The Curious Mom

Becoming a parent is one of the most amazing experiences you could ever be blessed with. But, it’s important to recognize that your life will change. And yes, that change is always for the better. Because becoming a Mom changes you as a person. You get to care for little ones that depend on you and nurture the kind, caring and giving sides of your personality. It’s a beautiful experience.

When you first become a parent, or even when you find out that you’re pregnant, it can be hard to get your head around how it will all work. But it’s a lot easier than you think it’s going to be. Just to make sure that the transition from being just ‘me’ to being a Mom is as seamless as possible, these handy hints should help.

For anyone who’s grown up in western culture, parenting methods and traditions are pretty universal, with fairly negligible differences existing from country to country in Europe and North America. While all parents have little nuances regarding the way they raise their children, there are certain parenting traditions from around the world that may seem pretty alien to a lot of us. Here are a few fascinating parenting traditions from around the world…

When you’re working hard, and life is flying by at a million miles per hour, it’s easy to lose sight of what’s important. Sometimes, your health may not be your greatest concern, but at some point, you’ve got to put yourself first. In the grand scheme of things, your health is much more important than a meeting or a presentation. If you don’t devote much attention to your wellbeing, here are some simple ways you can be more health-conscious.

Eating well

It’s dangerous to underestimate the importance of your diet. The food you eat should provide your body with the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients it needs to function properly. If you don’t eat well, you may find that you have a higher risk of health problems, you struggle to fight off minor illnesses and ailments, and your energy levels plummet. If you don’t pay much attention to what you eat, now is the time to start thinking about healthy eating. Being healthy is not about losing weight. You can be very slim and still not have a healthy diet. It’s about providing your body with a balanced combination of foods that offer nutritional benefits. Don’t cut out food groups or try and survive on virtually nothing if you’re trying to lose weight. Keep an eye on your calorie intake, and increase your consumption of fruit, vegetables, lean meat and fish, and good fats. Examples include salmon, nuts, avocados, and mackerel. 

Prevention is better than cure

When it comes to your health, prevention is better than cure. If you don’t already have insurance or employee benefits, you can access health plans for under £2.00 a week. This will make routine appointments, such as dental checks and blood pressure monitoring, more affordable. If you attend regular appointments and you seek help when you notice unusual symptoms, there’s a much higher chance of successful treatment or even preventative therapy. If you haven’t had your eyes checked for a while or you can’t remember the last time you saw a dentist, make that call now. 

Moving more

Be honest. How much exercise do you do each week? Do you have a workout regime in place or does your daily exercise consist of walking from the car or the bus stop to the office? Many of us have sedentary lifestyles, and this puts us at risk of serious health complications. If you’re not as active as you should be, start making an effort to move more. Take the stairs instead of the elevator or walk or cycle to work instead of driving. Go for a brisk walk, a jog, or a cycle after work, or get out in the garden with the kids at the weekend. Clear your mind at a yoga class or have fun with your friends at Zumba. Exercise is great for your body, but it’s also brilliant for your mental wellbeing. 

It’s not always possible to prevent illness, but living by some simple rules will increase your chances of staying healthy. If your health has taken a back seat, don’t let this continue. Now is the time to make your health a priority and look into ways you could change your lifestyle. Focus on healthy eating and try and be more active. Keep up to date with health checks, and get any unusual or unexpected symptoms checked out. 

Your child's birthday is coming up, and you have no idea what to do this time. You’ve pre-emptively invited a host of children (and by definition their parents,) so not only are your organizational skills up for judgement, but it’s up to you to create a day your child will always remember. Your child will only be a child for so long, so better to make it enjoyable for them right? It’s almost impossible to say ‘no pressure’ after this laundry list of responsibilities, to the point where it can all feel a bit overwhelming.

However, there’s no need to worry. If you’re struggling for ideas look no further than this list for great birthday ideas that your child will cherish into their adulthood . These are sorted by small, medium and large sized invite lists. If you feel you can handle more, please do! We just hope this list helps give you ideas.

As we get older, our quality of life drops in every way. Age acts as a vacuum, and it sucks the joy out of most things if we let it. We all know our appearance is the first thing to go. As though the vacuum was right underneath us, everything starts going south. Our once supple bodies start to droop, and our faces do the same. And, the vacuum can also remove us of possibility. Older generations are not treated kindly in a world which puts such value on youth. New opportunities become few and far between as the years pile up and the vacuum gets stronger. 

The goods news is, it’s possible to lift yourself out of that vacuum. But, there’s no denying that it’ll take a little work. First, tackle your appearance. If you look old, you’ll feel it, too. A facelift would be the most obvious way to overcome the problem, but it’s a path few of us want to go down. Instead, it may be worth looking into something like a non surgical thread lift, which acts as a close alternative. It’s also worth looking into some of the many anti-aging products which promise to plump and firm. The vacuum will have a hard time fighting against these. And, don’t forget to turn your hand to exercise. As we get older, we become less able to throw ourselves into physical activity. Yet, it’s never before been so important. You may find it hard to get going, but the effects of age will start to disappear the more exercise you do.