Tag Archives: parenting

Going Healthy, Health, Lifestyle, Parenting

Building A Healthy Bedtime Routine For Your Kids

02/27/2023 R.C. Liley Leave a comment

A healthy bedtime routine can help your child fall asleep on time, stay asleep without needing to come to you, and even ensure they feel safe and secure in their room throughout the night. And when they know there’s no monster under the bed, everything else gets easier! But how can you build a healthy bedtime routine?

It’s important to set one as soon as possible, but you can still make changes here and there as your child gets older. If something doesn’t work, you don’t have to stick with it; a routine can be flexible while still providing structure and stability! As such, let’s go through some good bedtime routine habits below.

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Don’t Take Too Long

Bedtime routines feel like they can stretch on for hours at a time. But if they actually do, that’s not necessarily a great thing. This can delay your child’s sleep, and cause them to be more grumpy and restless in the morning.

So try to keep things moving at a steady pace, and try to finish it all up in about half an hour. 30 minutes is longer than you might think, and you can get pyjamas on, clean teeth, and finish a story well within this deadline.

Offer Your Kids a Choice Between a Story or Something Else

Reading to your child to help them drop off at night – it’s one of the best feelings as a parent. Knowing they feel safe with you there, and going through a story that ensures they’ll have sweet dreams instead of a nightmare, are two simple actions that form a big foundation for good parenting. But if the stories aren’t doing it anymore, you can swap them out for something else!

Give your child the choice here. Do they want to read a book, or do they want to cuddle and talk about their favorite cartoon instead? Give them the options to choose from, as they might get stressed out trying to come up with something to do themselves (and they may ask to continue playtime, which would be unsuitable for the bedtime routine!).

Make Changes One at a Time

Routine changes can’t happen all at once. Say you want to extend their bedtime by another half hour as well as stop helping them with bathtime; do this one at a time in different weeks to ensure your child doesn’t become overwhelmed.

Similarly, it’s common for children to have braces fitted, and if your child is dealing with them, focus on getting them used to sleeping with them. Purchase some custom-fitted night guards, for example, and integrate them into the routine slowly. During this time, make no other changes to ensure your child can get used to something new before moving on again – they might end up finding bedtime stressful otherwise.

A healthy bedtime routine is a little different for every child. Make sure you craft one with your kids in mind, and be as flexible as you can about it!

Going Healthy, Health, Parenting

How To Look After Your Children’s Eyesight

02/26/2023 R.C. Liley Leave a comment

As a parent, it’s important to be mindful of your child’s eyesight. Just like their teeth, your eyes are a vulnerable part of the body that if mistreated are going to be damaged over time.

There are many causes for poor eyesight but there are plenty of ways to help ensure your child has a good vision for as long as possible. If you’re already a wearer of glasses or contact lenses, you’ll appreciate how useful it is to have 20/20 vision. With this being said, here are some tips that will help look after your children’s eyesight in the future.

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Minimize device usage for tablets and mobile phones

It seems like all new generations nowadays are growing up with a mobile phone or tablet in their hands. Grateful generations above will appreciate the ability to switch off their electronic devices but for younger generations, it’s not so easy.

It’s useful for a parent to try and minimize screen time and device usage when it comes to their tablets and mobile phones. Too much screen time can do some damage to their eyesight, especially if they’re spending hours on it at a time.

Not only that but if they’re using these devices late at night, their eyes will naturally start straining in order to see the screen. This only gets worse when they’re tired. With that being said, set times in the day or evening when screen time isn’t allowed. It’ll help curb their reliance on these electronics too.

Ensure they’re wearing sunglasses when out and about

When they’re out and about, make sure they’re wearing sunglasses if the sun is shining. As children, they may find themselves looking up at the sky and towards the sun. Obviously, this is dangerous for your eyes as it’s burning away that exposed tissue on the eyes.

For children though, they don’t know that until they’re told not to. Sunglasses can help them enjoy the sunshine without having to worry about damaging their eyesight. It’s also great for helping them avoid squinting when the sun gets too bright. Children’s eyesight is a little more vulnerable, especially when they’re still developing.

Teach young children the importance of eye safety

The importance of eye safety goes beyond just their early years. The potential damage caused now could have a long-lasting effect on their eye health in the future. With that being said, be mindful of young children when it comes to eye safety.

For example, make sure they know to wash out their eyes with sterile water when there’s a potential infection or something has gotten into their eye. Ensure they’re not poking anything into their eye that could cause damage. There are a lot of simple eye safety tips that as an adult, you’d know, but for children, they won’t learn until they’re told.

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Encourage them to let you know if they’re having any trouble with their eyesight or if there is any pain or discomfort within the eye itself.

Get regular opticians checkups

Regular opticians checkups are essential for children and should be introduced from a young age. Just like other healthcare appointments, a trip to Merivale Vision Care is a must. It’s worthwhile getting them used to the opticians from a young age, especially as the experience can be a little daunting.

By providing them with eye care from an early age, it’s helpful to ensure they are being checked over properly and have any potential underlying problems ruled out.

Provide them with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables

Fresh fruit and vegetables are great for eye health and for the little one’s health in general. Make sure you’re incorporating plenty of fruit and vegetables that are known for being good for eyesight. These include:

Carrots
Sweet potatoes
Green leafy vegetables.

The more fruit and veg they have in their diet, the better it’ll be for their health in general so ensure they’re getting their five a day every day.

Be mindful of any changes in their vision

It’s important to be mindful of any changes within their vision. As a parent, it’s easy enough to notice something different in your child’s behavior or mood. This may be done to a problem with their eyesight whether it’s noticeable now or not. Make sure to be mindful and to question if they’re experiencing any pain or sudden change in their eyesight.

Looking after your children’s eyesight is essential so with that being said, be mindful, attentive, and encouraging toward your child’s eyesight this year and beyond.

Life, Parenting, Tips

3 Mistakes To Avoid During A Separation

02/10/2023 R.C. Liley Leave a comment

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Separation from a spouse is an emotional period for anyone who has experienced it and usually precedes divorce. According to research, only 13% of separated couples reconcile and do not proceed to the divorce stage. However, if there is no hope of reconciliation, it is best to take certain precautions in order not to mar the impending proceedings. Below are some mistakes to avoid during separation.

Engaging in social media battles

One of the biggest mistakes people make during a separation is engaging in social media battles with their soon-to-be ex-partner. Posting hurtful or negative comments on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram can only escalate the situation and make things worse. Already, emotions are high and such actions are inflammatory and unhealthy for all parties involved, especially when there are kids in the picture. Aside from harming your partner, engaging in social media battles can also negatively impact your mental health and well-being. Additionally, it can have legal implications if the content is considered defamatory.

Social media provides a platform for partners to air their grievances and post negative or hurtful comments about each other. However, escalating an already bad situation does nothing good for either party, as it can cause avoidable issues such as character assassination. As tempting as it may be to go onto these platforms to air your emotions, it’s best to avoid doing that. During this period, it’s prudent to listen to your divorce lawyer, especially when they caution you on the possible repercussions of such an action. If it helps, you can take a break from social media to help you get through that stage before coming back online. You can also seek emotional support from friends, family, or a professional therapist.

Resorting to self-destructive habits

It is natural to feel overwhelmed by emotions during a separation. However, it is important to be self-aware of your mental state. That will help you avoid self-destructive habits, such as excessive drinking, drug use, or risky sexual behavior. These actions often have serious consequences for your health and well-being and can harm your reputation and relationships. Instead, seek support from a reliable network that understands the situation and will walk you through the dark moments. It is better to handle your emotions healthily and constructively rather than resort to reactions you may later regret. Self-destructive behaviors can affect your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. If left unattended, they can become habits you cannot break without professional help. If you’re really struggling to come to terms with the end of your relationship, consider writing a separation agreement with your partner to develop a new relationship with them. Often, separated couples will still see each other for the sake of their children, so whilst your relationship is ending, this is your chance to agree a new kind of relationship with them. You can use a lawyer to write your Separation Agreement in Calgary (or wherever you are), which can help to make the process more amicable.

Making hasty or impulsive decisions

Separation can also be a time of financial stress, as partners almost always have to divide assets, pay legal fees, and adjust to living on a single income. It can be tempting to make hasty or impulsive decisions, such as selling assets or quitting your job, to get through the process as quickly as possible. However, these decisions can have serious and long-lasting consequences. That is why it is important to seek the advice of a financial advisor or attorney before making any major financial moves during the separation.

Admittedly, sticking to the above tips during separation can be challenging. However, you can consciously avoid these mistakes with patience and discipline to make your separation process less stressful.