It’s that time of year again when the weather is warming up and people are heading outside to enjoy the fresh air! This means fun outdoor games, playing on the beach, and sipping ice cold lemonade in the sun. It’s also the time of year that we end up with sunburns.

How to Treat Sunburns Naturally

It’s hard for some of us to avoid and it can be even harder finding something that actually works to treat it. I’ve put together a list of three all-natural remedies that you can use to treat your sunburn right away. No need to suffer through it when these three easy steps will help offer immediate relief. Let’s get to it!

1. Apply tea to the sunburn for 5-10 minutes.

I’m talking about regular tea with the dark brown color. Simply brew up 4 large tea bags (or 6-8 small ones). Allow it to cool for 15 minutes and add 2 cups of ice. Now grab an old wash cloth (it will stain) and dip it into the mixture of tea and ice.

Wring out the washcloth and place it on top of the sunburn until the washcloth gets warm. Once the cloth is warm, put it back into the mixture and re-apply. Keep doing this for 5-10 minutes until the pain stops. Tea will also help to speed up the healing of your sunburn.

2. Apply aloe vera ice cubes to the sunburn several times a day.

To make the aloe vera ice cubes you will need a bottle of aloe vera gel and a silicone ice cube tray. Simply fill the ice cube trays up with the aloe vera gel and allow to freeze. Once they are completely frozen, pop the frozen cube out and gently rub the aloe vera cube onto the sunburn.

Aloe is a great remedy for sunburn because it soothes the skin while adding in much-needed moisture. This will also help to speed up the healing of your sunburn. Personally, this is my favorite way to treat sunburns naturally. Plain aloe vera gel works great if you’re in a pinch, but the coldness of it feels great to your skin.

3. Apply apple cider vinegar to the sunburn several times a day.

Be sure to use the RAW apple cider vinegar for this treatment. This remedy will help take the burning sensation away almost immediately. Be sure to shake the bottle well before each use. Simply use a cotton ball to apply the vinegar to the sunburn several times during the day.

I also like to follow up this treatment with a little coconut oil to help hydrate the skin. Coconut oil is solid at room temperature so you can gently apply it easily to your sunburn.

You can use any one of these steps above or you can also use a combination of the three.

Try them all and see which one works best for relieving your sunburn. It’s great to keep these remedies on hand throughout the summer for quick and easy treatment.

The post How to Treat Sunburn Naturally first appeared on True Aim.

The fastest way I lose weight is when I jog. After my second child, it only took me a couple months after jogging regularly to get back to my prepregnancy weight.

Now, when I say jog you might be imagining that I’m running 5k without stopping. That’s not me. I’m not a natural athlete. For me, jogging means running and walking. I’ve heard that it reduces injury and strengthens your endurance, but I just do it because I wouldn’t be able to do more than 5 minutes without keeling over! Plus, I usually go jogging with kids. A lot of kids.

How to go Jogging with Kids

Children are natural runners! Even at age three kids can go quite a long ways without having to stop. However, you’ll want to be sure that your children don’t get injured so there are a few things you’ll want to do first.

Of course the first step is to get them the right shoes. Footwear is so important especially since their body is still growing. If your child is really sore after jogging you might want to consider getting them better shoes.

Also, if you have multiple children like I do, a jogging stroller is a must. I love my new Baby Jogger ® Summit^TM X3 from Babies R Us.

There are so many things I like about it but the best is the easy folding feature. I can fold this thing with one arm and the wheels come off easily too so I can bring it anywhere!

It also has a special feature that allows me to unlock the front wheel without having to do anything except push a lever on the handlebars. So I’ve been using it as a regular stroller too.

If you have a very young baby, you can get an attachment that is sold separately to turn it into a travel system so your infant car seat can go on it too. The hand brake is really handy if I get really ambitious and decide to bring the dog along for a jog also!

Another fun tip for jogging with kids is to let your child push the jogging stroller as you walk, then switch when you start to run again. Remember to have them wear the handy strap so if they fall the stroller doesn’t go anywhere.

Make sure you check the Baby Jogger ® Summit^TM X3 out when you are shopping at your local Babies R Us! Follow Baby Jogger on Facebook for more tips on selecting a jogging stroller.

Next step to jogging with kids is to always stretch. I really need this step the most. I remember running around all the time without having to stretch, but now if I don’t do it before I go out I feel really bad and usually a back injury; I’m getting old. Just 5-10 minutes makes a huge difference.

Finally, the amount your children can jog is largely up to them. If you are using the run/walk method like I do, they can go quite a ways. If they are under three, generally up to 1 mile is a good start. From ages 4-6 two miles, and then after those ages, you’ll want your child to guide you on how much is enough. Let them lead. For a beginning runner like me, jogging with my kids is a perfect buddy system because they help me go a little more than I would on my own, but they don’t push it and are glad to walk when I need to.

Stretching and hydrating after you go jogging with kids is also really important. I usually bring a couple water bottles with me. You might want to try giving your children something a little more hearty to drink afterward. Things like milk and fruit on the side or a smoothie are good ideas.

Have you ever jogged with your kids? Do you think they would like it?

The post Jogging with Kids – Tips and Tricks first appeared on True Aim.

With five children and a full time business, our family is constantly on the go. Four out of our five are homeschooled. Three are in high school, and have busy schedules ranging from gymnastic practice, music lessons, and dual enrollment at a local college. Keeping a balanced diet doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming, and can be as simple as slipping a Capri Sun Organic juice drink into your bag before heading out the door! 

Capri Sun Organic is a simpler, positive addition to an action-packed day. Capri Sun Organic is offered in four kid-friendly flavors; Fruit Punch, Tropical Punch, Grape, and Apple. We decided to try our favorite flavors, Fruit Punch and Tropical Punch, and instantly fell in love with them. Their flavors are just as delicious as their traditional line, but they have been certified organic by the USDA.

Capri Sun Organic is sweetened with only fruit juice. Each pouch contains one serving of fruit in each pouch. (Each pouch provides 1/2 cup fruit juice, which is one serving of fruit according to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines.) The six-ounce pouches are made with 66% fruit juice, and contains no added sugar. Capri Sun Organic contains no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. Each pouch also contains 100% of the daily recommended dose of vitamin C – an extra plus for busy moms that choose wholesome! Capri Sun Organic is available nationwide at retailers such as Walmart and Target, for $4.29 for a package of 10. Each pouch is proportioned at six ounces; one serving.

5 Ways to Eat Healthy

1. Plan your day ahead of time.

Planning ahead is not only frugal and prevents impulse buys, it also allows for healthy eating. I enjoy a daily fruit smoothie, but often make it early in the morning so I can enjoy it in the afternoon. With no mess and no preparation needed, Capri Sun Organic is simple to throw in a lunchbox for a wholesome on the go drink.

2. Plan your snacks ahead of time.

Likewise, if you know a long day is ahead, pack snacks the night before. Throwing healthy snacks in your bag before heading out the door, or the night before, can eliminate impulse trips to the vending machine or fast food line. Capri Sun Organic is not required to be refrigerated, so it can easily be packed the night before.

3. Have wholesome snacks in your cabinet.

Since we eat lunch on the earlier end of the things, often times our toddlers need a quick tide-over until dinner. Convenient snacking doesn’t have to be complicated or processed, and Capri Sun Organic offers a guilt-free and wholesome alternative to traditional fruit, while still providing a serving of fruit.

4. Pack simpler snacks.

Since Capri Sun Organic comes unopened and with a sealed straw, they’re easy to throw in your purse in preparation for a long dance recital or late soccer practice. It is also proportioned for one serving, making this a convenient fit in an exhausting day.

5. Make healthy eating delicious.

Healthy eating often has a negative stigma. Flavorful and delicious organic snacks such as Capri Sun Organic can shed a new light on this; giving kids something they love, while providing parents with a stress-free and wholesome drink.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

The post 5 Ways to Eat Healthy During a Busy Day first appeared on True Aim.

I’ve potty trained 3 children now. Each kid was different, but I’ve found that having a potty training routine is key to success. It helps me be consistent and it teaches my child what to expect when it comes to going on the potty.

There are some signs that my kids are ready to use the potty. It was different for everyone of my children. For my first child, it was her verbal capabilities. She had a great vocabulary and loved talking about opposites; hot, cold; light, dark; dry, wet. She has a squirrel training personality and was always very busy. With some of my other children, it was a desire to use the potty like their siblings. That is the case with my 4th child that I am potty training. He asked to used the potty one day and so I put him on it. Although he didn’t go the first time, I knew it was good for him to see that there was nothing to be afraid of. He is like a turtle, slow to change and has a will of steel! Find out which type potty training character your child is at this link.

After a few times of asking to use the potty, he finally went #2. Although, he seems to be weary of going pee for some reason! So I decided to start my easy potty training routine to get him comfortable with the whole idea of going pee on the potty.

Beginning Potty Training Routine

Before I start potty training, I always have a few supplies on hand to make it a little easier for everyone and a little bit more fun. Some of my supplies are; a new toy or book; salty snacks for rewards; juice; potty seat; Pull-Ups® Learning Designs®. Some people like to use underwear right away, but I don’t like the mess.

My son loves cars so I got him the Pixar’s Cars Lightning McQueen characters at Walmart. Each diaper has a fun design that will disappear when wet. I love the easy open sides that don’t tear. That way I can reuse the diaper if it isn’t wet and we can pull it off quickly without having to worry. Plus, they are now 10% stretchier to help my son pull them on all by himself, which he is determined to do, every time. Learn more about Pull-Ups® Learning Designs® available at Walmart.

Our potty training routine starts when I have 3 solid days to work with my child without trips or interruptions like guests or appointments. It goes something like this:

1. In the morning, I wake my child up to go on the potty. This is important because that is the most common time for my child to go pee. If my son wakes up before me, he usually goes in his diaper.
2. When he is on the potty, he gets a special toy or book that he doesn’t normally get to use. I buy a new one just for the occasion. This helps keep his attention so he sits longer and is more likely to go. Sometimes we sing songs, or play his favorite app on my phone. Whatever it takes to get him to sit on the potty for at least 5 minutes. After I think he is done or he asks to be all done, he gets to wipe and flush and we celebrate. It doesn’t matter if he goes or not. The potty should be a fun time and so I’m always grateful and excited for him.
3. He doesn’t get a special snack or treat for going. During the day, I check his diaper, and give him a treat for being dry. I set the alarm on my phone for 45 minutes to check him and try to go on the potty. Throughout the day, I’m always asking him if he is dry or if he needs to go on the potty. Staying consistent is the key!

Potty Training Tips

If you think your child is having a hard time understanding what is wet and what is dry, you can do a simple experiment. Grab some cotton balls and get a few wet. Give them to your child in two piles and take their hand to show them which pile is dry and which is wet. See if they can point or touch which pile is which.

Give them a treat if you need to. If they have used the potty before, but now you are seeing resistance, give them a special treat after using the potty one time even if they don’t go. After that, explain that they don’t get a treat until they pee on the potty. No pee, no treat.

Other activities to do on the potty: If the book or the new toy wasn’t enough, you can sing songs, blow bubbles, make sticker art, color, or even get some silly puddy!

If you try your potty training routine for 3 days, making sure you’re consistent, but your child is still not going in the potty, take a break for a few weeks and then try again.

What does your potty training routine look like? Find more potty training tips from Pull-Ups® here.

The post Easy Beginning Potty Training Routine first appeared on True Aim.

As a mom, struggling with winter blues or depression makes every part of life difficult. The hardest part of this struggle is parenting because our kids have so much energy and sometimes going outside is just not an option. It takes intentional planning to ensure that you are able to survive motherhood winter blues.

The hardest part of motherhood at wintertime for me is that my children love playing outside. Each year they build snow forts, make sledding paths, god ice fishing and more. I do not like the cold at all, yet I’m realizing that I need something the cold weather brings in order to survive the winter blues.

As we are just getting into a new year and the new winter season, this is a great time to take steps to intentionally plan on how we’re going to survive winter without visiting the winter blues.

First, take time to write down a few projects that you’ve been wanting to complete that you’ll have more time for throughout the winter months. 

A few projects that I’d like to complete are:

• A new cross stitch project
• Teach my daughter to sew
• Teach my son to make printable packs

Next, take a few moments and jot down things that you enjoy doing at home. 

A few of my favorite things to do at home are:

• Bake
• Read
• Write

Then, consider what activities that you and your kids enjoy doing together during the winter specifically. 

Some of our favorite winter family time activities are:

• Watching movies
• Playing board and card games
• Reading aloud together

Now, be honest with yourself and record some things that your kids have asked you to do, things you’d like to do with them and something(s) that you’ve been wanting to try. 

I know I need to do these things this winter:

• Play in the snow with my kids
• Go ice fishing with my family
• Start my book

Finally, spend some time looking over your lists. The activities you see on these lists are keys to surviving motherhood winter blues. 

Staying busy and spending quality time with your family doing things together are the best ways to survive the winter blues. 

To ensure that you don’t forget all of the activities that you want to do this winter, download a copy of the Free Winter Blues Buster Printable below. Write down all of your activities from the exercise in this post and then display your list where you and your family can see it all winter long.

Anytime that you feel the winter blues sneaking up on you, pick an activity from your winter blues buster list and do it! You’ll be surprised at the end of the winter season just how much you accomplished during the winter months, so be sure to keep track of everything you do!

How do you survive the winter blues?

Winter Blues Buster List

The post Surviving Motherhood Winter Blues first appeared on True Aim.

No matter what industry we’re in, people remind us that we must take care of our own needs if we are going to be able to care for the needs of others.  When flying on a plane, we are told we need to put our own oxygen mask on first.  Then, we can help to secure the masks of those around us.

It’s easy to forget about our own needs when we are focused on the needs of our families.  When we neglect to take care of ourselves, we may find that our families will suffer as well.

Here are 6 Ways That We Ignore Ourselves:

1 – We Let Ourselves Get Tired – Parenting takes a lot of work!  We need to be sure we’re taking care of our physical needs so that we will have the strength to make it through each day.  Are you getting enough rest?  Are you eating healthy meals?  Are you drinking enough water?  Are you exercising?  If you are healthy then you will not only be able to survive but you will thrive!

2 – We Become Discouraged – We often become discouraged because we compare ourselves or our kids to those around us.  God has all of us here for different reasons.  When you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, it’s often because we are comparing our weaknesses to someone else’s strengths.  Have a plan in place so that when you start to feel discouraged, you can do something to help snap yourself out of it.  Some women enjoy relaxing in a hot bubble bath.  Some want to go off alone with a good book.  Some need to go on a drive with a glass of hot tea while listening to their favorite music.  Write down several things that will help you to feel centered again and go to this list before you’re feeling drained.

3 – We Expect Perfection From Ourselves – Let’s face it.  No one is perfect!  No matter how hard you are trying to be the perfect mom, to give your child the perfect education, or to make perfect memories, you WILL fall short.  Fortunately, God doesn’t expect us to be perfect.  He knows that we will make mistakes.  Stop putting so much pressure on yourself.  Our kids will remember our attitudes much longer than they will remember details of what we’re doing with them.  Lighten up!

4 – We Always Say “Yes”– There is so much pressure to perform in today’s society.  And no matter where we go, please want us to commit to even more.  Don’t cave in to the pressure.  Before saying “yes” to something new, be sure to pray about it first.  If it isn’t right for you and your family, you do have every right to say “no.”

5 – We Focus on our Failures – We all have strengths and weaknesses.  I’m not sure why… but it’s all too easy to focus on what we’re doing wrong versus what we’re doing right.  It’s also easy to focus on the hard things in this life versus the good things.  Where is your focus?

6 – We Try to Have it All – No matter how hard you try, you aren’t going to be able to homeschool your kids, have a perfectly clean house, cook perfectly balanced meals, and be well groomed all at the same time.  Your living room doesn’t need to look like a Pinterest Pin.  Decide what’s important to you in life and work on those things.  Learn to let go of the rest.

It’s all too easy to put a ton of pressure on ourselves… or to forget ourselves entirely in our quest to be excellent wives and mothers.  As the holidays approach, and our lives get even busier remember what’s truly important in this life.  Your sanity is important!  Cherish the time you have with your family.  Remember to take care of yourself, too.  Your family will benefit when you are living a healthy, balanced life.

Question:  Do you often forget to take care of yourself?  Which of the above points do you need to work on the most?  Have you learned any lessons in this area that you can share?  Please leave a comment below.

The post Are You Ignoring this Important Person? first appeared on True Aim.

And even worse, I’ve had times when my boys are goofing around and having a wonderful time laughing and carrying on and I feel myself getting upset with them.  I’ve gotten upset when my boys are laughing?!?  Yes, you read that right.  Can you relate?

I recently read an article about something called misophonia.  People with misophonia have specific sounds which cause them to feel an immediate negative reaction.  These are sounds that are just background noise for most people – but when this person hears the sound they will have a response that can range from moderate discomfort to acute annoyance or even full-fledged rage and panic. Fight or flight reactions can occur.

These sounds can be things like chewing sounds, humming, tapping noises, or even BREATHING!

Boys and Noise

Why is it that boys tend to be the ones who make the noises and moms tend to be the ones who are irritated by them?

There are at least 6 Factors involved:

1. Females hear better – Women’s hearing is ten times better than that of men.  This is a huge factor in causing boys to make noises that are irritating.  They often don’t even realize that what they’re doing is making a noise!
2. Boys process differently – Our sons do things that don’t make any sense to us and that can be irritating.  We sometimes have a hard time figuring them out!
3. Boys learn better while moving – Quite often, boys are kinesthetic learners.  This means that they need to move their hands and feet in order to think more clearly.  Pacing also helps to soothe them.  All of this movement causes noise.
4. Lack of serotonin – Boys have more of a tendency to have less serotonin than their bodies need.  This can cause them to be fidgety and to lack impulse control… which can be irritating to moms.
5. “Huh?!?” – Boys act like they hear us when they are actually thinking about something else.  This causes moms to have to repeat themselves often, making them irritated.
6. “Say what?!?” – Sometimes we think our boys understand what we’ve said to them but they actually interpret it differently than we’d like them to.  This lack of communication can also be frustrating.

So What?

So, what can moms do to stop being to irritated by our son’s noises?

Here are 5 Things that Should Help:

1. Understand Your Son – Simply understanding the way that God has wired boys can go a long way toward taking away the irritation with our sons.  When we don’t understand our boys and their behavior is baffling to us, it can be extremely frustrating.  We are less likely to be irritated by our sons once we have a better idea of what behavior we should reasonably expect from them.

2. Feed the Boy – Be sure we are giving them all of the nutrients that they need to help their bodies to function properly.  If your son’s noises are driving you nuts and you learn that adding more healthy fats to his diet might help, it’s certainly worth a try.

3. Learn to Communicate – Learning how to say things in a way that your son will better understand is key to being less frustrated by him.

4. Train Him Properly – Our boys may not always know that their behavior is irritating to us.  However, if we teach our boys to try not to irritate others, this will help tremendously.  In our house, if someone is making noises or doing anything which is driving someone else bonkers, we try to teach them to stop right away as soon as they are asked nicely to stop.  This is way less frustrating!

5. Give Him a Break – Our boys need to move!  Be sure you’re giving your son ample time throughout the day to make noises and move around.  Go outside with your son from time to time and allow him to really let loose.  Having regular times when he’s allowed to be loud and wiggly will help your son to have more self control at other times.  If you don’t have much outdoor space, there are plenty of indoor activities he can do to get out his extra energy.

If your son’s noises are driving you nuts, try utilizing some of the above techniques and see if that will get you some relief.  Our boys may be noisy and they may not even realize it… but armed with the above information, you should find their behavior way more tolerable in the future.

Question:  Do your son’s noises drive you nuts?  Have you found any other methods which have helped everyone to be less irritated by each other in your home?  Please leave a comment below.

The post 6 Reasons Your Son’s Noises are Driving You Nuts! first appeared on True Aim.

As luck would have it, the whole family woke up the next day with a sore throat. Now, my daughter had a fever too; perfect timing. We were supposed to help out in children’s church the next day and now, instead of calling my regular doctor, I would have to go to urgent care.

This is a sponsored conversation that contains affiliate links. All opinions, text and experiences are my own.

Turns out we all had strep throat! Through sickness, we had to take care of a bunch of sick kids, missed church and then the work week started right when we were recovering. What a miserable time.

It would have been nice to know right away that we should go in to the doctor. That’s why I’m so excited about the new SayAhh! Sore Throat Home Exam Kit for children ages 6 and up. I will never go without one again! Had I had this kit when my daughter complained about her sore throat, I would have saved money by going directly to my family doctor.

Since many childhood illnesses start with a sore throat, the SayAhh! Home Exam Kit helps you observe your child’s throat and make a decision about going to the doctor or not. 90% of of childhood illnesses are viral and nothing can be done about them. This will save you a lot of money and time.

You can also download the new SayAhh! Exam Guide App, which will provide a good basis for comparison to what should be seen in a normal throat, in order to better report to your doctor to determine if an office visit is necessary.

The SayAhh! Sore Throat Home Exam Aid package includes a patented, scientifically-designed oral retractor that minimizes the gag reflex, a flashlight to help me easily observe my child’s throat, a chart with medical-grade illustrations and descriptions of six common throat ailments, and a health management program at its website. It was designed by a doctor to make it easy to use, but highly effective for moms like me.

This kit does not diagnose, treat or prevent any diseases, but it is an essential tool in my medicine kit. Along with that I always make sure I have some cough medicine or natural remedies like tea, lemon, honey, or cider vinegar for my children to sooth their throat.

Enter the SayAhh! Cold Season Survival Stash Sweepstakes now through September 18, 2015, for the chance to win a $25 American Express gift card to stock up on cold/flu supplies.

Fifteen winners will be randomly selected on September 18, 2015. AND AS A BONUS… if the SayAhh! Facebook Page reaches 1,500 FAN LIKES by the time the giveaway ends, we’ll prize a $200 American Express gift card to an additional (1) Grand Prize Winner!

Now through 11/1/15 get free shipping on your purchase of SayAhh! Sore Throat Home Exam Aid online. Plus, Save $1.00 on your purchase with my special promo code: mom420 . Purchase online at http://sayahh.com/purchase.html. Remember to like SayAhh! on Facebook for more sore throat tips and information!

How about you? What do you have in your medicine cabinet for sore throats? Would you add this new product to it?

This is a product-provided, sponsored conversation that contains affiliate links. All opinions, text and experiences are my own.

The post When to Go to the Doctor for a Sore Throat first appeared on True Aim.

Guns are everywhere. You could lock your guns up, but the kids could find the keys. Or you might carelessly leave one sitting out. It would be a stupid mistake, but since when are we immune to stupid mistakes? Your kids may find guns at a friends house. Their friend might bring one to school. The avenues are endless.

So the best strategy is to lock your guns up, but assume that at some point your kids are going to find a loaded gun somewhere, someday. Accept that, and you will begin the transition from “reactive” gun safety to “proactive” gun safety.

Just as the best way to keep your kids from drowning, isn’t to keep them from water, but to teach them to swim, the best way to keep kids from gun harm is to teach them how to handle a real gun. So, here are 8 things every parent needs to know about guns to keep their kids safe.

Gun Safety for Kids

1. A Healthy Fear: You cannot teach your children gun-safety until you have given them a healthy dose of gun-fear. We don’t want kids terrified of guns, but we do want them to respect guns.

Kids are so used to being “over-protected”  that they might not take your “guns are dangerous” warnings too seriously.

Kids need to know the truth about guns. Yes, we use guns for target practice, but that is not what guns are really for; guns are really very efficient killing machines. They were designed for hunting (killing animals for food) and protection (killing animals and people who want to kill us).

You can tell your kids that, but I highly recommend showing them. When I was very young I used to hunt ground squirrels. One minute I’d be watching a cute little furry animal scurrying about, then I’d pull a trigger and he would have a huge, bloody hole in him. He was dead; it was final. There was no way to undo killing.

From that experience, you can be sure no one had to warn me to take gun safety seriously. So, the first gun safety lesson should be a demonstration. Take them hunting. This may seem like a traumatic initiation, but let them see what a gun can do to an animal, and they will be twice as careful when it comes to guns and people.

2. Are Toy Guns the Real Killers? The other day a five-year-old picked up a loaded pistol, pointed it at his grandmother and pulled the trigger. It all happened in seconds because he acted on habit and instinct. This ties into the last point, kids who don’t have a healthy fear/respect for guns are a danger to themselves and others.

And few things give kids a false sense of security than toy guns. The sole purpose of a toy gun is to have fun shooting your friends and family with it. If kids don’t understand the difference between a toy and a real gun, then it makes perfect sense for them to pick up a real gun, point it at grandma, and pull the trigger.

Helping kids recognise the difference is equally important. More and more toy guns are nearly perfect replicas of real runs. Instead of trying to teach young kids to distiguish between the two, they should just assume that it is a real gun, capable of killing, until they know for certain that it isn’t.

3. “One Rule” Gun Safety: There are many gun safety rules to teach your children, but most can be summed up in this one: A gun is always loaded, so treat it properly. This is my version of “Always treat a gun as though it were loaded.”

Kids need to know that every gun is loaded. Even if they check and find the gun empty, it is still loaded. Even if their buddy says it is empty, the gun is loaded. Even if an adult tells them that a gun is unloaded, it is still loaded. The gun is always loaded – period.

After nearly every accidental death, the shooters says, “I didn’t think the gun was loaded.” So as far as our kids are concerned, there is no such thing as an unloaded gun.

4. The Invisible Killer: Have you ever seen an action movie where the hero jumped behind a mattress just in time to stop a hail of bullets? That doesn’t really work, and kids need to know that just because that can’t see something doesn’t mean they can’t shoot it.

Couches, coffee tables, sheetrock walls, bushes, etc. aren’t likely to stop bullets. That is why it is so important to know what you are shooting, and also to know what is behind what you are shooting.

While you are explaining that to your kids, you might as well add that bullets can travel very far, like a mile or two far depending on what they are shooting. So, it is also possible to shoot things that are out of site.

5. The Good News is that Guns are Predictably Dangerous. There are a lot of things that are unpredictably dangerous, like dogs, weather, rivers, people, etc. But guns are predictable dangers.

They will never turn on you, unless you carelessly do the turning yourself. So, if you teach your kids gun safety and they follow the rules, they can just about eliminate the danger completely.

6. The Sky Isn’t Falling. Everyday the news blasts reports of gun related deaths, but don’t worry, the sky isn’t falling.

The reason that we hear so much  about gun deaths is because most news outlets have decided to join the gun-control campaign. And so, we never hear stories about gun owners successfully defending their property or person. They are only allowed to tell reports on guns when things go bad, accidents happen, or gun crimes are committed.

They could do the same thing to, let’s say, kids dying from bee stings, drowning, choking, or falling down, whatever they choose. And by reporting over and over the same terrifying stories society becomes paranoid about those things.

The percentage of children that die every year from gun accidents is very close to zero. In fact, it is much less than the number of children who drown in bathtubs, or in cars, or, well, you name it. But you won’t hear politicians calling to ban bathtubs will you?

7. If We Can Save One Child, it ISN’T Worth it. A while back, the Obama administration suggested that if gun-control laws could save just one child, they would be worth it. This is a silly argument, one that could be used to ban just about anything; legos, bikes, cars, medicine, etc.

And you might flip the argument around. If guns can protect just one child (or person) they are worth it.

8. Your Kids Need Guns, Especially Your Girls. Guns are the single greatest force equalizer in the history of the world. Take a third degree karate black belt and put him up against a 70-year-old lady with a gun, and guess who wins?

Yes, the criminals may use them too, but they will no matter what the laws are. But by arming yourself, you just leveled the playing field.

Guns are especially important for young women to have. In the past, being more vulnerable than men, women traveled (especially after dark) with a male escort for protection. Today, they can carry a gun and feel confident that they can match any criminals force with equal or more force.

This list is not exhaustive, just a good start. What are some of your thoughts about gun safety and children? What would you add to the list?

The post Guns and Kids: 8 Things Parents Need to Know first appeared on True Aim.

I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for Beech–Nut. I received a free coupon to facilitate my review as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation. All opinions are my own.

The alarming amount of pesticides that go into our regular food cannot be brushed aside anymore. I’m sure the amount we spend to buy organic is far less than the cost of medical bills in the future.

That’s why I’m so excited that Beech-Nut has come out with their organic line of baby and toddler food. The new organic line is inspired by the way you make homemade baby food.  Real, whole fruits and vegetables (no GMOs) are inside their jars and nothing else.

Check out this video of a family who eats only organic food for two weeks. Now, there may still be some natural pesticides used in organic food, but the really bad stuff that they measured for in this video makes you think twice about feeding baby anything else.

I usually make my own baby food, but always keep some jars and pouches of Beech-Nut organic in my pantry for days when I don’t have time, or when we go out on errands. The Beech–Nut organic line uses a unique just gentle cooking process, a method that doesn’t add any excess water or artificial preservatives and won’t cook the nutrients away. So, it’s just like the kind I make myself.

My baby tried the apple, raspberry & avocado flavor and loved it! I’m excited for him to try the black bean & cumin too. We’re both so happy to have a great organic choice for him.

Beech–Nut organic is sold at the following retail stores:  Kroger, Babies “R” Us, Wegmans, Price Chopper, Wakefern, Walmart.com,  Winn-Dixie, BI-LO, Stop & Shop, Giant Carlisle, A&P, Pathmark, Albertsons, Hannaford, Raley’s, Meijer, Nugget Market, Diapers.com, Harris Teeter, Shaw’s, ACME, Shoppers Food and Cub Foods.

Click here to find a store near you that carries the new Beech-Nut Organic line of children’s products. For more Natural and Organic Baby food inspiration, follow Beechnut on Facebook or Instagram.

Beech-Nut Product Giveaway!

Beech-Nut wants a lucky reader to try their Organic product for free! Click here to see all the Beech-Nut products and then come back and leave a comment below telling us which one you’d like to try!

*Contest entrants are only eligible to win once per sweepstake, per household as part of a campaign sponsored by Influence Central and must reside in the United States

The post Giveaway! Why We Choose Organic Baby Food first appeared on True Aim.