Tag Archives: family

Health, Life, Parenting

A Bereaved Father’s Commemoration to Late Daughter: Baby Aviva Orangutan Diva (Children’s Book)

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A father’s life is completely changed the moment he holds his child for the very first time.  Fathers receive a new outlook on the fragility of life while he cradles his tiny child in his arms.  Time becomes a precious commodity and the things we thought were important are re-prioritized. A father’s new priorities entail a well-nourished baby, clean diapers and a schedule that accommodates for naptimes. Even though we get less sleep, we are awestruck by the miracle that is life, and we start dreaming about our child’s future: her first words, her first day in kindergarten, her college graduation and watching her grow up into a thriving adult.

But what happens when that dream ends? What does a father do for his child when the unthinkable happens?  After enduring the catastrophic tragedy of my daughter’s death at 10 months of age due to an undiagnosed illness, I held her in my arms and promised that I would share her story with the world.  Losing my precious daughter at such a tender young age has cut short that future I had envisioned for her.  Aviva was full of life, love, laughter and had a contagious personality that lit up the room.  Her story was cut too short.  Knowing that such a force of life was taken from my hands far too soon has been beyond devastating.  However, as a father who still believes in giving his daughter the best possible future, I’ve been motivated to share her life’s story with all the children that never got a chance to meet her with the hope of inspiring others.  

The main orangutan protagonist in the book, Baby Aviva Orangutan Diva, embodies my daughter’s personality and characteristics including courage, joy, charm, fearlessness, teamwork and grace.  Relying on her vivacious spirt, musical melodies and can-do attitude, Aviva the Orangutan Diva’s quest for golden bananas leads her to confront dangerous encounters and overcome obstacles for the benefit of her community.  The uplifting children’s book on jungle animals teaches kids many important lessons including overcoming fears, adapting to new environments, the importance of teamwork and staying true to oneself.  By remaining true to own’s most authentic self and finding strength from within, almost anything in life can be accomplished and anything is possible.

As a heartbroken father and first-time author, my simple goal for the book is to spread my daughter’s joy, charisma, personality and love with all the children she would have met around the world.   Although I can no longer hold her in my arms, I look forward to the day this book brings smiles and joy to children reading it with their parents all over the world.  Perhaps it will even bring fathers closer to their own daughters, knowing nothing should be taken for granted in this life.  Through this, my daughter Aviva will live on, and her legacy will continue.  Even though she’s no longer physically here, it is my simple hope that her legacy can have an enduring impact on many others around the world.  As a father who has lived through the unthinkable, my dream for my daughter never ends:  I still believe she can have a positive and impactful future and I’m excited to see how Aviva’s story unfolds. 

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Author Bio:

Hans Kullberg is an Author, specializing in Children’s Books, Grief and Parenting Books. Hans is a loving father of 4 wonderful children and prides himself on being a father first and foremost, cherishing every moment of his fatherhood journey. Also a serial entrepreneur in the non-profit and for-profit sectors, greatest pleasures of parenthood are bringing smiles and joy to his children and he loves watching them learn and grow.  Making up silly, fantastical tales of dragons, race cars, flying unicorns and laughing llamas at bedtime every night is just part of his parenthood duties.

Due to the unexpected tragedy of losing his daughter Aviva at 10 months old, Hans is motivated to share her fearless character, fun-loving spirit and vivacious personality embodied through an orangutan in Baby Aviva Orangutan Diva. Even though she is no longer here to meet friends, Aviva can still change lives and create positive impact through the messages of this book including overcoming adversity by using your inner strengths, never judging a book by its cover and staying true to yourself. That is her Dad’s ultimate hope and motivation for writing – to bring smiles to children all over the world while sharing his daughter’s beautiful story and turning sorrow into a wonderful legacy.

Knowing intimately how precious life truly is, his mission is to help other parents embrace the wonderful experience of parenthood to the fullest, always cherishing our children by leading with love. In addition, through sharing his story about the most difficult tragedy a parent can imagine, he hopes to bring attention to the often-overlooked grieving journey and how supporters of bereaved parents can provide comfort simply by showing up. Grief is a process that society in general doesn’t necessarily embrace well and, through an upcoming book on the grief journey, Hans hopes other bereaved parents will be adequately supported during the time they need it most.

Going Healthy, Health, Lifestyle, Parenting

4 Professionals that can Help You Look After Your Family

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When it comes to family, most dads want to do everything they can to provide and protect their loved ones. However, sometimes life gets in the way, and you need a little help. That’s where professionals come in. Here are four types of professionals that can help you take care of your family.

Photo by Josh Willink from Pexels

#1 Financial planner

The first professional you should consider working with is a financial planner. A good financial planner can help you create a budget and save for important things, like your children’s education. They can also help you invest your money wisely and plan for retirement.

If you’re not sure where to find an excellent financial planner, ask friends or family members for recommendations. When choosing a financial planner, make sure you interview several candidates and read reviews from past clients. You also want to make sure that the financial planner is licensed and insured. Another option, if you’re comfortable enough, is to get setup on the Independent Reserve and trade cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. With an established exchange like the Independent Reserve and its highly rated support team, help you get started trading quickly.

#2 Lawyer

A medical malpractice attorney can be helpful in a number of situations involving your family. A lawyer can also sort out any family-related issues you may have. For example, if you’re getting divorced, a lawyer can help you negotiate a fair settlement agreement. Or, if you need to create or modify a will, a lawyer can help make sure everything is done correctly. You may also want to talk to a lawyer if you have questions about custody arrangements or child support payments. 

And finally, if you’re ever in a situation involving abuse or neglect, whether you are the victim or accused, it’s crucial to have a good lawyer like these domestic violence lawyers melbourne on your side. It’s important to choose the right lawyer for your needs. Ask friends and family members for recommendations, and be sure to interview several candidates before making your decision.

#3 Pediatrician

It’s important to have a pediatrician that you trust for your children. A good pediatrician will help keep your children healthy and provide them with necessary vaccinations. They can also answer any questions you have about your child’s health. If you’re looking for a new pediatrician, ask friends or family members for recommendations. 

When selecting a pediatrician, make sure they are licensed and insured. You should also make an appointment to meet with the pediatrician before bringing your child in for their first visit. This will give you a chance to ask questions and get to know the doctor.

#4 Insurance broker

An insurance broker can help you find the best insurance policies for your family. They can compare rates from different insurers and find coverage that fits your needs. If you’re looking for a new insurance broker, ask friends or family members for recommendations. 

You can also check out reviews online or on social media platforms like Yelp or Google+. When selecting an insurance broker, make sure they are licensed and insured. It’s important to remember that not all brokers are created equal. Make sure you do your research before signing up with anyone.

Working with these professionals can help take some of the stress off of dads when it comes to taking care of their families. So don’t be afraid to reach out for help when you need it!

Health, Lifestyle, Tips

4 Tips for Balancing Your Family and Career

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Being a parent is one of the most difficult roles that anyone could have. It’s a role that essentially begins right when you find out there is a pregnancy. Even after your child turns 18, parenting doesn’t end then. This is a role that you take on until death. There is no doubt about it that being a parent is hard. You have to do this 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and you’re not going to get very many breaks (if any at all).  Nevertheless, this round-the-clock job is completely worth it for the little ones that you love.

With that said, many parents face a fork in the road of whether to dedicate more time to their family or advance their careers. It’s something that many will face, and it’s a struggle to make such a decision. There’s this belief that in order to advance in your career, whether you work for an employer or for your own business, there need to be sacrifices. It doesn’t entirely need to be the case, however.

You can still have a fulfilling career and have a happy family to tend to at the same time. Sure, maybe some sleep here and there or some “me-time” needs to be sacrificed, but it’s completely worth it to get some balance in , isn’t it? There are some tips to help you out in balancing out having a career and keeping to your family life at the same time.

Work from home

Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, now more than ever parents are getting the opportunity to work from home. Because of this, parents are getting to have more time to themselves since there’s no need to commute, more time to stay up, sleep in, clean up the home, and even take care of the family. Getting to work remotely does have its perks, and some people are looking into working remotely permanently. It’s easy to see why as well. 

There are so many benefits to getting to work from home that it would be hard to pass up. Having the chance to work virtually from home allows the chance to multitask such as cooking and cleaning throughout the day, getting to eat with your family, and there’s no need to worry about coming home late from work.

A great example that many are doing would be quickly throwing in some dishes into the dishwasher while chatting on the phone with a coworker. Even if you’re waiting for a meeting to begin or a call from a client, you can then do something such as fold laundry. Doing all of these tasks throughout the day can make a world of a difference. It frees up so much time in your day, so you’d be able to do other things.

Set some boundaries

As a parent, you should never be afraid to set boundaries. Your family should come first, and you need to protect them. Not only is it important to establish boundaries but it’s important for establishing paternity as well.  Having boundaries will allow your coworkers and clients to see that there are limits. Some examples can include leaving a signature in your email that states that you do not respond to messages past 5:00 pm, refusing to take calls after work or during dinner, or even telling everyone that you’re not going to respond or take calls during weekends or vacations.

It’s important to set clear boundaries and to protect them at every chance that you get. Unfortunately, boundaries tend to get crossed quite easily and it can then be more difficult to set them again. Stand up for yourself and don’t allow yourself to be taken advantage of.

Keep work and personal life separate

You wouldn’t miss a meeting at work, right? Then why would you miss dinner with your family or an important event? It’s important to keep your work and your home life separate. You should treat home-life obligations as just as important as your job obligations.  Make sure that you put important events in your schedule, stay informed too. Another thing that could help is immediately getting out of the work mindset the moment you get home.  You should keep all of your work-related responsibilities at work. So this means no answering the phone or checking emails once you’re home.  You want to promote family bonding and this is a nice way to do that.

Skip out on work social events

While a lot of these aren’t as common due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, there are some offices that will do Friday Night Drinks or Happy Hour, or even company-related events such as weekend trips. These are usually not mandatory, and it’s usually fit for those who don’t have families or who are still young in their career. You don’t have to force yourself to go to these events, instead, just allow yourself to go home and be with your family.