Family

It can be challenging to choose the perfect gift for your child, given the number of options available on the market. Here are six suggestions for gifts your kid is bound to love.

Freedom Can Come in the Form of a Smartwatch

It can be difficult to be a parent. While you may not want to coddle your child and prevent them from developing life experience, it can likewise be hard to achieve peace of mind when your little one is out of the house.

If this is something you have struggled with, it might be worth considering a kids’ watch that will grant them more freedom to explore. This product will allow you to easily keep track of your child’s whereabouts and contact them without allowing others to call them. With this gift, your kid can go out and explore, and you can rest easy knowing that they are safe and reachable.

Outdoorsy Gifts Offer Independence

Such a gift could go hand in hand with the previous suggestion. If you have a child who loves being outside and exploring, a present like a tent or some walkie-talkies is a good suggestion. This has the added benefit of giving you a chance to bond with your child by taking them into the great outdoors.

Personalised Gifts are a Hit

As a child, it seems that anything is better if it has your name emblazoned across it. Even finding a keyring with your name on it at that age is thrilling (especially if you have an uncommon name)!

It is now possible to find all manner of gifts that you can easily personalise for your child to giving the present a bit of extra oomph. Finding something your child is interested in and personalising it to them is a surefire way to ensure they are content and often doesn’t cost extra.

Creative Gifts are a Great Way to Promote Development

There are many great gifts available that can help stimulate creative thought. Whether it’s building cities out of Lego or arts and crafts that interest your kid, you can help to develop their creativity by getting them a gift that will allow them to explore their imaginative side are a brilliant idea.

Video Games Appeal to Older Children

The idea that video games harm the development of young minds is fading. It is a more common belief nowadays that they can promote creative thought and problem-solving. These games also offer the opportunity to play online with friends or to lose yourself in fantastic stories. The main hang-up with buying games consoles as a gift is the cost, but consider that you don’t necessarily have to buy the newest model; often, kids will be content with secondhand, older consoles, for example, a Wii.

In Conclusion

Ultimately, choosing gifts for children can be tricky. Finding something that will help your child develop while also appealing to them is a challenge, but you might achieve both by considering the suggestions in this guide.

The birth of a new baby is always a wonderful and exciting time for both parents and relatives. However, as exciting as it can be, it’s also terrifying, especially for first-time mothers. Navigating through motherhood and the thought of being responsible for a whole new human can be overwhelming, and that’s normal.

Many mothers pass through these emotions and feelings and have shared their tips and tricks. So, whether you’re a seasoned pro or a first-time mother, here are four tips every new mom should know.

1. Find savvy beauty shortcuts.

According to the Office on Women’s Health, 1 in 9 women experience postpartum depression due to the physical and mental changes that body and mind go through during and after pregnancy. The WHO lists low self-esteem as one of the moderate predictors of postpartum depression in new mothers.

After the birth, it’s easy for mothers and everyone around them to focus all their attention on the baby. Most moms struggle with doing even the bare minimum, like brushing their hair or putting on lipgloss. Stained tops and sweatpants become their go-to look.

While giving your child your full attention is understandable, feeling and looking good as a new mom is equally essential. Admittedly, getting out of the mummy rot can seem like wishful thinking. However, to feel good in your new mom’s body and keep your self-esteem from crumbling, there are savvy beauty shortcuts you can adopt.

For instance, don’t beat yourself up if your jeans still don’t fit. Instead, invest in a new postpartum wardrobe that includes at least a dress and pencil skirt that gives you a flattering silhouette. These clothing items will hide your beautiful baby bulge and have you feeling like a diva despite the sleepless nights you may be going through.

2. Try to gain new skills.

While there’s no set-in-stone rulebook to what’s expected from a new mother, it’s always advisable that mothers prepare themselves for the worst-case scenarios to ensure their baby’s safety at all times. For instance, choking is a common issue among children under the ages of five in the U.S., and a mom’s ability to react quickly and effectively react before the arrival of first responders can a long way in saving her child’s life.

The American Heart Association (AHA) reports that about 65% of infant deaths result from foreign objects, and moms who don’t prepare themselves for situations like these may inadvertently be putting their baby’s life in danger. How a mother reacts when a child starts choking will depend on her BLS or basic first aid training and skills. Therefore, as a new mom, you should enroll in a CPR course to learn about emergency cardiovascular care and cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Admittedly, you may not have the time or flexibility to attend physical CPR skills sessions. However, some training centers like AHA provide online training. So you can register for CPR online classes with them and gain your CPR certification at your own pace.

3. Develop a routine that includes caring for yourself.

The arrival of a newborn can be a chaotic time for many new mothers, and without a routine, every day will pan out to be the same, and you’ll find yourself exhausted and overwhelmed by the whole process. Caring for a child is no easy fit, and like every challenge in life, you need to have a plan and routine to organize the chaos.

A routine allows you to control your time and helps free up time for you to engage in other personal activities. The best way to set a routine is by first tracking your baby’s feeding, sleeping, and playtime. You see, babies are creatures of habit, and they develop their patterns early, which is a good thing.

When you have mastered their timings, assign between 10 to 40 minutes of each day to yourself. You can use this time to respond to emails, check in on yourself by journaling or workout. As a pro-tip, ensure that you invest in comfortable maternity leggings or yoga pants that allow you to switch between these activities with ease. For instance, a comfortable pair of maternity leggings made with breathable fabric that provides belly support and has plenty of stretch room will make an easy switch from loungewear to gym wear.

4. Maintain safe sleeping practices.

Most new mothers understand that their baby’s safety is a top priority, and this is why they invest time and effort into babyproofing their homes. However, only a few understand the importance of safe sleeping and the dangers of potential safety hazards to babies. For the safety of babies, mothers must ensure that they maintain safe sleeping practices.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that mothers avoid crib bumpers, plush toys, and smoking in the sleeping area. Also, don’t offer your baby a pacifier at night, and avoid sleeping with the baby in your arms. These practices will help reduce the risk of suffocation, overheating, and strangulation. With these tips, you’ll be in good shape.

There are many challenges you’ll likely face in life, and unfortunately, life doesn’t come with a book of instructions. For the most part you’ll have to decide for yourself what to do based on what is best for you.

However, when you have a whole family to take care of, those same challenges may become even more stressful. Not to mention there are also many unique challenges that only come up once you have a family. In order for you to be equipped to face these difficulties, it is best to be prepared and to know what to expect. Here are 3 of the most common challenges you may face with your family.

Retirement

Getting older is a part of life and while there are many unfortunate things that come with aging, one great thing is retirement. At some point you should be able to stop working and retire so that you can enjoy your golden years – hopefully with your family. However, there are also some less fun things that come with reaching retirement age. There may come a time when you are no longer able to fully take care of yourself, and you may have to consider selling your home to move in with family or even a retirement home.

These are all conversations you should have with your spouse, children, or grandchildren ahead of time so that everyone is aware of what you want and things go as smoothly as possible should that plan need to be put into action.

Financial Problems

Financial issues are extremely common in all different types of families in all different parts of the world, and they are nothing to be ashamed of. Unfortunately they can be embarrassing and stressful, and extra hard to navigate if you have children. Just make sure you talk openly and honestly about this stuff with your family so that everyone is on the same page.

Divorce

Divorce is extremely common, and most of the time it is for the best. Sometimes people just aren’t meant for each other and it is better for them to go through with a divorce than it is to try to force themselves to stay together. Of course, this can be an extremely sad and challenging thing to go through and when children are involved it presents a whole new set of challenges.

Open communication and keeping your kids informed of what is going on rather than hiding things from them is the best way to go about it in most situations. Even if they don’t fully understand what’s happening while they’re young, they will when they are older and they will thank you.

Life is full of challenges, but they are much easier to get through and often more fun when you have family to help you!

The pandemic has changed a lot in our lives, including our home life. It’s likely that since the first lockdown came in 2020, you’ve both been living and working together under one roof. This has forced many people to spend more time in each other’s company than they have ever done before. Unfortunately, when this happens, cracks can begin to appear.

According to research by divorce solicitors Simpson Millar, the stresses of living through a global pandemic in close proximity have caused many married couples to rethink their vows. With this in mind, what are some of the ways that you can keep your marriage healthy and on track now and post-pandemic?

Maintaining a routine

Although having a set routine can be monotonous, why not switch it up and add a regular date night or day to your usual schedule? You don’t have to spend a large amount of money to have a good time together. This could be to regularly schedule in a movie night at home where you drag your duvet onto the sofa and snuggle down together, or simply a coffee date in town!

Going outside and planning activities together

Let’s face it, with most people still working from home, it’s likely that you’re barely spending any time outside at the minute. A simple walk around town or where you live, can give you both time away from your desks and computers to talk about other things instead. Make a rule about not speaking about your working day and instead, ask each other what’s on your mind and have a good check in with your significant other. You may be surprised as to what’s on their mind at the moment!

Have a strong support system

Even though your husband or wife might be your best friend, it’s important to maintain as strong support system away from your household. It helps to alleviate some of the pressure on the other, especially if you regularly offload your emotions onto them. Having friends and family that you can speak to, whether that’s on the phone, Zoom or in person, can help to keep your relationship healthy.

Stay present

Staying present during any time of your marriage is crucial. Whether you’ve spent months on end together or not, being present, giving time and listening are key to maintaining a healthy and fruitful relationship. This could mean putting your phones away as you enjoy dinner together or making sure you finish your working day on time and switch off, all of these things can make the world of difference.

Be intentional with the time you spend together

Whatever you do, don’t frivolously waste the time you have together. If you have children, it can be easy for couples to neglect each other, as the focus is likely to be on them. Once you’ve popped them to bed, why not light some candles and create your very own date night. You could cook a meal together, play a board game or even just sit and chat.

Are you looking to hire a babysitter? Are you stranded on the questions to ask to get the babysitter you want? Worry no more. Through research, writers from Write My Essay Today have created an article that will ensure you ask the right questions to get the perfect babysitter. Hiring a babysitter is a task to be taken seriously since your child will be spending a lot of time with the babysitter.

• Ask personal questions first-hand

It might seem like invading the persons’ privacy but remember you are trying to build a trust bond. Remember, you will be entrusting your child to the person, so trust is a key factor to consider. Ask them about how they spend their leisure time. Also, ask questions about the persons’ family, do they have a brother or a sister? Ask about their close relatives and so on. You can also ask them about their extracurricular activities, which games they like, the team they support, and so on.

So as not to make this session awkward or so formal, make it flow conversationally. Share as much as they do, talk about your family and the games you like. Such a conversation creates a great bond between the both of you. It also helps you know if you can trust the interviewee with your kid. Getting to know your babysitter better helps you find ways to make both your babysitter and child enjoy time together. For instance, if they like watching movies, you can schedule movie days for them and your child.

• How experienced are they?

You do not want a person with no babysitting experience to handle your child. To avoid such occurrences, ask about their babysitting experience. Ask them how long they have babysat. Ask if they have young ones at home. Have they studied the art of babysitting? Can they perform first aid in case of an emergency? Are they trained to perform CPR? Such questions will help you know how good they are at handling a child.

Present some scenarios and listen carefully to the way they would handle them, pay attention to their body language too. It will help you identify the way they could handle such situations in the future. References from other families that the person might have babysat for will help you get to know the person better. Make sure you ask them about their payment rate to make sure you can afford it.

• Determine how much they can handle comfortably

Ask them what task they can commit to comfortably. They might not be comfortable doing some chores. You can therefore decide on whether you are comfortable with the persons’ conditions before you hire them. As you end your interview, ask them which part of babysitting they presume to be the hardest. You can then look for red flags from their answer before you offer them the job. Also, ask if they can babysit while you are home which will help you observe them as they babysit.

Conclusion

Babysitters play a crucial role in the character molding of a child. You should therefore make sure you select the right one. If you follow all the guidelines offered in this article, then you can be sure to choose the best babysitter for your child.

If you have a large brood (or even a small one!) your schedule is likely jam-packed and it’s tough to take any time for yourself. Being a parent and spouse can really feel like a full time job, and one you don’t get paid for. There is a lot on your plate at all times and all kinds of things to remember to do.

Sometimes even the simplest things can feel like impossible tasks, and get thrown to the wayside because you’re out of time and energy. Of course, you care about your family more than anything and would do whatever is in your power to make sure they stay healthy and happy. So here are four easy tips to help you do just that.

House Upkeep

Keeping your house clean and tidy may be the last thing on your mind, but it’s important to ensuring everyone in your home (including yourself) stays healthy. Make sure to keep everything in working order such as electricity, appliances, running water, etc. If you have a pest issue make sure to call pest control as soon as possible as some pests can carry diseases that can be easily spread to humans. And don’t forget to regularly check your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms. They save lives.

Make Time For Yourself

This may seem counterintuitive, but in order to be the best parent and partner you possibly can, you really need to take plenty of time for yourself and engage in acts of self care on a regular basis. Get plenty of sleep too, otherwise you will get burnt out and easily irritated. Take care of yourself first and then you’ll be better equipped to take care of everyone else.

Cook At Home

Eating out sometimes is perfectly fine, and sometimes it is the only option due to lack of time. But make sure to fit it into your family’s schedule to eat a home-cooked meal at least a few times a week. You can even meal-prep over the weekend to make things more streamlined.

Not only is this a great way to watch all of the ingredients you’re putting into your family’s bodies, it is also a wonderful time for you all to bond with one another and reflect on your days. Also try making a no phones rule at the dinner table to make the conversations even better.

Go On Vacations Together

Everybody needs a reset and a break from reality every so often, even kids! Try to take your family on a vacation at least once per year, even if just for a weekend. If you’re on a budget, remember that vacations don’t have to be expensive! You can pack everyone into the car for a road trip or to go camping nearby. If leaving town just isn’t an option for you, plan a day every so often to explore the city in which you live. Some ideas for this include beaches, parks, the zoo, the library, or museums. Get creative and break away from your routine every so often. Your family will thank you.

We are all doing the best we can and taking care of homes and families is tough work! So Give yourself a pat on the back. Now get back to that beautiful family of yours and spend some quality time.

Few things can bring light into your world like a new baby, but the long process of bringing forth new life is one that’s known to be anything but a picnic. As your waist expands and your body changes to accommodate the life you’re carrying inside of you, the more critical it becomes to prepare your body for what’s likely to be the greatest stress test it’s ever endured.

Even though you’ll gain weight throughout your pregnancy, the ironic thing is that it’s also a great time to get in shape. As a new mom, you’re going to need all the energy you can muster to keep up with your newborn, and exercising during your pregnancy is a great way to prepare your mind and body for the rigors of parenthood.

 

1. Work with a professional trainer.

If this is your first pregnancy and you don’t already have a habit of exercising or being active, you should lean on the aid of a professional to ensure you get the desired results and stay healthy. Before you start a new workout regimen you should also consult your obstetrician to make sure it’s safe for you and the baby to exert that type of energy.

You should go to a trainer in the early stages of your pregnancy before you start showing so your trainer can create a workout plan based on your body type and fitness goals. The key is to do your own research to find a fitness expert who has experience with training women who are on the path to motherhood and fit within your budget.

 

2. Surround yourself with love and support.

 

It’s important to remain as stress-free as possible during your pregnancy because overwhelming stress can make pregnancy and childbirth exponentially more dangerous for you and your unborn child. You must surround yourself with loving, supportive, and positive people who you can count on to be there for you during and after your pregnancy. Of all the push gifts for new mom, a team full of people who will be there to help babysit from time to time to give you a break is the greatest.

 

3. Be active every day.

Certainly, you’re familiar with the phrase, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” That same phrase applies to working out during your pregnancy. Hard work pays off, but smart work pays even better.

If you’re active every day, you don’t have to push yourself so hard when you do work out. For instance, by walking for thirty minutes every day, you can burn fat without over-exerting yourself. Furthermore, by engaging in light activity for at least fifteen minutes a day, you can keep your body flexible and increase your metabolism, another good reason to remain active.

 

4. Get the proper nutrients and stay hydrated.

 

Even though it’s important to stay active during your pregnancy, the best way to reach your fitness goals is to feed your body the proper nutrients. Your metabolism will be higher because you’re eating for two and your belly will grow as your new family member does, but if you eat properly during your pregnancy to go along with being active, you can shred your body fat.

 

5. Listen to your body and be kind to it and your baby.

Even though it makes perfect sense to want to work out and get in shape during your pregnancy, the most important thing is your and your baby’s safety. There may be times where you don’t have the physical strength to push your body and exercise, and that’s okay. Be kind to your body and your baby, because as a new mother, you’re playing the long game.

The death of a friend, family member or even pet can be a traumatic and emotionally charged time. No matter whether the death was expected or sudden, it can take its toll on all of us, causing us to act differently and grieve in our very own and personal ways. While it is important to remember that there is no correct way to grieve, you still need to ensure that the fundamentals of saying goodbye are underway, such as planning a funeral or finding the correct support system.

One major part of any child’s life, however, is coping with the death of a parent. While it is expected, no one is truly ever prepared for losing their parent and having to live their life without their mother or father being there for them. If you have recently lost a parent and are unsure on how to process the grief or plan for their funeral, the following guide is here to offer support and guidance.

You May Experience ‘Unusual’ Emotions

Everyone processes grief differently, and it will aid you to remember that there is no wrong or right way to deal with the loss of a parent (although you may want to refrain from practicing in harmful behaviors such as smoking or heavy drinking). Common ways people deal with the loss of a parent include: feelings of shock, guilt or numbness; feelings of regret and/or anger; acting like a child; and feeling afraid and scared of the future.

Death can remove us from reality and cause us to question not only ourselves, but life itself. While everyone needs time to process the death of a loved one, it is important that you remember to look after yourself and communicate with your family and friends so that they can try to support you the best they can.

Decide on a Funeral or Cremation

One of the hardest moments of losing a parent can be the planning of their funeral. While your parent may have already had certain plans underway and you are expected to finalize these plans, an unexpected death can mean that you have to plan a funeral from scratch. The best way to plan a funeral service is to find a professional company who can help you every step of the way, much like a funeral and cremation service such as Baldwin Brothers. They offer cremations and funeral services to ensure that your parent has the sendoff that they deserve. Check out this website for more information on cremation and funeral options.

Speak with Your Friends and Family

It can become all too easy for us to revert into ourselves and not want to communicate with your loved ones while we process our grief. While it is okay for you to take time, you need to remember that your family and friends are most likely going through the same emotions as you and that they can also offer you a safe space for you to grieve. Sometimes grieving together can be a great release and support system.

Losing a parent is never easy, but that does not mean you have to grieve alone. Remember to speak with your friends and family and to reach out to professional mental health services if you need additional help.

When a child embraces the idea of reading, expect more benefits from the same. If you can motivate your child to keep reading during leisure moments, you will have achieved a positive impact academically for your child. It is through reading that kids learn new vocabularies and master the language faster.

According to studies, the future success of a kid depends on good reading habits. It is the parent or the guardian’s responsibility to ensure the kids embrace the books whenever they get some free moment. You can always find an expert write my essay for me that will explore in details the benefits of reading.

If you implement some inappropriate reading habits on kids, they might lose the motivation to keep reading. Again, some children love to read naturally, while some need inspiration and encouragement. So, as a parent or a guardian, how do you ensure your child loves reading? Read more below.

• Read aloud in an exciting manner

Children enjoy when you read books loud and clear in an exciting way. The idea motivates the kids to embrace books whenever they get an opportunity. According to some studies where a staff member used to read books to kids, the children enjoyed and looked forward to more listening to the person.

However, you must study your child first because some children prefer cool reading. Once you know what your child likes, stick to the routine.

• Have enough books

The best way to ensure your child enjoy reading is by having a collection of books around. You can’t have one book on the shelf and expect your child to read the same concept repeatedly. They also get bored, and they want new ideas. Buy several books talking of different ideas. This will motivate a kid to finish up one book because they are eager to move to the next.

• Create a space for reading

A good place for reading improves the overall concentration. You cannot expect a child to sit in a crowded and noisy place and embrace reading. Check factors like lights, temperatures, seats, and tables. As a parent, you must create this space before you ask your child to start reading.

• Allow children to choose books

Sometimes, what you love as a parent might not apply to the kid. Give the child an opportunity to pick their favorite book. This way, they feel loved and trusted. They have the power to make constructive decisions. Besides, when they choose a book they love, they get the motivation to read to the end. That is why you need to have a collection of books on the shelve to have the freedom to pick the best ones.

• Talk about books

Sometimes, the way to motivate a child to keep reading is by embracing the positive talk towards reading and books. When talking about books, do not focus on your favorite collection of books. Instead, think on a kid’s level. What books would a child love to read? Once you understand the nature of kid’s books, develop several stories revolving around the books. Pick a particular title and talk about what is inside. This will trigger the child to find the book and read it in detail.

Also, you can try and analyze your kid on which types of books they like. Is it about animals, sports, or comedy? This way, you can narrow down your book selection and pick the best ones for your child. When you talk about the subjects that interest the child, they become eager to listen to you. In the end, they will get the motivation to read on the topics you have suggested to them.

Over the past year, we’ve all gotten used to socializing less than normal due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The new normal means that going to parties, seeing movies with friends, taking part in many of our favorite activities and even going out for a meal is nowhere near as easy as it used to be, with strict social distancing measures in place that are designed to slow down the spread of the coronavirus until enough people have received the vaccination for it to be safe to get back to normal life once again.

For many people, this has led to feeling isolated and cut off from the world, especially if they have been working from home for the duration of the pandemic and no longer have that regular contact with work colleagues that they would usually enjoy. If you want to expand your social circle, making new friends has not been easy over the past year either, with fewer opportunities to get out and meet new people. But the good news is that technology has made it easier than ever for many of us to continue our social lives in a safe manner.

Virtual Movie Nights

Going to the cinema for the latest new release with your friends might feel like a thing of the past right now, but the good news is that virtual movie nights have been available throughout the pandemic and are one of the best ways for groups of friends to keep in touch or for couples to arrange a safe online date night. If you are wondering how to watch movies with friends online so that you can stay in touch and keep up with the best films that you all enjoy even while cinemas are not operating as usual, you can find out more at Setapp. Setapp provides information on some of the top tools that you can use to watch movies online with your friends or family from the comfort of your own home and enjoy a fun social occasion without the need to risk anyone’s health in these unusual times.

Virtual Quizzes

In the early days of the pandemic, one of the main ways that groups of friends and work colleagues got together online to stay in touch and remain social was with virtual quizzes on platforms like Zoom. These are really easy to set up and fun to do; they’re great for some after-work fun on a Friday night or a virtual meet-up with your friends on a weekend instead of going to the quiz at your local pub or bar. How you want to play it is up to you; you could get people together in teams or play as individuals and there are tons of quiz questions and answers that you can access for free online to give to the quiz master to read out. Whether you’re playing for a prize or just for the fun of it, it’s a great way to spend your time indoors while keeping in touch with the people closest to you even when you’re unable to see them in person right now.

Online Forums and Groups

If the past year has made it difficult for you to make new friends, the good news is that making new friends online is now much more commonplace and accepted. You can find several online forums where you will be able to meet like-minded people or head to social media where you can put out a message for anybody else who is hoping to make new friends to find. Local Facebook groups are a great idea since they allow you to meet with people from your area who might be in the same boat and today there are plenty of friendship groups who happened to meet up on social media rather than in-person.

Stream Games

If you enjoy gaming and have spent a lot of the pandemic playing games at home, it can easily begin to feel a little lonely. If you want to share your hobby with more of your friends and perhaps make some new ones in the process, you might want to consider streaming your favorite games using an online service like Twitch, which is easy and free to get started with. The best part about Twitch is that once you hit a certain number of subscribers and views, you will gain affiliate status which allows other users to pay to subscribe to your channel, so you could even end up earning some extra money from it too. You can interact with your followers and play any games on your PC or console, including games that are interactive and allow you to get your viewers involved for even more fun.

Virtual Dinners

If you’re looking for something simple and easy to do with your friends and family while you’re unable to visit them in person, getting everybody together for a virtual dinner or drinks can be a fun way to spend the time and feel like you’re visiting, even when you’re all safe in your own homes. This can be an ideal way to celebrate a birthday during the pandemic or another special occasion that is coming up when you’d normally be around at a relative or friend’s home. Choose a video calling platform that everybody uses like Facetime, WhatsApp or Zoom and set the devices up in optimal places so that everybody can see one another.

Online Games

Finally, playing online games with your friends and family is a fun way to pass the time and an ideal choice for spending some time together if you can’t get together in person. There are tons of free and paid game options to choose from including mini-games in Facebook messenger or console multiplayer games, so there’s something for everybody depending on the devices that you use and what you like. Cross-platform games like Among Us, for example, can be played by players on smartphones or PC, making it the ideal choice for groups of friends looking for something fun to do virtually.

How are you staying in touch and having fun with your friends and family online during the pandemic?