Family Ever After Blog

Family Ever After Blog

Archives for July 2021

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Tips for Raising a Child in Two Separate Houses

Did you know that almost 50% of American children will see their parents divorce? It’s a very sad reality, and this might be happening to your own family soon.

Raising a child is already challenging enough. Through a divorce into the mix, and things can get even more complicated.

If you need some advice on raising a kid in two houses, then read on. We’ll give you some great tips for divorced parents.

Have Two Sets of Basic Items in Each Home

When you’re living in two households, it can become tedious remembering to bring all your things with you each time you go to a different house. Not to mention, if you forget something, it can put a huge damper on your day.

Make sure you and your ex have sets of basic items in each home so your children don’t have the burden of lugging their belongings around. Some things to include are:

  • Toothbrush and other toiletries
  • Underwear, socks, and clothes (including pajamas)
  • Toys

Make a Packing Checklist

For everything else that needs to go back and forth, make a packing checklist. This can ease anxiety for everyone involved and with enough time, it’ll become so routine that packing won’t be stressful at all.

Have a checklist on the wall in each home. A day before your kids go to your ex’s, take a look at the list and help them pack.

Set Ground Rules

You and your ex may already agree on some parenting methods. However, once you’ve split up, each household might diverge slightly on parenting, especially if there are stepparents involved.

Have everyone sit down and agree on some ground rules. And if there are different schedules in each house, that’s fine! Just make sure that everything’s clearly understood and that no parent will break the rules of the other.

Once you’ve agreed on the ground rules, you need to stand together as a united front. Acknowledge that while things might be done a certain way in your house, they’ll be different in their other parent’s house. Your kids will adapt quickly if things are kept consistent.

If you aren’t able to get along with your ex, then it might be a good idea to hire a custody lawyer. Click here to find out more.

Do Drop-Offs Smartly

It might be a good idea for the parent with the kids to drop them off when their time’s up. If you have the other parent go pick them up, then there’s a chance they might interrupt some valuable bonding time.

When you leave drop-offs in the hands of the parent who’s currently with the children, this enables them to wrap up those special moments without it being jarring.

Cooperate When Raising a Child With Your Ex

In this article, we’ve given you some great tips for raising a child in two households.

But in the end, what really matters is that you cooperate and communicate with your ex. When your kids see that you’re still working together as a team, this can give them a healthy environment to grow up in. Plus, it’ll make custody much easier, so it’s a win-win situation!

For more parenting tips, make sure you check out the rest of our family blog page.

 

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How to select the best general contractor?

Contractor.jpg

A general contractor is responsible for providing all of the material, labor, equipment (such as engineering vehicles and tools) and services necessary for the project’s construction. They have expertise in civil engineering as well as business. Civil engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with buildings and building materials. The best answer to selecting the best general contractor will depend upon some crucial factors that will be discussed in the article below. Civil contractors can also be called home building contractors, and they provide home remodelling and custom home builds. Therefore, without any further ado, here are some ways to select the best general contractor.

Expertise

Expertise is something that cannot be checked in the first instance. It might only come to the forefront in the discussion or the blogs of the service provider if they have an online presence. Whenever you think about hiring a civic contractor or any similar service provider, make sure that they have more than enough knowledge of the market and their work speaks quality and world-class standards. That way, you will save yourself from ending up in a bad deal that has the potential to damage your investment.

Experience

Expertise and experience complement each other. In a way, both happen with each other. Without expertise, gaining real-time knowledge on the subject is almost impossible. Experience speaks for the amount of work and knowledge a company possesses. We always turn up to the person who has always been in the market for a longer time. Experience also saves people from making the same mistakes repeatedly, which can save a lot of energy and time.

Reviews

If the company has an online presence or even if it has not, one can always find something about the company someway on the search engine or social media. Check out the customer review online and see what other people think of their service. Not only that, if they have a website or social media handles, give your eyes to the projects they have done and carried out successfully to make up your mind. Finding an excellent general contractor is not difficult if the person has an online presence.

Reputation & Popularity

The Internet has made businesses connect with customers and vice versa simple and finding services, and especially the kind and reasonable ones are not difficult anymore. If the contractor is excellent in his services, he will be ranked higher on search engines among his competition, which is another way of saying that the contractor is the most trusted and the most sought out one in the market.

Therefore, expertise, experience, reviews, reputation, and popularity are some of the ways through which you can decide upon and select the best civic contractor for your requirements.

 

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Top Tips for Promoting Your Home Business

So, you’ve done it. You’ve decided to take a leap of faith and move forward with starting a business that you manage from home. Congratulations! Doing something like this is a very bold move and could be the beginning of something incredible. One of the main benefits of starting a home business is that the running costs tend to be cheaper, as you’re not leasing office space or having to cover the expenses of a commute. A lot of people might have found the courage to follow their entrepreneurial dreams over the past year as if the pandemic has taught us anything it’s that time is precious, and working from home is entirely possible. However, you do need to make sure that you’re promoting your business effectively to give yourself the best chance of success and to reach your target demographic and beyond. So, below are a few tips to help you manage this and get your brand the recognition it deserves.

Utilize social media

It’s a no-brainer that if you want people to see your brand, you need to promote it across all relevant social media platforms available to you. Since social media began, people have been using it to connect with others, and it has now developed into a way that anyone can promote themselves as an individual or use it to increase brand awareness. This is where you can directly engage with your customers, keep them updated about your business quickly and efficiently, as well as expressing your brand’s personality with interesting and relevant content. You should also adjust your content to suit the platform you’re using; for example, your post should always be professional if you have a business profile on LinkedIn. However, if you’re posting things on Instagram or Twitter, you should still maintain your professional persona, but you can have a little more fun with your content.

Creating Great Content

While social media is one of the main ways you can share content, simply tweeting about your new products or services isn’t always the best way to engage your audience. You need to make sure that the content you’re creating is eye-catching and can start a conversation. Video content, in particular, is very popular and has been increasing in popularity since TikTok. The reason video content is so engaging is that it’s easier to digest rather than reading a long blog post or status. Imagery is what will capture people’s attention, and this is why video content is a great way to go. To make sure any clips you share look professional, edit your videos properly before you share them. You can use this Animoto promo code to get discounted video software that will help you get the most out of your videos.

Offer Discount Codes for Your Products

Speaking of discounts, if you want people to try your products or services, offering them an introductory discount can be a wonderful way to do this. As your business is starting, your brand will still be relatively unknown, which can often lead customers to be unsure about committing to purchasing what you’re selling. Advertise an introductory discount code to encourage people to try what your brand has to offer so you can continue to make sales and hopefully have customers coming back for more.

If you’ve recently started a home business and need to spread the word about your brand, consider the tips above, as these are all great places to start.

 

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Drink Up: A Complete Guide to Water Soluble Cannabinoids

There’s a reason why the cannabis beverage market is worth an estimated $901.8 million. More people than ever before are realizing the potential of these drinkable hemp products.

Maybe that’s why hundreds of major corporations are rushing to get in on the vast demand. At the center of this market are water soluble cannabinoids. This is the advancement that’s made this type of cannabis beverage possible.

But exactly what are water soluble cannabinoids? And why are they important? If you want to know the answer to these questions and more, then you’re in the right place. In this guide, we’ll teach you everything you need to know about this incredible new product. Let’s get started!

What are Water Soluble Cannabinoids?

Before we begin it’s important that you first understand what cannabinoids are. At its most basic definition cannabinoids are the compounds found in cannabis. Often, the only thing that people think of is the Delta 8 and Delta9 THC cannabinoids.

However, the reality is that there are over 113 isolated cannabinoids, including things like CBD, CBG, CBC, and CBN. Typically these cannabinoids, which all have unique benefits, have been accessed through hemp oil.

This method has been great for things like tinctures and capsules. However, it comes with a serious problem. Anyone who has tried to mix oil with water knows the issue. When you try to mix hemp extract with water the inevitable happens: it stays separate.

Because it’s next to impossible to mix oil and water it’s been difficult for cannabis/hemp companies to offer good beverage products. That is until the advent of water soluble cannabinoids. As its name suggests, this breakthrough allows cannabinoids to completely dissolve into the water. Let’s find out how.

What Are the Two Types of Water Soluble Cannabinoids?

As of the time of this article, water soluble cannabinoids are available in two different forms. These include water soluble powder and water soluble liquid.

As you can guess, the powder product looks like a powder similar to the type you would get if you’ve ever ordered CBD isolate. The biggest benefit that comes with this type of product in the range.

Many of the cutting-edge companies have been able to make a water soluble extract out of almost any type of cannabis extract that’s oil-based. As such, it’s great for businesses that want you to use their own, personal extracts.

The other type of product that’s offered is water soluble liquid. This product can be made from most types of extracts and arrives at your location ready to be put into any type of cannabis-based beverage. As such, it’s a good option for business owners that want to save a little time during the manufacturing process.

Benefits of Water Soluble Cannabinoids

The most obvious benefit that comes with water soluble cannabinoids is that they can be used to finally make good drinks. However, this isn’t the only benefit that they come with. In this section, we’ll be going over five other reasons why you should consider giving this cutting-edge product a try.

1. High Bioavailability and Fast Acting Effects

Bioavailability is an important term when it comes to cannabinoids. It refers to the percentage of a cannabinoid that gets absorbed into your bloodstream.

The higher the bioavailability, the more efficient your body is at absorbing the full concentration of a hemp product. Unfortunately, products like tinctures and edibles need to go through the digestive system before they can be absorbed into the bloodstream. This results in only 10% to 20% of the cannabinoid getting through.

That 90% to 80% of the product that’s getting wasted. Water soluble cannabinoids, on the other hand, get absorbed directly into the bloodstream through the mouth. As a result, they have a much higher bioavailability.

One study found that over 90% of cannabinoids are absorbed through beverages. What’s more, you will feel the effects quicker. Instead of having to wait an hour or more to feel anything you can typically feel it in a matter of minutes.

2. Easier to Dose Properly

Consistent dosing is important when it comes to cannabinoids. That’s why people enjoy products like tinctures, edibles, and capsules. It tells them precisely how much they’ll be getting with their dosage. However, water soluble cannabinoids are even better than these products for dosing.

Why? Because not only do you get an exact dosage, but it also accurately reflects the amount of the cannabinoid that will be entering your system. Remember what you discussed in the last section?

When you ingest an oil-based cannabis product 90% of it is getting lost in your digestive system. Since this isn’t true for water-soluble products they more accurately reflect the amount of dose that you’re going to feel.

3. More Convenient For Consumers

Water soluble cannabinoid products are also much more convenient for the consumer. As we’ve mentioned, water and oil don’t mix. So, when a customer tries to make coffee infused with CBD oil, it’s all going to float to the top.

This simply isn’t true for water soluble products. As such, it opens up the entire world when it comes to things that the consumer can mix it with. Smoothies, sodas, beers, wines, coffee, and cocktails are just some of the things it can go with.

These products are also more convenient because the customer can truly take them anywhere. No more having to worry about your tincture spilling when you try to transport it.

4. Tastes Great

The problem with cannabinoid-infused beverages in the past has been the flavor. Putting aside the issue that the oil runs to the top of the drink, let’s discuss the taste. Many people complain that the taste is too earthy.

The terpenes typically overwhelm any other flavors in the beverage. Water soluble cannabinoids on the other hand offer more subtle flavor profiles. Some of them are completely flavorless. This appeals to the customer base that doesn’t enjoy the overwhelming taste of some hemp strains.

5. Lasts Longer On the Shelf

The final benefit of water soluble cannabinoids is the extended shelf life. Most types of water soluble products last two years or longer. This is twice the amount of time that most hemp oils last.

This means you have a lot more time to sell your product before it goes bad.

Different Types of Products For Water Soluble Cannabinoids

Water soluble cannabinoids work well in a variety of different products. Honestly, you’re only limited to your imagination in terms of what water-based product you want to put it in. In this section, we’ll be going over some of the top-selling ones. Just make sure that you know and trust the supplier that you’re going through.

You can also save money by purchasing your water soluble cannabinoids in bulk. For example, look at the savings you get when you buy this CBN distillate bulk product.

1. Beverages

It should be no surprise that beverages are one of the prime targets for water soluble cannabinoids. Doesn’t the idea of a CBD-infused beer sound great? Or how about a CBG beer?

With this technology available it will only be a matter of time before we see these types of products popping up in grocery stores and bars. Manufacturers are only limited by their imagination, so it will be interesting to see what types of products they create.

2. Topical Products

Topical products and cannabinoids together are nothing new. CBD oil lotions have been a popular product for almost a decade. However, the oil in these types of CBD oil sometimes just sits on top of the skin.

Products made with water soluble cannabinoids on the other hand come with greater skin permeability. As such, they’re better for these types of topical products.

3. Shots

Energy shots remain popular with fitness enthusiasts and tired college students. As such, they make a smart choice for water soluble cannabinoids. Not only does the product provide a burst of energy, but the calming effects of many cannabinoids can offset some of the bad properties.

For example, CBD often reduces feelings of anxiety. As such, they can cancel out the jittery, nervous feelings that sometimes accompany these types of energy shot products.

Want More Content? Keep Reading

We hope this article helped you learn more about water soluble cannabinoids and why they’re changing the market. As you can see, the introduction of workable water soluble material makes it easy for manufacturers to make their unique cannabinoid beverages.

Just make sure that purchase you concentrate on from a supplier you can trust. Otherwise, you’ll get a subpar product that doesn’t mix properly into the water.

Did you enjoy this article? If the answer is yes, then you’re in the right place. Keep exploring to find more topics that you’re sure to love.

 

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6 Fun Activities to Do at Home With Your Kids

Every parent knows at least one child that says “I’m bored” at least once a day. While many parents may go for the easiest option of putting their child in front of a television, it’s not always the best way to encourage imagination. The more that you allow your children to turn to screens when they’re bored, the more that they’ll lack the ability to entertain themselves.

So the next time that you find yourself dealing with a bored child, refer to this list of awesome activities to choose from.

Make Slime

Homemade slime videos are all the rage on YouTube, and chances are your child is a slime fan. The great news is that there are recipes for slime which are pretty simple to make, with ingredients you likely already have in your home. Just make sure that you set some ground rules for where the kids can play with the slime in the house. If you hope to sell your home one day, you probably don’t want slime spread throughout your home.

Have a Dance Party

You heard us right, turn on some music and have a dance party. Dancing is something that everybody loves to do regardless of their age. Put on some tunes and bust out your best dance moves. Older kids may even enjoy turning whatever dance you do into a TikTok. The possibilities are endless!

Do Yoga

Initially, your child may scoff at the idea of doing yoga. However, yoga is something that is incredibly enjoyable once you give it a chance. The great news is that there are all sorts of videos online that guide you through yoga poses. There are even kid yoga videos that incorporate popular cartoon themes into the yoga poses.

Paint

Why not grab a set of paints and have a family painting session? Painting is something that is soothing, entertaining, and above all, you have something to show off at the end of your painting session! Don’t stress yourself out about needing the right supplies. While ideally, you’ll have some paints and paintbrushes lying around, markers should do the trick for creating a masterpiece.

Play Board Games

There are so many different video games and apps nowadays that people often forget the joy of traditional board games. Yet, there’s still tons of fun to be had with some of your favorite old classics like Sorry and Monopoly. It’s something the whole family can enjoy and brings out your competitive nature with each other.

These are just a few ideas to turn to when you’re bored at home. Consider adding some more ideas of your own and writing everything down on pieces of paper, and putting it in a box. The next time someone’s bored at your house, they can pull a piece of paper out of the box for a random activity idea!

 

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3 Tips For Readying Your Home To Sell When You Have Young Kids At Home

While your kids can make so many aspects of your life immeasurably better, they can also make certain things so much harder, too. One of the things that they can make more challenging is moving.

Especially when your kids are little, you might feel that they’re just in the way rather than being helpful with your move. So if you’re trying to sell your home to get ready for a move, here are three tips for readying your home to sell when you have young kids at home.

Pack Away Items That Make Big Messes

Packing up your house when you have little kids at home can make it hard to make any real progress on things like organizing, packing, and cleaning. And because your kids might want and need certain things to entertain them while you’re trying to get things done, it can be hard to know where you start with your packing.

One great option is to start with packing away kids toys or supplies that make big messes when your kids play with them. Things like arts and crafts supplies should be some of the first things you pack up of your kids’ belongings so that you don’t have to worry about getting new marker lines off the walls or glitter out of the grout.

Plan To Get Your Carpets Replaced

If your home has carpeting in it and you’re wanting to try to sell your house for top-dollar, you should seriously look into replacing your carpet as part of getting your home ready to sell.

While you might think that simply cleaning the carpet will suffice, kids can be especially hard on carpeting, and it’s often very obvious where stains or other inconsistencies are. So to help your home show better to potential buyers and to add some value to your property, replacing your carpet should be something you seriously consider.

Consider Using Your Kids To Your Advantage

For some neighborhoods or home buyers, having kids in the house can be a negative point. But if your home is in an area that’s already very kid-friendly, playing up the fact that kids have lived in the home before can be a huge selling point.

To best take advantage of this, consider staging your home to showcase the smaller members of your family and the spaces they inhabited. You can also share details about living in the home that make life easier with kids, like certain things being child-proofed or having a fully-fenced backyard.

If you’re trying to sell your home but are also dealing with having small kids at home at the same time, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you get ready for this big transition and sell your home for the best possible price.

 

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Rival Any Bartender With Your Own Creations at Home

For those that love to entertain, having a cocktail bar can really enhance the evening with friends. Whether you invite someone over for a happy hour before heading out to dinner or offer cocktails and a meal to select pals, you will want to make sure the drinks are as good or better than those offered at the local bar. The key is to practice until you have each drink perfected. Here are a few tips to help you make your own creations at home that will rival any bartender in town.

Recipes

The first step is choosing a cocktail you want to learn for your home bar. One of the best choices is the Cosmopolitan because of the dozens of variations available once you have learned the basics. Created from cranberry and vodka, the Cosmo is a popular choice at most restaurants and bars and is sure to be a hit at your backyard barbeques or weekend soirees. The Bloody Mary, Martini, Old Fashioned, and Margarita cocktails are other popular recipes and are often requested at parties, bars and restaurants.

Essentials

Purchase the best spirits, syrups and mixers you can afford for the type of drink you will be preparing. For your Cosmo, you will need a high-quality vodka like Absolut, and a tart cranberry juice. Martinis can be made with vodka or gin, dry vermouth, and brine. Old Fashioned drinks require bourbon or whiskey, bitters, and a citrus component. With hundreds of drinks available, you can see how confusing recipes can be, so make sure you keep a book or index of ingredients for each drink at your bar.

Tools

When you set up your home bar, there are some tools you will need to purchase if you want to become a true mixologist. For measuring liquid, you will need a jigger that has a shot side and a pony side. Although the shot glass can be used to serve alcohol, the jigger only measures. Different styles of glasses are also essential for each cocktail. Remember to purchase a quality shaker, a juice strainer, melon-baller, and a mixing glass, as well. If you plan on adding high-quality fresh juice to your guest’s drinks, don’t forget to locate a solid juice press.

Garnishes

One of the most identifying features for most cocktails is the presentation. With the proper glass on hand, you will also need a variety of garnishes. This can include lime for your Cosmo, orange twists for the Old Fashioned, and stuffed green olives for a Martini. Other popular garnishes include maraschino cherries, melon balls, berries, and pineapple wedges. Many tutorials are available online to help you learn to make citrus twists, balls of melon, and stacked fruit skewers for all your drinks.

Ice

Many types of ices are used in the preparation of cocktails. Crushed ice dilutes drinks with heavy syrup content. Heavy spirit content drinks are often sipped slowly, so large cubes are used so the alcohol does not become diluted too quickly. There are also stylistic ices such as spears, circles, and diamonds.

Practice

Perhaps the most crucial step in learning to create reliably amazing cocktails is to practice. A fun way to do this is by inviting friends over for pizza and a cocktail experiment night. The feedback from those you trust can be invaluable as you learn the difference between a pony shot and a full jigger. Consistency is essential when it comes to making cocktails for your guests, and practice is the best way to become consistent.

You can become the bartender your friends always turn to for parties and events, or you can choose to tend bar only at home. Whatever your dream of cocktail creation contains, the hints above can help you hone your skills today.

 

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Spotting Teen Addiction: 5 Signs of Addiction in Teens

Teen addiction can quickly bring a whole family down a dangerous spiral. The changes a teen goes through when under the influence of substances can cause arguments, financial concerns, and more.

That’s why you need to identify teen addiction as soon as possible. They need treatment before things get worse.

Don’t hesitate to learn about teen addiction and the telltale signs you should look out for. The earlier you spot it, the earlier you can treat it. Read on to learn how to spot teen addiction early:

Change in Friends

A person’s circle of  and behavior. Observe when you notice a teenager, whether your friend or kid, suddenly hang out with different people. Those friends might be great or they could be the source of that teen’s drug addiction.

Teens and addiction don’t normally go hand-in-hand. If your child got a hold of drugs and got addicted, they had to have started somewhere. One of their new friends likely introduced the substance to them or brought them to a dealer.

Sudden Behavior Changes

Don’t hesitate to seek teen addiction help if your friend or relative’s behavior is taking a turn for the worse. The teenager might end up committing petty crimes like stealing cash from friends or relatives to purchase more drugs. They can suffer from depression and may become reclusive as the substances take a hold of their lives.

In these cases, seek professional teen addiction counseling. The person needs to understand the changes they’re going through and how it affects their health, as well as the people around them.

Physical Health Drops

Is your teen staying up too late and can’t keep up with a regular sleeping schedule? Is their diet changing and does it look like they’re suffering from sudden weight drop or weight gain? These and other sudden health changes can indicate teen addiction.

Your teen could stop eating due to the effects of the drugs. They might ignore basic personal hygiene too and may get hostile whenever someone points these issues out.

At this point, suddenly taking them off the drugs could lead to severe withdrawal. Your child may need a teen mentor for addiction coaching and proper rehabilitation. Seek a doctor and a facility to help your teen and give them expert treatment.

Deal With Teen Addiction Now

Teen addiction is a serious matter and you can spot it faster by checking these three telltale signs. Once you suspect a teen of addiction, talk to them and seek immediate teen addiction treatment. Don’t let them go deeper down the hole.

Spotting the signs of teen addiction is only the start, however.

You also need to learn how to get the family and friends involved. It’s important to help them rehabilitate and go through treatment. We invite you to learn all of this and more by going through our posts and guides today.