My home used to appear to be the poster child for toxic scents, air fresheners, candles and wax melts. For the most part, my ignorance was bliss to the damaging effects of these endocrine disrupters, the known carcinogens dirtying up my inside environment and other potential dangerous situations such as a house fire. I took the plunge years ago to toss all these toxic items from my home when I switched to essential oils, however, not everyone is quite so keen. So if you are looking to clean up your indoor environment, Enviroscent offers a safer scent without harmful chemicals and ingredients to freshen you home. Continue reading “Clean Up Your Indoor Environment Safer Scents for 2020”
Buying a home is not an inexpensive matter, so preserving its value is of premium necessity. Whether you eventually plan to sell or whether it will be your lifetime home, it will be important to keep or even improve upon the bottom dollar. Take some of the following ideas into consideration when considering what needs to be done. Continue reading “Fixing Up Your Property to Preserve the Value”
Whether it stems from a New Year’s resolution, a medical scare, or just a desire to get back in shape, there are countless reasons a person might want to pay more attention to his or her health as the aging process starts to set in. While this is not exactly an easy prospect in any environment, certain aspects of our modern society can make it a bit easier to live a healthier lifestyle. Implement the following techniques to get the most out of what the digital world has to offer. Continue reading “Here Are Some Ways New Technology Can Help You Make Healthier Habits”
Phonological processes: patterns of sound errors that typically developing children use to simplify speech as they are learning to talk. They do this because they lack the ability to appropriately coordinate their lips, tongue, teeth, palate and jaw for clear speech. By age five most children naturally outgrow their use of phonological error patterns. Continue reading “Types of Phonological Processes”
It seems like this topic comes up every year around the holidays. Should you go out and buy (or cut down) a real tree, or should you invest in an artificial tree that will last for much longer? It’s a great question to ask and just like anything, there are pros and cons to buying both. Here are some great arguments for buying an artificial tree for your next Christmas, however, as opposed to a live tree.
Cost
According to Highya, the average artificial Christmas tree in 2018 cost around $104 while the average cost of a real tree was around $78. An artificial tree will last for around 10 years, however, so you are saving a substantial amount over money over a decade. If you were to buy a real tree every year, that would cost you $780 over ten years. Compare that to the $104 that you spend only one time. Not only that, but these numbers aren’t adjusted for inflation. If you buy an artificial tree this year, you’re also saving on 9 years of future inflation costs.
Allergies
Some people are actually allergic to Christmas trees! An artificial tree is a great alternative that’s allergen friendly. As a matter of fact, Balsam Hills was formed specifically to address this issue when the owner’s relative had an allergic reaction to a freshly cut tree. Pine trees can carry mold and other allergens with them into your house. No one wants to deal with a bad case of allergies around Christmas time, especially if it’s in their own house!
Maintenance and Safety
Maintaining a live tree in your house can be somewhat of a hassle. Live trees need to be watered quite often. Aside from that, your tree will shed numerous needles throughout its time in your home. These needles will need to be swept up daily as they can be quite sharp. If you have small children around, they can potentially get harmed by the pine needles from live trees in your home. Eye injuries from pine needles actually increase around Christmastime according to Review of Optometry. This isn’t particularly surprising considering that it’s a pine tree’s main defense system.
Convenience
An artificial tree is absolutely a more convenient option for the holidays. If you get a tree that’s prelit, half of the work is already done for you! These Balsam Hill reviews detail the convenience of their trees during setup. While not all trees come with easy-plug technology, an artificial tree is going to more convenient than trying to transport a live one to your house. They can be easily disassembled and stored in their boxes until next season. A live Christmas tree will always need to be transported at least twice – one to your house and then once to the dump.
Creativity
You can get artificial trees in an array of styles and colors. Do you want a white tree for Christmas? You can do that. How about purple, or even a rainbow tree? The style of your tree is only limited by your imagination. You can order different sizes and fullness depending on your preferences. The only way you’ll get a different-colored live Christmas tree is if you spray paint it, which definitely isn’t recommended.
There are tons of reasons to shop for artificial Christmas trees during the season as opposed to living ones. Not only will it save you time and money, but it can also be a much safer option for children or people who are setting up the tree. No one wants to think of Christmas and be reminded of the time they were blinded in one eye.
Cellphones, social media, social pressures, and exams have been the weight of concern for my children lately. In turn, these feelings create a certain level of anxiety, stress, and can impact a good nights sleep. On the other hand, some children have natural stresses because they have special needs; autism and other sensory experiences can affect how children regulate their behaviors or emotions. For years, occupational therapists have been helping children and adults stress less with a weighted blanket.
We have been on the hunt for the perfect weighted blanket for our kids, as this was their holiday gift request, and we have definitely found it! Part of our Florida lifestyle is that we have been so much more relaxed. Just minutes from the beach, the theme parks and the abundance of outdoor living, our family has been exploring ways to de-stress in various ways. We have normal stressors, yet we have tried to not let the small stuff weigh us down, pardon the pun. However, sometimes normal stressors can impact, even seasonal stressors like the holidays can impact sleep and overall wellness.
This past year my sleep has been a mess. A horrible mess. The Chad and I chalked it up to our aging bed and we bought this incredible Tempurpedic. However, before the bed purchase, I was still struggling for sleep. Being that he wanted me to sleep well, he purchased a weighted blanket. Our first night was amazing, I slept like a baby, but the subsequent nights were hot flashes, sweating and every attempt to get comfortable. So after 30 nights we kicked the blanket. I just could not find my sleep despite the level of comfort it brought for my restless legs from weightlifting and my daily stressors.
Do Weighted Blankets Actually Work?
Was it the blanket though that was not helping my sleep? Was it the weight? Was it my bed? So many questions, so many variables. I couldn’t just give up on the blanket. I decided to investigate if there was really any truth to how weighted blankets work and if they truly do help to stress less by easing you into, and keeping you, asleep.
In 2008, a research study was conducted with adult participants and the findings concluded, that basically, weighted blankets are safe to use. The initial findings were that emotional arousal was reduced by the use of the blankets, however, this was only after five minutes of use. Not five hours or more as one might experience during a full nights sleep.
A few other studies – a few years later – proved fruitless as well, using placebo blankets to help further the study. Those findings concluded that sleep was not impacted by the participants, children, and most importantly, children with autism. So where is the proof these blankets work if the research is indicating otherwise?
In the 1990s Temple Grandin, world renowned researcher and a person who also has autism, conducted research studies regarding “hug machines.” Her first studies were with college students that found that the deep touch helped 60% of participants feel more relaxed. Yet, it was the study done in 1999 that was published in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy that found that 12 children with autism all received some benefit from her “hug machine” experiment.
The findings of the 12 children were that five used the machine, continuously applying pressure, while the other seven rested in the machine. What is the hug machine exactly? Built of pads, the user can pull a lever applying deep-pressure touch to the body. The user has total control over the weight and amount of application within the “hug machine.” So while the results are absolutely conclusive, varying studies have shown some applicable reduction in stress, but most importantly is about personal preference.
Which Weighted Blanket and Why?
For the last several years weighted blankets have exploded all over the market and internet. From craft DIY’s to blankets touting metal for better grounding (which we don’t recommend due to the lead possibility), everyone is all about stress less with a weighted blanket. With so many to choose from, which weighted blanket is the best and why?
After much research we found the team at Harkla and their incredible product line of weighted blankets and other sensory experience products. Why did we choose them and why their products? The team at Harkla has first hand experience with sensory issues in children, backed by educators and science to create products that ease stressors in our children’s lives. Think about your new born child and how at ease they felt when swaddled or having the pressure of your hand on them as they were soothed to sleep.
Blanket Weight suggestion based on age and body weight of individuals.
Using this same theory – backed with applicable use by occupational therapists – applying deep-pressure touch helps to desensitize and calm children with sensory processing disorders, as well as children who may struggle with anxiety or the ability to self-calm. With that, weight is a tremendous factor and should only be used in older children, never with infants. Blankets come with a variety of weights that are evenly disbursed and are based upon individual body weight, and of course, preference. Some adults and children have found less weight or even more weight to be beneficial.
Perfect for Teens
Instead of returning our blanket we opted to let Big G try it out. Needless to say, the blanket has never been returned to the store and is – instead – with it’s intended rightful owner. Weighted blankets are perfect for teens! Riddled with hormones and hormonal driven anxiety, married with all the minutiae high school can bring, teens can stress less with a weighted blanket.
Experts have explained that the “deep pressure” feeling generated by a weighted blanket helps to release both serotonin and dopamine to help people feel more relaxed. While the feeling isn’t like a death weight; weighted blankets provide a nice, even, easy to the touch feeling over the entire body to put it to rest. Hence why hugs have that calm feeling as the soft, easy touch can ease feelings of tension, fear, and general upset.
Perfect for Tweens
At the genesis of true teenage years, Tweens are beginning the hormonal process. I see my twins rage or cry over absolutely nothing and everything. They are in the first year of middle school and are navigating multiple classes, exams and early peer pressures. While they both manage to handle stress fairly well, I can tell that they still lean on one another for comfort. By that, I mean they still will crawl into bed with the other while sleeping. Simulating that inherent twin feeling from when they were infants.
My initial thoughts were that this could be a problem, interrupting one another’s sleep in order to find that soothing comfort. Even though I have been a mom for 17 years, I am still figuring this whole gig out most days, especially when my twins are involved. They are a unique breed of people, so vastly different, yet very similar. I do not want to interfere with the connection the two of them have and will willingly foster the healthy coping mechanisms they have as children.
So we explored the weighted blanket route with them as well with Harkla. Our goal was to have them stress less, find a good nights sleep and find comfort, either individually or together. When we put it together I had to have them both try how they could feel together with the weight and individually. They both were at ease, yet smiling ear to ear, full of excitement to feel the swaddling and “deep-pressure” touch they felt as infants and toddlers.
The weight was perfect for their togetherness and individuality. At only 15lbs, they could easily lift up from underneath the blanket, but still benefit from the additional gravity being applied to their bodies. Now the two of them have negotiated who sleeps under the blanket on any given night, with the opportunity of the other crawling in bed for the cuddling feeling. Looks like we will be investing in a second to ensure a future argument doesn’t erupt.
If you’re looking for the perfect gift this year, weighted blankets are at the top of the list. With the amount of stresses in people’s lives these days, we are always looking for ways to reduce stress and tap into more natural ways to relax. More so, the abundance of benefits to the special needs community for those with sensory disorders to help stress less as well. Whether you are an adult with anxiety or sensory disorders or have a child or children with sensory or spectrum disorders, a weighted blanket might be just the perfect gift.
Overnight my children have graduated from young tots to feisty tweens and teens. With their aging, going step-by-step into various gift brackets, we finally arrived at the teen stage. Having outgrown toys, tweens and teens are now into their pseudo-adult type gifting. This holiday season I needed a true list from my daughter as to what the top gifts for girls would be for teen and tween ages. The results were enlightening.
Needless to say I should have packed away all my Caboodles, scrunchies, my checkered Vans and teal Chuck Taylors, coupled with my neon colored clothing, scrunchies, bell bottoms and overalls. 30 years later and my youth is that of my daughter, apparently they are called VSCO girls – albeit sometimes an insult, other times not – we just thought we were trendy when we coveted these must-haves the teens of today desire. Might I suggest to my daughter to pack away all these items for her daughter in an airtight time capsule. They would make perfect gifts for girls in the next 30 years. I digress.
Her list was comprised of the aforementioned and a few functional and tech savvy gifts, here is what we found are the top gifts for girls that are teen and tween ages. Best part, all of these gifts are plenty affordable, won’t break your budget or the bank and you’ll be winning at this parenting gig.
1. Unique Fragrances with Demeter
Remember when CK One was all the rage? A perfume and cologne in one that was totally unisex but smelled completely different on everyone? Yeah me too. While I refuse to wear the scent as a grown woman, I do find myself reminiscing of my youth when the fragrance hits the olfactory senses.
So this year, why not step up the fragrance game for any young woman with Demeter’s Fragrance Library. Moms, you all know Demeter and their signature scents, the bottle is unmistakable and so are their scents. I remember rushing out to purchase Grass after it first debuted in the late 90s.
Today, our daughters can enjoy the wide variety of signature scents of Baby Powder, Pure Soap, Kitten Fur, Sunshine, Gin & Tonic, Clean Skin, Wet Garden, Salt Air, Lavender, Jasmine, Mandarin Orange and Myrrh. In Demeter’s Signature Foolproof Blending Sampler, they can create a scent all their own that is unique to their own personality. Just in time for the holidays is the Winter Wonders Roll On Perfume Oil Blending Pack with the rich scents of Mulled Cider, Purple Iris, Musk#7, Egg Nog, Blue Spruce, Whiskey Tobacco, where these scents can be layered on the skin to create a fragrance and scent all their own. Use Demeter’s recipe blends or create your own! Find the scents online at the Demeter site, Amazon, or your local store – use the store finder to see where you can purchase locally.
2. Cellphone & Service with Tello
Unfortunately the rule in our house is 8th or 13, you must be in 8th grade or the age of 13 to have a cellphone. Anything prior is a violation of TOS for most social media, and with kids these days, they are ALL OVER social media. However, if you feel the need to give your kid a cell phone this year for Christmas but cannot afford the latest iPhone 11 with the monthly fees, we have another option!
Say hello to Tello! For as little as $10 per month, your teen or tween can be gifted a new phone and phone plan that is budget friendly, offers unlimited talk and text, data, upgrade or downgrade anytime, and no long term contracts so you can cancel at anytime. Coast-to-coast coverage using the Sprint Network. No more lost or dropped calls, loading issues or slow speeds.
Worried that you have never heard of Tello, maybe you’re asking “who is Tello?” or “who owns Tello?” We are glad you asked because their mother company (ahem, Sprint) has been in telecom since 2002. Tello has been servicing as a provider for the last three years and are a leader in being the most flexible carrier in the US. We wished we knew about them when our oldest teen got his first phone as it died a slow watery death when he jumped into a pool with it in his pocket, lost the second one at school, only to be given a third to have the second miraculously show up. Add in all the hassle of managing locking down the phone and what not, we were thrilled to hear of Tello’s no hassle options!
3. Reusable Straws & Water bottles
Apparently you are a nobody if you don’t own a hydroflask. I had no effing clue what exactly a “hydroflask” was until I sought the knowledge from Google. Gone are the days of single use plastics with straws and water bottles, welcome the world of stainless steel straws and fancy named water bottles. If only daughter had been more aware that I have been using reusable water bottles for over a decade. Basically her whole life. Again, I digress. Yet, I love the new found enthusiasm of youth with their desire to rid our planet of plastics that simply are not recyclable because they saw an IG story of a sea turtle.
With that, I could not be more on board with the reusable straws and water bottles. I have a 40 ounce bottle I lug with me everywhere, despite not fitting into any traditional cup holder. My sweet daughter also likes to flavor her water with essential oils too, so we opted for the more “dropped often” version of a stainless steel water bottle from Simple Modern as opposed to glass. This still accommodates her desire to be stylish and functional. Plus the stainless steel straws come in a variety of either straight or bent and have a easy store canvas pouch. I stole one out of the lot to use with my Yeti for beach days and to keep those pesky Love Bugs out during nasty summer months.
4. Vans, Birkenstock’s, Overalls – Oh My
A little part of me died inside when I saw my daughter’s wish list for Christmas. The top of her list was a “pair of checkered Vans,” “Birkenstock’s,” “overalls, ripped jeans, jeans with cute patches,” and of course all of her remaining requests. Her titled list indicated in bold and underline, “NOTHING KIDDIE.” Got it!
Living in a digital world and even a major metropolitan area offers the luxury of finding these requests easily. A simple trip to the actual mall, the nostalgic relic of my youth reeking of the 90s, Annie’s Pretzels and Orange Julius meant I could find everything she desired. So I darted into Children’s Place to find half of her apparel requests. Jeans with “cute” patches, jeans with rips, and – the jackpot – overalls! Little Miss has been asking for overalls for a while now but I struggle with paying over $20 for a pair of pants she may wear once. Luckily they were on sale and under $20! Score.
Next stop was my favorite of the era: PacSun. Formerly living on the west coast you always felt on the forefront of fashion trends and PacSun was it for the grunge, skater, chill, original VSCO girl fashion of the 90s. Scoping out her footwear, I knew I had better go the old fashioned route and visit, dare I say, the outlet mall for more bang for my buck. There I could round up everything on her list and then some while still maintaining my budget.
If the teen or tween girl in your gifting arena isn’t a fan of the Vans, Birkenstock’s or overalls, alternatives are always available. Scrunchies are all the rage once again where you can purchase over five dozen for less than two Starbucks lattes. Lip balm is always a hit as a stocking stuffer or even mascara, can’t go wrong with the simplest form of makeup for teen and tween girls.
5. Stardust LED lighting
As if these kids did not have enough distractions, now they want to add LED lighting to the mixture? Actually, I think the idea is brilliant and a fun way to add a nightlight or flare to a teen room without being too over the top, expensive or distracting. The perfect gift for girls, boys, tweens and teens, these LED rope lights are functional, fun, satisfy your children’s desires and keep you on track with your budget. Spend less than $50 and you have got yourself a room makeover for your teen where they can transform their room with their varying moods.
These tape or rope lights come in varying lengths, we found a 32′ length LED tape light with 44 different LED colors that your teen can control with a remote. Tape lights mean easy installation to install under your teen or tweens bed, along the wall, in the closet, or parents, get funky and install in your kitchen for some cool effects and really wow your kids with your edginess. While we didn’t purchase the name brand Stardust, we did find some fabulous lights on Amazon that were more affordable, had great reviews, excellent warranties and coverage in the event of failure.
Whether you are gift giving for your daughter or someone else’s daughter, these were some of the most requested, top gifts for girls, teens & tween ages. You are sure to be “Gucci” in their book with one of these top gift requests. Long gone are the days of socks and underwear and matching PJs. Shopping for any female can seem like a daunting task, whether she’s 14 or well into her 40s and beyond, sometimes the most simple gift is the best gift this holiday season.
As my children have aged up out of certain gifting criteria we have found they are about functional gifts. Not to mention we have had a multiplication of devices which all require some form of USB to charge said devices. Finding enough outlets, cords, and the like can be a headache. This year, we found the perfect stocking stuffers with the gift of power from AMONER. Continue reading “Give the Gift of Power from AMONER”
Gift giving for older children is more about functionality or overall use as opposed to what “Santa” will be delivering. Kids these days are more technologically driven than ever before so staying ahead of the trend but behind the bus in cost is a delicate balance. From the latest iPhone to portable cameras or the latest in Bluetooth headsets to fashion trends, these are some of the top gifts for teenage boys. Continue reading “Top Gifts for Teenage Boys”
Nowadays everything is a subscription. From dog food to even a shave subscription, long gone are the days of simple gifts. Holiday shopping for The Chad and my kids has become a struggle through the years. As we – and they – age, finding “that” particular gift or any gifts becomes challenging. The kids are no longer of a particular toy age and The Chad and I are more about functional gifts. Which is why this year Harry’s Razor and Shave Subscription might just be the ticket for The Chad. Continue reading “Harry’s Razors and Shave Subscription”
