with a sibling and your partner with another child can be crippling. Secondary infertility is no less devastating than infertility when you are childless in the first place; they are both hard situations to be a part of. The key here, is learning to cope with the diagnosis. Understanding any changes in your life since your first child was born is the first place to look. Sometimes, secondary infertility can be due to age – especially if you were much younger with your first child compared to now. Fertility diminishes over time, and your choices in when you choose to try for a baby can affect your egg quality and the regularity of an egg being released.

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You should be as proactive as possible about medical help. It’s not just about finding the best fertility doctor, either. You should read up on acupuncture and homeopathy so that you can learn the ways that you can help your body to regulate properly, to ovulate with good quality eggs. While you’re researching the best doctors and help out there, you should do as much research as you can about the tests that you can expect. Testing for secondary infertility can be invasive, which you should be okay with before you get started. Make a plan for you and your partner to face it all together and embrace how you feel. The pain you are going through isn’t going to go away immediately and the anger, sadness and anxious feelings are all normal responses to being told that you are not able to have children without help. It’s a hard blow to the heart and can make you feel rather empty on the inside.

The important thing to remember if you get a diagnosis of secondary infertility is that you haven’t done anything wrong. You need to accept that this is the situation, but that doesn’t mean that you have to give up on your dream of expanding your family. You do have a child to concentrate on at home, which can provide an excellent distraction while you’re attending appointments and having tests done. It’s important that you accept how you feel and keep moving forward, finding a way to have more children that you desire. Worrying about what’s doing to come next can really rob you of the joy that you feel today. There will be tough questions ahead for you; some you’ll ask and others you’ll receive. The way to handle it is to keep as positive as you can and be truthful. Secondary infertility is not something to be ashamed of.

 

 

Filed Under: Baby, Family, Fertility, Uncategorized

Injured? Here’s How to Make The Most Out of Your Free Time

May 16, 2018 Leave a Comment

When we get injured or suffer a road accident, it is easy to focus on the negatives and get depressed. What if you focused on the opportunity that this time off gives you to sort out your finances, learn new skills, improve your relationships, or do what you always wanted to. Below you’ll find a few tips on what to do with your free time and better yourself while recovering from an injury.

Image via Austin Chan

 

Reconnect with Friends and Family Members

Image via Jon Ly

 

A sudden break from your daily rush lifestyle might come as a shock. If you failed to give your parents a call or sit down with your kids after school due to work, now this is the time to improve your relationships. If you have been wondering about how your old classmates and friends are doing, it might be time to look them up on Facebook and reconnect with them. List everyone you want to get in touch with, and make the most out of your time.

Take on a Course

Whether you always wanted to learn meditation or have been dreaming of a career change for a long time, but had no time to study, this is your chance. There are plenty of accredited online courses that will help you secure a promotion or pay rise, even lead to a career change after you have fully recovered. Do your research and dig deep to find out what you really want to learn.

Start a Blog

In case you have always wanted to connect with like minded people, but had no time, you can start your own blog. This will give you a new routine and a purpose in life, so you become more positive about your abilities and talk to people who might be facing similar issues as you. If you are facing disability forever or just for a few months, you can use your blog to write about your emotions and release stress and frustration.

Explore Your Legal Options

You can also use the time on your hands to explore your legal options and get the compensation you deserve from the person or business that caused your injury. Whether it was a road accident caused by a careless driver or a work injury due to the negligence of your employer, you can start building your legal case while recovering. You can also get in touch with an attorney to help you with your personal injury so you don’t have to do everything alone.

Plan Your Life

When you can take a step back from your regular busy life, take the opportunity to plan your life. Whether you would like to sort out your finances and get a better mortgage rate or deal with your home improvements, make a decision whether to move or not, you will now have the time and focus to get these pressing issues out of the way.

Suffering an injury is never great. You can, however, focus on the positives and make the most out of the free time to better your life.

Filed Under: Children, Family, Health, Lifestyle, Wellness

Swim Video Analysis

May 8, 2018 Leave a Comment

How to Use Video Analysis to Evaluate Your Swimming Technique

If you are a swim racing professional, you probably are familiar with using video to evaluate your technique. This is a method that has been used for many decades by professionals and aspiring amateurs alike. But if you are just entering the world of competitive swimming, the idea of using video to evaluate and improve your performance may be a new one. You should know that swim video analysis is an excellent way to document your strengths and weaknesses. Using video to highlight the pros and cons of your performance is a great way to help you get better.

What Can the Tale of the Tape Do to Improve Your Performance?

There are many reasons why using video to make note of your performance is a smart move. For one thing, when you are in the middle of exercising, you can hardly stop to evaluate how you are doing. You are in the moment and can’t break away from it. Even if your coach is with you, they may not notice every little last detail. But the camera will record every nanosecond of the experience with an absolutely honest eye.

You’ll Be Amazed at What You Can Learn from Watching Videos

Once you have your performance caught on video, you will be able to learn from it. As noted above, the camera captures it all. There is no judging and no lying. Every last part of your technique will be there for the world to see. This is exactly why you should be using video to critique your performance. Everything you do right and everything you do wrong is right there on the tape. This is how a strong athlete gets better in the end.

The Time for You to Make Use of Video Analysis is Now

There are a great many methods that you can make use of in order to improve your swimming technique. But if you want to be competitive, you owe it to yourself to make use of this amazingly effective technique. What you see revealed by the tale of the tape may be shocking at first. However, it’s the cold, hard truth and you will do well to learn from it. Before you know it, you’ll be improving on a daily basis and looking forward to seeing yourself excel. The time to tape yourself is now.

Filed Under: Family

Is It Time To Give Your Teen The Independence They Need?

April 19, 2018 2 Comments

 

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Being a parent is tough. Sometimes, you won’t have a clue what you’re doing, and you’ll often doubt yourself. Sometimes, you’ll really feel like you’ve got this thing down, and you’ll enjoy the journey. But one thing’s for sure, when your children suddenly start to get older, you’ll find that you get a little scared. Because children are one thing, but teenagers are something totally different altogether. And to make sure that you can enjoy being a parent to a teenager, you really do have to adapt your parenting. As hard as it may be, you have to realize that your children are growing up and they need a little more independence.

 

While you may not want to change too much about your style of parenting or loosen the reigns too much, you do have to approach things differently. It’s not healthy to wrap your children in cotton wool all of the time. You do have to be able to let them breathe and learn for themselves. When this isn’t something that you’re necessarily used to, you may think that you just can’t do it. However, as with anything in life, you can. You just have to put your mind to it, pick up a few ideas and techniques, and be persistent. So let’s take a look at what will help you to be a parent to teenagers.

 

Support From Afar

 

Of course, you’re always going to want to make sure that your kids are doing as well as possible in school, but this really does have to be about them and what they can do. It’s always okay to help out and try and support your children with their schooling, but you’re definitely not going to want to do it for them. Make sure that you support from afar. Guide them, check work, and give feedback, but make sure they do what they can themselves.

 

Help Them Move Forward

 

When your child hits their teens, they definitely start to adapt to what their lives will be like as an adult. So you’ll find that they need to move on with their skills and life experiences. This includes driving. So make sure they take their learners permit test and get practicing. When they do get their driver’s license, you’re then going to want to ensure that they can be a responsible road user and take care of their car.

 

Give Them Space

 

Next, you’re going to want to make sure that you can give your children a bit of space and privacy. This isn’t always something that they want when they’re small, but as soon as they hit their teens they will definitely want some time to adjust to the way their lives are changing. So make sure that you respect this and give them a little more independence.

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Trust Them More

 

It may seem scary at first, but you also have to be okay with them doing things on their own. Whether you ease yourself in or dive in at the deep end, letting them head out without adult supervision is something that will need to happen at some point or another. To test the waters and make sure they’re responsible enough to stay safe.

 

Let Them Make Decisions

 

So far, you’ve made all of their decisions for them in life. Well, most of the time. But now that they’re a teen, it’s time that they had a lot more say. Starting off with their clothing or taste in music can help. But this is all part of the process of letting them grow.

 

Guide Don’t Drive

 

From here, you’re then going to want to make sure that you take a bit of a backseat on what you want for them. Of course, it’s always okay to steer them in the right direction, particularly with their college decision, but don’t necessarily choose for them. It is important that they can figure out for themselves what their future will look like.

 

Set Boundaries

 

Finally, you’re also going to want to make sure that you’re really cautious with how you give them their independence. You don’t want to be relaxed and discover that they’re kind of running away with things. At the same time, you do want to ensure that they can still rely on you for support. This is often where boundaries can come in. Make sure that you still enforce your rules. Things like a curfew or getting a job can be a good way to balance things out and to ensure that they’re responsible, trustworthy, and on the right track.

Filed Under: Children, Family

The New Parenting Rules For 21st-Century Parents

April 16, 2018 1 Comment

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Things come and go so quickly these days. It seems like fashions and trends are only in the public focus for a few months at a time before they vanish and quickly become uncool. As a result, our lives are so quick to change and what is normal right now might look very different to the normality of a decade or two ago.

 

That means that you will no doubt notice that the certain parenting rules and guides that your parents swore by when they were bringing you up might no longer apply these days to your own kids. In fact, trying to keep up to date with all of the current parenting guidance and best practices can be a minefield. Even parents who have teenagers and have been parenting for quite some time can feel a bit overwhelmed with what they are supposed to do.

 

As a result, it is really critical that you try and keep up with the changing world and become a modern parent who is able to deal with all of the trials and tribulations that the modern world brings to your children. Only then will you be able to keep them as safe and secure as possible. Using Talkspace is a great option also!

 

Ready to change your parenting style for the better? Here are the new parenting rules for 21st-century parents. Hopefully, they will help you improve your parenting skills so that you are ready to take on this changing modern world.

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Always Use Parental Controls

 

Lots of parents try and restrict their young children’s use of technology. It might be easy enough to keep it away from toddlers, but there is going to be a point (often a lot sooner than expected) when you are going to have to give in and let your kids use your devices. In fact, some parents are happy to let their young children get used to smartphones and tablet devices as it can teach them some key tech skills that they might need later on in their life. However, when you do have over all of this tech, you should always take advantage of the parental controls that are available to make sure your kids aren’t exposed to any age-inappropriate content. Lots of broadband suppliers, such as i3 Broadband now offer family-friendly packages that make it easy to control what your kids see and what they are kept away from. Once you have your parental controls locked down, you will find that you can leave your kids to browse the internet and play games without too much to worry about.

Set Passwords Yourself

 

Whenever your child needs to set up an account online for whatever reason – maybe it is to play a game, for instance – you should always be there when they do this. It is also necessary that you set their passwords for them. That way, you will always have access to their account and so can keep an eye on their online activity. You might be worried that this could count as an invasion of privacy, but that really isn’t the case. After all, it is a lot better to double check on what they get up to online when you aren’t watching to make sure that they are safe and protected from any pedophiles and cyberbullying. Just remember that once they start to get older, you will need to step away and let them create their own passwords so that they know you trust them. But while they are still under ten-years-old, it’s always necessary to track their passwords.

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Communicate Well With Their School

 

It is always important that parents and their children’s schools communicate well with one another. This ensures that both parties are well aware of any issues that the child may be going through at home and in the classroom. Not only that, though, but this also gives you a chance to find out all about the school rules regarding technology. Not every school may be happy about their pupils taking smartphones in with them. If this is the case, you need to be aware so that you can stop your child taking any prohibited tech in with them. It’s also a good idea to find out what your child has been learning in their IT lessons so that you can reinforce these lessons at home when they use tech and computers at home.

 

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Step Away From Social Media

 

Children always learn best through example. So, it is always necessary for you and your partner to be shining examples in everything that you do that your children see. That way, they will find it a lot easier to pick up good habits from the both of you. This also counts when it comes to all things tech as well. One great thing that all parents need to start doing is to step away from their social media accounts. If your kids grow up to see you attached to your Facebook or Twitter apps on your phone, then they will think that this is an incredibly normal thing to do. They will then pick up this habit and grow up addicted to social media. So, be sure to put your smartphone away when you are around your kids. Not only does this prevent them getting into any bad habits themselves, but it also helps you focus your attention on them so that you can spend some quality time together as a family.

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Don’t Post Photos Of Your Child Online Without Their Consent

 

Right now there is a big debate raging about whether it is ethical or not to post photos of your children online on the likes of Facebook and Instagram. There is a growing group of people who argue that it is never ok to do so as it is impossible to get informed consent from children who are under the legal age. After all, they might end up embarrassed when they get older by some of the pictures that were circulated of them online. Some parents also prevent their children’s pictures from being posted anywhere online to prevent any privacy risks or their image being stolen in identity theft. So, you need to really think carefully about how you handle your photographs of your kids and whether or not you post them online.


Don’t Leave Your Kids Alone With Tech

 

There is probably no wonder that many parents really worry about the effects of technology on their children. Not only can heavy use of tech become quite addictive, but it can also pose a danger from external threats, such as hackers, criminals, and sexual predators. There is one easy way around this, though – just don’t leave your children alone with any technology. You should always supervise children who are under ten years of age when they are using any devices or computers. Pre-teens and young teenagers should also be carefully monitored, though it is not necessary to watch over their shoulder at all times. After all, you need to start giving them some space so that they can learn about being responsible tech users on their own.  

 

Don’t Expose Them To On-Demand TV Too Early

 

For some parents, on-demand TV channels are an absolute godsend. That’s because they can put on an episode of Peppa Pig whenever their kids want to watch it – it’s no longer necessary to wait until the show is scheduled to be on TV and you also don’t need to spend a lot of money to buy the DVDs. However, even it’s important that you don’t introduce on-demand TV to your kids while they are still very young. Otherwise, they might simply end up demanding the TV all the time! This could be very stressful for you as they might start to throw a tantrum when you say now. So, it’s a good idea to wait until your kids are old enough to understand that they can’t watch TV all day every day. That way, your on-demand TV won’t become such a burden.

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Don’t Google Your Child’s Symptoms

 

We all know about Dr. Google and I daresay that a few of you might have even used him to look up some of your own symptoms at times when you have been under the weather. However, it is really important that you don’t do a Google search for any symptoms that your child starts to show. This will only cause you to panic a lot when there might not be anything to worry about. So, instead of heading over to Google at the first sign of a child’s illness, you should instead simply book an appointment with your family doctor. They will examine your child and be able to prescribe any necessary medication and treatment. That way, you won’t have to worry about using Google to misdiagnose your child. So, remember – when in doubt, you should always go straight to your family doctor.

 

Hopefully, all of these rules for 21st-century parents will help you bring up your children into responsible and respectful adults. Good luck!

Filed Under: Educational, Family

Improve Your Quality Of Life

April 13, 2018 1 Comment

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Some people’s quality of life is amazing. They can go wherever they want, free from any aches, pains, or even just setbacks. But some people are the complete opposite, and just getting out of the house is a struggle. But it’s not just health, the quality of life people can have is largely determined by the income they have, and the way in which they have been brought up. It can also be determined by the quality of life you believe you’re having, and how much you actually enjoy life on a daily basis. However, it doesn’t matter what your beliefs are; there’s always something that could be improved. At the end of the day, life is far too short to be held back by a quality of life, especially when there are so many things you can do to improve it. Here are just a few ways that we think your life could be completely transformed.

 

Is Your Health Holding You Back?

 

Health is probably the number one factor to consider if you feel as though your quality of life isn’t the best. Most of the time, the way we treat our bodies determines whether we’re going to be held back. There are some people who treat their bodies like a temple. They’re at the gym every other day, eating healthy every single day, and maybe having a little treat here and there come the weekend. These are the people you want to try and be like, but obviously, not everyone has the self-control to be like this. The people who might be being held back a bit in life are the ones who don’t seem to look after their bodies as well as they could do. If this sounds like you, there are a few things that you need to change that could seriously improve the quality of your life. First, you need to focus on your fitness routine. Fitness plays a big part in how you feel overall. Despite popular belief, exercise doesn’t tire you out, it gives you more energy in the short term and makes you feel absolutely amazing after doing a bit of exercise. Endorphins are released from the body during exercise, and it’s these endorphins that give you that rush of a good feeling. Although actually having the motivation to get up and go to the gym is the biggest problem people face. If you do manage to go a few times a week, you’ll notice improvements in your weight, muscle tone, and overall energy throughout the day. Plus, a good work out a few hours before bed will knock you right out when it comes to sleeping.

 

Then you’ve got the things that we just can’t help that could be holding you back. These are the things that happen to us as we age, and when they do, they can be rather frightening. All of the sudden we aren’t the young spring chicken we used to be and things just seem to start falling apart. One of the most common is the loss of hearing of sight. Not a complete loss, but if you’re noticing a reduction in hearing, for example, it might be worth considering what options are out there for you. A lot of people hate the thought of having to wear a hearing aid due to them being on display all of the time. But companies are now working to reduce the size, but increase the effectiveness of their products. This 2018 guide to buying TV Ears will show you the best ones you can get for general everyday use. If you’re noticing your sight decreasing, then things might be a bit easier to sort. All you’ll need to do visit your local opticians and have a checkup. Again, people are reluctant to do so because they feel as though it’s giving into old age, especially if they’ve had the perfect vision all their life. Even though it’ll be a tad expensive, it’ll definitely be worth it in the long run when the quality of life is improved overall.

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Are Your Finances Holding You Back?

 

This is the main one for a lot of people. Money is everything, and there’s not much you can do without it nowadays. So to improve your quality of life, sometimes you need to find a way to take the stress away by removing financial issues. The best way to do this is to look at your spending and decide where you might be going wrong. A lot of people don’t realize how much money they’re wasting on rubbish all the time until they actually total up their monthly spendings. So, sit down and do a money plan, focusing on absolutely everything that you might need to buy on a monthly basis. We’re talking everything from food shops and household bills, to days out with the kids or a meal out with friends. What you’re left with is usually a lot of things that you can actually cut down on. For example, your TV box company. Some companies out there charge through the nose for additions such as movie channels, sports channels etc. Do you really need it all? The flat rate to just have normal channels could save you big bucks each month! Anything you can cut back on to give you a better quality of life, in general, is going to pay off. There’s no point being left with hardly any money left over to be able to treat yourself just so that you can have something as simple as a few extra channels each month!

 

Is Your Work The Problem?

 

Whether your quality of life is amazing, or whether you feel like there’s some room for improvements, work is always going to be a problem. We’re a slave to the system until it comes to retirement age, and sometimes that system is absolutely terrible to work for. Granted, there are a few people out there who get to live the absolute dream and have their dream job that they enjoy. But for the most of us, we really struggle with getting through the day and staying motivated. So, if this sounds like you, take a stand and find a reason to enjoy work again! If that means leaving your job, leave your job! There are so many different career paths out there that a person can take that will mean their whole quality of life is changed. Life is just far too short to be worrying about work and having to get up every morning to be there. Plus, you never know, some careers that you’ll find might end up taking you around the world, which brings us to our next paragraph.

Why Not Go Travelling?

 

Travelling is one of the most liberating and freeing things that you’ll ever do. But so many people get to old age and look back and think ‘I wish I actually gone traveling’. So many people waste the perfect opportunity to go and see the world. Instead, they’re stuck in work just waiting for their life to pass them by. Sound like you? Well, find a way to go traveling and go and do it. Don’t let money hold you back, you can always bar hop in different countries to bring in a little money. Or you could go freelance so you’re able to take your work with you wherever you go! Even if you go traveling solo it is still worth doing to get that excellent life experience. The people you meet along the way could well remain friends for life as well!

 

So, do you now feel as though you can improve your quality of life? Don’t spend life wishing you could, be proactive and make it happen!

 

Filed Under: Family, Lifestyle Tagged With:

Fun Ways To Teach Your Kids

April 10, 2018 Leave a Comment

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Children develop from a. Dry early age, and their first 10 years of life and crucial for their development and educational later on in life. Teachers, of course, provide most of the teaching a child needs in their weekday, however, they aren’t the only ones who should be teaching valuable lessons to your child.

 

As a parent, you should try every day to teach your child different subjects and get them interested in science, nature, and maths. There are plenty of early learning centers which you can send them to, but you can also do your bit by teaching them in a fun way at home and out and about. Here are some of the ways you can teach your child today.

 

Go Outside

Children love nothing more than to be outside and active. Take this as the percent advantage to teach your child about nature and science. For example, you can buy a Collins bird book online for your child and when you are out and about in the countryside they will be able to identify different species. If you have a pond in your back garden or there is one near your home you can go and investigate the species of frog, newt and insects in there too. Children learn best by getting their hands dirty so this method is a brilliant way to get them interested in nature.

 

Play a Game

When you are teaching your child it doesn’t have to be a chore. When you are at home you can make learning into a fun game between you and your child. For example, you can teach them maths with marbles or balls. You can even teach them square roots by using a Connect 4 Board. When your child puts together a square which has 4 counters down and 4 across: as them to count the number of counters in total. 16 is 4 squared, so this will teach your child in a simple way what a squared value really means.

 

Get Crafty

Children love to be creative and this is a fact you can exploit to teach your child about maths and even about art. You can cut out shapes to teach your child about the different shapes for maths, you can write things down on colorful paper to make them feel as if they are playing while learning: and you can even make a playhouse out of cardboard with them and this will actually help them learn how to measure. You can use great resources online such as with pandaparents to give you inspiration and make your children learn lots of amazing things.

 

Visit a Museum

If you want to have a fun day trip as well as teach your child about science and history then going to a local museum is the perfect option. Museum,s are filled with amazing artifices, interactive displays, and information which will get your child completely immersed in the subject and make them interested in different things. Once the trip is over you could by them a book about what they have seen to encourage them to do their own further reading afterward. A lot of children are fascinated by history and science so this could be a great way to teach.

 

To The Stars

 

One of the most magical things you can teach your children about is space and everything in it. Taking the time to teach your child about planets and the solar system will be a great way to open their eyes and make them want to learn even more. For example, you can show them some NASA learning resources which will help your children understand more about the planet. And as a fun evening trip, you can take your child into the country and let them watch the stars in the sky. You can even bring a sky map so you can show them the constellations too. It will be a great way to teach because children find stars magical.

 

Play Science

 

Interactive learning is the most fun way to learn for your children, and also a fun way for you to teach them. There are tons of different experiments you can perform for your child to get them into science, and one of the things you could do is make your own putty. Children love playing with putty so if you show them how to make it, it can be really fun for them. You can teach them about chemical reactions with baking powder and vinegar, and you can teach them about

Filed Under: Children, Family Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Is Your Bad Habit Beyond Control?

April 5, 2018 Leave a Comment

Bad habits – we all have them. They are the little things in life that often make it a tad more bearable rather than just a slow slog through the workday to the weekend. Whether it’s that glass or red with dinner or the TV shows that have been building endlessly on the planner, you’re bound to have something in your life that can be classified as a bad habit. You might not even realize it’s bad for you, but don’t worry, we’re going to help you there. As well as checking out some of the signs that your bad habit has grown too powerful, we’ll also check out some of the ways weird bad habits can negatively impact your life.

 

Grey’s Is Love Grey’s Is Life

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We chose Grey’s Anatomy, but this could really relate to any TV show you’re obsessed with. As Aaron Sorkin once famously suggested, there’s a difference between being a fan and having a fetish. You can probably tell which one this https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/ is. It’s a finer line than you’d think but if a TV show is quickly becoming more important than aspects of your real life, you can bet that your bad habit is out of control. Though, who could blame you if you can’t stand to miss an episode of Grey’s. Still, it’s worth pointing out that if you’re sitting watching TV, you’re missing out on other aspects of your life. As well as this, doctors have now suggested sitting for long periods can cause cancer! Let’s face it if you’re binge-watching TV you’re probably not doing squats or sitting on your exercise bike. If you are, that’s awesome, keep it up!

 

Waking Up In Weird Places

 

Again, this could mean that you fell asleep on the sofa watching Netflix. Generally seeing the ‘are you still watching’ message isn’t a good sign. It’s Netflix basically saying, hey, maybe go outside? But, on a more serious note, waking up in a weird place is actually a sign you could have a substance addiction. Drinking too much alcohol can cause blackouts. Sound familiar? You might want to check out a site like https://www.rehabclinic.org.uk/treatment/alcohol-rehab/. If you can recognize the issues, it’s a lot easier to deal with the problem and get to a better place, improving your life.

 

What? It’s Only Costing Me….Oh

 

Of course, it’s possible that a bad habit isn’t bad for your health but rather your bank balance. A lot of bad habits are expensive. For instance, if you love junk food, you’ll be spending a lot each month on things that literally end up in the waste. Yes, that kind of a waste. When we think of bad habits, we often think of the cost of alcohol and cigarettes. Junk food costs a lot more than you probably realize.

 

I’ve Been Doing This For How Many Hours?

 

More than you’d probably like to admit if you’re a gamer. Yes, gaming can be addictive, and if you check the stats on a game you’ve been playing, you might find you’ve played for a hundred hours. But that’s nothing. People with a gaming addiction waste days of their life on virtual worlds. The biggest issue here? You’re missing out on the real things around you.

 

Has this article made you see your own addiction is out of control? Start cutting back, and you can fill your life with other things, improving your world.

Free

 

Filed Under: Family, Health Tagged With: , , , ,

7 Reasons Why You Should Invest In Your This Summer

April 5, 2018 Leave a Comment

https://unsplash.com/photos/R5rVLQZ8hG8

 

If you’re the kind of person that tends to put other people first, then you’re definitely not alone. This is something that so many of us get used to. It can often be quite natural to think of your loved ones and put your own wants and needs to the bottom of the list. But that can only last so long. Because when you put off your own self-care for too long, one of two things will happen. The first is that you’re going to burnout – simply because you’re just not taking care of yourself like you should be. But sometimes, the second is much worse.

 

When you don’t put yourself first, you may find that you get to a point when you feel like enough is enough. You kind of snap. You’ve taken care of everyone else for so long that you just let it all go and leave them to it. And while that often is what gives you the push you need to start taking care of yourself, it’s not always the healthiest way to go about making it happen. Hello, stress! So, why not just work on investing in yourself right now instead? When you actively decide that you’re going to do a few things for yourself, you’ll avoid both of those issues and start to enjoy yourself a bit more too. So, here’s what you need to do!

 

  1. Think About Your Health Levels

 

So first of all, we’re going to kick off with something that’s pretty important. Because your health needs to be in tip-top shape if you want to live a long and happy life. So get yourself to your doctor’s office and have a good once over. You’ll be surprised, you may need std antibiotics or other medication to improve your health. At the very least, it’s always good to know if there is anything that you need to be mindful of going forward.

 

  1. Make Time For Fun

 

Next, we’re going to talk about having fun. Because your health may be important, but so is your happiness. If you’re usually someone that works hard or that spend any free time you have helping others or worrying about their needs, forget it. This summer, you’re going to use your free time to do something fun. Whether that’s watching a movie or going on a trip, this summer, you need to make sure that you make the most of it. Because you only get one life – this isn’t a rehearsal.

 

  1. Get Outside More

 

If you don’t tend to spend a lot of your time outside, now it’s time to change that. Because the sun is shining, the days are so much lighter and brighter, and you need to start enjoying them more. So have a picnic, go for a run, and just enjoy the fresh air. You will feel much more more energized and alive when you do.

 

  1. Spend Time With Your Friends

 

It’s safe to say that you’ll see your family quite often. You probably live with them and talk to them every day. So now, you’re going to want to invest a little more time into your friendships. Because when you spend more time with your friends, your get that social fix that stimulates your mental and emotional health. And if you live with friends and don’t get to see you family that often, flip this around and spend more time with your family instead. Either way, you’ll get that emotional boost you never knew you needed.

 

  1. Take A Break

 

Next, we need to talk about vacation time. Because if you never really prioritize this, this summer you’re going to. There are so many incredible places to see, that you deserve to get out there and enjoy them – and enjoy the break too!

 

  1. Make A Change

 

If you’ve started to put yourself first and you’re starting to think a bit more objectively about your life, you may realize that there are a few changes that you need to make for the better. So make them. Get a new job, start an exercise class, join a book club, get out of a bad relationship! No matter what it is, if you make a change for the better, you’re always investing in yourself.

 

  1. Do Something Just For You

As a step on from that, it’s time to realize that there are so many ways that you can invest in yourself, so it’s time you tried at least one of them. Buy yourself something that you’ve always wanted, learn something new, or travel – if you really want to put yourself first, then it’s time to let your actions take over.

Filed Under: Family, Health Tagged With: , , , ,

5 Ways the Google Pixelbook can make your life easier

March 28, 2018 Leave a Comment

As a real estate agent, the first thing I learned was the necessity of staying organized while working out of my car. This included what to do with the 100000 business cards I received daily. Part of my getting organized was researching what small portable computer would work best for all my needs. This is when I found the Google Pixelbook.

 

 

  1. The size is perfect! At just 10.3mm, Pixelbook is Google’s thinnest laptop ever, with a lightweight aluminum construction that enhances portability.
  2. The Pixelbook Pen, I can write the name business and number and throw away all those business cards! Pixelbook is the first laptop with the Google Assistant built in. It’s easily accessible via the dedicated Google Assistant key on the keyboard, or by using the “Ok Google” wake word you’re already familiar with. You can even access it with Pixelbook Pen simply press and hold the button, then tap the pen on Pixelbook’s screen to get help from your Assistant.
  3. I have the peace of mind with the security the Google Pixelbook provides. With Chrome OS, you’ll always have the latest security and features with software that automatically updates in the background. Pixelbook’s ready to go when you are, too: it starts up in under ten seconds, stays fast, and has a fast-charging, all-day battery that gives you up to ten hours of going from a single charge.
  4. The Flexibility of the Pixelbook. The 360° touchscreen and versatile 4-in-1 design will seamlessly adjust to whatever you’re doing, too. You can sketch or edit photos, stay productive with GSuite apps that Drive automatic backs up to your device and enjoy on-or-offline access to movies and TV shows with apps like Google Play Movies and YouTube Red.
  5. Of course the price!! This computer is priced very reasonably!

 

 

If you are in the market to make your life easier and more organized then you need to give the Google Pixelbook a look!

 

Filed Under: Electronics, Family Tagged With: , , ,

National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month

March 22, 2018 Leave a Comment

Did you know that April is National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month? The theme for this year, according to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, is “Embrace Your Voice.” From a blog post in September by Susan Sullivan announcing the theme, she says “Our words shape the world around us. How we talk about sexual violence matters,” spurring forward the theme “Embrace Your Voice.”

For over 40 years, SABRE has stood as a proud advocate of women’s safety through their extensive line of self-defense products and by teaming up with several philanthropic causes that operate on a global scale. The SABRE team is passionate about prevention and equipping women to fight back and feel safe. With a variety of safety products, self-defense programs and other resources available, SABRE is dedicated to personal safety on all fronts.

“Even in today’s modern world there are still women in the fight for their lives,” said SABRE CEO David Nance. “Up to 70% of women globally will suffer a violent experience in their lifetime—potentially more as many assaults and rapes go unreported.”

SABRE is currently partnered with three unique causes dedicated to helping women and children lead safer lives with greater confidence.

  • Kuros! A Fighting Chance – For every teal Kuros! pepper spray that’s purchased, SABRE makes donations of their police strength pepper sprays to the program. Since 2015, they’ve facilitated drops in Central America, India, South Africa, and Southeast Asia, donating over $156K in sprays to help women protect themselves against physical and sexual abuse. The bright blue Kuros!™ Key Case Pepper Spray with Quick Release Key Ring is in collaboration with Kuros!

  • Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) – SABRE has donated over $40K since 2010 through the sale of their red RAINN series. This network is the nation’s largest anti-sexual assault organization and has helped more than 2.5 million people since 1994. Supporting the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network is the RAINN Key Case Pepper Spray with Quick Release Key Ring.

  • National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) – Since 2008, SABRE has raised $1.55M for National Breast Cancer Foundation through the sale of their pink NBCF line of pepper sprays and personal alarms. The proceeds helped launch their National Mammography Program which has provided 293,031 screening & diagnostic services to women in need across the country. The Pink Key Case Pepper Spray with Quick Release Key Ring is in collaboration with the NBCF.

SABRE has collaborated with these organizations to offer a variety of safety products to help keep men and women alike safe on a global scale. Other popular safety products include Pepper Spray & Personal Alarm Safety Kit, Pepper Gel Kit with Keychain Pepper Gel, Practice Gel, Target & Training Video, and the SABRE Tactical Stun Gun with LED Flashlight & Anti-Grab Technology.

To learn more about SABRE’s many charitable lines of self-defense products, visitwww.sabrered.com or contact Katie Lapinski at katie@veteranpr.com.

Filed Under: Family Tagged With: , ,

BodyArmor Superior Hydration

March 21, 2018 Leave a Comment

Really like the overall idea, tone, and structure. Can we tweak the BODYARMOR messaging to include more info specifically on LYTE and SportWater? You can pull straight from the Campaign assets folder.
Also- please include photos.- Thanks!

I grew up playing softball, my father was the coach and we lived out at the ball field. I remember regardless of how hot or cold it was the only thing that matter to me was getting to play. So naturally, when I had two sons, I couldn’t wait until they were able to play ball. They started in little league originally and ventured to other sports from there. The one thing I realized really quickly was how hot it was out on the field and that they needed to stay hydrated.

I didn’t like the alternatives of the sports drink on the market, as most are artificially flavored and sweetened. I wanted something that not only included natural flavors and sweeteners but something they would enjoy and like to drink on a daily basis. BODYARMOR is the perfect sports drink, offering superior hydration and several flavors that my sons’ love.– Edited to include more BODYARMOR messaging. Feel free to tweak as you see fit!

They are all-natural sports drinks that hit the spot and have become my families favorite! We throw them in the cooler and head out to the ball field. The best part is I don’t have to worry about anyone getting too hot in this heat because BODYARMOR not only comes in a large variety of flavors to suit everyone but it is packed with electrolytes, coconut water, and vitamins and is low in sodium and high in potassium.

With the heat rising over 100 degrees it is so important to make sure all of the hydration needs are met, so many children can dehydrate without even realizing it. When it comes to organizing everything, I need for our sports outings, I pack BODYARMOR first and foremost. Even before their sports necessities. Keeping the kids hydrated during sporting events is my #1 priority, right up there with selecting all-natural products which are better for them.

This season, we are not only prepared but going to make sure we share all of the knowledge about these amazing drinks with our friends on the ball field!

Here are some great additions that will be added to their already awesome line of products!

BODYARMOR LYTE Sports Drink

• New for 2018

• Natural flavors and natural sweeteners (pure cane sugar, stevia and erythritol)

• Low-Calorie (20 calories per serving)

• Low Sugar (only 3 grams of sugar per serving)

• No colors from artificial sources

• Potassium-packed electrolytes (high in potassium, low in sodium)

• Vitamins

• Coconut water

BODYARMOR SportWater

• New for 2018

• Performance pH 8+

• Electrolytes for Sport

• Wide-Mouth Bottle

Filed Under: Family, Health, Health Reviews, Healthy Tagged With: , , , , ,

5 Quirky Ways to Make Extra Cash While at College

March 16, 2018 Leave a Comment

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If you have kids in college or are perhaps heading to college yourself, then you’ll know just how much it can cost.

 

Even if we were to put the tuition fees to one side, the costs quickly mount up and can spiral out of control when it comes to the social life of a student.  When you look at the cost of rent, living expenses, travel costs and so on it can really mount up.

 

Indeed, the prospect of sending kids to college can be an uphill struggle for many families financially which is why this article looks at a number of ways for students can make an extra income while at a college or in preparation for the college years.

 

If you’re looking for a more frugal way to provide a decent college education, the majority of major universities are now offering distance learning opportunities; and online courses aren’t limited to basic vocational training, today you can do advanced courses like an online bba program that offer huge savings in terms of fees plus living costs.

 

In any event, it’s always good for teenagers to earn some extra income to help fund their studies and lifestyle, so here are five simple ideas to provide some food for thought.

 

  1. FLIP THRIFT STORE ITEMS ON EBAY

A quite enjoyable way to make money is to treasure hunt around thrift stores and yard sales, looking for items that you know have a strong desire on eBay.  Often, people aren’t aware of the value that’s in amongst the vats of items in thrift stores and with a bit of careful research and rummaging around boxes, you can find some incredible high-profit deals.

 

  1. SELL FREE ITEMS

Lots of people have items that are “free to a good home”, presuming you have the means and manpower to come and pick them up.  You could simply use eBay, but If you match this with people putting requests in the ‘want to buy’ sections of newspapers and online listings, such as Craigslist this will be the most efficient and reliable way to ensure you are gathering items that you can sell on; after-all, you don’t want to have to rent out a storage unit just to put things nobody wants in storage.  

 

  1. DONATE BLOOD PLASMA

There’s a limit to how much you can make doing this, as there is a restriction to how many times a week you can attend, but typically your time investment would be around three hours per week in order to make $250 to $350 per month.  Understandably, this isn’t everyone’s cup of tea but it’s a rewarding way to make money on the basis your blood plasma is necessary to help fuel life-saving operations.

 

  1. MOW LAWNS

In the summer months, if you charge $25 per lawn, and mow ten lawns a week (basically a weekend’s work) you’ll make $250 per week – that’s a $1,000 per month… and the best part of this is that once you get regular customers, you can build up a monthly ‘round’ of appointments that generate a reliable stream of income; and doesn’t require you constantly getting new customers.

 

  1. BABYSIT

Babysitting can be easy money.  If you’re lucky, the kids will be asleep most the time, and you’ll get free time in someone’s home to study or earn even more income by, as an example, being paid to browse websites or answer online questionnaires.

 

Filed Under: Educational, Family

The Best Ways To Keep Kids Occupied On A Long Drive

March 15, 2018 Leave a Comment

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Many of us can recall taking road trips as kids – car journeys used to last forever. If you don’t give your kids enough to occupy them, they’re likely to get bored and that’s when the dreaded ‘are we nearly there yet?’ a question will come up. No parents want to face nagging children on a car journey. Here are just a few ways to keep your kids occupied so that the journey is more tolerable for all.

 

Make regular stops

 

Stopping off along the way gives everyone time to stretch their legs and use the loo. It can also give your kids a new environment to explore a chance to expend some of their energy. You could plan to stop off at a service station and get food, or you could choose a landmark or point of interest along the way to explore. Ideally, you should stop every two hours.

 

Pack some snacks

 

Snacks will also help to break up the monotony. You don’t want your kids snacking until they’re sick, so make sure that these are located in the front with you-you can then hand them out throughout the journey. Snacks could be given out as treats for good behaviour every hour. They could also be the prize for a game. Be careful with sugary snacks as too many of these could give your kids a sugar rush and lower their attention span even more. You should also watch out for snacks like chocolate which could melt or cold drinks that could get warm – it could be worth bringing a cooler box to put these in.

 

Bring some toys

 

For young kids, it’s worth bringing a few toys to play within the back of the car. Certain toys can be excellent for the car – this list at http://www.madeformums.com/ offers some toys made specifically for the back of the car. Think of toys that your kids aren’t going to get bored of, but aren’t likely to annoy you either (toys that make irritating noises should be avoided). Be careful of small toys which could get lost down the side of the seat.

 

Learn some car journey games

 

There are lots of interactive games that the whole family can play in the car. I-spy is the most common car game – your kids will either get bored of this game quickly or continue to play it long after you’ve got out the car! There are also 20 questions which involve guessing a person, place or thing, in which only twenty questions can be asked, all of which can only be answered yes or no.

 

There are also many games that can be played with signs and number plates and a car makes – for some great ideas check out this list at http://www.minitime.com/trip-tips/10-Best-Car-Games-for-Kids-article.

 

Give them your phone/tablet

 

Kids love phones and tablets – they’re often the simplest distraction tool. It’s worth downloading a few games to play that can entertain your kids. For older kids, try some strategy games such as this one  https://www.finalfantasyxvapp.com/. If you enjoy gaming, you could even try and get them to beat your score.

 

There are a few drawbacks to giving kids your phone – you may possibly need it for navigation or communication, which means you may only be able to give it to your kids for a limited time. If you’ve got more than one child, they both may fight over the phone/tablet too, so you may have to enforce a sharing rule in which they’re both allowed to play on it for a select time before handing it over to their sibling. Some kids also get travel sick when staring at a screen in a car – if you notice that this is a reoccurring habit, you may want to refrain from giving them your phone.

 

Bring some DVDs

 

Another option could be to let your kids watch films on the journey. This could be on a laptop or a portable DVD player positioned in the middle of the two back seats. It’s worth bringing a selection of films – they’re likely to get bored having to watch one on repeat. Bring a few films that they love watching regularly and some new ones to add variety. You could also consider bringing a TV series on DVD.

 

Listen to an audiobook

 

You could also entertain your kids by allowing them to listen to an audiobook. Your children could listen to this on headphones or you could play it through the car stereo for everyone to listen to. Choosing the latter option could mean that you have to sacrifice listening to music, in which case make sure that it’s a book you want to listen to too. Audiobooks can be bought as CDs or downloaded as apps. It’s worth reading reviews to find audiobooks with great narrating – this will make them all the more captivating.

 

Let them look at a map

 

Giving your kid a map could help them to trace the journey. You could even encourage them to look at signs and try and work out where they are on the map – this could teach them some handy navigation and geography skills. The downside of giving them a map is that they will know exactly how far you are from your destination, which means that you can’t lie about being nearly there. However, some kids may find it more motivating knowing how much further is left to travel.

Filed Under: Family, Travel

Dementia: Understanding The Signs In Your Aging Parent

March 8, 2018 Leave a Comment

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If you are worried that your aging parent has dementia, it is important to know some of the warning signs. They can be quite subtle at first, and it can be easy to mistake them for the signs of aging that we all go through. We can all walk into a room and forget why we went in there, for example. Still, the following are the symptoms you need to look out for.

 

  1. Short-term memory loss

 

Those who have dementia are often able to remember long-term memories, but when it comes to remembering what they had for breakfast, or what they watched on television an hour ago, their mind may suddenly draw a blank.

 

  1. Mood changes

 

These can be quite erratic, and it may be possible to see a shift in mood that is very different from the person’s personality. While this is also symptomatic of other illness, especially around depression, it is also symptomatic of dementia.

 

  1. Difficulty with words

 

We have all struggled to find the right word, especially when it is on the ‘tip of our tongue,’ but if this happens more often than not with your parent, you need to be on alert. If they are having a hard time expressing simple words, or are getting unusually tongue-tied in conversations they are normally proficient in, then you may recognise this as a sign of dementia.

 

  1. Struggling to complete tasks

 

If your parent struggles to take part in tasks that were normally easy for them, or if they suddenly stop an activity without any good reason, then these are possible early signs of dementia. They may also struggle to do complicated tasks that they were previously adept at, such as balancing their accounts or working out puzzles.

 

  1. Difficulty with names and faces

 

You have probably had this in your life – on meeting somebody who seems to recognize you, it may be a while before you remember that person’s name or face, especially if a long length of time has passed. This is normal, but if your elderly parent forgets names and faces of people close to them, then you need to take the situation seriously.

 

What should I do if I think my parent has dementia?

 

Don’t panic – The first thing to do is not panic. Your priority is looking after their needs, so carry on with life as normal. It will make your parent’s life harder if they see you in a state of emotional worry. We gave you some tips on making your parent’s life easier here, https://reviewsbykathy.com/taking-care-of-ageing-parents/, and that will serve them well in the short-term.

 

Seek medical advice – Your parent may not have dementia at all, but the signs may be symptomatic of other health conditions. Whatever the case, see a doctor and express your concerns. There is some advice here, https://www.healthline.com/health/dementia-doctors, with tips on how to approach a doctor, questions to ask, and what they will do to support you and your parent.

 

Think of the long-term – If your parent does have dementia, you will be unable to look after them on your own. You do need to think of your own needs, after all. There are healthcare services available to your parents, such as the folks here, https://spectrumhealthcare.com/SAIPC, who are better equipped than you are to deal with complex needs.

 

Finally

 

Remember, not every symptom we mentioned is indicative of dementia on its own, but if you do notice a culmination of symptoms, or if your parent expresses concern about their own wellbeing, follow the advice we suggested. It’s for your sake, as well as your aging parents.




Filed Under: Family, Health, Health Reviews, Healthy

Bridal Sashes Review

March 7, 2018 Leave a Comment

 

 I’m so excited I just received this product for an honest review from Tomoson.com.

My sister-in-law is finally getting married in March!!!

Of course, we had to have a bachelorette party for her. I invited the bridal party to my house before we headed out for the day. When everyone arrived, I surprised them with these awesome sashes you can find on Amazon. They all fell in love with the design, I love the bride tribe theme, hearts and arrows, I knew they would too!

These sashes fit perfect, they are made of a satin material that is sown at the end. This package came with some awesome gold tattoos for the bride and bride tribe.

We all put on our sashes, applied our tattoos and headed out to start our day of fun!! As we were out and about we received so many compliments on both our sashes and tattoos.

 

Filed Under: Family, Fashion

5 Ways To Breathe New Life In Your Wardrobe On A Shoestring Budget

March 7, 2018 Leave a Comment

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Looking into your wardrobe, you sigh as you realize your clothes collection has either become unfashionable or no longer fit to wear. It’s a feeling many of us have, especially when living on a shoestring budget. We consign our days to window shopping, looking at the dress wear that we wished we could own, but only if we had the money. So what can be done about it? Is it really possible to replenish your wardrobe and still pay the rent? The answer is yes! Check out our essential tips below, helping you to look good, despite your meager budget.

 

Tip #1: Compare prices online

 

So what if you can’t afford to shop at some of the more expensive stores online or on the high street? Prices do fall, eventually, and you can often find a bargain online, especially when you look on resale sites, and there are regular sales happening on the high street all the time. Sometimes it pays to wait, and while you may not always keep up with the very latest fashion trend, you can still buy something that suits you at a discounted price.

 

Tip #2: Don’t ditch your old clothes just yet

 

When going through your wardrobe, there may be items of clothing you can no longer fit into. This is a shame, especially if it’s an item you are particularly in love with. While you could give it away to a charity shop or a friend, you could also alter it to finally make it fit you again. There should be a clothes alteration store near you, so look for places near you, such as one of the Stitch It zipper repair and clothes alteration stores, and salvage some of your ill-fitting outfits.

 

Tip #3: Have a clothes party

 

A great excuse to get together with your mates, a clothes party is also a great opportunity to try on each other’s outfits, and swap and share them. So, if you have been eyeing up that lovely outfit in your friend’s wardrobe, organize a social gathering and give that pretty garment a new home! Perfect, especially when your friends share your personal fashion style. And you can all have a good knee up and have fun modeling each other’s outfits as well.

 

Tip #4: Sell your old clothes

 

There’s little point having outfits in your wardrobe that you never intend to wear again, so if your best mate turned up their noses at that lime green dress you shared at the clothes party, you may as well consider selling it instead. There are some online sites, such as Material World, who will pick up your outfits from you, and offer you a trade-in price. There are others, such as eBay and Craigslist, where you can advertise your clothes and charge your own prices. With the extra cash, you may be able to buy that new dress from Zara you always wanted.

 

Tip #5: Head to the menswear department

 

While this is a bit of a stereotype (though probably true), women spend more time buying clothes than men. Clothes stores and manufacturers capitalize on this, charging women exorbitant prices while selling men’s clothes for less. The cheek of it! Still, don’t get down about it, as there are some items of menswear that look great on women, so follow the link and widen your options.

 

Bottom line

 

It is possible to breathe new life into your wardrobe, so we hope you find our tips helpful. Let us know if you have any further advice for our readers – perhaps you have found a great online store that sells fashion at bargain prices, for example, or you may have found a style that will look good on anybody, regardless of budget. Give us a shout and do us all a favor. Thanks for reading, and happy (cheap) shopping!

Filed Under: Budget, Clothing, Family

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