Parenting - Page 26 of 28 - Hampers and Hiccups

How to Know if Your Child Has Outgrown His/Her Bedroom

When your child is very young, it’s incredibly easy to create the best possible environment in his/her bedroom. After all, …

Is Everyone in the Family Living Healthily?

by Hampers and Hiccups

As a parent, it’s a basic instinct to look after your children. You feed them well, make sure they lead an active lifestyle, and strive to keep them happy so as to ensure they’re mentally healthy and strong in the future. Of course, whilst that’s all well and good, many of us are better at keeping our children healthy than keeping ourselves healthy. You might work so hard to keep your little ones in good shape that you neglect the importance of your personal health. But it’s important for everyone in the family to live healthily; that includes parents. If you’re not sure whether all residents of your household are living as healthily as possible here’s some advice you should take on board.

Take Care of You and Be a Better Parent

by Hampers and Hiccups

We’re all told, time and again, as we carry the little bump in our bellies that will one day become a fully functioning human being with thoughts, dreams and aspirations of their own. We’re told by friends, family and parents. We’re told words to the effect of, “When that baby’s born, everything’s going to change”. They’re right, of course they are. The birth of your children usually heralds a top-down reorganisation of the psyche as well as being a complete paradigm shift. There’s a sense that you in yourself are reborn as your baby is born. As soon as you stare down at that wriggling bundle of wonder the problems that seemed enormous and insurmountable seem trivial, and your sole priority becomes taking care of this little person whoever they turn out to be.

What You Need to Know About Postpartum Depression Groups

by Hampers and Hiccups

Back in October, our second baby, Pip, was born.

As most newborns are, he was squishy, sleepy and cuddly. I was pretty prepared for this. What I wasn't prepared for was the emotions I would feel. To the point where I thought I had postpartum depression.

When Sweet Girl was born, I had absolutely ZERO negative effects. I was SO in love with being a mama and amazed at how we lucked out with such an easy baby (she slept through the night at 3 weeks!). Of course, I didn't expect future babies to be as perfect, but I also didn't expect what I experienced with Baby Pip.

Why Quality of Sleep is Important for Any Mother

by Hampers and Hiccups

Becoming a new mother can be a very chaotic time. You will notice that your sleep quality and regulatory takes a nosedive, as does your ability to relax as you become more and more attentive to the life of brand new little human. Worrying about a million things at once is stock in trade for a new mother and father. This is fine of course, because any worry or sleepless night is repaid over a thousand times in having a bundle of love to call your own. It truly is a special experience like no other.

However, that doesn’t mean neglecting your peace of mind and sleep is something advisable. It’s not necessarily a complete requirement every single day in order to enjoy and look after your child well. Sometimes, it pays to be smart, and self-care is always smart. Now, you might be reading this thinking ‘well that’s easy for you! Am I supposed to tell my infant baby to stop waking me up?’ Well, of course not. However, what you can do is improve the quality of your sleep.

A Young Family’s Review of a Soft Play Indoor Playground

by Hampers and Hiccups

Amazing Adventure soft play indoor playground and activity center in Regina, SK offers an extensive list of gymnastics, tumbling & cheer classes, as well as their climbing structure and other toys. It’s a great outing for kids of all ages – right from babies to teens. Their accommodating structure allows for parents and caregivers to supervise along side younger children without having to be cramped. There’s even a café for when you need a bit of a break! Check out Amazing Adventure #softplay #indoorplayground in Regina today! Only $6 for a drop-in. #indoor #playground #toddlers #kids #parenting #play

Last summer I read something about how soft play is great for toddlers' cognitive and physical development. Never hearing the term, I figured soft play meant toys that aren't plastic, but rather, soft.

Needless to say, I was wrong.

*After writing this post, I contacted Amazing Adventure to see about any incentives for my promotional write up. They sent me out some indoor playground passes

After reading a bit more about it, I realized soft play refers to indoor playground type facilities with loads of foam (and germs?). I quickly started researching the closest arena to us. Unfortunately, it's 2+ hours away!

So, when we were planning a trip to Regina for a hotel + water-slide overnight before the new baby was due to arrive, I figured we should take the opportunity to check out Amazing Adventure.

Easy & Inexpensive Valentine’s Day Ideas for Kids

by Hampers and Hiccups

At the risk of having my woman card stripped, I'm being completely honest when I say that I never have been a fan of Valentine's Day. Yes, it's nice to get flowers + chocolate, etc., but I really believe that every day should be used to show those around us that we love them. Right?

That being said, V-Day grew in meaning for me in 2017. My daughter's first Valentine's Day.

Growing up, my mom would always have a little something for us, and there would be cards and goodies to pass out at our school party. We even had a coinciding week dedicated to a “secret friend” exchange. It was exciting and all, but, was it really necessary?

Valentine's day can be challenging. Shortly after Christmas, who wants to spend more money! Find some inexpensive ways to entertain your kids this year. Cute and easy ideas to make it a memorable Valentine's Day with the kids. #vday #valentinesday #kids #frugal #inexpensive #fun #momblog Now that I'm a mama, I appreciate all the effort my own mother, the teachers, and my classmates' mothers put in to making our Valentine's Days memorable and fun, even if I didn't back then.

So, in the spirit of the season, I've been thinking of ways to make Sweet Girl's second and Pip's first Valentine's Day a good one. While Pip will be a bit small (4 months) to really enjoy anything, I still feel the desire to make an effort for him.

Since it isn't really a true holiday, and since my husband is in school (final term, yay!), I'm brainstorming for inexpensive or free ways to celebrate the day of love. Who knows, maybe you'll create a lasting tradition.