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Chloe Taylor

4 Tips for Finding the Ideal Home When Starting or Growing a Family

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Looking for a new home can be both stressful and exciting, so your approach to it can change the whole experience, which doesn’t mean that there are things you should pay attention to. Things can get a bit more complicated when you’re planning to start a family, or you already have kids, because then, you have to focus on other things besides your personal preferences. So, if you’re planning to look for your perfect family home, here are some tips that will make your search easier.

Make sure to know what you’re looking for

Not all houses are made equal, so what fits one family can be a hard no for another. Therefore, before you decide to go house-hunting, it’s important to have an open discussion with your family about your expectations and needs. For example, if you’re a family who likes spending time outdoors, then you should look for a home that has a big yard and enough space so you and your kids will be able to play and have fun together. Similarly, if you don’t like climbing up and downstairs, then you should focus your search on ground floor houses, as they’re more likely suitable for your family. Home size is essential when moving in with a family, especially if you have toddlers who love running around and exploring their surroundings.

Determine your overall budget

Knowing how much you’re willing to spend will surely speed up your search because you won’t waste your time looking at homes that you cannot afford. But, your budget should also include legal and renovation costs, so be sure to calculate everything before you decide to start searching. In case you have money issues, then working to improve your credit, or finding a co-signer can improve your odds at finding your perfect home. Additionally, you should look into various government-backed loans, especially if you have a young family that needs to be taken care of. 

Don’t neglect the importance of good neighborhood

Location is the reason why some homes cost more than others. If the area is known to have good schools, hospitals, and kid-friendly amenities, then you should consider checking out homes that are for sale there. Low crime rates and neighbourhood demographics matter a great deal. If you stumble upon a seemingly perfect home in a seedy area, then it’s best to give it a pass. Your family’s security matters the most. In some countries such as Australia, some suburbs are safe, friendly, and well-connected to other neighbourhoods. Looking into the new house and land packages in Australia might be the right solution for you, regardless of whether you’re starting or growing a family. Just keep in mind to ask all the relevant questions. Have all the documents in order before you decide to sign any contracts and part with your money. 

Remember to focus on kid-friendly features

Even if you’re just looking to rent, it’s important to focus on a home with features that will provide your family with enough comfort and happiness. Safety should always come first. If the home doesn’t have a fenced yard and storage, then it’s better to look somewhere else. In case you want to renovate, you need to assess all potential costs such as baby-proofing the home and fixing the outdated electrical system. Having enough space for parking will make your everyday life much easier. Make sure to focus on those as well. Any features and items that will make your kids safe and happy should be right there already. In case you need to install them, then it’s advisable to do it before moving in.

Your family deserves the best. To make that happen, it’s necessary to be focused and to know what you want. Having your priorities sorted will make your search more effortless. For some extra fun, you should include your family in the house-hunting process. Keep in mind that your perfect home might need some extra polishing. Be prepared to do some work so you’ll be able to enjoy your new place to the fullest.

4 Ways to Help Your Child Develop Positive Self-Esteem

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Building confidence in children is one of the most important tasks that come with the role of a parent. Although ensuring your child’s needs are met and providing unconditional love to them is crucial for a healthy and happy childhood, once they’re all grown up, they need to be ready to face the challenges that life puts in their way, which means you need to start preparing them for life early on.

Here’s how you can boost your child’s self-esteem and set them up for success.

Praise your child’s efforts

Show your child you believe in them. If they get a good grade, praise their efforts. Don’t scold them if they didn’t do too well though. Instead, promise to work with them and keep that promise.

When they help out with household chores (given that these chores are appropriate for them), be sure to reward their efforts and praise them for a job well done. Other than helping you out, these small jobs are also beneficial for their confidence, as they give them a sense of contribution to the household while also teaching them responsibility. Remember to praise both the task and the child, but don’t overdo it. Otherwise, it may lead them to seek approval for everything they do in life.

But know when to step back as well

As much as you’d like to spend every minute of the day with your children, there is no need for hovering over your kids all day long. Doing things for your child when they’re perfectly capable of doing them on their own can be detrimental to their self-esteem, doing more harm than good. Although parents always have the best intentions for their children, sometimes kids are better off facing challenges without any help from their parents.

Step back, relax, and let them do things on their own—be there just in case they might need you, but let them take healthy risks and solve problems using their skills. This will help them become more competent and prepare them for the real world.

Work on improving their skills

Every child has specific skills and abilities they acquire pretty easily. While there are subjects they excel in without difficulty, there are also subjects they might be struggling with. An example would be a child who is a real math wizard or a musical prodigy but has a hard time learning a language, especially a second language like English.

In that case, parents need to pitch in and look for ways to work on the child’s skills to improve them. For a child struggling with English, looking for a top English learning centre in their area is a sure way to boost their skills. With the help of trained educators, your child will learn how to use the language with confidence, thus helping them overcome their shyness and improve their self-esteem.

Set a good example for them

You can be your child’s number one fan, rooting for them and encouraging them to do better, yet, all that can be quite futile if you don’t mirror the actions yourself.

That’s why you as a parent ought to practice what you preach. Be positive as much as you can to inspire confidence in your child. Even if things don’t always go your way, that’s not the reason to feel discouraged. Instead, remain real and truthful to yourself and what you believe in, and your children, as it’s in their nature to mirror their parent’s behaviour, will follow suit.

Self-confidence isn’t a character trait—rather, it’s something we acquire throughout life. The earlier it’s taught, the better. To be able to deal with obstacles head-on, children need to trust in their skills and abilities and value themselves. For that to happen, they need to be raised with confidence. Follow these tips to help your child develop positive self-esteem and ensure they’re well-equipped for whatever lies before them.

5 Ways You Can Help Your Children Succeed in Elementary School

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Your child’s attitude towards elementary school is likely to determine their attitude towards studying as they move on to high school and college. This is why it’s important to help your kids develop a positive perspective on learning from the moment it becomes a part of their daily life. Of course, they might not understand why good grades matter at first, but you can still encourage them to do their best. With all that in mind, here are a few ways you can motivate your child and help them succeed in elementary school.

Attend parent-teacher conferences

Kids tend to do better in school when their parents are engaged in their academic lives. This means that you should attend all parent-teacher conferences. You should meet your child’s teacher even before the conferences start. Let the teacher know that you want to be involved. If they notice that your child has any problems in terms of learning, understanding, or behaving, they should feel free to let you know. This way, if problems do arise, you’d be able to solve them right away.

Encourage them to do their homework

For most kids, homework is usually seen as just an extra chore they need to do before they are allowed to watch TV or go out and play. They don’t realize that homework is there to help them better understand what they did in school as well as develop some healthy studying habits. To help your child see it as something that benefits them rather than something that simply has to be done, provide them with a healthier study environment. For example, their desk should be away from any distractions, well lit, and equipped with all the necessary school supplies. Moreover, encourage your child to do their homework when they feel the most focused, whether that’s before bed or right after school. 

Help them learn

Related to the previous tip, if you notice that your child is having trouble with their homework, or if they frequently need your help with it, consider hiring professional help. Some subjects, like math, require a lot of concentration. Even good students can have trouble with it from time to time. Fortunately, you can easily find a good online math tutor who can adjust to your child’s schedule and help them whenever they need it.

Make sure your child is prepared for school

Learning requires energy. Make sure your child’s routine provides them with plenty of it. For example, your child should have a healthy meal in the morning that is rich in protein, fibre, and whole grains to help them stay focused in school. Moreover, your child also needs plenty of sleep at night—at least 10 hours. Not getting enough sleep can make your child either hyperactive and nervous or drowsy and unfocused. Help them organize their chores in a way that would leave them enough time to rest before school. Don’t let them play on their phone or computer before bed, since that can make it harder for them to fall asleep.

Adjust your own attitude

The way you react to your child’s grades will affect their attitude towards school and studying. It’s unwise to overpraise them least they become overconfident. But don’t take their good grades for granted either. There is no need for punishment if they get bad grades. You want to teach them that they can learn from their mistakes. Rather than punishing your child, simply explain consequences to them in a way that they can understand. For instance, they should know that if they don’t study a bit every day, they will forget things, and have to learn them all over again.

The habits your child gains during elementary school will determine their success in the future as well, which is why they must learn how to succeed from an early age. Consider the listed tips, apply them, stay involved in your child’s academic life, and they are much more likely to be successful.

5 Tricks for Baby-Proofing Your New House

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Bringing your little bundle of joy home for the first time is one of the most exciting moments you’ll experience now that you’ve become a parent. You’ve probably already designed their nursery and bought everything they could need to make sure you’re prepared for this new chapter in your life. Other than securing a comfy and cosy nest for your little one, welcoming a newborn requires some additional preparations to create a safe environment for them to grow in. Read on for some useful tips on how you can baby-proof your home and secure a child-friendly space for your tot.

Make use of non-slip pads

Once your baby starts crawling and scooting around the house, you want to make sure that all the surfaces around your home are slip-resistant. Secure any rugs that tend to move around and slide by attaching non-slip pads under them. This will ensure they stay in place and reduce the chances of your child (or yourself) slipping and falling. They can also be used to keep in place any other objects that tend to slide, such as stair treads and floor mats. Non-slip suction pads will help secure bowls and tableware and prevent your child from knocking them over.

Secure your outlets with safety plugs

Small children are curious. Sometimes, their curiosity can lead them to explore around the house and stick their small fingers or small objects on places where they shouldn’t. Electrical outlets are all around the house, which makes them all the more dangerous for your little one. Cover those outlets using safety plugs—they’re made of plastic and fit right into the power outlets, blocking your child from sticking anything inside. The plugs are flat, which means your child won’t be able to take them out.

Call in the pros to further secure your home

Electrical hazards lurk around your home. To protect your child’s safety, you have to make sure that all electrical products are in good working order. Electrical safety should be your top priority as a parent, which is why you should have your electrical equipment tested and inspected. This is by no means a DIY project. If you live in countries like Australia, verifying electrical installations are regulated by the state. For Australian homeowners, the safest route to take would be to hire a reliable electrician. A licensed electrician will detect any electrical faults and eliminate any damage or electrical issues, creating a safe environment for your family.

Attach the furniture to the wall to prevent tip-overs

When babies start to move around the home, you need to make sure that every inch of your living space is secured and baby-proofed, and your furnishings are no exception. Our homes are full of heavy objects that can pose a danger for our little ones, as they can be knocked over if we’re not careful. Make sure that your dressers, cupboards, and bookshelves are attached to the wall. Doing this will anchor the furniture and keep it in place, helping you avoid any accidents.

Secure any sharp corners with bumpers

Once the baby arrives, sharp furniture corners and edges become a big no-no in a home. You don’t have to worry about them getting injured while playing around. Placing corner guards and bumpers on the edges is an effective way to protect your child from bumps and bruises. Because kids like to put things in their mouth and try to chew on anything they can find, you want to make sure to choose bumpers that are made from non-toxic material such as silicone rubber. Place them on the corners of wooden desks, glass tables, as well as fireplace hearths made from metal to secure any sharp edges and effectively child-proof your home.

Keeping your newborn safe is one of the most important tasks that come with the role of a parent. Once your little explorer starts touching, poking, and grabbing all the different items around the home (and they’re fascinated by pretty much anything), it helps to ask suggestions from more experienced parents. We do our best to protect our children from any potential dangers. Be sure to cross off these five items off your checklist to ensure your living space is baby-proofed, hazard-free, and child-friendly.