Teaching Kids Life Skills

Teaching kids how to approach and solve life’s challenges is one of the biggest jobs parents face. Here are a few tips to help your children (or grandchildren) grow into self-sufficient and responsible adults: • Teach Kids To Look For Solutions. When kids are faced with a problem, have them identify several options and solutions. Then you can help them choose which solution works best. • Teach Kids Responsibility: Let kids know they are responsible for their actions. They have to do their homework, but you can offer them two “positive choice” options: Do you want to do it in 15 minutes or 30 minutes? Teach them how to organize, and give them the tools to stay organized (calendar, palm pilot, notebook). • Teach Kids How To Make Good Choices. Giving kids choices empowers them to make their own decisions. Have them weigh the pros and cons of their choice, and let them make the decisions. • Teach Kids How To Deal with Failure. Teach your children that failure is not personal, permanent, or pervasive (i.e. losing a soccer game doesn’t mean you’re bad at other things as well). Developing a positive explanatory style early in life will help your children live a happier, healthier and more successful adult life.

10 Ways To Live Well

We all want to feel better, look better, and live as if we are a finely tuned instrument, or well-maintained vehicle. Here are some tips I’ll share to get you started on the road to feeling, looking, and living better and increasing your chances for enjoying life. Your age is just a number fight, fight, fight!! 1. Smile. Researchers at Harvard found that people with positive attitudes are more likely to have fewer heart ailments. 2. Take Monday Off. Researchers in New York found that missing a few days of work lowers your risk for stroke by 30 percent…not to mention most heart attacks occur on Monday morning! 3. Eat Oatmeal Cookies. University of Connecticut researchers found that eating oat-bran cookies daily can lower your LDL cholesterol by 20 percent. 4. Go To Bed Early. People who are fatigued have high levels of fibrinogen, a blood-clotting protein that reduces blood flow to your heart and brain. 5. Wash Your Hands. German scientists found people with high levels of antibodies from fighting infections also had more clogging of their arteries. 6. Read A Good Book. Need I say more? 7. Meditate 30 Minutes A Day. Researchers at Thomas Jefferson University found meditation may reduce depression and anxiety by up to 25 percent. 8. Drink Cranberry Juice. People who drink 8 ounces of cranberry juice a day increase their HDL cholesterol levels by 10 percent…reducing heart risk by 40 percent, according a New Jersey study. 9. Bike Your Blues Away. Biking was found to be as effective at relieving depression as antidepressants reported Duke University researchers. 10. Join A Group. People who have a circle of friends handle stress better and have less heart disease, according to University of Chicago researchers.

5 Ways To Strengthen Your Immunity Against Colds & Flu

Don’t let a COLD or FLU get to YOU this season. The human body has many ways to naturally fight infection, but you need to give it all the help you can. Here’s how to boost your immunity and fight off those nasty germs:  Eat healthy food. Load up on fresh fruits and veggies like leafy greens. Avoid sugar because it can interfere with the enzymes you need to boost your immune system.  Supercharge your body. Your body can naturally kill a virus. So spring into action during the first 24 hours to combat illness. Once you feel a few symptoms, start drinking filtered water, broths, and soups with lots of garlic, onions, and spices. Take supplements like echinacea, vitamin C, and elderberry.  Breathe clean air. Avoid smoking, air pollutants, indoor dust, and ash from fireplaces that can irritate the lining of your nose and throat.  Avoid sick people. It sounds obvious, right? But it’s easy to forget. Try not to be in the same room, breathing the same air as someone ill for long. Wash your hands frequently and disinfect everything they touch.  Get a flu shot. The Centers For Disease Control & Prevention recommends that everyone who is at least 6 months old get the seasonal flu vaccine. It protects against 3 flu viruses that research indicates will be most common during the upcoming season.

Quick Appliance Fixes

Appliance repair experts say that up to 25 percent of repair calls have simple solutions. Try these fixes before calling the appliance repair service.  Refrigerator is not cold. If you can’t get the refrigerator cold enough by lowering the setting, try looking under it. You probably have dirty condenser coils. Unplug the fridge, remove the grill and vacuum the coils to remove dirt and dust.  Dishwasher is not running. The float switch inside the dishwasher tells it when enough water has entered and when to begin washing. See if the switch is jammed in the up position from objects like forks.  Weak vacuum suction. If cleaning the filters and bags doesn’t help, check the hose for an obstruction. Drop a coin in one end and if it doesn’t come out, try to dislodge the debris with a broomstick.

How To Get Ahead By Increasing Your “Likability”

Being liked puts you on the fast track to success in everything you do. You are naturally likable by being genuine and sincere, but here are some simple tips that can give you a psychological advantage and result in people liking you even more: • Like yourself first. Be confident in your strengths. Your likability increases as you increase your ability to like yourself. Smiling and sharing your positivity will bring out the same in others. • Maintain eye contact during conversations but keep it in balance (about 60 percent of the time). Nod your head when you’re speaking and people will be inclined to agree with you. • Demonstrate that you like people. Remember their names and use them. (One trick to remembering names is to say the name to someone else.) If you ask a question, give the person time to respond. Remaining silent and waiting for an answer can be especially useful in negotiations. • Learn active listening. Do this by a) paying attention; b) using body language to show you’re interested; c) giving feedback, such as rephrasing what a person says to you to show that you understood them; d) asking questions, but not interrupting; and e) giving your opinion respectfully. If you disagree with someone, look for ways to find common ground. • Don’t overdo it. You don’t need everyone to like you to be successful. Aim to increase your likability factor to the people who matter to you (and your success) most.

Over-Extended On Your Home?

Are you “house-rich but cash-poor”? In other words, you spend so much on your mortgage (and building equity) that you don’t have cash to spend on other needs. The key is to get back into financial balance. Each case is different, so do your homework and consider these actions:  Sell your house and buy (or rent) something smaller. Sounds drastic, but it frees up assets and is particularly relevant if you are close to retirement.  Refinance your current mortgage (mortgage rates are down to near historic levels). Talk to John Porter at Mortgage Masters (206-954-8736 or john@mortgagemasterwa.com) to see if this option would be beneficial to you. He would love to help!  Look into a reverse mortgage (if you’re 62 or older). This lets you access your equity but there are up-front costs and you’ll want to remain in your house for the rest of your life. Talk to a financial planner to fully understand this option.

How To Prevent Sports & Exercise Injuries

Millions of people experience a sports or exercise injury each year. Shin splints, pulled muscles, aching kneecaps, and strained hamstring muscles are common when you begin a new exercise program or put too much stress on your body. Here are tips to avoid getting hurt when exercising or playing sports: • • Have A Fitness Test: A visit to your doctor is important if you are starting a new exercise program. Your doctor may find an undiagnosed heart condition or other disease that will require workout modifications. • Know Your Body: It sounds basic, but many fail to make adjustments to account for known body weaknesses. For example, if you have knee problems you may want to try a stationary bike instead of a treadmill. • Wear Proper Attire: Wear proper shoes that fit and grip the ground to avoid slipping or tripping. Workout clothes that keep you warm but not hot are best to avoid getting overheated and passing out. • Act Your Age: When you get excited about a new workout or sport, you can do too much, too quickly and push yourself too long. Work with a trainer, and make sure you’re using the correct technique. • Feed Your Muscles And Hydrate Your Body: A high protein meal one hour before your workout will give you the fuel you need to keep going. Thirty minutes before you exercise, drink about 16 ounces of water. Drink more water during your workout to replace the fluids you’re losing. • Know The Injury Warning Signs: If you have any of the following for more than 48 hours, see a physician: joint pain (including swelling, redness and heat), reduced range of motion, or numbness, and tingling.