Why It’s Important That Your Kids Learn Important Life Skills Early On

https://unsplash.com/photos/o3tIY5pIork

If you have kids, then you’ll know that they can be pretty naïve a lot of the time. There’s nothing wrong with their naivety and borderline stupidity, of course – it’s actually very amusing a lot of the time. Their brains are still so very raw, and they’re taking in new information all the time – they’re bound to make mistakes and say silly things pretty often. As a parent, it’s your job to teach them how to do stuff, and it’s up to you to cut the naivety out of their everyday life. Yes, they have school every weekday, but they’ll only really get their heads filled with academic information; the other parts of life aren’t really covered.

If your child hits teenage years and still has that air of silliness about them, then that’s not too bad, but you should really start to get their backsides into gear. You don’t want a grown man or woman in your house one day that can’t do the basics in life – it sounds a little crazy, but it’s quite a common thing in many households. You’re in the position you’re in now because you were taught how to get through things. You have to now do the same for your kids. Here are a few reasons why teaching your kids all kinds of things and making them do tasks is such an important part of parenthood. 

They’ll Become More Disciplined

Discipline is a massive part of being human. It’s obviously something that you should instill in your child, but it’s something we all need in life. If you’re setting tasks for your kid, then they’re going to have lots of different jobs to get through. They’ll understand the importance of getting things done around the house and elsewhere. They may be a little stubborn, to begin with, but they’ll onboard sooner or later once they get a different perspective on life.

Their Confidence Overall Will Rise

Confidence is absolutely vital in life, and it comes from knowing what you’re doing. Sure, some kids (and adults) have a natural-born lack of anxiety, and they are able to do stuff without caring. The majority of us gain confidence from our own actions, however. If your child grows up knowing how to do stuff, then they’ll be able to handle themselves when important events come up. For instance, they’ll be able to do their own shopping with ease, book appointments at an urgent care clinic, and travel independently with minimal fuss. 

They’ll Have That Much-Needed Common Sense

Common sense is often thought of as something a person is born with. That’s not the case at all. A person because smarter and more aware of ‘normal’ everyday aspects after they’re taught about them. They become even more knowledgeable after weeks, months, and years of experience. If you see a poised and competent person going through life with relative ease, just know it’s because they learned a fair bit as a youngster. Make sure yours can become that kind of individual when they’re older.

Finding a Sport that Your Kid Will Enjoy

Image source

Some kids are naturally inclined to engage with sports. They enjoy running about, they want to play in a much more physical manner and they are intrigued with professional sports on the television. But this isn’t true of all children. Some are more reserved and shy away from team sports. Some would rather sit reading a book or playing a video game. Some are completely disinterested in general. But it’s extremely important that you ensure your little ones are getting sufficient exercise. 

It’s recommended that children over the age of 6 get a good hour’s worth of physical activity on a 

daily basis and this is for a good reason. Your kids need exercise to stay in shape, maintain a healthy weight, and grow as expected. But at the same time, you don’t want to force your child into a physical activity that they actively dislike and desperately don’t want to engage with. 

The answer to this problem is to take the time and effort to find a sport that your kid actually enjoys. There are so many different options out there that there’s bound to be something that they like. It might just take a little while to find it. Whether it’s a team sport, an individual sport, or something really alternative like rock climbing, fencing, or archery - you just need to experiment to find something that ticks their boxes. 

The infographic by CiscoAthletic.com below should help to give you some inspiration and guide you in the right direction when it comes to youth sports participation!

 

Infographic Design By CiscoAthletic.com

Private School Doesn't Have to Drain Your Finances

Image Source

It may seem like a struggle to come up with money to pay yearly tuition for your child's private school education, but it doesn't have to be. There are luckily ways in which you can ease your family's financial burden while still giving your child the benefits of private education.

Save Early

If it is important for you to send your children to private school, start saving while your children are still very young and not yet attending school. For example, if you live in the King County area of Washington State and want your children to be able to attend Sammamish private schools, look up the tuition cost for the private schools in your area and make it a goal to save a specific amount based on your research before your children are school age. The earlier you start saving, the better, so as soon as you know that you want to save money to put toward your child's education, put a certain amount of your income each month into a savings account to be used only for this purpose.

Research Financial Aid Options

Financial aid for private school tuition is available to qualifying families in many states. Aid is awarded by the state and sometimes even by the specific educational institution itself depending on need and other factors. The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation is one institution that awards financial assistance in the form of grants and scholarships to young students who excel academically or artistically and are in need of aid. If you apply for types of financial aid that your child may qualify for, you may be able to receive assistance that will help you save thousands of dollars every year on tuition for your child's private school education.

By utilizing some planning and resources, you can set aside adequate finances for your child's education as well as save money on tuition. This way, you may be able to pay for private school without breaking the bank.

5 Ways To Teach Your Employed Child To Be Financially Smart

https://www.pexels.com/photo/women-s-white-button-up-long-sleeved-shirt-1037913/

If you are reading this, congratulations! You have successfully given your child the foundation to be a productive member of society - a college degree, moral upbringing, and a lot of encouragement and support to let them reach for their dreams.

Now that your child is about to receive his/her first paycheck, what advice would you give them to be financially smart with their money? Here are 5 ways to do it.

1.  Keep all payslips.

Keeping all payslips until the end of the fiscal year can be used as reference when checking for discrepancies. Was there a change in pay rate? Were the deductions justified? Was the amount reflected in the pay slip the same with the amount credited in the payroll bank account? These are just a few things your employed child should be aware of.

2. Regularly check if mandatory deductions have been credited to the respective agencies.

Withholding tax on salary, social security payments, government health insurance, etc. are but a few of the mandatory deductions being taken out of an employee’s paycheck. They should regularly check if these deductions are being forwarded to the respective government agency. It is their money, it is for their future use, so it is only right that they monitor these remittance payments.

3. Advise them to arrange for an Automatic Transfer of Funds in the bank that handles their payroll account.

This is the easiest way to ensure that they save money. Make an arrangement with the bank to automatically transfer a certain amount, let’s say 10% of their pay to a savings account. It will teach them to make do with what is left with their pay after putting aside some savings.

4. Pay off loans first before splurging.

It is always so tempting to buy designer clothes, shoes, and bags, a new smartphone, or another high tech gadget when they have cash on hand. Remind your child that his/her cash flow should follow this equation: 

Cash from Income Payment minus Savings and Loan Payments equals Spendable income.  

There may not be much left, but this scheme will pay off in the long run. They will have savings in the bank and their loan (if they have any) will be cleared in a short period of time.

5. Share their blessings.

Let your child learn the habit of giving back. Small tokens of appreciation, volunteering their time, and helping out with non-profit charitable institutions are some ways to give back and share their blessings. It is not that we, as parents, expect to be “paid back.” Simple gestures to let us know they treasure they gift we have given them is enough. 

Motivate them to participate in community volunteer activities - soup kitchens, donation drives for the needy, or helping out in a local shelter for the homeless/elderly is a good way to start. “What goes around comes around,” so encourage them to spread kindness and love, and it will come back to them a hundred-fold. 

These 5 tips will definitely help your child to secure a financially healthy future. For the parents,  you can rest assured that your children will lead a good life.  

Three Tips for Transitioning into Motherhood

When a woman becomes a mother, her entire life changes. Now, she's not only living for herself. She has a little life that is fully reliant on her in order to make it. If you're a woman who is on the cusp of motherhood, there are a few tips you'll want to consider as you make the transition. Think about these three. 

1. Self-Care

It's easy to lose yourself in motherhood. It can happen so much that you can easily look up and realize that you don't recognize yourself anymore. On a daily basis, make sure that you're finding ways to take good care of yourself. Exercise regularly. Incorporate lots of fresh vegetables into your diet. Do your best to do something you really enjoy each day. Whether it's a quiet hour with a good book and a cup of tea or a manicure and pedicure at the local salon, find ways to recharge yourself. 

2. Support 

Realize that you can't do it by yourself. Even if you're a single mother, you need to develop a support system of people to help you. It's always good to have a babysitter to watch the little one when you need a breather or if you need to run an errand. Family members and friends are important so that you and your family can be part of a larger community. When your little one is ready for school and you've decided that private school education tampa florida is the way to go, you'll want to make sure you have support in making it happen. Between transportation, after-school care and more, you'll need support in order to thrive in this experience. 

3. Selflessness While you want to make sure that you take care of yourself, remember that this is a selfless journey. There are going to be many nights of little sleep. You'll have to sacrifice quite a bit during the journey in order for your child to succeed. However, it'll be the hardest job you'll love. Being a mother is such a special experience. As you get into the crux of it all, you'll be grateful for every moment you have as you help another human being grow in the world.

Walk Don't Run: A New Way To Get Your Kids To School In The Morning

Picture Credit

There are a whole wealth of articles out there which shout about the health benefits of walking your kids to school instead of driving. As can be seen from sites like www.bistromd.com, those benefits include things like maintaining health and building confidence. That’s good news all around, don’t you agree?

Sadly, a look outside any school gates reveals that the benefits mentioned above aren’t enough for many. We all want our kids to be healthy, of course, but we assume they achieve this through play and physical education. If we’re walking kids purely for health, then, it doesn’t always seem worth our while.

But, what if we were to tell you that it isn’t only health benefits you’ll experience from a change like this. There are practical reasons to get your walking boots on instead of reaching for your keys. If nothing’s won you around thus far, then, the following pointers could be the things to do it. Read on, and you may find you start walking in no time. 

An increased chance of being on time

Picture Credit

Your kids may be able to get physical exercise elsewhere, but they only get one chance to arrive at class on time. The chances are that you already know how difficult it can be to achieve that simple goal when you come by car. Congestion, accidents, and weather all play a part in determining when you arrive. And, let’s be frank; nothing makes you feel worse than making your children late through no fault of their own. By comparison, walking to school removes many of these variables. You won’t need to worry about how busy the roads are, or whether the weather makes visibility difficult. You’ll be able to walk on those clear pathways come rain or shine. And, guess what; your kids will probably be on time as a result.

Removing the risks of the road

The delays mentioned above aren’t the only risks of the road, either. Busy roads and frustrated drivers can also result in accidents. Rates of road-based crashes often skyrocket around school time, and it’s easy to see why. With many parents choosing large family cars like SUVs, there’s also an increased risk of severe incidents like rollovers. While you could contact lawyers like those found at www.gbw.law if this happened to you, that wouldn’t make up for putting your kids at risk. By comparison, walking is a reasonably safe affair. As long as you stick to crossings and designated walkways, it’s unlikely you’ll stumble into trouble.

Picture Credit

More money for the family

If even the above isn’t enough to convince you, consider that driving to school can also cost a fair amount. Fuel alone can soon add up when you’re crawling along behind a stream of other parents. Not to mention general maintenance costs for your vehicle. That’s worth noting given that keeping costs down always matters when you have a family. By comparison, walking doesn’t cost a penny. With that in mind, which option do you prefer?

Keeping The Costs Down When It Comes To Your Kids

Children can be expensive, and there is no hiding away from that fact. But we all know that children need things on a day to day basis. They are always growing, their interests are changing, and their needs really need to be met. But with an eye on the costs how do you ensure that those children don’t break you financially? I wanted to share with you some of the ways that you can start to keep the costs down when it comes to your kids. 

Image Source

Make invested choices with things like toys

Toys are one of those things you can think you have enough of, but as interests change from time to time, you may find that you are inundated with more things on a monthly basis. Not to mention the birthdays and Christmas additions to add to the mix. Sometimes the best advice is to make more invested choices with your purchases, looking into a more interesting toy that will stand the test of time, rather than something plastic that they may lose interest in after a few weeks. 

Keep things for future siblings to enjoy in the future

You may not want to hoard things, but often keeping certain things for future younger siblings is a great way to send less in the future. Tyds, clothes they have outgrown, it can all come in handy for when and if you have more children in the future. Once you are doine, you could then utilise platforms like eBay to sell any unwanted things and give your bank balance a healthy boost. 

Seekout bargains online and use codes and discounts

It is always a good idea to do plenty of research ahead of making any purchases, especially online. There are always discount codes and vouchers you could use, as well as people sharing knowledge on some of the best places to make certain purchases. The name of the game is to have more money in your back pocket, and so utilizing these tools could considerably reduce your overall spend. 

Buy in bulk

The next thing you may want to think about is how buying in bulk could save you on bigger costs. For example, when you favourite childrens clothing shop has a sale, you could buy the next size up at a discounted price. Helping you to feel organised in the future. Buying in bulk works for other things such as school uniforms or even drinks and snacks in your home. 

Encourage eating as a family to help with the food bill

Finally, children can be picky, especially at meal times. If you let them, they will have you making different meals for everyone, and in the long run this ends up costing you. Make a new rule that you will make one thing for the family to enjoy, it keeps the cost down and allows you to lead by example when it comes to eating to help avoid the fussy eating stage getting any worse. 

I hope that these tips help you to keep the costs down when it comes to your kids. 

WorldCiti Medical Center's New Pediatric Floor: Making Your Child's Hospital Stay A Little Less Stressful

Sickness has plagued my family since January. During the first 11 weeks of this year, four of my family members were admitted to different hospitals.

In January, my mom was admitted to the University of Santo Tomas hospital in Manila for a Modified Radical Mastectomy of her left breast. She was diagnosed to have Stage III-C Breast Cancer at the time of her surgery.

Early February, my husband was admitted to The Medical City hospital in Ortigas because of extreme pain in his lower back. My husband has been diagnosed with lumbar stenosis and scoliosis years ago and that is the cause of  his chronic back pain. 

On the 3rd week of February, my niece suffered from acute gastroenteritis and was admitted to the National Kidney Institute in Quezon City.

The first week of March had my sister admitted to the WorldCiti Medical Center in Quezon City because of Hypokalemia and Hypocalcemia, probably brought about by stress and in part as a result of her Thyroidectomy in mid-2017.

Well you would think everything is fine now, but, unfortunately, we are still seeing family members getting ill. My mom's disease progressed to Stage IV Breast Cancer, with bone metastasis in her hip. My husband's lower back pain has not disappeared, although it is now being managed by opioid analgesics. My niece recently suffered from sore throat, and since her kidneys are not fully functioning (as a result of Glomerulonephritis three years ago), she showed signs of edema in her legs and around her eyes. 

The most recent "victim" was my grandson. He was admitted to the WorldCiti Medical Center because spiking fever and diarrhea. We feared it might be Dengue Fever but all screening tests and  blood profile tests showed a negative result for the disease (thank God!). The diarrhea led to dehydration so starting an IV line was a must. The initial diagnosis was Acute Gastroenteritis with dehydration fever, but then it turned out that he had a bad sore throat too. My grandson stayed in the hospital for 4 days. 

WorldCiti Medical Center is only a kilometer (1.6 miles) from home so it is our "emergency hospital" because of its proximity. I was surprised to see the renovations done on the entire 7th floor which is now the Pediatrics floor.  It is very child-friendly with bright painted walls, a reading nook, themed private rooms and strollers that are actually huge plastic toy cars! 

Here are the photos I took of the Pediatric Floor of the World Citi Medical Center:

His room and bed for the next 4 days

Private Room # 703 - his home for 4 days

The hallway and strollers

A comfy couch of the reading nook beside the bookshelf

Lots of kid-friendly books you can borrow

The nurses' station

The elevator lobby

Trying out the toy cars. It is a little difficult with an IV line attached.

Killing time by learning to draw

Yay! IV line gone. He's coming home!

I would like to thank WorldCiti Hospital for the excellent care they've provided. I would also like to express my gratitude to my grandson's wonderful and kind pediatrician, Dr. Arlene Dy-Co and to all the Pediatric nurses who were very caring and patient with my grandson, despite his ear-drum breaking screams every time they enter his room. 

I ask you, my dear readers, to please keep me and my family in your thoughts and prayers. May we survive the rest of this year with no more hospital confinements. 

For God's Grace, I pray. 

Note: This is NOT a sponsored post. The opinions are 100% my own and based on my grandson's recent confinement in this hospital.

The Only Tips You Need To Keep A Busy Mom On Track

Organizing your family can feel like a tough task. There is always something to do, places to be or kids sports clubs to attend. To keep all of that information in your head would be crazy. It’s easy to forget things or become unorganized over time. So I thought it would be a good idea to share with you some tips for getting your family life on track.

Source

A good calendar or journal

The first tip for getting more organized would be to consider getting yourself a big wall calendar or journal. This will be an essential tool to keep you on track. It allows you to place all appointments and events in the one place. At a glance, you will be able to see what you have on that day and week. This avoids you double booking yourself or overcommitting. You will also be able to communicate with anyone else involved and organize the week ahead of time. This will help for pick and drop offs.

Meal Plan

Planning your meals in advance can save you time and effort during the week. Especially on those busy nights where you may end making something unhealthy or ordering in. Meal planning can save you money on a weekly basis as you tend only to buy what you need. You may also want to think about batch cooking in advance, meaning you save even more time at night when preparing meals.

Keep all your family health check up to date

It can be difficult to remember when you need to do what. Especially when it comes to family health check ups. From health checks at the doctors through to eyes and hearing tests, they all need to be kept up to date. You also need to be able to manage expectation of appointments like hearing, so you can find out more online on how you can do that. Health checks are essential to keep underlying problems at bay or to hopefully stop and resolve issues in the future. Eye tests, hearing and general health check ups should all form part of the yearly schedule for the family.

Organize your home to make life easier

You don’t need to be one of those super organized people with labels on drawers or color coordinated wardrobes. But you can make life a little easier for yourself. School bags can be kept in the same place, as can coats and shoes that you need each morning. Try and pack things the night before to save yourself the morning rush. All it takes is to think outside the box a little at what could make things easier. Then put a plan in place to implement it.

Keep a schedule

Finally, try and keep yourself to a schedule each week. This is for things like grocery shopping and chores. If you know what needs to be done each day, you will have a much better chance of getting it done. Rather than being busy doing a lot of nothing. Again it can be as simple or complex as you want it to be, but see how much more organized your life gets by doing it.

I hope this helps you get your family more organized.

You And Your Family Need To Find Some Time To Unwind

Every member of your family has a hard week, whether they’re working in an office full-time or studying at school full-time. You might not relax together as a family as much as you’d like because you’re all busy during the week. Once the kids finally do finish their homework and you’ve all had your dinner, you probably just want to crash onto your bed and fall asleep. Rest is an important part of relaxing and recovering after a long day, but you and your family should also find some time to relax whilst you’re still awake. Eating dinner together is important, but that shouldn’t be the only time you gather as a family. The following suggestions should give you some ideas for family activities to help you unwind. If you have a free weekend then you should use it to try these things out.

Picture Source

Do something creative.

The best way to unwind as a family is to do something creative together. You could try painting as a family. None of you need to be the next Van Gogh for this to be fun. You just need a blank canvas, some paint, and the desire to be creative. If you create a work of art then you could even hang it on your wall. That’ll be a testament to the importance of spending time together as a family. If the piece of art is an atrocity then you can hang it on the fridge and laugh at it as a family. Either way, it’ll bring you all together, and it’ll be a great way to unwind. Of course, there are other creative ways to unwind. If anyone in the family can play guitar then you could sing songs around the fire in your back garden.

Have a day of games and festivities.

If you really want to get the kids on board with the idea of spending the weekend together as a family then you should promise a day of games and festivities. You could play a classic game of Hangman with a pencil and a piece of paper. You could get Monopoly out if you think you’ll be able to play it without people getting too competitive. You might even want to try out an escape room in your local area. Solving riddles in a locked room with your family before the time runs out will teach you to work as a team. Of course, it’ll be an adventure too. The point is that your day should be full of fun things for everyone to enjoy; don’t just organize a day out that will make the parents happy. It’s important that you connect as a family.

Picture Source

Relax outside.

The best way to unwind with your family is to get outdoors and enjoy some fresh air. You could simply relax in your garden by playing on the water slide, or you could even head out to your local park. Take a frisbee and pack a picnic. You could have a really fun day with the family if you just got outside and did something together. You don’t need to plan an extravagant day out; what matters is that you’re all together.

Finding Time To Take Care Of Yourself Whilst Balancing Work And Motherhood

(Source)

Adapting to your new bundle of joy and becoming a family doesn’t come without its challenges. Especially if you work from home, are self-employed, or have to return to work before the usual period of maternity leave, you’re not so much up the creek without a paddle, but up the creek without a paddle or a boat. Going back to work can leave you feeling so guilt-ridden that you spend as much time as possible with the baby - which is extremely common and something every mother does when having to leave their child at such a young age. However, it is important to also find some snippets of time just to check in with yourself, and make sure you’re taking care of you too, as well as the baby. Many new mums struggle to find time to eat, shower and keep up with daily care routines. Here are some tips on taking care of yourself whilst balancing your newborn and work.  

While Baby Naps

When you and your little one have finally settled into a routine, it is imperative that you use the time they are asleep to take care of yourself. Whether this is catching up on your own sleep (number one choice for many new mums), or having a quick shower, or eating lunch - make sure you are using the time wisely. Yes, it can be hard to tear yourself away from watching your precious one sleep - every mum has been there - but this will be the only time you have to ensure you are taking care of yourself. 

Mornings Are Baby Time, Evenings Are Mummy Time 

Even if you are not working, you will still be woken up at a bright and early time by your little one, no matter how many feeds you were woken by in the night. However, your little one will still drop off in the early evening, giving you a few hours before you have to go to bed to do a quick spot of housework, laundry, and all the things that fall to the wayside when your newborn arrives. This is slightly different to a nap, as baby will usually sleep for a few hours, so make sure your reserve any of the more time-consuming jobs to the evening, rather than when baby is down for a nap. 

Invest In A Baby Wrap

If you have very little time out of work, or have a lot on your plate and want to spend time with your baby, you could try a baby wrap. They allow you to carry the baby around with you whilst having both hands free. This is great for food shops, housework, and generally moving around the house doing jobs. Even if you are working from home and on your feet all day, this is a great tool that helps you to multi-task and not have to choose between work and spending time with your little one. Make sure you have The Right Hairstyles for when you swaddle if you have long hair - as you don’t want your hair to be constantly over baby’s face or in their eyes. 

There you have it, a few ways you can ensure you are still taking care of you whilst trying to balance time with your new bundle of joy. If you have just welcomed a new addition to the family, then congratulations, and hopefully these tips have helped you out a little bit. 

Giving Your Princess A Ball Of Her Own

Image Source

When it comes to her 10th, 16th, 18th, or 21st birthday, most parents will want to give their daughter something extra special. In a lot of cases, this will come in the form of grand gifts, signifying their passage onto the next stage of life. Of course, though, this time in their life isn’t just about presents. Along with this, they are also building some very important memories, and you have a great chance to shape the way they play out. So, to help you out with this, this post will be exploring the elements you need to get your girl’s ball off the ground.

The Venue: The location for your event will be one of the most important aspects of this project. Most little princesses will be too good to spend their birthday at home, and this will mean finding somewhere more suitable for their high standards. A castle, hall, or other grand building can be perfect. To do this correctly, though, you'll need to figure out the theme that your party will be following, too.

The Event Theme: The theme for your party will be very dependent on the person you’re throwing it for. For example, if you have a daughter with a love for reading, a book-themed birthday could be perfect for them. Most kids will make it very easy to tell what they do and don’t enjoy. Using this knowledge, you should be able to come up with a theme which not only inspires joy but also captures what your princess loves the most.

The Food & Drinks: With an event in mind and the location booked, you’ll be ready to start tackling the food and drinks for the party. Like the theme, this should be based on what your daughter likes the most, but you also have to consider the other kids at the event. In most cases, it will be best to arrange a range of options, enabling everyone to choose what they’d like before they RSVP.

The People & Invites: Making sure that people are at your kid’s birthday will take a little bit more planning. You will need to compile a list of the friends you child has, taking special efforts to include children who have invited your kid to their own special days. Normal paper won’t be enough for a day like this, and some embossed cards or fancy digital invites can be used to make it more exciting. When you’re doing this, you have to be very careful not to overbook the event your organizing.

As the last area to consider, a lot of people will struggle to have fun at their kid’s birthday event. Of course, though, this doesn’t matter, as this day for is for your daughter, and not for you. Keeping this in mind will make it a lot easier to create the perfect event for your little one. Along with this, you should make sure that they are able to get as much input into this part of their life as possible.

You Know, Moving Home Needn’t Disrupt Your Child’s Homeschooling Experience

Image Credit

Moving home is a strange time for everyone. The excitement of starting a new chapter is contrasted by the fear of leaving everything you’ve ever known behind. As a parent, you also need to think about the kids, not least because those emotions are multiplied tenfold.   

  

Relocation will inevitably alter various aspects of your child’s life, and it may require some adaptation. One area that cannot be ignored, however, is their schooling. For most kids, relocation means finding a new school, which can be a difficult transition. As a parent that teaches your kids at home, you have the luxury of bypassing that issue. In turn, this enables you to get back to normality without any major disruption. 

  

First and foremost, you’ll need to mentally prepare your child for the big move. Keeping your son or daughter updated throughout the process can make a world of difference to their emotional frame of mind. Meanwhile, you can use promises of days out and bedroom upgrades to get them excited about the new home.   

  

When moving day arrives, you want the relocation to be as smooth as possible. Services like Bekins Moving Solutions take the stress out of transporting furniture. Moreover, it ensures that your possessions aren’t harmed. In turn, this enables you to get settled into the home far sooner, which can allow you to resume the academic learning ASAP. 

Image Credit

It will take months to get the new property looking how you like it, but designating a suitable learning space is key. Meanwhile, it’s imperative that you get key services like broadband up and running straight away too. After all, it won’t only impact student life; it’ll influence leisurely activities too. 

  

Even when you work quickly, it may take a few days to get the home ready for learning. Thankfully, there are plenty of creative activities to provide fun and productivity. These can range from outdoor adventures to arts and crafts. Use this opportunity to familiarize yourselves with the new area while your child still gains academic benefits. You will not regret it. 

  

After all, school is just one part of your child’s upbringing, and it should link with all other factors. If the home is where they will live, learn, and play, you must set the right boundaries. Once again, it will take months to get things looking and feeling homely. Nonetheless, you must look to get the basic foundations in place at the earliest stage. 

Image Credit

Your child’s happiness and development will always be the priority. However, it’s important to know that you are preparing them for the future in the best fashion. You should visit A2Z Home School to learn more about the homeschooling requirements of your state. Not only will this promote the right type of learning, but it will point you in the right direction for tests and examinations. 

  

Children can find it difficult to accept moving home, but they are resilient. Embrace new routines in the most effective fashion. This will encourage happiness and productive learning without any major issues. 

Making Your Mark On The World: How You Can Leave A Lasting Legacy

Image

With each passing day, time passes. Where once we lived a carefree life, we begin to realize the reality of our mortality as we get older. Despite our best efforts with skin creams to appear young, we know we are not going to live forever. Sorry, but it’s true. Then we start to take stock of our lives, and a possible mid-life crisis kicks in (if it hasn’t already), and common questions arise. What have I done with my life? Have I been the best I can be? What will I be remembered for when I’ve gone? All good questions and only you can answer them. 

So, here is the crux of the article. What legacy are you leaving behind? We aren’t talking about legacy trusts and will making, though practically this is important. You don’t want your beneficiaries going through probate litigation when you’ve gone. Rather, we are referring to a non-material legacy, where your actions on earth leave a lasting impression. How will people remember you? Will it be for good or bad? We’re betting you’re hoping for the former. So what can you do now to ensure your legacy is a positive one? Here are some ideas.

Create positive memories. Despite your business, you don’t want lasting memories to be about somebody who was barely around when they were alive. Make time for the important people in your life, take holidays together, share stories, have fun. It is often the small moments that create the best memories. Something you have said to make somebody smile. An encouraging word to offer support. These are the things that will be remembered.

Impart positive values. As a good person, there are bound to be values and ideals that you hold close to your heart. Whether they are faith-related or not, you have the power to share a positive message with those near to you. Considering the conflicting viewpoints imposed upon your children at school and your friends at work, they may not receive the moral framework that only you can provide. Therefore, without being heavy-handed, impose good values on to those you come into contact with.

Erase bad memories. If you’re afraid you are going to leave a bad legacy behind, make your amends before it is too late. If you have hurt somebody in the past, make every effort to apologise to them, or change your behavior as you go forward in your relationships. Be somebody that people will talk about with enthusiasm and love, and not in hushed whispers about how unpleasant you were.

Be charitable. You can’t bring about world peace (that would be an amazing legacy), but you can make the world better in your corner of the world. Change one person’s life, and your legacy will roll over as they take the baton and follow your good deed. So, consider volunteering with a charity near you. It may be a homeless shelter, food bank, breakfast club, or a church mission. You can’t save the world, but you do have the power to change individual’s lives for the better.

Finally, leaving a legacy is about being remembered for the good person you were, as well as leaving a positive impact on others that they will take forward into the world. Chances are, you have already made steps to ensure this happens. If not, don’t put off till tomorrow when you can do something to make a difference today. Thanks for reading.

There's No Excuse For You And Your Family To Be Bored!

How often do you hear your kids say the phrase, "I'm bored"? There's a good chance that it's pretty often. Do you often find that your response is something along the line of "go and do something fun then!"? Well, here's another question. How often do you find yourself feeling bored? How often do you find yourself with a bit of free time and it just feels like you're sitting around letting it all go to waste? 

The truth is that we all get bored from time to time. Both kids and parents have those moments where they can't think of what they want to do, but they know that sitting around is a waste of their time. Well, here's one piece of information that everyone on earth could do with learning: you have no excuse for being bored. It's the 21st Century! There are more things to do than ever before! There might have been a time when you were literally left with nothing to do, but those days are long gone! If you find yourself feeling bored and frustrated then here's a list of things that you can do to make sure that you've always got something fun and interesting to do as a family.

Create a dedicated fun space

Image Source

One of the things that a lot of people struggle with, especially families, is having a space where they can actually spend their leisure time and have fun. After all, keeping a home clean and tidy is hard enough without having to think about clearing away huge piles of toys, lego, video games, and whatever else ends up all over the place after a fun day at home. That's why it's often so great to have a room dedicated to having fun. For some people, that might be a spare room that they never really use for anything other than storing away boxes, and for others, it might simply be their living room. Being able to set up a room with a TV, a bean bag chair, a table for crafts, and a space for kids, and adults, to play in can be fantastic. Then, if you don't have the energy to tidy things away, then you can leave it all in the playroom without sacrificing the comfort of the rest of your home.

Get out into the world

If you and your family are sitting around at the house, feeling bored, then get out of the house already! There's a whole amazing world out there, and it's just waiting for you to get out there and discover it. A lot of people have this misguided assumption that you need money to be able to get out into the world and do stuff. And sure, theme parks, swimming pools, museums, and movie theaters all cost money, but those aren't the only things that you can do. Why not just head out into the woods and get lost together. There's something wonderfully enjoyable about getting to experience the wilderness as a family, and you're almost certain to come across some fascinating wildlife.

Try new things

Image Source

It's far too common to end up getting stuck doing the same old things, again and again, every day. Sure, you've all got school and work to do, but that doesn't mean that you have to do the same during your free time! There are always new things to discover. Whether it's a new place that you've never been to before or a new activity that you've never tried. Whatever it is, there's nothing wrong with getting out there and attempting something new. Sure, you might not be great at whatever you try right away, but it's always better to try new things that to stick to the same old stuff day after day no matter what. And the things you try don't even need to be a challenge. Even something as simple as trying new meals out at dinner time can be a great way to spice up an average day for you and your family.

Be creative

There are few things that can get rid of boredom and pass the time faster than creating something. It doesn't matter what it is either. It could be drawing, painting, writing, singing, dancing, sculpting, or anything else that your mind can come up with. Not only that but anyone can do it. You don't have to be a master to be able to try your hand at something creative, and it's something the whole family can get involved in. You can all crowd around the table and paint pictures together; you can sing songs and play instruments together. No matter what it is, there's almost certainly a way to make it into a creative activity that the entire family can get involved in at once.

Do something unexpected

Image Source

Is there anything that you're not comfortable doing? Anything that you've always wanted to try but have been scared to? Well, why not take control of those feelings and do them! Think about the kinds of things that you've always wanted to try. There's a good chance that they will actually end up being a lot less scary than you might have thought. Sure, things like skydiving and bungee jumping aren't exactly what you would call "family activities, " but they certainly offer a chance for you to try something exciting and your kids will almost certainly love to see you jump out of a plane! And sure, you're probably going to end up feeling pretty scared. But hey, being scared is at least more interesting than being bored. After all, taking risks is one of the ways that we grow as people. Being able to show your kids that fear doesn't need to hold them back is one of the very best ways to make sure that you're helping them to grow into responsible, well-rounded adults.

Find the fun

There are always going to be things that you have to do on a day to day basis that aren't exactly what most people would call fun. However, the doesn't mean that there isn't at least some way that you can create some fun out of those activities. Sure, no one really likes having to do chores. But why not make a game out of it? Why not have your kids race to see who can clean their room the fastest? Little touches like that can turn even the most boring job in the world into something a lot more fun and exciting. The other thing that you can do is get the kids involved in the kinds of things that they might not normally do. WHy not set the kitchen up as a space where the whole family can get involved with cooking the meals? That way, not only will your kids feel a great sense of responsibility but they'll have a much closer connection to the food that they're eating at meal times.

Forget structure

Image Source

One mistake that parents make all the time is that they try to impose way too much structure on the things that their kids are doing. The issue here is that if you're trying to force fun into too rigid a frame, it's just not going to be fun anymore. So instead, try to embrace a little bit more spontaneity. If your kids want to run around in nature, then that's great! But if they'd rather spend their time indoors doing some crafting then there's no reason why you shouldn't be happy changing directions and doing that instead. If you focus too much on making sure that you're meeting schedules and following a plan, then you're just going to end up getting stressed for no good reason.

Embrace the simple things

Of course, it's foolish to think that the only things that you can do to avoid being bored are the big exciting things. In reality, there's nothing wrong with embracing the simple things as well. Something like a family movie night under a blanket with a big bowl of popcorn can be one of the very best ways to spend an evening with your family. The same goes for a day where you and the kids sit around playing games and building things out of Lego. Just because you're not on some kind of grand adventure doesn't mean that you're not able to have a lot of fun together.

One of the main reasons that a lot of people end up feeling bored is that they want to do something, but they aren't actually willing in to put in the effort required. The truth is that sometimes, it does take a little bit of effort to get up and do something fun. But you're almost always going to end up feeling far better for it in the long run. It might sound a little bit harsh, but the reality is that the old saying is still very true: you're not bored, you're boring.

How to Raise Your Child to Be a Responsible Adult

Flickr

We all want our children to have fun, free, and joyful childhoods. At the same time, though, we also want to do our part to plant the seeds for them to one day become responsible adults.

Here are some tips for raising your kids to respond wisely to whatever the world throws at them.

Give them a piggy bank and teach them that money doesn’t grow on trees

Money is one of the greatest areas of potential distress and tension in the lives of all adults, and it’s essential that you give your child some good principles for how to deal with it while they’re still young.

One of the best tips for instilling this kind of financial good-sense in your child is to get them a piggy bank and give them an allowance. The next step is to supervise how they handle their money, and discuss with them how they’d like to spend it.

You’ll notice that they quickly begin to realise that money is finite, and that spending and saving must be managed in a sensible manner lest they find themselves with nothing.

Ideally your child will grow up to be debt-free and fiscally responsible. If they do ever need to take out a loan, try ensure that they’re cautious enough that it will be from a reputable company like signature.loan, rather than the local loan shark firm.

Make them stick with their hobbies for at least a few months

Children are often taken by sudden flights of fancy and fall from one interest or hobby to another at the drop of a hat. Likely they’ll approach you on a regular basis to ask about joining a new sports team, or trying out a painting class, or learning guitar, or something similar.

While you should, by all means, support your child’s exploration of different hobbies, you should also teach them the importance of sticking with a thing and being thoughtful about their choices.

One easy way of doing this is by making your child stick with any hobby they’ve picked up for at least a few months, even if they quickly let you know that they’re no longer interested any more.

Give them opportunities to be independent

While you should always be there for your child when they need you, you also need to get started on letting them practice autonomy and independence from an early age.

This doesn’t mean that you don’t help them with their homework, or that you expect them to cook their own dinner and put themselves to bed. It does, however, mean that you have certain chores and expectations for them which they need to adhere to.

A good example could be having them make their bed each morning, or clean up their room once a week.

Raise them in a loving and nurturing environment

What every child needs most of all is to be raised in a loving and nurturing environment. 

Children who are given the love and understanding their need are much better placed to be emotionally healthy, resilient adults when the time comes. This, of course, means that they’re also more likely to be responsible in their grown-up dealings.

Why College Isn't Always Fun And Games

Pexels

It's a very common idea that college is the place where you'll discover yourself and grow into the person that you are supposed to be. Now, this would be ideal, but it doesn't always plan out the way you might want it to. Sometimes things get in the way and distract you from the experience you were hoping for. Here are some examples, along with how you can manage the issues.

Exams

Believe it or not, but it's not actually the exam itself that is what's scary - it's the build up. Students take on so much pressure from this, by teachers, parents, and other students - even if it's not their intention, that's just what happens. No matter how hard you study and cram in sessions at stupid o'clock at night, you will probably never feel truly prepared, and that's completely normal. - You can find studying techniques on https://thinkeracademy.com.

It's important to remember that you can only do your best, and as long as you're paying attention in class, and doing all the necessary homework, there is no reason you shouldn't pass. And if for any reason you don't - don't beat yourself up, just learn from it. Evaluate the situation and look how you can improve it for next time so you get the outcome that you had hoped for initially.

Financial

It can be very hard to manage your finances when you're in school because it can get really expensive. Although your living situation might not be costing you a lot, the actual schooling and supplies do, and that's just not something that you can avoid, unfortunately. But because of this, a lot of students end up in debt, and unable to do anything about it because they can't even afford to buy groceries, let alone pay off monthly amounts to keep themselves from drowning in debt! 

One thing that can really help with this is consolidation, like https://consolidatestudent.loan/ explains. Consolidating a debt means that you are given another loan, but it's so that you can pay off all of your other outstanding credits. That way, the only thing left to pay is this one final loan. 

Relationships

Whether they're friendships or romantic ones, you are bound to have a lot of them, and while this is a good thing, they can sometimes be a toxic distraction to what your goals are. College is a time for experiences and playing with the new found freedom you have - that's what makes it so exciting. But that doesn't mean that you should let it lead you away from what you came there to do.

People will argue, fall out, and talk behind your back. It's unfortunate - but it happens. It's your job to not let any of it get to you. Building relationships are awesome, but they're not the only thing that is keeping you going - you're doing that all by yourself. Don't ever think that you need someone else in order to succeed, because you don't. You're smart enough, kind enough and funny enough to make your dreams come true, all by yourself.