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Best Buddies: 5 Ways Having a Pet Benefits Your Baby

by Suzanna Logan
Partner Content

When you have a baby or toddler at home, the thought of adding a pet to the mix might seem overwhelming. After all, owning a pet means having another living creature to feed and clean up after. But, trust us on this one, the responsibilities associated with having a pet will dim in comparison to the joy of watching your little one grow up alongside a furry best friend. Read on for a list of light-hearted benefits you can expect from welcoming a pet into your home. 

Every pet parent has a long list of questions about their furball, including how to keep them happy and healthy! Hill’s provides science-backed nutrition to help your best friend be their best self. See how Hill’s science-backed nutrition can give your best friend their best life.

1. Pets Are Good Snugglers

As a parent, you know that having your little one give you a hug, cling tight to your leg, or sit on your lap can be the sweetest feeling in the world…but it can also lead to feeling touched out. You know, that cringe-y feeling you get when you’ve been cuddled with, laid on, stepped on or whacked by your toddler 389,752 times in the last 60 seconds. Well, good news! If you’re suffering from touched-too-much syndrome, there is an antidote. The right family pet—a particularly affable dog or unflappable cat or guinea pig—will not only take over a fair share of cuddles from your little one, they will love every minute of it. And, bonus: Your brain will get a blast of feel-good dopamine from watching the two cutest creatures in your house snuggle together.

2. Pets Provide Entertainment

It’s no secret we all love watching cute animals. There’s a reason why cat videos rule the internet! But while observing animals online is fun for a while, getting a dose of the warm and fuzzies from the real thing is even better—especially for babies and toddlers, who are supposed to avoid screens until after age 2, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. If not yet mobile, your little one will enjoy watching the movements of your pet from the safety of a bouncy seat or exersaucer. Once crawling and walking, your mini-me will squeal at the fun of chasing (and catching!) their four-legged family member. Plus, with all of the adorable entertainment in real life, you’ll be less likely to get sucked into an endless loop of Internet cat videos the next time you log on to "check email really quick."

3. Pets Teach Responsibility

While your child may not be old enough to solely manage pet care, even the youngest toddlers can contribute. Young children love to deliver treats to thankful pets, brush their fur (also develops fine motor skills!), and toss a toy or ball for a game of fetch. Bonus: They don’t even seem to mind the slobbery ball, probably a result of recently having been prone to drool themselves.

4. Pets Are Good for Your Health

If you need another reason to welcome an animal into the fam, consider this: Household pets can have a real, measurable impact on your child’s health. Studies show that playing with a dog releases oxytocin, which lowers cortisol, the stress hormone. As a result, children who live with a dog are less likely to suffer from anxiety. In addition, children who are exposed to a dog in the first year of life have reduced rates of asthma and allergies.

5. Pets Make Great BFFs

We've all heard the story of the little boy who, when asked by his parents whether he wanted a baby brother or a baby sister, responds with, “I want a puppy.” Well, it looks like he was on to something, after all. A University of Cambridge study found that children reported having higher levels of satisfaction and lower levels of conflict in their relationships with their pets than with their siblings. They may say “a dog is a man’s best friend,” but as it turns out, a pet really is a child’s best friend.

—Suzanna Palmer

 

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Everything You Need to Know About Geocaching with Kids

by Shannon Guyton

You’ve walked by that newspaper stand hundreds of times, but did you know there’s a treasure box tucked under it? Millions of hidden “caches” (containers) worldwide are hiding, waiting for discovery. This worldwide outdoor treasure hunt is called Geocaching, and it’s an exciting—and totally addicting—family adventure. We’ve got a how-to guide that’ll tell you everything you need to know, so keep reading and get ready for fun!

What’s Geocaching?
Originally called “The GPS Stash Hunt” in 2000, founder Dave Ulmer was the first person to start a treasure hunt using GPS coordinates. His idea: “take some stuff, leave some stuff.” Two people on the internet found his container, and the geocaching game was born. Now, over 2 million caches are hidden around the world and over 6 million people are on the hunt to find them.

Girl-and-Mom-Geocaching

Geocaching is for everyone, everywhere
Geocaching is a whole family adventure that can be done anywhere from near your home to around the world you travel. Kids as young as toddlers can help find caches, but it’s absolutely perfect for kids 5+ who’ll also get educational value out of the finds, locations, and creating a log of where they have been.

How to get started:
1.  Download the free app from geocaching.com to get the GPS, log, and hints on cache locations. With the app open, you’ll quickly see the nearest caches to you. Follow the arrow until it gets within twenty feet, then put it away and start looking around. Upgrade the app (currently $9.99 for three months or $29.99 for a year) to unlock premium-only caches, advanced mapping, custom searches and more.

2.  When you’ve found your cache (yipee!), write your geocacher name—this is a cool handle you’ll use for every find you make — and the date on the log in the container. You can keep anything you like from the stash, as long as you replace it with something of equal or greater value. Log the find on your app (include a picture or any notes you’d like to put in for future finders), and put the box back where you found it.

3.   Once you get the feel of standard geocaching, try some of the more advanced treasure hunts. Multi-Caches tend to have higher quality treasures, and you have to go through a number of stops for clues to find them. Puzzle Caches also lead you through multiple stops, but you have to solve a puzzle to figure out where to go next.

Want to hide your own caches? You totally can! Just follow the rules of setting one up.

geocaching-app-container-rock

Define “treasure”—what’s inside?
“Treasure” is a subjective word, isn’t it? Especially to toddlers who collect things like dirty shoe strings and empty snail shells. Caches are categorized by size—you could be looking for anything from a large shoebox to a small fake rock with a secret compartment. Inside you’ll find things like coupons, stickers, crayons, lotto tickets, and shell necklaces—the mystery is part of the fun! But the real “treasure”, according to long-time geocacher Larry Hazeltine of Colorado Springs (who has found over 3,700 treasures with his four kids!), isn’t the prize itself. “It’s all the cool places you’ll see while hunting—parks, historic buildings, amazing views—the geocaches are just what bring you there.”

geocaching-girl-bridge-mom

Tips and tricks before you go:
• For your first few times out, search for “regular” size caches, as they’re easier to spot than smaller ones (you can see the size in the cache description).

• Bring a pen or pencil! Some caches don’t have anything to write your name on the log with.

• The best cache trades are unique and personalized to you or the place it’s hidden.

• If you’re stuck on a cache, email the cache owner for guidance or help.

For more information and to get started, visit geocaching.com. 

— Shannon Guyton

All images courtesy of  geocaching.com,Featured image: Tim Gouw via Unsplash

 

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Learning the Difference between Expectations & Reality

By Wendy Robles

My son was born on July 31, 2015, along with his twin sister Aria. They were perfect and they were mine! It was one of the happiest days of my life. I waited so long to become a mother. We had had many losses until this pregnancy and I had never felt such joy and happiness. The feeling was incredible. I never realized I could love a person this much until this day. I couldn’t help but think of our future and how bright it would be with these two amazing little humans joining us. We were going to make so many happy memories and have lots of fun. I was ready for our new life to start. We had so many new adventures waiting for us. It was the four of us, we were finally a family.

I started to imagine all of the fun things we would do as a family. I saw us playing together at the park. I was chasing the twins as we played tag, they would chase me too and I could see their beautiful bright smiles. I could see me and my husband pushing them on the swings. I could hear the laughter fill the air, it brought a smile to my face and my eyes filled with tears.

I envisioned us at Sea World cheering during the shows as we ate popcorn and watched the dolphins gracefully emerge from the water and do flips in the air. There was one thing that made me the most excited. That was seeing us board an airplane to visit my parents, the kid’s grandparents, in Wisconsin. They would get to see where I grew up, which is much different than California. I could see them having so much fun playing in the country with the fresh clean Midwest air flowing through their tiny little bodies. The kids would be able to run wild and free through cornfields as I did when I was a child. I couldn’t wait to see their faces light up just like the lightning bugs we would chase on a warm humid summer evening. I had so much to show them about the world I grew up in and I couldn’t wait.

As the twins got closer to turning one, I couldn’t help but notice the difference in their development. My son was much further behind than his twin sister. I started to worry and question everything. Everyone told me he’s a boy, don’t worry. I brought up my concerns to the kid’s pediatrician. She confirmed what everyone else had told me, he’s a boy, they take longer than girls for mostly everything, so don’t worry. I still worried because my motherly instinct knew that something was wrong with my sweet Dom. I knew I had to help him and fast.

I started researching on the internet and became obsessed. I spent many days and nights searching for answers. I got on Facebook groups and asked other moms lots of questions. One Facebook group I found was called Finding Cooper’s Voice. Another Midwest mama, I was intrigued by all of Kate’s posts. I knew then that my son had autism. Now it was time to get the ball rolling. I made appointments to get an assessment done to see if my gut was telling me the truth. I was right, Dom had autism.

I was confused, hurt, and mad. I didn’t know how this happened. Was it my fault, did I not take good enough care of myself when I was pregnant. What did I do wrong? Why did this happen to us? Why did this happen to my son? I couldn’t make sense of it all. I don’t think I will ever understand, but I did know that I had to get it together and help my son.

We started rigorous therapy programs to get Dom all the help he needed. Our lives changed in an instant and it was a drastic change. We had to accept the new normal, our new normal. We did everything we could to help our little guy. I prayed every day for God to help us.

I have learned a lot throughout the years. I’ve learned that some friends will disappear, that family will be your best support system, and that you will have good days, and you will have very difficult days—many more than you want. The most important thing I learned is that the love I have for my son is stronger than anything. I will go to battle for him and stand up for his rights. I will never quit on him and I will always be his biggest advocate. Our family has grown so much and we will always be Dom’s biggest supporters!

feature image via iStock

Wendy Robles lives in California with her husband and twins. She's an ICU Registered Nurse, she advocates for her patients and her son who is on the autism spectrum. Through her blog she tells her experiences of raising a child on the spectrum, the good and the ugly. 

 
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Go Viral with SpongeBob’s Meme-Themed MONOPOLY Game

by Erica Loop

SpongeBob SquarePants fans rejoice! The beloved Bikini Bottom star is the subject of a MONOPOLY game—and it’s about to go viral.

MONOPOLY: SpongeBob SquarePants Meme Edition is available right now. Unlike the traditional MONOPOLY game, players don’t buy hotels, railroads or utilities in this version. Instead, it’s all about becoming Internet famous.

Photo: The Op Games 

The Meme Edition of this MONOPOLY game features six custom-sculpted tokens—Bubbles with Bubblewand, Mermaidman’s Belt Buckle, Squidward’s Clarinet, SpongeBob’s Spatula, a Krabby Patty and Jellyfish. To play the game you need to buy, sell and trade Internet famous images of SpongeBob and his BFFs from Bikini Bottom.

Forget about Houses and Hotels. In this edition, you’ll build Posts and create Collections! Keep playing to get Likes and bankrupt the other players. MONOPOLY: SpongeBob SquarePants Meme Edition also replaces the tried and true Community Chest cards with Comments and Shares.

This game is intended for two to six players ages eight-years and up. Find MONOPOLY: SpongeBob SquarePants Meme Edition here for $39.99.

—Erica Loop

 

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Nostalgia Alert! Now You Can Get a Retro Ceramic Easter Tree

by Erica Loop

Move over Easter bunny. There’s a whole new way to decorate for the holiday this year. Those precious ceramic Christmas trees you may have begged to pick up and play with at grandma’s house during your own childhood are back—and with an Easter-themed twist! Now you can buy totally nostalgic Easter trees almost everywhere.

The trees look just like their Christmas cousins, but with a pastel Easter-time twist. Along with retro ceramic design, these trees are decked out in twinkling mini lights. Where can you get these awesomely adorable Easter trees? The nostalgic mini decorations are available all over the Internet.

Amazon

If you're into a bubble gum (or jellybean!) pink tree, this Retro Lighted Ceramic Easter, Large Tabletop Tree is $39.66 on Amazon.

HSN

Along with the tree on Amazon, you can also nab a set of three four-inch trees with a timer ($24.95) from HSN.

 You can snag a 12 1/2-inch tall ceramic retro Easter tree( $49.95) from Hammacher Schlemmer

Need more than one? Pick up a set of four mini trees for $39 from QVC.

—Erica Loop

 

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A Better Story Starts Here Contest Rules

by Kenzie Kramer
Partner Content

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.

HOW TO ENTER: The Contest (“Contest”) will run from 3/22/2021 at 12:00 a.m. PST to 3/31/2021 at 11:59 p.m. PST and will run on the Red Tricycle website. Any entries received after the contest has closed will not be included in the Contest. In order to enter the contest, participants are required to do the following:

  • Submit a short description of a mom who is creating a better story for themselves, their family or their community.
  • Submit their email address and the email address of the mom they’re submitting

Only online entries will be eligible. No print submissions will be accepted for entry into this Contest. Any use of automated or programmed methods of effecting entry is prohibited.

ELIGIBILITY: Open to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and District of Columbia who are 18 years of age or older at time of entry. Employees or Sponsor, their affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising and promotion agencies and their immediate family members and/or those living in the same household of each are not eligible to win the prize package.

SPONSOR: This Contest is sponsored by Once Upon a Farm (“Sponsor”). Sponsor reserves the right to cancel the Contest at any time and substitute another promotion in its place. The Sponsor is deemed to be the party providing the prize package for this Contest. The Sponsor is responsible for prize fulfillment within 30 days of the winner providing requested mailing information. If winner does not receive prize within 45 days, the winner is to email Red Tricycle for follow up (kenzie@tinybeans.go-vip.net). The winner forgoes any prizes after 180 days without follow up.

WINNERS SELECTION: Five winners will be selected within 72 hours after the close of the Contest period from among all eligible entries received during the Contest.

Winners will be determined by Red Tricycle and Sponsor. Entries for winners will be judged on the following criteria:

(50%) Quality of Submission — We’re looking for moms who have made big strides in bettering themselves, their families or their organization

(50%) Adherence to Theme – Remember, this is all about starting a better story.

Weekly winners will be selected from submissions received between the following dates: March 22, 20201 to March 31, 2021.

Winners will have 48 hours to claim their prize or a new winner will be selected. A list of winners can be requested at any time by contacting kenzie@tinybeans.go-vip.net. Red Tricycle is not responsible for electronic transmission errors resulting in omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operations or transmission or alterations of entry materials, or for technical, network, telephone equipment, electronic, computer, hardware or software malfunctions or limitations of any kind, or inaccurate transmissions of or failure to receive winner’s emailed information on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet, email being inadvertently flagged as junk or other email form, or at any website or any combination thereof. Every reasonable attempt will be exhausted prior to prize forfeiture and a new winner being selected, including, but not limited to review of all sub-folders and accounts where emails may inadvertently be directed.

PRIZES/APPROXIMATE RETAIL VALUE: Prize is valued as follows: FIVE (5) PRIZES: One (1) one-year customizable subscription to Once Upon a Farm, valued at $775, and one (1) $100 Visa gift card. Prize winners will be required to submit an IRS W9 form. 

GENERAL: Subject to all federal, state and local laws/regulations. Neither Red Tricycle nor their affiliates will have any liability whatsoever for any injuries, losses or damages of any kind caused by any prize or resulting from acceptance, possession, use and/or misuse of any prize or participation in these promotions. By participating in this promotion, entrants agree to be bound by the Official Rules and the decisions of Red Tricycle, which are final and binding in all respects. Red Tricycle is not responsible for any typographical or other error in the printing of the offer or in administration of the promotion.

INTERNET: Red Tricycle is not responsible for electronic transmission errors resulting in omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operations or transmission or alterations of entry materials, or for technical, network, telephone equipment, electronic, computer, hardware or software malfunctions or limitations of any kind, or inaccurate transmissions of or failure to receive entry information by Red Tricycle on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any website or any combination thereof. If for any reason the promotions are not capable of running as planned for any reason Red Tricycle reserves the right in its sole discretion, to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Contest and select the winners by random drawing from among all eligible entries received from all methods combined up to the point of the action taken by the Red Tricycle.

By submitting a Contest Entry, Contest Entrant warrants and represents that: (a) Contest Entry does not infringe upon the copyrights, trademarks, rights of privacy, publicity or other intellectual property or other legal or moral rights of any person or entity; (b) Contest Entrant owns all rights to the Contest Entry, including without limitation, copyrights, and has received prior written permission from a third party if any Submission was photographed or videoed by someone other than the Contest Entrant him/herself; and (c) Contest Entrant will indemnify and hold harmless the Sponsor, Administrator and related entities, agents and assigns from any claims and damages (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising from or relating to the breach or alleged breach of your representations and warranties herein, the Contest Entry, or Contest Entrant’s conduct in creating the Contest Entry, the acceptance or use of any prize or otherwise in connection with this Contest.

PHOTO SUBMISSIONS/RELEASES: If the photograph or video submission contains any material or elements that are not owned by the entrant and/or which are subject to the rights of third parties, and/or if any persons appear in the photograph or video, the entrant is responsible for obtaining, prior to submission of the photograph or video, any and all releases and consents necessary to permit the exhibition and use of the photograph or video in the manner set forth in these Official Rules without additional compensation. By participating in the Contest, participants give Sponsor and Red Tricycle the right to share participant’s images, videos and text.

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: By entering this Contest, all entrants agree to release, discharge, and hold harmless Sponsor from any claims, losses, and damages arising out of their participation in this Contest or any Contest-related activities and the acceptance and use, misuse, or possession of any prize awarded hereunder. Red Tricycle assumes no responsibility for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, or delay in operation or transmission; communications line failure; theft or destruction of or unauthorized access to Contest entries or entry forms; or alteration of entries or entry forms. Sponsor is not responsible for any problems with or technical malfunction of any telephone network or lines, computer online systems, servers or providers, computer equipment, software, failure of any entry to be received on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any website, human errors of any kind, or any combination thereof, including any injury or damage to entrants’ or any other persons’ computers related to or resulting from participation, uploading or downloading of any materials related to in this Contest.

RIGHT TO CANCEL OR SUSPEND CONTEST: If for any reason the Contest is not capable of running as planned, due to infection by computer virus, bugs, worms, trojan horses, denial of service attacks, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes beyond the control of Sponsor that corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of this Contest, Sponsor reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual(s) who tamper with the entry process, and/or to cancel, terminate, modify, or suspend the Contest.

AMENDMENT: Any and all rules and regulations stated within, may be amended for a specific Contest to be in compliance with the rules and regulations of a specific Sponsor. Any amendment of rules and regulations will be stated in the Contest post.

PRIVACY POLICY/DATA COLLECTION: Information provided by you for this Contest is subject to Sponsor’s privacy policy located at https://tinybeans.com/privacy-policy/ (“Privacy Policy”)

 

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The Darker Side of Motherhood

By Jaime Ramos

It’s no secret being a mom is hard. I think it once was a secret, but it isn’t any longer. Too many of us blabbing about it on the internet. I knew before kids it would be, but It’s a different kind of hard than I expected. Mothering is a paradoxical life event. An ability I was born with. A biological and worldly life calling I never doubted. It’s a weight though. A heavy life-altering load. It changes your identity, It consumes you in every way.

I have two kids. They are my everything. My oldest, Johnny, is five and on the autism spectrum. Something I wasn’t prepared for. I’m consistently trying to learn and grow, but it’s hard. There is no guide book given to the parent of any child, but especially a child with autism. We have a lot of ups and downs.

Everything in our life is off the beaten path. It’s hard to explain, but we have days, and sometimes weeks, where Johnny is more engaged and aware. He is still autistic and himself but it’s like he is with us more. He has more gains and wins. I’m not going to lie, it’s easier. It’s the time of hope and payoffs to all the hard work.

The other times that my husband and I usually compare with babies “Wonder Weeks”, he’s grumpier, temperamental, and sensitive. These weeks bad behaviors like spitting, screaming, meltdowns, rough nights, etc. become the norm. During these times I feel down, lost, and discouraged. The older he gets, the back and forth between these times get harder.

I should expect the roller coaster, but I always hope they will level out, and hopefully with us on top. On the hard days, I try to stay positive but doubt and worry swarm my mind. This week, it’s very hard. It’s hard not to internalize your child yelling at you, hurting you, and hurting himself. The worst is how I don’t know how to make it better for him. I don’t know why or what is causing it.

When you have a child you take on the responsibility for their life. It’s your job to raise, protect, and teach them. I’m trying my hardest to do those things but it wears on me. Right now it feels like I’m talking at the wall. Like teaching is off the table. It’s pure protection, planning, and defense. I need breaks from my child sometimes. Not in the cute hiding in the bathroom eating a candy bar way, but in the crying into my pillow wishing I had more endurance and patience way. A way that hurts my soul that makes me feel wrong.

I don’t know what I thought motherhood would be. I’ve taken on an enormous task I knew wouldn’t be easy, but I didn’t quite understand the effects. I don’t feel like my child needs to change or fit, but more like I’m the one that doesn’t fit. I should be strong and endure. I should be able to do what needs to be done. I should be able to stay calm in the storm. I do those things 90% of the time, but it takes a toll. Some days it breaks me a little bit. It’s my darkness, but luckily I know it will go. I’ll go for a walk and I will recenter myself and get back to it because I’m the mom and I love my kid.

This post originally appeared on Johnny's Spirit.

Jaime Ramos, is a mom from Colorado. She's married to Isaac and has two kids, Amelie and Jesse. Jesse, her Johnny, is on the Autism Spectrum. She went to school to be a filmmaker, but now spends her days mainly as a stay at home mom.

 

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5 Ways for New Parents to Save Money

By Lauren Reed

baby shopping cart

Becoming a new parent can be exciting, but it can also be terrifying if especially since it’s your first time. You will need to prepare well for the changes that come with parenting, and sometimes it means changing your lifest‌yle to accommodate all the financial needs that come with being a parent.

Parenthood requires a lot of planning, and one thing which should be at the top of your planning list is how to manage your finances to cater to all the needs of your growing family.

One thing that you will see change when you become a parent is how you spend your money. If you don’t plan for this change, you can find yourself in a deep financial crisis. To avoid falling into a financial crisis as a new parent, you will need to reduce and eliminate some expenses to accommodate and afford your new life as a parent.

Here are some tips for new moms and dads that will help them save money for their families.

1. Create or reassess your budget. It is crucial to create a personal budget or a budget for your household, and if you already have one, you should re-evaluate it to accommodate the additional needs. A budget helps you to track your expenditure and know where your money goes, thus making it easier to make decisions about how you spend. You can identify the essential things that really need your spending and cut back on some other things that are not essential.

2. Boost your savings and reduce monthly expenses. After compiling your budget and knowing where to spend and to cut back, you should look for other saving strategies by looking at your monthly expenses.

You should take out non-essential monthly expenses. Do you really need that Spotify subscription? To save money on your electric bill, unplug appliances and turn off the lights when not in use. You can also reduce your monthly electricity bill by cutting back on your reliance on appliances like air conditioning and only using it when necessary.

Look into the little things that you can forego, such as dining out all the time or buying expensive coffee. There is always something that you can do to bring down your expenses so that you can save more money.

3. Look out for discounts or promotions. Never get carried away when shopping for your baby as a new parent. Make a shortlist that will guide you on what you need to buy. Always stick to the essentials and what is really needed when on the shopping floor.

Also, when shopping online, you can save a lot by using promotional vouchers, online coupons, and discounts offered for the various baby and home products.

Make it a habit to always look out for weekly flyers from stores, which are sent through email as they may contain coupons and discounts on multiple items. These days, you can also find online coupons on retail stores’ websites, or you can search for them on the internet.

4. Remember babies don’t need a lot. After budgeting for the baby, the next thing you should do is reduce your spending on unnecessary baby products. Spend on what the baby needs at that time. Don’t rush to buy baby clothes and shawls that the baby might overgrow in a few months. One of the best ways to save on baby clothes is to get from family or friends’ hand-me-downs. When it comes to toys, you can buy just a few to entertain the baby.

5. Cut back on non-essential spending. You can save a lot when you cut down on non-essential spending. One way you can do this is by cutting down the amount you spend on dates and movies. You can also cut them entirely by choosing to stay at home and watching Netflix instead. You can hold off upgrading phones and even TVs to the latest models until you get used to your finances as a new parent.

Parenting can be a challenge for new parents, especially when it comes to finances, but saving money as new parents is not impossible. If you adjust your lifestyle and look for ways to spend less and save more, being new parents won’t be as financially challenging as you thought it would be.

 

Lauren reed has been writing articles for five years. lauren reed has provided her services independently and through the online employment forums.she writes SEO articles for bussiness. Her articles have appeared in a number of sites including https://www.techtimes.com/,  https://mommysmemorandum.com/, https://www.thefashionablehousewife.com/. 

Her articles are of high quality and focus on balancing information and unique content. 

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Here’s How to Keep Your Kids Safe on TikTok

by Erica Loop

In honor of Safer Internet Day, TikTok wants to help your kids use the social media platform—minus the need to stress about it. With the Family Pairing tool, you can help your teens to navigate the uber popular video service safely and even manage their use.

The Family Pairing feature provides three major benefits for parents. To start with, it allows you to limit your child’s TikTok screen time. This means you won’t need to worry about your TikTok-loving teen spending their entire at-home cyber screen day watching videos of the trendiest dance clips.

photo: Courtesy of TikTok

Along with screen time management, the Family Pairing tool also allows you to set comment filters. The feature puts the power in your hands, giving you the ability to filter who can and can’t comment on your teen’s videos.

If you want to take TikTok management a step further, the Family Pairing feature also lets you restrict direct messages. Like the comment filter, you can choose who can and can’t DM your child. Keep in mind, direct messaging is only available through TikTok for users 16 and older and only approved followers are allowed to message one another.

Other ways TikTok wants to keep your kiddo’s experience family-friendly include allowing you to limit content that isn’t appropriate for your child’s age and letting you choose if your teen can have a public or private account.

—Erica Loop

Featured photo: Karolina Grabowska via Pexels

 

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To the Special Needs Parents Who Came before Us

By Tabitha Cabrera

When we roll into this new year, it was time to look back at our choices over the last year and reevaluate our goals for change in the new year.

There is no doubt that 2020 will forever be one of the years we all can reflect on.

In 2020 we became special needs parents and discovered both our children carried the medical diagnosis, autism spectrum disorder.

When children are diagnosed, we often hear that the words in no way change who they are. The words on the paper provided a road to services and support they need. The words are only one small part of who they are.

After an autism diagnosis, we fight an inner battle of emotions and dive into learning as much as possible. It can feel overwhelming, and the fear of what the future will hold can suffocate you from the now.

Autism has daily fresh starts. We often watch skills get lost while others form. We open our homes and hearts to strangers who provided resources and sometimes challenging conversations about how we should parent our children. We try what others have for our children and family because they walked through the stage we are in now. I have listened to others stories of diagnosis before there was any awareness or support. I can’t imagine navigating all the systems before the internet age. We have had the opportunity to learn and grow from others paths. They walked the hard roads before awareness and paved the way for us to talk about our experiences.

Before I was given the gift of mothering these spectacular children, I worried about how I could grow as a person and what mark I would leave on this world. After I held both of my children in my arms, my focus shifted outward.

How could I give them everything they needed? What can I pass on to them that will shape who they are?

I wanted to provide a safe landing place they could return to anytime they felt lost. To have an open door I would be standing behind to catch them when they fall. I wanted them to know they would be circled in love and try and accept the choices they made for themselves.

As we parent our children, our mindset often changes based on who they are, and our children help shape what our parenting will be. All parents reach out to those who have come before them for tips and solidarity.

As my focus shifted outward, my hopes of being a security net for my children when they need me haven’t changed. The wide net has expanded to a community that now catch me when I fall.

To the parents who have come before, who talk and share about your experience, thank you. I have learned so much. You have allowed me to learn from your life and to change what I thought this parenting journey would look like with a fresh perspective. To absorb the wins every day, feel the feelings, know that it is normal to sit with them sometimes, snuggle in our children, learn from yours and all your kindness. I will embrace the kindness, learn from the daily fresh starts, and find comfort in your story.

This post originally appeared on www.peaceofautism.com.

Tabitha Cabrera, lives in Arizona with her husband, and two beautiful children. She works as an Attorney and enjoys spending her time in a public service role. The family loves nature and ventures outdoors as much possible. Come check out her little nature babies

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