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Delicious Meals That Help Boost Your Energy

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Being a parent is one of the best feelings in the world, but it requires a lot of energy. While chasing down the little ones, helping with homework, and teaching your teens the ways of life, keeping a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle is important. You must be there for your children and set good examples, so that means changing unhealthy eating habits and eating more fulfilling foods.

Eating whole foods, exercising three to five times a week, and prioritizing wellness are the best ways to obtain a healthy lifestyle! Here are four delicious meals that can boost your energy and make it easy to eat healthy.

Tex-Mex Scrambled Eggs and Potatoes

Start your day with a blast of savory and spice. Create a yummy Tex-Mex scrambled egg dish with a side of potatoes for you and the little ones. Add bell peppers, tomatoes, black beans, and cheese to your fluffy eggs for the perfect bite. You can also add sausage, chorizo, or any meat you want to the dish. Don’t forget to save room for your crispy homestyle potatoes on the side!

Classic Steak and Egg Breakfast

People who’ve served in the military love a steak and egg breakfast, and for good reason! It’s filling, energy-boosting, and tasty. Starting your day with a steak will promote muscle growth, boost your mood, and kickstart your metabolism. Cooking a steak on a Monday may be hard, so treat yourself to steak and eggs on the weekends.

Salmon, Rice, and Avocado Bowl

A salmon and rice bowl with veggies is a quick and easy lunch or dinner. You can customize this bowl to your liking. Adding broccoli, green beans, asparagus, brussels sprouts, carrots, or all of the above will get the job done. This yummy bowl is great for the family to enjoy and have leftovers throughout the week.

Stir-Fried Protein, Veggies, and Noodles

A stir-fried noodle dish is another tasty meal that will help to boost your energy. You can get protein from chicken, steak, tofu, or cashews. Serving this meal is a great way to encourage your kiddos to eat vegetables dressed in a delicious garlic-teriyaki sauce. Adding noodles to this dish can also stretch throughout the week, so you don’t have to worry about cooking every night.

The Key Features of Your Home To Childproof

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Childproofing your home is one of the most important things you can do if any babies or toddlers are going to be present in the space. Children like to explore but don’t always realize the dangers around them. That’s why childproofing is vital to keep them safe. To help you childproof your home, we discuss a few key things you should focus on.

Anchoring Furniture

Whether it’s small or large, moving or shifting furniture can be dangerous. You don’t want a child to pull on a shelf or lean on a chair only to hurt themselves because it tumbled over on top of them. You should make sure to anchor your furniture so that a child cannot move it to prevent dangerous situations.

Preventing Falls

Toddlers and babies aren’t always the best at walking, which can make simple obstacles a lot more dangerous. Clean up your place so that there are very few obstacles obstructing walkways, and always block off anything that may lead to bad falls. The key location for this is the stairs, as a fall down there can be disastrous.

Locking Doors

Children like to explore and won’t limit themselves only to the spaces they can see. Many children will try to explore different rooms and the outdoors by opening doors. To keep them safe, lock your doors with childproof locks so that they can’t move around without permission or supervision. You may need to do things like this to childproof sliding glass doors in your home.

Removing Choking Hazards

Sometimes children will try to taste or eat things they shouldn’t. This can cause some real problems if they eat something they can’t handle. Take the time to remove anything small enough to fit in their mouths and place it in a safe space. This includes anything that can break easily into smaller parts or things like batteries or utensils.

As long as you can tackle these key features, you can make your home a lot safer with this childproofing. You must ensure you thoroughly childproof every part of the home the child has access to, as it can be quite dangerous for young kids.

3 Reasons Why Your Child Won’t Drink Water

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Water is a drink that boosts your mood, provides abundant energy, and prevents dehydration. Water is universally the best beverage you can drink to improve your health.

As a parent, you want the best for your children, but you may struggle to encourage them to drink water. You understand its value, but your children still refuse. Continue reading about the reasons why your child won’t drink water, so you can find solutions.

Preference for Sugary Drinks

Sweet drinks like juice are enticing for people of all ages—especially children. Water, however, can taste somewhat bland. Kids don’t think about the health benefits of water. All they want is something they can sip on those tastes good. When water doesn’t taste like much, your children may quickly deem it undesirable.

Try cutting up slices of fruit and adding them to your kids’ water. The many health benefits of fruit-infused water will improve the flavor and provide your children with additional beneficial nutrients.

Another method to improve the taste is to add sugar-free drink mixes to their water. Instead of drinking sweet beverages made of pure sugar, your child can consume the water they need while savoring the flavors they adore.

Forgetfulness

Another reason why your child won’t drink water is they simply forget to. Children are frequently active, whether running around outside or playing with toys. Even when eating a meal that they love, TV sounds or their favorite toy in the living room may distract them. And since water isn’t the most appealing beverage for kids, they often get distracted and forget to drink it.

Not Understanding Water’s Benefits

Your kids may not drink water because they don’t understand how much they need it. Fortunately, kids are curious and ask their parents questions all day! Take advantage of this curiosity by teaching them the importance of water.

Talk to them about how water makes them healthy and strong. Use visual aids like books and videos to make the learning process even more interesting. You can also conduct an interactive game that challenges your children to drink water.

Encouraging your child to drink water and finding which solutions work best will take some time. But with experimentation and patience, your kids will drink water every day before you know it!

Summer Send-Off: How To Throw the Best Family Pizza Night

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It’s near the end of the season, and you’ve scratched what feels like a million activities off your summer bucket list. Whether you camped in the backyard for many weekends, visited a theme park, or hosted more pool parties than you can count, it’s safe to say that you’ve done it all!

However, the kids are planning their last hurrah of the break before returning to study nights and pop quizzes, and you want in! How about taking part in the summer send-off and learning how to throw the best family pizza night your young ones will experience? Continue reading below to learn more!

Just Dough It

Pizza night is the perfect opportunity to make your dough. Regardless of the recipe you use and the ingredients it requires, you never want to forget to proof your pizza dough.

As one of the most common pizza making mistakes, not allowing your dough to rest and rise for a final before pulling can result in a dense, rubbery, final product that your family may struggle to enjoy.

While most dough suggests a two- to three-day proofing process, a 24-hour minimum is acceptable if you’re under time constraints. You can involve your young ones in this step by allowing them to mix the ingredients.

Pro tip: If you don’t have the dough ingredients readily available or you’re really crunched for time, you can always make it a pizza bagel night and have kids pick out their favorite bagel.

The Sauce Is the Boss

Whether store-bought or homemade, it’s an essential first layer to your pizza festivity. If you would rather make it yourself, you can’t go wrong with quality canned tomatoes, oregano, salt, pepper, and basil.

On a separate note, kids are creative, fascinating people who can spice up recipes instantly. If your family prefers barbecue over red sauce, feel free to test it out! You can also use alfredo sauce as an alternative.

Make It Cheesy

Now that you have your dough and sauce, it’s time to consider your cheese options. While there is an overwhelming amount of cheese options on the market, a low-moisture mozzarella is typically the go-to for that epic cheese pull.

However, the decision is entirely up to you and the family! A sprinkle of parmesan is also a tried-and-true detail that is the genuine chef’s kiss to a perfect pie.

Top It Off With Finishing Touches

Now the best part: toppings! Traditional pepperoni slices for that instant classic, but if you’re using barbecue or alfredo sauce, consider grilled chicken slices, black olives, and pepperoncini as delicious options.

You can use a variety of leftover vegetables you have on hand and take a poll of everyone’s favorite toppings so you have them readily available during the final customization. Pair the meal with the kids’ favorite dessert to end the night on a sweet note!

Throwing the best family pizza night takes plenty of work, planning, and toppings! You don’t have to have an elaborate setup or state-of-the-art equipment to make it successful. All you’ll need are a few ingredients, patience, and the people you care about most to share the experience with.

Top Father’s Day Tips for Divorced Parents

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After a divorce settlement is final, the work of managing child custody and support arrangements begins. Holidays can still feel strained, even if your divorce settlement spelled the matter out in detail.

Holidays that celebrate parenthood are especially fraught. It might feel like something is missing or diminished. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Consider these top Father’s Day tips for divorced parents.

It’s Not About You

Parent holidays are not actually about parents. They’re about kids. These observances are a chance for your kids to show you how much they love and appreciate you and to celebrate their connection with you, despite your divorce.

Make a big fuss over homemade cards and gifts. Your kids worked hard on them, and their hearts are invested in what they’ve made for you. Regardless of whether your ex was involved, let your child know how much you appreciate their effort.

Communicate Ahead of Time

Perhaps the top Father’s Day tip for divorced parents is communication and planning. If you have an every-other-weekend arrangement and Father’s Day falls on your partner’s weekend, see if you can agree ahead of time to trade weekends so that you can spend Father’s Day with your kids.

If it doesn’t work out, be generous about it. When you’re a Dad, every day is Father’s Day, so reassure your kids that you’ll have a great celebration when it’s your turn for the kids to stay with you.

If You Can’t Be There Physically, Be There Virtually

When it comes to relationships, technology leaves much to be desired. But if it is your only option, make the best of it. Schedule a time to meet online via your preferred app, and plan some online games you can share with your kids. The web is full of sites that provide free games you can share, from trivia to word games to charades.

Try Something New

Accept that you can’t recreate what Father’s Day used to be. Create a new tradition with your kids. Go to a movie, take a hike, visit a zoo, play a board game, or take in a kid-friendly exhibit at a museum. Make a meal together, listen to their kind of music, teach them a new skill, or share a hobby with them.

Money Is Not the Point

Don’t fret if your budget is tight, as it is for most divorced parents. What your kids want is time with you. Maximize your time with your kids in a way that has nothing to do with expensive toys or gadgets.

Be Flexible

Whatever you’ve planned, keep it age appropriate. If you’ve got a teenager, factor some eye-rolling into the day. Don’t disrupt care routines for toddlers. They’ll love you no matter what, but it won’t seem that way if they miss a nap.

If your kids are not thrilled with your ideas for the day, don’t sulk—pivot. Find some other way to spend the day that gives them the time with you they want and lets you be the Dad you want to be.

3 Unique Birthday Presents for Outdoorsy Kids

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Celebrating your kid’s birthday is so much fun. Children still love their birthdays when they’re little. Adults know this excitement dissipates as you get older. So make the most of these years while you can! Read about these unique birthday presents for outdoorsy kids if your little one can’t stand being inside.

An Electric Bike

Your kids will love you if you get them an electric bike for their birthday. These take traditional biking to the next level. They can speed across the neighborhood and learn about all the technology has to offer. Know that there may be an age requirement in your area and that safety gear is a must. So if you decide to get an e-bike for your kid’s birthday, you should also get a helmet and pads. They need to be safe while having fun.

A Microscope

Outdoorsy kids might love the outdoors because there are a bunch of creatures out there. If your kid loves looking at creepy crawlers, then a microscope is the perfect gift for them. They can use the tool to look at bugs and other animals that fascinate them. Be careful; you may have a future geologist on your hands!

Rollerblades

Another unique birthday present for outdoorsy kids is a pair of rollerblades. Rollerblading is a blast because you can glide across the neighborhood with your friends. Additionally, it’s a great workout! You can trick the kiddos into breaking a sweat by purchasing skates. As is the case with e-bikes, you’ll need to get safety gear with this gift.

Celebrate your kid’s birthday as they grow up. As they age, the excitement surrounding the day will go away. For this reason, it’s vital to make the day as special as you can while they’re still living with you. These gifts are perfect for kids to get out and explore.

The Best Dog Breeds for a Family With Young Children

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When you’re ready to add a four-legged family member, you may wonder which breed will be best. When you have kids, that adds to the complexity of your decision. There are many beautiful dogs to choose from, including beagles, Irish setters, and collies. These are the best dog breeds for a family with young children.

Labrador Retriever

There is a reason that the Labrador retriever is the most popular dog breed in the United States. They are extremely friendly, highly trainable, and patient. The Labrador retriever is also a versatile breed. They enjoy dock diving, hunting, tracking, and obedience.

Labs are regular shedders and need weekly brushing. They are great with kids and love being active. Labrador retrievers also play reasonably well with other dogs as long as there’s supervision.

Beagle

Beagles make excellent family dogs because of their small size, easy-to-maintain coats, and intelligence. Personality-wise, beagles are curious, merry, and friendly. They are great with kids and get along with other dogs.

Beagles need plenty of exercise, so they’re an excellent dog choice for you if you have an active family.

Irish Setter

The Irish setter gained popularity in the 18th century. Another breed that’s great for active families, the Irish setter loves spending time outdoors and is full of energy.

They’re seasonal shedders and need weekly grooming. Find a local professional groomer to help keep your dog’s coat clean and shiny. Irish setters are excellent with kids and other pups. They also respond well to training and are wonderfully sweet-natured.

French Bulldog

The French bulldog is one of the world’s most popular dog breeds. They’re an easy-going breed, perfect for families, and they respond well to training. French bulldogs love to play with other dogs, kids, and adults.

They don’t require a lot of exercise, and a brisk walk will help keep them trim. They require occasional grooming and respond well to training.

Collies

Collies are affectionate, loyal, and known for their legendary herding skills. If your family loves being outside, the high-energy collie will make a great addition to your family. When they aren’t moving around, they enjoy being chill. Collies are lovely with kids and require occasional grooming.

Many dogs are out there ready and waiting to find their forever families. Understanding the best dog breeds for a family with young children will help you make an educated decision. Refer back to this article if you need to.