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Anyone who owns their own home will be responsible for its maintenance. That means that each and every corner and system in your home is your responsibility to keep clean, tidy and fully-functioning – and that you should tackle issues as they arise to avoid catastrophe in your household. In this short article, we’lltake a look at the ways that you can truly take responsibility for these household maintenance requirements while saving cash. Read on to learn what you can do to maintain your home on a budget in 2020.
Tools The significant expenditure that you’re going to make to maintain your home responsibly is the tools. Tools will help you take apart and refit your home. They’ll help you make your walls, floors and windows more secure and attractive, and they’ll help you bleed a radiator, or look into the lighting in your kitchen. They’re expensive to purchase, but tools will stay with you all your life – so they’re an excellent addition to your household. Inside Walls Let’s think about what’s going on within your walls – because that’s where plenty of your home maintenance takes place. Ordinarily, you’ll bring in a plumber to help you with your waterworks, an electrician to help you with your wiring, and other specialists to help you fit pipes and other essentials in your walls. But, if you’re able to learn the correct skills, there’s no reason why you wouldn’t be able to maintain these parts of your home yourself. You can take online courses and practical courses to help you gain these skills. And you can find supplies – like Galvanised pipe cut lengths – online to save you heaps of cash on tradespeople and their materials. Surfaces By surfaces, we’re looking at your floor, your windows, your walls, your ceilings, and your doors. All of those flat bits in your home are perhaps the very easiest to maintain – you can even get your kids involved. Painting, for instance, is a great way to get your walls, doors and ceilings feeling like-new, bringing new energy and cleanliness into your interiors. Meanwhile, it’s easy to refit floors with new planks of wood or to tear up a carpet to replace with a hard floor. Finally, windows can be maintainedthrough regular cleaning inside and out – something that’s easy to do if you’ve got a ladder. Repair Work Finally, inside your home, plenty will get broken over time. Your children will trip up and bang into your furniture. Your white goods – like your fridge, your washing machine, and your dishwasher – can break suddenly. Even your digital devices can look like they’ve died. The essential tip here is to use the internet, How-To videos, and other resources to try to repair all that breaks in your home. Even if your repair project fails, you’ll still learn new skills which you can transfer into your next home maintenance project. Save cash, and learn new skills, with the tips outlined above – all designed to help you maintain your home on a budget this year.
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If you have young children, you likely have a daily battle with them to try and get them to eat their vegetables. This is totally normal; many children are picky eaters, and over time they will grow out this habit.
However, there are lots of things that you can do as a parent to encourage your kids to eat healthier. Here are five ways to help your children get over their fear of vegetables. Plan Meals Very few parents have the time to plan a different menu every single day, especially if they are in full-time work – but it is possible to plan all of the family meals on a Sunday, and then do a food shop, so everything you need is in the house. This means that you will always have the ingredients for a delicious, healthy meal, and if you are smart, you will choose meals that take less than 30 minutes to prepare! Do you want to try this? If so, simply use a standard calendar to plan meals at the beginning of the week. It is also possible to meal prep and cook all of your meals at once, but this is only really an option if you can dedicate a few hours a week to cooking everything up. Present Healthy Food In New Ways Lots of children dislike certain textures, but you can get past this by presenting healthy food in new ways. For instance, you could puree the vegetables or turn them into a smoothie using a cold press juicer. This removes the unpleasant texture and the bitter taste, so your child is much more likely to eat their vegetables (even if they don’t realize that they are doing it!). If you decide to do this, consider using the best cold press juicer, as a high-quality juicer is both easy to use and easy to clean (unlike cheap juicers that normally have lots of small, fiddly components that need cleaning). This is perfect for parents who don’t want to spend ages washing up every night! Embrace Dips Consider making carrot and celery sticks that can be used as dipping tools. Most children like dips such as hummus and sour cream, so they can partially hide the taste of the vegetable using the dip. Be Patient With New Foods It is also essential to be patient when you are trying out new foods. Children have developing taste buds, so something that tastes good to you may not necessarily taste good to them. Respect this, and don’t pressure your child to eat anything they don’t want to eat. Instead, be patient, and offer up vegetables and fruits that you know they actually like. Over time their tongue will develop, and you can try introducing them to new foods again. Be Their Role Model Finally, it is essential to be their role model. If you have erratic eating habits or you are constantly trying new diets, your children will think this is a normal way to eat. So try to commit to a healthy, consistent diet that includes lots of vegetables, and don’t starve yourself if you feel hungry. There is a reason why dogs are referred to as “man’s best friend”.They are loyal, loving, and always there for you when you need them most. When they add so much to your life, it is easy to want to spoil them. While you don’t want to go overboard with things like treats and toys, there are plenty of things you can do to spoil your pup and let him know that you care.
Here are some of the simplest ways for you to spoil your dog each and every day. Give Them Quality Food It sounds like such a simple concept but switching your dog’s generic food to something a bit more special is an easy way to make daily mealtime even more enjoyable for your pup. The taste of some of the higher-rated brands of dog food out there is much more appealing to dogs than the more basic brands that are sold in your neighborhood grocery store. Furthermore, the better-quality brands have more nutrients and overall better ingredients that will help your dog live a happier and healthier life. That means that you aren’t just spoiling your dog with a better-tasting food but also with a better quality of life in general. You might have to do some shopping around to find the best deals, but it is all worth it to spoil your pup. Consider checking out diamondpet.com for more information. Decrease Their Alone Time There is nothing that your dog hates more than when you have to leave the house for extended periods of time. Dogs are pack animals that view their owners as the leader. Therefore, when you go away, they can feel lost and lonely. Most experts recommend that owners avoid leaving dogs alone for more than seven hours at the most. However, with work, errands, and life in general, it can be tough sometimes to manage being with your dog as much as they would like. Consider bringing your dog along with you whenever you are going to a pet-friendly location. For instance, many restaurants have dog-friendly outdoor seating as long as the dog isn’t aggressive. You can also invest in a pet camera that lets you talk to your dog remotely when you have to be away for longer periods of time. Hearing your voice or even sending them a treat can really cheer your pup up. Increase Play Time Your dog looks forward to play time more than most things. Getting to interact with you while tossing a ball or playing tug-of-war is undoubtedly one of their favorite things. Anyone looking to spoil their dog more every day can’t do much better than spoiling them with attention. Playtime is not only enjoyable for your dog, but it is also good for their physical wellness. Burning off energy will help them feel more content and relaxed during down time and building up strength in their muscles and joints can set them up for a healthier life in the long run. Fear of doctors, or “iatrophobia”, is a common phobia. Even if you do not have a full-blown case of clinical iatrophobia, many of us suffer from anxiety about going to the doctor. This anxiety is not surprising if you consider the reasons.
There are many reasons that people feel anxiety when they need to go to the doctor, such as being afraid of receiving bad news about their health, the bill that they will get, or even a bad experience with another doctor in the past. Whatever the reason that you are afraid of, you are not alone, and hopefully, exploring ideas in this article will help alleviate your anxiety about your next doctor’s visit. Negative Effects of Iatrophobia Unfortunately, fear of going to the doctor can result in adverse outcomes. Stress, in general, is harmful to physical and mental health. Also, fear of going to the doctor can lead people to put off, or even avoid making appointments which may be essential for helping treat their illnesses. Many diseases, including cancer and heart disease, worsen over time to the point where they become untreatable and terminal. Identifying and treating these conditions early is vital and putting off a doctor’s appointment can be fatal. Coping with Anxiety Anxiety can be a crippling condition at the best of times; if you suffer from anxiety then picking up the phone to make an appointment, and leaving the house to get to the appointment can be a great source of distress for many people. Your anxiety can be eased with mindfulness techniques. A popular mindfulness exercise is to sit or lie down somewhere comfortable, close your eyes, and breathe slowly in and out while keeping your attention focuses on your breath. Focusing this attention on the breath can remind you of the present, rather than letting your mind get lost in future predictions. Mindfulness also has a range of other health benefits. If you find yourself continually touching things, then consider getting a beaded bracelet or spinner ring as something you can focus your desire to fidget without it being obvious. It can be particularly helpful to do these exercises while in the waiting room of the doctors’ surgery, as waiting rooms are common locations to experience anxiety. Avoid Googling Symptoms Although the internet is a fantastically useful resource and can be used to find information about various medical conditions, this is a double-edged sword. Deciding to use the internet instead of a doctor to search for the diagnosis of your potential condition can actually increase anxiety! This is primarily because many common symptoms of minor maladies are also symptoms of much more dangerous and life-threatening diseases. Using Google to search for the potential causes of a mild pain may lead you to convince yourself you are suffering from something much worse than you are actually suffering from, which is not good for the stress levels! Don’t Go Alone Having a friend, family member, or other loved one with us can calm us down in most situations and going to the doctor is no different. Do not feel embarrassed about asking someone that you trust to accompany you to the doctor – if they care about you, they will most likely be happy to help! Be Honest It is important to remember that your doctor is there to help you! Avoiding going to the doctor will not reduce anxieties about your health and going to the doctor and being honest with them will build trust for the future. Each time that you go to the doctor, it usually gets more manageable, and anxiety will be lessened because you trust your doctor! Even if you do not have specific symptoms, you are worried about, planning an annual wellness visit to the doctor can be beneficial. Once you are speaking to the doctor, you should always be honest about any symptoms you may have, and your anxieties. Doctors are trained to help you rather than judge you, and they see so many health conditions that yours is unlikely to shock them! However, in the unlikely event that your doctor is unhelpful, or you do not feel like you trust them in any way, you should change to a new doctor. This will most likely solve any issues you may have with any specific practitioner. Whatever you do, it is highly essential to go to the doctor any time you are concerned about your health. Using these tips to help you get over the short-term fear will significantly benefit your health and reduce your anxiety in the long run! When we think of the future, it is often to think of dreams we have and goals we want to achieve. Anything more than that is overwhelming and scary, and it’s why we don’t usually plan for anything that’s coming. It’s as if we want good things to come our way, but we are afraid of doing the necessary things we need to do to get them because the unknown is such a frightening aspect of the future.
Nevertheless, if you want good things to happen, you need to plan for them. Planning for the future is essential, and here are some of the reasons why. You Can Assess the Risks When you plan for the future, you can assess the risks associated with any opportunities that come your way. Many people will simply not spot these great chances in life because they are not looking for them, or are looking for the wrong things. Others will see them but not take them because they think they are too much of a risk. Others still will see them and take them, but this too can be a mistake. It’s so hard to know, but when you plan and are able to assess the risks through the prism of your plan, you will know much more. How can you do this? When you know exactly what your goals are, you’ll know how you want to get there – opportunities that might present themselves can then be either taken up by you or ignored depending on how well they are going to help you reach your ultimate goal. When you plan ahead, the risks will be obvious. You Can Be Proactive If you don’t plan for the future you will never be proactive, only reactive. Although having good reactions is great and will certainly help you in stressful situations, being reactive rather than proactive can also make you much more stressed. By planning for the future, knowing what you want to happen and assessing what might happen, you can be more proactive. This means you will know what to do in every situation, and have a plan to follow no matter what happens. Being proactive can sometimes be uncomfortable as it can make you face difficult thoughts and potential situations. If you are entering hospital, for example, you might need to think about what would happen if you passed away, or if you needed birth injury solicitors to help you. When moving house, you might need to think about what would happen if some of your possessions were lost or broken, or if the chain fell through at the last minute. If applying for a job, you would need to have a contingency plan for whether you got an interview or not. Having a plan in place and not needing to action it is much better than needing a plan and not having one at all. You Can Achieve More If you can plan for the future, you will know just what needs to be done in order to get where you want to be. This means you can apply for the right college courses, you can get relevant experience, and you’ll know which options to choose when you have a choice. By doing this and knowing where you intend to be in the future, you can make better decisions and you can achieve much more too. You’ll always be pushing towards the next goal because you know what it is; without a plan you might stop moving forward because you just don’t know what to do next. Connecting with your teenager can be a difficult challenge at times. They always seem to be going through so many changes in their life, and you might feel like it takes everything in you just to keep up. Figuring out ways to reiterate to your teen just how much you care and are there for them is important, though, as is the concept of modeling positive behavior for them, such as kindness.
If you are looking for more ways to show your teenager kindness, here are three things that you might consider doing. 1. Be a Good Listener One of the best ways to show kindness to your teen is by listening to them. Teenagers often are prone to feeling misunderstood or ignored. Even if you think such feelings are unjustified, they are probably the result of low self-esteem and a lack of confidence. By giving your teen a chance to talk things out with you as their audience, you show them that their thoughts and feelings have value and substance. This can only help to build them up and help them to become a stronger individual. The last thing you want is for your teen to allow his or her negative emotions to develop into a condition like anxiety or a distorted self-image. Moreover, teens that feel ignored or lost in some way are at risk of turning to other things in order to fill the void they are experiencing. You can find resources for how to help your teen with struggles like these at ignite teen treatment. Keeping the lines of communication open and being a good listener for your teen will not only show them kindness but also help them to avoid such risks. 2. Show Interest in Their Interests Some of the most important things to your teen at this point in their life most likely include their personal interests and hobbies. If your teen spends a lot of their time on a particular pastime, one way that you can show kindness to them is by showing an interest in that pastime. Certain hobbies like sports or music might be easy enough to get on board with and demonstrate a genuine interest in. Others, like certain games or types of art, might not be up your alley. Either way, you can not only show kindness to your teen by taking an active interest in the things they choose to dedicate their time to, but you can also help to boost their self-confidence in the process. 3. Lift Them Up When your teenager was still a small child, you likely had to physically lift them up more than a time or two. Now that they are older, the thing they need the most from you is for you to lift them up emotionally. The teenage years can be volatile at the best of times, but you can help bring them to a place of stability by showing them kindness through being their number one cheerleader. The marvel that is Harry Potter is one that has gripped children and adults alike for years now. Some people have literally grown up with Harry Potter being their favourite book and film series. Those who are adults now but who once were enthralled with the stores of J.K Rowling as children can now share the magic of the Wizarding World with their own kids.
If you and your family love the world of Harry Potter, here are three things that you can do together to further enjoy the various captivating aspects of this cultural phenomenon. 1. Go on a Walking Tour One of the things that makes the Harry Potter franchise so personal to the United Kingdom is that so much of the films were shot at various locations across the country. Because the makers of the films focused on showcasing the natural beauty and wonder of various sites across the nation, the success brought an element of magic to these already spectacular places. You can see such places up close for yourself by taking your family on a Harry Potter-themed walking tour of some of the more iconic places that became the settings for the films. Places like the Forest of Dean and individual buildings in Oxford have become forever linked to the Wizarding World. Experience the magic for yourself with any number of exciting and interactive tours. 2. Have a Magical Musical Experience Even if a person isn’t particularly a fan of the Harry Potter film franchise, there is something undeniably recognizable and iconic about the music from the movies. There are very likely few people out there who would be unable to identify the Harry Potter opening score if it were played for them. You and your family can hear the magical music of Harry Potter played live for yourselves at Harry Potter in Concert. Allow yourself to be transported into the Wizarding World by a full symphony orchestra playing those iconic numbers from the film series. The orchestra visits such venues as the Royal Albert Hall in London and St. David’s Hall in Cardiff. You should book your tickets well in advance for this immensely popular musical experience. 3. Go to the Library While you will undoubtedly be able to find copies of your favourite Harry Potter books at your local library, the British Library in London has created an exhibit to celebrate the 20 years that the world has been experiencing the world of Harry Potter. Complete with the 16th century Ripley Stone that contains the method for concocting the philosopher’s stone and the original draft drawings from the book series, you can your family can view a number of the magical elements that played a role in the creation of this series. You can see for yourself various aspects of the folklore and myth that provided the inspiration for the stories. If you are unable to make it to London to view the exhibit in person, you can also check it out online. The coronavirus outbreak has very rapidly changed life as we know it,and for many families, it has created a sudden financial crisis in addition to the obvious health concerns. Many people have lost their jobs, had their wages reduced, or are now struggling to find work,which can obviously cause a tremendous amount of stress and anxiety, especially for parents that need to provide. If you find that you are struggling financially due to the Coronavirus, it is important to know a few steps you could take that will hopefully help you to manage during this difficult period. Read on for a breakdown of the options available to you.
Limit Your Spending The first step to take is to take a look at your regular outgoings and to cut these back as much as possible. The lockdown means that people are spending much less in general, but there are still lots of effective ways to make savings, including: - Not buying luxury items - Shopping at a cheaper supermarket - Buying non-brand food - Growing your own vegetables - Cooking healthy meals in batches - Eating less meat See What Support Is Available to You You should also find that there is some support available to you in these unprecedented times, and it could help you to manage. Emergency financial aid is available from the Government as part of a stimulus package, plus you may also find that it is worth speaking to your landlord or mortgage provider to see if they could help during this difficult time if you are struggling with payments. You might also find it helpful to speak to a financial advisor or support agency if you are struggling, and you are not sure what support is available to you or what the best steps to take are. Car Title Loan If you need access to money quickly, a car title loan is a good solution, as the loan is secured against your vehicle, but you are still able to drive it while repayments are being made. There is muchguidance online in how to use a car title loan, plus you can usually get approved even with a low credit rating, so if you get turned down by a traditional lender, this could be your best course of action to receive a loan. Find Online Work Online work can help you to manage financially as a way to supplement your income, and it will also help you stay busy during the day if you are currently out of work. Online work is a great solution because there is great flexibility. There are also many different ways to make money, such as: - E-commerce store - Freelance writing - Web design - Surveys - Affiliate marketing - Consulting The global pandemic has turned the world on its head and created sudden financial issues for many people. Hopefully, the information in this post will help you manage financially during the outbreak and put you in a healthy and positive place once the outbreak is over, and life begins to get back to normal. Your pet pooch is a much-loved member of your family, so it makes perfect sense that you wouldn’t want to leave him or her behind when heading off on a road trip. However, it can be difficult to keep a dog happy on a long car journey, and he or she might express sadness, stress, or frustration by barking, howling, or chewing at the seats.
Not only will a long car journey be unfair on your canine, but their behavior can also be a big distraction for a driver. Read on for four tips on how to keep your dog happy on a family road trip. 1. Take Your Dog on Short Car Journeys Before you head off on a road trip with the whole clan, you should regularly take your dog on short car journeys, so he or she is used to spending a substantial amount of time in a car. This is especially important if your dog has rarely traveled in a vehicle or is often nervous when hearing loud noises. Short car rides will ensure your pooch is used to the sound of an engine, familiar with bumps on the road, and won’t be afraid of vehicles passing by. 2. Create a Happy Space It is essential a dog feels both safe and happy during a journey, which is why you must aim to create a pleasant environment for your pet. For example, you should take a blanket or a dog toy in the car. Also, you shouldn’t forget to take some nutritious treats for your dog to munch on during the trip. This is especially important for rewarding good behavior and enforcing the kind of good habits you’d like to cultivate. For example, you can trust your canine will love organic, nutritionally balanced treats from ceebeedoo.com, which can also help with anxiety, noise phobias, and nausea. 3. Exercise Before a Journey To enjoy a pleasant car ride, take your dog for a long walk or even a run before a journey. If you can have some fun with your canine and tire your pet out before you set off, he or she will be less likely to be filled with energy and become boredin the car. The chances are that your dog will sleep some or all the way, or might be happy to lay down and enjoy the ride. 4. Regularly Take Breaks The last thing you want is for your dog to grow bored and restless when you’re driving down a busy road or stuck in traffic. For this reason, you should review your route prior to travel to identify the best places to stop and take a break, which will allow your pet pooch to stretch his or her legs, have some water, and enjoy a toilet break. While a break away will allow your pet to spend quality time with the family in a different environment, it is imperative to consider how you will keep your dog both calm and happy when traveling to and from your destination. Do you think that you know everything there is to know about maximizing your dental health and keeping your teeth in perfect condition? Think again! There’s a good chance that you, like 90% of all other Americans, are not brushing your teeth correctly. Here is a list of the most common dental care mistakes that you’re probably making, and how to rectify them.
Not Brushing for Long Enough You are probably aware that you should be brushing for at least two to three minutes… but are you aware that, even if you have the best possible intentions, you probably aren’t brushing nearly as long as that? Set a timer the next time you clean your teeth and see for yourself! Forgetting to Change Your Toothbrush Bacteria builds up quickly on your toothbrush even when you store it correctly (leaving it standing upright and allowing it to air dry). Further to this, the bristles can start to show wear and tear after a few weeks of use. This is why most oral health experts recommend changing your toothbrush a minimum of every three months. Your Toothbrush Isn’t Soft Enough You might think that a harder toothbrush will be better equipped to remove plaque and other build-up; however, the reality is that hard-bristled toothbrushes can do more harm than good. Most dentists recommend a softer toothbrush instead. This is because softer bristles are more flexible and can reach a larger portion of each tooth’s surface. Remember to invest in a special toothbrush as suggested by your dentist if you have undergone a tooth replacement with dental implants. Brushing Too Hard Brushing too hard can result in damaged enamel and other problems with your teeth. This brushing technique is also commonly associated with irritated, sensitive gums, as well as unsightly gum recession. These risks are further exacerbated if you are someone who brushes their teeth in a sawing, back and forth motion. Short, circular movements are much more beneficial and go hand in hand with a lighter pressure. Forgetting to Clean Your Tongue Your tongue is capable of harbouring plenty of bacteria and is often the culprit behind bad breath. Despite this, many people will forget to pay the same level of attention to their tongue as they do to their teeth and gums. Clean your tongue with your toothbrush, a tongue scraper, or a high-quality mouthwash. Use the same gentle approach as mentioned above to prevent injury. Not Looking in the Mirror While You Brush You should always use a mirror to get a clearer view of what you are doing. This will ensure that you clean all of your teeth properly, never missing any spots. Remember to focus on brushing near the gum line, as this is the area most often neglected and that can be associated with the onset of gum disease. Also, be sure to use the mirror to inspect your teeth and gums for any issues, like cracks, chips, or inflammation. Here’s to better oral health going forward. Keep up those good habits! |
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