3 Kids and Us

How to Help Your Child Avoid Bad Health Habits

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Bad habits don’t form overnight. Rather, they develop slowly over long periods of time. As such, it can be difficult to notice if you –– or someone in your family –– starts to fall into a bad health habit. Parents in particular are right to be concerned about their kids forming poor dietary and exercise patterns early in life. To prevent that from occurring, today we’ll explore how moms and dads can spot, stop, and reverse bad habits that could affect the health of their little ones. Check it out here:

Communicate

Communication is vital to every relationship. It should come as no surprise that one of the best ways to monitor the health and happiness of a child is to simply talk to them! While they may not be able to articulate everything that they notice or feel, they can certainly let you know if they think something’s wrong. Similarly, parents should have regular dialogue with teachers, babysitters, and other parents to make sure that their children aren’t building bad habits outside of the house.

Set a Good Example

Kids can tell when their parents aren’t being genuine with them. If you say to your child that a good night of sleep is very important, but you yourself often stay up late and fail to get quality rest, that message will be unlikely to carry much weight. This is why setting a good example for your kids is fundamental. Going on walks, eating healthy meals, visiting healthcare clinics like Northwest Surgery Center if you have a problem, and generally following wellness best practices on your own will help your child develop good habits as well. Children take cues from their parents constantly, so be sure to exemplify the habits you want them to follow.

Consult with a Professional

It’s impossible for even the most vigilant parents to identify every problem that could affect their child right away. Sometimes bad habits can form as a result of physical ailments or emotional distress. As a general rule, parents should schedule regular health checkups for their kids as often as needed. However, if you’re concerned about your child’s behavior for a specific reason, then it’s a good idea to consult with a medical expert.

Be Patient

Breaking a bad habit is tough. Getting a child to curtail a bad habit can be even more challenging. Parents must be patient and persistent though, to ensure the long-term health and happiness of their children. Your patience now will be hugely important for the development of your child –– remember that when things get tough!

4 Home Businesses You Can Start (Even If You Have Small Children)

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Being a stay-at-home parent is a full-time job – one that pays in memories and time spent with your children. Sometimes this isn’t enough for families who would like to make a little extra income to spend on a vacation or fun experiences together.

Fortunately, we live in the beautiful age of remote work and technology, perfect for stay-at-home parents who want to start a small (or large) business right from the comfort of their home.

From a little bit of work to some major dedication, these are four home businesses parents can start, even if they have small children running through the house.

  1. Network Marketing

You’ve heard of companies like MaryKay, Pampered Chef, and Premier Designs Jewelry. You’ve probably even been invited to a home party where you can buy items from these companies.

If you have a large social network and a knack for meeting new people and selling items, then you may want to consider getting into a network marketing company. You’ll have a mentor to help you establish your business and even have the opportunity to build your own empire and mentor other sellers.

  1. Print-on-Demand

If you’re an artist or graphic designer who would love to see your art printed on items like mugs, notebooks, t-shirts, and phone cases, then you may want to look into print-on-demand business models.

This model allows you to create your design at home, advertise it on a product through a website, social media, or however you see fit, and a print-on-demand company produces the product and ships it to your customer.

The beauty of this business is that you never have to keep inventory! All you have to do is design and promote!

  1. Craft Seller

Do you have an area in your house with all of your crafting supplies? Maybe you just bought a Cricut and ran out of things to make for your house but still have an itch to keep crafting.

Consider selling your craft products like home décor, jewelry, candles, and whatever else you can craft at home. As you unwind and relax making your crafts, you can also make some extra income from your hobby.

If you want to get really serious about your craft business and find the most effective way to sell your products, conducting some retail market research is beneficial and will help you enhance your business plan.

  1. Affiliate Marketing

Are you a creative writer or enjoy creating social media content? Then you may want to become an affiliate marketer!

When you have a blog or large following on social media, you can reach out to brands and products that you want to advertise to your followers in exchange for a commission for each sale you make from your audience.

It does take some time to build an audience and create content, but the payoff is amazing when it’s done right, and you work with the right brands and products.

How To Choose Jewelry for Young Children

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Kids are naturally attracted to shiny and pretty things. Parents who love to dress-up their kids in fashionable clothing sometimes wonder if jewelry is also appropriate for little ones. Although some pieces are better left for the grown-ups, there are accessories that are also appropriate for children. Of course, it depends on the child’s age or the specific occasion for wearing it.

Children’s jewelry worn on special occasions

If there’s one reason to buy jewelry for children, it’s when there’s a special occasion. Every event is unique, and your child needs to dress appropriately as well. And like clothing, there are many accessories to choose from. So how do you choose a piece of jewelry fit for the occasion?

For religious events like christenings and bar mitzvahs, you need to consider the relevance of the observance. Tradition also plays an important role in choosing a piece. A safe option would be a rose gold name necklace, a birthstone bracelet, or anything that complements your belief.

Birthdays are a more fun occasion because you can choose something more personal or unique. There are a lot of perfect options to choose from. For example, a gold locket with a family picture inside would be quite meaningful. Charm bracelets are also great because the child can collect charms while growing up. For boys, a good option would be a simple gold chain or a watch. Boys should feel comfortable wearing jewelry at a young age so that they’ll be more at ease with it as they grow up.

If you’re thinking of giving jewelry as a gift for special milestones such as graduations, the options are also endless. Most parents give pieces with special meaning such as monogram rings, engraved bracelets, and watches.

Most appropriate jewelry for children

Here is another list of options if you’re considering buying a piece of jewelry for your child for the first time.

Stud earring. Getting their ears pierced is considered a right of passage. A simple stud works well as your child gets accustomed to wearing jewelry. Later on, you can buy birthstone earrings or experiment with dangling pieces when the child is older.

A statement necklace. A locket or a name necklace is always a good choice for a child. A simple chain design is great for everyday use as well.

Friendship bracelet with charms. Friendship bracelets aren’t technically jewelry, but a type of accessory your child can make or personalize. There are kits available online with a variety of options such as beads and semi-precious stones. Giving this as a gift will encourage creativity and self-expression.

Watch. A watch is a suitable choice for an older child. It gives a sense of responsibility and trust. You can choose from different types of bands and styles that will suit your child.

Don’t hesitate to allow your children to wear jewelry. There are many child-appropriate pieces to choose from. Also, accessories are an extension of one’s style and personality. And at a young age, you can develop your child’s confidence by letting them accessorize their outfits.

The Best Ways to Increase your Credit

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Credit is one of the trickiest facets of the modern world. It is the cause of much pain, anxiety, and stress. If you have been struggling with debt and have a bad credit score, you aren’t out of luck. There are many ways to raise your credit and work towards financial health. It is important to keep this goal in mind if you currently have a bad score. Some of the methods to raise your credit may seem counterintuitive. Credit is the process of showing you are good to borrow money. When you prove you are trustworthy with funds, you’ll have the opportunity to raise your score and improve your overall financial standing.

Join a Credit Union

If you have an in at a credit union, you should most definitely utilize this ability. While it may scare you to apply for a credit card, if you have the chance to get a credit union credit card, it can really help you improve your score. Not only do credit unions have better interest rates, they do not punish you for paying what you owe back early. Credit unions are much more manageable when it comes to borrowing. If you have the opportunity to raise your credit score using a credit union, you should take advantage of it. Just make sure to pay everything off immediately and your score will go up in time.

Consolidate your Debt

Another way to increase your score and get rid of money you owe is to consolidate debt. When you owe multiple creditors money, putting these into one place will give you a monthly payment you can handle. This is vital because you want to get a hold on what you owe and stick to the payments, but it is crucial to pay more than the minimum. Working with a debt consolidator will help you understand what you should pay before you consolidate what you owe and how much you need to pay every month to get this off your back. There are many debt consolidation options. If you owe multiple entities money, take the next step by consolidating it and giving yourself a chance to pay debt back.

Lease a Car

If your credit isn’t great but you can be approved for a car lease, it might be a good way to increase your score and kill two birds with one stone. When you need a car but can’t afford to buy a new one, leasing is an option if you get approved. This applies to people who have a good score but want to increase it. When you have the ability to lease a car, you should make payments on time and never pay the minimum if you can avoid it. Always pay off what you can and you’ll watch your credit score go up. When you are able to get approved for loans, you will have the chance to use it to your advantage.

Save Save Save

When you are trying to bring up your credit score, it is important to have money in the bank. You won’t be able to pay off debts if you don’t have a solid foundation to pull from. It’s so crucial to keep up with payments and always avoid the minimum. However, this is very difficult if you don’t have some money to use. Living paycheck to paycheck makes it nearly impossible to get rid of debt. That’s why it is so important to save money. Don’t give in to the impulse to make yourself feel better in the moment. It won’t help anything. Every time you want to spend money on something you don’t need, just think that it will help you get out from under your debt and raise your credit score that much faster.

Getting rid of debt and raising your credit score is not often easy. It can sometimes feel impossible. The most important thing is that you have money saved up and more coming in. Then you will be able to look towards the future and utilize your money to pay off debts and increase your credit score by taking on new ones as you can. It’s a complicated modern world when it comes to credit, but you can do this. You can get out of the hole that is a low credit score.

How to Encourage Your Kids to Eat Healthily

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A healthy and nutritious diet is essential for everyone, and particularly for children as they grow. However, as many parents know, it can often be a bit of a challenge to encourage them to enjoy eating well and can lead to fussy eating habits as well as plenty of meltdowns at mealtimes. There are some simple ways to introduce healthier foods into your children’s meals, so read on to find out more about them.

Have meals together as a family

Eating together as a family can be a wonderful way of spending quality time together, as well as encouraging better eating habits. While many of our lifestyles have gotten busier and more complex, making time to enjoy at least one meal together every day is a good start to make a healthy diet part of the family lifestyle.

Use family mealtimes to model good eating habits by having a variety of ‘safe’ and more novel foods in the mix, allowing children to try a little of everything for themselves, without pressure to eat anything specifically. Meal times are a great time to relax and have a conversation about what has been happening in everyone’s lives, and this can also reduce stress overeating unfamiliar foods.

Have a mix of healthy snacks and treats available

While eating a high amount of sugary, processed, or high-fat foods is certainly unhealthy for anyone, especially kids, this does not mean that they need to be eradicated or demonized entirely. In fact, this can often be counter-productive by making certain forbidden foods more alluring, especially as children get older and are able to access snacks at school and other places.

Instead, encourage a healthy approach to enjoying treats in moderation by mixing up a few treat items with more healthy foods, such as fruits and vegetable pieces. Children’s gummy vitamins are also a fun way of adding a nutritional boost to their daily diet in a fun and enjoyable form.

Get kids involved with food preparation

Helping children to feel more engaged and connected with the food on their plate is a great way of encouraging a healthier approach to eating habits, as it can be empowering to see and understand where their food comes from. You can get children involved with their food in several ways, such as encouraging them to pick a new item from the produce section to add to dinner. This can be a fun way to experiment with flavors and textures as well as making healthy foods seem less daunting.

Allowing children to get involved in the kitchen during meal preparation is also a fun way of helping them to learn more about food. Giving simple tasks, such as mixing a salad, chopping vegetables, or sampling a home-made dressing, can help them learn more about what goes into their food, as well as helping them feel more independent. Don’t worry about making messes – this is an inevitable part of having kids in the kitchen!

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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!