Four Benefits of Enrolling Your Little One in Childcare

It is not uncommon to feel guilty when enrolling your kid in childcare. Many moms would rather be home with their children instead of working, but sometimes there is no other choice. In that case, it helps to focus on the positive aspects of enrolling your little one in childcare.

Here are four benefits:

1. Childcare Prepares Them For Kindergarten
   Once your child starts kindergarten, they are going to be on a certain schedule. Enrolling them in childcare prepares them for kindergarten by getting them used to a routine. Their schedule includes lunch, naptime, games and other activities. There are many childcare centers and kindergarten classes that offer a similar schedule and curriculum.
    
2. Childcare Helps Your Child To Socialize
   A childcare setting helps your little one to socialize with children in their age group. Their teachers come up with a variety of activities that encourage children to play together, such as working on puzzles, building with blocks and pretend play games. The activities teach children how to communicate and work together to solve a problem. Teachers also use the games to teach children how to share and take turns with others.
    
3. Childcare Encourages Children To Try New Things
   Children who attend childcare are encouraged to try new things. Teachers have different methods for getting children to try certain foods for the first time. Your child may also be introduced to unfamiliar games, songs and stories. There is a good chance your child will be more open to trying different things as they grow older.
    
4. Childcare Increases Their Independence
   
   When you enroll your child in childcare, you are helping them to gain their independence. Your child may need time to adjust to being away from you and home, but their teachers can help them adjust to their new surroundings. Children also learn how to do things without parental assistance, which helps them to develop and enhance their independent skills.

You can take comfort in knowing your child is in a positive atmosphere when you enroll them in child care Tampa Palms.

Get Your Ears Ready! Sync 2019 Starts on April 25th!

It's almost time for another summer of free audiobooks from Sync! Yes, they're specifically directed at teens, but I've been enjoying them for several years, too. I check out YA books from the library, too.

Every weekSync gives away two free audiobooks in themed pairs, often a current book paired with a classic. The program is a great way to get exposure to many different types of books. And audiobooks make it possible to read and do other things at the same time!

Unlike library books, these audiobooks are yours to keep, but you'll only have one week to download each pair. So be sure you have Overdrive on your computer so you'll be ready to start downloading. And sign up for email alerts or text syncya to 25827 to receive text alerts about all the featured titles.

2019 titles:

Who's excited?

Review: Simply Earth Essential Oil Recipe Box

A few weeks ago, the nice ladies from Simply Earth contacted me and asked if I'd try out one of their recipe boxes. I wasn't sure exactly what that meant, so I checked out the website and learned it's a great way to try out essential oils. With the box you get 4 essential oils, other natural ingredients, and some fun extras. The idea intrigued me, so I said yes, I'd love to try them out!

I received my box last week - along with a Bonus Box full of extras like roller bottles, smaller oil bottles, and carrier oils to use with the essential oils. The whole thing was so much better than I imagined. The box held some lovely recipe cards with recipes for things like Natural Laundry Detergent, Foaming Hand Soap, and a Laundry Stain Remover - as well as a Diffuser Blend to try. I've got that going in my diffuser right now, and my house smells so good! I am especially loving the nutmeg in there.

All of the recipes use the essential oils included in the box, and they sent along some additional ingredients needed for the recipes. Some of the recipes call for things you probably have around your house, like white vinegar, Borax, and distilled water, so those aren't included, but they did include a bottle of Castille soap which I did not have on hand. I used that to make the Laundry Stain Remover, and that went into a roller ball from the Bonus Box. They really make it easy to jump right in and start using the oils in your home. There's even a sheet of beautifully printed labels to apply to your finished products.

Besides the Laundry Stain Remover, I also made the Tea Tree and Lemon Surface Cleaner. Both recipes were very easy to follow and quick to mix together, and I love knowing I can clean my house with natural products. My 15-month-old granddaughter was visiting last week (along with her mom and brother), and she did a good job of smudging up my stainless steel refrigerator. I used the Surface Cleaner on that this afternoon, and it looks really good. It smells really nice when I spray it, too. The smell was a bit strong when I mixed it up, but I'm pretty sure it was because I put rubbing alcohol and the tea tree and lemon oils into the hot water. Note to self: next time wait for the water to cool a bit before adding those ingredients! Once it cooled, it was much better.

I need to get some washing soda before I can try the Natural Laundry Detergent recipe that came in my box, but I added a few drops of the BO Be Gone blend to my laundry today, and I love the smell. I used to make my own laundry detergent from basically the same ingredients as the Simply Earth recipe (minus the essential oil blend), but now I'm using a plant based detergent I bought online, so it's all good and natural. And smells so good!

Simply Earth offers a monthly subscription service for $39/month. You get all this every month - new oils, new themes, new recipes every month. Use my code - BCMOMTOOFREE - when you subscribe, and they'll include a $20 gift card in your first recipe box. You can use the $20 on a future purchase - you can buy single oils or accessories from Simply Earth too - or apply it toward your next box. Sounds great, right? I think you'll really love it. And everything comes with a guarantee, so if you don't love it, you can return it and find something you do love.

Be sure to use my link when you shop Simply Earth and use the code - BCMOMTOOFREE - when you subscribe to get the $20 gift to use on your very next box or order. I'll get a little something out of it as part of the Simply Earth #squad, and you'll get a fresh, natural house. 13% of company profits go toward ending human trafficking, so you can feel good about that too.