Away From The Screen – Toys Your Son Will Love

We all know that tech plays an important role in our lives. For some, our entire working lives are based around it. It makes life a little easier and helps us to connect and reconnect with friends and family. Technology is great for our kids too, from lessons in coding to how to design and create a video game or even edit a video, becoming immersed in technology can help our children find future roles and careers that they’re truly passionate about.

image credit

However, as wonderful as technology is, it can sometimes take over. With many parents struggling to coax their children outside for some fresh air, or simply entertain themselves without the help of a screen. So, if your child has a birthday coming up or you just want to spoil them, maybe you should embrace fun and entertainment away from the screen and consider the following gifts and toys for 9 year old boys.

image credit

Board and card games

Not just for rainy days, board games can be played with family and friends when they come to visit. You’ll find traditional games like Monopoly have been adapted to complement their favorite TV shows, and games like Top Trumps are always harmlessly competitive between good friends.

Pranks and jokes

Do you have a budding comedian at home? Or someone who likes to play pranks on their older siblings? Prank and joke kits have always been popular and they're a great way to get your child thinking outside the box and creating plans and schemes to pull off the perfect prank! Whoopee cushions stink bombs, hand buzzers, and slime will keep your son busy for hours!

Sports

If your son is football mad, then some simple football equipment for the garden is the ideal gift. A goal where they can practice their penalties, some new football kit, training cones or even a bag to put their boots and kit in. If you're struggling for outdoor space, then consider a smaller trick ball that they can use indoors to practice some cool tricks and skills.

image credit

Bikes

When we were kids, there was nothing better than getting on your bike and heading out. As long as you were back home in time for dinner of course! If your son doesn't have a bike, or they need a new one, then it could be the best gift ever. They can take themselves to and from school, practice cool tricks, go out riding with their friends and just enjoy a little freedom. Remember to get them the additional safety gear too!

Books

If your son much prefers reading and learning new things then topping up their bookshelf with some new reads is ideal. The latest novels from their favorite authors, encyclopedias, annuals, or other books dedicated to their favorite subject. It'll certainly keep them away from their screens for a while.

And finally, LEGOs! 

LEGO or simple building bricks have been loved for generations. When your son plays with LEGOs he’s using his creativity and cognitive skills to figure out what should go where and how to bring his ideas to life. This is a classic favorite that you surely cannot go wrong with.

Soda City Certified™ App to List All Local Companies Open During COVID-19

In the event that you live in Columbia, SC or surrounding cities, I thought I would share this with you.

Effective July 1, Soda City Certified™ (SCC), Columbia’s only mobile application that aims to help residents and visitors explore our Capitol City, will include all local companies open during COVID-19.

Open businesses in the following areas are encouraged to participate: Downtown Columbia, Forest Acres, West Columbia, Cayce, Harbison, Chapin, Northeast Columbia, Southeast Columbia, Lexington, Blythewood, Elgin, Irmo, St. Andrews, and Pontiac.

“The impact of COVID-19 has devastated all industries in the Columbia metropolitan area. By featuring restaurants, small businesses, and entrepreneurs, users will gain real-time access to businesses by encouraging everyone to shop local,” said Khali Gallman, Soda City Certified™ app creator. “Our main goal is to stimulate Columbia’s economy while practicing social distancing. Be safe and let’s stay connected.”

Since the official launch of SCC in January 2020, the app has reached 1100+ downloads and averages 5,000-8,000 social media views weekly. For more information or add your business on the app, visit www.sodacitycertified.com. Call 803.922.5310 or email sodacitycertified@gmail.com for more information.

About Soda City Certified™ Mobile App

Founded in 2019, Soda City Certified™ is a mobile application formatted for Apple iTunes and Google Play smartphones that allows users to receive incentives for frequenting Columbia, South Carolina’s most notable events, venues, restaurants, historical sites, and attractions. The app is available for free in both app stores. All rights are reserved. Visit www.sodacitycertified.com for details.

5 Simple Ways Busy Moms Can Stay Fit

Any busy mom who has to balance her work and home knows how difficult it can be to stay fit. However, that should stop anyone from staying healthy and achieving the body of their dreams. A lot of fitness professionals say that you have to make a schedule when it comes to staying fit. Where tips like following a set of rules, not eating fast food, and sticking to a healthy schedule are very helpful, a lot of them become a moot point for busy moms. That is where we step in as we have devised the perfect plan for working women so that they can stay in shape.

Rise early and Sweat it out

The most important thing that you need to do as a busy mom is to manage your time efficiently. I understand that waking up early can be very difficult to do, but if you want to get the most out of your day, you have to do it. After you have made a habit of waking up early, you can join a gym or look for reformer Pilates as it will help you stay in shape without sacrificing a lot.

Exercise with the Kids 

Another great way you can motivate yourself to exercise is to bring the kids into the loop. By including your kids in the workout, you are also motivating yourself to do exercise. To make the kids enjoy exercising, you can think of some pretty smart ways like playing games with them that involve physical activity, taking them out for a walk or for bike rides, and asking them to help you with house chores.

image credit

Make the Most Out of Little Things 

As working moms can get quite busy juggling work and taking care of kids, they need to make everything count. Instead of using the lift, you should take the stairs so that you get the needed exercise. If your workplace is nearby, you can use the bike instead of a car as you can burn a lot of calories while going to work and coming back home. When you incorporate these little things in your life, you will see positive results in a matter of weeks.

image credit

Eat Smart

Most of us are so busy each morning that we eat whatever we get out hands onto. Consider packing 3-4 small healthy snacks in the night so that you don’t have to prepare your lunch in the morning. Instead of relying on junk food during working hours, you can eat these healthy snacks so that you are proud of the right choices you make when hunger strikes.

Do Quick Workouts Whenever Your Get the Chance

Lastly, you should have a workout anytime you get a chance. For example, instead of crashing onto the bed when you return from work, you should do a little workout for 5-7 minutes, take a bath, and then enjoy some quality time with your kids so that you feel fresh and proud of yourself.

Try CBD Treats If Your Dog Is Afraid or Nervous

When you first got your dog, you were planning for it to have a happy life filled with cuddles, playful times and a lot of smiles. For the most part, this is exactly what you managed to achieve. What happens, however, when you notice that your canine is afraid of certain things that definitely shouldn’t cause fear and fearful behavior?

image credit

Do you get angry with the animal and start calling it weak? Do you really think that something like that is a good idea? As you can see on this page, yelling at your dog is never a good idea, because it might cause more fear, stress and even aggression. There has to be another and a more constructive way to deal with this kind of behavior.

Your next instinct might be to start cuddling with the animal and helping it calm down until the reason or its fear has disappeared. While this is definitely a better way to deal with the issue, it also has its negative sides. It serves only as a temporary solution. I’m not saying that you should just ignore your dog and refrain from petting it when it is stressed. I’m simply saying that you should find a more permanent solution.

Fortunately, there is a great long-term solution that you can use without worrying that you will cause even more harm to your canine. The solution includes a product made from cannabis, and many dog owners seem to be going crazy about it. Unlike what you might think, this product is not the equivalent of pot for your animals. It’s perfectly safe and non-psychoactive. Let’s check it out.

image credit

CBD Treats
There is an amazing compound most usually extracted from the hemp plant, which comes from the family of cannabis. That compound is called Cannabidiol and it has been recognized by researchers and scientists as a highly beneficial substance both for humans and for animals. The recognition it gained led to the launch of many different products made from the compound.

Here’s an extensive report on what has been found about Cannabidiol: https://www.who.int/medicines/access/controlled-substances/CannabidiolCriticalReview.pdf
Apart from CBD oil and similar products, there are now also CBD treats that you can give to your pet. People seem to be loving this product because of the simplicity of administering it and because of the positive effects that it causes. Dogs cannot resist the treats you are giving them and these ones are amazingly healthy, which is a win-win situation for the animal and the owner.

Reportedly, this product is perfect for managing any pain that your animal might be feeling, as well as for reducing inflammation. In addition to that, evidence suggests that it can be of great help when it comes to epileptic seizures. Some studies even claim that CBD can be used in the treatment of cancer, because it can successfully fight bad cancer cells.

What This Has To Do With Fear?
We’ve mentioned quite a few benefits of CBD treats above, but you’re probably still waiting to hear what any of that has to do with your dog’s fear. Can this product be of any help in those situations when your canine starts trembling, hiding or attacking out of fear? That’s what you came here to learn and that’s exactly what we are going to find out now.

There is another amazing effect of Cannabidiol that I haven’t mentioned by now. As so perfectly and concisely explained by pethempcompany, CBD treats are the go-to products whenever your pet is in any kind of fear. There may be many reasons behind its fearful behavior, but CBD can resolve the issue no matter the reason in question.

These products have a rather soothing effect on our pets, which is why they can be perfect for helping the animal calm down in situations they deem stressful. By administering the right amount of CBD treats during the day, you will no longer have to deal with unexpected and uncalled for frightened episodes in your dogs. Instead, your pet will be able to stay calm and collected and it will quickly stop being afraid from other animals and humans, as well as fireworks and similar things. This will significantly improve your pet’s quality of life.

Why Get CBD Oil For Stress

Lots of people around the world experience stress for a variety of reasons. Some may find their jobs too much to handle, and others are not happy with the way things are going.
There are chances that you may be one of the people who have chronic stress. Whether it’s in the form of an outburst from your boss or the millionth time your annoying mother-in-law stresses you out, it’s time for you to have the relaxation that you need.

Know that too much stress can affect your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Some of the symptoms that may appear include headaches, loss of appetite, insomnia, chest pains, and high blood pressure. You can know more about headaches that came from tension here: https://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/tension-headaches. The solution for many people is Prozac or Xanax. But why go to the extreme side of medication when you can relieve the pain from stress in a more natural way?

CBD and Cannabis

You may want to learn more about CBD or cannabidiol oil that came from the hemp plant. Although hemp is a cousin of cannabis, you need not worry as there are no psychoactive effects after taking the oil. The plant Cannabis sativa has over a hundred different strains, and cannabidiol is one of them.

The extracts of pure CBD are commonly taken in the stalks, flowers, and leaves. They are extracted using CO2 or other methods, and they are separated from the cannabis. The extracts look like little crystals at room temperature.

Does the Product Make You High?

Many people argue that instead of using CBD, they might as well smoke weed to relieve their stress. But this should not be the case. One of the most well-known compounds in marijuana is tetrahydrocannabinol or THC that alters the mind. Users of the oil do not get affected psychologically by hemp because the THC in CBD is non-existent and, in some, less than 0.3%. This is opposed to the more than 30% THC content that marijuana has.

Note that both THC and CBD can bind with the brain’s special receptors. The difference is that CBD can directly alter the receptors by linking into them while THC can’t do this. When you are stressed, you may feel a little fuzzy when you take the oil, but you will eventually feel less anxious. Your body will become more relaxed and comfortable. Some users were able to think of solutions to their problems while they are in a calmer state of mind.

Stress and CBD

Stress can become cumbersome and can severely impact the quality of your life. You may not feel like socializing, and the feelings may keep you from living the optimum lifestyle that you deserve. The good news is that studies have backed the positive effects of CBD to stress.

Some of the studies included people with anxiety showed that the oil significantly reduced their stress levels. The brain was able to convert the situation from a threatening state to a less anxious environment. The scans showed that there were also noted changes in several regions of the brain, usually associated with anxiety.

There’s another study done in 2014 that found out that the oil can have antidepressant side effects. Most of the studies involving this were on animals, but the results were promising. Many of the rats were able to reduce their social anxieties.

Others were able to conduct further research on cannabidiol as a treatment for many anxiety disorders. Some of the most common psychological disorders of people worldwide are OCD, PTSD, and SAD. These are all forms of illnesses that need addressing, and the people who have them were able to find relief while taking the oil.

Now, this does not mean that you need to have a disorder to take CBD oil. Note that the oil is for everyone, and even healthy people can benefit from taking a teaspoonful of this miracle oil. You can visit this page for other options and products that you can take aside from the oil. If you are feeling stressed, you can lessen your burdens by reducing anxiety levels in your brain. You can also become more active by exercising and getting plenty of sleep at night to combat stress.

There are other benefits of cannabidiol for humans. In clinical trials, an increase in mental sedation and decreased anxiety levels are noted by researchers. Higher doses can be useful for treating insomnia, social anxiety disorder, and even epilepsy.

Is the Oil Legal?

However, note that the world of hemp is still a gray area in many states. The legality of marijuana is still debatable. But the good news is that you can buy hemp without any problems. Many pharmacies offer over the counter CBD oil and other products that can benefit you. You can do your research and find out where the legit suppliers are to ensure that the product is safe.