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Adulting Free Activities Learning Mental Health

4 Reasons You Should Play Word Games

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The craze for “brain training games” such as word games took the app-based world by storm about a decade ago. It was based on the suggestion that if you played these games enough, they would build your IQ and make you smarter. As it turned out, the science behind that suggestion may have been exaggerated.

While studying in any way will help to boost your knowledge in the short term, long-term gains are not something that any training game can deliver. So, it might be fair to ask, why should you play word games? As you’ll see, there are plenty of reasons to keep an interest, regardless of whether you’re getting a long term boost.

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How Word Games Help You

They Help Boost Your Vocabulary

While you’re not going to outsmart Albert Einstein with an hour a day of gaming, there are definite benefits to playing these games. If you play word games often enough, you’ll learn words you didn’t know.

Every time you find a new word, you can look it up in a dictionary. Then, through building your vocabulary, you can gain knowledge of things you never would have before. Plus, if you’re learning another language, playing word games in that language can be a great way of picking up new words.

Word Games are a Form of Brain Exercise

The idea of a “brain gym” perhaps oversold what word games could deliver. However, it should not be ignored that playing these games is better for your brain than not playing them. For one thing, they exercise your brain and strengthen your cognitive performance. Plus, they can help with brain concerns later in life, too.

As we learn more about brain concerns such as dementia, any boost we can get is welcome. Even if you cheat a little by searching for Wordscapes answers, you are still processing information neurologically, which is kind of like giving your brain a light cardio workout.

They can Offer Social Opportunities

Many modern word games come with a social element. They allow you to test your wordiness against someone else who may be halfway across the room, or halfway across the world.

The competitive element can help you to raise your game, while the chat element is a way of socializing. It can even give you a little bit of a boost on the geography front if the person you’re chatting with lives somewhere else, which is additional exercise for the brain.

Word Games are Relaxing and Stress-Busting

While your brain is getting a workout, the improvements you see each time you play the game are an excellent way to boost endorphin production. That’s very beneficial for fighting stress, something we can all do with from time to time.

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While this doesn’t mean you’re building a brain that can take on Nobel Prize winners, the overall mental health and cognitive benefits that you’ll derive from playing word games are more than reason enough to give them a try.

Word games are, quite simply, a lot of fun to play. The additional benefits you can get from playing them means it’s an even better idea to pick them up and play from time to time.

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Big Kid Home How To Life Our Family Parenting Teenager

How to Handle Family Issues Positively in 2020

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It’s no secret that 2020 has been a real struggle for most of us. With so many unknown situations occurring and life constantly changing, it’s been hard. Unfortunately, this causes many issues for families. Luckily, however, there are ways to handle family issues positively.

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Challenging situations will affect everybody, be that in our jobs, or physical and mental health, and in our relationships with our friends and families. 

While it is natural in all relationships to experience rough patches, placing a global pandemic that leaves us all trapped inside all the time into the mix makes it worse. The feeling of wanting to escape or take it out on others around you increases dramatically.  

In challenging times you will need the support of your family to get you through. However, family relationships can be complicated at times, and conflict within the home is hard to escape from. 

Here are some of the things you can do to help to restore your family (dis)agreements during one of the most challenging global crises in the 21st Century. 

How to Handle Family Issues Positively

 1. Stop playing the blame game

Relationships, particularly within a family unit, are about more than just one person. Attempting to, or even suggesting changing any family member can invite defensiveness. Nobody likes to be told that they are doing things wrong or need to change.

When dealing with issues, it is vital to come at them from a place of wanting to fix them, not of wanting to come out on top. This may mean coming to tackle an issue by starting with your role in the disagreements or tensions within family relationships. By admitting your fault in it, the other person will be more likely to accept your suggestions.

If all of you seek to facilitate your own changes individually, the family unit will flourish as you all try your best to be a good mom, dad, husband, wife, son, daughter etc. Each person in the family unit has a responsibility to uphold, so it is important for everyone to work together.

Quite often, problems in relationships are just that: problems that need addressing. Stop blaming yourself or others and think about what the issues are that cause tensions. 

2. List all of the things that spark disagreements 

From not completing chores, to harsh tones in communication, small things can build up to a pretty big deal when managing family relationships. If you’re constantly asking your kids to clean their rooms, or your partner to give you some space in the mornings and these requests are ignored, you can feel disrespected and lacking in value.

That said, it may not just be you that ends up feeling that way and tensions may be high from a number of reasons. 

Have everyone in the family write out what they feel causes tensions within the household. Create a safe space in order to allow them to do so. The key is to not get offended by some of the responses you get. 

The lists should include all of the things that each family member fears talking about due to not wanting to run into any disagreements. Doing so will help to identify any potential issues within the family unit.

You may notice several family members will identify similar areas of concern which will make it easier to deal with the issues – especially if you can come to an agreement as to how they can be dealt with. Do this collectively and each of you will feel responsible for the rest of the family unit. 

However, if it seems impossible to write just a few things on the list because you argue about everything, then this determines that the issues run deeper than simple misunderstandings. 

3. Express concerns constructively 

It’s easy to come into addressing concerns with accusation, but as previously mentioned, issues are rarely to do with an individual and precisely to do with a root cause. 

Take the pandemic, for example. The outbreak wasn’t anybody’s fault. How it was dealt with and the things that have happened as a result have sparked a whole load of discontent and disappointment that certain things haven’t gone according to plan. 

Having each of you expressing your concerns constructively will open the doors to honest and open discussions. Ensure that any comments are not accusatory comments, but comments that demonstrate how you feel. Here are some examples of ways to open up a dialogue which limit the potential for conflict.: 

  • My concern is….
  • I feel/felt  (one word eg- sad, anxious, scared) …when/ that (what it’s about?) 
  • What are your thoughts about….?
  •  I would like to (and never use I would like YOU to…) 
  • How would you….?
  • I love it when… 

Attempt to move away from unhealthy, accusatory comments which go nowhere and more often than not end up causing further fights. 

4. Seek outside help 

Sometimes it feels impossible to deal with things on our own. This means we need a neutral, outside perspective to give us the clarity that we need to get through. Going through some family counseling together will help you all to work through any issues that you’re facing as a family unit. 

Family issues can occur as a result of traumatic experiences, so having a professional is necessary to help you to navigate them as a collective and deal with them head on. 

Their job is to help you all identify which behaviors are a direct response to the trauma and to give you the tools to work through them.

5. Prioritize family time 

Pre COVID-19, many families would struggle to find evenings to do things together. Now, forced time together isn’t always the blissful time together you had hoped for. Especially if you haven’t quite been as informed about the goings on in your family’s lives as you would have hoped. 

There may be tensions due to people feeling ‘misunderstood’ and ‘unheard’ which can cause friction. Even while at home, your teens may wish to spend more time in their rooms speaking with friends. However, it is important to try and figure out the things that most of you enjoy doing together and make those things a priority.

Find the joy in getting to know your family again. While going out at the moment comes with additional risks, there are plenty of things you can do at home. Small things done together can make the world of difference to everybody’s emotions during this incredibly challenging time.

6. Recognize The Right Decision For Everyone Involved

When you become emotional due to a domestic issue, it’s easy to do what you think is right without focusing on anyone else’s point of view. Once you calm down, you must swallow your pride and lose your ego. When you work together properly, solutions become so much more apparent.

Whether it’s something that leads to the contact of custody attorneys or something much less significant, be sure to talk it out and understand all angles. You’ll be a lot more content and issues will be handled so much more positively.

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Family conflict is impossible to avoid. Luckily, there are ways to handle family issues positively. The key is to work together as a family unit and figure out what the issues are.

Once you have determined the issues, figure out how to solve them. Involving everyone in the solution will make it easier, and it’ll make everyone want to do their part.

Do you have any other tips for handling family issues positively? Leave a comment and let me know!

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Adulting Home How To Life Parenting

Easy Stress-Busting Tips Every Work From Home Mom Needs Now

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Being a work from home mom may sound like the ideal solution to earn money while raising your kids. However, as any work from home mom will tell you, it is not always as idyllic as it sounds.

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While working from home does allow you to enjoy flexibility in your day, it can leave you feeling like you are trying to do everything at once. You may feel as though you are not giving either your home life or work life your full attention. This can leave you feeling stressed out and emotional.

To make working from home efficient for you and your family, you need to find a way to ease the stress and strike a better balance in your life. If you are wondering how you can enjoy the benefits of working from home while minimizing stress, you should find these tips helpful.

How a Work From Home Mom Can Make It Work

Perfect Your Workspace

Perfecting your workspace is an essential ingredient for working from home successfully. If your work setup is not suited to your needs, you will feel uncomfortable, and it will be impossible to be productive. 

If you can, try to create an area of your home that is dedicated to work, so that you can give your job your full attention.

This space should be as quiet as possible and away from the constant interruptions of your kids. If that isn’t possible, simply make sure your workspace is efficiently setup and allows you to develop a nice work flow.

Use headphones to minimize the sounds around you, or learn to tune them out when necessary. Plus, make sure your kids don’t mess with your setup or touch any of your work supplies.

Take Regular Breaks

While it may seem like a good idea to just plow through your work and get everything done as fast as you can, this is not necessarily going to make you more productive. Failing to take regular breaks can make you less productive rather than more. So, you may find that you are putting in lots of hours but not making as much progress as you would like to.

When you take a break, you are allowing yourself to clear your mind and then return to your task with a fresh outlook. This can be hugely beneficial, especially on more taxing tasks.

Plus, by taking regular breaks, you will find comfort knowing your kids don’t need anything right then. This will help you focus on your work rather than wondering what your kids are doing or if they need help.

Minimize Distractions

When you work from home, distractions are everywhere. It is so tempting to get sucked into chores when you are supposed to be working. When you have kids at home with you during the day, it can be even harder to resist this temptation. If you have five loads of laundry waiting to be washed, dried, and ironed, you may be tempted to crack on with this before you get started on your work.

However, once you start on your chores, you may find it difficult to slip back into a ‘work mindset’ and focus on your job. Wherever possible, try to ignore the laundry basket calling to you and, instead, use your work time just for work.

This will likely mean setting up your work from home space in an area where you can’t see the chores that need to be done. Then, you won’t think about them as often which will make them easier to ignore.

Don’t Be Afraid to Use Childcare

Being distracted when you are trying to concentrate is hugely frustrating. Even simple tasks can take ages to complete when you are repeatedly distracted.

With little ones at home, the chances of being distracted when trying to work are pretty high. You may find yourself struggling to get any work completed at all while the little ones are running around asking for snacks.

Using childcare may seem to go against the reasons why you chose to take a work from home job. However, there will be times when using a preschool daycare provider is a necessity. This doesn’t mean you have to use the service often, but it will be nice to know that you have the option.

Having a childcare provider on standby for when you need them is a wise idea. You can turn to this option for those times when you need to attend an important Zoom call or if you have a deadline fast approaching. There is nothing wrong with seeking childcare help when you need it.

Of course, with Covid-19 changing things constantly, it is important that you select a daycare that is staying open during these challenging times. If your children are grade-school age, many daycares are helping students complete their virtual school work, too.

Set Up a Work Space For Your Kids

If you find that your kids want to be right next to you all day, then make that work for you. Teach them how to be quiet while you are working, and teach them to work, too. Set up a space close to you that they can use as their dedicated work space.

Include a surface big enough for activities, a comfortable chair, and any supplies they may need. This includes pencils, crayons, markers, paper, etc. I did this for my daughter, and I included this awesome Lego desk organizer. She was so excited to build her own, and she uses it nearly every day as I work.

They will love sitting next to you as they work, and you can teach them some good habits along the way. With virtual learning being the norm right now, this can be a great option.

This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.

Stick to Regular Hours

When working from home, it can be hard to create a separation between being an employee and being a mom. With no physical barrier between your working life and your home life, you can unintentionally merge the two. You might find yourself working at all times of the day and night to keep on top of things. 

Creating the separation between your career and your personal life is essential, however. It is much easier to achieve if you stick to regular working hours. Setting a boundary and working only until a specific time means that once your time is up, you can stop thinking about work and focus on your family.

Learn to Switch Off

Switching off is something that many people find hard to do. It is essential, however, if you want to reduce the stress of being a work from home mom. Giving each aspect of your life your full attention and focusing on one task at a time is the best way to do this. It should help your stress levels to drop dramatically.

This doesn’t mean to only learn to switch off “work mode”, either. During important work times, you have to learn to switch off “home mode” or “parenting mode”, too. If you find that you can’t do this with your kids in the house, this is when you should highly consider childcare a couple of times a week.

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Finding the work/home life balance is incredibly hard for parents. Now that being a work from home mom is becoming more normal, it is even more difficult. It is SO hard for moms to switch off “home mode” or “parenting mode”, even when their job is incredibly important to them.

Keep in mind that being a work from home mom won’t become easier overnight. As you work on these tips, it will take time to find the routine that works for you.

These tips for work at home moms will help, however, and they will get you started on a stress-free situation. Are you a work from home mom, and when did you become one? If you have any additional tips to add, leave a comment and let me know!

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Adulting How To Learning Life

Standing Up For Yourself In Life Is An Important Skill

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There are many life lessons we are taught as we grow up, such as standing up for yourself. Sometimes these life lessons are learned through direct tuition and mentorship, and some through life experience.

Of course, some lessons don’t immediately stick, and it might take several failures or obstacles for us to truly get the point. Also, it’s no great failing in a human being to make mistakes – we all do, and we all do until our old age.

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That being said, sometimes life lessons are worth considering, especially if they seem universal and you have yet to fully practice them. Not everyone learns how to stand up for themselves in life, because not everyone has a strong character from the offset.

Even those with meek dispositions can benefit from learning how to defend themselves, however. Thanks to the way modern society is set up, we don’t have to play by barbarian rules to do so.

But how can you exercise your self-defense in life, in a range of different areas? In this guide, you will get a primer on how to behave this way in three different life scenarios. This advice could help you if going through a difficult patch.

How to Work on Standing Up For Yourself

Know Your Legal Rights

Knowing your legal rights is the first step in the process, and it’s surely one of the most important steps. It’s important to know if you’re acting within legal guidelines in many respects.

For instance, knowing consumer law can help you more accurately complain if your consumer rights are being abused. It may help you assign a personal injury lawyer to a case if neglected at work. If ever in doubt, be sure to research online what possible precedents you can use in your favor.

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There’s No Need To ‘Accept’

Remember that in life, there’s no need to give in to someone unless you have previously accepted their authority (such as in a work setting), or unless they have the law on their side. This can be important to know if someone oversteps and expects you to be okay with that.

You may encounter this situation if someone takes your table reservations without asking, gives you less than what you paid for, or simply wishes to treat you harshly. This can be important to know, because when you don’t immediately feel as though you have to accept this treatment, you can actively defend against it.

Don’t Set A Precedent

The worst thing you can do is allow for a precedent to be set. It might be that someone in your office made a comment to humiliate you, and instead of addressing it, you smiled and took it.

This means that next time, it will happen again. It doesn’t mean you have to cause conflict with people every single time they do something you don’t like. Causing conflict each time may only cause more difficulty.

Sometimes, however, shutting things down as soon as they appear can show people you’re not that kind of person and that you won’t tolerate that type of behavior.

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It is clear that standing up for yourself is an important life skill. If you don’t do it, people will walk all over you and treat you badly. They’ll say hurtful things, inconvenience you, and take advantage of you.

Use these tips to get ahead of the problem. Standing up for yourself will change your life for the better.

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Adulting For the Home How To Organization

Organization Tips You Can Learn From The Home Edit

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If you have already watched The Home Edit, chances are you have made some changes within your home. There are some incredible organization tips that you can get from watching this show. The color-coordinated plastic containers that are carefully labeled, for example, can make your life much more organized.

You can test these organization tips on your messy drawer, a cupboard, or even your closet. Any room or area of your home could benefit from these organization tips.

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Organization Tips Based On The Home Edit

Follow The Home Edit on Instagram

The first tip is to follow The Home Edit on Instagram, as this can be a constant source of inspiration for you. They post often and the images are so meticulous that it will make you want to get up and start organizing.

It Will Get Messier Before It Gets Better

One thing to remember is that you are most likely going to make a big mess before you have everything organized. It is essential that you don’t get overwhelmed by the chaos and that you push through this part of the organization process.

You should take everything out of your cupboard, your messy drawer, or your wardrobe first. This will give you insight into what you have, what you use, and any junk you are storing.

As it does get quite messy, you might choose to do multiple projects at once. For example, you might want to replace your kitchen windows as you reorganize the entire room. When everything is going back into your new cupboards or along your new window sills, it can feel more organized and more beautiful almost immediately. The new windows will add an extreme change that will help you enjoy your newly organized space.

You can click here to read more about Pinehurst Windows. In the meantime, you can also check out Pinterest for some great kitchen cupboard design ideas. Find ideas that you can do relatively quickly from home and on a budget. 

Declutter 

As you move through the process, it is a good idea to declutter as you go. If you see things that you don’t use or need, this is the perfect opportunity to sort them into piles to get rid of. 

Have a pile of things that are in good working order and can be donated or sold. Plus, you should have a pile of things that are more likely to go into the trash. 

It is essential to approach this with recycling, reusing, and selling mentality. Where something can be recycled, you must try to do so.

Always Use Containers 

Plastic container sales have increased incredibly during 2020. And most likely will continue to do so. These are the easiest way to sort things into easy to reach categories. For example, if you are cleaning out your food cupboard, you can label a clear plastic box with the word tins and place tins inside it. 

You can take this one step further and separate your tins into categories too. You can have soup cans, vegetable cans, and sauce cans. Buy as many containers as you need, plus a few extra, just in case.

You can use this method for any room in the house. I have done it with the kids’ toys and noticed a huge difference immediately. When everything has a home, it tends to get put away more often than before.

Set Up Stations

If you drink a lot of coffee, it makes sense to have an area set up just for coffee. Make sure you set this station up somewhere easily accessible since you will use it often.

Put all things you will need (or will potentially need) for making and preparing coffee at the station in bins. This will make the things you need easy to find, and you will be more likely to use them this way.

Stations also work wonders for specific periods during the year. For example, during the month of December, you might create a hot chocolate station and have everything you need to make delicious hot chocolate placed in a basket. In the fall you might choose to add some pumpkin spice syrup or other delicious things to your drinks, and this can all be placed in an easy to find container.

This also works for things like Easter, snack nights, game nights, or crafting. Whatever you feel needs to be organized, get a container for it.

Label Everything

Labels will be the saviors of your organization. They will allow you to quickly find what you need. Plus, even better, it will be easier to put things away since everyone will know where it belongs.

When you label something and always put it back in the same space, it makes it quick and straightforward to grab things. There will be no searching around or opening 10 different boxes.

Group Similar items

In the case of a messy drawer, you should try and sort similar things. If your messy drawer is mostly filled with utensils but has some ‘other’ items in it, then try to eliminate the ‘other’ items. Keep only utensils in that drawer. 

The same goes for any other items, too. By grouping similar items together and eliminating other items, your home will be significiantly more organized. This means there is always a single logical place for you to find what you need.

Make it Functional 

Although it is essential to have a space that you find beautiful, ensuring that everything in a specific area is logical can be more critical. 

You might want to have all your shelves looking lovely, but they still should have the items you need to use regularly.

But for example, if you spend a lot of time in the kitchen, it always pays to make sure that your kitchen is well organized. This can make cooking an absolute pleasure. 

Don’t worry if some areas just look more aesthetically pleasing than others. The whole point of the exercise is to make sure that everything is just well organized. With organization, the aesthetics will quickly and surely follow.

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The Home Edit is one of my favorite TV shows. I learn so many organization tips from them, and I am continually inspired to re-organize my home. As I do one room at a time (hey, I have kids, I can’t do it all at once LOL), I notice an immediate difference. I hope these tips work just as well for you as they have for me! If you have any other tips, leave a comment and let me know!

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For the Home How To Parenting

Fun Ideas to Create a Perfect Playroom

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Creating a playroom for your little ones is such a good idea if you have space for one. It means that the toys are all going to be kept in one space, which can be really helpful for tidying purposes. Luckily, there are many fun ideas to create a perfect playroom.

Having all things in one place can make such a difference, and then at the end of the day, you can close the door on it all. But what are the best design ideas that you need to have in a playroom to make it best suit the needs of the room? Having it perfectly set up for children in a comfortable and clean space makes such a difference. 

Create a Perfect Playroom
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How to Create a Perfect Playroom

Include Bright Colors

You want to have a playroom that your children are going to love, and bright colors can really make a difference. If the playroom is bland and dull, then it can be a little unappealing to kids. When you are planning out your playroom, remember that it will look much better with bright colors. It can be appealing to babies, as well as toddlers and older children, so don’t be shy when it comes to the decor in the room.

If you want to keep the walls fairly neutral, then you could think about an area of the room becoming a mural. Or, perhaps you could decorate with wall decals with characters or animals that your children love. This can be a good option as they can be removed and changed as your children grow and their tastes change.

Consider Chalkboard Walls

One of the things that we often tell children to not do is color and draw on the walls. But in a playroom, there are no rules, right? It is a good idea to have something like a chalkboard wall so that your children can draw and create to their heart’s content. You could have a chalkboard installed on an existing wall, or you could use chalkboard paint.

Install Soft Flooring

Having a space that is comfortable for the children in the playroom will make it a much better experience for them. Of course, you need to think about the practicality of the flooring in the room, as making something easy to clean is a good idea. However, you need to make sure that the flooring you choose is soft underfoot too. Wooden floors with rugs or mats can work, or you could think about carpet. If you choose carpet, then just make sure that you think about getting regular carpet cleaning, so that it is all safe and clean for your little ones. Dark colors can all make a difference too, and can hide a multitude of stains.

Plan For Toy Storage

When you think about the design of your playroom, storage for toys is a must. There are a range of things to choose from, but it can make a difference to have some toy storage with cubbies. This means that the children can reach the toys themselves, but there are places to put them away at the end of the day, and it can look neat and tidy. Toy cubbies can be organized too, and you could add labels on the cubbies if you want to keep things extra organized.

Add a Creative Area

Although the playroom can be for toys and play, it can be such a good addition to have a creative area in the playroom too. Having a table and chairs for children to play at, draw, and create can be a really good idea. When paper and pens are easy in reach, then it can be really simple and help little ones to get creative all by themselves. You could even think about something like an easel for them to stand and paint at; so much fun! 

It can also be a cute idea to have some displays for their artwork. It could be a magnetic board to pin things too, or some string with pegs to clip work to. A really nice addition and a way to make the space really fun and comfortable for your little ones.

Create a Perfect Playroom, playroom for kids, tips for a playroom #perfectplayroom #playroom #kidsplayroom #kids #tips #parenting

Do you have any other ideas for a perfect playroom that you would love to use? Think about your children when you plan the design, as well as practicality and comfort in mind, and you won’t be going too far wrong. It would be great to hear what you think and what ideas you would love to have in a playroom in your home. Leave a comment and let me know!

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Adulting For the Home How To Parenting

5 Tips To Keep Your Home Clean With Young Children

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Keeping your home clean can be a lot more challenging when you have young children. Your way of life can completely change when you are responsible for someone other than yourself. Cleaning the home can often be a struggle or something that ends up further down the list. However, it’s still important that you’re taking good care of your home. Luckily, there are ways to keep your home clean with young children.

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How to Keep Your Home Clean With Young Children

1. Take Advantage Of Storage

Storage is a very important thing to have in your home when you have children. You buy so much for them in terms of toys and clothes that you need to make sure you have plenty of space to store them.

Look at what storage you have available at the moment and what you might need to ensure you have everything in a place of its own. A few toys strewn over the floor can make your home feel like a mess. It’s good to stay on top of the mess by having a few toy boxes or baskets that are placed throughout the home.

Storage can also be found in places that you wouldn’t normally think to look at. This includes furniture that has storage as part of its features.

Sofas with an under storage area, for example, can be very useful. Hidden storage is going to help make your home appear a lot more spacious, too. Plus, when it’s out of sight, it’s out of mind.

2. Teach Your Children To Clean Up

It might not really seem possible when they’re young, but children can absorb information like nobody’s business. Because of this, the early years are useful to take advantage of.

When it comes to cleaning, you can incorporate cleaning into your children’s education and learning. This can be done through games and activities, which will offer positive encouragement.

As much as they need to have fun, it’s good to teach them these life lessons because it’s something they’re going to need as they get older. Just like you do with baking, you’re teaching your child something new, so make cleaning a fun activity.

Eventually, they’ll likely do this on their own. When they begin to do this, it definitely makes life a little easier. They have to be taught first, however

3. Declutter Where Necessary

Decluttering your home is important because the last thing you want is to feel like you’re living in a permanent mess. That’s not a nice way to feel about your home, and it’s something that can easily be fixed if you know where to start.

Decluttering can be a good way to rid your home of all that excess stuff that you really don’t need. It’s worth going around your home every so often to clear out anything and everything that isn’t used. 

This is something that you can time to do on a monthly, seasonally, or annual basis, depending on the amount of clutter and the time you have available. As long as you’re doing it, though, that’s all that matters. Every little bit will make a huge difference.

4. Treat Your Home To A Professional Hand

Even when you think you can do a good job, some jobs are worth hiring professionals. One example is cleaning out your gutters, and another can be carpet cleaning. Both are important to keep your home clean. Plus, the gutters can be helpful in making sure the foundations of your home remain solid.

For carpet cleaning, getting it professionally done might be needed when you have young children who are spilling food and drink on the floor. Carpets can be a pain to clean, and for the most part, it’s better to have wooden flooring. However, if it can’t be avoided, get a professional to give your home a little treat every now and then. It’ll provide you with clean carpets but also a fresh smelling floor too.

5. Clean As You Go

It’s good to clean as you go because, with young children, they can often leave a trail of destruction on a daily basis. Try to keep things clean by cleaning as you go, rather than letting it build up and become a massive mess to deal with.

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While your life drastically changes when you have kids, this is one thing you can control. You can keep a tidy house with these tips to keep your home clean with young children

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For the Home How To Life Parenting

How You Can Make Your Home Perfect For A New Arrival

Make Your Home Perfect For A New Arrival

If you have a new baby on the way, you need to make your home perfect for a new arrival. First things first: congratulations!!

There are things you can do to ensure you bring them into the best possible home. Plus, you can ensure that the rest of you can operate happily in the home while taking on the huge responsibilities.

Well, fortunately, it is easier to do than you may think. Most of it will quickly become a habit if you just practice them a few times.

home perfect for a new arrival
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Make Your Home Perfect For A New Arrival

Create The Perfect Nursery and Consider Other Spaces

This goes without saying, but you’re going to want to ensure that your baby’s nursery has everything it needs and has enough space. Babies may be tiny, but they have lots of stuff and require a ton of space. Plus, they’re going to grow quickly and accumulate more toys and possessions.

If you’re looking for home additions, then you could do something with a spare room you might have. Your baby might need an extra playroom if you currently have no space anywhere else, for example. We didn’t do home additions, but we are constantly feeling like we don’t have enough space.

Unfortunately, my husband and I didn’t plan ahead and now that we have five kids in the house, I am seriously regretting it. Don’t let that happen to you, because now I am eager to move into a new space with more room. Whatever you do, make sure you consider the space you will truly need for a child.

Keep The Home Neat And Tidy  

The job you’re going to have is going to be difficult enough, so you’re going to need to ensure that your home is in good condition. You want to give yourself every advantage as you head into parenthood (even if it’s for the second or third time).

If you start ahead of time, then you’re going to be in a much better position to take care of your child. Likewise, if you have a messy home that needs to be cleared out, then you’re going to have extra work while worrying about and taking care of the baby. Make things easier for yourself and get this gritty job out of the way.

Make Sure Everything Is Safe 

This is another point that goes without saying, but you’ll need to make sure that you’ve checked every corner and analyzed every single situation around the entire house. You never know what issues a small child can run into, so you need to double and triple check. Sharp edges, loose items, wires, electrical products, and so many other areas need to be looked at.

Go through your entire house and make a list ahead of time. This isn’t something you will want to do once the baby is already home. There are many safety products on the market that will make things easier. These things include:

***This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.***

Prepare For Visitors

For the first few weeks and months, you’re going to receive lots of visits from friends and family. They’re going to be interested in what your life is like now with the small child in your home, and they’re going to want to wish you all the best.

So, with that being said, it’s best to make your living room a little welcoming at the very least. Prepare for lots of people and make a little extra space.

If you’re always prepared for someone to stop by, you won’t be so anxious about it. Prevent every bit of stress that you can so you can fully enjoy your new baby. 

Shop For Food

A lot of these have been obvious tips, but with the overwhelming event of giving birth and welcoming a human into the world, it’s easy to forget some fundamental tasks. You’re going to need to do a big food shop and tailor your grocery shopping around the child’s life for a while.

The way you operated before is no longer. Frequent visits to the grocery store may not be an option anymore, and you probably won’t want to take your baby out for a while anyway. Make sure you get more than enough, just in case.

Focus on shopping for meat that you can freeze, canned goods, and non-perishable items. If you’re feeling up to it, you can even prepare meals ahead of time and freeze them for a quick and delicious dinner.

Make Your Home Perfect For A New Arrival

Having a new baby is such an exciting experience, and making your home perfect for a new arrival will make it even better. Don’t cause unnecessary stress for yourself after the baby is home. Use these tips to plan ahead and make the transition easier for everyone.

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Family Activities Life Parenting

9 Enjoyable Activities To Kill Time On Weekends

enjoyable activities

According to the American Time Use Survey, one-third of Americans work during the weekend. This statistic is worrisome given how much most people use weekends to relax and unwind from their work week’s demands. It is important to find enjoyable activities to fill your weekend with, even if there is work to do.

In fact, a 2008 study proved that workers feel more vitalized and are in better moods during weekends. This could be because weekends aren’t as stressful or because you can spend time with your loved ones. With that being said, make sure you don’t waste your precious weekends.

There are many fun and enjoyable activities you can do to have a great weekend. These enjoyable activities can make your weekends more fulfilling.

enjoyable activities
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Enjoyable Activities for the Weekend

1. Road Trips

An OnePoll survey revealed that 64% of Americans want to take a spontaneous road trip vacation. Road trips have numerous benefits that make them worth it for your weekend to-do list. They are an inexpensive means of traveling, take your mind off work, and give you time to reflect.

These trips also present an excellent opportunity for you to adventurously explore the countryside, enjoy good music, and take a break from social media.

So, why not gather your family or friends for a classic road trip during weekends? It is a fun way of relaxing and making unforgettable memories.

2. Volunteering

Volunteering is an excellent way to spend your weekend in a fulfilling manner. Local animal shelters, homeless shelters, and soup kitchens always seek people to help with numerous activities. Therefore, consider volunteering during weekends to connect to your community and make it a better place.

Aside from helping out with little tasks to make a difference in people’s lives, community service can also be a social platform to boost your social skills, make new friends with similar values, and expand your network. Research from the London School of Economics also establishes a relationship between volunteering and happiness, so consider doing something worthwhile during weekends to give back to your community.

3. Solving a Jigsaw Puzzle

Tackling jigsaw puzzles is a fun and engaging way to pass the time. According to science, these puzzles are suitable for your brain because they engage your left brain (logical) and your right brain (intuitive and creative) simultaneously.

Puzzles also boost your short-term memory, improve your visual-spatial reasoning, relieve stress, and are an excellent meditation tool. You also benefit from increased attention to detail, increased problem-solving abilities, and a potential IQ boost. Are you up for a good challenge yet? Why not challenge yourself with the world’s hardest jigsaw puzzle for a memorable weekend experience?

4. Visit a Museum or Art Gallery

Your busy daily life leaves little room for art appreciation, so consider using weekends as an opportune time for this. Slip away to a nearby museum or art gallery to see some cool relics and art.

Visiting museums and art galleries is also pocket-friendly because many places are free to enter or require just a little fee to admit visitors. Museums and galleries engage you on a broad range of cultural and historical events, providing an effective, informal learning method that you can benefit from.

Museums and art galleries are also social centers where you can meet people with similar interests. So, consider a museum or gallery visit as part of your weekend plans.

5. DIY Projects

According to new research, the average American has about nine DIY projects that need immediate attention. Many homeowners describe their house as a work in progress, so DIY is a popular, cost-effective method for people to maintain their property.

Chances are, your busy work week robs you of time to focus on repainting your bedroom or laying that new carpet. As such, set aside weekends as a perfect time to tackle these tasks around your home.

6. Learn a New Skill

Information is abundant in this technological age, so you must use this to your advantage. You will most likely not find time to squeeze in lessons for something practical and helpful during your workweek, making weekends an excellent time for you to improve your vast knowledge.

You can learn skills like repairing cars, website design, how to start a blog, sewing, coding, etc., from YouTube videos or tutorials. Also, consider enrolling in practical online classes like the MasterClass program to improve your skills and interests in a broad range of topics.

7. Community Sports

Weekends are an opportune time to indulge in sports and recreation. Science repeatedly stresses the importance of regular exercise for maintaining your overall health and wellbeing. Therefore, joining a community sports team is a great way to engage in some physical activity for optimum health benefits.

Weekend sports and recreation also provide an avenue for self-expression because it allows you to engage in your sports interests. So, it would be best to sign up for that football, hockey, cricket, or basketball team for weekend games to exercise while also meeting new people.

8. Play Board Games

Board games remain an entertainment staple in most homes despite the internet’s influence in today’s world. Timeless classics like Snakes and Ladders, Chess, Checkers, Monopoly, and Scrabble are always available to turn to during your free time.

As such, you can gather the family or invite your friends over for an engaging board game marathon over the weekend. Board games reduce stress, boost brain function, and strengthens relationships.

Also, board games provide an excellent alternative to digital distractions like your phone, so these games should always feature in your weekend to-do list.

For board game ideas for kids, check out this blog post: https://momwifewine.com/2020/08/02/12-of-the-best-games-for-kids/

9. Read a Book

Reading is a pastime most people say they want to engage more in but lack the time for. A hectic work week typically interferes with your ability to find the time and mental freedom to enjoy good reads.

Reading provides mental stimulation, reduces stress, increases your knowledge, and expands your vocabulary. Reading’s engaging nature also improves your concentration and develops your analytical thinking skills.

As such, prioritize re-reading your favorite classics and new recommendations from fellow readers as an excellent way to relax and enjoy your weekends. There are also many books to read with your kids that you will all enjoy.

enjoyable activities

While many people work on weekends, these should be the times to enjoy life and relax. Find something you love to do and spend time with those you love. Don’t let your weekends get away from you without creating everlasting memories.

What enjoyable activities do you like to do on the weekend? Tell me about it in the comments!

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Classroom Learning Parenting

Reasons to Choose an Online Charter School for Your Family

Reasons to Choose an Online Charter School for Your Family

This year has presented parents with a lot of challenges, and many parents have considered an online charter school for their children. There have been huge hurdles, including hurricanes, major elections, and the big elephant in the room, Covid-19.

For families, 2020 has been a balancing act or more likely a juggling act of being a parent, an employee, a teacher, a physical trainer, and even a master banana bread maker.

You may be looking for more help around the house. You can only wear so many hats until you are not good at any of the roles. Well, now is a good time to consider letting the teachers do the instruction with online charter school options. 

While there are many options to choose from for your children, this is just one of the popular options. Each family has to consider what is best for them, without considering what everyone else is doing. Keep that in mind as you consider this option.

Online Charter School
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Why Choose an Online Charter School?

School is Closer than Ever Before

When you considered buying a home or settling down, you probably thought about many things, including proximity to your work as well as the local school. However, with the advancements of technology and educational institutions, your physical location is not necessarily a factor in where your kids are enrolled.

In fact, you can’t get much closer to your classroom than waking up and getting out of bed to your laptop, desk, and chair. In a world where many in-person classes have been cancelled, online charter schools are a very safe and wise decision for 2020 and into the future.

Moving or Relocating Concerns

When you have kids, you really think twice about a move. There are many things that you should think about when considering a big change like moving.

One of the most important things to think about is the education that you desire for your kids. Do you want your kids to go to a neighborhood school with the same kids on your block? Do you want them to get to know kids from around the world from different backgrounds?

If you select an online charter school for your kids, your kids can learn from anywhere regardless of where your home is or where your career takes you.

Best Teachers from Around the World

When you choose an online charter school, you get the best educators from around the world. Just picture, your child’s art history teacher is based in New York City where she has been a curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Likewise, the Spanish teacher is a native speaker from Madrid, Spain with over twenty years of teaching experience. No longer does an online school need to source its teaching talent from the local region.

Online learning can source the best educational talents for its curriculum. Online charter schools can skim the cream of the crop, getting only seasoned professionals.

Reasons to Choose an Online Charter School for Your Family

This year has been one obstacle after another. First and foremost, you were concerned about your family’s health and keeping your job during an economic downturn.

However, the education of your family was (and still is) also a worry. While you think about your options, consider an online charter school ease your thoughts. Trust your child’s safety, health, and education to an online charter school.

While the best option for our family is to have the kids in a face-to-face learning environment, our local schools have closed back up for now. We are hoping it is only short-term, but everything is unpredictable now. What option is best for your family? Tell me about it in the comments, I’d love to hear about it!