The 3 School Subjects That Can Benefit Our Children’s Lives Beyond Education

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You might wonder what your children really do learn in school sometimes. While there's a lot of focus on science (and seemingly pointless mathematical equations) when it comes to the best subjects, in conjunction with the right skills, what should our children know so their life can be richer overall? And, do all schools actually teach these things? Let’s provide some essential skills that all children should know so they will have a better life as a result.

Musical Instruments 

While it was once viewed as the equivalent of drama, media studies, and other seemingly “pointless” subjects, a musical instrument has numerous benefits for any child. A musical instrument is a great way for your child to use both sides of their brain. As well as this, there are links between mathematics and musical skills. Learning to sight-read music, as well as playing songs in a certain key encourage focus and improvisation, these are all aspects that can keep the brain alive. But if you don't have your ability to get your children into music in school there are courses like Piano in 21 Days that can easily start your child on that journey. We need to stop underestimating the power of a musical instrument. It's not the mainstay of the non-academically gifted!

Physical Prowess 

For some inexplicable reason, there is more of a focus on the sedentary aspects of life now. In schools, children are encouraged to use computers more than anything else. But the more time children sit at desks using computers, the more this spills into other aspects of their life. Physical prowess doesn't necessarily need to mean running around for hours on end, but there are things like swimming lessons that can benefit. It's important to get into the habit of encouraging running around, physical activity, and not making it seem stern or boring. We have to remember that children have fun running around, and this is exercise, albeit not in a structured sense.

Home Economics

We've focused on getting our children mentally and physically stronger, that what about emotionally stronger? While in school, home economics is taught, a lot of children don’t view it is a very useful subject. In fact, it’s viewed as something particularly boring! But home economics is something that can be tied in with self-sufficiency and resilience. If your children know how to make a meal themselves, they will become more independent sooner. It's important that our children don't rely on us to do everything for them. And we can encourage our children to make their own food so it demystifies the process. As our children tend to rely on us, as the parents to make food for them, we can start them at a young age by introducing them to the kitchen and preparing something little.

These are things that are taught in schools, but while we can tend to view a lot of the subjects as being seemingly irrelevant, if your school teaches music, as well as physical education, these are the three pillars that our children can use to have a healthy and well-balanced life.

5 Incredible Family-Friendly Places To Visit In California

California is a state that has plenty to offer visiting families, and we’ve highlighted eight of the best
places to visit below… 

#1 - Disneyland 

It would be impossible to discuss the family-friendly experiences in CA without discussing by far the
most well-known of all: Disneyland, which is located in Anaheim. A must-visit for families with young
children who have been enchanted by the magic of Disney, you can read through this
#1 guide to buying tickets to the park and then plan your trip, taking the opportunity to experience
incredible rides such as the Millennium Falcon, Hyperspace Mountain, and the
Pirates of the Caribbean and the many excellent onsite eateries. 

#2- Griffith Observatory 

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The Griffith Observatory offers fantastic views over Los Angeles, so it’s well worth visiting just to see
these - and explore the fantastic on-site cafe - alone. Lengthen your stay, however, and you’ll have the
chance to visit the fantastic planetarium and then explore the incredible exhibits that are designed to
deepen understanding of various aspects of the cosmos. Finally, you can also use the Observatory as
the starting point for a hike along the Mount Hollywood Trail, which concludes at the famous
Hollywood sign, if you wish.

#3 -La Jolla Cove

The atmosphere at La Jolla Cove is most frequently described as “serene”, and the area is particularly
popular with families who want to spend time in the water swimming, snorkelling, or even scuba
diving. The tide pools are especially enchanting, visiting the caves is an experience you’ll never forget,
and you’ll even have the chance to spot a few sea lions during your time in the area. As well as the
natural sights and their wonders, the surrounding area also offers shops, restaurants, and everything
else you could possibly need to ensure a fantastic day out by the sea.

#4 - Calico Ghost Town

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A drop in the value of silver in the late 19th century signaled the end for Calico, with the town soon
becoming a ghost town. In the 21st century, the town has come back to life as a favorite for tourists.
Located in the picturesque Calico Mountains of the Mojave Desert, the area makes for a truly incredible
day out: you and your family can explore the museums and history of the site, relax in the restaurants,
take a mine tour, and admire the stunning natural surroundings. 

 #5 - Santa Monica Pier 

Santa Monica Pier has been a family favourite for over a century, and remains a must-visit for any
families who are visiting California and happen to be in the area. A day at the Pier offers incredible
variety; you can ride the world's only solar powered Ferris wheel admire the views over the ocean,
learn more about the history of the pier at the Visitor Center, and even go fishing - the options are
endless, and you'll be sure everyone will have a genuinely fantastic day as a result.

If you choose to visit any of the above during a family vacation to California, then you’re sure to be in for
a treat - enjoy! 

Four Top Benefits Of A Spontaneous Family Vacay

Spontaneity is the key to a happy life filled with surprises and one of the best ways to be spontaneous
is with your choices of vacation. There are plenty of studies out there that prove that even a short
weekend break can make life better for you. It helps your health and it reaffirms your relationships as
a family, too. 

Whether you decide to break out the brochures for far-flung cities or you have local camping guides
ready to scope through, you have everything that you need for a spontaneous choice. It shouldn't be
too carefully researched: a vacation is something that you choose with your heart! If you’re still
deciding about where to go, you need these four very good reasons as to why you need to book a last
minute getaway now.

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For Your Health

Most people go away on vacation to relax. Life is stressful. It’s filled with choices that can be difficult,
and no one wants to be in the position of feeling low, stressed and worried about life. You’d not usually
consider your health when it comes to booking a last minute break, but you should. Stress can
manifest itself physically, making your immune system plummet and giving you away to a low immune
system. This leads to you feeling sick, run down and depressed. A weekend away? That’s a boost
and it makes you feel good. This lowers the risk of high blood pressure and heart attacks, and it keeps
your immune system solid, too. A shift of environment can do wonders for your soul, and it gives
you something to look forward to, as well.

For Your Happiness

You decide to head to the ocean: it’s your happy place. You can spend a couple of days on the sand,
watching the sea move with a glass of your favorite drink. You can do all the beachside activities that
you love the most that makes you feel relaxed, at peace and happy. At night, you can lay back and
look at the stars and catapult yourself into a world far away with your imagination. This level of escape
is huge, and you can really enjoy things that make you happy when you pick your favorite place to go.
Sometimes, the chance to switch off in a location that is different from where you are right now can
make a massive difference to your outlook on life. Nourishing how you feel and your personal needs
is important, and your mood can shift soon, too. You must make a choice to be happy, and that
involves choosing the places you want to be in for your comfort.

For Your Family

The kids have had a long week, your marriage needs a breath of life. Booking a log cabin in the
forests where there are treetop climbing activities for the kids and a hot tub for the grown ups?
That sounds like an essential part of life, doesn't it? It can be your reality, and a night or two away
from the city and the lights, enjoying quality time together without the screens and just spending
a moment together to reconnect is everything you need. You can get reacquainted with the kids and
even your partner, all in a space away from the humdrum of everyday life. The time you spend
together can help you all to get back on the same page and fall in love with family life again, and that’s
not something you can get elsewhere. When you get to know your kids and your partner again, you
create a new landscape for your family to follow. It’s everything you need it to be.

For You.

If you want to feel like you are more focused and more efficient in your life then you need to book that
break. Sometimes, it takes stepping back to another environment and looking at life anew to realize
the things that are going wrong for you. When you’re away, get in touch with the local nature. Go for a
walk through forests and hike up mountains. Burn the excess nervous energy that life makes you feel
and feel good while you do it. You can gain a fresh new perspective on things when you take the time
to get solutions to your problems instead of worrying about new ones.

This spontaneous family vacation could be everything you need. All you need to do is book it.

5 Ways To Improve Any Garden

No matter how important you generally think the garden is for your home, you can be sure that it is so,
and it’s one of the parts of the home that you will absolutely want to think about for that reason as
much as you possibly can. By keeping that kind of approach towards it, you can be sure that you are
going to be able to improve the way in which it is used and appreciated, and how much of a part of the
home it is going to be in the future for you, the family and whoever else might live with you. In this
article, we are going to take a look at some of the best ways that you can improve any garden, so that
you can therefore get much more out of yours, and enjoy the many benefits that come along with that.
Let’s take a look at what kind of things you might want to focus on here.

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Open It Up

Often, you will find that a garden gets stuck in being a little too closed-off and that can cause a lot of
trouble for the plants in particular. You might have lots of trees around the edge stopping that much
light getting in - indeed, that could have been part of your design at first. But if you are keen to try and
get more out of your garden, you might feel that opening it up is a good way to make sure of that for
certain. There are so many ways in which you can open up any garden, but a first is to think about if
there are any big plants that you don’t really want or need there. If there are, then you can first get rid
of those and that could lead to a much more successful kind of garden in no time at all. Opening it up
will do so much for you, and it is something that you should think about for that reason. You will find it
leads to a much more enjoyable garden for you and everyone who uses it.

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Make It Fun

If you have children running around, then this one might prove particularly important, but it is also
something that any of us could find to be enjoyable. In order to make the garden as fun as possible,
you should think about what it is that children are going to want there. In general, that will mean
stocking it up on anything that is going to be useful for games and sports. That could be as simple as
installing an outdoor basketball hoop on the wall of the garage or shed, or it could be a case of having
a football goal or something like that. Larger homes will even have space for a tennis court and other
similar things. If you can make the garden fun in this way, you should find that your children are going
oy it much more - and probably that you will as well. This is something you should think about as it is
an easy way to make any garden much more enjoyable indeed.

Diversify The Plants

There is a lot that you can get out of having a good diversity on show in your garden. It might be as
simple as wanting it to look prettier, which is certainly going to be the case if you have a strong diversity
of plants. But diversity will also mean that you can hope for the garden to be much more healthy, as
having a lot of different plants has a way of improving the local ecosystem of the garden greatly. You can
easily diversify the plants you have just by focusing on branching out - literally - to others which you
might not have previously considered having at all. If you do this, over time you will develop a collection
in your garden which is going to be considerably more interesting and exciting, and that is absolutely
something that you will want to think about for that reason alone.

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Flatten It Out

If your garden has a lot of slopes, that could be just what you want. Or you might find that you are keen
instead to have a flatter space. There are certainly benefits to a flatter space, but one of the most
important is that you will be able to grow things more easily, as you will be able to ensure that water
does not run off of them too much and that the beds are going to remain in good working order. To
flatten out a garden, you will probably need to get a landscaper in to sort it out for you. They will be able
to do that in no time, and you should find that it means you have a garden which is much easier to grow
in. That is certainly useful if you are hoping to grow fruit and veg in particular, which is another way to
make sure that you are making good use of your garden space.

Grow Veg

Many people grow veg for a lot of reasons, but one of the main selling points of this is the ecological one.
If you grow your own veg, you are going to be able to ensure that you are helping to save the planet by
placing less of a pressure on the sources you normally get your fruit and veg from. The less you have to
support the supermarket, the better, and this is a great way to make that a reality. Growing veg is also
surprisingly easy to do and get right, and you should find that you are set up and growing in no time at all.
It is something of a joy for most people to do as well - and if you have children, then you are going to be
able to encourage them to get into it as well - which bodes well for their own future, and the future of the
planet.

New Baby On Board? Read This!

Having a new baby on board is one of the best, and most worrying feelings in the world. When you
first get to take them home from the hospital, you can't help but feel happier than you've ever been
to feel, yet so alone at the same time. A lot of first time parents say that they come to terms with the
whole pregnancy and birthing process, but completely forget to think about the true reality of having a baby at home. So in the first few months, it can truly be overwhelming. So, it's articles
like this that are going to help you out, and that's truly what we intend to do. There's so many
things that you can do to make sure that you're dealing with all of the problems that new
parenthood is going to give you, and we're going to help you with a few of them. All you have to do
is take a few minutes to yourself, have a read, and see what tips you could benefit from. 

The Dreaded Feeding Regime

Feeding is definitely a dreaded regime to try and get into. One night they might wake up a few
times, the next it might be once, and you never seem to be able to establish some sort of routine.
Plus, you'll often find that they're feeding so much, that all you ever seem to be doing is buying
baby formula and showing it down their necks, trying to keep that crying from coming back.
So, one tip we have is to keep the room as dark as possible during the night, and as quiet. Some
parents turn the lights on, start chattering for ages, or turn the TV up load. It creates the illusions
of daytime, meaning they'll be awake for longer, and will probably wake again sooner. After the
first few months, you should be able to establish a good feeding regime, and then it's onto the
dreaded sleep routine, but we won't go into that! 

The Milestones Start At The Beginning

Everyone thinks that the first milestone to look out for are the ones such as crawling, or walking.
When in fact the first milestone starts right at day one. The moment they meet you they're
learning from you, and everything you do they'll pick up on. So think about speaking to them all
of the time, even if it be about silly things like your say. Smiling and laughing at them, putting toys
around them during tummy time, and letting them interact with a number of different things. The
milestones will come in thick and fast if you just focus on what they're learning from you! 

Finding Your Parenting Style 

This is a really important one, and something you'll learn early on. The one parenting style you
need to avoid is the one where you're worried about everything. The slightest sniffle, when
they're toddling around, their teenage years. You have to let them become their own person, and
you have to be that all important support system! 

The Benefits Of Kids Swimming Lessons

Learning to swim is one of those things that most of us learn to do as children. You might have had
swimming lessons at school, or at an after school group that your parents took you to. It’s just one of
those things that’s part of our childhood. You might have just learned to swim to a basic level, enough
to keep you safe in the pool, or you might have taken it further, gaining awards and even entering
competitions. As an adult, you might swim for fitness, or casually with friends. You might be part of a
local club. Or, you might not swim at all. 

Swimming lessons, however, aren’t something that we give much thought to until we have children
ourselves. You might enjoy playing in the pool with your kids, but worry that they aren’t old enough
for lessons yet. However, there are plenty of benefits to swimming lessons for even very young
children, and it’s never too early to get started. Let’s take a look at some of those advantages. 

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Safety

The first reason to teach your kids how to swim is to keep them safe. If they can swim, they aren’t just
safer in the water. They are also safer around water. If they slipped walking around a lake, they would
have the skills needed to help themselves. Even a little ability in the water can be a lifesaver. 

Many parents teach their kids to swim just before a big family holiday if they haven’t already. Knowing
that your children are safe to enjoy swimming and playing in the pool with their friends can make the
trip much more enjoyable.

Freedom

Young children, babies and toddlers should never be left alone in the water. Even if they can swim and
water is shallow, they should be supervised. But, once your children are a little older, them being able
to swim means that they can have more freedom. They’ll be able to play with friends in the pool and
spend some time away from you on those holidays. It can help them to build in independence as they
grow. 

Fun

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A learn to swim for kids course is fun. It’s a great way to teach them a valuable life skill without
pressure, or any boring learning. It’s a fun way to learn. They’ll make friends, they’ll push themselves,
they’ll enjoy learning, and they’ll find a new way to have fun. This kind of fun learning can offer them a
great way into other sports, and you might find that they are keen to try more physical activities and
coaching if they enjoy swimming lessons. 

Confidence

Our children's confidence is fragile. They get lots of knocks, they struggle to stay positive when they
can’t do something, and their parents, teachers and even friends are quick to point out what they are
doing wrong. Swimming lessons, even if it takes time to click, can be an excellent way for them to
build confidence as they develop skills. This confidence in the water can help to keep them safe, but it
can also spill out into other areas of life.