All posts by Anne Younger

Anne is a 30-something full-time SAHM mom of 5 ranging from 3 to 17 and grandma of 1 who resides in Ashwaubenon (Green Bay) Wisconsin. She started blogging in 2008 as a way to regain her sanity. She enjoys coffee, chocolate, cheeseburgers and vodka along with spending time with her husband and kids.
Dental, Health

What to Do When Your Child Needs to Undergo Wisdom Teeth Removal

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Can you still remember how it was like when your wisdom teeth were pulled out? Of course. Who can forget the “chipmunk” face and teasing siblings? That’s not all, you’re not allowed to eat normal food for several days, and you should stick with soft diet. This can be pretty stressful for a kid, and as a parent, it’s your job to make things a little more tolerable and here’s how.

Before we move on to the tips, aside from choosing the best Brisbane orthodontics and fully preparing your kid, you’d probably want to bring a video camera or make sure that your phone is fully charged. Since your kid would probably be under anesthesia, the post-surgery experience could be a little hilarious. Better record this one for your kid to see later on.

1. Prepare Yourself As a Parent
A lot of parents usually focus on preparing their child to have his wisdom teeth extracted. However, aside from that, as a parent, you should also ensure that you’re fully prepared. That means you have to schedule appointments with the dentist, schedule school absence, take time off from work, and talk to your child. See if he feels anxious and scared about the procedure and reassure him that everything will be fine. Don’t stress yourself. Instead, do some research and if possible, journal the whole ordeal.

2. Introduce Your Child to the Dentist Before the Procedure

Another way to prepare your child is to introduce him to a wisdom teeth removal Brisbane dentist who will do the procedure. By doing so, you’ll empower your child as you’ll make him feel familiar with the dentist who will perform the surgery.

3. Stock Up on Soft Food

You don’t want to aggravate the treated area so that it can properly heal and prevent infection. That means you should be conscious of your food choices and stock up on soft food items such as soup and applesauce. In times like this, you should try your cooking skills and prepare some dishes that are delicious, yet easy to eat.

4. Discuss the Procedure with Your Child

There are instances where explaining how wisdom teeth extraction takes place can help your child feel that the procedure won’t be as bad as he thought it to be. To help you with this, you should probably use some brochures or pictorial materials that could help you explain to your kid what would exactly happen during wisdom tooth extraction. By doing so, you could prevent your child from being sharp and horrified during the actual thing.

5. Prepare Something Special

Your child would definitely feel anxious about the thought of having their teeth pulled out, and it can be worse if they have to undergo surgery. To make them feel a little better, offering a prize, gift or something afterward is a great idea. They’ll have something to look forward to, and believe it or not, this could actually lessen the pain brought by the procedure. You can get him his favorite toy or something else that they would surely love.

Take note of these tips to ensure that wisdom teeth removal will not be a stressful experience for your child.

 

 

 

Wedding

Wedding Wisdoms: Top Tips for Avoiding the Battle of the Bridesmaids

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Think of your bridesmaids as your wedding support group. They are supposed to be there for you when you’re going through the wedding preparations, choosing your bridal gown, dealing with irrational in-laws, and those inevitable moments when you’re having an emotional meltdown. On top of everything else, what you have to remember is that there are many personalities in a group of bridesmaids, so you need to have some tactics on hand to prevent dissent amongst your entourage. Here are some tips to help you handle disgruntled bridesmaids.

Issues with the bridesmaid dress: Each and every one of your bridesmaids is a close friend. Although they have their quirks, you love them for their honesty. But when one of them tells you the dress you picked for them is dreadful, well, what’s a bride to do? While it is your special day, it’s best to work out a compromise, after all, they have to wear the dress, and they’re probably paying for it too. You also don’t want to wreck a long-standing friendship over an outfit. Remember, there is no rule saying all bridesmaids must wear the same, in fact, these days quite the reverse is in vogue. So why not give them some general style guidelines and let them each pick their bridesmaid dress?

Complaints about expenses: A wedding is an expensive event for your bridesmaids, so try to be sensitive to this. They are only going to be wearing the outfit for a few hours, so you can either be considerate about the price – perhaps think about pre-owned dresses – or allow them to wear outfits that they would be able to wear again. Be reasonable and work within their budget. This is probably something you should discuss at the beginning to avoid conflict later on. Try mitigating other expenses too by paying for half of some things, such as shoes and jewelry.

Problems with bridesmaid’s duties: The friends you choose to be in your bridal entourage may or may not have been bridesmaids before. If one or more of them hasn’t, they may not be aware of the duties and responsibilities that are expected of them. The best way to get around this is to have your maid of honor talk to them at the outset. That way responsibilities such as help with invitations, organizing a bridal shower, booking the hen party, and helping with the flowers are all allocated fairly from the get go. If for some reason, one of your bridesmaids really doesn’t have time to manage all this, it gives her an opportunity to say so. Down the road, if you feel that one of your bridesmaids is not stepping up to the plate, it’s important that you talk to her about it honestly, without being accusatory or laying blame. She may after all have genuine reasons for her behavior, it’s best to clear the air and move on.

Keep these tips in mind for handing your bridesmaids, but most importantly, have fun with your girlfriends and let them help you make your wedding day perfect.

Phoebe Harrison has worked as a wedding planner for a few years now and loves her job so much! Her articles have tips and tricks for brides-to-be and appear around the web.

 

Health

Worth Every Penny: Do Your Gut a Favor and Try a Probiotic Supplement

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Bacteria in the gut. Who needs more of that, right? Even if it’s so-called ‘good’ bacteria. After all, it’s bacteria that’s responsible for infections and giving us stomach complaints and food poisoning, right…? So goes the train of thinking that accompanies the unease and suspicion among many of the uninitiated when it comes to probiotics – and especially probiotic supplements.

But what they’re not aware of is that, should their digestive systems be healthy and they don’t suffer from issues like bloating, excess gas, constipation, diarrhoea or even irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), they have millions upon millions of bacteria in their gut already and have had them there since birth. And the majority of those bacteria are the ‘good’ kind; in fact, the fact it’s the ‘good’ or ‘friendly’ kind outnumbering the ‘bad’ infecting kind is what keeps their intestinal tracts healthy and free from stomach and digestive complaints.

Probiotics – and, by extension, the supplements that contain them – fit into all this in a very positive, very beneficial way because, as ‘friendly’ live bacteria and yeasts themselves, they’re specifically designed to be consumed to boost the levels of intestinal ‘good’ bacteria and restore the important gut flora balance. No wonder then that so many medical studies can be found online testifying of their health benefits  and why in excess of 60% of UK households regularly buy them – whether in the form of drinks, yogurts or specific supplements.

Crowding out the bad bacteria

To say then there’s convincing evidence that taking the right probiotic products (especially in targeted supplements) will do you good is putting it mildly. And it’s not just about putting your gut right after travelling abroad, having been left with an icky tummy due to a bug that’s upset your system. The reality is that taking the right probiotics should also aid you if you’re taking antibiotics for a particular ailment, yet have found (or been informed, say, by a medical professional) that the drugs are killing off those all-important ‘good’ gut bacteria as well as the bad ones.

And because probiotics are all about crowding out the bad bacteria, they’re all about prevention too. Not only will they ease IBS-related symptoms and thus minimise the effects of gut infections, but by diminishing the numbers of harmful bacteria in the intestinal tract they can help prevent you developing infections and experiencing unpleasant complaints. Moreover, there are signs that certain probiotics go even further. The latest medical evidence seems to suggest that some can contribute to the stimulation of cells for gut immunity; that’s to say, they encourage the secretion of molecules and the transportation of them into the bloodstream to improve the body’s immune response.

Taking the right probiotics

A win-win all round then? You better believe it! Indeed, the more probiotics you take the better the gut flora balance you ought to achieve and, frankly, as it’s very difficult to overdose on probiotics, even if you take too many or the ‘wrong’ kind for your particular complaint, they’re not going to harm you. That said; how do you know which to take to tackle a specific ailment? Well, that’s where a bit of research comes in. It means popping online and (by visiting websites like The Finchley Clinic) looking up what’s going to fit what you require best.

For instance, you might check out Biocare probiotics; this company produces a number of different probiotic-based supplements, each of which is focused on benefitting your gut health in a different way. Here are a few examples:

  • MicroFloraGuard – smartly releases friendly bacteria and antiseptic and antifungal garlic and botanical oils to boost ‘good’ bacteria levels, but at distinctly separate times to avoid the effects cancelling each other out
  • Bifidobacterium Bifidum – one of the major friendly bacteria located in the lower intestine, Bifidobacteria are excellent at exerting a controlling influence over the overall balance of gut flora
  • Replete Intensive – offers 130 billion probiotic organisms in each sachet, helping to establish gut flora balance quickly; can be used while or immediately after taking antibiotics.

 

Travel

The DOS and DON’TS of Festival Etiquette

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It’s that time of year again – festival season! Get ready to rock out at one of the 450 music festivals taking place this year in the UK. This is a time to relax, escape to the country, and dance your pants off. BUT there are some things that you need to be aware of before you go… and that is the rules of festival etiquette. Even if this isn’t you’re a pro-festival-goer, you may still be unaware of some of the unwritten ‘rules’ that you have to heed to when going to a festival.

Don’t worry, we’re here to help with some DOs and DONTs to follow during your next festival experience.

DO be friendly

We’re all here to enjoy ourselves and have a good time, there is no point in shutting off from the people around you or being irritable. You are sharing the space with these people, so make sure you do so amicably. Make friends and be courteous and helpful whenever possible, it’ll make your festival experience far more enjoyable. Also, the more allies you make during your weekend away, the better. Maybe you need toothpaste at some point, or you’ve lost your mate or you’ve run out of beans – that new friend you made a couple of tents down could be the one to save you.

DON’T be too friendly

Respect that everyone is here to do their own thing. It’s fine making friends, but don’t cling onto new friends as it will make them feel as if they are responsible for you. It can be slightly uncomfortable. Keep it cool and relax!
DO dress up and get into the spirit of things

Dress up, wear a costume – get into it! This is the only time you can walk around with glitter all over your body or dressed as Scooby doo without anyone thinking you’re a weirdo. Take advantage of the occasion and go all out!

Even if you’re not going in something ‘wacky’, get out in one of your favorite maxi dresses, or pair of shorts, or vest tops and make sure you enjoy the sizzling summer weather!

DON’T wear a costume that will get in the way

You don’t want to be that person. You know who ‘that person’ is … it’s that guy (or girl) who decided it would be a good idea to wear a huge hat or headdress and block everyone’s view of the stage. Don’t be that person… unless you want to be one of the most hated people in festival history.

DO think about your shoes 
Honestly, you’re going to marching around the countryside for three days straight, you’re going to need shoes that can handle the pressure. Make sure you bring some wellies just in case the English summer fails us and pours us into oblivion with rain. Even if the weather is looking pretty good, you better get yourself a reliable pair of trainers, or comfort conscious shoes for the occasion. For example, if you’re a girl, getting your hand on some comfortable Marco Tozzi shoes from somewhere like Mr Shoes is a great stylish/comfortable shoe option!

DON’T waste time looking for lost friends at a festival

The amount of hours, or even days, you could waste looking for that one friend who you lost in the crowd could be detrimental to your festival experience. Instead of wasting your time looking for them, make new friends instead and enjoy the festival, they’ll turn up don’t worry.

DO bring wet wipes

You’ll thank us when you get there. Wet wipes will be your bath, your shower and your best friend during your festival experience.

DON’T litter

It’s just annoying and makes the experience worse for everyone else. Don’t chuck a glass bottle on the ground and carry on with your day, who knows, that bottle could significantly injure someone! Take a moment to clean up after yourself, especially if you are at a country side event such as Deepdale Hygge where nature is at the heart of what the festival is about. It’s the least you could do.

 

Shopping

Perfect Presents: Showing You Really Care

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When it comes to giving gifts, it really is the thought that counts. While most of us would love to spoil our loved ones with expensive presents, the reality is that isn’t always possible. Many of us live to a tight budget, so when it comes to gift-giving occasions, it can get a little tricky. Here are just a few of the ways you can give a perfect present every time and really show you care- without breaking the bank!

Find The Perfect Card

Cards are incredibly important, they’re not about money and are the perfect way to show someone you’ve thought about them. The shops can be a bit of a minefield, you’re often not short of choice, but with cards that have already been printed, it can be tricky finding one with both the right cover and the right sentiment inside. If you find this is the case, consider doing something custom. If you’re good at crafts, it could mean making the card yourself, or you could use a free online card maker. You could include a funny photo, incorporate an inside joke or just play around with ideas until you create something that’s perfect. This will look extra impressive and shown you’ve gone out of your way to give them a great card.

Wrap It Beautifully

Regardless of how inexpensive the gift you’re giving is, wrapping it up beautifully again really shows thought. Watch some Youtube videos or look on Pinterest for wrapping ideas, there are plenty that are inexpensive but look fantastic. Along with the gift wrap include things like a bow, curling string and a gift tag for a beautifully presented gift that will make anyone’s eyes light up when you hand it to them!

Get It Personalized

Everyone loves a bit of personalisation. And the best thing about this is you can take a relatively simple gift and make it look extra special. It could be a mug, a cushion, a bath robe- anything you like. Either look for a site offering personalisations or buy the item you want and take it somewhere which offers printing, embroidery or whatever other form of personalisation you’re after.

Team It Up With Flowers

Researchers have proven that flowers boost mood and promote feelings of happiness. So how about teaming up your gift with flowers? A bunch can make even something small like some gift wrapped chocolates look extra special, they don’t have to be expensive either. You can buy bunches for just a few dollars from the grocery store.

 

So there you have it, a few surefire ways to make sure every gift you give (no matter how small) goes down well. It’s the thought that counts, so if you show you have thought about the person and made an effort it will be enough to put a smile on their face no matter what’s inside the gift!

Do you have any tips for giving gifts? What small presents do you buy for people when you’re on a shoestring budget?