Keeping Your Messy Eater of a Baby Out of Trouble

Is your baby the messiest little one in the world? Having a dirty kid can be a chore indeed. Some children are very well-behaved in most situations. Woe betides the unsuspecting adult who tries to feed them at meals, though. Messy eaters are the worst to deal with because of the cleanup than afterward takes so much time and effort. According to clean-smarter.net, there are ways in which you can prevent the mess from ever reaching your clean kitchen floors.

Invest in a Bib and Use it

Bibs are remarkable inventions for parents around the world. Having a little cloth bib for your baby is perfect for keeping them clean and looking cute. You don’t have to just use it as a blast shield, either. You can use it as a towel to wipe up stray food when it gets everywhere! Babies can’t spit like adults can – your child is going to be dribbling food all over themselves without spraying it everywhere. Of course, as your kid grows up and learns to use a spoon alone, you’ll need more than a cloth bib. Plastic bibs are more heavy-duty and can catch the worst of the spills with ease.

Get Food That Isn’t Messy

The food industry has heard the prayers of beleaguered parents everywhere. There are particular brands of baby food out there that have specially thickened sauces. This food sticks to the spoon and doesn’t spill or spray all over the place. Other than this, you can get creative when figuring out what to feed your baby every day. Some food is less messy than other types. For example, you can mix cereal with bananas squished into a paste, making it a perfect source of good, non-messy nutrition.

Start Cleaning While Feeding

It's a very easy way to avoid walking into your kitchen after feeding time and wanting to drown yourself in the kitchen sink. Clean it up right then, if you notice a little spill while you’re feeding your child. Freshly dropped food is easier to clean.After feeding's over, take the ten seconds to wipe up after each mouthful, and you will see less of the nuclear fallout! Dab at the bib too if you want to. The cleaner it is, the less likely food is to roll off the bib and onto the floor.

Eat Outside More Often

It's a simple way around messy post-baby kitchens. Take them out to the deck every day in the summer and eat there instead! You get to expose your kid to the beauty of natural living. They get to make as big a mess as they want without destroying your floors. It’s a win-win situation that works for everyone!

Using these simple tips and tricks can easily solve your problem of a messy child. There are plenty of other ways in which you can use your creative mind to address this issue. Learn to deal with your child’s messes as soon as they happen – this is the best way to manage them.

Jen Brenner (c)

The Risks of Buying Homes by the Water

There are many benefits of buying and owning property by a river, lake, or the sea. However, there are also many risks to consider. Before you go ahead and get yourself an awesome new waterfront property, you should take the time to evaluate the risk vs. reward and figure out if the purchase is a genuinely wise decision for you. Oceanfronthhi.com recommends that you check out the common risks listed below and determine if this is the right fit.

Your Taxes Might be Higher

When you buy a home or property located near a body of water, you’re investing in a place with gorgeous views. It is a place for you to escape to from busy life in the city. Who doesn’t want to be able to wake up on a summer morning and go for a swim right outside their door? The problem here is that most tax analysts and assessment specialists keep raising the value of waterfront homes. After a few years of ownership, there is a chance that your next evaluation will be so high you just sell your home to get rid of the drain on your resources.

This rise in the assessment can be even higher if the general neighborhood is also becoming more popular, or if you have built more structures on the property like a boathouse or pool. With possible increases in assessment values of about 50% a year, you stand to lose a lot of money in the long run unless you fight the assessment. While many people say that this is just one of the costs of living in a gorgeous home like this, it is something to think long and hard about.

The Danger of Water Damage

Most waterfront properties are located near lakes and rivers. Depending on the terrain and the climate, there is a another threat presenting itself to you. There is a high chance that you will face severe flooding at least once during your ownership period. Since flood damage isn't a clause in most home insurance policies today, you may have to pay out of your own pocket to repair the damages caused by the flooding. If you live in an area with a history of floods, it is best to get this damage covered by your insurance when you buy the home, just in case.

Some people buy waterfront properties in areas where there have never been floods in the past. This doesn’t mean that water damage won’t be a problem. Water from the nearby lake can seep through the ground and to your foundations over time. In the course of a few years, there could be significant damage caused to the foundations and structures of your home. Before you buy a property, make sure you have a damage expert analyze the foundations to determine their integrity.

While it is true that homes by the water are exquisite properties with a lot of potential for a family home, they aren't without their own set of risks. Be sure that you are okay with all of these and more before purchasing your home.

Jen Brenner (c)