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Here’s How to Encourage Your Child to Lose Weight in a Healthy Way

Weight is a sensitive issue for adults, and it’s even more so when you’re discussing it with kids. Many parents want their children to be healthy, but they don’t their children to have a negative body image. Getting your children to form a healthy relationship with food and exercise can seem like a difficult task. It’s even harder when your child is overweight, and you want to help them lose a few pounds. How can you encourage them to eat better and be more active without discussing their weight in a negative way? The techniques below should help you to do that, so they can be healthy and feel great about themselves.

Exercise as a Family

If your kids need to be more active, it’s possible that you do too. In fact, overweight children often have overweight parents. Turning exercise into a family activity can be a good idea for everyone. You get to spend time together and make your lifestyle healthier at the same time. There are so many things you can all do together. Some families like to go on walks or bike rides. Others might play ball games or even jump on a trampoline in the backyard. You could also get the kids to join in with your workouts. If you struggle to find time to exercise, there’s no need to wait until the kids are in bed.

Healthy kids

Encourage Healthy Eating Habits

A balanced diet is one of the key elements of a healthy lifestyle. You need to look at what the whole family eats at home, as well as what your child eats away from the house. Start with planning your meals at the beginning of the week so you can ensure you all get balanced meals. You should also think not just about what you eat, but about how much you eat too. Research has shown that portion size contributes to obesity in the US. Many expats and tourists from other countries are shocked by portion sizes in the US.

Help Them Get Active on Their Own

Exercising as a family is fun, but your kids should also feel comfortable being active without you. They need to have their own enthusiasm for physical activities, and not just do things with you. One of the things you could consider is a weight loss camp to help make them more independent. Of course, there will be counselors and other campers with them. But they will gain the confidence to try lots of different activities on their own. You could also look at after-school and weekend programs they might enjoy. Talk to them about what they’re interested in.

healthy foods and living

Practice What You Preach

Leading by example is essential if you want your children to be healthy. You have to form healthier habits yourself if you want them to follow. That can mean being committed to making your whole household healthy. For example, you can get rid of any unhealthy snacks in your home. Don’t complain that your child sneaks chips from the kitchen if you aren’t prepared to remove them from the house!
Be careful about how you discuss weight with your child. You can encourage them to be healthy without affecting their self-esteem.

The 4 Most Annoying Things To Fix Before Selling Your Home

Selling a house is not easy at the best of times. But selling a house that isn’t fit for purpose is even harder, if not outright illegal.

Many problems often need fixing before the sale of a home. Some are obvious, but some may be lurking in the background. And it’s important that you deal with both.

Here’s a list of the most common problems seen in houses for sale around the US.

The Toilets Are Broken

When the toilet in your home breaks, it’s a disaster. You’re suddenly cast back several hundred years to a time without sanitation. And though many people glorify simpler times, a lack of sanitation was never a highlight.

Remodeling Home Via Pixabay

When the mechanism in your toilet no longer works, it can be a pain. It seems as if each new house you go to has a different technique required to get the toilet to flush. And if it doesn’t flush, it can be rather embarrassing.

Get the mechanism in your toilet either fixed or replaced. Once it’s done, you’ll be amazed at the difference it makes. No more secret handshakes with the toilet handle to make it work.; it’ll just work.

Uneven Floorboards

One of the problems with older houses is the fact that their walks are often uneven. The floor boards have twisted and warped, and over the years fallen out of alignment.

For the people looking to buy your house, this can be a trip hazard. And if they fell, the consequences could be even worse. They could hurt themselves and you could lose the sale.

Make sure that your walkways are even. It might be a big job, but it will be worth it in the end.

The Electrics Are Unreliable

Do you have a house where only one or two plug sockets in a group actually work? And do you know why?

electrical socket repair via wikipedia

Bad electricals are a blight on many older houses. Yes, they might have character, but they were wired up in ancient times. And not only will potential buyers see this as an inconvenience, but it’s also dangerous.

There are services like Graham and Sons emergency electrical services that can carry out repairs. So there’s no point wasting energy worrying about whether the circuits are going to catch fire.

The Shower Is Feeble

We’ve all been to people’s houses where the water barely drips out of the shower head. It makes for a dissatisfying experience all round. But buyers, in particular, will not be happy with a bad shower. They’ll just go and buy a house just like yours where the shower actually works.

Usually, low pressure is the result of dirt and gunk building up on the shower head and prevent water from flowing. But it can also be the result of a partially closed shutoff valve.

If cleaning the head and opening the valve fully don’t work, get in a plumber. There’s a problem in the system somewhere and it needs addressing.

faucet repairs via wikipedia

The Busy Mom’s Guide to Relaxation

relaxation for busy moms

Being a mom is a busy job. Whether you stay at home, or you work, you’re likely to be rushed off your feet. Taking time for yourself and relaxation are probably distant memories.

Our no-nonsense guide provides several simple changes to help you unwind and relax each day. Pick out the ones that are relevant to you.

Make the Most of Your Free Time

When downtime is at a minimum, it is important to make the most of any free time you have. Don’t rush through every task. If you’re eating your breakfast, focus entirely on this. Don’t take spoonfuls of cereal with one hand while scrolling through phone messages with the other. Notice the different tastes and savor the food you’re eating. Being present in the moment and mindfulness has lots of positive benefits. One of these is to ease stress and to make you feel calmer.

When you go to bed at night, ensure you get a good night’s sleep. This is easier said than done, especially if you have very young children. Your sleep may be broken as you tend to them. However, make the sleep you do have count. Each night, go through a winding down routine. About an hour before you go to bed switch off your phone and any screens. Use this time for relaxing activities such as reading. Take a warm bath if you have time. If your baby is active during the night, then try and nap when they nap during the day.

Invest in a good quality bed and mattress that provides adequate support for your body. Sites like www.TheBedroomStore.com/ have lots of information and advice. If you’re overtired, a good bed will feel like heaven.

Other tips for a good night’s sleep include making sure the room is dark enough and limiting outside noise. Avoid cigarettes and alcohol, which are not conducive to sleeping well.

Relaxing techniques

Go Outside

When you have young children, getting them ready to go anywhere can be fraught. But it is a good idea to go outside as much as possible. A change of scenery and some fresh air will bring lots of positive benefits. You don’t have to go far. Even if it’s a walk around the block, it will help to get your blood pumping.

Walking or being in nature is good for our sense of wellbeing. According to medical studies, the closer you live to nature, the healthier you’re likely to be. It increases our vitamin D intake, which is good for our immune systems and disease prevention. It will also help you to sleep.

Reading Relaxation

Think in Small Units of Time

Rather than trying to set aside hours to relax, think in smaller units of time. Grab ten minutes or half an hour whenever you can. For example, when your baby is sleeping or when your partner is looking after the kids. Use the time to do something you enjoy. This could be reading a book or standing in the garden for five minutes with a cup of coffee. Even small amounts of relaxation will bring positive benefits.

Ask for Help

No-one can do everything on their own. It’s fine to ask for help. And if it’s offered, grab it with both hands. If you have someone you can trust to look after the children for a while, use the time to relax. Read a book, go for a walk, or get some sleep.

Schedule a Break

Speak to your partner or a family member about taking a regular break. Don’t let anything intrude on this time. Use it to do the things you want to do. Feeling happy and fulfilled reduces stress and aids relaxation.

Pamper Yourself

Pamper yourself now and then. Get a haircut or a mani-pedi. Treat yourself to some new clothes and put on some makeup. Do something you used to do before you became a mom.

Get Some Exercise

Exercise is good for us in so many ways. One of its benefits is to reduce stress and help us to feel calmer. When we’re feeling stressed or anxious, the body produces adrenalin and cortisol. Moving our bodies helps to release these chemicals.

Exercise also produces endorphins which are feel-good chemicals. The effect is a bit like a natural high.

Choose exercises that you enjoy. If you have someone to look after the children for a couple of hours, try swimming. This exercise is good for the mind and the body.

swimming relaxation

Meditation

Meditation has been around for thousands of years. It has been studied by yogis and scientists, and the benefits are profound. Simple meditation often starts with the breath. By bringing our mind back to the body and focusing on our breathing, we calm the mind.

The good thing about meditation is that it can be carried out anywhere. Just ten minutes a day will be beneficial.

Get Up Early

If possible, get up fifteen minutes earlier than the kids. Take this time to enjoy the peace and do something for yourself. Read a book or do a few yoga stretches. It’s tempting to stay in bed for a long as possible. But getting up earlier in a calm house will set you up for the day.

Turn the Volume Down

If you’re living in a noisy environment, unplug every now and again. Constant noise from children and the TV can seem overwhelming. When it feels too much, turn the TV off and switch off your phone. This will reduce the volume and distractions instantly.

If the kids are hyped up and excited, let them get it out of their system and then encourage quiet play. Don’t yell and add to the noise, just encourage gently.

Take a Hot Bath

Sometimes it’s the little things that make a big difference. Hot water relaxes the muscles and prepares us for sleep. It is also good for circulation and the heart. Throw in some of your favourite bath products. Or better still, use some aromatherapy oils.
It is important to take time for yourself, for both you and your family. Your health and happiness are important. And a happy, healthier mom equals happier, healthier children.

Easy Ways to Create the Ultimate Child Friendly Home

In many ways, children can be what makes a house and home. They provide so much love, fun, and interaction that our home becomes a joyful and inviting place to be. Our home should ultimately be our sanctuary. It should be the place where we feel safe, supported, and can’t wait to return to. With heavy work commitments coupled with family life, it is more important than ever that we ensure our home works for us. If we constantly find that we are having to do maintenance, renovation, and other work on our home it can become exhausting. Changes to the home out of choice are one thing, but changes from pressure and necessity are another. There might be several things we need to consider when living alone or with a partner. The comfort and temperature of the home are important, for example. The tidiness of the rooms and effective use of space are important for our mobility and efficiency. Every consideration we make about our house should benefit us and enable us to live more smoothly and easily. But these concerns are often more important than ever if we have children. Not only is their safety of paramount importance, but it is often particularly important to stay organised too. An immaculately clean and tidy house may not be a practical aim every hour of every day. But an organised house that is well structured and suitable for purpose is something that all of us can aim for. If you are fortunate enough to have a family and you want to turn your home into the ultimate child-friendly space, then look no further.

Staying Safe

Safety is perhaps one of the greatest preoccupations of a family with children. The home can be a hazardous place even for careful adults. But when curious, energetic children are added to the mix, it becomes more important than ever to be cautious. It can be overwhelming to try and consider the safety of the house as a whole. It can be more helpful and productive to consider each room. Total “no go” areas are rarely a good idea. A room with serious immovable hazards such as workshop tools or sharp ornaments are perhaps an exception. But ultimately, children should be allowed to explore. Banning certain rooms or areas can often be counterproductive too as it adds to their allure! Setting boundaries with items such as locked cabinets or doors can be necessary, but consider them carefully. Try to make hazardous objects safe or teach children how to be around them safely. Consider each room in terms of its safety, in both overview and detail. Check that wires are not dangling or poorly maintained, for example. Ensure that heavy objects are not likely to fall or be pulled over. High windows should be locked or carefully monitored. Looking at areas from a child’s height can be helpful, and you’ll be amazed at what might catch your eye! A safe home for a child is also a safe home for an adult. Keeping hazards to a minimum and tidying as you go can be a great step for an organised household.

Staying Tidy

Keeping a house clean and tidy is not merely a superficial concern. It can also affect how quickly and easily we can find things, as well as helping us not to trip on them! Persuading children to stay tidy can be difficult. It can be equally difficult for adults if we return home exhausted or have several other commitments. It can be a far more successful operation if we approach it in small, regular steps. A huge tidy once every so often can be tempting but can make things tricky in between. It can also be overwhelming when it ultimately comes to getting in done. Many families swear by the 10 minute tidy instead. After a specific activity or even at the end of the day, a timer is set for 10 minutes and everyone tidies without distraction. The results you can achieve in such a short space of time are astounding. When your mind is directed only on the single task, especially if you have helpers, you can achieve a lot. Investing in cupboards, cabinets, and other effective storage can also make the best use of space. Wipe-clean surfaces and surface covers that can be easily cleaned and folded away can be a lifesaver too.

Staying Comfortable

It is very important for the family home to remain comfortable. Children are often sensitive to heat and cold, and it can affect us as adults too. It can be cosy and pleasant to include blankets and throws around the house during the colder months. Tumblers of water and mini safety fans can also be great during the summer. Comfortable children are often more manageable and well behaved. It is worth investing in the insulation of our homes or adequate heating and cooling systems. If it is not an option you have investigated learn more about it at Academy Air or other reputable brands. A well ventilated home can help us stay healthy and germ-free, which is particularly important around children.

Staying Fun!
Some of the strongest and most positive memories many of us have are from the family home. You will want your children to have fond, happy memories of their home as a fun and wonderful space. There are many ways to make a home more fun that can be adapted to suit any budget or timescale. Make sure you’re making the best use of available space. If there is an area that your children love to play, include toy boxes and fun bags so they can clean up after themselves. An easy-to-clean area of the kitchen or conservatory can be a great station for arts and crafts. Keeping your garden well-maintained can also have huge family benefits. You will have a convenient, inviting area for family activities and the children can get fresh air while under supervision. If you don’t know how best to decorate an area or make it fun, ask the children! They often have hugely creative ideas about how best to use a space. If they feel they have been involved and collaborated on something, they are far more likely to make use of it too.

The Importance of Family Safety

Are you taking the safety of your family seriously? Before you answer, I want you to think about these other questions. Do you live in a safe neighborhood? Do you trust the people on your street? If you answered yes to either of these questions, there’s a good chance you’re overestimating how protected your family is. Many people make the mistake of thinking that they live in a safe neighborhood. But the truth is that there’s no such thing. Any neighborhood can be unsafe because it only takes one criminal to turn a quiet street into a danger zone. In regards to your neighbors, just how much do you know about them? Are you sure they’re who you think they are? Perhaps this sounds paranoid but the truth if you only know what they tell you, what they want you to see. That’s why it’s important that you think about the safety of your family at home.

If you think your street is safe, you might make silly mistakes. You might, for instance, leave your door unlocked when you’re in during the day. After all, if you’re in the house, no one is going to try to break in. Don’t be too sure though because a shocking number of break-ins occur when people are in the house. Thieves know that this is when homeowners least expect an intrusion. Their guard is down. As well as this it’s important to understand that if a door is unlocked or a window is open it’s not necessarily breaking and entering. It could be argued to be trespassing. This is a crime with a much lower prison sentence that criminals will be more willing to risk getting.

This is why you should be thinking about additional home security features to keep your family safe.

Security Cameras

Security Cameras to ensure safety

Image Via Pixabay

It might seem drastic but this is certainly a measure that we recommend you consider. Security cameras will act as a deterrent to stop criminals considering breaking in. It will also give you a fantastic way to watch over your home, even when you’re away. You can log into the security feed and check on your house when you’re on holiday. The only issue you need to be aware of is the legality of adding cameras to your home. In some states, cameras are illegal if they record part of someone else’s property. You need to be careful about how and where you set them up.

Motion Sensors

secure locks

Motion sensors will give you a good idea of whether someone has set foot on your property without your knowledge. A warning alarm will sound giving you time to prepare for an intrusion. It will allow you precious moments to calls the police or hide your family. Remember, you can get home alarm systems to match your home’s style, budget and security requirements.

Panic Room

Finally, if you have the money you may want to consider installing a panic room in your home. The worst fear for a parent is that a break-in will occur while children are in the house. A panic room gives your family somewhere to hide, safely until the authorities reach you.

Take The Stress Out of Parenting With These Top Tips

Let’s face it. Parenting isn’t easy. In fact, it’s probably never been harder. The days of relaxing at home with your child while he quietly plays with his toys are over. These days, both parents need to work, and that work commitment often takes us away from our kids for most of their waking hours. This creates a sense of guilt as well as a lot of stress about how they are being cared for in our absence.

There are also more demands on our kids these days. More technologies than ever before are available to them. I can’t think of a time when so many toys needed batteries! But this just adds to the skillsets our poor children need to develop. Learning to read and write with a pencil is no longer enough. They need to use a keyboard and solve problems on digital devices too. And as time goes on, we become increasingly worried about the effects of social media on our kids too.

All these devices also distract us. It’s hard to disconnect when we finally do come home from work. We’re available twenty-four hours a day and that can often cut into our family time. This can be one of the biggest causes of stress. It’s really important that you switch them off when you’re with your kids. You need to engage them rather than have your eyes on your phone. Time with our families is short, so we need to make sure it’s quality time that we’re enjoying.

stress free parenting

Image credit

When you’re at the office, you can often lose focus on your job by worrying about your kids. Installing a nanny cam could allow you to check in as often as you need to. It would certainly alleviate the stress of not knowing if your kids are OK while you’re trying to work. You can check NannyCamsReviews.com to find the best one for your home. Simply log in and check as often as you need to. Some will even allow you to talk to your little ones. They can be quite handy for checking up on your pets too!

The lack of sleep we all suffer from is one of the biggest causes of stress. It’s never easy to get enough sleep, especially with a young baby in the house. However, if you take it in turns with your partner to get up to your child, you can be assured of a restful night when you need it most. A live-in nanny could also provide the overnight help you need. When we’re over-tired, we’re grumpy, forgetful, and unfocused. This is detrimental in the workplace as well as at home. Pretty soon, we’re stressed, and the stress can stop us sleeping well.

Removing as much stress from your life as you can is essential to ensure we stay healthy. Without our health, we can’t be there for our kids. Take time for you each day. Being a parent is tough, so be kind to yourself. Take a break, take a nap, or take a day off once in a while to recharge. Love your kids.

How to be a Go-Getting Mom to a kid on the Go

Raising a child is no picnic. Even the basics of keeping them fed, safe and warm can seem like a troublesome task at times. But the part that a lot of us worry about is whether we’re raising our child to be the best person they can be. Raising an active, motivated person that can accomplish things isn’t a walk in the park. It needs you to be as active and forward thinking as you would like them to be. If you want your child to be a go-getter, you better be prepared to work towards it. We’re going to give you a few tips on just how to do that.

Busy kids on the go
Pixabay photos.

Pixabay Photo

Starting with emotional security

In order to communicate properly with a child, you need to establish a base of emotional security with them as early as possible. How children think of the world is directly linked to the kind of treatment they get from us. A child who gets reassurance, attention and enthusiasm will look to the world for the same. A child who lacks it has more chance of being withdrawn and seeing the world as something to be wary of. Be responsive to your children and treat their mistakes as learning opportunities. Not behaviour that needs correction.

Give them a space to be active

Physical activity is incredibly important to developing an active, motivated person in children. That’s why kids need the right space to be active. If you have a garden, make it child friendly as soon as possible by doing things like eliminating pests. If you don’t have a garden or a big enough garden, take them to the park instead. Start playing actively with your child as early as you can. This will make physical activity part of their life that’s a lot more easily maintained

Get involved in sports

Sports teach children all sorts of things besides how to be active and why exercise matters. It also carries valuable lessons of responsibility and teamwork. More than that, you can establish a great connection with your child by getting involved in their sporting life. It can mean supporting them in their pursuits. Or it can mean helping organise local 3v3 soccer tournaments. Being an integral part of their sporting life gives you a shared passion that you can easily bond over. Just try not to get too demanding of your child so the sport is no longer fun.

Go karting

Go karting is one of the best activities that you can do with your child to get them thinking competently and foster their skills. Teaching them how to drive a go kart is a shared experience that both of you will have a lot of fun and benefit from. It’s also a good idea to give them that sense of competition early. You don’t want to raise them to think themselves above anyone else. You do, however, want to teach them about striving for success. All wrapped up in a fun day out, go karting is one of the best solutions to do just that.

Fostering creativity

Creativity is a fantastic trait for any child to learn. When we think of creativity, we often think of the arts and expressing one’s self. But thinking creatively is just as big a part of it. In fact, thinking creatively can be immensely helpful in later life. Give children plenty of structured play time to help them develop creativity. But also give them unstructured play time, free of restraints and let them explore their own. Creativity isn’t something that we’re all born with innately. It’s something that develops.

Expanding their mind

If you start early, it’s not too difficult to make a fun day out of an educational visit. Sure, we know the clichés of children being utterly bored and lifeless on museum trips. But if you go with them early and answer their questions enthusiastically, it can be a lot more of a fun experience. Children are naturally curious, so don’t think that they won’t get anything out of it. Let them experience the exciting side of history. Show them what other cultures are like. Explore nature with them and watch them develop an interest that even grows beyond yours.

Motivation

Besides creativity and a thirst for learning, motivation is a key trait for being successful in life. This links into the earlier point about how you teach your kids. Instead of nagging your kids to do things, motivate them, instead. This doesn’t necessarily have to involve some kind of leverage, either. When you want them to fix a mistake they’ve made, describe the situation instead of placing blame. When you want to praise them, tell them exactly what you’re praising instead of being generic. Motivation requires an understanding of goals and how they’re achieved. Teach that as soon as you can.

Finding their passions

As a parent who wants to teach their child passion and interest, it can often feel like you’re being dictatorial. That you’re pushing the interests you want instead of what they want. Take the time to let your child find their own interests. Sometimes they may have no idea so showing them some examples can be fine. Find what excites them and what makes them aspire. Then support them and be with them as they delve into it. But don’t be angry if they find it doesn’t stick. Be loose with your expectations and constant with your support.

Give them their own space

A child’s bedroom is where a lot of their contemplation and self-exploration happens. Without them noticing it, they are doing a lot of their developing right in there. So make sure they have a bedroom that lets explore themselves. Sometimes, it can be a bedroom that they love, that ignites their creativity. Sometimes it can be a bedroom that lets them explore it. For the latter, using chalkboard paint can give them all the space they need to foster their own ideas. It also stops them from using your wallpaper, which is nice.

Making them a leader

It’s not mean to admit that you want your child to excel. Or that you want them to want to excel. Sure, there’s overdoing it and forcing them to become hyper-competitive. But there’s another path to show them to follow, too. Leadership is an important and rare skill and it is one you can teach your child. A lot of proper teaching methods as raised above will have them use your example in their own leadership roles. Make sure you instil them with confidence to persevere. As well as the communicate, too. We’ll cover that, next.

Talking with your child

A lot of parents don’t spend enough of their time communicating to their children. Or if they try, they find they don’t know how to get through to them and give up or get angry. But remember that perseverance is important, so set the example. Put the emphasis on listening to your children. Get on their level physically to show that you are open to communicate. Repeat what you’ve heard and ask specific questions so they follow the logical communication chain. A lot of children don’t immediately understand how conversations work, so keep it simple.

Engage them in the world

We’ve covered a lot of great qualities to raise in a child that you want to succeed. But one that will help them in this as well as others is by engaging them in the world. This means empathising with and helping people. Teaching children to give time to volunteering and charity early can help them broaden their views of people. It’s also helpful for them to know that there are people less fortunate than them. This should help them become less selfish people in later life and should hopefully reflect in choices they make down the line.

Creating competence

Self-confidence is a great thing to have. It’s the final piece of the puzzle when it comes to being a go-getter. But self-confidence is even better boosted by a feeling of competence. Giving your child tasks to accomplish is the key to this. A lot of parents do anything to help their children. But in doing so, sometimes they take all the need for competence from their lives. Support and instruct your children to think creatively about tasks you give them. They might want the easy way out in the middle of it, but be supportive and they’ll start to develop the confidence that comes with ability.

Having a child geared for a great start in life is all about what they believe they can do. It’s in their confidence and competence. It boils down to how creatively they can think and how they can persevere. Giving your child situations to adapt to and guiding them gives them that creativity and your guidance helps them to guide others. We worry about what sort of person our child will be all the time. So long as you take the time to be the best kind of person, you can be sure they’ll follow in your footsteps.

Keeping Kids Happy at Home

Keeping kids happy at home Photo from Flikr

Keeping kids happy and comfortable in their own space is so important to all parents. But how can you do this in the home? Check out these simple ideas to help.

Give Them Outdoor Space

Kids thrive in the sunshine and fresh air; it is so important your kids have somewhere to play that isn’t indoors. If you have a garden or yard; great. Get them out into it whenever it isn’t raining! Garden games don’t have to be extravagant and expensive; a football will keep most little ones entertained for some time. If you don’t have any outdoor space, take them to the local park instead. Or, walk them to school in the mornings rather than drive them.

Make Their Bedrooms Happy Places

As adults, we love our bedrooms. They are the places we can shut the door, take a deep breath and be in our own space. Give this sense of calm and privileged to your kids too. Give them free reign to decorate how they wish; a bedroom should reflect a person’s personality. They will end and start every day in this room, so it needs to be somewhere they are happy in. Plus, if they have a room of their own, they’ll have a place to hang out if and when you make decor changes and improvements.

Keep The Temperature In Check

Houses that are too hot or too cold can spell disaster for families. This is especially true if there are kids in the house. The key here is maintenance. Make sure you are looking after your boiler, radiators and any other heat-giving sources properly. Caring for the units and devices properly will give them longevity. This goes for your air conditioning units too. If your unit does break or malfunction, make arranging AC Repair a priority. It is cost-effective to get a reputable company to do the job, and can be done in less than a couple of hours in most homes. This means you and your kids can live and sleep comfortably, no matter the season.

Consider Their Requests For A Pet

Pretty much every child goes through a phase of asking for a pet. If you’re lucky, it will just be a goldfish! But it’s more likely to be a cat or a dog. Before you dismiss the request off-hand, give it some thought. If you have the space, and can afford to, it might be a great option. Having a pet teaches children lessons in responsibility, and caring for others. If you’re getting a dog, it can help get them out of the house and into the fresh air, ask they’ll need to take them for a walk every day. Plus, pets act as great companions. This is true for all kids but might make an even bigger impact if you have an only child. While you will need to pay for its food and vet bills in the future, they don’t have to cost anything upfront. Go to an animal sanctuary or the local pound and rescue one. This is free, plus you’ll be doing a good deed.

Top Ways to Know if You’re Ready to Have a Baby

mother kissing baby

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Top Ways to Know if You’re Ready to Have a Baby

Attributed Post

Most women will get broody at one time or another. If you see friends or family members with a baby, you can start to think about how you would like your own. They are great, and the unconditional love you feel can’t be explained. But it’s not easy to have a child with strains put on your life. Here are the top ways to know if you are ready to have a baby.

You are financially ready

Babies cost you and your partner money. Buying all the stuff they need can reach thousands. Your baby will need a crib, a pushchair and nappies to name just a few essentials. We have a handy checklist for new parents so that they know everything they need to buy in advance. And when they are born, the money going out will continue for the next 18 years! If you struggle to make ends meet, there is no point of having a baby yet.

You are in a committed relationship

If you aren’t in a committed relationship, it’s not the right time to have a baby. Arguments between you and your partner will not be any good for a newborn baby to hear, so there is no point having one. Some people have a baby because they feel it will help make their relationship better, but a child is not an experiment. As this article explains, you both need to be committed to wanting a child. Otherwise, your partner might leave when you need him most. He might resent the child and then your relationship will fall apart. Make sure you sit down and talk about it openly before starting to try.

You have a house

Ideally, you will own property when you have your first child. But if this is not possible, you need to, at least, have a rented property that will have space for another person. A baby takes up space, and if you are currently at home with your parents, there is no point trying for a baby yet.

You are prepared to put your career on hold

Your career will have to go on hold if you decide to have a baby. You will be taking time off your job so you will need to be prepared to do this. If you are ready to have a baby, your partner should be in a job which pays the bills. As this blog says, you should be willing to take some time off work. If you aren’t prepared to do this, then you are not ready for a child.

You have completed your goals

If you have a certain amount of goals you want to achieve but haven’t, then, it’s not the right time to have a baby. If you are still at university or if one of you are planning to go back into education, you won’t be able to do this if you have a child. The same is true with travelling; get this out of your system first as it will be impossible when you have the responsibilities of a child.

Every couple is different, and there is no right age to have a child. If you are ready, make sure you talk to your partner and think it through properly.

Get Your Pretty On Q&A

I had the pleasure of collaborating with Get Your Pretty On. A site that it geared toward helping women feel confident when they leave the house. To feel good about themselves. Moms, you and I both know just how difficult it can be to get ready in the morning. A little about this site, they have been featured in RedBook, Ladies home journal, popsugar, and daily buzz style.

In this Q&A I will ask some questions on the programs available. You will also find all appropriate links to the site for additional information.

SuccessfulMommyAdvice:

What is Get Your Pretty on?

Get Your Pretty On:

Get Your Pretty On is a resource for women who are ready to rediscover confidence through easy style and beauty. I started it as my own accountability partner after getting stuck in a “yoga pants mom rut” a few years ago.

SMA:

How does your website help encourage moms, especially stay at home moms?

GYPO:

I provide on-trend casual outfit ideas that work for the everyday life of a stay at home mom without breaking the bank. It’s just as easy to put on a cute outfit as it is to throw on sweat pants. You just have to have the right pieces in your closet and know how to put them together. That’s exactly what I provide. When we feel good about how we look, that spills over into every area of our lives and makes us not only better for ourselves, but our families too.

SMA:

What is the cost for your services, is it affordable and reasonable?

GYPO:

The GYPO Style Challenge, my signature seasonal style program is available for $49 which is a fraction of what it would cost to work one on one with a personal stylist. Each season I provide members with a seasonal trend shopping list and mis and match outfit ideas made up from pieces on that list.

SMA:

What is one thing you would improve on your site?

GYPO:

Running a site like this requires constant upgrades. We rely heavily on our members’ feedback to make improvements and are always striving to make the experience better.

SMA:

Is Get Your Pretty On easily accessible? For example through mobile apps?

GYPO:

We have a membership portal that’s easily accessible upon sign up. The PDF shopping list and daily outfits are able to be downloaded to iBooks for viewing on the go. We’re also working on an app that will allow members to access key pieces of the challenge.

SMA:

What recommendations do you have for moms? How can your site motivate them to feel their best?

GYPO:

My best advice is to make a daily schedule and stick to it. Try to carve out 30 minutes in the morning before anyone else is awake to plan out your day. Start off by taking a shower, getting dressed and giving a little attention to your hair and makeup. It really makes a world of difference in your motivation and how you feel about yourself and sets the tone for the rest of your day!

Be sure to check out this free 14 piece casual wardrobe shopping list on my site. Here’s the link: http://stylechallenges.com/free-capsule-wardrobe/

There is also a 2016 Spring Challenge open on March 24th you can check that out by clicking here

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