6 Tips to Overcome Seasickness Quickly

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From headaches, nausea and cold sweats to dizziness and vomiting, seasickness can have a number of draining and downright debilitating symptoms that have the power to completely ruin your vacation. Fortunately, there are many ways you can help your body adapt to these atypical motions and conditions, and take back control of your stomach while you’re at sea. Here are some of the best techniques for overcoming seasickness quickly and efficiently:

1. Minimize your consumption

Even though it might help calm your nerves, try to minimize your consumption of food, drinks, and alcoholic beverages both before and during your sea travels, especially those that hinder your digestion or make you feel surprisingly full. It would also be a good idea to avoid foods with heavy spices or strong smells, as they tend to exacerbate nausea and seasickness in most people. However, don’t forget to drink plenty of water and electrolyte-laden drinks, even if you keep vomiting, in order to calm your stomach and stay hydrated during the trip.

2. Try to desensitize yourself

Desensitization therapy is arguably one of the most efficient ways of minimizing the symptoms and even curing motion sickness altogether. A simple practice you can try during the months or weeks leading up to your trip, desensitization therapy works by exposing yourself to short periods of activities that cause motion sickness symptoms, and then working up to longer periods over time. For instance, if you tend to experience seasickness, start by taking a boat out to a calmer lake or river, and then work your way up to faster sea scooters or even bigger ferry boats, in order to allow your body to adjust to these activities.

3. Take control of the experience

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One of the easiest ways to minimize the amount of seasickness you experience on board is to thoroughly plan your holiday in advance, opting for a personalized experience that will suit your needs the most. For example, if you want to book a Mediterranean yacht charter vacation, choose a company that will allow you to make your own itinerary with the help of experienced specialists. That way, you can opt for routes that incorporate a number of stops and land tours, thus minimizing the amount of time you spend at sea.

4. Do your best to keep still

Although this idea might seem absurd when you’re traveling by boat or ship, do your best to stay as still as possible in order to minimize the symptoms of seasickness. What this means is to try to find an area (usually somewhere in the middle of the vessel) where you will experience the least amount of movement. Every ship needs to rotate, pivot and bounce around a center of gravity; do your best to locate it, and find a place where you can sit or lay down comfortably in that area, to feel the least movement from the ship and reduce common motion sickness symptoms.

5. Stay calm and ride it out

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Considering the fact that our bodies possess an incredible ability to adapt to any situation and accommodate their responses, seasickness tends to clear up on its own after approximately three days. If you focus on this fact and believe that your symptoms will go away sooner than you thought, you might even rid yourself of sea sickness completely. Alternatively, you can also try to distract yourself by practicing breathing techniques or counting down backward from 100, in order to stay more calm and relaxed at sea.

6. Opt for seasickness medication

If none of these techniques help you overcome seasickness and you still keep experiencing severe symptoms, then the only option left is to buy over-the-counter motion sickness medication or even talk to your doctor about prescribing stronger and more effective treatments. However, it’s important to note that most motion sickness medications are most effective when taken 30 to 60 minutes prior to sickness, and can even have negative side effects, such as dry mouth and drowsiness, which is why they should always be considered as a last resort.

As long as you care for your body well and take appropriate precautions before your next vacation, seasickness can be treated quickly and efficiently. Above all, it’s important to stay calm and remember that it’s just a passing state that will end eventually.

5 Mother of the Bride Duties to Know Before Your Daughter Gets Hitched

What are the mother of the bride duties you need to know before your daughter gets married? Make sure you’re living up to your title with this advice.

The mother-of-the-bride to-do list may seem endless but in reality, the most important item on the list is providing loving support to your daughter. There is no right or wrong way to perform your mother-of-the-bride duties if you keep love front and center in everything you do. The duties of every mother-of-the-bride have variations and combinations, but there are traditional and contemporary duties you’ll want to perform to help make your daughter’s wedding special and memorable.

Mother-of-the-Bride Traditional Responsibilities

There may be nothing more important in the traditional responsibilities of a mother-of-the-bride than helping the bride find her perfect wedding dress. Helping your daughter find her perfect wedding dress has been a traditional responsibility of the mother-on-the-bride since weddings began. The wedding dress for women became the symbolic passage from the girl of springtime to the woman of married life.

Your daughter has a style, and just like the many engagement ring styles, her partner went through to find the perfect one, her wedding dress will be reflective of that style as well. The wedding dress your daughter wears represents her, her partner, and the love they share for each other. Another traditional duty for the mother-of-the-bride is serving as a communicator, facilitator, and the go-to person.

You’ll serve in one or all those capacities when backing up your daughter’s selection of caterers, florists, venues, entertainers, and planners. That means you also become the designated communicator between your daughter and her partner’s family, decorations, guests, and almost anything wedding related. Another traditional duty is working with your daughter to come up with a guest list that also meets the wedding budget.

Mother-of-the-Bride Contemporary Duties

Bridesmaids are the joy of every modern bride, but they can also be an unintentional stressful component when planning a wedding. That means most mother-of-the-brides now serve as the chief communicator to the bridesmaids while handling all last-minute hiccups like something happening to a bridesmaid’s dress. Every mother can ease these sometimes stressful bridesmaid’s issues with support, comfort, and solutions.

Almost every bride in today’s world has a bridal shower and sometimes an engagement party too. If your daughter plans on having one or both, it’s good to help plan or support her events. You can do this by helping her with the event duties and sometimes providing financial help if possible.

You also want to act as a warm and facilitating hostess for your daughter at these events. That way, all the guests are comfortable and can enjoy your daughter’s pre-wedding events.

The Mother-Daughter Gift

No matter how big or small the gift is that you give your daughter on her special day, it should be something personal. You have a lifetime of memories together, so finding something you know she’ll treasure as a keepsake is one of the most poignant, memorable, and loving things you’ll do for her on her wedding day. Most of the time, you’ll give your daughter her special gift during a private moment between the two of you that will be remembered forever.

A Wedding to Remember

Once you perform all your mother-of-the-bride duties, you can sit back and start to enjoy the party going on around you. You’ve already successfully supported and shown your daughter how much she means to you. Now is the time to make sure she knows that you listened to her when she called your name and whatever she needed you were there for her.

There’s no greater gift a mother-of-the-bride can give her daughter than love.

How To Improve Your Baby’s Health In Winter

Discover crucial baby health care tips that will help you more with your little one. As parents, we all want what’s best for our children. Get started today by reading all the essentials about baby health care!

Babies need care and support regularly until they are old enough to cater for themselves. However, the requirement for baby health care is more important when winter draws near. When the temperature of the atmosphere is low, diverse processes are activated within the body, which provides safety for the organs.

Key Baby Health Care Tips

A good percentage of the energy which is produced is used to regulate the temperature of the body. The winter season is the ideal period for viruses and microbes to bloom, and babies are most susceptible to having their immune system weakened. You can also employ the use of baby health products such as babies probiotics and baby health trackers, which detects if there are baby health problems, but you should also take into account some tips.

Make Use Of A Humidifier

This is one of the best ways to safeguard the health of your baby, especially when the temperature is likely to reduce drastically. Instead of using conventional heating systems, which will make the room and the skin of your baby dry, because of the absence of water vapor.

For you to regulate the moisture levels in your room, and ensure it is kept at an optimal level, which would be suitable for your baby, you need to use a humidifier.

Make Use Of A Moisturizer

This is a basic baby health care piece of advice. The skin of a baby is more sensitive than an adult’s. When the weather is not favorable, it acts adversely on the skin of a baby. We can still manage ourselves during winter, but it gets very uncomfortable for babies. To solve this issue, all you need do is ensure the skin of your child is kept as soft as possible.

One way you can achieve this is to use skin creams, which are made particularly for babies, or perhaps a skin lotion. Use products which have a high butter and milk cream content. You can also decide to opt for milk cream because it avails you a natural way of maintaining the texture and glow of your baby’s skin.

Don’t Use Many Products

This is another basic baby health care piece of advice. One mistake which parents often make is, they use many products, thinking their combined effects would be instrumental in safeguarding the health of their babies during winter. This does not usually work out as planned, as the health of the baby stands to be endangered if lots of products are used. Parents are advised to stick just to creams and lotions.

Some parents make the mistake of giving their babies one bath too many, and this bares their skin to shampoos and soaps. With this, their skin is rid of the remaining moisture on their bodies, and it makes their skin drier than before. This does not undermine the fact that bathing during winter is enjoyable, but babies should be exposed to soaps once or twice a week.

Massage The Body Of Your Baby Thoroughly

This is an essential baby health care tip. Irrespective of the season you birthed your baby, it is highly advised by health practitioners that you should ensure you massage your baby well. The primary benefit of massage is, it triggers the flow of blood within the body, and it enhances the consciousness of well-being, which improves the immune system of your baby.

When you are massaging your baby, you need to ensure it is done under a warm atmosphere, at a very suitable and comfortable time for both you and the baby. It is also recommended that you use natural oils for this purpose.

Avoid Heavy Blankets

The use of heavy blankets is another mistake that parents commit. To you, it might look like the most appropriate way to keep your baby warm during winter. However, it would interest you to know that you are endangering the health of your baby. Some babies have been lost to the icy hands of death because of the inability to breathe properly.

Babies are not really strong enough to pull off the blanket when they are feeling uncomfortable, and if a parent is not observant, something unpleasant could occur. The best measure to put in this case is to use a light blanket, and also ensure the temperature of the room is kept at an optimal level. With this, you rest assured that your baby would feel comfortable, and there would be no reason for your child to get suffocated by the blanket.

Wear Comfortable Clothing For Your Baby

Parents need to know that there is a thin line between keeping your baby warm proficiently, and keeping him or her uncomfortable. When you continually adorn your child with socks, gloves, and thick sweaters, you are preventing your child from having smooth movements. It also becomes very uncomfortable for the child.

In baby health care, to avoid this, ensure you clothe your baby based on the temperature range of the room at that moment. You should also choose clothes that will thoroughly cover the body of your baby but would not serve as a burden. Gloves and socks are great because it would help your child to sleep well.

Keep A Warm Temperature

It is quite challenging to monitor the temperature of your room, and your baby’s every time, but it is worth it. You should shut the windows if you are somewhere where the cold air blows regularly. Furthermore, you need to find a way to ensure the air within the room remains ventilated.

Conclusion

Baby health care during winter is something you should never be negligent about. Parents who have lost their babies during winter would have been careless at some point. Hence, to avoid unpleasant acts like that from occurring, you need to ensure you stick to the above-mentioned health baby tips.

Health baby products are known to ensure baby health and safety, and you can get some of them from hospitals and baby stores.

One of the reasons why babies fall sick during winter is because they are not properly catered for. Some parents might think it is due to inadequate nutrition, but a good number of times, it is usually beyond that healthy baby foods. If your baby shows signs of illness during winter, it is advised that you take him or her to see a health specialist who would advise you on what to do.

What do you think of these baby health care tips? Let us know in the comments!

About the author

Elizabeth is currently a stay-at-home mom who lives with her two babies and her husband. She is an accountant by day, now working remotely, and full-time mother by night. She writes a lot about parenting at Top-Mom.

Communication Tips: 10 Top Tips for How to Talk to Teens

Are you trying to communicate with your teen, but you don’t know how? Read this article to learn how to talk to your teens.

Forget the terrible twos, what about the tumultuous teens? They often seem like a completely different species than the beautiful, loving child that wouldn’t give you a moment of peace.

As they hit their teenage years, they can tend to become like a stranger who only acknowledges you when they’re hungry or want a ride someplace.

It can be difficult to know how to talk to teens when you can’t get them to look away from their phone to give you a reply.

Check out these tips on how to talk to teens and make a meaningful connection rather than just grunting replies as they slam the bedroom door.

1. Be Available and Present

One of the biggest things you can do to help open communication with teens is to simply be there and be present. Unplug from technology and turn off your phone for a few hours and be available for them to talk to when they’re ready. If your teen is ready to start dating, be available to talk and suggest some PG rated teen date ideas for them to enjoy.

Many families spend days on end at home without actually talking to each other at all. Everyone sits in the same room while talking on the phone or social media to people around the world without ever connecting with the people right beside them.

Putting your phone down and giving your teen your completely undivided attention can be one of the greatest gifts you can give them.

2. Spend Quality Time Together

Teens are more likely to talk when you’re doing recreational or fun activities together than if you force the conversation. If you want them to open up to you then you need to give them a relaxing environment to do it in.

Spend time doing things they like to do, start having a weekly game night or set aside a day each month where the two of you hang out and just enjoy each other’s company.

3. Take an Interest in Their Interests

You may not like video games or going shopping at the mall but if those are the things your teen is passionate about then you’ll get them to open up and feel connected to you if you make an effort to take an interest in the things they like.

Attend their sports games or art shows and see the environment and people they spend time with. Learn the names of their friends and show an interest in what is going on in their social group.

Showing you care about them, their interests, and their friends can do more for opening up communication than any amount of interrogation about what they are doing and who they are doing it with.

4. Learn How to Talk to Teens Without Judgement

If your teen feels like they are going to be judged or get into trouble for the things they share with you, they aren’t going to be very forthcoming with what’s really going on with them.

It can be hard not to pass judgment on choices they make and you may be dying to tell them to make better choices. You can certainly give them advice if asked but you may find they open up to you more if you are there to listen instead of to preach.

5. Admit You Don’t Know It All

You are the parent and have a lot more life experience than your naive teenager but that doesn’t mean you know everything. Admitting that you don’t can be a huge step in making them feel comfortable talking to you about the things they don’t know.

Sharing your personal shortcomings and mistakes can help them feel more at ease with sharing their own struggles and mistakes.

6. Remember What Being a Teen is Like

You were a teenager once. You rolled your eyes at your parents and tried to get away with things when you thought you could. You learned in your teen years how to make decisions and choices for your own life and need to remember that when your teen is trying to figure out their future.

Take some time to remember what being a teenager is like, and all the emotions and confusion and drama that came along with those difficult years.

Your teen is more likely to share details about the trouble they’re in if you are willing to recall mistakes you’ve made and poor choices that sometimes come with being young.

7. Realize the World Has Changed

It’s good to remember what being a teenager was like but you can also benefit from realizing it is a very different world today than it was 25 years ago. The internet and social media have changed how we perceive the world and ourselves.

Teens today have the entire world of knowledge at their fingertips and a lot of the information they have access to is confusing, incorrect, or bias. Some of it is even dangerous and harmful to their mental health.

While every generation had their own challenges, teens today have pressures and influences in their lives that previous generations were sheltered from.

8. Listen to Understand, Not to Respond

Sometimes what your teen needs most is a compassionate and understanding ear rather than advice or intervention to fix their problems. You may want to jump in and intervene but this can lead to your teen not coming to you next time they have a problem.

When your teen tells you something, it isn’t always because they want you to fix it or become a helicopter parent that doesn’t let them move without an opinion from you. They may just want to share how they feel and what is happening in their life.

Often talking about a problem can bring relief without any action other than lovingly actively listening to what they have to say.

9. Ask What They Need

As parents, it’s hard to see our children, no matter how old they are, suffering or going through stress without trying to fix it. We often think we know what they need and how we can help.

We all have different ways of accepting and appreciating love. Learning the language of loveyour child best responds to will help you react in the way that is most effective for them.

10. Be Positive

No matter how frustrated you are by the choices they make or the information they share with you. Try to be positive when giving feedback.

You don’t have to agree with what they say or do but find something positive to focus on and they’ll continue to feel comfortable coming to you with their thoughts and problems in life.

Love Above All Else

The greatest thing you can do is learn how to talk to teens with unconditional love. You can be their greatest ally and closest confidant if you are open to listening and learning from them while sharing the authentic and real you.

Don’t forget to bookmark our site for easy access to all our parenting and life tips.

Transparency as a Key Performance in Modern Business Ethics

While the trend might have been started with smaller startups, pardon the pun, larger companies are now realizing the benefits of transparency, as they continue to establish ethical ground rules and causes that their business models stand for. Let’s expand on the benefits of transparency in today’s world of business and how they can apply to your company’s business ethics.

Improves employee happiness

A recent survey conducted by TINYpulse, a company specialized in providing weekly employee engagement polls revealed that employees with a transparent mindset are more committed to their organization and, as a result, more productive. Discovering a surprisingly powerful connection between transparency and happiness, the survey ends in a conclusion that management transparency and interpersonal communication has a correlation coefficient of .937 with employee happiness. The best thing is that improving transparency costs next to nothing but requires continual dialogue between staff and management. Some companies are even successfully using transparency to attract and retain talent. This may even help you when you are managing employee benefits as you can ensure that they will improve the happiness of your employees.

Retains public trust

When applied in the workplace, transparency doesn’t only improve your employee motivation and happiness, but also your marketing efforts, website traffic, etc. When you’re transparent, it’s much easier to gain trust from your audience, which makes it easier for you to convert many of your visitors into shoppers. In May 2015, bakery-café chain Panera Bread vowed to stop using artificial ingredients by the end of 2016. In the end, they took an extra step and launched a transparent menu campaign that listed detailed ingredients, calories, and nutritional info for every product. For their head chef, it’s all about the choice that customers make between health and decadence.

Many businesses start their transparency journey by publishing some of their private information. This may include public revenue, hiring policies, and wages. There are also sites that automatically pull such data and post it in a user-friendly way. This way, your customers can tell exactly how you’re standing from a business point of view, as well as how much you’re earning vs. what you’re spending on.

Visibility on social media

In this day and age, most businesses have at least one social media account. The whopping 88 percent of companies use social media marketing to relate with their customers in a world that is active 24-7 and already publicly available to a wide base of consumers. On social media, information spreads like a bushfire, and the audience is always hungry for new developments.

Only one piece of misplaced or leaked information is enough to ruin a company’s reputation. In March 2017, McDonald’s Twitter followers were astonished by a surprising and derogatory tweet about President Trump. Although the tweet was quickly identified as a work of hackers, it showed how sensitive corporate social accounts can be. It’s in the best interest of every business to provide this information transparently and responsibly, and ultimately prevent an unintentional leak.

Study good case practices

In the past two years, more than a few companies attracted public attention with business ethics practices that contributed significantly to both employee engagement and customer trust. In an unprecedented approach to company transparency, social media company Buffer made all employee salaries public, proving they aren’t holding anything back. Transparency is essential for creating and nurturing trust with your customers because it erases any mistrust or uncertainty that may arise about the products or services. Another bright example that’s worth mentioning is Youi, an insurance company from Australia. From the very beginning, they’ve been transparent and straightforward with their customers about all insurance products and services their offer, most recently including the NSW Greenslip case. Once again, they’ve proven that when you’re open about your practices, you’re ready to acknowledge possible shortcomings of your business operations, which reassures the customers you have nothing to hide from them.

These two examples show that successful companies are beginning to understand that transparent business ethics raise their reputation among consumers and employees alike. In a direct showdown, a service provider that is ready to reveal information is more likely to be chosen over a competitor that keeps its customers in the dark.

Building a culture of transparency

Simply making some business information public isn’t enough to build a transparent culture.

You need a plan and tools that allow for transparent communications. You need to be open about the reasons behind the decisions that you and other company managers make. It’s your goal to make every employee understand why it’s important to share details about hiring, growth trends, finances, strategic directions, and tactical decisions.

As one of the backbones of transparency, you should always strive for honest feedback. Motivate openness and honesty in communication and send anonymous surveys that measure employees’ engagement, leadership, and alignment with the company’s mission.

Risks of being transparent

There are strong cases for risks on both sides of company transparency. While there are many stories of marriage of business success and transparency, there are a few dark stories of companies that failed to use transparency in the right way only to have it backfire.

In a Canadian engineering firm, the founder and CEO used to personally evaluate each employee’s contribution for the year and award each person a Christmas bonus at his own discretion. However, as the company grew, more transparent processes and practices were introduced and among others and a fair bonus system was created based on pre-established KPIs. The result was that employee’s perception of transparent bonuses was much worse than when they were determined by the judgement of the founding CEO.

It’s only too easy to make too much information public, which leads to an overflow of data, which in return makes it more difficult for the management to make decisions. Such an influx of overshared information can frighten team members, as now every mistake can be interpreted that someone is altering the numbers for purpose. This not only suppresses creativity but can also reduce performance as people might want to play it low key.

Although creating a culture of transparency takes time and effort, its payoffs are hard to ignore. Apart from improving relationships between highly-motivated employees, you’ll be able to build a great ethical foundation on which to develop your future projects and attract new talent. Since transparency works both ways, if you don’t have good news, be honest and explain your reasons. Both your employees and customers will appreciate your open approach.

Important Considerations for Opening a Successful Private Clinic of Your Own

Opening a clinic of your own requires a lot of hard work. Besides comprehensive knowledge of your medical field, you also need to have strong work ethics, communicational skills, and many other qualities. Still, the reward of helping people is worth it. So, if you want to start your own private clinic, here are some of the things you need to consider before you open your doors to patients.

Get financing

Proper financing is the key to starting your own private practice. Unfortunately, many professionals and medical schools are deep in depth which makes the process of starting your own business very hard. Luckily, there are institutions that have a specialized medical division that provides loans to healthcare establishments. Since they specialize in this kind of work, they understand doctors’ needs and all the challenges they face, so they know how to provide the best financial help. Before you get your loan, you’ll need to put in a request and submit your business plan. Make sure to be humble with your expenses (especially with medical equipment), so you can make your changes of a good loan bigger.

Pick a location

The next step is to pick a location for your medical practice so you can start seeing patients and earning money. If you don’t have a location, you can’t start putting your degree to good use. When choosing a location, consider whether you want to be located in the city or in a quieter area. All in all, you want to be located in an area people gravitate to, so you can build a large list of patients. Also, consider how far you want to be located from your home, so you can quickly pop up at work in case of an emergency.

Invest in proper equipment

When you find the location and handle your finances, you need to fill your clinic with all the necessary equipment needed for tending to patients. The exact equipment depends greatly on your practice, just make sure to cover everything you might need for successful treatment and diagnostics. Additionally, you will require various computers and communication devices to handle internal and external communication. Your waiting room will need comfortable furniture to provide a warm environment for your patients to relax. Even your restrooms should be well equipped and in excellent condition. Consider One Point Partitions for a practical and comfortable bathroom layout. This might seem like a lot of expenses, but there are many practical leasing options that can help you cut some of the initial costs.

Pay special attention to lighting

Patients who come to your practice will most likely feel unwell and nervous. But good lighting can affect more than just the way they look—it can seriously affect the mood of your clients. So, consider adding quality lighting that will manage your patients’ mood and health stats (blood pressure, water balance, hunger and thirst, and body temperature). And probably the most important operative technical factor is lighting that may improve operation and provide you with high-intensity illumination without shadows or glare. This is crucial for surgeons who need to see well in order to interpret the condition of the organs, blood vessels, and tissues. Luckily, there are specialized manufacturers who focus on medical lighting that meets high hygiene standards and provide the practice with the longevity of installed equipment.

Staff your clinic

Your clinic needs to be staffed with professionals before the doors open. Make sure to keep in mind your practice’s mission and philosophy during the hiring process. The process depends on your particular practice but you will most likely need certified nurses and a team of employees for your front office desk. When writing the job description, mention the requirements (formal education, work experience, communication skills) and the type of benefits for every position. It’s very important to fill your space with people who agree with your values and have the overall goal of your clinic in mind at all times.

Build your brand

Since your practice is a business, you need to advertise it in order to attract clients and stay afloat. One of the best ways to grow your client base is to create a strong and recognizable brand identity that will set you apart from the competition. Your brand is everything people might associate with your business: your logo, office, quality of care…You can express your ideology though company colors, mission, client support and even follow-up emails or phone calls. Branding should also play a strong role in your marketing efforts.

Even after you start working, there will still be things to learn about. Having a private practice requires constant dedication, which can be a little overwhelming for some. But, once you get a hang of it, you will not only grow your business but also create a long list of grateful people you’ve helped.

How to Make Your Family Car Last Longer?

A family car is not unlike a family member. It has its duties in the household. It increases your homestead’s overhead and it’s really hard to part with it. Still, with the right maintenance and involvement of the entire family, you can drastically prolong its useful life. This will benefit your budget, as well as help you out on the sentimental side (by postponing the need to part with a beloved family vehicle). With all of this in mind and without further ado, here are the top six ways to make your family car last longer.

1. Discuss your driving habits

Before we start, you need to keep in mind that there are some driving habits that can help save your car in the long run. For instance, cruising and driving in the correct gear are methods that can substantially improve the wellbeing of your car’s engine. Other than this, great braking habits and keeping your foot off the clutch can also do wonders for the mechanics of your vehicle. Sadly, while these may sound intuitive, not everyone is aware of just how much of a difference these habits make. So, as a family in which you’re not the only driver, it’s vital that this is openly discussed.

2. Watch out for fluids

The next thing you need to take into consideration is the fluids of your vehicle and the impact of skimming on them when there’s no need for such a thing. Your engine simply can’t work without oil, however, a lot of people postpone oil replacement for as long as they can. Keep in mind that old and stale oil may drastically impact your engine’s functionality. When doing so, try studying which viscosity is adequate for which weather conditions (hot vs. cold) and avoid buying cheap oil in order to save money. This is a dangerous practice that will come to backfire in the nearest future.

3. DIY part replacement

While you do not want to handle all of your car’s maintenance on your own, there are some simple repairs that you should definitely try your hand at. Replacing spark plugs and windshield wipers, as well as fixing the car paint scratches are just some of the things you can do in order to keep your car in top condition for a lot longer. One of the ways to make these DIY attempts more frugal is to find a reliable supplier of car parts and order from them.

4. Tend to your tires

Keep in mind that the state of your tires may be pivotal when it comes to the overall maintenance of your vehicle. So, make sure to keep your tires properly inflated, as well as to replace them every now and then. You see, depending on whether your car has an FWD, AWD or RWD, your tires will wear out unevenly, which is why it’s recommended that you rotate your tires every 3,000 to 5,000 miles. This may sound as excessive but it can definitely help keep your car in top condition for a lot longer. Needless to say, keeping a spare tire is a definite must.

5. Regularly take it for service

There are some things that you just can’t pull off on your own, which is why it’s important that you regularly take the car to be serviced. The biggest problem with this issue is finding a mechanic that you can trust. Those who are reluctant to show you old parts (after replacing them with new ones), as well as those who refuse to show you the receipts for the parts that they’ve purchased on your behalf definitely have something to hide. Make sure to keep both your eyes open for these occurrences.

6. Keep it clean

A lot of people may see keeping their car clean as a matter of aesthetics, however, by avoiding to do so, you will encourage the rusting process on the body of the vehicle. When covered in muck, some parts of the vehicle are known to malfunction. We’re talking about suspension components and bushings. Other than this, you want to be proud of your family car and your ability to pull this off depends on its neatness. So, regularly wash it and even try polishing and waxing it every now and then. Needless to say, this can also add to its resale value.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, no asset gets hit as hard by depreciation as your family car. This is why tending to it properly helps you keep its value for a lot longer. This alone would be worth any effort we’ve discussed in the list above.

Secrets to Achieving Chic but Kid-Friendly Interior Design

Designing a kid-friendly home isn’t that hard, as most people just let their kids to everything they want and call it a day. But, if you’re looking to keep your home chic, there are some ways to combine these elements, and still be able to achieve a kid-friendly interior decor. A lot of people struggle with combining these two styles so for that reason here are some secrets that will help you keep your home chic while still keeping it kid-friendly:

Feel free to make it a bit silly

Since you have a kid around, then you know the importance of giving them space to play and have fun. Therefore, embracing your inner child can only make you feel better and less anxious. When it comes to decorating your space, feel free to let your kids use a wall as a canvas (in moderation) or have some silly decor items such as colorful vases and fun paintings. Going a bit silly will make your home look more relaxed and welcoming, especially to those who also have children, as they will feel free to bring their own kids to play with yours.

Make a comfortable play area

The play area can be a great way to have your child nearby while still giving them enough space. Even if you already have a room for your child, it can be a bit difficult to decorate it and let them play there all alone when they’re too small. In that case, a play area in the living room or even a dining room can be a wonderful substitute. To make it stylish and cozy, use a kid’s rug from Miss Amara NZ so your kid will feel comfortable and warm while sitting on the floor. Also, make sure to get plastic boxes or baskets so you’ll be able to store the toys and keep the rest of the room clutter-free and clean.

Your kid’s artwork can be used as a wall art

If this seems a bit too much, there’s no reason to feel doubtful as a kid’s artwork can be a lovely way to decorate your home and still keep it kid-friendly. Most parents prefer to put their kid’s artwork on the fridge, but with a bit of imagination, you can actually frame their best works and hang them all over the house. Just make sure to use appropriate picture frames, so everything will look well-decorated and elegant. Aside from that, it’s important to point out that using your kid’s artwork as decor pieces can be a great way to boost their self-confidence and make them feel good about their own creative abilities.

Make your home safe

Children love to run around and are often prone to get injured, so it’s necessary to make sure that your home is childproof and safe. So, if you don’t know where to start, consider using door locks and safety gates so you’ll be sure that your little one won’t wander off. Also, don’t forget to keep all the cosmetics and harsh cleaning products away from your kid’s curious hands. Children like to explore and touch things, even if they’re in the trash can, so make sure to use a trash can cover so your munchkin won’t be able to take anything from there.

Experiment with different colors

Kids usually love colorful and patterned things, so incorporating some of them into your home decor can add a whole new vibe to your place. Whether you love polka dots, tribal or just colors everywhere, chances are your home will look more kid-friendly if you simply decide to infuse it with different patterns and other colorful elements. Also, colors and patterns cone come in handy as they can cover the stains and everyone who has toddlers know how common spills and stains are. Therefore, if you’re looking to add some charm to your house, then you should surely consider bold shades and interesting patterns.

Combining kid-friendly, Montessori room design and chic elements isn’t that hard, but it requires some planning, so make sure to check all the available options, before you make a final decision. Also, keep in mind that kids are loud, dirty and love touching things, so don’t get too upset if they make a bit of a mess. That’s why aiming for child-friendly home design, is always a good choice, so feel free to play with various elements, and don’t forget to consult your little ones, too.

Going to Buy Your Dream Home? Here are key tips

Today, buying a home in Toronto has become next to impossible. The prices of all sorts of homes (detached and semi-detached homes, row-houses, apartments, condo townhouses, condos, etc.) have risen out of proportion and those who are living on rent are going to be evicted due to no-fault eviction ordnance of Toronto.

Out of many pricing strategies present in real estate, there is a strategy that is often used when the real estate market tilts in favor of sellers is withholding offers. This then leads to what is referred to as a bidding war.

Homebuyers that are hopeful in buying their desired condo are no longer unfamiliar with bidding wars. How does a bidding war work in real estate and what can buyers do to bring it in their favor, so they can be successful in buying a condo? Let us now find out.

The mechanism of bidding wars – How does it function?

A bidding war (otherwise known as a multiple offer situation) takes place when the listing agent holds back offers as part of an elaborate plan. It means that any buyers interested in purchasing a residential property are requested to wait until a specific date.

That specific date usually lasts between five to seven days in the market. Such is done so buyers can present their best offer to the seller. This also gives buyers time to preview the listings and their realtor (real estate agent) can perform the due diligence on coming up with the right price offer. Buyers know they will be competing with other prospective and hard-core buyers in today’s tough market.

On the day of the offer, buyers register their offers through their realtors. While buyers will be told how many other offers are being registered, at what rate they are coming is kept a secret. This allows sellers to review a wide range of other offers made by prospective buyers.

The listing agent and buyers’ agents will be in negotiations throughout the offer presentation. Such is done in order to encourage bids that can be close to those that can raise the bar, as set by the seller.

How can a prospective buyer win a bidding war?

Bidding wars can be often running without direction and buyers never get to know what kind of offers they are competing against. But there is not much to worry about as there are some strong tactics that can raise the buyer’s chances of having their offer accepted by the seller.

They are as under:

Tip # 1: Buyers should keep the conditions aside

It is best for buyers to keep the conditions aside when they are in the bidding war. Among the conditions are status certificates, home inspections and the like. When buyers waive off such conditions when making the bid, it means that they have proved to the seller that they are serious in doing business.

For instance, a seller receives four offers for Toronto condos, having slight differences in prices. Three offers have conditions while one doesn’t have a condition. The one without a condition will be attractive to the seller, and they will go for it.

When buyers decide to make a concrete offer, it is important that they are completely sure about moving forward with it. For instance, if the buyer’s offer is accepted but their financing does not make the cut, they are bound to lose their deposit they saved each cent and dollar for.

Tip # 2: Buyers should have their deposit ready

If buyers are serious about the purchase, they should have their deposit funds ready and it’s essential that such be prepared ahead of the date of the offer made. The market norm for the deposit is 5% of the purchase price. If buyers need to move the needed funds from one bank account to another, this can eventually take a few days.

When buyers present their offer, their bank account overdraft should be able to prove to the seller that they mean business. If the offer is accepted, such amount of money is usually needed within 24 hours.

Tip # 3: Buyers should not reduce their bidding amount

At times, listing agents can withhold offers and consequently, they will price it below the fair market value in order to create a competitive offer situation. If buyers are in the hope of winning a bidding war, they should know that making an offer that is C$5,000 or C$10,000 over the listed price is least likely to be accepted.

For their offer to be accepted, the realtor (real estate agent) they trust will work with them to formulate a plan that ensures them putting forward the best they have to offer to the seller.

When buyers have found a home and seriously are considering making an offer, it is best to determine what that residential property is worth to them. They should discuss their absolute budget with their trusted realtor, so they can understand the limitations and opportunities present.

The first offer the buyers make does not need to be out of their budget. However, having a top budget number in consideration gives buyers some space to improve on their offer, if needed. These limitations can help keep them on the right track.

Conclusion

Now, Toronto’s real estate market is becoming the most expensive in all of North America. Tenants are at the risk of eviction through no-fault eviction ordnance which is a cause of concern. The city government of Toronto, the provincial government of Ontario and the Government of Canada are doing all they can to address this issue.

The tips can help prospective buyers understand what it takes to buy a condo and how tricky the process of buying a home is. The bidding wars are not a piece of cake, but confident buyers should not shy away from it. Hopefully, Toronto’s real-estate market will cool down in the coming days.

Are You Planning a Vacation With Your Kids? Here Are a Few Ideas

How many times have you said that you would like to visit some foreign countries when the kids grow up?

You lost count, most likely, like so many other parents. However, it does not have to be this way.

The faster parents understand that children like traveling too, the better. Yes, we all know that they can throw temper tantrums for the silliest reasons, but children also like getting out of their routine.

Besides, they get to spend some quality time with the people they love most. Their parents. So here are some ideas for some kid-friendly foreign locations you can enjoy.

Rome, Italy

To you, it is a romantic place with a rich culture and history. To children, Rome is gladiators, cool swords, battles, Maximus, and the Colosseum. It may be a good idea to teach your kids a few things about Rome before you leave. That will create expectations and excitement. Although I would recommend some age-appropriate books. Surely, you can find some online.

To make things a bit easier for you, know that there are hotels in Rome that have special activities for children such as heroes’ tours and treasure hunts. Your children are in great hands, and if you want, you can escape for a little while to enjoy the adult part of Rome with your partner.

Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Amsterdam is a great city to walk in. The sights are picturesque, and it is generally very kid friendly. You will see kids even in bars. Of course, they have spaces specially designed for them with toys and a space to play in. In fact, many restaurants have that too. However, there are a few attractions your children will love. For instance, you can take them to the NEMO Science Museum or the National Maritime Museum. They are both incredible places where kids can see cool ships and learn about their history.

Ubud, Bali, Indonesia

As a grown-up, you will absolutely love this place. It has this hippie vibe and tons of traditions. You can enjoy lots of experiences. However, if you decide to go to the Ritz-Carlton Reserve and stay at the Mandapa, your kids are going to have a blast. They have a Kids’ Hut, which is basically a farm where your kids can learn about the animal. They have chickens, cows, ducks, and rabbits. They can play all day long and eat fresh vegetables, plant rice and much more. Besides, you will find it relaxing.

Copenhagen, Denmark

There are two locations in Copenhagen that provide fun for both the parents and the kids. One of them is the Blue Planet Aquarium. There are several exhibits with fish and other animals from all around the world. You can visit the rainforest exhibit, where your kids can touch a snake if they feel up to it. All displays have touchscreens that your kids can use to learn about the several types of animals in front of them.

The second is Tivoli Gardens. There are rides and fantastic street food, cartoon characters, and so on. It depends on the time of the year you visit, but Tivoli Gardens is amazing no matter the decorations they put up.

Unquestionably, one of the ideas above sound fantastic for your next vacation with the kids. One more useful tip I can give you for your next vacation is that for some countries, you can get electronic visas for the entire family. If you want to go to India, for instance, you can get eVisas.They are available online, you do not have to carry all your kids to an embassy or a visa center, and you do not have to concern yourself with a tedious visa application process. As long as you have valid passports for the entire family, you are golden. The rest is a piece of cake.

If you want to find more tips by blogger parents, have a look at www.familyexperiencesblog.com, run by an expat mother of two in Athens Greece, writing about travel and sharing travel tips.