Tag Archives: parenting

Going Healthy, Going Strong, Health, Life, Lifestyle, Parenting

7 Outdoor Activities to do as a Family

12/22/2021 R.C. Liley Leave a comment

outdoor, activities, family hiking, parenting, fatherhood, dad, active, health, fitness, exercise

Spending time together as a family is so important. In order to create those lifelong bonds and memories, you have to get out there and make those moments. However, finding suitable activities for everyone to enjoy can be difficult, especially if age differences get in the way. To overcome these issues, here are seven outdoor activities that everyone in the family will enjoy.

1. A Family Hike

Get on your sneakers and head out for a fun-filled family adventure. Family hikes are a great way to spend quality time together while also exploring the sights and beauty of nature. Research the trails near you and set a date to embark on a family hike together. It’s important to encourage your kids to get outside!

Make sure to cover up in bug spray, bring water, and take a first aid kit with you. Adventure calls for safety! If you plan to stop for a home-packed lunch, make sure to pack up your food in an insulated lunch bag to keep things cool as you hike.

2. Family Picnic And Game Night

Start creating a list of board games that everyone in your family will enjoy. Once you’ve narrowed down some choices, set up a schedule to make time for family time with a routine game night at a park. Sit down at a picnic table and enjoy some friendly competition with the people you love.

Pro tip: Outdoor family game night is best spent over a barbeque, so get ready to grill and game!

3. Family Nature Walks

Find a trail nearby with plenty of natural scenery. Gather up your crew and head out for some family bonding with a family walk to collect interesting items found outdoors. Little kids might enjoy collecting pine cones or rocks, and older kids might like to collect flowers or leaves for their plant pressing kits. For the parents, look for the perfect walking stick to guide your family’s stroll.

4. Geocaching As A Family

Download one of the many geocaching apps, locate your coordinates and head out on a treasure hunt! Make sure to bring a few items along with you to add to the treasure chest once you find it! Geocaching is an outdoor activity that is fun for all ages. All you need is a smartphone and a treasure-seeking spirit!

5. Watch The Stars

Find out when the best stargazing nights are where you live, and set up camp outdoors with the family to watch the stars. You might sit on the roof together or throw some knit blankets down on the flatbed to make stargazing more fun. Bring along some snacks, and don’t forget your binoculars! You do not want to lose those binoculars outdoors, especially if you want to pass them around for others to see the stars, so pick up some binocular straps for people to wear around their neck to stop them from getting lost.

6. Sit Around A Campfire

Grab a firepit and gather around the campfire in your backyard. Bring some marshmallows and smores ingredients for even more family fun. Tell ghost stories, listen to dad play the guitar, or look out for fireflies as they zoom through the night sky. Make it a night to remember!

7. Play Some Basketball

Whether you have a basketball hoop at home or a favorite outdoor basketball court, take the family out on the weekend and play basketball together. Some fun family games include Horse, Scramble, and Keep Away! You don’t even need to keep score to have a good time.

The Bottom Line

There are plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy doing together as a family. As long as everyone is having fun, the outdoor family adventures you choose are perfect! Consider the ideas above for inspiration, and most of all, think about the activities your family enjoys the most.

Lifestyle, Parenting, Tips

A Guide to Bonding With Your Kids

12/21/2021 R.C. Liley Leave a comment

Every family is different, but there are some universal truths. One of those truths is that kids need attention from their parents to feel loved and secure. Unfortunately, it can be difficult for busy parents who work outside the home or have a demanding career inside the house to find time for themselves, let alone their children. That’s why this article has six tips on how you can bond with your child without having to leave them alone.

kids playing soccer outside, bonding, sports, parenting, active, healthy

Pexels

Travel Together

One of the best ways to bond with your kids is to travel together. Seeing new places and exploring different cultures can create memories that will last a lifetime. Not only will you get to spend quality time with your children, but you’ll also teach them about the world around them.

There are many different types of trips you can take with your family. You can go on a camping trip in the wilderness, visit ancient ruins in Europe, or explore the beaches of Hawaii. No matter where you go or what you do, you’ll be creating memories that your children will never forget. So get out there and start exploring the world with your kids. They’ll love it, and so will you.

Learn From Each Other

One way to bond with your kids is by learning from each other. Whether you are a mom or dad, you have a lot to offer your children. They can learn from your experiences, and you can learn from theirs. This is a great way to create a closer relationship with your kids and help them grow up feeling loved and supported.

Take the time to listen to what they say and be open to their perspectives. Let them know that you value their input and want to hear more about their lives. By doing this, you will show them that you care about them and want to build a strong relationship with them.

It might seem silly or unimportant, but teaching your child topics like financial investments or working with companies like Nursing Home Law Center, may help them in the long run.

Catch Up on Each Other’s Lives

One of the most important ways to bond with your kids is by asking them about their lives. That can be hard if you are not used to doing this, but it will help you get closer and learn more about each other.

Make sure to ask open-ended questions that will get your kids talking. Some good examples include, “What was the best part of your day?” and “What are you looking forward to tomorrow?” You may be surprised by some of the answers that you receive.

Try Out New Activities

One way to bond with your kids is by trying out new activities together. This can be something as simple as going for a walk in the park, playing a game of tag, or making a pizza together.

You can create memories and shared experiences that will last a lifetime by doing something different. Plus, it’s a great way to get some exercise too.

Cook Together

Make cooking fun by having your kids help you. By letting them participate in the meal, they will be more interested and feel like a more significant part of it all. It is also a great way to bond with your children while preparing meals together.

Let them help out as much as possible when prepping for dinner or making breakfast so that you can have some quality time with them before everyone heads off to their busy day.

Help Them Study

One of the best ways to bond with your kids and help them study is sitting down with them and working on their homework together. This activity can be an excellent way for you to help them stay on track, and it can also be a fun bonding experience. If your child gets stuck on a problem, don’t be afraid to offer some advice, but make sure you let them try to work it out themselves first.

That’s an important lesson in itself. And if they end up getting the problem wrong, don’t criticize or scold them – help them figure out where they went wrong so that they can learn from their mistake. Homework time can also be an excellent opportunity to ask your kids about what’s going on in their lives and find out what they’re interested in.

Conclusion

There are many different ways to bond with your kids, and what works for one family might not work for another. But by trying out other methods and being open to new experiences, you can create strong bonds that will last a lifetime. So get out there and have some fun with your little ones.

Life, Lifestyle, Parenting, Tips

Advice For New Dads During Pregnancy

12/20/2021 R.C. Liley Leave a comment

There is a saying that goes, a woman becomes a mother when she finds out she’s pregnant, a man becomes a father when the baby is born. While this may go some way to explain why some men find it difficult to accept their new role during their partner’s pregnancy, and then suddenly come to life when the baby has arrived, it’s not entirely true for everyone.

Also, no one really knows why that is, but it is thought to have its roots in human behavior and evolution.

Supposedly when we were still cavemen, competition for reproduction was rife and so females would copulate with many of the males and it was only at the birth of the child where similarities in features could be found that men knew who was the father of the offspring.

As unreliable as this system might have been, it’s all they had at the time, and as such females were largely left alone or under the care of other females until the birth of the child.

Thankfully, men have abandoned (most) of their neanderthal ways since then and the modern dad to have endless support and resources at his disposal to be the best partner possible before the baby arrives. For some advice on how to do that after the baby arrives, click here.

holding pregnant belly to feel baby, fatherhood, dad, new dad, parenting, marriage, kids, husband, wife

Image By Bgmfotografia

BREAKING NEWS

From the moment you find out about your partner’s pregnancy, be the dad you want to be. This means that after the initial freakout (and you have a little bit of leeway here – but you need to snap back quick!), you need to put her at the center of everything, because from here on out – she is.

Some dads make the mistake of becoming a little overbearing, so take the time to ask your partner what she needs from you. This is one of the few areas that men have left to really step up to the mark, and rely on all of our hardwiring and biological instincts. Remember, that’s half of you in there. You can find loads of good thoughts, here.

KNOW WHAT YOU’RE IN FOR

Your partner is going to undergo some massive changes emotionally and physically, some of these changes are going to impress and amuse you endlessly (her new heightened sense of smell for one), while others are going to challenge your last nerve (mood swings, pregnancy brain, and the ability to fart for the “A” team – do not comment on this – EVER).

The only thing for you to do during this time is to remain patient, calm, and supportive. That’s why you have your friends and your dad. They’ll get it.

COMMUNICATION

Maintaining an easy and open flow of communication during this time is super important, especially if you’re both going to be first-time parents. This includes communication with her healthcare team and understanding any unique healthcare requirements that your partner might have that you’ll need to be a part of. Does she need a pregnancy chiropractor, or is she anemic? Does she experience issues with anxiety or depression and how can you help alleviate some of her discomforts if this is the case?