Before Pinterest and Instagram and those perfect photographed maternity and newborn photos, we had photographerAnne Geddes who created phenomenal and creative portraits.
We could only imagine recreating them ourselves but in these days and age with the onset of digital cameras, reasonably priced props, any mom or dad can try their hand at recreating some of the most adorable and beautiful portraits they’ve seen in social media!
The devil is a liar because Lord knows our babies are not interested in taking part in any of these shenanigans yet…they are thrust into a DIY prop set and well…take a look at how some of these have panned out compliments of a curated roundup by Habit Life of 60 hilarious images.
These are my faves:
“Whyyyyyy? No really, Whyyy dad?!”
“Listen, you really have to stay off Pinterest, mom!”
“Nope! Nah! I said noooooo!”
“You didn’t feed me enough pop tarts to make this work, ma but Ima give it a try anyway!”
“Nope. Still no neck muscle strength yet. Try again in a month, mmm kay?!”
“If you insist but you cannot make me smile!”
“Seriously, folks, this wool is itchy!”
“Not again…”
“Now who thought this was a good idea?”
“This thing is cold. And I can’t fit, ma! I. Cannot. Fit!!!”
The internet is a powerful tool – you can learn a lot, communicate with others, shop and even date. Its wondrous vastness is even more impressive in the eyes of the young and inexperienced. Kids can learn a lot but they could also be exposed to unsuitable content online.
Studies show that 42 percent of internet users aged 10 to 17 will see adult content online. Of these children, 66 percent saw the content unwillingly.
As a parent, you’re responsible for preparing your child. You have to prepare little ones for the exciting aspects of life, for embarrassing and even dangerous situations.
When kids have the knowledge, they’re equipped with the tools to address uncomfortable or confusing situations.
While talking about adult content is difficult, it can have a profoundly positive effect on the development of your child.
Take Control Over How Your Child Gets the Information
Sex-ed should be age-appropriate and it should occur before a child ever has the chance to view adult content online.
There are many books and resources you can rely on to determine what’s appropriate at the age of five, at 10 or 15.
It’s Not the Stork!, for example, is a great choice for children aged four and up. The book presents anatomical terms and aspects of human sexuality that kids within the age range can understand.
Their questions will be answered and more complex issues will be addressed as they grow older.
Talk about Online Safety
Understanding one’s sexuality is just one part of the process. To prevent online exposure to online content, however, you should also address the issue of internet safety.
Exposure to online pornography when kids aren’t prepared may have serious consequences.
Thus, you should address some of the dangers lurking online. You should also talk about the ways to stay away from such dangers.
Kids should know what to do if they come across inappropriate content online.
Tell kids that such images and videos are meant for an adult audience and they should never be seen by children.
Tell kids what to do if an adult ever sends them inappropriate content. You should build trust so that little ones come to you immediately in such situations.
If children believe that something inappropriate has happened and they keep the information from you, chances are that the consequences will become even more serious.
It’s only a matter of time, before your child becomes a teen or tween and young adult and eventually get exposed to popular dating sites that are mentioned in memes, YouTube videos and the sort, like DoULike.com and others. Make sure they can recognize when they’re getting re-routed.
Let Your Kid Ask Questions
While giving information is very important, you should also listen to your child.
Give your child a chance to ask questions, whether they’re curious or they’ve already seen something they shouldn’t have seen.
Be prepared for such conversations.
Your child could ask about issues that may shock you, that you feel uncomfortable with. If you freak out, however, you will potentially lose some of the trust that you’ve already established.
Give yourself a moment to calm down and provide an age-appropriate explanation. If you’re worried, ask your kid about whether they’ve encountered a term or an activity. Keeping the conversation going, even if you’re worried out of your mind, could help for the best possible resolution.
Set Some House Rules
The model you establish at home will affect many aspects of your child’s behavior at school or when they visit friends.
Make it very, very clear what’s permissible and what’s not.
You may also want to use browsing filters to limit access to certain types of websites or content. Parental control software can accomplish numerous goals and choosing one option or the other depends entirely on your preferences and the level of control you are to achieve.
Don’t Get into Too Much Information
While an open discussion is a key to preparing your child for unexpected situations, there’s such a thing as TMI (too much information).
There are issues that aren’t appropriate for kids and that little one cannot understand. A child’s maturity level and the information you’ve already provided will be determining for what’s appropriate to discuss and what isn’t.
Even if your kid has questions, you’re not obliged to answer comprehensively. Tell them that a specific conversation can be had later on or that they’re too young to understand the specifics. Telling your child to remind you about the question, later on, is a good way out of the situation.
Having a discussion about adult content is not easy but this is a normal part of life. Online media and the tech-savvy nature of little ones both contribute to new parental challenges you will have to handle as an adult.
If your child has already been exposed to inappropriate online content, you will first of all have to comfort them. There are websites out there that could be pretty disturbing even to an adult audience.
Tell your child that they haven’t done anything wrong. Once the initial emotions subside, you can move on to answering questions and providing a bit of important education. Remember that this is an ongoing process and maintain your involvement, even after the original discussion has been had
Whether you’re a spouse,
family member or friend, the birth of a new baby is always a joy. To celebrate
this joyous occasion, it’s natural to want to shower both baby and mom with
plenty of gifts.
Ideally, your gift
should be both heartfelt and thoughtful. However, in a market saturated with
baby gifts, it can be difficult to make a choice. Not all of us are
particularly great at gifting. While the thought really does count, buying the
new mum a wrong gift is a major boo-boo.
Oftentimes, new mums are
inundated with baby shoes and clothes amongst others. Get to know the
mother first and who knows, maybe she is a sports fan and you can give her a
themed baby gift. You would be surprised, but since we are in the NFL preseason, do you know the American football league has a section for toddlers, with bodysuits that have the badge or logo of the different teams?
But what about mum
herself? Doesn’t she deserve to enjoy herself to? To lend you a hand, here are
some great gifting ideas for the new mum.
1. Gift cards
While not the most
original, gift cards allow the new mum to buy herself or baby something nice.
After the initial stress of childbirth, she should be allowed to reward
herself. For a different take, you can also put together an assortment of gift
cards for the new mum. This allows her to pick and choose gifts for her and the
baby.
2. A spa session
While we can all agree
that childbirth is a beautiful thing, the entire experience often leaves new
mums drained and tired. This is why a comprehensive spa session may be just
what the doctor ordered. From relaxing deep tissue massages to cleansing body
scrubs, she’ll leave the spa feeling refreshed and energized.
3. The Amazon Echo Dot
Chances are mum’s gonna
have her hands full caring for her bundle of joy. Why not lend her a hand with
the Amazon Echo Dot, a voice-controlled virtual assistant. With the Echo Dot, let
Alexa lend a hand around the house. Whether you’re making appointments with the
pediatrician or checking the weather, the Echo Dot is a great gift for
tech-savvy mummies out there.
4. Personalized clothing
The birth of a child
should be a commemorative affair for the entire household. For something a bit
special, personalized clothing like a t-shirt for mum and a jumper for baby are
a great choice. The t-shirt and jumper can have baby’s name and date of birth
or something cutesy like a picture embroidered on.
5. A yoga mat
Post-birth, mum would
most likely be very eager to shed off those pounds. So why not help her out by
giving her with a yoga mat. Yoga is a low-impact form of exercise that helps
new mum’s shed weight. Along with this, yoga helps to relax the mind and reduce
stress, all of which would be extremely helpful for a new mother.
6. Baby car seat
For any parent, the
safety and wellbeing of their child is number one. This is even more so for the
mum and dad of a newborn baby. Give them the gift of safety with a top-quality
baby car seat. These car seats are designed to transport a new-born baby safely
and comfortably thus giving mum or dad peace of mind when they’re on the road.
7. Baby accessories
Besides being absolutely
adorable, baby accessories also ensure that baby is warm and comfortable at all
times. With their weak immune systems, it’s fairly easy for a newborn child to
catch a chill. A baby cap will protect the little one from catching a chill
while baby mittens will protect him/her from accidentally scratching
themselves.
8. Maternity bras
Nursing the newborn baby
can be a challenge for any mum as breastfeeding can mean sore or tender
breasts. So, give her all the support she needs with a quality maternity bra.
These bras are specially designed to be soft and easy to wear while also making
feeding baby a cinch.
We want what’s best for our children and when it comes to education, the more opportunities we give them, the better chance they have at achieving a job that they love and are passionate about.
That’s something that’s rarer than we’d like to believe to be, so here’s why it’s important to encourage your children to study further education.
Adds More Strings To Their Bow
Depending on the career path they take further down the line is also caused by how much experience, skills and knowledge that they’ve learned and earnt throughout their early years.
So, you should be exposing your children to opportunities from the very moment that they’re able to understand what’s going on in life. Think about different classes that you can take your children to whether it’s cub scouts or language classes.
Encouraging them to take part in extra-curricular activities is important because it will all be on their CV when it comes to securing their first job. By studying further education, it’s adding an extra string to their bow that will likely come very much in handy when they apply for their career jobs after graduating.
The more further education they get, the better. It’s also good to know that there are courses like this MA in business administration through distance learning, meaning that there are still options to study, even if they don’t want to leave home.
It Gives Them Memorable Life Experiences
You’d give your children the world if you could, but the least you can do is to encourage them to take up further education. Going away to study, away from home, gives them memorable life experiences that will last a lifetime. \
Being away from home, you have to become independent, and that can be difficult if you’ve stopped your child from exploring this independency by going on school trips or joining groups that go out and learn about fending for yourself.
Further education is where your child is likely to make friends for life and more importantly, learns how to budget their own money and to look after themselves without you. Yes, it’s probably not something any parent wants, but there will come a time in your child’s life where you need to let them spread their wings and fly.
Encourages A Natural Eagerness To Learn
By exposing them to more opportunities, you are building up their passion and eagerness to learn. It’s also influenced by how much you are interested in learning. Maybe that’s taking a trip to the local museum together or reading a book. If they see that you have a passion for learning, then they’ll want to do the same thing.
Children are certainly influenced by their surroundings and that includes their parents. Make the most of school holidays and instead of staying in, go out and do some exploring. Use every opportunity the chance to learn something new, and they’ll grow up hopefully, with that same natural eagerness to learn.
Hopefully, that means they’ll be more inclined to pursue further education when they are old enough to do so.
It also helps with discipline. When studying, they’ll need to be able to control themselves and to manage their own work without a teacher telling them what to do. Sure they’ll have lectures, but that lecturer is only going to be made available to them at the lecture.
It’s unlike high-school where they have teachers giving them guidance and telling them what to do. This all contributes to the discipline that they’ll need when they come out of further education.
It’s needed for their job and whatever they eventually do with their lives.
More Chance Of Being Financially Stable
Money can end up controlling your life and the way you live. It’s important though that money is not the be-all and end-all when it comes to living. However, that being said, the more education and skills you attain, the more chance that your children will be financially stable.
It’s not so much how much money is coming in from their paycheck but more about being able to live comfortably in relation to their lifestyle that they live. So that doesn’t mean that they need to be earning triple figures to be living comfortably.
Some examples of how they’ll use their finances through higher education are when they receive any grants or loans to help pay for their living costs. Having to pay rent for the first time and any bills that go along with it. Knowing how to budget and what they’ll need each month to be able to get by.
These skills will all be important for when they go into adult life and when times get tough financially.
It Helps Spark New Ideas And Changes Perspectives
Having more life experience and education can help spark new ideas, but it also changes a lot of perspectives.
When we open ourselves up to learn more and to involve ourselves with cultures and experiences that are new to us, we grow as individuals. That’s what you want most for your children, is that they’ll become a well-balanced individual who has learnt to be brave, to fight for what they believe in and to listen to those without a voice.
With as much life experience as possible, they’ll want to explore things that are new to them and hopefully help influence and change the way the world currently is. That they’re contributing to a better world, right?
A Bigger Social Network
Further education reaches out to people across the globe, so no matter where they end up studying, they will likely meet people from all over the place. It’s important to do this because they’ll then have a bigger social network that reaches beyond their hometown.
Having more social connections is rewarding, but it’s also helpful in widening their opportunities that come from having such a wide range of friendships. Imagine all the free stays they could get with friends across the globe?
The more connections that your child knows, the more it will help benefit them throughout their lifetime. That’s why it’s so important that your child continues to pursue higher education beyond high school.
You can encourage them to socialize from an early age, and it’s good to take them to sports classes and other activities where they can get that opportunity to make as many friends as they choose to.
These friends might be temporary, but it will teach them the social skills they need in order to not be afraid when approaching someone they don’t know.
Further education should always be something that is a choice for your child, and it’s up to them if they want to do it or not.
Yes, it does bear a financial cost but the experience, skills, and knowledge they get from it, isn’t really something they’d get by just going through adult life. So when it comes to reminding yourself why it’s important to encourage further education, here is a recap. Remember that it adds more strings to their bow and will open up more opportunities further down the line in terms of career prospects and experiences.
The life experiences that they earn from further education will certainly be a memorable one. It will encourage a natural eagerness to learn and a discipline that they’ll need in life. It sparks new ideas, a different perspective, and a bigger social network too.
And finally, it helps bring a bit of financial stability, so what’s not to like?
If you’re on vacation, chances are there will be a lot of down time in the hotel room. Your child may find the lack of space in the room restrictive, which could prompt unruly behavior or temper tantrums. Help them avoid boredom or cabin fever with some fun games and toys. It’s unrealistic to bring the contents of the playroom with you on vacation
. However, you can bring along some compact game and toy options, or you can create your own activities that require little to no equipment.
Here are some ways you can keep your little ones entertained during your hotel stay:
Dress-Up
If you have a little girl, have a mini-fashion show in your hotel room. The two of you can get her prepared for her debut with outfit preparation followed by spa services. Perform a special facial, paint nails and create a fun hair-do. You can easily pack a few accent pieces in your suitcase, like ribbon, costume jewelry or your daughter’s favorite dress. This activity is ideal for the child who enjoys planning and is enthusiastic about dress-up. It will require some patience on her part– but if you keep the energy high and have fun, it will keep her occupied and the two of you will have a blast.
Puzzles
Puzzles are time-consuming activities that can keep a child’s attention. If you have enough room in your luggage, pack some jigsaw puzzles. The two of you should pick out a jigsaw that is your child’s favorite animal or animated character, so they’re excited about the final product. The more enthusiastic they are about the content, the more time they’ll commit. If you have limited space for jigsaws, you can bring along some printed word puzzles. Include terms or words that are at your child’s reading level. You can make the theme of the puzzle reflect your child’s favorite hobbies, books or movies.
Card Games
Cards are compact and can be easily transported–they make a great alternative to board games. You can bring along a pack of regular playing cards for games like go fish, speed or gin rummy. Bicycle offers a six pack of kids card games that include Go Fish, Slap Jack, Memory, Matching, Old Maid and Crazy Eights. These cards are well-illustrated, colorful and designed especially for kids. Uno is another fun card game that is great for the entire family, as you can incorporate many players.
Music Video
Get the creative juices flowing and produce a music video with your kid. They can choose their favorite song, and the two of you can storyboard the visual elements. You can orchestrate outfits and practice choreographed dance moves. The video can be recorded on your tablet or smartphone. Many smartphones have video editing capabilities or apps, so you can instantly assemble the footage and polish it up for presentation. Your child will love to watch themselves perform and it is a fun, creative activity the two of you can do together.
Bath Adventure
Liven up bathtime and make the tub an adventurous oasis. The tub is like a mini pool where your kids can hang out and play with their bath toys. Bring along the essential rubber ducky or foam figures, so your child can entertain themselves with these toys. You also can go one step further and create an exciting bath adventure. You can purchase themed bath kits at toy stores.
The Pirates of the Tub play set includes 36 foam pieces that make pirate figurines, islands, a raft, boats and the Jolly Roger flag. The pieces will stick onto tiles, the wall or sides of the bath tub. The set also includes three pirate squirters that your kid will love.
This phrase has been heard in most blended families at one point or another.
When we were married in 2005, there was scant practical literature ‘How To” addressing the challenges faced in blended families. In addition, it was an uncomfortable public topic.
The conversation inevitably turned toward one’s personal story, an awkward subject at best.
We’ve learned a few things in the trenches since then and are thrilled to discuss one the most basic principles of long-term success…developing effective cross-border communication.
Start from where each child is. Most blended family members have experienced the dislocation of absence, divorce or death.
The associated trauma is real.
Remarriage can produce additional disruption due to relocation, separation from support groups, re-establishing social structure, sharing space with strangers and new parental and sibling relationships among countless others.
The key to communication is often found in where parents begin. Spend time listening to understand each child. Knowing better where each child is, and how they perceive their new reality, sets the stage.
You cannot progress from where you think/expect a child should be or where they are supposed to be. Starting from where a child IS NOT ensures daily feelings of inadequacy and failure. A parent must begin from where that child is. This is usually different for each child.
However, when you begin from where they are, every step is a success. Why? Because you are experiencing it with them as your relationship grows naturally from the new soil in which you are both planted.
Respect the Bio-Compass. There is usually a deep pre-existing relationship between the bio-parent and their child. The non-bio parent may be a fantastic person and have a developing bond with the non-bio-children, but it takes time and may never be the same.
That is both normal and okay. The non-bio parent will have opportunities for positive interaction but there will be times when only the bio-parent can respond. Recognizing these and being willing to take a step back while the bio-parent leads is a learned skill and a gift to your children. This often requires a parent to swallow their pride and remain selflessly silent in the moment.
This does not mean withdrawing. In fact, it requires that the less involved parent actively support and sustain the bio-parent. Rest assured that, as you respect this relationship, it will be noticed.
There will come a time when your input is sought.
Misdirection works. We have discovered over the years that the best response to a child’s dramatic or traumatic moments is not the frontal assault. Here are three more effective approaches.
First, progress is often better realized not in the moment when emotions are high. A better time will always become available. Second, distraction works. If two of your children argue over a particular toy, work together and get them separately interested in something else. As they grow older it is more likely to involve mean kids, perceived unfairness, disappointment in school or social feedback or falling short in achieving a goal or dream. It never hurts to turn the conversation in another direction.
Finally, when tough conversations or discipline are necessary, we often tell the end first. None of our children like to be asked to join mom and dad in the study.
They know what that means. We have found that the best way to help them focus, rather than waiting with anxious distraction for the other shoe to drop, is to start the conversation with, “We want you to know we are not mad.” Or “…you are not in trouble.” This relieves pressure and allows more effective learning.
The key trait for blended family success. One evening a teenage son came to us asking about the most important trait he should look for in friends and ultimately a spouse.
We let him name several then made one addition to his list…Kindness. We have discovered in blended family relationships or choosing a spouse, friends or mentors that kindness is always near the top of the list. Kindness opens the door to all other virtues.
If a person is kind, they will more likely be patient, honest, thoughtful, respectful, selfless and able to love unconditionally. We teach and expect such traits to be exhibited by each child and try to consistently provide appropriate examples.
While we often feel painfully imperfect, we celebrate each step of the journey. Our blended symphony encourages each instrument its solo voice. But we also recognize that beautiful music created together is something more than what could have been produced individually.
If we can do it from where we started, anyone can. Each blended family member is good enough to make a priceless contribution.
About the Authors: Clark and Leah Burbidge are 14 years into their blended family experience and loving life more than ever with ten children and their eight spouses, eight grandchildren and counting. Their practical ‘autobiographical/how to’ guide is contained in a new Gold Medal award winning book, Living in the Family Blender: 10 Principles of a Successful Blended Family, July (2019 – Deep River Books.)
You wouldn’t think that hashtags like #pottytrain, #naptime, #splishsplash and #kidsswimwear used in captions of innocent photos parents share in social media should be avoided, but they should because they attract child predators and pedophiles.
A republished story in Good Morning America today includes a list curated by a non profit child advocacy groups of over 100 hashtags that parents should avoid using in social media. The list was initially released in January as part of the group’s @kidsforprivacy campaign that launched in 2018.
Child Rescue Coalitionis an organization that aims to protect all children from sexual exploitation.
One way they do that is through the Child Protection System (CPS) — “technology that provides the most comprehensive view of where child predators around the world are downloading and sharing explicit content online -— leading to direct action,” according to the web
“To a normal person and normal friends photos picture on the beach that’s cute to us cute to us might be seen very differently by predators,” CEO and founder, Carly Yoost told GMA. “Child predators not only use the Internet to distribute pornography, but also to stalk children, share information, and trade tips and techniques on how to seduce and lure them into sexual encounters.”
Just like pregnant women are community property, so, to a certain extent are newborn babies and infants. When people see them out and about, at the mall, the park, in the synagogue, temple or church, they can’t help but want to squeeze those juicy cherubic cheeks, stroke that curly soft baby fine hair and try to get the baby to grip their finger.
All three of these areas are big NO TOUCH areas for most people and especially for strangers who do not know the baby or its parents.
Here’s why:
1. The hands: At the earliest stages in a baby’s life, its hands are always in its mouth. They suck on their hands, fingers and fists for comfort. Adults have their hands on a variety of different objects throughout the day, often times picking up germs here and there. Most people do not use hand sanitizers nor wash their hands as often as would be ideal during the day. The worst thing a new mom wants to see is your grubby mitts exposing her newborn’s hands to whatever germ may be hanging out on your hands. It’s tempting and often times, understandably when you are overwhelmed by the cuteness in front of you, but don’t. Think before acting. It’s a gross thing to do.
2. The face: Many adults have sensitive facial skin and newborns’ skin can be no different and in some respects, are even more sensitive. They are fresh out the womb and are still developing their immunity. A cheek stroke from you (with your germ-filled finger) is liable to have the poor kid break out in a rash later. The mom may not be in a position to wash off your cooties before it’s too late. Just say no to the “cheek squeeze.”
3. The hair: Similar to the same reason you don’t touch a newborn’s face and hands unless you are its parent, pediatrician or just finished rubbing hand sanitizers on your hands moments before getting permission to approach the baby, you don’t touch or stroke a baby’s hair.
Of course, all of the above rules are flexible and can be waived depending on the situation and your relationship with the parents, but by all means if you are a stranger, it’s best to watch and not touch. If you must, tug at a socks or stroke the forearm. Understand, you’re still pushing your luck.
Just passing along a little public service announcement on behalf of all those new (especially first-time) parents out there who go through public settings full of anxiety on how to best protect their baby from unwanted advances. [That will be the subject of another post]
Psst … it’s pool party season! Break out the goggles and the pool floaties, because now is the perfect time to make a splash with an epic backyard bash. Whether you’ve got a lap pool, a kid-sized affair or even just sprinklers, we’ve got plenty of pool party ideas to inspire your next shindig.
Decor
Set the mood and let your party goers know how big of a splash they’re in for with bright colors and festive accents. From beach balls to pool noodles, here’s how to make your party look picture perfect.
A family gathering can be a joyous occasion. Getting together with people you haven’t seen for years can exciting.
Perhaps a new generation has been born, and you’ve only seen the birth announcements. Reunions help maintain that intergenerational connection that helps shed light on certain commonalities.
For example, your daughter with a love for painting might find out that a great aunt is an established artist. Creating lasting bonds or renewing existing ones with your kin can also help you learn about your history. DNA kits are popular more than ever. Now you can find out where your family’s journey has led everyone.
To create a drama-free experience, you can find several ways to keep everyone happy. You’re focusing on the fun of it all. Here are some ways to plan (and survive) the next reunion and more to come in the future.
These are the people probably know you the best, and you can count on when you need them. Interrelationship isn’t always pretty, but families hold a special bond as no one else can.
Family on the sea
Sometimes you can’t escape a bit of drama during a family reunion. Before packing a place with relatives, you should make a list of who is and isn’t coming. Understanding all the variables may make the process easier.
You can ask another family member to help in organizing the invitations. You also want to take finances into account. Some may not be able to afford a pricey trip.
Finding the right venue for everyone can be tricky. One way to have everyone together but with enough space to spread out if needed is booking a sunset cruise in West Palm Beach. Family cruises give you numerous activities on board, from shows and sights, games for the children, and the end of the day together at dinner.
You can have a set time for everyone to meet to spend time together going over old photos and discussing memories. You can create a keepsake such as a scrapbook or a wall calendar with funny quotes and pictures. You and the family can be together for a many things on board.
Find out where and what activities everyone is interested in. There are cruise lines that even have go-karts for a different take on cruise life.
Family festivities
Having a themed soiree can be another interesting idea to bring the family together. You can enjoy a Great Gatsby party, where everyone is decked out in 1920s garb and enjoying specialty cocktails. You can ask your local liquor store what drinks would make for such a night.
During the warm summer months, you can throw a luau complete with pineapples and tiki lamps lining the backyard. Simple food with a hint of the tropics such as fresh fruits and umbrella decorated drinks are a fun addition.
Hiring someone to play the ukulele or popping in a Hawaiian CD adds some subtle background music. A potluck can be a great reason for everyone to dig up the old family recipes.
You may discover who created your favorite, or you could learn the origin of your grandma’s pot roast. You may want everyone to bring a copy of them to collect and create a keepsake of the family recipes.
This can open up where your family came from and how they got to where they are now. With mail-away DNA tests, you can find out exactly where you all traveled from, which can be revealed at the party.
For those relatives who live too far away, you can find an easy solution for them to enjoy the festivities. Thanks to modern technology, you can set up the laptop or tablet and livestream the gathering. Your long-distance relatives can see everyone with no one feeling left out, whether because of finances or physical and health issues.
