Fear of abandonment is a type of anxiety that many children experience. It can be due to a traumatic experience where they were abandoned or due to other reasons that instilled this fear in them.

Sometimes a fear of abandonment is associated with separation anxiety. Separation anxiety, however, is not uncommon in infants between 10 months and 3 years of age. It becomes a cause for concern if the fear does not wane even after this period.

Abandonment fears can also continue into adulthood, where it can impact friendships, romantic relationships, and professional lives.

If you are looking for resources to help or want to talk to an online therapist about mental health and parenting, consider visiting BetterHelp.

Signs of Abandonment Issues

Separation anxiety

If the child becomes highly anxious knowing that their caregiver is going somewhere, this could be a sign of abandonment fear, especially if the anxiety is coupled with panic.

Fear of being alone

Most kids have a slight fear of being left alone for long periods of time, but if a child seems especially anxious about being left alone, at night or during the day, they could be experiencing abandonment fears.

Low self-esteem and isolation

Abandonment fears can be a difficult experience for a child and may cause them to isolate themselves from others, or just kids their own age, and have low self-esteem.

Abandonment fears can be caused by many different things, and they are often traumatic experiences, such as divorces or deaths in the family. This is why the approach to helping a child with these fears must be very gentle and mindful.

Ways to make your child feel more at ease and start on a healing path

Create a safe place for them to talk

It is important to validate and listen to your child’s thoughts and concerns. They will know that you hear them and understand their feelings, which can give them more room to unravel their own feelings and start to understand them better.

Suppressing such conversations tends to cause more harm than good.

Introduce good mentors and role models

Low self-esteem can impact a child’s life in many ways, and inhibit them from just being a kid.

In such a case, it is important that they build connections with adults that you can trust that affirm the child’s abilities and character.

They may need more trustworthy people to encourage them, aside from you. Some things, like compliments, sink in better when they don’t come from a parent.

Empathize

For your child to feel heard and understood, it can help if you share your own experiences that may mirror theirs. Do not hesitate to open up about your own faults and embarrassing experiences to show your child that you are not perfect either.

Engage them in activities

If you are leaving your child with a family member or babysitter, try to arrange some sort of activity that your child can immediately become engaged with.

Being idle can create more room for anxiety and fearfulness; consider introducing a new toy, a coloring book, or a game.

Do not exaggerate goodbyes

If you yourself seem anxious when saying goodbye, it can make your child a lot more fearful. Be brief, and emphasize that you will be away temporarily.

Find subtle ways to let your child feel independent

There are times when your children may naturally keep themselves entertained without thinking about your absence. If they wake up from a nap and are not actively looking for you, then allow some time for them to play or be occupied before going in to see them.

Keeping an eye out for such instances can give your child the space they need to learn that being on their own is not so bad.

However, if they are clearly very anxious, then you probably do not want to force them into an even more stressful situation.

Conclusion

Children who experience abandonment fears require support and patience from their caregivers. Building a firm support system around them while also letting them experience new things can help them overcome their fears in a healthy way.

Over time, with the right kind of help, they can start to feel more confident by themselves and realize that they can gain control over their abandonment fears.

As parents, you only want all the best things for your kids. You want to ensure they get the best education, eat the most nutritious food, get good quality sleep, and have the best moments of their youthful years. And so, most of you may try reading how-to guides about perfect parenting, talking to other parents about their techniques, and watching vlogs about other parents’ parenting.

While there are days when you feel proud of yourself for achieving your parenting goals, you can’t help but also feel exhausted. There are days when stress and exhaustion would take a toll on you, leaving you to feel distressed and not enjoy the whole parenting process. So, you ask yourself, what can I do to make parenting more effective and enjoyable? 

The answer is, have fun. 

As much as you want to do everything to keep your kids on the right track with their health and education, you need to remember that parenting is fun, and you can take pleasure from it if you choose to do so. To give you some strategies and ideas, here are four ways to help you become more fun and effective parent. 

Less Schooling And More Playing 

Your kids are already spending six to eight hours of their day sitting in classrooms and doing schoolwork. So, it’s no surprise how they’re always looking forward to going home after school. Meanwhile, for some parents, the after-school should be spent doing homework and other school exercises. And so, some of you may end up arguing with your kids as you force them to deal with another set of schoolwork when all they want to do is unwind and take a break after the long day in school. 

Instead of stressing yourself into forcing your kids with homework and filling up their daily schedule with all-study-no-play, why not give your kids some time for play? As you welcome them home from school, you can get them some afternoon snacks and invite them over for some playtime. You can create slime with your kids, play card games or floor puzzles, or refer to more child care articles on Toddle and other parenting sites for more games. Let your children feel that they deserve to play and relax after school, and so do you. Children who have time to play and relax are more likely to become more creative, better problem solvers, and radiate a more positive attitude inside the house and with others.  

Show Them A Good Example Of Self-Care 

It’s only understandable if you constantly feel stress and exhausted from working so hard and juggling multiple jobs so you can provide for your children. However, when your kids only see you being stressed out, they’re more likely to follow your example subconsciously. 

If you wish to teach your kids about the importance of inner peace and serenity, the best way to show them is by doing it yourself. Every once in a while, give yourself a few minutes for downtime and do something that will relax and soothe you. You can occasionally let go of those strict house rules you’ve implemented and loosen up for yourself and your kids.  

An example would be serving them ice cream sundaes out of the blue for dinner, letting them play in the rain, or allowing them to have a movie night during a school night. These may sound like teaching your kids to break the rules, but the thing is, you’re showing them the value of putting yourself first and doing something to make you feel better. Don’t worry; showing examples of self-care won’t overshadow your past lessons about being responsible people.  

Catch Your Kids Doing Something Good Instead Of The Opposite 

It’s prevalent for parents to try and catch their kids whenever they’re doing something terrible. Unfortunately, doing this more often only shows that you’re finding ways to criticize your child instead of complimenting them. Despite your good intentions, this habit can adversely affect your child’s self-esteem and confidence. 

A better and more fun way of encouraging your child to continuously do good is by paying more attention to their good deeds. For instance, if your child made their bed this morning, praise them for it and tell them they did a good job. Another is if they picked up the toys after playing, you could applaud them for it regardless of how small that accomplishment is. These positive statements can inspire them more to do good instead of repetitively scolding them.  

Add Joy To Your Child’s Stressful Times 

Your kids can get stressed too. It may be with their schoolwork or some of their awful moments in school. Sometimes, you could unconsciously add more stress to your child by pressuring or scolding them at home. When children are stressed, they tend to wet the bed, have temper tantrums, or purposely disobey your rules. To help your child overcome stress, you can add joy to their day through simple ways. 

Some examples would be: 

• Playing music while helping your child with homework to tone down the stress 
• Make a small competition (with reward) between your kids about who’s the fastest person to fold their clothes 
• Pass a ball between each other during the spelling exercises or reciting vocabulary words 
• Creating bubbles from the dishwashing soap while doing the dishes 

Adding a little fun to every activity your kids do can go a long way towards making their day a lot better.  

Takeaway 

Parenting is one of the hardest yet most fulfilling jobs you can ever have. There’s no guarantee that there won’t be a day you won’t be stress. But one thing’s sure – you’re in control of how you can make your daily parenting fun and set a positive example for your kids. Your time with your kids is one of the happiest parts of your lives, so you might as well have fun.

Every child is different and some will need to overcome more challenging educational obstacles than others. This is particularly relevant in the event that a child has recently been diagnosed with autism. According to the latest statistics, it is estimated that one out of every 100 children suffer from autism spectrum disorder. However, there are still numerous ways to provide targeted levels of support within the EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage). Lt us take a quick look at some professional suggestions as well as how modern software solutions can provide further assistance.

Understanding the Types of Autism

It is first important for parents, teachers and caregivers to appreciate the fact that autism can be classified in terms of severity and behavioural patterns. For example, “classic” autism is associated with poor language skills, difficulty interacting with others and a sensitivity to environmental changes (such as when placed within an unfamiliar classroom). Those with Asperger’s syndrome possess language skills and they can interact with others. However, they tend to perform these and other tasks in unique manners.

It is therefore important to understand what type of autism is present. The correct educational approaches can then be taken during the Early Years Foundation Stage. In the majority of cases, a diagnosis will be made by a team of trained professional before or during early scholastic years.

Creating a Familiar Educational Structure

One of the keys to helping autistic children adapt is to embrace a more structured approach to learning. This should occur within the classroom as well as when learning at home. One unique approach involves breaking the educational process down into a handful of categories:

• Creating a physical structure in terms of classroom settings.
• Helping children to learn with a visual schedule (such as when a certain activity will be taking place).
• Providing the child with information in regards to what he or she can expect within the classroom.
• Describing how specific activities should be performed (with the guidance of a parent or teacher).

Perhaps the main takeaway point is that autistic children are not necessarily averse to learning. Instead, the processes themselves need to be tackled in slightly different manners when compared to standard practices.

Communications and Insight

Communicating with a child and establishing a sense of trust are both extremely important. He or she will feel more comfortable and relaxed; particularly during the EYFS stage. Furthermore, it is prudent to keep track of a child’s progress with the help of advanced software such as the EYFS assessment tracker here.

Science has come a long way in recent years in regards to how autism is treated at an early stage. While there is still no known cure for this condition, there are many ways in which parents and caregivers can promote a positive learning experience. Of course, it is still necessary to consult with trained professionals to discover even more unique strategies and techniques.

Furniture should be more than just the sum of its parts. A brand new dining room set doesn’t have to just be a bit of wood and some metal screws. It should be an invitation to you and your loved ones—both inside the home and out—to come together. It should be that special place where you sip your coffee with that special someone in the morning. Where you cry over about a breakup over some ice cream with a good friend who makes it feel a little bit better. Where you enjoy a home-cooked meal with your friends, family, and neighbors.

If the only thing keeping that from happening is the tired, worn-out furniture currently disgracing your dining room, it’s time to mix things up a bit. Do you know it’s possible to order dining sets online with just the simple click of a button? Hop on over to 1StopBedrooms to get started browsing the collection.

Want to create a bit of provincial charm? Easily done! Shop for a knotted pine table with low rush chairs to create that natural, rustic appeal. Have a big family and looking to seat as many people as possible? Consider swapping out the traditional table and chairs set up for a long, rectangular table with benches on the sides. Bookend the table with large, cozy leather captain’s chairs reserved exclusively for mom and dad.

The possibilities are endless, but one thing is certain. A well-designed space will attract a crowd. You’ll find that the kiddos naturally flock to the dining room more than they do with your current, drab setup. You’ll also be everyone’s first choice for block parties and other group activities and neighborhood get-togethers. The dining room is the most social room in the house, and a great one really does bring people together—and it’s a beautiful thing to watch.

If you feel like you need a little bit of help designing your space, not to worry! That’s exactly what the trained designers at 1Stop are here to do. Unlike interior designers or salesmen who receive commissions and kickbacks based on your purchase, the designers are 1Stop don’t earn money based on what you choose to buy. Their job is to uphold 1Sb’s reputation by offering you the highest degree of customer support and satisfaction possible. That means guiding you through your purchase to ensure that you find the exact piece that will work for you and your unique needs.

Another benefit of shopping 1Stop is the low-price guarantee. Buying directly from the manufacturer allows you to cut out all the middlemen and the high premiums that come with them. At 1Stop, you’ll be able to find the exact same pieces you’ve seen in-store at a fraction of the cost. You also won’t be limited by in-store stocking capabilities, which inevitably means having to compromise on what you really want.

The last thing you’ll have to compromise on is quality. 1Stop prides itself on stocking the best furniture from the best brands, made using the highest quality materials by expert craftsmen. You can be sure that whatever you buy will have the durability to withstand decades of use without showing a sign of wear.

With financing available for those who need it, you can start bringing your loved ones together around a new dining room table immediately. Great quality, great cost, and the option of paying on your own schedule—what’s not to love about 1Stop? Click on over and find your perfect dining room suit without waiting another day.

If you haven’t taken a moment to browse the villas on Mallorca, go ahead and have a look now – I’ll wait. These fantastic holiday homes are only a stone’s throw from the most amazing art galleries on the island. For the traveller who craves art and culture, hunkering down in one of these gorgeous private properties makes venturing out to see the artistic offerings in the galleries of Mallorca that much better. 

The Best Art Galleries on Mallorca

Mallorca has more to offer than just panoramic views of the Mediterranean and watersports. The exhibition spaces on this Spanish island are certainly worth a visit, even if you only have 24 hours to spare. Should you have the time to pay a visit to multiple exhibitions in Mallorca, here are the best to choose from.

• Museo Sa Bassa Blanca

Firstly, I have to mention Museo Sa Bassa Blanca. Of all the art museums on Mallorca, the Sa Bassa Blanca Museum hosts a unique blend of art, architecture and nature all in one open-air exhibit. It was founded by artists Ben Jakober and Yannick Vu in 1993 with the intention to deliver cultural preservation and respect for the environment. Located on the historic streets of Alcúdia, the Sa Bassa Blanca Museum is a lovely spot for art lovers. 

•  The Joan Miró Museum

A beacon of paintings, sculptures and ceramics that embody an artistic style based in surrealism, the works of Joan Miró are housed at none other than the Joan Miró Museum in the capital city of Palma de Mallorca. Not only can you enjoy Miró’s artistic works, but get to know his artistic process through an open dialogue with museum curators and art enthusiasts alike. 

• Museu Fundación Juan March

Palma is the premier city for art galleries in Mallorca, and is home to yet another outstanding art museum well worth the visit. The Museu Fundación Juan March has been masterfully curated with timeless works of art by well known Spanish artists by the names of Salvador Dalí, Pablo Picasso, Juan Gris and more. If your curiosity hasn’t yet been piqued, you’ll be interested to know that this museum is situated within the walls of a monumental seventeenth-century mansion. If that alone isn’t worth the trip for our architecture lovers out there then I don’t know what is.

• Galerie Santanyi ARTE

Situated in the heart of Santanyi is the thought provoking art of Austrian Wolfgang d’Autriche. Often compared to the works of Andy Warhol, the loud pop art style of d’Autriche’s contemporary art provokes conversation surrounding pop culture from around the world. The brightly coloured digital paintings boast a grand mix of pattern and print that simply cannot be overlooked. 

• Casal Solleric

Yet another gallery with historic roots in Palma, Casal Solleric was built in the striking style of Baroque in the mid-eighteenth century. With its debut as an art gallery in the mid-1980s, Casal Solleric has seen its fair share of temporary exhibitions and innovative modern works of art within its stately walls. Hauntingly beautiful architecture aside, this museum hosts selections of photography and paintings up for the annual Ciudad de Palma prize. The mass rotation of art alone in Casal Solleric is enough to have me booking my visit. 

These five art galleries on Mallorca are truly the crème de la crème. A holiday to Mallorca wouldn’t be complete without a visit to at least one of these outstanding exhibitions. With the opportunity to see the works of Picasso and Dalí in person, I know where I’d make my first stop – though the artistic passion that radiates from the walls of each of these amazing art galleries is something to behold in itself.

While you might not like to hear it, those cute “I love working from home” pictures on Instagram featuring the perfectly posed home office and cherubic children are far removed from reality for the vast majority of mothers out there. In fact, most people who have been working at home prior to the recent mass move to working remotely, will tell you that working from home can be more of an adjustment than you may think.

As a working mum, of course, you relish being with your kids but there will be times when you simply have to retreat to a dedicated office space if you want to get anything substantial done with your day. Creating your own little nook to work in can keep the clutter around the house at bay, which saves time cleaning later, and prevent laptops from being drowned in spilt juice. Having the right home office setup is essential for working mums and with a little care, you can create an office environment that will meet your needs moving forward.

Let’s take a look at some top home office essentials for working mums to ensure both your comfort and productivity across the work week.

A Professional Setup

Whilst you certainly don’t need to rent an office space, you should consider setting up a space that’s just yours during working hours, even if it is the dinner table. The family should know that when you’re busy with work, you should not be disturbed. This approach creates a divide between home and business, allowing for easy and effortless compartmentalisation and ensuring you maintain a healthy work-life balance. A dedicated space will enable you to mentally switch off when you’re done with the day’s work, and focus on your kids when work is finally finished.

It’s worth investing in your workspace, especially if you will be spending many hours a day working from home. Making your office as light, bright and comfortable as possible will put you in a more focused, relaxed headspace when you are ‘at work’ and investing in some blue light glasses can also help to reduce eye-strain and screen glare.

Comfortable Seating

Not everyone is lucky enough to have space for a home office, but even if you work from your kitchen table, there are ways to make it as comfortable as possible. Kitchen or dining room chairs are not usually made for eight hours of sitting every day, so consider buying a gel cushion to provide more support on an otherwise unsuitable chair. Laptop risers, monitor stands and ergonomic keyboards are also valuable investments, depending on your needs and budget.

Adequate Refreshments

If you have to work from the kitchen, look on the bright side: you’re near the coffee machine and the refrigerator, which can only be a plus! If you have a home office, however, you will definitely want refreshments within closer range, but firmly away from those little snack-raiders you raised.

You can keep a mini-fridge stocked with fresh fruit, cold water, and other snacks in your office, to ensure you always have refreshing and healthy sustenance on hand. A beverage stand is a professional approach for work from home mums who host meetings in their offices, and can help to make a great impression on your clients.

Noise Cancelling Headphones

One of the biggest frustrations for mums new to the work from home mum (WFHM) life, is the sheer amount of noise emanating from their homes. It can be seriously distracting to hear dogs barking, children fighting, delivery vehicles driving by, and appliances beeping as you’re trying to focus. Not to mention that all these disturbances have a nasty tendency to happen during important conference calls. Noise-cancelling in-ear or over-ear headphones will drown out external sounds, ensuring that you’ll always have a reliable method of focusing on any given task when you may need it most.

Create A Home Office Designed With Your Comfort In Mind

In addition to these home office essentials, any mum who recently started working from home should invest in her personal comfort when designing a home office space. Add whatever makes your office feel as though it’s truly yours, because it is! Of course, if having your children out of the room isn’t an option every day, you may set up a little corner of your office as a quiet place for them to play as you go about your work. 

So long as you incorporate what you feel you may need, chances are your home office will be a good investment for your work as well as your personal life, and will help you to stay in control of your dynamic WFH schedule moving forward.

I had a brief period when Belle was in her mid teens when I thought my parenting responsibilities might soon be coming to an end. Bee was grown up, Belle was old enough to be responsible for taking care of herself, my work was surely done?

And then baby Joey came along, and I had all the responsibilities of being a grandparent to a small child, like remembering to put sunscreen on them and make sure they drink.

And then if that weren’t enough, we got a puppy. Honestly, I must be a sucker for it. Perhaps when you’ve been a parent since you were 17 you don’t know any other way and just have to fill the void?? Who knows. This post isn’t about diving into the depths of my subconscious, all this talk of sunscreen and responsibility is really just my oh so casual way of leading into a post about Sun and the Beach sunshades.

(I know, I’m a smooth operator.)

To be honest even when my own children were small I never owned things like sunshades. I think Mako the puppy has brought out this side in me that’s made me realise what a good job it was that I had my kids when I was younger and more care free. I don’t know if there’s a similar term to helicopter parenting that applies to puppies, but I think I might have it.

‘Is she okay? Is she allowed to eat grass? She barked once, what does she want? Is she sad?’

Good grief woman, give it a rest.

Still, at least now I don’t have to worry about Mako not having any shade in the garden or if we go to the beach. Not just any old shade either – Sun and the Beach sunshades are UPF50+ and block 98% of the sun’s harmful rays. No tan for you Mako.

She also very much enjoyed helping us to set it up.

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Car finance is one of those things that everyone has heard of, but which isn’t always easy for everyone to understand. Fortunately, our service here at CarFinanceGenie is car finance made easy; we’re passionate about helping families to figure out whether car finance is the best option when they are considering upgrading their car.

What is car finance?

Car finance is an umbrella term for a few different ways to borrow the money you might need in order to buy a new or second-hand car. This also includes leasing a car for a period of time with the option to buy it outright at the end.

Some families may initially think there’s little point in applying for car finance if they have the money already sitting in their bank accounts that they could use to purchase the vehicle outright straight away.

That’s an understandable stance, but the situation isn’t necessarily as ‘clear cut’ as that. Taking out a car finance deal can be a great way to spread the cost of a car over a longer period of time, for instance. This could help to leave more money in your bank account for those unexpected ‘emergencies’ all families have to deal with from time to time.

What are the different types of car finance?

There are a few different types of finance that call under the ‘car finance’ umbrella. These include the likes of a car loan, hire purchase (HP), personal contract purchase (PCP), and credit cards.

A car loan involves agreeing the amount you wish to borrow with your bank, and how long you will need to borrow it for. You will then pay the lender back in monthly instalments with the pre-agreed interest.

Hire purchase (HP), meanwhile, is exactly as it sounds. You will make monthly payments to a car finance company to hire the vehicle, and once the final payment has been made, you will own it. HP is often arranged directly with a car dealership, and you can choose to repay your car purchase over a term of up to five years.

With PCP, the loan you take out only covers the depreciation of the car. This is because PCP is effectively a long-term rental. At the end of the contract, you can choose to return the car, pay an additional final payment to keep it, or trade in the vehicle for a new PCP.

You might also finance a new family car by purchasing it on your credit card. However, some dealerships do not accept this method of car finance.

Is there a better option than car finance when you’re seeking a new family car?

Overall, the question of whether car finance is the best option for your family depends on your specific personal requirements. If you have the cash to buy the car outright to hand, then you might prefer the simplicity of doing this, without having to worry about ongoing monthly payments.

However, if you don’t have the money to hand or simply prefer to keep more ‘rainy day’ cash in your family’s bank accounts for those unexpected events when it may be needed, a car finance deal might make a lot of sense. And if that’s the case for you, why not consider applying for your own next car finance arrangement through CarFinanceGenie?