Tips&Tricks

Genes run the show, they say. Everything that we are or who our kids become, the argument goes, is written in our genetic code. While clearly untrue, such deterministic view does bear legitimacy when it comes to detecting a child’s potential for, say, a sports career.

Benefits of Getting Your Children’s DNA Tested

Modern technology has made it possible to scan the landscape and read the transcript of our DNA. Height potential, memory performance, overweight potential; all of these can be glimpsed at by taking a simple DNA test. The benefits of testing your child’s DNA test are aplenty, of which we extract a few.

Discovering Your Kid’s Talent

The point of taking a DNA test may be to discover, or rather, uncover a natural disposition towards certain skill, talents included. Learning about your kid’s genetic advantages gives you an opportunity to play on those advantages and provide them a life path that’s in accordance with their genetic strengths.

Your kid may be destined for a sports career, or to become a successful singer. But be it as it may, it’s all about the potential here; the awareness that potential exists is the first step towards realizing it.

Getting Ahead of Your Kids Personality Traits

There is a gene, COMP it’s called, whose variants determine our susceptibility to stress and our ability to cope with it. One variant points towards emotional sensitivity while the other is responsible for good stress resistance.

Your child’s genetic makeup is responsible for his/her personality traits. Resistance to stress is only one of them, proneness towards addiction another. Early awareness on these things will later help you in raising your kid while respecting who they are in the process.

Detecting Any Potential Health Issue

This is big. Each stage in child’s development comes laden with potential health issues which cause much stress in both parents and kids. Knowing about them early on can help you prepare for or prevent those problems. The areas where the DNA testing may be of huge help are as follows:

• Allergies: yeah, spring time may not mean joy for all of us. Cats, too. Proneness to allergies is written in genotypes, and information on it the key for taking preventive action.
• Food Tolerance: lactose or fructose, some people have a hard time processing one of these two natural sugars. Again, taking preventive action or adjusting the lifestyle is only possible if we have the necessary information.
• Overweight Risk: numbers don’t lie, overweight is a growing problem throughout the world, and the one way to fight it is being aware of its risk.
• Immunity: as a natural protection from diseases, immunity is also predetermined by the DNA. Any potential weakness in the immune system can be addressed by adjusting the diet and lifestyle.

Think of your child’s genetic structure as a handful of cards from the deck. It is what it is. You can wade through life giving chance more prominent spot, or you can take matter in your own hands and learn the strengths of each card individually in order to play them better. It’s up to you.

If you think getting your children’s DNA tested is right for your family there are often deals and discounts available for first time customers. Before you order shop around Ancestry.com, MyHeritage DNA or look for a 23andMe discount to find the right service at the best price.

Whether you are back at work because you are trying to have a career or you had to go back because of financial reasons, you will definitely agree with me that work life balance is not a simple task. Even if you are a mom (or dad) working from home, like me, you will often feel that you just can’t handle everything. Work and family life just keep interfering with each other and it just seems like you can’t get the balance you want. Well, I guess that is just a modern motherhood.

Work Life Balance tips

What was really surprising for me is that only 13 percent of moms feels guilty because they work. I thought the number would be much higher since I’ve heard from lots of friends that they feel like a bad mothers because they are going back to work after having a baby.

I work from home and I often feel judged because my daughter is going to the kindergarten. Lots of people think that she should stay at home with me. While I am working. Wow. How would that look like? I am working from home, that doesn’t mean that I am not working. Regardless, I want to get some balance in my life and this infographic just read my mind with work life balance tips!

This infographic about work life balance tips from Serenata Flowers has some amazing work life balance tips and tricks for busy parents. I love all of them and I hope this will help me to find some work life balance and have more time for my daughter without being less productive on my job. Isn’t that something we are all looking for? Juggling work and kids can be a challenge for every parent, why wouldn’t we get some help? Read this, I think you will love these work life balance tips as much as I do!

Oh my, I didn’t even know I need a guide for washing baby clothes until I was pregnant. I realized then that I can’t just wash Nela’s clothes same way I do ours. I was looking for some basic rules and I stumbled upon one great infographic that I had to share with my readers. You will find 7 easy steps here on how to wash baby clothes. I think every parent will appreciate this!

How To Wash Baby Clothes

Read the instructions

Oh yes, you already know this.. But, do you know how many parents don’t even read the instructions? Most of them! I have to admit that was my mistake also. I never read that, even with my clothes.
Why should you do that? The fabric of your baby clothes may need some special treatmant and you won’t know that until you read the instructions.

Sort your baby clothing

There are multiple different ways you can separate clothing. White, light and dark colors – they should all be sorted out and you should wash them separately. The other way you can sort them is: cold and warm water. Pick your favorite.

Well, I should not reveal everything. If you want to read more instruction, then check out this awesome infographic from 10exposed.com.

If you start immediately to breastfeed your baby with the bottle or if you decide to stop breastfeeding, please read our guide.

Breastfeeding has many advantages: good for your child and is the most practical solution because it lets you get the milk ready anytime, anywhere. But do not let anyone make you feel guilty if you decide not to breastfeed. In the early months of life, your child must avoid any kind of stress. The formula also guarantees the right nutrition for your child and, instead of breastfeeding, you will get help from your partner.

Clearly breastfeeding with bottle feeding will require a bit more organized because you prepare the milk, wash and sterilize the bottle. Before deciding, talk to your pediatrician or your doctor. You can read more on top 10 baby bottle sterilizers to get a proper idea how they work.

If you decide to go with the bottle feeding, do it gradually unless the change does not happen in the early days of the child. A sudden change could mean an accumulation of milk in the breasts, a problem that causes annoying problems such as mastitis.

Equipment:

• At least six bottles and teats six. It is useful to try some of the many models available in the shops and choose the most suitable for your child.
• Sterilization: chemical or steam (or microwave electric)
• Brush for the bottle
• Formula: choose the type suitable for your child, ask advice to your friends or your relatives. If you think your child does not like the type of milk you choose, ask your pediatrician.

Other instruments:

• Pitcher
• Bottle
• Bags of formula
• Thermal Bag

Preparation

When preparing the formula for your child, please follow the instructions. Add too much milk powder changes the water composition and this means that you give your child too much protein, fat, carbohydrates, and salt. You can buy bags of pre-measured to give you the certainty of it right proportions. The artificial milk ready is clearly much more practical, but also much more expensive.

Always pour water first and then add the powder to get the composition right. Using a sterile knife to level the powder in the measuring cup. Shake well to dissolve all the powder.

Children prefer to drink warm milk rather than cold. You can cool the milk too hot dipping in a pot of cold water. If you kept the bottle in the fridge, heat it by immersing it in a pot of hot water. In any case, shake the bottle well and check the temperature by pouring a few drops of milk on her wrist. Remember to be lukewarm.

The infant formula, ready or prepared with the powder, can be stored in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Be sure to cool the milk quickly freshly prepared (e.g. by soaking in a pan of ice water) and put it in the fridge if it is to be used later.

Never store hot milk. It is necessary to cool it and store it at low temperatures (e.g., in a cooler) and then heats it when you breastfeed your baby. You can also pour boiling water in a sterile bottle and prepare the milk when it is time for feeding. In stores, you’ll find pockets of heat to the formula that are useful for keeping the right temperature.

Important: it is not advisable to warm the bottle in the microwave. The bottle may heat unevenly and be dangerous for the child.

Breast-feeding with bottle feeding

• Get your child in his arms and tilt the bottle so the nipple is always full of milk. In this way prevent it from swallowing air, which is often a cause of colic. Sometimes the milk will end in an instant, and sometimes they suck calmly to prolong feeding.
• ISE ends of the teats sticking together, preventing the milk out, remove it for a few seconds the baby’s mouth to allow it to resume its original shape.
• If the child is agitated, crying or refusing the bottle, you may need to burp. Then gently lift and place it upright.
• Learn to recognize when your child no longer wants to eat: You’ll notice that not more greedily suck and if you try to remove the bottle does not complain. Give more milk is not to say lengthen the interval between feedings.
• Do not let your child drink from a bottle only because it could choke.
• After feeding discard the remaining milk. Do not keep it or heat it again.

How to clean the bottle

The hygiene of bottle is essential. Follow these rules to ensure maximum hygiene:

• All equipment used must be sterilized after each feeding until your child turns one year to reduce the risk of gastrointestinal infections.
• Rinse the bottle with cold water, then wash it with hot water using a brush and very little detergent. Then again, rinse the bottle and teat always with hot water. Before sterilization, the bottles and teats must be clean. Check the light to verify that there are no traces of milk that would neutralize the effectiveness of sterilization.
• You can use a chemical sterilizer or a vaporizer, but in any case, follow carefully the instructions on the product instructions.
• After completing the steps correctly, the bottles will remain sterile for 24 hours if refrigerated. To dry the bottle sterilized using a clean cloth.
• Before touching the bottle and sterilized to prepare the milk, wash hands thoroughly.

Are you planning to take your kids outside to the beach or the pool this summer? Do you love to spend time in the park with your children? If so, you will need to make sure your family is protected in the sun.

Did you know that skin cancer is one of the most common cancers around? Skin cancer accounts for about one-third of all cancers across the globe. This is why annual skin cancer checkups are imperative to look out for early warning signs of this disease.

To keep your kids safe in the sun, take a look at our top five tips for keeping your family  and their skin protected from the dangers of the sun.

Slather on that sunscreen

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest that you put on sunscreen with an SPF 15 or higher. You will also want to make sure that your sunscreen has UVA and UVB protection. Don’t forget to reapply that sunscreen after you’ve gone swimming in the pool or ocean.

Wear hats and sit outside in the shade

Don’t forget to put on a hat before you go outside. Make sure all your little kiddos also have wide-brimmed hats on. Be sure to stick fishing areas when going outside such as sitting under a tree.

Cover up with clothing and wear sunglasses

Another great idea is to make sure everyone in your family wears long-sleeved shirts or long pants when it is very sunny outside. This will keep their skin protected from the sun. And don’t forget to put on sunglasses to keep your face and eyes protected from the sun.

Try to stay indoors in the late morning and mid-afternoon

You will need to limit your children’s time outdoors between the hours of 10 AM to 4 PM. During this time period, the sun’s rays are at their strongest levels. This is when your skin may experience the greatest damage.

Talk to teachers and camp counselors about skin health

You will also want to check in with your children’s teachers, coaches and camp counselors to make sure that they follow guidelines about skin health. Be sure that other adults taking care of your children know the best tips for keeping your child’s skin healthy.

If you follow these tips and make sure your family gets regular checkups from a primary care doctor, your children will lead a more healthy life and their skin should be free of sunburns and other skin problems. Your kids will thank you for it!

3 Ways Your Kids Can Bond with Their Grandparents

Did you know that more families today are living in households with both grandparents and grandchildren under one roof? For example, in 2008, 49 million Americans or 16.1 percent of the population lived in a household with two adult generations or a grandparent and another generation, according to a Pew Research Center poll.

But what if your parents don’t live with you and reside in an assisted living community instead? If so, it’s more important than ever for your children to establish a great relationship with their grandparents. Creating a strong bond will help grandchildren learn a lot more from their grandmas and grandpas!

Take a look below to learn about the top three activities that grandparents can do with their grandkids. Keep reading to better understand what your parents can teach your kids.

Storytelling and reading books

One way grandparents can bond with their grandsons or granddaughters is by reading educational children’s books and telling them stories about their past.

Through this process, you can really teach kids about history. You can tell them about growing up in the 1950s and 1960s. You can discuss civil rights protests and the Vietnam war. Your grandkids will love your stories and will be happy to learn directly from you instead of a schoolbook.

Play musical instruments with your grandkids (or take up other hobbies!)

Older adults that have a hobby such as playing a musical instrument can bond over it with their grandson or granddaughter. Even a rudimentary knowledge of the piano or a guitar can lead to a great bonding experience with grandkids.

Other hobbies are also encouraged. If your kids love to bake, encourage your mom to bake some cookies or brownies with your kids. If your dad likes woodworking or gardening, tell your son or daughter to give him a hand.

Teach grandkids new games  

Do you want to get your kids away from their video games or their smartphones? Then sit them down with your parents and play some cards! There’s plenty of great boardgames like Monopoly that can fill up an afternoon as well.

If your kids leave their video games behind and spend some time with their grandparents, they may learn they love playing cards!

These activities will be a great way for your parents to bond with their grandkids. Storytelling and reading children’s books will help your kids learn about history. Playing music or taking up another hobby will also help your kids become well-rounded.