Dealing With a Breakup When Children are Involved

A relationship coming to an end is rarely a happy and positive situation. There tend to be all sorts of negative emotions flung about. You may experience upset, hurt, jealousy, anger, and other undesirable feelings. You are also likely to have arguments and heated debates in the lead up to calling things quits. It’s a generally unpleasant situation to find yourself in. However, things can become even more difficult and complicated when there are children involved. If you and your partner have children and are considering bringing your relationship to an end, you’re going to have a whole lot more responsibility on your plate than the average couple without children do. After all, you need to put your little ones’ needs first and foremost and ensure that they are okay throughout the entire process. Here are just a few pieces of advice that you should bear in mind when it comes to dealing with a breakup when there are kids involved!

Remain Civil

If you are sharing custody of your children, you’re going to have to remain relatively civil with your partner. No matter what water has passed beneath the bridge in your relationship, you’re likely to have to maintain some form of contact in order to share responsibility over raising your children. You need to set a good example to your children – constantly arguing and nitpicking can create a hostile environment and encourage negative behavioural traits in them should they decide to copy you.

Request Legal Help

If your partner refuses to remain civil and is trying to claim full custody over the kids and is trying to completely cut you out of the equation, you may need to consult father’s rights help. This will help to put you in touch with legal professionals who can ensure that you aren’t removed from the picture of your little ones’ lives.

Seek Support

This entire process can be emotionally challenging and draining. Remember that you are not alone! There are plenty of different sources of support out there that can help you to pull through this difficult time. Friends and family can provide a shoulder to lean on, but also bear in mind that there are specialist support groups as well as helplines should you want to talk to a neutral individual who isn’t involved in your life in any other way. Never feel that you are being weak by reaching out for emotional support and help – we all need it during hard times in our lives.

Sure, dealing with any breakup in life is going to be relatively difficult. But having children in the mix can add a whole new dimension to the process. But try not to worry too much. The above advice should help you to deal with the situation as well as possible!

This post is a collaborative effort by St. Louis Dad.

Great Ideas for Your Kids’ Midweeks Rewards

As a parent, you know very well that the best way to encourage good behavior is to give them rewards for good deeds rather than punishments for when they’re acting out. Children tend to learn when they get incentives – and we all need something to motivate us, after all.

The only problem is that children want the one thing they can’t always have in the middle of the week: candy, chocolates, waffles, pancakes – the list goes on. Anything sweet is a great reward, in your kids’ eyes, but not always the best choice of reward according to parents.

Luckily, there are a few other ideas which you can both agree about. Show your kids that you care about their hobbies and interests, first of all, and you should be able to come up with a ton of ideas for rewards. Here are a few just to get you started.

Movie night with popcorn

Sure, this one does include some snacks but popcorn is considered to be quite healthy, in any way. Just don’t drench it in salt and butter and your conscience should be clear. A movie night with mom and dad might just be the perfect way to end a gray and gloomy Wednesday.

Let your kid know before a big test or something challenging that, if they do good, you can all watch a movie of their choice together over dinner. Naturally, you’re not going to deprive them of this if they come home crying about not doing as well as they thought, though, as any effort should be good enough.

The trick is to give them an incentive to do their very best and make it clear that their best is always good enough for you.

Boost their gaming goals

Do you have children who would sit in front of their computer games all evening if they could? While your role may be to tell them to get off the computer, in general, you could always take advantage of their interest and make them work a bit for it.

Let your kid know that they can be allowed to buy osrs gold, for example, as long as they put in a bit of extra effort with their homework and chores this week. It’s a great way for your kids to see that you’re not always working against them, and that they can enjoy their hobbies undisturbed as long as they take care of their responsibilities first.

You could use it as a surprise reward as well, by the way, to encourage good behavior. Seen your kid being extra sweet to their siblings lately or helping our mom and dad with something without even being asked? Treat them to a little something as a surprise – you’re guaranteed to see the same kind of behavior again and again.

The best kind of gifts come after hard work or good behavior. You want your kids to understand that as long as they try their best and their intentions are right, they may be rewarded – not every time but at least once in a while.

This post is a collaborative effort by St. Louis Dad.

Could You Be A Self-Made Mogul? Tips For Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Do you fancy yourself as the next big thing in the world of business, have you got a ground-breaking idea, or would you like to be your own boss? Starting a business is never easy, but there are attractive rewards on offer for those who manage to make it to the top. If you’re thinking of launching a startup, or you’re in the throes of putting a business plan together, here are some tips to bear in mind.

Image credit https://pixabay.com/en/business-paperwork-deal-agreement-3152586/

Finding your niche

Before you even think about designing logos or printing off business cards, it’s crucial to ensure that there is a market out there for the products or services you plan to offer. If you’re operating within a saturated market, or there simply isn’t a demand for the product you have in mind, you’re going to struggle to generate profits. Research the market, check out the competition, and try and find your niche. If you are confident that you can make it work, prepare thoroughly, get to know the people you want to sell to and work out how you’re going to persuade them to choose you over your rivals.

Drawing up a strategy

It’s not enough to have an ingenious idea when you’re trying to make it in the world of business. Many ventures start with a lightbulb moment, but you have to be able to turn a vision into a viable business plan, which will actually earn money. Plan every move, from the initial idea to getting a product onto a shelf, and be meticulous. Don’t ignore the details, and make sure you’re 100% ready and raring to go before you introduce your business to buyers, customers, or potential investors.

Protecting yourself and your customers

It’s no secret that the vast majority of new businesses fail. In some cases, obstacles are inevitable, but often, taking steps to protect your business and your customers makes all the difference. Ensure that your premises are insured, investigate cybersecurity measures if you sell or collect data online, and look at services like Jumio if you plan to take payments, or you need to verify the identity of your clients. Seek legal advice if you’re drawing up employment contracts, and make sure you’re aware of the legal responsibilities you have as the owner of a company that sells to the public. There are many things that can go wrong in business, and if you’re aware of the threats, you can shield your company, and ensure you’re ready to react if things don’t quite go to plan.

Getting your brand out there

You’ve had that Eureka! moment, you’ve got a solid business plan, and you’re ready to launch. The next step is getting your brand name out there. Use the findings of your market research to create a campaign that targets the right market, up-sells your USP, and gets people talking. Promote your business online, offer introductory discounts, and encourage customers to spread the word and leave reviews and feedback.

Are you hoping to become a business magnate? If so, hopefully, you’ll find this guide useful.

This post is a collaborative effort by St. Louis Dad.

Kids and Chaos: Three Ways to Take a Break When Your Day Gets Manic

As parents, our kids are of course the most important people in our lives; we’d do anything for them and their health and happiness truly is our number one priority. However, as anyone with kids will tell you, sometimes they can seriously stress you out. At the end of the day we’re only human, and a day of crying, moaning and bad behaviour is enough to grind anyone down. Sometimes all we need is a short break to clear our head, compose ourselves and get back to it. Here are a few ideas for things you can do get a quick break when your kids are driving you bonkers!

A hot  shower

Baths are great- the hot water eases tense muscles, it reduces blood pressure and it’s a quiet place to think and relax. But as busy parents, we don’t always have time to luxuriate in the bathtub and so it’s all about quick showers instead. While they might not be as relaxing as submerging in water, showers can also reduce stress and so are a good option when you’re feeling a bit irritated and overwhelmed. Once you’re out and feeling fresh, you might well find tackling any issues you come up against is that bit easier.

A cup of tea

There’s nothing quite like a soothing cup of tea when things aren’t going your way. If the kids are scrapping and moaning and are generally getting on your last tether, step outside and give yourself five minutes to enjoy a brew. Whether you take milk and two sugars or prefer green or herbal tea, there’s something relaxing and refreshing about sipping the hot liquid and again you can return to what you were doing with a much clearer head! If you’re flagging and your stress is being added to by tiredness then go with a coffee instead, sometimes we a caffeine boost is what’s needed to get through the tough days!

A game of something fun

Sometimes a fun distraction is what you need, to take your mind off things and lower your stress levels. Whether console games or live casino sites are your thing, taking a break to enjoy a game could be just what the doctor ordered when your day gets chaotic. You might not have time to sit and watch a full movie or even a full tv episode, but you can play a quick game of something you enjoy and it could help to balance your mood again.

Instead of losing your temper or getting into a mood yourself, when things get stressful just give yourself a few minutes. One day your kids will be all grown up, and you’d do anything to hear them fight, moan and cry for your attention again! For now, take a break when you need it and then return to your duties with a smile on your face.

How do you deal with things when your kids are driving you up the wall?!

This post is a collaborative effort by St. Louis Dad.