Kids love animals. Why wouldn’t they? Whether they’re cute and cuddly, large and stately or creepy and crawly we’ve always held a particular fascination with the creatures with which we share the planet. As responsible parents it’s up to us to ensure that even if we’re not necessarily animal lovers ourselves, we still take the time to ensure that our kids interact with animals as often as possible. This may mean taking in a pet for the whole family to love and nurture. This will teach your kids all about taking responsibility for a living creature. It will help them to manage their time and prioritize taking care of their pet over playing games or hanging out with friends in ways that will pay dividends when they grapple with the responsibilities of adolescence and adulthood.

Image by Public Domain Pictures

Even if you decide that your household and a pet may not be a good fit, it’s still beneficial to ensure that your kids engage in activities that involve meaningful encounters with animals. Whether it’s taking them for pony rides, going to a petting zoo or devoting a bright and sunny afternoon to bird watching, kids get a lot of of interacting with animals. For example…

It teaches them about the natural world and our role within it

We live in an era where we can no longer turn a blind eye to the effects that our lives have on the planet around us. Our industry, transportation and animal agriculture have had a profound effect on the planet and the other creatures we share it with.

Getting to learn more about animals, their lives and their habitats helps kids to form a greater understanding of the natural world and our place within it. It helps them to consider the ways in which the choices we make in everything from the food we eat to what we do with our garbage affect the local environment and the world at large.

It teaches them empathy and compassion

All kids benefit from empathy and compassion and spending time with other living creatures helps them to become more empathetic in an age where it’s easier than ever to be self-centred and egocentric. Learning how to handle animals and interact with them responsibly in ways that will not frighten or hurt them is an important skill and one that will help them to grow into more empathetic and compassionate adults.

It can be a great emotional pick me up

When you’re feeling down, interacting with animals (especially when it’s in a natural or outdoor setting) can be a great pick-me-up for your mental health. All kids experience negative emotions like frustration, anger, stress and sadness and it’s our responsibility to teach them how to deal with these emotions responsibly.

It teaches them where their food comes from

Finally, good health starts with a good diet and encouraging kids to interact with animals helps them to better understand where their food comes from. Whether it’s meeting a dairy cow or a hen it can help them to better understand how the quality of life that the animal enjoys can affect the taste and nutritional properties of the food they eat.

I would like to thank Bowlmor Lanes for sponsoring this post. All opinions are my own.

As a kid I started bowling at the age of 9 my cousin use to take me to Yankee Stadium bowling alley. Things were a lot of different then there were no bright lights, no music, no disco ball, no bumpers and you had to tally your own score manually. Now that world is long and gone making bowling a fun activity for all.

For our son’s birthday week one of the places we took him were the Bowlmor Lanes. Here are 5 reasons why Bowlmor is great entertainment for families:

1. Bowling is for all ages
   Whether you are 4 or 94 with automatic bumpers that go up as you go for the most inexperienced bowler.
2. Onsite Birthday Cake
   It was my son’s birthday week so we decided to turn it into a celebration you have the option of buying a cake onsite we brought a chocolate chip cake that was just the right size for 4 of us.
3. Great Food
   No longer are the days of just getting a hotdog. Bowlmor have an array of various foods to chose along with a kids menu and you don’t have to bowl and be hungry another great feature is that you can order right from the screens in front of you.
4. Great Exercise
   Believe it or not bowling is a form of exercise it gets kids out of the house and helps develop strength in their arms, learning how to balance a ball and throw in the right direction. Did you know that just 3 games burn about the same amount of calories as walking a mile.
5. Encourages Social Skills
   We live in a digital age where children are into gadgets it’s refreshing to see kids interacting without screens in front of their faces. It teaches kids how to take turns and work together as a team.

For more info visit www.Bowlmor.com

When we’re pregnant, we read everything we can about pregnancy. We cram up on giving birth, and on what is happening inside our bodies up until that point. We attend classes to help us learn how to care for our new families, and we’re consumed with thoughts about becoming a parent and meeting our new baby. We’re exciting, scared and a little nervous.

Credit – https://unsplash.com/photos/S8BW-Wx9G8I

One thing that very few of us consider is how our bodies will recover after giving birth.

We might vaguely assume that our bumps will quickly vanish and that that weight will start to drop off straight away. You might have an idea that your boobs will be sore if you breastfeed, and that sex will be off the cards for a while. But, it can be a shock when you come out of hospital still looking pregnant, and that your body doesn’t just snap back to normal. Here are some ways that you can help your body to recover from childbirth.

Give Yourself Time

The most important thing that you need to remember is that it’s going to take time. Your body took 40 weeks to grow a baby before childbirth, which is in itself is an ordeal. You can’t expect it to just snap back to normal. In those first few months, you’ll be tired, emotional and busy. Don’t rush your body into anything that it isn’t ready for. Give it time, get some rest and enjoy being a mum.

Dress for Comfort

You can’t expect to squeeze yourself into your skinny jeans as soon as you get home, and nor should you, even if they do fit. They’ll be uncomfortable, and they’ll put pressure on your body. Instead, stick to lose clothing and underwear from innerparents which will support your postpartum body, and help you to relax in comfort without putting a strain on any cuts and scars.

Exercise

When it comes to exercise, it’s crucial that you listen to and trust your body and take your time. You shouldn’t head out for a run two days after birth. But, some gentle postpartum exercises will increase blood flow where it’s needed. Aiding recovery and helping things bounce back.

Then, when it comes to other exercises, build up slowly. Start going for walks with the pram, then when you are ready, try swimming and a gentle return to the gym. Check out postpartum Pilates and yoga videos for a gentle start. Exercise will aid your recovery, help you to lose weight and give you a much-needed confidence boost. But, only if you take it slowly, and take a break if your body needs it.

Rest

Unfortunately, the thing that your body needs the most is almost certainly the thing that it’s not going to get enough of. Newborn babies are often up all night and need feeding every few hours. But, even if you’re not getting much sleep, you should try to rest. Let your housework standards slide, eat some ready meals and spend the odd day in your pajamas watching films if you need to.