Rebecca Alston, Author at Mamas Like Me

Why You Should Buy New Moms a Gift Just for Them

My brother and sister in law just had a baby. To introduce us all to the baby, my brother organized a little event for all our friends and family who unsurprisingly all arrived bearing gifts. While all the gifts were being opened, one thing became immediately apparent-that only 2 types of gifts were being shelled out; stuff for the new baby and cool gifts for dad.

Although it is my sister in law that had just finished the most exhausting, challenging and physically demanding 9 months of her life carrying our sweet angel and delivering her, she did not really get anything that was truly hers that day. And although she tried to be cool about it and hide it, you could just see the discontent on her face each time a gift was offered to my brother.

After the event, this kept bothering me so I talked to some of my friends about it and you know what? I discovered quickly that this was a frequent occurrence; many new moms have experienced the same thing as my sister in law. Although every mom will perceptibly be grateful and happy to receive gifts for their baby, it is generally very disappointing whenever the mom does not get anything for herself.

Life as a new mom is one of the most stressful periods of a woman’s life, to say the least. As a woman adjusts to being a new mom, it can be easy for her to let herself go. Giving her a thoughtful, yet practical gift can make the job slightly less harrowing while giving the new mommy a valuable chance for self-care.

A great gift can carry great weight and it can be a meaningful gesture to show the new mom that you appreciate everything that she has been through and that you care. But coming up with a gift is never an easy task, which is why we have found some great gift ideas to set you off in the right direction. Here are gifts to buy a new mom:

A Himalayan Salt lamp

Being a new mom means that you are tasked with the responsibility of full-time childcare; this has never been easy. Add to that the disconnect that a new mom experiences in other areas of life including her relationship with her partner or husband, and the stress levels can get out of control.

If you know a mom that is struggling with her new role, a Himalayan salt lamp could be just what they need to relieve their stress. Himalayan salt lamps, also called pink salt lamps are made using salt that has been harvested from the Himalayan Mountains. Himalayan salt is one of the purest types of salt available and it contains valuable minerals such as calcium, magnesium, copper, and potassium.

When the salt is activated, it can help to reduce anxiety, stress, allergies as well as seasonal affective disorders, such as what new moms go through. These salt lamps negative ions that not only purify the air, killing harmful bacteria that may cause diseases in the new baby, but they also cancel out the positive ions produced by electronic devices, cleansing the surroundings and helping new mom relax.

Book her a pampering session

Although raising a new baby is hard on both parents, new moms tend to have the worst end of the stick. In addition to having to breastfeed every few hours, new moms do not sleep very well. They also suffer greatly from physical pain as a result of childbirth, which can make things practically intolerable.

To allow her to de-stress, one of the best things that you can do for a new mom is give her a relaxing moment to herself away from the baby, which is where a spa date comes in. Book the new mom in your life a relaxing massage, manicure or pedicure session or a trip to her favorite hair salon; anything really that will make her feel pampered and loved.

Give her anything that can allow her to relax at home

The sad reality is that some babies are difficult to deal with (hello colic), which leaves mom with little or no time to loosen up or leave the house let alone take a shower! As such, giving her something that can allow her to relax in the comfort of her home can be more needed than you realize.

Things such as luxury skincare products, comfy robes, bath salts with essential oils, and bath bombs are great. Such things will allow a new mom to create small relaxing moments for herself without necessarily leaving her baby for extended periods. Even if she cannot get a full hour for herself, as little as 10 minutes to treat her skin with a relaxing balm can do wonders for her state of mind.

Freshly made meals

With all the chaos of taking care of a new baby, moms don’t often have time to prepare fresh meals from scratch. Gifting her with weekly food service or a local catering company in her neighborhood that drops off already cooker gourmet meals can ensure that she has healthy food to enable a steady milk supply.

Better still, if you have chef skills, you can prepare a home-cooked meal or delicious baked goods and deliver them personally. If the mom already has other children, the meal delivery service will prevent her from stressing out about feeding her other family members.

A Ride on-demand gift card

Being a new mom means not having the luxury of free time, which is why the ultimate gift that you can give a new mom is a ride on-demand gift card from a company like Uber or Lyft. Zipping around in an Uber or Lyft will allow a new mum to carry out errands that need sorting without having to stress out about the actual driving around.

Even when she is not running errands, a drive to her favorite supermarket can be a great way to break up the monotony of life with a baby. Even though a new mom might be hesitant to leave her baby at first, fresh air can go a long way towards giving a new mommy the energy she needs to cope with a fussy baby and sleepless nights.

Final Thoughts

Even though it may sound and feel counterintuitive at first, the best gift that you can give a new mom is one that is not related to the baby. Why? Because after going through the motions of pregnancy for 9months, every new mom wants to be acknowledged not only as a person but for her hard work and sacrifice.

The gifts we have listed below are practical, yet versatile. While every new mom has a different personality and preferences, there is a good chance that these gifts will make them smile. So, happy shopping everyone!

Why Haven’t You Bought a Reusable Coffee Cup Yet?

It is hard to find a person who doesn’t like coffee, whether a creamy latte or a bitter espresso. With the fast pace of our world, a lot of people prefer ordering coffee to-go, but many of them don’t know how much waste disposable coffee cups produce.

You have probably heard about the trend on reusable coffee cups, but many consider these items as only fashionable showing-off bought for taking photos. However, reusable containers are much more useful and beneficial than you might think. Here are five reasons why you need to buy a reusable coffee cup without delay.

It is surprising how much we can achieve by change so little”, comments zero-waste recycling guide Antonia Ko. “All we need is a small set of principles and habits focused on preventing most forms of trash or leftovers entering your bin. When you actually dive into it, you can encourage, rethink, and redesign the life cycles of so many resources so humanity can reuse most if not all products”, she adds.

Your Coffee Stays Hot for Several Hours

Most reusable coffee cups available on the market allow keeping the temperature of your drink. In contrast to takeaway cups that get cold even before you enter your office or cross the street, reusable cups can keep your coffee moderately hot for a pretty long time.

As, on average, the temperature of latte or cappuccino is about 160°F, you can expect it to stay warm for an hour for sure. If your cup is made of thick glass, you can leave your drink even for a couple of hours.

On the other side, disposable cups don’t protect your hands from hot drinks inside, either. By having a reusable coffee cup, you will forget about such a problem. Most models have silicon or wooden sleeves that protect your hands from hot liquids inside the cup.

No More Leakage and Spills

We all know what weak protection takeaway cups offer. Although they seem sealed, with only one opening for a mouth, it is easy to spill some coffee on yourself when trying to take a sip. Many reusable coffee cups allow closing the drinking opening so that you can walk on streets holding the cup comfortably or put it in your bag without worries.

Moreover, usually, reusable cups have a sleek design and don’t consist of many parts. It is only a cup, a cover, and a holder. While disposable cups usually have a separate glued bottom that may result in leakages of coffee and stained clothes, reusable ones were made as whole items with the convenience of coffee lovers in mind. Thus, they can be considered splash-proof and extremely useful for people who are always on the go.

Discounts in Coffee Shops & Other Saving

Many coffee shops, including global coffee chains such as Starbucks, offer discounts to the coffee fans that bring their reusable cups. It may sound like some cents saved, but within a year, you can actually save from $100 to $200, depending on how often you order coffee to go.

Moreover, by making yourself a cup of coffee at home and pouring it in the reusable cup, you can save even more on your morning coffee. Take your coffee from home instead of buying a pricey one in a coffee shop on the way to work, and you will save even thousands of dollars if you drink it daily.

Reduced Environmental Impact

According to Wired, in the long-term run, reusable coffee cups proved to contribute to reducing one’s environmental impact. The point is to use such an item as many times as possible and be smart about washing it. Instead of cleaning the reusable cup only, it is better to do a full load of dishes at once.

Also, disposable items form most of the plastic found in the ocean, with takeaway cups being the main ones. Therefore, by using a reusable coffee cup, you save the world hundreds of plastic cups and spoons yearly.

You may wonder, are paper coffee cups that bad for the environment? Unfortunately, they are not pure paper. All “paper” takeaway cups have a thin plastic lining for preventing coffee leaking. Thus, such cups can be processed in standard paper recycling mills and get accumulated in landfills, polluting the environment.

Most of the reusable coffee cups are made recyclable, with non-toxic materials, and BPA-free. Thus, you are assured of not only taking care of the environment but yourself. And even those items that are not biodegradable prove to be more environment-friendly in the long term, as you use one cup for many drinks and don’t throw it away after finishing your coffee.

A Stylish Items That Will Soon Become a Must-Have One

Disposable coffee cups have become such a huge problem and polluting source that governments of some states and even countries implement regulations regarding coffee to go. For instance, some insist on making coffee enthusiasts pay more for a single-use cup to-go, and this rule is already working in some coffee shops and areas. Others argue about the elimination of disposable coffee cups at all, the same as with plastic bags and other single-use items.

Although we can’t say for sure which laws will be adopted in the future, the fact that disposable coffee cups will be prohibited is undoubtful. Thus, if you want to be able to drink coffee not only at home or sitting in a café, it is worth getting yourself a high-quality reusable container and enjoy coffee anywhere. Thanks to the variety of sizes and colors of such reusable cups available on the market, one can choose the item to their liking.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, reusable coffee cups are the future. Nowadays, more and more coffee enthusiasts get themselves such reusable solutions for many reasons, including the mentioned above. From saving on a morning coffee to the comfortability of use, people stress out the benefits of owning a nice many-use cups.

As seen on GiftWits, such coffee cups are extremely useful. It is possible to find a splash-proof, BPA-free item of your favorite color that will serve you for many months and even years. This way, you will cut down expenses and waste produced by disposable cups.

If you haven’t got yourself a reusable coffee cup yet, here is a sign to pick one without delay. Choose the item according to your preferences and enjoy your coffee wherever you are.

Amazing Achievements in Healthcare This Year

Healthcare trends act as the guiding point for the healthcare industry. They show their expected future and shines a light on the major technologies that are destined to change the industry drastically.

Healthcare trends help industry leaders to get a feel of what patients need and how they can advance their businesses to meet these needs.

However, executives in the healthcare field are nervous about embracing the latest healthcare trends. According to Digital Authority Partners, some of the most established companies in the health industry are reluctant about leaving their functioning business processes even if they cost more than the new next-generation methods.

This resistance, however, has not stopped the healthcare industry from advancing and innovating. The process is slower than other fields based on discovery. A study by Accenture shows that the industry stands to save over $60 billion by making decisive and correct technological investments today. Despite the executives liking, the health industry is transforming both within and outside. The growth is set to grow exponentially over the years.

There are a couple of trends that are expected to redefine healthcare this year and grow in momentum to propel the industry from the past into the 21st century. These include:

Wearable and IoT Devices

Through combining predictive analytics, hardware and mobile applications wearable technologies are slowly redefining disease management, patient diagnostics, and preventive care techniques.

HeartGuide is a beautiful smartwatch that boasts of an LCD display and Lithium-ion battery that needs to be charged twice per week. This sleek watch can store up to 100 blood pressure readings, sleep quality measurements up to 7 times and physical history for 7 days.

For those who are not fond of the small display have a companion mobile application for both IOS and Android smartphones. The application features a beautiful dashboard that educates you on all your blood-pressure and other health readings. With these readings, it also gives some important heart health improvement recommendations for you.

One development that has taken the health industry by storm is the watch’s ability to take blood pressure readings during the night. Studies have shown that sharp rises in blood pressure occur mostly during the night and immediately after waking up. This has caused many deaths related to blood pressure conditions.

Blockchain

The blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency, however, it is also revolutionizing healthcare space by allowing the sharing and analysis of crucial patient data in real time. This will greatly improve the quality of healthcare delivered and provide transparency.

Telemedicine

These solutions have slowly become popular as alternatives for doctor visits. However, it will not be able to hit its full potential until new laws are passed to allow doctors to be paid equally for virtual consultations as they are paid for face to face consultations.

Stem Cell Therapy in Heart Failure

Simon H. Stertzer, M.D is a Professor Emeritus at Stanford University School of Medicine and is also the Chairman of the Board t BioCardia. BioCardia is a medicine company focused on the clinical stage of regenerative biotechnology.

BioCardia develops innovative therapeutics for the treatment of cardiovascular disease. Simon Stertzer in 1964 executed the first selective coronary arteriogram in New York. He also initiated the subspecialty of Interventional Cardiology by carrying out the very first coronary balloon angioplasty in the USA. He has performed more than 12,500 cardiac interventions and has worked side by side with others to develop new technologies for the improvement of patient care.

Dr. Stertzer is a co-founder of BioCardia from 1999 and was an initiator and board member of the Arterial Vascular Engineering which is an angioplasty balloon and stent company which was later attained by Medtronic Inc.

This article comes from JGBilling, a medical billing company

Baby shower Invitations-Wording tips

Planning a baby shower time and venue is one thing, inviting your guests is another. Baby shower invitation wording s can be very tricky especially to new moms. One thing I am sure about is that you want wordings that will set the mood of your guests. You also want that to be fun and make them see your creativity. To help you choose the best invitation wordings for your baby shower invitations, we have listed a couple of wording ideas just for you. The tips will work for you regardless of whether you are writing long distance baby shower invites.

Make the guest list

Before you start thinking of what to include in an invitation card for your baby shower, make a list of all the people that you want to invite. This way, you will be in a better position to customize the invitation cards or target individual guests.

Who’s the guest?

The person you are inviting will make the difference on how you address them. If you are inviting your elderly parents to your baby shower, it may not be a wise thing to make it too fun. The wordings should somewhat show seriousness.

Regardless of the person on your guest list, start by greeting them. After that, address the person by their two names or a family name. Here are some wording examples.

‘’Dear John, come with all blue and help us celebrate a new gift’’

‘’Hello dad, come celebrate the birth of our baby girl with us’’

The name of the baby

Have you already determined the gender of your baby and chosen a name in advance? If that is the case, it’s always a good thing to state the name of the baby on the wording. This makes your guest want to know more and want to meet such a gift. Here are some wording examples:

‘’Its Baby Amanda, come celebrate the angel with us’’.

‘’I take this rare opportunity to welcome you to celebrate the birth of Baby Joe’’.

Write the date of the event

When are you going to celebrate the baby shower? I bet you have already determined the date. For that matter, don’t forget stating the date of the event. Make it long enough for your guests to prepare.

Where will the event be held?

Another sentence that shouldn’t miss on the list is the venue of the event. If this event will be held in a hotel, a restaurant or a hall, state the specific name of the venue. It’s also important to list the street address, city and the Zip code. If you are considering virtual baby shower invitation, it should be clear and appealing with the street address, city and the state where the event will be held.

Host

Before you conclude the invitation, it’s always a good thing to state the host of the event and the contact number. This can fit as a single statement or be included at the end of the invitation card.

RSVP

At the end of the card, you can state when you need a RSVP. Some examples are:

‘’Please RSVP by (DD/MM/YY)’’

It’s also a nice thing to leave a space for the guests to include the numbers of people they are making the RSVP.

How Your Offensive Language Is Hurting People Around You

The old saying that actions speak louder than words isn’t entirely true. We make all kinds of life choices with words only. Think of the marriage that starts with a simple “I do”, and all the promises and commitments we make every day with the help of language.

It’s only natural to expect that same form of communication to have a negative impact, and a permanent one at that when it’s particularly hurtful and damaging. The need to conform to politically-correct terms is not just a legal issue, but a question of ethics and basic human decency – carefully choosing words to describe a feature to someone or describe someone’s identity can mean the difference between respect and verbal abuse.

Getting to know the subtext of what you say and recognizing negative patterns in communication is a great start to reducing and eliminating bias and prejudice from our perception, so it’s vital to start making changes in how we communicate.

You don’t know the whole story

We all have different levels of patience, different humor preferences, or different experiences that have shaped what we perceive as funny or acceptable to say to someone else. Simply taking into account that the other person may have gone through a traumatic experience that you’re not aware of can serve as a boundary for you to consider the potential consequences of your words.

While some people might feel comfortable joking at the expense of sexual abuse and harassment, you’ll find that many who have had such an experience might not be so eager to laugh. These words can serve as triggers, cause anxiety, and diminish your chances to build a relationship because they will no longer feel safe in your company. Who knows? Maybe their abuser has made the same jokes before actually escalating to taking actions.

There are a time and a place

Each culture has different tolerance levels for vulgarity, profanity, and what can be deemed offensive or abusive in terms of your vocabulary. If you live in Australia, for example, it makes sense to rethink your verbal repertoire to adjust to local expectations, since there’s a clear legal difference between lighthearted humor with a few unsavory details and being clearly offensive and verbally abusive. This is especially vital if you conduct yourself inappropriately near a school or in a public area.

There are many different situations involving offensive language that experienced criminal lawyers in Parramatta and other cities in Australia can handle, but their outcome depends on the circumstances, so it’s wise to consult a professional to assess your situation. Laws clearly show cultural expectations and recognize the individual’s rights, they also protect your integrity when someone tries to use offensive language to undermine you, insult you, or cause harm.

No need to make someone feel uncomfortable

We swear all the time, and we often use a range of curse words even in front of our kids – which is precisely how they pick up these phrases. Yet we are role models, and we have the power to help our kids understand how using words can make their peers feel sad, hurt, or uncomfortable.

Even if our words aren’t directed at the person to whom we’re talking, they might feel uncomfortable with your communication style. They might recognize patterns that reveal negative stereotypes, subconscious bias, or prejudice, all of which can further alienate them from you. Your kids might do the same and alienate entire groups of classmates if they start using the same negative language patterns they’ve picked up from you.

A slip-up or a behavioral pattern?

Sometimes we may even surprise ourselves with how we choose to phrase something, which in turn, may become a vessel for self-discovery. After all, we speak, read, and write every day, and we use language in our thought processes, but it’s not a one-way process. While our thinking does shape our words, our words also have an impact on how we behave and think.

From a long-term perspective, consistently using offensive language can become a reflection of your values and lead to unwanted negative actions. You may resort to hurtful behavior when you’re prone to using abusive verbal patterns. It pays to listen to yourself and to others around you who tell you how they feel regarding your own communication approach. Perhaps there’s a deeper issue than a one-time verbal slip-up, so use your language to uncover your attitudes and grow as a human being over time.

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.

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