As you’re shopping for your baby, you’re on the hunt for the best product out there: safe, excellent quality, and aligns with your parenting values. Walking through the aisle with baby wipes can feel a bit overwhelming. There are dozens of products to choose from.

So, how do you find the best one for your baby (without scouring the internet for hours doing research)? Read on for some important factors to consider and look for as you decide which baby wipes will be best for your little one.

1. Recommended by Pediatricians

While reading reviews is a great way to gauge the effectiveness of a baby product, one seal of approval you’ll want to look for is from pediatricians. Many baby products will be recommended or approved by pediatricians. Pediatricians have the health of your baby in mind and will recommend or approve products that they know will be safe for your little one.

Pediatricians aren’t the only healthcare professionals you can turn to for recommendations. When it comes to baby wipes, look for products recommended by dermatologists and are accepted by the National Eczema Association. Skin is a dermatologist’s forte, so you know that you can trust their recommendation to keep your baby’s skin safe and healthy.

2. No Harmful Ingredients

When you’re shopping for baby wipes, turn over the product and read the label. You want to find a product that doesn’t use harmful ingredients in its wipes. This helps your baby in more ways than one.

The biggest ingredient to look out for is plastic. It is estimated that 90% of baby wipes on the market contain plastic materials. Why is this bad? Plastic releases toxic chemicals which can make their way into the blood and tissue, which can cause health-related issues. Some other chemicals found in baby wipes that can cause health-related defects are parabens, phthalates, rubber, and heavy metals.

Many baby wipe products also contain fragrance and dye which can cause skin irritation in your child in the form of a rash or redness. All babies have sensitive skin, but some babies are particularly sensitive to products. If you know your baby’s skin is sensitive, opt for a wipe with natural ingredients.

3. Fewer Ingredients Compared to Other Baby Wipes

As you’re looking at the ingredients on baby wipes, it can add to your overwhelm to read the words (often very scientific) on the package. Here’s a trick: look for products that have fewer ingredients than others. Baby wipes with a high ingredient list are filled with things that aren’t necessary to keep your baby healthy.

There are plenty of natural baby wipe products that contain very few ingredients and work just as well – and in most cases better – compared to products with tons of ingredients. For example, Coterie is a sustainable company that sells exceptional baby wipes that are made with only five ingredients. Coterie’s baby wipes are made up of 99% water and the remaining 1% is made up of quality components that help your baby: Vitamin E and Glycerin for skin health and Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, and Hydroxyacetophenone, gentle preservatives that ensure safety.

4. Environmentally-Friendly

As a parent, you want to leave the planet a better place for your child and that means finding products that are safe and sustainable for the environment. Traditional baby wipes that are made with plastic contain two resins: polyester and polypropylene. These materials are not completely biodegradable and instead of degrading, they break up into hundreds of thousands of microplastics that pollute the environment. These microplastics can take up to 100 years to fully decompose.

Luckily, you can rely on the 10% of baby wipe products that do not contain plastic. Baby wipes without plastic, like Coterie baby wipes, are biodegradable and decompose much quicker. In Coterie’s baby wipes, they decompose at a faster rate than an apple. Talk about all-natural!

Parenting comes with lots of choices and you’re bound to feel overwhelmed. Now, you have the knowledge you need to find the best and safest baby wipes for your little one. You can your baby will be much happier using wipes that are cleaner and better for the environment.

 

As a grandparent, trying to connect with your grandchildren seems like an impossible task. Music has changed, movies are different, and it may feel as though there is little to no common ground between you and your little loved one. However, this can be alleviated by embracing technology and smartphone apps. Here are a 10 apps for grandparents who want to connect with their grandkids:

Snapchat

Giving kids the option to send text messages, photos and videos allows for creative freedom while encouraging communications with grandparents. They can use funny filters, drawing features and even add cute gifs to their messages. The app interface is very easy to master and is worth learning as kids love to use the platform to communicate.

Instagram

Similar to Snapchat, Instagram allows kids and teens to express themselves and keep tabs on what their friends and families are up to. You don’t need to participate in the selfie taking, but having an account and liking/commenting on loved one’s posts will help you stay in the know. You can call family members every so often and tell them how much you liked the photo or video they posted. Encourage young kids to take up photography as a hobby if they really enjoy the Instagram platform. This is a great hobby for grandparents located far away as you can still enjoy the masterpieces they create virtually.

Kinoo

When your child’s grandparent or close family friends Kinoo with your child, they will laugh with glee as they count, read, sing, dance, and swing their arms at baseball letters pitched by their remote loved one, and much, much more. On average, Kinoo calls last 10X longer than a regular call. That’s 10X the bonding, learning, and fun for your child that would normally not happen. Kinoo has something for everyone to love!

BookChat

Many grandparents know that there aren’t many things in life that are better than reading a story book to your little loved ones. If you feel as though you’re missing out on this timeless activity, download BookChat. This app allows you to screenshare a book and flip through the pages of a book together. For a small membership fee, users can choose from a large library of titles to choose from.

Ancestry.com

​​Even the most loving family trees sometimes can’t grow in the same orchard. And as a grandparent, you may feel somewhat responsible for teaching young ones about their family heritage. Create a log in that your family members can share to help your grandkids discover their family’s history. This can lead to memorable conversations where you can share all sorts of stories. This can also be a great resource for teenagers to bond with their grandparents. Teens often partake in school projects that require some family tree research.

UNO!

A family game night classic is a great app to connect grandparents with their grandchildren. The card game is available on the app store, but you likely know how to play the old fashioned card version. The rules are the same, but the virtual version does make it harder to hide cards – it’s up to you if you consider that a bad thing or not.

Words With Friends

After rising to app stardom after its launch in 2009, Words With Friends is a smartphone app staple. You will need an internet connection to play this game online with your friends and loved ones. You’ve likely played similar word games like scrabble or crosswords. This app is better for older kids and teens who have a larger vocabulary. However, you can teach younger kids how to play and have them learn new words as they go.

Toca Vacation

Toca Vacation is just one of several apps by Toca. Toca Life: Vacation lets children determine how the story should evolve. Offering highly interactive open worlds, players investigate different holiday locations. From picking different forms of travel to all sorts of holiday activities Toca Life: Vacation will spark young children’s imagination like no other app. You can use this as a bonding experience by having them explain the game to you and why it makes them happy to play it. Encourage kids to foster real world building skills by asking if they would like to play with building blocks or create sand castles.

Minecraft

Another great game that gets kids excited about building is Minecraft. Although popular with kids, this app is also great for teens. Grandparents can Play this with their grandchild to take turns building and exploring. This is a unique way to enjoy time together. Remember to keep track of the time and don’t get carried away playing the game. You can spend the whole day developing vast family projects in the virtual realm of Minecraft.

Pokemon GO

This game is great to play with kids and can help you get your steps in! If you’re familiar with other Pokemon games, you know that the objective is to find and capture a variety of fantasy creatures. Unlike other games on the app store, this is achieved in the real world. The app uses your GPS location and tells you when Pokemon are nearby and when you need to use your phone camera to catch them all!

 

When it’s summer, the last thing kids want to do is stay stuck inside. You may think that all the most exciting activities require a lot of money, but this isn’t true. You can still give your child an exciting summer adventure with very little money. Read on to find out how.

Go Camping

If you have a tent, you and your child could go and camp outside. It doesn’t have to be anywhere far and it can be for a single night. While the proximity to home may make this seem like less of a trip, this isn’t the case for your child. Children love new experiences. Something as simple as sleeping in the backyard in a tent can be very exciting.

Go Swimming

Swimming and summer go together like butter on toast. Go to your local public pool and relax by the water. This could be a great opportunity to teach your child how to swim.

Movie Nights

Build a fort and have a movie marathon night. Get some snacks and embark on adventure after adventure as you watch your favorite stories. If your child is older, you can start introducing them to the classic movies you like and discussing them. It’s a great way to bond with them and hear their own opinions on things.

Go Star Gazing

If you have a telescope, go stargazing and learn about the stars with your child. This can be a very educational activity that can introduce your kid to the wonders of science.

If you don’t have a telescope, you may not need it. If you can, drive out of the city to where the night sky is a little clearer. Bring snacks and star gaze from the comfort of your car.

Go to Chuck E. Cheese

A trip to Chuck E. Cheese always guaranteed fun. Because it’s summer, there will probably be a lot of people at your local Chuck E. Cheese. If you want your child to socialize more, then this is a good thing. If you don’t like crowds, go in the morning when there’s less people.

If you have a Chuck E. Cheese coupons, you can go to Chuck E. Cheese all summer long without hurting your wallet.

Use coupon codes to pay less for food or games. Join the free membership reward program to earn gift cards and free tickets. Check Slickdeals every now and again to see if there are any available holiday sales and discounts.

Chuck E. Cheese also has an incredible military discount for families that serve. For more information about deals and promos, go to the contact us page on the Chuck E. Cheese website.

 

Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that develops in the layer of the lung and abdomen. The main cause of this cancer is asbestos exposure. The asbestos fibers enter small air passages to reach the pleura and cause inflammatory reactions and scarring.

The occupations most at risk of causing mesothelioma disease due to asbestos exposure include firefighters, industrial and power plant workers, shipyard workers, and construction workers. The WHO estimates that 43,000 deaths are caused by mesothelioma each year.

The types of mesothelioma are pleural, peritoneal, pericardial, and testicular.

Common symptoms of pleural mesothelioma include shortness of breath, dry cough, chest pain, hoarseness, difficulty swallowing, and unexplained weight loss. The pleural disease is aggressive and has four different stages.

The chances of cure only exist if the disease can be known within the first two stages if it has not spread. The third and fourth stages are quite difficult to treat.

The prognosis of the disease depends upon the stage. Treatment options include chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. Emerging treatment options include anti-angiogenesis, gene therapy, and photodynamic therapy. These ways can help prevent the spread of the disease, manage symptoms, and increase the chance of long-term survival. The 5-year survival rate of mesothelioma is 10–15% after the initial diagnosis. The average life expectancy is typically 12–21 months after diagnosis. Yet, some individuals have lived longer than ten years despite the initial prognosis owing to proper treatment. At www.mesotheliomahope.com, patients can find full-fledged information about the disease, its symptoms, diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment options.

A mesothelioma diagnosis can affect a person, including personal relationships with friends and family. The patient and his family may face significant psychological and physical challenges. The family may also face financial and social difficulties.

A supportive family may help the patient go through this disease in a better way than a non-supportive one. It is better to seek help from the family when a person is diagnosed with mesothelioma.

The mere diagnosis of this disease can have drastic emotional effects on the patient and their families.

Here are some of the challenges faced by families of mesothelioma patients.

Financial Burden

The treatment options for the disease are expensive. Chemotherapy poses a huge financial burden on the family because it is long-term and requires many sittings with the physician. Surgical excision of the tumor can also be costly, depending on the severity of growth and extent.

The family may have to take out loans during treatment. Sometimes, family members have to leave their jobs to take care of the patient. However, more and more insurance companies include mesothelioma treatment in their policies. Companies dealing with asbestos-related products have to set up funds for mesothelioma victims according to government policies. Through proper legal guidance, the patient’s family can gain access to these funds, which may help reduce the financial burden.

Relationship Problems

Family relationships may be affected by a mesothelioma diagnosis. The patient may find himself caught in stress and depression, which leads to troubled relationships. Watching a family member suffer can be very emotional. The patient must also acknowledge that their family members are also equally under strain. A supportive and careful family helps the patient overcome the burden of disease. Support groups are present that can help the family members cope with the diagnosis of their loved one.

Uncertainty

The future becomes pretty uncertain after the diagnosis. The time required to make a prognosis and a treatment plan are sometimes longer than thought. This makes the patient’s family more and more disturbed. It is difficult to fight the disease, but uncertainty makes it more complicated and tiresome. To facilitate this problem, the patient and their family should research the services available to mesothelioma patients. The patient and their family should be in contact with the doctor and should bravely fight against this disease.

Social Stigma

Sometimes the family may have to face social stigma after a mesothelioma diagnosis. Stigma can lead to feelings of shame, spoiled identity, and guilt. This is because mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer. According to research, mesothelioma is positively associated with low socioeconomic status (Ekberg-Aronsson, 2006). Because of poor living conditions, these patients and their families might face some discrimination. The healthcare facility should demand proper help and care to overcome these social problems.

Problems Faced by Caregivers

Becoming a caregiver is a big responsibility and a burden for the person. Usually, the caregiver is a close family member. The caregiver may get emotionally drained by seeing their loved one fighting against a deadly disease in this instance. Caregiving can become more arduous when the patient lives far away from the caregiver. This results in out-of-pocket expenses and may also threaten their job. The caregiver needs to take some time and take care of themselves.

Effects on Education and Work of Family Members

The family members may find it difficult to concentrate on day-to-day activities. Sometimes family members are emotionally stressed to such an extent that it becomes difficult to continue their work or education. Other reasons for missing work or school are to look after the patient and attend hospital appointments.

Conclusion

Mesothelioma is an aggressive disease with a very low life expectancy. Even with treatment and interventions, this disease cannot be cured. The diagnosis of this disease certainly affects the patient and their family. Thankfully, there are many support groups for patients and their families. These support groups can surely improve the quality of life. These groups help families communicate with others who are also suffering from the same disease. Sharing your emotions can greatly help to decrease anxiety. Financial challenges can be overcome by legal compensation. Insurance companies have also included mesothelioma in their policies. Families that share and discuss important matters and respect each other’s opinions have a better chance of coping with this disease and its subsequent consequences.

 

Is your child learning to ride a scooter? Kids scooters are one of the most popular ride on toys for 8 10 year olds. Besides making kids’ playtime a bit more adventurous, scooters help them adapt to the outside world. Some studies have shown that kids’ scooters benefit children’s mental and physical development.

However, as with every game out there, some risks are associated, especially with the outdoor ones. In this article, you will learn how to let your kids ride scooters safely.

Teach them basics

No one can learn to ride a scooter without knowing the basics, especially children. It would be best to teach your child how the scooter operates and its different parts. Begin training your children in an indoor setup to prevent any risk of injury. You can then let them ride the scooter at different speeds around the house. After they have become familiar with how to ride, let them practice in nearby neighborhoods or skate parks. Many scooters offer braking options to add to your child’s safety. Teach your child how to use them to prevent any injury.

Protective gear is a must

Whether they are just starting or have been riding a scooter for years, your child should wear protective gear to prevent injury. Keep reminding your child always to wear a helmet, elbow, and knee pads to keep them safe. This ensures that your child is protected from serious injury.

Right clothing

Kids shouldn’t be left unsupervised while doing any activity, and if it is an outdoor one, your senses should be ultra-awake. However, sometimes it is impossible to follow them every second. That is why make them wear brightly colored clothes that will help you identify them from a distance. When taking them to the skating park, jeans or trousers made from rugged materials will protect your children from minor cuts and scrapes. If they insist on wearing shorts, make sure to use knee pads at a minimum.

Wear shoes

While your child may be able to ride the scooter barefoot indoors, you shouldn’t let them do this outside. Bricks, stones, thorny weeds, and many other obstacles are found in the streets and on the playgrounds that can injure your child’s sensitive feet. It is unnecessary to buy a high-end pair of shoes, as long as they are thick-soled and closed-toed.

Start slow

Your child will most likely encounter other people whenever they ride their scooter; whether it is fellow riders, parents, or passersby, obstacles are everywhere. Lack of awareness and coordination can increase their risk of colliding with obstacles and hurting themselves or someone else. It’s best to have your child ride slowly and gradually increase their speed.

Practice on the grass

At the beginning of learning scootering, kids tend to lose control over their speeds. Practicing on the grass allows them to progress slowly and keeps them less exposed to getting injuries.

Conclusion

There is more to scootering than just physical and technical skills. It is one of the best ride on toys for 8 10 year olds and keeps your kids healthy and happy. With the above tips, you can ensure that your kid’s scooter riding experience is safe and fun.

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It’s natural for marriages to go through good times and bad. Despite what phase your marriage might be in at this point, there are always things that you can do to help strengthen your marriage and become even more selflessly committed to your partner.

To help you see what some of these things are and move your marriage closer from the edge of divorce if this seems to be where it’s headed, here are three things you can do today to start saving your marriage.

Quit Making Assumptions About Your Partner’s Intentions

One thing that can be a point of contention in all situations of marriage is making assumptions. Especially if you’ve been married to or have known your spouse for a long period of time, you might think that you know them so well that you can safely assume what their intentions are. However, when you make these kinds of assumptions, especially when you assume toward the negative, you might be fueling arguments or resentments that don’t need to exist in the first place.

Rather than doing this, try to stop making these kinds of assumptions right now. Instead, seek to communicate more with your spouse and ask them about their intentions. By doing this, you’ll be able to have a more accurate view of what’s going on in the mind of your partner and can react to them based on reality rather than what you’re concocted in your own mind.

Brainstorms Ways You Can Address Your Own Problems

With some problems within a marriage, one partner may be far more guilty of the issues arising. But with the most common marriage problems, there are usually missteps that happen on both sides.

With this in mind, you should take some time to think about what you may have done to contribute to the problems you’re currently facing in your marriage. Since the only person you can really change is yourself, brainstorming what you may have done and how you can keep from making these same mistakes in the future may work to address some of the issues you’re presently having a hard time with.

Commit To A Clean Slate

If you and your spouse decide that you really want to do the work to get your marriage back on track, it’s vital that you both commit to this idea by giving each other a clean slate. What this means is that each of you truly extend forgiveness to the other for any mistakes they may have made in the past. Bringing up past mistakes won’t do you any favors in saving your marriage. So if you’re really ready to turn over a new leaf, make sure that leaf is completely over on its other side.

If you’re ready to start saving your marriage today, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you see what you can do to begin this journey.

While having a child is a dream come true for many people, unfortunately in the US, infertility is a huge issue. Statistics show that around 10 percent of women in the US have difficulty getting pregnant or staying pregnant. Although there a lots of stories about people accidentally getting pregnant, in reality, it can be quite difficult to conceive. When there are fertility issues, a lot of couples may choose to go down the route of IVF. While effective, it can be expensive, and you are not guaranteed to get pregnant the first time you try it. If you are wanting to start trying for a baby, but you don’t want to explore the IVF route, then here are some tips that can make conception easier.

East Healthy Foods

Eating healthy is a great way to increase your chances of pregnancy. Keeping your body healthy and full of the right nutrients can aid in fertility and prepare your body for pregnancy. During pregnancy, your body will go through an enormous amount of strain, so it is important that you prepare yourself for that so you can ease some of the pain of pregnancy. Additionally, your baby is relying on you for its nutrients, so it is good practice to start eating healthy and being aware of what nutrients you need. It is recommended to avoid foods high in trans fats and consume less animal protein and more vegetable protein. Additionally, iron deficiency can be a common factor in infertility, so make sure you are eating foods that are rich in iron. If you are trying to avoid animal products, then some great sources of protein are spinach, beans and peas.

Take Prenatal Vitamin

Another thing that could help make conception easier is by taking prenatal vitamins. Sometimes when people struggle to conceive, it can be that their body is lacking in some vitamins and therefore pregnancy is less likely to occur. Fertility supplements could be a good idea for you and your partner as they support sperm and egg health and assist in balancing hormones and boosting immunity. Needed’s fertility supplements would be a good place to look for prenatal vitamins as they provide a conception support package for both you and your partner. It is important to remember that the responsibility of conception is not just on one person, both people should be doing what they can to stay healthy and increase the chances of pregnancy.

Exercise

Like eating healthy, exercising regularly can be a great way to increase the chances of conception. Exercise is great for our bodies as it can reduce overall stress levels. Feeling relaxed and not stressed can be an important factor in getting pregnant. You want your body to be calm and relaxed when trying to conceive and exercise is a great way to bring calmness to your body. This does not necessarily mean you need to be lifting weights seven days a week, but perhaps find some moderate exercise that you do enjoy and try to do them a few times a week. Again, if you do get pregnant, it is important to keep your body healthy, so creating an exercise routine now can ensure you stick to your good habits during the pregnancy.

Track Menstrual Cycle

When you are trying to conceive, it is an important idea to track your menstrual cycle. Generally, tracking your menstrual cycle is a good idea as it gives you a clear idea of when your period is expected and can allow you to manage the hormone change. When trying to conceive, you ideally need to be having sex in the days around ovulation. Ovulation is when the egg is released from the ovary, so you are most fertile the day before and the day after ovulation. Tracking your menstrual cycle can make conception easier as it means you can see when you are due to ovulate and can therefore have sex with your partner. Thankfully, tracking your menstrual cycle can be quite easy as there are plenty of apps that do the work for you.

Talk To Your Doctor

Ultimately, if you are really struggling to conceive, the best advice we can give is to go and see your doctor. Your doctor will be able to determine if there are any underlying issues that you and your partner are not aware of. Fertility tests can be done to determine if there are any particular issues, and they can give you treatments to try and solve these issues. Additionally, if there are any problems with nutrient deficiencies in either you or your partner, your doctor can tell you exactly what you are lacking. This means you can start eating the right food or taking the correct supplements and hopefully you will get pregnant.

 

Even as the pandemic seems to be winding down, parents are still working remotely. The ability to work from home, limiting their commuting time and optimising time spent with family, is an unexpected benefit of a difficult situation. But as things are opening up and the pandemic recedes, the reality of working at home while providing childcare at the same time has become clear: remote-working parents need help with childcare.

Ordinarily, there are many different kinds of childcare available. Home-based care is a popular choice for families that is not as appealing if you are also home trying to work. Quieting your environment while allowing your children to get much-needed socialisation and educational opportunities is probably the priority. What kinds of options are available outside the home?

1. Long Day Care

Centre-based long day care is suitable for families that work regular weekdays and need reliable coverage. If you work from home every day, all day, this may be the right decision for you. Here in a centre-based care environment your child can find loads of opportunities for socialisation with other children, as well as play-based learning led by early childhood education specialists. You can get your work done with peace of mind knowing that your child is well cared for and happy.

Centre-based care has the advantages of being reliable and fully staffed, so there will not be any last-minute surprises of unavailable care. Also, the routine of attending regularly can make your child’s experience smoother and more rewarding for them and you.

2. Occasional Care

Centre-based occasional care is best for families who do not need coverage every day, but would like to have periodic opportunities to work or make appointments. If your work schedule is flexible this may be a good arrangement for you. By expressing interest and going on a waitlist, you will have an opportunity to use slots that are left open when other children are absent. This may not be the best arrangement if your work-from-home arrangement is more structured.

3. Preschools and Kindergartens

If your child is aged 3-5 years, preschools and kindergartens that operate in stand-alone centres may be right for you. With a structured learning environment and top-notch educators, these programmes offer the kind of orderly day that some children crave. It can also be a great way to prepare your child for more formal education opportunities.

4. Business-related creche

If you have a membership to a facility that offers informal childcare in creches, you may be able to use this to cover the gap you have between working from home and attending to your children. If the amount of work that you do that requires your full attention is not a full day, or if you can shift some of your work to hours outside the normal workday, you may be able to leverage the membership you already have to provide the coverage that you need. Even if there is a small fee per use, the cost can be reasonable for the amount of help you get. Your child will have the opportunity to be safe and socialise with other children, and you will get time to get pressing tasks that require concentration done. But these creches do not typically offer education quality or educator-to-child ratios that promote learning the way a centre-based service would.

By investigating the types of childcare that are available to you, and keeping in mind your specific needs for both your work and your children, parents that are working remotely from home can get the help they need to both successfully work from home and take care of their families.

 

 

Most parents struggle with keeping their kids entertained at home during school holidays without having them glued to screens all day. It can be pretty challenging to figure out what activities to include in your kid’s daily schedule at home while adding value to their growing brains. Keep reading this article to learn easy ways to keep your kid entertained at home.

Solve puzzles

Puzzles are an excellent way to help keep your kids’ brains sharp and healthy. When choosing a puzzle, ensure you pick one that is appropriate for their age and stage of development. A too-easy puzzle might result in boredom, while a complex puzzle might make them lose interest in the game.

Play board games

Introducing board games to your kid’s daily activities is a great way to keep them occupied. Board games stimulate healthy brain activity and help kids develop problem-solving skills. When choosing a board game, consider one that is appropriate for your child’s age to make it more engaging and reduce their likelihood of getting frustrated.

Read books with your kids

Books have a way of introducing us to different worlds and genres. For kids, it is very important to teach them how to read early enough. Reading helps kids identify shapes, colors, and letters at an early age. If your kids are too young to read, make it a habit to read to them. Reading to your kids expands their vocabulary, improves their listening and cognitive skills, and helps them develop their language.

Listen to music and dance with them

Music is a great way to make kids have a great time indoors. You can also burn lots of calories while you are at it. Did you know that babies begin to recognize music when they are still in the womb? While you listen to music, you could dance to the beat and help your kids make use of all the extra energy they have. Dancing is also an excellent way to engage the brain and improve memory.

Complete house chores and cook

Kids love being included in activities around the house, most especially in the kitchen. You could allow your kids to help wash the vegetables, mix the dough, and organize the refrigerator. A kitchen play set for kids can be a great way to introduce key utensils and kitchen appliances before they can join you in the kitchen. Ensure you also involve them in grocery shopping to teach them the various types of fruits and vegetables.

Paint with watercolors

Painting helps children with sensory development and fine motor development. This creative exercise also helps children learn colors and gives them an outlet to express their emotions. Painting is also a great activity to help teach concepts like shapes and letters fun and engaging. Ensure you use paints that are safe if accidentally ingested and those that can easily wash off of clothes, walls, and clothes.

Wrapping up

When choosing an easy way to entertain your kid at home, identify what activities you can do together with them so that you can bond. Make it fun and encourage your child when playing.

If you have a loved one that’s expecting, it’s understandable if you want to throw a baby shower to celebrate the impending birth of their new baby. However, in the wake of COVID-19, many parents-to-be may feel more comfortable opting to host festivities virtually, rather than having close physical contact. A virtual baby shower can be great for connecting loved ones and celebrating the happy news. To ensure you have lots of fun and everything runs smoothly, here are some tips on how to host the ultimate virtual baby shower.

Give Plenty of Time

Just like you would with an in-person baby shower, you need to send out invitations well in advance, regardless of whether you’re hosting it online. This is because guests may have plans and might not be able to attend. Guests will need more time, especially if they plan to mail gifts to the parents-to-be. If you’re not sure when to get the ball rolling, it’s advised to plan the baby shower a month in advance. That way, everyone will have enough time to fit the event in their diaries.

Discuss Preferences

When you host a virtual baby shower, it’s important that you get some input from the parent-to-be. You don’t want everything to be a surprise, so make sure to have conversations about the event with your loved one. You may find your loved one has certain baby shower games they don’t like, or there are people they’d rather not attend!

Whatever you discuss, ensure you try your best to accommodate your loved one’s needs. After all, the attention will be on them, and you want them to have a baby shower they’ll always remember, rather than look back on with dread!

Choose the Right Platform

Once you’ve invited everyone to the virtual baby shower and had discussions with the parent-to-be, it’s time to look for a platform to host proceedings. Thanks to technology, there are all kinds of software you can use for the event. Because of COVID-19, many of us have some knowledge of videoconferencing apps already, like Google Hangouts and Zoom. Whatever platform you pick, it’s best to choose one that’s easy to use. You may find that some attendees aren’t as tech-savvy as you. To avoid any problems, stick to popular videoconferencing platforms, as this will ensure celebrations get off to a good start.

Pick a Theme

After you’ve chosen a videoconferencing platform for the virtual baby shower, the theme is the next aspect to focus on. Like an in-person shower, a virtual baby shower can have any kind of theme you wish. To get things right, take the mom’s interests into account. For example, you may find the mother-to-be likes to keep things minimalistic. Therefore, sticking to her wishes and not going overboard is a must!

Picking a baby shower theme will take time. However, once you’ve settled on one, you can get creative with the kinds of invitations, background décor, and games for the event which revolve around the theme.

Find Fun Games

The most important element of a virtual baby shower is to have fun! Therefore, you need to pick games that everyone can get involved in from their computer screen. Sure, you may not be together in person, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t lots of fun games you can all play from the comfort of your own homes. If you’re scratching your head and can’t think of any ideas, take a look at these virtual baby shower games. Just make sure you get input from the parent-to-be!

Think About Food and Beverages

If you were to host a baby shower in real life, you would inevitably put on a spread full of tasty food and beverages for all to enjoy. Because you’re hosting proceedings online, that’s not to say you can’t do something a little quirky regarding what to eat. Depending on your budget and how many people are attending the virtual baby shower, you could send a little something edible for each guest to tuck into during the event. For those that don’t have the means to do this, consider providing a tasty treat and non-alcoholic drink for the parent-to-be. For everyone to enjoy themselves throughout the baby shower event, make sure to remind attendees to stock up on snacks that they can enjoy at their desks.

Create a Plan for Gift Opening

At a traditional baby shower, there will be a moment where the mom-to-be opens the gifts and thanks everyone for their presents. Because everything will be conducted online, you’ll need to make alternative plans. For example, why not set aside time for your loved one to open gifts on camera and hold them up close so attendees can see? You could even put on some background music to make this part more fun and prevent any awkwardness!

Do a Trial Run

If you have never hosted a virtual baby shower before, it’s normal to feel anxious and nervous about getting everything just right. Rather than stressing about the occasion, doing a trial run of the event should help you feel more confident. Set aside some time a couple of days before the shower to get comfortable with the video conferencing software and camera.

You don’t want to be dealing with technical issues on the big day, so taking some time to practice will pay off. You can invite the parent-to-be to come on a quick call to ensure the sound and video are working correctly. Once you’ve done this, you should hopefully look forward to hosting the shower as your nerves will be settled!

Hosting a virtual baby shower doesn’t have to be hard work. As long you do all the above, this should be an enormous help throughout the planning stages and ensure you throw a virtual baby shower that everyone will look back on with fond memories.