#ThisIsOurShot Choosing the COVID-19 Vaccine for My Family

Thank you American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) for sponsoring this post. 

The last two years have truly been life-altering for us all, especially as a parent. As a country, we made huge adjustments to our lives, while also attempting to maintain some sense of normalcy for ourselves and our children. The pandemic life has consisted of wearing masks, social distancing, virtual learning, working from home, grocery deliveries, outside play for the kids and so much more. If I can be completely transparent for a moment, outside of the life adjustments I just listed, I, nor my family have been directly impacted until both my husband and son, who are both extremely high-risk, contracted COVID-19, in 2021. This was completely eye-opening for me - especially since we felt we were in the clear having avoided it in 2020.

While my husband and son were recovering, I began thinking of ways to keep my entire family safe. It was important that all my children were given the chance to thrive without worry of infection; especially, my middle daughter, who has a developmental disability, attention deficit disorder/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). She is a true socialite that enjoys being around other children and people in general. I did not want to dim her light. As her mom, I felt it was my duty to provide her with the freedom to continue to enjoy life, have stress-free playtime, and have safe contact with others. But, I knew this level of protection would go beyond what I could provide as her mother.

Children with ADHD were one of the groups hit the hardest due to the pandemic. They thrive in familiarity and social settings. Taking that away from them was tough. My daughter struggled with adjusting to virtual learning and mask-wearing. Most days it made her symptoms worse.

So, I sprang into action! I scheduled a consultation with her doctor to discuss the COVID-19 vaccines for children. I had questions and lots of them. I needed to know the risks and how it would affect her. Not only did I listen to our pediatrician, I also did the research for myself with trustworthy and reliable information sources, like the American Academy of Pediatrics. I quickly learned that the COVID-19 vaccines would be a great way for my children to continue living active lives. My oldest (13) and my middle daughter (8), who has ADHD, would join the millions of kids and teens who have already been safely vaccinated. And let me tell you, it would not be long at all before the decision was made. After speaking with her doctor and conducting research through authentic sources, I knew the COVID-19 vaccines are the best way to protect children with developmental disabilities from COVID-19.

Choosing to vaccinate was the right choice for our family. I find comfort in knowing that she is able to enjoy playtime in the park, trips to our local farmer’s market, the library close to our home, and events held within the city. My daughter is absolutely fearless! The vaccine was given in two parts just like the adult version. She experienced mild symptoms such as a sore arm and headache - all completely manageable and worth it in the long run. 

Parents, if you are considering protecting your children with developmental disabilities from COVID-19, know that COVID-19 vaccines are continuously monitored for safety! Remember to only trust verified sources, and feel free to speak with your child’s doctor for clarity. Most importantly, learn from my experience that vaccines are safe and protect children with disabilities! 

Monster Jam 2022 - Columbia, SC

Special thanks to the Columbia SC Mommy Blogger Tribe and Monster Jam for hosting us.

Monster Jam is here in Columbia, SC and you still have time to see a show! If you’re looking for a last-minute family-friendly outing this is perfect to add to your to-do list. The last show is tomorrow, April 3, 2022, and you can purchase tickets here; the show is being held at the Colonial Life Arena.

This was my first Monster Jam show and I really had no idea what to expect. My son loves all types of trucks and I knew this would be right up his alley. When he saw all of the monster trucks driving around the arena he was amazed and that made it worth it. We brought the entire family and they all enjoyed it. Seeing the cool designs on the trucks and getting to watch the drivers do their thing was fascinating.

This brought back memories for my husband, he hasn’t seen a show live in the last 10 years and it was even better than he remembered. Monster Jam has been around for 30+ years – it’s a completion of large “monster” trucks showing off their skills on the dirt. Monster Jam turns the event into your hands by allowing you to vote for your favorites based on performance.

Tips for visiting a Monster Jam Show

Monster Jam travels all over the United States, keep an eye out if they are coming to a city near you. See the schedule here.

1.      Wear something comfortable you may have to do a lot of walking.

2.      Bring ear muffs or noise-canceling headphones – it can get pretty loud. There are some available for purchase at the event.

3.      Bring a mobile device – you can vote for the drivers.

Our favorite drivers of the night were Kayla Blood (Solider Fortune), Bari Musawwir (Zombie), and Tyler Menninga (Grave Digger). We are already looking forward to the next show!  Check out a quick video clip from the show.

Turn Your Hobby Into A Profitable Side Hustle

If you want to make money from your hobby or if you want to pick up a hobby, with hopes that one day you can turn it into a full business, then you have come to the right place. Here you will find out the top hobbies you can make money from so that you can start making good choices.

Writing

Writing and even publishing content online is a great way for you to make money. You can use it to further your career and you can also establish yourself as being an expert in the field. It is very possible for you to build your own platform and you may find that it is also very easy to share your ideas. You can even rent out your skills if you want. The best way for you to make money through writing would be for you to work as a freelancer. You can sign up with Upwork or even Fiverr if you want, and when you do, this will help you to get paid for the gigs that you do. If you have a lot of discipline and you know how to write a good post, then you may be able to start your own blogging-based business by simply picking a niche and then building your audience.

Learn the Market

Another way that you can make money would be for you to try and learn how to trade. You can invest in the stock market, and you can even try and practice by using demo sites if you want. This is a very good way for you to pick up a new hobby and you may even find that it gives you the chance to properly learn the market. If you don’t know where to start, then it is very easy for you to look into CFD trading.

Illustration

Just like writing, illustration, writing and design are all very good ways for you to make money at home. You can do it on a freelance basis, or you can get signed up with a third-party company. If you do want more creative control then you may find that it is possible for you to print your designs on canvases, t-shirts and more. It’s vital to understand that if you want to turn your art into a product, then you have to cater to a market or a particular niche. If you can do this, then you will soon find that it is easier for you to stand out and make sales.

Music

Next up, music. It’s more than possible for you to sell music online and when you do, you will soon find that it is possible for you to turn your hobby into a business. You can record your own songs and you can list them through services such as SoundCloud or you can even try and create beats or samples. When you do things like this, you will soon find that musicians can then use them as a background for their music.

5 Ways to Feel Better About Yourself

Everyone should feel good about themselves. When you truly believe in yourself, you can achieve pretty much anything you put your mind to. 

Feeling good about yourself makes life happier, not to mention easier. If you do not currently feel great about yourself, but you want to, here are a few ways to achieve that.

1. Focus on the physical

It is not shallow to want to look your best. When you look good, you tend to feel good too. So, if you have been neglecting your appearance for a bit, start thinking about what you can do to change that whether it’s a new haircut, a handful of teeth whitening sessions, or hitting the gym to get your booty back in shape. Once you start to look better, you will almost certainly start to feel better too. 

2. Make a list of your achievements

When you are feeling down on yourself, it’s easy to feel like you’re a failure who’s never done anything good,m but that almost certainly is not true. So, sit down with a pen and paper and start really thinking about your life and what you've done. From graduating college to helping the homeless not down all of the good thighs you have achieved in your life, and remind yourself of them regularly. You will soon start to feel better about yourself if you do. 

3. Practice positive thinking

People who don’t like themselves tend to be negative thinkers. They go through everything that is wrong with them over and over in their brains, never thinking about the good things in life. Something that can help you change this, and start feeling better about yourself if it is a problem you have, is meditation.

When you meditate, you learn how to minimize negative thoughts and maximize positive ones. Focus on challenging every negative thought you have about yourself with a good one, and it won’t be long before you’re loving who you are again. 

4. Take up a new hobby

You might be wondering how taking up a new hobby can help you feel better about yourself. It’s pretty simple really; not only does taking up a new hobby give you something positive to focus on, but as you learn new skills and start to excel, you will see that you are capable of doing good things in your life and this will give you a real confidence boost. Try something that is challenging, but not too difficult, to get you started, and have fun!

5. Spend time with people who love you

Spending time with people who love and care for you is a great way to feel better about yourself because, if you are someone who is worthy of love, you can’t be that bad, right? You are loved for a reason and you need to remember that!

As you can see, there are lots of things you can do to start to feel better today, but you need to get out there and make things happen! So what are you waiting for?