Top 10 Activities for Winter Break
Thanksgiving is upon us and that means winter break is quickly approaching. Even though it may be just a few weeks, college-bound students should take advantage of their time and use it for some college prep activities. Seniors especially can’t afford to waste precious time with application deadlines approaching with the new year.
Here’s my top 10 activities for winter break:
1. Search for scholarships
No matter what grade your student is in, spending time on scholarship searches should be their top priority during winter break. Set aside just a few hours every day to research and hunt for them.
2. Read
Never stop reading. Get ahead of the recommended reading for the spring semester or read some books that you never seem to have time to read. Reading increases your vocabulary and improvers your comprehension skills which helps you on standardized tests.
3. Prepare for the FAFSA
If you’re student is a senior, this is the perfect time to prepare for the FAFSA that becomes available on January 1st for the upcoming fall semester. Remember: the early bird gets the worm and those who complete the FAFSA early are more likely to snag some of those merit aid scholarships and grant dollars.
4. Make an information gathering college visit
Winter break is a good time for college-bound teens to visit a college—any college. You can walk around campus and get a feel for what college life will be like. Since students will be on break as well, this visit should be for information gathering only.
5. Volunteer
The holidays are the perfect time to volunteer. There are many charities that need help and would be grateful for your help. Community service teaches you to care for others and give back to your community.
6. Work
Winter break is a great time to take on a part-time job and add some dollars to your college fund. Retail hires extensively during the holidays and often will let you work as many hours as you are available.
7. De-stress
With all the pressure at school and the pressure that revolves around the college search process, take some time to relax and unwind. Once you de-stress you will be refreshed and ready to get back at it the first of the year.
8. Cross of some items on your to-do list
You are bound to have a list of to-do items related to your college search and or applications. Spend some time during the break working on the list. The more you get done now, the less you will have to do when you return to school.
9. Spend (productive) time on social media
The key word here is “productive”. While you’re on Twitter and Facebook, do some scholarship searches and make some college contacts. Research college Facebook pages and Twitter accounts and while you’re at it sign up on LinkedIn. LinkedIn is now focusing on adding student profiles and it’s a great place to network and meet professionals affiliated with the colleges you are interested in attending.
10. Write in a journal
You’re going to be writing essays, thank you letters, and papers. Writing in a journal helps you improve your writing skills while writing your feelings and thoughts down on paper. Use these entries as essay topics for college and scholarship applications.
Mom-Approved Tips: Is your teen on Twitter?
Is your teen on Twitter? Are you on Twitter? You should be. Twitter is not only a great resource for college prep, but it’s also the go-to social hangout for your teenager. They also air their thoughts and frustrations there. It’s amazing how teens find it to be a place to vent, especially about the pressure they feel from their parents about the college prep process. Are you surprised? I know I was.
Twitter has overtaken Facebook as the social media network that is most important to teens, according to Piper Jaffray’s semi-annual teen market research report. Twitter is the new king of teens, with 26 percent naming it as their “most important” social site. Only 23 percent said Facebook was most important, down from a high of 42 percent.
The Social Media Explorer points out:
Teens are increasingly turning to Twitter to follow artists and pop culture icons, take part in (or create) memes and trends, and express their innermost thoughts. More and more, teens are also using Twitter as a way to escape their parents’ prying eyes, as parents are far more likely to have a Facebook account than Twitter; it seems many parents don’t realize that their kids are even tweeting, and kids are keeping their accounts private, away from their parents and sometimes also from those who might bully them online. Twitter also allows for anonymity, so teens can take on new (or multiple) personalities, and further isolate themselves from parents or unwanted peers.
According to Pew, teen use of digital media is growing overall; 80% of teens use online social networks. An interesting Pew statistic which may have led to the #GetAustin2Philly trending topic is that more than 2x the number of girls use Twitter: 22% of girls vs. 10% of boys. For teenagers, Twitter is an outlet for fandom, gossip, and chatter; get @mentioned by a celebrity or teen idol and your popularity is sure to rise. Twitter is now a digital autograph book.
Today’s Mom addresses the issue:
Escape from parental monitoring isn’t the only thing driving teens to Twitter. When celebrities adopted the micro-blogging platform kids followed. One can only hope all of Justin Bieber’s 17 million+ followers are all teenagers. Eminem has 8 million (including my privacy-seeking son), Katy Perry 14 million, and Taylor Swift nearly 11 million. The same Pew survey found that most teens are happy using Twitter for benign purposes like following their favorite artists, exploring adolescent angst, and passing along immature humor. If only all kids could be as good as yours and mine.
Kids can be mean, in real life and online
Electronic communication offers a distance that can embolden mean kids. “No one is safe from this new approach to bullying,” says Dawn Spragg, a Licensed Counselor working with teens and their families in Bentonville, Arkansas, where three high school students were issued citations in Juvenile Court recently for publishing nasty tweets about classmates in a virtual “slam book” on Twitter. Spragg says that the anonymity of online aliases allows kids to bully without having to “back it up” like the bullies of decades past.
Electric PR Media reports:
In an effort to find privacy, teenagers are turning to Twitter as an alternate to Facebook. And although everyone wants to be where their friends are, privacy and a place away from parents is part of the genetic code of any teenager.
Enter Twitter.
Twitter, in comparison to Facebook, offers many appealing features which are just beginning to be appreciated by teenagers. Twitter allows you to have multiple accounts should you chose to do so. Your account name can be a pseudonym, one only your friends know. Your account can also be set to private, allowing you to select your followers. In turn, you chose who you want to follow without seeing their followers, eliminating the social pressure of following friends of friends which can often be the case on Facebook.
In addition to privacy and selectivity, Twitter relies on the use of acronyms and abbreviations (now we’re talking) to send your message in under 140 characters, the equivalent of a text message, but to a circle of friends. It’s a teenager’s dream: Privacy, selectivity and brevity! Does this sound like the parameters of a conversation you’ve had lately with a teenager?
What’s a parent to do?
Your teen is seeking privacy on Twitter…too bad. In 2011, one million children were harassed, threatened, or subjected to cyberbullying in social media. Of these children, only 10% of parents were aware of it. 55% of teens gave out personal information to someone they didn’t know. And only 34% of parents say they regularly check their child’s social network sites.
Unfortunately, unchecked use of social media can lead to hours of lost sleep for teens (yes, teens admit to sleeping with their smartphones and even texting in their sleep), privacy undermined, rumors being spread, school and social life being directly affected by online activity, and worse yet … becoming a victim or perpetrator of cyberbullying.
Teens absolutely need our help and guidance when it comes to online activity, especially in the Twitterverse of anonymity. But how do you help? One mother drew up an iPhone contract when she presented her son with a new phone.
Here are some of the 18 rules (you can read the rest at Huffington Post):
- It is my phone. I bought it. I pay for it. I am loaning it to you. Aren’t I the greatest?
- I will always know the password.
- If it rings, answer it. It is a phone. Say hello, use your manners. Do not ever ignore a phone call if the screen reads “Mom” or “Dad”. Not ever.
- Hand the phone to one of your parents promptly at 7:30pm every school night & every weekend night at 9:00pm. It will be shut off for the night and turned on again at 7:30am. If you would not make a call to someone’s land line, wherein their parents may answer first, then do not call or text. Listen to those instincts and respect other families like we would like to be respected.
- It does not go to school with you. Have a conversation with the people you text in person. It’s a life skill. *Half days, field trips and after school activities will require special consideration.
- Do not use this technology to lie, fool, or deceive another human being. Do not involve yourself in conversations that are hurtful to others. Be a good friend first or stay the hell out of the crossfire.
- Do not text, email, or say anything through this device you would not say in person.
- Do not text, email, or say anything to someone that you would not say out loud with their parents in the room. Censor yourself.
Every parent handles this differently but it goes without saying that hiding your head in the sand and staying technologically challenged can only lead to future problems with your teens and social media. Just as you had to learn parenting skills, take the time to learn about social media platforms and how they work. Your teen may scoff about having their privacy invaded, but that’s what parents do–we parent.
Should your student work in college?
College is a busy enough time in the life of a student without undertaking a part time job, but he might not have a choice. Students and parents regularly complain about increases in the cost of a post-secondary education. After a four-year degree program, it might seem that now will be the time to earn money and pay off of a student loan, but is it? Perhaps those four years were just the beginning, and it will be a few more years before college studies give way to a lucrative career. Should your student work in college?
Paying for College Studies
Many students will have to cover part of the costs of schooling themselves, whether they think this is a good idea or not. Their loans are not sufficient, or they did not qualify for loans. Other available funding was so limited they had to look for money elsewhere.
Methods of paying for college besides working and studying at the same time include using an education savings fund, obtaining a private loan, or earning scholarships. Many teenagers take a year off when they graduate from high school to earn money working full-time. Almost all students are expected to find work during the holidays.
Usually a combination of all these things will be needed, plus some donations from family and friends. If mom and dad can afford to send a child to college, that saves a lot of worry, except they might have different plans for their teenagers.
Balancing College Studies with Work
Some people would say that working and studying is the old-fashioned way. Their fathers did the very same thing, and it did them no harm. This all depends on what their fathers studied, how many hours per day, and for how many months or years. Many professions which did not require that one hold a degree decades ago are now populated by individuals with Bachelors Degrees in science, art, or specific disciplines. Even teachers could be hired without degrees in education, and engineers apprenticed at industrial companies instead of going to university.
In some professions, it is possible to study for a certain number of hours and also get paid employment as part of that education. This is especially true in the trades like electrical and plumbing work.
Ultimately, though, if you work and go to school as well, something has to give. It might be nutrition, health, social life, housework, or hygiene. Alternatively, your grades will suffer or you will be only an average employee unless you choose the right job and only work a few hours weekly.
Helping College Students Manage Work and Studies Successfully
Parents often say they will provide room, meals, and cleaning for their children if they go to college after high school. Rent will not be expected so long as they keep their grades up. They might or might not be expected to wait tables or sell shoes at the mall.
What about students who want to study away from home or who have no home to turn to? In this case, studying online might be a better option than attending college full-time. This frees a student up to obtain work during conventional hours, giving her more choice of work including satisfying jobs which pay relatively well.
In the event that a teenager chooses to study away from home and family, the best way to manage studies plus work is to be a good manager of time and to have a plan. Select cheap but safe accommodation near college. Also look for work close to both of these locations. This will limit travel time and allow for a cheap lunch from the communal kitchen daily instead of starving or buying expensive, unhealthy fast-food.
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Author Bio
Joshua Turner is a writer who creates informative articles in relation to business. In this article, he explains the work involved with both college and a part time job and aims to encourage further study through Marylhurst University Online Programs.
Social media careers
The world of marketing has evolved with the rise of social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Many companies today are seeking their customers’ attention with pictures, articles, videos, tweets and anything else that will drive comments and make a following. And you know what this means, don’t you? They are looking for someone who has the knowledge and ability to create online buzz and jump into the world of social media careers.
An increasing number of job seekers are turning their blogging skills or experience making Facebook fan pages into new careers in social media. Having a background in journalism, copywriting, computer technology or online marketing is usually a plus in landing Web 2.0 jobs. Pay rates are now all over the place in these emerging careers, but big payment is already to be found, with full-time jobs that range from $40,000 to six figures.
Some social media experts said that the rule of thumb is that you get paid in social media for what you have done or invested in the past. A fresh college graduate can make 25 grand as social media marketer, but if you already have a job related to marketing that pays you a minimum of 85 grand per year, your employer might move your tasks over to social media marketing and keep that amount. A lot of ad agencies today that offer social media help to big companies are hiring. But, the majority of the jobs in social media are still freelance rather than full-time. Hourly rates for a freelancer can be high–about 200 bucks per hour or more. The lowest pay rate anybody is charged for work related to social media marketing is about 50 bucks an hour.
Let’s take a look at some of the emerging careers in social media and the skills required.
Social Media/Digital Strategist
Strategists develop and maintain comprehensive social media strategies that define how social media marketing techniques will be applied to boost visibility and traffic across all products and brands. They also lead the development of the company’s social media management policies, standards and rule of engagement for social media. Social media strategists also define key performance indicators and implement enterprise level analytics, measurement and reporting methods to measure success. This job requires a BA/BS degree from an accredited university or college and 3-5 years of experience in public relations, marketing, communications and advertising.
Online Community Manager
Community managers manage and update company forums and blogs and forums, keeping visitors coming to the site through creating a buzz on social network, and moderating conversation to ensure nothing insulting or libelous is being said. This job calls for marketing experience as well as work in social media and project management, copywriting, and web publishing.
Blogger
Posting short articles/blogs with links to related websites has become a popular strategy for boosting a website’s ranking in search engines. Pay rates for professional or experienced bloggers working in companies range from $35 to $75 per hour. Many bloggers have experience in journalism, but others who break into the field have their own personal blogs and use them to apply for corporate blogging jobs.
Search Engine Marketing Manager/Specialist
Responsible for determining search engine marketing business opportunities based on industry date/trends, competitive research and key performance metrics of current marketing campaigns. Other responsibilities may include creating search engine volume and efficiency forecasts, running tests (landing pages, ad copy, keyword bids) to boost key metrics (convert, search, click), making recommendations on keyword choices, and managing relationship with SEM partners. The right candidate will have at least seven years of marketing experience, applied analytics sensibility with strong ability to make profitable decisions based on factual information and entrepreneurial spirit.
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Author Bio
Joshua Turner is a writer who creates informative articles in relation to business. In this article, he describes career opportunities surrounding social media and aims to encourage further study with a KSU Public Relations Degree.
Avoid raking up fines in college
The skyrocketing cost of higher education leaves little room for financial blunders. Every dollar counts when trying to get through college with all the tuition fees, bills, and personal expenses that need to be funded. Students have to be smart about how they handle money so that they don’t go into debt. They also have to be mindful about the little things like payment deadlines and everyday habits. There should be a conscious effort to reduce expenses and avoid fines whenever possible to minimize stress. It isn’t very hard to avoid raking up fines in college, but it does require a fair amount of discipline and organization. The following examples illustrate this point.
Late Rent Payments
Most college students move to another town or another state to get their tertiary education. This often means living in a dormitory or an apartment complex for a number of years. For the first time, they have to pay rent to keep a roof over their heads. Studying the rental contract is a must to learn the house rules such as curfews, pet policies, security arrangements, and so on. The contract will also contain the specifics about payment deadlines and the fines that might result if the rent is not settled beyond a certain point. This should be taken seriously as penalties can be substantial.
DUI Arrests
With most people living away from home, students form strong bonds with friends and classmates in their university. Nowhere can these bonds and their newfound freedom be seen more clearly than in the myriad parties being thrown every week. These tend to overflow with drinks and last well into the morning. The police apprehend countless young drunk drivers annually. Those arrested face hefty fines, community service, and jail time depending on the laws of the state. These can be a crippling blow to financially-challenged students. While shunning parties is unnecessary, some prudence will go a long way in ensuring that things stay fun and positive.
Car Insurance
Somewhat related to DUI arrests is the issue of car insurance. Students who wish to drive must get the appropriate license as well as insurance as mandated by law. The premium rate is different for everyone. Providers will look into a person’s details and driving history to determine a suitable amount. Young people, due to their relative inexperience, are seen as high risk clients. They may be forced to pay much more than the average adult motorist. Having a dismal driving record that shows arrests for DUI and traffic violations will only cause this to spike further. Being a responsible driver, on the other hand, will cause the premium to go down gradually. Additional rate cuts can be availed by getting good grades.
Credit Card Fines
Credit cards make it convenient to purchase merchandise in stores and on the Internet. However, they do have their own drawbacks. Cards make it easy to overspend to unhealthy levels as all it takes is a simple swipe. People don’t see their money getting depleted right away and they get to spend forward even if they don’t have the funds. This can be dangerous for students who have yet to master the art of personal finance. It is important to learn how to budget resources and to be mindful of cash flow. When the credit card payment deadline comes up, there has to be enough funds for it or else the fines will pile up. Settle them as early as possible.
Parking Tickets
Another source of fines is parking tickets. In some cities, the fines can be quite steep. Students can avoid this hassle by being informed motorists. They need to become familiar with the enforcement rules that are in place where they are living. They should also ask around to find out the safe places to park at and tips that are pertinent to the local scene. If they still get served with a parking ticket despite following the rules, then they can try to appeal their case to the proper authorities.
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Author Bio
Ryan Ayers is a writer who creates informative articles in relation to education. In this article, he offers legal advice to college students and promotes the work of lawyers such as those involved with the California Innocence Project.
Understanding a student housing lease
While every property renter should be aware of the possibility of scams when it comes time to sign the lease, college students should be particularly careful when signing a student housing lease. It is often the case that students are new to living on their own: searching for a decent, well-priced apartment is hard enough on its own, but students often don’t anticipate how difficult signing the lease can be. Pages of dense writing, legalese, and sometimes confusing clauses, all with the manager standing at your side, keys in hand, can be too much to take in immediately.
Signing the Lease
College students should resist the urge to smile and sign, although it may seem like a good idea at the time. You may feel as though you are offending your landlord by taking a step back and reading the entire lease in detail. You may even feel as though your landlord can be trusted 100%.
But the thing is, signing a legally binding document is serious, and can have significant repercussions on your life and finances. While lease terms vary depending on where you are living, many of them can be binding for up to a year. That means that, legally speaking, you are beholden to any clause within the contract as long as it is legal. With that in mind, take your time reviewing your lease. It is often the case that mistakes, if you do not catch them, will be to your disadvantage. Even if your landlord has made an error or is otherwise in the wrong, the amount of time, energy, and money you might end up spending securing your rights is not worth this ounce of prevention.
Different Types of Leases
As there is no such thing as a template for a lease, or a standard lease, landlords have a lot of leeway in the ones that write. Many lease forms can have huge legal or ethical problems. But it is not uncommon for future tenants, including college students, to be unaware of them before it is too late.
The risk that you would be running by signing your lease without question is possible to circumvent, but the responsibility is on your shoulders as the tenant. Read your lease carefully – do not skim it – before signing it. It is acceptable to ask for a copy to review overnight, although be aware that for some landlords, signs of hesitance in a tight market may make them just dump you in favor of another candidate.
Watch Out for Red Flags
While you can never know before you read the lease, there are some signs that may indicate that your landlord may be untrustworthy. If he or she does not give you a copy of the lease, however, that is your first red flag. Another is them trying to rush you to sign it, right there on the spot. Do not let them push you into doing anything you are unsure of. If the landlord tries to minimize a clause that you ask about by saying that they do not enforce it, or it is just a formality, be firm: ask the landlord to remove the clause if it is so unimportant or unenforced. You are allowed, to some extent, to negotiate the contents of your contract. Even if the landlord will not negotiate with you, it does not hurt to ask.
Another red flag is the landlord’s insistent on an oral agreement that they will not add to the contract. Unfortunately, you cannot take a handshake or someone’s word to a court of law.
One of the most important things a tenant can remember is that “standard contracts” do not exist. If your potential landlord tries to brush of your concerns with this platitude, they may be trying to pull one over on you.
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Author Bio
Joshua Turner is a writer who creates informative articles in relation to business. In this article, he offers tips to students faced with signing a house lease and aims to encourage further study with a Real Estate College Degree.
The benefits of interning as a paralegal
The paralegal profession has grown dramatically in importance to law firms since the early 1960s. In 2010 the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that there were 256,000 paralegal jobs in the economy and projected that there would be another 46,900 positions by 2020.
The path to a paralegal career requires a college education and, in many states, official certification. Many paralegal programs include a required internship prior to graduation. Other schools offer voluntary internship opportunities that earn credits towards graduation. Either way, paralegal internships are recognized as one of the most effective avenues for ultimately finding a paralegal job. As one writer on the profession noted, internships may be the “golden ticket” to launching a paralegal career.
Finding the right internship can be a challenge. The practice of law covers a wide range of focuses and the first question a student or new paralegal needs to consider is the type of law that interests them. Once a type of practice is identified, there are several steps that internship seekers should follow in their search.
Identify Connections
Networking is the most effective ways to find out about potential internships because law firms rarely advertise for these positions. Brainstorm with school advisers and people in the legal profession. Many colleges actively seek out internships or are contacted by organizations looking for interns. Understand that most internships are unpaid.
Talking to local working paralegals is another way to network. These people often know about upcoming vacancies and opportunities. Local organizations are also a good source for finding out how law firms function and the various roles within a firm.
Look for Internships in Unexpected Places
While the majority of paralegal positions and internships are found with law firms, there are other organizations with legal departments that require paralegal support. Many local, state and federal offices have legal staffs and need paralegals. Insurance firms, medical organizations, real estate firms and non-profit legal services organizations are also great places to research.
Applying for a Paralegal Internship
An internship, paid or unpaid, is a job and requires a formal application even if the internship is offered through a college program. Application packages should include a cover letter and resume prepared specifically for each internship sought. It is also important to ask college instructors for letters of reference and attach the letters to the application package.
Working as a Paralegal Intern
With an internship in hand, it is always appropriate to write a formal thank you letter to the person(s) who awarded the internship.
Successfully landing a paralegal internship is the beginning of another learning process. What students learn in college is a foundation. The actual work performed at a law firm or in a legal department is distinctly different from what is taught in school.
Once in the work environment, it is important to dress, behave and perform duties professionally – it is also an expectation. This is the new paralegal’s chance to learn the ins and outs of legal work. It is a time for asking questions, showing initiative and honing skills.
After the Internship Ends
At the conclusion of an internship, it is helpful for the intern to discuss his or her strengths and weaknesses with their superior. It is also a good time to ask for a letter of recommendation.
The interning firm may or may not offer an intern a job. Even so, write a formal letter of appreciation for the internship opportunity because it is the proper thing to do and because a position might become available later. The most important result of a successful internship is the experience that can be added to a resume.
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Author Bio
Joshua Turner is a writer who creates informative articles in relation to business. In this article, he describes a few benefits of interning as a paralegal and aim to encourage further study through Online Degrees at George Washington University.
Top 10 Ways to ruin your college admissions chances
It’s not a done deal until it’s a done deal. Your teen has work to do—their college applications. It’s a tough road and one that can be finalized with offers of admission or rejection letters. It’s not a task to be taken lightly and it will require all their hard work and stamina the beginning of their senior year. If done right and taken seriously, your teen’s hopes (and yours) will be realized.
But, if they commit the following fatal errors, their hopes could be dashed and offers of admission might be a pipedream.
1. Spout off on social media
A recent article in the NY Times, a student attended an information session with a college and began tweeting negatively using their hashtag. What happened? They ultimately didn’t offer her admission; not based on the twitter posts but based on the fact her application wasn’t up to their specifications. But if it had been, she would not have been offered admission. In recent telephone survey by Kaplan Test Prep, of 381 college admissions officers who answered a telephone questionnaire this year, 31 percent said they had visited an applicant’s Facebook or other personal social media page to learn more about them — a five-percentage-point increase from last year. More crucially for those trying to get into college, 30 percent of the admissions officers said they had discovered information online that had negatively affected an applicant’s prospects.
2. Lie on your application
This should be a no-brainer but students in this competitive admission environment are tempted to say just about anything to pump up their resume for the application. Liars never win and if a college finds out you have lied on your application they will wonder if you will be dishonest academically.
3. Neglect standardized test prep
Less than 20% of students prepare for the SAT and/or ACT. You can move ahead of the crowd with just a little preparation. Standardized test scores weigh heavy in your application and stellar ones mean admission and scholarships.
4. Be frivolous about your grades
The GPA is a definitive part of the application. Not focusing on grades during high school and hoping to bring them up before your senior year can be costly. It starts your freshman year and builds up as the years go by. Once you enter your senior year, your GPA is set in stone and very little can be done to improve it.
5. Don’t devote time to your application essay
The application essay tells colleges who you are and why they should consider you for admission. If you don’t take the time to tell them about yourself they won’t have a reason to add you to their student body. It’s the one part of the application that you can make personal.
6. Don’t take the admissions interview seriously
Show in holey jeans and a dirty t-shirt and you might as well kiss that college goodbye. This is like a job interview. The impression you make will be implanted in their minds when they receive your application. Make it your best, not your worst.
7. Sit on your couch and do nothing
Offers of admission aren’t going to land in your lap. If you think once you become a senior you can just apply somewhere and get accepted, you’re wrong. There are thousands of other students who take the process seriously.
8. Skate through senior year after you’ve applied
It’s not uncommon for colleges to reject offers of admission after they receive your final transcript. Senioritis can’t hit a college applicant. Even after the application is complete and the acceptance letter has arrived, you need to remain focused academically.
9. Use a tasteless email address
Make a bad impression by emailing an admissions officer with tasteless email addresses. You know what they are. Use firstnamelastname@gmail.com. It’s easy for them to remember and it gives the impression that you are serious about the process.
10. Ignore deadlines
Late means late. There are no second chances. Miss a deadline and miss an opportunity. If you can’t follow instructions and meet the deadlines, how can you be expected to hand in your assignments on time in college? It’s simple math.
Bottom line—don’t let your student makes these mistakes. It could mean living at home after graduation working at a minimum wage job while their friends head off to college. That should produce fear in the heart of any teenager!
10 Ways to train your kids to live healthy
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10 Ways to train your kids to live healthy
With so many unhealthy choices available today, it’s difficult to steer your kids away from the types of behaviors that encourage an unhealthy lifestyle. The time before they leave home for college is the time to teach them how to live healthy and make wise choices. When they leave home and begin living independently, it will be easy for them to continue those good habits.
1. Have consistent family mealtime
Families should have at least one mealtime when they eat together. It may be difficult in today’s fast paced world, but it’s critical that you stick to this rule. You can teach them about healthy portions and healthy food choices when you are sharing a meal together. Let them participate in food preparation as well to teach them about healthy cooking habits such as limiting butter and salt.
2. Encourage them to participate in outside activities
Start at a young age to encourage them to get outside and play. Go on hikes together and play ball in the yard. Participating in outside activities teaches them to stay active and prevents them from becoming sedentary in front of the television. If they see exercise as fun it will be easier to get them outside to participate in sports and other activities.
3. Limit their technology time
Technology can rob your kids of valuable time spent being active. With all the distractions today, it’s not only difficult to keep their attention, but it’s also hard to deflect it to other things. Limiting their time gives you an opportunity to teach them that there are so many other activities that are just as fun as texting or playing games on the iPad.
4. Praise them when they make good choices
When your kids make good choices (healthy snacks, active play over sitting in front of the television, and even choosing a healthy meal at a fast food restaurant), encourage them by praising them for those choices. Kids instinctively want to please their parents; and if they are praised for doing so, they will continue.
5. Get them involved in healthy choices
Let your kids help with grocery lists and choosing healthy lunches and snacks. Encourage them to do household chores which keeps them active and let them choose an extracurricular sport to participate in after school.
6. Let them participate in meal planning
When you let your kid plan their snacks and lunches, a family meal or holiday feast, it teaches them to make healthy decisions. They also learn to make decisions and be responsible for the outcomes. You can also guide them as they choose which foods to add to the meals and how to prepare them.
7. Don’t use food as bribery
Just about every parent has done this: promise them sweets if they eat their meal. It may be effective but it’s not a good habit to teach them. Using food as a reward is one way to create food motivation, which can be detrimental if your child grows up seeing food as a special reward and was not taught how to limit this reward.
8. Let them see you live healthy
Every parent has spouted off at one time or another, “do as I say, not as I do”. But realistically kids mimic the behavior of their parents. If you lead by example by being active, eating healthy, and exploring activities outside the home, they are more likely to take on those healthy habits themselves.
9. Provide them with healthy options
Stocking your pantry and refrigerator with unhealthy food is the worst way to encourage healthy eating habits. Providing them with alternatives to technology will go a long way in teaching them the importance of exercise and fitness. If your kid lives in a positive, healthy environment they will become positive individuals.
10. Stress regular exercise
Make sure your kid’s physical education program at school is a good one. Exercise is a key component to a healthy lifestyle. If they learn it at a young age, they will continue this habit when they enter high school and head off to college.
Healthy living can be difficult, but the rewards are life changing. Later in life you and your kids will reap the benefits of your choices to live healthy.
Check out Wendy’s (POCSMom) article “10 out-of-the-gift-box ideas for a healthy lifestyle“
How to take a working holiday abroad
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- As the economic crisis continues to affect countries across the world, the option to work abroad is becoming increasingly popular amongst young people
- Education, work and sports are the most sought after activities by temporary foreign workers
As a result of the economic crisis, one of the words that we have incorporated into our language is ‘emigration’. Tens of thousands of young people have already crossed the border in search of a better future, from neighboring countries to even as far as the Asian market.
In this case, one of things that is influencing those deciding to work abroad more and more is the Work and Travel Program (PVT in Spanish or French) or the Working Holiday Visa, which allows those under 35 to work and holiday at the same time in a foreign country for between 6 and 12 months.
Also called the Holiday-Work Visa (VVT in Spanish) or the Working Holiday Program, it is the result of mutual agreements that seek to encourage young people to travel to all parts of the world, with the possibility of finding part time work to finance their stay there. Australia, Canada and New Zealand are considered the best destinations by those embarking on such an adventure.
Working while on holiday or during the summer
There are two categories within the Holiday and Work Program. The first of these provides the opportunity for students to work during the summer months. This is designed for younger students who want to take advantage of their summer break and experience working abroad, with a maximum period of 3 months. For this option it is essential that the student is enrolled in post-secondary education or at a training centre and carries the requested travel insurance.
The other option concerns working while holidaying, designed for travellers who want to sightsee, get to the know the culture and work at the same time. The maximum duration is 12 months. This is the option that is becoming increasingly more popular amongst Spaniards, as it offers a clear solution to the problem of unemployment that is affecting many countries, with the added attraction of possibly learning a new language.
Beatriz Valiente, in charge of customers relations at AVI International, highlights “the significant increase in the number of calls and contact we have received regarding our Working Holiday insurance for 2012, especially insurance for general covers”. Other issues of particular interest for applicants are that this visa has “the option of integrating sports and leisure or manual work into the insurance, and that it includes the possibility to visit neighbouring countries, which it does include, but only for a maximum of two weeks.”
And what destinations do people choose? There are dozens of countries that you can travel to with a Working Holiday visa. China and Taiwan are recent additions, although they are not yet in high demand. “100% of those Spanish people insured have chosen Canada to carry out their Working Holiday”, Beatriz Valiente points out, “while the majority of French insured go to Australia, followed by New Zealand and then Canada. Very few opt to travel and work in other countries such as such as Argentina, South Korea, Japan or Singapore and the new destination: Hong Kong.”
5 pieces of advice for the Working Holiday Visa
When it comes to applying for a Working Holiday visa, often there are limitations attached to the criteria that the applicant must meet, which in many cases are restrictive:
- It is essential to be between 18 and 35 years old, with both these ages included.
- For some destinations it is necessary to carry with you a large sum of money as costs can escalate at the beginning of your stay.
- One of the key requirements is that your medical insurance covers you for the entire duration of your stay. When it comes to confirming it, Beatriz Valiente adds that this criterion is “absolutely essential for the Working Holiday visa to be accepted.”
- It is important to know what limitations exist when it comes to studying and working. In the case of New Zealand and Canada, the Working Holiday visa only allows you to study for a period of 6 months, and to work for up to 1 year. As for Australia, a certain level of accredited English is also required. Your country of origin can also play a part in what countries you can travel to.
- Analysing the possible destinations and their economic and unemployment rates, with the aim of choosing a country that offers the best employment opportunities.
Therefore it is important to know in detail the necessary requirements and characteristics for each country, so that you can plan in advance on how to make the most of your trip and have the best experience possible. Looking ahead, it is one of the options being considered more and more: “I believe that it is a product that will work really well in the next few years; many Spaniards leaving the country in search of work, prices are economical and conditions are very good”, concludes our contact at AVI International.
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Today’s post is from AVI International, a leading provider of travel insurance for tourists and those who holiday abroad.
