Rebecca Alston, Author at Mamas Like Me

Story Writing Tips for Children

Tell your child to read a book and they’ll tell you it’s OK, this book is a film on streaming services now, so there’s no need to actually read the book. It’s not a problem with imagination that children have when it comes to enjoying a good story, it’s a problem with the delivery. See, if the story is being read to them, the character voices and the build-ups and the quiet parts are all narrated in keeping with the rhythm of the prose. But when they’re on their own? That’s like asking a child to be excited about someone else’s imagination, rather than using their own. That’s why children love storytime. And what they love even more than storytime is writing their own stories. This will light up their thinking caps with bells and whistles, and keep them occupied for entire hours, what with drawing the characters too, and designing a front cover. Here’s how.

Writing a story from scratch

In the adult world, there are seven established pathways or ‘plotlines’ that build convincing narratives. It is very difficult to write a good children’s book, but you can get some great advice here. When it comes to your child writing their first story, we’re going to borrow heavily from one of these seven types of story: “overcoming the monster”. For this, you will need a beginning, middle, and end (and you’re going to need printer ink, lots and lots of printer ink because if there’s one thing that kids love to do with their word documents, it’s hit print, you have been warned – see https://www.printerinks.com/11/2p-n-011/inkjet-and-toner-cartridges/xerox/)

Once upon a time…

The beginning of the story should start with a disaster caused by the “monster”. This means you’ll need a location and a villain. Let’s say the location is a castle and the villain is a dragon. The disaster could be an attack on the castle, in which the dragon steals treasure from the king and queen.

The resistance begins…

The middle of the story should contain the voyage of a hero or heroes that fight the villain to right the wrong that was done at the start. In our example, we’re going to suggest that a brave prince and princess duo set off to challenge the dragon for the stolen treasure. Along the way, they’ll have to help each other to climb through the branches over a swamp that contains mythical ‘mud-sharks’. Again, ask your child to write what’s happening and draw the scene as they imagine it.

The end…

The dragon is defeated, the treasure is recovered, etc. An obvious ending, but kids aren’t looking for a twist. And if your child struggles with the drawing element, check out free online drawing lessons for children for great tips.

Here’s Why Adding Vitamin C To Your Daily Diet is a Good Idea!

Vitamins and nutrients are always going to be important for your body. It’s good if you exercise everyday and it’s good if you are physically active. But in order to stay the way you are and in order to maintain your health, you need the support of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients.

Speaking of which, today, we are here to talk about Vitamin C and its importance for your body. For those who don’t know, Vitamin C is a form of ascorbic acid and L-ascorbic acid. These acids play a vital role in your body and its function. Especially if you are one of those people who are quite conscious about their skin, then Vitamin C is a must for you! Vitamin C is also great for your oral health as it strengthen your gums and protect against gingivitis. And if you need a good dentist, simply call the dentist in massapequa ny.

As far as the source is concerned, you can consume Vitamin C from a number of different fruits and vegetables. If not that then there’s the option of using the vitamin C powder because it really can make a huge difference.

Benefits Of Vitamin C

There’s plenty that you need to know about Vitamin C and how it can affect your body. If you are here, it’s obvious that you are unclear of the benefits this vitamin possesses. Well, don’t worry because we are now going to tell them all to you in detail;

1- It helps in relieving stress

Stress and anxiety are two of the most dangerous things for the human body. Unfortunately, these are the two things we all are a victim of, one way or the other. However, the good news is that with Vitamin C, you can easily relieve all the stress of your body and feel relaxed. Vitamin C is the first nutrients that are depleted in all obese individuals, smokers, and alcoholics. So it pretty much justifies how and why this is an important nutrient for healthy bodies.

2- It help prevent colds

When it comes to common colds, there’s no evidence yet that Vitamin C can cure it, but yes, it’s true that this nutrient can help prevent some other more complicated diseases. Taking vitamin C can help reduce the risks of further complications when you have a cold, flu, or fever. Especially if you are worried about problems like lung infections or pneumonia.

3- Prevention from strokes

The third most important thing to know about Vitamin C is that it helps prevent strokes. There’s still no explanation of evidence as to why this happens, but it’s a fact that those who consume more fruits and vegetables, they are 40% at a lesser risk of heart attacks. This also means that if you have a weak heart and if your muscles aren’t strong enough to prevent a stroke, then you need to increase your consumption of vitamin C either through fruits and vegetables or through supplements.

4- Prevents skin aging

Just what we said earlier if you are worried about the aging signs appearing on your skin and if you don’t want wrinkles etc then the one thing you have to do is to increase your intake of vitamin C. It can work wonders for your skin, and it can slow down your aging process. Believe it or not, with vitamin C, you will be able to get all that glowing, fresh, and clear skin without any doubt.

Conclusion

These are some of the main benefits of Vitamin C, and as you can see, all these benefits are exactly what we look for in our everyday lives. We want better skin, we want to look fresh all the time, and we want to do everything we can to prevent risks like strokes and cancer, etc. As you get all of this with vitamin C then why wait? Buy a supplement and increase your vitamin C intake.

ABAS-3 Content and Scores Help You Assess for Adaptive Skills Across the Life Span

The Adaptive Behavior Assessment System, Third Edition (ABAS-3) can measure adaptive behavior at three levels. The highest level is the General Adaptive Composite (GAC), which is composed of all measured skill areas and provides an overall estimate. Broken down further, the next level contains three adaptive domains for more individualized skill areas.

These skill areas include:

● The conceptual skill area contains behaviors that an individual needs to communicate with others, manage or accomplish tasks, and apply academic skills.

● The social skill area contains behaviors needed to act with social responsibility, engage in interpersonal interactions, and use leisure time.

● The practical skill area contains behaviors needed to take care of home, work, and classroom settings, address personal and health needs, and function within a community.

The third level contains a wider range of individual adaptive skill areas, including community use, communication, functional academics, home and school living. Leisure, health and safety, self-direction, self-care, work, motor, and social.

The ABAS-3 scores are used to compare adaptive skills of an individual with those of their same-age peers as normalized by a national standardization sample. GAC and adaptive domains include standard scores, confidence intervals, and percentile ranks.

Adaptive skill area scores are scaled. Descriptive classifications include extremely low, low, below average, average, above average, and high. These classifications can be used for GAC, adaptive domains, and adaptive skill areas for interpretation.

Compared to the second edition (ABAS-II), the ABAS-3 revision involved primary components like collecting new, nationally representative standardization samples that more accurately reflected the United States population. Forms were updated with new administration and scoring options.

Along with reviewing the ABAS-II items and scale structure, user feedback helped to identify which features needed to be retained or revised for the ABAS-3, and which features were no longer needed.

Critical components of the ABAS-II were unchanged while the revised ABAS-II item pool was evaluated with the following three things in mind:

● New, low difficulty items were added to the infant and preschool forms to measure individuals of lower ability while high difficulty items were added to the school and adult forms to measure individuals with higher ability, allowing for a wider assessment range and greater accuracy at the extremes.

● Items were added or revised to do a better job of assessing adaptive skill deficits associated with intellectual disability disorder, autism spectrum disorder, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

● References to older technologies like printed encyclopedias were replaced with references to new technologies such as the Internet.

While items were added and deleted from each skill area on each form, the total item count for each form of the ABAS-3 is the same as on each corresponding ABAS-II form.

The ABAS-3 can be administered on paper, using desktop software, or online. The WPS Online Evaluation System helps evaluators to complete online testing on any computer with Internet access.

For more information on the ABAS-3 and other developmental assessments, visit WPS.

All About CBD and What Parents Should Know

The market is currently filled with many CBD-based products. It seems that CBD is gaining popularity among the masses. With the legalization of cannabis plants in many countries, the CBD industry has grown rapidly. Many who use CBD use it for medicinal purposes. Many people have come forward and affirmed how CBD has been vital in making them better. CBD is gradually proving to aid many people in ways that other medications have failed. Many adults and children are now using CBD for different health reasons.

As a parent, you are always looking for ways to better your child’s life. Though many parents are now giving their kids CBD, it is understandable if a parent has certain concerns. Below is what parents need to know about CBD.

What is Known About CBD?

CBD stands for cannabidiol, and it is among the many cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant. Most of the CBD used is extracted from hemp. Though it comes from the cannabis family, it is quite different from the controversial marijuana plant. What mainly differentiates hemp from marijuana is the fact that hemp has minimal THC. THC is what gives marijuana users a ‘high’ feeling.

Though it may come to a surprise to many people, hemp has been used by humans since ancient times. It was used to cure various illnesses like pain. CBD from the hemp plant is used by people of all ages because it is not psychoactive like THC. It is important to note that as of now, only one cannabis-based medicine is approved for use in children from the age of two years old. Epidiolex has been at the forefront of helping many children who suffer from epilepsy.

Since we are only in the early stages of the legalization of cannabis, more is still to be discovered. This may create concerns, especially when children are issued with CBD.

Concerns About CBD

Though CBD has been found to have many health benefits, there are concerns raised on how safe it is. Since there are many CBD products on the market, many find a hard time purchasing the right product. It has been discovered that many products tend not to have a specific amount of CBD that they claim.

Some products may contain other substances besides CBD. This is common in products from unreliable retailers. To make sure that the CBD product you purchase only contains CBD, you need to check if there is a certified lab approval of the product. To ensure that you get the best quality product, make a point of purchasing from a well-known and established retailer. You can get more information for your reference here.

Since there are various ways that CBD products are used including vaping, consuming orally, and applying topically, many may not know how much is being consumed. Different ways of using CBD may mean a different amount being consumed. Some may be extremely higher than others, making them harmful. Many parents might not know what amount to give their children.

Conclusion

As a parent, you need to do proper research before giving your child CBD for health reasons. CBD has many benefits for both children and adults. More is still being researched on the potential benefits of CBD.

9 Top Boy Toys Every Boy Wants

Do you remember when you were a kid? There were some toys that you would have loved to have! Now, it’s time to give your little man the top boy toys he wants!

Are you looking for a popular boy you know the special boy in your life will love?

With all the toys for boys on the market, how do you decide? You want to put a huge smile on his face when he opens your gift, not a frown.

Don’t stress. Our boy toy scouts have scoured the internet looking for the top boy toy gifts he’ll love.

Without further delay, we bring you the top boy toys on the planet right now.

9 Top Boy Toys Boys Really Want

Check out these popular boy toys like the fastest power wheels and more popular toys he can’t live without.

These 9 boys will redefine what it means to have a toy. Boys will have exciting adventures with these toys.

1. Monster Jam Mega Grave Digger RC Truck (1:6 Scale)

Do you have a boy who loves Monster trucks? If your answer is yes, you’ll floor him with this toy.

The name monster is far from an understatement. It is a monster.

The Monster Jam Mega Grave Digger RC truck comes in a 1:6 scale. If you know anything about Monster trucks, that’s colossal.

Some of the features on the truck he’s seen in commercials include mega-sized tires, lights that really work, and awesome graphics. As an added benefit, parents don’t have to buy extra batteries for the monster truck.

That’s because it has a USB charging cable built right into it. Just plug it into any USB port or AC adapter. It’s charged and ready to go again.

The young man in your life will enjoy moving this huge truck over rocks in the backyard. It glides right through puddles and stands way above his other trucks.

2. Marky Sparky Blast Pad Rocket Launcher

Want your kid to get away from video games for some outdoor fun? He won’t give you an argument with the popular Marky Sparky Blast Pad Rocket Launcher.

Your little astronaut will power his own rocket from a blast pad. Then he’ll watch as he shoots it into the sky.

The Marky Sparky Blast Pad Rocket Launcher comes equipped with three foam-tipped rockets for safety. It also contains a blast pad, launch tube, blast pad base, and a hose.

It’s a perfect gift to get your kids outdoors during the spring and summertime. This rocket-launching gift is portable which makes it easy to bring along to parties and playdates.

3. National Geographic Mega Slime and Putty Kit

It’s a known fact. Boys ooze at the idea of playing with slime. But this isn’t just any slime gift. The National Geographic Mega Slime Kit & Putty Lab gets kids excited.

The kit comes with eight different kinds of slimes and putties such as glow-in-the-dark slime, fluffy slime, magnetic putty, and putty that changes colors right before his eyes!

He’ll love the bouncing putty included in the kit. He can make a ball and watch it bounce high into the air.

4. BMW Vision RC Car

This sharp looking toy is simple to control. It’s also an exact replica of a BMW.

Get a few so your kids can race each other. It contains three frequency bands that enable three kids to race simultaneously.

5. Transformers Generations Combiner Wars Voyager Class Protectobot Figure

Transformer toys aren’t going away for a long time. Kids love Transformer movies and playing with their cool toys. That’s what makes it one of the top boy toys.

The Generations Combiner Wars Voyager Class Protectobot figure is one of the hottest toys to date. Your kids will watch it change from a firetruck to a robot as it takes 17 steps. Transformer films may be fun to watch but this toy is even better.

6. Quest Skateboards Super Cruiser Longboard Skateboard

Designed for older boys, it’s a great summer gift. The Quest Skateboard Super Cruiser Longboard is constructed from hardwood maple and artisan bamboo which makes it durable.

Forty-four inches long, the skateboard comes with a really rad kicktail. The board is available in green and purple. Get one of each. Another great gift to get your kids outdoors!

7. Sands Alive Glow Sand Car Crashers Kit

You don’t have to take your kids to the beach to play with sand. Now they can play with it indoors. I know what you’re thinking! No need to worry. Sands Alive by Play Visions is non-toxic, anti-bacterial sand that isn’t messy.

You may have seen the commercials or eyed Sands Alive Glow Sand Car Crashers Kiton the shelf at your neighborhood toy store. This popular boys toy comes with a whole pound of glow sand.

This toy molds to make awesome-looking cars. It has three car body shapes, three chassis, and a smoother roller as well as its dedicated play mat.

The UV LED glasses and UV pen enable kids to see the plastic components in the dark. It won’t dry up. Made for kids ages three and up. But watch out for dad. He’ll want to play with it, too!

8. Legos

Who doesn’t love Legos! They provide a great option for your boys to practice manual building and problem-solving skills while they have fun creating something.

Legos come in a variety of options for boys of all ages. Young boys enjoy Lego Duplo. Kids ages 6 through 10 love standard Legos.

Legos are always age-appropriate. The manufacturer prints the age recommendations on the box which makes shopping easier for parents and grandparents.

9. H102 Velocity RC Boat

Looking for a great birthday gift under $100 for a boy who likes fast toys? Then the super popular H102 Velocity RC Boat is it. It’s fast and really fun to drive.

The RC Boat gets back on the right course he drives it off track. All kids need to do is put it in the water. A great gift for a day at the beach.

The Takeaway on the Top Boy Toys Boys Love

Now you know nine of the top boy toys every boy wants. Whether you’re shopping for your son, brother, nephew, or grandson, you’re sure to put a smile on this face holiday time, on his birthdays or any time of year.

Looking for more cool content? Explore more of our blog.

Create a Great Impression With Tissot Watches on Your First Date

People often fret before their first date! The need to please a person reigns supreme. And for that, both men and women plan their attires and accessories for a long time. It’s essential to wear comfortable clothing so that you are at ease. Also, when it comes to accessories, you need to choose bags, belts, and shoes that complement your attire. Colour balance is crucial. However, when it comes to your watch, you need to go classy and decent. It’s here that you can count on the best brands.

Contrary to popular opinion, you choose a branded watch to add more grace and style to your look, instead of bragging a name. And today, there are several options for you to choose from. There are online watch dealers that helps you to browse through their online collection and select the best wristwatch model. You can count on the Tissot watches and other brands as well. Make sure that you browse through the flagship and recent models so that you choose the best that you can afford.

How does a branded watch help to create a great impression?

The first dates are mostly about impressions. It’s also about quirky conversations, fun, experimenting with food and drinks. But all that follows when you set the initial pace correct. And there are several ways in which your branded watch can help you create a lasting and decent impression.

1. It adds to your style and feel-good

When you are confident, you feel good, and it automatically adds to your persona and overall mood. Wearing your choicest wristwatch adds a special mojo that helps you to strike a conversation funnily, that will make the other person comfortable and humor as well. It will give you a finesse with which you can conduct yourself on the first date.

2. No over the top statements

Even though you should impress your date, there’s no need to go over the top. The best brands design their watches in a way that it blends in style and utility. You can choose from the smart leather and metal watches and avoid being over the top. When you make any over the top statements, it shows that you are trying too hard to impress your date. And that will work against you.

3. Dressing well is always a bonus

If your date thinks that you wear well and your attire and accessories are well-coordinated, that’s a plus point. It shows that they have noticed you carefully and have taken a liking for your dressing sense and accessories. Branded watches have a subtle way of creating a lasting and classy impression. Both the watch dials and bands get designed in a way that it complements your casual and formal attire as well. People get attracted to you and want to spend more time with you.

So, if you have a date, make sure that you wear your best-branded watch. Choose a classy instead of a flashy design, and you are good to go. You can browse online to get the best watch models.

Tips for Saving Enough Money to Go on Vacation with the Family

After a long year of working and attending school, your entire family could benefit from going on a long, relaxing vacation. Unfortunately, if you’re living from one paycheck to the next, it can be downright impossible for you to try to save up enough in order to start planning your next adventure. There are many ways for you and your family to save up money so that you can start planning ahead.

Bring in Extra Money

There are lots of ways for you to bring in some extra money that can be put directly into your vacation account. You might choose to sell some unused furniture or items that are just lying around the house. You can sell these either by holding a yard sale or selling them online to local buyers. If you don’t have much to sell off, you might want to consider taking on some overtime at work or doing some freelancing.

Refinance or Consolidate Older Debts

If you’re in a significant amount of debt, it can be suffocating to try to see the light at the end of the tunnel. If you’re trying to save up some cash for a vacation while tackling debt, you probably won’t be able to meet your monetary goals. For this reason, you need to either refinance or consolidate the debts that you have. If you have old student loans, you can refinance them to save some money and get a longer repayment term.

Set Up a Special Account

The problem with trying to save up money for a vacation in your regular checking or savings account is that you’ll be tempted to use it. Your account is running a bit low, so you simply take it out of the savings. You need cash for an emergency, so you dip into what you have saved up. It’s a good idea to create a special account specific to going on vacation. You may even want to set a restriction that you cannot dip into these funds until it comes time to travel.

Send Funds Automatically to Your Vacation Fund

You can automate your savings in order to prevent forgetting to put into the account. Most banks allow their customers to set up automatic transfers that allow them to choose the amount and time to send money over to a separate account. You won’t even realize that money is being put into this fund each week, and you’ll have significant savings when it’s time to take a trip with your loved ones.

Plan Ahead

The earlier you plan for your trip, the cheaper and more affordable it is going to be. Likewise, you’ll be able to get a feel for how much the vacation will cost so that you have enough time to save up for it. You can check flights and hotel fees well in advance to actually needing them. If you have the money for it, don’t hesitate to establish some bookings while you are able to get them at their absolute cheapest and most affordable.

Smart Ways to Decorate Your Living Space While in Isolation

The whole situation with the coronavirus isn’t exactly ideal. People have to spend more time indoors than ever before, and shopping for decorations is limited. You’re pretty much stuck with what you’ve got, and no one is inspired by looking at the same rooms all day, every day. Even in these tumultuous times, decorating your living room is as important as ever. In fact, it’s something you’ll need to not go crazy from being indoors all day. Luckily, there are some clever ways to redecorate without needing a lot of shopping or effort. Here are a few that might interest you.

Bring a bit of nature inside

People didn’t get enough outdoor time as it is, but the current situation is turning out to be even worse. Spending time inside is the norm right now, and there’s a severe lack of fresh and natural environments around us. Luckily, there’s a way to bring a little bit of that natural freshness inside your home.

Potted plants can be real life-savers when you need to stay inside for a while. They let your house breathe and make it feel livelier. The soft green hues of leafy plants help you relax and focus, and research has shown that they also affect peoples’ stress levels. Add a few of them in your living room and it’s going to make your home feel more comfortable.

Rearrange the living room

During isolation, you’re probably going to be spending more time in your living room than anywhere else. It’s where all the entertainment is, and it’s where you’ll interact with your family. Being there more than usual is going to have you sick of the room in no time. Switching things up would be great, but you can’t really go out shopping for new things.

On the other hand, you could always make some changes without introducing anything new. Rearranging the furniture works well to freshen up a room. Instead of having everything centered around the TV or entertainment center, you could create a chic chaotic arrangement with the furniture. You could also make a coffee table the focal point of the room. This will make it easier to get people into board games or cards. It’s something that would do everyone some good when they get bored of isolation.

Add tasteful touches

While you can’t make enormous contributions to your home’s design, there are still a few small details you can add to your rooms from time to time. Something that adds a little flavor and personality will make spending time in these rooms more tolerable.

Rugs are a great place to start. They make any room feel cozier and their colors and patterns can really draw your attention. Since you can’t go around flea markets and shops to check them out, looking for modern rugs online would be a better option. You can find rugs that fit any kind of home design. You’ll find everything from chic and messy-looking rugs to clean and sleek rugs that would work well with a minimalistic design.

Candles are another addition worth introducing to your home. They can create a nice atmosphere that changes the feel of a room. Let’s not forget about the romantic aspect as well. You can have nice candlelight read in your living room and feel like you’re in a chic café. Plus, candles aren’t hard to come by. You can find the most diverse scented candles on the internet. Think about the atmosphere you want in your home and recreate it with the wonderful smell of candles.

Put emphasis on the windows

Since we’re all yearning for a little more fresh air in our lives, windows and balconies are this year’s saving graces. If you haven’t been spending a lot of time there before, you certainly are now. It might be time to make them a little more comfortable and attractive while this whole situation lasts.

Take the clothes hangers out of your balcony and put a few chairs up. Enjoying the springtime on your balcony won’t be equal to going outside, but it’s as close as you can get. Take some of those candles and use them at night, it’s going to make for even more of a cozy environment.

Being cooped up inside probably has you wishing you had bigger windows to let even more air inside. Try to free up space around your windows and spend more time there as well. Keep them wide open and add a potted plant on it. It’s not much, but it’s going to freshen it up.

Conclusion

Just because we’re all isolated inside doesn’t mean our houses have to be less attractive. You should do your best to make use of this situation and spruce up your home as much as possible. Even without any external additions, you can still decorate your home to your tastes and make the time you spend inside more interesting and comfortable.

How Your Sleep Patterns Affect Your Children’s Sleep

Adequate sleep is something that people of all ages need to stay healthy and happy. It’s especially important during childhood and adolescence when the brain is still developing. Unfortunately, many children and teens aren’t getting the sleep they need. According to Sleep Standards, most teens are sleep deprived — a recent study found that only 15% reported sleeping 8 1/2 hours on school nights.

As a parent, you probably know just how important it is for your children to get enough sleep. But have you ever thought that your own sleep patterns could be affecting how much rest your kids are getting? Here’s what you need to know so the whole family can get more (and better) sleep.

Know the Facts About Sleep Deprivation in Children & Teens

To understand just how important sleep is for kids and teens, we need to look at how a lack of sleep can have an impact on their health and well-being. Overall, sleep deprivation can contribute to diabetes, obesity, mental health disorders, disruptive behavior, and more. Having the proper tools and information at your disposal to understand the effects of a lack of sleep is important and can primarily affect vulnerable populations.

The effects of sleep deprivation can even disrupt normal brain development. Poor and inadequate sleep has been associated with structural changes in the brain and can contribute to issues with memory, cognition, and attention.

Sadly, chronic sleep deprivation in young people is very common. In 2013, 68.4% of high schoolers were sleeping less than 8 hours each night. Younger children need even more than 8 hours to stay healthy.

Be Sure to Reduce Screen Time Before Going to Sleep

By this point, we all know that we shouldn’t have screens in our bedroom. The light from electronic devices can disrupt melatonin production, making it harder for us to fall asleep. Plus, if we’re engaged with media use, it’s much more interesting to keep using our devices than it is to go to sleep.

As a parent, you need to set boundaries surrounding screen time and enforce them for the whole family. If you tell your kids to turn off their devices two hours before bed but you’re still surfing on your iPad, they might not take the rules very seriously.

Are You Letting Your Kids Get Enough Sleep?

Kids and teens need more sleep than adults. Their developing brains need extra time for rest, and it’s important for parents to help them get the amount that they need. The amount of sleep needed decreases as a child grows up, but even children as old as 13 may need up to 11 hours of sleep each night, while older teens need 8-10 hours.

So how can you, as a parent, help your child get enough sleep? You might consider setting an earlier bedtime for the family so that everyone goes through the ritual of tucking in for the night together. Then, the adults can get up early and have some time for themselves in the morning before the kids get up. You need to let your kids get enough sleep, even if that means making some adjustments in your schedule.

Consider Having Kids and Teens Meditate Before Sleep

Kids are often over-stimulated in the evening, whether from media use, homework, or family time. When bedtime rolls around, it’s a good idea to have everyone take a deep breath and start to wind down.

One good way to do this is to implement a daily meditation practice in your household before bed. Relaxation techniques can be helpful for children who find their mind racing at night, have anxiety, or just can’t calm down enough to sleep restfully. Meditation can help to improve well-being, and might just set the mood for a restful night’s sleep.

Be Active With Your Kids During the Day

Achieving deep and restful sleep starts long before bedtime. Exercise is important for both physical and mental health but will also help kids sleep more soundly. Physical activity doesn’t have to mean structured exercise—it can be tag in the backyard, yoga together in the living room, and even chores like cleaning or helping with dinner.

Kids spend a lot of time in front of their devices or sitting at a desk, especially during the school year. You might have to get creative to keep the family active, but it will be well worth the effort. Plus, it’s good for you, too!

Be a Good Role Model

When it comes to building better sleep habits in your household, you can’t just tell your kids what to do. You have to model good behavior yourself. Being a role model for good sleeping habits isn’t always easy, but it will make your home happier and healthier more quickly than you might imagine.

10 Places to Find Your Inspiration

You’ve hit the creativity brick wall. Whether you’re a writer, a painter or a creator of professional stock photography this happens to all creative types from time to time. No matter how imaginative you think you are, there will be occasions here and there where you will need a proverbial kick in the creativity pants.

The next time this happens to you, take a deep breath and look around. Sometimes the next great idea materializes right in front of you when you search these tried and true themes for your inspiration.

Holidays

Tired of creating still lives of Christmas lights and ornaments? Look to some of the more unusual holidays celebrated around the world for your genius. There is a day dedicated to just about any food, fetish or trivia somewhere. Search the web and you’ll find a wacky holiday, festival or celebration sure to be a catalyst to your creativity.

Nature

It’s hard not to be inspired by the beauty of nature. The majesty in a sunset, the colors of the rainbow or contrasts in fields of flowers are all awe inspiring. But the trick is to see beyond the obvious draw to find originality. Look small – at the tiny spider building a web on that stunning flower. Look big – at the storm clouds parting to form that breathtaking rainbow. Draw from contrasts of light and dark, hot and cold, big and small. Look not as an observer, but as an artist and you’ll be sure to see a new side to Mother Nature.

Travel

It’s easy to create awesome imagery when traveling to exotic places, but try to be a tourist in your own backyard. Think like someone who’s looking to book a trip to your area – or better yet, think like the tour director, travel agent or pamphlet designer looking to promote your area. What is unique to your geography? To your history? To your climate? To your architecture, or people, or traditions? Use these as your muse.

Humor

Sometimes we simply take art – and ourselves – too seriously when all we really want is a good reason to laugh. Use your naturally silly side to capture practical jokes, caricatures of folks you know, or just a good old fashion pun. Think of any person, place or thing and then see how many different ways you can use that in a humorous setting. Don’t forget to poke some fun at yourself while you’re at it.

Science

Geek is the new chic! Every avenue of scientific research and study can be a model for your thoughts. Go to an observatory, or science and nature museum, with an open mind. Read scientific magazines or watch television shows that discuss astrology, chemistry or any other scientific field. Or just watch The Big Bang Theory for a few days to see what physics can inspire you to do.

News and Current Events

We all read a paper or watch the evening news so why not use the relevant topics as motivation. See what’s trending on social media for insights into what the world is talking about and challenge yourself to see how many ideas you can brainstorm from a single hashtag. Look at the topic of the latest viral video to see what they bring to mind – if nothing else, you’re sure to see some really cute videos of kittens to make it worth your time.

Animals

And speaking of animals, they are a great boost to ideating. They can be used as a subject in their own right, or studied to identify characteristics that translate well into art; kitten/playful, fox/sly, dog/loyal, crocodile/cold, etc. etc. etc. Use them to represent universal themes like a butterfly flying free.

Everyday Life

List all the things you do on an average day. What are the weekly or monthly items on your to-do list? What annual events centered on home, work and family occupy your time. These can each be an impulse to an idea. Close your eyes and let the mundane become exceptional.

Food

We’re already a world of food paparazzi; why not use the daily bread to add incentive. If you like to cook, think farm to table to uncover unique examples. If you like to eat, think happy times with friends and family shared over a kitchen table. An apple a day keeps the doctor away. Fish is good brain food. Every aspect of the food can generate a wealth of new angles to consider.

Health, Nutrition, and Fitness

We are bombarded daily with the importance of balancing nutrition and fitness for good health and the consequences of not doing so. Instead of obsessing over them in your personal life, let the topic encourage new visions.

A few additional tips to help with your creative flow.

Keep a notebook or journal to jot down great ideas when they come to you.
Try doodling as a brainstorming technique. It’s amazing what can come to you when you release your mind to the creative process.
Get moving! There is scientific proof that motion helps to improve creativity, so take a walk to help get those juices flowing.