parenting Archives

Science for 3 Year Olds? Absolutely!

August 19, 2015 by Momstart Leave a Comment

I’m super excited to be working with KinderCare over the next month. They have amazing resources for parents and they strongly believe what I believe. Little kids are sponges that absorb everything. So we should show them the world. Today we’re talking science for 3 year olds!!

Can 3 year olds really begin to understand scientific concepts like states of matter, force, and motion?

“Absolutely,” says Meg Davis, manager of curriculum development for Knowledge Universe. “Children are young scientists. They learn about the world around them through their senses.” This natural curiosity is the basis for KinderCare’s new early science education program, to be launched this summer.

Called Spectacular Science, the two-week program presents basic science concepts in ways three-year-olds can engage with and understand.

“The key is to provide children with plenty of hands-on opportunities to explore science in a playful way.” – Meg Davis, Manager of Curriculum Development for Knowledge Universe

For example, while learning about states of matter (solids, liquids, and gases), our children will pretend to be balloons filled with air that float up into the sky…and then fall back to the ground. That kind of physicality helps bring complex concepts to life for young children.

Can’t wait to nurture your own kids scientific curiosity? Bring a little bit of Spectacular Science home with these three ideas inspired by KinderCare’s new curriculum.

1. Science in Creative Expression: Shadow Art

• Scientific Concepts:

o Light and Shadows

• Materials Needed:

o Sidewalk chalk

Pick a sunny day to head outdoors with your sidewalk chalk, find a hard, flat surface, and search for shadows to trace. Encourage your child to identify a shadow and trace its outline with the chalk. Create your own shadows and trace each other’s outlines.

Ask open-ended questions: What does a shadow look like? What shape is it? How is a shadow made?

Extra Credit: Later, go outdoors to see how far the shadow moved!

2. Science in Motion: Freeze Tag

• Scientific Concepts:

o Liquids and Solids

Physical movement and acting out ideas and concepts helps children understand them more clearly, and this well-known child’s game incorporates a science lesson too: Freeze Tag. (Freeze Tag works best with a few friends.)

Explain the simple rules: One child is It and tries to tag the other children. If a child is tagged, the child “freezes” in a fun (or funny) position. If another child tags the “frozen” child, he or she becomes “unfrozen” and can begin running again. After several minutes, ask another child to be It.

During breaks, ask: What else freezes?…That’s right, water. When does water freeze? What is water like when it unfreezes?…What is another word for ‘unfreeze’?

3. Science in Everyday Conversation:

· Scientific Concepts:

o Critical Thinking

o Hypothesizing

o Science Vocabulary

Science learning at any age involves curiosity, exploration, and discovery. Families can support science learning in everyday conversations by asking “how” and “what” questions that prompt children to think critically and explain their reasoning.

Ask questions like, “What would happen if… of How do you know that…? Then sharpen children’s skills by inviting them to test their ideas. For example, if you are exploring what sinks of floats ask, “Will the rubber duckie float? Let’s try it…”

You can find more amazing activities like this one at Adventure Ahead: www.adventureahead.kindercare.com

9 Top Tips on Developing Healthy Eating Habits

February 20, 2015 by Momstart 1 Comment

(Image credit: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/Soy-whey-protein-diet.jpg)

How many times have you found yourself impulsively tearing open that bag of chips and snacking away on it to satiate your evening hunger pangs? I bet you already know that doing so isn’t good for you, but yet, every now and then you keep hankering for quick comfort foods to fill your stomach.

Most of us are well aware of what we should and shouldn’t eat. And while we have both, healthy as well as unhealthy options before us, we often opt for the latter because of the convenience and the taste factors.

Eating healthy requires effort. In fact, lots of it.

Developing and sticking to healthy eating habits requires that you make a conscious decision to do so and learn to consistently make the right choices about what you consume. This may take time but getting started is half the battle won.

Wondering how to get there? Here are a few tips.

1. Plan Ahead

Planning is essential of the success of any strategy. So when you’re building a strategy for eating healthy, you will do well to decide what you’re going to eat a week in advance.

Think about what you’re going to need to support this plan and draft a grocery list accordingly. When you visit the store, pick up only the items mentioned in the list and nothing extra.

The list will help you stick to your plan and avoid the temptation of buying that bag of chips which always look so good to the eyes!

2. Do Not Skip Breakfast

(Image credit: http://pixabay.com/p-412167/?no_redirect)

Starting your day on a healthy note will keep you motivated to eat wisely for the rest of the day as well. Make it a point that you eat a hearty and healthy breakfast. Not only will it keep you energized, it will also make it easy for you to not to succumb to hunger pangs.

3. Do Not Starve Yourself

It is important that you eat well without depriving yourself of food. Starvation will only make you prone to binging, which defeats the purpose of your plan. Eat freshly cooked meals in moderation and you should do well.

Even if you cannot cook your own meals for whatever reason, you can always engage meal-delivery services like FreshnLean vegan meal plans in place to provide you with freshly cooked, healthy meals at your doorstep. Nothing gets better (and easier) than this!

4. Be Aware of Food Peeves

You will have to make a conscious effort and pay attention to what you eat, how much you eat and how it makes you feel. Some foods tend to make you feel full quickly, or maybe even force you to spend the night in the bathroom.

This may happen because your body may not be able to assimilate certain kinds of food. It is, therefore, advised that you listen to your body and avoid eating such items.

5. Keep Natural Foods Handy

Many a time, we resort to eating a packet of chips due to the sheer accessibility and convenience it offers to satiate our hunger. What if fresh fruits and vegetables were easily accessible too?

It makes sense to stock your refrigerator with plenty of fresh produce. You can chop them up and store them in the fridge for times when you may be looking for something quick and healthy to snack on.

6. Eat Smart When Dining Out

(Image credit: http://pixabay.com/p-601576/?no_redirect)

Don’t let the prospects of eating out ruin your plan to eat healthy. We all know restaurant food isn’t particularly high on the healthy quotient and is laden with calories. Even their salads can be high in fat content.

The good news is that some restaurants mention nutritional information on the menu itself to help you make relatively healthy choices. If not, you need to be smart and eat a small salad or a bowl of soup at home before heading out.

This will help you eat less at the restaurant. You could also split the meal and the dessert with your friend/partner and hence, consume lesser calories. When eating salads, ask the server to serve the dressing separately.

7. Know What You’re Consuming

This is easy. When buying packaged food from the supermarket, read the nutritional contents on the label to figure out whether it is healthy enough to be consumed. Make an effort to look for food that is low in fats, sodium, sugar and other preservatives.

8. Try to Relish What You Eat

Decide that you’re going to enjoy what you eat, especially because it is healthy. Start by taking the time to actually sit down, eating your meal slowly, and chewing it properly instead of gulping it down in a hurry.

Take in the natural colors, flavors and aroma of the food you eat to be able to truly relish it. Stop eating when you start to feel full to avoid overeating. Eat to feel satisfied, not stuffed.

9. Exercise Portion Control

(Image credit: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/224898575112075009/)

Make it a point to eat at least 3 healthy meals in a day. If you feel like snacking in between, do so but go for healthy items such as fruits, nuts, unbuttered and unsalted popcorn, low-fat yogurt, whole grain crackers, and so on. You can also eat several small meals throughout the day to prevent overeating.

Portion control is a great way to eat healthy and avoid overeating. Try eating your food in small-sized plates/bowls to feel like you’re eating the same amount of food.

Conclusion

All great things take time. One cannot expect their eating habits to change overnight, and depending on your habits so far, switching to healthy food will take a certain amount of time as well. You can give the above mentioned tips a shot and turn it into a gradual process to transform into a healthy eater. It should get easier once you get used to eating nutritious food. Very soon you will find yourself instinctively shunning unhealthy eatables in favor of healthier substitutes.

High Rise Living: How To Choose The Right Condo When You Have Young Children

December 29, 2014 by Momstart Leave a Comment

Resurgence in urban living in recent years has made more buyers lean towards buying condos over houses. There has also been an increase in younger families who are also opting for this convenient and low-maintenance lifestyle. Because younger families usually come with kids in tow, it is crucial to put some deep and researched thought into the kind of condo you want to invest in for your family. Having children may mean that your choice of where to live is principally motivated by the needs of your children. Here are some tips to help you choose the right home for your family.

· Location: Urban living is all about being able to get where you need to be with ease. Condos are usually located within walking distance to shops, restaurants as well as entertainment places. So consider choosing your home close to your place of work. Most importantly, explore options in good school districts. New and modern condo for sale in Montreal or any other big city, strive to create a balance between the bustle of the city and the natural serenity of the nearby Peel Basin.

· Unit size: The size of your condo should be directly proportionate to the size of your family. It should also factor in any additional children you plan to have. Remember that as your family grows so will the need for a bigger place. Keep this thought in mind when choosing your condo to avoid being forced to move after a few years, for want of more space.

· Demographics: The nature of the structure of a condo is such that fellow occupants automatically become your immediate community, and this communal life might require significant interaction. Having kids may mean having to choose a community that also has young families, as opposed to a community with mostly retired individuals. Making sure that your building has a similar demographic may therefore greatly enhance the communal experience for both children as they interact with fellow children, as well as for the parents.

· Amenities: Most condos have amenities and facilities that other types of regular housing do not have, such as swimming pools and fitness gyms. Some condos are progressively adding play areas and mini parks to cater for children. Choosing a condo with these features will mean one less worry about where to take the kids for some fun and exercise.

· Privacy: Before you decide on your condo, do find out the corporate body’s stance on privacy and good neighborliness. A building that strictly monitors sound levels and traffic in the common areas might not be ideal for young children, and you could soon find yourself at odds with your neighbors.

· Extra storage space: In addition to your family growing, you might also discover that your children’s possessions, in particular, are also increasing at an alarming rate. Find out if your prospective building provides additional storage space to allow you to stow away the bikes and skateboards that can no longer be accommodated inside.

· Monthly maintenance fees: Make sure that you understanding the terms of your maintenance fees obligations so that you are not caught unawares by seemingly high rates. Parents these days are more concerned with the emotional welfare of their children, and the negative impact that ‘uprooting’ them from school and friends to start over in a new place would have. It is important, therefore, to choose your condo with a relatively long-term plan in place.

Although finding the home that is just right for each member of the family might look like a daunting task, a bit of planning and research will help narrow down your focus and unearth the optimum condo experience for you.

Important and Inspiring Quotes regarding Foster Care

December 12, 2014 by Momstart 1 Comment

With the movie Annie coming out we thought this informational piece would be fitting.

Fostering a child is an incredibly rewarding journey, complete with highs, lows and everything in between. Some words of wisdom can really help make sense of some of the stages, or to even provide you with comfort, a smile or reiterate the importance of why you’re doing what you’re doing.

Here is a collection of some of the best quotes regarding fostering we found on Pinterest.

Parenthood requires love, not DNA.

You may be in our home for a season but you’ll be in our hearts forever.

When you honour the birth family, you honour the child. When you don’t honour the birth family, the child will believe that something is inherently wrong with him/her.

However parenthood comes to you, it’s a miracle.

‘Children born to another woman call me ‘mom’. The magnitude of that tragedy and the depth of that privilege are not lost on me.’ – Jody Landers

‘As foster parents, we are asked to not only care for the basic needs of a child, but also sit alongside them as they digest the hurt and damage they have undeservingly experienced.’ – Carrie Dahlin

As one person I cannot change the world, but I can change the world of one person.

You may not have my eyes or smile, but from that very first moment you had my heart.

‘Little souls find their way to you, whether they’re from your womb or someone else’s’. – Sheryl Crow

‘I have four children. Two are adopted. I forget which two.’ – Bob Constantine.

Never forget for a single minute you didn’t grow under my heart by in it.

There are no unwanted children; just unfound families.

Foster carers don’t have super powers, but it’s worth remembering that even Superman was adopted…

Family is not defined by our genes; it is built and maintained through love.

Fostering takes time, but love arrives instantly.

I didn’t give you the gift of life; life gave me the gift of you!

The struggle is part of the story.

‘As soon as I saw you, I knew an adventure was going to happen’ – Winnie the Pooh

It’s not always going to be easy, but it’s always going to be worth it.

Fostering or adopting a child is a long and painful process…but so is childbirth.

Everyone wants to know where they came from, even if it doesn’t turn out like you wanted.

‘Families don’t have to match. You don’t have to look like someone else to love them’. – Leigh Anne Tuohy

Right now someone you haven’t met is out there wondering what it would be like to meet someone like you.

This is the start of your sweet little story; the part where your page meets mine no matter where you tale takes you tomorrow; our story will always read ‘love’.

10 Ways Each Mom Deserves to Treat Herself

December 3, 2014 by Momstart Leave a Comment

Moms can never be told enough that they deserve to be reminded how wonderful they are. You might not always get that reminder from the world, and sometimes, us moms can just feel in a rut. Don’t let the frump take over – here are 10 things that you deserve to treat yourself with – little joys that remind you what an intelligent, hot, and fascinating woman you are – without a huge splurge.

1. Read an excellent book.

A grand accomplishment is to be a parent, and not fall out of touch with the style and culture that we once held so dear. A good book has the power to heal through relaxation, and allows us to leave this moment for another. Keep yourself armed with language and interesting ideas.

2.Time for meditation.

Meditation can be something of a mental "check-in". Are you feeling aches and pains? Are you feeling fulfilled? Sometimes we get so busy that we can’t recognize clear problems within ourselves, and this can prevent us from obtaining our goals. Meditation allows us, furthermore, to visualize the person we wish to become, which is a step well on the road to achieving that vision of ourselves.

3. Take care of your body

People sometimes think about body care as a chore, but instead, I challenge you to think of it as "I deserve to take care of my body". You deserve to be doing something to promote longevity as well as your general quality of life, because that is the end result that you deserve. Instead, relish the opportunity you have been given to be good to yourself. Find ways that you enjoy being healthy. Make it a type of experiment to find the most fun, most enjoyable way to continue improving your body’s health. As well, don’t look down upon adjustments that you need to make for yourself. Get a trainer, consider supplements (especially those with natural ingredients, like Hydroxycut for example: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Hydroxycut-Pro-Clinical-60ct/12516992 ), and set yourself reminders for each workout with alarms, post-its, whatever you need.

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4. A memorable girl’s night

I’m sure you have that group of girls that all gets together and chats over coffee or cocktails. But this next week or month, why not try something a little different. Invite the girls over and tell them to wear some clothes that they don’t care about and make abstract art together. Have a moment to escape the social expectations of being a mother or being an adult. Or if you want to go out, lots of local boutiques hold seasonal fashion shows, as an idea. Meet someone new, do something different, and surprise yourself. You’re fun, you’re hot, and life always has the capability of giving you awe and wonder.

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5. To continue challenging yourself

One of the challenges moms face is getting stuck in the monotony of day-to-day routines, and have little opportunity to explore new sides of themselves. To counter this, try stepping out of your comfort zone for a while. You’ll be impressed with what you can accomplish, and maybe you’ll learn that you have a skill that you never imagined. For ideas, why not try a dance class, hot yoga, rock climbing, spoken word poetry, standup comedy, or anything you’ve always wanted to try and said "no, I couldn’t".

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6. Have something that reminds you of how beautiful you are

This can be a necklace, a scarf, a special dress, just a pretty pair of underwear, but it should be something that you have for you. It can be something that you can only get out for special occasions, but it is better if there is something that you can wear whenever you feel less than your prettiest. Or at your prettiest.

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7. A good laugh

Never underestimate the power of laughter to knock down emotional walls, and bring you back around to look at the bright side. When life gets its most stressful, take a minute to enjoy how ridiculous and beautiful life can be. It’s a tiny splurge, feel free to take this one as often as you want.

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8. Go outside.

When you’re inside at the office, and then come home to clean the house or make dinner or organize for the next day, we don’t get a lot of daylight time, especially in winter when the nights span half of the day. During the weekend, make sure you can get a little outdoor time to keep your sanity, and perhaps ground you a little bit in the fact that there is so much more than the little sphere of your influence and care.

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9. Have a hot date.

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Even if it’s just on you going to a fancy restaurant alone. But spend one night going out of your way to feel pampered and impressed. Had your eye on a fancy restaurant downtown for a while? It’s important to be reminded every once in a while that you are deserving of special attention and of romance.

10. Create something.

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Don’t deny your power to make something amazing. Whether it’s knitting, painting, refurbishing old furniture, it’s so incredibly satisfying to look at an end product and know that it is your vision and product of your work. If you ever need to let off some steam, creating is an excellent way to turn that into passionate, constructive energy.

Family Safety: 5 dangerous Driving Mistakes

November 12, 2014 by Momstart 3 Comments

Family safety: 5 dangerous driving mistakes you might do without knowing it!

You wake up in the morning to the sound of an accident. For a second time it’s the accident sound that completes your day. Something is actually wrong with the drivers on our roads. They are doing things they ought not to do while on the wheel. It is ironical to see drivers commit the same mistakes that were made known to them during their driving lessons. Their lack to adhere to the safety measures taught in driving schools is the main reason behind the dangerous driving mistakes. What things do some drivers do that annoy other drivers or even the pedestrians alike? The five most dangerous driving mistakes are:

1) Cellphone use- it is common to see a good number of drivers busy talking over the phone while struggling to focus on the road at the same time. A recent road safety journal reported that a driver is more likely to cause an accident in an equal measure as a drunk driver. Drivers are easily distracted while on the phone and less focus is kept on the road, other vehicles and pedestrians. In many instances they react to the distraction when it is way too late to avoid the accident.

2) Fatigued driving-driving when fatigued is very dangerous especially on very busy roads where the traffic level is very high. It can cause injuries, if not death, on you and other road users in the event that an accident occurs. Impaired driving is reported to have killed over 10000 people in California, U.S.A in 2012 alone. Drunk drivers are a serious problem to other road users and it has always been recommended that people ought not to drive when on the influence of alcohol.

3) Fast driving-young inexperienced and teen drivers are the most common victims who are fascinated with the fast speed they drive their cars at. Over speeding on poor condition roads, high cliffs and round sharp bends is extremely dangerous and unthinkable. The over speeding driver can easily topple over the fall, veer off the road or worse off, roll several times before plunging in a ditch. The deadly crashes result to serious injuries that may even cause permanent disabilities to the victims. It is necessary that drivers drive at safe speeds at all times so as to protect all the parties at stake from any form of accident that might arise from the deadly crashes thereon.

4) Aggressive & Reckless driving- most of the aggressive driving traits include frequent changing of lanes, ignoring traffic rules and close following of other vehicles. Other aggressive driving habits are include rude gestures, excessive and unnecessary honking and ignoring other drivers on the road. Aggressive driving is dangerous to both other drivers and the victim himself. It distracts other drivers due to fear of collision and ending up in a fatal accident. Empathy for other drivers can help reduce reckless and aggressive drivers. Ensuring good driving is healthy to the individual driver and the society as a whole.

5) Poor car maintenance-it is always said that you reap what you saw. It therefore goes without saying that when a driver fails to ensure proper maintenance of his car he should not expect it to perform as desired. Driving with a poor lighting system, deflated tires and a poor braking system will for sure drive one into an accident. The car becomes difficult to control and is unreliable. Ensuring good maintenance for one’s car from time to time will improve its reliability while on the road. It will also be easy to avoid accidents and ensure safe driving at all times of the day and at all traffic levels.

Why Everyone Should Use Hypoallergenic Laundry Detergents

November 11, 2014 by Momstart Leave a Comment

There’s a line of thinking which says that hypoallergenic laundry soaps are only for people that suffer various allergies themselves. While of course people with allergies should use hypoallergenic laundry detergents, they’re not the only ones. There’s a case to be made for everyone in a family to make this type of switch. If you’re part of a growing family, it’s always better to take the proactive approach – especially when there are other benefits to taking the hypoallergenic route.

Allergens Can Trigger Attacks over Time

First, laundry detergents are a very common culprit of allergic reactions. Allergies are particularly difficult because it’s your own body attacking itself. Sometimes when your body is exposed to a chemical or substance it will produce a massive autoimmune response even if the substance itself is harmless.

It’s not a matter of something in the soap being "toxic" or otherwise harmful to you; it might be a simple scent agent that’s supposed to make your wardrobe smell like Spring Rain and instead causes your body to react as though it’s under a threat. You might think that you’re in the clear as far as that goes, as you’ve been cleaning your clothes for years without ill effects.

That’s not always the case, however. Allergies can develop at any time, even (or especially) to substances that you’ve been exposed to before, according to WebMD. You might have used the same detergent 1,001 times and the 1,002 exposure will be the one to give you a rash. When the very thing causing your reactions are in your clothes themselves that can lead to a very messy sort of problem.

You Can Come into Contact with Allergic People

You could go your whole life without actually running into this problem, but that doesn’t mean that everyone in your family would be so lucky, or everyone you meet on the street. If you’re washing your clothes in allergenic laundry soap you’re taking a gamble every time you lend your friend a sweater, or hold a coworker’s baby. It’s impossible to live your life with everyone else completely on your mind, but it’s a practical step to take if you’re going to be working with large groups of people or if you’re expecting a fresh addition to the family. Hypoallergenic laundry soaps are the considerate choice before you donate clothes or blankets to shelters or charity as well. You never know who is going to pick them up.

Look for "Free and Clear"

The most common cause of allergies in reaction to laundry soaps are the scents and the dyes. Some soaps are made to have that crystal blue look that’s supposed to make your whites whiter, or to fill the air with lavender when you spread your freshly laundered sheets onto the bed. When you’re looking for a kind of laundry soap that is hypoallergenic you can either look in the name, like the laundry detergent from Honest Company, or you can look for phrases like "Free and Clear". This means they’re not adding in fresh scents or extra dyes. Of course, sometimes the allergy is to a base ingredient itself. If you find yourself or a member of your family struggling with persistent itchy skin it might take a couple of tries for you to find the detergent that’s really right for you. It can be a bit tricky, but looking for phrases like that will at least give you a place to start.

They Tend to Rinse out More Completely

One of the main causes of skin irritation for people with delicate skin overlaps with one of the causes of allergic reactions: laundry soap that doesn’t rinse out all the way. When you’re carrying around half the soup in the laundry load in your sweater it’s not surprising that you might have an adverse reaction or two. The great thing about hypoallergenic laundry soap is that they tend to rinse out more completely. Less soap in your clothes means that you’re going to be carrying around less potential irritation even if you don’t have allergies.

You can add to this by choosing liquid soap over powder, according to Stain Removal 101. Though it’s just as good at getting things clean as powdered laundry soap, it rinses out even more easily,according to Baby Center. This basically means that you don’t have to resort to an extra spin cycle to be sure you’re getting the last of the soap.

The Bottom Line

There is a pretty strong case for everyone using hypoallergenic laundry soaps. Why tempt fate or bother your family members or friends when you can have clothes that are just as clean and carry around less soap residue? A simple, no fuss change can keep your clothes clean and soft while also keeping your skin blemish free and even softer with each and every load.

How To Get A Healthy Gut: The Benefits of A Probiotic

October 8, 2014 by Momstart Leave a Comment

Did you ever wonder, “Do I need a probiotic”?

Probiotics have long been touted as a natural way to maintain digestive health (also known as healthy gut), regulate digestion & absorption, produce a healthy colon, and create an overall state of bodily well-being.

First, let’s briefly discuss what probiotics are.

Probiotics are microorganisms — good bacteria or yeast — that help aid in the digestive process. It helps maintain the balance in our GI tract and it reduces the growth of harmful bacteria.

According to the American Gastroenterological Association, probiotics are generally safe, but since they are a supplement, probiotics are not FDA regulated.

In addition to the benefits listed earlier, one of the strongest reasons that support the use of probiotics is its aid in relieving infectious diarrhea or diarrhea associated with the use of anti-biotics.

Recent studies by the Journal of the American Medical Association, illustrate that probiotics have in fact reduced the risk of diarrhea associated with anti-biotic use by nearly 45%.

According to The Harvard Medical School, probiotic therapy may also help people with Crohn’s disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and irritable bowel syndrome.

Probiotics also help keep your internal plumbing ‘clean’, and clean plumbing means better efficiency. When you’re bowels and gut are clean, you’re entire body works better including your immune system and your ability to fight off infections.

Another benefit to probiotics include overall dietary health such as less bloating or gas, better breakdown of foods, especially carbs and fat, better absorption of healthy nutrients, and relief of constipation.

So what do you look for if you want to start taking probiotics?

When choosing a probiotic, there’s a few helpful hints to follow:

· Read the label. Find out which strains are being used and look for expiration dates. Common good bacteria include Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium lactis, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus casei, and Saccharomyces boulardii (yeast). Also,

· Ask if you have questions. If you are taking probiotics for a specific concern, call the manufacturer, your doctor or pharmacist to make sure the good bacteria in the product will be helpful for your condition.

· Look at the storage information. Probiotics are living microorganisms, and some may need to be stored in the refrigerator. So follow storage directions carefully to get the best shelf live on your probiotics.

· Do your homework. There are several brands of probiotics on the market today. Probiotics can be purchased online, in supermarkets, pharmacies, and health food stores. If additional herbs are in the probiotic, research them to see if there may be some mild side effects.

Some of the best probiotics available today have been evaluated and assessed by top consumer product review website, www.BuyerReview.com. So if you’re wondering about taking a probiotic this is a great resource tool to compare products.

To see the #1 probiotic, as rated by BuyerReview.com, as well as the winner of the ‘Editor’s Choice’ and ‘Best In Class’ awards, click here now!

To review the entire ‘Top Ten’ list of probiotics, click here now!

Keep in mind, the health benefits of probiotics are strain-specific, so you may want to consult a practitioner familiar with probiotics to discuss your options or your primary health care provider.

This is a guest post.

Smartphone Security 101: 6 Simple Tips to Teach Your Child

September 16, 2014 by Momstart Leave a Comment

by Alicia diVittorio, Mobile Safety Expert, Lookout

Whether we want to admit it or not, smartphones have become a constant presence in most of our lives. For kids in particular, phones are essential for keeping in touch with friends and family, and serve as an important lifeline in an emergency situation.

Having our lives so intertwined with these mini computers, however, means they end up holding a lot of personal information – emails, texts, contacts, photos – that can cause a real headache if put in the wrong hands.

We can’t always be there to shield our kids from all the dangers of the world, including those that come with our high-tech gadgets; but we can educate our kids and help them make the best decisions possible to stay safe! Here are six easy phone security tips you can teach your child to help keep them safe in the always connected, mobile world.

1. Set a passcode: Based on Lookout’s research, perusing the contents of a stolen phone is one of the things a thief will do after nabbing it. The last thing you want is a thief getting a hold of your child’s personal photos, texts, and emails. A passcode is your first line of defense against unwanted prying eyes.

2. Watch out for shady links. In the U.S., 4 in 10 smartphone users are likely to click on an unsafe link in a given year. Due to smaller screen size, clicking a shady link is much easier to do on a mobile device because it’s harder to decipher whether a website link is legitimate. Before giving your child their own smartphone, teach them to stick to websites that have a small image of a padlock in the browser (before the web address). This symbol indicates that a website is protected and safe for surfing. If your child is unsure about a link, make sure they know to ask a trusted adult before clicking. If you have a gut feeling that the link doesn’t seem legit, it probably isn’t!

3. Know Your Apps. Kids are always swapping information on the latest smartphone games, but some apps are bad and can hold spyware and malware that steal personal information. Make sure your child is only downloading apps from trustworthy sites, like the App Store or Google Play. For extra peace of mind, check an app’s ratings and browse through user reviews to ensure the app is widely respected.

4. Watch out for pickpockets: 1-in-10 smartphone owners fall victim to phone theft and 2 in 5 of these people have their phone stolen out of personal belongings like backpacks or messenger bags. If your child’s phone falls into the wrong hands, it puts all the personal information on their phone at risk. Remind your child to keep their school bag with them at all times and close zippers when going to and from class.

5. Think before you connect. While connected to public WiFi, teach your kid to limit email and social networking activity. Public WiFi networks are everywhere, but security for these networks is not. When making purchases or entering personal information on a device, make sure your kid knows to rely on a secure network rather than public WiFi to ensure that their private information stays private!

6. Download a “find my phone” app. On average, people in the U.S. lose their phones once a year; and we all know kids are notorious for losing things. To avoid having to replace an expensive smartphone, download an app like Lookout that allows you to locate your phone in real time and will “scream” when activated from a computer, even if the ringer is turned off. Lookout will also provide you with the last known location of the phone via email if the battery dies, giving you the best chance possible of finding it if it is lost away from home or stolen.

By taking even one of these precautions, your child’s phone and personal information is already more protected. With just a few easy steps and a little know-how, your child can safely navigate the mobile, online world.

VSP Vision Care: The Importance Of Getting Your Eyes Checked #SeeMuchMore

September 8, 2014 by Momstart 5 Comments

This is a partnered post, all opinions are my own.

Going back to school means it’s time to check everything. We check out clothes to see if everything fits perfectly for the first day. We go to the doctor to have our health checked and see if we need any new shots for the new school year. My kids are so happy they don’t need shots for a few years at least. And some schools do hearing and eye tests with in school screenings. And regardless of if your school does the check or not you should get them checked; especially your eyes. I’m working with VSP Vision Care, the largest national not-for-profit in vision care, and they shared a few reasons why you should get your eyes checked:

· Eye exams are important for everyone in your family – from babies to adults, and everyone in between.

· Annual eye exams are important to your overall health. They allow eye doctors to detect eye conditions as well as early signs of health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

· As you get your children ready to go back to school, don’t forget that getting them an annual comprehensive eye exam can help them learn and experience life to the fullest.

· Many experts believe that 80 percent of what we learn is through our eyes, making a comprehensive eye exam one of the most important ways parents can give their child the best chance at success this school year.

· One in four children has an undetected vision condition.

o A child doesn’t know what good vision is if he or she has never experienced it.

o Because eye health plays a major role in academic growth, it’s common for a vision problem to be mistaken as a learning disability.

o Undetected vision conditions can negatively impact learning development and contribute to frustrated students, poor grades and behavioral issues.

· Comprehensive eye exams can detect what school vision screenings cannot.

o While in-school screenings do help identify some vision problems, such as near and farsightedness, they do not test for all of the problems that a comprehensive eye exam does, like diabetes and hypertension – both growing health concerns for children.

o Two of the most common vision problems a screening can miss are eye coordination and lazy eye. These conditions can usually both be corrected as long as they identified and treated early!

· Children’s eyes develop rapidly until about the age of seven – making early detection essential in correcting potentially permanent vision issues.

VSP Vision Care reinvests in the things its nearly 66 million members value most – the best care at the lowest out-of-pocket costs. With a network of 30,000 eye care providers, VSP members have the freedom to choose the provider, location and eyewear that’s right for them. It’s easy to see why VSP is consumers’ #1 choice in vision care. Need help with all that? Use SeeMuchMore.com.

SeeMuchMore.com is a one-stop site for all the information you need about enrolling in vision benefits. The site includes a virtual savings calculator to estimate your savings with VSP vision benefits. There is also helpful information about maintaining healthy vision that can be found at the Learn About Your Eyes section of the site. You can even play an interactive game for a chance to win prizes.

So Go make an eye appointment for back to school season, it’s good for your health!