Tag: Recreation

Guide To Better Living · Health · Lifestyle

Putting The “Light” In “Twilight Years” – What We All Really Need In Old Age

jacquelineobyikocha4 Comments
Aging, The Beauty of Old Age, As You Get Older, Mental health
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Old age, it’s one of those things that we consider to be so far ahead in time that we don’t need to worry about it. But old age creeps up on us sooner or later, whether it’s planning for retirement by starting up a pension in your 20s or 30s, or we have a moment in life that makes us realize how fallible we are. Preparing for old age is something we can all do, regardless of how are young we are, and what are the best ways to do this?

Financial Security

Not just the aforementioned pension, but if you live in places where you need to pay for your medical treatment, it is essential for you to start a pension pot as well as a medical fund pot as soon as possible. While there are many organizations that can help with regards to medical payment, such as GoMedigap, – that helps pensioners with Medicare costs – you can find out more from GoMedigap.com, but it’s your prerogative to start preparing for your twilight years in the financial sense. It’s heartbreaking to see so many people in their old age struggling to pay bills, or living without the essentials in life, and this appears to be the way of the world currently. So it’s in your best interests to start preparing for a more enjoyable later period in life.

Looking After Our Mind

It looks like there are more cases of Alzheimer’s and age-related cognitive decline than ever before. And you might have seen relatives succumb to Dementia, and how upsetting it is for the caregivers.

Looking after our brain isn’t a difficult task. The trick is, much like physical exercise, we need to be doing enough to stimulate our brain muscle so it can grow. Essentially, this is all about doing stuff that you find challenging. And while it may sound like you’re going back to school, do things that are stimulating, but stuff you enjoy.

This could be playing more computer games, as they have been shown to have a positive impact on brain development, or it could be something as simple as having a strong coffee while playing Sudoku. Caffeine has been shown to have a positive impact on the brain, and Sudoku is one of those complicated puzzles that you can do anywhere. If you’ve always wanted to learn a language or an instrument, these are options too. But we all seem to think that our brains get worse as we get older, this is not the case!

Learning About What Makes Us Happy

In old age, we can all start to feel somewhat isolated, especially as people our own age starting to pass away, and you might not feel that people aren’t listening to you anymore. It’s important for us to know what makes us happy. It’s not just beneficial to us in old age, but it’s beneficial to us in life. We can spend our whole lives not knowing what really makes us happy because we focus more on other people. Your happiness is paramount to ageing, but it’s also important to how you live your life.

And of course, making sure that you appreciate life, by getting out regularly into nature, is something simple that we can all benefit from. There’s an article on TheGuardian.com explaining more on why we need to get out into nature. Not only is it beneficial for our minds and bodies, it helps us gain a perspective on what really matters in life. This, ultimately, is what will help us keep a sense of perspective as we get older.

This is a collaborative post.
Family · Guide To Better Living · Lifestyle

…And I Slept Off…

jacquelineobyikocha19 Comments

 

Whatever is it about being out in nature that makes me doze off on my mat after a brief while is a great thing. Does  this happen to you?

Going to the park with the children is pure bliss for me and whilst they frolic, I read and simply doze off to the divine sound of birds chirping, doves cooing, sounds of children’s chatter and laughter…and I wake up feeling renewed, refreshed and full of pleasure and gratitude.

I’m already missing this. The infernal heat of the UAE is slowly creeping up on us. By March, the Sun will turn on its rays in full blast. Anyways, let me get every last dose of natures bounty before it presses the pause button.

I even record the sounds – I have one as long as 20 minutes – to enjoy in the forthcoming months of dryness and heat.

What’s your pleasure?

Family · Lifestyle

11 Great Ways to Reduce Stress on a Family Day Out

jacquelineobyikocha11 Comments

Family, Outing, Park, Day Out, Entertainment, Recreation, Lifestyle, Raising Children

Pixabay

If you’ve got kids, you probably dream of lovely days out as a family. Where everyone is having fun and laughing, learning together and enjoying their day. You see other families having these fairy tale days out where everything is wonderful, and everyone is happy and long for the day that you can do the same. Before we have kids, we imagine that this is what all of our family days out will be like. Lovely and carefree. Then, we have them and start going out together.

We quickly realize that that perfect family day out is nothing but a pipedream and suspect that those families who appear to be having the perfect day are heavily bribing their children.

Family days out are stressful. Sometimes to the point of not being worth it at all. The children whine and moan, even if it’s a destination they have chosen. The food is rubbish, the journey is long and boring, and the entertainment or attraction is never quite how it looks online. By the end of the day, everyone is upset, tired and hungry and you’ve had to deal with 8034 toddler tantrums.

But, does it have to be this way? Is bribery the only way to have a stress-free day out with your family? Surely not. Here are some great tips to reduce all of the stress so you can all enjoy your day.

Plan

Planning your day out in plenty of time gives you a chance to save lots of money, get cheaper transport tickets and prepare an itinerary to make everything as easy as possible. Write lots of lists and make sure you know exactly what you are doing and when. Brief the rest of your party too, and then repeat yourself on the morning of the event.

Don’t Plan

All that said, sometimes it’s best not to plan. When you plan a perfect day out, it often leads to chaos and an immense pressure to have a great time. It can be hard to live up to your expectations. If something comes up and you are free, or you spot something that your family will love last minute, go with it. Sometimes the spontaneous days out with absolutely no preparation and planning are the most fun and the ones that you remember in years to come. Don’t get too hung up on the planning.

Let the Kids Help

When the kids get a little older, they can resent being dragged around with their parents and younger siblings. To be fair, even 6 or 7-year-olds would often rather be at home on their tablets. So, let them help you arrange their perfect day out. Sit together and look at some great family days out online and try to find something that everyone will enjoy. Encourage them to think of not only their needs but of those of the rest of the group, especially any younger children.

Family, Outing, Park, Day Out, Entertainment, Recreation, Lifestyle, Raising Children, Aquarium

Pixabay

A visit to an aquarium such as SeaQuest can be the perfect solution. Younger children and even babies can enjoy watching the colourful fish swimming around, and older kids and adults can make the most of the interactive displays and learning opportunities. Other great options include farms, zoos and fun, family-friendly museums.

Give Older Children Responsibility

Another way to keep older children happy on a family day out is by making them feel needed and appreciated. Give them a job, such as looking after the map and checking things off your to-do list and tell them how important this is and that they are doing you a huge favor. Keep an eye on their progress and encourage and praise them throughout the day. Tell them that everyone is having a much better day because of their help.

Get an Early Night

Family, Outing, Park, Day Out, Entertainment, Recreation, Lifestyle, Raising Children, Baby, Sleep time

Pixabay

The last thing you want on the morning of your big day out is tired and agitated kids or adults for that matter. If the children know that something fun is happening the next day they might find it hard to sleep if they are excited. So, try to keep their routine normal and put them to bed a little earlier. Then, get some rest yourself. Big family days out can be long and tiring, so make sure you are starting on top form.

Give Yourself Plenty of Time

Get up a little early than usual too to give yourself plenty of time to make sure you’ve got everything you need for the day. Then, leave early enough that you aren’t having to rush whether you’re driving or using public transport. Make sure you’ve got enough time for an emergency stop.

Plan Activities for the Journey

You don’t want to be stressed out before you arrive. But children can be hard to entertain on a long journey. So, plan some activities. Think of some games you can play together and take a few small books or toys. You could even let them take their tablets or other devices just for the journey if it keeps everyone happy.

Pack Snacks

Even if the journey is short, you may find you have to spend some of your days in queues or waiting for shows. Kids tend not to be very good at waiting, so healthy snacks are a must. Just make sure you also take a bag for rubbish and some baby wipes for sticky fingers.

Keep the Kids Safe

As a parent, your biggest fear on family days out is always that one of the children will get lost. Even when they start getting older, it’s something that worries us. Temporary ID tattoos with a parent’s name and contact number are a great idea to help keep them safe. You should also make sure they know your real name and that there is a landmark nearby they recognize if they need help.

Remember, it’s Their Day Out Too

It can be easy to get hung up on our children’s behavior, but on a day out it’s important to relax a little. Remember, it’s their day out too, they are excited and might be a little louder than usual. It’s ok to let things slide a little for the good of the day.

Know When to Give Up

However, sometimes, it can seem like everything is against you. The weather is awful; things are closed, the car stops working, your picnic gets ruined or worse. Things happen. Instead of trying to force everyone to have a good time sometimes it’s ok to give it up, go home and watch a DVD together. There’ll be other days.

This is a collaborative post.
Fiction · Short Stories

Some Day…

jacquelineobyikocha14 Comments

Little stabs of jealousy struck Cody as he stood at the corner and watched Josh and Sam cycle their latest acquisition around the neighbourhood park with such glee,

He envied how they always got the latest and best toys and momentarily, he felt sad and angry that poverty kept his mama from buying any of such things for him. He was tired of their scrounging for food, for hand-me-downs and their broken television.

From past experience, he knew not to ask them if he could join them because they would only laugh and make fun of him. Last time when they were flying a kite and he came closer to watch, Sam made fun of his ill-fitting clothes and oversized trainers and he had walked away red in the face and ashamed.

He really wanted to fit in and he was tired of feeling out of place, but what could a ten-year old do? Maybe if his dad hadn’t died, they wouldn’t be so poor with his mother juggling several jobs. He hoped mama was right in saying that things would get better some day.

© Jacqueline

Thank you, Dorothy, for the photo prompt and PJ for hosting.

 

Parenting

Keeping Your Mojo Throughout All Parenting Difficulties You Might Face

jacquelineobyikocha15 Comments

No one said raising children was easy. However, when your child looks at you and tells you they love you throughout your life, you know instinctually that raising children is worth it. However, that’s not to say the positive benefits of being a parent aren’t earned. They’re earned more than any life achievement could be. Climbing Mount Everest can look like a lounging nature trail walk compared to raising a human being to the best of your ability, and hoping they turn out sensibly, wise and happy.

32756899853_1d7204cac8_b

Flickr

Part of being a great parent is keeping your ‘mojo’ levels up to the point where you can happily steer them through all the difficulties that occur through life. Mojo can be defined as your energy levels, your ability to be open, engaged and magnetic, the ability to go to sleep well and not have to worry too much about your day to day responsibilities because you’re confident you can complete them.

To someone lacking mojo, this can sound too good to be true, and impossible to keep up all the time. That’s true, there’s no way anyone can be happy all of the time, but they can certainly keep a good attitude most of the time.

Here’s how:

Make Time For Recreation

Recreation and taking a break, with or without your children is a big step on the road to sustaining your mojo. You have to keep updated with your social links, make time for silly entertainment, and allow yourself to be an utter goofball around your kids. It’s these moments that make all the ‘admin’ of life worth living, so be sure to keep them numerous.

Release The Burdens On Your Mind

Over time, unfulfilled obligations or life stresses take their toll on your mind, and a low-level feeling of despair can gestate within you because of this. Be sure to try alternative methods around these issues.

For example, if you’re getting divorced, you might like to try divorce by meditation to cool the entire emotionally-charged process. If you have difficulties with your children’s behavior at school, you might like to try and get to the source and root of the issue by visiting child behavioral therapists, as opposed to scolding them and hoping that works. Parenthood is never easy, but it’s twice as difficult with a heavy mind.

Eat Healthily

Eating a healthy diet is an absolute must when fulfilling a job so demanding as being a parent. Your children can take all energetic reserves out of you by the end of the day, and if you’re not giving your body all of the nutrients it deserves, you’re likely to crash sooner rather than later. Be sure to stay on top of healthy eating habits, and you’ll find an extra reserve of energy you never knew you could access.

Parenthood is the hardest job among jobs. Even trained and battle-hardened soldiers will shudder at the thought of raising another human being successful. If you’re doing a relatively good job, well done you! You deserve to be remembered as an incredible parent. Just be sure to stay on top of your health, mentally, physically and spiritually. In doing so, you’ll become an even better figurehead of the family. Good luck!

Echos Of My Neighbourhood

Dubai Canal Boardwalk – Echoes of my Neighbourhood

jacquelineobyikocha18 Comments

This city is constantly changing its aesthetics, adding new attractions and relaxation points each day. The new Dubai canal boardwalk offers a beautiful waterside walkway that runs about 3.2 km each way.

We went there on a Saturday night there were loads of families were out for a stroll, several joggers pounding the pavement, selfie-takers indulging themselves, people sitting around chit-chatting away, boats with happy party passengers cruising up and down the canal.

Interestingly,  there are USB chargers installed in the streetlights so you can charge your phone for all those snaps. Two of the pedestrian bridges are open and the views are amazing.

Some work is still ongoing to turn the place green, however, the total ambiance like the French would say ‘C’est Magnifique.’

Oh, my word! Lady Lee knows how to lay a table that would make you drool and the snowy shots of Munich are simply enchanting. They look like postcards. Take a peek 🙂

If you would like to participate, the challenge is quite simple and you can find out more about it through this link.

Dubai Canal Board Walk, Recreation, UAE, Family Time, Architecture, Cityscape, City scene, Illumination

Dubai Canal Board Walk, Recreation, UAE, Family Time, Architecture, Cityscape, City scene, Illumination

Dubai Canal Board Walk, Recreation, UAE, Family Time, Architecture, Cityscape, City scene, Illumination

Dubai Canal Board Walk, Recreation, UAE, Family Time, Architecture, Cityscape, City scene, Illumination

Dubai Canal Board Walk, Recreation, UAE, Family Time, Architecture, Cityscape, City scene, Illumination

Dubai Canal Board Walk, Recreation, UAE, Family Time, Architecture, Cityscape, City scene, Illumination

Dubai Canal Board Walk, Recreation, UAE, Family Time, Architecture, Cityscape, City scene, Illumination

Dubai Canal Board Walk, Recreation, UAE, Family Time, Architecture, Cityscape, City scene, Illumination

Echos Of My Neighbourhood

The Rabbit, The Pigeon and The Park – Echoes of my neighbourhood

jacquelineobyikocha10 Comments

Thankfully, I went off to unwind with the family before everything went wonky election wise. Now I need to unwind even some more.

Nothing beats relaxing in nature to work out the kinks.

So, take up your mats and collapsible camp chairs and just go and relax. After all said and done, your well-being counts for everything.

Lady Manila shares her breathtaking NaNoPloBano post with us. Have a look see 🙂

On Thursdays, I share pictures about ‘Echos of my Neighbourhood.

If you would like to participate, the challenge is quite simple and you can find out more about it through this link.

 

 

 

Echos Of My Neighbourhood

Underwater Zoo – Echoes of My Neighbourhood 28.

jacquelineobyikocha23 Comments

On Thursday’s, I share pictures about ‘Echos of my Neighbourhood.

I would like to invite you to participate. The challenge is quite simple and you can find out more about it through this link.

 

Part of my effort to balance Summer break with cheap fun stuff to do, academic exercises, cooking and so on is also to seek out occasional fun stuff that equally imparts some knowledge on the children, though they might cost a bit of money to achieve.

Our quest took us to the Underwater zoo located at The Dubai Mall. A worthwhile experience.

Pamela took us on a nature walk and we got some weekly smiles at Lady Lee’s corner. Louise’s was just at the right place to catch and take snapshots of Stalwart Chinook helicopters from the RAF airbase around her. I love such happenstances 🙂

So, when do we get to visit you? Now, don’t be shy and invite us over😉

Jacqueline

Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.

When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.

Stars, Five Stars, Logo, Icon, Symbol, Five, Rating

Jacqueline writes from her heart on passion, pain, suffering, loss and LIFE. I have been incredibly moved by her poetry and I know I will return to “Out of the Silent Breath” again and again.

Out of the silent breath

If you enjoy my works and would like to do so, you can fuel my creativity with a slice of cake or coffee😉