Category: Parenting

There’s no denying that the divorce experience can be difficult for everyone involved. Even in the best-case scenario outcome that is a joint custody agreement, there can be hurdles to overcome. Nevertheless, as parents it is vital to make sure your children settle into a routine after your separation as soon as possible.

Consistency without continued confusion is vital while making certain every child feels loved and supported by both of you. This means taking steps to ensure your co-parenting approach is a caring and stable collaboration.

This certainly isn’t always going to be an easy task. So, let’s take a look at a handful of tips you can use to positively influence your co-parenting after a divorce.

Address Conflict

Divorce is an emotionally-charged situation. There can be resentments and disagreements on both sides after the formal process is complete. However, it’s important to make sure this doesn’t spill over into your co-parenting. As such, you both need to commit to actively addressing elements of conflict as they arise, rather than allowing them to fester and exacerbate the situation.

Learn how to talk about conflict. Avoid using language associated with blame when there is some aspect of behavior or parenting that you disagree with. Wherever possible, talk about conflicts in-person, as text messaging and phone calls can be easily misconstrued. Choose a neutral venue and calmly discuss the source of any issues.

Most importantly, collaborate on a route forward. Compromise is not always easy to achieve, but it needs to be a feature of your co-parenting approach. You won’t always be able to agree on all issues, but you need to be open to finding common ground as co-parents to ensure the well being and protection of your children between both of your homes.

Keep Communicating

Let’s face it, there will be times that you simply don’t want to talk to your ex after your divorce. While this is understandable, it also doesn’t make for a positive co-parenting experience. When there is any kind of communication breakdown, this leaves room for misunderstandings, mistakes, and resentment to breed. It is also likely to result in your children receiving inconsistent messages from their parents.

As such, you both need to commit to keeping in regular communication with each other, even if this is limited to parenting elements. You can also find your relationship in general will be more pleasant if you maintain regular contact. Some people even find this easier to achieve without the emotional baggage of an unhappy marriage.

Maintain Your Parenting Plan

A parenting plan is a legally binding document that sets out the requirements for your childrens’ care following a divorce. If you and your ex’s attorneys have been ethical, it will have been shaped to ensure you and your children benefit from a fair division of parental responsibility and time sharing. As such, it is one of the most important agreements to form part of your divorce finalization. Both you and your ex need to ensure you stick to the terms of your parenting plan.

If your former spouse breaches the plan, taking the matter to court isn’t always the best immediate response. Talk reasonably with your ex about the matter and refer them to the terms of the agreement. Don’t respond with a tit-for-tat breach of the plan yourself. Make a note of the circumstances, though. If the problem persists, provide the details to your attorney and seek their advice on how to proceed.

Support the Blend

After the divorce, you and your ex will naturally want to move on with your lives. This could involve you both becoming involved in new relationships. Over time, other children could be brought into the equation, resulting in blended family situations. This isn’t unusual; around 50% of families in the U.S. are remarried or recoupled. But it can certainly be difficult, especially given that your children will have new step-parents in their lives.

Always aim to be civil when interacting with your ex’s partner. You don’t have to be best friends, but your kids will take notice of your relationship with one another and issues here can make them feel uncomfortable. Work together to cultivate respect between your families, including stepparents as they offer stability to each child.  Recognize the difficulties and commit to a collaboration that provides the best experience for one another and your children.

Wrapping Up

Joint custody is often the best outcome for you, your former spouse, and your children. That doesn’t mean to say it’s always smooth sailing. It’s important for you and your ex to make efforts to address conflicts as they arise and keep communicating with one another regarding a number of issues, including child support payments. Remember that your parenting plan is designed to prioritize your childrens’ welfare, so you must maintain it. If a blended family situation arises, work to ensure everyone is respected and supported. It takes some effort and coordination, but a successful co-parenting experience is vital to your and your childrens’ well-being.

Additional Resources

• Homeschooling and coparenting while going through divorce
• How Children of Single Parents are Affected

Every parent wants their kid’s birthday party to be special, fun, and absolutely perfect. Throwing a party at home might make you feel like you have limited options, but that’s actually quite the opposite. A DIY party means having complete control over the preparations, decorations, and everything else in between.

Here are some awesome ideas for a memorable birthday party for your little one without leaving the house:

1. Put Every Surface To Work

A party at home doesn’t always have to be confined to the living room. Pepper your whole house with decorations and repurpose other rooms into snack corners or game areas. If you have a backyard or garden, consider having an outdoor cookout for an alfresco hang out with your child’s guests bored kids.

Your child and their friends will surely enjoy some barbecue or roasted marshmallows where you can set your grill. Moreover, you can cook and conduct some games simultaneously to avoid dead air during the party.

2. Let Your Child Make The Call

Your house, your rules – so you don’t have to stick to traditional party traditions. Whether your child wants to have a game day or a movie night, order pizza in place of home-cooked meals, get their opinion on anything and everything.

To add fun and excitement to the party, you can list some parlor games that your child wants to play for their party so that they won’t get bored during the celebration. After the activities or games, you can reward them with fun prizes.

Additionally, your child can also decide whatever they want to have for their birthday party.

3. Bring The Party Online

Arrange a virtual party for family members and friends who couldn’t make it to the party. Choose a specific activity that will be the focus of the event so it won’t be reduced to an awkward hi-hello with faces on a screen.

Furthermore, you can still have a theme and designs for your kid’s online virtual party. For example, you should select your kid’s favorite as a theme. Having backgrounds can make your child’s online party fun.

To make the virtual party even more exciting, you can also prepare online games that each virtual guest can play. You can also send cakes or food to them so that they can also enjoy themselves while virtually having a birthday party.

4. Create Some Do-It-Yourself Decorations For The Party Theme

If you’ve decided that you’ll conduct the party face-to-face, it can be more special if you can have do-it-yourself (DIY) party decorations with things you already have. You can even find free decorations online like printable decors that you can cut and paste to your walls. It may be a game-themed party where kids play a variety games or if your child loves cartoons, you can have a cartoon-themed birthday. You can print out cartoon characters to use as decorations for your walls.

Furthermore, you can also involve or let your children help decorate their party so that they feel that they’re part of the enjoyment.

5. Buy The Cake That Your Kid Wants

A birthday can’t be complete without a cake to blow. Your child shouldn’t miss the sweet and creative cake they can eat after singing happy birthday to them. You can always choose a theme your child wants and request it from professional bakers, and let your child enjoy it.

Moreover, you can also add sparkling candles to add more thrill to your child’s cake and ensure that it’s safe around the kids. The birthday cake can be the highlight of your kid’s stay-at-home birthday too.

6. Don’t Forget The Gift Opening And Giveaways

Of course, you shouldn’t skip the part where your birthday boy or girl will open the gifts that they received from their friends or the guests. Moreover, this can be an exciting part of the birthday party and see them open their birthday present. Opening gifts in front of the guests can provide an exciting feeling too.

Before ending the party, you can give out goody bags or small souvenirs as a token of appreciation to guests who attend or join your kid’s birthday party. Giving back to your guests means that you appreciate their time and effort to attend the birthday.

Conclusion

A stay-at-home birthday party can be a great option if you have enough space and want to customize the whole event that your child likes. Even if you’re just at home celebrating, the main point of throwing a party is that your kid likes the theme and having fun with their friends and guests.

Looking to start a career as a freelance writer? As a parent, balancing your kids with your professional career can get overwhelming. Fortunately, there are thousands of writing courses you can do online. While your kids are watching a movie or at school, you can learn how to become a successful freelance writer!

7 Best Freelance Writing Courses

As a parent, you’re continually checking up on your kids. It doesn’t matter if they are 5 years old or already teenagers, you always want to make sure they are okay. And sometimes, this makes it harder to commit to starting a new career path or learning new skills, especially if you already have a job. Juggling between work, courses, and kids feel like having 3 full-time jobs.

The good news is that acquiring freelance writing skills is easier than ever with online education. In some cases, you don’t even need to connect synchronously and can take the course at your own pace. If you want to know the steps to becoming a writer while raising kids, these are the best freelance writing courses online to keep in mind:

1. The Complete Freelance Writing Course

Starting a career as a freelance writer can get extremely challenging when you don´t have the right foundation. You might think that a portfolio and a blog are all it takes, but the reality is that there are some tricks to start getting clients fast and easy.

Udemy offers several writing classes online that are perfect for freelance newbies. And this course is one of the best to get started.

What you will learn:

• How to write for blog posts, web copy, white papers, eBooks, and B2B outlets
• Identify opportunities for paid writing work (even in unexpected places)
• Apply principles of clarity, fluency, and flow to your writing
• How to negotiate fair fees for your work
• Market your writing practice creatively

The course is entirely asynchronous, so you can do it whenever you want! You get a certificate of completion, downloadable resources, and full-time access.

Cost: $13.99

2. The Complete Freelance Writing Online Course: Beginner to Pro

One of the major struggles working parents experience is juggling going to the office while taking care of their kids. Working from home is the ideal solution, but not all companies are all-in for flexible arrangements. If you want to ditch the office to start a new path as a freelance writer and manage your own schedules, this course is for you.

It is also in Udemy, and it’s 100% async – you can do it anywhere and at any time. The course´s primary goal is to teach you how to become a professional freelance writer in just a few weeks.

What you will learn:

• How to market your freelance writing business using social media.using social media.
• Write effective blog posts that win your clients
• Pitch for different types of work and clients
• How to write press releases and distribute them online
• Make your writing SEO friendly

Cost: $14.99

3. Write Yor Way to 1K

Elna Cain´s Write Your Way to Your 1K is one of the best freelance writing courses online. She shares that what encouraged her to become a successful blogger and freelancer was her need to work from home to raise her twins.

This course not only teaches how to win your first 1K as a writer, but Elna also focuses on teaching writers the importance of mindset and having a strong belief system to succeed.

What you will learn:

• How to get paid well for your writing
• Learn the tools and strategies you need to attract and retain clients
• Know where to find high-paying clients easily
• The necessary skills to become a successful freelance writer

Cost: $195 (one time payment) or $75 (per month for 3 months)

4. Earn More Writing

One of the best online writing classes that can make you earn a six-digit salary is Earn More Writing by Holly Johnson, a professional blogger, and columnist. In this course, Holly helps writers turn their passion for writing into a high-paying career that can be done regardless of their location and schedule.

You don´t need to land a 9-5 job to earn a six-figure salary. Holly shares how she transformed her writing skills into a profitable and successful career.

What you will learn:

• How to discover what clients actually want (how to engage editors)
• How to land your first client even when you have zero experience
• Land big gigs and negotiate raises
• Launch a blog and build your brand
• How to invoice clients (and ensure you always get paid)

Cost: $199 (Standard Membership), $399 (Blogger´s Membership Bundle), $475 (Pro Membership Bundle), $599 (Platinum Membership Bundle).

5. 3 Steps to Your First $1,000 Freelance Writing in 45 Days or Less

Jorden Roper is a real-life example of someone who built a freelance writing empire with no experience. She introduces herself as a “3-time college dropout who built a $5,000/month freelance writing business about 4 months after getting fired of my crappy full-time job.”

This course is all about helping you earn a high monthly income doing what you love: writing. Jorden shares the key steps you can take from having zero clients to writing for major companies.

What you will learn:

• How to make solid pitches with no experience
• Find reliable clients
• All the steps to get your first clients (and land your first $1,000)
• Proven cold emailing templates

Cost: $297 (One time payment) or $87 (Per month for 4 months)

If you don’t see a course above that you think will work, check out the list of online learning platforms on this post to better understand other options.

Start Your Freelancing Career Right Away!

There are many benefits of working from home. Perhaps you want to be there more for your kids, you want to avoid commuting, or simply because you wish to have a more flexible schedule. By starting a career as a freelance writer, you can do all this while earning a stable and high income providing a freelance copywriting service.  And these 5 courses are the best ones to get you started!

Author: Gabriela is a journalist and the copy editor of Think Remote. She has been writing for online magazines and blogs for more than four years and has discovered her passion for remote work and the digital nomad lifestyle.

Read about the top online courses for kids.

As a parent, I have had the joy of raising my own children with dogs. We have raised several breeds of dogs over the years, but one thing is for sure – no matter what breed you raise or adopt, your life will be better for it.  The unconditional love that our family pets show us is beyond amazing!

Kids are drawn to animals and vice versa, so consider adding some furry friends to your family’s dynamic if you are looking for ways to enhance your child’s development.

Experts say: “Protecting kids from pets is probably one of the worst things we can do as parents. Petting a dog lowers your blood pressure and reduces stress, while the unconditional love you get from a pet can be an excellent way to teach your children about trust.”

In fact, it’s been scientifically proven that “pets have been shown to reduce blood pressure as well as other serious health conditions such as heart failure, depression and asthma. In addition, pets provide psychological benefits such as increased self-esteem, elevated social interactions and reduced risk for loneliness – all factors that contribute to better overall health”.

Family Friendly Dogs

Here are 8 of the best breeds for children:

1) Golden Retrievers

Goldens have a “soft mouth,” meaning they can carry an egg in their mouths without breaking it. As such, kids love to climb all over them and pull on their fur. They are patient, kind, loving dogs that get along well with everyone (humans and other animals included). Golden’s make awesome family pets, but be aware that they shed quite heavily. Some Golden Retrievers need breed-specific dog food, so make sure you have it prepared.

2) Beagles

I know several families who have raised beagles over the years. I still think that beagles are awesome! They are active, smart, gentle and always searching for food…  If you’re not careful with your training (and discipline), your Beagle will become your child’s best friend and a nightmare for you. The good thing about beagles is that they are easy to train, often house trained by eight weeks of age, and very smart. To aid in the training process, you can consider using outdoor dog grass for balconies, providing a convenient and accessible potty area for your Beagle. With their intelligence and eagerness to please, Beagles can quickly adapt to using such designated spaces.   However, watch out because these little guys can get into just about anything!

3) Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

This breed is another one that I love having around the home. It originated in the UK and has become very popular in the United States. They are gentle with children and other pets, eager to please their owners and incredibly affectionate. Kids should always help socialize this dog from an early age to ensure they grow up to be even-tempered and well adjusted. If you’re not prepared for the grooming requirements of this breed (they need regular haircuts), then do not adopt them… Or at least don’t let your kids near them!

4) Pug

Pugs are another low-shedding breed, making them the perfect pet for allergy sufferers. They are also easy to train and most enjoy being around children. Some owners complain that they grow up to be stubborn little dogs with a mind of their own but I disagree – most pugs are very loyal and loving towards their owners, including kids. You will have to watch how much they eat though, pugs gain weight notoriously fast!

5) Bearded Collie

Also known as ‘Beau’s’ these giants were originally bred as herding dogs. They have the classic droopy eyes and facial fur that is instantly recognizable on TV or anywhere else you might see one… These gentle giants love children, adults and other animals (including cats!). However, it’s important to teach children how to be gentle around dogs – even if they are very friendly and well-trained.

Beardies need a lot of exercise and will benefit from lots of toys and playtime! They also need brushing daily, so make sure you have the time to dedicate to them… If you do, you will definitely not regret this family pet choice – they really are awesome.

6) Basset Hound

Basset Hounds are one of the best family pets! As with most hound breeds, these dogs are good-natured, patient and very affectionate. They’re quiet too which makes them great if you live in an apartment or townhouse. One of their few drawbacks is that they need a lot of exercises to remain happy, active and healthy… So having a big backyard or being able to take them on lots of walks every day is important for this breed.

7)  Miniature Schnauzers

Miniature Schnauzers are incredibly loyal, intelligent, agile and have a great temperament. They will be quite happy living in small spaces as long as they are given sufficient attention from their owners (this breed easily gets bored). Generally friendly with strangers (and other animals), the only downside to this breed is that they’re not very good around young children. This can be due to their unmanageable size or fast movements – either way; watch your child’s safety if you bring this pet into your home!

8) Yorkie Terrier

Also known as the ‘Yorkie’, these little dogs are incredibly loyal, affectionate and devoted. They don’t require much exercise (if any at all depending on your home environment) so they’re great for people who live in small apartments or condos. What they do require however is lots of love and attention from their owners! As with all terriers, Yorkies need consistent training, specific Yorkie dog food, and discipline starting when they are very young puppies. If you can provide this strong leadership early in life, the bond that will form between you and your dog will last for many years to come.

Researching Breeds

There you have it! 8 of the best family dogs that I know of. Take your time researching breeds before you bring any dog into your home, especially if you have children or other pets. Find a breed that fits in well with your lifestyle and remember to always supervise kids around dogs – no matter how trustworthy they are!

As with any breed or pet that you choose for your family, it’s crucial that kids understand the basic safety rules (for example: don’t stick fingers in dog’s mouths; don’t run near dogs; always ask before touching; keep all food out of reach etc.)  So educate yourself as much as possible about pet’s breed and their specific traits before you decide to bring them home.

Additional Resources on Pets

• Continue you learning about dogs and other pets, including pet insurance.
• Do reptiles make good pets?  Review the top child friendly reptiles.
• Read about summertime safety for your pet!