admin, Author at 3 Kids and Us

Boys’ pyjamas sizes explained

August 2, 2020 by admin

The how-to guide for picking the right size for boys’ pyjamas. What you should look out for when purchasing your boy’s nighttime clothing. Here are some pointers to help you will tick all the boxes, from the eczema-free item to a pyjama drawer full of various styles for your little one to try out.

Long before your little cub throws his first pyjama party, he’ll have set ideas on what to wear to bed. Your job is to offer a few sets of fitting nightwear. Sounds easy, right? It will be, with just a little bit of extra thought. Think comfy, safe and practical. What you don’t want is to put your son through a contortionist act each night to get his pj’s on. These few tips will help make bed time a snug wind-down moment he’ll cherish.

Growth chart

The contents of his wardrobe may not rotate as quickly as when he was a newborn, but still. You will have to keep his growth curve in mind for pyjamas too.

Read the care label for an age guide and an indication of the exact size in centimeters. Then match the garment to your child’s actual height.

From the UK-World Health Organisation chart you’ll see that boys typically grow between 5 and 10cm each year. If your bambino is a couple of centimeters under the size indicated, it’s best to choose the next size up. This is so the pyjamas still fit by the time you have them washed and ready! If however you realise the item is way too big when you get home, don’t hesitate to exchange it for a tighter fit.

If that sits nice without gaping at the ankles or squeezing the forearms in, you can safely grab a couple more for handiness.

Shrinkage

Say you are hesitating between a 110cm and a 116cm boys short-sleeved pyjama and fitted pyjama bottoms. The size indicated should take into account the shrinkage of the fabric after wash. Therefore even a cotton fabric in 110cm will fit your 107cm four-year-old. And that’s despite cotton shrinking more than polyester fibre.

The pitfall of too large a piece is that your child’s movements during his sleep will swish the fabric around and over his delicate skin. This can quickly lead to rashes. Any mum of an eczema-prone bambino will thank tight-fitting nightwear for cosy, itch-free nights.

Four seasons

If your little one is quite the sensitive type, it is always best to go with 100% cotton boys’ pyjamas. If you haven’t noticed any reaction to polyester clothes he wears during the day, you can of course opt for this fabric for his nightwear. This will lend extra warmth to the long cold winter nights, as polyester retains body heat. Better still, a mixed fabric garment in polycotton can give you the best of both worlds.

Other than that, you can of course stick with 100% cotton and play with the length of the sleeves and bottoms according to the season. Shorts, tube leggings or a jumpsuit will provide the right warmth at different times of year and will be fun alternatives for your child to change into.

However alluring some prints and offers can be, always keep a close eye on care labels, garment composition, size and finish. Then you can go for several designs and lengths. Your boy’s pyjamas will eventually go through some serious mixing and matching once your mini man decides to run the show. Who said bed time routine was boring?

Sports Are Good For Children—But Injuries Can Happen

August 1, 2020 by admin

A Clear Tradeoff

There are many positive benefits for children involved in sporting events. For one thing, they learn to work toward a goal. For another, they learn how it’s necessary to function as a team to achieve that goal. They learn discipline in the form of regular practice so certain aspects of the sports become ingrained at the subconscious level. This also involves exercise.

With sports like ice hockey, a new skill must be learned just to play the sport—you can’t play ice hockey if you can’t skate, and you can’t ice skate well enough to be a valuable team member unless you practice. Getting the balance right involves “growing” new muscles. You’ve got to have stronger ankles and leg muscles, and you get them through skating.

Image Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/child-soccer-playing-kick-613199/

It may take a whole season for a young child to learn skating well enough they’re able to be a valuable part of the team; that’s one of many reasons it’s good to start children on hockey early if there’s an interest, or you want to see them get good by the time they’re teenagers. But hockey isn’t the only sport which requires those who play it to learn new skills.

Swimming is similar, and many swimming sports exist. Singular sports like biking or hiking, more appropriately athletic activities, also require new skills to be learned. But regardless of the athletic activity your young ones are getting involved with, increased physicality naturally expands the risk of injury. So there’s a clear tradeoff. But as a parent, how do you manage it?

Safeguarding Children And Preserving Positive Sporting Benefits

The benefits of sports events outweigh the potential hazards; but those hazards certainly can’t be ignored. Especially with a sport like ice hockey, between “checking”, the hardness of the ice, general clumsiness, fast-flying pucks, high tempers, and general clumsiness, it’s a greater surprise if young ones sustain no injury whatever, than if they get scuffed up a bit over the regular course of the season.

What makes sense is securing the trustworthy services of a local sports medicine physician. The thing about injuries is, their recovery may require a lot of time or a little; but there are definitely best practices. Sometimes your child will pull a muscle, or dislocate something. While they’re in definite pain, with a slight adjustment they can return to practice.

Image Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/quarterback-american-football-sport-67701/

Other times, a given injury might be at a level where it’s going to take a few months for the young one to recover, and then there will be physical therapy to consider. For such situations, it makes sense to secure the services of a trusted orthopedic surgeon at Ocean County; or wherever you happen to be.

When you’ve got orthopedic or sports medicine options available prior to the start of the season, recovery happens quicker, you get the right medical attention sooner, and you can probably reduce associated costs in either surgery or therapy right off the bat. You’ll know what the doctors charge, and you’ve got time to shop around—if you prepare beforehand.

Your Child’s Sports Experience Benefits Through Preparation

Image Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/heart-health-family-tree-strong-3306996/

So there’s a mild dichotomy to consider here. On the one hand, you want to provide your young ones the best possible opportunities as regards development. Athleticism, new skills, team building, socialization, long-term planning and preparation—sports provide such outcomes in a natural, organic way that’s fun for everyone. But injury potential exists.

You can diminish associated injury impact through acquisition of proper medical professionals from the outset. Doing things this way allows you to shop around for the best medical options, preserving your bank account by helping you avoid the emergency room when possible, while simultaneously setting your children up for success in sports.

Moving House With Your Cat The Stress-Free Way

July 24, 2020 by admin

Most cats develop strong bonds with their environment so house moves can stress them out. If cats could choose, they would prefer to stay put at where they are comfortably settled in. Making the transition as stress-free as possible for your pet cat can have immense benefits, including reducing the risk of anxiety-based house soiling, excessive meowing and crying, hiding, escape attempts and aggression.

While a move is a big change for your feline companion, it is possible to reduce the stress your pet feels. This is a list of things you can do for your cat before the long drive and throughout the move.

Get your cat to get used to traveling in the car – The easiest way to do this is to start going on drives — begin with short trips around the neighbourhood then go a little longer leading up to the move. Ensure that your cat is riding how he will be during the move: either in a harness, carrier or crate.

Introducing the carrier – To get your beloved cat familiar with his carrier, put it somewhere he likes to hang out and open the door. Place a few treats inside to lure him in. After he has ventured into the cage several times for treats, start feeding him in there, slowly moving the food bowl from the door entrance to deeper inside.

On moving day – ensure that your cat is safe and placed in an empty room that will not be disturbed. If this precaution is not taken, your cat would be in danger by getting into open boxes or in the way of movers. It also prevents them from hiding and not being located when the time has come for them to be moved. Also, place their toys, food, water, and bedding in their temporary room for comfort.

At the new home – Upon arrival, confine your feline to just one room until unpacking is completed and the movers have left. Place a sign on the door to ensure that no one lets him escape. Put his bedding, litter tray, food and water in with him to give him some familiarity.

If you are moving interstate and overseas, it’s important to check quarantine regulations long before the trip is planned. The cat may need to spend some time in quarantine or proof of vaccinations may be required.

Cat Transport Services

If you cannot transport your beloved cat to or from a location yourself, this is where cat transportation services can offer their services. However, finding the best cat transport service is not always easy, with a lot of time needing to be spent researching services and requesting quotes individually.

You can book a Shiply cat transportation service and quotes will be sent to you via email. It’s hassle-free and no phone calls are required. All it takes is to fill out a simple online form and the quotes will be emailed to you. There are numerous cat transportation services on Shiply’s platform who are ready to bid on your job, often at up to 75% less than typical rates.

May these tips help your move go smoothly and safely for both you and your beloved pet cat.

Life insurance for parents in post pandemic UK

July 15, 2020 by admin

The last 6 months have seen a great deal of change in the UK; home schooling became the new normal, well known brands shut their doors to the public and we spent days on end never leaving the house.

But more alarming than these changes, we have experienced a huge death toll of over 40,000 in the UK alone due to COVID-19. This unprecedented time has brought human mortality to the forefront of our attention.

This focus on the uncertainty of human life has led even more parents to seek out life insurance to protect the future financial stability of their loved ones should the worst happen to them.

But has the pandemic caused the life insurance industry to change? Should parents be taking additional precautionary steps to ensure their children are fully protected?

Keep reading to find out…

Writing your life insurance policy in trust

Whilst not a new concept, writing your life insurance policy in trust can be a huge advantage to your family if the worst were to happen to you. COVID-19 has caused significant financial strain amongst many families in the UK, making it more important than ever to ensure your loved ones receive the full benefit of a pay out.

The value of your life insurance policy automatically comprises part of your estate. In the UK, this overall value is subject to inheritance tax on anything above £325,000.

Whilst this value may seem a particularly significant amount, a £200,000 life insurance policy combined with a house worth £225,000 would subject your loved ones to £40,000 inheritance tax. And that’s before even taking into account any additional savings or investments you have in place.

Writing your life insurance in trust detaches the value of your policy from your estate, ensuring that your family will receive 100% of the sum assured, as well as reducing the remaining amount subject to inheritance tax.

The process is easy and completely free, and many insurers and brokers (such as Reassured) even provide a service to help you with the process, offering peace of mind that it has been completed accurately.

Pandemic exclusions

The good news is that many existing life insurance policies would not be affected by the recent pandemic, and that the large majority of policyholders would be covered if they were to pass away due to COVID-19.

However, some policies include a ‘pandemic exclusion’. Written into the terms and conditions of a policy, this invalidates cover if cause of death is due to a national or global pandemic. For policies with such exclusion in place, a pay out would be declined if you were to pass away from COVID-19.

The only way to determine whether or not your life protection includes such exclusion, is to review the individual terms and conditions of your cover.

Until recent events, the ‘pandemic exclusion’ has not been widely used within the industry, however, it can be strongly predicted that it will become a much more common occurrence. Therefore, when arranging life insurance cover in post pandemic UK, it is essential to review the terms and conditions of your policy – Especially with the likelihood of a second spike on the cards.

Cost of premiums

The cost of life insurance is calculated based on the likelihood of a claim being made. Insurers take into account a number of factors including age, health and more recently current world affairs. Until now, frequently visiting specific countries across the world could result in you paying higher monthly premiums due the increased risk.

However, COVID-19, whilst showing different rates across the globe, has been very prevalent on UK soil. Therefore, it is likely that arranging life insurance during the heat of the pandemic could result in you securing higher than usual life insurance premium costs.

Personal factors will still be used, meaning that your monthly costs will still be more favourable if a claim is less likely, but pandemic risk will also be taken into account. As a result, it is more important than ever to compare quotes to ensure you receive the best deal.

Conclusion

As we enter a ‘new normal’ many elements within the UK will take some adapting and life insurance is no different. As always, anyone who has some form of dependant in their life is likely to benefit from having life insurance protection in place.

It is essential to be aware of the specific terms and conditions attached to your policy and comparing various cover options to ensure you have the right protection to suit your needs.

8 AMAZING REASONS TO VISIT KUALA LUMPUR

July 8, 2020 by admin

Kuala Lumpur is a tourist destination for many holidaymakers across the world. Malaysia’s capital beams with a myriad attraction site, a multicultural community, and iconic skyscrapers. Cathay Pacific enables travelers to behold the beauty of this sprawling city center.

1. PETRONAS TWIN TOWERS

These two towers are the tallest twin in the world. Built with post-modern architecture style and Islamic designs, the Petronas Twin towers are lined with endless shopping stores, restaurants, and movie theatres. The twin towers receive a plethora of visitors daily. Designed with steel and glass façade, this architectural masterpiece displays Islamic design the predominant religion of Malaysia’s people.

Connecting these twin towers is a sky bridge on the 41^st floor, which is approximately 170 meters off the ground. This provides a scenic view for photography and breathtaking views of Kuala Lumpur city.

On this twin structure is the Observation Deck, where one can enjoy a 360-degree view of Kuala Lumpur’s splendor. Set on the 86^th-floor visitors can exhibit the tower’s history and enjoy digital displays of the twin towers.

2. KLCC PARK

At the feet of the Petronas Twin Towers are Kuala Lumpur’s urban park and upmarket shopping mall popular with tourists. This park was designed to showcase a heritage of tropical greenery to Petrona Twin towers. Suria KLCC Park is a combination of man-made designs such as water features, cement, and shrubs. Its primary influence of this park was biodiversity and conservation. At least 1,900 indigenous trees and 66 species of palms were deliberately selected to attract Malaysia’s local birds.

At the middle of this magnificent park is a man-made Lake Symphony. Two musical fountains display more than 140 unique programmed animations. The magic combination of water, color, and sound gives a beautiful sight to behold. Scattered around the park are various ornamental water features like fountains, cascades, and waterfalls. To the west of the park are a children’s playgroup and a public swimming pool.

3. BUTTERFLY PARK

Kuala Lumpur’s butterfly is the most extensive of its kind in the world. Home to over 5,000 butterflies from 120 species, it stretches an area of 7,500 square meters. Butterflies dance nonchalantly on ferns amidst scented, colorful flowers, vines, and exotic plants. Located adjacent to Kuala Lumpur’s Bird Park Lake Gardens, this park houses an exhibition area with information on the butterflies’ species insects such as beetles and other creepy crawlies.

This is a popular spot for families looking to escape the bustling city center. Once you get in the canopy, you will notably find fluttering butterflies of various colors, sizes, and shapes floating on your clothes while others stick on your hat like badges.

4. KUALA LUMPUR BIRD PARK

Kuala Lumpur Bird Park is home to approximately 3,000 birds. This includes imported species of birds. This park is rated as the most extensive public aviary in the world occupying over 20 acres of land. The birds roam free, giving you a fantastic interaction with mother-nature. The rich flora and fauna in the park provide a natural habitat to the birds. If you are a bird or photography enthusiast, this is a fun place for you. Other attractions include the Orchid and Hibiscus Gardens, Butterfly Park, Deer Park, and an artificial lake. The park has an incubation center, a bird gallery, flamingo pond, a hornbill park amidst other spectacular bird species.

5. SRI MAHAMARIAMMAN TEMPLE

Sri Mahamariamman Temple is the oldest religious structure having been built in the 19^th century. If you want to learn the diverse culture, religious beliefs, and values of Malaysia, visit this temple. The temple is adorned with a dazzling colorful façade and decorated range of Hindu deities. It is the place of worship for the Tamil community. However, visitors are allowed to explore the wonder of architecture displayed on it,

Around the main prayer hall are four smaller shrines dedicated to two Lords. Murals and frescos on its walls decorate the most spacious prayer hall. The roofs of the three shrines are embellished with ornaments of precious stones and gems.

6. SUNWAY LAGOON THEME PARK

Enjoy the whirl and swirl of the water slides at Sunway lagoon theme park. The park has a variety of dry-land activities and watery rides for kids and adults. There are man-made surf beaches and a wave-pool that will be exciting, especially on a hot day. The park has a total of five different regions-the Scream Park, the Water Park, Amusement Park, Extreme Park, and the Scream Park. Each of these five parks has a wide selection of unique experiences.

7. THE NATIONAL MUSEUM

Explore the culture of Malaysia at the National Museum located near Lake Gardens. This museum is designed in the shape of an ancient house. Its walls decorations are a blend of contemporary and traditional designs.

The display of the history, art, craft, and culture of Malaysia’s history is spread out onto three floors. On the ground floor, there is an impressive collection of ritual weddings, traditional Malaysian lifestyle i.e. farming, fishing, weaving, and pottery. The 2^nd floor is a zoological section with stuffed animals and birds. You can mistake it for a hunting parlour.

Alongside, the animal is a collection of parangs, kris, swords, miniature canons that were weapons used to hunt. As you wind down the hallways, you find a section dedicated to musical instruments. These traditional musical instruments include the drums popularly known as rebana, the Chinese gongs, flutes, lutes, and fiddles. To navigate through these sections, you will get the dedicated services of tour guides who offer free services to the tourists.

8. BATU CAVES

The Batu Caves are the most frequented tourist site in Kuala Lumpur. The 100-year-old temple is made up of three limestone caves. Around and inside these caves are Hindu idols and deities. Its interior foundation is alleged to be approximately 400 million years. It is a landmark religious feature for the Hindu religion in the world.

At the foot of Batu Caves are three cave temples. Cathedral cave is the most popular and the largest of the three. It also houses many dedicated Hindu shrines. The Art Gallery Cave and Museum Cave are found at the foot of this limestone hill. These caves attract thousands of people and devotees during the Thaipusam Festival in Hindu annual Hindu festival.