Think Outside the Box!

On super hot days and throughout the summer months, it’s important as parents to ensure children don’t get too much exposure to the sun’s harmful rays.  On these hot days when the temperature rises, there are still a lot of ways to have fun indoors and beat the heat without camping out in front of the TV– It just takes a little planning and a lot of imagination! Here are some fun suggestions to get you started.

Build a Blanket Fort

Hand your kids some blankets, sheets, and close-pins and let their imaginations run wild! The best thing about a blanket fort is all the fun they will have inside of it. Reading a book, playing cards, or drawing pictures becomes so much more magical inside a blanket fort. Cardboard box forts are also a great activity that will keep kids entertained for hours! See the attached example on how to build your own!

Founded in 2009, Kid Ventures was the creation of Debbie & Darren Solomon.  After spending over 15 years working with children and with two little ones of their own, this duo knew exactly what they wanted in a kids indoor play facility - a clean and safe environment, creative and innovative play structures and a place where parents could enjoy a bit of down time knowing their kids were having fun in a secure setting.

Fun Ideas for Family Night

Keeping the family together and having fun can sometimes be an overwhelming task. Often time, life gets a little hectic and in the midst of all the craziness we forget to spend time with the people we love most. Running from one activity to the next can be easily have us feeling rundown and exhausted. It’s important to set aside time for the whole family to be together. A time where you can grow as a family, improve your relationships, and have some fun together.
By setting aside one night a week or even one night a month you can really solidify your family relationships. Even teenagers who usually want to be alone can learn to enjoy time with their family. Maybe you have a child who is behaving poorly. You can use a family night to express your love and better understand what you can do to work with that child better. So here are a few simple ideas that you can use to have some on your next family night:

• Mini-Golf Anyone? Going to a mini-golf course is a great way for everyone to get out and have some fun together. Chances are you’re not raising a family of Phil Mickelson’s, so don’t worry if you take some terrible shots or lose a ball in the fountain; it’s about being able to laugh at yourself.
• See a Sporting Game- While it may be a bit pricey to take the whole family to a playoff game. A regular season baseball game shouldn’t be too outrageous to handle. In fact a lot of baseball stadiums offer $1 seats. They may be far away, but the kids won’t care too much as the excitement of a major league game is felt throughout the entire stadium. Plus with all the money you save on tickets you can afford to get hot dogs and snacks for everyone.
• Board Games and Dessert- No need to leave home for this one. Grab some of the classic board games and pull out the ice cream. Remember that you’re family and you all know each other. There’s no reason to get fancy or formal. Just have some fun playing board games and finish things off with a dessert that everyone will love.
• Go for a Hike- Hit the trails for a little family adventure. You don’t have to do anything too technical but getting out and exploring things is a great way to mix it up. If hiking isn’t your thing you can build a fire outside and make some smore’s. The fire is a great way to talk and open up to each other.

As parents it’s normal to want to protect your children. Of course you can’t follow them every time they leave the house to stop them from drinking and driving or making other bad decisions. You can however, help them understand how much you care about them and help them see the importance of spending a little time together as a family. Ultimately no matter what your situation is, with a little planning and preparation you can make your next family night something that everyone can love.

Micah Castro is a freelance writer for JacksonWhite attorneys at law. JacksonWhite has experienced dui attorneys in Mesa AZ that can handle your case with precision and sensativity.

Pregnant? Tips for finding the perfect midwife

Olivia blogs about fertility, pregnancy, and babies at Trying To Conceive. She chose midwifery care for her own two births

If you are expecting a baby and think midwifery care might be the best match for you, starting the search for the perfect midwife early on is a good idea. It is never too early to start looking for the right midwife for you, and some couples commence their search as soon as they start using an ovulation calendar!

Whether you are hoping to give birth with a midwife in a hospital, a birth center, or at home, there are many questions to consider before choosing your midwife or midwifery practice. Which questions will help you get as much information about your midwife and the care she provides as possible?

1. What are your credentials? Where did you train to be a midwife?

Not all midwives have the same training. In the US, there are essentially two kinds of midwives. A CNM, certified nurse midwife, has a nursing degree and went on to specialize in midwifery. Certified professional midwives (CPMs) often learned their trade as an apprentice. In the latter case, asking how long they have been practicing as well as how many births they attended will give you some insights.

2. Who will attend my birth? Do you have a back-up?

Some midwives, esspecially homebirth midwives, work independently. With this kind of midwife you can expect your midwife, perhaps with an assistant or apprentice, to attend your delivery. If you choose a larger midwifery practice, a birth center, or a hospital you are likely to receive prenatal care from rotating midwives, and your birth will be attended by the midwife on shift when you go into labor.

If you choose an indepdent midwife, ask who her back-up is if you go into labor when she is attending another birth. It might also be helpful to know how many clients she has taken on in the month you are due.

3. How many of your clients transfer to OB care, and for what reasons?

You might feel like you are putting the midwife you are interviewing on the spot with this question, but it gives you some very important information. For what reasons does your midwife normally transfer clients? Does she have a back-up obstetrician she works with?

4. What kind of prenatal care do you provide?

Some midwives are happy with providing minimal prenatal care, and are willing to follow their clients’ lead. Other require ultrasounds, and routine blood and urine tests. No matter what kind of prenatal care you personally feel comfortable with, finding a midwife who is close to you in her views will be invaluable. You also want to find out where prenatal appointments take place, and wherther your midwife is able to react in cases of emergency, like when you are experiencing unusual pregnancy signs, at any time during the day or night – and whether prenatal care is included in the overall fee, or charged separately.

5. Which birth complications do you most commonly see? How do you handle complications?

This question will give you great insights into your midwife’s experience and ability. It will also enable you to find out how she handles certain complications. Along with these questions, you can also ask about your midwife’s mortality rate.