Children Archives - Page 18 of 39

How to Keep Your House Organized as a Working Mom

April 27, 2018 by admin

Organization is likely a word you hear often, and you probably hear it more frequently when you become a parent. It seems to be one of the ways that you can keep your head above the water and survive the many challenges that accompany each day. When you’re a working mom, however, it is likely that your workload as well as responsibilities increase. To avoid becoming overwhelmed, you’ll need to ensure there’s a level of organization in your home. Everyone has a different method and approach when it comes to organizing, so it’s important that you find what works for you. On those premises, this article should help you find a few ways that you can make this happen if you’ve been struggling.

Get Cabinets

Cabinets can be a saving grace when you’re a parent as they help you put things neatly. This is often necessary when your kids have a million and one items and always seem to have one missing sock as well as other lost items. You can never really have enough cabinets so if you have the space for it, you should put extra ones in the house. You could also consider plastic drawers or containers as they’ll be useful for storing items as well. You should have a drawer for different items so that things don’t get mixed and lost. This might mean having a drawer dedicated to arts and crafts items, having one for learning items, while another can be allocated to small toys that have many parts and can easily get lost such as legos, for instance. Whatever the case, look for ways to use storage boxes or cabinets to keep things in order.

Encourage Tidy up Time

Getting kids to tidy up at several periods during the day can be helpful to you as well as them. It is also a great way to spend quality time together and teach them core skills as well as values. If your child is relatively young, trying to keep the house tidy can seem near impossible when trying to get work done, preparing meals and doing the laundry. For this reason, it is imperative that you encourage them to help tidy up any time they make a mess to save yourself zooming around the house endlessly to pick things up. Some secrets to cleaning with kids include starting them young and encouraging tidying as early as possible. This helps build their confidence and makes them feel like they’re an important part of the household as they’re contributing to helping it run smoothly and neatly. It is best to stick with age-appropriate tasks, but for a two or three-year-old, you could perhaps consider getting them to put their toys away, put their dirty clothes in the laundry basket, or put their food mat back once they’re done eating.

Get a Work Desk

As a working mom; it is essential that you have a desk that you can work on. It could help you sit down and focus when it’s work time so that you can get some work done. Transitioning from mommy mode to worker mode can be a difficult transition to make, so creating a serene work-life environment may help. One of the items you may need is a work desk that you can place your laptop and documents on that you need for work. A sit stand keyboard tray may also be ideal so that you can alternate between standing and sitting when you’re working as well as move your desk around if need be. This should also help working more comfortable which hopefully will enhance your productivity so you can get enough work done in between mommy duties.

Clean Twice a Day

It can be tempting to want to clean up several times a day especially if you’re a bit of a neat freak, however, if you’re a work-from-home mom, spending all of your time cleaning won’t leave you with much time to get your work done. At the same time, the last thing you want is a big pile of mess at the end of the day, so it is advisable that you consider doing 5-10 minute cleans twice a day. When trying to keep a house clean with kids, you could opt to clean before nap time and then do a family clean before dinner time. As mentioned earlier, letting the kids help is often a good idea as it takes a little load off your back and teaches them how to keep the house tidy. However, you should try and leave serious spring cleaning to the weekend or your day off whenever you have one. Some things to stick to on a daily basis include arranging the living room, washing the dishes, organizing the kid’s toys, and putting dirty clothes away.

Organize Your Time

The importance of time-management can’t be stressed enough whether you’re a working mom or stay-at-home mom. You should begin by tracking your time to see how it’s being spent and then making a note regarding how you can make adjustments. Some key things you should consider in time-management is keeping up with the kids’ needs, how much time you need to work on a daily basis, and how long it will take you to keep your house organized. Once you’ve figured this out, you can then go on to create a schedule that works for you and enables you to get everything done. It will most likely take time for you to get the hang of it and things won’t always go according to schedule but keep working at it.

Keeping your house organized with busy and active kids can seem like an uphill battle. However, to ensure you live in a thriving environment and one that you can work from, making sure things are in order, and there’s little to do at the end of the day is crucial. The hope is that by applying a few of the tips mentioned above, you’ll be a pro at organizing with little ones in no time.

Ideas For Staying Healthy As A Busy Parent

April 25, 2018 by admin

It’s important to take parenting seriously, but not so much that you forget about yourself in the daily shuffle. You need to remain happy and healthy, so you have the energy to take care of the ones you love and feel good each day.

It’s time to stop being unhappy about how much time you don’t have and start implementing strategies that are going to help you stay well and be a busy parent simultaneously. The good news is there are habits you can change and adjust that will aid you in your journey to taking care of yourself and being a good parent.

Set Wellness Goals & Track Progress

You’ll get a lot further along with your health if you set wellness goals and ensure you are tracking your progress along the way. Determine what it is you want to accomplish and specifics about how you’re going to get there. For example, if you want to work out each day, then it may require you to set your alarm early in the morning and hit the gym before your family gets up. You can be a busy parent and stay healthy when you put your mind to it and create a schedule for you to follow each day that allows you to remain on track.

Exercise & Eat Right

Two habits that will help you guarantee you stay healthy if you practice them regularly is exercising and eating well. Make it a point to check these two items off your list daily if you want to function at your best and feel better overall. Set a time each day when you’ll workout and head to the grocery store on the weekends so you can prepare your meals ahead of time. Bring your lunch and healthy snacks to work to help you stay on track even when you’re at the office. While it’s going to be more challenging to move more and eat well when you’re also trying to parent, it’s possible to do so with the right mindset and structure in place that will help you succeed.

Find Hobbies you Enjoy

It’s important you have your own life and hobbies you enjoy even though you’re also a parent. For example, challenge yourself to new recipes, building furniture or putting together silhouette Australia puzzles. You need to have ways to take your mind off your daily responsibilities and activities that make you feel proud of yourself. It’s important to remember that you have many additional talents and abilities besides being a good parent to your kids that are worth practicing and showing off. If you don’t have much free time as it is, then it may be time to start saying no to all you get asked to do and clearing your schedule for enjoying more fun.

Manage Your Stress

You have to learn to manage your stress if you’re going to stay healthy and be a busy parent. Start by making a daily checklist and prioritizing your tasks according to what’s most important. Get yourself a planner to help you keep your obligations in order and reduce the amount of worry you feel on a daily basis. In addition to this, you can practice yoga, take up meditation or go for long walks to decompress and slow racing thoughts. Too much stress will sneak up on you and cause you to act in ways you might later regret. Know your warning signs and catch stress and get it under control before it’s too late.

Spend Time with your Kids

Make time for play and spending quality time with your kids if you want to be a healthy parent. This is the kind of interaction where you need to relax a bit and embrace all the love you have for your children. While it’s important to teach your kids and be a good role model, there are other times when it’s healthy to get on the same level as them and show them how much you care about them and their activities. They’ll likely love this extra attention from you, and your family bond will grow stronger. Put your phone down once in a while and engage with your kids and find yourself having fun and laughing again.

Take Care of You First

Always remember that you should come first before any tasks and even other people. The only way you’re going to be able to parent to the best of your ability is if you take care of yourself first. Start making more time for doing what you love and your self-care rituals daily. Write down what you’re going to do for you in your schedule, so you never forget to attend to your needs on a regular basis too. Getting lazy in this area will have you soon feeling exhausted, and you won’t have the energy or desire to put your best foot forward as a parent and spouse.

Practice Positive Self-Talk

Stop once in a while and notice the dialogue that’s going on in your head. Now is the time to push all of that negativity and pessimism aside and focus on what’s going right in your life. Practice positive self-talk regularly and gratitude, and you’ll quickly see your life situation isn’t so bad after all. Keep encouraging and reminding yourself that you have everything under control and are doing the best you can. Let what you do each day be enough and never stop patting yourself on the back for all your efforts and the love you show your family.

Conclusion

Don’t use being a busy parent as an excuse for not taking care of yourself and slacking when it comes to self-care. These are a few excellent ways for how you can do it all and stay healthy at the same time. Stay focused on what you’re doing right and don’t let a few bumps in the road get you down or make you feel inadequate. Most importantly, remember to enjoy the ride and keep a smile on your face.

Key Items You Must Have In Your New Mum Survival Kit

April 18, 2018 by admin

Being a new mum may be the toughest job on the planet, and it’s important to be well prepared. To survive the early stages, you will want all the help you can get. That’s why you need to make sure you’re kitted out with the crucial items. Check out our suggestions below.

1. Pacifier

Your baby is going to need a good pacifier: that’s a fact. Of course, picking the right one isn’t that easy. Pacifiers are designed with different ages in mind. For example, breastfeeding babies under six months often require different pacifiers to older, teething babies.

You will want to make sure that the pacifier you decide on is soft, comfortable, and easy to clean.

The good thing is there is so many Pacifiers For Breastfed Babies on the market.

2. Food!

With all the running around you’re going to be doing, except to miss some meals. That’s whys it handy to keep your fridge and pantry stocked with snacks. Just don’t take this as an excuse to pig out. Nutritious snacks such as fruit and cereal bars are the way to go.

Having premade meals is also a good idea because you won’t have much time to cook. You could purchase freezer meals from the supermarket. However, a better way is to prepare your own. If you can find the time to cook once a week (such as when your husband is home to look after the young one), then you can prepare all your meals at once and chuck them in the freezer. When you’re hungry, simply pull them out and zap them in the microwave.

3. A Good Book

You’re going to be getting pretty stressed out and having a book to read is a good way to relax. Feedings can also get boring so having something to keep your mind occupied is handy.

4. Baby Wrap

A baby wrap is a simple way to carry your young one. The fabric is soft against their skin and will help hold them tightly against your body. They may look a bit intimidating to fasten at first, but after a few attempts, you will get the hang of it.

5. Infant Car Seat

This item is crucial for transporting your newborn. In fact, you will want one installed before you even leave the hospital. Look for a model that’s soft and has a high safety rating.

6. Bassinet

With all the nightly wake up calls, it’s great to keep your baby within arm’s reach. You can quickly soothe them back to sleep without having a midnight hike to the next room. You will also be able to easily watch over them while they’re sleeping.

Final Thoughts

Good luck being a new mum. It’s a real mission, but by being prepared, you will make it through. It may be handy to have all the necessary items ready before your baby even leaves the hospital. Doing so will save you time when you need it most.

Ways To Become A Better Parent

April 14, 2018 by admin

Being a parent is tough. As every single kid is different, it is impossible to say that there is a strict way of raising kids. However, after thorough research it has been proven that by following certain methods people can facilitate their life as parents and become better examples for their kids. Looking back at their childhood people realize how difficult and complicated their parent’s life has been, almost like a career. Back in the day people did not get access to books or online courses that taught them how to raise their kids. Yet our grandparents knew exactly how to deal with every single situation.

Even though they were not the most effective methods or raising a child and often they left many people scared, they still worked out. Fortunately, things have changed over time and raising a child is a lot easier these days. Parents need to be thoughtful and be very careful about how they act when they are around their kids. Good parenting is the most effective way of hosting empathy, self-control, kindness, and cooperation. At the same time, it protects kids from developing anxiety, depression and even drug abuse. The following principles are great for anyone who deals with kids.

Commit to Taking Care of Yourself

By taking care of yourself, you become a happy, encouraging parent for your child. In order to do so you need to integrate self-nurturing into your day to day life. This is not as complicated as it sounds. All you need to do is go to bed early so that you are well-rested, transform negative voices into positive ones, eat healthier foods and keep active for a more energized and well-balanced well-being and slow down the pace of your life. Most of the time kids can become a handful and you need to calm yourself down before interacting with them. Once you are at peace with yourself, you can easily manage certain situations and see things from a different perspective.

Avoid Comparisons and Labels

It is important to remember that good parenting happens in real time. A good parent is able to recognize key moments and transform them into the best life lessons. Comparisons among siblings will often lead to labels. It seems that even labels that are meant to praise children’s capabilities (e.g. little scholar, for a book-obsessed child) can be problematic. Siblings might develop fears related to certain aspects. For example, if one of the siblings already owns the musician title, the other sibling may be afraid to learn how to play an instrument for fear of falling short. Thus, you need to be very careful when labeling kids. Labeling is only effective when you rethink your words: “careful” instead of “shy” or “spirited” instead of “hyper.”

Walk the Talk

It is a well-known fact that babies and little children watch every move that their parents make. For that matter, parental behavior is critical when raising kids. Parents are teaching their kids a lesson every single minute of the day, even when they are not doing that on purpose. Your baby is observing the way you greet people on the street or how you talk to them and even the way you talk to your partner. In other words, the way you react in certain situations has a direct impact on their behavior. You don’t have to go out of your way when teaching them important life lessons, but you need to become aware of the way your react in every situation. This provides great life lesson about life each time your kids are with you.

Remember what is Important in Life

Kids make mistakes, but so does everyone else. No matter how big or small those mistakes are you need to start remembering the most important aspects of life. Stay positive and learn how to focus on what matters the most. In the larger scheme of things, the fact that their toys are spread all over the floor might drive you insane, but it not worth punishing them just for that. Kids will be kids, and they love adventure and experiencing new things. Make great memories with them before they grow up. Go on vacation together, visit relatives, go on spontaneous trips to the zoo and have the time of your lives. After all, people need to remember how to seize the moment. Take pictures on the go, and you’ll be able to keep those memories forever. Turn those photos into paintings and decorate your home with a unique piece of decor. You can do that in a simple manner. Want to know how? View here!

Trust Your Gut

Your intentions are good. Parents try to make the best choices for their kids, calibrate the best nutritional balance of protein, but all of those efforts are exhausting. You are the one who knows your children the best, so you should be the one who knows exactly what advice you need to follow. There are a lot of experts out there and probably too much advice that is somehow impossible to follow. Your gut may be telling you that your kids would be better off by doing something else. Fortunately, your gut is always “right”. Even specialists claim that parents who are not afraid to listen to their instincts in the decision-making process feel liberated and a lot more relieved.

Embrace Change

One of the most important lessons that you need to learn as a parent is the fact that kids get bored of certain activities, just like adults do. When they do that, parents are quick to assume that there is something wrong with their kids. Nonetheless, this is normal. Instead of being worried that your kids don’t like playing with a certain toy anymore or that they don’t like some kind of activity that they used to, it would be a good idea to evolve right along with them. Remember that kids don’t only grow on the outside they also grow and develop on the inside.

In conclusion, it is important to emphasize that parents need to become better individuals and watch every move they make when they are around their kids. As patience does not seem to work all the time, you need to manage your emotions first and only after that expect them to manage their own emotions.

Practical Ways to Make More Time for Your Family as a Working Parent

April 13, 2018 by admin

Family time is something that’s vital to your happiness and bond of relationships. However, it can be hard to find the time to spend with the ones you love. Whether you like it or not, you’ve got to work, manage the home, and take care of other responsibilities that you may have on your plate. Unfortunately, this means that with the little time you have left, you often want to rest or catch up on work or other things. Instead of trying to carve significant chunks of time out to spend with your family, why not find ways to incorporate it into your daily schedule instead? It could mean learning to do more of your daily activities together as a family as opposed to alone so that you get to bond on a daily basis. In this light, this article is going to explore five practical ways that you can make more time for your family as a working parent.

Help the Kids With Their Homework

After a long day at work, one of your first thoughts may be to simply crash on the sofa. However, if you do this five days out of the week, then you may have little time to spend with your kids on weekdays. Why not consider taking turns with your partner and doing their homework with them as a way to get a little bit of quality time? As they say, it is the little things that count, so showing your kids that you care about them as well as their education is a way to make them feel both supported and loved. Just in case you need some tips on doing homework with your kids, some include knowing the teachers and what they’re looking for, and setting up a homework-friendly area. You should aim to schedule regular study time which should ideally be after work once you’ve settled in, motivate and monitor your child’s work, as well as praising their help and efforts. You may find that by spending a few hours with them a week on homework, their confidence increases and they excel in school as well.

Plan Romantic Nights in

Sometimes, you can get so wrapped up in looking after the kids and working that you neglect your partner. It is important that you keep that spark alive and create a loving and caring environment where your kids can grow up. For this reason, you should always look for ways to spend time with your partner on a daily basis. It could mean watching your favorite program together before bed, talking about your day while brushing your teeth, washing the dishes together, or simply having a romantic night in once the kids are asleep. Quality time with your partner also doesn’t have to last for hours on end. It could mean having a few hours of intimacy and making them count by trying sex toys, role play, and other things that could liven up your sex life. If you click here, you’ll find a number of toys that could help put you both in the mood after a long day or week of work. A romantic night in as opposed to trying to go out and find a babysitter for the kids is sometimes all that you need.

Have a Family Fun Day Once a Month

Another way to create time for your family in the midst of a busy schedule is to plan a family fun day once a month. Instead of trying to do something on a weekly basis, you can all commit to doing something fun together once a month unfailingly. Doing so also gives you enough time to plan something meaningful that everyone will enjoy as well as remember. If you’re looking for unique ideas of things to do as a family, some include going on a treasure hunt, going on a ride in a hot air balloon, having a picnic in a park or beach or touring your hometown. You can sit down and plan what you’re going to do each month or take turns letting someone organize the monthly activities. It should help you bond as a family as well as give you something to look forward to on a monthly basis.

Cook Dinner Together Some Nights

Some nights, instead of one person cooking dinner alone, why not consider making it a family affair? By doing so, it is a chance for everyone to be in one place at the same time and spend time together after a busy day. This time is also a chance to teach your children good habits such as healthy eating, helping out with household responsibilities, and cleaning up. You could allocate different chores such as getting someone to cut the vegetables, another to set the table and somebody else to wash the dishes. It is also a chance for you to talk, laugh, and enjoy one another’s company while learning new things about each other in the process.

Exercise Together

Developing positive habits as a family is also a way to spend quality time together. For instance, you could begin working out early in the morning before work and the school run to get you energized and set off on a good day. Family workouts can strengthen both bodies and bonds in a number of ways with keeping your bodies healthy and working together to ensure being at the top of the list. When exercising you should try and focus on pushing movement, squatting movement, hinging movement, and then cool down by stretching. These workouts don’t have to be longer than thirty minutes, and you could stick to doing it once or twice a week.

Making time for your family often requires you to sacrifice, which could mean leaving work a little early, not having that extra hour to yourself some days, or learning to share your time with your family by doing things together. You should remember, however, that family bonds aren’t built overnight, and you have to put in work in order to get the results that you want. Hopefully, next time you’re struggling to make time for your loved ones, you can refer to this article and remember that there are enough hours in a day to spend with family no matter how busy you are.