Author: Exciting Parenting

A divorce is one of the most painful experiences that one can go through. The pain that the parents would be going through trickles down to the children. This would also be amplified if the divorce is on a public platform, where every Tom, Dick and Harry have the chance to give their opinions. The children might be young and cannot understand what is happening but sometime in the future they will be able to sit and read all what was being said about their family. We have seen messy divorces locally here in Kenya and also internationally with...

Newborns do not sleep overnight most of the night.  They wake up a couple of times to feed. This might however be accompanied by frantic crying spells that might causes distress to the parents.  Babies mostly communicate through crying as they cannot speak. Below are some of the things that might cause crying of a child overnight: Colic This is stomach discomfort caused by allergies in children. It is mainly common in formula fed babies due to an allergy to the proteins in cow milk. It can also be due to lactose intolerance. Learning this in a child can...

Illnesses in children manifest in different ways. As a parent, it is important to understand the signs and symptoms in order to identify them early. Here are the danger signs indicating illnesses in a child: Refusal to feed At home, the eating habits of a child are easy to track. For the young children who cannot talk, refusal to either breastfeed or bottle feed is important to note. For the older children, they will express disinterest in eating and have reduced appetite. This is one of the indicators of illness in a child. If you are a parent who...

Congratulations on your upcoming addition. You’re in for a remarkable treat in the form of  unlimited hugs and kisses from someone who honestly thinks you’re perfect. But, while your  baby’s love is free, everything else is going to cost you. Here are a few tips on how to save  money as you prepare to add an entirely new section of expenses to your budget.  Stock up early  Once your baby arrives, you’ll find that you don’t have nearly enough clothes, you need more  burp cloths, and the three packs of diapers you thought would last forever won’t make it to the  end of the week. Make a point to stock up on the essentials, but also on things that make life  easier like freezer meals, hand sanitizer and coffee. Don’t forget to grab a few items for your closet to wear after the baby is born. This includes a  breastfeeding bra, nursing pajamas or gowns and nursing tops, which will make it easy to  handle midnight feedings. If you plan to work throughout your pregnancy, you’ll also need stylish  maternity clothes.   DIY  If you can’t drive by a craft store without making a Uturn straight into the parking lot, you can  use your creativity to save some cash. Stores like JoAnn have an almost endless variety of  fabric that you can use to make your own baby blankets and other necessities. You can also find plenty of yarn, buttons, zippers, and patterns if you’re feeling extra ambitious and want to  make your own maternity clothes. For the nursery, you can even coordinate your little one’s  curtains and other accents with matching fabric. The best part? You are not limited to traditional  “baby” designs you could feasibly create a wild wizarding world with JoAnn’s line of Harry  Potter fabric or choose from dozens of other fun themes. Shop online and take advantage of  Joann coupons.  Buy used  The decision to buy new or used is one of the most debated topics among new parents. Most  experienced moms and dads will happily tell you that used is the way to go on most things.  Clothing, playpens, and even toys don’t have to come in their original packaging to be a  treasured addition to your baby care arsenal. Baby swings, bouncy seats, and video monitors  are other bigticket items you can pick up used at most consignment shops or summer yard  sales. Goodwill even offers online auctions and, if you’re lucky, you may be able to find baby  gear for pennies on the dollar. You’ll have to keep an eye on the site and search for what you’re  looking for, but it can be a fun way to keep costs down.  Get rewarded  You can’t buy everything used, and diapers, formula, and other essentials can add up quickly.  This is why Money Crashers suggests signing up for rewards clubs from manufacturers of the  products you buy most. Most name brand diaper companies allow you to collect points that you  can cash in for more diapers or fun little extras that aren’t in your budget. If you prefer to buy in  bulk, invest in a Sam’s Club membership. Go for the “Plus” program and you’ll earn $10 cash  back for every $500 you spend.  Cut back in other areas  Expand your saving to other areas of your life. One way to save is planning meals in advance  which will help you avoid expensive (and often unhealthy) takeout food. Or you could save on a  gym membership by choosing to work out at home. You can also cut out things like streaming  services, subscription boxes, takeout and even apps that aren’t free. Every little bit can make a  difference, and you’ll be in a better position to boost your emergency savings.  There’s no way around it, your wallet’s going to get thinner as your family grows. But you don’t  have to spend everything you earn on things your child won’t remember anyway, like new  clothes or expensive baby blankets. Don’t be afraid to get creative in your shopping habits … or  just plain creative.  Post credit : Emily @ Mighty Moms(https://mightymoms.net/) Image :...