Category: Parenting

Kids Are Stressed Too: 5 Huge Sources Of Stress For Your Little Ones

Posted on by lauranau17

From Pixabay

Although it can be difficult to believe, just like us grownups, kids get stressed. We tend to view our children as relatively carefree little people. After all, they don’t have to pay the bills, clean the house, or go to work every day.

However, that doesn’t mean that they have no worries at all. It just shows that theirs are a bit different. Unfortunately, if you ignore those problems, they can be just as damaging as yours. With that in mind, here are five huge sources of stress for your kids.

High Academic Pressures

Your children may not have jobs, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t work. School can cause your little ones just as much stress as your nine to five does you. Although some kids, of course, worry a lot less than others, yours might spend hours on homework and revision each night.

As important as it is for your children to keep their grades up, you must teach them the importance of taking care of themselves. Eating healthy, sleeping plenty, and having fun are all vital too.

Lack Of Sleep

There are many reasons why your kids might not be getting enough sleep each night. Perhaps they stay up late on their consoles or eat lots of sugar in the afternoon. Some might even be kept awake by their new sibling or the uncomfortable bed that they sleep on.

Whatever the reason, you must identify it and combat it. After all, your little one is going to struggle to function properly if they’re not getting adequate rest. You should also set a bedtime and try to stick to it each night.

Conflict Between Parents

Most parents believe that the best thing for their children is for them to stay together. If you and your partner are always fighting, however, this may not be the case. Although divorce is certainly difficult for kids, it’s much easier to deal with than constant conflict. This means that, if you and your partner can’t settle your differences, you should consider contacting a divorce attorney. Try to remain civil throughout and after the divorce, or you’ll just make it harder on the children.

Moving Somewhere New

Children, especially younger ones, thrive with routine and structure. Although they adapt well to change, eventually, they may struggle with it at first. Therefore, a big change, like moving house, for example, can be quite tough on them. To make this transition easier, you should let your kids know that you’re moving as soon as you can. This gives them plenty of time to get used to the idea. You should also help them to say goodbye to the loved ones that you’re leaving behind.

Loved One’s Passing

No one wants to lose somebody that they love, least of all children. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a friend, relative, or a beloved pet, the passing of a loved one can be a confusing experience for your kids. They are sure to have questions, and you aren’t going to have all of the answers. All that you can do is be honest and be there for them when they need you. They may be worried that they’ll lose you too, so comforting them should assure them that they won’t.

Kids Get Stressed Too

As difficult as it is to admit, your kids get stressed too. When we know how to cope with stressors, we can help them do the same.

The Ultimate New Mom Guide: How To Take Care Of You & Your Baby After Pregnancy

Posted on by lauranau17
The ultimate new mom guide How To Take Care Of You & Your Baby After Pregnancy
White and Brown Bear Plush Toy

[image: https://www.pexels.com/photo/white-and-brown-bear-plush-toy-1799399/]

Do you have a baby on the way? If so, odds are good you’re taking steps now to address their needs later.

Make sure you’re also preparing to address your own needs! Being a new mother may be a joyful experience, but it can also be draining. You’ll take much better care of your child if you’re also prepared to take care of yourself.

This new mom guide will help. Keep them in mind to ensure both you and your baby enjoy a healthy and happy postpartum experience.

Stock up on Essential Items

You know how important it is to buy certain items before having a child. That’s what a baby shower is for, after all. However, it’s easy to overlook items that are designed to address your postpartum needs. Don’t forget to include them on your shopping list!

A breast pump is one item all new moms should have. With a breast pump, you have the option to set a feeding schedule that fits your lifestyle, and you can store milk for later.

This helps you avoid the kind of sleep-deprivation many new mothers often experience. When you have a supply of milk stored in your home, you won’t be the only one who can handle feedings when your baby is hungry in the middle of the night.

You should also make sure you have a durable, large water bottle you can bring with you throughout your day. Staying hydrated is essential when you’re breastfeeding.

Worried about health and comfort issues, such as vaginal discharge and breastfeeding-related discomfort? Stock up on sanitary pads and natural nipple cream.

Update Your Wardrobe

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that your wardrobe will change after you give birth. Staying comfortable after having a baby is easier with flattering and comfortable clothing, like shaping leggings.

These are different than supporting tanks and other shapewear you may already own, but postpartum compression garments are must-haves for new moms. They help reduce lower body swelling, and they can stabilize your core. This results in an easier recovery period.

Prepare for Emotional Changes

You may experience a range of intense emotions after having a child. This is natural. That said, if you’re not ready for them, you could end up feeling guilty about your own emotional needs.

Don’t let this happen. Take the time to research what you can expect AFTER you’re expecting. Discuss the topic with other women you know who’ve already had children. Let important people in your life know there will be times during the postpartum experience when you’ll need to be able to express your feelings without being judged.

By learning what to expect and forming a support system ahead of time, you’ll be less bothered by your own natural emotions as you tend to your new baby’s needs.

Plan a Routine

Again, when you take care of yourself, you’re more equipped to take care of your baby. That’s why self-care needs to be a priority.

You’re more likely to prioritize self-care if you create a routine. That involves planning your diet, identifying self-care activities you can participate in as a new mother, and setting aside a quiet area within your home where you can spend some time relaxing.

Use this space to reprogram any negative self-talk that may prevent you from addressing your own needs. As a new mother, you may feel as though you’re under a lot of pressure to be superhuman. Taking a few moments every day to remind yourself nobody is superhuman is important. It’s also easier when you have a relaxing environment in which to do it.

Welcome to Mommyhood with this New Mom Guide

The joys of motherhood are real. However, so are the stresses. They’ll be much less likely to take a toll on your mental, emotional, and physical health if you plan accordingly. Use this new mom guide to help you along your new journey!

Everything Parents Should Know About Head Lice

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Everything Parents Should Know About Head Lice

If you have children, it’s likely you’ve heard about head lice.  This is one of my fears of the grade school years! They are extremely common in young children. Contrary to popular belief, head lice have absolutely nothing to do with cleanliness and hygiene.

Head lice are small, wingless, bloodsucking insects that live on the scalp and feed on blood from this area. An adult louse is about the size of a sesame seed. Their eggs are referred to as nits and these are extremely small, like a flake of dandruff. If you find that your child has head lice, it’s important to tackle the situation as quickly as possible. Here’s a little more information on the subject to help you to achieve this.

Identifying Head Lice

If your child is regularly scratching their head, complaining of itchiness, or claiming that it feels like their hair is moving, they may have head lice. You can determine this by combing through their hair and actually looking out for the lice and their eggs.

Removing Head Lice

If you find that your children do have head lice, it’s important to take action as quickly as possible. Lice Removal is a relatively complex process and may take a little time. The first method that you could try out is wet combing. Wash and condition your child’s hair and use a “detection comb”, which is a specialist fine-toothed comb, while the conditioner is still in their hair. Comb from the roots to the ends every few days for a couple of weeks.

Another option that you could try out is using medicated lotions or sprays. These will kill the headlice. Use the detection comb to remove dead lice and eggs.

Preventing Head Lice

Unfortunately, there is very little that you can do to prevent your children from picking up head lice. Medicated preventative scalp sprays are on the market. However, they really aren’t that effective.  The only thing that you can do is to discourage your child from playing with other children’s hair and from putting their heads close to other children’s heads.

What to Know About Head Lice

Hopefully, this information will help you to deal with head lice as best possible if your children happen to bring them home from school! You should be safe and knowledgeable about head lice, rather than be caught off guard. Here’s hoping for a bugless childhood!

Why Sam’s Club Rocks (plus a giveaway!)

Posted on by lauranau17

why sam's club rocks

Chances are you’ve heard of Sam’s Club. I’ve actually been a fan basically my entire life. I remember going with my mom when I was a little girl and thinking it was so fantastic. As a mom, I have an entirely new appreciation for the large store. Sam’s Club is a great place to go for bulk items, great deals, and even new tires. What?! But seriously, you can get crazy big boxes of diapers and wipes at a great price. (This can eliminate the late night store runs when you run out.)

I also love the bakery department. Check out this gorgeous cake we got the twins for their birthday this year! Gorgeous and DELICIOUS!

What Is Sam’s Club?

So, what is Sam’s Club? Sam’s Club is a chain of retail warehouse clubs that are “member only”. This means that not just anyone can walk in and shop. You must have a membership. You can get great values on so many things.

  • TVs
  • Food
  • Clothing
  • Prescriptions
  • Electronics
  • Auto/Tire
  • Mattresses/Furniture

You name it, you can probably find it here and at a great value. You can now shop in-store and online, so it’s even more convenient in case there isn’t an actual location near you. You can still get a membership and enjoy all the perks by shopping online and having it delivered to your door.

What’s So Great About a Sam’s Club Membership?

So what’s so special about having a club membership? Becoming a Sam’s Club member has so many benefits for everyone.

Benefits of Being a Sam’s Club Member:

  • Warehouse Prices: Get all your bulk items, top brands and more for less.
  • Exclusive Instant Savings Offers: Enjoy extra offers on top of already low members-only prices.
  • Guaranteed Value: Love your membership or your current yearly fee will be refunded in full.
  • Faster, Easier Shopping: Ship the checkout lines with Scan & Go, order ahead with Club Pickup or shop on the go with the Sam’s Club app.
  • Remarkable Quality: Find a large selection of fresh and organic produce, USDA choice meats and fresh-baked goods.

Perks for New Moms:

  • Everyday low prices on everything needed for babies & toddlers, including diapers, food, toys, and gear.
  • Convenient options like Scan & Go, Club Pickup and a subscription service to make getting all of the essentials as quickly and simply as possible.
  • Check out the awesome Baby & Toddler selection that Sam’s Club offers!

Sign up for your Sam’s Club Membership here and enjoy all the perks and offers available to new members!

Why Sam’s Club + Giveaway!

Now you clearly know why Sam’s Club rocks! Now, for the giveaway! Don’t forget to enter here for your chance to win 1 of 25 $100 Sam’s Club Gift of Membership Gift Cards! Good luck! I also highly encourage you to join the #NewMomsLoveSams Twitter party for a chance to win $1500 in prizes (the party is 11/6/18). The RSVP page can be found here.

The Importance of New Experiences to Growing Children

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The Importance of New Experiences to Growing Children (1)

When you have growing children, you need to realize the importance of exposing them to new experiences and ideas as they learn and develop. This is one of those things that are important in different ways, and you can’t afford to ignore it. Every parent wants to do the best by their children, and this should always include exposing them to new things. Here’s why this is something that’s really important.

It’s All About Discovering and Learning

When kids have the chance to discover what the world around them is all about, they become more aware of their surroundings and gradually become better informed. This is important because they will slowly need to become more independent in life, and this is certainly part of that whole process. It doesn’t matter how young they are; this process starts right away because they’re always learning and gathering new information about the world.

They Allow Them to Develop New Relationships

When kids are put in new situations, they have a chance to meet new people and develop new relationships. This most basic example of this is when they start school. Not only will they have the chance to make new friends in the classroom, but they’ll develop relationships with teachers do. This is an important part of socializing and growing up. It’s a process that every child needs to go through.

They’ll Find Skills and Interests

Your child only finds out what they enjoy and what skills they have by trying new thing. If they’re never exposed to new hobbies, new sports and other activities they haven’t tried before, they will never learn whether or not they’re good at these things or whether they enjoy doing them, and that would be a real shame. At this age, they should be trying as many new things as they possibly can.

There Are Lots of First Times That’ll Shape Them as They Grow

We’re all shaped by the things we do for the first time. As children, we go through lots of firsts because that’s just the nature of growing up in the world. Whether it’s on an NST school trip or a trip to the shop, your child will see and do things that are new to them a lot and these experiences can often shape who they become as they grow up. Most of them won’t, but many will.

We Can’t Put Them in Bubbles

As a parent, you might be a little tempted to put your kids in bubbles and protect them from the world. Although that’s certainly an understandable impulse, it’s certainly not one that will help your children to grow and blossom as adults in life. They need to be given the chance to have new experiences so that they can find themselves and become well-rounded individuals as they grow up.

Our Growing Children Need New Experiences

New experiences help your growing children thrive. Don’t hold them back or stop them from being exposed to new things when they’re young. It could really help them to grow as people and discover more about themselves at the same time too.

Prepare Your Family for a Fun and Fulfilled Future

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Prep Your Family for a Fun and Fulfilled Future

When you think about your family, a warm fuzzy feeling buzzes inside of you. There isn’t anything you wouldn’t do to help them out or make them feel happy. You want to make sure that you are setting up your family with the best possible start in life, from money management to guidance and advice in tricky situations. There is no handbook to being a good parent, husband, wife or sibling, but you can follow some of these useful pointers to prep for your family’s future.

Financial Security

You never want your family to be in trouble or despair over money or finances, which is why it is so important to get prepared with your end of life plan. It isn’t the happiest of topics to think about, but if you follow this link https://www.dicksonlegal.com/seattle/probate-law-attorneys/, you will be greeted by professionals who can guide you through the process. You can decide now how you want your estate and finances to be managed when you are gone and have the confidence to know that your loved ones will be provided for.

A Good Education

Providing your children with the best possible education is the best head start they will ever get in life. With a good educational background, they will be able to achieve anything they want to. Whether they aspire to be a doctor, firefighter, teacher or engineer, their schooling will set the foundations for their future. Teach them that education is extremely important so that they maintain a good work ethic throughout their lives. You want your kids to be employable and hard-working people in the future, so this is the best place to start.

Strong Morals

By no means do you need to pass on all of your morals to your children; it is completely up to them what they choose to believe in. However, you can set a good example for them and guide them along the correct paths in life. Teach them kindness, compassion, and loyalty; these are all morals that everybody can apply to their everyday lives no matter how young or old they are. You’ll be raising happy, friendly children if you show them how to behave and keep their morals in check at all times.

Advice and Guidance

It is your job to provide your children with the best advice, no matter how tricky the subject matter is. Sometimes you might not even know the answer yourself. But you can be sure that your instincts will show you the way. If your children come to you for advice or guidance, feel lucky that they admire your opinion and want your help. Tell them about your life experiences and they will soon learn from that; allow them to make their own mistakes too, because this will help them to grow and become a better person.

Prep for Your Family’s Future

As long as you are providing your family with unconditional love at all times, showing them how to have good morals and teaching them the value of a good education, you’ll be set up for a happy future together. When you prep for your family’s future now, you are setting you all up for success.

 

Be Prepared: Emergency Care for Children

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Be Prepared_ Emergency Care for Children

You take your eyes off your children for one second, they could be doing anything. Unfortunately, toddlers are not predictable. They don’t know any better. Even if you tell them don’t they will still try their luck when you turn your back. It seems sometimes when children grow up they choose to do things that force them to learn the hard way. It’s not a case of if, but when this will happen and cause them harm. As parents, we can’t shrug and say what will be will be. It’s our responsibility to prepare for the time when we need to guard them against themselves. Here’s how to always be prepared for the things they shouldn’t be doing.

Learn the Basics

Every single parent should be learning the basics of immediate urgent care. This means going to classes that teach you CPR.  If something bad happens, you need to know what to look for if your child isn’t breathing. Seek out classes or a company that can direct you to accredited experts in the urgent emergency care field.

In the class, you’ll learn how to spot changing tone in someone’s complexion when they’re having trouble breathing and getting a fresh supply of oxygen. Most importantly, you’ll learn how to deal with this situation. They’ll train you on physically resuscitating a small child, using the correct techniques for the right situation. The more you are comfortable with the process of urgent care, the less panic will set in if and when the time comes.

On a Hiking Trip

Taking children on trips through the mountains is great for a number of reasons. For one they learn about their own country, the landscape and how beautiful nature can be. Secondly, the see a different way of life. Being in the wilderness away from the concrete jungles lets little ones see things differently.

Aside from learning emergency care, you need to be sure that you’re never too far from real professional care. Check out the air evac locations nearby, and see if they could fly to your destination if you need them. If your child slips and falls, breaking a leg or hitting their head on rocks while crossing a river, you can call them to quickly come to your exact location and airlift your loved one to the nearest hospital.

Just knowing that you’re never too far from doctors and surgeons that could save your life, puts your mind at ease while you go camping and hiking with your children.

Emergency Care for Children

Being a parent is such an amazing experience that comes with a lot of responsibility. We need to be prepared for just about any scenario that could happen. Every parent should learn basic emergency care for children such as CPR in case something horrible involving respiration happens. It’s always better to be safe and prepared so you can enjoy making amazing family memories.

Want more parenting tips? Check out this post on being a helicopter parent.

 

Health Advice For Mothers And Their Babies

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Health Advice For Mothers And Their Babies

The hardest thing about being a mother is trying to get your head around all the advice you’re given from every direction. Especially when a lot of the advice you hear seems to contradict other pieces of advice you’ve heard. That’s why we’re going to keep things simple in this article. Check out some health advice for new moms and babies!

Quality Time

Plunging into motherhood can be an overwhelming experience, but you’re more equipped to bring up this child than you realize. There are so many people out there who will tell you what you should and shouldn’t do, but there are only a few universal rules when it comes to bringing up a child. The rest depends on every individual baby and their mother. You’ll know best, but you have to give it time. That’s why it’s important to spend as much time as possible with your baby so that you can understand their emotions. This will help you synchronize with each other. In turn, that’ll keep you and your baby happy. It’s crucial in terms of mental health.

Stay Active

Another important piece of health advice is to stay physically active. This applies to all people of all ages, obviously, but it’s particularly important for a new baby whilst they’re growing (and a mother who might be focusing more on her baby’s health than her own). Going for a stroll in your local park is a good way to stay physically healthy and teach your baby about things out in the open world. Of course, whilst walking is a great form of exercise for you and it’s good for your baby to experience new things, you might also want to consider some forms of exercise that directly involve your child. You could try out baby swim classes if you want to get your baby exercising frequently. It’ll teach them a new skill, and it’s a chance for both of you to socialize with people.

Get Some Sleep

Healthy habits are important for everyone, but it’s particularly important to get into the habit of sleeping well if you want to look after you and your baby. Babies have a need for structure, even if they’re growing and changing all the time. They might wake up constantly when you put them to bed, but you still need to stick to a consistent bedtime schedule. That consistency is crucial to their development. As for your own sleeping pattern, you need to make sure you’re resting as much as possible. Your health is essential to your baby’s health.

If you’re not getting as much sleep as you should be during the night then that’s understandable. Babies cry (a lot). Perhaps a friend or family member could stop by during the day so you could catch a power nap. You could even nap at the same time as your baby so that you both wake up feeling rested. (Yes, I know how incredibly difficult this is, but at least give it a shot!) Remember, your health is just as important as the health of your little one.

Health Advice for New Moms (and Babies)

Looking out for your health and your baby is so important. It’s easy to become overwhelmed with all the well meaning advice but the most important thing is to follow your motherly instinct. This health advice for new moms can definitely make a difference in those early months with your new bundle of joy.

 

Finding the Best Car for Your Family

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Finding the Best Car for Your Family

I’m not a van mom. I know. I know. I’ve heard they are incredible. My husband likes them, but I love my SUV. When he brought my current car home to me, I fell in love with all that it offers and knew it was a great fit for our family. Finding the right family car for your family is super important.

Buying a car is an experience that changes depending on what stage in your life you are at. Unfortunately, if you are at the stage where you have children, buying a car becomes more about choosing something practical as opposed to buying something sporty and stylish. With that being said, read on to discover some useful tips when buying a car that is suitable for the family.

What’s Your Budget?

There is only one place to begin, and this is with the funds that you have available to spend on a new car. The best thing to do is sit down and work out how much you can comfortably afford. This is especially the case if you are taking out a loan to fund the vehicle. Nowadays, you can even get bad credit car finance if you have a poor credit rating, so this may be something you need to consider if that applies to you. Either way, make sure you can afford the monthly repayments so that you do not end up in a difficult financial position.

Does the Vehicle Meet Your Storage Needs?

Do not only look at the size of the car itself, but also consider the storage within the cabin too. Consider grocery hauls, stroller storage, luggage for road trips. Will there be room for these things or will you need to use an exterior storage rack?

Safety First!

 Safety is of paramount importance when it comes to buying a car for the family. Luckily, it is easy to find out how safe a car is today. This is because you can check out star ratings for safety at Euro NCAP, which is the industry standard body. All cars are rated out of five stars, making it easy for you to find the safest models.

Entertainment Options for the Kiddos

Do you plan on taking lots of road trips and long journeys as a family? If so, we all know how bored children can get. This is why it is a good idea to look at the entertainment options when you are choosing a car. Rear DVD players have become a popular option for family cars.

What’s Your Future Look Like?

Finally, when buying a car for your family, it is easy to only consider the here and now, but you need to think about the next few years too. After all, this will help you to determine what is going to be important to you and what isn’t, for example, you may want to prioritize more boot space over lots of rear legroom.

Picking the Family Car that Fits Your Family

While buying a family car may not be as fun as buying a car for your retirement days, there’s no denying that this purchase is something that is going to bring plenty of joy to you and your children’s lives, enabling you to create memories and go on fun adventures together. Do you currently have the family car that fits your family? What’s your dream family car?

What To Know Before Getting A Family Dog

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What To Know Before Getting A Family Dog

A couple of our kiddos have been asking for a dog. My husband and I have decided that we will wait until they are older before we get one. I’m not ready to take on that responsibility and they don’t understand everything that comes along with getting a pet. We’re just not ready for a dog.

Virtually all families consider the idea of getting a dog at one stage or another. And there’s no doubt the unconditional love can enhance your world in many ways. Unfortunately, it’s not quite as simple as finding a cute pooch and taking it home. If it were, we’d all have one.

Getting a dog is a serious life decision, which is why you need to consider all aspects. Here are three realities that must be taken into account before making a final choice.

Dogs Are A Big Responsibility

While many pets ranging from fish to cats don’t require much work, a dog does. Leaving the pooch trapped inside the home on a daily basis while the family complete their tasks isn’t fair. Frankly, if you don’t have the time for a dog, another pet may be better.

Aside from time, dogs require nutrition, exercise, and stimulation. This article will show you the importance of making the right food choices. Meanwhile, a mixture of new walks and favorite routes will aid the dog’s physical and mental health.

 Having affection for the dog is the easy part. If you don’t have the time or resources to provide everything else it needs, a little honesty is vital.

Dogs Are Expensive

Dogs are amazing creatures, but taking care of them does cost a lot of money. You’ll have to consider their food, toys, grooming tools, and safety features. Meanwhile, vet bills aren’t cheap, which is why pet insurance is vital too.

If you have the financial resources to own a dog, that’s great. If money is tight, though, this decision can make things worse. Aside from changing your situation, it may stop you from teaching kids financial responsibility. This is a major problem.

Families that take a lot of vacations will want to consider kennel bills too. They may not impact your decision, but knowing about the financial impacts is crucial either way.

Dogs Aren’t For Everyone

Most people love dogs, but not everyone does. First and foremost, parents should know whether their kids are frightened of pooches. Likewise, it’s important that you consider potential allergies that could be triggered by having dog hair around the home.

Dogs are a full-time commitment, so it’s not enough to simply love them. This article on dog walking services is just one example of how you can still enjoy the benefits of having a dog in your life in short bursts. Sometimes, those temporary solutions are the ideal solution due to life situations.

 Likewise, parents that dislike dogs shouldn’t get one just because the kids love them. After all, it’s the adults that will be required to take major responsibility.

Are You Really Ready For A Dog?

Under the right circumstances, a dog can be the perfect addition to the family environment. Personal preferences and life situations can dictate otherwise, though, and that’s totally fine. Taking those key considerations into account can confirm your decision one way or the other. Ultimately, the right choice is whichever option works best for your family. If you’re not ready for a dog, wait!