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Gift Ideas for a 6-Year-Old Girl

Birthday’s for children are one of the most exciting times of the year, right behind Christmas. It’s the day they get to be spoilt rotten and the focus be on them. But it can sometimes be a challenge trying to work out what gifts will suite the special day. Below are a few ideas to help guide you in the right direction.

Painting Supplies

Even at a young age, kids love to get creative. Anything that lets them flex their creative muscles is going to go down well. And nothing is a better present than a set of painting equipment. Not only will your young one have a fantastic time creating works of art, it is something you can do as a joint activity and bond over.

Personalised Bracelet

Bracelets are a wonderful way to treat your daughter or niece. And nothing is better than having it personalized as well. It shows you care and lets them wear something that has a bit more flare to it. Personalized rubber bracelets are a cheaper and longer lasting alternative to traditional jewelry options and are more likely to survive the rough and tumble lifestyle that six-year olds lead.

Actions Figures or Dolls

Kids love to play games where they can live out fantasies and take characters on amazing adventures. Or sometimes they just want to play with their favorite heroes or villains. Action figures and dolls are the perfect gift for girls around this age. Take the time to find out what they are interested in, weather that be superheroes, barbie, cowboys or dinosaurs. Whatever it is, there is a world of options available to you.

Stuffed Animals

Six-year olds are nuts about cuddly toys. Having something they can squeeze tight at night is comforting and joyous. And they can often bond with the stuffed toys for many years to come. Nothing is stronger than the bond between a kid and their teddy. And there is such a large selection available. Find out their favourite animal and bring them a pleasant surprise friend.

Or go one further and take them along to a build-a-bear workshop and let them have the joy of creating their own friend to keep. Along with leaving with a fun present, it will have been a great bonding experience for you and them to take part in together.

A day out experience

It is often said kids have too many toys, and sometimes that is the case. So maybe you want to take a different approach. Why not take them out for a day experience. At age six, young girls are more curious and excitable than ever, so there are endless possibilities. Perhaps a day down a local farm or petting zoo. Maybe going to a show at the theater or cinema to see a movie. Or take them along to the funfair for an amazing day out. What ever you do, they will love being out and about with you.

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9 Ideas for Decorating your New Baby’s Bedroom

Pregnancy is a long, often exhausting process, but there are lots of joyous times along the way. One of the most exciting times for expectant parents is decorating the soon to be baby’s bedroom. It is a lovely bonding experience and lets you flex your creative muscles. Below are nine simple, yet effective, ideas for decorating your new baby’s bedroom.

Cot

The most important part of the nursery is the baby’s bed. It is where it will spend most of its time. So you will want to invest in one that provides, not only comfort, but also safety for your little one. It needs to be sturdy and secure.

But looking further than that, you will want it to match the overall feel and theme of the room. Maybe look at the color scheme you are using and paint it to match.

Changing Table

Aside from the most obvious thing a new baby’s room needs, a cot, there is a lot more that can go into the nursery to make things easier for both the baby and you, the parent.

Investing in a new changing station will be invaluable. It will quickly become one of, if not the most used item in your house. You don’t want to be scrimping on cost when it comes to this. That being said, taking some time to look for one that meets your creative wants as well is not to be ignored.

Painting

Babies love colour. At a young age a colour scheme serves to stimulate their senses and engage them. At the same time it can serve to calm them down when they get upset. To that end you will want to look at perhaps some softer colors, baby blues or light greens.

This interior decorating company has a wide range of options and colours available and will be able to help you create room worthy of your new-born.

Toys

Kids love toys. It is the universal truth of being a child that the most exciting time of the day is playtime. To that end taking the time to invest in a solid selection of toys will be invaluable to you and your baby.

Play Mats

Playtime is a great bonding experience for you and your child. But it can be an absolute nightmare for your knees and legs. To that end you will want to invest in a playmat. Setting aside a corner of the nursery room just for a play station will be a good idea. Find something comfortable for both you and your little one.

 

Rocking Chair

Sleep will not come easy to you once the baby arrives. You will have countless nights of running into the babies room and soothing it back to sleep. A great idea will be investing in a comfortable rocking chair. Having somewhere by the cot to rock your baby back to sleep will be invaluable and a rocking chair will make things easier for you.

Baby Monitors

Baby Monitors are an obvious tool needed to care for your new-born. They will let you know when your baby needs you at all hours. But there is no reason this electronic device cant be used as a great decorating tool. There are many visual models that can be bought. Maybe have the monitors shaped like a comforting animal to help soothe the baby. Maybe have them shaped like fluffy clouds to fit in with the colour scheme of the room.

Themes

As the baby grows you might find they start showing an interest in certain things. Fairies, cowboys, space. What ever it is, this is a perfect opportunity to decorate to the theme. Maybe grab some interesting wallpaper or some cot bedding with their favorite animal on it. What ever it is, don’t be afraid to go all out for the enjoyment of your little one.

Stuffed Animals

Stuffed Animals are a great decorating tool and plaything for your little one. Their softness means there is little chance of any accidents and children are naturally inclined towards softer objects. Having something they can cuddle at night is both healthy for them and will bring them endless joy. Alongside that you can fit the theme of the stuffed animals to match the theme of the room.

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Biking with Kids: Choosing a Cargo Bike

Cargo bikes are becoming an increasingly popular method of transport, particularly for families with kids. This is due to their low cost, non-existent carbon footprint, and the myriad of health benefits of they bring. Consequently, many people have even swapped their cars for one.

Cargo bikes sometimes have two wheels, sometimes three. They can be big or small, and as stated, they are all great for families with kids, with some having space for child to sit in the front and others having space for them in the back. Only some are suitable for transporting babies however, and some may be unsuitable for older kids. With that in mind, what are the best cargo bikes for biking with kids?

Best Cargo Bikes on the Market

Urban Arrow Family CX

Manufactured in Amsterdam, the Urban Arrow Family CX is one of the pricier bikes on the market, costing £4,900 (or around $6,300). Also, it only has two wheels so may be a bit wobbly at first, however, if you ride cargo bikes often you should get used to it pretty quickly.

That being said, you do get your moneys worth. There’s tons of room in the Arrow, with a bench that can sit two children and you can even put a car seat for a small child in the front if you have the right adapter. You can also customize the bike and add another bench for an additional child, along with a bench at the rear for a fourth child.

Nihola Family-e

Coming in slightly cheaper at £3,600 (or $4,600), this Denmark built bike is it a bit easier to ride even for amateurs as it has three wheels. It is designed to carry two children and is extremely stable and safe. This is because the fact that it has three wheels means that you don’t have to worry about things like kickstands or the bike toppling over, which is very appealing if you will be travelling with kids and you don’t ride a bike often. The Nihola Family-e also has e-assist, which makes getting up hills much easier.

Bakfiets Riksja

If you’re looking for a bike that can transport adults as well as children, the Riksja is the bike for you. While it is very expensive at £5000 ($6,400) it is extremely sturdy and could be used for things like playdates with other parents and their children.

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Parenting

The Most Important Parenting Philosophies of the 21st Century

Parenting is considered by many to be one of the most important life challenges that are out there, but with so many of us looking to services like online forums and parenting advice meetings for help it is a subject that is often questioned. The fact that so many of us are looking for help shows just how important it is to us, with high demand there has been a boost in the amount of advice services that are out there so it can be hard to know who to trust and nobody needs to see a bunch of inspirational quotes about life. Here is a list of the six best parenting philosophies of the 21st century to advise you on your parenting journeys.

 

  1. FUN !

Remembering to have fun is extremely important when it comes to parenting, when a family is laughing the household just seems so much more relaxed. It can be easy to slip into a dreadful mood as it is no secret that parenting is a stressful task. It can be easy to get into a rut of focusing on the negatives and forgetting about the rewards that come with bringing up a child, I would say the way to rectify this would be having fun with your family !

  1. Cleanliness

Something a little less enjoyable but equally as important would have to be remembering to keep clean, particularly when bringing up the younger children there is a lot of mess that comes with it so it is important to do your best to keep on top of it. Now I know that this is easier said than done but making simple changes such as using disposable bibs, nappies and wet wipes can help with convenience as you can simply throw them away when they get dirty.

  1. Family

Another important factor to remember when starting your parenting journeys would have to be to keep your family close. It can be so easy to want to shut out the world and relish in bringing up this little life especially when they are little babies but trust me, you’re going to want your family on hand to help out when you are in need of a break because no matter what you say that time will come. It is normal for your family to want to be involved and I think it is a blessing that you should take.

  1. Organised structure

Keeping organised is an important factor in parenting as it retains a solid structure for your child whilst also saving your sanity. A good structure is essential for raising a child as they like a safe routine and it helps with keeping an easy life for yourself too which are both great positives. Deviation from routines may not go down too well with your child and you may be likely to see acting out behaviour from them, this is why it is so important to have an organised structure.

  1. Have a break

Another philosophy to bear in mind with your parenting technique would be to remember to take the time for yourself, have a break, take every little ten minutes you can. Although you have a big responsibility to your child as a parent, you also have  a responsibility to take care of yourself and maintain your own mental health. When your child naps you should also be asleep, of course your sleep schedule is going to suffer but that comes with the job I’m afraid and the night feeds will be less daunting if you are well rested.

  1. Remember your partner.

Something else to remember would be (and of course everyone is in different circumstances so this doesn’t apply to everyone) your partners. Now I’m not saying that this is easy but it is important to remember the other relationships that you are in whether that be husbands, wives or partners whatever your feeling it is more than likely that your partner knows exactly what you are feeling. It is important to not only be a parent but also be the spouse that you were before parenthood, take the time to maintain that relationship we all put so much work into.

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Why your own fitness habits as a mother influence your children

 

It is instilled in us from a very early age how important it is to be good role models to those younger than us, this mindset is one that most of us carry throughout our lives and especially when it comes to parenting. In terms of fitness it is important to demonstrate to your children the importance of exercise and healthy lifestyle from a young age so that they can acclimatize to keeping healthy and hopefully carry this mantra through their lives.

 

As a mother it can be easy not to prioritize fitness as you are so busy raising and looking after a child it can be hard to fit it in however, it is very important to make an effort to set an example to your child. Doing this can instill the proper mindset around health into your child so that they have the correct information and they will see fitness as a normal thing to do.

 

Not only does fitness improve your own health both physically and mentally but setting this example to your children can in turn help improve their own fitness. There’s a variety of services out there that can help you with techniques to encourage your child to exercise and help you to find the time to do your own exercise such asFit2bmomwhich offers help and advice in regards to keeping you motivated.

 

Overall, your own fitness habits are so important to the upbringing of your child. You are your child role models so it is important to consider that whatever they see you doing they are likely to mimic this behavior, so it is so important that you behave in a way that you wish for them and doing so can have health benefits in the future.

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Creativity

The Top 3 Ways to Nurture Creativity in Children

Every parent wants their child to be creative but how you coax this creativity is such a fine line, if you become too pushy then your child may feel suffocated and reject your pushes. I will place three key tips that I have found from personal experience to help your child blossom.

It is extremely important to not make education seem like a chore you should try spark a sense of wonder in your child, try make them think. Do not simply ask them to read a book or draw but embrace that sense of innocence and wonder only a child can possess. So, this could involve you just asking questions make them think- I recently read a story about how human rubbish has reached Mars, ask them how they think it got there. Make thought fun. Help them embrace their wonder create a lust for learning within your child.

It is key not to pressure your child into anything creative, do not buy them a guitar if you do not know if they like guitar. Let them find their passions and then help them pursue this, never force your passions onto your child they will find it within themselves so do not panic if they are not writing prose by the age of three, just let them find their way and be there to help them reach their goals.

I think most importantly is to just let your child be a child as I previously mentioned creativity should be fun not a chore. If you allow your child to embrace who they are you will see such self-improvement and growth within themselves. Allow a sense of freedom for your child and their creative juices will begin to flow.

So, to summarize the three top way to nurture your child’s creativity is to try spark a sense of wonder, to not pressure them and to allow them to be their selves. You will find an environment that simply breeds creativity. 

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