Archives for September 2016

For some people, living in a city is incomparable. You’ve got everything you need right on your doorstep. Shops, superstores, your job and entertainment for the kids is all easily accessible. Plus, as it’s always so busy, there’s always someone to talk to! But on the other hand, many people who live a more rural life couldn’t imagine moving back to the city when they’ve got stunning views and fresh air in abundance. If you are considering upping sticks in the hope of enjoying a new lifestyle, here are some things you may need to think about first.

Accessibility
Cities are functional, purpose-built places. You can pick you kids up from school, drop them off at ballet, go to the store and pick them up again all in a matter of hours thanks to the huge road network. As so many people drive on the roads every day in large cities, they also tend to be well maintained by the local authorities. Country roads on the other hand, are a little different. Some aren’t even proper roads – more like dirty tracks or stony pathways. If you have a car that can cope with this, such as a Jeep, you will get along fine. But if you’re moving to the countryside, forget bringing your low-rise sports car. On the downside of city living, the roads can often become overcrowded – especially at rush hour. Road traffic accidents are also the biggest killer of under 25s in the world, so you need to consider your family’s safety.

Space

In a city, it can sometime feel as though we are packed in like sardines. With new developments being built all the time, we are certainly getting more houses – but, the houses are getting smaller. In fact, many families these days now live in apartments, where space is limited. You may find you have to scrimp on certain items that would unfortunately take up too much room in your city pad. Alternatively, living in a huge property in the country can make you something of a hoarder. If you are planning on downsizing and moving to the city, make some time to learn about Town and Country Movers. Getting the right removals company will make things a lot easier for you when it comes to sorting your possessions.

Image source

Lifestyle

Consider the kind of life you want for your and your family. Country life can be happy and carefree, and can provide your children with an admiration and respect for nature. It can also significantly lower your stress levels and be healthier for everyone too. After all, many major cities in the US are now heavily polluted, which can cause long term health problems. However, even if you are totally besotted with the country living dream, you may need to think about whether it is practical. Depending on how far out you move, you and your children could end up feeling isolated, especially if you are away from your extended family. It may also be difficult for them to access the local schools and colleges. Make sure you discuss everything with your whole family before making any decisions.

Image Source

It is one of those things that can happen at just about any time. No-one wants to think that it will happen to them. But the truth is, you never know. If it does happen to you, then there will be a lot of thoughts running through your mind. It might feel deeply unfair or painful to be in this position. However, there are ways of making the process a little easier, even if it will never be entirely stress-free. In this article, we are going to look at some of the key ways that you can ensure your divorce is as amicable as possible. If you are keen for nobody to get unnecessarily hurt, then it would be wise to bear the following in mind.

 

Communication

 

Above all, the secret to a healthy breakup is to be as openly communicative as possible. This is something which is often very difficult to properly achieve. Yet, it is a vital part of the whole process. Honest communication is always the best policy, even if it doesn’t always seem like it. As long as both parties are completely straight up about what they think and how they feel, there can be no confusion. If you want your divorce to go as smoothly as possible, it is a good idea to bear this in mind. Try to communicate in a way which shows respect to the other person without being dishonest.

Co-Operation

This might sound like an unlikely quality to champion in this situation, but it is actually essential. For a divorce or any breakup to go well, both parties need to work together. Of course, it is often the case that this is the last thing you really want to do. However, it also happens to be just about the best thing you can do. Co-operation stops a divorce from being a childish fight, and lifts it up into a higher perspective. Although difficult to achieve, it is well worth the effort for the fruits it brings.

Image Source

Compassion

Again, for many people, having compassion for the person they are divorcing can seem unlikely. But once again, it is often the best approach to have. If you are able to show at least some compassion to the other person, it is much less likely that it will descend into arguments. This is also something that you should bear in mind when dealing with the legal side of things. An attorney like Matt Skillern can help settle your divorce with a sense of compassion. This makes the whole thing a lot easier on everyone.

Mediation

Ultimately, you need to find a way to healthily communicate with your ex-partner without offending them. If it helps, you might find getting a mediator is beneficial. They can ensure that everyone’s opinion is heard, which in turn makes the whole thing easier. As long as everyone feels valued equally, there is less opportunity for people to feel hurt. This is one of the most important aspects of the whole process.

When you hear someone mention beauty sleep, you probably think it’s just a saying that has no scientific backing. But research actually shows that we really do need our beauty sleep. Here are some of the most important benefits of sleep, and some tips and tricks to help you get your 8 hours a night.

The benefits of sleep

Physical appearance

We all know the effects of sleepless nights on our appearance. When you look in the mirror, and you’ve not slept a wink, the reflection staring back at you can be a scary sight. Your eyes may be dull and dazed, and you might have dark circles. Your skin may look dry and drab. Your hair might be lank and limp. When you’ve had a good night’s sleep, it’s a different story. Your eyes and bright and alert, your skin glowing. You feel ready to take on the day, rather than wishing you could hide away from the world. Good quality sleep is proven to help brighten your skin and keep your complexion looking youthful. When you sleep, your skin cells undergo essential processes. New skin cells are formed, and this makes your skin look younger and more radiant. There’s also a lower risk of puffiness around the eyes and dark circles.

Image by https://pixabay.com/en/photos/face/?cat=health

Mental health

Most people can cope with a bad night from time to time, but you can usually notice the effects of a disturbed night. The day after, you may struggle to find the energy to get through the day. You may be more irritable and restless than usual, and it’s difficult to concentrate. A lack of sleep can also increase your risk of stress. If you’re tired, even the smallest things can get on top of you. Before you know it, a molehill has become a mountain. If you’re already stressed, sleepless nights can make you feel even worse. You can become trapped in a cycle, as stress can then prevent you from sleeping. Sleep deprivation can also increase the risk of depression and anxiety.

 

Physical health

Sleep is essential for maintaining good health. When you get enough sleep, your body can recover from the day’s events and prepare for the next day. If you think about everything you do in a 24-hour period, it’s no wonder that your body feels tired sometimes. Taking time out enables it to undergo important healing processes. Your brain takes this time to work out everything that has happened during the day and create memories. The cells in your body can be repaired, and your muscles can rest ready for the physical challenges tomorrow holds.

Getting sufficient sleep is not just important for your energy levels and your mood. It also has a major impact on disease prevention and your ability to fight off illness. Research has linked sleep deprivation to an increased risk of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. One study, which involved shift workers, found a significant link between sleep and diabetes. After just four days of working shifts, researchers reported shocking results. A third of participants had blood sugar levels representative of pre-diabetes. Sleep can also increase your immunity and decrease the intensity of pain.

Top tips to help you get your 8 hours a night

Making time for sleep

Sleep experts recommend between seven and eight hours of sleep per night. If you’re not getting enough sleep, it’s time to put your health first. It may be a simple matter of going to bed too late or getting up too early. If this is the case, you can adjust your sleep routine to fit in more downtime. Do you fall asleep watching TV and then struggle to get up when your alarm goes off? If so, go to bed earlier. You may find that it takes a while to drop off for the first few nights. But your body will soon adjust to your new regime. If you can get to the stage when you’re going to sleep and waking up at the same time every day, you should find it much easier to get sufficient rest.

 

Battling stress

Stress is one of the most common causes of sleepless nights. Everyone goes through periods of stress. Often, it’s possible to find solutions and get on with life. But sometimes, stress can be so severe that it takes over and makes you feel like you’re wading through mud. If you are stressed, try and identify triggers, and experiment with coping mechanisms. Popular therapies include massage, aromatherapy, and meditation. Exercise, creative activities and simply taking time to relax can also help. If you’ve tried everything, and you’re still struggling, consult your doctor. You can find more useful information at http://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/stress-management.htm.

Making sure you’re comfortable

They say you never sleep better than when you’re in your own bed. But what happens when your bed is old, lumpy, and full of broken springs? If this sounds familiar, it’s no wonder you’re not enjoying blissful nights. It’s important to replace your mattress when it starts to lose firmness. Your bed should provide support for your back and neck when you sleep. If you’re waking up with aches and pains, see Mattress-Guides.net for reviews and recommendations. A new bed could help to restore peaceful nights at home.

Identifying what’s keeping you awake

If you have sleep troubles on a regular basis, think about what’s keeping you awake at night? Is it too noisy? Is the dawn light waking you up every morning? Are you worried about work or thinking about paying bills or getting a new job? Are you struggling to switch off or are you suffering from pain? Once you’ve identified the cause, you can try and find solutions. There are may be simple answers out there. You could wear an eye mask or invest in blackout curtains to block out light, for example. In other cases, finding a solution may not be as straightforward. If you can’t manage to do this, don’t hesitate to ask for help.

If you’re not getting enough sleep, you’re probably aware of the short-term effects. You may have noticed the bags under your eyes and your lack of focus. But have you thought about the long-term impact? Sleep is essential for so many reasons. If you can’t sleep, try and adjust your sleep regime and take time to relax. Replace an old mattress, and turn your bedroom into a cozy, calm haven. Try and utilize stress-management methods if you feel under pressure. If self-help techniques don’t help, consider seeing your doctor.

 

Having a close family can be a joy. However, as kids grow up and develop their own hobbies, it can feel like drifting apart. Parents have important jobs to tend to, kids do their own thing, and before you know it, families don’t know that much about one another at all. Bringing your family closer together will give you a better sense of well-being. One way to bring your family closer together is by using food. It’s a very powerful tool! Here’s how you can use food to bring your family closer together:

Come Up With Family Meals Together

Instead of flying by the seat of your pants and deciding what you’re going to eat on the day you’re going to be eating it, come up with family meals together in advance. You can do this on Sunday ready for the start of the week. If the whole week seems too intimidating to you, try doing just 2 or 3 days in advance. You can let the kids choose something they’d like to eat, and they’ll be more inclined to eat their dinner this way. They’ll be happy you’re getting them involved, and they might even feel a sense of responsibility by deciding what you all have to eat. If you have fussy eaters in your family, allowing them to contribute could even encourage them to break out of their habits.  

Image author

Go Shopping Together

Going shopping for food together is another way to instill responsibility into the kids. Write out a list and give them different tasks. It’ll encourage everybody to work together in harmony. One could push the trolley, for example, and the others could collect the items that you need. Don’t turn it into a competition or anything like that, as it could quickly cause arguments between kids. Shopping together can be stressful, but when you give them tasks it can help to make your life easier as well as keep them quiet. You may need to spend a little longer on your food shop, but it will be worth it.

Cook Together

Cooking meals together can help the kids to improve a bunch of different skills. It can also be a wonderful bonding activity for you all. Make sure you give them tasks that are appropriate for their age, and always supervise them if they are using any dangerous equipment. It shouldn’t be too hard for them to use induction pots and pans, but always be cautious when using a knife or something sharp is required. Just some of the benefits of cooking together include:

• Learning about hygiene, healthy foods and the science of cooking.
• Improving maths and english skills.
• Increasing self esteem.
• Having lots of fun as a family!

image

Set Up Fun Cooking Lessons

If you love cooking together, you could always go one step further and set up fun cooking lessons. This is where you could demonstrate how to cook something to your kids, and then let them use what they’ve learned to make something themselves. It gives them a chance to improve their problem solving skills, learn from their mistakes, and make some decisions for themselves. Cooking is a key skill for just about anybody, and your kids are going to be great at it from a young age if you do fun things like this! It’s a great idea for a rainy day too.

 

Eat Dinner Together

Families who eat dinner together are closer than those who don’t eat dinner together. There are a ton of benefits to both you and your kids. You’ll all learn more about one another, as you get to spend quality time together without technology getting in the way. Simply chatting about your days can help you all to relieve some stress and get some much needed insight from a different perspective. Not only that, you teach your child better eating habits. They’ll learn to appreciate their food more if you take your time to eat it together. Studies also show that kids who eat dinner as a family are more intelligent, happier, and less likely to get into trouble. Start doing this while your kids are young so that it becomes a habit for you all.

Go On Family Dates

It’s normal for a couple to go on dates together. If you have kids, this might be the only time you get just the two of you. That’s great, you should definitely keep that up. Just make sure you go on family dates together too. Even if you only do this once a month, it’ll help you all to have a great time together and bond over lovely food that somebody else has made. After all, cooking all the time can be stressful, so it’s nice to have a break every so often. Go on family dates to restaurants that you love and you’ll make memories. It might cost you more, but memories are one of the most valuable things that you can have.

Host A Family Cook Off

This is a really fun way to get your whole family together. Giving it the competitive edge can make people take it really seriously and put lots of effort in! You don’t have to limit it to immediate family. Invite your extended family over to join in too. Take hints from a game show or make up your own rules. You could even split the family into two teams by pulling names out of a hat. If you wish you could spend more time together as a family, this could be the perfect opportunity to do it! You could even include prizes to make it even more exciting. Get as creative as you like.

For years people have used food as a way to enjoy one another’s company, have a good time and feel closer to each other. It’s no different today. If you want to feel closer to your family and bring everyone closer together, try using some of these tips to make it happen. If you have ideas of your own, leave them below.