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Sleep Soundly – How to Beat Insomnia

October 16, 2018 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

Insomnia is a sleep disorder that causes suffers to experience trouble when falling asleep, or staying asleep. According to the Sleep Health Foundation, one in three people suffer from this disorder in some degree. More commonly, insomnia is seen in elderly people, and is twice as likely to affect women than men. This may be due to increased rates of anxiety and depression in women, which can be associated with insomnia. Though the disorder affects sleep, the effects last throughout the day with suffers often unable to focus on tasks. It is important to recognise insomnia, and work towards overcoming it. Here are three things that may assist with your sleep, and lead you to having a better night’s rest.

Get Comfortable.

The first and perhaps most important aspect of sleep is the environment around you. According to the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School, the bedroom environment can have significant effects on sleep quality and quantity. Assess your sleeping situation, and consider if it can be improved. Light has a large impact on sleep, so ensure that the room is sufficiently dark during times of rest. Temperature is also a huge factor, with the optimum level unique to each person.

Finally, your mattress and pillows will ultimately determine the position in which you sleep. Ensure that your pillows are supportive, and your mattress free of any lumps. You may have to purchase some upgrades, perhaps splurging on a memory foam mattress or some expensive pillows; since we spend one third of our lives asleep, it is a worthwhile purchase!

Stay Active.

While this point may scare some people away, it is no secret that staying active can significantly improve your ability to fall asleep at night. This has been scientifically proven, with many contributing factors discovered, including lowering of stress levels and regulation of body temperature. Taking care to participate in regular exercise, therefore, is a way to assist with any sleeping issues you may have. This exercise does not have to be in a sweaty gym, or running 10km a day (although if this is your thing, enjoy!), and can simply consist of a morning or afternoon walk.

Dancing, swimming or even rollerskating are all other options to consider, so don’t be afraid to get creative with staying active. Participating in a sport is a great way to stay consistent in your exercise routine. The Department of Health and Human Services has some great information about this, so check out their website if you’re interested.

Have a Routine.

This may not be possible for everyone, especially those who do shift work, but having a sleeping schedule can help program your body to know when it’s time to sleep. For one week, try going to bed at the same time every night, and wake up at the same time every morning. See how you feel, and if it has made an improvement then incorporate a sleep schedule into your everyday life. If you do not see any changes, consider adopting one of the other tips mentioned, or see a healthcare professional.

There we have it, three ways to get a better nights sleep! Try them all, or pick one or two and assess your progress. Remember, if you have suffered from insomnia and these tips have not shown any improvement, consult your doctor. Your sleep is very important, and any struggles should be recognised and addressed. Good Luck.

How to Instill the Love of Reading in Your Child

January 22, 2018 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

When does your child read? A) Every single day – he just loves learning and letting his imagination run free, B) Read? He uses his books to reach the TV dial or C) When I make him, come hell or Lambchops Play-along!

If your answer is ‘A,’ congratulations: Your child will grow pup with initiative, creativity, and knowledge needed in today’s competitive world. If your answer is ‘B,’ welcome to the club; many other mothers get the urge to throw the TV and computer games out the window. And if your answer is ‘C’ – well, it is a step in the right direction. Sort of.

Here are six ways on how to instill the love of reading in your child:

1. Get together with other mothers. Some kids, even if they grow to like books, might eventually abandon them because their friends want to play, or they cannot keep up with the neighborhood discussions on Barbie. Organize some reading group, or at least encourage other parents to fix their own children’s reading habits. Then you can throw back an argument your child has used for most of his life: “other kids are doing it.”

2. Don’t make reading a chore or a punishment. It is easy to tell a hyperactive or underachieving child to “Keep quiet for half an hour and just read a book.” Or “Your grades are low because you do not read enough…from now on I want you to keep books and not to play!” But this will give negative reading connotations that no amount of Brothers Grimm can erase. Separate the situation from the solution. If you do want your child to sit still, tell him to go his room, where books will be waiting for his quiet enjoyment. Or if his grades are low, limit his play, then at another time; gently explain to him how reading can help him in his studies. Books then become the friend, not the enemy, and friendship is the first step to love.

3. Do not criticize his reading. So what if he reads slowly, or if he reads the same books over and over again? The important thing is that he is reading, and if he needs correction, be sure to sandwich it with lots of his effort. “Son, I’m proud that you’re reading a lot, and writing stories of your own too! But don’t write on the books, okay?! Here, I bought you a nice notebook. If you want to write after reading, you can put it here so everyone can read your beautiful stories.”

4. Cultivate a general interest in learning. You have taught your child to love reading; now you have to teach him to take the initiative. Organize nature trips, collect bugs or flowers, or just place him in any situation that will expose him to new things. Now that his senses are stimulated, he will naturally turn to what suggestions number 1-9 have drilled into him day after day. “Hey, didn’t I read a book on that some time ago? I think I’ll look it up again when I get home.”

5. Make books available. Rarely does a child plan to read a book. It is spontaneous, like everything else he does, a hungriness that springs on a sleepy Saturday afternoon or after a wonderful discovery in the garden. So do not keep the encyclopedia set behind a locked glass case, or the fairy tale books on a shelf too high for him to reach. And most importantly, do not cripple him with the fear that he might “ruin the book.” Books are to be read, and if the pages get a little crumpled, then they are beautiful books indeed. Haven’t you read The Velveteen Rabbit?

6. Set him free. After you have instilled the love of reading in him, let him explore its realm for himself. You have given him the most beautiful gift possible, but he will never be able to know this until he discovers this on his adventuring own. If he likes Sherlock Holmes, well and good. If he prefers Ghosts and Goblins, then step back and let them be. After all, your child is A) reading every single day – he just loves to learn and allowing his imagination run free!

Author Bio: Sohail is a content marketer and a blogger, currently he is associated with Smiletutor.sg. His hobbies include writing, reading books, traveling and gardening.

5 Natural Remedies to Cure a Kid’s Earache

March 2, 2015 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

This is a sponsored post…

An earache can sound like serious business for a parent: their kid’s in pain and while the cause may be something benign like Otitis (either of the middle ear or the outer ear), it still looks worrying. When a child complains of pain inside their ear, either because of a swelling of the eardrum (Myringitis), a cold, an infection, allergies, eardrum blisters, or injury, it’s time to look for remedies quick. Sure, a lot of ear infections that occur in children aged 2 or older will go away without the need for treatment – but what can a parent do in order to alleviate the pain caused by the earache in question. There’s always the option of calling a doctor or using pain relievers, but if those solutions are not accessible to you, or you would simply like to avoid them for whatever reason, we’ve got a handful of natural earache remedies for you to try out. No doctor needed! Bear in mind that if the pain persists, you are best advised to seek out professional medical advice.

Tip #1: Warmth + R&R

Since a lot of ear infections don’t necessarily require medical attention, one of the best ways to handle an earache is to simply encourage your child to rest. If you can get them to lie quietly in bed while you read them a story, color a picture book, or play a video game with them, that’s great. Do your best to engage the child in quiet, relaxing playtime activities. It’s generally not recommended to allow your child to go outside during bouts of ear pain, especially if the weather is cold. Furthermore, try to avoid or postpone travel at this time, most of all by pain. High altitudes may aggravate earaches caused by ear infections. In all of the above scenarios, whether they entail travel or rest and relaxation at home, it’s a good idea to apply a warm cloth to your child’s ear. The heat may help reduce the intensity of the pain and you can use anything from a washcloth to a blankie, a heating pad, a favorite toy, or a towel. Just make sure to have a replacement at hand when the first thing you’ve used has gone cold.

Tip #2: Help those ears feel better

Here are a few ‘tricks’ that have been tested by healthcare providers in soothing and/or alleviating pain caused by an earache:

Let gravity work its magic. Since most earaches are caused by inflammations, which, in turn, create pressure via an accumulation of fluid against the eardrum, gravity can help reduce some of that pressure. Try to get your kid to lie on one side while in bed, with the ear that hurts facing toward the ceiling. Some of the accumulated fluid and/or mucous might drain away from the eardrum.
Wiggle those ears. This tip especially works with kids who often get earaches because of chronic sinusitis and a stuffy nose. Pinch the lobe of the ear that hurts between your index finger and thumb and lightly tug at it. If you do this right, the Eustachian tube which has become clogged might pop open and have the fluid drained right out of it. Alternatively, you can encourage the child to yawn or swallow, much like they would when their ears need to be ‘popped’ when flying.

Tip #3: The important link between the ear and the nose

As mentioned above, sometimes kids can get an earache as a direct consequence of sinusitis. If it’s not that serious or a chronic ailment, if it’s simply a cold, try to get them to blow their nose. That, of course, may not be possible if it’s really stuffy, but you can always help them by squirting a drop or two of saline solution up one of their nostrils. As mentioned in the first tip, if only one nostril is clogged, try to get them to lie on one side, with the stuffy nose hole to the ceiling.

Tip #4: Sometimes you don’t need antibiotics

Sometimes an earache is as painful as to warrant the use of over-the-counter painkillers, or even prescription analgesics, antibiotics, and eardrops. But this is not always the case. When you can safely rule out the possibility of an ear infection, try to drip a drop or two of olive or vegetable oil into your kid’s painful ear. Since this is not always an easy task to complete, try to do this as they are about to go to sleep, or even after they’ve fallen asleep. Have them lie down as soon as you’ve applied the drops, as you don’t want them leaking oil all over the sheets. It’s a good idea to slightly warm up the oil before applying it – just make absolutely sure the temperature is appropriate.

Tip #5: Nature’s miracles

If your child can tolerate any of the following solutions, with all their funny tastes and strong scents, then consider using them:

Ginger. It’s a great natural painkiller, which can also alleviate inflammation. Pour a few drops of ginger juice into the afflicted ear, or apply a tablespoon of freshly grated ginger root rubbed with ¼ cup of sesame oil and lightly heated around the ear with the ache.
Basil leaves. Crush a handful of fresh basil leaves and pour a couple of drops into the aching ear.
Onion or garlic. Both are great antiseptics and can substantially reduce an inflammation inside the ear.

Parents and Homework

March 2, 2015 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

This is a Sponsored Post…

I guess everyone has been to school and knows pretty well how hard is the path of studying. Therefore, the educational system of USA suggests that parents should help kids with their homework. So, Homework-desk.com decided to check out how parents manage to tackle their kids homework. It turns out that around 40% of parents deal with their kids homework. Others either are too busy for this or just don’t understand the materials their kids bring home with them. The most problematic subjects for parents turn out to be math and English.

There is evidence though that it is extremely good when parents are involved in their kids studying lives. In such families children are more successful at school and get more fun with the studying process.

There are various ways of how parents can help their kids with home assignments. Among them are 5 the most important: parents should help their kid to choose the right place for doing homework, as well as, the right time. They should help with preparing of all the necessary materials for studying and remove all the possible distractions. And the last but not the least – they should be engaged themselves, show interest, and be a vivid example.

Another point here to discuss if parents should help kids with studies at all. Is it more of a hindrance than a help? But the key aspect here is that everything should be done moderately. Parents shouldn’t do the whole homework, as can be seen in one out of six families. Small hints and the simple expression of interest will boost the kids’ motivation to study and develop. It is important to explain how important the knowledge gained at school is. It is a ground, a so-called platform, for the further deeds. Therefore, be a vivid example for your kid, be engaged, and everything will be just in order.