What Can Parents Do To Help Kids Learn In 2023?'

 Learning is one of the most integral aspects of early life. Whether you have a child in kindergarten or your kids are in high school, it’s natural to want them to take full advantage of their education and enjoy learning. The way children learn has changed and evolved due to advances in technology and there are some incredible resources and platforms available. If you’re looking to help your kids learn in 2023, this guide is packed with innovative ideas. 

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Create a supportive, nourishing home environment

The environments in which we live and learn can have a major bearing on our mental health and well-being, as well as our capacity to study and work. Creating a supportive, nourishing home environment helps children to learn and develop and it can play a key role in giving them the confidence to perform to the best of their ability at school. Your child’s home should be a safe space where they feel calm, happy and content. Spend quality time together as a family, talk frequently, have fun together and set up zones where they can rest, unwind and enjoy downtime as well as areas to learn, get creative and play. 

Be a cheerleader

Some kids have bags of confidence when it comes to taking classes, getting involved in activities and doing assignments at school, but others struggle. They may be introverted, which makes it more difficult to interact in group settings, or they may worry about getting answers wrong or feeling embarrassed if they don’t understand a topic. One of the best things you can do for your child to help them to learn and get the most out of their time at school is to be a cheerleader. Build them up, reassure and encourage them and let them know that it’s perfectly normal to find some subjects hard or to get a question wrong. Try not to put too much pressure on your children. Kids, particularly teens, tend to experience anxiety when assignments are due or tests are around the corner. Boost your child’s confidence and encourage them to try their hardest. Let them know that the world won’t come crumbling down if they don’t get top marks in the class. For more advice about helping your child to feel more confident, have a look at this article https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/self-esteem.html. 

Make learning as fun as possible

Most of us have memories of subjects we used to dread and classes we loved. The most memorable classes are usually fun or unique. There is still a place for sitting in a classroom and writing notes from a board or doing exercises in a textbook, but there are myriad benefits to making learning more enjoyable. Today, parents, teachers and children have access to a dazzling array of resources and activities like online quizzes and games, printable worksheets and video lessons like this one www.generationgenius.com/videolessons/weather-vs-climate-video-for-kids/. Varying activities and using visual resources, such as images, graphs, charts, video clips and interactive games make education fun and it’s also a brilliant way to aid learning. It’s also a fantastic idea to include practical activities and explore different environments. Get outside and look for trees, animals and flowers to bring the pages of science books to life or visit a national park and see geographic wonders in real life, for example. 

Talk about sources of stress or anxiety

Stress and anxiety are common barriers to academic performance and they also impact health and well-being. A 2021 survey by the American Psychological Association showed that 43% of teens felt stressed. There are many reasons why children and teenagers suffer from stress and anxiety ranging from problems at home, exams and assignments, relationships with peers and bullying to hormonal changes and anxiety about other factors, such as wider societal issues like war and conflict and climate change. As a parent, it’s important to try to open channels of communication and encourage your kids to talk to you if they feel down, they’re worried about something or they’re struggling with a specific problem at school. Take time to listen and don’t apply too much pressure. If they don’t feel ready to open up now, leave them and let them know you’re always there if they do want to talk or they need some help or advice. 

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Parents encourage their children to learn from day one, but it isn’t always easy to know how to help your kids to thrive at school, especially when they get older. The way children learn and access education is evolving continuously. Today, parents have access to incredible resources, but there are also additional challenges to navigate, with more children experiencing stress and feeling pressure to do well and fit in. To help your kids learn in 2023, create a supportive, nourishing home environment, make learning fun, be a cheerleader and talk to them if they’re stressed or anxious. 

5 Ways to Transform Your Fireplace

 If you’ve just refreshed your home and you’re looking for something else to transform, then your fireplace may be the best course of action! The fireplace is known for being the room's centerpiece, especially for living rooms or dens. Just as furniture and décor can help set the tone for the room, so can a fireplace. But when it comes to the fireplace, how can you transform it? Fortunately, it’s not really about removing your curtain and adding something to it; it’s far easier than that. So, here are some ways to make that transformation with little work!

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Tile it Up

Tiles are a great way to add drama and interest to your hearth and the fireplace's surroundings. Why go with this? Well, if you want to add some European influencers, such as how the Dutch or Portuguese do it, then tiles are a perfect way. While yes, it does require a bit of work, this can be the best way to help make your fireplace look gorgeous!

Consider Modernizing

A fireplace is one of the most useful focal points in any living space, especially in the living room. Regarding this focal point, you will want to do what you can to ensure it’s not some eyesore. Soot-filled hearths, chipped brick, and a stained surround can all make your fireplace look dirty and worn. It’s not too hard to modernize it; it’s all about cleaning it up, polishing it, and sprucing it up. Some quick ways to modernize it include painting, refacing, or even adding some unique ceramic tiles. To improve safety and give your fireplace a modern, stylish update, consider working with an expert in Professional Fireplace Renovation to transform its appearance and functionality.

Decorate the Surroundings

Whether your fireplace is functional or not, it’s an excellent place to display artwork and décor objects. The right items can instantly elevate a drab mantel. If you’re a painting or print person, try hanging a few different styles to give your space a unique look. You can also snag a striking sculpture to add a bit of flair. Christmas isn’t the only time to spruce up this area, so get as creative as you'd like! Usually, artwork or mirrors are hung up above, and it looks dazzling!

Add a Hearth

Hearths are not only gorgeous for fireplaces, but they can also protect your floor from the heat, all while bringing a visual aesthetic right into your room. They add this small touch of romanticism, so what is there not to love? Depending on your fireplace, you can use various materials to build your hearth. Concrete, stone, and tiles are all popular choices for creating a unique look, but you can still go beyond that and even use modern reclaimed wood fireplace. Just because the hearth is made of wood doesn’t immediately make it dangerous.

Look into a Fireplace Screen

Adding a fireplace screen to your fireplace is a great way to add safety while enhancing your hearth's aesthetics. They come in a variety of styles, materials, and sizes, so you can find one that fits your style perfectly. You can count on different designs being available to find something that matches your aesthetic. However, if you own a faux fireplace or an electric one, this won’t be necessary unless you try to make it look realistic.

Home Allergy Essentials: How to Reduce Risks and Keep Your Family Safe

 Are you concerned about reducing home allergy risks for your family? If so, you’re not alone. Many people struggle with allergies, and the key to avoiding them is prevention. In fact, a whopping 50 million Americans suffer from allergies every year. This means around 30% of adults and 40% of children are vulnerable to allergies. Whether it’s cat dander or pollen, allergens always find a way to cross our lives. While most allergies are mild, it doesn’t make them any more pleasant. Therefore, if you or your family suffer from allergies, you want to keep unpleasant allergens at bay. Here are the top tips to remove most allergens from your home. 

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Get Your Carpets Cleaned

Carpets can be a source of allergens, such as dust mites, pet dander, mold, and pollen. Allergens are released into the air whenever people walk on them or move furniture around. For allergy sufferers, carpets can be a major source of discomfort and irritation because vacuum cleaners fail to remove allergens trapped inside the fibers. Therefore, getting in touch with professional local carpet cleaners at least once a year or more often if you have pets is important. 

Professional carpet cleaners use special equipment that is designed to remove allergens from carpets without damaging the fabric or fibers. 

Grow Your Own Produce

Gardening can be a great way to reduce your exposure to allergens in food. When you grow your own fruits and vegetables, you can be sure they’re free of harmful chemicals and other potential allergens. Growing your own produce also eliminates the need to buy food that may have been exposed to allergens in the grocery store or through delivery.

Besides, freshly grown vegetables will always be a lot tastier than the same vegetables bought in store. Indeed, you can eat fresh, perfectly ripe, and local ingredients packed with flavors and vitamins. This is guaranteed to make cooking a lot more enjoyable too!

Swap Chemical Products for Safe Ones

Cleaning products that contain synthetic chemicals can exacerbate allergies for some people. Harsh chemical cleaners can irritate the nose, eyes, and skin and even cause breathing problems in those with allergies. They can also be very toxic to the environment and other living things.

To reduce your family’s exposure to allergens and chemicals, swap out chemical cleaning products for safe ones. Consider investing in non-toxic cleaners and laundry detergents. Many plant-based, organic products are effective in tackling dirt and grime without relying on harsh chemicals.

Another option is to make your own all-natural cleaning products at home. Many of these DIY cleaning products are made from ingredients you already have in your kitchen. 

Add an Air Purifier

An air purifier is an important device to consider if you suffer from allergies. Air purifiers work by trapping particles that are too small to be seen with the naked eye, such as pet dander, pollen, and mold spores. By trapping these particles, air purifiers can help reduce allergy symptoms and prevent them from getting worse.

When selecting an air purifier, look for one specifically designed for allergy sufferers. Many air purifiers have different filters, including HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters, which are designed to trap the smallest particles. Some air purifiers also come with additional features, such as ultraviolet light or activated carbon filters, which can be useful for reducing odors and other pollutants.

Are you ready to allergy-proof your home with these tips? 

The Emergencies Every Homeowner Should Be Ready For

 We all like to think that our lives are going to go smoothly without any major hitches getting in the way of things, but that’s simply not the case for a lot of us. Emergencies can hit, so rather than pretending they won’t happen to us, we should make sure that we know how to handle them, as with the tips above.

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Finding yourself locked out

It might seem like a fairly simple mistake to make, but you shouldn’t assume it won’t happen to you. Simply put, you should make sure that you always have the number for an emergency locksmith like The Flying Locksmiths on your phone. You might also want to think about keeping a key hidden in the garden somewhere or entrusting a key to someone, hopefully, someone nearby. There’s always a risk with leaving a key to your home outside of the home without you to watch it, however.

Getting hit with a blackout

Most blackouts tend not to be all that serious, it’s either a problem with the grid that will be solved by the providers eventually or a home electrical issue that you can call someone out for. However, depending on where you live and the time of year, power loss can be pretty dangerous. If there is anyone vulnerable where you live or you live out of town where it might be harder for repairmen to reach quickly, you might want to invest in a backup generator.

The danger of water damage

A leak in the home is always a worrying sight. Water’s not supposed to go inside the home, after all. As such, make sure that you are able to find the water mains of the home and shut it off when there is a serious leak, and keep a plumber’s number on hand. If there has been a leak that has been given the time to do serious damage, however, you might need to get in touch with a water damage and mold remediation team such as Protegrity Restoration. Otherwise, the damage can spread and become much more expensive to deal with further down the line.

Don’t sleep on a broken roof

If you see any signs of a broken roof, be it a leak from above, broken or missing tiles, or even sagging or discoloration, you need to get help as soon as you can. Teams like Northeast Home and Energy can help you replace your roof if need be. However, in some cases, a little spot treatment might be enough to prevent the damage from getting a lot more extensive and expensive.

Check your roof periodically outside and inside. It may look fine outside but when you go in, that sagging may be evident. It is also essential check the nook and crannies as well because you may come face to face with unwanted visitors as well. Bats can make themselves at home in your attic, so going online and searching for "how to Remove bats from my home" will show you the best ways on how to do that. 

Storm damage

How tough is your home? Is it able to survive the apocalypse? It might not need to go that far, but you should at least prepare it to survive a storm. Protecting it against flooding by installing siding to secure the exterior facade, conducting basement waterproofing, and adding a sump pump is vital. Conducting an online search for basement waterproofing delaware county, or a similar term tailored to your area, will connect you with local professionals who can help. If you live in an area where storms have historically been known to hit, then it’s on you to do the work.

As the homeowner, it's your responsibility to make sure that your home is prepared for all manner of eventualities. The tips above are just the beginning.