Here’s Why You Should Ask Your Child to Play Outdoors; For Better Sleep

There’s nothing more comforting than seeing the happy face of your child, while they fall asleep. On the contrary, it’s nothing short of a herculean task to put a little one to bed on time! Over the past couple of years, a growing complaint among many parents is their child’s irregular sleeping habits. This, in turn, impacts the kid’s mood, health, performance at school and attention span. There are many ways you can tackle this problem, but outdoor exercises are proven to be the most helpful. Here’s how outdoor activities help children sleep better:

Impact Of Natural Light – Exercising outdoors, in broad daylight provides an excellent source of vitamin D to your child. Also, natural light keeps children happier and more alert during the day, and calmer at night. It gets their biological clock ticking. Exposure to natural light coupled with a healthy dose of exercise will ensure that your child gets his sound nighttime sleep.

Greens Soothe The Mind – There is a whole world of fun activities that children can enjoy outdoors – they can hop, climb, skip, run, swim and do much more! Nature’s lush greens and fresh air have a remarkably calming and invigorating effect. Exercising outdoors can help your child overcome stress and also boost his creative flair. A child with a composed mind is sure to have an undisturbed sleep.

Vigorous Exercise Means Better Sleep – Children are more physically active while exercising outdoors. Exercising indoors has many limitations like space constraints, limited choice of play, etc. Doing vigorous outdoor activities will raise your child’s body temperature during the day and drop down at night, making it easier for him to fall asleep.

Controlled Sleep Disorders – Your child could be the victim to to sleep disorders like insomnia and sleep apnea. Though his case may be a minor one, it is essential to keep the condition in check. There are many reasons why kids experience sleep disorders; the cause could be either emotional or lifestyle related. Outdoor exercising plays a crucial role in minimizing the impact of these conditions, as it boosts the release of mood uplifting hormones called endorphins. Reduced anxiety and a calm state of mind is the key solution to keeping sleep disorders in control.

Improved Physical Health – The healthier your child is, the better he’ll sleep. Heath conditions like obesity, ADHD, and respiratory troubles can disrupt your child’s sleep patterns. Outdoor exercises improve your child’s physical strength, immunity, vitality, and vigor. This also means that your active child will be less prone to illness and will hence be a better sleeper.

If your child is forever hooked onto television and gadgets, you must cut down on the time he spends doing so. Set a healthy routine which balances the time spent indoors with an hour or two of outdoor exercises like swimming, cycling, trekking and skating. Technology is a blessing in disguise as it has made us and our kids lazy and unhealthy. Ensure your child is not adversely impacted by the tech bubble. Make exercising a fun process and introduce your child to a variety of favorite sports and outdoor activities. Not only will it make your child sleep right, but it will also add to his overall personal and cognitive development. Ask your child to keep aside the gaming console and head out to play!

Note: While it is important to expose your child to the world of outdoor exercises and adventures, make sure you don’t over schedule! Too many activities in one day can adversely impact your child’s sleep and add to his stress levels. At the most, 2 hours of intense outdoor exercises are enough in a day.

Top 7 Fatherhood Myths Debunked

Becoming a father is one of the biggest moments in any man’s life. It signifies that he is now entering the next stage of his life. It’s also a fun and challenging experience that will no doubt make him a better man. However, if you were to believe all that you hear, fatherhood can seem incredibly complicated, and getting it right may seem like climbing Everest. And, at this time, myths can do you more harm than good. So here, we’ll look at seven of the biggest myths about fatherhood, to help you prepare for the day you become a dad.

1. You Will Have No Time For Yourself:

What’s the scariest thing about becoming a father? How about losing your freedom? Not being able to do what you want when you want it seems like the biggest sacrifice you can make. However, this is far from the truth. In reality, while it will take some getting used to, you will have a lot of help and a partner to help you get through even the toughest of times.

2. Responsible Dad’s Buy Minivans:

A minivan is like the final nail in the “boring” dad coffin. If you see a Dad step out of the minivan, you’ll imagine them turning down a red two-seat sports car because they’ve had their fun wings clipped. The truth is most Dad’s prefer minivans. They are spacious, luxurious, and are extremely practical. And, who’s to say they don’t have an exciting car as well, something that’s only for them.

3. All You Will Do Is Change Diapers:

Yes, as a new father one of your responsibilities will involve changing diapers. No, this does that not mean this is all you will do. Being a new father, there are many new experiences you will have to take part in, so enjoy the good ones and the slightly smellier ones equally.

4. Dads Have To Be Strict:

Dad’s were previously seen as the enforcers. In the game of good cop, bad cop the mother will always come out as the caregiver. Or so you would believe. No law defines your parenting style. Many dads are the happier parents and let their partners worry about the discipline.

5. Sleep Is A Luxury:

Newborns tend to have erratic sleeping habits. The first few months will take some getting used to, after which you will have more control over how much sleep you get. In fact, if you plan your baby’s feeding schedule, you will have plenty of time to get all the sleep you require.

6. Your Partying Days Are Over:

A lot of guys that have kids end up disappearing from the party scene once they become dads. Their friends assume it’s because they don’t see them anymore, they are suffering, or they are bound to stay home and labor while their friends enjoy their lives. Once you’re a Dad, your baby is the most precious person in the world. Every moment you spend with your precious little child is worth more than anything you’ve done before. As a father, you move on to much better things than parties.

7. Dad’s Aren’t As Nurturing As Mothers:

A mother is often portrayed as the loving, caring parent while a father is supposed to be the strong defender of the family. These predefined notions should be taken with a pinch of salt. A father can be just as nurturing as a mother can and caring for a child’s needs in much the same way.

As a father in waiting, there will be plenty of people ready to offer you unsolicited advice. These are the same people that perpetuate myths about fatherhood. However, now that you’ve read our list hopefully, you’re more confident and more aware of your role and standing as you enter this new phase. What was the biggest fatherhood myth you believed?

Here’s a sneak peak at what I learned from my school; a place that I would love to be a part of once again in my life. Miss my school days!

via 7 Greatest Values I Learned Before I Finished My Schooling” — Site Title

7 Greatest Values I Learned Before I Finished My Schooling”

They say that your school years are some of the most enjoyable of your life. You have almost no responsibilities except your studies, which mean you can devote most time to making friends and having fun. During these early years, you are also extremely impressionable, which has a profound impact on your future. Habits and opinions formed during these formative years often last our lifetimes, sometimes without our knowledge. During my school days at Public School (Jeypore), I picked up many values that helped me out much later in life. Here are 7 of the greatest values I learned before finishing my schooling.

1. Work Hard

The school is one of the first places you learn about honest, hard work. Whether it’s in your studies or the sports field, you realize that everyone is on equal footing and nothing can beat hard work or dedication. This attitude helped me during my college and worked life as I always strived to be a hard worker.

2. Stand Up For Yourself

One of the great things about my school, Public School, was that we were always encouraged to stand up for ourselves. Rather than being spoon fed, we were pushed to do what was right and form our opinions about every topic. This meant we were confident of not being punished for stating our thoughts as long as we did so respectfully.

3. Learn To Respect

My school’s principal, Mr. Ambrose Sir, taught me the importance of giving respect. He instilled in us the importance of valuing each person. He taught us to treat everyone like we would like to be treated. While this may seem like a small lesson, you can’t undervalue what a valuable life lesson this is. Especially when you have children of your own, you’ll appreciate them respecting your decisions and rules.

4. Friendships Are Precious

A good friend is something that is invaluable. Even now, many years later I appreciate the importance of friendships and their impact on my life. A lot of things I’ve achieved today would not have been possible without the help of a friend at the right time.

5. Life Isn’t Always Fair

Even at an early age, we learned things don’t always work out the way you want. As disappointed as we might be, we learned that as long as we kept your heads up and kept working hard, there was nothing that couldn’t be accomplished.

6. Challenges Are Exciting

Do you remember acing that test you had struggled with earlier? There’s nothing like facing a challenge and overcoming it! It sets your pulse racing and makes you feel invincible. In life, where there are plenty of obstacles thrown in your way, it’s this spirit that has to help me secure and move forward.

7. Never Say Never

I remember one particular incident in my final year. As captain of my house, we were tied on points for the annual sports event, and it seemed like there was nothing we could do to win it. However, in a fairy-tale comeback story, both our house volleyball and shuttle teams scored huge victories that catapulted us into first place and meant we won when no one expected us. This taught me that you should never give up, it’s not over till it’s over.

I was fortunate that my school was one of the best. It encouraged us to become the best versions of ourselves. The fact that many of my classmates have gone on to have very fruitful and accomplished lives speaks volumes of the efforts our principal, and teachers made. These seven lessons are just a few of the many valuable insights I picked up and are one of the reasons I’m where I am today. What is the most valuable lesson you learned from your school?