5 Mistakes to Avoid while Selecting a Wedding Photographer

Hiring a wedding photographer is a critical decision was that you need to take while attending a wedding. Arranging a wedding is quite strenuous and a lot of activities have to be completed simultaneously. So many couples tend to commit some critical mistakes while hiring the wedding photographer. We will discuss these common mistakes today so that it acts as a ready reckoner for the couples will need to hire a wedding photographers in Ireland.

Common mistakes to avoid:

1.    Treat your wedding photographs like treasure: many couples do not realise that the wedding photographs will be amongst the very few wedding memorabilia they will possess for years to come. Hence, they do not give due importance to this part of their wedding arrangements and tend to hire any wedding photographer they can catch hold of.

They need to realise the importance of having great photographs clicked because those will re-kindle their memories when they grow old. Hence give due importance to this wedding photographer selection process and ensure that you get the best photographer that you can afford.

2.  Thinking the cheapest is always the best: Many couples try to hire the cheapest photographer that they can find. They don’t realise that good photographers come at a price and the have a reason why they charge higher fees. The cheapest photographer might be a newcomer in the business, or is not very skilled because of which they don’t expect to get a high remuneration for their services. Always strike a balance between cost and quality while choosing a wedding photographer.

3.    Not doing proper due diligence: Many couples blindly rely on someone else’s recommendations and hire a wedding photographer. They do not realise that that taking this one-size-fits-all approach is often flawed. Everyone has a different requirement for photography, and not every photographer can fulfil it properly. Hence while taking a reference of a photographer from someone is okay, they have to do their own due diligence to find out whether the wedding photographer will suit their purpose properly.

4. They hire photographers without understanding their style: every photographer would be having a distinct style with which he will be comfortable. It is not necessary that the style will be as per what the couple might be looking for. For example, some wedding photographers are experts in the traditional style of photography, while the couple might be fascinated with the photojournalistic style. Such kind of mismatches will definitely ensure that the end result is not as per the liking of the couple. Hence, check the style of the photographer before you hire him.

5. Not checking what is on offer: several photographers offer wedding photography packages. The couple needs to be sure that all the services they require are included within the package. If some of the services are missing, then they need to go for a customised package. Otherwise, they run the risk of some of the events not being photographed by the wedding photographer.

Avoiding these mistakes while choosing the photographer will ensure that the wedding photographs are as per the expectations of the couple.

About Author: Alisha Craig is an expert wedding photographers in Ireland with an experience of 14 years.

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Could You Be a Foster Carer?

Foster carers are a unique and scarce resource. For various reasons, including neglect and abuse, hundreds of children are removed from their biological families each day. Despite this, there are nowhere near enough foster carers available to cope with the demand for temporary care (http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/backgroundbriefing/2013-11-17/5086254). Committing to fostering a child is a huge decision, but a path more people ought to seriously consider. It can be a rewarding experience and, with a bit of research, quite a straightforward process. 

Nevertheless, there is a lack of awareness regarding the definition and scope of fostering. The length of time a foster carer takes in a child can vary dramatically. They may look after someone for a few weeks or months, or just overnight in an emergency. Foster care can even continue for many years in some cases. But, unlike with most adoptions, the goal is to provide a temporary solution – ideally the child will eventually be reunited with their birth family, and the foster carer ought to help maintain these relationships wherever possible. Keeping up these connections can help the child preserve their personal identity, and provide a base to develop their sense of self.

However, whilst the child is in your care, it is important to act as a parent and welcome them into your home. This will involve considering any other children in the household, fostered or otherwise, as well as other family members. Integrating a foster child into an already established family structure can be challenging, but the beauty of foster care is that there are no assumptions about the 'perfect' nuclear family. Across the world, once tabooed demographics, such as single parents, non-heterosexuals, and younger adults are now encouraged to become foster carers alongside more traditional parental units. The need for 'respite' care – where a child is looked after only for weekends or holidays – means that even individuals in full-time employment can put themselves forwards as short-term foster carers. More people than ever are eligible to foster, and this progress should help with the deficit in supply.

A child needs stability and permanence to flourish. If they have ended up in foster care, it is likely that their life has already been plagued by disruption, so reliable carers are essential. To be successful it is important that an individual has the time, energy, and patience to commit to a child in order to go some way to remedying this disruption. Many young people in foster care experience behavioural or other associated difficulties, so the foster care needs to be specialised if there are other such factors involved. Any foster placement offers its own challenges, but deciding what sort of problems you are suited to dealing with is crucial to becoming an effective foster carer.

There are significantly more children in need than there are carers to look after them, and so many different types of care to get involved in. If you are curious about foster care, I urge you to investigate. If you can help – by spreading the word or becoming a carer yourself – what have you got to lose? You could end up helping a child through one of the most difficult parts of their young life, and stop them becoming an awful statistic from an overworked care system.

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Eagle in the Cage

I’ve ever shared a brahminy kite in the Ragunan Zoo (Jakarta, Indonesia).  During our visit to an apple garden, I saw this eagle in a cage.  

Indonesian people name the bird Elang Bondol. This type of eagle is also known as the official mascot of Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia. In India, it’s considered as the contemporary representation of Garuda, the sacred bird of Vishnu (source:Wikipedia).

Camera Critters  and Saturday's Critters  

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TOP SECRETS OF A HAPPY FAMILY

Holly Easterby loves to write and her favorite subject has always been about raising a happy family. She also wants to help parents raise happy and healthy children by writing for Bonza Brats. This article is about the tricks that work for happy and successful families.

Happiness in a home isn’t always guaranteed. But you can take several steps to ensure that you will live in a happy, healthy and loving home. As parents, it is your responsibility to maintain a happy family. It may not be the easiest task for a family, but you can do it by following some proven helpful secrets in achieving domestic bliss.

 

Enjoy Each Other’s Company

The ability to enjoy each other’s company is one of the most important tips to have a happy family. It is more about being able to uplift the spirit of your loved ones by treating them right. Constant family interaction is necessary for a family to stay happy. A typical scenario in a happy home is when the kids welcome their parents happily as they come home, vice versa. If you treasure each other’s company, it is so much easier for you to hold get-togethers, share conversations, and face challenges together.

 

Exchange Stories

It is important to share stories at the dinner table. Parents should be interested in their kids’ day-to-day activities. It helps to be sensitive to your kids’ moods, especially when they look dejected.

While it’s true that as working parents, your time is divided between work and home, your kids should always be a priority when you’re home. It might be a good practice to prepare stories for them. Even the smallest happening that would interest them will encourage them to do the same. Swapping stories should be one of the most exciting moments of family bonding. It keeps boredom away, which usually causes cracks in the foundation of an otherwise strong family. Keep all the family members excited about spending family time together through these stories.

 

Start Family Traditions

Create family traditions. It could be making meatballs on Sunday nights or taking a trip once a month. It could even be as simple as singing a song with the kids as you drive them to school, or spending time drawing with them on the weekends. These traditions can improve your kids’ sense of belonging and give them an identity as a part of the family. This might not matter that much to adults, but it has a significant impact on the kids. Following your traditions is another thing worth looking forward to.

 

Be Affectionate

Always prepare a hug for everyone. This is one of the easiest secrets to execute when it comes to having a happy family. An embrace is a powerful touch that expresses and strengthens the connection between family members. A simple pat on the back is enough to show that you care. You might even want to establish silly actions communicating affections, such as sending butterfly kisses or pinching cheeks. For some, it’s exchanging gifts in the family, big or small, even without a special occasion.

 

Laugh!

It doesn’t have to be about the undying knock-knock jokes. It could be laughing about the simplest things, such as a cocoa smudge on your little son’s face, or a juice spilled on your partner’s pants. It is more about making light of things in daily life.

 

Discuss the Family History

Take some time to tell your children about your family history. The more they know the story of their parents and the rest of the family and relatives, the more confident they will grow to be as they deal with the rest of their story later. It can contribute to developing a stable well-being for the kids. Encourage them to talk to their grandparents, who will surely have a lot of stories to tell.

 

Prioritize Marriage

Your marriage as parents to your kids is one of the most important ingredients of a happy family. The marriage should be a priority, if you want to have glue holding your family together.

In many cases where families are often placed first before marriage, parents end up pouring all their love into their kids, forgetting about their partners in the process. You might see this as a good idea but it isn’t, if you think about how much pressure this puts on your kids. Moreover, kids will eventually have to leave and live their own life, while you will have to spend the rest of your life together with your partner or spouse.

 

Eat Together

A family that eats together has a good chance of staying together. This is why family dinners or any other meal suitable for everyone’s free time are important. These meals are not only about eating and drinking together. They also provide time to reconnect with each other. Experts suggest eating at least four meals together per week.

 

Play Together

One of the tips on how to have happy family that is often forgotten is about playing together. While it’s true just how fast-paced the world has become, parents should not forget about their responsibility to their family, especially the kids. Many kids these days often choose to play with friends rather than their families because they enjoy their time more with the former than with the latter. However, this should be corrected early on. Family time should equate to fun time.

Organize at least one activity every night for your family. It could be as routine and as simple as reading to them bedtime stories or sharing about the novel you just read with your teenage child.

 

Talk About Sex Early On

Talks about sex should not be done once. It should be a series of talks between the parents and the children. The earlier you open up about this topic with your children, the better it will be for you. It might be a good idea to start these talks when your children are about 7 to 8 years old. You can pull it off better if you don’t make the approach to the topic too formal for your kids’ liking, Discuss the topic when you’re doing other activities, such as walking. It may lessen the awkwardness between both parties.

These are only some of the tips to have a happy family. You can usher your entire family into an entirely new and happier phase in your life by following these steps. It will all be worth it once you notice how excited you and your kids are to finally get home from work and from school.

Author: Holly Easterby
Holly's love for children has seen her featured in many education and children websites, whether talking about healthy snacks, motivating students or children's fashion at Bonza Brats. Holly loves reading books, and shopping is her way of spending time with her young family. If you would like to catch her, you can via Google+ or Twitter: @HollyEasterby

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Hearing Deficiency in Child

Image:bbaudiology.com

 

Need flair parents and those nearest to observe hearing deficiency in infants or children. Hearing loss in children can be found before birth (congenital) and after birth. Moreover, it can be hereditary (derivatives) and non-hereditary.

The most common causes of hearing loss in children are:
-History of hearing loss since birth in the family. Actually, the child hearing is functioning since she/he was in the womb. At the time of gestational age 20 weeks, the fetus can actually hear.

-Infection of the mother during pregnancy, such as torch. For torch infection, doctors recommend pregnant women to be very careful in maintaining her pregnancy.

-Abnormalities in the anatomy of the neck and head area such as no ear formation. Small ears or a closed ear canal can be one of the causes of hearing loss.

-Not smooth childbirth process sometimes may cause hearing loss in children. In certain circumstances, such as babies deprived of oxygen, it is possible exposed to the risk of hearing loss.

-Weight infants less than 1500 grams. As long as the baby is treated correctly, babies with less weight will not have a hearing problem. But for low-birthweight infants born in remote areas who aren’t covered by adequate health facilities, the baby may be exposed to the risk of hearing loss.

-Babies with hiperbilirubin. Bilirubin will impact the child's hearing loss. Infants with hiperbilirubin will require a blood transfusion.

-Ototoxic (antibiotics), especially drugs by way of injection.

Early Detection.
Hearing deficiency experienced by children since birth is often difficult to know at an early stage. Because children have a hearing loss only, without any abnormalities such as mental and motor, the child usually looks healthy, active enough so that his hearing deficiency hidden.

Parents need to be suspicious if a child does not hear when there are certain sounds that should be heard by the child.

Consider some of the following symptoms that indicate a sign that your child having trouble hearing:

• Is the child sleeping quietly, without affected by surrounding noises?
• Child shows less response to the sounds of toys that sounded from the back of the child or simply only gives response to loud noises.
• Tend to see the other person’s face to get a lip gesture.
• Frequently asked repeated questions or words.
• Wrong response to simple commands.
• Difficulty catching consonants.
• Child's responses are inconsistent, sometimes there is response, sometimes not.
• Difficulty capturing conversation in noisy environments.
• Limited speak ability and word comprehension.
• Decreased study achievement.
• Have behavioral problems, both at home and at school.

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