Creative Ways to Maximize Family Time

In an increasingly fast-paced, high-tech world, it can be difficult to find quality time to spend together as a family. While household chores like meal preparation, laundry and school work are essential, they also leave less time for you to spend with the ones you love. Here are a few creative ways to maximize your family time:

Use What You Have

One smart way to free up some time is to take advantage of the resources you already have. If you have a regular babysitter, ask them to prepare dinner, clean up toys or fold clothes. Contact a local dry cleaner to see if they offer an affordable laundry service. Rather than running errands throughout the week, designate one day to run all of your errands. Take some time to coordinate errands in advance based on their location, this will allow you to complete them in the least amount of time. If you have teenagers in the home, consider ways that they can help with some of these tasks. Having them clean out the garage or pick up the laundry can free up time for you to dedicate to other things.

Involve the Children

Household chores can be a great opportunity to get the whole family involved. If you have younger children, encourage them to help you fold clothes or set the dinner table. Not only will this keep them active and away from the television, but it also teaches them valuable skills. Teaching children to put their own toys away can help them become more tidy and independent as they develop into young adults. To incentivize household chores and make them more fun, consider making a game out of it. Divide a pile of laundry equally among each family member. The first one done gets a special prize such as a popsicle or 30 minutes of a television show of their choice.

Play Learning Games

Lazy weekend afternoons are the perfect time to bring out some learning games. For young children, consider using cornhole lights to teach them their primary colors. These lights are very inexpensive and can be purchased online at sites like CustomCorntoss.com. For older children, look for spelling or word games to help them improve their vocabulary.

Between work, school and extracurricular activities, it can be difficult to carve out time for family activities. These 3 tricks will help you simplify your schedule and enjoy quality family time.

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5 Things You Must Have for Your First Hunting Trip

When you go hunting for the first time, your nerves are on end and your mind is so excited for the prospects of bringing home dinner. The deer are running wild and you can feel the adrenaline pumping through your veins. But there are some things to consider before you go on your first big hunting trip.

Plotted Destinations & Woods Knowledge

Hunting in South Carolina, or anywhere for that matter, means dealing with more than deer and ducks. You have to know where you are going with plotted destination points and general knowledge of forest survival. Take a few months before your first hunt to discover and explore the lays of the land. Research, read, and look up everything and anything involving hunting and woods travel.

Snacks & Lots of Water

Pack light but bring plenty of necessities. Lots of water is a must-have. Or, instead of toting around extra water bottles, invest in a portable water filtration straw. This allows you to guzzle the good stuff from any stream, river, or pond you might encounter while in the woods. You should also pack lots of healthy, energy-rich snacks, such as beef jerky, dried fruits, and nuts.

A Good Hunting Knife

Yes, you will probably have a gun for the actual hunting parts, but a knife is great for everything else. Bowie knives work wonders in hunting and woodland situations, so invest in a good, sharp one. It can help cut underbrush, as well as assist with protection from predators. Purchase a strap and secure it to your thigh, backpack, or hip for fast, easy removal.

A First Aid Kit for Emergencies

First aid kits are must-haves in any scenario, but they are especially important when hunting or hiking through the woods. You never know when you might slip and cut yourself on steep, jutting rocks. Or worse. Keep your first aid kit stocked with anti-inflammatories, wound ointments, and bandages.

A Back-Up Cellphone, Fully Charged, for Emergencies

Hunters rarely take their phones with them in the woods, but it’s a good idea to have a back-up—just in case. Invest in a prepaid, talk-anywhere cellphone, but make sure it’s fully charged before you head into the wilderness. Pack flares too, for just-in-case purposes.

Hunting can be a rewarding experience, because you are literally living life like your ancestors. However, to be safe, you need to be prepared at all times for unexpected scenarios. Use the above article as a guideline for things you need before you go on your hunting excursion, but also use common sense to keep yourself safe and aware.

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A Healthy Mom

Health is Wealth.

If you’re taking care of yourself to obtain a healthy body and mind you’re luckier than those wealthy individuals who are suffering from terminal sickness. Each individual has their own eating habit and way of living. With these ways they have developed throughout their life it practically defines their health status.

You are What You Eat.

Your health will depend on the foods you eat and your activities in life. If your menu always consist of fatty foods, preserved meats, salty or very sweet foods it’s likely that when you reach the age of 40 you’ll start to complain about sicknesses that results from the unhealthy foods you take in your younger years.

Women’s Health

It’s very important for women to take good care of their health because they should be in perfect condition when they marry and conceive a child. It’s imperative that they eat balanced meal and exercise regularly. Sleeping habits should also be considered as one of the factors in maintaining perfect health. As early as teenage years women should learn how to take care of their bodies and when they get to their 20s health awareness is vital especially when they begin to get pregnant and eventually start a family. 

It’s good to Check Pregnancy at the earliest sign because babies developed their brains at that stage and women should start avoiding certain foods that may cause damage to baby’s development like alcohol, sodas, coffee and other similar foods. When expectant mothers are very careful with their health they tend to have an easier pregnancy and delivery because complications are mostly avoided.

Baby’s Health

When a Mom is healthy the baby is usually normal and healthy as well except for some cases beyond the control of the expectant Mom. Now when the big day comes every hardship and pain of giving birth suddenly disappear when mother sees her baby coming out from her. It’s unexplainable joy that only mothers knows and that joy and love will be the baby’s guidance throughout his life. 

I remember giving birth to my first child and I almost cried due to happiness. That happiness continued when the babies starts to grow up, began to see things around, when babies roll over, starts to crawl, sit, stand and eventually walk. All these things are precious to Dads and Moms and when they finally get to school and really grow up they will still be their babies.

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