5 Ways Parents Can Teach Their Kids Important Money Lessons During the Holiday Season

The holiday season is especially fun for kids, but it also provides parents a great opportunity to teach their little ones important lessons about money. What are the best ways mom and dad can do this without their children losing interest?

Steve Siebold is a Certified Financial Educator (CFEd) and author of the book “How Money Works,” which is written on a level that even children can understand the basics of money. www.howmoneyworks.com

His 5 tips to help parents better explain money to their kids this time of year:

Invest any money they are gifted: When your children receive checks from relatives far away or if you decide to gift your children money as a holiday present, don’t just put it away in a savings account that will yield practically no interest. Teach them to invest their money so it can work for them. Show them the different places they can put that money, the potential for growth and risk for loss.

Let them get involved with budgeting: As you do your holiday shopping this year, involve your kids. Let them see how money work, how you create and stick to a budget. Explain to them the benefits of a budget, and how it prevents you from overspending. Be frank with them and show them that if you go over a budget, it impacts other important things you need money for.

Explain wants vs. needs: The holiday season is a great time to explain to your kids the difference between wants and needs. For example: they might want a Play Station 5, a new iPad or that new bicycle. Let them know a need is something like clothes, food, a place to call home and a bed to sleep in. Explain that there’s nothing wrong with “want” gifts, but that needs always supersede wants.

Teach them to think before spending: One of the biggest reasons so many people struggle with money is because they don’t think before they spend. That’s even more so during the holidays because Madison Avenue does a good job of convincing us of all the things we supposedly need to buy. Teach your kids to stick to logic when it comes to spending this time of year, and to leave their emotions on the shelf.

Teach them it’s better to give: Most children love waking up on Christmas morning to open up all those gifts under the Christmas tree. Use the holiday season to also teach your kids the importance of giving. Explain to them how it’s nice to help others in general, but especially this time of year. One of the greatest lessons you can share with your children is purchasing a gift for a child who wouldn’t otherwise receive one this holiday season.

4 Ways Detoxifying Your Body Can Improve Your Mood

Have you struggled with staying optimistic and happy lately? If you feel like your mood could use some improvement but you aren’t sure how to rid yourself of your sour attitude, you may want to consider an herbal cleansing detox. Though it may sound complicated, anyone can do it. There is a lot of research that suggests detoxifying your body can not only help your digestive system operate more efficiently, but assist with good psychological and emotional function as well. Here are the top ways detoxifying your body can improve your mood.

The Mind-Body Connection When Detoxing

Research shows a link between the mind and the body. This is often referred to as the mind-body connection, and it’s a fascinating thing to study. It seems there is a link between the outcome, cause, and development of physical illnesses and psychological or social factors. This means that your attitudes, behaviors and thoughts have an impact on your physical health, and vice versa.

When you cleanse your body—particularly your liver—you are likely to experience strong emotional benefits as well. As a result, you’ll feel a boost in your mood that can help you deal with stressors more constructively.

Cleansing Your Mind & Body

• When you do a digestive detox, both your body and your mind respond. To get the greatest benefit from your physical cleanse, you should also consider adding the following emotional and mental cleanse steps into your routine:
• Meditate daily
• Stay hydrated
• Get sufficient, quality sleep
• Limit exposure to social media and electronics
• Stay away from caffeine
• Get healthy movement every day
• Think about positive things
• Try chanting positive mantras every day
• Focus on improving relationships

These are all great ways to maximize the healthful physical and emotional benefits of your detox. You can start your cleanse right away when you decide to Polisorb buy online.

Ways Detoxing Improves Your Mood

When you cleanse your body of toxic materials, you feel refreshed, rejuvenated and physically lighter. All of these sensations can lead to feelings of greater happiness and energy. After your detox, you’ll also likely experience increased focus, which can help you perform better at work. Your improved performance will most likely lead to improved feelings of accomplishment and self-worth. You may even be recognized for your efficiency and exceptional performance.

Detoxing can also minimize aches and pains associated with too many harmful substances accumulating in the body. When your body feels good instead of experiencing chronic aches and pains, you’re more likely to feel positive and fulfilled. Cleansing can also help you release negative emotions that you’ve been hanging onto (whether you realize it or not!)

In these ways and more, a simple herbal cleansing detox can be completely transformative. If you feel like you’re currently stuck emotionally or you’re not as confident and healthy as you would like to be, consider starting a cleanse today. You’re sure to feel a difference in your physical and emotional health once you finish. Though doing a cleanse can be challenging (especially the first few times), the more you do it regularly, the easier it becomes.

Essential Basic Tack For Your Horse

You've got the horse, you've got your horse-riding duds, but now you need to get your horse dressed, too! There's a lot to think about when buying tack, or horse riding gear, for your horse and many pieces to consider. We'll help break it down the basics so you can be confident in each piece you pick out. 

Getting Back on Track 

The first piece of equipment most people think of when it comes to horseback is the saddle. Saddles are generally leather and can be pricey, but shopping at discount horse suppliers can help you find a good deal. There are a number of styles from western to endurance to dressage, but a general purpose saddle will suit most recreational riders. Always check with a professional to fit your horse.

Underneath the saddle will sit your saddle pads. Saddle pads come in all sorts of options and are really your chance to try out some fashionable horse tack. They come in all sorts of colors and fabrics, though quilted cotton is quite popular as it is breathable and helps wick away moisture.

In addition to these items, you'll need a girth and stirrups. Girths wrap around your horse's belly and come in several materials such as string, nylon, synthetic, or leather. Whatever you choose, make sure its comfortably suits your horse and saddle. Stirrups hold up your feet and consist of a leather strap and an iron foothold. You should always begin with correctly-sized safety stirrups, which will have an elastic at the side. 

Get Your Head in the Game

When it comes to horse's headgear, we're not referring to braces and expanders; we're referring to bridles, reins, and bits. The bridle, buckled straps encircling the horse's head, are attached the the bit, a (generally) metal piece that sits in the horse's mouth, and the reins, all of which are used to control the horse.

For your bridle and bit, you'll want to make sure the style you choose suits your horses head size and shape. Narrower straps for smaller, more delicate horses and wider straps for larger animals. If you event, make sure to check that what you purchase will fit within the restrictions and guidelines of what is appropriate wear. Additionally, you may need a stronger bit for more strident purposes such as jumping or hacking. Reins come in a variety of materials and rubber or lined rubber can be a very good option for a good grip. 

These basics of horse's tack will get you started on outfitting your horse properly, and soon both you and your horse will be dressed to the nines and ready to run. 

Pet Guide: Is Pit Bull A Good Family Dog Breed?

If you are thinking about finally adding a dog to your family, you will definitely have a lot of research to do. There are so many different breeds out there and a lot of those are perfect family dogs. Yet, you have your eyes set on Pit Bulls and you would really like to have one, but you aren’t sure whether it would be the perfect choice for a family.

That, in part, depends on you and your habits: https://pethelpful.com/dogs/Is-a-Pit-Bull-Right-For-Me-and-My-Family

I can definitely understand why you might be hesitant to get this specific breed for your family. Pit Bulls have a long history of being known as strong, aggressive and dominant canines. Does it have to be that way, though? Do you really have to give up your dream of having this breed because it might not get along well with your family?

Those are all some legitimate questions to ask. In case you have done any research on this topic whatsoever, you have probably come across some contradicting opinions. Some say that these canines should come nowhere near kids, while others claim that their Pit Bulls were or are the perfect, loving creatures that are extremely protective when children are in question.

All of that might have confused you even more. You would love to be able to finally get to the bottom of this and understand whether a Pit Bull could be the right choice for you or not. Well, in order to actually get to the bottom of it, you will need to get some additional tips on this specific breed as well as some others, so that you can do some comparisons and figure out the truth.

The most important thing to do, however, is to learn more about the actual temperament of this canine and then decide whether that kind of a temperament would be something you could handle. So, let us take a look at their temperament and then try to answer the question of whether this breed could be right for your family or not. Here we go.

Temperament

One of the most common misconceptions about these dogs is that they are inherently extremely aggressive towards people, as well as towards other animals. Recent studies, however, show that this is actually far from the truth. Quite on the contrary, Pitties have ranked among the most affectionate and the least aggressive canines. What is it, though, that has contributed to such discrepancies in opinions?

Let me try and explain that. Pit Bulls definitely look tough and have all the muscles necessary in order to overpower other animals, as well as humans. This is probably why a lot of people have seen the fighting potential in them and actually trained them to be aggressive and hostile. We can’t deny the fact that these canines are strong and powerful, but it turns out that they are aggressive only if taught to be that way.

To put things even more clearly, the way these dogs will behave in your home and around other people will depend only on you. The fact that their aggression potential has been recognized and abused is exactly what makes Pit Bulls widely misunderstood by a large amount of people and I believe it’s time to put a stop to that. In short, the temperance passing rate of this strong and powerful breed is extremely high and, ultimately, they will grow into what you want them to be. So, if you train them to be a loving and affectionate dog, that’s what you will get and vice versa.

Keep in mind, though, that this breed is extremely active and that you will need to match their activity level if you want them to be the perfect dogs. Additionally, you will have to train them properly. That can be tricky, since they ought to be stubborn, meaning that you’ll need to be patient.

The Verdict

The bottom line is that Pit Bulls can be the perfect family dog as long as you take the time to train them, socialize them and raise them the right way. If you don’t have the time or the will to do that, then you should definitely choose a different breed. After all, you don’t want a strong, powerful, misbehaved dog.

Pergolas - The Ultimate Garden Structure

What is a home garden without an outdoor structure that is a multifunctional and multi-seasonal addition that not only offers you protection from different types of weather but that also defines your space in style? Extravagant features like pergolas are what designers, architects, and homeowners are raving about nowadays. 

Pergolas vs Other Outdoor Structures 

Outdoor structures are the easiest and inexpensive way to transform your dull home garden into a luxurious living space. However, the structure that you end up choosing depends on the vision that you have for your space. You can choose these several different types of outdoor structures for your garden.

Pergolas

A traditional Pergola design can trace its roots back to the Italian Renaissance. Pergolas are typically large outdoor structures that are attached to the house to serve as protection, link pavilions, or extend from the back door onto an open garden feature such as a pool. This versatile outdoor structure can also be freestanding to provide a sitting area like a patio to offer much-needed protection from the sun. They are commonly mistaken for Arbors and Gazebos. 

Arbors

This is a structure very similar to pergolas, but the difference is that they are relatively smaller and simpler in their design. Unlike pergolas, arbors are never attached to the house, they are always freestanding or attached to a fence to house a gate. They are generally used to define an entry point, divide outdoor rooms, or frame a focal point in your garden. 

Patio Covers

These are structures that are attached to the house and can either be built with a trellis or lattice or they may have a solid roof. They are a lovely way to add more space to your outdoor entertainment area while preventing the heat from messing up with your relaxation in summer. 

Gazebos

Sometimes there is confusion between Gazebos, Pergolas, and Arbors. Gazebos are freestanding, typically octagonal structures that have a solid roof and open sides. They provide ample shade and allow you to enjoy uninterrupted views making them the perfect outdoor structures to entertain. They can also be used to host intimate dinners.

Pavilions

Bigger than both Gazebos and Pergolas, pavilions are designed with entertaining larger large crowds in mind. The roof is solid and covered to make sure that even the heaviest rain cannot interfere with your hosting plans.

You don’t need to spend a lot of money in the city in a picturesque place to have your lunch, you can turn your home garden into an exquisite oasis with outdoor structures like pergolas. They are the most common additions to outdoor spaces because of their flexibility with design and size.

Pergolas will accentuate the quality of your home garden with their aesthetically attractive design without being obtrusive in your garden. They are made from simple materials such as treated wood. It is easy to build your own from scratch if you are the type who wants to erect your structure and possess intermediary building skills. There are loads of DIY hacks for pergolas online that include ways to waterproof your wood.

How To Maintain and Care for Pergolas

Like many outdoor structures, pergolas need to be maintained and cared for to increase their lifespan. Since they can be made from different types of wood, it’s important to know how to take care of them.

• Using a high-pressure hose helps to give it a thorough cleaning and eliminates any dirt that may cling to the surface and harder to reach areas.

• Wash and rinse any visible stains on the wood with a recommended cleaning solution. It’s important to know the characteristics of the wood to avoid any unintentional damage.

• Pergolas need a bit of touching up and repair work after some time. A home kit and paint will do the trick. Some wood like cedar changes color over time. If you want to preserve its color it needs a sealant to be sprayed on it. Clean it well and spray it with some oil, leave it to dry and then apply a sealant to it.

• If you’re the kind that enjoys growing creepers on pergolas because you love the touch of greenery for ambiance, you need to remember to trim your vines. It will lessen the amount of weight on the pergola. 
  
  
  

It's a Pergola Lifestyle 

Pergolas are the right kind of outdoor style accessories with a practical purpose. They not only offer the right amount of shade, contrast, color, and privacy to your home garden, they are also easy to maintain, add value to your property, and can be added anywhere you see fit. So, if you want to enhance the quality of your outdoor living experience by giving it more visual appeal pergolas are the perfect solution to your design needs.