Tag Archives: parents

Feb3

Establishing An Effective Bedtime Routine For Kids

Posted on by
Standard
Establishing An Effective Bedtime Routine For Kids

Kids can be enormous bundles of energy. But like all people, they still need to recharge their batteries. The appropriate hours of sleep for a child depends on their age, with younger children needing more sleep to help their bodies grow. For example, kids between the age of 3 to 6 years old need between 10 to even 12 hours of sleep. Not all this sleep is done at night, with parents heavily encouraged to put them down for afternoon nap times.

However, for the main event at night, it can be difficult to get your kids to settle down, especially if they are excited. One of the best ways to get your kids to sleep better and quickly is through an efficient bedtime routine. If you are struggling to get your kids enough hours of sleep, try these tips for an effective bedtime routine:

Limit the Sugar:

Unless you want to start rooting around your medicine cabinet for expired melatonin, you do not want to feed your children anything overly sugary after dinner. Not only can they become hyperactive from too many sweets, but the resulting sugar crash can also make their night’s sleep uncomfortable. This means you need to regulate the kind of dinner you give your children.

First, avoid sodas and sugary drinks and instead serve fruit juices or even just plain water if possible. If your kids still want to eat dessert, you may opt to give them only a small amount of something. Or you can choose to give them fresh fruit.

Bath time:

After they’ve eaten, it is now time for them to have a bath. Research has shown that taking a bath about 90 minutes before going to bed can be helpful in cooling down the body and getting you into a more restful state.

Remember to use bathing products that are appropriate for their age. For example, some facial foam brands are formulated to clean skin that experiences heavy exposure. Although this is great for adults who routinely spend time outdoors, it can be strong for children. Make sure to temper their bathwater as well, making it warmer if it’s chilly or a little cooler if the summer air is too hot.

Some Screens:

Your kids may want to use the internet or some form of digital device to watch their favorite cartoons or play some games. After dinner, it may help them wind down to have about a half hour to an hour of screen time. This can mean playing with a smartphone or some time in front of the television screen. Just make sure to supervise the content that they are viewing.

Read to Them:

Reading to children at bedtime has been a custom with children for centuries and it is a great way to bond with them. You can also expect them to develop vivid imaginations and enjoy reading, a useful hobby to instill early on. Let your kids select their own reading material from a selection of books and be sure to ask them frequently if they have any questions.

Kids take time to comprehend what’s happening and you may need to read something slowly or repeatedly. Picture books will be a sure hit with kids since they allow children to visualize what they’re reading with you.

Careful with the Light:

A final consideration that many parents have to face is whether to use a nightlight. These devices are used to comfort children with illumination when they are still afraid of the dark. However, some parents may feel that a nightlight only keeps kids awake due to the illumination. You can avoid this by buying a nightlight with adjustable brightness and placing them close to the floor rather than high up, where the glare can wake your kids. Finally, you may wish to employ some strategies to slowly wean your kids away from using them.

A successful bedtime routine can help your kids settle down at night and get the rest they need. Fine tune these tips to accommodate your their needs and you can look forward to restful evenings and healthy children.

Jan26

Happy Haulidays: Parents Edition

Posted on by
Standard
Happy Haulidays: Parents Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to the last edition of my holiday haul compliments of my parents! The one thing that I asked for for Christmas was a new set of pots and pans and they definitely delivered. I can’t wait to use the beautiful set that they got me and it will be nice to not have to do dishes immediately after cooking dinner as I originally only had a handful of pots and pans before! Check it out:

image_50396673image_50444289

Thanks to my husband’s family graciously giving us a new air fryer for Christmas and the new cookware from mine, we have everything that we need in our kitchen now. I am so happy! I try to cook an “actual” dinner instead of air fried foods several times per week so these pots and pans will certainly come in handy. My old cookware is also, admittedly, not the best so using quality cookware for the first time is something that I’m really looking forward to.

While some might consider cooking to be a chore, it is one of my favorite things to do. Serving food for someone is an act of love, and I always enjoy whipping up mine and Johnny’s favorite meals. Our middle class fancy conversation after dinner usually is something along these lines…

Me: I love cooking you dinner.

Johnny: And I love eating it!

Lol, there is nothing more satisfying than that to me!

After a much needed curbside grocery order, I have a feeling that I will be cooking up a storm. Thanks to my parents, I have all of the tools I need to make my time spent cooking an even more joyful experience. ❤

What are some of your favorite vegetarian recipes? How do you show love to someone? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan18

Helping Your Child Choose The Right College 

Posted on by
Standard
Helping Your Child Choose The Right College 

Going to college can be one of the biggest and most exciting things for you and your child, but when it comes to choosing the right one? It can be a challenge, to say the least. College doesn’t suit everyone, and not every college will suit every person, either. Many colleges offer different clubs, opportunities, career pathways, and support. Scholarships, grants, and other funding will also vary from school to school.

So how can you make sure that your child finds the best place for them? One of the easiest ways is to see what others say about it. For instance, it’s a good idea to read Alpine Academy Utah reviews or other colleges to get excited about what they offer. Read on to find out more:

Career goals:

One of the most important things to know about the colleges in question is if it supports your child’s eventual career goals. While many colleges have prestigious reputations, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they will be the right place. Educational institutions like Rockford Career College often offer a clearer view of career prospects after graduation. You have to work with your teenager to figure out what they want. If they idolize people like Travis Preston CalArts, then it makes sense that they head to places they feel like they’re going to learn. Helping your child to fulfill their goals is exactly what you should be doing and enhancing their career will be an important step in the right direction.

Applications:

After you have created your shortlist, it is time to apply. Make sure that you have all of the paperwork that will be required. The application packs should have all of the information you need about costs. It can also be a good idea to discuss if your child should stay at home while they study or how accommodation might look if the commute is too long.

Be sure to spread the application process over a few days so that you and your child don’t get tired. Each one needs to be as good as possible.

Visiting:

Traveling to visit all of the universities can be an expensive endeavor, but it is essential. This means that you and your child will have a good idea of how it is situated, the student body, and even speak to some teachers. It is vital to find somewhere that your child feels comfortable – it is often obvious where they feel the most at home and which establishment sparks the most joy.

Practical:

It is often our biggest hope that they will get into a prestigious school on a full scholarship and be happy. But this doesn’t always work out. It might be due to grades; it could be because of financial situations or distance. When you first start browsing all of the options, practical things are up for discussion too. It isn’t about quashing dreams but tackling some things on a reasonable level. Ensure that each application they send is somewhere that they will be happy to go and that it makes practical sense in terms of their situation.

When your child is getting ready to leave for college, it is a big thing for everyone. You might have some hesitations about them leaving the nest, but you must move into a supportive role. College is often one of the first times that older children are allowed to spread their wings and see what truly makes them happy.

Arming them with knowledge and support is a must, so here is a great post that can help: 3 Things All College Students Should Know | lifewithlilred.

Featured Image By: Rui Silvestre on Unsplash

Jan7

Help Your Child Improve Their Mental Health And Learning Skills

Posted on by
Standard
Help Your Child Improve Their Mental Health And Learning Skills

Some school age children are very interested in schoolwork, and they’re constantly striving to be the best. While other school age children might not like schoolwork at all, and it comes as a huge challenge for them. What’s going on here?

The reason for this is that school age children have different feelings about schoolwork. Some of these include: how much time is spent learning, what type of information is being given, their level of self-confidence, and whether they feel comfortable in the environment they’re learning in. Here are some ways to help your child improve if they are struggling with their school work:

Children Learn in Different Ways:

It’s important to understand that children learn differently and at different speeds. Not every child’s brain works the same or learns best in the same way. You may have heard of the ‘right-brained’ and ‘left-brained’ people out there – everyone uses both sides of the brain to an extent, but often one side is dominant over the other.

It is common for people to favor either the left side (logical, analytical) or the right side (creative, imaginative) because of school, family, or cultural influences. Do you know what this means for your child when they are learning? If they’re right-brained, they probably respond better to visual information. They might be more interested in books than in flashcards. If your child is left-brained, they may be better with auditory information.

Enrolling your child in a school with a British curriculum may help them do schoolwork, especially if their teachers are more hands-on. But helping your child to learn in the ways that they need to is still important, so here are some methods on how you can do that:

Method #1 Play “Catch-up”:

If you know that your child is playing catch up with their learning, it’s important to give them the time to focus on what they are doing. This will allow them to succeed, and you mustn’t distract them too much.

It’s possible that their schoolwork isn’t meeting the same standards as others in their age group due to a lack of self-confidence, which is understandable. If they are not confident enough to approach schoolwork with confidence, how can you expect them to do a good job?

That’s why you should spend more time watching the subtle differences in your child’s behavior and mannerisms to see if they’re showing a lack of interest in school or they seem less confident than normal. Sometimes there are underlying causes that have been affecting learning without being noticed.

Method #2 Make Time for Quiet:

School age children must have time and space to be quiet. This is a great way to think and get peaceful, creative ideas into their heads. If school age children don’t have enough time for this, then schoolwork will seem even more of a burden than it already does. During this time, you should make sure that they’re not exposed to screens and loud noises as they can be a distraction.

Method #3 Take Breaks from Schoolwork:

Taking the occasional break is a great way to keep school age children productive. If you let them have time away from schoolwork, they’ll return feeling refreshed and ready to go. Incorporate snack times or play a game together to give some much needed time off.

Method #4 Create an Environment for Learning:

The environment where school-age children learn can affect how well they retain schoolwork. If they feel comfortable and happy in the environment that they are learning in, then schoolwork will be more enjoyable for them. There are many ways to create this type of atmosphere at home. Make the schoolwork space look special with posters on the wall or some tidy student desks. Be sure to have excellent lighting too.

When children are learning, it’s important to keep in mind that they have different preferences for how information is presented. If your child has been struggling with schoolwork lately, then look at these methods to help them learn better and more efficiently.

Dec29

Keeping Your Child’s Teeth Healthy

Posted on by
Standard
Keeping Your Child’s Teeth Healthy

Raising a child with healthy teeth is no easy feat. There are so many different things that can go wrong and cause problems in their mouth, but there are also plenty of ways to prevent them from happening in the first place. Here are some great tips for raising your kids with healthier teeth to keep their smile bright and healthy:

Make an Appointment with Your Pediatric Dentist:

Having your child checked by a specialist regularly is essential to maintaining their oral health. In addition, a pediatric dentist will be able to provide you with tips and tricks on how to keep your child’s teeth healthy, as well as advice on diet and general hygiene.

Regular dental checkups are essential for young children, who may not properly brush their teeth yet. In addition, early diagnosis of any problems can help prevent them from becoming more severe down the road. For exceptional dental services tailored for children visit https://www.smilemesa.com/ and be sure your child’s needs are taken care of.

Incorporate Healthy Fats To Their Diet:

Kids need healthy fats for their overall health and development, including oral health. Omega-rich foods like salmon, avocado, nuts, and seeds are all great options to provide your child with the nutrients they need. Finally, make sure your pediatric dentist knows about any dietary restrictions or allergies your child has so they can provide appropriate dental care.

Give Them Plenty of Water:

Offer your children water instead of juice and pop. Water is the best option for keeping their teeth healthy and strong. It also provides these benefits:

  • Maintains regularity and prevents constipation
  • Prevents kidney stones
  • Boosts energy levels without caffeine or sugar crashes
  • Hydrates skin from the inside out
  • Cools the body down on a hot day
  • Helps with headaches and migraines

Supply Magnesium for Their Needs:

Magnesium is a mineral found in many dark green leafy veggies and beans. It also comes with whole grains, nuts, and seeds. Magnesium helps kids maintain healthy teeth as it boosts the growth of tissues, bones, muscles, ligaments, nerves, and blood vessels found inside the mouth. A lack of magnesium can lead to gum disease, tooth decay, and other oral health problems. When looking for a good source of magnesium, go for food sources instead of supplements, as they usually have more nutrients that are beneficial to overall health.

In addition, kids need about 80 mg/day of magnesium, which is easily achievable by including magnesium-rich foods in their diets regularly. Some good sources of magnesium include:

  • Spinach
  • Swiss chard
  • Beet greens
  • Broccoli
  • Brussels sprouts

By following the simple tips listed in this article, you can help your child have healthy teeth and avoid common dental problems.

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Nov22

3 Ideas To Get Your Kids Interested In Nature

Posted on by
Standard
3 Ideas To Get Your Kids Interested In Nature

By now, you have no doubt heard of the great mental health benefits of getting outside. But, while you might love the outdoors, your kids may still be on the fence. After all, it’s always more comfortable to sit inside, especially when the temperatures plummet. This won’t do them any favors, though, so it is important to try and get them more interested in nature. If you’re not sure where to begin, here are three ideas to help:

Show Them How Fun It Can Be:

Many kids will associate being outdoors with walking and walking far. There’s some truth to this, but it’s not the walk that makes nature fun, it’s seeing everything along the way. However, when they’re young, kids may not notice or care about this. All they see is a lot of green and brown.

You can change this attitude by considering the different ways to make nature walks enjoyable for kids, such as scavenger hunts, identifying different plants, animals, or bugs, or playing I Spy along the way. If possible, look for a trail that has a play area at the end, as this will give them something to look forward to, as long as they aren’t too tired by the time you arrive.

Bring Nature Indoors:

If your kids don’t appreciate nature as much as you’d like them to, how about bringing nature indoors? This is especially useful if you live somewhere cold and wet, making it difficult to get outside too often.

The benefits of houseplants can make them more appreciative of nature, and as you add more to your collection, they might become even more interested. You might get to the point where they want to help water them, care for them, and give them enough sunlight so they can thrive. It can be tricky to see plants grow outside, but having them inside allows your kids to see the entire lifespan.

Encourage Their Education:

While there might not be much in the school curriculum, you can still speak with their teacher and ask what they are doing to encourage a love of the outdoors in their students.

Depending on what they say, there is a range of resources they can use, including succulent classroom decor by Miss Jacobs that could be a small but inspiring module for your kids and their classmates. As it covers science, it can easily apply to a lesson, even if it’s something done to make up some time once all other lessons are finished.

As much as some people do not enjoy being outside, it’s fair to say that the majority of people can always find something to love about it. Whether it’s the positivity they feel after a long hike or the stunning views that they wouldn’t get from sitting on the sofa, your kids could experience the same shift, and soon, you won’t be able to keep them indoors at all

Featured Image By: Unsplash

Nov18

Creating A Perfect Nursery

Posted on by
Standard
Creating A Perfect Nursery

Once you have a child, you will spend the rest of your life doing what is best for them. The home decor and layout is one area where this certainly rings true. This mindset will be present in virtually every part of the home, including the backyard. Thankfully, many of the rooms only need minor adjustments until your child is up on their feet. For now, though, the main goal is to master the nursery. Here are some simple steps to help you do it in style:

Build around the bed:

The clue is in the title, the bedroom is a room that is primarily a place to sleep. While your son or daughter will spend the first few months in your room, they will soon outgrow the Moses basket. Finding a suitable crib at Foryourlittleone establishes a solid platform to build upon. It is the most important item in the bedroom or nursery. When you get this aspect right, it should provide guidance for all other elements. A baby will spend anywhere up to fourteen hours of the day sleeping so you want their crib to be just right!

Get a nursing chair:

Whether it’s an armchair, a rocking chair, or a small sofa is up to you. One way or another, though, you will benefit from having a seat for the night feeds or when your child wakes up in the night. Moving your tot too far may increase their alertness and make it harder for them to drift back to sleep. So, it is a purchase that will deliver benefits for parents and children alike.

When the nursing chair aesthetically matches the cot or the other room surroundings, it becomes a big part of the decor. In later years, it can move to the office or living room.

nurse1

Pixabay Image

Focus on warmth:

Maintaining a comfortable atmosphere for your child is vital for promoting healthy sleep. Aside from checking your central heating, you will want to ensure that the flooring choices are suitable. Experts at a Carpetwarehouse can help you find the thick solution that will keep the warmth in while also boosting the looks. The right choice of window coverings should avoid unnecessary heat loss too.

Conversely, you’ll need to keep the room cool in the summer. A good aircon system should be supported by big windows and/or an uncluttered design.

Have space:

Uncluttered designs aren’t only useful for maintaining a good temperature. It also provides your child with a place to play. Even when introducing them to tummy time, enjoying these activities in the bedroom can boost their bond with it. As they get older, there needs to be enough room for playing with toys and games. Many parents are surprised by the amount of storage that’s required as their child reaches their toddler years. Planning ahead with shelving and storage solutions is highly advised.

Keep your newborn comfy as can be in their nursery with the tips above!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Nov10

How To Create The Perfect Family Friendly Backyard

Posted on by
Standard
How To Create The Perfect Family Friendly Backyard

Whether you’ve just moved into a new home or simply want to revitalize your usual surroundings, revamping your garden to better suit your family’s needs can upgrade your property to no end. You should never allow your backyard to go to waste, as it offers the perfect opportunity for you and your little ones to get outside and immerse yourselves in nature! Thankfully, it couldn’t be easier to create the perfect family friendly garden, as there are just a few key steps that you can follow to turn your backyard dreams into a reality in no time. So, if you’re interested in finding out more, then read on to uncover some of the best tips and tricks that you can utilize today:

Always Prioritize Safety:

Your first priority when it comes to revamping your backyard should always be safety, as you need to be able to maintain ultimate peace of mind that your little ones are out of harm’s way whenever they head outside to play. Start by sourcing quality fence installation to secure the perimeter of your backyard so your children can’t leave the grounds without you knowing, nor do you want people from outside gaining access. Make sure there are no potentially harmful plants in your garden space, such as poison ivy or stinging nettles that could injure your children while they play. The grass should also be lush, soft, and properly maintained to avoid pests like ticks as it grows out. If this is something you could use some help with, simply enter a search for “lawn care near me” and the pros can turn your yard into the ultimate play area.

Make Space For Play:

When crafting the ideal family garden, it’s important that you can make space for your children to play. Having nothing but empty green space will not motivate your kids to want to visit your backyard, so you need to encourage them somehow! Set up a play area with some fun equipment like a swing set, a slide, and a range of other exciting options that will keep them occupied for hours. Making play accessible will ensure that your children spend their waking hours laughing and joking outdoors in the fresh air and sunshine, so get online and start searching for some suitable equipment.

Establish An Outdoor Dining Area:

Eating ‘al fresco’ or outdoors can offer a totally different experience to chowing down inside, especially when the sun is shining! You and your family can expect to benefit from a lot of different features when dining outdoors too, so it’s a win-win situation. Identify a spot that’s large enough to house a weatherproof table and chair set, away from low hanging trees and other things that may disrupt you while eating. Making the decision to set up a barbecue grill of some kind will take your family garden to a whole new level, as it will provide you with the opportunity to cook up a storm in the great outdoors.

There’s no time like the present to upgrade your backyard, which will provide you with lasting memories of joyous family time on a beautiful summer day!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Oct29

Keeping An Eye On Your Child’s Health This Winter

Posted on by
Standard
Keeping An Eye On Your Child’s Health This Winter

Kids have a habit of picking up every little thing that is going around. It doesn’t matter if it is a cold or the latest dance fad. As parents, we want to make sure that our kids stay healthy so we need to keep an eye on them. Here are some ways to monitor your child’s health this winter:

Know what help is available:

Kids can have accidents and they can get sick at a moments notice so it is important to know what medical assistance is around you. Medicare On Video is a great way to understand what help you can get in the event of yourself or your kids needing help. Local hospitals are often signposted so that anyone can find them, not just the locals. And don’t forget, if you have any doubts, Google can be your friend.

Alert other parents:

It isn’t nice when our kids get sick but if they do, it is important to let the parents around us know so that they can prepare. Their kids might get lucky and skip the bug that is going around but it is always best to warn others if your kids have taken ill. If their kids became ill, you would want to know so that you can prepare. It isn’t a pleasant phone call or message to make but it is better than allowing viruses to run rampage through their group of friends. This is really useful if they are very young or have an issue with their immune system.

Fresh air:

One of the main reasons that the common cold and flues manage to do so well in the winter is because the ventilation in our schools are terrible in the winter. Every cough lets germs float in the air, and without open windows, they stay in the room. If you can, get your kids outside during the weekend and let their lungs breathe in some fresh air. Being in the fresh air helps to boost your immune system and helps to promote a healthy immune response in the body.

Pay attention to their mental health:

It’s not just your child’s physical health you need to keep an eye on in winter, it’s their mental health too. ‘Winter blues’ may not be taken seriously by some, but many people, especially young people, can develop depression and anxiety at this time of year. If you suspect your child is struggling with their mental health, consult a professional. Your doctor or a dedicated facility like the Eva Carlston Academy can provide support for your child and help them with their condition. Pay attention to your child’s mood and what’s going on in their life to help you stay tuned into potential issues.

Fresh food:

Kids get most of their nutrition through the food that they eat so make sure that they are getting plenty of healthy options. Of course, you can always add multi-vitamins if you think that will help. One of the best ways to ensure that they are getting the most out of their diet is with a wide selection of fruit throughout the day. They might not be keen on broccoli but they might love a bunch of grapes, instead.

Hopefully, you can get through this winter without any major issues and that your children continue to thrive under your watchful eye. Being sick is no fun at any time of the year but especially during the holiday season!

Featured Image By: Jupi Lu from Pixabay

Sep2

Thinking About Baby Names? Think About These Tips!

Posted on by
Standard
Thinking About Baby Names? Think About These Tips!

Names are important, but what do they mean? Choosing a name for your child may seem like one of the most challenging parts of being pregnant (aside from labor, of course). Choosing a name for your baby should be based on what is important to you. Are you looking for something unique, traditional, or somewhere in between? Although we can’t choose a baby’s name for you, you could choose to use a name generator, pull your favorites from a hat, or choose a family name. You may also want to follow some of these tips:

What Potential Does The Name Have For Growth?

Even though you’re naming a baby, it’s important that the name you choose can grow with him or her beyond infancy. You may think your baby name is really cute…but can you imagine it on an adult? Practice saying it aloud and if it feels any way other than perfect, you might want to reconsider.

What Is The Popularity Of The Name?

If you hear someone call out your name in a crowd, have you ever realized they aren’t actually speaking to you? Choose a name that is popular for your little one and you may experience this problem. There are numerous ways to find out what names are popular, so do not worry! One last thought, popular names are usually loved by their owners!

Would You Like A Unique Name?

Some parents may choose a completely unique name for their baby in order to avoid popularity altogether! When it comes to this approach, it might be best to try it out first. If you go to a coffee shop, tell the barista the name you want. Do they sound like they are calling it out when they do so? Were they wrong about the pronunciation? The spelling was correct? Finding out if your child might experience difficulties with a name that sounds “too different” in later life is easy to discover. You shouldn’t feel ashamed of being original, though!

Are You Interested In Honoring A Family Member?

Pass on the name of an influential family member as a wonderful way to honor them! As a child, did you have a favorite grandparent? Your baby could be named after her in honor of her legacy. You can also use a family name as inspiration.

Do You And Your Partner Agree?

Finding a name that you both like isn’t easy – much less one that your partner also loves! When it comes to naming, it’s important to be on the same page. You might consider this compromise if you are having trouble making up your mind: One parent names the first baby, then the other names the second. Or one names the first, and the other names the middle.

Think creatively and a bit logically too and you will figure out the perfect name for your little one!

Featured Image By: Tatiana Syrikova from Pexels