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Poop, Sweat & Tears: Surviving Potty Training

6/12/2018

As any parent that has been through it knows, potty training is one of the most challenging aspects of parenting. Not only for the child, where they have to be ready emotionally and physically, but you need to be prepared too. As a parent, it can feel stressful, time-consuming, but incredibly frustrating, especially if it doesn't catch on straight away. We've put together a simple list to help you ease the process for both you and your child.

There Will Be Mess
Let's get this out of the way, there are going to be accidents! And it can be frustrating if you are cleaning up the mess on a regular basis, but with this part of the process, mess is an inevitability, no matter how many toddler training pants they wear. If they make a mess, there's no point in getting frustrated about it, because they will associate accidents with negativity. Instead, it's much better for you to have a calm tone of voice, and explain in a calm tone that “we need to clean this up” and get them to help you. Sooner or later, they will learn that they need to go to the toilet rather than doing their business on the floor.

Reward Your Child Appropriately
It can be very tempting to reward them with candy as a reward for every time they sit on the toilet, but this is making a rod for your own back. By doing it this way, they'll feel that junk food as a reward. Instead, you can implement your own rewards system. It could be a sticker chart, or you could heap lots of praise on them for doing it right. After a while, they will end up losing interest in the reward system because they will view going to the potty as something normal, at which point you've nailed it.

It Might Not Work Straight Away
It could very well be this way. If you've done everything in your power to potty train your child, and they are not getting the hang of it, stop. It's far better for you to put it on pause if you are at your wit's end, and come back to it when you are refreshed. There are so many aspects of parenting that can make you miserable, and potty training shouldn't be one of them. There are so many books that say it can be done in a week, but that's if you spend every single second with them, which isn't feasible. Instead, if you can spend time with them and start the potty training procedure again when you have the time, this is going to benefit you and your child.

Nobody says it's easy, but with all these potty training books that say it can be done in a week, it's important for you to bear in mind that it can take a long time. You might find that it takes longer than you anticipated, but if you take the opportunities when they arise, but also make sure that it's not a stressful process for you or the child, it will be better for everyone.

By Iconic Chica Mag Contributors

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4 Power Ballads That Preach Relationship Lessons

6/8/2018

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Relationships are hard. Bringing two people together is never going to go smoothly. Everyone has quirks and sometimes they can be annoying. There is no one to turn to, either. Sure, friends and family always want to help, but a relationship is a personal journey. Only by trial and error do we figure out what we like and dislike and what works.

Music has always been a centerpiece of love. Whether it’s during dinner or sex, it sets the mood and adds to the experience. But, it also teaches us life lessons that we should keep in mind.

Here are four examples of ballads that are beacons of light.

“Don’t Stop Believin” By Journey
Arguably, this tune became uber-famous after a couple of appearances on the TV show Scrubs. However, there is an argument that people flock to it for its advice. Sure, the lyrics may not be about love at all, yet the counsel is transferable. Consider how many break-ups there are in the world today, including divorce. Coupled with modern society, men and women are giving up at the slightest sign of trouble. “Don’t Stop Believing” tells us to fight no matter what, as long as it is worth the hassle. Remember that it’s a journey.

“Grounds For Divorce” By Elbow
Let’s start with a bit of context. Elbow is a British band from the northwest of England, close to Manchester. Unlike Oasis or the Stone Roses, they aren’t indie/rock and roll. And, this particular ballad is a perfect example of their style of music. “Grounds for Divorce” is also a cautionary tale, too. Journey teaches us never to stop believing, but we have to admit that there are deal breakers. When a person crosses the line, there have to be consequences for our own sake. If the trust is gone, then it’s time to elbow them out of the door.

“Survivor” By Destiny’s Child
The threesome was one of the most powerful female groups of the time. Now, they have gone their separate ways, but their back catalog still reminds us of their influence. Bikini-clad on a remote island, Knowles, Rowland, and Williams fight the terrain to survive. Your choice of clothes may be different, yet the message is the same. Just because the relationship is over and you’re newly single doesn’t mean you can’t survive. According to DC, everyone is strong enough. In fact, it may be your destiny to flourish.

“It Wasn’t Me” By Shaggy
Please don’t take this song at face value. Denying you’re a cheat isn’t helpful whatsoever. Instead, understand that it takes two to tango in a relationship – you and your partner. When things are going badly, it’s easy to project onto the other person. After all, it’s their fault. The truth is that you are no angel and need to work hard on your flaws, too. To claim it wasn’t you isn’t a mature attitude and only exacerbates the situation. Plus, it won’t get you any shaggy anytime soon.

How does music impact your outlook on relationships?

By Iconic Chica Mag Contributors

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It Really Is Time to Pick Up an Instrument!

6/7/2018

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When we think of music lessons, we tend to think of childhood. Music lessons are something that people encourage their children to attend in the hopes that their little one might be this generation’s Beethoven or Chopin if they have classical tastes, or John Lennon or Jimi Hendrix if they’re a little more modern. It is generally considered that if you don’t pick up an instrument in your formative years, there’s no chance that you ever will. But it’s important to remember that this isn’t anything to do with adults’ learning capabilities. It’s more to do with preconceptions (and more importantly, misconceptions) that we have regarding learning an instrument as an adult. This is a shame, as there are so many adults out there who are interested in music but never attempt to play an instrument because they assume they won’t be competent enough! This is bizarre!

Especially considering there are so many people out there who have successfully picked up an instrument in their mature years. So, bear in mind that while learning to play an instrument as an adult may a little more difficult than learning as a child, it is by no means impossible and if you have been toying with the idea of learning an instrument, it really is time to start now!

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Choose an Instrument
First things first, you want to choose an instrument. While you can always change your mind later down the line, it’s a good idea to do a little in-depth research before investing in anything, as you are inevitably going to have to buy an instrument to practice on and don’t want to waste your money on two or three different options before finally finding what suits you through trial and error, when a simple search into the different instruments would have eliminated certain ones for you to start with. Make things simple for yourself by opting for one of the families of instruments - string, woodwind, brass, or percussion. You can then whittle your options down from this point on.

Make Use of Free Resources
Learning an instrument doesn’t have to be a costly venture. There are so many free resources out there that you can easily access and make use of! If you’re picking up the ukulele, check out https://www.musicianauthority.com rather than buying a book filled with music. If you’re learning the piano, there are pages with print outs that can be cut out and stuck to keys to help you remember which key strikes which note.

Take It Easy
It’s easy to put a lot of pressure on yourself when you’re learning to play an instrument. Most of us expect immediate results and beat ourselves up when we haven’t mastered the instrument within a matter of weeks. But this is a skill that takes patience and persistence. So keep at it and don’t let yourself become downhearted if it takes a little longer than you initially anticipated to play a complete song. You’ll get there eventually!

As you can see, it’s never too late to pick up an instrument. So if one in particular has taken your fancy, make it your mission to learn!

by Iconic Chica Mag Contributors

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3 Things To Remember During Relationship Difficulties

6/1/2018

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It happens to all of us, and when it does it can often be difficult to know how bad it might be about to get. However the truth is that there are always things we can do to keep these situations from getting too bad, and perspective to consider if it appears that they are going to. In this article, we are going to look at a few of the things which you should try to remember when you are having difficulties in your relationship, as they will help you to keep perspective and take the right step in future.

Let’s take a look at
three such considerations now.

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Everything Is Fixable
No matter what is going on in a relationship, there is always a way to fix it and improve the situation. If you can bear that in mind at all times then you will be more likely to have the right kind of perspective about whatever is going on. This will mean that you act in a less panicked and more sensible way, and that you are able to make the right kinds of decisions. Even if it seems as though it is all going to pot, you can be sure that if you work hard enough at it, it can usually be fixed. Of course, for that you have to work together, so it does also depend on the other person greatly too.

Sometimes A Break Is Healthy
If you do get to the point where you feel as though you need to take some time away from each other, then you might be a little upset about it. However, the truth is that you sometimes need these breaks away from each other to really appreciate the value of the relationship, and as such a break can be the best thing for it. If you are worried during this time, you should consider that there are always ways to get back together, and knowing how to get an ex back can arm you with this kind of confidence well enough. Sometimes a break is all you need and then the two of you can get back together in a healthier way, so it is worth considering at the very least.

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You’re Number One
These arguments always have a lesson, and more often than not the lesson is that you are number one. You need to make sure you are taking care of yourself, otherwise you can’t expect others to also do the same. If you have begun to put the other person first all of the time, then it is unlikely that they will continue to respect you, and this can have a negative effect on the relationship itself. So make sure that you respect yourself and put yourself first at all times. That alone will make a huge difference.

By Iconic Chica Mag Contributors

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Poop, Sweat & Tears: Surviving Potty Training

4 Power Ballads That Preach Relationship Lessons

Here are four examples of ballads​ that are beacons of light.

It Really Is Time to Pick Up an Instrument!

3 Things To Remember During Relationship Difficulties

Let’s take a look at three such considerations now.

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Here are four examples of ballads that are beacons of light.

Let’s take a look at
three such considerations now.