Category: Family Life

The U.S. won’t win any awards for work-life balance any time soon. Even the most well-meaning parents find themselves daydreaming about work while spending ‘quality’ time with their kids.

Combat your workaholic nature by spending more time active with family projects. Check out these reasons why every new mother should start a baby journal for their child. 

You Don’t Have Time

Working moms will never find enough time to be the perfect mom and the perfect employee. There are moments you’ll miss when trying to find the right balance between work and parenting.

Keep a baby journal with you in the office to mark important occasions you can’t experience first hand. Spending time updating the baby journal can’t replace actual time with your child, but it does allow you to stay involved with your child’s memories while you’re away from home.

Keeping a baby journal doesn’t have to be a solo sport. 

Use the daily reports from your child’s caregivers, texts or email messages as references when creating a journal. If you have a nanny, ask them to take pictures to mark occasions as they happen. 

You Can’t Remember Anything

The way pregnancy affects memory can be cruel. In an effort to empower women, myths arose that challenged the idea that your memory is any different while pregnant and after.

This is an unfortunate myth because it can leave you thinking your mind still has the same infinite powers after childbirth as it did before childbirth. Forgetting the date your child got his first tooth isn’t a sign of a lower IQ, but that the brain is overloaded with new stimuli.

Studies show that sleep loss, breastfeeding, and new responsibilities can all scramble the brain making it impossible for some moms to keep up with every detail of parenting. A baby journal keeps up with the important memories for you.

In a few years, when you are pitching green beans as a delicious dinner option, you can reveal photos of your child’s first mashed veggie encounter to support your claim.

You Want a Legacy

Baby journals are the bible of your child’s childhood.  Don’t rely on memory to keep these sacred records alive. 

You are bound to have sections of the journal that don’t seem to fit your lifestyle or situation. Feel free to either skip these pages or opt for custom booklet printing after designing your own baby journal. 

Printing a custom journal is great for starting your family legacy. You can create sections specific to your family’s culture and traditions.

This turns your baby journal into a keepsake that becomes a vital part of history. It can be handed down over generations to preserve family stories. 

You Need Stress Relief

Meditation isn’t for everyone. The idea of sitting still to release stress might only bring up the urge to check your email or replay a conversation in your head you had with a client at work.

Give your brain a break from the stresses of work-life by putting together your baby journal each week. Scrapbooking is about layering moments in your life to tell a complete story.

Use your creativity to style each page according to the theme. Clip art, stickers or markers push the artistic boundaries for your baby journal.

Objects like hospital wristbands are great to include in your baby journal but too many bulky items or decorations will make it difficult for the book to close when you’re done.

Books that won’t close become a storage issue and are more likely to have items fall out. If you have a family heirloom you want to be associated with your child’s birth, take a photo of the heirloom and add it to the book instead of the original, irreplaceable item. 

You Want a Healthy Baby

The doctor’s office is one place where answers about your baby need to be accurate. Your doctor can’t track your baby’s progress without your help.

Make sure there is a section in your baby journal for notes on your baby’s daily activities. In the event your baby breaks out in a rash or starts losing sleep, knowing the baby’s recent foods or activity changes will help you find the problem faster. 

You also won’t feel foolish making up answers to questions about bowel movement frequency when you actually have no idea the last time you changed a poopy diaper. 

The doctor can also help ease any of your developmental worries if you have a baby journal on hand. Developmental milestones will differ from child to child but there’s a general range your child should fall within.

The baby journal shows the doctor important details that can help them determine whether or not your child is on track. Tracking developmental milestones can also give you hope for the future.

It might be time to start the official countdown to your child eating solid food or sleeping through the night. With a baby journal, you unleash the doctor’s superpower of making predictions about the baby’s behavior in the next few months.  

You Have the World’s Cutest Baby

Proud moms sometimes have no other reason to keep a baby journal except the knowledge they have the world’s cutest baby. Show off your baby when friends and relatives come to visit. 

Bring along your baby journal to holiday dinners to keep your aging grandparents in the loop on new teeth, favorite foods, and toys. Baby journals help extended family members get to know your child while sharing the intense cuteness you get to experience every day. 

Time to Start a Baby Journal

Baby journaling isn’t a part-time sport. Keep a baby journal that offers lots of flexibility in the way you store information and memories. 

These details help keep your child healthy and give your family memories to cherish for decades to come. For more information and lifestyle tips, check our blog for updates. 

So you’ve made the decision to begin the transition from your home to an assisted living facility. Or maybe you’re the child or relative of someone who’s in need of some extra care and you’re looking into it with them.

No matter the circumstance, this is a large shift in both the prospective resident and their family’s lives, and can, therefore, be a stressful and even frightening experience. But with a moving to assisted living checklist, you can make the move a little bit easier on everyone involved.

We’ve compiled an in-depth checklist, as well as a few tips for moving into this new home and beginning this new (and exciting!) chapter of life. Keep reading to learn more!

Questions to Ask During Your Tour

As you’re deciding between senior living communities, there is a multitude of questions you should be asking your appointed staff member. Pay close attention to every detail; it’s easy to overlook problems if you aren’t careful. Remember, this is going to be you or your loved one’s new home; it should be exactly what you’re looking for! 

Environment

1. What kind of feeling does the community give you? Do you enjoy its appearance?
2. Is the staff warm and welcoming?
3. Do the residents appear happy? Are they socializing?
4. Are there any restrictions on visiting residents?

Layout

1. Is the community accommodating to wheelchairs and walkers?
2. Are there handrails where you may need them?
3. Is there plenty of natural light in the common areas? (Natural light is vital to both mental and physical health!)
4. How clean is the community? Are the common areas a comfortable temperature?

Services and Amenities

1. Is there a clearly defined list of services available?
2. How often is there a nurse on staff?
3. Is 24-hour assistance available?
4. Does the community include a hairdresser and other day-to-day activities or transportation to them?

Apartment Features

1. What types and sizes of apartments are available?
2. Is smoking allowed in apartments? In common areas?
3. Do apartments include cable and internet? Do these amenities come at an additional cost?
4. Do residents have lockable doors?

Social Activities

1. Does the community offer organized activities on a regular basis?
2. Is there a volunteer presence in the community?
3. Are residents’ pets allowed?
4. Does the community foster inclusion and friendship with activities?

Medication and Costs

1. Is there any self-administration of medication allowed?
2. How is medication regulated?
3. Is there a sliding scale with cost in terms of levels of personal care?
4. Are there any programs available to help cover costs?

How and What to Pack

Did you know that the average home contains 300,000 items? Needless to say, you won’t be able to bring all of your belongings with you when moving into an assisted living community. You’ll likely be downsizing, and even if you aren’t, you can use this as an opportunity to start fresh!

Here’s what you should pack.

Personal Items

Take the most care packing items from this category, as it includes things like medications, grooming items, and toiletries. Make a checklist of all of your medications and toiletry items that you use on a daily basis and triple check it to ensure you’ve remembered everything. These items can be packed on moving day, but everything else should be prepared in advance!

Bedding and Linens

Be sure to pack a full bedding set; bring one you already own or make it fun by picking out all new sheets and comforter! If you go new, it’s a good idea to bring a favorite blanket or pillow to make your space feel more comforting in the beginning.

In addition to bedding, pack a variety of towels, including a few for the kitchen if your apartment comes with its own cooking area.

Laundry Necessities

Along with your clothing, you’ll need a laundry basket and enough clothes hangers to put away all of your items. If your new closet isn’t quite big enough to fit your belongings, consider bringing a small dresser or another container so you have everything you need. 

Your Favorite Decor

Now, you need to be careful when packing decor, as it’s one of the easiest categories in which to overpack. But you need enough to decorate your space! Have your new apartment or home in your mind and try to visualize what it includes and where it will go when deciding what to bring.

Electronics and Entertainment

Whether you’re a movie buff or a crossword champion, it’s important to bring whatever entertainment items you enjoy most to your new home. Your community should offer plenty of activities and fun things to do, but you’ll inevitably have some downtime now and then. If you have your computer or a shelf of your favorite books, you’ll feel right at home.

Keep an Open Mind

Last but certainly not least, try to keep an open mind during this process. Uprooting your life is tough, and doing so to move into an assisted living community can feel even tougher.

But there are so many positive aspects of this change! Think of all the people you’ll meet, friends you’ll make, and experiences you’ll have. By making a few friends and involving yourself in the activities available, you’ll feel right at home in no time.

Use This Moving to Assisted Living Checklist to Ease the Transition

Change isn’t easy for anyone, and when it comes to major life decisions, such as moving into an assisted living facility, it’s completely normal to feel nervous. By using this moving to assisted living checklist, you can feel confident in the knowledge that you’ve prepared well for the transition.

If you’re moving into an assisted living community, don’t be afraid to lean on friends and family for support. And if you’re the loved one of someone making this move, be sure to offer your shoulder for them to lean on. Even though this can be an exciting new chapter, it can be scary too!

Looking for more helpful advice on everything family? Check out our blog!

Wondering how to get your kids to exercise more?

Are you worried that your children aren’t as active as they should be?

While there is a lot to think about when raising children, exercise for kids is one thing that shouldn’t be overlooked. To grow up healthy and strong, it’s important that your kids get adequate exercise and remain active on a consistent basis, rather than staying inside all of the time.

Luckily, we’ve got you covered. Below we’ll tell you about 5 super fun ways you can get your kids to exercise more.

1. Get the Right Gear

One of the best ways to get your kids to play outside and to exercise more is to make sure that they have the right toys and gear to do it.

Buying a trampoline, bicycles for your kids to ride, or owning other fun outdoor equipment can make a huge impact on how much exercise your kids get. Backyard playsets can also be great for kids and can encourage them to stay active.

2. Consider Active Gaming

These days, many kids prefer to stay inside playing video games instead of going outside and doing fun activities. If you’re desperate to get your kids to exercise more often then you might not want to reinvent the wheel or ask for too much too soon.

Getting a motion-controlled gaming system such as the Wii that requires players to stand, move, and wave their arms to play can be a great gateway to a more active lifestyle. The Kinect for the Xbox or the Playstation Move can also be good options.

3. Encourage Team Sports

Encouraging your children to join their school’s basketball team, baseball team, or another sports team can be a great idea and will benefit your kids in several ways. These sports will get them moving on a regular basis and will also be a great social activity that can help them make new friends.

However, if none of the sports at your child’s school appeals to them there are other options. Karate, ballet, gymnastics, swimming, and even yoga classes can also be good possibilities.

4. Take an Active Vacation

Another great way to get your kids to be more active is to take them on a fun vacation.

When going on a trip to the beach, for example, you can give your kids a chance to swim in the ocean, try their hand at snorkeling, play mini-golf or fly a kite. A hiking or kayaking trip to the mountains can also be a lot of fun.

Going on a vacation to a fun destination can open up new opportunities for outdoor activities and this can make being active a lot more exciting for kids.

5. Become a Great Role Model

One final thing you can do to get your kids exercising more is to become a role model. If your kids see that you’re living an active lifestyle, they’ll naturally want to join in and learn about the activities you’re doing. Many kids want to be like their parents and will take on the same habits and interests.

By living an active lifestyle, regularly exercising, and trying new activities often your kids will want to do the same.

Understanding the Importance of Exercise For Kids

If you’re trying to make sure your children grow up happy and healthy, you need to take exercise for kids into consideration. Be sure that you’re using the tips above to get your kids into the outdoors and to help them become more active.

Looking for more family tips and guides? Explore our blog now to find more interesting articles and useful advice.

If you have children ready to enter the school system, then you’ve most likely put some thought into what type of schooling you want for them. If your children are already in the public school system, then you might have considered switching them into a private school. Private Catholic schools provide many benefits to our children. 

Whether your child is experiencing academic issues at public school or other issues, it’s never too late to make the switch. If your children aren’t school age quite yet, then this is an option that you should strongly consider before placing them into public schools.

Making the right decision for your children takes time and effort. You want to be sure that you’re always doing what’s best for them. To help you with your final decision, here are several reasons why private Catholic school is a great alternative to public schooling! 

Continue reading below for everything you need to know. 

1. Exposure to Catholic Faith

When growing up Catholic, you want the same for your children. If you and your family practice the Catholic faith, then you’ll want to place your children in a school where the same faith and religion is taught. 

Exposing your children to Catholic practices each day is the best way to build a solid Catholic foundation. Upon graduating from a Catholic school, students are also more inclined to continue attending church into their adult years. 

Many Catholic schools have children attend mass at least once a week and offer a religion class built into the curriculum. Other Catholic practices and activities will also be offered to students. If you’d like your children to grow up as Catholic citizens, then placing them into Catholic school is the starting point!

2. Smaller Classroom Sizes

Catholic schooling also provides smaller classroom sizes for your children. The smaller the classroom size, the more opportunities that your children have for one-on-one time with their teachers. Teachers are able to focus on individual children, their grades, and their progress more when there are not as many students in the classroom.

When there aren’t as many students in the classroom, students are able to focus on the curriculum better as well as there are less distractions. If your children begin to fall behind the other students, teachers will also have more time and the ability to work with your child by implementing learning strategies that might work better for him or her.

3. Sense of Community 

Children who attend Catholic schools are given a sense of community. The other students who attend the school most likely attend mass on weekends with their families as well. Because Catholic schools are normally smaller than public schools, you and your children will begin to make friends with everyone at the school as you’ll all attend the same church and school.

Aside from this, all students and parents will be asked to participate in numerous fundraisers, church programs, and other school activities. This is what builds a strong sense of community. Imagine bake sales on Sunday mornings, Saturday markets, Wednesday bingo nights, and spaghetti dinners on Fridays. 

These are just a few of the community events that you can expect to become a part of after signing your children up for private Catholic school. 

4. High-Quality Education

Unlike public schools, private Catholic schools don’t have to abide by the standard way of teaching students. Teachers at private schools are allowed to create their own lesson plans and teach in ways that they believe their students will learn best. Religion is also considered a mandatory class to take at most Catholic schools. 

Scores shown by the National Assessment of Educational Progress also prove that students who attend Catholic schools are more likely to do better in math and reading.

5. More Parent Involvement 

Because many private Catholic schools have different ways for parents to save on tuition, there’s more parent involvement. Private school isn’t free, but if you, as a parent, contribute to the school and community, you could save money. For example, the school could have you run the fish fry or bingo night to receive a discount.

Aside from receiving discounts, private Catholic schools also encourage parent involvement in any way possible. These schools want you and your family to be members of the church, not just the school. They also want you to come out to each event and celebrate with them. 

6. Mandatory Uniforms 

Mandatory uniforms might not be your children’s favorite thing about private Catholic schools, but it’ll soon become one of yours. Compared to public school, mandatory uniforms mean you don’t have to worry about what clothes are or aren’t appropriate for your children’s school. 

You also won’t have to argue with your children in the morning about what they want to wear to school that day. Every child wears the same thing every day. This reduces bullying, embarrassment, and competition amongst the students!

7. Single-Sex Options

When placing your children in public school, you have no choice but to place them in a co-ed environment. Private Catholic schools, however, have co-ed and single-sex options. Some of these schools accept boys and girls while others only accept one sex. 

If you’d like your children to be in a single-sex environment, then you’ll have that option! This could be beneficial for helping your children stay focused on their school work and not worried about impressing the opposite sex or these types of distractions while at school.

It’s Time to Consider Private Catholic Schools!

Your children deserve the best education available to them. Consider these benefits of private Catholic schools listed above and then make the best decision for your children!

For more topics similar to this one, be sure to visit us daily.

Ah, the ear-piercing scream that comes out of a toddler after you tell them that they can’t sleep in the dryer! Music to my ears? Not so much.

The terrible twos.

When your sweet baby turns into a raging little monster, the terrible twos have arrived.

Dealing with terrible twos doesn’t have to be a family strain, get into the mind of your toddler and prepare for “fun” ahead!

Signs of the Terrible Twos

So when do terrible twos start? Besides being two-years-old, there are some signs you can watch out for to see if your little one is arriving at the terrible twos. 

Defiance

When they start to get an opinion of their own and resisting yours, that is a sure sign that they are well on their way to being a terrible two. 

Moodiness

Here is the thing, your child will be moody at several points in their young life, but two-year-olds have the attitude of a teenager with the self-control of a toddler. 

Why is Dealing With Terrible Twos So Bad?

Your toddler is going through a lot right now! At two years old, toddlers have the ability to voice opinions and act on them without any consciousness. 

They’re newly able to walk, talk, have emotions and opinions. All without really any ability to control these things. It’s a lot, and we would be freaking out too!

What to Do?

When you find yourself at wit’s end with your toddler, it can be hard to think of what to when you’re in the moment.

Here are some techniques you can use with your toddler when they are having a case of the terrible twos.

Redirect Attention

Do not reward bad behavior with what they want (toys, dessert, etc.) and extra attention. Instead, redirect the attention of your toddler to something else. Play a song, read a book, give them a task to distract them from the naughty thing they were doing. 

Focus their attention on something positive.

Avoid Open-Ended Questions

When you ask a toddler something, give them options or make it a yes or no answer. Avoid asking open-ended questions.

If you’ve got an opinionated little terrible two, it is a good idea to give them a couple of options to choose from. For example, “do you want to play with the doll or the truck?” This will let them feel empowered, while still giving you control.

Bonus — your toddler won’t get frustrated trying to think of something to play with. 

Be Patient

The obvious one. Be patient with your little one. 

They are learning and growing at such a quick rate. It must be so frustrating to want to be able to do so much without knowing how. Put yourself in their shoes and you’ll watch your patience grow.

Give Them Space to Grow, but Stand By

A two-year-old definitely needs supervision, but give them the chance to learn and make mistakes. Having a sense of independence while knowing mom or dad will still be there for them may help reduce outcries. 

You’ve Got This!

So when do the terrible twos end? Technically when they turn three.

But, you think terrible twos are bad? Wait until they are a three-nager! 

Want to read more posts about dealing with terrible twos? Check out our blog!