Parenting Archives - Page 19 of 27

Smooth Move: Easy Tricks to Survive Moving to a New Home (with Kids!)

Preparing for a move is stressful enough as it is, but with kids, things get twice as hectic. All the packing, planning, and organizing require you to remain calm and collected, but with kids running around, that can be quite challenging. What’s more, your whole family is probably feeling anxious about the move, which is understandable.

As difficult as relocating may be, moving to a new home can be quite an exciting experience, and with thorough planning and getting your kids to help instead of hindering the moving process, relocation can be less of a nuisance and more of an enjoyable event. Whether you’re moving locally or heading for a long-distance move, there are NYC moving companies to help you out. Read on for five easy tricks that will help your family survive the upcoming relocation and make the transition go smoothly.

Find a calm way to break the news to kids

The upcoming changes that come with relocating can be tough on everybody, but they can be especially hard on kids. Depending on their age, they may have to leave their friends or change schools, and this type of change can be quite difficult to cope with.

This is why parents need to find a calm way to break the news about the move to their kids and do so in a timely manner so the children have enough time to adapt to the idea of moving across town or to an entirely different country. Discussing the move repeatedly and highlighting the benefits of moving to a new place will help dial down the tension and drama that usually surround a relocating process.

Start packing early on

To avoid all the stress that comes with last-minute packing, you want to make sure you start as soon as possible. Begin by purging and decluttering your home from items you don’t use or need, either by donating them or selling them so you don’t pay extra for moving unnecessary items. Labeling the boxes by contents and not by rooms will save you time, and so will sorting your clothes in boxes while they’re on hangers and keeping all your important documents in one box.

Depending on their age, you can get your kids to help out as well. Have them label their boxes and pack the items from their room. Keeping your children busy and delegating the tasks will save you so much time and effort, and it’ll also make your kids feel like they’re contributing, which is a big plus.

Move some things on your own

Regardless of whether you’re planning to purchase new furnishings for your new home, you’ll still need to move some of your old belongings between locations. For those looking to move a few pieces of furniture, ute hire services are one of the most convenient options as they enable you to rent a vehicle that is in line with your needs so you can easily and safely transport your belongings to your new dwelling.

Involve your kids in the moving process by having them carry and load lighter boxes in the cargo area. Sorting boxes and driving around in a new vehicle can even be interesting for your little ones, and they’ll likely see the whole process as an adventure rather than as a tedious task, which is a big relief for parents.

Maintain a dose of familiarity

Moving to a new place is a big life transition, even more so for the little ones in the family. To minimize the change and help your kids cope better with the transition, try setting a familiar space as soon as you move into your new home.

Keep their room looking the same – paint the walls in a similar color as their old room, arrange the furniture in an identical manner, and keep the decorations and toys they used to play with at their old home. If they have a favorite toy, make sure you bring it so they can have it by their side at all times. Doing all this will help maintain a dose of familiarity in an unknown environment and ease the transition for the little ones.

Pack an ‘open first’ box

Once you relocate, chances are your first night at a new home is going to be hectic because you won’t know where everything is and which boxes to unload first. When moving, it always helps to bring an essentials box that you’ll unpack as soon as you get to your new house. From toiletries and dishes to pet food and emergency kits, his ‘open first’ box should contain all the different items you’d usually use on a daily basis. By packing all the important items in a couple of boxes, you’ll spare yourself the hassle of looking for a coffee maker and a toaster first thing in the morning in your new home.

Relocating can be quite nerve-racking, but there are ways to ease the transition and help your family go through the process stress-free. With these tricks up your sleeve, moving houses should go easier, faster, and much smoother.

7 Tips to Prepare Your Teen for Their First Solo Travel

Traveling as a family is truly amazing, but it’s inevitable that your teen will want to travel alone sooner or later. When this opportunity comes, make sure to rejoice—it’s a first step towards becoming an adult. However, just for your peace of mind, make sure your teen is prepared for their solo adventure to the fullest. Here’s what to pay attention to.

Start with smart packing

Traveling light is the key to comfort and practicality, but having a few extra comforts will make any trip more pleasurable. Ensure you pack their bags according to the local climate and culture. Always pack an extra shirt, an extra pair of socks and underwear, and the second pair of shoes. A headscarf and a long skirt for girls might be required for some worship sites. When traveling to tropical destinations, packing a flashlight, wet wipes and some insect repellent is also a great idea.

Talk about safety

The more your child travels, the more mature and responsible they will become, but for their first solo trip, you definitely need to have a talk about personal safety. Show them what to do if they get lost, how to use ATMs discreetly, how to keep money and documents safe and how to spot dangerous situations. You can come up with a few scenarios and quiz them by asking ‘what if’ questions.

Ensure they have safe and comfy accommodation

No matter how grownup your kids think they are, they will probably miss home, especially the comfort it provides. So, make sure your teen has comfortable and safe accommodation. This is especially crucial in far-away destinations, such as China, and longer stays. Luckily, if you do some research, you can always find accommodation that provides all the comforts of their home. You can book a comfortable service apartment in Hong Kong and your kid can expect accommodation with a long list of added benefits, even housekeeping and linen change. This is perfect for teens that are just getting used to doing things alone, so they won’t have any safety and cleanliness issues.

Pack some spending money

Your kid will definitely need some money, but ensure they are not taking too much. It’s always smart to give them a debit card or a pre-paid credit card since these are the easiest to handle and most places in the world take plastics today. However, even if your kid is having a short vacation in a developed destination, some cash will still be necessary. It’s best to exchange a small amount of cash into local currency for laundromats, coffee shops, street food and similar spots.

Think about health

Oftentimes, you don’t even want to think about all the medical emergencies that might happen during your kid’s trip, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. Make sure they have good access to a doctor and type out their health history (chronic conditions, past surgeries, medication they take, allergies as well as emergency contacts and health insurance account numbers).

Also, every single human can benefit from some basic first aid training, especially teens traveling abroad. Hopefully, they won’t need any info they learn about CPR, but knowing some basic wound care might come in handy, unfortunately. Also, traveling to certain countries requires vaccination, many of which need a few weeks to start working their magic. Getting a tetanus booster is also a good idea. Preparing for gastrointestinal issues by packing antibiotics and probiotics might also be smart.

Follow them on social media

It’s easier to stay in touch with your kid today than ever before, but make sure to establish a rule on how and how often you’ll be communicating. If they don’t have internet access, one short call or massage a day is more than enough. If your kid has a habit of posting stuff online, make sure to follow them on social media (Facebook, Instagram, Snap Chat). These will not only show you that your kid is safe but also offer insight into their activities and whereabouts. Knowing that they are having fun will also make you feel a lot better about your decision to let them go.

Get them a power bank

If you expect your kid to touch base at least once a day or post on social media, make sure to remind them to charge their phones regularly. You don’t want them to be without their phone in case of an emergency. While most places have an outlet for them to use, it might be a smart idea to invest in a power bank that will come in handy during excursions or longer flights and bus rides.

If you arm your teen with well-packed luggage and plenty of safety tips, you can be sure they will have a fun, comfortable and safe first solo trip. Just expect them to start planning their next adventure as soon as they come home!

How to Relax Your Mind and Body? | 7 Precious Pampering Ideas for Moms

Sometimes things go immensely busy for moms with kids. It’s really easy for moms to get pulled into work and kid’s responsibilities, it can be quite overwhelming and exhausting so it’s important to recognize when it’s time to step back and recharge your emotional and mental tank. During hectic times, the best thing you can do for yourself is to pull back and spend some ‘me time’ with yourself alone. Check out these 7 pampering ideas for moms!

Relaxing music and candles

Setting the right ambiance makes all the difference when pampering yourself. Lighting up your favourite scented candle and putting your favourite relaxing music or song can really step up the mood.

Skincare routine / facemask

Moms are always doing a hundred and one things and nothing on that list is for themselves. They tend to forget to take good care of their skin, so catching up with your skincare routine is a crucial step.

Remove all of your makeup with an oil-based cleanser and then follow up with a liquid cleanser to get rid of the excess oils, dirt and makeup residue. Steam your face for 10 minutes to open and cleanse pores. After steaming your face, start exfoliating your face to remove dead skin. Then Follow up with deep moisturizing and calming face mask to keep your skin hydrated. Rinse your skin with lukewarm water and apply your regular moisturizer, lip balm, and eye cream. Consider purchasing a CBD facial serum to plump your skin and keep it looking spa-fresh longer. When choosing a serum for your skin, make sure that it contains squalane and retinol. The squalane provides moisture to the skin, mimicking natural human sebum keeping it supple, clear and healthy-looking, and the retinol has very powerful anti-aging properties which can reduce the appearance of aging including fine lines and wrinkles by boosting collagen production.

Run a hot bath

Running after the kids all day is a tiring job so a hot bath will definitely soothe your tired and aching muscles. Mothers tend to get less sleep especially new moms so taking a hot bath will improve your sleep, lower blood sugar, and blood pressure, it reduces anxiety and also decreases migraines and headaches. By turning your bathroom into a mini-spa with soothing instrumental music, placing flowers around the tub and scented candles, you want to fully relax your senses and enjoy your bath experience. You can also scatter some bath salts into the water which helps to promote blood circulation and aids alleviate muscle tension and inflammation. Following a long soak in the bath, give your body a good scrub using a body mitt for deep exfoliation and then follow up with a long massage, using your favourite body oil.

Wear something comfortable

After a long day of running after the kids, doing housework and more work responsibilities, you must unwind and what a better way to unwind than changing to something comfortable. You must allow your body to feel free without restriction so putting on a fresh set of comfy clothes. the first thing that comes across my mind when the word comfy pops up is PJ’s so putting your favourite set of pyjamas, lounge around the house as comfortable as possible. Silk pyjamas are recommended because it keeps you warm when you are cold and cool when you are hit.

Herbal tea

Nothing can beat a naturally caffeine-free, herbal tea after your bath, it will definitely relax and calm your mind. Herbal teas have many beneficial properties: it improves digestion and boosts the immune system, reduces inflammation, relieves stress and anxiety plus it’s great for healthy young-looking skin.

Tempted to give a herbal tea a try for yourself? If so, why not invest in a herbal tea infused with kava. There is a lot of research out there to suggest that kava-infused teas can support sleep, and even relieve anxiety, depression, and muscle tension. Accordingly, you can learn more about some of the different potential benefits of kava by doing some research on websites such as https://kavaguides.com/ for instance.

Paint your nails

Getting your nails done can make you feel on top of the world, so why not go out and choose a pretty nail varnish in a colour you love or maybe go all out and try a bold colour that you haven’t tried before. Why not? Oh yeah and don’t forget about your toes! You can also give your hands and feet a good massage.

Writing your thoughts

Moms are usually busy and have a lot on their plates to think about and that’s why it’s really important to start writing regularly. It gives you a time to reflect back on your thoughts, feelings and things your grateful for and putting it on the page will provide an outlet for what’s on your mind.

Most Common Mistakes That You Should Avoid When Choosing A Daycare Centre

In this 21st century, it’s pretty common to see both of the parents trying to work professionally, with no time to devote to their children. Thereby, the need to opt for childcare centres have been at its highest priority than ever before for most working parents out there. It has been reported that almost 24 percent of all children are a part of some childcare centres which are established to take care of their needs when their parents are not around.

It’s indeed difficult for most working parents to balance their work as well as their personal life, which is the reason why putting your child in a childcare centre should be one of your wisest decisions that you’ve ever taken. In case this is your first time and you’re trying to find a child daycare near me through the Google search, then the following mistakes should be avoided while choosing one.

Mistakes To Steer Clear Of When Choosing A Daycare Centre

1. Not Knowing The Atmosphere

When you plan to choose a child’s daycare centre, the first thing that you keep a note of is its overall atmosphere and whether it complements the personality of your child. You need to find a centre that will be best for your child. For instance, if your child is shy as well as quiet, then the best way to make that count is to admit him or her in a daycare centre which has similar groups of children. If you try to expose your child to noisy as well as large groups of children, then it can become pretty unpleasant.

Similarly, if your child likes to talk and play with other children, then the best way to compliment that personality is to admit him into a daycare centre where he or she could play and enjoy unrestrainedly.

The key, in this case, is to balance your child’s nature with what the daycare centre can provide to your child as a friendly atmosphere. This is indeed crucial because you don’t want your child hating you for sending him or her to the daycare centre every day.

2. Not Checking Out The Faculty

When you’ll be taking a tour of the daycare centre, ensure that you’re also introduced to the teachers as well as non-teaching staff as well. It’s always a good idea to know the person that your child will be interacting with, daily. Furthermore, you need to ensure that there’s an adequate number of staff for the same too.

As a rule of thumb, don’t base your decisions off a specific person inside the daycare centre, but take the decision based on the overall consensus of the centre.

3. Not Checking The Recess Area (Playing Ground)

It’s a must that a daycare centre should always have an area for the children to run, play and enjoy. Therefore, it’s extremely imperative to check out the recessed area (or playground) as a result. You need to know that the playground quality, as well as the playing equipment so that they are in the right order and there are no risks of your child getting hurt in the process. Moreover, you need to check the other features as well, such as the quality of the playground fence, the amount of actual space present for your child to play and so on.

As a parent, you have to check all the details of the child’s daycare facility to ultimately know that your child will be safe when you’ll not be around.

6 Essential Life Lessons to Teach Your Child

The world is full of all sorts of learning lessons. If you as a parent don’t provide your kids with plenty of valuable and positive lessons, they will turn to other sources and learn materialism, discrimination and other things you don’t want to see in your child. Instilling a correct moral compass in your kids while they are young will ensure they mature into responsible, compassionate and caring adults. So, what are the most important life lessons your kid needs to learn?

To be healthy

Every parent wants their kids to be healthy and happy. Well, this all starts with a healthy diet and plenty of hydration and activity. You can drive them to make good food choices—this will promote their well-being and ensure a disease-free life. Start by preparing nutritious meals from an early age and encourage plenty of physical activity. This will allow your kids to develop healthy habits.

To say no

Your kid needs to know how to say “no” when needed. Often kids rush into decisions due to pressure, so they need to learn that it’s okay to decline certain offers and take no for an answer from other people. This will teach them respect and how to respect other people’s boundaries.

To love learning

Even if your child is a late bloomer and is not super happy in school, they still need to learn how to love learning. This is one of the best things you can teach them because it will be useful not only during their education but later in life as well. Plenty of reading, educational games and conversation will encourage them to see learning as something fun instead of a chore. If they try hard enough, they will be able to master all sorts of things from sports to foreign languages. There are even amazing classes that teach phonics for kids that will encourage your kid to become a fluent reader and accurate speller. And the environment is friendly and fun, so they are bound to take many good memories at home.

To have good manners

This needs to be done as early as possible. Good manners will help your kid develop into a loving person with a high social IQ and many friends. Use common phrases like ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ when talking to your child or other people in their presence. Since kids learn a lot by observing parents, conduct yourself rightfully around your child.

How to be respectful

Respect is a base for the development of many other positive traits. Respect for others, respect for elders, respect for authority and oneself are all crucial if you want your child to grow up into a good person. It helps build the feelings of empathy and self-worth, but it also teaches kids how to live peacefully with other people and accept their differences no matter their race, religion or caste. If there is basic respect present, other positive qualities will follow cleanliness, self-control, kindness, obedience, eco-friendliness…

How to be a good loser

You might hope your kid will never experience defeat, but that’s highly unlikely. Life is hard and full of difficult situations that can be hard to handle. So, teaching your kid to be a good sport and lose gracefully can be an important lesson. All failures are learning opportunities if you learn to take them the right way. Enrolling your kids into sports can offer plenty of opportunities to win and lose so that your kid can learn to deal with disappointments in life.

The list goes on—there are honesty, responsibility, gratitude, forgiveness, time and money management, and many other important lessons. But, if you start with these six essential ones, your kid will be more open to other life lessons and valuable experiences.

All photos are from Unsplash, free.

About the author

Mia Taylor is 33 year old blogger who writes about beauty, fashion, and travel. She had always been passionate about fashion and over time she had developed a style of her own. Mia loves to mix and match and get inspire girls with her advice about outfit and accessories. She loves telling a story about her travels, providing beauty tips with readers.

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9 Ways Your Baby Shows Love

Even if your little one can’t speak yet, they can still do plenty to let you know they care about you, mom! Here are 5 ways they express their care for you.

1. Voice recognition

Do you say something and baby seems interested in your words? Don’t let that surprise you as the baby fell in love with you in the womb and is still mesmerized by your tone.

2. Big eyes

They’re staring at you and while it might make you feel pressure to be your best, know it’s because they’re trying to take in everything about their parent. It’s a good thing!

Eye contact means they care and are inquisitive about their environment, which includes you, of course. When you put them to bed, watch them as they watch you and use eye contact as a bonding experience.

3. Using your gestures

Is your little sweetie mimicking you? They say copying is the sincerest form of flattery so take it as a compliment!

When the newborn is affectionate back at you as you nuzzle in and kiss them, that’s a sure-fire sign they care about you. Just as much as you do about them.

4. Looking to you for safety

If they’re scared, do they hide behind your leg? Does your boy or girl come up to you looking uneasy and confide in you about a bully or another issue?

They’re looking to you for protection because they trust you. And that’s love if I ever said it!

Start the protective behavior from the time they’re young by choosing a safe double stroller front and back for your little ones.

5. Smiles and more smiles

Smiling is a genuine show of affection. As your baby raises your mouth into a smile, know that they’re doing so because they’re happy.

It’s a sweet gesture that you’ll likely never get enough of as they get older. And it’s what’ll get you through those long nights when you’re up and down comforting them as they cry.

6. They’re there for you too

Let’s face it, days are long and you’re sometimes (okay, a lot) sleep-deprived with an infant. So you might shed some tears of exhaustion now and then in front of the family.

If your little bundle of joy reaches out for a hug or grabs your hand while you’re tearing up, well that’s absolutely a sign they care about you (okay, a lot). As they get older, they might offer to clean up their playroom too if you’re having a bad day.

7. When you come home…

Your baby is super excited. From the laughing to the smiles, there’s a lot of good things that come with your return home after work or an errand when they’re baby-sat by loved ones.

As they get older, they’ll likely come for a hug or jump up and down excitedly when you come through the door. Oh yes, these moments of a happy baby are the best things in life, really!

8. Saying I love you

When your baby starts to talk, watch for these three amazing words: I love you.

Once they say them to you, life will forever be altered, in a good way. And when they’re growing and start to fight with you, don’t consider that a sign that they don’t care but indeed a sign of quite the opposite – they care enough about the family to have real, deep emotions about it.

9. Arms up

Finally, when your sweet baby holds his or her arms up to get picked up, that’s a sure sign that you’re someone they want to be close to. They desire your embrace, which cannot even be put into words.

Expressing themselves in this way warms the heart. It’s a sign that a bond is growing, as are the other 8 signs that your baby loves you.

5 Style Hacks for Busy Working Moms

From waking up in the morning trying to get everyone ready in a matter of minutes, including yourself, to getting back home and picking up piles of toys and clothes off the floor, while preparing lunch for the family, the life of a working mom can be hectic and oftentimes completely out of control. With such a busy schedule, it’s no surprise you end up in a style rut every once in a while. Thankfully, the answer to that is quite simple – just make your everyday fashion routine practical and time-efficient with these incredible style hacks:

1. Minimize your wardrobe

One of the biggest mistakes you can make is thinking you need a lot of clothes in order to be stylish. The key to a functional wardrobe is the right combination of quality, versatile and timeless pieces. All of your clothes should be in classic cuts and styles, and in one solid color, preferably soft or neutral-toned. These items will be the building blocks of your wardrobe that you can easily mix and match into endless fashionable outfits. If you want to keep things a bit more interesting, you can always add a few statement pieces to your closet that will showcase your personal style to the world. If you like following fall fashion trends, for example, you can incorporate bright red, mustard and rust tones into your wardrobe.

2. Upgrade individual items

Instead of changing out your entire wardrobe in order to look more polished, try upgrading only one part of your outfit. For example, you can swap out your yoga pans for chinos or a comfortable pair of straight leg jeans, and you can even decide to wear a roomy A-line dress or skirt instead of that old pair of cut-out shorts. A classic yet stylish button-down shirt is one of the easiest ways to upgrade any outfit. Simply by rolling the sleeves up and tucking the shirt into your bottoms, either opting for a full or a French tuck, you can look casual enough for running errands around town or taking your kids to the park, while still being put-together and appearing as if you put a lot of time and effort into the outfit.

3. Don’t forget to accessorize

The right accessories can truly make or break any outfit, and they’re the ideal way to elevate any plain or casual look. Simply wearing a silk scarf or a wide-brimmed hat with your everyday outfits can add some dimension and interest to your look, and make you seem more polished and put-together. However, one of the best ways to accessorize is by wearing elegant jewelry pieces that perfectly showcase your personal style. For example, you can opt for beautiful Moon Magic jewelry that is made with gorgeous moonstones in light, pastel colors, which perfectly complement every fashionable outfit.

4. Invest in the right footwear

When it comes to fashion, shoes are truly the perfect place to splurge. Not only will high-quality, well taken care of footwear elevate any outfit you put on, but the right shoes can also seamlessly take you from the office to the playground, keeping you looking stylish and put-together. As a working mom, one of the best footwear options you can go for is sleek and comfortable flats in neutral colors, such as black, brown or nude. Whether it’s work attire or a casual everyday look, beautiful flat shoes can complement every outfit and truly impress with their elegant style.

5. Keep your closet organized

Even though the life of a working mom is often filled with stresses and tight schedules, try your hardest to set a couple of hours aside during the weekends to clean and organize your closet, as only doing this once will make it incredibly simple to maintain later. The most popular way of organizing a wardrobe is in two parts: by the type of item (top or bottom) and then by the color of the piece. Of course, an organization is quite a personal thing, so feel free to develop your own system that will work best for you. The goal is to keep your closet neat and organized, in order to spend less time trying to figure out what to wear every day.

With just a little bit of thought and preparation, getting dressed in the morning can be a piece of cake, no matter how busy you actually are. After all, any woman can look beautiful and feel confident in her personal style with these incredible fashion hacks.

Tips for Parenting Active Boys

Are you raising kids who are a bundle of energy? You will struggle to keep up with them before they get out of that playful stage. Although every child is different, the following tips will help you to keep up with active and playful boys:

Exercise

You should incorporate some exercise into your daily routine. Whether you opt for active games or exercise activities, just make sure that you add plenty of activity to your day. With plenty of exercise, your kids will burn energy and release stress.

Moreover, it is important to form healthy habits earlier in life. Buy a first aid kit for treating cuts and scrapes that result from rough play. However, if your little one gets badly hurt, you should take him to hospitals such as Seaview Ortho foot and ankle for a checkup. Our health is important at any age. Growing kids need the support of proper footwear just as much as adults do so they can maintain correct body alignment and stay comfortable in their active lives. Kids’ shoe inserts can help flat shoes be comfortable and supportive, which is especially important for children who are active.

Come up with a Routine

Spontaneity is fun but you need to teach your kids how to stick to a routine. If you are dealing with a hyperactive child, he will thrive on routines. If it is bedtime, you should have a bedtime routine that your kids can follow. Without a bedtime routine, you will have a hard time getting your kids to sleep.

When coming up with a bedtime routine, you should make it clear that they are not allowed to act crazy. Tell your little ones to calm down and prepare for sleep.

Assign Age-appropriate Chores

You should show your little one that you trust him with little responsibilities such as watering a plant. Odds are that your little boy will take joy in the chore instead of sulking as a teenager would. Toddlers love to contribute to the house chores because it makes them feel like a part of the household.

When the chore is complete, your child will have burnt energy and you will have one less thing to do around the house. Moreover, natural consequences such as the death of a plant usually teach great lessons. The key is to ensure that you give your son age-appropriate chores and supervise him.

Sports

Enroll your child in an active sport that keeps him running around. A good sporting activity allows your child to burn energy whilst encouraging cognitive and physical development. Sports also teach your child teamwork and discipline, making him a well-rounded individual. If your child ends up getting hurt on the field, you should visit professionals such as Portland sports injury doctors.

Offer Choices

Whenever possible, you should try to give your child choices. Make sure that the choices you offer are suitable for his needs and appropriate. If you are raising an independent child, offering him choices will make him feel independent. However, choices are not always an option – when such situations arise, you should make it clear that there is no other choice.

Get Dirty Outdoors

Not every child likes to get muddy and dirty. However, you should let yours know that it is an option when playing outside. Life is too short to worry about staining clothes; you should let your child be a child. Digging in the soil is a great way for your little one to burn excess energy.

Of course, you should encourage your son to ask permission before going outside to play in the dirt. This way, you will be able to supervise his activities and ensure that he does not do anything dangerous.

Conclusion

Raising an active boy can be overwhelming, especially if you cannot keep up. You should enroll him in a sport, encourage exercise, offer choices, come up with a routine, assign age-appropriate chores, and allow him to get dirt outdoors.

5 Best Vacation Activities for the Whole Family

Going on a vacation with your family is one of the best things in the world! It’s a chance for you all to take a break from your busy schedules and enjoy your free time. However, wherever you go and whatever you like to do, you’re going to find a number of different activities that could turn your holiday from ordinary to amazing. It’s all about finding the right activities and making sure every member of your family enjoys them. Therefore, here are five family-oriented activities you should explore next time you’re on vacation.

Camping

If your kids are outgoing, outdoorsy and adventurous, this is the right activity for you and them. Although camping is one of the most enjoyable things you can do in nature, it actually isn’t as easy to do it while you’re at home, so going on holiday might be the perfect opportunity to go camping. This activity will make your kids understand why nature is so important and amazing, and they’ll surely start appreciating it more than ever after spending some time in the forest.

Of course, before you go camping, you need to get prepared. Learning a few basic things could go a long way, so spend some time doing that first. Find the right spot, improve your safety, make some cool food, and find a few games you could play while camping. This is something your kids will remember for the rest of their lives, so it’s definitely an idea to consider.

Rafting

This might not be the perfect activity if your kids are still young and can’t swim, but if they’re older and aren’t afraid of spending time in a tiny raft, this is the thing for your family. Rafting is another amazing way for your kids to be in the open and learn more about nature around them. Moreover, this activity is particularly interesting if your kids have never done anything as adventurous – this will turn into the most exciting day of your holiday, and your kids are going to love you for giving them a chance to go rafting.

However, you need to be extra careful when rafting with your loved ones. Make sure you follow instructions and don’t do anything even remotely dangerous. It goes without saying that you should make sure your kids are comfortable with this idea before you start planning it.

Scuba diving

If you notice that rafting is something your kids have enjoyed, you could take things to a new level and explore the idea of scuba diving with them. This will help them perfect their swimming and diving skills, and introduce them to an underwater world they can’t see anywhere else. After all, all of these things are vital for their general knowledge and understanding of the world, so it’s an activity that’s great on so many levels.

Again, you should check this idea with your kids and teach them a few things about scuba diving first. Also, make sure you all have some professional scuba diving equipment that’s going to turn this activity into an experience to remember. You could even consider getting this gear for your entire family and stop renting it every time you all want to dive together. This activity will bring you closer together and your kids will learn how to rely on you more than before, and that’s something all kids need to feel.

Road tripping

This is another way to help your kids learn more about the world they live in, but also a bit about the unknown regions in that world. Taking them on a road trip while you’re on a vacation is like a mini-holiday inside your regular holiday, so it’s much more fun than you could imagine. All you need is a car you can rent wherever you are, or Amarillo bus ride, a list of places you’d like the see, and some free time.

One of the ideas to explore is taking your kids on a history tour where they can visit all those important sites and places they learn about in school. This won’t be just an amazing learning experience for them, but an opportunity to see things they’ve probably never seen before. Ultimately, this might pique their interest in these things and show them how exciting historical items and places can be.

Volunteering

To be honest, this is an idea your kids are probably not going to love as much as they might love all the other suggestions. Volunteering is something not all people do when they’re at home, and it’s something even a few of them do when they’re on vacation, so why should you do it? Well, there’s one simple reason – because it’s the right thing to do.

It doesn’t matter where you’re vacationing, how much time you have and what sort of volunteering you opt for – as long as you’re doing something good for the people in need, you’ll be helping them quite a lot. Again, this is an activity you have to plan ahead, especially when you’re going on a vacation with your children, but it’s still an idea you can put into practice quite easily. Not only will you be doing something amazing for someone else, but you’ll also teach your kids a few things about being a compassionate and caring person, and that’s a life lesson you can’t put a price on.

Spending your family vacation on the beach is always a great thing to do, but being active and adventurous is even better. So, find an activity your entire family will love and turn your next vacation into the best vacation ever!

Peter is a parenting and health writer for Joyful Source magazine. Follow Peter on Twitter for more tips.

Breastfeeding or Pumping: Is There a Preferred Path?

If you are expecting a baby or have just given birth, you may be thinking about feeding choices.

If you are expecting a baby or have just given birth, you may be thinking about feeding choices. You favor breast milk for your baby, but are undecided about breastfeeding or pumping your milk.

Making the decision before you give birth

You have decided that you want your baby to benefit from the nutrients and from the immunizing antibodies of mother’s milk, but you’re not sure what is the best medium for delivering the milk.

Think about the following three options:

• Only breastfeed: This is an easy decision to make if you are not tied down to a work schedule away from home, or if you benefit from a long maternity leave.

• Only pump: Your many obligations are eased by the convenience of the ready supply of frozen breast milk stored in your freezer.

• Combine breastfeeding with pumping: This arrangement suits many moms. Enjoy the intimacy of nursing your little one, but supplement his feeding with your own expressed milk.

Advantages of breastfeeding

One of the unique advantages of solely breastfeeding your baby is that you are always there to soothe her with close skin-to-skin contact. The bonding that takes place between you and your little one lasts forever!

Note that many of the advantages of breastfeeding apply to pumping as well, as in both cases, your infant benefits from the abundance of nutrients in breast milk.

What to do when life happens

As we all know, we can plan and plan, and then life throws us a curveball. You plan the birth. You picture breastfeeding your newborn in the delivery room, and continuing to cherish him at home.

Then things happen, and you adapt.

One example of an unpredictable event is a premature birth. Thankfully, most of these tiny little ones grow up to lead perfectly normal lives. However, the period that they spend in the Neonatal ICU can be a trying for his parents. Depending on the size and development of the baby, his sucking reflexes may be weak, and interaction with him may be limited.

How do you deliver the abundance of nutrients that will boost his growth and development? How do you emulate the supply and demand magic that stimulates your milk supply?

The answer is straightforward: Use a breast pump. Neonatal wards are typically equipped with strong, hospital-grade breast pumps that are easy to use.

The advantages of pumping your breast milk

There are times when pumping is required in an emergency, such as the birth of a preemie. However, the use of a breast pump can also be appropriate for non-urgent life circumstances.

Major career decisions

When your maternity leave from work is over, employment while your baby is still nursing is made possible by expressing your milk. Your baby will keep gaining weight from the best possible nutrients for her development. Similarly, if you are working towards a degree or career diploma, you can pump the milk to be given to your baby in your absence. Pumping maintains your milk supply, allowing you to still enjoy the intimacy of breastfeeding your baby at home.

Time-outs

While breastfeeding your baby, you may find that you need a break from time to time. A date with your husband, coffee with a friend, or an outing with your other children, can be a real boost to your energy levels. Leave prepared bottles of your own pumped milk at home with the minder, and then relax…

Dad’s Participation

Many fathers are quite gung-ho on playing a prominent role in the care of their babies. When you pump your milk, you are providing the opportunity for your baby’s father to bond with your child.

Breastfeeding difficulties

If your baby gets a little lethargic while nursing, for example, if he is placed “under the lights” when jaundiced, this can impact your milk supply. To build up your supply, you can express your milk with a pump, between feeds.

Sore nipples can be a drawback for new nursing mothers. Positioning the baby properly at the breast can resolve this, but while you recover, pumping your milk will maintain your supply.

Using a breast pump – a few tips

Not all breast pumps are made the same. The experience of expressing with a manual breast pump or with an electronic breast pump, for example, can be quite different. The following ideas may help you find the most suitable pumping solution for you and your baby.

• A quality breast pump can make the difference between an easy experience and a frustrating one.

• A double breast pump halves the time it takes to express milk from both breasts. It is commonly held that a double breast pump is an excellent means for encouraging the growth of your supply, by stimulating the Prolactin hormone.

• Do contact your friends or a lactation consultant. They can be sources of invaluable advice.

• If you are concerned about the cost of a high-quality pump, a breast pump rental from a medical equipment company is a feasible option.

• The U.S Department of Labor stipulates that mothers of babies under one year old, must be allowed time to express their milk during working hours.

To breastfeed or to pump

Breastfeeding directly, or pumping your milk, is not a black-and-white decision. The two methods share common benefits and work best together as a team. During a crisis, pumping may be the only solution for you. At other times, you can happily breastfeed without any need to pump. However, when circumstances call for periods away from your baby, a combination of breastfeeding and pumping is an excellent solution.