Wellness Archives - Page 25 of 28

7 ways to standout from all the other moms

December 20, 2016 by Mandy

Being a mom can be tough. Some call it the toughest job around. But taking care of babies is just one part of the challenge. The other part is trying to avoid being a stereotypical mom and standing out in the crowd. Women want to be more than just a parent. They want to be an individual.

The following are 7 ways you can really become your own person that will impress others.

Dress to impress. This doesn’t mean you have to wear designer clothes while hanging around the house changing diapers. But when going out, wear something with a style that fits your personality. Don’t be afraid to stray a little out of your comfort zone. And you don’t have to spend a fortune on your wardrobe. You can buy very fashionable clothes that are affordable if you know where to look. For example, you can find great deals at Saks Fifth Avenue with coupons and promo codes.

Be outgoing. For many moms, especially new ones, meeting new people can be difficult. The key is to be outgoing. While this is easier said than done, being outgoing simply means to talk to new people. Find other moms to have conversations with (you do have something in common, after all). Don’t just stay home every day.

Have a hobby you’re passionate about. Having something to do that you love, other than being a mom, will open up new possibilities for you. For example, certain hobbies are very sociable and have close-knit communities. This will help you expand your horizons beyond just being a mom.

Be confident. Having confidence in yourself means you’re not afraid to be the center of attention. You can talk about any subjects, even ones you don’t know anything about because you know the right questions to ask. People are drawn to you because you can make the best of any social situation.

Read books about interesting topics. Being well-read will help you be more confident when out and about town. Reading will also expand your horizons beyond the world of parenting. You can easily find a new passion while reading. Think about joining a book club. Most meet in the evening, giving you much-needed relief from your parenting duties.

Travel. Yes, traveling with kids can be a challenge. But there’s no substitute for getting out and seeing the world. Traveling will also help you meet new people, have new experiences and give you an education you can’t get anywhere else. Traveling doesn’t have to be expensive, great travel deals are all over the internet.

Be strong with your opinions. This means not to compromise what you believe just to please others and avoid conflict. Your own opinions about the world around you make you unique, so embrace them. But this doesn’t mean you can’t be open to new ideas. Listen to what others’ opinions and try to see things from their point-of-view. And always remember to be respectful.

Standing out as a mom doesn’t have to be hard, or even that expensive. Keep an open mind and be proud of who you are. Everything else will follow.

Talking Nutrition – Healthy Choices, Happy Children

December 14, 2016 by Mandy

Ask any mother/parent what they struggle with most when trying to do the best for their kids or what brings about the most arguments, and unanimously one of the biggest ones is trying to get them to eat a healthy diet. Outside influences including peer pressure and tv advertising can make it a hot button topic, and it can often feel like a never ending tug of war.

My aim here is to change all that, by showing you how you can teach children to take responsibility for their own well-being, allowing them to make healthy choices for themselves such as swapping refined sugar for a healthy alternative like Manuka Honey (I personally love Mr Vitamins range) whilst understanding the logic behind it. It is basic human nature to rebel against being told what to do but to flourish when given responsibility, information and respect. The resulting benefits will be that your children feel in control of their lives, valued in their opinions, proud of their ability to take care of themselves and able to confidently and intelligently inform others about their lifestyle choices.

My own daughter has come home from school on several occasions and expressed her shock and disappointment at the poor food choices some of her friends have been given in their lunch-boxes. Rather than envy them, she understands that the choices she and I make for her lunches, come from a position of love and the desire to give her the best possible advantage in both her physical and mental health.

It seems to be a common trend amongst mothers who are time poor or feeling run-down themselves to think that junk food or fast food is an easy and acceptable option for their families. Unfortunately, this works completely contrary to the aim and rather than be the easy option, can result in kids who are a nightmare to control due to behavioral issues.

There is actually a proven link between junk food and criminality, so how could this type of thinking produce children who are a delight to spend time with. It is shocking to think that such a small attitude shift in what you give your family can make such a huge difference. All children want to be loved and valued and they are at your mercy as to what their diet consists of. They have no choice in the matter, and yet suffer the consequences of our poor decisions.

A Few Necessary Negatives

It is imperative that if you wish to protect your family’s health, you completely remove the following from their diet:

NO: processed luncheon meat, refined white sugar or refined carbohydrates, high fructose corn syrup, food additives (click here for a list)

Explain why

For toddlers and preschoolers you have a captured audience, and the wonderful thing is that there is no peer pressure. In my experience, small children prefer to graze rather than sit down to strict meal times. They are always distracted, and everything else seems more interesting than eating.

I have noticed also that they prefer foods not to be mixed, but to be presented singly. With this in mind, have bowls of fruit, vegetables or seeds laying around the house so they can help themselves. Make sure they can’t choke on anything though, and ensure that any dried fruit doesn’t contain preservatives!

School aged children

By the time children reach school age, they are old enough to discuss the negatives of unhealthy foods on their bodies and to be encouraged to make sensible choices with regards to their own health.

Teenagers

Once teenagers start feeling the effects of poor dietary choices such as acne, depression or hormonal issues, it becomes easier to show how their diet has a direct impact on their body as a whole. Provide a wide range of healthy, fresh food options ONLY, in your house. Make sure there is enough to satisfy the appetite of growing bodies, but try to limit everything to wholesome, organic selections. It is impossible to prevent them coming into contact with junk food outside the home, but at least you can minimize the impact of them and at best, you can educate your kids to make mature decisions regarding them.

School Lunches

The beauty of the school lunch is that you have a captured audience so if you can provide something half tempting for them to eat, chances are, with nothing else on offer, they will eat it.

Around our house the motto is ‘vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds – these are all my body needs’. Whilst it may not be entirely comprehensive, it does have a little dance that goes with it! Children should be a delight to be around. Having happy, healthy, intelligent children who feel good about themselves can be achieved so easily and improve not only your life but the world as a whole.

Best of luck!

You Really Do Glow When You Get Pregnant

December 13, 2016 by Mandy

Pregnancy can present many challenges, from lingering exhaustion to unexpected pains and discomfort. Some moms-to-be joke that the infamous pregnancy glow is only a sheen of sweat from morning sickness or the added effort of carrying around those extra pounds. Pregnancy can enhance your beauty during this special time in many genuine ways.

That Gorgeous Mane of Hair

Image via Flickr by The 5th Ape

During the second trimester, your hair will probably start looking thicker and more luxurious. If you’re starting to feel like a model from a shampoo commercial, rest assured that the resemblance isn’t imagined. You’re not growing more hair during this time, but you lose far less. All those little stray hairs that would normally escape stay firmly rooted during pregnancy, giving you an admirable mane.

Truly Radiant Skin

The infamous pregnancy glow isn’t completely imagined. You get a more radiant look around the second trimester. Scientifically, this radiance is due to an increase of blood volume that brings blood closer to the skin. However, you may also look a bit brighter because you’ll begin feeling better during this time.

Discomforts, such as morning sickness, typically abate by this point, and the swollen ankles and overly large belly of the third trimester have yet to appear. You’re in that sweet spot where you look more pregnant than fat, but you’re not quite waddling yet.

A Different Complexion

Some of the purported pregnancy glow may also be the result of increased oil production as your hormone levels change. While this hormonal change may give you a soft shine, it can also be troublesome. Some women experience acne flare-ups as a result.

To keep your skin clear, switch to an oil-free cleanser during your pregnancy. You should also apply sunscreen more diligently than ever, as your skin will become more sensitive and your skin cancer risk increases during this time. Sun exposure can also cause a skin discoloration known as melasma, which isn’t the type of glow you want.

Enhanced Curves

Pregnancy offers softer and more alluring curves that many women enjoy. Although this curve development begins with breast tenderness in the first trimester, or earlier if you’re using fertility treatments or consulting a fertility specialist, it will later give way to larger breasts. You can grow as much as a full cup size during your pregnancy.

Longer Nails

If you love the look of long nails, you may love how your hands look during pregnancy. Nails often grow faster when you’re pregnant, and some women report having stronger nails as well. Diligently downing your prenatal vitamins will enhance this effect. If you find your nails become brittle instead of strong, make sure your diet includes enough biotin to meet your new needs. You can get this nutrient from eggs, nuts, milk, bananas, and whole grains.

Pregnancy comes with many undeniable changes to your appearance. Although you may struggle at times with your changing shape, keep in mind the many beautiful benefits of this time. Rock these beauty perks of pregnancy like the glowing mama you are.

Own Your Mornings Again: Easy Ways to Wake Up Ready for Your Day

December 9, 2016 by Mandy

If you wake up in the morning still feeling jaded and lacking in energy, that is not going to bode well for the rest of the day.

There are numerous ways you can address that situation so that you give yourself a better chance of waking up feeling mentally recharged and ready to face whatever the day has in store for you.

Perhaps, when you have read through some mattress customer reviews, you might decide that it is a good idea to improve your odds of getting a good sleep by updating your mattress. That is just one of the easy ways that you can help yourself to feel like you own your mornings again.

You can’t beat the clock

Trying to burn the midnight oil might be ok every now and again but if you regularly retire to bed around midnight and rise again at six the next morning, that regime is going to take its toll.

There are some people who seem to be able to function on very little sleep, but if you are regularly feeling tired and more than a little sluggish after you wake up, you clearly are not one of those lucky people.

The best thing to do is figure out how much sleep you actually need to function properly, by noting the number of hours needed to wake up feeling refreshed. Once you have that figure cracked, don’t try to beat the clock, get the right amount of sleep every night.

Early dinner

It is always tempting to succumb to a few hunger pangs late in the evening and reach for another slice of pizza or something similarly tasty, but heavy on the stomach.

The problem with this is that you are giving your body a task to digest this food just at the point you are heading to bed. This will make it harder to get to sleep and enjoy a comfortable night.

Try to resist eating anything after about 7pm if you can. Having an earlier dinner time will give you more time to digest it and aid your sleep pattern. If you do want a snack, a glass of milk or maybe a banana, is certainly better than the pizza option.

Kick the caffeine habit

Giving up the coffee or the cola altogether, might be a bridge too far, but if you want to boost your chances of waking up ready to rock the next morning after a great sleep, you will need to consider kicking the caffeine habit, for the evening at least.

A good caffeine curfew time would be about 7pm, so make it your last cup of Joe alongside your meal, and you stand a better chance of unwinding more successfully when bedtime comes around.

If you want to feel like you own your mornings again, follow some of these simple tips and see if it makes a difference when you open your eyes the next day.

Daniel Humphreys is a lifestyle blogger who works in a furniture store by day in the role of assistant manager. He writes about a variety of lifestyle topics in his articles, usually with a self improvement or DIY focus.

Fall Tips for Nannies in Canada

November 1, 2016 by Mandy

Fall is always a busy time for families, and for full or part time nannies working with kids who are headed back to school or even starting for the first time, there are plenty of changes to deal with, not to mention getting ready for the changing weather. Whether you’re a full time or live in care provider or a part time nanny who looks after kids on evenings or weekends, these are some of the ways you can get ready for autumn and make sure your kids are safe and having fun while you keep their parents happy.

screen-shot-2016-11-01-at-16-11-00 Getting to School – For parents with hectic work schedules, a nanny who can handle school drop-off and pick-up is essential to their lifestyle, which leaves you navigating the busy school zone. Fortunately, there are some simple rules you can follow that will take the stress out of getting to school in the morning:

Leave early: nothing adds pressure and leads to forgotten lunches (or worse) like leaving behind schedule, so keep your morning routine tight and on schedule.
Crossing guards are king: always respect their commands, not only for children’s safety, but to teach the kids in your care about road safety and respecting the people who are looking out for them.
Exercise: Not every nanny drives and that can be a good thing in a world where children aren’t getting enough exercises; walk to school and take the opportunity to remind the children about basic street safety, like crossing at crosswalks and lights, looking both ways, and sticking to the sidewalk.

Dressing Right – According to online nanny service Canadian Nanny, there’s a really simple rule to getting children ready for the fickle Canadian autumn: add an extra layer to whatever you’re wearing yourself. Take a look at what you’re wearing to be comfortable as the air gets chilly, and add a layer for the kids; they can always take it off in the warmer afternoon and add it back in the colder evening.

Handling Power Outages – In many parts of Canada, high winds and rainstorms that come with the fall weather mean power outages, which can test the limits of your imagination. While board games are a nanny’s bread and butter in these kinds of situations, you can always liven a power outage up with more active games like charades or playing with puppets, both of which also help stimulate the imagination and get them moving. With the right active game, you just need to make sure everyone doesn’t get too worked up before bedtime.

For more great tips on adjusting to the changing seasons and being ready for all of the curveballs daily life can through at you as a childcare provider, check out the Canadian Nanny blog. Not only can you find back-to-school tips and advice about getting your kids ready for the weather, but also help on connecting with families looking for nannies like you. No matter where you are in Canada, there are families out there looking for childcare.

Find out what kind of credentials families are looking for, how to make an impression on your profile, and connect with families with the help of a service like Canadian Nanny. Keeping kids happy, healthy, and safe is your expertise – get help finding work and doing what you do best.