5 ways to prepare your body for pregnancy

June 12, 2017 by Leave a Comment

Preparing to get pregnant is a pivotal time in a woman’s life. There are often times unforeseen stresses that women have about getting pregnant and as time goes on these stressors increase. If you and your partner are preparing to have a baby in the next year or so, there are some things that you can do to prepare your body to be healthy enough to conceive and carry a child to full-term. This article will identify 5 ways in which you can prepare your body for pregnancy.

  1. Pay attention to your diet and if you consume fatty foods or foods with preservatives on a regular basis, it is a good idea to start to prepare and eat more nutritious meals. Remove unhealthy foods from your diet and be diligent about eating healthier. This will help your body rid itself of unnecessary food related toxins and clean itself up so that it is ready for baby.
  2. Visit your primary care doctor or OBGYN and have a conversation with him or her about your desire to have a baby and the timeline in which you hope to do so. Your doctor will most likely want to perform an examination to make sure that you are healthy on the inside. Some things your doctor will check for include sexually transmitted diseases as stds have a variety of symptoms, some that are even undetectable by common symptoms. The reason that this is important is that if you do have an STD, it could be passed on to the baby. Your doctor will also make sure that you are up to date on all vaccinations and will talk to you about going off of birth control and the process in which to do so.
  3. Ask yourself if your current lifestyle is conducive to a pregnancy. If you are a smoker or drink alcohol on a regular basis, you may want to consider decreasing or completely eliminating these activities for the time being. While pregnant, it is healthiest for you and the baby to be smoke and alcohol free. It may take some time to do this so it is best to prepare before getting pregnant.
  4. Age. As you age, infertility rates also go up. Pregnancy related complications such as gestational diabetes, preterm labor, or even premature birth defects could occur. Again, consult with your doctor to discuss age and if it is an issue for you.
  5. Don’t stress if you do not get pregnant right away. Stress can deter this from happening. If you do not get pregnant right away, continue to eat healthy, live a healthy lifestyle, take your vitamins, get the proper amount of sleep, and relax. Trust that you will have a child and think positive thoughts. Before you know it, you will be with child.

There are many more tips to preparing your body to get pregnant, however these five ideas are ones that have been recommended by doctors and specialists for years. If you are pregnant and you did not do these steps before conceiving, start doing them now. The healthier you are while carrying your child, the healthier your child will be.

Filed Under: baby, health Tagged With: , ,

Your Guide To Moving With Kids (Without Going Insane!)

June 9, 2017 by 1 Comment

If there’s one thing that just about everyone can agree on, it’s that moving house can be pretty stressful. Of course, if you really want to make things as difficult as possible, try doing it with small children in tow! Anyone with kids will know that they make trying to do just about anything three or four times harder and more time consuming than it would otherwise be. So when you’re faced with the stress of moving house combined with the madness of dealing with young children, it’s enough to send just about anyone round the bend. But fear not brave parent! Because here is your guide to moving house with kids without going completely insane.

Start planning ASAP

The worst thing that you can do when you’re getting ready to move house is failing to plan. Without a clear plan, the entire move is pretty much guaranteed to be total chaos. No one is going to know what they’re doing, you’ll be stressed, and your kids with be running around like maniacs with no direction. The best way to avoid this is to have as clear a plan as possible, as early as possible. You should know exactly where everything needs to go, what needs packing first, and what you’ll need straight away at the new house. Knowing these things will mean that you have to spend that much less time worrying and more time making sure that everything is running as smoothly as possible from start to finish.

Use a mover

Of course, if you really want to make things as difficult as possible for yourself, the best way to do that is to try and do everything on your own. A moving company like Shiply can make a huge difference to just how simple and easy your move really is. As long as they know exactly where things need putting and how they need to be packed, you pretty much just need to point them in the right direction, sit back, and relax. Of course, there will still be plenty that you’ll need to handle yourself, but that way you can focus on keeping the kids happy and under control rather than having to worry about every single little detail.

Give them specific job to do

Nothing is more dangerous than a bored child. When they don’t have something to occupy them, kids are that much more likely to get up to all kinds of mischief. If you really want to keep them out of trouble during a house move, the best thing that you can do is to give them a specific task to accomplish. Kids often love being given tasks to do, since it makes them feel involved and really rather grown up. It doesn’t need to be a big or particularly significant task. Even something like making sure that their toys are packed away in boxes can make your child feel involved in the entire process which is likely to make everything a lot easier for both you and them. Moving can be tough on kids and giving them something that will occupy their minds can make the whole process that much smoother.

 

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How to Ensure Healthcare Data Compliance

June 9, 2017 by Leave a Comment

Those working in healthcare have to be fully aware of the ethics and data privacy legalities involved. Because so much is done digitally these days, it is easier for data to be hacked and this causes issues not only for patients, but for employers as well. The University of Cincinnati, along with its online MHA degree students, has created an infographic which explains how to ensure healthcare data compliance.

The infographic covers the importance of ensuring a patient’s identity before providing any sensitive information, questioning the reasons why people are requesting data, the importance of secure IT equipment, and the importance of access controls based on job title. All patients have the right to keep their health care data private, and any practice or hospital who doesn’t ensure this confidentiality, could face a huge lawsuit.

The above infographic was created by the University of Cincinnati.


University of Cincinnati

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3 Tips for Having More Self-Control While Traveling

June 9, 2017 by Leave a Comment

One of the top ways to enjoy life is by taking a trip. Regardless if you’re driving across country or staying within your state, you will want to unwind and relax. However, the mere thought of enjoying time off from work may make you think of letting go of all self-control. This is not the way to make the most of your time when you get the chance to travel. Knowing simple things you can do to assist in maintaining control during your time off work may be helpful.

Tip #1: Watch your alcohol intake

You may feel making the most of your time away will mean having a few drinks during your trip. This is one of the things many people look forward to while on vacation, and if you enjoy drinking, you may have a list of specialty drinks in mind.

It’s important to maintain some level of self-control when you do decide to add some alcoholic flavor to your day. The National Institute of Alcohol Abuse states an average of 37,000 adolescents received treatment for an alcohol problem in the year 2015. This indicates the potential for abuse not only for adults but teenagers, as well. Other countries often have a lower drinking age than America, watching out for your teenagers on a family vacation is important.

If you feel that your desire to binge on alcohol is beginning to get to be too much regardless if you’re on a trip or not, you should contact outpatient drug rehabs to obtain professional help today.

Tip #2: Avoid overeating

The last thing you will want to do is to gain a lot of weight while on vacation. Keep in mind that you will need to return home and this means having more weight to lose!

Listed below are some great tips for helping you keep control of your eating:

1.  Plan out your meals for the day. If you know, you’re going to be dining out for supper be sure to have a light lunch.

2.  Take time to add some fruits and other healthy snacks to your day to avoid grabbing high-calorie foods when you aren’t feeling your best.

3.  Add a lot of water each day to assist you in eating less and being able to stick to somewhat of a decent number of calories on your trip.

4.  Limit your dessert – One of the favorite things you may enjoy is eating specialty made desserts on your trip, but this isn’t something a lot.

Tip #3: Set a budget

One of the best ways to prevent spending way too much money when you’re traveling is by having a budget put into place beforehand. This can help you stick to it, and you will want to be sure to plan out all of the expenses to assist you in staying on your budget.

Consider the ideas listed below to reduce your overall cost for your vacation:

1.  Accommodations – You may want to secure a luxury suite with a scenic view, but is this one you can pay for without spending too much? The chances are this may be too costly for your budget. Find a room you can afford to pay for without over indulging.

2.  Transportation – Thinking about your mode of travel is one thing you must do. Are you driving, flying or taking a bus? Regardless of how you reach your destination, you should be prepared to pay for doing so.

3.  Food costs – For many people, one of the funnier things about taking a trip is enjoying a variety of food. However, if you’re going to be gone for several days, you should consider cooking some meals in your room.

Enjoying your life by taking time off and going on a vacation is one of the most pleasurable things to do. However, having some level of self-control is essential for feeling healthy during your trip and getting back on track easily when you return home.

 

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Brutes.io App

June 9, 2017 by Leave a Comment

Have your children been playing .io games as much as mine? At first, I didn’t know what ‘.io’ meant. After doing some research, I learned that ‘.io’ represents an entire class of multiplayer games. Some are focused on action, like traditional free-for-all bouts. Other .io titles are more puzzled-based, challenging gamers to think while they play. And some .io games are focused completely on strategy. The point is, ‘.io’ represents just about any modern multiplayer game, with one key feature: they’re free to play!

Brutes.io is a brand-new game on Poki. Like other .io titles, it loads in the browser, without downloading any special apps or making purchases. But, Brutes.io takes a little bit longer to load than other games. That’s because it has rich, 3D graphics. Very old computers might not be able to handle Brutes.io, but any modern device will have no problems at all.

Inspiring Sights and Sounds
I’ve never seen such pretty graphics in a free game. The first level in Brutes.io is called Grimm Graveyard, which is a haunted mountain region. There are spooky cliffs, tiny caves, and narrow bridges abound. The environment feels alive, as ominous thunder and flashes of lightning strike the ground. Old, bare trees sway and creak in the wind. All the while, high-energy music plays in the background. The soundtrack at Grimm Graveyard is reminiscent of children’s Halloween music. It’s playfully dark, goofy, and fun!

Controlling Beasts
The controls in this game aren’t nearly as complex I would’ve thought. With such modern graphics and layered levels, I assumed that there’d be too many buttons to memorize. Thankfully, that’s not the case. The controls are so simple that anyone can play, from a three-year-old to a not-so-savvy adult. There are just a pair of controls: one to move and one to punch.

Playing with the mouse is easy; the right button allows movement, and the left button punches. The keyboard controls are also kid-friendly. The arrow keys (or WASD) move the character, and the spacebar (or enter key) punches. If players have a gamepad, they can use that to control their Brute. The gamepad is recommended, as it makes for the easiest controls of all: use the left joystick to move and the X/A button to punch.

Action and Strategy
Brutes.io is essentially a fighting game, where monsters try to knock each other down. The action is very cartoonish, which means that it feels more silly than violent. I view that as a positive factor, because I won’t worry about my young ones playing. There is no blood, and when a Brute dies, it leaves a bunch of shiny orbs behind. Even though the action resembles a free-for-all, a little bit of strategy goes a long way. Players can use unique power-ups at the right time to take out the biggest players. Also, knowing when to play defense, hide, and not fight can lead to more successful rounds.

There’s a lot to uncover in Brutes.io, and now’s the perfect time to try!

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: , ,

#Calroo Twitter Party

June 9, 2017 by Leave a Comment

Promo

Calroo App Twitter Party 6-13-17 at 9p ET bit.ly/calroorsvp

Join Bloggin Mamas as we host the #Calroo App Twitter Party on June 13, 2017 at 9p EST/ 6pm PST! We’ll be chatting about the Calroo app and how you can use it to ease your family’s daily life. Plus, there’s a chance to win prizes too!

Date: Tuesday, June 13th, 2017
Time: 9p EST / 6p PST
Hashtag: #Calroo
Presented by: @BlogginMamas
Featuring: @Calroo_app
Moderators: English– @HeLoEnterprises Spanish– @BBabushka
Co-Hosts: @EnzasBargains, @BabySavers, @HaveSippy, @DonnaHup, @MamasMission

Panelist: @CoolChillMom @darcibean

About Calroo

Calroo is a mobile app designed for busy Moms and Dads to help them coordinate their family schedule with each other. It combines a family calendar, to-do list, shopping lists and messaging in one easy-to-use app. It makes asking for help as simple as a swipe. The app is free to download, and everybody gets a free trial month of Calroo Pro. The iOS app is live on the Appstore, and an Android app is in the works – you can sign up for a beta today.

Featured in Forbes, Inc. and Huffington Post, Calroo makes it easy to coordinate a busy family schedule. Create shared calendar events, assign tasks to family members with a simple swipe, and manage shopping lists.

Is coordinating your family schedule a hassle? Do you wish it were easier to assign tasks and calendar appointments to your spouse or children? Do you use several apps, emails, texting and paper to keep track of events, tasks and shopping lists? Do you dream of having one central place where you could see, plan and manage all your family’s activities? Then Calroo is perfect for you!

Imagine how easy your life will be with Calroo:
• You know exactly who is doing what, with a color-coded family calendar that shows who is participating in each event or task
• You get reminder alerts for events and tasks you need to do – so that nothing slips through the cracks
• If you’re are stuck in traffic, you can hand off an appointment or task to your spouse or family member with a simple swipe
• Your grocery, shopping and packing lists are instantly shared and synced with your family members’ phones
• You can exchange messages and photos with you family members – so that you can be the engaged parent you always wanted to be

Calroo comes in two versions, free and premium. (Unlike other family calendar apps, even the free version of Calroo is completely ad-free). Here are the great features that are available on Calroo Pro:
• Ask family members for help with a simple swipe, or by clicking on the “Ask for help” button. Get an explicit confirmation that they accepted the handoff. Rest easy knowing that Johnny will get picked up from soccer practice.
• Control what your family members see on Calroo. Grant “limited access” to some of your family members like nanny, babysitter or grandparent. They only see the events or tasks that you want them to see on your family calendar.
• Keep private events private – like a surprise birthday party for your spouse.
• Your Google calendar will continue synching with your Calroo calendar in real-time. If any events get added, deleted or edited on your Google calendar, you will see those changes instantly reflected on Calroo.

When you sign up for Calroo, you and your family automatically get a free 30-day trial of Calroo Pro. After the trial, you and your family can continue enjoying Calroo Pro for just $1.99 per month or $19.99 per year*. Or you can keep getting it for free by referring new customers. For every new person you refer, you get an extra month of Calroo Pro for free, and so do they. If you do not upgrade or refer, your app will switch to the free version after 30 days. All your events, tasks and lists will still be there, and you can still use the free features.

Reduce stress, save time, get more help, and become the organized and engaged parent you always wanted to be. Try Calroo today!

Download the Calroo App

Calroo App

App Store/ IOS: http://bit.ly/calroodownload

Google Play/ Android: Sign-up for the beta list at https://www.calroo.com/

Follow Calroo

Visit the Website: https://www.calroo.com/ Like Calroo on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/calrooapp Follow Calroo on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Calroo_app Follow Calroo on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/calrooapp/ Follow Calroo on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/calrooapp/

Tweetshare:

Prizes

3- Prize Packs- ARV $30 (1 per winner)

Get your family to do chores for a whole year with Calroo Pro ($20 value)
Listen to your favorite music with an iTunes gift card ($10 value)

First Prize

1- Prize Pack- ARV $70

Relax with a massage or facial with a Spafinder gift certificate ($50 value)
Get your family to do chores for a whole year with Calroo Pro ($20 value)

Grand Prize

1- Prize Pack- ARV $150

Enjoy a romantic dinner at your favorite restaurant ($100 value)
Pamper yourself with cosmetics from Bath & Body Works ($30 value)
Get your family to do chores for a whole year with Calroo Pro ($20 value)

RSVP Prize

1- Prize Pack- ARV $50

Pamper yourself with cosmetics from Bath & Body Works ($30 value)
Get your family to do chores for a whole year with Calroo Pro ($20 value)

RSVP Below!!

Terms and Conditions
NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT NECESSARY. A PURCHASE WILL NOT IMPROVE YOUR CHANCE OF WINNING.
By RSVP’ing to this event and utilizing the #Calroo hashtag, the attendees acknowledge having read and agreed to these terms and conditions.
Twitter Party Prize Giveaway begins June 13th, 2017 at 9:00 pm ET and ends no later than June 13th, 2017 at 10:30pm ET (the “Twitter Chat Entry Period”). Entrants enter via following @Calroo_app, @HeLoEnterprises & @BlogginMamas, and posting a tweet with the #Calroo hashtag during the Twitter Chat Entry Period. Five (5) Winners will be drawn randomly by random.org at approximately 12 minute intervals during the Twitter Party Entry Period. One (1) Winner will be drawn randomly via random.org from the event RSVP’s on the Mr. Linky widget.
Prizes include:
One (1) prize pack, including one (1) $10 iTunes gift card and one (1) year of Calroo PRO. Total approximate retail value (“ARV”) $30, to be awarded to each of three (3) winners.
One (1) First Prize pack, including one (1) $50 Spafinder Gift Certificate and one (1) year of Calroo PRO. Total approximate retail value (“ARV”) $70, to be awarded to one (1) winner. One (1) Grand Prize pack, including one (1) $100 gift card to winner’s choice of restaurant- when possible, one (1) $30 Bath & Body Works Gift Card, and one (1) year of Calroo PRO. Total approximate retail value (“ARV”) $150, to be awarded one (1) winner.
One (1) RSVP Prize pack, including one (1) $30 Bath & Body Works Gift Card and one (1) year of Calroo PRO . Total approximate retail value (“ARV”) $50, to be awarded to one (1) winner who RSVP’s via the Mr. Linky widget.
Each winner receives one (1) prize pack. Entrants who fail to complete said actions will be disqualified and an alternate winner will be selected from all entrants who entered during the Twitter Party Entry Period. Winners will be notified via Twitter Mention & will need to complete a claim form. Winners will have 48 hours to complete the claim form including providing shipping info, or a an alternate winner will be selected from amongst all entries received during the Twitter Party Entry Period. All prizes will be awarded provided they are validly claimed by June 15, 2017 at 11:59AM EST.
Entrants agree to release and hold harmless the Bloggin’ Mamas, Heather Lopez Enterprises, LLC, , Twitter, and any other organizations responsible for sponsoring, fulfilling, administering, advertising or promoting this giveaway, and their respective parent, subsidiaries, and affiliates and each of their respective officers, directors, members, employees, agents and subcontractors (collectively the “Released Parties”) from and against any and all claims, expenses, and liability, including but not limited to negligence and damages of any kind to persons and property, including but not limited to invasion of privacy (under appropriation, intrusion, public disclosure of private facts, false light in the public eye or other legal theory), defamation, slander, libel, violation of right of publicity, infringement of trademark, copyright or other intellectual property rights, property damage, or death or personal injury arising out of or relating to a participant’s entry, creation of an entry or submission of an entry, participation in this giveaway, acceptance or use or misuse of prize. Entrant agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Released Parties from and against any and all claims, expenses, and liabilities (including reasonable attorney’s fees) arising out of or relating to an entrant’s participation in this giveaway and/or entrant’s acceptance, use or misuse of prize, including, without limitation, liability for personal injury, damage, or loss.
The Released Parties make no warranties, and hereby disclaims any and all warranties, express or implied, concerning any prize furnished in connection with the giveaway. WITHOUT LIMITING THE GENERALITY OF THE FOREGOING, SUCH PRIZES ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AND THE RELEASED PARTIES HERE BY DISCLAIM ALL SUCH WARRANTIES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANT ABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND/OR NON-INFRINGEMENT.

Disclosure: Bloggin’ Mamas is managing this Twitter Party. Individual co-hosts are receiving compensation for their participation. All prize fulfillment is the responsibility of the sponsor.

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Tips for Taking Care of a Child on the Autism Spectrum

June 9, 2017 by Leave a Comment

autism

As a parent, you have probably spent a huge portion of time thinking about your child’s future, especially if he or she has ASD – autism spectrum disorder. Aside from therapies and medical care, here are some simple daily things that will make a difference:

Be Positive

Just like with most people with ASD, your child will respond well to positive reinforcement. This means that when you praise your child for good behavior, it will make him feel good. However, you need to be specific about what you are praising him for to avoid miscommunication.

You also need to let your child know what you like about his behavior. Find things that you can reward him with such as stickers or extra playtime. As you would with other people, whether they are on the spectrum or not, you should value your child for whom he is. Loving your child as he is will make him feel accepted and loved.

Stay On Schedule and Be Consistent

Persons with autism crave routine. For this reason, you should make sure that you give your child consistent interaction and guidance. Doing so will allow him to practice what he learned in therapy.

Consistency makes learning new behavior much easier and helps people on the spectrum to apply what they learn to different situations. You also need to talk to your child’s therapists and teachers to align a consistent set of interaction methods and techniques to ensure that you bring what they learn home.

Schedule Their Play

By finding activities that are more fun and less like therapy, you will help your child to open up to you and form a special bond with you. If your child is autistic, then you know that forming a bond with him is difficult. Therefore, you should take anything that you can get.

Give It Time

Because you are likely to try a lot of techniques and treatments from centers such as ABA Detroit based therapy, you should practice patience while figuring out what works best for your child. Do not get discouraged; you should remain positive even if your child does not respond to a certain treatment method.

Take Your Child with You

If your child has unpredictable behavior, you might think that keeping him away from certain situations is best. However, if you start exposing him to everyday activities such as running errands and going to the bank, he will get used to the world around him. Although it might be hard at first, you give it a try.

Get a Support System

Raising a child with autism takes a toll on parents and is especially hard on single parents. Whether face-to-face or online, support from friends and family members will make you feel less isolated. Joining a support group is a great way to share information and advice and meet other parents who are in the same boat as you.

You should also consider counseling whether it is individual, marital, or family. What will make your life a little easier? You should think about it and do it. You can attend counseling sessions or support group meetings when your child is in therapy.

Look Into Respite Care

You should consider hiring a caregiver to help you take care of your child. Doing so will give you a much-deserved break so that you can relax and take care of yourself for a change. Moreover, when you get some rest, you will be in a better state of mind.

If your child has intense needs due to autism and you have other children to take care of, you will need the help.

Tabitha Gits is an influencer marketing pro with brownboxbranding.com who is passionate about building authentic relationships and helping businesses connect with their ideal online audience. She keeps her finger on the pulse of the ever-evolving digital marketing world by writing on the latest marketing advancements​ and focuses on developing customized blogger outreach plans based on industry and competition.

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8 Tips for Traveling Light with Kids

June 9, 2017 by Leave a Comment

With summer coming up, you’re probably making plans to go on a vacation with the kids. Whether you’re planning to visit family or some fun destination that the kids will love, the secret behind a stress-free trip is traveling light. This is something I learned when my first son was born and I did a bit of researching to prepare. Aim at carrying the minimum amount of baggage and you’ll find that flights or car rides all progress smoothly. As the experts will probably reassure you, the older your kids are, the lesser will be the amount of stuff you have to carry along.

But, I have another secret to share with you that I’ve found very useful. When you visit a location intended for kids, you’ll likely find tons of stores that carry all the supplies you need. A great idea is to simply buy stuff that you need, use, and discard as you go along. Traveling light helps you let go of the stress of keeping track of the number of bags you have. Now, that’s an essential when you have a toddler squirming to get away to go exploring the airport and the brightly colored trash cans (and, well, everything else!).

I would only recommend that you carry some bare essentials to get you through the actual traveling from point A to point B. Here are the important items you’ll need.

Tip 1. Let’s Begin with the Very Basics for Traveling Light

You’ll be surprised but the absolute essentials when traveling light can actually fit into the small handbag you have, like I read in the Lonely Planet. They are your travel documents, tickets, prescription medications, and cash along with your credit card. As long as you have these and you’re not headed for some remote, unfamiliar location, you’re sorted.

Tip 2. Carry the Food Supplies You Need to Make it to the Next Store

With kids of all ages, you’ll need just adequate supplies to make it to your destination like for the car or bus ride or flight. But at the same time, it’s also advisable to be prepared for unexpected delays. Make sure you have enough formula and clean bottles, pacifiers, diapers, a change of clothes, and lots of wipes. If you expect that travel time will be 6 hours, plan for at least 8. For older kids, bring filling snacks like nuts, granola bars, fruit, and any other favorite items. We all know what happens when your little angel announces she doesn’t like the taste of the new brand you’re trying on her. With kids, even if you’re trying to travel light, you just cannot get by without enough food.

Tip 3. Choose Lightweight Entertainment Options

Once your child turns 5, you can let him choose his favorite toys and items he want to have along. Buy him a small carry-on that he can drag behind him. Make it very clear that he’s responsible for it so it better be light enough so he can manage it by himself. With a little imagination, you can find tons of entertainment options that don’t weigh down small bags. Think paper, crayons, and paperback picture books. If your kids are old enough, think activity books that can keep them working for a good long while. And, of course, we have the video game consoles that can keep kids busy through long layovers, (thanks, Wanderlust!) and are a great idea for traveling light. Any kind of e-readers are also a blessing. They don’t take much room or weight allowance. Here’s another brilliant idea. Encourage playing imagination games. Like naming animals, “I Spy,” “who can spot a…,” or count some object. Like, even the pillars in the airport.

Tip 4. Carry the Sleep Essentials

Even if this rule works against your intentions of traveling light, go with it. All kids have some specific blanket, toy, plug-in nightlight, or pajamas without which they just cannot fall asleep. Never step out of home without it.

Tip 5. Bring Clothes that You Can Mix and Match

This rule is a great traveling light tip for both kids and adults. When you have so many kids’ essentials to have along, try to cut back on the stuff you’ll absolutely need. Carry along a few tops and pants that you can wear in just about any combination. Darker colors are a good choice so you can continue to use them until they get dirty. Focus on comfort and pick out quick drying clothing that is very convenient for washing. Use this rule when packing your kids’ clothing also. As for shoes, consider bringing dark colored, multi-use, comfortable footwear that you can use for a formal restaurant also.

Tip 6. Think About Doing Laundry

Most parents I know hate the thought of doing laundry on vacations. But, I personally feel that washing some of your things saves on the weight you’ll have to carry. If you don’t want to do this in the hotel bathroom sink, locate a laundromat with a washer and dryer. Though, if you’re carrying quick-drying clothing, an overnight session on the bathroom clothesline should do the trick. The best advantage – you’ll end up with less stuff to lug around.

Tip 7. What About the Stroller?

I agree, if you’re serious about traveling light, having a stroller along doesn’t seem like a great idea. I’ll simply leave this decision to you and the individuality of your child. When my toddler decides to take off at full tilt, I usually find that grabbing and settling him in the stroller saves me from chasing after him. But, if your little one just won’t sit in one, you could consider leaving it home. Though, I’ve often seen parents carrying their bundle of joy and using the stroller to drag other stuff. So, this tip’s all about personal choice.

 

Tip 8. Personal Items

When you’re trying to travel light and making sure you have all the stuff your kids will need, adult personal supplies tend to take a backseat. And, if you’re planning a beach holiday, I’ve found that essentials like sunblock, sunscreen, microfiber towels, and other beach supplies always top (and sometimes, takeover) the list. That’s when I discovered laser hair removal benefits. A few sessions in the months ahead of our planned trip and I could stop worrying about the shaving sessions each day. If you have boisterous boys like mine, you know quite well how making the time for a quick shower is a project by itself.
Trying to travel light with kids is possible. And, using my ideas, you might save on a few baggage retrieval struggles while your two-year-old warns the whole airport that he’s bored of waiting at the carousel. But, you’ll also have fun. And, put away a lot of memories. My kids, now teenagers love to look at old pictures of when they were little and in Disneyland. So, don’t let the scare of traveling with kids deter you.

Have a wonderful holiday!

Filed Under: traveling Tagged With: ,