5 Practical Tips For Aspiring Parenting Bloggers

September 22, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Your parenting in sights, anecdotes and cautionary tales are well worth sharing with the world. Your insights are often moving, consistently witty and a joy to hear whenever you regale your friends at get-togethers. You’re great at capturing the little nuances that make the life of a parent and tell stories that resonate strongly with other Moms and Dads who are in the same boat.

As such, it’s only natural that you might be thinking about trying your hand as a parenting blogger. Someone who can provide parents all over the world with witty insights and a relaxing respite. Your posts can be something that parents can enjoy with their morning coffee and even help to make their parenting journeys a little easier. But while there are lots of sites out there that can help you get started as a blogger, there are fewer that can prepare you for the realities of blogging as a parent, for parents.  

Rather than provide a step-by-step guide (because nothing great was ever assembled by numbers). Here are 5 practical tips to help you find success as a parenting blogger…

Blog every day 

You’re one of many trying to make their presence known in the blogosphere. And in order to make your mark, you need a solid library of content behind you. That means taking the time to blog every day and improve your chances of getting noticed in online search results.  

Keep your audience and their needs in mind

As important as it is to keep blogging often, you also can’t sacrifice quality for quantity. Whatever you do, don’t copy and paste other people’s material for the sake of populating your website, as this can incur harsh penalties from search engines. Instead, try and focus your attention on your audience.

What to they want to read? What pain points, frustrations and anxieties can you address in your writing that can make your work more valuable to them? Not only can this make your work of consistently high quality, it can also ensure that parents keep coming back to you for daily insights, scroll through your blog and jump from page to page. All the behaviors that search engines love to see. 

How do you know what your readers want to find out more about? Just ask them! Which brings us to… 

Become part of the community

You’ll find it much harder to build an audience in a vacuum. Become a part of a blogging community. Reach out to other relevant bloggers. Support and promote other blogs. This will all help readers to build a string relationship with you and your blog. 

Use free (or affordable) tools that will make your life easier

Blogging can become a time-consuming process. Fortunately, there are all kinds of tools to make your life easier. Need a hand choosing relevant keywords? Try Neil Patel’s Uber Suggest tool. Need to copy a stat from an infographic that you want to use in a post? Use a tool like Prizmo to copy text from image. Want to make your posts more search engine-friendly? Try using a free WordPress plugin like Yoast.  

Find an affiliate program that your readers can get behind

Finally, joining an affiliate program is a great way to monetize your blog while also providing greater value for your readers. But rather than choosing a program that gives you more money, find one that gives your readers access to products that they actually want. 

After all, an affiliate program can only work for you if readers click on your affiliate link!

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How can we make our older parents feel happy?

September 3, 2020 by 1 Comment

Old age can be the worst part of anyone’s life if they have no one to take care of them. If someone wants his parents to live longer, he must stay devoted to his parents’ mental health. Many times, teenagers and adults find it difficult to please their parents, but entertaining your parent is not hard. You only need to engage them in some productive activities. 

Mothers are easy to please, but fathers are a bit different. Especially those who have just retired from their job. It is not unnatural or strange; if anyone is asked to stay home after a long period, it will irritate him.

Do not forget to call them.

People feel insecure once they get old, to make them feel empowered, just like they did to make you strong; you should call them regularly. Especially if you have a mother, do not skip a day; even a 10-minute call can make her day. Staying away and unconcerned can break their heart, as no parent expects such an aloof behavior from their beloved child.

Empathize with them 

Think like a friend; you are now a grown-up. Being an adult, you can easily understand the problems and issues your parents must be facing. Do not try to force them to stay happy and positive; aging is a series of several losses, so negativity is a natural phenomenon.  

Plan the parties for them

Just like your kid, your parents also need to feel special once in a while. You can plan a retirement party and send the retirement party invites to your parents’ house to give them a surprise or plan your father’s 60th birthday. 

The same goes for the birthday, design a wonderful birthday invitation with a photograph of your parent when he was young, or you can simply pick up from the trending 60th birthday invites . Whatever you do, make sure that the invitation must go like a surprise; surprises can make them happy.   

Show them the world 

Do not let them feel as if they are useless and cannot understand the new world. Take them with you when you are out to explore some new things. Do not forget that they were the ones who taught you everything. 

Say, if your parents are not aware of social media, you must tell them what it is and how they can engage with it and politely teach them so that they may not feel left out. It will create a sense of reliability and self-confidence in them.

Help them find their potential 

Ask your parents what they wanted to become, say if someone’s parents wanted to become a swimmer, then you must admit them to a swimming school. Tell them that it is never too late. They can still explore their potentials, and it is the right time to fulfill their dreams. Always think that they left their ambitions only because they wanted you to succeed in life, and their old age is the time to repay.  

Let them join clubs 

Ask them to stay social and active, not be a bossy or authoritarian person; instead, tell them the benefits of joining certain groups. Show them some impressive examples and let them understand the effects. 

Plan the get-togethers

Most parents tend to leave their friends because they are unable to find time for the social circle. Now, when you are settled, and your parents are free, it is the perfect time to reconnect with their friends. You can organize meetings and surprise parties for your parents and invite all their friends. This way, they will meet the old people who will ultimately make them feel young at heart.

Do not discuss petty matters.

If you want your parents to stay healthy, do not share things that can stress them out. Only share those incidents that are serious, and you need their guidance to sort out the matter.

Help them deal with any pain

Older parents are prone to all sorts of chronically painful issues throughout the body. Typically, they suffer from arthritis – particularly in joints like the shoulders and hips. So, you can make them feel a lot happier if you help them deal and cope with these pains. Try to find out what is the best treatment for arthritis in the shoulder, hips, wrists, neck – wherever the pain may be! If you can come to them with solutions or ideas to ease the pain, it will make their lives so much better. They can do more things, feel more independent, and might become more active.

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Tips for Balancing Remote Work and Full-Time Parenting During COVID-19

August 27, 2020 by Leave a Comment

The following is a guest post. All opinions are those of the author and not necessarily those of us here at HSWT. Thank you!

By: Sheyla Scaffo, People Experience Associate & Executive Business Administrator at Bunny Studio

Many parents are currently navigating an entirely new normal: Working from home while taking care of their kids full-time. As school picks back up and many kids remain at home for remote learning, figuring out how to balance their schedule and a full-time job sometimes feels totally unmanageable.

Most parents have had experience working remotely in one-off, unplanned situations. However, working at home day in and day out for the foreseeable future while also caring for (and in some cases, teaching) kids at home proves to be a major struggle without careful planning where needed and flexibility when possible.

Read on to learn how to create better routines and habits that can help parents maintain a healthy work-life integration:

1. When possible, keep things flexible
This is often easier said than done. However, when you do have the ability, consider getting creative with your work schedule to base your hours around your kids’ schedules. Giving yourself the flexibility to work differently during this time is crucial to maintaining work-life balance.

This can work in a variety of ways. For example, if you’re an early morning person or a night owl, or you are used to commuting a long way, consider working on projects during these times when kids are usually sleeping. Of course, there will always be vital tasks and meetings that require collaboration with your colleagues during regular work hours, but finding ways to give yourself time for small breaks during the day will help you and your kids stay on track.

2. Establish a kid-free zone
There will be times when you need to hunker down and complete work items free from distractions, which is why it is important to establish an area of the house where you can separate yourself from your family.

Not only is it important for this space to be free from other people, but it also needs to be free from other distractions such as dirty laundry and other messes. Keeping the area clean and organized will keep you from wanting to disengage from work to complete other tasks.

3. Clearly communicate with your family
If you have a partner who is also working from home and sharing kid duties with you, it is crucial to communicate the times you can and cannot help out during the day. Setting these expectations will allow for a much smoother daily routine.

It is also important to communicate with your children if they are old enough. Set expectations for when there will be breaks in your day that you can check-in, whether it be a quick snack break, lunch, or even hourly check-ins.

4. Utilize special toys and screen time during work hours
Set aside designated toys and other gadgets, as well as movies or TV shows, to be used when you need to focus-in during the day. This will give your kids something to look forward to and will allow for some distraction-free work time.
 
5. Don’t overwork
During this time, it can be easy to feel like we need to push ourselves to work extra hours, but the reality is that taking the time to unplug and reset each day is critical to success as a parent and an employee.

With schools and offices closed, parents are likely finding themselves faced with a to-do list that has only grown. Although many of us have now had a few months to settle into fully-remote work, that does not mean keeping up with distance-learning while figuring out the best way to accomplish your work has gotten any easier. Designing a schedule that fits your needs is easier said than done, but following the above tips should help ensure you are on the right track.

Should you find yourself out of work during this time, consider that there are other work options out there, such as freelance and contract work, that may help you meet your scheduling and finance needs. Freelancing is also a great source of supplemental income for people while they look for new full-time employment.

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How to take care of your diet while traveling

August 8, 2020 by 2 Comments

Beautifully Balanced Meal in Hocking Hills, Ohio

How to take care of diet while travelling?

If it’s on a business trip or a vacation, even the most seasoned traveller can lose their portion of nutrition. Being away from home and away from the routine is a powerful temptation to overdo, overeat, and neglect caution. 

Believe me; if we feel hectic due to some work, we can be satisfied with a simple, refreshing drink of plain water. If we want to be hydrated, water is an excellent source to keep energetic and healthy. Here is the comparison of ultimate guide for weight loss between Paleo and Keto diets. Do check for the better understanding

The phrase “If you are not healthy, you have nothing” rings more than ever, especially when you are away.

Make healthy eating while on vacation a goal by sticking as much as possible to a healthy diet routine, like Atkins diet.

Without eating for a long time, your work is not good because of having less energy. Follow the golden rule of eating something every 2-3 hours. It doesn’t have to be a lot, just a handful of nuts or a small pot of yogurt to keep hunger at bay.

Getting ready is your first step. You can always enjoy nutritious food on the go.

Ready for more? We’ve many tips for you to make your life healthy and energetic.

IN THE CAR:

It always happens. While travelling, always avoid junk food. Instead, have some light food with you like snacks and meals. It makes you fresh and energetic. Here are some foods to eat on a road trip:

  • Yogurt
  • Hummus and celery or baby carrots
  • Sandwiches
  • Boiled eggs
  • Quinoa and black bean salad

 IN THE PLANE:

While most airlines don’t offer healthy food options, you can always plan to meet your healthy eating goals. For long-haul flights, ask the airline for a special meal in advance – kosher and vegetarian are a particular favourite!

 Without wasting money on junk food or fast food at the airport on board, you can save time and money by getting ready. Traveling with simple food and a water source going is easy for us as both make us energetic for a long journey.

Consider these healthy options the next time you’re on a plane, so when the flight attendant arrives and hands you bag of pretzels, you can look for these healthy snack alternatives:

  • Hummus
  • Homemade trail mix (raisins, sunflower seeds, almonds, walnuts)
  • Rice cakes with almond butter
  • Whole fruit

IN THE HOTEL:

Find out in advance if there is a supermarket nearby. The good news is that there are supermarkets everywhere! Ask the hotel staff for some suggestions. To avoid spoiling, you can request a refrigerator and microwave oven. Store your hotel refrigerator to have snacks on hand when you have those late-night snacks.

  • Milk
  • Pre-cut vegetables (carrots, peppers, cucumbers, celery)
  • soft bread
  • Whole grain
  • Brown paper bags and microwave popcorn

BY THE SHORE:

When on a beach do not forget to have good meal.

Get a healthy dose of lean protein like eggs or tofu and add veggies to your plate. You must include some very healthy food options:

  • Green cabbage wraps
  • Whole wheat pasta salad
  • Poached eggs
  • Whole-grain cookies
  • Sushi
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Why do the Jewish People dip the challah bread in salt during Sabbath meal

July 27, 2020 by Leave a Comment

If you have ever attended a Sabbath ceremony, you must have noticed that before serving the challah bread, Jews first dip it in the salt. You may have thought that as salt is a natural taste enhancer, that’s why they dip the bread in the salt. But your guess is not correct and there is even a deeper significance behind this practice which we will tell you in this post. 

Why it is important to keep a silver salt cellar full of salt on the Sabbath table?

In addition to the dipping ritual, it is also important to keep a silver salt cellar full of salt on the Sabbath table. At first, before having our meal, we wash our hands, sit on the Sabbath table quietly and wait for others to do the same. As per the direction mentioned in Midrash, while we wait between washing and blessing over the bread, a person should not speak. During this time, the satan or the prosecuting angel attempts to draw our attention, and the presence of salt on the Sabbath table keeps us protected. 

This presence of salt is also named as ‘Covenant of salt’. But why it is called by such name? It is because salt is a natural preservative that does not spoil or decay. Due to this uniqueness of salt, it acts as an ideal metaphor for G-d’s everlasting covenant with the believers of the Jewish religion.

A mythological explanation behind this practice:

As per the Kabbalah, bread, which represents life, is the symbol of divine kindness. On the other side, salt, which is bitter, is the symbol of sacred harshness. In the Hebrew language, salt is called as ‘melach’, and the name of bread is ‘lechem’. So, both the names consist of similar letters. In addition, we must overrule the harshness of salt with the divine kindness of bread. That is why, the general Jewish custom states not to sprinkle the salt over the bread, but to dip the bread in the salt, which means kindness in the top of harshness.

In addition, often religious Jews follow a custom where they dunk the bread three times in the salt kept in a silver salt cellar. One possible explanation is that the numerical value of salt is 78. When you divide it by 3, it becomes equals to 26, which is the numerical value of the name of G-d ( Tetragrammaton).

The process of dipping bread into the salt:

The ’breaking of bread’ ritual contains several steps. First, you need to cover the challah bread with a cloth and when everyone is ready, you should uncover it. Then the person who would read the blessings chooses a challah which he would cut first. Then he makes a gentle knife scratch over the challah with the help of a knife. After that, he chants the blessings over the challah raising challot. Then before distributing the challah to everyone, he dips the marked challah into the salt. 

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Travel romance – keeping it going long distance

July 16, 2020 by 1 Comment

The following is a guest post. The experience and opinions are those of the author. 

 

When I was perhaps 13 or 14 years old, my family began to plan a family vacation. We’d only been away as a family once before, and I hadn’t gotten along with my brother, so I wasn’t all too enthralled at the prospect of sharing a room with him again. However, this time, my parents recognised that my elder brother didn’t want me hanging around, and we were both told we could bring a friend. This was AMAZING news. 

I immediately called my best friend and the arrangements were made. We talked about the prospect of meeting our first girlfriends and our minds ran away with an infatuation for people we hadn’t met yet. As it turned out, the holiday was a bit of a swing and a miss by all accounts. We had a very normal amount of fun, but mostly we just got sunburnt and sat alone at the hotel, too young to experience the nightlife and too old for the cheesy hotel entertainment. 

My brother did meet someone, though, and they kept in touch. The weeks ran into months and the months ran into years and before long, they were both 19 years old and had saved a little money and they decided to meet. My parents supported this and offered to send money if needed (which is complicated overseas if you don’t know how – check out 6 Best Money Transfer Services To Send Money Internationally for more answers).

After one meeting, it fell apart. But they tried. What could they have done differently? Let’s find out…

Don’t overdo it

People in long distance relationships often try to compensate for the distance by engaging in excessive amounts of communication. There simply isn’t that much to say in one day. And your backstory is going to wear thin if you lean on it too much. 

The trick is to tease the conversation into the light at the right points, and not to rely on the mere quantity of words to make things appear interesting. 

Mix up the media

Chat groups are boring. Everyone knows this. 17 people in one group, forced to read the inane chit-chat of two people talking about a band they like. BUT, if that chat had photos, links, reaction videos and creative images, the conversation would come alive and all 17 people would be locked in. Bear this in mind the next time you’re 56 messages into a chat that’s going nowhere. 

Do things together (virtually)

Gaming, watching the latest Netflix documentary, playing instruments, cooking, even walking in the park on a video chat … it all helps to break the boredom of couch texting and keeps feeling a little more real.

And after all that, meet up, get married, and have five kids. Because if that was never the plan, why were you bothering in the first place. Happy dating!

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AA Breakdown Cover: A Friend in Need to Ensure you a Safe Journey

May 22, 2020 by Leave a Comment

While you are on the go, your vehicle can breakdown, due to mechanical problem and these situations can be really frustrating, especially when it occurs at an inconvenient time. You may have to wait for a considerable amount of time to find help or search for a mechanic with the least hope of possibility to find an actual one nearby. So basically, vehicle problems on the move can create sudden difficulty along with imposing a mental and financial strain.

AA Breakdown Cover is the perfect solution to address this issue effectively. Here, in this post, you will find all the important information related to AA breakdown cover. To know more, keep reading.

What is AA Breakdown Cover?

AA breakdown cover gives you peace of mind while you are travelling, providing you with roadside assistance in case you break down. The name ‘AA’ originates from the parent insurer organisation Automobile Association Developments Limited that provides insurance for vehicles under the trade name of AA breakdown services. After purchasing, you are covered immediately, and you will get an AA membership card within 28 days. However, AA offers its services only within the UK, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. 

How to contact in case of breakdown:

If you have AA membership and your car breaks down on the road, you can directly dial the emergency AA breakdown number for assistance 24*7. After dialing, provide them your membership number and pinpoint your exact location. Representatives from AA will arrive as early as possible and try to repair your vehicle on the spot. If it becomes difficult to repair on the spot, they will take your car to the nearby registered garage and provide you alternate transport.

Basic features of AA breakdown cover:

Roadside assistance: If your car breaks down more than 0.25 miles from your residence, AA will provide roadside assistance where they will try to fix your car on the spot. If unable, they will repair your car on the nearby AA affiliated garage and provide transportation for up to 7 passengers.

Relay: It means AA will recover you wherever you are within the UK, if they fail to recover your car on the spot or provide a quick nearby repair. This is valid 24*7, right after opening your account with AA.

Home start: This benefit is the same as roadside assistance, except it covers your vehicle if you are within 0.25 miles of your home. 

Types of vehicles that AA covers:

  1. i) Vehicles irrespective of its age or mileage come under AA cover.
  2. ii) The maximum weight limit for vehicles is 3,500 kg.

iii) The breadth of the vehicles should not cross 2.55 m.

  1. iv) The vehicle types that AA cover includes are car, bike, minibus, caravan, motor home, etc.
  2. v) If you use your vehicle for passenger, goods delivery, or for commercial purposes, you will not come under parts and garage cover.
  3. vi) If you have requirements of cover for a business fleet of vehicles, you can opt for business breakdown cover.

Reasons why you should choose AA breakdown coverage:

  1. i) AA has a remarkable customer satisfaction rate. More than 95% of customer reviews recommended AA.
  2. ii) Independent quality evaluation organization Defaqto has awarded it with 5 stars.

iii) AA is the biggest breakdown company in the UK, with strong manpower of 2,900 mechanics.

  1. iv) On average, they fix 8 cars out of 10 on the spot.
  2. v) The skilled experts of AA rescue someone in every 9 seconds.

 

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How to increase Plant-Based foods in your eating plan #huel

May 19, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Plant-based eating not only provides health benefits, it’s good for the environment too. Having a diet rich in plant-based sources is becoming increasingly common, especially with younger generations driving the conversation around sustainability.

Relying on plant-based foods as a primary food source can have a massive effect, and if we all choose plant-based options even a few times a week, we can change the world. The greatest journey starts with the smallest step.

What is a plant-based diet?
A plant-based diet is a diet that consists mainly of foods from plants. Such foods include fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains. Meat intake is minimal if any.

There are many reasons why people eat a plant-based diet including environmental, ethical and health concerns. I am not suggesting to eliminate meat from a person’s diet completely, however, reducing meat and animal food consumption is one of the quickest and simple ways an individual can reduce their carbon footprint.

What foods should we eat to achieve daily recommended nutrients, vitamins, minerals on a plant-based diet?
There are some easy ways to ensure, with a plant-based diet, you can get the recommended amounts of all nutrients:
–       Eat the rainbow.
As different color foods usually contain different levels of nutrients, it’s important to eat a variety. For example, the phytonutrient, lycopene which is an antioxidant that protects against cell damage and gives tomatoes its red color. While carotenoids, another group of antioxidants, give fruits and vegetables orange and yellow colors, such as carrots.

–       Get enough Vitamin B12.
Vitamin B12, which plays a vital role in helping the body produce red blood cells can usually be perceived as tricky to get enough of with a plant-based diet. The good news is, it’s really not. As a start, try incorporating plant-based milks that are that are fortified with B12, and calcium and vitamin D. Cereals, meat alternatives and some soy products are often fortified with B12 too. Taking a B12 supplement also rids any concerns.

–       Ensure adequate omega-3 consumption.
If oily fish is not part of your eating plan, then foods such as walnuts, soy and flaxseed are ways to ensure adequate omega 3 consumption. Flaxseed is one of Huel’s six main ingredients and contains the omega-3 essential fatty acid ALA. Omega-3 fats are generally low in a Western diet and adequate omega-3 consumption is important to support cardiovascular health.

–       Keep your iron up
Iron is not just found in meat food sources. Dark leafy greens, nuts and dried fruits are great sources of iron. Iron is crucial for oxygen transport, cognitive function and the immune system. Iron from plant sources can be harder to absorb, but again, there’s no need to worry. Iron absorption can also be increased by the presence of vitamin C which is found in lots of fruits and vegetables such as oranges and peppers. It’s where the idea of having orange juice with breakfast comes from – to increase the iron that is added to cereals.

Huel contains 280% of the nutrient reference value using only plant sources. Although this looks high, it’s to account for the bioavailability of iron and it’s interaction with other nutrients, which can also affect its absorption.

How do you transition to plant-based eating?
Whether your motivation to increase plant-based foods to your eating plan is to improve your health or environmental footprint, incorporating higher amounts of plant-based foods can be achievable.
–       Make small changes over time.
Start by eating one plant-based meal a day. This will be easier to stick with rather than making large, unsustainable changes overnight. If preparing a nutritious meal in the middle of the day is not easily achievable, and your nearby lunchtime corner shop leaves you limited with health plant-based or vegan options, then Huel is a good convenient and nutritious meal option. It’s a nutritionally complete meal providing all 27 essential vitamins and minerals with an ideal macronutrient split, with good quality carbohydrates, fats and protein.

–       Make some easy fridge swaps.
A good place to start is by swapping dairy milk with almond or oat milk such as Oatly.  The rapidly growing plant-based meat industry lead by Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods is also providing shoppers with plenty of options.

–       Change your mindset.
Instead of thinking, “I can’t eat meat,” think about all the wonderful things you can eat and how beneficial these are for your health (and the planet). Stop focussing on meat as the hero on your plate and rather, build your plate with new and nutritious food choices.

Huel was co-founded by James Collier, Registered Nutritionist with 20 years experience with the national health service in the UK. James is a renowned nutrition expert with over 25 years working in nutrition and dietetics. His experience also includes working in the NHS (UK) as a clinical dietitian covering an array of clinical areas.

Huel’s mission is to make nutritionally complete, convenient, affordable food, with minimum impact on animals and the environment. With this in mind, Huel’s products are 100% vegan.

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