Homeschool Updates

We are a couple months into our second year of school from home and so far, everything is going smoothly. Third grade is certainly very different from second grade. The work load has been a lot more and it can been very tiring some days. I find myself telling William to go take a break while I do the same. I am lucky to have a child who almost never complains and is easy to work with. We have a flexible routine that has been working well for us. 

I make certain every couple weeks to ask William how he is doing and if he misses going to traditional school. He always responds with how much he loves home school and never wants to return to public school. This makes me happy to know that he is genuinely happy and feeling like this was a good choice for him. 

One of his new favorite things to do is to go outside and read while he watches the birds and dogs play. Hey, anything that encourages him to read works for me! As a matter of fact, his reading has improved tremendously and we are working on being more animated when reading out loud. He still has his stubborn boy moments, but he understands that he has no choice with getting his work done. He takes pride in checking off assignments as he completes them, and loves tracking his grades.

A lot has changed for me as a homemaker. A huge chunk of my day is dedicated to William's schooling, so keeping a super neat and tidy home just isn't a priority like it used to be. I try to get things done throughout the day, but don't beat myself up if I don't get to it all. I make time for myself each day just to do whatever I want, whether it's watching my favorite show on HGTV or taking a nap. I have learned the importance of self-care and refuse to allow myself to feel guilty about it. Do I have bad days where I feel like I'm failing? YES. Yes, I do. Thankfully those aren't too often.

William continues to go to his karate classes and swimming. It's funny how much more social he is since doing school from home. He is not shy at all and will chat with anyone who will listen. We still get a lot of people when we are out and about during school hours ask him why he's not in school. He proudly tells them, "I'm home-schooled!". Of course, some people are still very shocked by that and tell me I must be a "saint". I simply laugh it off and realize I too thought the same of parents who home-schooled their kids.

Right about now I am SO happy that I'm not on Facebook trying to push school fundraisers on any of my friends. Yep, don't miss any of that! Overall, we are very happy with school and plan to continue all the way to high school. If you have ever considered homeschooling your child, I suggest you try it out to see if it works for your family. You definitely won't know unless you try. Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!

4 Things You Need to Know Before Buying Your Child a Youth Baseball Bat

If you want to help your child hone their baseball skills and make a real go at America’s favorite sport, it’s essential to outfit them with the materials they need to develop into a better baseball player. Your child’s bat could be an integral component to their success on the baseball diamond, so before purchasing a youth baseball bat, keep these tips in mind.

1. Bat Legality

Yes, you can inadvertently buy your child an illegal bat, which will find them not up to bat and you out of a ton of cash. Make sure you look for a bat that’s legal for play in your league. It may need to have the stamp of an official supplier logo, as this indicates the bat is made of the right material, and fits the approved length, barrel size, and knob specifications. Little League rules require baseball bats be no longer than 22 inches, while Junior League wood bats must measure shorter than 34 inches. There are detailed rules depending on the league your child’s involved in, and often a simple Google search will give you the parameters to work with, but it’s always a good idea to check. An easy question volleyed at your coach or league before purchasing will make sure you buy a legal bat.

2. Wooden Versus Metal

There are many facets to consider when deciding between a wooden and metal bat for your child. You’ll find numerous articles and opinions expressing the strengths of one or the other, but the decision comes down to weighing the pros and cons of each and choosing the material that will help your child excel. Metal bats tend to be the most popular, regardless of league. They are definitively easier to swing, weigh less, don’t break, and can provide more power. However, if honing your child’s skills is your aim, metal bats may not be the way to go. They can mask poor technique and will make it harder for your child to improve his or her hitting technique.

Many parents elect to have their child train with a wooden bat, because it has been purported to help develop better swinging practices and techniques. While heavier, wooden bats offer better balance, and will help your child better understand the ways to make powerful contact with the ball. Using a wooden bat will require your child to learn and practice the fundamental swinging patterns that make for a successful hit. If you do elect to grab a wooden bat, you’ll need to decide between the types of wood. Ash tends to be the most popular option, but you’ll find a bevy of options.

Check out Woodbat.org for an interesting scientific breakdown of the history behind the woods used for baseball bats and send your child onto the diamond with in-depth knowledge of just how their new wooden bat is designed to help them hit that elusive homerun.

3. The Importance of Practice Before Purchase

Before deciding between the two mediums, give your child plenty of practice with each. Head to the batting cages a few times a week and each time have them work with a metal bat or wooden bat each time. If it gets too pricey, use Groupon. They often have discounted batting cage prices depending on your area and you can pay half of what you might have—your child will definitely thank you for all the extra practice time, and you’ll be able to make a more informed decision when it comes to your bat.

4. When It Comes to Pricing

If you want to find the best price on a baseball bat, you’ll need to head online instead of to your local sport’s store. There’s simply no beating e-commerce prices, but that’s not to say you should head straight to Amazon. Use a website that has a plethora of baseball bats for sale from a variety of companies to make sure you can find the right fit for your child. Using a site dedicated to baseball bats will help you filter out the different options and make it easier for your child to offer their input.

The type of bat your child practices with can greatly affect their game. Their bat is their indispensable tool; it affects swing velocity, the contact they make, dictates how far and where the ball will travel, and their ability to make a sprint for first base after a successful hit. It’s important to put the time and monetary investment into finding the perfect youth baseball bat for your child.

Tech to Get Kids Moving

Getting kids to be active is not as easy as it used to be. So many tweens and teens are enchanted by their tablets and smartphones that they would rather hang out on the couch texting or playing a game than heading to the park or riding their bikes.

Rather than banning electronics from your home, savvy parents can take their kids’ love of gadgets and turn it into a way for them to get and stay active. For example, check out the following devices and apps that will help inspire your kids to get their tushes off the couch:

Active Video Games

Video games do not have to be played sitting down. If you own a Nintendo Wii or XBOX 360 Kinect or other active game console, treat your kids to a few new games that will get their hearts pumping. Great examples are the "Just Dance Kids" series that lets your kiddos mirror dances to pop hits and songs from their favorite TV shows. "Zumba Kids" is another great game that gets kids moving, as is "Kinect Rush: A Disney Pixar Adventure"—in this game, kids can throw, steer, swing and run around while exploring games set in Pixar movies. If your kids love the show "Wipeout," "Wipeout" (Create and Crash) for the Wii, WiiU and Kinect will have them going through obstacle courses filled with jumping, dives and twisting and turning—anything to avoid having their on-screen character plunge into water. Although this game is technically for ages 10 and up, if the whole family plays together even younger kiddos are sure to have a blast moving around.

Fitness Tracking Devices

If you already own a fitness tracking device like a Fitbit, you might have noticed that merely wearing it inspires you to take more steps during the day and be more active. Getting your children kid-friendly devices will probably have the same effect on them. Or, if you don’t already have one, consider investing in fitness tracking devices for everybody, so you can set goals and encourage healthy and fun fitness and health competitions between all of your family members. A great example is the Apple Watch Sport from a retailer like T-Mobile; the nifty little device helps keep track of your exercise, heart rate and other health-related data. If you are not sure about your kids using such a fancy device and would rather have only the adults use it, no worries—there are plenty of kid-friendly activity trackers including the UNICEF Kid Power Band. The device will measure your kids’ steps and movement and also allows them to go on missions that they can track through the accompanying app, earn points and unlock food packets that will go to malnourished children in the world.

Sworkit Kids

Another great way to get kids moving is to transform their love of apps into motivation to exercise. Let your kiddos download some free fitness apps like Sworkit Kids. This app guides them through fun exercise routines that are demonstrated by kids. You’ll enjoy watching your kiddos crab crawl across the living room floor for 30 seconds or see how quickly they can do 10 squats. The app is so fun, chances are good your kids will inspired you to download it and play along with them. The app will sync with Apple Health and your kids can also use it to create custom workouts that improve their strength, agility and fitness levels.

Bring Out Your Inner Foodie With Home Chef

Have you noticed that meal subscriptions are on the rise? With back-to-school season in full swing, many parents are feeling the sting of being time-crunched. There are school functions, sports, and other extracurricular activities. Factor those things in with the commute to and from work/school, homework, and household duties and you have families who are beyond busy. Shopping for food can be a big chore for many. This is where Home Chef meal delivery service comes in to save the day.

Home Chef offers meals to suit everyone whether you are a big family, college student, or empty-nesters. You can tailor your tastes and family size which helps to have the correct portions and avoids food waste. When you go to the Home Chef site you will be directed to put in your email address and zip code. You are then able to put in payment information and set up your Taste Profile. You can specify which foods you want to avoid (great if you are vegetarian or have food allergies) and if you have special dietary needs like low-carb or low-calorie. Once you have your order in place, you will receive an email with a delivery confirmation date.

Your meal kits will come packed very well in ice packs and sealed properly to avoid any leakage or possible cross-contamination. You can tell a lot of care goes into packing orders.

Each meal comes complete with recipe and instruction card along with all of the ingredients that are pre-measured and portioned. The card lets you know what additional items you will need that you have on hand like salt, pepper, olive oil, pan, etc... 

The meal kits I received were the Thai Red Curry Shrimp with jasmine rice and snow peas and Parisian Bistro Steak with dauphinoise potatoes and green beans. Fancy, huh?

In your first order, you will receive a binder to keep your recipe cards organized. The cards come already hole-punched to make things easier. 

I am an avid cook and for those who know me, you know that I can do some magical things in the kitchen. It took a lot out of me to feel comfortable cooking something I thought might lack flavor. I decided to be open-minded and give Home Chef a chance. I am SO glad that I did! Both meals exceeded my expectations and tasted like they were from a high-end restaurant. Each dish runs around $9.95 per serving which is less than dining out at a fine establishment. 

The Parisian Bistro Steak with dauphinoise potatoes and green beans was amazing! The steaks were about 1 1/2 inch thick. I had to finish the cooking in the oven because they were too rare. I seasoned them with sea salt and cracked pepper according to the instructions and I'm glad I did. The sauce was full of flavor and any more seasoning would have ruined the dish. Those potatoes were everything! The Parmesan shavings added such good flavor along with the shallots, chives, and heavy cream. My advice is to follow the instructions and you will not go wrong at all. 

The Thai Red Curry Shrimp with jasmine rice and snow peas was so delicious and full of flavor as well. It tasted just like what I order at my favorite Asian Bistro without the hefty price tag. The shrimp were very fresh as well as the vegetables. I could eat this meal a few times a month and never get sick of it.

My overall opinion about Home Chef is very positive. The ingredients are super fresh and high quality. They even indicate on the recipe card a timeframe to cook your meals in the event you order multiple meals at once. This allows you to know what needs to be cooked first. Seriously, this makes meal planning a breeze. You are able to try different things to make meal time more interesting. I plan to order more meals in the near future since it saves so much time and money when you factor food delivery costs. I always thought these types of meal delivery services would break the bank and it really doesn't. Some exotic ingredients can cost an arm and a leg, but with Home Chef, they send you just what you need for your meal. This beats being stuck with an ingredient you may only use once or twice a year and end up throwing it away. 

What I really love is that you can send a gift card so you are able to share the gift of food with the people you love from far away. This is excellent if you have a college student living on campus and you want them to have healthy options. If you've been on the fence about trying this type of service, don't wait any longer. Give Home Chef a try and I feel like you won't be disappointed. This would be a great gift idea for the person who has everything. 

For more information about Home Chef, visit them at their website and follow them on Facebook and Twitter for updates and promotions. 

I received a promotional code to redeem towards meals from Home Chef. All opinions are 100% my own as always. 

Accidents Do Happen but Your Children Shouldn’t Suffer the Consequences

Whether at work or play, there comes a time when parents are exposed to being injured, sometimes leaving them medically unable to work for the rest of their lives. If you, or a loved one, has been injured as the result of negligence on the part of a business, government entity or even a driver of a vehicle covered by insurance, you may be eligible for compensation that will help you financially for the rest of your life and especially during the years you have minor children at home. Yes, accidents do happen but your children shouldn’t suffer the consequences.

What Kind of Injuries Do Personal Injury Lawyers Handle?

Many people aren’t aware of all the types of injuries that are covered under a broad classification called ‘personal injury.’ If you have never been injured before and have not had to file a claim, you may not be aware just how many injuries are actually covered. A knowledgeable and experienced personal injury lawyer can handle:

 Injuries resulting from dog bites and serious attacks.
 Emotional distress intentionally inflicted.
 Injuries that are deemed work-related or on the job.
 Medical malpractice.
 Falls and slips resulting in injuries.
 Injuries directly resulting from products that are faulty.
 Sports related injuries.
 Assault and/or battery.
 Loss of companionship (often referred to as loss of consortium).
 Wrongful death.

And these are just the most common types of injury, but by no means is this a complete list of what a personal injury attorney can handle.

Understanding the Attorney – Client Fiduciary Obligation

There is one bit of advice which should be given, across the board. No matter what kind of injury you have sustained or where you sustained it, if it is serious enough to put you out of work, you should always contact a personal injury attorney. The reason for this is because you need to ensure that your best interests are being represented. This is called a fiduciary obligation and his/her obligation is to represent you and only you, not your employer or the insurance company, however, there are exceptions. This is why you hire a personal injury attorney – so that your best interests are represented to the exclusion of all others as the law dictates.

Your Children as an Extension of This Attorney – Client Relationship

When representing you, as the person who supports minor children, this fiduciary relationship then is implied between your attorney and your children. If you are unable to speak for yourself but have children who depend on you, your attorney can speak for you in a court of law to ensure their support throughout the years you would have been supporting them. It’s a tricky subject and one that only an accomplished lawyer can explain well, but the point is made.

Your children shouldn’t suffer the consequences of your inability to care for them financially or in any other way due to that injury. Accidents do happen but if you are not at fault and you have suffered significant injuries, a personal injury attorney can win the compensation you and your children deserve.