How to beat burnout

If you are finding it more and more difficult to cope with the demands of your job in addition to the rest of your life, you are definitely not alone. More and more people are putting in additional hours at work or being on call even when they should be at home relaxing.

 

The good news is there are ways to make your daily routine a little more balanced. One of the best is to actually build downtime into your schedule. As you plan your week you should make a point of including time with friends and family as well as activities that will allow you to recharge such as a sport of some kind.

 

Being proactive about scheduling can be very helpful and also prevent free time from being wasted.  Another good idea is to drop activities that are sapping your energy or time, including online activities. Making time for exercise can also assist you with becoming more alert and boosting your concentration and overall energy level.

How to Teach Kids to Set and Achieve Goals at a Young Age

As parents, one time or another we have all experienced the frustration of knowing our children aren’t trying hard enough to accomplish we know they are more than able to do. While the initial reaction would be to harp and push, it’s important not to get overly excited about their lack of ambition and instead turn your efforts into teaching them how to set and reach goals – even at a young age.

 

It’s not as difficult as you may think to instill the importance of goal setting in your children. With a few simple steps you can plant the seed:

 

• Start by looking for ways your child already sets goals, even though they may not realize that’s what they’re doing. For example, if they are trying get their favorite video game and saving up any extra money he or she gets. Take this opportunity to discuss the steps that will need to be taken in order to get the rest of the money for the game. Explain how good it feels to work toward something and actually make it happen.
• Start small – Help your child pick a small, fun goal that can be reached in a relatively short amount of time – maybe a craft project or finishing a short book. Starting with small goals is a great way to teach children to work toward bigger goals.
• Let them be involved in choosing the goals they want to reach. Sure we want them to have straight A’s or make the honor roll each grading period or make the sports team but these may be more YOUR goals than theirs. Letting them choose what they want to achieve is often better because it allows them to take ownership of the steps needed to reach them, as well as the actual accomplishment.
• Be supportive – as your child begins to work toward setting and reaching their goals, be the biggest cheerleader you can be for them. Applaud their efforts no matter how big or small and let them know you see how hard they are trying.

It’s never too early to start instilling the importance of setting and reaching goals in your children. And while these steps are a great way to get the ball rolling, remember that we are our children’s biggest teachers so be prepared to walk the walk, not just talk the talk.

Fun and Cheap Halloween Costume Ideas for Kids

With summer already coming to an end and fall just around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about the favorite holiday of many children – Halloween. What kind of costume does your little one want? Scary? Fun? Will you buy the costume or take the creative route and make it? If you’re handy with a needle and thread or have a creative side, maybe one of the following ideas will be a winner with your kiddos:

 

• Gumball machine: Get a bag of colored balloons, a clear trash bag and a ball cap and you can create this costume fairly quickly. Blow up all of the balloons and don’t forget to cut holes in the trash bag bottom for your legs and two on side for your arms.. Make sure the holes aren’t big enough that the balloons can get out. Have your little one step into the bag and secure the top of the bag at the neck with a ribbon or pin it to their shirt. Add the blown up balloons. Get a piece of paper or thin cardboard and write “5 cents” and attach to the ball cap. There you have it  - a gumball machine!
• Zombie: Zombies are all the rage thanks to the variety of television shows and movies on this very topic. Don’t be surprised if this is one of the ideas your child throws at you for a Halloween costume. It’s easy to turn your child into a zombie – grab some old clothes that you were getting rid of anyway and shred them. Now, add green, brown and red paint to the clothing, dark makeup under his or her eyes, a little red lipstick or makeup for blood and you’re all set!
• Ghost : A Halloween favorite that never goes out of style. Take a bed sheet, cut holes for the eyes and you’re done. Does it get any easier than that?
• Military person: Live near an Army/Navy store? You’ll find all you need to make your little guy or gal a GI.
• Painter: A pair of overalls, a painter’s cap, splatter a little paint, add a paintbrush to the pocket or carry a roller and you’ve got yourself a little painter.

These ideas can really done by anyone with little cost but tons of value when it comes to entertainment and memories. Be creative and Happy Halloween!

How Children Can Deal with Bullies - Especially in Day Care

When we think of bullies we tend to think of bigger kids picking on littler kids, older kids taking milk money from younger kids – all when our children are a little older. But bullies in day care? Sadly, it’s never too young to start dealing with them. Bullying – no matter what age – is NOT just kids being kids and as soon as everyone gets that out of their mindset, we can be on the way to helping the problem disappear.

 

Children become bullies for different reasons – maybe they are acting out behavior that they’ve seen somewhere before, maybe they are doing it for attention from adults or the other children. In extreme cases, children may bully because they enjoy seeing others in pain, fearful, miserable or even injured. If bullying gets to this point, it can be very difficult to stop.

Regardless of the underlying cause a child bullies another child, as parents we need to teach our children how to deal with it if they become a victim of a bully.

 

• First, you’ll need to find out just what is going on. If you suspect your child is being bullied, you can ask questions like “Has someone hurt you?” Even at a young age, children are able to tell you something that happened that made them feel bad or hurt. Let your child explain what happened – let them talk until they are finished – and no matter how upset you are, keep your emotions under control so that you can reassure your child that they have done nothing wrong and you will help take care of this.
• Once you know what is going on, you’ll want to figure out how to help your child respond if it happens again. You can play out different scenarios to help your child find the best way to deal with the situation if an adult happens to not be close by – ignore the bully, stick with friends (think safety in numbers), act brave and finally tell an adult.
• As the parent – you will need to take action. Talk to the daycare director, teachers and/or caregivers who are in contact with your child and the bully. There is a very good chance that they may not be aware of the situation because your child has been afraid to say anything. Many times talking to those in charge will help stop the harassment. But if it doesn’t, keep working at it with those in charge until it does.

It’s difficult to fight our protective impulses when our child tells us he or she is being bullied, but fight it we must. Let you child know that you are there for them and the lines of communication are open and that you are there for them to make the situation right.

Help with Math

If you are worried that your child’s math skills could be in need of improvement, then investing a little energy and time over the holidays can help a great deal. To be successful at math a child needs to spend time practicing their skills, which in turn gives them greater confidence and helps to establish a firm foundation for success. If there is a problem then perhaps talking to your child’s teacher is a good idea in order to find out about getting additional help and learning what other resources may be available at school.

Using technology can also help to engage with today’s youngsters. ‘How to’ videos and math technology lets students reach an understanding of the subject by virtue of their own skills of critical thinking instead of just memorizing facts and figures.

A tried and true method of helping children with math is to keep relating to their everyday world be it getting gas for the family car or slicing up a pizza. It is also crucial to praise a child’s academic progress; the more confidence in their abilities they have, the more they will enjoy the subject.

Surviving a Road Trip

A road trip sounds like a good idea
but can often turn into an ordeal for
the family, especially when the little
ones get bored. Fortunately there
are ways to reduce the stress of a
road trip and make it enjoyable for
the whole family.

 

Keeping the kids busy is one of the
most important tips for surviving a
road trip. Load up a car caddy or small bin with activities that will enable the children to stay occupied during the trip. 

 

You should bring along crayons, coloring books, markers, games and toys.

 

Keeping the car clean can also make the trip less of a strain. Wet wipes should be kept on hand at all times for use after meals or snacks. 

 

If the family dog is coming on vacation with you as well then it is a good idea to bring a bath mat to make sure that the car seats don’t get damaged by muddy paws.

Are these items in your calendar?

Italian-American Heritage Month, October. Celebrate the contributions of Italians and Italian-Americans to the arts, the humanities, and the sciences, as well as the impact of Italian culture and language on the U.S. and the world.

 

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, October. Public service organizations, professional medical associations, and government agencies work together to promote breast cancer awareness, share information, and provide greater access to services during the month of October and throughout the year.

 

National Cyber Security Awareness Month, October. We rely on the Internet for filing tax returns, applying for student loans, following traffic signals, powering our homes, and much more. NCSAM is designed to raise awareness about cyber security and strengthen the resiliency of the nation in the event of a “cyber incident.”

 

National Work and Family Month, October. Strive to create a healthier work/life balance for everyone, with more flexibility in workplace arrangements and clear support of family needs.

 

World Space Week, Oct. 4-10. This United Nations effort explores and supports the peaceful uses of outer space and space-related sciences. The theme for 2013: “Exploring Mars, Discovering Earth.”

 

Financial Planning Week, Oct. 7-13. The goal: Help individuals discover the value of financial planning and make smart financial decisions to achieve their life goals and dreams.

 

Earth Science Week, Oct. 13-19. This year’s theme, “Mapping Our World,” engages young people and the public in learning how scientists, geographers, and other professionals use maps to represent land formations, natural resource deposits, bodies of water, fault lines, and more.

 

Free Speech Week, Oct. 21-27. Raise free speech awareness by talking to your friends and your kids about freedom of speech and how it affects their lives. Exercise your free speech rights by posting a message online, composing a poem, writing a letter to the editor, and letting your voice be heard.

 

World Vegetarian Day, Oct. 1. Established by the North American Vegetarian Society in 1977 “to promote the joy, compassion and life-enhancing possibilities of vegetarianism.”

 

World Animal Day, Oct. 4. Celebrate the wonders of the animal kingdom on this day, observed by animal lovers of all beliefs, nationalities, and backgrounds. Columbus Day, Oct. 12. The annual observance of the date Christopher Columbus reached the Americas in 1492.

 

National Boss Day, Oct. 16. Show some appreciation for the hardworking managers who keep businesses and offices running smoothly.

 

National Candy Corn Day, Oct. 30. Get ready for Halloween, which accounts for 75 percent of all the candy corn sold during the year.

 

Halloween, Oct. 31. Trick or treat!