It’s a mom’s worst nightmare for their kids to feel stressed, anxious, uncertain of their place in the world, and disheartened, as a result. Normally, the ordinary structures and routines of a loving household will help to prevent or resolve this kind of issue. But what happens when things are thrown up in the air by external events?

 

Families move homes for all sorts of reasons. Sometimes, it’s because one or both parents have a lucrative job opportunity overseas that is too good to pass up. Sometimes, it’s because the neighbourhood they’ve been living in up to that point has changed for the worst, and better prospects lie elsewhere.

It’s one thing to know how to buy property in an attractive location that will suit your family and your lifestyle well.

It’s quite another thing to help your kids to adjust to the new environment, without leaving them stranded in a state of uncertainty, confusion, and upheaval, for any longer than is absolutely unavoidable.

There’s no simple “A, B, C” formula for ensuring that your kids get settled into a new home effortlessly. But there are a few tips that might be helpful – so, here are some of those.

 

 

Restore a base level of structure as soon as possible – get your kids situated in their own rooms, and unpack their most meaningful belongings in a hurry

 

Kids – especially young kids – exist in a very chaotic and uncertain world. They are highly dependent on their parents, and don’t have much understanding of how things work more broadly, or have much, if any, ability to navigate the world on their own.

For that reason, one of the most important things to provide for your children is a sense of structure and order.

Of course, a move to a new home is pretty much a departure from a familiar and structured environment, in favour of an unfamiliar and “chaotic” one. The further away you’re moving, the more extreme this contrast tends to be.

The first step to getting your kids settled in the new home, is to restore a base level of structure in their lives, as soon as possible.

One of the key ways of doing this, is to get their bedrooms set up as quickly as possible, with all their most meaningful and essential belongings unpacked and organised as well as they possibly can be.

If you keep your kids waiting for weeks before their bedrooms resemble anything like an orderly environment, you’re only ensuring that they remain mired in a sense of uncertainty and anxiety, and are likely to come to associate the home with those traits.

Maybe the living room will take a while to get properly set up. Maybe your own bedroom will be a bit messy over the coming weeks. But get your kids’ rooms fully organised and unpacked as soon as possible.

That way, they’ll have a familiar and structured place to retreat to, even if everything else is in a state of upheaval.

 

 

Give your kids something to do to occupy their time while you’re getting established in the new home

 

Assuming your move has meant that you’re living in a significantly different environment to the one you were in before – and that this will have involved you moving your kids to a different school, for example – it’s likely that your kids are going to be pretty bored when they first arrive at their new home.

Think about it. They don’t have their friends to play with any more, they don’t know the area, their normal routines have been turned upside down, and so what are they meant to be doing with their time?

In order to help keep your kids’ spirits up, you should actively take steps to give them something to do to occupy their time, while you’re getting established in the new home and area.

This could mean, for example, buying them a new set of books if they are avid readers, getting them a games console they’ve been wanting for ages, or getting them involved in local activities and clubs.

Most options will be preferable to leaving them to sit around and feel bored, and despondent, indefinitely.

 

 

Eat meals together as a family, at set times, around the dinner table

This goes back to the point of re-establishing a sense of order in the home – but it also encompasses the need for the family to come together and lean on each other emotionally, both in general, but also during the move specifically.

Eating meals together as a family, at set times, is a great way of drawing the family unit closer together, while also creating a sense of structure and familiarity in the new home environment.

Even if you haven’t ever really been in the habit of eating meals around a dinner table, previously, it’s well worth picking up the habit once you’ve carried out a home move.

Human beings have been eating communally since time immemorial, and it can do a lot of good in terms of boosting well-being and solidifying interpersonal bonds.

 

 

Go on family day trips to familiarise your kids with the local area

Assuming you’ve moved to a new area, and not just a new home, it’s as important to familiarise your kids – and yourself – with the local area, as with the house itself.

 

To this end, you should make a point of going on family day trips when you can manage it, both as a way of becoming familiar with the local environment, and also as a way of helping to lift everyone’s spirits, and have a bit of fun.

Do some research about the best attractions in your new locale. Maybe there is a great amusement park that gets rave reviews, or a cool historical site, or even just a relaxing park or botanical garden which would serve as a great environment for a picnic.

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock I turned 30 last year and whilst I can hold off on applying for a bus pass just yet, there’s no denying that my twenties have taken their toll on my skin. Motherhood and everything that comes with it means that I look and feel a lot different than I did a decade ago. We all know we can benefit from taking regular supplements and I’m always interested in a product that offers ‘more’ so was excited when Seven Seas set me a 60 day challenge to try the new Perfect7 Renewal.

New Perfect7 Renewal Advanced from Seven Seas is unique formulation using ceramosides for more hydrated skin from within; its technology has been scientifically designed to support you, giving you better-looking skin in 7 ways: reduction of wrinkles, skin firmness, skin moisture, skin smoothness, skin elasticity, skin radiance and skin softness.

Each pack contains a 30 day supply with two tablets to be taken daily – I am notorious for not remembering to take supplements but really decided to embrace this challenge and am super please that I forgot only a handful of days; perhaps with my thirties comes the ability to remember things pre 7am!

It was also really good to know that during the hectic Christmas period I was taking care of myself; it’s all too easy to neglect ourselves and whilst I may not have had perfect make-up throughout Christmas I knew I was taking care of myself from within.

60 days later and the challenge is up and I can honestly say that Perfect7 from Seven Seas has been a great addition to my wellbeing regime; it’s second nature to take the two supplement tablets each morning. My skin feels healthier, firmer, and more rejuvenated – for me, it’s not about necessarily how I look when it comes to my skin but how I feel and my skin feels strong.

I’m not looking like a supermodel, I’m looking like a woman who’s a mother who’s happy and healthy in her skin – and maybe just maybe it took me reaching my thirties to realise that that’s the main prize, not a compromise…

New Perfect7 Renewal Advanced from Seven Seas is available online.

Disclosure: This post is part of a paid collaboration with Seven Seas

In a lot of ways, tree bark is to a tree what skin is to a human being. It serves as a protective layer over vital organs.

More specifically, though, tree bark is made up of several layers outside the cambium, which is a layer beneath a tree’s bark in its trunk and branches. It is mostly made up of dead cells and provides the tree with much of its strength.

While the bark has many layers, which serve functions such as transporting minerals up from the tree’s roots and sugars from the leaves to the rest of the tree, generally all we see of it is the outer layer. This outer layer acts as a protector of the tree by keeping it from being burnt by the sun and not allowing it to get dried out by the wind, as well as shielding it from attacks by fungi, insects, and mammals that would like to take full advantage of the tree’s wood and sugar-rich sap.

Tree bark not only helps with important tree functions but is also an essential safeguard. If there is something wrong with the bark of a tree, odds are that means the tree itself has issues that must be addressed.

There are several problems with the bark that could potentially serve as tell-tale signs that there may be something very wrong with a tree:

Weather Damage

Weather can do a lot of damage to tree bark and, by extension, the entire tree. This can be somewhat tricky because it can happen due to a variety of weather conditions. As you might expect, overbearing heat can cause the bark to crack or weaken, as can extreme cold, especially if it involves snow or ice. This is also the case with a major storm, whether a hurricane, tornado or even just a run of the mill heavy rainstorm.

That said, even something as simple as a major shift in temperature can cause damage to the bark and can lead to some of it falling off. For instance, if a change of seasons occurs rapidly, a wild swing in temperature could ensue and lead bark damage that could weaken the tree.

Typically, the best way to handle anything of this nature is to regularly perform maintenance on your trees to make them as strong as possible at all times. This involves keeping them properly hydrated and using mulch around the base.

Damage from Insects and Animals

There are numerous animals that will regularly cause damage to bark, most commonly squirrels, rabbits, and bears. These animals may be attempting to dig through the bark to find insects to use for food or to find water when it hasn’t rained for a significant period of time. If the tree is healthy, this generally will not make a major difference because the amount of bark stripping will not usually be significant.

However, with insects, it can be a very different story. A wide variety of insects can attack the bark of the tree, causing all kinds of damage in the process. This damage could come in many different forms, including everything from holes in the trunk to loosening or flat out the destruction of the outer bark layer.

You want to avoid infestation at all costs and, if one occurs, you need to snuff it out immediately before it spreads and destroys the entire tree. Two tell-tale signs of an infestation are a trail of insects or visible eggs on the trunk. If you see either of these, you should call a tree professional to handle the matter right away.

Damage from Fungus and Disease

As aggravating as it can be dealing with damage to a tree caused by insects and animals, it can often be even more exasperating to grapple with tree damage that occurs as the result of fungus or disease. This is because with insects and animals you can typically see what is doing the damage and where it’s coming from, so the problem is clear and relatively easy to solve. But with fungus and disease, it is often invisible from the surface making it a lot more difficult to diagnose and eradicate the problem. In these instances, you often have to work to make an educated guess as to what is happening, which is why you should rely on professionals.

If you do see bark falling off a tree and it was not caused by weather, animals, or insects, there is a strong chance that fungus or disease is the underlying cause. In cases like these, you may also see a pile of decomposing bark at the base of the tree.

One very dangerous sign is colored lesions on the trunk or branches of a tree because those often break through the bark and can spread throughout the whole tree. These colored lesions (usually black, brown, or red) are called cankers and can completely destroy a tree if not dealt with quickly and correctly. If you notice a canker on one of your trees, you should call a tree professional immediately.

Naturally Occurring Damage

When a tree grows, it forms fibrous tissue and the outer layer expands. If a tree is old, the bark is less flexible, so when growth occurs, some of the bark will be more susceptible to cracking and falling away from the trunk. This is considered natural shedding, with the outer layer being peeled, almost like human skin peels and is eventually replaced following a sunburn. This process is especially common in specific species, such as birch trees, and it’s not anything to be concerned over but good to know about. Recognizing what is occurring prevents you from overreacting and instead allows you to focus on actual threats to a tree’s well-being.

 

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.

We all have relatives we wish we could see more often. Maybe it’s a beloved uncle out on the East Coast who always made you laugh as a kid. Maybe it’s your Grandparents who just don’t travel as often anymore. Maybe you moved away from your hometown for and now you’re sorely missed back at the ranch. Whatever the reason for the distance, getting the whole family together in one place is always a special occasion. Family reunions are a rare opportunity to see all your distant relatives in one place, gathering around good food and good times!

 

At Bullwinkle’s & The Family Fun Center, we’re poised and ready to provide a venue and entertainment for the whole tribe. Our amusement center has something for everyone from toddlers to seniors, and we are dedicated to you having the best time possible. It might not surprise you to hear that we want to see your family having fun — it’s in our name!

 

Here are just a few reasons you should plan your next family reunion at Bullwinkle’s & The Family Fun Center:

 

Play and Compete With Family Members

Our amusement center has plenty of options for you and your family to let loose and play! For a more laid back experience, you might enjoy hitting the links of our two miniature golf courses. The Memory Lane course offers throwbacks to the classic miniature golf courses of yore, featuring its very own miniature windmill. For a more contemporary feel, you can check out the Arctic Adventure! This Pacific Northwest-themed course is sure to please locals and visiting relatives alike.

 

For those more inclined to indoor entertainment, why not enjoy a few friendly frames of bowling? Our Bowlwinkle Lanes are ready and waiting for the family members looking to try their hand at one of the most time-honored parlor sports. It doesn’t matter if you’re a veteran of the lanes or just stepping out onto the hardwood for the first time, there’s no better way than to play with, or maybe against, family. Don’t worry, we’ll provide the shoes! And if you really need them, there’s no shame in bumpers.

 

Or maybe you’re not just after some friendly family competition. Maybe you’ve got a friendly rivalry with a sibling or cousin, and a reunion is the perfect setting for your next showdown. If so, our amusement center has plenty of ways for show off your skills!

 

The arcade offers plenty of one-on-one challenges, from shooting hoops to high-octane racing games. For a more team-based competition, look no further than our state-of-the-art laser tag arena! Fog machines, strobe lights, and music set the scene in this heart-pounding contest of speed and agility. Show your family who rules supreme! All out of love, of course.

 

Thrill Seekers Welcome! 

Do you have relatives who like to live life on the edge? We’ve got them covered! Our amusement center has more than just games, featuring plenty of thrills and chills just waiting for your family’s adrenaline junky.

 

First stop: the Drop N’ Twist! With heart-stopping drops and 360-degree spins, even the most stoic rider can’t help but scream with delight. Afterwards, why not try the Frog Hopper? There’s nothing quite as exciting as being shot up into the air, then bouncing your way back down.

 

Looking for a truly unique experience? Take a seat in the XD Theater! This singular, multidimensional experience can take you through a variety of 6D films, each of which offers their own experience.

 

Don’t forget to hit the Sling Shot as well! You may have been on a trampoline before, but you’ve never been on one like this. But for the true thrill seeker, we suggest our Screamin’ Swing. Climb up, strap in, and get ready to learn the true meaning of getting air.

 

For those looking to meet their need for speed, get ready to start your engines! The Go Kart track at our amusement center stands ready to meet the needs of any prospective racers. Grandma might be a slow driver on the freeway, but you never know what she might do on the racetrack!

 

If you’re looking to go head to head in a more literal sense, you’ll feel just at home in our Bumper Car arena. Ram, crash, and spin your way to victory! Depending on the weather, the Bumper Boats are a splash as well.

 

Rest and Relaxation

 

If you’ve had enough excitement, or you’d rather not have any in the first place, you’re welcome to kick back and relax. Our restaurant has plenty of snacks and refreshments, as well as beer and wine for those of age. And when everyone is ready to come in for dinner, let us worry about setting the table. While everyone else is out enjoying our many attractions, we can put together the meal for the evening. Family reunions don’t come around that often; you should be out there enjoying it with everyone else!

 

Strengthen the Family Ties

 

Family reunions should bring everyone in your close and extended family together. After a day of food and play at Bullwinkle’s & The Family Fun Center, your family will feel closer than ever. Having your family reunite at our amusement center will give you access to games, thrilling attractions, and exciting competitions, making your reunion more memorable than ever.

 

And, if you have relative along the west coast, Bullwinkle’s & The Family Fun Center has locations in both Washington and Oregon. Attractions vary depending on the location, so be sure to check ahead of time and see what’s available in your area. Regardless of what your family is looking for, we’re certain we have something fun for everyone.

 

Families who play together stay together, there’s no question about it. You and your family deserve more than a humdrum reunion, mildly chatting over cold appetizers and we are happy to facilitate the fun, so book your family reunion with us today

 

If you have any questions about the attractions or need any special accommodations, feel free to reach out.

 

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.