How to Teach Children About Social Media

Photo by Laura Chouette on Unsplash

{This is a collaborative post}

Online safety for children is a high priority for parents, but at the same time, you don’t want to control them or make them feel as though you’re snooping, especially if they're a teenager. Instead, educate them in the right way and give them the tools they need, show them respect but make sure they are responsible.

Make Them Aware

When your child grows up and goes to school, they are likely to encounter mean behavior. They might encounter bullying themselves or see the results of bullying on one of their classmates. It’s important to have conversations with them about this so they understand what bullying is and why it is wrong. 

Bullying has changed since the advent of social media, as the Family Orbit blog points out; young people need to be savvy about the online behavior that qualifies as bullying. Posting hurtful things about people or embarrassing photos is online bullying and needs to be reported and dealt with. It really is important to understand that bullying is about how the action is felt by the person it is targeted at and not about the person causing the pain. Their intentions may be good but if their language or behaviour is taken as hurtful, they need to know this and be able to make changes.

Consider the Consequences

Social media opens up some excellent possibilities, but at the same time, it has consequences that can affect a person’s reputation and quality of life. Depending on what you post, it can also lead to criminal activity such as burglary, so young people must learn to post carefully online. 

Since social media posts have the power to influence your reputation and life quality, you need to spend some time reflecting on a post before you hit the share button. Ask yourself whether the post is responsible and consider how it will be received by the community - never post spontaneously. 

Exercise Whilst You Work - Review of the V9 Pro Desk Bike from FlexiSpot

{I was gifted this Desk Bike for the purpose of this review. I have not been instructed what to write and I remain honest.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases, any affiliate links will be marked with #ad}

V9 Pro Desk Bike

We all know it is important not to be sedentary for too many hours in the day but when you work online it can be hard to fit everything in. I have to admit that exercise is often the activity that falls to the wayside as working to pay the bills or looking after the kids tends to take priority. A couple of weeks ago I was presented with a fantastic solution, by way of the V9 Pro Desk Bike. 

If I'm honest it's a funny looking squarish bike that you can use with your desk (or a modern sit/ stand desk) and you cycle as you work. As I tend to work with my computer on my lap, whilst sitting on the sofa I don't actually have a desk any longer so I wondered if this bike would suit me, but they have a solution for my problem. You can purchase the V9 Pro Desk Bike with a desktop attached and it is a really large and sturdy desktop.

I hadn't held out much hope that this bike would be any good for me as I'm a very large lady and that obviously means I'm heavy. In the past, home exercise bikes have always felt too flimsy and they've made me feel uncomfortable to ride them. However, this bike is truly sturdy with a nice big seat and I'm totally happy using it. 

One of my daughters has already commandeered the bike into her bedroom and that's OK as she has a good amount of space and when I want to use it is when she is at school anyway. My son has also been using it a bit as well, so it is great that it is encouraging many of us in the family to be more active. 

I've made a video of me setting the bike up and starting to use it, so take a look at that but basically, it's a great bike and it was super easy to get working. The V9 Pro retails for £399.99 as just the bike to use with your own desk. Or the version with the removable desktop is £439.99 but at the moment there is an extra £40 off with a voucher code that is publicised on the website until 10th Feb. After that, they are having a 'Say goodbye to sedentary lifestyle' sale from 11th to 28th February 2022, so it will be interesting to see what discount that provides!

Obviously, it is not cheap but I think it is good value at that price as it should last for years and make a difference to your lifestyle. 

How To Perform The Perfect Nappy Change

Photo by Laura Ohlman on Unsplash

{This is a collaborative post}

Until you become a parent, changing nappies is usually only something that you see other people doing. However, once the baby is born, it dawns on you that you’re also going to have to take up this responsibility, and often!

In this post, we take a look at how to perform the perfect nappy change. Check out our tips and tricks below: 

Choose The Right Nappy For You

The type of nappy you choose will have a big impact on your nappy changing experience. Until recently, most modern parents used disposable nappies as these are thought to be easy to change and dispose of.  However, environmental concerns now mean that many parents are moving over to cloth nappies as they are better for our earth, as they are reusable, reducing families’ impact on the environment. 

Some parents choose to adopt a hybrid approach to nappies: disposable for the first couple of months as their baby is settling in, and then cloth after that. Or maybe disposables when travelling or on holiday/ in daycare and cloth when at home. The choice is, of course, yours.

Stock Up

Before the baby arrives, it’s a good idea to stock up on all the nappies that you need. Many infants need to go to the toilet frequently, maybe once every three hours or so, meaning that you could need as many as eight nappies per day. There is nothing worse than leaving your baby in a wet nappy as they can suffer from nappy rash in even the most modern and absorbent of nappies.

Buying nappies in bulk can save you money, whether you have opted for disposable or cloth nappies. If you’re using cloth, you’ll want at least 30 on standby so that you can keep a regular rotation going and never run out. An efficient rinse and washing system for all the dirty cloth nappies is also essential.

6 Ways You Can Lead a Healthier Life

Image Credit: Pexels

{This is a collaborative post}

It is no secret that a healthy lifestyle can lead to a longer and happier life. However, it can be challenging for many people to make the necessary changes to achieve this goal. If you are looking for ways to improve your health, this blog post is for you! In today's post, we will discuss six ways that you can lead a healthier life. Follow these tips, and you will be on your way to better health in no time!

1. Commit to leading a healthy lifestyle.

The first step in leading a healthier life is committing to do so. This means setting goals and sticking to them, no matter what obstacles you face. It also means being honest with yourself about your current health and fitness level and accepting that there is always room for improvement.

If you are not sure where to start, try creating a list of reasons why you want to lead a healthier life. Some common causes include wanting to feel better mentally and physically, having more energy, or setting an excellent example for your children. Once you have identified your motivation, focus on keeping it in mind as you make changes in your lifestyle. It won't always be easy but it will be worth it.

2. Eat healthy foods.

One of the most critical aspects of leading a healthier life is eating healthy foods. This means filling your diet with nutrient-rich fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats. It also means limiting processed foods, sugary drinks, and unhealthy snacks.

If you are not used to eating healthy foods, adjusting your diet may take some time. Start by slowly incorporating more nutritious items into your diet and cutting back on unhealthy choices. For example, if you typically eat fast food for lunch every day, try packing a healthier lunch from home one or two days per week. Over time, you can continue to increase the number of meals you eat at home and reduce the number of unhealthy choices you make. Even small changes will start to add up and you'll see the difference.

5 Ways To Make Holidaying Abroad More Ethical

Image Credit: Pixabay

{This is a collaborative post}

It’s become increasingly common to set aside international travel in recent years, as the cost of living, the risks of Covid and the environmental toll have all become starkly obvious. Make no mistake, these are all perfectly good reasons to focus more on a staycation or a local holiday and a lesson we can all learn is that there is beauty and interest on our doorstep. From now on, hopefully, the dial will be turned in favour of more domestic travel, but it would, however, be a shame to become totally insular and miss out on the delights that can be experienced in other countries. A good way forward could be to focus on more ethical ways to see the world and contribute to tourist economies.

Can you travel internationally without compromising on your principles? Yes, but it will take a little more effort. Is it worth it? Yes, it certainly is. Below, we’ll go into some of the ways you can satisfy the more ambitious parts of your wanderlust without having to silence the ethical voice that keeps you on the straight and narrow, as well as recommending some places you can see while doing so. Safe travels (for you and the planet)!

Focus on the local

Just as you can favour local economies at home and keep your carbon footprint to a minimum, overseas travel can offer you opportunities to do likewise. The best way of doing this is to visit destinations outside of the tourist season and keep your focus on the local area. If you go to France, it doesn’t have to be all about heading to Paris to see the Eiffel Tower. There are innumerable delightful French villages that you can reach without even stepping on a plane - and while there you can eat at independent local restaurants, travel by public transport and stay in family-owned accommodation such as B&Bs.

This way, you contribute to the local economy of these areas, conserve the natural character of the communities and experience the genuine uniqueness of your destination - and all without having to queue for hours to see something you’ve seen thousands of times on TV!