Why is occasional boredom is good for a child!

Hey readers,

The feeling of boredom among children is beneficial. Even though boredom can be unpleasant, occasionally going through it will equip them with valuable skills. 

The next time they whine about being bored, you can relax knowing that deep down, they're igniting creativity, developing independence, and taking vital breaks. 

 

1. Boredom encourages imagination and creativity.

When kids are left alone, they are compelled to employ more creativity and imagination to occupy themselves.

Allowing kids the freedom to experiment develops their sense of curiosity and discovery and aids in their exploration of what makes them happy. 

Studies have shown that people expected to execute various dull jobs have more imagination when prompted to engage in a creative thinking exercise.

 Kids must learn to take the initiative and come up with pastimes not predetermined by others. It stimulates imagination and creativity.

2. Boredom helps with problem-solving. 

Your children need to develop their problem-solving skills. The ability to solve problems is a crucial life skill, and boredom is a terrific way to practice.

Because they will utilise these abilities to locate activities, kids benefit from boredom.

Say, for illustration, that your children are uninterested because the internet is down. Your children will devise activities until the connection is established using their problem-solving abilities. 

No one needs to know if you accidentally turned off the modem and caused the outage.

3. Boredom makes your child less selfish.

 
They will become accustomed to having their absurd demands met if you consistently give in to them, and they will grow up believing that the world revolves around them. A negative attitude they will continue into adulthood.

Their actions will escalate in aggression, forcing people to accede to their demands.

They will be inspired to devise strategies for dealing with boredom if they see that you won't give in to their unreasonable demands (omit this if your child needs to hug or bond with you or has a medical problem).

Therefore, you and your spouse will have more free time. 

Also, spending enough time with your significant other helps keep your marriage strong, leading to less stress and a happier home life for your children.

4. Being bored can make their childhood happier.

They are more likely to recall the items they built and the memories they formed when they let their imaginations run wild when they reflect on their youth. 

The things they believed they were incapable of doing, the adventures they underwent.

A mind that has more time to think can generate original ideas and innovative thinking.

Kids should occasionally allow their minds to wander. It is lovely for imagination and creativity, but calm introspection also benefits one's mental well-being and ability to connect with oneself. And that influences how people perceive themselves.

Kids should develop their hobbies so they aren't dependent on others to keep them busy. 

Kids must understand that life is not all fun and games. 

There will be a lot of dull moments. They must amuse themselves and create fun.

5. Boredom is suitable for parents too. 

Giving your children some alone time allows you to spend time with your spouse. 

You don't need to wait for your kid to pass out before you say hello to each other.

 Being a good parent and maintaining your relationship depend on getting some mommy and daddy time. 

Parenting 24/7 has the opposite effect. It increases your anxiety and stress, which could harm your children.

 
What are your views on kids' boredom? I love to hear them down below.

Cheers for reading X 

Tips for Raising Child Who Is Easily Distracted

Hey readers,

An easily distracted child struggles with focus and concentration, hindering his capacity to learn and advance his cognitive abilities.

[Consult a doctor to check for ADHD symptoms if your child is consistently inattentive or cannot sit quietly for extended periods.]

Their regular usage of electronic media is bringing on this disturbing loss in our children's attention span.

A National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded study found that children who spend more than 7 hours a day in front of a computer experience negative physical changes to the brain, such as premature cortical thinning.

Additionally, kids who watch more than two hours of screen usage every day will probably perform worse in both thinking and language tests.

Knowing how important it is to keep our children's brains healthy, there are steps we can take right now to shield them from the harm that electronic media can cause to their developing minds.

Better results come faster.

Consistent schedule. 

 When they do not adhere to a routine, children struggling with attention problems become even more disoriented and off-task. Working together to establish a regular schedule is something you, as a parent, can do.

 You can let your youngster assist you in making the timetable so they can develop even more life skills. Many kids thrive when given a visual schedule. Have your youngster create an image related to the activity next to the action and then help you put down the time and the task of the training for the day.

Alternatively, you may enlist your child's assistance in choosing pictures from the computer, creating your timetable on the computer, and printing it. The schedule can then be laminated so your child can check items off as they are completed during the day, or you can use it as a handy reference. 

It's crucial to do this so that your child may learn to manage their day without always needing reminders from you. This will also help your child develop independence and self-help abilities.

Be in the moment.

 

Spend at least one moment each day being "in the now" with your child. Have a few moments every day to give your child your complete attention.

 Read her a book, play a quick game of checkers, or work on a sketch or painting together. If you like playing outside, take your kid to the park and play basketball or tennis.

Mindfulness (add a mindfulness activity sheet sample).

Mindfulness exercises have been shown to improve kids' attention span and focus. These exercises have a favourable effect on general focus and concentration because they encourage people to pay attention to the current moment, according to numerous research.

Additionally, it has been demonstrated that they ease anxiety and positively impact children's behaviour in general.

For kids, who typically struggle to sit still, mindfulness is a challenging habit to implement.

The good news is that you can start practising mindfulness techniques with your child right away. And here is a free activity you can download to help your child concentrate.

Read with your child. 

Reading to your children strengthens your relationship and promotes brain development. Little ones are curious and take in everything you say. 

Therefore, whether you read or narrate a story to them, their minds are engaged. Reading aloud to your children regularly helps them develop their listening abilities, linguistic and cognitive skills, creativity, vocabulary, and attention span, as well as their social and emotional development.

Set a timer. 

Simple activities like brushing their teeth, eating, or even playing can all have timers set for them. A child who is easily distracted can focus with the aid of timers. Limiting your child's time to accomplish a task can also challenge and inspire them to finish it.

Limit media sounds in your home. 

Many kids lack the same capacity for sound filtering as adults do. This means that letting your child watch TV while doing her homework can make it harder for her to focus. 

You should only allow your youngster one hour of "screen time" every day. Your exposure to television, video games, and other visual stimuli should be kept to a minimum.

What  do you think to my advice about helping a child stay focused? Love to hear your thoughts in the comment section down below.

 

Cheers for reading X 

My Sunday photo 14/05/2023

 

My eldest has some new glasses this week ☺ 

Air fryer baked potato recipe.

Hey readers, 

Seemingly anything and everything can be cooked in an air fryer via the quick and healthy alternative. This includes the humble jacket potato.

There’s nothing quite tucking into a hot and fluffy jacket potato with your topping of choice - be it baked beans and melted cheese or tuna and egg mayonnaise.

One of her latest quick and easy recipes to do in the air fryer is the good old jacket spud. Not only does it save time on cooking it in an oven, but it also saved much-needed energy in the home, at a time when bills are on the rise.

Below is a how I make a jacket potato in the air fryer, really simple and easy anyone can do it. 

 1. Pre-heat the air fryer at temperature 200c for about 5 minutes.

2. Wash and dry your potatoes and stab them all over deeply with a sharp knife or fork


3. Brush or spray the oil over the potatoes and season with salt and pepper to your taste Set to Bake/Roast at 200c for 16 minutes. 


4. Turn half way through repeating the oil and seasoning on the other side.

5. Set to Air Crisp at 200 degrees centigrade for 15 to 20 mins. Turning the potatoes half way through. You can increase/decrease this time to get the crispiness you prefer this is just a guide time. 

Enjoy X 

How not to spoil your child.

 Hey readers, 

Love has no boundaries, right? Wrong! You must establish certain ground rules if you wish to raise well-behaved kids. 

These five methods will help you stop unhealthy behaviours in their tracks:

1. Teach them to say thank you.

Your child should be able to say "thank you," almost reflexively and without urging, for both tiny, everyday things like a dinner you cook and for larger ones like a birthday gift you give them.

2. Set clear limits. 

Consider it this way: By leaving no space for interpretation, you avoid conflict in the future. As you hear the distinctions between "Oh okay, you can have a cookie," and "You can have one cookie, but don't ask me for another one," both leave open for optimism that a second one would be acceptable. That's it."

3. Giving back is caring.

Sharing teaches your child to value relationships and other people, whereas not sharing teaches them to value things. Children's ability to interact socially with others for the rest of their lives depends on their ability to learn how to share. Sharing is caring, and it has significant, enduring benefits from which you want your child to gain.

4. Promote Healthy Expression and Outlets.

Kids frequently have trouble assessing their emotions, as you are aware. They experience things strongly, and their emotions might fluctuate minute by minute. We've all experienced the seemingly instantaneous transition of one of our children from hysterical laughter and delight to complete and total devastation and sorrow. The joyful half, though, may be beautiful and delightful while the other, not so much.

Handle emotional upheaval with compassion. At first, teaching your children to count to ten, take a deep breath, take a personal timeout, or be able to say something like, "I need a minute to calm down," can sound almost ridiculous.

 Giving your children coping mechanisms, however, can actually help them manage some of that emotional energy and make wise decisions.

 Get your children to name their feelings, the reason of them, and what they perceive as the resolution. Encourage them to use "I feel" comments rather than accusatory language.

5. LEARN TO SAY "NO," first.

It is vital to hear your child out and respect their emotions. A key component of your child's self-esteem is demonstrating to them that they are important and that you always have time for them.

 This does not imply that you must always comply with their desires, though. While acknowledging their ennui, for instance, is OK, it is not acceptable for them to request that you buy them a new toy because they are unsatisfied with the ones they already have. Remember to explain to your youngster why you must say "no" as well.

Cheers for reading X 

My Sunday photo 07/05/2023

 

How to make chocolate brownies in the air fryer.

Hey readers,

Air fryer brownies – gooey fudgy brownies cooked to perfection in your air fryer. Follow my easy air fryer brownie recipe below; you won't regret it!

Ingredients needed.

 

* 80g peanut butter, divided. 

* 40g butter.

* 120g of dark chocolate, divided.

* 175g golden caster sugar. 

* 2 large eggs, beaten.

 

* 60g of self-raising flour. 

* 30g cocoa powder. 

Directions. 

1. Spray the silicon tray (or if there is no tray, take out a crisper plate and spray the drawer) with cooking spray or oil and line the base with a piece of baking parchment.

2. Break up the dark chocolate into pieces, and add into a saucepan with peanut butter and butter.

Gently melt and leave to cool. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs until thick and creamy, like salad cream.

Add in the chocolate mixture and whisk together.

 

3. Sieve the flour and cocoa powder into the bowl and fold in with a sizeable mental spoon.

Spoon the brownie mixture into prepared lined drawers/trays.

Melt peanut butter in the microwave for 40 seconds.

Drizzle over the top of the brownie. 

4. Insert zone 1 drawer unit. Select zone 1, select BAKE, set the temperature to 160C and set the time to 35-40 minutes—press START/STOP.

5. After 30 minutes, remove the zone 1 drawer, and check whether the brownie is cooked.

The brownie is ready when it is soft to the touch in the centre. 

6. Melt the remaining chocolate in the microwave for 20 seconds and stir.

7. Drizzle the melted chocolate over the top of the brownie. 

8. Leave to cool in the drawer. 

9. Leave to cool before lifting out, using the lining paper as a sling.

10. Cut the brownie up into squares. 

Enjoy X

Top tips for new mums.

Hey readers, 

About to become a parent or recently welcomed a newborn? Well, check out my advice on things that I thought were important things. 

Things that I wish people would have shared with me when becoming a parent for the first time. 

See their top tips for ditching the guilt, keeping stress at bay and embracing the chaos of new parenthood.

 1. Keep. It. Simple!!!

 Your task is simple. The early days feel incredibly overwhelming. 

Keep in mind that your infant requires four things: milk, sleep, warmth, and love. 

Avoid letting the countless self-help books, tools, and routines you must follow clog your head. Just focus on those essential care needs.

2. Trust your instincts.

The best advice for a new mum is to follow your instincts. Being a new mum, doubting yourself is simple because you've never done this. I wish to advise you to believe in your instincts and your mother's wisdom, nevertheless.

You were designed with the abilities needed to be a mother. Therefore, you should consider any internal cues that suggest something is off or that everything is fine. 

Don't question your judgement! Mothers are always right, as the saying goes.

3. Stock up on essentials. 

Stock up on the necessities. Have these products on hand, so you won’t have to run to the shop in the middle of the night. I suggest packing three different bags or sections within your bag with the following:

During your recovery, postpartum products like peri bottles, sitz baths, cold packs, painkillers, and witch hazel pads can help. Additionally helpful are pads and disposable undergarments.

Feeding essentials: These include breast cream and burp towels—a bottle of water, a phone charger, and food for yourself. Even if you want to breastfeed, have sterilised bottles and formula available to be on the safe side. 

I couldn't manage to breastfeed, so glad I had the bottle; my mottle is best fed. Breastfeeding has a steep learning curve and is not something every woman can do.

Nappy station: Stock up on nappies, wipes, and lotion for nappy rash in a separate container. You can change the baby on the sofa since it can be too much trouble to even go upstairs to the nursery, depending on your birth outcome.

Purchase your preferred granola bars and other healthy snacks in quantity, and if you are breastfeeding, it makes you very hungry.

4. Hormones. 

Your emotions will be all over the place. So if you cry, laugh, and sob, don’t worry; it’s natural. 

However, if you have feelings of sadness or anxiety beyond the standard “baby blues”, you may be having postnatal depression, and you need to get professional support from your doctor or baby health nurse.

5. Poo. 

It’s not a topic you EVER thought you’d talk about, but as soon as you become a parent, you’ll realise your new fixation with baby poo. 

Or, to be more precise: the frequency, colour, and normality of your child's bowel movements.

The poop of your child is significant and might reveal information about their general health. 

Here is everything you need about baby poop, from the newborn meconium through the various consistencies.

6. Guilt.

This is a hard one, especially when hormones and tiredness are high but don't put too much pressure on yourself. 

You won't enjoy every moment with your baby, and you know what? That is ok. I used to get so stressed trying to hold on to every little thing, but you can't but yourself. 

I know what you can do is enjoy the simple moments that bring happiness. 

Have you got any tips for new mums that I have missed and are worth mentioning in the comment section? I love to hear them down below.

Cheers for reading X

My Sunday photo 30/04/2023

 

My youngest son got his new glasses this week :) 

How to do soft boiled eggs in the air fryer.

 Hey readers,

You can practically do anything in the air fryer, and what is good news to your ears is soft-boiled eggs. 

It is so easy to do and makes it so much easier than the traditional way to do it. Check out my recipe below on how I do soft-boiled eggs perfectly in the air fryer. 

Ingredients. 

* Eggs.

Directions. 

1. Make sure your eggs are at room temperature.

2. Place your eggs into the basket of the air fryer. 

3. Turn the air fryer onto temperature 180c and switch to the air fryer setting.

4. Cook for 7 minutes.

5. Be careful when taking the eggs out as they are hot, and place them into egg cups. 

6. Thee you have perfect soft-boiled eggs. 

Cheers for reading x

Overcoming the cost of living.

Hey readers, 

We all know that the cost of living affects everyone. The pinch can be felt,t especially when you have to pay the bills and food.

 Here are some innovative ways to save on your household finances.

1. Turn down your thermostat. 

Heating and hot water expenses account for over half of total energy bill prices. You might save up to £80 a year by reducing the heat in your home by just one degree.

 A 17-degree drop in temperature on your thermostat can make a huge difference. Before turning on the heating, putting on clothes and blankets can also help ward off the cold. 

Here are additional suggestions to keep you warm this winter, including insulating your home and making traditional hot beverages.

Also, there are a lot of incentives available to you to assist with growing energy costs. 

This year, households might receive as much as £350 to help with rising energy costs. The Warm House Discount Plan is another option, and it might save you £140 on your winter electricity bill.

In cases where existing benefits are insufficient to cover housing costs, local authorities may grant claimants a discretionary, constrained, and temporary housing payment.

2. Look around for the best gas prices.

With fuel costs rising, use comparison tools like Confused.com's Petrol Price Comparison Tool to find the best deal in your neighbourhood.

 This tool allows you to look up nearby gas stations and their fuel prices. You can ensure you always receive the most terrific deal when filling up at the pump by utilising this tool. 

When making lengthy car trips, try to prepare ahead and avoid purchasing petrol at highway service stations because they typically impose an extra fee.

3. Grow your own. 

Develop your own: Growing food for one person is more straightforward than for a large family. Put a £1.50 Wilko Italian leaf grow bucket on your windowsill to start growing salad greens.

4. Check up on your subscriptions. 

It is essential to consider the subscriptions and services you already use and pay for monthly or annually. It can be very economical to cancel the ones you no longer use.

Requesting your bank statement and reviewing each standing order that leaves your account is a practical approach to accomplish this.
You may save hundreds of pounds a year by cancelling even a few.

5. Food shopping bills.

 
One of the most significant expenses you must factor into your budget is your food purchasing. 

You could find it simpler to cope with rising food prices by looking for methods to save money.

 Prepare and cook your meals to save money because they are typically less expensive and healthier than takeout or prepared foods.

Create a shopping list for any necessary items and a weekly meal plan using the ingredients you already have on hand.

 Shopping online can also help you save money. Saving money can also be achieved by batch cooking and selecting vegetables over meat and seafood.

Have I missed any good money-saving tips to help with the cost of living?  

Love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below. 

Cheers for reading X

My Sunday photo 23/04/2023

 

How to make a toasted cheese sandwich in the air fryer.

Hey readers,

The comfort food classic you grew up with has been given a modern makeover with crispy air fryer cheese toastie sandwich. You will enjoy how crunchy the bread is and how you get perfectly melted cheese right out of the air fryer and will leave you feeling like you are in cheese heaven!

Ingredients.

* Sprinkle of ground pepper. 

* Two slices of tiger white bread (or whatever bread have available). 

* Butter or mayonnaise whatever suits you. 

* Boursin garlic spread. 

* Few slices of red onion. 

Directions. 

1. Butter both sides of tiger white bread (can use alternatively mayonnaise if you Like).

2. Spread Boursin (garlic) onto one side of the house bread as wanted flavour.

3. Then place some grated cheese, a few slices of red onion and ground pepper on top.

4. Finally place the other slice on top. 

5. Place the sandwich into the basket/tray.

6. Turn the air fryer onto 180c air fryer setting for 6 minutes and then flip over and cook for a further 4 miniatures.

7. That is your grilled sandwich done. 

Cheers for reading X

How to make money from home

Hey readers,

Many people will look for ways to increase their income in 2023. Below I have devised seven ideas for making some extra money this year.

1. Dog walking. 

A dog walking business can be the perfect side gig for someone who loves pets. It takes a few hours out of your day and is an excellent way to earn money while getting some extra exercise.

Even some well-known apps enable you to locate those looking for a dog walker rapidly. To find out what's available in your area, check out Rover and PawShake. Take a closer look at how to launch a dog walking service after researching and identifying demand in your neighbourhood.

2. Make money online with micro-jobs. 

If you don't have specialised skills, one of the finest ways to earn money online without investment in 2023 is through micro-jobs. You only need rudimentary internet knowledge and occasionally solid analytical skills for microtasks.

You can earn money by doing simple things like joining a newsletter, liking something on Facebook, or Tweeting at websites that provide Micro Jobs.

Additionally, several Micro Job websites list positions that need analytical abilities. You will be required to categorise products on various websites, find information online, assess the tone of tweets, gather data from a document or an invoice, etc.

Micro Jobs can be found on several websites. However, the two websites listed below are well-liked for finding micro-employment. Amazon Inc. Micro workers use Amazon Mechanical Turk or Mturk.
Because Amazon Inc. runs it, Amazon Mechanical Turk is regarded as the best of the websites above. For citizens of some nations, however, there may be restrictions on signing up with Amazon Mechanical Turk.

To increase your earning potential, you should register with Microworkers regardless of your ability.

3. Rent stuff. 

If you're not using it, rent it out. It might be your extra room or even your driveway. You might earn several thousand pounds more per year as a result.

Using websites like YourParkingSpace and JustPark.com, drivers can charge other road users for using their driveways. You should inform your mortgage provider if you own your house and want to rent a room. Make careful to seek your landlord's approval if you rent your home. With the Rent a Room program, you may make up to £7,500 per year tax-free by renting out your room.

4. Cashback. 

Cashback websites give you money back when you make purchases online, as you can guess from the name. Two of the most well-known are TopCashback and Quidco, where you can occasionally make hundreds.

Make sure to click through the websites while you shop to get extra money. You can get widgets for both, so you always remember. Although they are free, you may upgrade to a plus membership for £5 per year to receive a higher return.

5. Online surveys. 

Online surveys are a well-liked technique for people to earn money in their leisure time. To participate in surveys and test new products, research organisations are constantly looking for additional participants globally.

You can easily earn a couple of pounds for a few minutes of form filling, which is given as cash or prizes. For some surveys, you might earn up to £3 ($5).

OnePoll, i-Say, Opinion Outpost, YouGov, Prizerebel, Marketagent, InboxPounds, Valued Opinions, The Opinion Panel, Mingle, Opinion Bureau, Maru Voice, Panel Base, Y Live, and Survey Junkie are a few worthwhile options to consider.

6. Share your skills. 

Several online websites can help you earn money in your leisure time using your skills. For instance, if you're good at DIY, you could use Taskrabbit to become a "tasker." The website connects individuals with time and expertise to those who need help with odd jobs. You can also utilise websites like Fiverr to advertise an online service, such as graphic design expertise.

7. Review music for cash. 

If you love music, you might jump at the possibility of getting paid to write about undiscovered performers.
You can accomplish that, thanks to Slicethepie. 

There is no restriction on the number of artists you can review, and users get compensated according to the calibre of their ratings.

What do you think about my list of ways to make money from home? Is there anything I have missed on the list that you think is an excellent way to make money from home? Love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below. 

Cheers for reading X