It seems like nowadays, everyone wants to achieve a rustic look in their home – especially in the kitchen. One way to do that is by installing antique-looking ceiling tiles. But, the project might seem intimidating if you don’t necessarily have a background in home improvement. 

So, are ceiling tiles really worth it to give your kitchen a farmhouse feel? Or, should you focus your attention on decor, instead? 

Let’s look at some of the benefits of ceiling tiles, so you can make the decision based on your needs, budget, and skill level. 

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They Will Boost Your Home’s Value

Whether you plan on selling your home in the future or you just want to upgrade it for yourself, adding ceiling tiles is a quick and easy way to boost its value. 

They add to the overall aesthetic appeal to the home. And, if you choose tiles that are “on-trend,” it will even add more value since people are looking for certain styles and environments when they’re seeking out homes. 

They Are “Soundproof”

Okay, ceiling tiles aren’t completely soundproof. But, they will certainly help to block out lot of excess noise, which can create a homier, cozier environment within your house. Whether you want them in your kitchen or in other rooms within the house, they can keep a lot of sound from traveling around. That can be especially helpful if you have kids at home!

They’re Inexpensive

As far as home upgrades go, ceiling tiles are actually a pretty cheap and effective way to make a drastic difference to a room. They’re also very easy to replace if they ever get stained, chipped, or you just eventually want a different look. So, as far as decor goes, they’re one of the most cost-effective ways to upgrade your space. 

They Save Energy – and Money!

Ceiling tiles work as insulation for the home, which can not only keep you and your family warmer, but it can help to trim down your energy bills. Most heat in a home is lost through the ceiling and roof. By putting a barrier between the rising heat and the roof, more of that heat will stay trapped inside, so your furnace won’t have to kick on as much. Keep track of the savings you see on your utility bills. It won’t take long before the tiles pay for themselves!

They Hide Wires

If you have a lot of wires or conduits on your ceiling, tiles are a great way to hide them while still allowing them to be useful. Additionally, if you just have an old ceiling that just doesn’t stand out or look good, tiles can give it a quick and effective “facelift” without a lot of work involved. 

The bottom line? If you’ve been considering ceiling tiles for a while now, it’s good to know some of these benefits. You can achieve that rustic, farmhouse look you’ve been wanting in a very short amount of time, and it’s a great DIY project to tackle that shouldn’t take more than a weekend to accomplish. 

Moving your loved one into a home can be an extremely hard decision to make. It can be an uncomfortable one too, as both parties may have separate opinions on the matter. This can potentially cause some serious arguments and falling out. If this is the case, choosing the right nursing home is going to be incredibly important. This is both for your loved one and their transition, and for your own peace of mind as well.

There are thousands of nursing homes though, and they really do range when it comes to quality. From the excellent to the just outright awful. Knowing which one to pick can be incredibly hard.

So how do you choose the right one?

Well, you need to find a checklist that works for you. If you haven’t got one already. Here are some things you should be looking for.

First and foremost, you are going to want to check that they have both Medicare and Medicaid certified, as this is crucial. When it comes to learning about Medicare certification, it’s a good idea to acquaint yourself with more about Medicare part B and part A and the surrounding medical coverage it provides, as well as the details specifically pertaining to nursing homes. It is also very important to make sure they are licensed by the relevant state.

Next, you should probably check that they have a bed in a nice spot for your loved one and that if they need any special services, these will be provided at no additional cost, for example, respirators or other medical apparatus.

Another good thing to look at is the distance from the loved ones family and friends. It does not matter how great the home is if it is two hours away. You and your loved one’s friends are going to want to visit after all. We suggest anything up to a 40-minute drive away is the sweet spot.

When it comes to the management of the home, you want one that is going to be upfront about any additional fees. They also need to be highly rated on the medicare.gov. They should always be actively improving and training their staff as well as maintaining a high level of quality care. By law, they have to show you the latest inspection sheet carried out by a federal or state agency, so ask to see it. In addition, the nursing home should have a proper workflow wherein they employ the use of patient whiteboards to track their patient progress and to get the information about the personnel assigned to the patient. The home should also have a great safeguarding policy. They should be able to tell you what they are doing to prevent abuse, be upfront about the issue, and what they would do to deal with an abuse case.

The home should be within a good distance of a hospital, and there should be a thorough plan for transporting patients there, especially in the case of an emergency. The staff should also be kind, professional and polite. They should address the residents by their names and should have a warm manner. Also, they should have enough experience in this field to care for the elderly. For example, during physical therapy for seniors, the nursing home should be adequately prepared to have enough staff and therapists to assist them.

Lastly, the home should be a nice environment. There should be good lighting, the place should be clean and the furniture should be soft, yet sturdy. There should be family quiet areas and the noise level should be pleasant.

If you find a home that can answer all the questions above in a manner that pleases you, you have probably found a great potential new home for your loved one.

One of the best things about living in the modern world is that the level of healthcare is so high. We’re prone to take many conveniences of modern life for granted, but this is perhaps the positive aspect that is overlooked the most. If you had been born in, say, 1700, then you’d have to contend with many more illnesses and diseases than you do now, and when you did fall ill, you may have been subjected to treatments that would not be allowed today. Additionally, we have so much technology at our fingertips that they couldn’t have even dreamt of 100 years ago, let alone 300. With artificial intelligence and health analytics now being the way forward, it’s hard to imagine what a life without advanced medical care would have been like.

And it’s not as if healthcare organizations have just advanced to a certain standard, and then stopped. They carry on developing and improving, in order to offer the best care possible. In fact, just recently, essential healthcare programs such as Medicaid and Medi-cal (check out some of the medical benefits here) have made it possible for people who come from low-income families to receive vital healthcare that they otherwise wouldn’t be able to get. Even the thought of there once being a time that this wasn’t possible is disheartening, and we should be glad that services and healthcare professionals are continuing to make advancements when it comes to the services that are being offered to the wider community.

Thanks to technology, healthcare is now more reliable than ever. We can be confident when we go into hospital that we’re going to come back out again cured of whatever illness or injury we were suffering from. This is partly due to the high reliability of management software nowadays, helping operations to run smoothly. Gone are the days of faxes and pagers – everything is run on one centralised system, keeping everyone up to date and in the right place.

Another way they do this is through benchmarking. This is the process of establishing standards and then comparing those standards with other hospitals and healthcare practices across the country. This can help a healthcare organization to determine where they’re excelling, where they’re falling behind, and what they’re not doing at all.

There are many benchmark parameters used, but the five most important are probably ones relating to the treatment of heart attack patients, emergency department care, and overall hospital performance. Hospitals like the Cardiovascular Group and similar others who are into heart care tend to be looking at these benchmarking parameters as the use of these parameters can help hospitals to become more efficient with their care and improves the standard of care for patients.

Of course, in order for this process to work well, there needs to be reliable data and interpretation of this data. To learn more about the process, check out the infographic from USC below.

Infographic Design by USC USC

Pexels

You may be at a point in your life where your kids are a little older, and you’re ready to now focus on yourself and your goals. One of your objectives may be to give more time and attention to your career in the upcoming years.

It’s going to take hard work and dedication to get ahead in your career and advance to new levels of success. You can’t sit back, hoping and wishing that an opportunity will fall in your lap. Instead, be proactive and use these tips to help you beat out the competition and make sure you get noticed at your workplace.

Discover Your Passion

You’re more likely to get far in your career when you love what you’re doing. Therefore, it’s worth taking the time to figure out your true passion in life and how you want to spend your days. It might be working with kids or finding a job that will require you to problem-solve regularly. You can advance your career when you can pinpoint what’s going to make you feel excited to get out of bed each morning. For example, if you are an outgoing individual with strong interpersonal skills, you might want to consider careers in pr. The more you’re able to apply your skills and strengths and challenge yourself, the more engaged you’ll be in your role and motivated you’ll be to push yourself.

Learn to Earn More

Another tip to help you advance your career is to learn ways for how you can earn more. For instance, if nursing is your passion, then you can apply for programs at a school such as Regis College and understand ways for how you can earn a better salary and increase your earnings. Get ahead in your role by pursuing further education and certifications, gaining experience over the years, and getting better at negotiating what you think you should be earning. Knowledge is power, and the more of it you have in your particular field or industry, the greater respect you’ll gain and more job opportunities that will come your way. Gaining knowledge and educating yourself by acquiring new skills is always a good option to level up your career. This could be accomplished through classes or certifications that might help you in strengthening or elevating your skills. For example, if you work in IT, signing up for Microsoft Certification Exams (such as an az-104 exam), could improve your insight into the tech sector.

Set Goals & Track Your Accomplishments

It’s essential to always be improving your skills and abilities in your field if you’re serious about reaching new levels of success. Advance your career by continuously setting new goals you want to achieve. Never settle for mediocre and avoid getting too comfortable in one role or place at work. Not only come up with new goals but then track your accomplishments yourself so you can make others aware of what you’re doing to help the company progress. Take these notes with you to your performance review meetings and make sure your boss is aware of all the hard work you’re doing. Instead of waiting for people to assign you responsibilities, take the initiative to find the gaps, and come up with solutions to everyday problems you and your team members are facing.

Go Above & Beyond at Work

When your job becomes easy or mundane is usually the same time you become bored or disengaged in what you’re doing at work. Therefore, it’s in your best interest to go above and beyond at your job and step outside your comfort zone regularly. To earn a promotion, you’re going to have to take on new responsibilities that may not be in your job description and realm of knowledge. You can’t be afraid to make mistakes and do more than what your superiors expect of you. You can advance your career by volunteering to lead challenging projects or raising your hand when your boss is looking for someone to work with a difficult client.

Network

You never know who you’ll meet that’s going to be able to help you advance your career. Continue to build your network of contacts throughout your professional life, so there are people you can turn to in times of need, or to discuss business over a cup of coffee. It may also be helpful to find a mentor or work with someone like ApexCareerServices.com to get some career advice from and depend on to guide you in finding more success in your industry. Stay in touch with those you meet and try to give back to others when they need help with their careers as well.

Be Patient & Keep Your Options Open

Being able to advance your career isn’t going to happen overnight and will take time. Remain patient and continue to take care of and look out for yourself throughout your journey and avoid letting obstacles that arise get you down. Gain as much experience as you can over the years and remind yourself how far you’ve come whenever you’re feeling frustrated or defeated. Keep an open mind because sometimes getting ahead means changing jobs, switching companies, or finding a new career path altogether. Maybe start a business, if you have any product ideas. You can approach a business consultant for advice and make use of trade show displays to market your product. You never know when an appealing opportunity will present itself, so stay flexible and receptive to new ideas and options that come your way.

Speak to Your Boss

If you’re happy in your job and with your career overall, then all it may take to get ahead is to have a conversation with your boss. Let him or her know that you like what you do but have the desire to take on a higher level and more challenging role in the future. Come up with a game plan together for how you can get from one place to the next in a timely fashion. They may have ideas and feedback for you that you haven’t thought of or previously considered. Show an interest in your job and career, and those you work with will likely be receptive to helping you meet your professional goals.

Conclusion

It’s never too late to make a change or give yourself another chance when it comes to your career. Apply these tips, and you’ll likely find success when it comes to advancing your career and improving your skillset. There may be roadblocks and struggles along the way. It’s good practice to view these instances as learning opportunities instead of allowing them to define you or determine your future. What’s most important at the end of the day is that you enjoy what you’re doing and are proud of the work you’re producing.

The Gulf of Mexico is surrounded by extraordinary beauty and adventure on all sides. The coastline encompasses five US states and five states in Mexico, and offers up a dazzling array of beaches, landscapes, and cultures, perfect for a summer vacation. While a trip of this kind might not be possible with a single person planning it, a luxury travel guide or an expert in the field would be able to help you witness the beauty of this resplendent holiday destination.

That said, in some cases, people love going so much that they’ll consider getting a timeshare. However, make sure you know what you are getting into and beware of Mexico timeshare scams. If you are not using it much and are finding it hard to keep up with payments meaning that when you do go away your vacation is not as fun because of the worry, you may want to look into timeshare exit companies to see how they can help you with this. Your vacation should be enjoyed at these amazing spots, so do the best thing for your family.

One of the best ways to see the Gulf of Mexico is in comfort and style on a cruise from Tampa. Enjoy the luxuries on board, and take the chance to see as much of this wonderful coastline as you can. We’ve pulled together some of our favorite spots, on both sides of the border, to make the perfect summer vacation itinerary. Read on, then pack your bags and start planning your holiday today!

New Orleans

The Big Easy is often overlooked as a cruise destination, tucked away on the Mississippi and Lake Pontchartrain, but it is a fantastic first stop on a Gulf of Mexico trip. From the gorgeous architecture and immense nightlife of the French Quarter, to rocking jazz and blues on Frenchmen Street, to mouth-watering flavours and epic Deep South history in the Garden District, New Orleans is an exceptional holiday destination full of extraordinary sights and bursting with cool, under-the-radar experiences.

Coastal Bend

The Great Coastal Bend in Texas is one of the prime vacationing spots for winter tourists from the rest of the US (known locally as ‘snowbirds’). This delightful stretch of coastline includes arts and culture in Corpus Christi, the gorgeous sun-drenched beaches of North Padre, and unbeatable sports fishing from Port Aransas. Stretching all the way from Port Lavaca to Brownsville, there are an almost unlimited array of excellent spots to stop and explore, and awesome sights to see everywhere you turn.

Heroica Veracruz

Veracruz is a world away from the nightlife of Corpus Christi and the debauchery of New Orleans. This sleepy Mexican city is loaded with faded grandeur and glorious Spanish colonial architecture, and is the perfect place for travelers looking for a slower pace of life. Beaches up and down the Veracruz coast are picturesque, flanked by waving palms and beautiful sand dunes, while the city itself offers a delightful taste of Latin life, culture, food and music. Further inland, Pico de Orizaba National Park boasts the highest volcano in Mexico, and is well worth a trip.

Cancun

Cancun might be best known as the Spring Break capital, but this buzzing city straddling the Gulf and the Caribbean is popular for a reason. With some of the best beaches in the world, and hospitality to match, Cancun’s jumping nightlife, luxury resorts, unbelievable reefs for diving and snorkeling and even an underwater museum means there is something for every sort of traveler. Surrounded by lush jungle, Mayan ruins at every turn, and deep, mysterious sinkholes known as cenotes, it would be unthinkable not to extend your summer vacation here with further exploration of the Yucatan peninsula.

When you have a loved one returning home from military service, your sense of pride is almost overwhelming. You’re going to want to ensure that their return home is one that is filled with joy and happiness. However, it’s important to remember, that a job in the military is a little different from your average 9-5. It’s a fully immersive role and a completely different way of life that’s difficult to understand or comprehend unless you have also served in the military.

Therefore, your loved one may have mixed feelings about their return home and it’s worth bearing in mind that their time in the military may have changed them both physically and mentally.

Emotions will be running high, so the best course of action is to ensure that there is plenty of support, understanding and love waiting for them. It will hopefully make the transition easier for both of you.

Read on for 4 ways you can help a loved one who is returning from military service.

Ensure they’re receiving their entitlements

The world of VA benefits and compensation for those returning from service with an injury or a disability is not an easy system to navigate. It’s confusing and frustrating, to say the least. Check out this VA disability rating calculator if you’re looking for some straightforward information. The system is frustratingly complicated, however, and it’s important that despite the frustrations of your loved one, you help them seek the advice they need and in turn receive the money they are entitled to after years of service. Don’t let them feel discouraged. There is always help out there, whether it be in the form of employee disability insurance for their next job or even just a support network for coping mechanisms after some undoubtedly traumatic events. You could start off by finding the right legal counsel for their disability claims – firms that can help them understand and receive the right compensation. Legal offices similar to Wagners Law Firm (or others in the same field of work) could prove useful in your endeavour to help your loved one.

Look for signs of mental stress

If your loved one has suffered an injury or has been exposed to conflict during their deployment then the possibility of their mental health being affected is likely. At this stage, you need to be vigilant and be watchful of signs that they could be struggling. Don’t push them into describing how they feel or even pressure them into admitting they’re having difficulties. Just try to be there for them and when they do reach out to you, help them. Additionally, if you think they might have developed mental disabilities like PTSD, you can also suggest recovery assistance facilities like ndis recovery coach or rehab to help them recover from the trauma. They might not heal completely, but could gain enough confidence to live a seemingly normal life.

Don’t pressure them

Life in the military is regimented and uniquely different from the life you lead back home. Therefore, you must help your loved one adjust in their own time and don’t put pressure on them to do or be something they’re not. They may struggle to find a job straight away, so it’s important not to make them feel guilty and support them through the process instead. Progress may be slow, but any assistance you can give will be appreciated. Offer advice on creating a resume or writing cover letters and encourage them every step of the way. It also might be possible that they suffered from an injury during their military time that led to a permanent disability. In such a situation, you might think that taking assistance from some disability home care might be beneficial for them. Still, you must give them the space to make this decision themselves and not pressurize them to accept things before they are ready.

Acceptance

It’s important to accept that things may be different from how you remember them. Your loved one may have changed both physically and emotionally during their time in the military. What’s important is rebuilding your connection and supporting them in any way you can now that they’re back home.

Photo by Pixabay from Pexels

Did you just have a baby? First of all, congratulations! An exciting milestone, you have many happy years ahead with your little one. Now is the time, however, to follow the right postpartum care to ensure that you are healthy – both mentally and physically. So much has changed within your body, so it’s important that you adjust to motherhood in the best ways possible.

It is, of course, a learning curve – and something that every new mom will do differently. Therefore, you should try to not put too much pressure on yourself. You’ll make a fantastic mother, no matter what. But to get off on the best foot, you need to look after yourself.

To help with this process, here are 7 postpartum tips that you can use:

• Rest Well and Relish the Experience of Becoming a Mother.

It’s no secret that throughout the first few weeks and months sleep might seem like a thing of the past – you most likely won’t enjoy 8 hours of solid sleep until your baby reaches the age of 1.

But as a new mom, it’s very important that you can get as much rest as possible to help cope with the fatigue and tiredness. Of course, you’ll still have to get up every 3 hours or so to feed and comfort your newborn. But when your baby sleeps, try and get some rest too when you can.

Chances are if you and your partner don’t get enough rest, you’ll become overwhelmed by the exhaustion and tensions can grow in your relationship. To help prevent this from happening, try and do the following:

• Split the responsibility between yourself, your partner and family members. Although you’re the mom, you need support throughout the first few weeks and months so that you can get enough sleep to function properly.
• Keep the baby close to you throughout the night (in a co-sleeping cot or similar) so that you don’t have to walk too far throughout the night.
• Try to limit the number of social events in the first few weeks or so, this will be exhausting for you and the baby.

In addition, while you may wish to get adequate sleep, you may also discuss the idea of family photography Portland or wherever you reside. For new parents, the first few months after the baby’s birth are incredibly special. And given that it has taken you nine months to feel that way, you might want to record it so you can remember it forever.
 

• Exercise

When your doctor says that it’s alright to start exercising again, it’s time to get out and enjoy the fresh air! Of course, this activity shouldn’t be too strenuous – you don’t want to damage your body or anything. In fact, your body might already be suffering from damage caused by labor and childbirth. If you think you might be dealing with symptoms of Diastasis Recti, you can learn more about diastasis recti symptoms here.
But a simple walk in the fresh air in your neighborhood will help to increase your energy levels, clear your mind and give you a break from the four walls of your home.

• Discover The Power of Magnesium

Magnesium is important postpartum – but many people don’t know the benefits that come with it or how you can take it. Not only can magnesium help with frustrating issues such as breastfeeding aversion, but it can also help to treat postpartum preeclampsia and postpartum depression. The most common way to safely take it, is by using topical application – such as a body lotion.

• Eat Healthy

After you’ve given birth, it’s vital that you eat healthily. Ensuring that you have all of the key nutrients and avoid coffee and alcohol, if you’re breastfeeding, your baby too will be healthier. You can also promote healing after birth by increasing your intake of whole gains, protein, fruits and vegetables – as well as increasing the amount of fluid that you drink.

• Ask For Help When You Need It

As mentioned above, postpartum can be a very stressful time filled with exhaustion and getting used to this new stage in your life. Which is why it’s so vital that you ask for help along the way when you need it. Pregnancy is never easy, but the changes that occur after the birth can be even more difficult.

If you need some support, don’t be afraid to ask for it – that’s what family and friends are there for after all. Everyone needs a helping hand from time to time, even if it’s just for the little things such as putting on a wash, cleaning the house or looking after your newborn for an hour or so when you catch up on some sleep. You don’t want to feel overwhelmed and stressed. So practice some self-care and ease the amount of responsibility you have.

• Purchase Postpartum Clothes

Throughout your pregnancy, you would have bought tons of maternity clothes. But you might not have thought about what you would wear after the baby was born. Postpartum clothes are items of clothing that you feel comfortable in, in the few weeks or months after your little one is born.

It’s no secret that your body will change throughout this time, so it’s worth investing in some key items – whether that be flowy dresses or loose fitting jeans that you feel like yourself in.

• Join A Group For New Moms

No one knows the struggles and emotions that you’re feeling as a new mom better than other moms. Which is why it’s a good idea to join a support group specifically for new mothers. Discussing what you feel and how your

coping with someone that’s going through the same thing will help you to clear your mind and realize that you’re not the only one going through it.

Final Thoughts

So, there you go! Those are 7 postpartum tips that you can use as a new mom. However, you need to keep in mind that every new mom is different. And what works for one new mom, might not work for another. It’s a stage in life that no one can be truly prepared for. No matter how organized you might feel, there are certain things that will change throughout the next few months as you adjust to motherhood.

Pregnancy is undeniably a stage in life that everyone copes with differently. But if you go into this next stage feeling as though you have the right support and that you’re doing the best thing for both yourself and your baby, you’ll feel a lot better about the process.

The United States faced rising maternal mortality rates between the years 2000 and 2015. While global MMR numbers have been declining, the US is one of the 6 countries that is seeing a slight increase in MMR.

So is this a concern for your pregnancy, or are these isolated cases?

What leads to maternal mortality?

In terms of actual conditions that affected maternal mortality, hemorrhage, infections and cardiovascular and coronary conditions are among the biggest leading causes of pregnancy-related deaths.

These conditions are most often caused by a lack of access to care for all women. For instance, uninsured or underinsured pregnant women are often subjected to low-quality care. There is also a lack of education about contraception and pregnancy health in general for all women. When combined, these factors increase the rate of MMR in the United States.

So what can be done?

Reducing the chances of maternal mortality

There are two big factors that help to reduce the chances of maternal mortality. The first is to seek a complete health evaluation from your doctor to address chronic health issues before you become pregnant. Secondly, it’s vital that you practice good hygiene and monitor your health closely to deal with issues such as infection that can be prevented. Lastly, taking good care of your health, such as eating well and avoiding alcohol, can contribute to a successful and health pregnancy.

Below, we’ve added an infographic that explains the rise in maternal mortality rates in the United States in great deal. We highly recommend that you look through the infographic if you are pregnant or plan to have a child in the near future to avoid any potential complications.

Infographic: Bradley University

Pixabay – CC0 Licence

One of the biggest regrets we all have as parents is the feeling that we don’t spend as much time with our children as much as we’d like. There are so many different components to life that we feel needs completing that it’s usually to the detriment of our health and wellness. But while spending time with our children shouldn’t be on the list of things we have to do, what can we do to ensure that we give our children the time that they really need?

Don’t Feel Guilty About TV Time

There is certainly an argument for and against sitting down and watching television with your children. If you do it too much it’s not healthy. But when you have such a busy week that you’ve got to remember that sitting down with your children is better than absolutely nothing. These days we are all stretched beyond our capabilities, even our children. And we have to remember the importance of proper downtime. Make it a goal to sit down and watch, at the very least, a movie over the weekend. The great thing is now that there are so many different services out there, from Netflix to IPTV, that you can find something that’s classed as worthwhile family watching. And Troypoint’s IPTV guide can get you started. When we don’t have much of an opportunity to spend time with our children we have to make the most of what we have at our disposal. That television in the middle of the living room can be used to your advantage.

Helping Them With Their Homework

While we shouldn’t be doing their homework for them we have to think about the overriding message that we communicate to our children through our actions. Sitting down and spending time with them on tasks that they find incredibly frustrating can cause us to think about throwing a desk against the wall but when we start to make time to help our children with the things they find difficult this will reinforce the message that we are there for them. And also when you think about doing homework it’s not just about sitting down at a desk doing hard sums. There is a lot to be said for incorporating other learning methods. If your child is struggling with learning a specific formula or facts, turn it into a game or make a song out of it. There are so many different things that you can do to help your child develop their skills. You may not view this as quality time but this is better than no time with them at all.

When we think we have no time to spend with our children we have to focus on the quality instead of the quantity. Even if you sit down with your child to watch television or you help them do their homework, which can be an incredibly stressful task, it’s still quality time working towards a goal that will improve their life. And while we can feel that we don’t have downtime, learning to make downtime for ourselves by building it into our schedule is where we can feel the benefits. 

With over 55% of the planet needing help with their vision, your child could well be one of the majority – making sure they feel comfortable and confident wearing their glasses is really important. Often, your child may be the first in their group to start wearing glasses. Reinforcing the fact that wearing glasses is nothing to be ashamed of is your job as a parent. If you are really worried about this, don’t stress, we have you covered. We have created a list of tips to help your child adjust to their new eyewear.

Encourage them to get involved

Give your child the opportunity to choose the frames that they want for their glasses. Try and keep an open mind. You are allowed to nudge them away from those pink leopard print ones but try to let them select a style that they like. A good way to do this is to let them scroll through a website like this. Let them choose 2-3 frames that they like the look of. Order all 3, and then you can let them choose which one they prefer of the 3. The other 2, you can just return.

Make sure they know they are not alone

Over 55% of the world population have eyesight problems. A great way to help a child adjust to wearing glasses for the first time is to find somebody they like on TV who also wears glasses. Tell your child that that character is special like them too. Some easy examples are Harry Potter, Superman, and even the Minions.

The superpower trick

One method that seems to be extremely popular and successful amongst parents is the superpower trick. Tell your child that by wearing their glasses, they gain the power of amazing eyesight. We don’t normally advocate lying to our children, but this is the exception.

Compliment them often

Adults aren’t the only ones who like to be told they look great. We all like to be praised for wearing something new that looks good. To help your child’s confidence, tell them they look amazing in their new frames. Your children really value and appreciate your opinion, more so than anyone else’s, so praise them often to give them a confidence boost.

Experiment

At the end of the day, being a parent is about finding what does and doesn’t work. If your child looks at their glasses as a fashion statement, use that to increase their excitement over-wearing them. If you have a child with a nurturing nature, reinforce how important it is to look after their glasses every single day – let them pick a quirky carrying case and give them some cleaning tools.

Just remember, although the process of introducing your child to their glasses can be an uncomfortable one, it is extremely important in the long run to get it right. Making sure they wear their glasses when they need to and look after them is paramount to their eye health and overall happiness.