Baby Cribs

It is time for the first family vacation since you have had you daughter, and you are a little worried about what it will be like staying in hotels with a baby and her crib. You have been thinking about traveling to Vail, CO, and taking in the fresh mountain air. That is a very good choice, because you can find Vail hotel deals all year long. And traveling with your infant and her crib doesn’t have to a be a scary thing either if you plan ahead. It can actually be a wonderful experience for the whole family.

Planning Ahead

When packing for a vacation with baby, you want to allow for plenty of room for all the baby gear in other areas of your packing. Make sure you and your husband and your other kids pack the car lightly so that there is room for the crib once it is taken apart and loaded into your vehicle. Also, if you are flying, make sure that you prepare for extra bag fees and cargo fees. Assure them at bag claims that the only carry on you are taking are your purse and your diaper bag, and that you are checking the crib and your family’s other bags onto the plane. Also make sure you can afford to check all that stuff, now that airlines charge bag fees!

Before you go, you want to make sure that the hotel room you are staying in is big enough for the whole family. You can do a virtual tour of your room online and see how many beds there are and where would be a good spot to set up the crib. Buy as much space as you can afford, and this will assure that your stay will be comfortable and relaxing. Once you’ve checked in and you have gotten everything under control, it is time to get out the best jogging stroller there is and start enjoying the fresh, mountain air, the spectacular vistas, and the awesome shopping and attractions that make Vail so great. Make a day of it, and tour the botanical gardens that Vail is known for. Or do some shopping in the little community gift stores that are everywhere. Walk down the recreation paths and see all the beautiful sites Vail has to offer. Take the camera and capture memories enjoyed by the whole family.

It’s no secret the cost of raising a child has risen exponentially since the 1950’s.  From a huge increase in food, energy and hospital prices to several new expenses that parents back then could have never dreamed of, saying it’s not cheap to raise a kid in 2012 is definitely an understatement.  Here’s what you need to know about the actual costs behind raising and having children if you’re planning on starting a family.

Newborn costs bigger than ever

Not surprisingly, the biggest expenses you’ll encounter when raising a child are during the first two years of their life. The first year you’ll spend almost $12,000, which will be spent on baby gear, diapers, childcare, hospital and doctor expenses and formula. You can help cut down on cost however by making your own baby food and purchasing used baby equipment. Also, a lot of parents also consider getting same day loans to help cover these expenses during the first year.

Childhood to age 17

Experts say that it costs about 40% more now than it did 50 years ago to raise kids to the age of 17, and the current whopping price of raising a kid all the way till adulthood?  About $300,000.  The USDA calculated this price by looking at childcare and education costs, transportation, clothing such as Splendid Littles Clothing, healthcare, housing, food and miscellaneous expenses.  The biggest expense of raising a child included housing expenses at 30% and childcare at 18%. The third most expensive cost was food at 16%, and the cost of transportation for a child came in fourth at 14%

To while raising a child is definitely not getting cheaper as the years march on, you can be prepared for the expenses by getting a financial planner, as well as saving before you get pregnant.

Halloween for first-time parents can be very exciting especially if you plan on having a few different ideas for all of the different costumes that you plan on dressing up your baby as. You also need to think about ways that you will be able to preserve all of these cute costume ideas that you have. Hiring a photographer is also highly recommended because when you attend all of the different Halloween parties that you are thinking of going to you will be able to recommend to the people that are hosting Halloween parties that you have a photographer that can take photos.

Shopping For Halloween Costumes

The first thing you need to do is start getting 2012 Halloween costume ideas from the Internet. The Internet is going to give you several different resources that you will be able to use so that you can dress your baby up and make your baby look super cute in different costumes.

Attending Halloween Parties

Getting ready for the Halloween parties going to be really fun because you will be able to dress your baby up each different time you go to a different party. You also should be prepared to let your baby nap because going to parties is going to be a very long day especially if you plan on taking photographs of all of the different outfits. Always be sure that you have all of the different information about where you bought all of the different baby Halloween costumes so that if the different parents ask you which websites you used you will be able to give that information to them.

All of the parties you attended are going to be fun and everyone is going to like all of the cute costumes that your baby is wearing.

When you first give birth to your child, your mind can’t help but drift towards thoughts of the future. Who will they grow up to be? What interests will they have? Where will they go? What about their education? Except for their education, you have no direct control or influence over any of those. So, you better make the most of helping to guide their education.

You’ve decided, given your surrounding options, that home schooling is the best option for your children. You know that you’ve got the intelligence and ability to educate your kid on your own, and tests prove home school curriculum can be an advantage, so why not give it a shot?
 

Plan For The Best

When working out a charted course for your child’s education, the two most important things to keep in mind are planning smartly and staying on track despite any roadblocks you’re almost certainly going to run into. Every day is going to be an adventure, but if you separate your personal life with your child from your academic one, things will eventually even out, and the two of you will find a balance between the two different aspects of your lives. You can help this process along by working out a schedule from quarter to quarter, and do your best to keep your child on the same relative schedule as their peers, if not slightly ahead of them.

Do All That You Can Do

But, also keep in mind that as your child grows, and nears the end of their high school years, you need to leave open the option for room to change and grow with them, according to where their passions and interests are leaning. If you have an artist in the makings, maybe don’t front load their education with mathematics and politics. And vice versa if you’re dealing with a young adult who is more practical and straight forward in nature. As the teacher, you must learn to be adaptable more than anything else. It will take some time, and mistakes will be made, but you’re in for one of the most gratifying experiences in your life.

We can never know who or what our kids are going to grow up to be. As parents, all we can do is give the the tools to succeed, and hope for the best once things are left in their hands. Home schooling is the ultimate realization of this, and it’s a process that will leave both you and your child changed for the better.

You don’t necessarily have to have the most expensive cleaning supplies to make sure that your baby’s room is cleaned and sanitized thoroughly, but it is a good idea to have something as close to the highest quality supplies that you can reasonably afford.  Nobody ever said that having a baby was going to be inexpensive… Quite the contrary in fact.

Open Up That Laptop

Use your favorite search engine to find the website that sells wholesale, affordable, quality cleaning supplies and you could have a cleaning supplier for life.  Make sure during your search, that you do some research on the company itself and the chemicals that they use.  You don’t want harsh or toxic chemicals used around the baby or for that matter, the rest of your family either.  Whether it is your significant other, your teenagers, or your pets… People and pets all react differently to chemicals but no one needs to be exposed to harmful ingredients found in many of today’s industrial-strength cleaning supplies.  Is an industrial-strength cleaner nice to use for big messes, in the home?  Of course it is.  You still have to watch however, what you are using and exposing your family to.  Eco-friendly cleaners, commonly referred to these days as green cleaning supplies, can do the job of any cleaner on the market but with safer and more natural ingredients.

Always Read The Labels On Everything!

You’ve probably finally gotten used to reading the ingredients/labels on your foods, now however it is going to be even more important to be aware of what’s going on the surfaces that your baby will come into contact with… be it on a regular basis or just a one time occurrence.  And of course, no matter how safe something is you always want to store any kind of cleaning products safely away from the hands of children or from coming into contact with curious pets.  Don’t worry about your teenagers finding the cleaning products, because they probably couldn’t see them if you set them directly in front of their face. It has something to do with selective seeing.  It’s like when they don’t hear you say ‘take the garbage out on your way out the door’, even though you may have screamed it at the top of your lungs.  They can’t hear you.

Doing your homework, when it comes to bringing any kind of chemical into your home is a safe bet for not just babies, but the rest of your family and the environment, as well.  The freer we can all become of harsh and toxic chemicals, the healthier we can all be.

Having a new baby is truly one of the most exciting and rewarding events that you will experience throughout your life.  While the first baby is the first time you experience this wonder, that feeling of happiness and excitement continues throughout each of your babies’ birth.  As exciting as it is, there is always a bit of stress while you try to figure out how you are going to find the room for a new addition.  Well, if you have the means to do it, designing a new home before that baby arrives is a great way to make sure you have all the room you could need.

Affordable

During the recent economic crisis, the housing industry almost collapsed.  People could not afford to buy homes, so homes weren’t being built nearly as frequently.  While this was unfortunate, the benefit to consumers has been really substantial.  While the crisis is showing every sign of ebbing and our country is definitely rebounding, the housing industry is still being very cautious and prices for new homes are being kept low so that people can actually afford to buy them.  Even better than that, having a home custom built is no longer just a pipe dream that many people have.  Instead, it is something that has become so affordable that many people may want to go this route instead of buying a prebuilt home.

Design Your Dream Home

There are plenty of contractors out there that would love to help you in the design of your home.  They can show you quality house plans from previous customers so that you can get ideas, provide you with various options for every aspect of the build, and can generally even give you a fairly accurate quote for the home.  Designing your dream home is going to be a blast!  You finally get to have the nursery right next to the master bedroom; your kitchen can be everything you ever dreamed it could be; you could have an attic or a basement or both for extra storage or even for a future room; you can even determine where you want the bathrooms to be placed.  You finally get to have the home you always wanted and a place where your new baby can grow up happily.

There are a few added expenses to having a home built but it is absolutely worth it.  You will have to buy land where your home can be built but that is an investment in your future.  Custom homes are getting very affordable for most people and if you have the choice, it is definitely the way to go.  Why not look into it?  You will likely be glad you did.

One of the greatest things about giving a child their own room to wander around in is that you are truly giving them an opportunity to explore the world on their own terms.  Giving them the freedom to crawl around and discover new things on their own can help your child’s development and also help them to begin learning a bit about independence.  That outdoor room you have is a perfect location for your baby to begin its journey to becoming a toddler and all it takes is a bit of planning.

Keep It Safe

Before you can let your child start his exploring, you really need to make sure that everything is as safe as possible.  So, before you even consider letting your child wander, you will need to make sure that the room has been baby-proofed.  There should be no electrical outlets that your child can get to, all cupboards and cabinets, drawers, etc. should be locked and your child should not be able to open them.  All of the baby-proofing items that you will need can be found easily and are generally very affordable, making this an easy project to complete.

Igniting Imagination

Along with the safety of your child, providing plenty of items to stimulate your child’s mind is also essential.  You will want to have as many toys as safely possible, in a variety of colors and shapes.  Many parents enjoy toys that also light up and make noise to get their baby’s minds going at full pace and this may even be something you want to look into.  The point is to provide anything you can to help your child’s imagination grow.

Turning your outdoor room into a baby oasis isn’t tough and can be very beneficial for your child.  You will probably want to move your outdoor teak bath mat to a space closer to the pool area and find something much softer for your baby to crawl on. Make sure that everything in that outdoor room is  baby safe and fun to explore.  Once you have everything set up, it’s time to start letting your child’s imagination run wild!

If only those little bundles of joy came with a manual.  How many times has a new parent wished for that?  And, though they can be extremely fragile, particularly as newborns, people mistakenly treat them as if they are made of bone China and will break at the slightest touch.  Does it take special care when holding, dressing, changing, feeding and generally caring for a baby?  Yes, of course it does.  However, it can be taken too far.  Every new parent is probably tempted to dress their baby in full, industrial safety clothing, but let’s face it… That simply isn’t practical.  There are however safeguards that you can install in your home that will assist you in keeping your children safer.

Steps To Childproofing Your Home

Probably one of the most important and coincidentally popular items used to childproof a home are electrical outlet covers/plug covers.  Hopefully once your child figures out how to get these off, they will also understand that there is a danger involved.  I don’t know many children that haven’t received at least a tiny, albeit highly instructive, jolt from sticking something in a socket.  Maybe it’s brain damage, but I had to learn the lesson more than once.  Equally as important, in your ability to be a good parent, is to lock children out of cabinets that contain something dangerous.  Cleaning chemicals are probably at the top of the list, even if you’ve gone green and are using eco-friendly products.  I don’t care what’s in there, children simply were not meant to drink that much, of anything used to make something clean. Again, the time will come when your children figure out what combination of actions will allow them access to these cabinets, but hopefully will have an appreciation of what’s in them, by that time.

For Crawling And Walking Children

More things become fair game as your child begins to haul themselves up in a standing position and start walking.  Things that were before unreachable are now completely accessible.  Whether your child walks or crawls however, safety gates are essential for their safety and well-being.  Whether you are blocking off a stairway or a room that contains all sorts of fun looking, but dangerous curiosities, for your child… a safety gate that cannot be undone, by a child, is something no home should be without.  While latches are easy and more convenient for adults, they are for children as well.  Until your child can become strong enough to apply the pressure, that is required to undo many of today’s more secure and sturdy plastic safety gates, they are and remain a godsend for a parent.

Even in the most ideal circumstances, having a baby is not cheap.  Not only do new parents have medical expenses to worry about, but once you factor in diapers, food, clothes, toys, etc. and the  many different expenses that you may have never planned for, you can soon be pleasantly broke.  When you start out in debt and with bad credit, these expenses can be a bit hard to handle, but with a few changes to your lifestyle, you can be on the road to good credit, while providing a fantastic life for your new child.

How Will You Pay?

Parenthood is a task that is as financially overwhelming as everything you have read or heard..  Especially once you consider that expecting mothers generally take some time off, both before the baby is born and after, leaving only a single bread winner in the family.  Of course, obtaining a few credit cards, with low monthly payments can help a bit, as will taking out a small loan.  Even if your credit isn’t perfect, there are many loans for bad credit people can take advantage of available.  Also, every state has assistance programs designed to help out parents, who are struggling.  If you check your local phone book or even the internet, you will find contact information for these programs.  Take advantage of the opportunity!  Remember, you are doing it for your child.

Staying On The Path

Once you finally get your head above water, it is important to stay there.  Set small goals for yourself.  If there is a particular crib you would like, but the crib you own is perfectly okay, save a bit for the new crib rather than going out and splurging.  Put together a weekly budget and make cuts where you can.  When raising a child, parents can no longer think of just themselves.  Parents teach by example and if you raise your child in an environment where bad credit is the norm, it is likely that they will fall into the same problems as adults.

Again, the expenses attached to raising a child can be overwhelming.  New expenses will always arise and you will always have to find a way to weather the storm.  Having good credit is a great help when obtaining credit cards and as a parent, you will need them.  Getting yourself on the road to good credit isn’t tough, with a bit of planning and your child will be all the better for it!

Your newborn baby and her first Christmas; what a wonderful time of year! This should be the most special Christmas ever, so don’t let financial woes get in the way of making it special for her, as well as the entire family. You should be able to buy whatever you want for her, because you love her. She’s your baby; you want her to enjoy the holiday season as much as you do. So if you are financially strapped this year, then consider taking out a personal loan to cover your expenses and help you buy special presents for your new baby. A personal loan is a great option for anyone who needs a little help around the holidays.

How Can a Personal Loan Help Me?

Consider going to your credit union and taking out a loan; you know you can trust your credit union because they always put their customers first. So when you take out a loan with them, you can feel good that you made the right decision. They will give you an interest rate and payment plan that you can afford, with the option of refinancing that rate later. Personal loans are unsecured loans through financial institutions that quickly help families and businesses get back on their feet. ­­These loans are never more than you can afford; the lender always considers carefully the borrower’s debt-to-income ratio, their credit history, and more. So they only loan what a person can afford to pay back. And these loans are much better than credit cards because they have a much lower interest rate than credit cards have. And since the lender only loans what the borrower can afford, there are no temptations to go on huge spending sprees with the cash!

A person who takes out a personal loan like this can make Christmas for baby a truly special and memorable one. Consider taking out a loan if you need a little help financially this Christmas and make it a holiday that you, baby, and the whole family will never forget for many years.