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The Best 5 Family Dogs

May 30, 2015 by Mandy

Adding a dog to your family will be the one of the best decisions you ever make, these loving creatures are a never ending source of joy and are the perfect family pet, providing of course that you choose the right breed for all of your needs.

With this in mind here is a list of dogs that will be perfect for your family.

Bulldog

Bulldog_standing

Despite their angry appearance, the friendly Bulldog is a perfect family dog, these thick set dogs can withstand the boisterous nature of kids and are known to strike up close bonds with them as they offer incredible loyalty and love human attention. The Bulldog is a great source of amusement too with their snoring and slobbering. The dogs are very protective over their home and are considered average shedders, simply put, the Bulldog ticks all the boxes as a great family pet.

Labrador Retriever

Labrador

The Labrador would be a great fit for all the family, they thrive on exercise and play and shower you in love. Lab’s are independent so don’t require round-the-clock attention, great for those with busier lives. Labrador’s share a child’s zest for life and will give unconditional loyalty. These dogs are gentle and adapt well to humans, they can be easily trained and are not difficult to look after. The Lab has been regularly voted America’s best loved dog and will be the ideal addition to your family.

Cockapoo

Cockapoo_Dog

The hilariously named Cockapoo is a medium sized dog that have a long life expectancy at around 16 years. These dogs have a soft coat and rarely shed, they are intelligent and easily trained. The dogs love being around people and will match the energy of children. The Cockapoo is largely an indoor dog but still loves to go out and play, great for those who can’t commit to a daily walk. With such a peaceful and friendly nature this breed will make the perfect family pet.

Beagle

beagle

The Beagle is a medium sized, playful, athletic, loving and loyal breed and would be a great choice for a family dog. Beagles require a lot of activity and love to bound about, they are mild mannered around humans and love playing with kids. This breed comes from a line of Hounds so they don’t enjoy being alone and will require plenty of care and attention, but in return this floppy eared bundle of joy will give you unconditional love, a great pet for the family.

Boxer

Boxer_female_brown

This loveable dog is not only super friendly but is very intelligent, easy to train and will adapt seamlessly to your family home. The Boxer is easy to care for, sheds moderately and has boundless energy when it comes to playtime. Boxers are incredibly robust dogs so can easily put up with kids and their mischievous nature will keep you entertained for hours. These dogs are affectionate and protective and love being a part of a human ‘pack,’ making them an ideal choice for you and your family.

Any one of these dogs will bring joy and love to your family home and within a short space of time become a fully fledged family member.

Filed Under: Pets

How To Get Your Kids Interested in DIY

May 20, 2015 by Mandy

kids_DIY

In our techno-age, it can sometimes seem like a struggle to get our kids to unglue themselves from the various screens that dominate our homes and lives, and become excited about creating. Countless studies have shown that boosting creativity in your child’s development leads to greater health and happiness, and what better way is there to get your child to create than scrapping down with a bit of DIY. The following are some tips to get your kids up off the sofa and into the workshop!

Make Something Your Child Wants

This could be a box for their toys, a desk for their room, even the most boring of DIY tasks: shelves. But the important thing is to make it fun. Allow your child to design exactly what they want – this can be as wacky or elaborate as they like – encourage them to use their imagination. Obviously, you are not about to build together a SpongeBob shaped cupboard. But you can try together to see how to incorporate your child’s ideas into something achievable.

Go shopping together for the materials, the wood, the paint etc. so your child can be part of the whole process. As they watch their design come to life, they will surely be enchanted by the magic of creation, of seeing an idea in their head materialize as a fully 3D object, one they will surely treasure and feel inordinately proud of.

Get a Kit

Another way to drum up interest is to get your child a DIY kit. These range from furniture to clocks to chemistry sets to radios, remote control planes and so on. Your child will benefit from the patience and practical thinking required to assemble it, while also catching the creativity bug big time. Again, the process of watching something come from nothing can be extremely gratifying, no matter your age.

In addition to this, you can always buy your child some tools. Tools which are theirs. They will likely be pleased to have such a grown-up present, yet there are many age-appropriate kits available which come in different colours and themes.

Get Crafty!

It’s no secret that children love arts and crafts, once the X-box has firmly been put away. As with making furniture with your child, next time you need a fancy dress costume, or something else artsy for whatever project or party, make it together with your child. Design it together, shop for materials together and create together! There is really no better way to instill a passion for do-it-yourself projects in your kid than to start early and keep on doing it!

Filed Under: DIY/Home

6 Fun DIY Projects For Kids

May 15, 2015 by Mandy

 

diy-kids

When the kids have downtime I can’t stand them being sat in front of the TV or playing computer games so I always try to keep them entertained with an activity that uses their brain or something that gets them outside and active. Particularly difficult in the holidays but I’ve found that a small D.I.Y. project really entertains them and gives them a sense of reward. Here’s 6 fun D.I.Y. projects to keep them entertained.

Lego Challenge

Lego is amazing and flexible, challenge your kids to create something different than what the box says. Difficulty levels will depend on their age but set it as a challenge so they feel a sense of achievement afterwards, if you have more than one child, add a little competition to proceedings. The beauty of this project is that you can knock it down and start again with a different challenge.

Make a Robot

Craft ideas like this will entertain the kids for hours, robots can be simply made by coating empty cardboard boxes in tin foil and adding some flair with buttons, string, nuts and bolts or whatever’s lying around. This project will peak your kids’ interest and allow them to express some artistic flair, plus they get to dress up at the end.

Make a Volcano

One for the older kids here and a task that may inspire their scientific side is making a Volcano from household goods. For the volcano simply coat a plastic bottle in newspaper and glue to make a volcano shape with a hard edge. For the lava simply put bicarbonate or soda in the bottle and add vinegar for the explosion, encourage your kids to add flair to volcano and watch your volcano blow.

Create a Scrap Book

This one is a little old school but can entertain the kids for a good length of time and give them an account of all their memories. All you need is a book, some glue and some memories, kids can put ticket stubs, photos and thousands of other mementos in their specially designed book.

Bottle Rocket

Take a soda bottle and grab some bicarbonate of soda and some vinegar, wrap the bicarb in cling film and twist the cling film over it then pop the bicarb in the bottle. Next you need to place a hole in the bottle cap, create a cone to fit to the bottom of the bottle and you have a rocket, use a tube for the launch and simply add the vinegar, replace the cap and put the bottle cap down in the tube then wait for the boom. Definitely one for parents to supervise.

Music Centre

One of my faves is this music center, simple and entertaining for the kids. Take any number of pots and pans, empty glass bottles with varying amounts of water and well, anything that makes a noise. Let the kids decide what order to put them in and give them some wooden or plastic sticks and watch them go. I placed old pots on a piece of wood and some old tubing, with bottles and a bucket or two and the kids played with it for hours. Easy, fun and noisy, just what the kids love.

Filed Under: DIY/Home

5 Ways Parents Waste Their Money

April 23, 2015 by Mandy

waste money

“Mom can I have this… Mom can I have that…” is almost a daily request from our kids and saying no to such requests is often more difficult that it should be. Many parents waste money on their children with frivolous purchases and we really don’t need to, we can still spend money our kids of course, but we should think carefully to avoid wasting money on them. Here’s a list of ways we waste our money on the kids.

Kids Parties

Birthday parties can drain your purse with ease, the cost of hall rentals and entertainers for the kids is eye-watering and leaves many dreading the upcoming birthday. Party bags and costumes can also cost the earth when it doesn’t need to, if you plan well and get creative you can prevent wasting money on such things. Remember that kids don’t need lavish parties to have fun, they just want to be with their friends making up games.

Expensive Clothes

Many parents feel pressured by retailers to spend top dollar on children’s clothes, doing so is just throwing money away as they grow so quickly that a $100 coat will soon be the size of your kid’s arm. Young kids care very little about brands and cost so make sure they have clothes that are fit for purpose and as robust as possible, today’s world of budget shops mean good clothes don’t need to blow your budget.

Electronics

Each day, month and year there is a new ‘must have’ gadget which kids will always want and we as parents invariably give in and throw money away on such indulgences. We buy up tablets, smartphones and laptops for our kids because we think it makes them happy and we’re left with debt or a hole in the bank account. Research these purchases before making them and look for the cheaper options before taking the plunge.

Arcade Games

money wasting

The classic money burner, arcades machines are designed to suck you dry, kids are attracted because of bright lights and irrelevant prizes and parents often feel duty bound to put a smile on their face. There is nothing wrong with wanted to give your kids some joy but think about what else you could buy them with the $10 you’re about to throw away on something that lasts 1 minute. There is no upside throwing money away like this, yet we still continue to do so and you must try to avoid it if you can.

Hobbies

Unfortunately this is one is probably unavoidable but the amount of money wasted on your kids’ new hobby is staggering. The reason I say wasted is that usually your kid loves their new hobby for around 1 month or 2, then there’s another after it. Houses around the world have cupboards stuffed with violins, drum sets, wetsuits, old games consoles and the like from hobbies that didn’t quite work out. Try to encourage the kids to continue with a hobby or try do support them as inexpensively as possible.

They may as you for things with that cute little face but beware of the difference between spending money on your kids, and wasting it.

Filed Under: Finance

6 Tips For Helping Kids With ADHD Succeed in School

March 20, 2015 by Mandy

adhd

Having a kid with ADHD certainly has it’s challenges both at home and particularly at school, at home the onus is solely on you and your family to manage your child’s behaviour, school is a slightly different story. School life requires a careful and thought out approach and here are 6 ways that you can help them succeed at school.

Parent/Teacher Relationship

A positive relationship between the teacher(s) and the parents is imperative, you must have constant communication about your child and take the time to meet with them to hold discussions. My advice would be that even before the school year begins try to seek out your teacher to discuss any plans and concerns you may have.

Consistency Between Home and School

For the good of your kid’s behaviour you have to ensure that they are treated the same way at home as they are at school. Naturally the school environment will be slightly different due to the other students present but authority figures have to be singing from the same hymn sheet. Whether it be punishment or praise that you are giving your child or even in terms of how you inspire their creativity, a seamless shift between home and school is vital in your child’s development.

Encourage Movement Around The Classroom

Sitting still and listening for long periods of time will be tough for a kid with ADHD so it’s important that you create an environment where they can move about the classroom a bit. When there are tasks to be done such as sending messages or handing books out, your child will benefit from undertaking them. Another helpful tip is for teachers to do activities that involve different areas of the classroom, again encouraging movement for your child, this also benefits attention span of other students.

Breaking Big Tasks Down

If your child is taking on a sizeable project they can be overwhelmed which will lead to lack of attention, break projects down into bitesize pieces to keep your child stimulated. Doing this also helps them feel a sense of achievement after completed each chunk of work which again, will lead to higher stimulation.

Praise and Reward

It’s important to manage your child’s behavior with praise and reward as much as it is to accordingly punish them, ensure this is consistent at both home and school. Create a behavior plan with the teacher and reward your kid when he/she has succeeded in that plan. You may do a checklist for your child’s desk with items such as not interrupting the classroom, tick it off with them if they manage to do so and verbally praise them or reward them, rewards should be creative and not always an item of reward such as a toy.

Create a Code

It is vital for your kids’ self esteem that they are not belittled in front of the class, the last thing you, the teacher or your child needs is a stigma attached from other students,. A great way to combat misbehaviour in the classroom is to create a ‘secret code,’ just something simple like a hand gesture for the child when they are beginning to misbehave. Eventually teachers will spot the signs of gradual frustration and be able to combat it with a hand gesture or giving them a task to do.

Children with ADHD can be tough to deal with so definitely seek help and make sure you and the teacher are both doing your best to help your child succeeded at school.

Filed Under: Children, Education

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