But the truth is, we still need to advocate for ourselves as homeowners, too. Renegotiating our mortgage payments after the fixed term ends, for example, is one primary example. But it’s also true that there are many necessary social and renovative measures to consider in the long run. For example, as a homeowner living on a private road, you may need to collaborate with other neighbors to pave over potholes on your road, instead of expecting the city authorities to do it.

In this post, we’ll discuss a few other measures you may wish to take in order to advocate and assert yourself in your home, and as the owner of a property:

Stand Firm Against Tough Neighbors

Not all neighbors are alike. Sometimes, you need to be very clear with them for agreements to be made. For example, perhaps their new fence is encroaching on your property, or their security camera has your back garden in full view. Remaining polite, friendly, but also very clear about the issues you face and what can be done to resolve it will allow you to remain on good terms. If you’re fair, consistent, but also not afraid to press the issue where appropriate or respond to improper practice can help you. It will also show you’re not to be messed around with, and unfortunately, some neighbors need that signal.

Tend To Your Home

The best way to advocate for yourself is to take pride in your property, even if others don’t. Moreover, being mindful and responsible as a neighbor can show others on your street what the area could be like if they also tried. For example, if you have a problem tree in your backyard, then using a tree surgeon service http://salslandscapetree.com/ to correct the issue can show you’re not above investing in your own property and if a neighbor has an issue that affects the street, they should feel responsible for their own too. At least, this approach makes such an argument easier to offer.

Join Local Community Groups

From local Whatsapp or Facebook groups to Neighborhood Watch schemes, or even just getting involved with community events. It can be highly important for a homeowner to connect with their neighbors both offline and in-person. That doesn’t mean you have to read every single post made by a neighbor or listen to them arguing about certain issues, but you can still have a voice, give your input where required, and even help with security concerns such as alerting others to suspicious cars and activity. A community group helps you understand what other homeowners are feeling and how to keep caring for your home.

With this advice, you’ll be certain to assert yourself as a responsible homeowner.

The post How To Assert Yourself As A Responsible Homeowner appeared first on InstantELLA.

Sure, while running a business as a couple can strengthen your bond and shared goals, it also requires navigating potential financial pitfalls that can strain even the strongest relationships. Sometimes, couples (just like business partners) can’t always see eye to eye financially speaking when it comes to expenses. So, with that said, there are some ways to help out when it comes to managing business finances as a couple while maintaining harmony and unity in your personal relationship.

Establish Clear Roles and Responsibilities 

There are going to be some things that are way easier than others. You can set up automated billing and use automation for a lot of things within your business (finances included), and this alone will help with the strain. But by taking the areas out of an account that can be automated, you will still need to have some clear roles and who will do what and when. 

Here’s an example of this: you both should determine who will be responsible for bookkeeping, budgeting, invoicing, and other financial tasks, and ensure that each partner understands their role and commitments. Of course, you should try to ensure that the other person can easily do these assigned roles, so that’s something to think about. But if you want to promote accountability in each other, that’s key! 

You Both Have to be Open and Honest

Alright, so this is a given; it’s super obvious, as both parties should have been doing it in the relationship. In fact, this is expected in a business partnership, too. There has to be a safe and open environment where both partners feel comfortable discussing financial matters, sharing concerns, and expressing their needs and preferences.

This is something that needs to be done for personal finances and, of course, the business, too. While this might sound too “official,” it’s going to help to schedule regular check-ins together, and both of you review the business’s financial performance. This gives you the chance to address any challenges or discrepancies and brainstorm solutions collaboratively. 

Open communication is essential, and both of you need to foster it. This leads to trust, and your partnership (and relationship) will only strengthen. Think of it this way: fewer misunderstandings, too. 

It’s Okay to Seek Professional Guidance

Honestly, navigating business finances as a couple may require specialized knowledge and expertise, especially if you’re unfamiliar with accounting principles or tax regulations. The last thing either of you want is to have any sort of mishaps! Seriously, this stuff can get pretty confusing, which is why it’s best to consider seeking professional wealth management guidance from a financial advisor, accountant, or business consultant who can provide objective advice and support. Sure, these services can be pricey, but they’re almost always worth it in the end.

The post How Couples Can Manage Business Finances Without Straining Their Relationship appeared first on InstantELLA.

So, keeping this in mind, here are a few critical chores, I believe, are connected to success and if taught to a child early enough, will develop positive & effective habits later on in their adult life. If you can get your kids to do these willingly & correctly on their own by age 12 (if not before), count yourself lucky

Making the Bed: Setting Goals

Here’s what making your bed (or not) reveals about your personality

This is the first opportunity for success every morning. It’s the first task that is presented to the child when he/she wakes up & often signals their response or how they will react towards other activities throughout the day.

I remember teaching & explaining the importance of making the bed to my sons (now age 10 and 12) a few years ago. They share a room and have bunk beds. The older one is on the top bunk. Initially the younger one would forget but eventually has got into the rhythm of making his bed. Every time I asked ‘boys, are your beds made?’ the answer was always ‘yes!’ I thought my job was done. The older one started off strong but I recently discovered he’s been shoving his blanket out of sight, behind a huge body pillow. Since he’s on the top bunk, it’s hard to notice the bed isn’t made the way he was taught and supposed to do it. When questioned, he had no excuse for not making his bed. What possible good did he achieve by not doing the right thing? Was there anything more urgent he needed done instead & why did he not come back later to finish his bed?  Was he also giving his teachers the slip with homework or assignments, was he slipping up elsewhere by taking what he thinks is the easy way out? Was this laziness or slyness? These were questions I had to ask him because I had to make him see that they were not good qualities to have in the world of adults or when he worked his first paid job.

What I realized is that unlike my younger son, the older one for some reason, finds it hard to set goals and rules for himself. He finds it difficult to follow goals others may have laid down too (like making the bed). So, he’ll need more time or guidance. But in the process, I’m hoping that making the bed will teach him to set goals in life because that’s important.

Taking out the Trash – Solving Problems, Starting Anew

What Japan can teach us about cleanliness

My husband & I were watching a few minutes of Jerry Seinfeld’s standup comedy last night where he talked about an object’s journey to becoming junk, how everything in a house is  pre-trash stage, eventually on its way to becoming junk. eBay is a newer concept of people transferring trash from one person to another. And while the jokes made us laugh, it’s also kind of true. Getting rid of trash is necessary & needs to be done routinely. Physical trash if unattended to, causes disease. For me, a messy room is also a messy mind. I cannot concentrate with mess around me. Mess inhibits creativity & so, the process of cleaning up the house, taking out the trash is rejuvenating & cathartic.

For kids, taking out the trash can serve as a lesson i.e. It’s ok to make mistakes & it’s ok when things don’t work out the way you expect, but it’s important to understand that mistakes, like cleaning up trash, can be fixed and that every time you fix something, the possibility of starting a new will always be available! There’s no need to feel bogged down with childish worries and let the trash pile up. Taking out the trash is always the solution

Taking care of the Pet: Love & Responsibility

5 Ways to Help Your Pets Stay Healthy and Strong in 2019

My sons have had hermit crabs as pets for 3 years now. The first pair died & we replaced them. The replaced crabs are still with us and the credit of keeping them alive (this time) goes to my older son. He has a connection with animals. He even feeds & pets the neighborhood cat who’s started to visit us regularly.

Looking after a pet, gives the child a sense of purpose. It has developed nurturing qualities in my son. He loves his pet and knows he plays a big role in keeping them clean, happy & fed. Having a pet, I believe, teaches a child to look beyond themselves and towards other’s needs. The world could use a bit more of that

Doing their Laundry: Planning & Hard work

Cleaning Skills to Teach Your Children

‘Laundry’. My husband shudders at that word and so do I sometimes. Not only is it chaotic, rule-bound, painstaking and time-consuming, but the thought of the number of sweaters that shrunk & ‘whites’ that became off white at their best and discolored at their worst, makes me want to cry.

Now, imagine your kids doing their own laundry.

Why should you create this nightmare for them? Why, when the load is heavy and it involves rules & using chemicals and an electronic washing machine that could get damaged? The answer – to root out laziness and teach your kid about hard work, planning & responsibility.

My kids used to have a gala time switching out clothes throughout the week, like it was a fashion show, with no regard about who took care of doing the laundry, folding their clothes or making sure they had a neatly organized closet. So, at first, I made them only fold their clothes & put them away. And boy did they grumble about that but it taught them, at least, to be more responsible about rotating their clothes & keeping their closet clean. Then I began to notice my younger one getting both mentally & physically lazy, refusing to think logically, and putting up a resistance to do any kind of work (except make his bed). So, I decided to make him responsible for all laundry in his room, including his brother’s. This would involve being aware when to do the laundry, washing, drying, setting timers on the machine, deciding how much detergent & water to load, separating clothes, making sure the machine and laundry room was clean & everything in place when he was done, bringing the laundry up to his room & then folding all the clothes and putting them away. The task truly is exhausting. On a weekday, he’d need to balance his schoolwork and sports and find the time to do all of this.

Skip to 6 months later! My little guy is a pro at laundry, he maintains good grades at school & has a great willingness towards work. No complaints whatsoever. He thinks critically and even plans his day and tasks ahead on his own with little guidance from us. I’m so proud of him, eager to see what he’s capable of. And we owe it all to ‘doing the laundry’. Since he doesn’t seem to be lazy anymore & that issue is resolved, I felt there wasn’t a need for him to continue doing the Laundry .I’m now making his older brother do it and let’s just say, I’m looking forward to the end of another 6 months to see if this experiment takes similar roots!

Putting together a simple meal: Gratitude & Survival

2 Questions You Should Ask Your Kids at Dinner

I can write a book on how ungrateful kids are about homecooked meals. From eating excruciatingly slowly, to wasting their food, to not saying ‘thank you’ when served their meals to comments like ‘I can eat a whole lot at olive garden’ and ‘ why can’t we have more of that ravioli (store bought, frozen or out of a can) like we do at grandmas?”…. these are all signs of the sense of entitlement a child has towards food. It’s common, we may have done it when we were kids and we’ve all heard about the starving children in Africa & Asia and why we shouldn’t waste food. But let’s face it, when we grew up, we very quickly and painfully discovered that life isn’t a buffet and neither are our meals.

Sure, fast-food tastes great but so does every other unhealthy food and Olive Garden is heaven on a plate but isn’t sustainable every day, even on a 6-figure salary!

More importantly, it’s not just irritating for the parents but every time a child acts difficult with meals, he/she is unnecessarily obsessing about the food, making himself/herself a slave to it and preventing himself/ herself from moving on to other more creative thoughts and activities. At no rate would I ever encourage a child’s ranting about meals.

So, it boils down to being grateful for what you have and if you’re not happy with it at least learn to fix it on your own, like a little adult. And here’s where my suggestion of a child learning to  put together a simple meal comes in. Example – boiling/ frying eggs, cooking rice, brewing tea/ coffee, cutting veggies, tossing a salad, learning how to operate an oven so you can grill/ bake fish & veggies on a try. I taught my kids to do it all last summer with the intention that one day in the week, they prepare a homecooked, healthy dinner for the family & their father & I will eat it without grumbling. That is yet to happen but on a daily basis, they do put together their own lunches to take to school – PB or ham sandwiches, cut fruit, crackers & other snacks.

There’s always a post its reminder on the cabinet door in case they may forget how to do lunch, but I relieved to confidently know if ever my husband or I leave the kids on their own, they will not starve or wait to get the next meal served to them. Often, they ask if they can help with dinner & I take that as a sign that they are beginning to understand & appreciate the love & work that goes into preparing a meal.

Choosing their outfits: Awareness

4 Reasons Why Your Kids Should Pick Out Their Own Clothes

How you dress may say something about who you are, but how you carry yourself speaks volumes! That’s something I learnt as a little girl studying in a convent. We had a uniform but there were other standards governing how we did our hair, wore our socks, polished our shoes and managed our fingernails. Times have changed, true, but that discipline has stayed with me till this day. It’s something I’ve tried to instill in my boys.

By encouraging them to choose their own outfits for school, I’m teaching them that they are responsible for how they want to represent themselves to others. Not only are they enjoying discovering their own styles, they also know that different occasions call for different attire. Casual sporty school clothes & sneakers are not appropriate for a more reverent occasion like attending Sunday Mass. The clothes they wear also serve as a physical cue or awareness as to where they are and how to behave.

This will prepare them for how to get on in the real work environment.

Doing the Dishes: Service & Discipline

Dear Kids: Do Your Own Damn Dishes

Like taking out trash, washing the dishes and cleaning up after meals is a necessary activity. There’s no escaping it in the adult world, so kids might as well get a head start. This chore is especially helpful to solve the problem of children who are slow eaters – the last one who finishes eating gets to clean up. And while they are ‘cleaning up’ perhaps they could do a little introspection to see how they can improve themselves to avoid a repeated episode of dish-washing. The truth is, like I said at the start, it’s not something that can be avoided as an adult.

An easy childhood, without chores, accountability or responsibility may be fun in the short term, but could lead to a more difficult & challenging life as an adult. My point to this litany of chores and why kids should do them is this: Learning how to cope!

Life is a juggling act. It’s all about coping & multitasking. The more self-reliant you are, the less you have to depend on people and situations. You can better control the outcome and you have a better grip on life. That’s when you stop coping and start living successfully and what parent doesn’t want that for their kid.. So, while other members of the family may dote on your child, it’s your primary job as a parent to teach your child to cope, to become self-reliant as quick as possible!

The post Raising Success – 7 Chores You Kids Should Be Doing & Why appeared first on InstantELLA.

Is it when you graduate college? Rent your first apartment? Or have a steady job?

How to Combine Working and Studying While You Are in College?

Even if you are 25 or 35 you can sometimes still feel unsure if you are actually doing this adult thing right, because it’s not like they give you any type of certificate or training course in it.

Adulting is hard. If you are still feeling confused and unsure, here are four things you can do to feel more like an actual adult, and know that even if you don’t necessarily feel like one most people probably think you are.

Having a planner

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One way to feel like a grown-up is to have a planner in which you put you plans!

But seriously the reason this will make you feel super adultish is because you will be able to know when and where you need to be at all times, and also, your life will feel a lot more well-organized and less chaotic.

Plus you can say things like, “I’ll add it to my calendar” which sounds super grown-up and mature.

Eating well-balanced meals

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Long gone are the days of 3 a.m. Denny’s runs with your friends or pizza for breakfast, or at least they should be.

To be an adult and do adult things your body needs the proper fuel, and eating well-balanced meals filled with actual fruits and veggies will make your body feel better and also make you feel grown-up.

If you want to take it to the next adult level you could even plan all your healthy meals in advance and cook some of them in advance too, and more adult points if you use a crockpot or pressure cooker.

Go to your doctor

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Nothing will make you feel like more of an adult than actually taking the time to make appointments with your doctor, dentist, or any other type of healthcare provider that you may need.

When you reach a certain age, no one is really going to force you to go get your teeth cleaned or go in for your yearly health screen, so it is going to be up to you to do it.

So, visit www.grovecitydentalofblackfoot.com or call your doctor’s office to schedule an appointment, and after you are done you will feel like a bonified adult who is taking care of themselves.

Doing laundry every week

How to Win at Laundry

This is two-fold because nothing is more adult-like than having piles of laundry to do, but the thing that will make you really feel like you are actually being a responsible adult is actually doing the laundry every week.

Making sure to wash your sheets and pillowcases every week as well. It is not only a lot healthier but part of being a responsible grown-up human being.

The post 4 Things You Can Do to Feel More like an Actual Adult appeared first on InstantELLA.