Expectant parents are often warned about the challenging months that are to follow; night feeds, colic, sleepless nights. What they aren’t told is what happens after the ‘baby’ years and that often, for parents, the sleep deprivation continues well into childhood. Just like in our case, my husband and I still co-sleep with our three kids.
Often a one-off event becomes a bad habit that’s hard to stop and parents can reach breaking point. Aside from the tension lack of sleep causes between spouses, a recent BBC News article claimed that sleep deprivation costs the UK 40 billion pounds a year with employees suffering for bad nights either phoning in sick or not working efficiently.
This is sometimes easier said than done and parents are often too tired to tackle the problem leading to night after night of uncomfortable bed-sharing for the whole family. Sleep disturbances often start at around 2 or 3 when changes are happening in the child's life; Starting nursery, potty training, friendship issues or a move of house can all trigger something that causes a young child to become needy at night and family life to become fraught.
Often a room re-vamp can be a good start to getting a child out of the parents bed and back into their ‘big boy’ or ‘big girl’ room. A cot-bed with the side taken off may be big enough for a child up to the age of 6 but it doesn’t provide a very inspiring or comfortable sleep space for a growing.
Tidying, decluttering and adding a few new features to a child's bedroom can work wonders. A night light is a great way of providing comfort and a few rugs and throws can soften the edges of what may appear a frightening space child's mind during the nighttime hours.
The key piece is of course the bed. Choosing something comfortable, creative and safe can be a challenging and with an overwhelmingly large market to chose from it’s important to pick something that reflects a child's interests and imagination. Rocket ships, racing cars, princess castles - there is a lot of choice out there.
Cuckoolands collection of toddler beds are a good example of beds ideal for that in between age. Offering bright and colourful designs they bridge the gap between cot-bed and full sized single. Themed beds can offer a great day-time play space for a child and their friends and a secure place to dream at night.
With the transformation complete it’s important to introduce a new sleep routine alongside the aesthetic transformation. Less screen time before bed, calming pre-bedtime activities, a bath and soothing stories can all help to encourage a child to sleep happily and deeply in their own room, and hopefully stay their.
Sleep changes don’t happen overnight but by parents and child reclaiming their own sleep space everyone in the family will reap the benefits.
It might not be the first thing on your list of priorities, but getting your child a holiday experience that proves to be educational is an extremely beneficial experience for your little ones. And it’s unlikely that they will take too kindly to you “forcing” any type of learning on them, especially if they’re a little older! But, if you take them to a place where they don’t even realise that they are learning, then you’ve won the battle. The standard school system doesn’t really make learning fun, so what better way to get your kids to learn than by enjoying themselves! Here are some ideas and travel tips for giving your kids a worthwhile learning experience.
Go Native!
Learning about our native amerian ancestors is a vacation package like no other! While making s’mores, you can listen to a native tribe member tell stories about the constellations, and you can learn how to make a pot using the old method of pinch and coil, or make your own bracelet out of copper. There are resorts, like the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa that do guided nature tours of the Rio Grande. Orignally tailored to kids, these are so popular, that it is now open to adults too. Other activities can include watching tribal dancers perform, learning how to bake bread in a traditional hurana oven and there are even more physical activities like horseback riding. For a package that’s educational and fun, these ones are hard to beat!
Never The Twain Shall Meet!
Mark Twain is one of America’s most celebrated authors, so if your child in school is studying The Adventures Of Huckleberrry Finn, you can go to The Mark Twain House and Museum in Hartford, Conneticut. Here is where Twain spent a portion of his adult life, writing some of his most notable works, like The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer, and his house was one home to an early incarnation of the telephone. One of the best getaways in a lovely setting, Hartford has many educational attractions, such as the Hartford Public Library, which has over 500,000 holdings.
You Can-Yacht Be Serious!
Going yachting is a serious activity for kids, and places like the Bitter End Yacht Club in Virgin Gorda (which is part of the British Virgin Islands) teaches children how to be a sturdy sailor! There are basics courses that combine classroom sessions with hands-on experience on the side of the dock. There are other workshops such as beginners practice maneuvers, as well as learning how to anchor, understanding the waters and working with the winches. These are aimed at kids aged 7 and older, and once the skills have been learned by your trusty landlubber turned ship cap’n, you can all sail to one of the nearby cays, or go snorkeling. There are family vacation packages available which include lodging, outings, and meals.
If you really want to get your kids some educational time on vacation, these destinations will make them think that they didn’t learn a thing, but merely had a good time. In which case, mission accomplished!
We always see photos of celebrities stepping off private jets and wandering around wearing shoes and dresses that would cost the entirety of our monthly food budget. As a ‘normal’ non-celebrity person, that’s obviously a lifestyle that isn’t attainable for the rest of us. It is possible, however, to introduce a little luxury into your life without completely going crazy and breaking the bank. Here are 8 tips to help…
Your Style
1. Save for classic pieces
It’s very easy to go for disposable fashion – we tend to value quantity over quality, and it does feel good to have a new top every time you go out with your friends. But if you want to go for luxury, then it’s a much better idea to save your money for pieces that will last the long haul. Go for good quality materials, and natural rather than synthetic fabrics. Save up for classic makeups like lipsticks, mascaras, and blushes. You can also opt for permanent makeups like having lips or brows tattoo, and for thick and long eyelashes check out eyelash serum available online.
2. Splash out in the sales
The number one sales rule is that you shouldn’t spend money on something that you wouldn’t buy anyway. So make sure that you bookmark items that you want on more expensive high end websites, and wait for them to go down in price so that you can invest in them. Only buy things that will last the test of time, from reputable brands. It’s a good time to buy leather boots, good quality coats and new clothes for work. You could also get a good bargain for a summer dress to wear to a wedding in a winter sale.
One way to make your outfit look cheap is by wearing too many accessories. Coco Chanel said that before you leave the house, you should look in the mirror and take one thing off. Make sure that the jewellery you wear is all good quality – it doesn’t all have to be gold, silver and diamonds, but if you have costume jewellery that’s started to fade, put it in the bin or donate it.
Your Home
4. Upgrade your bed
There’s nothing that feels more luxuriant than slipping between sheets with a high thread count at night, so why not upgrade your bed? The thread count means the number of vertical and horizontal threads in one square inch of fabric, so the higher the thread count, the softer and nicer the sheets will feel at night. Egyptian cotton has a reputation as the best quality cotton in the world, so you could also splash out on that. If you find that you get a sore neck and back after you get up in the morning, it’s probably time to go for a new pillow, or perhaps a new mattress topper. Finally, if you’re susceptible to skin rashes, why not go for hypoallergenic blankets and pillows?
5. Splash out on your bathroom
If you’re a parent, then you’ll know that your bathroom is one of the only rooms in your house in which you can actually relax – even if you have your kids banging on the door and asking to be let in while you’re trying to wash your hair! It’s important that you make your bathroom as luxuriant as possible so you can enjoy the few minutes of blissful quiet and solitude. Go for high end toiletries and use plenty of body moisturizer after your shower. If you go for a fragranced one, then you can skip your perfume when you’re getting dressed. Go for new soft towels like Richard Haworth bath towels. Even if you might be spending more than you’re accustomed to spending on towels, they’ll be worth it when you step out of the shower. You could even go for a heated towel rail. Not only will they dry your towels quickly so they won’t end up smelling of damp, there’s no better feeling in the winter than wrapping yourself in a toasty warm towel. Finally, if you’re taking a bath or shower at night to relax, get a scented candle in lavender or sandalwood, to help you chill out and give you a good night’s sleep.
Your Lifestyle
6. Make sure that you stay fit and healthy
This will help you in all aspects of your life, as you can pass on good eating habits to your kids and make sure that they’re healthy in the future. Buy good quality organic fruit and vegetables, and go for ethical meat. It might all be a little more expensive but the quality will far surpass other food, and you’ll feel happy in the knowledge that you’ve given the animals you’re eating a better quality of life. You could also join a gym – splash out on a nice one so that you feel comfortable and happy going there and so you don’t waste your (probably exorbitant) membership fee!
7. Spend time on yourself
One of the most luxuriant things you can ever do is spend time on yourself. The reason that celebrities and rich people look so good is that they have much more free time than the rest of us. They don’t have to worry about going to work every day, public transport, trying to find affordable childcare – and they have time to go to the gym every day and pay talented hair stylists and makeup artists to make them look flawless at all times. Of course, we don’t have the time or the spare money for that. But it is important that you try to take time for yourself. Focus on your hobbies and make sure that you don’t lose yourself after you have children. It’s important for your kids to see that you have your own life and interests. Ask your partner to look after your family for a day and take yourself off to an art gallery or bookshop.
8. See your friends
Take time out from your family to see your friends and treat yourself with a nice dinner out or a few cocktails. It’s easy to lose touch with them as you get older and your schedules get more demanding, but the truth is that seeing your friends will help you stay sane in a crazy world.
Europeans are spoiled for choice when it comes to travelling. Apart from the UK and a few islands, the other countries are all joined together and allow for an amazing train or road-trip experience should wanderlust set in. There are a variety of different cultures, languages and places to explore with little regard needed to what they need to organize beforehand in terms of travel visas … mainly because not many places require one.
In the USA, aka the ‘No Vacation Nation’, travel and holidays are often limited to other states. If you live in a cold state, you fly to a warmer one. If you live in a landlocked state, you go to one with a beach. If you live in a countrified state, you go to a city state - you get the drift. The culture of what literally lies above us (well, on a map at least) is one that isn’t too often thought about; Canada seems a bit too far away and a bit too cold and a bit too every-other-excuse-you-can-think-of.
Quit the excuses. It’s time to fly (or drive!)
Bonjour!
In Europe you can get the French experience. It’s the same in Africa too, in some countries. But forget those - it’s also the case in parts of Canada like Montreal and Quebec, where French is the majority official language (56% for Montreal and a whopping 95% for Quebec). It was initially called New France. Most children in French-speaking regions of Canada are brought up to be bilingual. So get your taste of Europe by visiting Canada - it’s a small victory, but one to be embraced. Unlike the Europeans with France, you will need to get a travel visa - try official-canada-eta.com to get yourself covered
There’s A Moose Loose…
The wildlife in Canada is so varied that it’s mind-boggling how so many different animals exist there. If you venture up towards the Canadian islands of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick, for example, you are more likely to see small creatures like the star-nosed mole or the northern flying squirrel, amazing mammals such as the beaver, coyote and the typical Canadian moose, and if you’re heading towards the ocean then seals and even humpback whales can be spotted - all brilliant animals to witness in the wild.
All of the Lights
If you head to Canada, you are in with high chances of seeing the most amazing natural phenomenon on offer - the Aurora Borealis, the best light show around There are so many places across the country on offer to you as a viewing platform, spanning across all ten provinces; so wherever you are, there will always be the chance that you can bear witness to this brilliant display of light in the sky. It’s something that all of the family will enjoy; children will love seeing the bright flickers across the night sky and for adults, it’s a childhood fantasy come true. Plus, it’s free - and there is nothing better than a trip out for all the family that won’t cost you half a month’s salary to fund it.
Goodah!!! a well-known solidly patronized all-Filipino food chain starting in the 80’s that popularized the food ensemble "silog", starts the new year with the opening of its 8th newest branch in Baclaran, last January 16, 2017. It's a perfect place for their “Open 25 Hours" and “Pagkaing Good for Every-All” concept because Baclaran is flocked by many people for the "tiangge" and the National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help.
I attended the Grand Opening of its Baclaran branch together with my fellow Bloggers. I actually haven't eaten at any Goodah!!! branch before, so this was my first time and I was excited to taste their classic Filipino dish offering. The opening also coincides with another new and exciting dish that many Filipinos love. They will be offering their own Krispy take on a favorite Filipino classic dish, Kare-Kare!
We were served with this food set which is good for 4 people.
GoodAh!!!’s Krispy Kare-Kare is the centerpiece offering for GoodAh’s newest branch in Baclaran, Pasay City, and is available for just Php 299 a la carte or everyone can have it in a set meal for just Php 339
I love the classic Kare-Kare, but what GoodAh!!! adds to the table is what gives it the “K” in the KKK. The usually gamey ox tripe or what Filipinos usually “tuwalya” is tough to eat if not cooked properly— usually by slowly cooking it in a pot or by cooking it in a pressure cooker. What GoodAh!!! did was to fry the ox tripe to give it a crispy texture, which is a complementing contrast, especially to the soft flanks and rich sauce of kare-kare. It’s a real crispy twist on the classic dish!
The launch of this newest branch was graced with special guests along with GoodAh!!!’s top management heads. Included in their lineup of guests is GoodAh!!!’s brand ambassador and celebrity talk show host, Mr. Boy Abunda.
Yesterday, I took Jaear, the kids and my in laws to have dinner at Goodah!!!, we were supposed to eat at their Las Pinas branch but we can't seem to find it so we ended up eating at Baclaran branch.
We ordered their group meal which is good for 6 people which consists of; Bulalo, Fried Chicken, Pork BBQ and Garlic Kangkong. This meal comes with 6 cups of rice, a pitcher of iced tea and 6 pieces puto flan, and it only costs Php 699.00 only. Then we just ordered the Krispy Kare-kare a la carte. I personally liked the Pork BBQ and the Kangkong, it just tastes better with the alamang of the shrimp paste. But overall, the food was good and the price was reasonable. In fact, I look forward on tasting their other dishes.
GoodAh!!! continues to push culinary boundaries with this new and exciting twist on kare-kare, much like their recent, wildly popular food offerings:Crispy Pata and Bulalugaw. Indeed, GoodAh!!! offers “Pagkaing Good for Every-All”.
Watch out for more exciting dishes from GoodAh!!! by visiting their website at www.goodah.com.ph or their Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoodahPh.
