27 February 2016

Gift Boxes Worth Taking A Look At

Have we mentioned these are worth taking a look at? Gardenia’s Fire is a company that has been on point lately with their gift box offerings that involve lovely macaroons to their signature berries. Jersey families have been raving about the bouquets and now that their boxes are shipped nationally, we can all chime into these beautiful and delicious pastries.

I have ordered a few for business associates and I would highly recommend these as you don’t want to skip out on any quality with regards to your relationships professionally or personally. Their products are so appropriate for a variety of situations, as they are really a delight to have.

Check them out here:


How Can I Get Closer To God?

The quest to get closer to God is one that millions of people take every year. Just look at the way Muslims flock to Mecca to take part in the Hajj. Unfortunately, some of us don’t have an annual pilgrimage that we can attend to get closer to God, and that can be a problem. I know with my busy life, I don’t always have the time to attend Church or to pray. Sometimes, I feel that I am not as close to the Big Man upstairs as I could or should be. Do you feel the same? If the answer is yes, you might want to take a look at my tips below. These are the ways I find helpful when I feel I am letting down my faith.

Take Time To Pray

The great thing about praying is that you can do it anywhere. You can do it on the bus, on the street, or in the kitchen at home. Because we all lead busy lives, we don’t always have the time to fulfill our duties. But, with prayer, we can instantly become closer to God. When you have five minutes, don’t waste it by watching the TV or lazing on the couch. Close your eyes and tell your God what you are grateful for in your life.

 

Read Your Holy Book

Whether you read the Bible or the Qur'an or the Torah, you should always reference back to your holy book. The book you follow is the preaching and word of God and his prophets. As far as we are concerned as his disciples, it is the unadulterated word of God and the only word we need to keep in our hearts. Sometimes, we can lose perspective of the word and the teachings of God. But, one look at your holy book will bring you right back into his warm embrace.

Join In With The Church

Local churches, mosques or synagogues are everywhere. It doesn’t matter what town or city you live in, there will be an establishment of your denomination somewhere in the area. If you are losing sight of your faith, don’t be afraid to head down and get your hands dirty. Going to church is a great way to keep God next to you, but it is only one option. You could just as easily help the church raise funds or organize events for the local community. Some people even enroll with an online bible college because they want to make religion their life. It doesn’t matter as long as you are helping the church and the community.

 Photo Credit: Wikimedia

Admit That You Need Help

We are vulnerable people, but we are also proud people. No one likes to admit that they can’t look after themselves because it acts as a sign of defeat. However, that is far from the truth. The world is a nasty and overwhelming place at times, so we need help to guide us through the process. As soon as you can see and admit this, you can turn to God for help.

After all, that is what He is there for in the first place. 



Disclosure:  This is a contributed post.




25 February 2016

Must-Read Ways To Be A More Mindful Parent

Parenting is never easy. It can seem like a difficulty providing everything the child needs to stay alive, warm, fed and healthy. Nurturing them as a person can often seem like an impossibility, no matter who you are. Yet it’s important that, as much as we try to be mindful ourselves, we pass the right lessons to our children. It is never entirely within our control, but we can do our best to make the impact we want on our child.

 Photo Credit: Wikimedia


Know what you are and aren’t responsible for
Before throwing yourself into the deep end of trying to get the best for and out of your child, consider this. You are not responsible for every single thing that shapes their behavior. You aren’t a parent to get the approval of others or make them happy. You are responsible, however, for teaching them to function and making the right decisions even when it’s difficult. Don’t worry about how things seem when you know your course of action is the right on.

Let them explore their creativity
A creative streak is an incredibly useful tool for a child to have. Not only does it give them a means of expression which can lead to stronger emotional development. It also gets them using their brain outside their box. If they can think creatively, they can use that thinking in school, work and every day in life. Getting them into an artistic practice like painting or theater isn’t just good for giving them something fun to do.



Nurture their self-esteem
Even when you’re correcting their behavior or mad at them, it’s important not to injure the self-esteem of a child. ‘Tough love’ does not work when it comes to fostering self-belief. It only hampers their progress years down the line and makes it more difficult to find that belief when they’re adults.

Get them the education they deserve
As a parent, you should pay considerable attention to their education. Don’t go with a school just because it seems like the most readily available or convenient for you. Be prepared to go the extra mile, sometimes literally, for your child’s education. Home-schooling is an effective prospect for some. For others who may want to instill certain virtues and morals, Christian schools can be a good alternative, too.

Learn how to discipline effectively
Discipline is important. Much of what a child learns about good and bad comes from their parent. Still, self-interest is powerful when your inhibitions are less developed and needs to be maintained. Depending on the age and nature of your child, there are different discipline methods you can use. The importance of these methods is to stay consistent with them. At some point, it’s not the discipline itself that should be working, but the emotional impact of it, instead.


Photo Credit: Wikimedia

Involve them in the world
The best way to teach your children to be mindful and caring in future is to lead by example. Get involved in charity work that can make use of both you and your child. The environment will be good for them and ingrain an inclination to help they will carry with them for the rest of their life.




Disclosure:  This is a contributed post.



24 February 2016

Five Simple Ways To Teach Your Child Responsibility

Parents always aim to do what’s best for their child, while ensuring they grow up into happy and healthy adults. One way we can nurture our children is by helping to teach them how to be responsible. That means taking responsibility for their actions. They also need to be responsible for their belongings and welfare. It’s important to teach them this virtue in a confident and positive manner, while not being too overbearing and strict. Want to know how to help your child learn this important value? Here are the five ways I recommend to teach your child responsibility.

Lead by example

Simply telling your child that they need to be more responsible isn’t going to cut it. Think about the popular saying, “monkey see, monkey do.” So right from the word go, you need to be setting a good example. If your child sees you taking care of all the household tasks in an efficient and timely manner, then they are much more likely to follow your lead. And it sets such a better example than giving them tasks to do while you sit on the sofa all day!

Photo Credit: Flickr 

Give them chores to do

The younger your children are, the easier it will be to start them off on chores. Pre-school kids will usually be very enthusiastic about helping their mom. Kids verging on their teenage years may not be so happy to help. So it’s very important to start them off young! Keep it easy for younger kids by getting them to help you with your tasks. As they get older, you can give them a bit more responsibility by allocating them tasks to carry out on their own. By carrying out chores, they are learning what it means to run a successful household. It also teaches them how to look after a home. Be sure to build up chores gradually, so your kids don’t feel overwhelmed by everything. This could lead to negative results.

Pocket money

Give your kids a weekly or monthly amount of pocket money. This is an excellent way to teach them the value of money and how to look after it. Tell them that they can spend the money on anything they like, and it is instead of you buying them little treats all the time. Now that they are in charge of their money, they will begin to learn the beginnings of basic finance. Encourage them to make independent financial decisions without relying on you. Overtime, they’ll learn the importance of saving up cash to buy what they want. And you never know, they may even save their money for gifts for mom!


Photo Credit: Flickr

Let them understand consequences

As long as they aren’t too dangerous or detrimental, let your children feel the consequences of their actions. For example, if your child is responsible for packing homework into their school bag, don’t help them out if they forget. If your child does leave their work at home, it doesn’t help if you run back home to get it. They need to witness firsthand how their mistake affects things and also take the blame. Even if this ends in them having to do detention once, they will certainly never forget their books and homework ever again! Once they understand actions can have both positive and negative consequences, they will start to think about what they are doing. Eventually, the will learn to rationalize everything and try to aim for the best possible outcomes.

 Photo Credit: Flickr

Talk it through with plenty of praise

Another great idea is to sit your child down and have a chat with them about responsibility. Ask them what they think it means and how they can practice it. You may even get some ideas from them! You need to tell them about the different tasks you will give them, such as the chores. Let them know why they have to carry them out and the importance of each task. Don’t forget to praise your child when they do really well! Tell them how well they carry out every chore or let them know how pleased you are when they independently decide to save up their pocket money. You need also to talk through any of their bad decisions and discuss how they could improve next time. If this all sounds a bit too dry, try turning it into a game. Create flashcards with different scenarios written on and ask your child to guess what the responsible action in each would be.

Before you know it, your children will grow up into responsible adults before your very eyes!




Disclosure:  This is a contributed post.










19 February 2016

Fun Ways To Learn New Skills With Your Kids

We all know how important it is to educate our children. But having kids doesn’t have to mean that you have to stop learning! Consider doing one of the following four activities with them. Both you and they will be able to develop new skills and passions, and you’ll get to spend some quality time together. Oh, and you might just find your new favorite hobby.

Teach them how to bake


Photo Credit: Flickr


This lesson happens at home. Each week, discuss a new recipe with the kids. If you have several, let them take it in turns on deciding what you will learn to cook. Try and encourage healthier options, or foods that include organic or home-grown foods. Apple pie is a great example of this.  If you’re feeling a little nervous, practice the recipe by yourself a few nights before. You can help them but along the way, you’ll be learning new skills too. Building confidence in the kitchen at a young age will stay with them for life.

Volunteer at an animal shelter together

 Photo Credit Flickr


Animal shelters are always looking for extra help. Could you be exactly what they’ve been looking for? Volunteering teaches children lessons in empathy and care and more practical skills like cleaning. You’ll also be teaching them just how valuable it is to give back to society. Just watch out for the ‘Can we adopt a dog’ questions, and have your response ready!

Take language classes

You’ll be setting a great example to the kids about learning and widening your horizons with this one. If you’re attending classes with older children, be sure to remind them just how valuable having a second language is when it comes to getting a job. If one of them wants to be a journalist, for example, remind them that if they can speak French they might get sent on exciting assignments to Paris one day. This might help to keep them focused.
Then, if you start to truly enjoy yourself, you can think about moving up to a more advanced level by yourself. Or, go abroad and enjoy a holiday and an intensive course at the same time. Spanish classes are an especially good option as the language is spoken in so many different places.

Attend painting classes 

Photo Credit: Flickr


The type of art class you’ll take will depend on the age of your kids. If you’ve got little ones, take them along to experimental classes where they can get messy. These classes can include popping balloons and throwing paint! Just be sure to take a change of clothes for the drive home! If you’re the proud parents of older children, you will be able to find some classes where both you and they can learn new skills. Life drawing classes will teach them about the human body. Or, landscape painting classes will teach them about colors and patience. You might find you have a real knack for it and can continue your new hobby at home when the kids go to bed! 



Disclosure:  This is a contributed post.

15 February 2016

Keeping Your Kids Educated At Home

I think it’s true to say that kids get more than enough education at school. But I also think every parent at some point, considers how to give them a little extra home time. This could be for a whole number of reasons. If you think they’re struggling or falling behind at school, you might want to give your child a boost. You might want to make sure they don’t forget what they learned through spring break. With so much happening in the summer I honestly think it’s amazing kids keep any of the knowledge they learned. There’s also the possibility that you’re considering homeschooling your kids. On this post, I’m going to look at what you’ll need to educate your kids at home and resources you can use. I’ll also offer some tips on how to incorporate education into home life naturally. We should also look at some of the benefits of homeschooling. I know it’s become more popular lately. So let’s get started.


Natural Home Education Possibilities

 Photo Credit: Flickr


There’s plenty of ways that you can quietly and easily incorporate a little extra education into your children’s home life. You could start by asking them to pick a book to read, each month or week, depending on the level they are at. I think this is a great idea during the summer holidays or as I like to call it, the educational drought. It doesn’t matter what book they choose. Although, I recommend you help pick one that is a little above what they’re used to. I’m not suggesting they should be reaching for a dictionary on every second word. But a little challenge is good.


You may also want to encourage them to keep a journal or a diary. This gives them the chance to write more outside of school and has been shown to improve social development. Through a journal, your child can write down their thoughts and experiences. To keep a level of trust, this is not something that you should view or grade. It is strictly for them, and it will be their responsibility to keep it up.


You may also want to encourage them to use mathematical skills at home. When you were in school, I’m sure that you’ll remember teachers always told you math is something you’ll use throughout your life. Now that you’re an adult, you probably think they were talking rubbish. That’s just because you’re using the skills you learned at school without even thinking about it. You might be balancing your checkbook, working out taxes or measuring ingredients in baking. All these little things involve the use of math. If you want to encourage your child, you should include them in these type of activities on a basic level. By doing this, you will also help them understand things that they need to know about later in life.


Resources You Can Use




What do you need to help your children learn at home? Well, I’ve already mentioned a few of things that would be useful, but there are other resources you perhaps haven’t considered. It may surprise you to learn that games have been proven to be educational for children. I know as parents we often think of video games as a purely fun activity for kids. But there are lots of games that are designed for learning purposes. As well as this, some games include puzzles that require a child to use their intelligence. While there are obviously titles you want to avoid, you should look into this possibility.


You can also use another form of entertainment such as cable television. Again, this will be a source you consider purely for entertainment. But there are plenty of channels that could help your child’s education. The history channel, for instance, has programs that will certainly expand your child’s knowledge.

Alternately, you can buy resources that teachers might be using in their lessons. Have a look at BookPagez for more information on this possibility. You might think that this will only be useful if you’re tutoring your child at home. But you could use a resource like this to expand on a topic they were struggling with in class. Or, give them extra attention on a subject that they find more difficult. I would certainly, at least, consider using this type of resource once a week during the summer drought.


Alternatively, you may want to hire a tutor to homeschool your child. Let’s look at some of the advantages and disadvantages of this possibility.



Homeschooling

 Photo Credit: Flickr


Homeschooling does have a stigma attached to it that you need to be aware of. If you homeschool your child, you might be seen as a parent who is overprotective. You might also cause your child to make fewer friends than their peers. This is simply due to the fact that they’ll have fewer chances for social interaction. While this might seem like the end of the story, it isn’t.


Educational standards in the country today are, to say the least, questionable. We are no longer at the top of the charts when examining countries, by education. As well as this, there are constantly news stories that must lead you to question of whether public schooling is best for your child. By homeschooling them, you’ll be able to work on their level and at a speed that they can handle. They will also get a lot more attention. This could lead to more positive results in the future.


Of course, to ensure this you will need to be using some of the resources we mentioned. You must also consider the costs. Homeschool is expensive particularly if you will be hiring a full-time tutor.


Ultimately, whether or not to homeschool a child is the individual choice of each parent. As you can see, there are arguments on both sides of the field. That said if you do wish to homeschool your child the resources are available to make it happen.


I hope you’ve found this post interesting. Check back soon for more tips and advice on your children’s education.




Disclosure:  This is a contributed post.

11 February 2016

The Do's and Don'ts of Creating a Baby Registry

Having a well thought out and organised baby registry is an excellent thing to do before your child arrives. Whether it’s to help baby shower guests some gift ideas or to feel more prepared, you’ll soon realize just how much stuff your baby will need. While this can be exciting for some expectant parents, it can also fill others with dread. So before you start frantically choosing essential baby must-haves, read these do’s and don’ts.

Photo Credit: Flickr


Do: Choose expensive and non-expensive items

It’s vital that you consider the budgets of your friends and family when making your registry. Always make sure you include items that have a variety of price points. Some of the more inexpensive items such as socks and clothing will be just as useful as more elaborate gifts such as changing tables and strollers. Remember that not everyone wants to or can afford to spend a lot of money on baby gifts. So doing this will avoid any upset and allow everyone to contribute.


Do: Think ahead

You might be tempted only to include newborn baby items on your registry. But you’ll soon see how quickly babies grow and before long all of these gifts will need replacing. To it’s vital that you think about the future as well as the present. So as well as newborn products, look for items they can use when they get a bit older such as pushchair footmuffs and baby bouncer chairs. Also include clothing and shoes they can wear as they grow to avoid a mad panic later on.

 Photo Credit: Flickr


Don’t: Add anything you don’t need

Visiting a baby store can be overwhelming for new parents. There will be products you have never heard of and exciting new things to see. With so much choice available it can be easy just to add everything to your registry and forget all about it. But you’ll soon regret this once you start receiving items you don’t need or want anymore. So do plenty of research, talk to friends and consider yours and your baby’s needs. Doing this before you shop will ensure you stay focused and prevent you from registering items on impulse.


Don’t: Go overboard

Naturally you’ll be enthusiastic about choosing items for your baby and creating the registry will make it all feel even more real. This excitement, however, can make you go overboard. While it’s good to know what your baby needs, having an extensive list could put your friends and family off. So instead of going wild online or with a scanner gun in a store, consider whether you’ve added something similar before. The last thing you want is the same type of item included several times. Otherwise, you may receive the same gift multiple times. Go through your list regularly and keep it concise.


With these do’s and don’t in mind, you should find that creating baby registry is not as hard as you thought. If you get stuck, go on parenting sites and forums and ask for advice and guidance on which items to choose or avoid.



Disclosure:  This is a contributed post.

The Quick Guide to a DIY Baby Photo Shoot



Celebrating the birth of a new baby is a beautiful thing, although you might be a bit tired to do it in the beginning. There are lots of ways you can mark their first few months on Earth, and a photo shoot is one of the most popular. However, it's a little hard to get one together when you're busy with a newborn, a six-month-old or a one-year-old. If you want to make things a little easier, why not try to do a DIY shoot at home? You don't have to be a genius with a camera to get some beautiful photos of your child. Have a go yourself with the tips below.

Get a Cute Outfit


First, you'll want to get your little one dressed up in their best clothes. You might have something in mind to put them in already. Perhaps you wish to go for a cute naked shoot, or you've got a lovely dress lined up. If you're not sure what to do, you could have a look at the current trends. One of the things you might notice is lots of cute baby headbands with bows, flowers, and frills. They give a focal point to the photos and draw attention to your baby's face. Think about when and where you want to do the shoot so that you can pick an appropriate outfit.

Make Some Props


If you love crafting, doing a baby photo shoot is the perfect opportunity to get out your glue gun. You could pick a theme for your shoot and find some ideas for fun props to make. Your choice of props needs to be something you can have as part of the scenery in your photos. Your baby might be able to hold something, but it will make it will make it difficult to capture it in the right position. Something your baby can sit in, on top of or in front of will work better. A cardboard box can be an excellent tool that you can turn into anything. Make a train, plane or car, for example.

Pick the Right Time to Do It


The great thing about doing your own photo shoot is that you don't have to make an appointment. You can do it whenever is convenient for you, whether it's when your baby is asleep or in a good mood. You might also want to think about the lighting if you're attempting a photo shoot outdoors. Even if you're inside, you might want to use some natural light.

Choose a Setting and Lighting


You'll need to decide where to do your shoot too. If you're feeling brave and confident with your camera, you might choose to do a shoot outside. Anyone who wants to keep things simple can hang a plain backdrop inside and set up some lights. It will help you create clean photos with a bright background. You can get an inexpensive setup from many stores, or you can even make something yourself with some lamps and a sheet.

It doesn't take much to set up your own baby photo shoot. A little bit of preparation can help you get ready, and you can start whenever it's convenient.



Disclosure:  This is a contributed post.

ShareThis