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What To Do This School Break

July 29, 2016 by admin

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Summer vacation is finally here, and this can leave you in despair with a house full of bored kids. It’s indeed true that the school break can strike fear in the hearts of many parents. Two months without any routine or any organised and structured activities can leave you feeling lost. But it doesn’t have to be this way. If you want to survive for the school break, you will have to keep your head on your shoulders. So you better go with the flow and enjoy the day without any strict routines with your children.

During the school break, not everything has to be organised or scheduled according to a plan. The school holidays have been created to give the kids some down time and a well-deserved break from their school routine. So it’s better to take each day as it comes while the kids are at home and be creative to keep them busy.

Why not take the kids out to the zoo? They will most certainly enjoy watching all these animals in real instead of watching them as cartoons on T.V. Visiting a zoo can take a whole day and needs a lot of walking. And by the time you get back home, the kids would just be asking for a nap. Well, this can be your holiday when all the kids are napping. That’s the perfect time for you to take a break and play your favourite game of bingo at Lucky Pants Bingo with your bingo mates. Perhaps, they might give you some advices too on how to manage the kids during the long summer break.

If it’s raining outside and the kids are getting bored at home, then it’s time to bring out all the board games such as Monopoly, Ludo, along with the jigsaw puzzles, Lego, and DVDs. These gaming activities will certainly be fun for them and keep their mind busy for a while. You can even plan an impromptu camping in the lounge for the kids where they can build their own tent with cardboard boxes and play inside.

And if it’s a sunny day, a change of scene is what can work wonders for your kids and yourself. You can walk or ride to your local park, where you can have a nice family picnic. And why not let the children prepare the sandwiches before you leave. They will certainly love being in control of the kitchen, while you will have to keep an eye on them. Some fresh air and some exercise at the park will really make the day fulfilling.

You can also enjoy the school break with your kids by opting to go and watch a great musical show. These normally captivate both parents and kids with the spectacular décor and performance of the artists. You too will feel like a kid after watching musical shows like ‘Charlie and the Chocolate’ or ‘The Lion King’.

There so many other inexpensive activities that you can plan for your kids such as baking, backyard sports, hiking, camping, holiday activities at the library, etc.

Filed Under: Children

How to Keep your Kids from Being Naughty on Vacation

June 26, 2016 by admin

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Vacations should be the time in your life when you de-stress, taking some time away from the daily grind to rest, recuperate, explore and most importantly have fun. This however, is easier said than done when you have children with you and planning for a stress-free family vacation needs to be done with precision. Naturally you want to have fun and you want the exact same thing for your children but very often the excitement of it all can lead to misbehaviour on your child’s part and can often spoil the good times. To avoid such a situation, here are some tips that can help you keep your kids from being naughty on vacation.

Lay Down the Rules

It is important that before you leave for your vacations that you let your kids know what is going to be happening when you’re away. You can use these talks to let them know that there will be more flexibility than normal, perhaps later bed times or food that they usually wouldn’t be allowed to eat will be available to them. Coupled with these benefits, you need to also let them know that these extra luxuries come at a price, their behaviour, It is far better if you speak with them before your vacation as if you need to do it during, it will take the child’s sense of freedom away and could lead to worse behaviour. Doing this also creates a point of reference that you can point to during your vacations.

Watch What They Eat

Naturally we relax a little with the rules when it comes to a vacation but you still need to be mindful of what your child is eating. Your kids will be excitable enough when they are away and the last thing that they need is a body full of sugar and E-numbers which can make them grumpy after the sugar rush.

Sleep is More Important

A day spent bombing in the pool, at a theme park, on an adventure playing sports and meeting new friends is more than enough for any kid to handle and they will be wiped out by the end of the day. Whilst you can relax rules around bedtimes, it’s important to ensure that your child still gets sufficient sleep. Lack of sleep equals grumpy child who will be more likely to misbehave.

Time Out 

The excitement of the holiday can sometimes be too much for a child and therefore it is vital that you take them out of the madness for an hour a day. The excitement of the holiday can sometimes be too much for a child and therefore it is vital that you take them out of the madness for an hour a day. Perhaps take them back to the room, let them play some online games on a tablet or watch a Disney film for a while, anything to turn their attention elsewhere. This will calm your child’s

Recently we have watched together “Finding Dory” and there’s plenty of free online games related to this friendly-but-forgetful fish: check out our favourites here! This will calm your child’s mind down a bit before they head back out into the fun.

Incentivise

This is the key to a happy holiday, an incentive, perhaps there is a theme park or an aqua park that your kid really wants to go to, organise this for the last or penultimate day. Doing this means that you have something to negotiate with your child when they begin misbehaving, remind them that if they are naughty then you won’t be going to the attraction that they want. Carrot and stick seems to be a harsh way of treating your kid but this theory works well.

Filed Under: Children

This father’s day which celebrity dad are you most like?

June 14, 2016 by admin

Stuck for gift ideas, this father’s day why not see which celebrity dad your most like, to find out your ideal gift. Will it be funny man Ashton Kutcher or un-conventional parent Will Smith? What about movie hunks Mark Wahlberg or Channing Tatum or music moguls Kanye West or Jay Z? Take the fun quiz below from My Voucher Codes to see who you get!

I got Prince William, now although I don’t pretend to be king of my castle, I leave that to my partner, but I wouldn’t mind having the access to all that money and gold oh and one day ruling the UK! Okay so maybe some ideas of grandeur there, but the gift suggestions might just fit me to a tee. I’ve always fancied doing some outdoor pursuits such as clay pigeon shooting, it’s not something I have done before but always wanted to try!
At the moment the kids are at an age where I get usually a homemade gift such as a picture or papier-mâché bowl and a card, kindly made in school and then usually a little treat from my partner. So I think it will be a while before they are forking out for gifts like this!

Filed Under: Children

Your Baby’s Precious Vision: Know the Red Flags that May Signal Eye Problems

June 2, 2016 by admin

Baby's health

There are so many things to worry about as a parent and the eye health of your baby will be one of them. However, understanding the potential eye problems your baby could be born with, or could develop, will help to ensure that your baby’s eyes are healthy and that they mature as they should.

In order to avoid any visual impairments, diagnosing any eye problems as early as possible is crucial. The types of problems that may arise could be congenital (i.e. hereditary) or they could develop after birth. At the first neonatal check, a baby’s eyes should be examined to identify any potential structural problems such as retinoblastoma, ptosis, corneal opacity and cataracts. Should anything be found, your child should be referred directly to a paediatric ophthalmologist.

If these aren’t diagnosed early enough and the right treatments aren’t provided, it could have long-term consequences. Despite increasing amounts of medical advancements with things such as laser eye surgery, early detection will lead to better prevention.

Congenital Eye Problems

There are a number of ways in which your baby could develop a congenital eye problem, with the most common cause being a genetic disorder. Diseases such as Marfan’s syndrome, albinism and anophthalmia are all types of genetic conditions that can be passed onto your children. Should you or your partner have a condition that affects the eyes, you should be extra vigilant for any signs in your baby.

Other causes of these types of problems include infections, the intrauterine effects of alcohol or drugs, and maternal diabetes. Defects to the globe of the eye, the eyelids, the cornea, the pupil and iris, the retina and the lens are all congenital problems that can occur in babies.

Problems that Occur After Birth

Babies can also develop eye problems after birth. This could be caused by something like conjunctivitis during the first month of their life (ophthalmia neonatorum). Or, it could be a condition like amblyopia, which can happen during a baby’s first 2 to 3 years and is caused by sensory deprivation during this critical retinal development stage.

Knowing the Warning Signs

Whether you’re concerned about your baby’s eye health or not, there are a number of signs you can look out for that may indicate underlying problems. Watch out for any signs that your baby is tearing excessively or if there is any irritation to the eye area as this could indicate a problem with the tear ducts or an eye infection.

Take note of how your baby reacts to the light because any sensitivity they demonstrate towards it may be indicative of high eye pressure. Monitor how your baby’s eyes move and be mindful of any signs that your baby’s muscles aren’t developing properly – e.g. one eye moving in a different direction to the other may point towards strabismus.

Your baby will receive eye tests at the start of their life as part of their routine check-ups but it’s vital that you continue these. As a child’s eyes rapidly develop, particularly during the first few years of their life, regular screenings are a must, especially if there are any known problems running in the family.

Sebastian Pearce is a Dad who has become knowledgeable on eyesight issues due to his young sons low vision. He wants to raise awareness with his articles and offer support to other parents experiencing similar issues.

Filed Under: Children

Baby on Board: The Fascinating Phenomenon of Daddy Nesting

April 22, 2016 by admin

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Men have slowly but surely become more involved in everything related to raising a child and a modern day father will often be tasked with changing diapers and feeding or bathing their child on a regular basis.

Fatherhood has definitely evolved and yet there is one phenomenon that many still think is exclusive to a pregnant mother, which is the urge to “nest” when the delivery date draws closer.

It now seems that expectant fathers are also prone to this behavior pattern when fatherhood is close to becoming a reality. Daddy nesting can take various forms. It might be that that they clear the yard in preparation, or they might decide to order some new seat covers from Shear Comfort for example, so that the family car is comfortable and ready for the new arrival.

Mothers it seems are not alone in getting that urge to build a nest as it were, so here is a look at the phenomenon of daddy nesting.

Keeping their precious cargo safe

A prime example of daddy nesting is to choose a safe family car or to review the current safety features in their existing vehicle.

A common theme amongst nesting fathers is to decide that now is a good time to review their transportation needs. A sporty model simply doesn’t seem right it seems, once fatherhood approaches, drawing expectant fathers to a family wagon like never before.

Becoming a parent changes your sense of responsibility and dads-to-be realize that they need a car that will accommodate a car seat and give them enough space for all the bits and pieces they will be carrying around when traveling with a baby on board in the future.

Nesting habits around the house

The nesting urge can strike fathers in all sorts of different ways and some of them might seem trivial, but in the eyes of an expectant daddy, they matter.

Although a baby will not be wandering around the house or the garage for some time to come, a pending arrival tends to focus the dad’s mind on how to make sure their tools and equipment are safely stored and maybe get rid of any items that are no longer required, if their man-cave is going to become family friendly.

If you are a father awaiting the birth of your first child, you may also find yourself staring at everyday objects like the garbage can, and wondering whether you need to get a bigger one that will cope with extra waste like diapers.

All in the hormones

Many of us understand that pregnant women will be heavily influenced by their hormones at certain times throughout their pregnancy, which is perfectly logical when you consider that a mother’s estrogen and progesterone levels can be up to three times their normal level with a baby on board, but dad’s hormones also get affected.

It seems that certain pheromones emanate from the mother’s sweat glands, causing the fathers testosterone levels to drop and his prolactin hormone to rise, which stimulates his paternal instincts.

This means that if you are anxiously awaiting the birth of your child, your body is taken over by the same sort of instincts that expectant mothers feel and you are being mentally prepared for the excitement and responsibilities of parenthood.

Time for construction

If you are a nervous father-to-be waiting for the big day, your nest building instincts will almost certainly fill you with an irresistible urge to start building what you need for the new baby.

Building the cot and putting up those extra shelves will be something you positively want to do, as your nesting instincts take hold.

Lewis Hutchinson is a new Dad who works as a life coach. Having a newborn in his life has changed his outlook on some things, and he is taking his first-hand experiences into consideration when coaching others, particularly men on the road to Fatherhood.

Filed Under: Children

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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!