Family Ever After Blog

Family Ever After Blog

Archives for February 2021

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Solutions for Troubled Teens

2020 was undoubtedly tough for everyone. Between the Covid-19 socializing restrictions and the working from home––if working was still a feasible option––people have felt more isolated than ever before. However, whilst most adults silently struggle but rise to the challenge, recent times have been particularly difficult for younger citizens of the United States.

 

For adolescents, trying to navigate the coronavirus outbreak has been especially more challenging due to school closures and a suspension of so many recreational activities. If left unchecked during their particularly vulnerable years, a teenager’s behavior could become erratic and self-destructive through vices such as smoking, alcohol use, or in some cases, substance abuse leading to drug addiction.

Worst Case Scenario––Drug Use, Drug Abuse, and Professional Help

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With many Americans admitting that they have tried recreational drugs at least once during their formative years, for most adolescents, drug use tends to be a minor––and isolated––incident. Experimentation with controlled substances or prescription drugs is usually part of “growing up.” However, with the lack of distractions thrown into the last year, boredom for some teenagers can mean that the drug use is continuing past experimentation and into an addiction. Whilst the type of narcotics involved is a major health risk, it has little to do with the reasons behind teen drug use, and as such, should not be the main focus of a drug problem.

 

The first step to helping a troubled teen with a drug problem is to recognize that they need compassionate help, instead of punishment. As there is a stigma around substance use, there is likely to be a level of deception and guilt for the young adult using them. Ultimately, the hold of an addiction is stronger than any punitive measure, so remember that the best way forward is positive and therapeutic.

 

If you think your teen is using drugs but aren’t completely sure, then At Medica have created a list of tell-tale signs in your child’s behavior that can affirm your suspicions, and what to do if they are confirmed. You should never accuse anyone of drug use without good reason, and in addition to professional help, you will need to provide good reason to stop.

Gateway Drugs and Where They Lead

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It’s rare that a teen will immediately turn to harder drugs from smaller, less effective substances. The space between experimentation and drug addiction is inhabited by two factors––reasons why and gateway substances.

 

The latter (gateway substances) may not be illegal. In fact, a couple of the most widespread gateway drugs are legal for adults in the U.S.: cigarettes and alcohol. Obviously, not all smokers go on to take drugs, but there are fewer nonsmokers who partake in recreational drug use than those who also have a nicotine addiction. From the other angle, smoking and drinking, though more mainstream and easier to resource, should never be an alternative to a teen’s drug use.

 

There are alternative healthy habits for quitting tobacco that can involve using other natural substances, however. If you suspect that your teen is smoking or drinking, then be wary of where that can lead, and speak to a physician for healthy ways to break the substance use.

Nipping It in the Bud

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Despite the coronavirus, there are still plenty of schemes to help troubled teams get back on track going on. Often, these will involve sports or recreational activities with a competitive edge. However, with social distancing, many sports including football, basketball and hockey have been forced to stop for the time being.

 

For years, outdoor-based activities have been the most popular of recreation for teens, and there are still many healthy options to choose from that fall within the CDC guidelines on Covid-19 behaviors. Running, athletics, gymnastics, dancing and swimming (in private pools) are still great ways for your teen to be distracted from boredom and to also stay clear of experimenting with drugs leading to substance abuse.

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Fantastic Birthday Gifts for Ideas For Teens

The teenager, a unique breed of human that grunts, groans, is always hungry but never happy. Yes, they do exist, and they can be the most daunting demographic to shop for, especially on their birthday. Unless you have that unique teenager that has no problem speaking up about what they want, it can prove to be a most difficult task.

Teens are up to speed on the newest and coolest gadgets, electronics and media. They know what they have, what their friends have, what their social media friends have, yet leave us clueless as to what they want. So where do you start, when you have nothing to work with?

Below is a list of 10 birthday gifts for even the most challenging teen that will turn those grunts and groans into laughs and smiles! There may even be a thank you somewhere in there. Imagine that!

A Pair of Airpods

Teenagers and their electronics! Well, this is a gift that will compliment all of their compatible electronics. Airpods are wireless, Bluetooth, discreet and non-confining. They are comfortable, trendy, and teens are well versed in their functionality.

Echo Dot

The Echo Dot is extremely popular among teens, and it offers all of the same capabilities of the Alexa. This includes weather, music, news, recipes, and updates to mention a few. It’s affordable and it is a very compact device.

Gift Basket

What is one thing all teens can agree on? Food! Their hunger never seems to cease, so how do you satisfy that relentless appetite? Birthday gift baskets, complete with treats like gourmet cookies, brownies and pastries, dried fruits and nuts, and a variety of other goodies to choose from. It’s the ideal gift even the most challenging teen will take delight in!

Multicolor Cinema Light Box

Give the teen in your life a positive means of self-expression. Inspired by cinema marquees, these light boxes come with 100 symbols and letters to create personal messages. They are also available with custom color-changing LED lights.

Nintendo Switch

The Nintendo Switch is a favorite of teens all over! It’s more of a big- ticket gift, but it has capability to be played at home or on the go. There is also a wide selection of games available for this game system! Teens can play alone, or with a group of friends.

Fingerless Mittens

The colder temperatures come with their own set of challenges, like chilly weather, snow and ice. Fingerless mittens are great for teens, because they fit like gloves, without covering their fingertips. They can keep their hands warm, and still have the option to answer those important texts and media comments.

New Sneakers

Teens are always on the look out for some stylish “new kicks” to complement their specific apparel style. Whether they prefer Nike to Adidas, or whatever brand suits their style, sneakers are a gift that you can get for any teen and know you absolutely can-not go wrong!

Board Games

Give the teenager in your life a break from their electronic circle, and give them a board game or two for their birthday. With so many to choose from, such as Clue, Monopoly, or even that well know classic, Battleship, you’ll be sure to find games they can enjoy with their friends while taking a break from the social media world.

Sunglasses

What teen doesn’t want to sport a cool pair of shades? Make sure you do your research on this one. Teens have their own particular style and way they choose to present themselves. Sunglasses are great regardless of the season their birthday falls in, and can be worn year-round.

Gift Card

If you know what the teen in your life is into, but still not quite sure what to get, a gift card may be in order. It could be to the local Game Stop, or Applebee’s if they like to go out to eat with friends. Then, there is always the Visa or bank gift card, giving your teenager the option of where and how they would prefer to send their gift card.

No matter how complicated it may be to find that perfect gift for the teen in your life, there is bound to be something out there they would love and appreciate. So, don’t lose hope! You never know what you may find! Whether it be from the list of birthday gift ideas above, or something that presents itself by pure chance, there is that perfect to be found!

 

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Experience A Stargazing Party – Around Town or Beyond

Most residents of the third largest country on the planet earth, America, have been looking out or down, but not up. Or potentially, not high up or, with purpose. The objects of human fascination are often found contained within the confines of the cozy home space, while binge-watching Netflix, or other live-streaming tv.

Above your focus lies numerous phenomenon, containing all the elements necessary for an incredible adventure. As the sunsets, and the darkness of the fall and winter season engulf you, the stargazing party begins.

Partying with the Cosmos

The simple act of stargazing offers an incredible view of the stars within the Milky Way, almost nightly. The feeling of being on an unending orbit around a yellow star, in the outer spiral arms of that galaxy, is exhilarating. The multitudes of stars can be seen, along with the Andromeda galaxy’s 400 million stars, on moonless nights, with the naked eye.

When you and your partner, family, or family, venture out, to leave the city lights behind, and view the sky from darker places, for a stargazing party, you are fully engaging in astro-tourism. Have this exciting festivity, safely.

Night driving, to destinations which offer stunning views of the constellations, meteor showers, and shooting stars, also provides a plethora of potential driving challenges. Going off road, or down infrequently traveled paths, to rural parks, and fields, for unobstructed views, can result in flat tires, or being stuck in mud. To be party ready, safely, be sure you’re properly insured. Freeway Auto Insurance encourages adventures, and offers full coverage that lets you venture on, road-concern-free.

A Star Seeker’s Guide to Night Sky Readiness

Party preparation for an evening of twinkling, star gazing, and heavenly exploration, requires a few key essentials. Location, weather, timing, the phases of the moon, must all be considered, to view as many stars, meteor showers, and constellations, as possible.

You will need the following party planning supplies:

  • Binoculars for spotting sparkling, pointy orbs, the big dipper, and even space junk, burning in the sky.
  • Folding camp chairs for observing this high above, celestial performance, in comfort.
  • Digital or paper star charts, or maps, for all attendees.
  • Red flashlights to help your eyes adjust to the darkness, (red cellophane, or red paper, placed over an ordinary flashlight, will work.
  • A laser pointer, to focus everyone’s gaze on found objects.
  • A tripod or portable telescope for magnified, hands on, viewing.
  • Internet apps which are compatible with your android, or iPhone These apps, like Google Sky, let you explore space through the assistance of the Hubble Space Telescope. Sky Map, a hand-held planetarium, lets you point at the sky, as it charts your location, and identifies galaxies, nebulae, and the universe, with ultraviolet and infrared light.
  • Water for hydration, energy bars, and the party munching food, and hot beverages, your awed, excited, and perhaps chilly, group craves.
  • Soft music, to accompany the magic night sky, for any dancing that it might inspire.
  • Portable batteries for your techie equipment, and the telescope, if you take one along.

Off the Sofa and Under the Stars – But Where?

The dark skies are the star’s besties. They are every stargazer’s celestial platform for viewing the miraculous, and majestic formulation of a grand light show. Planning is necessary, to have in place, the elements which insure a true “sky reveal”. Choose the right setting for viewing. It could be a local field, the shoreline of a beach, with unobstructed sky views, the countryside, a mountain top, a national park, or the desert. These locations are quiet, and darkness aligns with just a little moonlight, to allow for observing the sky, with extraordinarily little” light pollution”, which can filter, and obscure the objects, within your gazers’ viewing bliss.

Check the weather in advance. Star gazing is good anytime, but a crystal-clear sky, presents the universe at its spectacular best, for phenomenal viewing. The international web site, Metcheck, offers frequently updated, radar and satellite predictions, specifically for stargazers, everywhere.

Try Stargazing; Seeing is Believing!

If you still find yourself wondering why you may embark upon such a stargazing experience. Consider this:

  • Its free
  • There is always something mysterious happening, such as the dimming, and dying of old stars, space junk, meteor showers, craters careening towards earth, and the orbiting of the International Space Station (ISS).
  • It is possible to see, with a telescope or app, puffy clouds of gases and dust, like Orion Nebula, which are creating starbirth regions of tiny baby stars, in the night sky. This is total coolness.

If you love Astronomy, and time spent gazing at the sky, due to deep celestial curiosity, finding new objects, and witnessing the beginnings of tiny, forming, bright, and twinkling, pointy, colorful, massive entities; you are an adventurer. It is wise to appreciate that the sky is truly a new frontier, which may be a hugely significant destination, for earthlings, in the coming decade, when astrotourism is the new cool, and happening with regularity.

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One Michigan lottery ticket wins $1 billion Mega Millions jackpot!

The latest and 37th drawing of Mega Millions game on Friday produced ONE $1 billion winner when one lottery ticket sold in Michigan matched ALL FIVE numbers PLUS the Mega Ball!

This is the third time that a lottery jackpot had gone up to more than a billion dollars. And this is the second time a SINGLE ticket won a billion-dollar or more!

According to the organizers, Friday’s Mega Millions jackpot was one of the most valuable lottery jackpots ever!

The lucky numbers that won the single winner were 4, 26, 42, 50, 60 and 25 – just what they needed to win.

The winner has yet to decide between two options. One being to be paid $1 billion in 30 annually-increasing payments over 29 years. The second one? Getting the lump-sum cash value of $739.6 million. According to USA Mega’s Powerball Jackpot Analysis, after all the taxes are paid, the winner will either receive $588.5 million by the end of 29 years, or $434.5 million in cash all at once.

Which one would you go for?

The winning ticket was sold at Kroger #632 at 47650 Grand River Ave in Novi, Michigan.

Fun fact: This is the 18th Mega Millions jackpot won in Michigan over the years, with the 17th one being a prize shared with Rhode Island on October 13, 2017.

Another fun fact: Michigan was one of the original founding members of Mega Millions.

ONE MORE fun fact: Mega Millions was called The Big Game back then.

  1. The winner got pretty lucky, don’t you think?

More about Lottery

The chances of winning the lottery are 1 in 13,983,816.

If you want to purchase tickets or check out the lottery results, head on to Lottery Parakeet.

It has got it all; Texas lottery results, New York lottery results, and so much more.

 

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6 Tips For Building a Family Home

Building a family home is an exciting opportunity and an important investment. However, because there’s so much involved, it can be an incredibly stressful process. It’s important that you know the right tips to keep things under control. From choosing the neighborhood to putting down foundation, here are some of the best tips for building a family home.

Find Inspiration

Before you start throwing ideas out there, it’s important that you find inspiration. Places like Pinterest make a great place to find images to give you ideas. Throughout the process of building a home, you’ll be presented with a considerable amount of different choices.

Having inspiration to draw from helps you go back to your original idea. Sometimes its handy to refer back to your original inspiration, so you don’t get lost in all of the decision making. It also helps your builder materialize your idea better when you have a visual reference to show them.

Be Flexible

Unless you have an unlimited source of income, chances are that you’ll have to make a few sacrifices throughout the design process. It’s best to create a list of things that you absolutely can’t live without. Everything else can be negotiable even though it might be frustrating having to let certain things go. It’s unfortunately, a reality when you have to stick to a budget. Remaining flexible will help you get the project done faster.

Don’t Rush

It’s normal to be excited about getting your home done as quickly as possible. However, rushing doesn’t do anyone any favors. In fact, rushing is likely to leave you with low quality work. Instead, take your time to make sure everything gets done properly. That way, you know that everything is well constructed and not at risk of falling apart because it was put together at the last minute.

Open Floor Plan

When you’re building a home for kids, it’s important that you can see everything that’s going on. Consider an open floor plan so that you don’t have to worry about your kids being on the other side of a wall. Although you will have some parts of the home that are less visible than others, consider opting for an open floor plan for the majority of the family spaces.

Consider Safety

Kids are more accident-prone than adults. It’s important that you consider safety when constructing your home. Areas like stairwells and counters should be carefully constructed to avoid children getting hurt. The last thing you want is something terrible happened that could have easily been avoided with little foresight.

Choose Durable Materials

Even though you might want to save as much money as possible, it’s beneficial to use quality materials instead of cheap ones. Durable materials will make sure that your home stands the test of time and won’t be destroyed by your children over the years.

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4 Sexy Games For You And Your Boo To Try This Year

Let’s face it, our sex lives always need a little boost. They get a little stale, they get de-prioritized, we find things we love more than sex (like naps or HBO Max), and one day it dawns on us: We don’t need more research, we just need more ideas. This may not surprise you at all, but novelty and excitement are some of the key elements of passion and arousal. The good news is that you don’t need to push the limits and have Eyes Wide Shut parties every weekend to get that little oomph you’ve been craving.

Here are 4 easy, simple, and sexy games for you and your partner to try this year (because 2021’s already been stressful enough):

  • Guess This Item

Blindfold your partner and grab a few random objects from around the house (it can be a feather, a belt, an ice cube, or a piece of rope, anything you can find – it doesn’t have to be inherently sexy!). While they’re laying down, trace an item lightly over their skin. The longer it takes them to guess, the further south you trace… it’s a game where there are no losers.

  • Truth or Dare – Minus The Truth

If you’ve ever gone to middle school, you know the drill. Go back and forth daring each other to do increasingly high-stakes things – hopefully, they’re a little on the sexy side – and agree on a ruthless punishment if either of you passes. It can be anything like “I dare you to fake an orgasm” or “I dare you to tell me your wildest fantasy.”

  • “Aural’” Sex

Find an erotic story and read it to your partner. It sounds simple, but this stimulates your senses: your auditory senses. Research has shown that reading or listening to erotic fiction is actually more arousing than watching porn. There is something about using our imagination to conjure up a scenario that makes it even more powerful.

  • Sexy Spin The Bottle

This isn’t your average spin the bottle game. Cut one piece of paper into 4 squares, then ask your partner to do the same. Write down 4 sexy things you’d like the other person to do for you, or to you. Spread out the 8 slips of paper in a circle, and take turns spinning. You might not make it through all 8, in fact, you might get a bit distracted after the first few, but that’s just the beauty of it.

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How To Identify Food Allergies In Babies

Babies aren’t great communicators. During the very early stages of their development, they’re either silent, or they’re screaming or crying. As every parent knows, screaming and crying can mean almost anything. They might be tired or bored. They might be trying to tell you that they need a change, or they’re hungry. A lot of the time, there doesn’t appear to be any reason at all. Trying to understand the reason your baby is crying is all part of the fun and games of being a new parent. It’s a wonder that any of us ever sign up for the job!

Because a baby can’t speak, gesticulate, or otherwise communicate specific facts, it isn’t always easy to spot the signs of a food allergy. That’s a common worry for new parents because severe food allergies can be dangerous, and you won’t know they exist until after your baby has eaten. None of us would ever poison our children deliberately, but even the thought that you might have done so accidentally is extremely upsetting. That’s why you need to know the tell-tale signs of an allergy.

An allergic reaction and rejection or regurgitation of food aren’t the same things. Just as we can’t always be sure why a baby is crying, we can’t always be sure why they’re throwing food back up either. A baby is like an online slots UK game. You can place the same bet on an online slots game ten or twenty times and have nothing happen, only for the jackpot to turn up on the eleventh or twenty-first spin. You can feed a baby the same food ten or twenty times and have nothing happen, and then get a violent rejection of the same meal on that eleventh or twenty-first feed. People tend to be happier with online slots jackpots than unexpected projectile vomit, so this isn’t a perfect comparison, but the comparison stands anyway!

Believe it or not, vomiting isn’t one of the potential signs of a food allergy. Read on, and we’ll tell you what you should be looking for instead.

Foods Babies Might Be Allergic To

It’s possible to avoid the risk of an allergic reaction almost completely if you avoid feeding your baby anything that presents a risk of one, but that would mean keeping them on an extremely restricted diet, which wouldn’t be ideal. There are some foods that present higher risks than others, though, and you should be conscious of when you introduce them to your baby for the first time so you can monitor them closely for any adverse reactions.

As a starting point, babies can be allergic to almost any kind of nut. Giving nuts to babies isn’t advisable anyway because they can get lodged in their throats, but even crushed or pasted nuts like peanut butter can be a problem. They can also be allergic to cow’s milk, which comes as a surprise to some people. This isn’t the same thing as being lactose intolerant (we’ll come to that later) – it’s a full-blown allergy. The other major candidates for potential allergies are eggs, shellfish, wheat, and soy. Keep a feeding diary when you’re giving your infant a food type for the first time, and only use small quantities of these foods in the early stages to minimize the severity of any potential allergic reaction.

Foods Babies Might Not Tolerate

It’s easy to confuse food intolerance with a food allergy, but they’re not the same thing. The effects of eating a food you’re intolerant to tend to be milder than those of consuming food you’re allergic to. They’re still unpleasant, but they’re not as dangerous! Intolerances are far more common than allergies but can be harder to spot.

There are three main types of food intolerance that your baby might experience. Those are lactose intolerance, gluten intolerance, and intolerance of additives in food. The latter group is the easiest to deal with because you can avoid additives altogether if you shop smart. Lactose intolerance and gluten intolerance are harder to work with because you’ll probably need to obtain specialist baby food to navigate around the problem.

A baby who is lactose intolerant will probably be bloated and gassy after drinking milk. They might also experience diarrhea. Bloating and upset stomachs are also common with gluten intolerance, but this can also manifest as headaches. Intolerance of food additives is different and might appear as rashes as well as stomach upsets. Because of the rash, it can be hard to distinguish from an allergy at first, which is why it’s important to seek medical advice if rashes appear after meals.

Symptoms Of Allergies

Here’s where things get difficult! Allergies can manifest themselves in a myriad of different ways, and some of the reactions are similar to illnesses like coughs or colds. That’s why we have to be vigilant about watching our children after meals and observing whether the symptoms are present at any time other than shortly after eating. In almost all cases, the symptoms of an allergy will present themselves within an hour of a meal being consumed. In some cases, it will only take a few minutes.

Aside from stomach upsets, an allergic reaction can appear as hives or rashes, a runny nose, coughing, itchiness, sneezing, wheezing, or swelling of the skin that’s been in contact with food, including mouths and lips. In the most serious of cases, an allergic reaction will lead to anaphylaxis, which is extremely dangerous. It’s also extremely obvious. Anaphylaxis appears as disorientation or confusion, chest pain, asthma-like shortness of breath, difficulty swallowing, and even loss of consciousness. Should any of these symptoms occur, an ambulance must be called immediately.

We know that telling parents not to worry is pointless, but please do try to avoid losing sleep over the prospect of your baby having an allergy. In the overwhelming majority of cases, allergies manifest as nothing more than a slight irritation. By introducing new foods slowly and carefully and logging responses, you should be able to identify them yourself and plan meals accordingly. If in doubt, though, a doctor or pediatrician should have no problem confirming your suspicions. In most cases, simple antihistamines are enough to deal with any allergic reaction that might appear – so ensure you always have some in your house and seek medical advice if you have any doubts!