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Fall is a great time for fun-filled activities for the whole family. The weather is beautiful, the leaves are changing, and winter will be here before we know it. When the weekend rolls around and everyone is home finding some great things to do as a family can be a fantastic way to pass the time.
There are tons of great family-friendly activities do on a beautiful, crisp fall day. Here are a few suggestions to make your next weekend a fun-filled family adventure.
- Apple picking. Apples, apple cider, apple pie…the list goes on and on, are all great fall treats. Find an apple orchard in your area and take the family out for a great day of apple picking. Many orchards offer other fun activities as well, including hay rides.
- A fall themed scavenger hunt. Think up some things that represent fall and create a family scavenger hunt.
- Leaf art. Take the family on a nice walk to pick some beautiful leaves. Encourage everyone to pick a wide range of types and colors. When you get home help the kids make arts and crafts with the leaves.
- Take the family to a pumpkin patch to pick out a Halloween pumpkin. Together as a family carve the pumpkins.
- Find a nice hiking spot where everyone in the family can enjoy a nice hike and check out the beautiful changing leaves.
These are just a few of the fun-filled family activities you can do this fall. Ask your kids for suggestions. If you have children of varying ages you may need to tailor some activities so they are fun for the older kids and some so they are fun for the younger ones. The point is to get out and have fun as a family, making memories and starting traditions.
What fun things does your family like to do during the fall season?
As you approach the end of your pregnancy you’ll probably begin feeling a bit anxious about getting the “show on the road”. By the time the eighth month of your pregnancy rolls around you may feel like you’ve been pregnant your whole life. Waiting for the “big day” can be hard. You’re ready to meet this little person you’ve been carrying around inside of you for almost nine months, and you’re probably more than a little sick of being pregnant.
Late pregnancy can be difficult and uncomfortable for a lot of women. The baby is taking up a lot of space in there and weighing pretty heavy on those poor lower back and pelvic floor muscles. Many of the pains of late pregnancy are often mistaken for early signs of labor. It may be a little bit of wishful thinking, but it can sometimes be hard to tell the difference between a common late pregnancy symptom and early labor.
Here are a few common late pregnancy symptoms that are often mistaken for early signs of labor.
- Increased pressure (and sometimes pain) in the pelvic area. As the baby moves down or drops the pressure and pain you feel may increase. This can happen as early as several weeks before labor begins.
- Braxton Hicks contractions. These contractions have been going on since very early on in your pregnancy. The farther along you are the more you will feel them. Sometimes they even hurt.
- A change in your appetite. As the baby begins to take up more and more space in there your stomach has less room to expand and you may find you are eating much less now.
- Nausea. Some women experience this towards the end of their pregnancies due to changes in hormones, pressure on the stomach and intestines, or changes in their diet.
- Increase in vaginal discharge. Some women pass their mucus plug as early as several weeks before actual labor begins.
If you have any questions about something you are experiencing be sure to call your doctor. It is always better to run it by him or her to be safe. Early signs of actual labor include; rupturing of your membranes (water breaking), contractions that increase in severity and frequency, and bloody show or spotting.
Don’t worry labor will begin sooner or later for you. Although it may feel like the baby will just live in there forever, he or she will make an appearence soon.
As your little one gains the much anticipated skills of crawling, pulling himself up on things and cruising you will quickly find out that it is time to do a little reorganizing and redecorating. Having a mobile baby on your hands can be a ton of fun, but it can also be a little nerve-wracking when you consider all the things she can now get into. Your baby will enjoy exploring his surroundings, figuring out what all this stuff that used to be out of reach is like, and getting to know what he can and cannot touch.
Watch as your baby crawls and cruises around your living area. Pay attention to the things that are at her level and those things that may pose a hazard to her. Reorganize, redecorate, and baby-proof the rooms which your baby can get into to help ensure he is safe and you have a little piece of mind. Here are a few things to consider as your go about your baby-proofing.
- Keep cords out of reach. Babies will be fascinated by them but they can be very dangerous as they can easily get tangled up in the cords. This includes electrical cords and cords for blinds and drapes.
- Remove all little items like picture frames, knick-knacks, books, and other small items you don’t want your baby to touch. Consider moving these to higher ground or removing them from the area all together.
- Install safety latches on your cabinet doors, especially on those cupboards that contain dangerous items like cleaning products.
- Try to place your pet food and litter out of reach. If this isn’t possible try to gate off the area.
- Move house plants out of reach.
- Install baby gates at the top and bottom of stairs and at the entrance to any room you don’t want your baby to go into.
- Cover all electrical outlets with plug covers.
- Invest in some covers for the corners of sharp furniture to help avoid any unnecessary injuries.
The best approach is to get down on your baby’s level and remove or move any object that could be hazardous or you just don’t want your little one to touch. Observe him as he explores his surroundings and determine what needs to go and what can stay.
If your home doesn’t already look like a giant child’s play room it will soon!
It is one of the most common symptoms during pregnancy, back pain. The pain isn’t isolated to one part of the back. Some women experience lower back pain, some middle back pain, others pain in their upper backs, and still others pain all over. Lower back pain is the most common form of back pain during pregnancy, caused for the most part by our changing body. As your pregnant belly grows the way you carry your weight, as well as how much weight you are carrying, changes. This added pressure on your lower back understandably causes some pain.
Always talk to your doctor about your back pain, especially if it is isolated to your lower back and seems to wrap around to your stomach as this can be a sign of premature labor.
Since back pain during pregnancy is pretty much guaranteed at some point or another the key is to finding a way to minimize the pain and manage it. Here are a few tips for helping you prevent, manage and minimize back pain during pregnancy. Continue reading
There is no denying that poor nutrition and lack of exercise have become a major problem for our children. Over 16% of children between the ages of 2 and 19 are considered obese (CDC); and physical activity continues to decline with more and more schools either eliminating or drastically reducing their physical education programs. Parents cannot rely on schools to teach their children about good nutrition and exercise habits, those lessons need to start at home.
Families that eat healthy meals together and make exercise a priority are less likely to have children who suffer with weight problems and are more likely to have children that know who to make lifelong healthy living choices.
Exercising as a family can be a great bonding experience. You can carry over those great family conversations from the dinner table to the sidewalk. There are many great ways to exercise as a family. One fantastic way is to walk together. Walking allows you to get the exercise you need, spend time together as a family, and partake in an activity that is within the capabilities of all family members.
Here are some tips for making your family exercise experience a good (and successful one):
- Set family goals. Have a family meeting to discuss your walking goals, and then follow that up with weekly or monthly family meetings to keep track of your success.
- Track your progress. Consider making charts or calendars to track the families progress, ie how many steps you did each day or how many miles, etc.
- Cater to your youngest family members. Set goals and track progress with your little ones in mind. You want everyone involved so don’t set expectations that excluded your youngest members.
- Make sure everyone has the proper attire and adheres to all safety rules.
- Be creative with your walk. Consider turning the walk into a scavenger hunt or think up other fun games you can play along the way.
- Pick new and different destinations for your walk. Even consider letting your child lead the way sometimes, it will be interesting to see where he or she decides to lead you.
- On weekends or when you have extra time incorporate your walk into a fun family day. Find something fun for the family to do that is within walking distance. You can walk to your fun destination, spend the day having fun as a family, and then walk home. All your fun and exercise rolled into one!
Both children and adults need to get at least 30 minutes of exercise (and preferably 60 minutes) every day. Incorporating a family walk into your daily routine can be a great way to accomplish this task and have fun as a family.
Do you have a family exercise routine? What do your kids love to do?