3 Kids and Us

Things that Couples with Kids Should Consider before Getting a Divorce

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Getting a divorce is very rarely a comfortable experience and if you have kids, things get even more complicated. While no one from the outside has the right to judge you for your decision, there are things that both the parents should consider for the future well-being of their children. On that note, let’s take a look at some those points before you call the divorce attorney.

It’s Not the Same for Them

Getting separated after a particularly suffocating marriage can be a life-changing and positive experience for you, but it’s almost certainly not the same for them. Do not try to make them a part of your delight if they don’t want that. Never use force to “make” them accept the situation. Seeing one’s parents leave each other and learning to live with just one parent most of the time can be a harrowing experience. The best thing you can do is give them time to adjust to the new situation and provide them with your support when they need it.

Be with Your Kids

For many, divorce is a release and while we are not denying that, if you have kids, you need to be with them during and right after the divorce. It is necessary that both parties adjust to the new situation and all that comes with it, but what about the kids? You took a decision that they likely had no part in but have just turned their world around and changed everything in that world. The logical thing to do is not to just pack up and move to chase a new life right away but to be with your kids and help them adjust to the current situation.

Don’t make them feel like they have just lost both of their parents by going away on that exotic vacation right after a divorce. The vacation will surely come later, but the kids come first. If the children are young and you already have a boyfriend or girlfriend, it is important that they are given the opportunity to view that person not as an intruder into their lives, but as a part of the family. It will not happen right away or may not even happen easily, but the patience and the effort need to be there.

Not Everything Will Be Peachy

The partner being left will always feel betrayed and victimized, while the one who files for the divorce will likely feel more positive. The clash of heightened emotions makes for two very unstable people, which isn’t good news for kids, especially small children. One must act both cautiously and with empathy for the ex in order to make the painful transition phase as smooth as possible for both parties and, especially, the children. Also, even after the divorce is over, it is very likely that you will continue to come in regular contact with your ex since you both have children together. There might also be other issues like maintaining legal agreements, allowing maintenance, and dealing with negligent exes among others.

Even though divorce is not always the best solution to all the problems in your marriage, it might often be the only option left. In such cases, a qualified divorce attorney will help you make a case and win the divorce in your favor, but even then, it is ideal to consider and reconsider some of the points made here until you are sure about getting that divorce.

5 Best Snack Foods to Keep Your Family Healthy

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Keeping your family fit and healthy is a challenge. It’s not that easy maintaining a healthy lifestyle all year round because people, especially kids, are drawn to processed and sugary foods.  Anything that’s green and fresh is often considered unpalatable because of the influence of tempting food commercials.

As a responsible family member, your job is to make sure that everyone at home gets the essential nutrients he or she needs to ward off sickness and diseases like flu, obesity, and diabetes. Providing healthy and nutritious snacks is an excellent strategy to promote health in your family.

In this article, we’ve prepared a list of the best snack foods that are sure to delight everyone. These snacks guarantee that your family eats right without the dangers of processed carbs and sugar. Read on.


  1. Banana Nut Oatmeal

Nothing is healthier in the morning than a bowl of oatmeal. Oatmeal is a wholegrain which is a healthy source of fiber that lowers bad cholesterol (LDL). If you find oatmeal a bland choice for snacks, mix it with sliced bananas, chopped walnuts, and a teaspoon of ground cinnamon.

Bananas help lower your risk for developing asthma and are a good source of vitamin C. Walnuts support brain health by improving cognitive function. Lastly, ground cinnamon contains anti-inflammatory properties that relieve allergies.


  1. Apple Slices with Organic Peanut Butter

Do your kids hate apples? Apples are extremely beneficial since they’re rich in polyphenols, plant chemicals that work as antioxidants to fight off free radicals in the body. Polyphenols offer protection from heart disease  and certain cancers.

To make apples super tasty, the trick is to add a spread of organic peanut butter on each slice. This isn’t only a yummy snack treat, but also provides added protein and potassium.


  1. Strawberry Almond Smoothie

Here’s an easy to make, delicious snack that’ll satisfy your family’s mid-morning or afternoon cravings: Strawberry almond smoothie. Consuming smoothies is a creative way to incorporate fruits into your daily diet. Adults and kids love smoothies since they’re cold and creamy.

To prepare strawberry almond smoothie, simply blend strawberries, almond milk, sugar, and tofu. You can use Splenda as a sugar substitute. Adjust your sweetness preference. Strawberries and almond milk promote a healthier brain and nervous system while tofu provides all eight essential amino acids.


  1. Frozen Yogurt Blueberry Bites

If anyone in your family is a sweet tooth, he or she will absolutely love frozen yogurt blueberry bites. These deliciously sweet and sour treats can be the best substitute for any unhealthy dessert. Loaded with calcium, antioxidants, and fiber, you can pop as many as you want in your mouth without the guilt of gaining weight.

You only need 10 minutes to prepare these frozen yogurt blueberry bites. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Prepare a bowl of blueberries and a bowl of Greek yogurt. Poke each blueberry with a toothpick and dip it into the Greek yogurt. Place each dipped blueberry on the sheet. Once you’re done, freeze the dipped blueberries for about an hour.


  1. Celery with Peanut Butter and Raisins

Kids love calling this snack treat Ants on a Log. Adding a spread of peanut butter and raisin on a celery stick is a great way to have fun with this versatile vegetable. Because celery contains vitamins such as A, C, E, and B6, it lowers cholesterol levels, promotes healthy joints, and calms the nerves.

The addition of peanut butter and raisins add taste to the celery and provides your family with protein, potassium, and iron.

Conclusion

An effective way to help family members gain healthy eating practices is to provide them with nutritious and delicious snack foods. Snacking for children and adults is an important element of a healthy lifestyle. You can be as creative as you want when preparing snack treats. Don’t be afraid to mix and match fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

School Daze: Smartphone Apps to Keep Your Kids on Track

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21st-century kids are busy, busy, busy. A combination of homework, after school activities, at-home chores and social obligations can be hard to manage. Good thing there are some great smartphone apps that parents and kids can use to stay on track. In the interest of happy futures for everyone, we’re pleased to present some of the top Android apps for parents and kids.

Study smarter, not harder

An innovative app called StudyBlue facilitates the crowdsource creation of study guides for high school students and college scholars. Classmates and teachers can use StudyBlue to build flashcards and shared notes. Available for iOS and Android, this handy homework app is completely compatible with Evernote. The free version is very effective. Upgraded versions cost less than ten bucks a month and are worth the cost, advises Raising Arizona Kids magazine.

Speaking of Evernote… Photos, web pages, written content, and memoranda may be easily organized with Evernote. Students use Evernote to put together customized notebooks that may be shared or exported. Synchronizing editable notes projects is simple and quick with this excellent app for Android, Windows and iOS devices. The bare-bones version is free. For additional storage and more uploads, go for a paid plan.

Students can share audio notes via phone call and save them for future reference with Call Recorder for Me from Apalon. This cool Android app is legal to use, as long as both parties to the call know that it’s being recorded. For after-school homework groups, Skype is fun and easy to use. Parents might wish to monitor their students’ video chat time, however, because it’s easy for kids to use Skype for goofing off, too.

MyHomework for Apple and Android helps kids track homework assignments and upcoming examinations. Teachers who use the app can upload study files and test scores and remind students to study for tests. Parents may monitor the app to provide additional incentives that keep kids focused.

Reading and rewards

Kids who log into Biblionasium may find it easier to stay up to date with classroom reading assignments. The free dot com site facilitates communication between parents and teachers and offers incentives for completed reading assignment logs. Biblionasium also offers a search feature to help parents and kids find age appropriate reading material for after school fun.

Organize family meetings and events

Virtually every family member can use Google Calendar to manage their time. With a short learning curve, this free app lets parents and kids maintain individual calendars with color coding to emphasize super important upcoming events. The app can be synchronized across all platforms and devices and is one of the best methods of staying on track, says Learning Liftoff magazine.

Being a kid can be even more fun when time and efforts are organized. Parents who help their kids stay on track reap the rewards of happy, well-adjusted students. Try a few of these apps to see which ones work best for you and your kids.

Twelve Tips for Taking Your Kids to Visit Loved Ones in Assisted Living

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We are taught to value people of all ages in our society, from the young to the old. However, the most elderly, living in nursing homes or assisted living, often feel disconnected from family, becoming isolated and excluded. This is particularly the case, when family members have moved out of the home town, or have relocated overseas.

One way to develop stronger connections between our older relatives and the very youngest is to plan a visit to their home or facility when in the neighbourhood. This can have tremendous benefits for both young and old.

Here are the top twelve tips to plan a fun visit for the entire family.

  • Plan your visit a minimum of one week in advance. Be sure to let the activities director know you are bringing the kids and their ages.
  • The best time to visit a nursing home, unless you are planning a meal together, is mid-morning from 10:00-11:30 am, in the afternoon from 2:00-4:30 pm, and sometimes in the evening from 6:00-7:30 pm. Otherwise, check with staff to learn when meals are served or if you can bring food into the facility.
  • You can make the visit informal, just talking one-on-one, or you can plan to have your kids do a presentation like singing songs or planning an activity together like colouring.
  • Children may also bring presents for their grandparents, such as drawings and colourful, handmade cards. Other appropriate gifts for special occasions include bright lap blankets, pillows, and warm, non-slip slippers.
  • If you plan to bring food, live flowers, balloons, or potted plants, be sure to clear it with the administration as some facilities have restrictions and your loved one is likely on a special diet.
  • Before visiting an assisted care setting, spend some time telling your kids about the loved one you will be visiting. Talk about anything they might have in common including, their interests and background.
  • Take some time to reminisce with your senior loved one and acknowledge their lifetime of experience. This will allow senior adults the ability to maintain their dignity and to feel respected and valued
  • With all of your children, discuss your loved one’s limitations and needs.
  • Remind your kids that the facility is your loved one’s home, so privacy and space should be respected as much as possible.
  • Children may need some encouragement to move past their shyness. Prompt them to talk about their interests, school, hobbies and sports.
  • Plan to stay for at least an hour or two. Most residents have plenty of time on their hands. Your visit will probably seem very short to them.
  • This is an excellent opportunity to help your kids learn promise keeping. If you promise to return, begin making plans immediately.

After the first time taking your kids to visit your loved one in a nursing home or assisted living, talk to them afterwards about the experience and ask how they felt. Talk about how their visit made a difference in the life of their loved one.

Why You Should Encourage Your Kids to Play Sports

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With kids today spending so much time hunched over tablets, Gameboys and computers, it can be a constant battle to ensure that they are getting enough physical activity.  One thing that many parents do is to enroll their children in organized sports.  Whether your child ends up playing varsity football like Mack Prioleau or simply develops a lifelong appreciation for an active lifestyle, there are many benefits that come from encouraging your kids to participate in sports. Here are just a few.

Cardiovascular and Muscle Strength

An obvious benefit that comes with being involved in sports is the impact on the overall health of your kids.  A generation ago, kids would have been outside running around for hours every day.  Now, they spend very little time engaged in active play, which makes the time spent play sports even more important.  No matter what sport they enjoy, they will spend time developing their cardiovascular health and muscle strength as a result of running, jumping, hitting or swimming.

Coordination and Flexibility

While studies have shown that computer games can contribute to the development of fine motor skills and eye-hand coordination, there is no substitute for sports as a way to bring these skills into the real world.  In addition to developing fine motor skills, sports also encourage the development of gross motor skills that can only come from moving your body through space. And no matter what sport your child enjoys, flexibility and mobility will benefit as well.

Discipline and perseverance

As children gain skills in their chosen sport, there will come a time when they want to continue to improve their abilities but they find that it no longer comes as easily or naturally as the basic skills did.  This means that children learn that in order to improve, they must be prepared to put in the effort to practice.  They will also learn that this comes with sacrifice – in order to practice, there will be times when the child will have to make a choice between practicing and another activity.  They also learn that even though not everything may come easily, there are small improvements that they can observe and build on every day, thus teaching the value of perseverance and patience. The sense of accomplishment that they can enjoy as they achieve their goals will reinforce the value of hard work.

Sportsmanship

Whether your child plays a team sport or an individual sport, they will need to internalize the norms of good sportsmanship, which include values of fair play, the importance of following rules, of working with others, and of being both gracious winners and losers. The ritual of players shaking hands and saying “good game” after a competitive match underscores everything that is good about sportsmanship and models positive values that your child can take into adulthood.

These are just some of the many ways that your child can benefit from involvement in sports!

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We left our home in Sydney, Australia many moons ago in May 2012 and, other than a brief stint back in Perth for Christmas and a wedding in early 2014, we have been travelling the world nomadically ever since, running a business from our laptops and we’re here to show you how to do it!