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Of all the many balancing acts of parenthood, trying to get your home right has to be one of the most challenging. It’s a constant battle between you wanting a stylish space that expresses your personality and facilitates family life, and creating a home which is child friendly and not too overtaking by the tide of baby equipment and toys that having children tends to bring. A sleek, Minimalist decor may sound perfect – but is it realistic and practical? Making a few small adjustments can have a huge impact in making your home much more conducive to family life while still keeping it looking great.

Create A Dedicated Play Area

If you have the space, creating a playroom space for your kids is a great move. It helps to keep toys, books, gadgets and games contained in one area and also lets children have the space to explore and play without being in the way. If you can dedicate a corner of the family room or kitchen, so much the better as you can keep an eye on playing children. Set up a soft rug and some extra storage for toys and you have a great play area that your children will enjoy.

Pick Hardwearing Surfaces

The wear and tear that your house can go through during the normal course of family life can be extreme, and the signs can soon show in your home. Pick surfaces such as flooring, work surfaces and wall coverings according to how durable they are. This doesn’t have to mean compromising on style – there are plenty of stylish and durable finishes available that you may not have considered such as Stained Concrete or new paints which are washable so any traces of crayon can be wiped off! Consider what may be an impractical choice as well – for example, that super modern high gloss kitchen looks fabulous in the brochure, but once it’s covered in sticky toddler hand prints that you have to continuously wipe off it isn’t going to look as good! Choose the highest quality, sturdiest materials you can afford for your home and they will stand up to the test of time.

Add In More Space

There’s little doubt that children and their possessions can tend to take over a home, but before you consider the expense and stress of a move, consider whether it’s possible to squeeze extra space out of your existing house, perhaps by investing in a loft conversion or home extension. Many families also opt to add a freestanding garden studio if they have outdoor space available – this can act as a home office, gym, studio or even as a hangout space for older kids and a playroom for smaller ones. There are also generally corners of the home that are dead space and can be adapted with some clever carpentry work into extra storage – always a welcome thing. Having said that, if you’re thinking of any house extension or renovation project, try to get in touch with AB Builders Borehamwood or wherever you’re located as they could provide you with various ideas on how to go about making your home look unique.

Go Open Plan

When you have a family, you need to be able to supervise children at play, and it’s also nice for the family to be together even when pursuing separate activities. For this, an open plan layout works best. Consider how you could alter the floor plan of your space by opening it up and removing some internal walls. Not only will this give a lovely feeling of space, but it can bring areas that are currently underused up to their full potential and transform the whole feel of a home.

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Life can move quickly, and it often takes us by surprise. We can often find ourselves dealing with it by getting into habitual processes, the rituals and routines that govern our life. This is good. Security comes in repetition, and so does safety. A secure family home will have a good routine that everyone follows, and of course free time to balance that out. But, with anyone, especially someone dealing with many responsibilities as we’re sure you do, it can sometimes be that these habits seem boring, and then our standards start slipping.

This means that we’re starting to lose focus of the everyday nature of our lives, and the beauty that can be found there despite having to do a few activities a few times a week. For that reason, it might be that holding yourself to a higher standard could be a fun new activity to keep yourself reminded as to why you chose this life in the first place.

We hope the following advice can help you:

Start With Everyday Habits

Lao Tzu once gave the incredibly popular quote: ‘Watch your thoughts. They become words. Watch your words. They become deeds. Watch your deeds. They become habits. Watch your habits. They become character. Character is everything.’ Put simply, you could say, ‘focus on the everyday.’ It’s not often worthwhile making grand and heavy sweeping changes in your life unless absolutely, absolutely necessary, because it’s very easy to take things too far and you might end up going further than you had originally intended.

But it is possible to start with everyday habits. Driving that little bit safer, deciding to fully stick to that 6.00am wake-up time instead of having to rush to work everyday, and giving yourself just a little more time to experience the morning by walking to work can slowly help transform you into someone with aforementioned character.

Know When To Ask For Help

Sometimes, being a better person isn’t in what we do, but in how honest we are with ourselves. It can be that if we refuse help that we sorely need, we end up becoming less and less together and that can show in our actions and behaviors. To that end, it’s very important to know when to ask for help, and how you might even go about that in the first place. Thankfully you can do this. It might be a lawyer can help with your car accident, that you visit HR to complain about that colleague you’ve needed to avoid, or perhaps you need to deal with acute PTSD you experienced from a bad experience years ago.

Open Your Heart

Often, in the need to fulfil our daily duties, in the need to defend ourselves and our families, and in the ability to stay strong, we can close off our hearts. It might be that opening your mind and emotions to being more empathetic, in helping others, and in general trying harder to relate to other people and their experiences is what you need to avoid becoming cynical, as this can often happen with age.

With these tips, you’re sure to hold yourself to a higher standard.

If you’re looking for gifts for your kids, you probably want to know what the best gadgets on the market right now are. Technology is always improving and advancing, and it’s easy to fall out of the loop if you’re not following new trends. We’re going to look at some of the best child-friendly devices and gadgets that you can buy right now, and they all offer something fun and interesting for kids. You can find out more about them and why they make great gifts below.

Beginner Drones

Drones can be great fun for people of all ages, and there are beginner drones that have been designed with the needs of children in mind. You’ll want something that’s very durable because it will probably be handled in a less than careful way and it’s also likely to experience a few crashes. If you need some advice on the best drone, then you might want to check out drdrone.ca as you’ll find lots of valuable information there.

Coding Robots

There are now toy robots that can be programmed in various ways. But they act as educational toys because they use apps that teach coding and the results of that coding work are put to use in the robot itself. So, if your child is already interested in computers, coding and robots, this is going to be the ideal gift for them. And even if they don’t already have that interest, they soon will after using a coding robot.

Puro Sound Labs Headphones

If you’re buying for a child who loves music and loves to listen to it all the time, this is the ideal product for them. Puro Sound Labs headphones are generally considered to be the best headphones aimed at children on the market right now. They offer great sound quality, there’s nothing overly complicated about them and they’re comfortable to wear and use. All in all, they’re great headphones and they make a fantastic gift.

Hoverboards

There are few things cooler in this world than hoverboards, and now you can buy them. Lookup a hoverboard price and see how affordable they are. You might be surprised by it but this new kind of technology won’t let you down in terms of performance. They’re so fun to use and the child you’re buying a gift for will certainly not get bored of them anytime soon. So if your research shows you that getting one of the Hoverboards on the market is the way to go, then get ready for your child zooming around the house and having the time of their life.

Nintendo Switch

Finally, there’s the Nintendo Switch, which is currently making waves in the video game console market. It manages to be a regular video game console that you connect to your TV, but at the same time, it’s also a handful device that you can take with you. That’s what makes it great for kids. They have the option to play it how and where they want to play it, within reason, and not to mention with their wide list of exclusive games this is just a great console to have.

However, you might have concerns like what if your kids would break it or do some damage to it, once you get it for them. Well, they are kids, and these are bound to happen. What you can do in such a scenario is find game console repair tools, and get it repaired for them. Or you can have the kids to handle it for themselves-which would be more fun for them.

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These gadgets are the ones that are capturing the imaginations of children right now. So, if you’re looking for something new to get for your kids, you should make the most of these options. Each of them offers something unique and something very fun for children.

If you have children, one of the scariest things for you can be thinking about the future – how can you prepare them? What if you’re not always there to help them? They don’t have to be in their teens or twenties for you to start giving them sage advice on how to live. The lessons you teach them begin from birth, whether your realize it or not!

Below, we’ll give you some advice on preparing your children for the future with some simple tips.

Put Money Away And Teach Them To Do The Same

One of the greatest things you can do for your kids is put money away, while also teaching them to do the same. Every family should have an emergency fund, as you just don’t know what’s around the corner. Not only that, when you save and respect money, your kids will too. You can teach them great lessons by allowing them to earn pocket money with chores, or even just choosing to give them a set amount per week and encouraging them to really think about how they want to spend it. Do they want to spend it now and have short term enjoyment with a cheap toy/sweets, or would they like to save it and get something even better later on?

Talk about money in an honest, neutral way so that they know when to spend and when to save.

Teach By Example

Your mood and attitude teach your kids by example. If you’re stressed, studies have shown that your kids will be too. They are very intuitive and pick up things like this from you. Work on your stress levels and figure out how you can make yourself happier – you’ll be setting a great example and ensuring that rubs off on your kids.

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Talk To Them About The Future and Be Honest

Talking to your kids about a future without you can be tough, but sometimes necessary. You don’t have to do this while they are very young, but you might want to discuss things like your will and end of life care with them as they get a little older so you can be sure there won’t be any disputes between family members or issues. On top of that, if they re old enough to understand how inheritance and the like works, then now could be a good time to inform them of what your plans are with that. Helping them understand what your final wishes will be, how to divide what you own, and so on, could save a lot of stress later in life. If you haven’t done that yourself, it could be a good time to speak to a Michigan estate planning attorney, or indeed one local to you, to help you out as well.

Praise Them Correctly

Praising your kids correctly has a direct impact on their self esteem. You want to praise them in a way that shows them working at something is the way forward, not that they should be naturally gifted. If you praise them by telling them they’re a natural born genius whenever they show you something they have done, they will be likely to give something up the second it gets hard. They’ll probably also become crippling perfectionists who over analyse everything. Watch how you speak!

Help Your Kids See That Learning is A Lifelong Thing

Learning doesn’t stop at school. Show your kids it’s a lifetime thing and set an example by always aiming to grow and expand in your own life.

Stretch marks appear during pregnancy and they can be of any color; red, purple, or skin color. You can find stretch marks appear at various places during pregnancy. They could appear on the stomach, hips, thighs, or chest. Stretch marks can appear during any part of life apart from pregnancy. You can read this article to know how to avoid pregnancy stretch marks.

Tips to prevent pregnancy stretch marks

Take control of your weight

When are pregnant, one of the best preventive measures to avoid stretch marks is to maintain a healthy weight. If there is weight gain during pregnancy at a speed, then stretch marks could appear. Stretch marks could appear even if there is a faster weight loss. This is the reason you have to check your diet and maintain a healthy weight during pregnancy. During pregnancy, there are many changes that occur inside the body. Hence it is important to maintain a healthy weight and have a regular routine of exercise.

Drink a lot of water

It is important to stay hydrated during pregnancy. Drinking a lot of water during pregnancy keeps the skin soft. Stretch marks do not appear on soft skin. If your skin is dry during pregnancy, there is a chance of having stretch marks. Avoid drinking caffeinated drinks during pregnancy as they can develop stretch marks. Drink more herbal drinks like herbal teas and avoid caffeinated beverages.

Keep your diet vitamin and nutrient rich

Take food that is rich in Vitamin C, D, and E. Also include zinc, folic acid, and protein in your diet. Add as many nutrients as possible in your diet. Eat food of various colors to nourish yourself during pregnancy to avoid stretch marks. Vitamin C grows collagen which keeps the skin young and supple. A Vitamin C diet is useful to avoid stretch marks. Get Vitamin D by soaking up in some sun. Enjoy the warm summer days when you are pregnant as this too can prevent stretch marks. Zinc-rich foods are healthy for the skin and reduce the risk of stretch marks.

Treatments for stretch marks

Even though stretch marks are often unavoidable during periods of rapid weight gain and pregnancy, using quality creams can help you to treat them. As the skin expands and contracts, creams replenish the necessary levels of moisture and collagen needed to ensure the skin remains elastic. Luckily, there is a huge selection of high-quality cream brands that can help you get rid of imperfections on your skin such as Evertone skin brand. With regular, consistent use of their creams, you’ll notice a reduction in your existing stretch marks and prevention for those areas prone to stretch marks.

Meet with your dermatologist as the stretch marks appear. You can also use a retinoid cream that is Vitamin A-rich. These creams are useful on fresh stretch marks. Laser therapy is also useful in eliminating stretch marks. Creams that have Glycolic acid are expensive options to eliminate stretch marks. Chemical peels are also used to remove stretch marks. But they do not prevent the new stretch marks from forming.

Do not expect miracles

Stretch marks fade as time passes by. Not treatment is ideal or perfect to entirely eliminate stretch marks. There are no side effects of using creams. But you must know that they do not produce miraculous results.

Exfoliation and massing the area of stretch marks

Once a week exfoliate and massage the skin around the stretch marks. Exfoliate all the areas where stretch marks are likely to occur, such as stomach, chest, thighs, and hips. It promotes the growth of new skin cells preventing the appearance of newer stretch marks. One of the home remedies is to use baking soda with a herb called the witch hazel. This remedy is ideal even for sensitive skin. When you use creams and oils, massage them around the stretch marks, do not just apply them. Doing this helps eliminate stretch marks and prevents new ones from forming.

Natural remedies to eliminate the stretch mark

Coconut oil, olive oil, and aloe Vera gel have healing properties. Coconut oil acts as a natural moisturizer and is absorbed by the skin quickly. Massaging the stretch marks with coconut oil also removes dead cells from the skin. You can massage with coconut oil thrice a day throughout your pregnancy. Olive oil has Vitamin E and antioxidants and can work as a preventive measure for stretch marks. Massage with coconut or olive oil after taking your bath and let the nutrients from these oils be absorbed into the skin naturally. Aloe Vera has enzymes, minerals, fatty acids that help in avoiding the stretch marks.

Stretch marks before and after delivery

Stretch marks develop within 6 to 7 months of pregnancy. Most of the women have stretch marks during as well as after the delivery of the baby. You can use these remedies during pregnancy as well as after delivery and keep your skin moisturized. This is how you avoid pregnancy stretch marks. For more pregnancy related queries you can visit: Parent prime.

Looking for an all natural exfoliator? Check out VerdiLab’s Micro Exfoliating Facial Mask.

Birthday gift ideas for a 15-year-old boy are umpteen. You can buy anything from a huge bar of chocolate wrapped in a customized wrapper (if you are interested, check out more options of Personalized candy Wrappers on websites of stores like Announce It!) with the boy’s photo, to a customized t-shirt with the phrase “Adding years to life”. However, whatever you purchase, remember that you need a gift that will resonate with their interests. For example, if they are anime fans, be sure to look for anime gift ideas. Or if they love sports, try to get them something sporty like a football or baseball bat. Moreover, you can also choose from these unique gifts that will make them happy and can be used for a longer period of time. Pick gifts that they can use and learn something from. A 15-year-old is still in the stage of learning and a gift that boosts his abilities and teaches him a new skill is a wonderful thing to give on his birthday. This is the list of stupendous birthday gifts for 15-year-old boy that you can give on his birthday.

Awesome gifts for a 15-year-old boy

1. Tommy Hilfiger wallet

A cool and branded wallet is an awesome gift to give a 15-year-old boy. A nice gift that they can use for a few years. It is branded and is made in fine quality and design. It has slots for keeping cards as well as money. It is sleek, stylish, and made in perfect style. It fits just right inside the pocket. A wallet that is not too bulky for a 15-year-old boy to carry with him. A durable wallet that you can use it till at least a decade. It adds a touch of class and looks good on boys growing into men.

2. Waterproof cellphone pouch

Life of a pre-teen is pretty much on their cellphones. This is a useful gift that you can give a 15-year old on their birthday. Add a note with a happy birthday message along with it and there you have the perfect birthday gift! A cellphone pouch is designed in a size that fits smartphones of all dimensions. You can dress your cellphone with this waterproof cover and take pictures and make videos. It protects the snow from water, dust, and snow. You can access your cell phone when it rains and when there is snow without any hassle. Take pictures and make videos with this gift in any season without letting the cell phone get affected by weather conditions.

3. Smartphone and tablet thumb shape holder

A practical gift to give a 15-year-old boy is this tablet and smartphone holder. It comes in flexible plastic and can be used as a decor item in the boys room. This is a thumb holder that holds the devices with a better grip. It can be placed at multiple angles so you get a better view of the device. You can easily change the angle and set it so you can read and operate it under any kind of light setting. A great gift to use the device hands-free.

4. The Maze Runner Sci-fi series book set

An intriguing sci-fi series that is full of adventure is a great gift to give a 15-year-old on their birthday. A gift set that boys at this age will love. It inculcates reading and boosts their imagination. A gift that gets them more into better habits than spending time on social media and tinkering with gadgets. If you have watched the movie based on these series, then these series are going to be an interesting read. It has many twists and turns that anyone can enjoy reading and get glued to the plot. A fast-paced story that boys at this age will enjoy reading. If they are really into sci-fi then you may want to pair it with some remarkable space games that will get their imagination going, there is no end to what the sci-fi genre can bring.

5. Sleek multi-purpose tool

Life is easy for those who tinker with machines and mechanics with this tool as a gift. It is as sleek as a credit card and does many jobs like holding your smartphone, can be used as a screwdriver, can opener, and fits inside the wallet. Carry it with you when you go camping, or want to fix something inside your home using screws and bolts. It also has a rule which lets you use it for measurements. It opens cans and bottles with much ease than a regular bottle opener. A cool and a practical gift to give a 15-year old boy on his birthday. Makes for a unique gift that he can use for a longer period of time.

6. 4-port USB power switch

An awesome and practical gift to give boys of this age. They can have a better time using their gadgets with this gift. At a time they can transfer files from multiple devices and get the job done quicker. For sharing multiple assignments, and navigating through multiple devices this is a good gift to give. One of the stupendous birthday gifts for 15-year-old boy is this USB power switch.

Here we have listed some helpful and unique gifts for teen boys, hope you will like these ideas. You can also visit Birthday Inspire for to get some more mind blowing gift ideas for teen boys.

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Critical illness insurance, also known as trauma insurance in other parts of the world, is when an insurer will pay out a lump sum of tax-free cash if you are diagnosed with one of the disabilities, illnesses or medical conditions that are listed in the policy’s details. There has been an increase in the number of people getting quotes for trauma insurance and taking out critical illness policies so you might be wondering if it’s worth it or not.

It is important to be aware that not all conditions are covered under the various critical illness insurance plans that are available today. You should not simply assume that you are covered – this is a mistake that a lot of people make, and is why people should look into their insurance options (and find out More here about life insurance and the like alongside these kinds of insurance plans) so that they are able to get the care they need if they are unfortunate enough to need it.

Some of the most common illnesses that you will find on critical illness plans include multiple sclerosis, certain types and stages of cancer, heart attacks, and strokes.

Needless to say, the illnesses and conditions that are covered differ from policy to policy. Some will cover medical care and non-medical assistance and senior home care, whereas others only cover the former, yet they arguably free up funds to help with the latter.

There are some insurance plans that will make a smaller payment for conditions that are not severe. Knowing what is not covered is just as important as knowing what is covered. Some serious illnesses might not be listed, and it is important to be aware of this. When it comes to property cover for hmo landlords are also available.

Critical Illness Insurance Quotes – What Are They Based On?

Trauma insurance quotes can differ extensively. This can make it confusing for anyone that is buying critical illness insurance for the first time. It can be tough to know what is a fair price. Plus, if someone else is also purchasing this type of cover, and they have been quoted a cheaper fee, you may be wondering why. We aim to clear everything up below.

The first thing to remember when seeking a critical illness insurance policy is to shop around to find companies with a reputation for being in business for a while, having a lot of community involvement, and using high-end software solutions (such as Jenesis Software, for instance) for better customer service. The next step is to find out what quotes the different companies are offering. In doing so, you might find that certain companies provide quotes that are just on the margins, while others are too high. The reason why the quotes provided by critical illness insurance companies differ so much is that they are based on a number of different factors. First of all, critical illness plans have different levels of coverage. Some plans will only cover a very small selection of illnesses, injuries and disabilities. There are then other plans that will cover extremely rare conditions. So, this can, of course, have a major impact on the premiums you pay monthly, quarterly, or annually.

In addition to this, you play a role in the price that you are quoted. The job you have will impact the premiums you pay. This is because some jobs come with a higher risk than others, which means that you may have to pay more money each month. For example, if you work at a height or you deal with explosives, it is likely that your premiums will be more expensive.

Your age and whether you currently smoke or if you have smoked in the past will also be considered. Your health is a major factor, and insurers will look at your current health, your family medical history, and your weight.

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A lot of kids are scared of the dentist, which leads to lots of kicking and screaming when it’s time to go. In fact, some parents just don’t bother taking their children to the dentist because they’re so afraid and it just creates too much stress, especially when the dentists are dealing with invisalign aligners. This isn’t a great idea as it means your children could have all manner or oral health issues that become really bad and lead to a lot of pain and suffering. You can find a dentist that can look into the problem in a calm way with patience at https://www.tolleydental.com

So, how do you get your child over this fear? Well, here are a few ideas you can try out:

Take them from a very young age

No matter how old your child is, they should visit the dentist for a checkup. Even when they have no teeth, your dentist can still check to ensure the teeth are going to come through safely and that no problems are present. Plus, it establishes the relationship from a young age, so your child becomes more comfortable in that environment.

This habit could be helpful for your children in the future also. When they reach a certain age, they could require braces. And, getting braces is not a walk in the park. It is a painful experience. Therefore, when you take them from a younger age, you could be breaking down their initial inhibitions. Speaking of braces, you might want to try out the Milwaukee Invisalign Orthodontic Treatment and similar ones, instead of going for the normal ones. This might instill confidence within them from a younger age.

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Find a family-friendly dentist

It’s vital that you look for a dentist that clearly states they treat the whole family. I find that, when looking for a dentist near me, there are loads of options – but only a handful are family-friendly. If a dentist doesn’t treat kids, then they’re more likely to be scary and too formal. However, if your dentist does treat children and has actually studied as a pediatric dentist, then they know how to act. They’ll make your child feel more comfortable and do things that ease their nerves. As such, there’s less fear because the environment is more friendly. And if you need a recommendation, this reputable dentist within West Harwich may just be the one for you!

Play pretend

Kids love playing games, and they love using their imagination. So, you can take advantage of this by playing with them and pretending to be at the dentist. It sounds a bit silly, but you can pretend to treat them and make them feel comfortable in this kind of environment. At the very least, it just makes a child respond better to the dentist as they stop seeing them as this scary person who can hurt them. Yes, the things you do will be different from the actual dentist, but having a pretend appointment can definitely calm those initial nerves.

Look after their teeth

Ironically, one of the best ways you can calm their fear is by looking after their teeth. Make sure your kids brush twice a day, don’t eat too much sugar, and follow great oral hygiene principles. By doing this, you ensure that their teeth are in the best shape possible. So, when they visit the dentist, they just experience a brief checkup without needing to go in for any treatment. Instead of being subjected to needles and drills, they’re only in the chair for five minutes as the dentist looks around their mouth and is impressed by what they see. Your child becomes less scared with each visit as they know nothing terrible is going to happen – and it’s all down to their oral hygiene routine.

As a parent, it can be tough to encourage your children to do things they don’t want to do. So, if your kids are scared of the dentist and refuse to go, then try using these tips. You’ll help them get over their fears so they can stay healthy!