Rebecca Alston, Author at Mamas Like Me

5 Tips for Choosing Your Baby’s Name

Coming up with a name for a baby is a fun and exciting time in a new parent’s life. You can get really creative in the name you give to your baby.

Still, it can be tough navigating through all the different possible names you might give your baby. There are a ton of them out there.

Here are five tips that can help you choose your baby’s name.

Avoid illegal names

You should avoid giving your baby an illegal name. As to what exactly is an illegal name, that varies. Each state has its laws as to what constitutes an illegal name. For example, you generally cannot include a numeral, special characters, or an emoji in your baby’s name. This is part of the reason why Elon Musk and Grimes couldn’t name their baby “X AE A-XI.”

There aren’t many names that are outright banned, though. You could hypothetically name your baby “Dolphin” or “Banana.” You probably shouldn’t give your baby either of those names, but you are free to do so if you choose.

Some common illegal names are probably ones you could guess, like naming your baby “Jesus Christ” or “Adolf Hitler.” Others might not be as obvious. Some states prohibit you from naming your baby “King” or “Queen.” If you’re really unsure about your baby’s name, it doesn’t hurt to do some research on your state’s laws.

Avoid trends or fads

Naming your baby after a popular celebrity or fictional character happens often, but it should be avoided. Fads fade, and people can fall out of favor with the public quicker than you’d imagine.

Think back to how many people kept naming their children after the Game of Thrones character Daenerys, only to probably regret it considering Daenerys actions at the end of the series. It’s best to avoid going with trends or fads.

Analyze the entire name

It’s one thing to imagine what your baby’s first name will be, but you need to imagine how their entire name will be. That includes their middle and last name.

It helps to say your baby’s entire name to get a good feel for what it sounds like. You should also write it down or type it up to see how it looks.

You might end up discovering your baby’s entire name sounds kind of funny. You might also notice their initials might be a bit silly. Imagine your child’s name is “Billy Ulysses Turner.” Their initials would be “B.U.T.” and might make them the target of some bullying as they grow up.

Consider meanings

Names generally have some meaning attached to them. For example, the name “Paul” means “humble” or “small,” and the name “Melinda” means “sweet.”

Having your baby’s name mean something or not shouldn’t be a dealbreaker, but it can hold significance. You could give your baby a name you would hope they would eventually live up to. For instance, you could name your baby “Ethan,” which means “strong” or “safe,” with the hope your baby will one day live up to its namesake.

Honor the past

It doesn’t hurt to keep certain naming traditions going or name your baby after a loved one you respect.

Some people have a tradition of giving their firstborns a name that starts with a specific letter. Others might have a tradition where they pass down their name to their baby.

Naming a baby after a loved one is a great show of respect. It’s a great way to honor a loved one that’s passed or to show how much you appreciate someone.

Final Thoughts

It’s tough coming up with a baby’s name. It’s the name they might carry with themselves for their entire lives.

However, you shouldn’t be too hard on yourself when it comes to figuring out a name. Take it easy, and the right name will come to you.

A Successful Law Firm – John Giorgi Talks About the Five Essential Pillars

Most leading law firm founders would say that developing a successful practice isn’t a simple task. Success gets measured by various verticals and can get lost fast. There can be losses at the courtroom cases as well.

Similar to any other business, even in law success isn’t a linear path. And it’s essential for a leading law firm to undergo several changes and walk-through times of losses. A successful law firm doesn’t just happen in a day. Instead, it takes years of dedication.

The important factors for a successful law firm according to John Giorgi

Do you own a law firm? If yes, here are a few pointers that will enable you to maximize your growth potential.

1. Create a vision and stay committed

A successful firm requires to have a correct vision aided by strong core values. By selecting a few essential values, you can allow your team to come up with small decisions that pass through the firm and help in making bigger decisions. Also, it’s essential to keep these values simple. If there are increased core values you might find it challenging to remain focused. Hence, assess the values that you want to use during successful and hard times.

2. Choose your partners and leadership wisely

Similar to any other business, even your law firm is as good as the leaders. Hence, when you are recruiting people for leadership positions, chose the ones who have good work ethic and possess a greater vision. Excellent work ethic can offer the partners with every zest and zeal to work on long-term projects says John Giorgi. And the broader vision will ensure that they are on the correct track.

3. You should invest in organization culture

If you wish to develop a good organization culture, make sure that both social and professional scopes for the co-workers assemble daily. The meetings are a scope to discuss the work adjective in a good environment and can result in social gatherings as well. And when everyone, from the receptionist to your managing partners, abide by this culture, you will find an improvement in the organization effectiveness.

4. You should be always client-driven

Once you outline yourself, it is essential to embrace the value for the clients. You should focus on the client’s requirements and cater to them in the best way. John Giorgi says that legal work is essential and you have to give your best for each case. Listen to your clients carefully and suggest the scopes of improvement. And you should look at the clients as an extension of the firm’s vision.

5. Standardize common processes and systems

A fraction of your client-driven culture depends on the company and the shared understanding of common processes. The probable clients will also leave the firm just in case you appear unreliable, unorganized or ineffective in the first impression. Do you want to make a good first impression? If yes, have guidelines for the employees to follow all through the case and intake process. It can comprise of consistent pricing, record-keeping process and various other aspects that can save your client’s time.

These are the five essential pillars that can help to make your law-firm a successful one in the future.

Most Inspiring Lifestyle Blogs to Follow

Not all blogs are created equal. That’s just how it is. When we’re searching through lifestyle blogs, very often, most of what’s on offer just doesn’t fit well. Then you read half a blog, get bored, and move to the next one.

Admittedly, It’s not the very worst thing in the whole wide world, but things do tend to get a little samey after a while. Nothing is quite what you were hoping for, and what should have been a compelling journey through lifestyle articles becomes dull and frustrating.

It’s right at this point that our little compilation enters the fray! We’ve done the hard yards and emerged with a great selection of lifestyle blogs and articles to suit your tastes. Take a look below because something is bound to grab your interest.

1. Modamily

Modamily is an online network that helps connect people who are ready to start families, whether they are looking for romantic, platonic parenting, or known-donor relationships. Modamily was the first digital platform of its kind to provide this service in the U.S. and its app continues to be a great resource for prospective parents around the globe. They also feature blog content related to building a family whether it be a co-parenting, sperm donor, or even surrogate resources as their blog aims to help educate prospective parents on all the opportunities available to them.

2. The Babe Report

The Babe Report is a popular lifestyle blog that focuses on dating advice, wellness, mental health, beauty, and travel. The Babe Report has been syndicated by POPSUGAR, HuffPost, Elite Daily, Bustle, YourTango, Thought Catalog, and many other publications. The founder, Erica Gordon, initially started The Babe Report as a relationship advice column while she was working for one of the world’s largest dating sites. She’s since been able to grow it into a lifestyle blog with a worldwide audience.

3. Sustain Health

Sustain Health is the first-of-its-kind online digital magazine that is non-gender specific in its articles regarding all things fitness and sports.
SH helps its readers perform at the best of their abilities bringing them the latest and best apparel, nutrition, tech, and fitness/sports news that is out there to aid them in fulfilling their goals.

4. The Multitasking Woman

Eva, the woman behind The Multitasking Woman, transformed her blog into a Mental Health & Wellbeing blog after her diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder in 2017. The Multitasking Woman aims to give hope, inspiration, and guidance to women struggling with family, career, and mental health juggling.

5. DietZones.com

DietZones.com, is your go-to destination for all things entertainment, health, diet, and beauty. We have built a community of modern women and we are familiar with all of their needs. That’s why we work incredibly hard to ensure that our platform is always up to date with the best entertainment, health, diet, celebrity, beauty, and gossip news that can be available with a simple click.

6. Made In A Pinch

Made In A Pinch is a family lifestyle site by moms and for moms to help eliminate the overwhelm and stress many moms face by providing real-life experience, practical solutions to common issues, fun ideas to do with the kids and as a family, and easy, delicious recipes that kids will actually eat. Come check out your new one-stop resource for all things family-related!

7. PuckerMob

PuckerMob is a blog for women, on all things Fashion, Fitness, Beauty and Business.

8. Bed Guru

Bed Guru, You dream it, we make it. Made to measure mattresses, bed frames, and divan bases in any size. Over 200 standard UK, EU, and custom sizes to make your dream bedroom a reality.

9. Happy Healthy Hippie

Happy Healthy Hippie is a health & wellness brand that was born out of a genuine passion for a healthy, natural, and intentional life. This includes using the gifts of nutrient-filled plants that nature has provided us. The founders, Kylie and Keio, are working to promote the message of healthy, conscious living through the HHH blog and their 100% organic and natural products.

10. NativePath

At NativePath, we’re on a mission to restore human health by rediscovering the Native way to eat. We do this by providing the purest, most natural ingredients that Mother Nature has to offer. Choose from Grass-Fed Collagen, Collagen Coffee Creamer, Wild-Caught Krill Oil, and more to look and feel your very best.

11. EnviroMom

EnviroMom is a blog about sustainable living for busy parents. There are lots of tips for reducing waste around the house and the garden. I like it because it keeps it real and practical without being the eco-police.

12. Cathy Taughinbaugh

Because of her own child’s drug use journey, Cathy, a certified parent coach, is passionate about supporting parents with research-based skills to help struggling teens or young adults. She is the author of The Compassion Antidote: A Path to Change for You and Your Child Struggling with Substance Use.

As a result of her journey with her own child’s drug use, Cathy, a former educator became a Certified Parent Coach to help other parents struggling because of their child’s substance use. Cathy was an elementary school teacher for fifteen years. She has a Certificate of Completion from Robert J. Meyers, Ph.D.& Associates, Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) and is certified in the Invitation to Change Approach. Cathy is one of over 350 Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) Parent Network Coaches trained by the Center for Motivation and Change and the Partnership to End Addiction. She is the author of “The Compassion Antidote.” You can learn more at her website, www.cathytaughinbaugh.com.

13. We Made This Vegan

We Made This Vegan – You will mainly find delicious vegan recipes (all homemade!) and also a spattering of beauty and lifestyle content, from homemade moisturizer to DIY crafts.

14. My Life Your Way

My Life Your Way – is a lifestyle blog full of informational articles about interiors, beauty, fashion, food, and travel ideas. It is a brilliant resource for the busy working woman who is interested in broadening her knowledge base and living life to the full.

15. We Made This Life

We Made This Life – An aspirational parenting and lifestyle blog featuring recipes, parenting tips, interior design ideas, and much more.

16. Pilot

Pilot is the brand-new trip planner that helps you discover and build travel itineraries connecting you to resources everywhere. Make the planning experience more fun by collaborating with your travel buddies! Pilot makes it fun and easy to share and relive your favorite travel memories with many useful features, which include Flightdeck, our complementary travel resource to help you discover, explore, and get inspired on all things travel!

17. GenTwenty

GenTwenty is a career, financial, and self-development resource for twenty-somethings who are growing up and navigating the real world. With a free resource library, they’ll help you make the most of your twenties.

18. Miss MV

Miss MV is a lifestyle blog that features the latest trends in fashion, beauty, personal finance, home décor, and DIY. What sets us apart from other blogs is that we care about our audience and we try to build a close relationship by allowing them to express their opinion.

We’ve worked with large and small brands and independent artists to help them set the foundation for their businesses. Our mission is to share the best information possible, helping people make the most of what they have and also supporting local, national, and international business owners.

The Most Amazing Beauty Blogs to Follow

Sometimes, the world can seem like information overload. Stuff assails us from every direction, so it can be hard to keep track. This is especially true in the beauty blogosphere, with so much out there to choose from.

It’s not that we’re complaining, though! Having the advice and information is a wonderful thing, but at times it might seem overwhelming. The good news is that there’s a way to get hold of all the best advice without having to trawl through everything else first.

That’s the whole point of our following list. We’ve done the trawling for you, so now all you have to do is check out our recommendations and read the things that matter most to you! Things might be complicated, but at least your reading choices just got a little easier.

1) 15 Minute Beauty

Do you need a quick catch-up on the latest beauty trends? You are in the right place! 15 Minute Beauty shares quickly and useful videos from the beauty world. Whether you are looking for the best way to use your mascara or you are looking for the perfect lipstick, you can easily navigate the search. One thing is sure – you won’t leave this blog with unanswered questions.

2) The Pink Velvet Blog

A place where you can find Beauty Products Reviews, Beauty Related Content, and Tips on Skincare, Makeup, Health, Wellness, and Lifestyle. And yes, a bit of Food too. No Matter if You are a Girl, Boy, Man or Woman. Skincare and Healthy Lifestyle is for everyone. Isn’t it? All the reviews and opinions are honest reviews and are not biased in any way.

3) I Am THE Makeup Junkie

Marie Papachatzis is an Esthetician and Beauty Blogger with 28 years of experience in the beauty industry. Her interests include acneic skin, anti-aging, and CBD skincare. The blog I Am THE Makeup Junkie is a reflection of her interests in the skincare industry. Often she writes about topics that interest her, including but not limited to relevant topics in the industry. Reviews are usually done on purchased or complimentary products and are always honest. Marie likes to write about the formula that makes up the product as she feels that this is the key to a product’s success or failure.

4) Clean Beauty Kit

Clean Beauty Kit is a monthly PR Clean Living Lifestyle box that features clean beauty and sustainable products that have been put to the test by Cassandra McClure and the Clean Beauty Team. The Clean Beauty Kit is a custom curation of products made in the USA by small beauty and sustainable companies that are women-owned that you won’t find in big box stores. The Clean Beauty Kit Blog shares the stories of these companies and the products that have been tested against the Clean Beauty Code. The Clean Beauty Code is used to ensure products and companies are maintaining strict ingredient standards, high expectations for performance, and the need to connect with the women who make clean beauty possible. With a mission of “Until all beauty is clean beauty” educating beauty lovers is a passion that isn’t taken lightly.

5) Think Dirty app

The Think Dirty app empowers ingredient-conscious consumers to help choose the safest beauty, personal, and household products. It is an independent source that allows consumers to compare products as they shop. With over 2M products in our system, each product is given a comprehensive rating along with a detailed (but easy to understand) description of ingredients, certifications, and health impacts.

6) Exquisite magazine

The exquisite magazine is a fashion, beauty, and lifestyle digital magazine
for the unlimited confident woman. Our aim is to inspire confidence and
style in women through access to informative, educative, entertaining, and inspiring articles.

7) Faded Spring

Ana is a multi-award-winning lifestyle blogger over at https://fadedspring.co.uk/ which covers cruelty-free beauty, lifestyle, food and drink, and ethical living. Ana only uses cruelty-free products that do not test on animals and is proudly committed to championing animal rights. From ethical fashion to vegan and vegetarian-friendly beauty brands, including skincare, makeup, and grooming, Ana is doing her bit to help the planet, animals, and humans. Self-described described as a part-time mermaid, and unicorn at weekends, Ana has a penchant for living life in color. From colorful, bold, and vibrant makeup looks, to eye-catching fashion, she is no wallflower!

She has a unique writing style, often described as lyrical, poignant, and whimsical, and is adept at transporting her readers into a magical wonderland. From beauty to food and drink, dating and relationships, art and entertainment, and personal stories, Ana covers it all. When she is not writing, Ana can be found playing Mario Kart with her partner, tucked up in a bathtub reading a historical fiction novel, or out and about with friends, eating delicious vegan and vegetarian food.

8) Ella Hopfeldt

Ella Hopfeldt is a dress shirt brand for women. Our dress shirts are about elegance, confidence, and effortless chic. If your style is about elegance and class, you’ll love having these shirts in your wardrobe.

9) Miracle Face MedSpa

Miracle Face MedSpa is a boutique medical spa owned and run by Dr. Schwarzburg, M.D. and located in Midtown East, Manhattan, New York. Miracle Face offers a large variety of minimally invasive treatments from body enhancements and fat reduction to medical-grade skin tightening and facial rejuvenation injectables.

10) Skinly Aesthetics

Skinly Aesthetics is a boutique medical spa located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, New York. Owned and operated by a board-certified cosmetic physician, Dr. Schwarzburg M.D., Skinly offers a wide variety of minimally invasive skin tightening, rejuvenating, and body contouring procedures.

11) Lemontrend

Are you looking for the latest trends in Fashion, Beauty, and lifestyle? Lemontrend is the website for you. Inspiring interviews with all the people who make the fashion world possible. Get inspired by all the stories and the hard work of designers, makeup artists, models photographers, and much more.

6 Ways To Prevent Breakouts On Your Skin

“Healthy skin begins the moment you decide to take care of yourself.” -Hydra Girls Johor Bahru

People believe that beauty is only skin deep; it is what on the inside that matters. However, our insides are essential too, but your skin is the first layer of defense from the outside world. Your skin reveals some significant facts about your overall health. It would be best if you learn to take care of your skin so that your skin can continue to take care of you.

Skin is the most beautiful organ in the human body and needs constant care. The skin is merely the frame to the picture, and sadly, many people judge themselves according to this frame. Having healthy skin is the first step towards self-assurance as it gives you confidence.

In your everyday routine, you often forget to look after your skin, and as a result, it starts breaking out. However, it is entirely normal for your skin to break out. But if you keep a good skincare routine, the chances of breaking out will reduce and your skin will look glowing and healthy.

Being a teenager or an adult, it is certainly not easy for you to cope with your skin. Some days or nights, mostly in winters, your skin becomes so bad that day by day your confidence shatters, and you start stressing out, which is not suitable for your inside out.

Sadly, you are not able to go out anywhere without makeup. Thus, it is crucial to pay extra attention to your skin to stop it from breaking out. To help you out in this challenging situation, we have come up with some ways that will help you to follow up a strict skincare routine.

Know Your Skin Type:

Before jumping onto any skincare routine, you must be able to figure out your skin type. Everyone has unique skin, but very few can identify where their skin fits the most. You may have oily or combination skin and normal to dry skin.

Knowing your skin type will make it easy for you to choose the correct skincare products. Many people get confused when deciding the skin type. To make it easy for you, here are two ways to quickly know your right skin type.

A method with a bare face:

You need to wash your face with any of your mild cleansers. Do not apply any moisturizers or serums to your face. After 30 minutes, observe your cheeks, chin, forehead, and your nose areas. Check whether your skin feels dry or not while making any facial expressions. If you feel a sudden tightness, you are most likely to have dry skin.

Contrary, your skin may be oily to combination one if you have a noticeable shine on your T-zone area.

A method with a blotting paper:

This method is the easiest way to know your skin type. Using blotting paper, gently pat on the various parts of your face. Now hold the paper in sunlight to determine how much oil it has. If the sheet has no oil on it, you have dry skin. If only the T-zone areas have oil, then you have a normal to combination skin.

And if the blotting sheet contains excessive oil, you may have oily skin.

Cleanse your face properly:

It would help if you washed your face with any mild cleanser twice a day. But if you have acne-prone or sensitive skin, it may become impossible for you to cleanse your face daily. To avoid more breakouts, refrain from using too harsh cleansers. Instead of that, you may use non-alcoholic cleaners, or you may also use skin script raspberry refining cleanser.

You would be surprised to know that there is a proper way to wash your face. To clean your face, you have to wet your face with warm water, not too cold or hot. Now gently massage your face with a mild cleanser. Then rinse your face thoroughly.

Drink lots of water to stay hydrated:

Dehydration makes your skin look dull and patchy. It may also force your skin’s glands to produce more oil. Therefore, to be hydrated, you need to have at least 8 to 12-ounce glasses of water daily. Drinking enough water will help your body to remove toxins while giving you healthier glowing skin.

Invest in a good sunscreen:

We all know how sun rays damage the skin. However, it is good to intake vitamin D. Still, as your skin is too sensitive, the ultraviolet rays from the sun may damage your skin and cause sunburn. Without sunscreen, your skin invites a lot of new problems to your face.

Therefore, you need to protect your skin from sun damages. Invest in a good sunscreen that fits your skin. If you haven’t added any sunscreen to your skincare routine yet. Then what’s the use of investing your money in expensive moisturizers? Start investing in a sunscreen that contains more than 60+ SPF.

Avoid touching your face:

Throughout the day, your hands come in contact with dirt and bacteria. And whenever you touch your face, those bacteria quickly transfer to your skin, which welcomes various skin issues. However, wash your hands frequently and avoid touching your face as much as possible.

Avoid junk food:

Avoid eating junk as much as you can. Eating junk food may worsen your skin condition. Foods and beverages like chips, soft drinks have never been nutritious for your health and skin too. So, urge to ditch all the fast foods and jump on to the healthy eating routine to get glowing skin.

Final Thoughts:

Your skin needs changes from season to season and taking steps to figure out what’s best for your skin is quite challenging. It has never been an easy task to protect your skin from any breakouts. Though it is normal to get pimples on your face, they do not go off quickly.

Do not go overboard with all the skincare products. Use the ones that suit your skin. Let us know if we have missed out on any of the tips. You may comment down below! And if you follow our guidelines, you may not witness any breakouts on your skin.

Tips for Staying Safe on the Road

Defensive Driving and Keeping it Between the Lines

Modernity has given us planes, trains, and automobiles. Perhaps the most convenient mode of conveyance today is the automobile.

Cars, trucks, vans, busses, and RVs—whatever characterizes your motorized transportation, there’s a lot to recommend driving. You can travel the country, stop when you need to, explore the sights, and put everything on your schedule.

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But driving, straightforward as it is, definitely isn’t without its dangers. Every year, tens of thousands die on America’s highways. The number tends to fluctuate between 30k and 60k, depending on the year and how the numbers are collected.

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True, many of those fatalities have to do with using controlled substances while driving. Don’t do that, and you’ll avoid most of the danger. However, there are also deer, there are poorly maintained roads to consider, sometimes motorists who are tired or in a hurry pose severe danger, and vehicular issues can cause a wreck as well.

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If you’re going to be safe on the road, there are a few things you need to think about. Planning in advance, driving defensively, and retaining sobriety are some good tips. We’ll cover a few more here.

Tip 1: A Defensive Driving Approach

Most of us learned to drive many years ago, and we may think we know everything there is to know. The truth is, the world of driving is constantly changing, especially when it comes to in-car technology. Features like lane departure warnings and adaptive cruise control can help us on the road, but they can’t replace the driver.

Keep yourself safe behind the wheel by staying alert and driving defensively, and never relying solely on technology to help you. A good defensive driving strategy is to practice I.P.D.E. (Identify, Predict, Decide and Execute).

This means you are actively searching for any potential hazards that may cross your path— is that pedestrian whose attention is occupied by their cell phone about to step into the street in front of you? Is that car that’s parked along the curb about to pull out? Once you identify any potential hazards, you can predict what they might do and decide how to handle the potential hazard before it becomes a real hazard.

Then, execute your decision. You might slow down and cover your brake for instance, or give your car horn a friendly tap to alert the pedestrian or parked driver of your presence. Staying alert and being an active driver rather than passively relying on technology will keep you and your loved ones safer on the road. To learn more defensive driving tips, check out Safe2Drive’s blog or sign up for a course.

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Tip 2: Follow The Rules Of The Road

In our hustle-bustle world, it seems like everyone is in a hurry to get somewhere. As a result, many of us play fast and loose with traffic laws, traffic lights, and stop signs. We roll through a stop sign, shift lanes without looking, or put our foot down a little too heavy on the gas pedal. When we do, we put ourselves and others at risk of serious injury.

Often, seemingly minor or trivial violations of traffic laws or signs can have devastating consequences, particularly when you’re traveling in a vehicle weighing more than 4,000 pounds.

To help ensure that everyone comes home alive, make sure you:

Stay within the speed limit—The posted speeds are carefully determined, based on traffic density, presence of pedestrians, and other factors. By observing posted speed limits, you’ll give yourself ample time to respond to the unexpected.
Avoid the rolling stop—Get in the habit of gradually coming to a complete stop at a stop sign or red light. That way, you won’t accidentally pull into traffic or get rear-ended if you have to slam on the brakes at the last second.
Keep a reasonable distance behind the driver in front of you—Tailgating is a common cause of car accidents—give yourself space to safely come to a stop.

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Tip 3: Keep Your Vehicle Well-Maintained

No vehicle will last forever. The most exhaustively engineered automobile is still subject to the long-term effects of damage from bad roads. Weather events can pose a threat. If you’re driving in South Dakota in the summer, a few pheasants may jump out of a ditch and hit the grill of your vehicle; you might find feathers and other things inside your engine.

Maintenance involves washing your car at intervals. Every couple of months you want to give the vehicle a good cleaning at the car wash. It’s best to do this at least once a month, and if you want to do it once a week, that’s not a bad idea either. However, at minimum, every couple of months you want to clean your car, inside and out.

Change the oil as recommended in terms of intervals or mileage. Assure tires are at safe levels of wear and tear, rotate them as recommended. Keep an eye on internal engine components. It’s wise to review your manual to see when suggested maintenance should be done. When you notice any small issue, get it fixed right away.

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Tip 4: Know The Roads As Best You Can

Are you traveling on a long trip somewhere you’ve never been? Don’t just type the address into Google, review the route beforehand and take into consideration things like topography and weather. If you’re going over the rockies, there can be some treacherous mountain passes, and your vehicle may respond differently given the altitude.

If you’re in the sweltering deserts of the American southwest, there are extreme heat waves that can likewise impact vehicular functionality. You want to have bottles of water with you at all times, assure you have roadside assistance or a tow package included with your insurance, and a spare tire.

On the other hand, if you’re heading north during the winter months, make sure that your car is equipped with all the winter essentials, such as snow tires, an ice scraper, and a chain. It is also a good idea to have rock salt and a snow shovel in your car. For best deals on winter safety equipment, try this UK supplier.

For short trips, keep in mind where traffic is locally, where there are potholes, where there are dangerous intersections, where there’s road construction, and other points of data like that. This can help you anticipate difficulties in terms of safety and vehicular functionality.

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Getting To Your Destination Safely

Know the roads as best you can, keep your vehicle properly maintained, follow the rules of the road, and take a defensive driving approach. True, you can’t anticipate everything. However, if you’re prepared, you’ll be able to avoid the majority of situations that might be dangerous. It’s just like that old saying: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

7 Gorgeous Ideas To Freshen Up Your Bedroom Decor

We all need a personal getaway to retreat to after a long day, and no other room in our homes does a better job at that than our bedroom. But just like your living room and your kitchen, your sleeping station could also use a couple of updates from time to time just to make things feel fresh and new. With that in mind, here are seven gorgeous bedroom decor ideas to inspire your next bedroom makeover.

Roll out a cozy new rug

A well-chosen rug can really enhance the look of your bedroom as it brings in just the right amount of warmth and coziness. It also creates structure and adds texture while also tying all the elements in and boosting the room’s visual interest. Deep-pile rugs work best in bedrooms since they soften the footfall and look chic and luxurious, but it’s best that you choose one that fits your needs, bedroom style, and lifestyle, especially if you have kids or pets. While you’re at it, make sure to get some matching curtains as well. They’ll complete your bedroom look and upgrade it in a jiffy.

Update your bedding

Beautiful bedding textiles are hallmarks of a well-designed and welcoming bedroom, and when paired with oversized throws, comforters, or multiple different-sized pillows, you get a multi-tiered effect and comfortable cloud-like style. To ensure all-season comfort, check out brands such as Wake in Cloud who offer contemporary designs and mix and match shades that make styling your bedding easy and fun. By getting some new bedding, not only will you manage to freshen up your bedroom decor, but you’ll also transform the room’s vibe and create a relaxing haven you will love coming home to.

Invest in a chic bedside lamp

Every room in your house can benefit from additional lighting, and your bedroom is no exception. Having different light sources in addition to basic overhead lighting means you can easily change the ambiance and create the desired vibe at the flick of a switch. A chic bedside lamp is a relatively inexpensive bedroom upgrade, and other than being a functional add-on, it’ll also act as a pretty decor piece that’ll beautify your bedside table. Style it right, and you’ll get a dreamy nightstand that won’t just serve as a dumping ground for chapsticks and loose change.

Open up the space with mirrors

Mirrors, just like lighting fixtures, are both functional and decorative add-ons that can take your bedroom decor to a whole new level. With strategic mirror placement, you can easily make your bedroom look bigger (if that’s what you’re aiming for) as well as brighter since they’ll reflect and bounce around the sun rays coming through your bedroom window. Plus, mirrors will make styling your outfits in the morning so much easier. Get a full-length one with a pretty frame, and you’ll really be stepping up your mirror selfie game.

Spruce it up with a feature wall

Bare white walls and neutral, bright shades are hallmarks of clean, contemporary bedroom design, but there’s no reason not to take this trend and put your own twist on it. Keep three of your bedroom walls neutral, and use the fourth one to create a feature wall. Removable statement wallpapers are your best friend when it comes to adding bedroom accents, and they’re temporary so you can easily switch them up when you get bored. You can also paint your feature wall, add tiles or temporary wood planking, or use a stencil to introduce colors and patterns and create a stunning focal point.

Show off your artistic side with artwork

Speaking of decorating your bedroom walls, another way to freshen up your bedroom decor is to introduce some funky wall art. Hanging artwork is one of the simplest ways to add character to a room and show off your artistic side. And it doesn’t have to be something pricey. Nowadays, you can easily populate your bedroom walls by heading to your local thrift store and picking up a few vintage pieces. Alternatively, you can print a couple pictures and frame them, or make your own art if you’re feeling creative.

Breathe new life with some cute plants

When it comes to refreshing your bedroom decor, you simply can’t go wrong with introducing houseplants. Beautiful and functional, plants add a pop of color to neutral rooms and bring in just the right amount of natural appeal while keeping the bedroom air clean and fresh. The best part? They work for practically every bedroom design style, and you don’t necessarily need a green thumb to start your own indoor garden. Even if it’s just a vase of fresh flowers, by adding touches of nature, you’ll manage to lift both your and your room’s mood and quite literally breathe new life into your sleep sanctuary.

Wrapping up

Sprucing up your bedroom doesn’t have to be a time-consuming, overwhelming, or expensive project. With a couple of easy decor tips up your sleeve, you can easily transform your bedroom on a budget and probably in a weekend.

First Travel Abroad With Your Baby

International travel with toddlers and babies is a great way to treasure your memories. Friends and family members may discourage you from travelling with your baby. However, you should definitely do it. While your baby will not recollect any of the sights and sounds or experiences, you will cherish each of the moments spent together. Travelling with a baby means being prepared for jet lag, blowouts, tantrums, travel sickness, and more.

When travelling with a baby, you will have several things on your checklist. By the time you decide to travel, you should have added immigration solicitors in Liverpool to your list. When shifting from one country to another, you need to have all the paperwork, documentation, visas, and other essential legal issues wholly sorted. You must also ensure all the documentation and paperwork ready for infants and children shifting with you.

When you are travelling abroad with your baby for the first time, you should consider a few things.

Schedule Flights At Convenient Times:

Finding the most convenient flight time can be challenging. Instead of picking whatever is available, you should opt for a flight time when your child will probably be fast asleep. Nap times help ensure your child is free from the stress of boarding, seeing too many people, and waking up startled or surprised. If your child gets alarmed, you may have to calm them down during boarding or immigration. Doing this will create utter chaos and cause you to lose concentration during immigration and boarding times.

An early morning flight when your baby is asleep, or a late-night flight would work in your favour. These flights are readily available and sometimes may cost lesser than ones during the day.

Carry Medication:

When you’re travelling with a baby, you never know which medication you may need. Babies can have all sorts of issues at the most unexpected times. Small things like a tummy ache, headache, cold, cough, or even gas can cause discomfort to your child. When you are in the process of moving to a new place and are travelling with a tiny baby, you would need to have all emergency medicines on hand. You should also keep the prescriptions, refills, and other medical insurance information within reach at all times.

If you do not have the medicines available, you may spend several hours frantically finding the correct medication for your baby. To avoid all this chaos, it is best to be prepared for all medical emergencies. At the minimum, you should keep a baby thermometer, ibuprofen, cough drops, and a few more. You should also keep some extra medicines for yourself.

Arrive At The Airport Early:

When travelling with a baby, it is best to arrive at least an hour before the scheduled arrival time. It reduces the stress of missing the flight and allows your baby to run around the airport, expend some energy, and get ready for sleep. If your baby is too small to walk around, you should not get to the airport too early. Airports can be boring for little children, and your little one may sleep before it’s time to board the flight.

Arriving early also allows you to get your bearing, and check where the departure gate is, and get through immigration and customs. Having enough time on hand enables you to ensure that all your documentation is in order, you have everything on hand and you haven’t forgotten anything.

Pack According To Your Destination:

While it may seem like a good idea to overpack, you should only pack what you need. If you’ve planned a summer holiday, ensure you pack enough baby-safe sunscreen, baby wipes, hats, and protective clothing. If travelling to a cold place, you should carry enough sweaters, warmers, full-sleeved and hooded onesies, jumpers, and gloves to protect your baby from chills and colds.

If you are travelling to a destination where you will walk around a lot, you should ensure you check in the baby stroller. You should also have a foldable umbrella that can be attached to the stroller to protect the baby. Apart from this, you should always have a baby carrier to ensure your arms are free to care for luggage and other necessities.

When travelling, carry additional baby formula, wet wipes, diapers, clothes, snacks, and more.

Apart from these tips, something you should always do when booking flight tickets is purchase an extra ticket for the baby. Reserving bulkhead seats for the baby can help with extra storage for the bassinet.

4 Ways to Improve Responsibility in your Kids

Children are too young to handle complex tasks independently, although they are happy to help you out at home or do the shopping. At the same time, your child is becoming more independent, and he probably likes to make decisions on his own. You can support this by assigning tasks that you know you can complete. As a result, they will know they can help take care of themselves and the world around them and prepare them for greater responsibilities later in childhood.

As a mom or a dad, you would be concerned for your child. While you do want them to take more and improve responsibility, you also do not want them to hurt themselves just cause you pushed them to do something.

Well, you got to try. Check if the following ways may be helpful for you and your child.

Reward system

Yes, we cannot impress enough on positive parenting. You need to be the safe haven for your child as opposed to someone whom the child dreads. Establishing a reward system help encourage the child to take up responsibility and ensure that it is duly taken care of. You do not even have to promise them pocket money or anything. Maybe just an ice cream after lunch or a small present or letting them watch their favorite show for 30 more minutes can do. Still, once they actually see this happening, they would be eager to take up more responsibilities and fulfill those provided that now they are guided by incentives.

Teaching them to work first and then play

Even when your child has a short attention span, you can start teaching him how to get rid of homework before he relaxes or enjoys himself.

Be friendly and admit that you like entertainment too. Show him that you are not bullying; you just expect him to behave responsibly, just like you. An excellent way to explain this idea to your child is to use the “when n then” rule. For example, you might say, “When we clean the table, then we can play dice.” It is more important to use the “when” word rather than “if.” This is because “if” means you just have to clear the table “if” you want to play dice. But “when” states that the table must be cleared at some point, it doesn’t matter what, and playing games is just a bonus.

These are small changes that you can make in addressing your child, and you will see a huge difference in their sense of responsibility. You can even take the help of online parenting blogs like Dadistry to help you along.

Make the chores enjoyable for them

We enjoy our tasks best when they are fun and friendly. Your baby would love spending time with you; though emptying the dryer may not be considered a job, it’s fun to pull warm, fluffy clothes and put them in the basket! If you clean the toys, have a friendly competition with your little one to see who can cater to more toys amongst both of you. You can even cook with them or make some refreshing drinks and ask them to help; teach them how a few things in the kitchen area to be handled with care and always clean after using the kitchen. This will also explain to them (indirectly) to be responsible for the cleanliness of their surroundings and prepare them to take up more responsibility.

Hold them accountable

We would tell you the golden rule to bringing about something. It is to start small. You cannot expect the child to learn to be responsible overnight, but over time, yes, that is what you should expect. If they leave the lights switched on in a room, tell them to go back and switch them off. You do not have to scold them. Tell them how electricity conservation is important. Do not let them leave the food half-eaten. Tell them about how many kids survive on less than three meals a day. Tell them how scarce food is. Instill a sense of responsibility and accountability in them without the use of threats or punishments.

This should not end here. Once you see them actually following what you taught them, reward and acknowledge them. You can even celebrate a few of those.

A Mini Guide

You need to start with making smaller changes in your child’s daily routine. If you haven’t done the following, you may want to do them now.

Start by asking them to wake up with an alarm on a weekend
Teach them to tie their shoelaces
Establishing family rules for, e.g., asking before one even kisses their own siblings (these go without rewards, however)
Praise them when they start making efforts
Get them their first wristwatch to help them track time
Give them a weekly plan with tasks to accomplish
Be a role model for them

You have got this!

Be realistic

We cannot impress on this enough. Rome was not built in a day, and it involved adults. We are dealing with children here, and you need to exercise immense patience. Your kid won’t always put shoes behind the front door or put toys back in the box. If that’s not right, he tries not to be impatient. Just remind him, “Remember, put the trucks away when you’re done.” If he is tired, for example, after a day in kindergarten, give him a little more help. He probably spent the whole day following the rules, and now he wants to get some rest when he’s home. Finally, whenever your child tries to act responsibly, give him a lot of praise and attention even if he fails. This shows your child that their efforts are important and appreciated.

Bottom Line

Let your child know that he has to follow certain rules, but positively explain them without threats or any kind of ultimatum. Show your child how responsible he is by taking care of your things and your space. He sets the car keys on the hook where they belong, instead of on the table, and picks up the clothes off the bedroom floor. He explains why you are also doing this to let your child know why it is important to be responsible.

Author Bio

Evie Harrison is a blogger by choice. She loves to discover the world around her. She likes to share her discoveries, experiences and express herself through her blogs

The New Home Deep Clean: What to Clean When You Move

There’s no doubt that moving houses is an exciting process. You may already have a vision of how you want to decorate your new place, and you’re excited about all the changes you’re going to make so that it feels like a home. Your new home is basically a blank canvas you can use to express your personality and creativity. The fact that it’s currently a bare and empty space is precisely the reason why you need to give your new home a deep clean before you move in.

Not only is cleaning an empty home easier compared to a place filled with all the boxes and furniture, but it’s also a way to give yourself a peace of mind knowing that you’ve taken care of all the nooks and crannies previous owners may not have. Whether you’re renting or buying, here are some tips on what to clean when you move into a new home.

Tackle the bathroom first

This is the most used space in the entire house, both during the move-out and the move-in. This is why it makes sense that you’d start by cleaning the bathroom first. Start at the top, as you would with any other room, dusting and vacuuming the accumulated dust and cobwebs. Rely on an all-purpose cleaner to wipe down the windows, cabinets, vanity drawers, and linen closets. Then, move on to the tub, shower, sink, and toilet, giving them a thorough scrub using a disinfecting cleaner.

Remember to disinfect all the switches, paper holders, door handles, faucets, and make sure to change the toilet seats. If you’ve got your dryer next to your washer, be sure to give them a thorough scrub as well. Clogged dryer vents are notorious for starting dryer fires. Cleaning the vents regularly prevents the buildup of dirt and lint, and the same goes for ducts and filters.

Move on to your kitchen space

Now that you’ve got your bathroom in order, it’s time to tackle the heart of the home – the kitchen. The best place to start with disinfecting your kitchen space is the fridge. You need a place to store all your perishables, so this is the step of the move in cleaning process that you shouldn’t put off. Remove all the shelves and drawers and use soap and warm water to clean them. Repeat the process with the freezer. Rely on vinegar and water to clean the inside of the fridge, and return everything once it’s dry.

For the rest of the kitchen, start at the top, tackling the ceiling, lighting fixtures, walls, and the upper cabinets. Move on to the appliances, countertops, and sink, using hydrogen peroxide and baking soda to remove stubborn stains. Finish by cleaning the inside and the outside of the cabinets and disinfecting all the handles.

Tackle the rest of your living space

For the rest of your living space, you’ll need to change your cleaning routine a bit. Instead of cleaning room by room, tackle the dirt and grime by going item by item and working with gravity.

Take your duster, microfiber cloth, and your vacuum, tackling all the ceilings, walls, corners, and lighting fixtures at first. Pay special attention to ceiling fans, shelving, and other elements close to the ceiling that tend to get neglected. Speaking of the areas where the dust tends to accumulate, remember to change the air filters in your HVAC units. Scrub down glossy paint walls, and take a gentler approach to cleaning wallpapers and flat paint. Make sure to wipe all the moulding, trim, window casings, too, leaving your bedrooms, hallways, and living room spotlessly clean.

Finish things off by tackling the floors

A proper cleaning process always starts at the top and finishes at the bottom. Start by vacuuming the remaining debris and using the right attachments to tackle edges and corners. Depending on the type of flooring, you want to make sure you’re using the right cleaning products.

Mild and wood soaps work best for laminate, hardwood, and engineered wood, while stone, linoleum, tiles, and concrete floors will all require different cleaning solutions after being swept or vacuumed. Carpets and rugs, on the other hand, will benefit greatly from a professional steam cleaning. They often harbor bacteria, germs, and allergens that can be successfully eliminated with deep floor cleaning done by a professional.

Wrapping up

A new home comes with new possibilities, allowing you to be creative and transform it into a place you’ll love. That said, it also comes with a list of cleaning tasks that need to be tackled sooner rather than later. Keep this list in mind next time you’re moving homes, and you can rest assured you’ll be starting this new chapter in life off on the right foot.