Signs you Need a Rest Day.

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{Collaborative Content} Life is busy. In fact, sometimes life can be TOO busy. You will know this yourself if you're forever running around after the needs of your boss or family, and if your social calendar is packed to the brim with appointments. 

The problem with busyness of course is that you won't have sufficient time to rest. This can create problems, especially when considering the following. So if any of what we have to say relates to you, perhaps now is the time to say "enough is enough" to yourself and the people around you, and to schedule yourself a rest day. 

Signs You Need A Rest Day

#1: Your patience is wearing thin

The more tired you get, the less patience you will have, as you won't have the energy to cope with the various demands that you have to deal with. As a consequence, you might start to 'lose it' with the people around you, such as your partner, your children, or the people you work with. You will feel bad when you snap and get angry with others, and they will feel bad, especially if you say something hurtful. 

#2: Your body hurts

If you're regularly suffering from aches and pains, it's probably because your body is always on the go. Soreness can be relieved via medication from your doctor and CBD patches but what you really need to do is slow down. Your body will appreciate it if you do, as a day of rest and relaxation will give it time to heal and any soreness will start to go away. But if you keep pushing yourself, you could make things worse. Ill health will cause you to stop but it's advisable to take a break before it gets to that point. 

#3: You're relying on stimulants

If your energy is starting to flag you might be prone to such energy-boosting stimulants as sugar, caffeine, and energy drinks. These will certainly perk you up, for a while at least, but your body will start to experience the negative short and long-term effects if you become reliant on these. There are better ways to regain energy. Drinking water is far more effective than something sugary, for example, and it's a guaranteed way to boost your health too. However, taking time out to rest is by far the best way to refresh and energise your mind and body. 

#4: You're making a lot of mistakes

We all make mistakes so you can be forgiven for one or two a day. But if you're always getting things wrong, be that at home or at work, it might be because of your tiredness and low energy. Fatigue can make it hard for you to concentrate and retain information. So, if your boss isn't happy with you, if you find yourself putting your phone in the fridge, and if you have missed your children's school recitals this week, it might be because you need to take a mental break!

So, do you need to take a rest day? If you have related to these signs, then the answer has to be a resounding YES!! Today then, start saying 'no' more often to any demands that come your way and schedule in a day when you can relax, rest, and even catch up on sleep. Make this a regular habit, especially when the signs we have mentioned rear their heads again

Top Tips for Taking Care of Loved Ones as they Get Older.

*Collaborative Content* As we get older, it’s only natural that we may need a little more care and support than in our earlier years. However, whether you are caring for a grandparent, parent or even a neighbour - looking after an older adult can be a very difficult task- as a result, you may find that you have little time to take care of yourself or keep up to date with your daily duties. 

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With that in mind, here are some top tips for taking care of a loved one as they get older. 

Set reminders. 

Whether your loved one needs to take daily medication or attends regular visits with the doctor - you must stay up to date with their schedule so you are aware of the times when they may require a little more support than usual. This is especially important if you are the person responsible for taking them to and from appointments.  However, it can be hard to balance somebody else’s schedule alongside your own, which could result in missed appointments. As such, you may benefit from setting reminders on your phone! This way, you can give your loved one a quick call or text to remind them about upcoming events. 

Ask them what they need from you.

When taking care of others, it can be hard to know if we are doing a good job or if we are doing enough. While your loved one will appreciate any form of support, the easiest way you can put these worries to bed is by simply asking them what they need from you. Then, you can tailor your care and support accordingly. For example, if they are feeling lonely, you can arrange to visit more often. 

Discuss additional support methods.

At some point in time, your loved one may require full-time support that you cannot provide. When this occurs, you should not feel guilty - as this is a natural part of ageing, and you may not have the resources at hand to give them the quality care they need. However, this does mean that you should do plenty of research ahead of time so that they receive the right kind of care. For example, while live-in carers are always an option, your loved one may be more suited to staying within a care home facility, as this often gives them more opportunities to socialise. 

Take care of yourself too. 

While you may be more than happy to dedicate most of your time to caring for your loved one, it’s important that you don't forget to take care of yourself either. After all, if you continue to neglect your own needs, you’ll struggle to provide them with adequate care and support in the first place. As such, you should ensure that you set aside some time in your schedule that you can dedicate to yourself. For example, you may want to put together a daily self-care routine. After all, self-care can help you to feel happy, healthy and focused. Furthermore, you should also ensure that the caring responsibilities are shared out among other family members where possible - so that you feel a little less guilty about taking the necessary time for yourself. 

5 Ways Massages Can Help Improve your Body's Health.

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{Collaborative Content} Massages have a long history of being a form of therapy, and they can be a great way to relax and reduce stress. However, massage therapy is not just about physical relaxation. It is also about relieving pain and promoting emotional well-being.

There are many benefits of massages include easing pain in the body and alleviating stress. In some cases, massage therapists also provide treatments for people who have arthritis, chronic pain, and fibromyalgia. In the modern-day, massages are seen as ways for you to rest and relax.

Finding the Best place for Thai massage can yield not only a place that will allow you to escape the hectic life of every day but provides you with a way that can help your body repair itself. Here are a few ways massages help improve your body's health.

Relieves Stress

Massage has been proven to reduce stress levels. It consists of multiple techniques to relax the body and mind. It is an act of executing direct contact with the body, working with the movements of breath, touch, and warmth. Massages make your body feel weightless by releasing tension in your muscles, joints, ligaments, and other tissues.

They also increase circulation, which can help to bring more oxygen to your brain as well as other parts of the body, which could potentially improve mental health as well as reduce fatigue.

Helps Circulation

Massages that are made to increase blood circulation contain strokes, friction, and pressure. They work by relaxing muscles and improving blood flow. This allows the body to make better use of oxygen from your lungs for better oxygenation of tissues, cells, and organs - especially those in the brain.

Can Help with joint mobility and flexibility

Massages work by releasing endorphins - your body's natural pain-relieving hormones. This will help you to relax and fall asleep more easily. It also helps to increase the blood flow in your body, which can help with joint mobility. There is evidence that massage can help with the treatment of pain in multiple ways. It is also said that the healing process can be speeded up when massaging muscles is done before exercise or work out by some experts.

Reduce tensions in your muscles

When you have tension in your muscles, it is common for you to experience pain in areas of your body. Massages are believed to help with this by stimulating the muscles' nerve endings, which releases tension. They are also an easy way of reducing stress because when our muscles are relaxed, our brain is less likely to be overloaded with stress hormones.

Can Help with Relaxation

Massage therapy is beneficial for promoting relaxation and reducing stress because of its ability to address physical, mental, social, and spiritual health in one treatment. With the growing demand for massage therapists in the workplace, many organizations are providing access to massages on-site or in their wellness programs to help ensure that their employees relax at work and reduce stress. Fortunately, these programmes are quickly becoming the norm for many companies.

Is it Necessary to Vet your Dentist Before Booking and Appointment?

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{Collaborative Content} The decision to choose a dentist is an important one, especially for the entire family. Although you may get tempted to book an appointment online or over the phone without doing any research, it's not advisable. 

You do need to vet your dentist before scheduling an appointment, as this will ensure you are working with someone who is both qualified and trustworthy. At some point, you will be trusting your dentist with the health of your mouth, so it's essential to find someone reliable.

To Ease Your Mind and Worries

It would help if you always did your research. You can look up reviews on Google or Yelp, and if they have a website, you need to check that out as well. Whatever dentist you decide to go with, make sure it's someone who is board certified for the work they will be doing. 

Board certification means there was a thorough examination, and it means the dentist passed with flying colours. You also want to make sure they have a good reputation in your area. If you can find out if they belong to any professional associations, that's great too because memberships are usually given only after an intensive screening process. 

To Ascertain the Quality of Services

To ascertain the quality of services, you need to vet the dentist before booking an appointment. If there is a question regarding the quality of service, how would you ensure that your experience will match what you expect? 

Time is money, and you should not be wasting it. Therefore, it makes sense to find out what your dentist can do for you, what they cannot do during the first meeting. This will enable you to choose the best dentist for you. They should also be using high quality dental equipment preferably from a reliable dental practice equipment supplier.

To Do Your Due Diligence

Start by doing some research on the dentist you are considering. There is a wealth of information available about them online. This means looking up reviews, seeing if they have any disciplinary action taken against them, finding out who their past patients are and what they had to say about their experience with that particular dental office or clinic. 

You can also ask your friends, family or co-workers who they recommend. However, this may seem like a lot of work to do at first glance; in the long run, you will be glad that you put so much effort into vetting the dentist before booking an appointment with them. 

It is Your Right as a Patient

It is your right as a patient to vet the dentist before booking an appointment. If you don't, then it is very probable that your dental health will suffer in the long run. This doesn't mean that you need to spend hours and days researching dentists online, but it does involve some detective work on your part. 

First, make sure to ask your family dentist if they have any recommendations. Most of the time, they will be able to point you in the right direction without too much effort on their part. 

It is your right to be able to vet the dentist before booking an appointment. The more preparation goes into finding the best specialist, the better off both patients will be in getting high-quality dental care.

A Great British Getaway to Sherwood Pines.

We've not long returned from a week away. Far from our usual holiday which we'd have which would be to the South of France to a beautiful gite with glorious surroundings and a private pool. Things were too uncertain..... ridiculous really to think that we're still in this situation surrounding covid and travel uncertainty.  We have flights booked for later in the year to NYC and even that now remains uncertain which is incredibly frustrating.  Instead, we booked a Forest Lodge break not far from us in Sherwood Pines, Nottingham. Bit of a random one but there was lots to do around the area and we needed to get something booked prior to prices being even more inflated than they are! I was able to get Bluelight discount buy I can't lie the price of almost 2k (before discount) for 1 week is eye wateringly expensive and on par what we'd spend for 2 weeks abroad, but I digress, it is what it is and it was nice to be away. 

Forest Lodges is nestled in Sherwood Pines which is Sherwood Forest. Within acres of forest lies a selection of lodges (Golden Oak - slightly bigger, Silver Birch and some tree houses) all placed with plenty of space in between and providing lots of privacy and not overlooked by others. We stayed in a Silver Birch which was 1 double (with en suite) and 2 twin beds, separate bathroom, it had a lovely big sofa and chair, large wooden table and plenty of kitchen essentials. Hot tubs are standard in all the lodges, all be it ours possibly had seen better days but a very welcome touch and the children were delighted despite us having our own at home! We had a lovely spot (we had paid a little extra to choose our lodge so we knew we wouldn't be overlooked). There is a strict noise policy in place too which is worth mentioning that they ask that after 10pm noise is kept to a minimum out of respect for nature and the residents.  We had zero issue with noises, it was incredibly peaceful. The first night wasn't ideal however since Elarna woke at 2:30am for the toilet and then continued to wake for every hour and then at around 5am she woke Alfie up so I then declared the day had started and threw open the curtains and sat on the decking and watched the sun rise while the kids had a quiet splash in the hot tub! As much as I was shattered watching the sun come up was pretty special. 

The trouble with holidaying in the UK is you feel like you've got to do something every day, or at least we did as otherwise we felt like we should have stayed at home. This not only ramped the cost up but was also pretty tiring! Below is a brief round up of things we did so if you're in the area from our most enjoyable to the least so if you're looking for inspiration maybe this will help, I will include links where possible. all these things we paid for.

- Yorkshire Wildlife Park (Doncaster) Just a short drive away from Sherwood Pines is this fantastic wildlife park, we had a great day here but be prepared for a ton of walking as it is huge! Not really any indoor areas, the enclosures for the animals are massive which is great to see. Tickets are pre bookable for timed entry, it felt very covid secure and we spent several hours walking around. We went in at 10am and left at around 3ish. There are lots of picnic areas and loads of bins for rubbish, there are some nice play areas for the children also. Huge car park which is free and there is a restaurant called Evolution before you enter which is Jurassic themed, would suggest pre booking as we did if you fancy it. Great day out, really enjoyed it. 

- Rufford Abbey (Ollerton) This is a great place to visit if you're looking for less expense. £4.00 to park for the whole day if you want and I think you could quite easily. Dogs on leads are allowed and we saw lots of families with picnics and garden games/footballs which is great. There is so much to keep everyone occupied, sculptures, walking trails, a lovely lake which you can hire a row boat or pedalo and a fantastic mill car splash which is basically a ford that the children can stand either side of and make loads of noise or heckling as the cars approach to see if they will speed up through it and make a huge splash and get the kids wet! This made my day seeing the kids faces light up, after everything we've been through in the last year this was just such a simple thing making everyone smile. There is also tea shops available, a little garden centre, an ice cream parlour and a little gift shop selling a variety of things. Highly recommend for a day out with the kids! Lovely place. 

- White Post Farm (Farnsfield) £45.00 for family admission for all day. This is a lovely little farm that's been running for around 30 years, gets great reviews on Trip Advisor so thought this would be a nice place to visit for my 2 kids that love animals. It's much bigger than I imagined with lots of animals to see including a ton of goats, small animals that you can pet such as rabbits, guinea pigs, Llamas (or maybe Alpacas, I can't remember!) and other small furries. There is also a reptile room with snakes, spiders etc etc, although I felt this area was a little tired looking and could do with a bit of a refresh however my reptile obsessed son thought it was great. There is a brilliant outside play area and also a slide inside the barn with a small soft play (however the soft play is currently closed). You can pay extra for animal encounters, goat yoga (yes you read that right), tractor rides and also for bags of food to feed the animals. I would say we spent a good 4 hours here, we took a picnic and there was lots of places to sit and eat. Overall a nice little trip out.

- City of Caves (Centre of Nottingham) Around £26.00 for family admission, pre booking recommended. This is a fascinating trip underground to see the UK's largest network of caves. These caves are truly fascinating! We loved that you scan the QR code and have an audio guide while going around. There is just enough information provided to keep you interested, it's a perfect amount of time and a real insight into the caves beneath the Broadmarsh shopping centre. Truly fascinating!

- Sherwood Forest Free to enter other than paying for car parking. No trip to Nottingham would be complete without heading to Sherwood Forest and walking to see The Major Oak which is an Oak Tree of around 800 - 1100 years old! It's a huge thing, for some reason I was expecting it to be bigger but it is pretty impressive all the same! There are lots of walking trails to do and a large play area. On a dry and fine day you could easily spend a whole day here exploring, we however had what I would call 'typical' British weather, dry and warm one minute and absolutely hammering it down another. There was a little event going when we visited with a few stalls such as face painting, charity stalls, local jams etc and further into the forest suitably themed dressed up people with lots of information about how people would have lived back in Robin Hood days! Overall definitely worth a trip, it would have been a shame to not visit. 

- Robin Hood Experience £20.00 family of 4, no pre booking required. This is just down by the castle, I had been as a child but had no memory of it. I would say don't go with high expectations! It is absolutely fine for the kids, I found out a bit amusing, it is quite child like inside, a 3 storey house just basically telling the story of Robin Hood and you enter in each room for a bit more info, the whole house is done out in theme with plastic mannequins, I mean it's ok and for £20.00 it isn't too bad. The whole thing just needs a bit of a spruce up I would say, my husband and I agreed it was far better than than the castle!

These are the places that we visited while we were there over a week, we crammed a fair amount in, it felt tiring but also so much to see around the area and there is more! I also want to mention that we also visited Nottingham Castle, well what a waste of money this was, £35 for a family of 4 and with little to do once inside, apparently it's had a £31 million update and I can only assume this was spent on making a glorified art gallery and on the kids play area, which was the best thing about it. So if you go and are expecting a castle it isn't that so I would avoid and spend money else where such as the Justice Courts where I wish we had gone instead! We also wanted to go to Cresswell Crags but pre booking for tours is essential, something which we didn't know when we arrived and paid for our car parking! No signs or website access to say this is what is needed and the woman behind the till was fairly abrupt when telling us there was no availability and that tours get booked up days in advance. It looks good though so we would like to return and we will book in advance!

Overall we did have a lovely week, anytime away is nice and I truly appreciate that but it didn't quite hit the same as being abroad I have to be honest. We definitely didn't feel particularly rested when we returned either! However if you're looking for a nice week away with lots of things to doo I can highly recommend Nottinghamshire, there is lots to see and do. Any questions please do send me a message and happy holidays.

Five Ways to Make Puberty Easier for Your Daughter.

{Collaborative Content} One of the hardest transitions that anyone has to make in life is the transition from childhood to adulthood. Yes, we’re talking about puberty, and we've all been through it! You can’t get from being a child to being an adult without those few uncertain, insecure and scary years of being a teenager. The feeling of being too young to do much but maturing faster than you expected. Dealing with changes to the body and changes to the emotions hitting you? That’s all horrid to deal with.

As a teenage girl, though, it can often feel more traumatic. Teenage boys have it very hard, so we won’t discount their experiences, but when you’re a teenage girl you have all of those emotions rushing through you and you add the new arrival of periods and acne on top of it all. Insecurities about physical appearance start as young as 9, and that happens to coexist when puberty begins. For some people, puberty is traumatic for them from the effects of puberty on your skin to the effects of hormones on friendships. If you have daughters, you’ll want to prevent them from going through the same level of trauma. Even though trauma isn't optional, it’s sure something you can go through as a family and support your daughter as she does. Here are five ways to do just that!

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• Communicate. Please, communicate with your daughter. Tell her that her body is going to change and what to expect. Tell her about periods and tampons and period pants. Tell her about acne and the importance of washing her face every single day. Hygiene conversations may not be easy to have, but they are a must. She needs to be prepared!

• Be open with your body. Half of the insecurities picked up by teenagers come from their own parents. As a woman, your body will have gone through life a little more than your teenager’s has. Normalise your body by not hiding it from your daughters. Normalise periods happening and be open about your own experiences so that they can feel secure about what’s to come.

• Brush up on your own education. Acne and periods aren't the only things to affect girls in puberty, but you need to stop finding the shame in your periods and skin experiences. Instead, you need to brush up on things you have long stopped worrying about and make sure that you instil in your daughters that this isn't taboo!

• Be patient. If you’re the mother of a teenage girl, remember how you felt as your body and hormones changed, and then give your daughter room to feel her feelings out loud. She won’t always be graceful, so give her some of your grace. Empathise and be patient.

• Bring a gift basket! When puberty is well underway, put together a gift basket of hygiene products, period pants/items like pads, chocolate and books on what to expect for her to read. Make it clear to her that you’re here for her right now and always, and that when she needs to shriek, you’re the space she can shriek to!

So you've Fallen in Love with Someone in Another Country. Now What?

{Collaborative Content} When you picture falling in love, you typically imagine that it will be with somebody who lives in the same country as you. But love can be really annoying. You never quite know when or where it’s going to pop up. It just happens, and then you're stuck with the practical matter of making it work - something that can be challenging if your lover is in another country. 

Don’t feel bad, though. Falling for somebody abroad is something that happens to a lot of people. The trick is knowing how to deal with it. 

Prepare Yourself For Fights

Crossing cultures can be a challenge. People have different expectations from relationships. It’s critical, therefore, to prepare yourself for fights. Things will likely go quite wrong at the start. 

Don’t let this put you off though. Even if things are challenging to start, these are typically teething pains. Things improve over time in most relationships as each person gets to know the other better. 

Being Together For Most Of The Year Can Be A Challenge

Being with somebody from another country for most of the year can be a challenge. Usually, there are strict limits on how long either of you can stay in any particular country. You may need to speak with immigration solicitors if you want your lover to stay by your side for longer. 

It’s Going To Be More Interesting

Dating and being with somebody from another culture can be a lot of fun. Because their life experiences are so different from yours, it can make for interesting dinner time conversations. You never quite know what’s going to come out of their mouth next. 

People May Judge Your Country Based On How You Behave

How you conduct yourself is important whenever you are in a foreign land. The way you behave matters because people will judge not only you individually, but also your entire culture. It shouldn’t happen, but it does. 

You’ll Be The Center Of Attention

If you travel to the country in which your lover lives, expect to be the center of attention for the duration of your visit. You’ll probably stand out quite a lot so people will want to get to know you more, particularly your date’s friends and family.

It’s a good idea knowing that going in so that you can prepare yourself. If in doubt, smile and wave. 

Be Prepared For The Stereotypes

Even in today’s international society, there are still stereotypes surrounding international relationships. People have certain preconceived notions that they can’t shake. Often, this can lead to negativity. Mostly, these stereotypes won’t apply to you. You’ll just be in love with your partner. But it might not seem like that to the outside world. 

Try To Learn The Local Language

Learning the local language is important for anyone wanting to go to a different country. You don’t need to become fluent, but just a few minutes practice every day will help you and your partner to bond more closely. You can often make tremendous progress in a short space of time.

How to Improve your Home and Family Life.

{Collaborative Content} Your family means the world to you and you care about them deeply. If you want what’s best for you and your loved ones, then it’s in your best interest to always be improving as a parent and role model.

Be glad to know there are ways to work on bettering your family and home life so you can all be happy and well. Parenting can be tough but it doesn’t mean that you should give up working on improving as the year’s pass. Use these tips to help you get back on the right track to having a successful and positive parenting experience and family life.

Consider Moving

You want your kids to be happy and have friends and activities. You want them to be at the right schools and to be close to playing areas and parks. You also need to make sure that you and your spouse have career and work opportunities that help you provide for your family. If you’ve visited London before and have fallen in love with certain areas of it then you may want to look into the ilr application in the UK so you can pick up and move and reside there permanently as a family.

Stay Active & Busy

A busy and active family is a happy one. Improve your family and home life by engaging with one another and spending quality time as a group. Get your kids involved in a variety of activities and hobbies and make time for play and exercise to boost your health and wellness. You’ll all be much more content when you’re on a schedule and know what to expect each day and are getting out of the house.

Eat Dinner Together

Improve your home and family life by eating dinner together each night. Family meals are an excellent time to share about what’s happening in each of your lives and to discuss any pressing issues. Come prepared by having a few topics to cover and then see where the conversation goes. Make it more fun by getting the kids involved in setting the table and preparing the food and meal.

Communicate Openly & Honestly

Communication that is open and honest is essential to having a successful and rewarding family and home life, especially when you have teenagers. You must be able to talk to one another maturely and directly without having conversations escalate into arguments and fights. Encourage your kids to come to you with problems or issues and be there to listen attentively when they do so or want your advice. Set a good example for your kids by speaking to your spouse openly and honestly and giving each other a chance to talk and share.

Conclusion

These pieces of advice will help ensure that you can quickly improve and enhance your family and home life. You’ll soon discover that everyone’s a lot happier and that you’re getting along better when you implement these tips. There will still be challenging and hard days but notice how many more positive and gratifying moments there are that you can be proud of.

Unexpected Challenges that can Create Distance Between your Family.

{Collaborative Content} Life can be very unpredictable at times. No matter how much you plan for the future, there will always be things that can get in the way of what you want for yourself and your family. In some cases, the challenges you face will be easy to overcome, but others will create large distances between your family members that can be very hard to bridge. This article will be exploring situations like this, giving you an idea of what can be done to seal the gaps when one side of your relationship has to move somewhere else. This process doesn’t have to be hard when you apply yourself to making a difference.

Work & Careers

Work can be one of the most important things in life. While most people will put their families ahead of their job, it isn’t always to control what will happen in the world of work. Many companies transfer their employees to different locations as and when they need them. This can create a difficult choice, forcing people to pick between moving away from their loved ones and abandoning the career they’ve worked hard to forge. If this happens to your family, it can be worth simply looking for new work for yourself so that you can join your partner in their new location. 

Providing Care To Relatives

It’s no secret that human lifespans are going up across the globe, though people often need help to live a good life once they reach old age. Medical conditions are a big cause of this, often forcing people to move somewhere new so that they can look after their close relatives when they can’t afford dedicated care. Relocating your whole family for this can be hard, but you could also consider the idea of moving the person who needs care. This won’t always be worth it, especially if borders have to be crossed or long distances are involved, but you can explore the idea to make sure that you keep your options open.

Visa Problems

It’s becoming increasingly common for people to find partners who live or have citizenship overseas. As the world gets smaller, more people have the chance to start relationships like this. Of course, though, those with temporary visas may find themselves having to move home once their family is built. You can apply for a spouse visa in your partner’s home country in an attempt to solve this problem, but you may also need to look for alternative visas if this doesn’t work out. This can take a lot of time, but the wait will be worth it to make sure that your family can be reunited. 

As you can see, having your family split between countries or locations can be a challenging situation. Many people find themselves with this problem to solve, but you can overcome it by working hard to make sure that you are exploring all of your options. There will usually be more than route that can be taken to bring your family back together.