admin, Author at 3 Kids and Us

6 Tips for Taking Your Child to Their First Concert

February 11, 2020 by admin

Everyone remembers their first concert. The excitement, the noise, the sights, the sounds, the smells –– it’s a big moment for many adolescents. As a parent, it’s important that you do everything possible to ensure that your kid has a fantastic time without experiencing any of the pitfalls associated with a live music act. With that in mind, here are six tips you can use to guarantee that your child’s first concert is memorable for all the right reasons. Check them out here:

Buy Good Seats

Unless your child is especially tall for their age, it’s unlikely they’ll be able to see over grown-adults standing up in a crowd. Therefore, it’s a smart play to shell out a little extra to get good seats so they’ll be able to see the show without interruption. No one wants to spend two hours staring at the back of some stranger’s head.

Listen to the Artist

If you haven’t listened to the band that your child is going to see, take some time to check out their latest album. Not only is this an easy way to connect with your child, but it will let you determine if the concert is appropriate for their age.

Bring Ear Plugs

Suffice it to say that rock concerts can be extremely loud affairs. So don’t forget to bring ear plugs for yourself and your child. Note, young children in particular have sensitive ears!

Give them Some Space

If your child is in their teens and wants to go to a concert with their friends, then it’s a good idea to give them some space. It’s okay to keep an eye on them from a distance, but there’s no need to cramp their style while they’re enjoying their favorite band.

Have Cash on Hand

Think concert tickets are expensive? Then just wait until you get to the actual venue. Refreshments are sure to set you back a good amount, and artist merchandise can range from $40-$80 for t-shirts and jackets. Yet, it’s highly likely that many kids will want a souvenir from their first concert –– so be prepared for this eventuality. Now is not the time to teach them a lesson about saving money.

Be Safe

At the end of the day, a kid’s first concert should be a fun, positive experience. However, parents should also be aware of any potentially harmful situations that may occur at a concert venue. Don’t let your kids out of your sight, and teach them to respect boundaries. (Crowd control barriers are in place for a reason!) Going to a concert for the first time will be a blast for your child, but always remember that it’s better to be safe than sorry.

4 Health Tips for New Parents

February 11, 2020 by admin

Becoming a parent is a life-changing experience. And while it is extremely rewarding, it can also be quite stressful, time-consuming, and frustrating. As such, it’s not surprising that many new parents struggle to balance their new responsibilities with a healthy lifestyle. After all, it’s not easy taking care of a newborn 24/7, 365. Thankfully, there are steps you can take to ensure that you maintain healthy habits without neglecting any of your new parental obligations. Check out our top four health tips for new parents here:

Make Time to Exercise

Time management is a theme that we’ll revisit throughout this piece. As one can imagine, caring for an infant requires lots of time and attention. Given that fact, it’s important for new parents to make the most of the free time they do have available. Scheduling out a few times a week to get in a solid workout can be very beneficial. Plus, not only is exercising good for your physical well-being, but a vigorous workout can also help relieve stress. Lastly, don’t think twice about taking a walk with your little one in their stroller. Just getting up and moving around can provide a big boost to your energy and morale!

Meal Prep

Again, it’s unlikely that new moms and dads will have lots of time on their hands to cook healthy and delicious meals every single day. That’s why it’s so important to prepare meals at the beginning of the week so that you can grab and go as you need to. The good news is that it’s possible to find plenty of easy, healthy recipes that also taste great.

Speak with Your Doctor

New parents, understandably, place a priority on the health of their children. However, while you may feel like you’re constantly running back and forth between your home and the pediatrician’s for months at a time, it’s imperative not to forget about your own well-being. Don’t neglect treatment plans or doctor’s appointments! Medical professionals offer a huge variety of beneficial services –– from stem cell back injections to regular check-ups. So call up your doctor if it’s been a few months since your last appointment.

Remember to Breathe

Being a parent is hectic. It’s worth keeping in mind that while life moves fast, you can’t ever go back. Therefore, do your best to enjoy the experience of parenthood as it unfolds. Otherwise, you could end up missing out on a special moment! To conclude, don’t feel bad about asking others for help from time to time. Getting a family member or close friend to babysit for you will give you an opportunity to unwind and relax.

This is Sicily: Beaches and Bays With Crystal Clear Water

January 19, 2020 by admin

Sicily has a lot to offer: beautiful beaches, nature, stunning views, cozy cities, and delicious food. All the ingredients for a great holiday are here, and the best way to live it is to rent a villa in Sicily with pool for all your guests, you can check the best here:

What are the main highlights of the island? Keep reading and find out!

1. Hiking in the Zingaro Nature Reserve

Riserva dello Zingaro is the absolute highlight during a road trip through Sicily! The Zingaro nature reserve is 45 minutes drive from Trapani and 1 hour and 20 minutes from Palermo. It is a must to visit this natural park, especially if you like hiking. The most beautiful beaches of all Sicily can be found here! Our tip is to visit this natural park early. Start hiking at 8.00 in the morning, and then you still have plenty of time to lie on one of the beautiful beaches. The beaches can only be reached on foot.

2. Sail to the Egadi Islands

Cala Rossa: Favignana

Everyones love beautiful beaches and bays with crystal clear water. Visiting the Egadi Islands is therefore high on many’s wish list! This group of islands consists of the three islands Favignana, Levanzo and Marettimo. Favignana is the largest and most popular island. You can visit the island of Favignana from Trapani harbor. You can also spend the night on this island, or make it a day trip of it.

The most beautiful beaches of Favignana are:

Spiaggia di Cala Rossa

Cala Azzurra Beach

Lido Burrone

Cala Rotonda

Cala Azzurra Beach

On Favignana, you can rent a scooter. Upon arrival in the port of the islands, you will immediately find all rental companies (noleggios). There are many on Favignana.

3. Be surprised in Noto

Noto

A village that certainly surprises is Noto. This beautiful village is a 30-minute drive from Syracuse, one of Sicily’s biggest city. The cozy streets, but especially the beautiful buildings, are top attractions. Noto lies on a hill and after a severe earthquake in 1693 completely rebuilt in Baroque style. Today Noto is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. That says it all, doesn’t it? If you have enough time, be sure to visit the old town of Noto.

3. Climb La Rocca in Cefalù

No mountain is too high… If you love views (and although the trip to the summit is not always easy), you will be rewarded with a beautiful view. In Cefalu, you can climb La Rocca. This hill lies behind Cefalu and is about 270 meters high. From Cefalu, you climb in about 45 minutes to 1 hour to the top. To enter La Rocca, you have to pay €4 per person. You can reach the entrance on foot from the city. On the top, you’ll find a ruin of a castle and a temple.

4. Eating in Syracuse

Syracuse & Ortigia

Well, food is a highlight for many every day, especially in Italy. You need to be ready to eat everywhere in Sicily, but in Syracuse, it is a unique experience. Every day there is a market on the Ortigia peninsula. Ortigia is a small (peninsula) in the old center of Syracuse. It is connected to the modern city by a bridge. Ortigia is very lovely to visit

In case of rain and sunshine, it is worth visiting the chalk cliffs near Agrigento. Also called the Sicilian steps by the sea. Scala Dei Turchi is free to attend, and in good weather, you can lie on the beach. Be sure to put on proper shoes, otherwise, you’ll slip out quickly. In good weather, these cliffs are magnificent, and you can stay there for a whole day. Take a look at these pictures!

6. Cheering in the Amphitheater of Taormina

Scattered over Sicily, you will find several amphitheaters. Taormina is among the most beautiful, and it is actually because of the location. From the amphitheater you have – when the weather is good – a view on the Etna volcano. Next to that, it is a bit higher, on a hill, and from here you have a beautiful view of the sea and Taormina. The Greek theatre was built in the third century B.C. and is still in use today for performances.

7. Climbing the Etna volcano

Last but not least, an amazing and sublime experience is to climb an active Volcano. From Taormina and Catania, it is about an hour’s drive to the volcano. You then drive to the place where you can take the cable car up to the volcano. The cable car will not take you to the top. In the last part, you have to travel on foot, or you need to go with a guide that you can book in advance.

Planning Your Summer Orlando Trip Starts Right Now

January 18, 2020 by admin

If you have decided to take the family away to Orlando this summer then I can tell you from experience that right now, just after the holiday season is over, is when you need to start making your plans. So far we have done 3 ‘tours’ of Orlando and I can completely understand why so many families flock there each and every year, it truly is a special place which you are going to fall in love with. That first year we left things pretty late in terms of planning and we really paid for it by missing out on some of things that we’d really had our hearts set on. I made sure that this didn’t happen again, and here is why you need to get your planning hat on right now.

Finances

As I mentioned, Orlando makes for a truly perfect holiday destination, but perfection really does come at a cost. From your flights to the hotels, attractions to the food and shopping that your are going to be spending money on, this is a family trip that runs well into the thousands. There is little point in having this amazing adventure with your family if you spend the next 4 months with a tight purse trying to pay off your credit card. Get saving now and you can ensure that the outgoings don’t cause you anxiety whilst you are on vacation.

Big Discounts

There are very often some outstanding discounts on theme park tickets in Orlando to the likes of Disney and Universal, but you have to be on top of things if you wish to get your hands on them. If you start keeping an eye discount sites now, as well as the official park sites, you are going to be in prime position to get those discounts when they roll around. The cost savings which you can make when you do this are huge, so make sure that you have an eagle eye ready, starting from now.

Availability

For some vacations you can leave booking the hotel until the very last minute, safe in the knowledge that you may be able to bag yourself a great deal at short notice. Things don’t work like this in Orlando, especially not during summertime. If you want the best hotels and the most availability, now is the time that you should be booking up, don’t leave it too late.

Itinerary

There is just so many things to do, see and experience in Orlando and the surrounding areas that you are going to have to seriously invest some time in planning the holiday if you want to get the most from it. Logistics alone can be a nightmare, working out where to stay and when, which days to do one activity and which days to do another. The stress of planning a vacation like this should not be overlooked, especially if you don’t get started until much further down the line. Speak with the family about what they’d like to do, research each activity and plot out how you will be spending each day of your trip. There is little time for spontaneity in Orlando, as there is more than enough to do during your break, and you aren’t going to want to veer away from that.

5 Ways Moms Can Make the Most of their Free Time

December 27, 2019 by admin

For moms, free time is as precious as gold. After all, between raising a child, maintaining a career, and keeping up with social obligations, mothers tend not to have a lot of time to themselves. Yet, it’s important for hard-working moms to give themselves a break every once in a while. Everyone needs time to relax and unwind, and if you don’t look after yourself, no one will. With that in mind, today we’ll look at five ways moms can make the most of their free time so they can come back refreshed and energized:

Find a Trustworthy Sitter

Sometimes moms are lucky to have a support group of friends and family members who are more than happy to step in and babysit when they need a night off. However, other parents aren’t so fortunate. Regardless, it’s imperative to find a certified care centre through platforms like Toddle, or enlist a babysitter who you can trust to handle any situation. The last thing you want to do with your precious time off is to spend it worrying or constantly checking in on your little one.

Catch up With Old Friends

One unfortunate reality of parenthood is that moms may not get to spend as much time with their friends as they used to. This is particularly true for friends and acquaintances who don’t have kids. As such, one of the best ways moms can enjoy their time off is to catch up with old friends. Head to a bar, see an R-rated movie, and indulge in the company of other adults.

Turn Down the Volume

Motherhood is plagued by noise pollution. Tantrums, blaring TVs, mind-numbing children’s songs –– they all can work to get on the nerves of stressed-out parents. What better way to unwind, then, than by taking in some much-deserved quiet time. Spending a few hours in your local library, for instance, will let you take it easy in peaceful silence.

Prepare for the Future

Have a big family trip on the horizon? Or are you thinking about making a career change? If you’ve got a pressing event coming up soon, taking a day to yourself to weigh your options and prepare for the future can be hugely beneficial.

Chill Out!

Life in general –– and motherhood specifically –– is often tumultuous and frustrating. So do your best to chill out and relax how you see fit when you manage to wrangle some free time. Hit your local skin care clinic, get a massage, visit a spa, or just kick back on the couch. Remember, this day is all about you and what you want.