As a single mother, it’s hard to find time for yourself. Between taking care of your kids and managing household responsibilities, there is little room left in the schedule to take care of your mental health. Fortunately, there are some easy things you can do to help reduce stress levels and improve the quality of life for both you and your children. This post contains four tips on reducing stress as a single mother so that you can live a more fulfilling life with the people who matter most!

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1 Find a Qualified Caregiver 

The first step to reducing stress is finding a qualified caregiver. This individual could be a family member or friend who can take over some of the more time-consuming responsibilities you have as a single mother, such as cooking and cleaning. This will give you free up time throughout your day that you can spend on yourself, which has been proven to reduce stress levels! There are also opportunities available for hiring caretakers through specific organizations. For example, many churches offer childcare services during their Sunday worship service so moms can enjoy mass without worrying about what’s happening at home with their kids.

2 Take Care of Yourself 

It’s essential to take care of yourself as a single mother. Not only will this help you avoid illness, but it’ll also make you more available for your kids when they need something. Ensure that you are getting enough sleep every night and eating healthy food regularly so that your body is prepared for anything the day throws at you (and trust me, with small children around there, there will be lots of things). In addition, taking time out once or twice per week can do wonders for stress levels – schedule one evening where YOU get to decide what happens and enjoy some relaxing alone time without someone constantly asking, “Are we there yet?”

3 Focus on Your Child’s Needs 

Speaking of children, it’s important to remember that you are not the only one who needs support. Your child is also going through a lot and will significantly benefit from having an involved parent – even if they don’t understand why you’re not around as much anymore! Make sure that your time with them is quality time by doing fun activities like cooking together or reading books before bedtime. It’s also important to understand the phases your children go through so that you can guide them in the right direction. So whether you’re in need of baby weaning advice, or you even just require help with potty training; you can take a deep breath and reassure yourself that everything will be just fine. Even something as simple as playing catch in the backyard can help strengthen your bond during this challenging period for everyone.

4 Find Adequate Role Models 

Being a single mother can be demanding because you don’t have another adult to help guide your actions. However, there are plenty of strong women who can act as role models for handling challenging situations like yours! Whether it’s watching an inspirational movie or reading about the experiences of other mothers in books, find ways that will help keep up hope and avoid feelings of loneliness. These sources may not directly benefit you, but they’ll give you someone else with whom to share ideas and support during this trying period.

Being a single mother is hard, but there are ways to reduce stress levels. By finding an adequate caregiver, making sure you take care of yourself, focusing on your child’s needs, and surrounding yourself with positive role models, you can avoid the negative health consequences associated with high levels of stress.

When moms are feeling overwhelmed with the daily tasks of caring for their family, mealtime can be a chore. But it doesn’t have to be. Here are a few ways that moms can make mealtime fun and not just For Your Little One. These ideas will help you keep your sanity during those long days when there’s no end in sight.
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Turn Healthy Snacks Into Fun

Make healthy snacks fun. Try using cookie cutters to create different shapes with vegetables. Or even making fruit skewers or smoothie popsicles.

Make It Their Idea

Don’t make food a battle. Kids will always lose in the end. So instead, let them help you pick out ingredients at the grocery store or choose what veggies they’ll be eating that day. They’re more likely to try something new if it’s their idea instead of yours.

Embrace The Mess

Embrace messy playtime when making cookies or cupcakes together rather than worrying about getting dirt on your carpet. Kids are less concerned about cleanliness when playing and having fun. Plus, baking is much easier for little fingers, so have no fear. Don’t feel the need to clean up after every meal. Let your kids play in their food sometimes by letting them make a mess when they’re done eating. Allowing them to use edible glue (like honey) instead of regular flour when baking cookies, etc. Messy kitchen equals built-in cleaning crew! 

Split It Up

Don’t force your child to eat something they don’t like or want. It’s okay if your kids aren’t fans of the same foods as you. Try splitting up different dishes onto small plates instead of one large plate, so everyone has their own space to dig in. This also helps with portion control. All children know when enough is enough when presented with smaller portions on several plates rather than just their own full dish. It may even encourage them to try new things that way since there will already be some familiar flavors in front of them.

Make It An Activity

Create paper crowns or superhero capes out of napkins. Then, with glitter glue pens, let them decorate utensils with faces. Or if they’re old enough, have them come up with funny names for condiments like “Mustard Dog.” Be sure to take pictures during these activities.

Learn As They Eat

Turn eating time into learning time. If you’re having themed meals, make a fun activity from the theme. For example, when you have Indian food for dinner, play “I Spy” with items on your plate or in your meal’s name.

Do Your Own Master Chef Kids 

While making breakfast, let kids help out by adding ingredients and mixing things together. Then, as they get older, start letting them do more of the work. You can also teach about healthy foods this way. Just be sure to write down their favorite recipes, so they feel like they’re getting credit too.
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Eat Outside

Eating around an outdoor table is always special because everyone feels refreshed during warmer seasons. Plus, there are fewer distractions from the screens inside. If possible, try using homemade placemats, which will add another dash of creativity to the meal. If you can’t eat dinner outside, try going for a drive to find the perfect spot. This way, everyone eats together while enjoying nature’s beauty.

When was the last time you paid attention to your skincare routine? Not many people manage to do much about theirs, not when they have work to think about and kids to fill their days. Often, people just fall into bed with a full face of makeup out of sheer exhaustion. The problem here is that this ends up with people getting into a routine of not taking care of their skin properly, which causes other issues over time. The skin on your face is one of the things that makes you look and feel better, but only if you’re looking after it properly. That means cultivating and managing a great skincare routine that will make you feel great. 

The skin is the largest organ of the body and it’s the one that’s on full display, with the world able to see every blemish and texture. Now, the first thing to really know about your skin is that it’s absolutely fine for it to have marks and blemishes, texture and cellulite. Your skin shows your story to the world, and it’s going to be affected by the weather, your mood, your cycle and even what you eat. If you look after it and look up the best skincare online routines, you’re going to manage to have smooth skin that makes you feel confident. When you don’t look after it, you can look forward to prematurely aged skin, wrinkles and colouring that just doesn’t need to be there. If you haven’t yet started paying more attention to your skin, don’t worry – you have time. You might not be able to turn the clock right back, but you can work towards having beautiful, glowing skin that makes you feel as if you can take over the world. So, with this in mind, here are the top ten reasons your skin should be made a priority in your daily routine.

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1. You’ll slow down the process of aging. Believe it or not, the right skin care routine is going to help you to slow down the wrinkles and aging your skin will bear the brunt of. You want to avoid this happening and for that, you have to take care of your skin now. Your skin needs to be moisturised, toned and cleansed every day so that you slow down the aging process and look and feel more youthful for longer.
2. Fighting back. Did you know that the best skincare routines are going to help you to fight back against skin issues? Air pollution causes a lot of problems for your skin. The top layer of skin deals with preventing all of the dust and bacteria entering the body. If you don’t cleanse your face everyday, you’re going to have skin that is absorbing all of that bacteria and breaking out all of the time when your pores are clogged. Avoiding this with an excellent skin routine is important.
3. Your skin will be healthier. Healthy skin occurs when your skin is exfoliated and properly moisturised. You’ll feel younger, your skin will glow and you will feel fresher, too. Avoiding too many chemicals in your soaps can also help your skin to remain healthy and fresh, and a bath in warm water will do amazing things for your skin. You want products that will keep the chemical element out of them to ensure that your skin responds well.
4. You’re going to save money. Did you know that skin issues are going to cost you more money than a good skincare routine? If you protect your skin with the right cleansers and toners, you’re going to spend only what you need on the right products. Without those products, you’re going to spend more money on special skincare routines that will be more specialised over time. 
5. Acne prevention. No one wants to break out with acne, especially not as an adult. Skin isn’t perfect and spots do happen every now and then. You can avoid it as much as possible with the right skincare routine, though. Acne can make your face far more sensitive than it usually is, and while you can seek the guidance of a dermatologist, you can avoid getting that far if your skincare routine is on point now.
   

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1. It’s a confidence boost. When you have healthy, glowy skin, you’re far more likely to feel confident in yourself. A great skincare routine is going to boost it for you, making you feel less insecure and more confident in yourself. You won’t feel the need to hide yourself away – your skin will be beautiful!
2. Your skin feels softer. With the right routine, the right products and the right timing in the day, you can ensure that your skin is soft, smooth and feels great. Dead cells on your skin can be exfoliated and following this with moisturising is going to give your skin the glow you’re looking for. 
3. Finding the right skin type. When you start searching for the right skincare routine, you’re going to learn what your skin type is and the best products to use on it. This will go a long way to ensuring that you are comfortable, happy and healthy overall. 
4. Preventing sunburn. If you’re not using SPF everyday – whether as a standalone product or as a moisturiser – you’re putting your skin at risk of sunburn. The more exposed your skin to the sun, the more you can burn it. Your skin does not need to be exposed to the sun that much – take care of it and keep it in the shade!
5. Great skincare routines prevent infections. The skin has a habit of collecting a lot of bacteria and dirt throughout the day. Your skin, therefore, is prone to fungal infections that can make you redder, itcher and drier. You can avoid all of those things simply by ensuring that you are using the right products at the right time of day.

Pay attention to your skin sooner rather than later. You want to make sure that your skin looks youthful and healthy for as long as possible.

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Children today are becoming more and more complex. Education has changed, and anything they want to know can be learned from the internet. As great as improved information is, many kids have adopted a sedentary lifestyle requiring entertainment and education. Unfortunately, adults do the same thing. But you can be the example and teach your children about healthy foods, how to look after themselves and the importance of regular and meaningful activity. 

Educating your children in this way from an early age will offset common health issues associated with getting older. For example, regular exercise will increase bone and muscle mass, therefore staving off issues such as osteoporosis. Additionally, cutting out junk food and eating a healthy and balanced diet will encourage cardiovascular health, reading the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Teaching Children Healthy Eating Habits

It’s never too early to begin teaching your kids about healthy eating. There’s so much to choose from with the internet, celebrity chef cookbooks, and every other TV show being about food or health. As with most things in life, studies have shown that what a child learns from their parents at an early age, sticks with them forever. 

Therefore you must teach your children about healthy eating when they’re young, so they don’t need weight loss treatments later. As a parent, you can hide your kids’ eating habits from when they are babies right up until they are grown-ups. And from there they will be able to guide their children about the importance of healthy eating habits. And so on.

Learning to Cook

According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), more than 65,000 children per year are injured in the kitchen in the UK alone. Yet, one of the simplest yet most effective things is teaching your children to cook for themselves. This extends beyond the act of preparing a meal. You can teach a child about kitchen safety, proper knife techniques, and food hygiene standards from an early age. 

Of course, toddlers and young children shouldn’t be allowed to use knives, but you could still show them the proper way to move with or store a knife and why they shouldn’t touch them. As children watch you in the kitchen, they will learn a lot. Also, kids just love helping in the kitchen. Learning to cook well-prepared, fresh food is the best way of ensuring your children get the vitamins and minerals they need and prepare them for later life.

Say No to Junk

Teaching your children how to make delicious fresh food is vital for their health. Unfortunately, junk food is flooding children with harmful chemicals and substances such as processed sugars that cause many problems. Such problems include excess weight, reduced cerebral development and dental issues, to name a few. If junk foods such as ice cream, pizzas and burgers are to be given to children, it should be done as a special treat and made fresh if possible.

Another issue is that of what children drink. There are numerous brands of fruit drinks aimed at children. Yet, just because they contain fruit doesn’t mean they are healthy. In fact, some of the leading brands, Robinsons Fruit Shoots, contain 4 tablespoons of sugar. Around 80% of their recommended daily intake. Other drinks such as Coke also contain high amounts of caffeine, and therefore, should not be given to children under the age of 16.

The Importance of Balance

Learning to cook and eating healthy foods is all well and good. Yet, it can be a little redundant if you don’t eat a balanced diet. It is recommended that you intake an equal balance of carbohydrates, protein, fibre and dairy. Unsaturated fats are also advised in addition to plenty of water, around 6 to 8 glasses per day.

Foods containing high amounts of fat, salt and sugar are recommended for regular intake. Still, they won’t cause any harm on occasion. But finding a balanced diet can be difficult. One of the best tips is to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables per day. These should also be of a wide colour range. Different colours in foods are indicative of their content. For example, carrots are orange because they contain high amounts of beta-carotene, which is orange in colour.

Taking Care of the Body and Mind

Eating a balanced and healthy diet is excellent for your children’s overall health. And as great as healthy food is for your kids, they need activity in their lives as well. Physical activity will strengthen muscles, promote healthy organs and provide cardiovascular exercise for a healthy heart. These are all excellent reasons for training and should be a priority.

However, regular exercise is also proven to be effective for mental health as well. The act of movement, whether it’s running, jumping or playing on swings, promotes the release of serotonin and reduces cortisol levels. Serotonin is the chemical released by your endocrine system and brain that makes you feel good. You feel this when eating your favourite food, achieving something or making love. High serotonin levels are known to reduce anxiety and depression. 

Fun Activities

But every parent knows how hard it can be to get the kids to exercise. Given a choice between watching Nickelodeon and jogging, most children are just going to get comfy on the couch. But letting your kids become couch slouch can severely impact their bone density and muscle mass, which will cause health problems later in life.

The trick is to disguise exercise as fun activities. For example, you could design a hunt where the children need to find things hidden around the house. And they have to run the whole way. You would also get them to walk the dog or join a dance class. Whatever it takes to get them into the routine of getting at least 1 hour of exercise per day. 

Regular Exercise

You might be tempted to do fun and active things with your children once in a while. While this is better than nothing, it doesn’t significantly impact their health over the long term. Regular exercise is required for ensuring your children stay active and healthy. It is advised that activity from an early age is encouraged to help your kids grow well.

Bone density and muscle mass develop better with active children. This is because proteins in the body break down and are rebuilt stronger. Outside activity is also encouraged as vitamin D helps with calcium production. Additionally, regular exercise in children helps with motor, cognitive and social skills. These are essential for development into teens and adults. 

Healthy Routines

But of course, there is much more to health than exercise, eating well, and activity. Almost everything we do affects our health in some way or another. For example, one of the primary concerns among paediatrics is the state of children’s teeth these days. Public Health England reports that around a quarter of 5 year-olds suffer tooth decay. The reasons vary but include fizzy drinks and sweets. Yet this is preventable by encouraging a good brushing routine of twice daily.

Another healthy routine is getting enough sleep. Children need more sleep than adults. Ages 3 to 10 require 10 to 12 hours of sleep per night instead of teen and adult 8 hours. Unfortunately, with today’s distractions such as streaming TV, smartphones and video games, kids just want to be entertained all day and night. Therefore, it would be helpful if you ensure they sleep at a scheduled bedtime. You can use internet and device parental controls to help with this.

Starting school can be daunting, regardless of whether you’re just starting primary school or you’re a seasoned year 9. You might get teachers you’ve not met before or you might be moving schools entirely – it’s scary stuff! But, there are lots of ways you can help your child settle into the new school year.

It can be really beneficial to create realistic routines for kids to follow, particularly as starting school adds more structure to their lives compared to the summer holidays. Ultimately, starting a new school year is fun but a challenge for both the kids and the parents, so check out some useful tips below that will help ease your child into it!

Keep their mind agile with regular reading time

It is well known that reading has countless benefits for children and teenagers, not least limiting their screen time! Whilst some kids are born bookworms, others might be a bit more hesitant, making it all the more important to plan regular reading times into their new school schedule.

One way of motivating reluctant readers to pick up a book is to use personalised books, like the ones available here. By having their name featured in the story, they are far more likely to be interested in the book and reading. Regular reading is a great habit to develop early on, as it is easy and simple to implement, plus you never know, they might become the next John Grisham!

Designate a particular place for them to keep their new school things

One of the most worrisome parts of the new school year as a parent is your child forgetting an art project or asking for food tech ingredients an hour before school starts. Or, even worse, them losing the hideous pink sparkly pencil case they spent all summer talking about. That’s why Apartment Therapy has come up with a great tip: create a good spot for your kids to keep all their rucksacks, workbooks and planners, so they never lose anything again!

This space is probably best near the front door, but whatever works for your household. If you can help your kids develop the habit of coming home and putting all their things in one place, they will struggle to forget things and hopefully they’ll be reminded of anything they needed to do when they got home.

This will also make your life easier when leaving in the mornings, as you can double-check they have got everything they need for the school day!

Create a plan for the afternoon once school finishes

Your children might be used to doing whatever they wanted to during the summer holidays, so they’re probably going to come home from school and instantly run off to play or watch TV. This is why it is important to plan ahead to the afternoons after school, so they continue following a structured day and get things done!

It all depends on the child, of course. Some kids will need time to themselves after school to process and unwind before starting homework, whereas other kids might be more productive with their homework straight after school whilst they’re in the right mindset. Schedule time for relaxing or doing homework and be strict with following it, so they understand the importance of being productive.

Stick to an early bedtime

With the after school schedule in mind, it’s crucial to factor in an early bedtime for your children. It might not always seem like it, but school is mentally and emotionally draining, making sleep more important than ever. If you get them into the habit of getting to bed early, they’ll wake up feeling refreshed and ready for another hard day of school.

Everybody needs different levels of sleep and this changes a lot as kids grow up, as Active Kids explains here. When your child gets a bit older, try having a discussion with them about a reasonable bedtime that will ensure they get plenty of sleep. This will help make sure they stick to the bedtime chosen by them, as opposed to a specific bedtime that has just been forced onto them.

All these habits are essential for making life easier for both your child and you when starting a new school year, so give them a go and see how it goes! With all the ups and downs of lockdowns this year, it’s good to create new habits and routines for your child so they can get used to the structured timetable of school and see themselves flourish and succeed in all their classes!

Many factors can lead expose your skin to ageing. Some of these factors, such as natural ageing, cannot be prevented. Fortunately, others are easy to manage. Here are the top ways to reverse premature skin ageing.

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Limit your exposure to sunlight

Whether you are running errands or relaxing at the beach, protecting your skin from the scorching sun is advisable. Always seek shade, wear clothes that protect your skin from direct exposure to sunlight, and apply sunscreen.

Additionally, avoid direct exposure to sunlight by limiting your movement in the sun. If it is a beach day, spend most of your time in the water and avoid sunbathing for extended periods. 

Use skincare products

Do you know reverse premature skin ageing by using anti-aging skincare? There are many skincare products designed to keep your skin youthful and healthy. 

Consider using these products as recommended by the manufacturer or your dermatologist. Accordingly, be cautious of the ingredients used to manufacture some products. Some skincare products are made using chemicals that are harmful to your skin and overall health. Always check the label for the list of ingredients. 

Get hydrated

Water comes with a host of health benefits, ranging from digestion to reduced inflammation. Similarly, your skin requires plenty of water to stay young and smooth. Staying hydrated helps the skin heal and regenerate faster from damage. This is crucial in reversing premature skin ageing and restoring healthy skin.

Drink plenty of water every day to stay hydrated and boost your skin health.

Eat a healthy diet 

Experts suggest that fruits and vegetables prevent premature skin ageing. Accordingly, highly processed food with added sugar and salt may accelerate the development of wrinkles and spots on your skin. Refined carbohydrates are also dangerous to your skin. Replace these unhealthy foods with a healthy, balanced diet today to reverse premature skin ageing and restore your skin’s youthful glow.

Exercise

Physical activities that involve sweating improve blood circulation and immunity. Accordingly, exercise helps you open your sweat pores to remove toxic substances that may accumulate beneath the skin. This, in turn, prevents skin ageing. Reverse premature skin ageing by exercising daily and engaging in activities that make you sweat. However, you should not forget to wash your skin gently after sweating.

Quit smoking 

Smoking has many adverse effects on your health. Research indicates that smokers tend to experience premature skin ageing compared to non-smokers. The chemicals in cigarettes speed up skin ageing by developing wrinkles and a sallow complexion. 

Stop smoking to protect your skin and reverse premature ageing, among other health benefits.

Wash your skin

Scrub your skin gently every day using soap and water to prevent irritation from accumulating dust and dirt. Cleaning your skin also removes substances that may speed up premature ageing, such as chemicals from makeup.

Perspiration also irritates the skin. Therefore, you should ensure you wash your skin daily to remove sweat and other harmful substances that cause skin ageing. 

Final thoughts

Have you noticed symptoms of premature skin ageing, such as wrinkles and spots? Use these tips to reverse them and restore your healthy, youthful skin. Above all, get a good night’s sleep on a clean bed and pillows to protect your skin and improve regeneration and healing. 

Once you step into motherhood, keeping up with the latest trends may be the last thing on your mind. However, to put a spring in your step and boost your confidence, finding your style again and wearing clothes that match your personality can help. Your mind and body go through a lot during pregnancy and afterwards, so if you have lost your sense of personal style, here are some simple tactics you can take on board today. 

Embrace Your New Body 

Although many of us would love nothing more than to have toned body straight after giving birth, your body won’t spring back to its pre-baby self as quickly as you would hope. Understandably, it will take time to get back into shape, so instead of feeling deflated and unhappy with the way you look, try and embrace your new body and remember all the hard work you’ve gone through during pregnancy. When it comes to finding clothes that fit you, establishing your body shape and accepting your figure is key. Don’t try and squeeze into pre-baby clothes initially or purchase garments that are too big.  

Clear Your Wardrobe 

As a busy mum, you will have limited time for yourself, so when it comes to waking up and getting ready for the day, having all your clothes aligned together in your wardrobe can be a big help. If your wardrobe is overflowing with items, it’s time to get rid of maternity wear and anything that doesn’t reflect your personal taste anymore. Once you begin getting rid of clutter and organising your wardrobe space, you will be left with clothes that you feel good in. 

Invest in Heels 

Even though we’re facing unprecedented times due to the coronavirus outbreak, once restrictions lift and we’re able to get out and about, having a pair of killer heels at your disposal will mean you’re ready for any kind of occasion. As a hardworking mum, you need to have something to look forward to, so kitting your wardrobe out with designer items, like these Valentino Shoes, will mean you have the perfect heels to wear. You will find a variety of Valentino Shoes alongside other designers like Gucci and Versace at SSENSE. If you’re looking for accessories to pair with your shoes, this site also sells clothing and bags you can check out. 

Find a New Bag 

Whether you’re running daily errands, heading for lunch with the girls, or off to work, having the perfect bag on your shoulder can make all the difference. Once you enter motherhood, your priorities will naturally change, so you need to find a bag that not only looks the part but is functional and can store all the essentials. 

While most of your time will be taken up with running around after the kids, it’s important that you allocate some time for yourself and what interests you. As you can see, there are lots of things you can do to reignite your passion for fashion and help you choose clothing that represents you in the best light.