3 Kids and Us

4 Fun Stepping Stone Ideas For Your Family Friendly Garden

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Are you and your family planning a garden together? As you search for possible designs, think about including elements that add value to your kids. This could be an educational value or health value. Placing stepping stones throughout the garden gives you a great way to add an interesting design element. These three stepping stone ideas should get your gears turning!

1. Hopscotch

When you place stones in your garden, think about setting them in a way that gives your little ones a built-in hopscotch platform. You can use square or round rocks, embedded along the garden path and painted with bright numbers. Have them work towards the goal of reaching a water fountain in your garden which they can then toss a stone into as part of the game. This game will get your kids an excuse to play in the garden, and actively move around. Jumping has proven benefits to the lymphatic system.

2. Alphabet Stones

Place a winding path through your garden with the letters of the alphabet written on them. This is perfect for families with kids who are just learning to enjoy the magic that the alphabet has to offer. Your garden will become an interactive learning zone.

3. New Numbers Every Day

Use slate stepping stones, and keep the chalk handy. When you go out to the garden, you can draw numbers on the slate stones. You could also encourage your children to mark down the new numbers each day.

When you make playing with numbers into a game, rather than “work” children are more likely to find math enjoyable. Try writing simple arithmetic problems out on the stepping stones. On three four blank slates you could mark out “2+3 =”, and leave the fifth stone blank. This might become a fun, math related game for the family.

4. Playful Logs

If you have a source of wood around the house, try cutting disks from complete logs. Paint each piece with a bright, primary color. Place these above a pathway made of pebbles or small stones. These fun and playful stepping stones encourage kids to learn the colors. Children love jumping from one object to the next, and this gives them a safe place to play.

Many backyard gardens include intentional paths. This is because you don’t want to be stepping on your plants, yet you want to enjoy the environment you have created. Use your pathways in a way that is fun and exciting for the whole family. Create a hopscotch court, an alphabet trail, or a perfect place to write numbers and make math problems. Each design adds value to your family.

Getting Fit With Your Kids

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Staying in shape is so important to a healthy life, and yet sometimes – more times than we’d like to admit – working out and exercising takes second priority. Everyone works so hard, hours are long, and downtime is precious. That’s why, when we want to spend time with our families, we don’t want to forsake them for the gym. What if you could do both, though? What if you could get fit and healthy and spend time with the kids? What if the kids benefitted too? Now wouldn’t that be awesome? Well, here are some ideas on how to do exactly that.

Get Outdoors

Getting fit and healthy doesn’t necessarily mean lifting weights or going for a run. You can take it pretty easy and still get some goodness into you. Going for a walk when you would have normally taken the car is a great start. Children spend a lot of time strapped into car seats, chugging along the road. Try something different and go exploring in your local neighborhood, or head out to the park and run around.

Join A Kid-Friendly Gym

If you do want to join a gym, do your research before picking the one that’s closest, or has the best deals. They might not be the best ones in the long term. There are gyms that are family friendly, and these are the ones you want to look out for. These gyms will have family days, with activities for everyone, or they might have kids’ classes which they can enjoy while you work out – afterwards, you can meet up for a healthy meal, and a debrief on how your various classes went! This is perfect for having a little bit of ‘me time’, which is something we all sometimes need. If you want complete solitude at the gym, don’t forget to find the best wireless headphones for working out so you can really enjoy it.

Another selling point can be whether the gym has a swimming pool – not only can this provide swimming lessons for younging children, but it’s also a great way to keep the whole family in check without it seeming like exercise!

Sports Night

For super busy moms and dads, organising a weekly sports night could be the answer to getting fit and spending time with your kids at the same time. It could be anything; you could even pick a new sport each week if that’s what you’re into. For the more competitive families you can tally up the scores and the monthly winner can get a prize. For those who prefer the taking part to the results, just go ahead and have fun. Swimming, tennis, soccer, baseball… there are dozens of sports to choose from, and all of them will make you feel healthier.

Around The House

You don’t even have to leave the house to get fit. Does the yard need tidying? Spend an hour out there with the kids and get it looking good. Working hard sweeping leaves or picking weeds is still exercise, even if it’s not a sport or a gym class. Washing cars, cleaning windows, walking the dog (okay, that one requires leaving the house, but you get the idea), anything and everything that means moving about is good. There will be a huge sense of achievement when the jobs are done, at which point you can reward yourself – and the kids – with a movie, a video game, or whatever else makes you all happy.

Tips For Mastering The Art Of Parenting

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Most moms and dads strive to be good parents. That doesn’t mean all will succeed or that it’ll be a smooth ride. Remember the positives and focus on what keeps you going each day. What matters is that you hang in there and do your best.

The more effort and energy you put toward being a stand-up parent, the better you’ll feel about how you did, no matter the outcome. It’s not an easy job, and you’re going to face many challenges, so be careful about letting your guard down. Educate yourself and remain level-headed to give yourself a fighting chance. See tips for mastering the art of parenting.

Manage your Own Stress

It’s hard to be there for your children when you’re not taking care of yourself. Your health matters and the better you feel, the better equipped you are to attend to the needs of others. When you’re stressed out, you tend to yell more, make rash decisions and not have much energy for what truly matters in life. Exercise, eat right and get a proper amount of sleep each night. Schedule time for yourself and self-care activities that make you feel refreshed and joyful.

Teach, Demonstrate & Delegate

It’s easy to tell your kids what to do, but that doesn’t help them learn as quickly. Practice teaching, demonstrating and delegating tasks so that they can take on the responsibility themselves. For example, put your kids in charge of helping out with the family dog. Go over bathing, food and exercise requirements, so they know what to do when it’s their turn. Also, explain to them that it’s necessary to apply Advecta to prevent pests from clinging to your dog and being brought in the house. Understanding the health risks associated with fleas is very important in order to ensure that your dog or cat is safe all season long. The mission of the product is to keep your pet healthy by providing a fast-acting and long-lasting solutions to treat and protect your pet from fleas, flea eggs and larvae and chewing lice.

Take Charge

As a parent, you have to learn to say no and say it like you mean it. It’s important to tell and show your kids who is boss, so they don’t try to walk all over you. Be assertive and direct in your delivery and interactions. If you let them sweet talk you once, then you risk it becoming a habit. You’re the adult and one who should be calling the shots based on your opinion, even if your children don’t agree with you. Ultimately, you’re doing it out of love to protect them from harm and guide them to make better decisions.

Ask for Help

You aren’t expected to do it all alone. Whether you’re a single parent or have a spouse, every parent has a breaking point. Reach out and ask family members or friends if they’re available to help you out when you need it. Find a babysitter you trust and who you can call on when you’re in a tight spot. Organize a carpool in your neighborhood and switch phone numbers with other mothers in the area in case any of you needs assistance. The point is that you can’t be afraid to speak up and ask for help when you need it.

Be Patient

It’s critical you build patience as a parent. Kids are unpredictable and oftentimes a handful, so be prepared to have your tolerance tested. Remember that they’re children, and they all learn at a different pace. Your kids are going to make mistakes, and it’s your job to help them see what they did wrong and learn from it, so they don’t repeat the same mishap in the future. Have a ritual each morning that helps ground you for the day and get your mindset right to handle whatever may come your way.

Listen & Communicate Clearly

Master the art of parenting by being a good listener and not jumping to conclusions. Hear your children out and let them explain to you what they’re thinking and feeling. Practice communicating clearly back and forth when you have their attention, and you’re talking one-on-one. Repeat back to them what you hear and make sure you understand them correctly. Encourage your children to come to you with their problems and explain what’s going on, instead of bottling up their emotions. Prove to them you’re a good listener when they choose to come to you and open up.

Spend Quality Time Together

Don’t be afraid to have fun with your kids. Laugh, be silly and let loose as a family once in a while. This is a great way to destress and strengthen your group bond. Schedule family game nights, bike rides or dinners where you can all reconnect. Life gets busy, and it’s easy to let quality time slide when you don’t put it on the calendar as a regular occurrence. Use it as a time to have fun, talk about a serious issue or simply be together on the couch watching a movie. Be flexible and avoid forcing conversations that will only create conflict. Table it for a different night where you can discuss in private.

Don’t Give Up

Parenting is a full-time job that will take up a lot of your energy and always keep you on your toes. Whatever you do, don’t give up or stop trying. Keep all of the good times in the back of your mind and tackle each hurdle one at a time. Be open to hearing suggestions from other parents and trying different approaches, based on what’s working and what’s not. Walk away for a few minutes if you need to, but come back ready to face reality with a smile on your face.

Conclusion

Being a parent is rewarding, and it comes with many obstacles. Use these suggestions for helping you to keep a level-head and have a positive experience as a parent. These are tips for mastering the art of parenting.

Home Repairs That Are Important To Consider Before Home Selling 

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Selling a property means selling an asset practically. It takes an owner to follow the right methods to sell his house without any hassle. But to fix the deal faster, it is very muct for the owner to stage the house perfect for the buyers. In order to stage a perfect house, an owner must take care of some areas of the property that requires serious restoration. Let us discuss the fundamental home repairs that can let you sell house fast cash.

Improve the Garden Area

To make tour house more appealing at a glance, you can start with enhancing the garden area. Get off the unwanted bushes and plants that are suppressing the natural beauty of your garden. Get the landscaping professionally done and don’t forget to add some colourful flowering plants. It will make the garden eye soothing and enhance the core appeal of your house automatically.

Get Painting Done

To enhance the look of the house, you can paint it well. The look of the exterior of the house plays an important role when an owner determines to sell house fast cash. The appealing quality of the exterior easily catches the attention of the buyers. Painting the interior is equally important if the inside of the house seems not that attractive. Well, painted interiors can make the rooms of your house spacious and lively.

Repair the Kitchen

The kitchen is the place that buyers check with a greater emphasis. It is the place that people use to create tasty and healthy meals. Hence, you must check and repair the fixtures. Sinks, cabinets, counter-tops, and faucets must be changed if needed. You can think of repainting the kitchen also. A leaking and stinking kitchen can spoil the whole appeal of a property. Hence, the kitchen is the place where you must invest intelligently for retirement.

Bathroom Repairmen is Needed

Bathroom plays a key role when it comes to selling a house. The bathroom comes with a lot of repairmen issues. This is why; you need to check properly if there is any leakage or blockage the drainage system. Apart from the plumbing system, you must check the tiles and other fixtures also. You can invest in changing the faucets and the tiles of the walls. It will be even better if you wisely invest in changing the floor tiles of the bathroom.

Clean the Home Thoroughly

Most of the buyers believe that cleanliness is next to godliness. To make the buyers impressed with the first look of your home, you can invest some money to get your home cleaned professionally. A clean and tidy avatar of the asset can let you sell house fast cash. Professional cleaning not only makes a house clean but refreshing as well.

There are many areas of a house apart from the stated ones. If you are ready to sell your home, then it is needed for you to scout the home to check the faulty areas. A well maintained and beautiful home always gets sold fast. You can get the faulty areas fixed to sell your house faster than others.

6 Steps to Take After a Car Accident

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There’s one daily activity that most people take part in despite the fact it could be deadly. Driving in vehicles is a convenience most people can’t pass up, and most people never think twice about it. But with more than 1 billion vehicles on the road today, car accidents are a common occurrence.

A car accident can happen to anyone at any time even if they’re a cautious driver. Even celebrities like Keanu Reeves have been touched by the tragedy of a car accident. When it happens, few people are prepared to get through the ordeal. The steps you take after a crash can mean the difference between getting the help you deserve and living with the repercussions of someone else’s actions.

If you get into a car accident, experts recommend that you follow the steps below.

Step 1. Call the Police

Anytime you are involved in a traffic collision the police should be called immediately. An officer can help keep things civil and he or she will also create a police report. This report can be used as evidence when you file claims.

Step 2. Get Information at the Scene

You (or someone you’re with if you need medical treatment) should gather critical information at the scene. You’ll need to get:

  • The other driver’s name and phone number
  • The other driver’s insurance information, including policy number
  • The license plate number of the other vehicle
  • The make, model, and color of the other vehicle
  • Pictures of the scene

All of this information is needed to ensure the other driver doesn’t try to forgo their responsibility or lie about the events that occurred. If there are witnesses get their brief statement, name and contact information.

Step 3. Hire a Local Attorney

You can make the rest of the process much easier on yourself by hiring a local car accident lawyer if someone sustained an injury or there was significant property damage. Traffic regulations vary by county, which is why it’s important to have a local attorney that understands the laws.

Even if the insurance company offers compensation it may not be enough to cover all the damage and long-term expenses. Your lawyer can help you file a personal injury claim against the other driver so you receive adequate compensation based on the real costs you’ll incur.

Step 4. Contact Your Auto Insurance Agent

Your insurance company will also need to be involved after a car accident. Contact your agent to let them know what occurred and get directions on how to file a claim. Once the claim is received the insurance companies of both drivers will investigate. Hopefully, you have the police report handy to back up your claims.

The one thing you should never do is lie to your insurance company about what occurred. If the insurance company believes you aren’t being truthful they could deny your coverage. Your attorney can help during this process and should be in contact with your auto insurance agent.

Step 5. Keep Track of Medical Records

If you or one of your passengers sustained injuries medical records will be needed to substantiate injury claims. Be very diligent about keeping track of these records. You’ll want to track:

  • Names of doctors
  • Names of health professionals
  • Which treatments are recommended
  • Which treatments are received
  • Date of treatments

You’ll also need to document every one of your medical bills and keep a record of how the injuries impact your quality of life. Tracking things like missed workdays, changes in daily routine and affects on your family can help justify pain and suffering compensation.

Step 6. Follow the Doctor’s Orders

It’s important for your own health to follow the doctor’s orders to a T after a car accident. There are also legal reasons for doing so. The at-fault driver’s insurance company may try to deny compensation by arguing that you didn’t follow the doctor’s order and therefore you made an injury or made it worse.

The Insurance Information Institute also recommends that drivers prepare themselves long before an accident occurs. Make sure you have adequate auto insurance coverage, keep pertinent documents (proof of insurance, vehicle registration, etc.) in the car and have emergency supplies like road flares on hand.