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Happy and Healthy – 6 Tips For Ensuring Your Kids Are Getting The Nutrients They Need

February 5, 2021 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

All parents worry if they’re providing nutritional goodness for their kids, especially when dealing with picky eaters. How can you make sure your children are getting all the nutrients they need to grow?

Here are six simple tips to help you feel confident you’re feeding your kids everything their growing bodies need.

1. Consume calcium

Do you remember that song from nursery school about how important calcium is for teeth and bones? Well, you can ensure that your kids get their calcium intake by including calcium-rich foods like spinach, broccoli, and milk in their regular diet.

2. Milk your way to healthier choices

Since milk is so easy to consume, it’s vital to include it in your child’s diet. When it comes to the type of milk you choose to give to your child, it all depends on their age and needs.

Babies who are less than 12 months old must be breastfed exclusively. Toddlers older than a year and up to the age of two will do well to consume some a2 goodness. This refers to milk made from cows that exclusively produce the a2 protein. This means it contains all the goodness of milk, just without the digestive disturbances common to the a1 protein.

3. Serve snacks

You must keep in mind that children have smaller tummies. They cannot be satisfied with just eating breakfast, lunch, and supper.

The suggested number of snacks for children is two per day between their three main meals. Also, snacks must be healthy and evenly spaced out between meals. It is advisable to give a child a snack at least two hours before main meals.

Since children feel hungry between mealtimes, they are more likely to settle for a healthier treat if that’s what’s on offer for snacks.

4. Keep up the carbs

Children eat to gain energy and one food group that is known to provide lots of energy is carbohydrates. The good news is that it’s easy to incorporate carbs into your child’s diet.

Make sure that they’re eating balanced meals with fruits, vegetables, and grains and they’re good to go! You can prepare a potato side dish or include rice with dinner. Fresh brown bread is another easy and accessible source of carbohydrates for kids.

5. Be generous with your servings (but not too generous)

Usually, parents feel uncertain as to how much to feed their children. A rule of thumb is to always dish out less than you assume your child will eat. If your child is still hungry after the first serving, they can just ask for more.

The right amount of fat, iron, and calcium to give your child per meal is about a third of an adult serving.

6. Vitamins

All parents hear about how essential vitamins are for kids. Growing children need adequate vitamin intake to grow up healthy and strong. Luckily, nature takes care of us that way, so most foods include vitamins already.

For instance, red peppers and carrots are a good source of vitamin A. Some parents may also give children multivitamins each morning, but you must always consult with your pediatrician before giving your child any supplement.

Everything should be served in moderation. Be sure to incorporate all five essential food groups into your child’s diet, and remember that the healthier you keep your meals, the more your child will start to crave healthy things. Make a good impression and set the tone for nutritious eating from the onset. The rest will take care of itself.

Photo: Kelly Sikkema/Unsplash

Secret Santa – 6 Savvy Gift Ideas to Get Your Secret Santa Swag Sorted Early

November 18, 2019 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

Image by Harry Strauss from Pixabay

If you’re like most people, you may not be so sure what to get your co-worker for the office secret Santa gift exchange. Even though you spend every weekday with your coworkers, it’s a challenge to find that one perfect gift that’s sure to please.

To help you get this task out of the way early this year, we’ve compiled a list of several great items any of your coworkers would be thrilled to receive. Don’t stress about secret Santa this year – ROCK IT!

1. Branded Corporate Gifts

What says “I appreciate you” more than a gift that’s actually usable? From USB Memory Pens to durable duffle bags, branded corporate gifts tend to go over well with most people.

The nice thing about these types of gifts is that the receiver can’t forget where the gift came from since it has the name of the company on it, and if you choose wisely, they’ll be able to use the gift regularly.

2. Fun Printed Socks

Everyone wears them, so why not take advantage of this and buy a pair of fun printed socks for your secret Santa? With a wealth of options online to choose from, there’s something for every personality.

Is the person you’re buying for a pizza lover? These pizza printed socks may make the perfect gift!

3. Hi-Tech Cleaning Cloth

Dust, oil, and smudges leave the screens on our devices downright filthy and it’s common to see people cleaning them with tissues, shirttails, and paper towels. All these things can damage the delicate glass, so giving your secret Santa a hi-tech cleaning cloth will help extend the life of their devices.

Designed in a wide array of colors and styles, these smart clothes are dual-sided to clean and polish any device screen surface.

4. Handy Cord Keepers

While technology constantly pushes us toward a more wireless existence, the reality is, everyone owns a pair of corded headphones or two no matter how crazy their tangled cords make us.

Help your coworker stay a tad saner with handy cord keepers. Handmade and designed to be simple to use, a pack of three gives your coworker plenty of ways to keep all the cords in his or her life tangle-free.

5. Adult Coloring Book

Let’s face it – the job can be stressful. Even if your colleague loves her job, the daily grind can get a bit overwhelming at times.

You can give her a stress-reducing gift that’s sure to help her relax with an adult coloring book. While not necessarily work-friendly, this gift is one that your coworker will surely enjoy at home after a tough day at work.

If you decide an adult coloring book is a perfect gift, don’t forget to include a pack of colored pencils or markers to go with it.

6. Have Wheels, Will Gift

If your coworker is into cars, then few things will make them happier than the opportunity to tinker in their garage with new car parts. With everything from garish automotive bling through to blow off valves and other turbo accessories available online, you’re only a couple of easy clicks away from added a few thousand additional revs to your colleague’s festive season.

As the holiday season draws near this year, it’s normal to start worrying about the office secret Santa gift exchange. This year, however, put that worry aside and get a head start on the gift-buying task with the great suggestions listed above. With a gift idea for every budget and personality, this year’s secret Santa will be easier than ever.

Cozy Cooking – 5 Ingenious Ways to Save Space in a Small Kitchen

April 22, 2019 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

Photo by Brooke Lark on Stocksnap

If you live in in a small home, a studio apartment, or a big city where space is at a premium, and you love to cook, you may feel frustrated some days by the minuscule size of your kitchen. There is hope! Instead of allowing the size to discourage you, you could flip your perspective and enjoy the creative challenge of a small kitchen. Below are five ingenious ways you can kill it in the kitchen when the space is tight.

Don’t be Afraid to Hang Things

Get out the hammer, nails, and ruler and prepare yourself to hang everything you can. Get your knives up off the counter onto magnetic strips, capture potholders on wall grids, and scoop up your measuring spoons into little containers that you can string off of racks with hooks. When shelf space is a struggle, don’t be afraid to hang your cookware from your ceiling above your stove. Another way to save space and make cooking more convenient is to attach your most commonly used utensils on the wall above your stove.

Get Vertical

What can’t fit in drawers could go up! Vertical shelving could be your ticket to additional storage on your counters, above your appliances or in any open space. If you remove the doors, you can add an artistic flair to your kitchen as you thoughtfully decorate with pieces like mixing bowls and mugs. If you do incorporate open shelving, consider investing in either matching or purposefully mismatching jars to store your various flours, grains, and spices—your kitchen will look attractive, clean and organized!

Roll Whatever You Can

Your small kitchen most likely does not include a kitchen island, so consider purchasing a rolling island to create some additional counter space anywhere in the kitchen. Another option on wheels is a tiered storage or bar cart that you can seasonally decorate and scoot from place to place easily if company arrives. Finally, if you are feeling crafty, you could consider making your very own rolling pantry.

Enlarge your Cutting Board

If you are struggling for space to chop your vegetables or roll out your pie dough, you may want to invest in a cutting board that fits over the top of an open drawer, your sink or the stove. You will immediately gain counter space instead of your cutting board monopolizing precious real estate.

Fold Up Your Kitchen Table

Don’t worry, this is not where you go back to your early twenties and eat off a folding card table—instead, it is where you might consider adding a table that can fold up into your wall, similar to the functionality of a murphy bed. Instead of a typical kitchen table chair, you could use a soft bench to create a seamless flow to the room when the table is folded up and make the absence of the table less obvious.

If you enjoy cooking you are going to spend a great deal of time in your kitchen, so why not create something that captures your style while strategically allowing you to save space? When shelving is tight, don’t be afraid to add more and go vertical. Maximize your counter space by hanging whatever you can, finding a cutting board that fits over your sink and adding a rolling island or bar cart. You can even throw tradition to the wind and put in a kitchen table that folds up into the wall. Allow your small kitchen to morph from your nemesis to your most significant accomplishment.

Keep Your Homework Organized with These 3 Fun Tools!

October 16, 2018 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

This is the time of year when the back to school frenzy starts to subside. Students and teachers alike are starting to ease into their school year routine. A daily dose of homework is the norm for many students when the school year is in full effect. It may come in the form of quick reading and math sheets for the little ones just starting out in elementary school.

But for everyone else, homework can be packed full of lessons and note taking. If this is the case for you or your student, make sure you’ve got the best tools to keep yourself or your children in maximum organization mode – and have a blast doing it too.

Here are three must-have tools from OOLY that will keep your homework on track and packed full of color that will stimulate the mind and keep the learning process fun!

Multi-Colored Gel Pens

One of the most creative ways to help words pop off a page is by using gel pens. If you’re spending considerable time outlining a chapter or organizing research for an essay, multicolored pens can help you organize your facts and your thoughts.

Use a different color for each category like dates, points you want to make, important people or periods to remember, etc.

OOLY has plenty of color packed gel pen sets to choose from. Gel pens glide on with smooth, rich strokes to leave your page in a rainbow of organization. Try the 6 Click Neon Multi-Color Gel Pen for bright eye-catching hues. Check out Mighty Mini Gel Pens for your notetaking needs in a neat, compact design. Or choose Petite Point Fine Tip Gel Pens for a nice variety of color in 12 elegant choices.

Highlighters

Whether you’re reviewing your notes or finding the important points of a reading assignment or research notes, highlighters always come in handy for helping you find the points worth remembering. The typical yellow highlighter seems to be the go-to choice for many dutiful students. But why not change it up a bit, and go for a fun highlighter option that will make your homework a wee bit more entertaining?

Take a look at OOLY’s Fresh Pick Scented Neon Gel Crayon Highlighters for a fun, friendly scented choice. These highlighters come in five fanciful colors that will keep your mind and your nose stimulated! Another option that gets an A+ for versatility is the Do-Overs Erasable Highlighters. Made a mistake? That’s okay! Just erase it and highlight again.

Sticky Notes

The perfect companion to multi-colored gel pens and helpful highlighters are sticky notes. Sticky notes are must-haves to keep you on point and efficient when studying or organizing notes. OOLY has a collection of whimsically entertaining, and totally effective sticky notes to keep you on track and have a little fun doing it.

Consider Note Pals Sticky Tabs for a quirky collection of colorfully cute critters to keep tabs on your pages. Or choose Notes On A Roll Decorative Sticky Tape to keep your homework happening with the happiest of vibes.

Five Ideas For Moms To Set Up A Game Room

September 26, 2018 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

Moms who are trying to set up a game room will find that they need to get a lot of different things to use in the room. You need to set up a game room that will be easy to use, and it has to have all the different things that will make you feel so much better about setting up game night. You need to look into all the things that are listed because some of them will completely change how you entertain your family.

Get A Pool Table

You can buy a pool table to put in the room, and you need to find a pool cue or two to use in the room. You can use some information when finding the right pool cues, and people who are looking to buy a pool cue should read up on these items. You might need smaller ones for the kids, and you can get the bridge and rack that will help you take care of the cues.

Get Board Games

You need to have an assortment of board games that will look amazing when you have people come over. You want all the people who come over for game night to have a good time, and they need to have a lot of games to choose from. People who do not want to get bored should keep buying board games so that you have a large assortment for everyone to use. The people who are playing board games can pick up different editions, and you will never get bored.

Add A Fridge

You should add a fridge to the room so that you can have refreshments in the room, and you will begin to enjoy this space more because you can always have something to eat or drink. You need to be certain that you have found the fridge that will be easy to use, and you could get a mini fridge or a large fridge. You could even get a freezer for your beer if you want something down there for the adults on late nights.

Add Game Tables

You could add game tables, and this will give you a chance to play normal card games with your kids. These games tables are easy to set up, and they can be folded or stored.

Add A TV

You need to have a TV in the room so that you can keep everyone entertained if all your games are over. You could also play games that you will watch on the TV. It all depends on what you want, and you will find that you could easily get everyone interested in game night when they are watching something.

You could have a game room in your home that is very easy to use, and you could put all the things in the house that will make your game room fun to use. You can buy a lot of things, and you will start to build a room that everyone enjoys.