Tag Archives: family

Lifestyle, Parenting, Tips

How to Financially Prepare for Being a Parent

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When you and your partner come to the decision that you would like to start a family together, there are bound to be many emotions that arise. The first is likely excitement as you look forward to all of the joy that the future holds. However, it is completely natural to find yourself feeling a bit apprehensive about some aspects of parenthood.

Becoming a parent involves a great deal of responsibility. Whichever way you look at it, your entire life will change. In many ways, these changes are for the better, but acknowledging this can still result in feeling overwhelmed at times.

By and large, the area in which most parents-to-be find the most stress is that of money. To be sure, there are a few aspects of starting a family that can prove to be as overwhelming as financial ones.

The simple fact is that there are many things that you will need to purchase and plan for in order to prepare for the arrival of your little one. The best thing that you can do from a practical standpoint as well as for your mental health is to start preparing as soon as possible. The sooner you have a handle on your finances, the better you will feel overall.

With that in mind, if you are about to start your family, here are a few tips that can help you to be financially prepared for parenthood.

Look at Big Expenses First

When you perform a simple search online for what you will need for your baby, you will be faced with countless lists discussing items that you have never even heard of before. Unfortunately, there are times when all you will be able to see are the dollar signs.

In order to get a better sense of just how much you will need to spend so as to properly prepare for the baby, start with the big-ticket items. Things like a crib, a car seat, and the nursery will be important to have when you bring the baby home. While there are plenty of smaller items that you will want to acquire, the bigger items are the things that will eat into your budget sooner rather than later.

Once you know how much you are going to need to spend on these bigger items, you can come up with a realistic plan for how you will afford them. Some retailers offer payment plans for expensive items like cribs which can help to spread out the cost. If you anticipate several large expenses to convert a room in your home into a nursery, such as electrical work and drywall repair, a home improvement loan from OneMain Financial can be a good place to start.

Ignore the “Experts”

Everyone who has a baby blog claims to be an “expert” in preparing for a baby. Unfortunately, most of these “experts” are simply trying to push products so that they can receive a cut of the sales.

Instead of obsessing over such lists, have a look at trusted sources in order to get a good sense of what items you will need for the baby. Remember that different items will be needed for formula-fed babies and breastfed babies. Think about what your parenting journey will be like, and then build your own list from there.

Going Green, Going Healthy, Health, Life, Lifestyle, Parenting, Tips

Children’s Health Is Degrading In America. What Can We Do?

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According to a Children’s Health Fund report, over one-third of children between the ages of 17 and 1 have at least one health condition. A whopping 40% confirm that the condition affects their day-to-day activities. 

Not all conditions may be life-threatening, but children living with conditions such as autism, asthma, and even anxiety problems can experience unexpected challenges. Additionally, modern US lifestyle choices can present huge risk factors, such as a poor diet or lack of physical activities. What can parents do to improve their children’s health and give them the best chances in life? 

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Help them feel comfortable with their pediatrician

Children of all ages may feel uncomfortable when they need to visit the doctor. Young children are prone to panic and tears. Older ones tend to clam up for fear of sounding silly. So, it is important to build up their confidence and create a positive and productive relationship with the doctor. Arranging for regular checkups with a family doctor, for instance, can normalize medical visits. It can also encourage your child to build a trust relationship with their doctor, so they are more likely to talk about their health concerns. Many dangerous conditions can be prevented and avoided if they are caught early! 

Prevent vitamin deficiencies

Here are some alarming facts about our diet. Over 9 in 10 Americans have vitamin deficiency, including a lack in potassium, calcium, vitamin E, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D, and magnesium. Vitamin deficiency can lead to mild to severe anemia and disruption of normal body functions. Some individuals can even experience extreme symptoms such as personality changes, mental confusion, and irregular heartbeats. Severe anemia can have dramatic impacts on your health. 

Unfortunately, vitamin deficiency is a frequent occurrence because the nutrient intake in fresh produces has dropped over the last century, some cooking processes remove nutrients, processed food is low in vitamins and minerals, etc. Bringing supplements and multivitamins for teens can make a big difference! 

Teach them normal portion sizes

According to researchers at the Human Nutrition Center, 92% of US restaurants serve oversized portions. It is no wonder that obesity is increasing alarmingly in the United States as people become unable to recognize standard portion sizes. As a population, we eat too much. Yet, it’s not out of gluttony but a lack of understanding. Therefore, the sooner you educate your kids about portions and macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, fat), the earlier they can make an informed choice about their food. 

Make sports a family activity

Kids embrace more and more a sedentary lifestyle because they learn by observing their parents. Therefore, making physical activities a part of your family routine starts with us, parents. It could be simple things such as planning a ball game every weekend together or going for a run before breakfast with your teen. There is no need to overdo it. What matters is that you show your child that being active can be fun and beneficial. 

Some of the best activities you can try as a family, regardless of your fitness level, include:

  • Cycling
  • Hiking
  • Tennis and basketball games in your backyard
  • Zumba classes

Parents have a responsibility to prepare their kids for the future. Showing them the best way to manage their physical and mental health early can prevent many issues that can be aggravated through poor lifestyle choices.

Going Healthy, Going Strong, Health, Lifestyle, Parenting

The Complete Guide to Fatherly Activities to do with Your Kid

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There is a lot of pressure on fathers to live up to their traditional roles as providers, protectors, and moral guides. But there are many ways fathers can be involved in their children’s lives. Research has shown that fatherly activities such as reading books to their kids, playing with them, and teaching them new things have positive effects on the child’s development. 

Plus, who wants to be a boring dad? Old TV shows and sitcoms such showing the dad sitting at the table reading the newspaper, and fortunately, these traditional standards are disappearing. Children love hanging out with their dads, Bob, from Bob’s Burgers is a great example of that. So, what are some fun activities that you could do with your little ones? Here are some great ideas!

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1. Role Playing Games

Role-playing games are a great way to develop children’s creativity and imagination. They also help kids learn to take on different perspectives and solve problems collaboratively. Sure, there’s the whole “playing pretend” with your kids such as a house, or tea parties, but why not go beyond that? Being a more active dad can be pretty easy, so don’t worry about doing any role-playing that’s too intensive.

2. Nature Walks and Hiking

Nature walks and hikes are one of the best ways to connect with nature. It can help kids learn about ecology, biology, and history while giving them a chance to explore nature. It’s important for parents to lead by example and show their kids how much they love nature by spending more time outside. Even if you don’t live by any national parks, that’s not a problem either, just take them to the local park!

3. Cooking Activities

Cooking is a great activity to do with children because it helps them learn about food and how they can make it. It also helps them develop skills such as patience, problem-solving, and creativity.

Some fun ideas could include!

-Baking: This is a fun activity for kids to get involved in because they get to measure, pour, mix and see the results of their work.

-Cooking: This is an activity that you should supervise closely because there’s a lot of potential for injury. Children usually enjoy this more when they’re older than six years old.

-Ice cream making: This is another fun cooking activity that’s perfect for summertime!

In general, make sure you pick something that you know they’re going to enjoy.

4. DIY Projects

DIY Projects are a great way to make an ordinary day special. With just a little creativity, time, and patience, you can create crafts that will make your children feel like they are the most important people in the world. There are many different DIY projects that can be done with kids. Some of them are fun and easy while others might take more time and patience. It all depends on what you want to do with your kids and their interests. But getting them to feel handy can certainly make them proud of themself!

5. Training/Sports Related Activity

A classic fatherly activity would be tossing the pigskin. You could even watch sports together with your little one, and maybe even read up on a game from Stephen Troese Jr’s website. Sports can be a great way to bond.