• Home
  • About
  • Write For Us

3 Kids and Us

  • Children
  • Education
  • DIY
  • Fashion
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Travel

What to Put in Children’s Christmas Shoeboxes

November 2, 2020 by admin

Every year, we all rally together to create special shoeboxes filled with gifts for those who are less fortunate, so children can have not only the bare essentials but one or two treats too – as Christmas should be.

In a nation of wealth, it can be hard to imagine that some of us, including children, don’t have access to even the basics such as a toothbrush. And for those who are even less fortunate, might not even have access to food.

This is why the Christmas shoeboxes are so important. That being said, it can be tricky to know what to put in them, especially if we are lucky enough to not be in such a position ourselves.

This piece will help give you some ideas of combined essentials and treats that could make a child’s year.

A Stuffed Toy

Going straight in with a treat, because if we are perfectly honest, it is too sad not to. A stuffed animal, bear or plushy of some kind is something everyone needs to cuddle sometimes, which is why this is a great option for the shoebox.

Choose a new toy that will be able to fit in the box – they don’t have to be expensive; they just have to be clean. The stuffed toy is often the ‘wow’ factor of the shoebox, so make it count!

You can choose other toys too, such as a soccer ball (and pump) or dolls/action figures/plastic animals.

Personal Care Items

Personal care items are usually the real basics that we might not even think of! This can include a toothbrush, a small hairbrush or comb, a soft washcloth and a bar of soap (that is packaged). A blanket will also go a long way. A water bottle can be useful and consider some of the more outside-the-box essentials such as adhesive bandages. There are now cartoon and colorful bandages out there for children, which will make them much more willing to use them!

Get Crafty

There are not many children that don’t like to get their hands dirty and get stuck into a craft box, so some craft items are the perfect fit to go in next. Think colored pens, pencils, crayons, coloring books, stamps and colorful ink, notebooks, playdoh, stickers… you get the idea! Let your inner child run wild.

If you are not able to make a shoebox this year, then don’t worry! Consider a holiday donation which will go straight to helping those in need this Christmas.

Personal Touches

This is a special part of the shoebox which might just be the best part for them.

Make a friendship bracelet and let them know you have the other half! Or give them a half of something small you have the other half of. Draw them a picture or write them a poem – whatever you like. And whatever you do, make sure to include a personal note or a Christmas card in the box too, which can include a photo of you and your family, and an address so the child may write to you. This could be the beginning of a beautiful pen-pal friendship.

Filed Under: Children Tagged With: children, christmas, christmas shoe box

Pediatric Dental Clinic at Samitivej Hospital Review

October 20, 2020 by admin

Raising children is a heavy responsibility. They are entirely reliant on their parents to make the correct decisions regarding the health and wellbeing. Parents have to be aware of the needs of a growing and developing child, from day one onwards. One area of a child’s overall wellbeing which is often not given the credence it should be, is that of dental health.

The development of a child’s teeth begins in the womb. At around five weeks’ gestation the baby’s primary teeth begin to form in the jaw. With this in mind, the mother plays her part in the development of her unborn child’s teeth. At this early stage a prospective mother’s health and nutrition is of paramount importance in the growth of the unborn child’s teeth.

At the time of birth, a healthy baby will have 20 primary teeth, 10 in the upper jaw and 10 in the lower. Sometimes referred to as milk or deciduous teeth, they are, in the majority of cases, hidden in the jaw below the upper level of the gums.

Eruption of Primary Teeth

‘Eruption’ is the term used to refer to the point at which the primary teeth begin to break through the outer gum line. Parentally, this is more commonly known as teething. The point at which this begins in the baby’s development can vary considerably. A baby may cut its first tooth at just a couple of months old or it may not happen until after their first birthday.

Teething

‘Eruption’ refers to the tooth breaking through the gum line. In babies, tooth eruption is also called teething. The timing of tooth eruption differs from child to child. For example, one child may cut their first tooth when only a few months old, while another may not start teething until they are 12 months old or more. Then there is the rarer occurrence when a baby, about 1 in every 2,500, has one or more visible teeth at birth.

Although not an exact science, it is usual to expect a baby to have its full set of primary teeth by the age of 3 years. All too often these primary teeth do not get all the care and attention that perhaps they should. These teeth are designed to fall out, as such, many parents fail to understand their importance. Their importance should never be understated, they enable a child to chew food properly and learn to form sounds and speak properly, and vitally, the primary teeth reserve the gum space for the later onset of the adult teeth.

Neglected Primary Teeth

When the health and hygiene of primary teeth is neglected they will quickly decay and require dental treatment. Decaying teeth will lead to pain, they will affect eating and sleeping in a young child which can contribute to slow growth and development. A lost tooth will lead to the other teeth drifting which can negatively affect the later emergence of the adult teeth. Severe neglect of the primary teeth can necessitate specialist treatment by a pediatric dental surgeon under general anaesthetic.

Permanent Teeth Eruption

The second, permanent set of teeth are often referred to as secondary or adult teeth. These adult teeth begin to develop from birth and will start to make a move to erupt, on average, at around six years. It is usually the 4 molars behind the existing teeth that emerge first with the others pushing out of the gums to fill the gaps left by the primary teeth as they fall out. Just as with the primary, this process will vary considerably from child to child.

During and after the full emergence of adult teeth dental health and hygiene is of paramount importance. Diligent care will help to ensure a full set of strong healthy adult teeth. But with so much importance put upon the care of a child’s teeth how can any parent be expected to automatically know what to do to ensure the health of their children’s teeth?

Knowledge and Care

As the 21st century author Noel DeJesus said, “Knowledge is King”. Never is this so true than when we think of our child’s health. With knowledge we can prevent, and prevention is better than cure. But there is no school of parenting from which a parent can graduate, there are no diplomas in caring for your child’s teeth. So where is the knowledge and advice that a parent needs? Fortunately for those resident or visiting Bangkok there is the Samitivej Hospital Group.

Samitivej Hospital’s Pediatric Dental Clinic

This is a facility dedicated to the health and dental care of babies, children and adolescents. But at Samitivej Hospital they go further. Across the spectrum of medical care Samitivej staff believe in prevention being better than cure. They push this mantra by encouraging parents to be proactive rather than reactive in their child’s health.

It is with this in mind that Samitivej Hospital’s Pediatric Dental Clinic offers every parent comprehensive advice and guidance as to the necessity of dental hygiene for their children. Initially the specialists will advise that every child has their first dental check-up at six months of age or after the emergence of babies first tooth.

Following the first check-up it is usual for further check-ups to be at six month intervals, however this is just a rule of thumb recommendation. The specialists will also be taking into account each individual child’s dental health risk factors. In doing so, it may be recommended that check-ups are done more or less frequency.

It is fair to say that there will, at some point in a child’s development, be issues with their dental health. With Samitivej’s belief in a preventative and proactive approach to dental health, the recognition and diagnosis of potential problems means they are able to treat and correct problems before they become major issues that will affect the longer term oral health.

Sadly, intrusive treatment is sometimes necessary to ensure a child’s immediate and future dental health. Many young children are not at ease with a visit to the dentist, they think of it as an unpleasant experience and they can become upset and distressed. Some children may have other medical issues or disabilities which make dental treatment difficult or even traumatic.

Samitivej’s dental specialists recognize this fact and are sympathetic to it.

Some children may have other medical issues or disabilities which make dental treatment difficult or even traumatic. Samitivej’s Dental Clinics have skilled professionals that can administer sedative medication to ease the discomfort of treatment, or gas, this allows a child to sleep through the treatment process.

With the hospital now incorporating into its treatment plans the very latest in laser technology, child patients will be able to receive painless treatment and experience shorter recovery times. Embracing safe, proven advances in technology the Samitivej Hospital Group will be able to continue to offer the very best, most advanced and safest dental care for every child.

Filed Under: Children Tagged With: childen dentist, dental care, dentist

5 Signs of Toxic Stress in Your Children

September 29, 2020 by admin

Did you know that Americans are some of the most stressed people in the world?

When most people think about stress, they imagine adults worrying about finances, relationships, their career, and so much more. However, it’s important to remember that children can be just as negatively affected by stress as adults.

Are you worried about having stressed children? Keep reading to learn 5 signs of toxic stress in children so you’ll be able to recognize when your child is struggling.

  1. Increased Agitation

One of the most common signs of stress in children is increased agitation and other negative emotions. Like adults, stressed kids have a higher chance of overreacting to situations and having a hard time communicating their feelings in a healthy way. In order to avoid these painful outbursts, it’s important to find resources like this post that can teach you about stress management for children.

  1. Having Trouble Sleeping

Lying awake in bed worrying when you’re exhausted is one of the worst feelings. While adults can manage to power through the day after a restless evening, children can suffer a lot more because they need lots of sleep to continue growing healthily.

One simple way you can address your child’s insomnia is to read children’s books about stress together. Not only will reading to them help them feel comforted and sleepy, but the contents in these books can help them learn how to address their stress.

  1. Hyperactivity

Have you ever gotten the jitters when you feel stressed? Most adults are able to put on a mask that hides their stress from the rest of the world. Kids aren’t as experienced at this, which means their stress can also come out as hyperactivity.

If you notice that your kid is a lot more active than usual, this could be a sign that they’re trying to find a way to burn through their nervous energy.

  1. Changed Eating Patterns

Stress in children can also change the way they eat. Stress can cause your child to eat much more or less than normal and even affect how long it takes them to finish their meals. Proper nutrition is essential for their wellbeing, so it’s crucial for parents to pay attention to what and how much they eat.

  1. Withdrawal From Loved Ones

Another major symptom of toxic stress is withdrawing from loved ones. It’s normal for children to seek out some alone time every now and then to decompress, but it should be concerning if they start isolating themselves on a regular basis. Respecting your child’s boundaries is great, but you should always be patient and try to get them to open up about their feelings so you can help them feel better.

Now You Know More About Toxic Stress in Children

If you notice any of these 5 signs of toxic stress in children, it’s important to take all of the steps necessary to improve their mental health.

Do you want to know how you can help your family thrive? Make sure you browse our blog to find more helpful tips and guides.

Filed Under: Children Tagged With: child health, children, family

Cool Indoor Activities That Your Kids Will Love

September 9, 2020 by admin

This year has forced so many of us to find ways in which we can entertain ourselves indoors. especially those who who have kids. Even the most creative of parents will have reached the end of their tether in terms of coming up with ideas which they can do in order to keep the kids entertained. One of the keys to helping the kids is understanding that they will be back to school soon and that educational indoor activities will help them to have fun whilst also preparing them for getting back to school. With this in mind, here are some ideas which you can try with your kids.

Gardening

Teaching your kids about garnering is more than just recruiting them to help keep your herb garden alive. This activity will help them in terms of understanding the important role that plants play in our lives and of course the source of food. Start with a simple pot plant and take it from seed to sprout with your kids taking responsibility.

Learning Board Games

Games ave changed over the years and whilst the computer games which we have now are often based around strategy, speed and skill traditional board games will teach your kids about much more. Board games like Monopoly or Yahtzee and Chess can really help your kids to learn something whilst they are playing and having fun.

The Night Sky

Most kids love the idea of becoming an astronaut one day and you can harness this energy and use it to teach your kids about the night sky and what it means. This will help them to begin to form an idea of what all of this is about and you can use some great apps which break down the stars and the constellations so that your kids can learn what to look for in the sky.

Science Experiments

Every action and reaction in life is based around science and there are so many incredibly fun experiments which you can do at home with them. Even something as basic as creating a volcano using coke and Mentos will fascinate them and you can find some great tutorials on YouTube which will break down what you need by way of resources in order to perform multiple science experiments. Science is always an area that kids love because they love to wonder so much.

Try out these activities with your kids to get their brains engaged once more.

Filed Under: Children Tagged With: activies, children, family, indoor activities, kids

Why Is Home Health So Important for Families With Kids?

September 2, 2020 by admin

Home health is one element of general health that unfortunately tends to go by the wayside for a lot of people. It’s important that you remember to consider your home’s health with the same seriousness that you would the health of any family member. After all, your home’s health can have a serious impact on your family’s health. For families with kids, it’s even more important. Here’s how this home health checklist can be even more influential when you have kids.

Home Health Checklist
Home Health Checklist Created By:   JES

Structural Health

You need to pay close attention to your home’s structural health in general; after all, poor structural health could lead to extremely serious concerns, including complete structural failure. However, even minor structural health concerns can be more serious when you have children in the home.

Structural health often centers around your home’s foundation. A strong home foundation is definitely ideal, but there are many potential reasons for foundation concerns. These can range from issues with the soil around your home to problems regarding the initial pouring of a concrete foundation. Regardless of the problems, it’s important to fix them because structural problems can end up causing irreversible damage without a fix.

Basement Health

Do you have a basement? If you do, you might think that the most important thing for maintaining safety in your home’s basement is ensuring your kids stay out of it. True, having a child who falls down the basement stairs could be a serious problem. However, the biggest problem could actually be issues with basement waterproofing.

Basements tend to have a reputation for issues with waterproofing. This typically occurs because the basement is below the ground’s surface and has surrounding soil that can be very wet. If water enters through the basement walls and you’re unable to get rid of it, you can have a musty smell, mold, mildew, and other problems. These can seriously impact the health of young children.

Crawl Space Health

Even homes that don’t have a basement often have a crawl space. Crawl spaces are a great way for inspectors to get in and look at things like your home’s pipes and structural supports without having to dig into the home itself. However, the problem is that crawl spaces can run into the same problems as basements, oftentimes even with waterproofing problems as well.

One big problem with crawl spaces is that many people don’t think about how much of an impact crawl spaces have on the rest of the home. Sure, you probably know that your basement and your home share air with each other, but did you know that your home gets up to 50% of its air through your crawl space? If your crawl space’s air is unhealthy, your home’s air will be unhealthy, which can cause health concerns for your whole family.

Home Concrete Health

The last element of home health to pay attention to is concrete health. Almost everyone has some form of concrete around their home. You may have concrete on your driveway, in your home’s basement, on your patio, and many more areas. If this concrete isn’t healthy, you could end up with very serious overarching problems.

Trips and falls are extremely common with concrete issues. This may be because of cracked concrete, uneven concrete, or even just concrete that doesn’t have the right grip. These can be even more prominent with children, because children can trip over even very small uneven spaces between concrete slabs.

Conclusion

All home health hazards are important for any home, but this is especially true for many homes with children. If you have children, it’s important that you keep your home as safe and secure as possible for everyone’s sake. That may mean talking to a home health expert, such as a foundation repair expert, to learn more about your home health options. Remember, your entire family lives in your home. That should be reason enough to maintain its health, even if you need to call in outside help.

Filed Under: Children Tagged With: children, family, health, wellness

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • …
  • 33
  • Next Page »

Join Our Family!

Sign Up Today!

Recent Posts

  • 5 Self Care Ideas for Busy Moms
  • 3 Tips for Taking Young Children on a Cruise
  • What Vitamins Are Good For Kids
  • Removing chewing gum from Upholstery and Carpets. Do’s and Don’ts !
  • Money-Saving Tips for Large Families

Recent Posts

  • 5 Self Care Ideas for Busy Moms
  • 3 Tips for Taking Young Children on a Cruise
  • What Vitamins Are Good For Kids
  • Removing chewing gum from Upholstery and Carpets. Do’s and Don’ts !
  • Money-Saving Tips for Large Families

Write For Us

Like What You See?

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!