I remember in my last year of high school: my best friend since fifth grade lived in France. He wrote that they didn’t like Americans very much. “They think we’re all fat,” he said. With his own slim body, of course, he mistook his belief.

But it added a funny, or perhaps ironic, twist to the subject. “I went to a store, and they were selling statues of these fat people, and at the bottom of each one was written, ‘American.'”

Obesity is not just an American problem. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is a global problem. They call it globosity. Paradoxically, his understanding of this problem began with his original mission to eliminate hunger and malnutrition. We live in a world where many have nothing to eat and many eat too much. From 1995 to 2000, the number of obese adults worldwide skyrocketed from 200 to 300 million. That’s a 50% increase in just 5 years!

What is obesity and what is overweight?

Overweight means excess body weight. This excess weight can be muscle, bone, fat, and/or body water. Obesity specifically refers to an abnormally high proportion of body fat. You can be overweight without being obese, for example, a bodybuilder or other very muscular athlete. But many overweight people are also obese. It doesn’t directly measure body fat and isn’t gender specific, but it does give you a pretty reliable estimate.

To find your BMI, divide your weight (in kilograms) by your height in meters squared. Yes, for those of you struggling with math, that’s complex, so I’ll give you a website that will figure it out for you, the National Institutes of Health BMI Calculator (http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/ ). This will tell you very quickly if you are normal, overweight or obese, and does all the calculations and metric conversions for you!

Overweight is defined as a BMI greater than 25 (including those with a BMI greater than 30), and obesity is a BMI greater than 30. Therefore, all obese people are overweight, but not all overweight people they are obese.

The obesity epidemic

Obesity isn’t just about not feeling well or having trouble getting dates…

* Leads to more than 300,000 premature deaths each year in the United States. 90,000 are preventable cancer deaths. (CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION)

* Severely obese men die 13 years earlier than normal-weight men (JAMA).

* As a cause of death in the United States, obesity is second only to tobacco. (CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION)

The weight loss industry

* Spending: Americans spend between $40-50 billion per year to lose weight.

*Results: I haven’t seen any recent news that Americans are losing weight, have you?

* Conclusion: What people are doing is not working. If we want different results, we have to try a different solution.

Weight loss with acupuncture: fantasy or reality?

* Fantasy or Reality? As a well-trained and fairly conservative Chinese medicine practitioner, he had assumed that acupuncture for weight loss was a marketing fad and a patients’ fantasy.

* Evidence: But while researching my next book Chinese Medicine: A Practical Guide to Optimum Healing, I came across surprisingly positive information that changed my mind.

Collective Chinese Medicine Clinical Data on Acupuncture Weight Loss

Chinese medicine has thousands of years of clinical experience. These collective data are not as convincing as randomized controlled trials, but they contain the truth: they are imperfect but still valid and important.

A US government study in the 1980s concluded that 85% of Western medicine is based on clinical experience, not research. (US Congressional Office of Technology Assessment, The Impact of Randomized Controlled Trials on Health Policy and Medical Practice, Background Paper OTA-BP-H-22. See also Michael Millenson’s book, Demanding Medical Excellence)

There is good Chinese medicine research in Taiwan, Australia, and Europe that is ignored by American scientists and media. Much of the research in Chinese has not even been translated into English.

Seven studies of acupuncture for weight loss

How it works: By improving the function of two neuroendocrine pathways that regulate many bodily processes, including metabolism.

What are you doing:

* Reduces body weight, body fat, insulin levels and blood lipid levels

* Decreases excessive appetite and makes it easier to satisfy hunger with less food.

* Decreases menopausal weight gain

* In one study, acupuncture removed 10 pounds in 2 months, that translates to 60 pounds in a year!

* Combined with diet control and aerobic advice, you not only shed the pounds and body fat, you keep it off, especially if you’re diligent about your exercise.

(See references at the end of the article for research)

Ephedra misuse and bad legislation

Ephedra is a Chinese herb for colds and coughs. It has been misused to increase metabolism, and this misuse has caused numerous deaths. As a result, the FDA is considering an outright ban on ephedra products. We can blame two main things:

1. Supplement companies that care more about your money than your health (no, not all are like this, but some are, especially those that market weight loss formulations).

2. The idea that you can safely self-medicate with herbs: Self-medication of any kind is risky. Herbal self-medication is off the radar and people generally think they can do it safely. The ephedra debacle is an example of how dangerous it can be.

Traditionally, Chinese herbs are given in formulas (not alone), which is safer and more personalized. They are prescribed by a Chinese medicine practitioner who first diagnoses your specific imbalances. Ephedra would never be given for weight loss, but only for certain types of colds and coughs, and only to people whose bodies can handle it.

No traditional Chinese herb should be banned without allowing Chinese doctors to continue to use them traditionally.

food cravings

* Problem #1 (Enzyme Deficiency): The foods you crave depend on your personal imbalances. Modern digestive science explains that when your body can’t digest a food, it wants more of it, it’s not getting what it needs from it. This leads to a cycle of craving and overeating the exact food you can’t digest.

* Problem #2 (Low Blood Sugar): Another vicious cycle occurs when you can’t digest complex carbohydrates, so your blood sugar is low, so you eat simple carbohydrates that raise your blood sugar. blood sugar, which increases insulin, which lowers blood sugar again. , and you’re stuck eating donuts and feeling horrible.

* Solution: Enzymes (I recommend several enzyme formulations from a company called Transformations) and Chinese herbal formulas can help you digest your food and break both cycles.

Weight can be lost safely if done slowly and naturally.

You can lose up to 2 pounds a week without gaining it back. That means you could lose 104 pounds this year and keep it off!

Positive change is like stretching a rubber band: if it is stretched too far too fast, it will snap or snap back.

So avoid the temptation to take an easy fix like ephedra or citrus aurantium (both misused Chinese herbs), because you’ll gain the weight back and risk heart problems and stroke.

5 things to do right now

To lose 10 pounds in 2 months

And keep them away:

1. Avoid highly marketed supplements; instead, consult a trained herbalist (acupuncturist) professional; it is safer and more effective; my preference would be a chinese medicine practitioner, but some very well educated western herbalists are good too.

2. Acupuncture Weight Loss: Consult a Chinese acupuncturist/herbalist. Receive acupuncture (one to three times per week) to SAFELY regulate your metabolism and satisfy hunger. Your acupuncturist can also provide you with the herbs that will balance your digestion and cravings, and based on your Chinese pattern diagnosis, can also provide personalized dietary advice. Herbs and enzymes (specific formulations from the Transformations enzyme company) can eliminate your food cravings.

3. Develop a plan and goals with your acupuncturist and aerobics instructor, make it realistic, and stick to it. If you mess up, don’t beat yourself up, get back to normal as soon as you can. Any progress is better than nothing at all.

4. Eat less, exercise more: Eat a low-fat diet and don’t skip breakfast! Weigh yourself regularly and exercise for an hour a day. Start by walking for a few minutes each day or take the stairs at work. Don’t overdo it! Remember the elastic band. In fact, you may want to wear a rubber band around your wrist to remind yourself to make changes slowly. Get help with aerobics: a public class or private aerobic counseling.

5. Join a support group like Weight Watchers or Overeaters Anonymous. There’s nothing like positive friends to cheer you up and keep you on track. OA members say this spiritual action program has changed the way they relate to food.

References and resources

1. US Congressional Office of Technology Assessment, The Impact of Randomized Controlled Trials on Health Policy and Medical Practice, Background Paper OTA-BP-H-22.

2. Michael Millenson’s book, Demanding Medical Excellence

3. Effect of acupuncture on weight loss assessed by adrenal function. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1993 Sep, 13(3):169-73.

4. Wozniak, P., Oszukowski, P., Stachowiak, G., and Szyllo, K. [The effectiveness of low-calorie diet or diet with acupuncture treatment in obese peri- and postmenopausal women] (in Polish). Ginekol.Pol. Vol.74 Number 2 pages. 102-107. 2003

5. Acupuncture on the spleen, stomach and Ren Mai channel points for the treatment of simple obesity with stomach and intestinal heat pattern. Summarized and translated by Bob Flaws, Dipl. CA & CH, Lic. Ac., FNAAOM, FRCHM

6. Richards D, Marley J. Stimulation of auricular acupuncture points in weight loss. Aust Family Physician. Jul 27, 1998 Suppl 2:S73-7.

7. Zhao, M., Liu, Z., and Su, J. The time-effect relationship of central action in acupuncture treatment for weight reduction. J Tradit Chin Med Vol.20 Number 1 pp. 26-29. 2000

8. Liu, Z. Mechanisms underlying the effects of acupuncture moxibustion in simple obesity complicated by hypertension. Inter J Clin Cup 371-378, 1995.

9. Weight Loss Industry Studies

10. Prevalence and effect of obesity

11. Overeaters Anonymous

Barking – Training your Yorkie to stop excessive barking needs to be planned and consistent. You can experiment by asking a friend to call your home and ring the doorbell. When the doorbell rings, your Yorkshire Terrier puppy will most likely start barking and run for the door.

Hold your Yorkie’s collar, call his name, and then use the ‘shut up’ command. If he complies and stops barking, praise him immediately. Keep practicing this, until your dog understands what you want him to do. This approach can also be used when your dog is outside.

Other causes of barking are boredom and lack of exercise. If your Yorkie puppy barks excessively, she may need more exercise and stimulation. Once he addresses this, in many cases his pet will be less inclined to continue barking.

Separation Anxiety – Yorkshire Terriers are often left alone for long periods of time. They are traditionally social animals, who love the company of humans and become part of many families. While you’re away, it’s important to find ways to keep your pet occupied while you’re not around. Going out and coming home should not become a big event for you or your dog. This often increases your dog’s stress and excitement levels, so look for ways to make it less of an event.

Nibbling and biting – This can become an ugly problem and needs to be addressed while your Yorkie is still a young pup. Your Yorkshire terrier needs to understand that she shouldn’t touch human skin with her teeth, even if she’s just playing with you. Reinforcing this should reduce the chance of your pet biting or biting you or other people.

House training: It is important that you teach your Yorkshire Terrier puppy the importance of controlling his potty habits. Potty training is often an effective method of training your pet, until potty training is no longer an issue.

Digging – All Terriers are natural diggers. They love to dig and it’s part of their makeup. Instead of trying to prevent your dog from digging, it may be wise to designate areas where your dog can dig, such as litter boxes. Restricting access to the garden or patio eliminates the problem entirely.

Chewing – This is a common but preventable problem, especially for dogs that live indoors most of the time. The main goal is to teach your dog the difference between an appropriate and an inappropriate object that he can chew.

There are many potential problems associated with these dogs, but Yorkie puppy training and obedience problems can be overcome with patience and following the tips above.

A First Communion dress is rich in religious symbolism and steeped in tradition. This special dress should not be hung in a closet after the ceremony. The communion dress is part of a very special moment in the life of a young woman.

The dress must continue to have a meaningful purpose. Recycling a communion dress can give it a new life. The end result can take many forms. The only criteria for recycling a communion dress: it must continue to spread joy and happiness.

Why should you recycle a communion dress?

1. Pass it on

Pass a communion dress on to family or friends. Sharing such a special dress can be a special experience. You can create jumps and continue traditions or start new ones. From a practical point of view, sharing can reduce costs for other families. Sometimes a few alterations can create a completely different look for the next wearer.

2. Preserve the dress

In the short term, First Communion dresses can be used for other special occasions. They are suitable for religious ceremonies or even special dinners and Christmas parties. However, if you plan to keep the dress for use in future years, you must follow proper storage procedures. To avoid damage over time, a conservation specialist should be consulted. If not, you must purchase a conservation kit.

If you’re going to stop wearing a dress soon after the ceremony, you don’t need to take these preventative steps. However, you should always follow proper cleaning procedures after use. Consider a professional cleaner for best results.

3. Be charitable

Charity, like recycling, can take many forms. Leave the dress at a thrift store for someone to buy it for a discount. Some charities even give dresses to those in need. Certain organizations sell formal wear and use the funds for a worthwhile project.

Some formal wear retailers recycle dresses and donate a percentage of the profits to charity. Organize your own solidarity project and involve your daughter. Have a private sale, but discuss with the child how the money can be used to benefit a charitable cause. Children can offer very creative suggestions.

Give the fabric a new life

First Communion dress fabric can be used in many creative ways. Wearing the fabric is about a renewed life, a new purpose, and heartfelt expression. Creativity is the exact opposite of destruction. There are many reasons to be happy with the creative upcycling of a communion dress.

4. Make a Flower Girl Basket

A flower girl basket is stunningly beautiful on its own. However, if you line the basket with a very special fabric, its beauty and meaning reach a whole new level. Use material from a communion dress for flower girl baskets at a family wedding. Perhaps she could even save some fabric for her daughter’s wedding day.

5. Bring something special

If you like sewing, you can easily turn the fabric of a communion dress into a unique bag. The satin, pearls and flowers of the dress are combined to create a beautiful bag. Add a practical and pretty cord and a white bow to make an amazing accessory.

Custom embroidery always adds that extra special touch. Use the child’s name, the date of their First Communion, or even a religious symbol. If you are of Irish descent, you may want to embroider the Claddagh or shamrock. The one-of-a-kind bag can be used for future special occasions and even passed down to the next generation.

6. Make a satin shawl

First Communion dresses and shawls are often made of satin, making them a perfect match. Of course, communion dresses and shawls are also made from other fine fabrics. You can make a gorgeous shawl out of any communion dress material. Exquisite details such as sequins can be used as an embellishment. For sleeveless dresses, a shawl is a stylish accessory.

7. Tie ribbons and bows

Ribbons and bows have always been popular for communion dresses. Large white bows were considered very stylish for communicants in the early 20th century. However, bows and ribbons have maintained that popularity. They look lovely in communion dresses. They dazzle, along with sequins and pearls, in headdresses.

A girl can never have enough ribbons and bows to wear on special occasions. You can make numerous accessories from one dress. Don’t forget to make some stylish headbands suitable for special occasions. Headbands are always popular with young girls. The communion veil with headband is one of the most popular styles.

8. Dress up the dolls

His little girl certainly looked like a doll in her special dress. Most girls wouldn’t mind sharing that beauty with her precious dolls. The beautiful fabrics and exquisite details of a communion dress can make for well-dressed little dolls.

Many girls keep their special dolls and cherish them as adults. They are often passed down from generation to generation. It is very special to be able to pass a doll to your daughter, especially if her dress is made from your communion dress.

9. Handkerchiefs are useful

You can make beautiful scarves using the fine fabric of a dress. Take the time to make them special and they can be used for future occasions. Lace-trimmed handkerchiefs can be kept for Confirmation or even a girl’s wedding day.

They could be special gifts for sisters and aunts. The fabric could make pocket squares for siblings and dads. Creative individuals have even made ties and bow ties out of communion dresses.

The idea of ​​the scarf is a very effective method to recycle a stained dress. The damage may prevent the gown from being passed on or used in other ways. However, you should be able to save enough material to make a few bandanas.

10. Bring people together

Communion dresses can be recycled and turned into tablecloths and napkins for special dinners. Family gatherings are always memorable events in a child’s life. A girl will take pride in knowing that the fabric of her dress is helping to create a perfect occasion.

The tablecloth and napkins can also adorn your table when you are a grown woman. Such a satiny white fabric could even be used at her wedding reception. The fabric would look beautiful on the table displaying the wedding guest book or gifts.

11. Celebrate the holidays

All children love Christmas and of course the Christmas tree. She turns the communion dress into a Christmas tree skirt and see the light in the eyes of a girl. You will have the best dressed Christmas tree and the happiest child. This festive Christmas tree skirt will look on trend during every holiday season. To match her spectacular tree skirt, decorate the Christmas tree with white bows and pearl garlands.

12. Make a special memory

Each girl should keep special memories of her communion day. Make a keepsake box to hold precious reminders of her. Use communion dress fabric to cover and line this little treasure. A girl can keep many treasures inside the memory box. It may contain her medals or jewelry gifts given in honor of her First Communion.

13. Hold on to memories

Precious pieces of the communion dress keep special memories. The fabric can be part of a First Communion scrapbook. Consider making a framed keepsake to display with family photos. Making a shadow box is a great way to preserve memories. Use the fabric as a background and include other souvenirs such as First Communion invitations.

14. Keep it perfect

Keep your memories safe and secure in a beautiful photo album. Make the outside of an album as beautiful as the photos inside its covers. Cover a photo album with the satin and lace of a communion dress. At first glance, it will be obvious that this album is a special book.

15. Enjoy a nice scent

Enjoy a beautiful scent in a pretty package; make a lovely and durable sachet. Satin and lavender make a sensational envelope. The special little girl will love wearing them and they can be shared with the family too. You can make several sweet-smelling sachets with a communion dress.

16. Make special pillows and blankets

The sacraments of Baptism and First Communion share a religious significance. Use fabric from a communion dress for a baptismal blanket. The fabric is also perfect for a ring-bearing or baby pillow. Pass these special creations on to a family member or save them for your daughter. Using a ring-bearing pillow or baptismal blanket, made from your communion dress, would be very special for any young woman.

17. Dress up a princess

Every girl wants to be a princess. Whether it’s for Halloween, a school play, or just playing, every princess needs a special dress. You already have a beautiful dress. Buy additional fabric at a low price and introduce more color and details.

A full pink ruffle at the bottom of the dress is perfect for a pink princess. A pink-lined cape adds a royal touch. A tall princess hat with fabric flowers and beautiful netting can be the crowning glory of a Halloween costume. She models the dress after a little girl’s favorite storybook princess.

18. Make a princess table

Every little princess deserves a princess table. Make a loose skirt for a round nightstand. Snaps can be used to allow the fabric to be closed for a fitted look. If the dress has a pretty bow, you can also use brooches to attach it to the table skirt. An ordinary round table can easily be transformed into a table fit for royalty.

19. Save it for a sleeping beauty

Make a skirt for a baby’s crib with the communion dress. Pass it on to the new parents or save it for the future. A small baby will most likely sleep soundly in such lovely surroundings. The adorable girl or the cute baby will have a beautiful start in life. Make a one-of-a-kind baby hat and dress your little one in style, from head to toe.

20. Save it for another sleeping beauty

Use her communion dress to make the most beautiful bedroom for a little princess. White is a cool and refreshing color to wake up to each morning. The fabric can be used for pillow covers or decorative cushions. Delicate, ruffled material is perfect for a window valance. If you want to cover the entire window, there will be enough fabric for the project.

The dress can also be used to make a full bed skirt or trendy bedspread. After a bedtime story, a sleeping beauty will be surrounded by beauty as she follows her dreams. Isn’t that the way the story should always end for every girl?

I recently interviewed two very fit ex-skydivers who still train and work hard and enjoy dating young women and being parents. Find out how three 60-year-old former skydivers stay strong, overcome injuries, date, and even have kids. Listen to the attached audio clip and/or read the summary:

AS = Andy Slusarenko

DB = Doug Burgis

SD= Interviewer

GROWING

AS- He ate peanut butter sandwiches, hiked, swam and played soccer in rural Vancouver Island. 12 years old, he jumped and hit by six guys. AS trained in judo and other martial arts. He was just “white boy” in judo classes.

DB – Born in a small town. He loved the freedom of the outdoors. He moved to Vancouver and experienced culture shock, like never seeing a black or gay man before. He lied about his age to join the army cadets and enjoyed camping and individual sports.

DS-Born at the Air Force base. He enjoys the outdoors and individual sports.

MILITARY

AS – He joined the army. He was the fittest guy in the battalion. He joined CAR.

DB- Joined the Army, Infantry and CAR (Canadian Airborne Regiment). In CAR, you were judged on your physical abilities. You never wanted to be left behind.

DS- After one too many beatings, he joined the army reserves, then the regular army and trained in martial arts.

turning 60

AS- Gift to self was a training challenge at the local gym.

DB-He gave himself “Birthday Training”. Bench press was better than my 20’s. Reverse pull-ups: 6 sets of 8.

DS- Run up Grouse Mountain, take your girlfriend dancing.

INSURED

AS-Pain is different as a child. I had to work around a shoulder injury since I was 13 years old. He still became a parachutist and a black belt in aikido.

DB- Always work around the injury. Older means better patience with injuries. Having the wisdom to know that I can “fix” the injury and get back into shape. Always keep training. If I can’t run, I jump, etc.

DS- If I insult my knee, I work flexibility and upper body. The same with other parts of the body. Always keep moving.

ADVICE TO OTHERS

AS- It’s what YOU want from training. It is NOT what other people think. Accept challenges. You need a reason to get up in the morning. If you hurt yourself, hang in there and do it. During my Airborne reunion, many guys were out of shape and overweight. Accept fitness challenges.

DB- You have to do something that raises adrenaline and testosterone. Life will give you what you need. Look for challenges. Leave some mystery in it. I’m going to ride a motorcycle in Baja, Mexico and I don’t have my logistics ready yet. I would like to see more guys in shape. Usually when I train there are only about four of us over the age of 50 during kettlebell seminars. It should not be like that. There should be more over 50s exercising. During my PPCLI infantry rally, many ex-soldiers looked bad. They must still be fit enough to play football.

DS- You have to have some kind of emotion, some kind of risk to give yourself that push.

RETIREMENT PLANS

AS- Get a boat and see friends from all over the world. The wind does not pay taxes and the water is free.

DB – Finish home renovations. I’ll do my adventure while I’m retired, while my younger partner is still working.

When we consider the common features of the W902 and G705, we can take into account features such as video calls, video streaming, SMS, MMS, email, instant messaging, predictive text input, Exchange Active Sync, FM radio, Track ID, play now , Bluetooth, Java games, quad band technology, access to Net Front, etc. These features are common to both widgets.

Through the Sony Ericsson W902 or the Sony Ericsson G705, you can experience live chat with your contacts while you can see the animated gestures of your contacts. You can also make use of the video streaming feature on these widgets. Even typical communication features like SMS, MMS, instant messaging, and predictive text input are available on these widgets. Sometimes contacts may be short on time and may not be in a position to talk on the phone. In such circumstances, users can make good use of these features. These features will help convey messages that contacts can read at their leisure. Such messages need not always be raw, as one can decorate such messages with MMS features. Furthermore, users can even use their instant messaging service, which is also an animated chat medium. Since these widgets have predictive text input, users do not need to spend a lot of time creating the text. This input predicts the words that users type and helps to complete all the text in a very short time.

Both widgets are Bluetooth compatible and also offer the option to use USB. Thus, users can go wireless and be free from the hassles associated with cables. This technology helps transfer data to any compatible device without cables. In addition, data transfer via the Sony Ericsson W902 and Sony Ericsson G705 is three times faster than GPRS, as these widgets support EDGE technology. Normally one can travel all over the world through the quad band technology of these widgets covering GSM 850, 900, 1800 and 1900.

Listening to FM radio programs on the move can also be retained with the W902 and G705. This is possible only thanks to the FM radio feature on both widgets. Not only that, these widgets also support RDS features. As such, while listening to your favorite FM shows, you can view other information like news, weather reports, etc. in these widgets.

Imagine features like Track ID and Play now. Music lovers would not miss these features in these mobile phones. TrackID is a music recognition feature that allows music lovers to record a few seconds of any song.

The flight mode feature on both the Sony Ericsson W902 and the Sony Ericsson G705 allows users to use certain mobile phone features while in restricted areas. These functions help to use the functions that are not dangerous for the restricted areas. The 3G HSDP feature on both idgets allows users to download data at higher speeds and provides faster Internet connectivity.

Here are some of the similarities between the two. However, there are also differences between them. To mention a few, the G705 has Google maps, WiFi, GPS navigation function with wayfinder, etc. DLNA WiFi sharing on the G705 allows users to make use of WiFi connectivity by linking the phone to compatible devices such as the TV at home or the TV at the office. This allows users to entertain a large audience by displaying the images on a large screen. While the internal memory of the W905 is 25 Mbytes along with Micro M2 memory support, the G705 supports 120 Mbytes of memory with Micro M2 memory card support.

Starting school is a monumental moment in a child’s life! Make sure your child enjoys their first educational experiences by preparing them for it! In order to have a successful and happy start to school, there are several key communication skills that will help your child adjust. While all children develop at different rates and all children have the right to be accepted as they are, here are some of the key areas in which you as a parent/carer can help prepare your child. Here are the key things your child needs to understand before starting school, to keep up and even excel:

– Language development: the child speaks confidently, has a good vocabulary, has been exposed to books, and exhibits pre-reading skills and a desire to read.

– Social maturity: the child makes friends easily and is able to cooperate with others; he is secure, confident, and independent with regard to activities rather than thought (eg, he is able to go to the bathroom on his own).

– Behavior and discipline: The child accepts and respects authority, is obedient and can sit still and listen.

– Health: The child is in good health and has also acquired certain physical abilities. He also has the ability to deal with personal hygiene.

– Desire to learn: The child is curious.

– Specific skills: the child can use equipment (such as scissors or a pencil); count, recognize letters, know his address and write his own name.

To get started, do a few quick checks to see how ready your child is for school:

Can your child:

– Listen to stories, learn rhymes and recognize and name colors?
– Play, share, take turns and adapt to do things differently?
– Coping with change and coping with challenges?
– Dress yourself, pull your pants down and up, wipe your buttocks and wash your hands?
– Converse socially and express their needs?
– Running, jumping, catching, swinging and dancing?
– Cut, paste and use pencils?
– Recognize numbers and start counting?

You can find information about the B4 School Check, a checklist that Plunket from New Zealand recommends all four-year-olds go through, on this website: http://www.kiwifamilies.co.nz/articles/is-your- child-school -ready/

How can a speech therapist help?

Below are the key skills related to communication and social skills that a speech and language therapist can help prepare your precious child for school.

Communication skills:

Initiate and maintain conversations with adults and other children.
Speak clearly and audibly and maintain eye contact.
Speech is understood by people other than immediate family.
speak without shouting or whispering
Answer inferential questions, for example, why? Whats Next?
Describe recent experiences.
Recite rhythms and sing songs.
retell stories
Understand requests/instructions and seek clarification
Carry out three directions in sequence
Listen carefully and answer questions in a group situation.
Talk reciprocally with peers and participate in conversation.
Interrupt conversations appropriately
Join a conversation appropriately

Social skills

Look at a person when they are speaking and make “eye contact”
Comply with requests, cease activity when requested
Manage frustration and avoid tantrums
Wait patiently for several minutes for adult attention.
Sit at a table and work for 10 minutes (with help)

separated from parents

Begin an activity independently.
Ask for and accept help if needed
Play in an activity for 20 minutes or more
Play co-op with friends for 20 minutes or more
Share your own toys with friends.
Taking turns in a small group game without help
Understand the needs and feelings of others.

Emotional Skills

coping with change
Can be separated from parents easily
Fulfill requests to finish an activity when prompted
You can share your own toys.
Taking turns in a small group without help
Has reasonable control over emotions.
Can fend for himself on the playground
You are responsible for your own possessions.

Intellectual skills

Can work independently on an assigned task
You can sort and combine elements according to simple attributes (size, function, color)
Able to sustain attention in a group setting.
Draw a recognizable picture of your family.
Name basic shapes and colors.
Able to count objects to 10

The film, What Women Want, casts Mel Gibson as Nick Marshall, a Chicago advertising executive who gains a new perspective on life when an accident gives him the ability to read women’s minds. In addition to being deprived of unwanted information, Nick realizes that he can use his newly acquired ability to outwit his boss, Darcy Maguire, played by Helen Hunt. In addition to falling for Darcy, Nick learns a much-coveted lesson about what women really want.

From the sensual to the practical, the popular vote for what women want is as follows:

1. Lingerie
2. Fragrance
3. spa treatments
4. gift slippers
5. Sweets, especially chocolate.
6. Weekend getaways or vacations to any relaxing, different or fun place
7. Jewelry including diamond-encrusted trinkets from Tiffany’s or your favorite jeweler
8. A luxury or designer bag, a coat, a set or other: LV, Gucci, Prada, Burberry, Coach, are examples.
9. Most things warm and fluffy, for example a full length mink coat with matching accessories.
10. A favorite or something significant like a CD, art, cookware and recipe books or the latest gadget: iPod, PDA, trendy cell phone, etc.

Surprisingly, though acceptable, a house or that “Oh my gosh!” because for Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Christmas or any other occasion, it doesn’t beat being pampered or smitten often. Basic goods and services like flowers, notes, shopping, and attention (hint, guys, great tip) are must-haves that satisfy four basic needs: romance, rest, relaxation, and relevance.

ROMANCE

When it comes to ways to really “wow” her, aspiring recording artist Aloyisus Wordsworth has all the makings of the perfect gift for his fiancée. “After we’re married, I’d like to close the Atlanta Botanical Gardens for 24 hours just for her,” says Wordsworth. In addition to chefs on hand to cook themed meals throughout the day, a horse-drawn carriage and penthouse reservations at a prominent Atlanta hotel, Wordsworth’s idea of ​​romance includes rose petals on the bed, chilled champagne with garnishes , an oil-filled jacuzzi, more petals, soft candles, a view of the city skyline, and a full-body massage.

With romance at the top of her list, too, Atlanta-based newlywed and ABC news trainee Leah Robinson reflects on three things: “A day of cuddling and playing, a special night my husband pay attention and enjoy each other.” , and buying something that you would like to see me wear.”

REST AND RELAXATION

Randy Love met his wife Monday through mutual friends 25 years ago in Birmingham, Alabama. Among the things he knows his wife wants is to be treated like a lady, respected, loved and loved. Love has also learned to allow his wife to “be independent and do her own thing.” According to Love, giving her wife space when he needs it often equates to having her time with her, too. “You get better quality time when you allow [women] to relax and be themselves,” Love says. As a result, he says the right gift for his wife would be “a vacation, ‘me time’ somewhere in the Caribbean like the Virgin Islands. She would give it two weeks, one week to relax and the next week to enjoy it,” advises Love.

Married for two years and parents to one daughter, Shawn and Sharon Nelson find it easy to agree on the ultimate gift. Residents of Chula Vista, California, cite vacation time as a top gift. “I like to keep things simple,” Shawn says of her ideal plan. In addition to tangible gifts along the way, like jewelry, a spa treatment, and candy, Shawn says that “a surprise vacation on a cruise ship to an exotic island would do the trick.” Regarding tangible gifts, Sharon elaborates: “I would like white gold earrings encrusted with princess-cut diamonds, three cooked meals a day, and a bouquet of flowers or roses.” Rather than a spa treatment, Sharon prefers to be pampered by her husband and include “a personal massage and a week off from working around the house.”

Bronx, New York native Ed Ramirez has a similar take on what to get his favorite lady. His mother, who loves to travel and socialize, would board a private plane at the Teterboro airport in New Jersey. With close friends and family in tow, she would arrive at the destination of her choice for a three-day, all-expenses-paid vacation. Upon arrival, the ladies would be greeted with a room filled with fresh flowers. Manicure and pedicure spa treatments, fine dining, lively entertainment, strolls along white-sand beaches, and shopping excursions will highlight each day’s adventure.

RELEVANCE

The ideal gift for Romeoville, Illinois resident Lisa Hardaman should be both sentimental and familial. One such gift occurred five years ago with the birth of the couple’s daughter. Hardaman’s husband, Tyrone, has since surprised his girlfriend of 13 years by getting the couple’s wedding video. At the top of Hardman’s wish list? “We already won for a family portrait. I wanted one before I put [the family dog] below. Now that we have a new addition to the family (the couple recently gained custody of their nephew), I would love to have a formal portrait.”

What makes a perfect gift? Program Director for the Economic Empowerment Initiative, Shaneka Douglas, says: “It doesn’t hurt to get diamonds, chocolate, etc. [However] the best gift to me is something thoughtful… “While a gift doesn’t have to be expensive, Douglas says a gift should,” let [her] know [her] the man has been listening [her] all year.”

Not afraid to learn through trial and error, Chicago native Richard Coleman advises men to invest in their woman’s passion for no reason. “I did it and my wife can’t keep her hands off me,” says the 28-year-old.

Writer Matthew Keegan provides additional information on gifts for women. “Your gift should illustrate that you put some effort into your intent. Remember, there is no generic ideal gift for every woman. Every woman in your life is different…you don’t want to get something too ordinary or too elaborate. Depending, of course , of the woman you’re shopping for.” Keegan also advises that a gift reflect the seriousness of a relationship, as well as the woman’s taste and needs. “If you feel like one gift isn’t enough, don’t hesitate to give her a whole gift package,” he advises.

While the gift options for women are endless, they are more tangible than fantasy. Although it may seem like an act of mind reading, what women really want is quite simple: A man who observes or listens to needs and responds accordingly.. If the gifts that follow come in the form of jewelry or something special, much better.

Kelly Braffet’s Last Exit (2006)

Something that never ceases to amaze me from TV shows like cold case files and forensic files it’s how so often, for incredibly long periods of time, horrific crimes go unsolved. Most people are familiar with the Black Dahlia case, perhaps the most famous unsolved murder of all. Modernism took a long time to catch up with fiction, until about twenty or thirty years ago, in the literary genres of mystery and thriller cases like that of the Dahlia never appeared. Even in crime fiction that functions as serious literature, like Ross MacDonald’s Lew Archer novels, all loose ends are tied up, all dots and t’s crossed at the end of the book. We seek closure and resolution, and tend to get frustrated if we don’t get it. In last seen dating Kelly Braffet offers us a tale of murders and disappearances that leaves us hanging like an unsolved file. In an interview with Scott Snyder around the time this novel came out, Braffet discussed her view of secrets and the ultimate impossibility of understanding another person’s motives and behavior.

He also flavors his novel with a rather original blend of cutting-edge philosophy and observance of contemporary young adult culture, of questionable areas of foreign policy and parent-child relations, and of the magnetic appeal that the possibility of danger and harm seems to have for some people. She is as comfortable with Nietzsche and Heidegger as she is with video games and lipstick.

Speaking of Nietzsche, one of the main philosophical concepts that scholars and researchers have always associated with him is that of Nihilism- a word that seems to have different meanings depending on the thinker we are using it with in context. Nietzsche was a metaphysical nihilist who believed that, at bottom, in the final analysis, life was completely meaningless and that, in our attempts to understand it, we were simply throwing psychological projections onto the blank canvas of the universe. The scientist presents science as the Ultimate Truth, the artist presents art as the Ultimate Truth, the religious person presents religion as the Ultimate Truth: all these are simply defense mechanisms that human beings invent to try to defeat nihilism. last seen dating we examine this point sharply, in a passage where we meet a character named Seth, a beach bum and philosophize:

In Seth’s real life, the non-summer part that had nothing to do with waiting tables or dusting the sheets so he could climb into bed with her, he was a grad student reading thick books with small print and no characters. He taught eighteen year olds about Heidegger and Nietzsche. He ate sushi, went skiing in Vermont, and was writing a dissertation on Being and Time.He didn’t think any of the girls he knew in that life had dragons tattooed around their belly buttons.

The “she” having these thoughts is Miranda Cassidy, one of the two main characters in the book (the other being her mother, Anne); The point is that a true Nietzschean-perhaps Seth is, since he seems to truly relish all experiences-would not compartmentalize his life into this life and that life, real life and beach life, work life and beach life. game etc . – your life is simply an integrated thing, not something you can cut into sections like a piece of fruit. Thus, Miranda is a representative of a different type of nihilism, what is often called Russian nihilism, a belief system in which the young despise the beliefs, values, and attitudes of their elders. This is pointed out in a second, later passage about Miranda and some of her friends:

“They think of themselves as creatures of the world, tough and brutal and unbreakable. They listen to dark and angry music, they watch dark and angry movies, they collect dark and angry comics. They read Neal Stephenson and William Gibson and William S. Burroughs and Philip K. Dick and Mervyn Peake The modern world, to them, is nothing more than a pale imitation of the dystopian universes they read about…

So they wait. Meanwhile, they jealously guard their disappointment and their traps, because for them, you either understand it or you don’t understand it, and if you don’t, you better not. Their disappointment is the only thing they are sure of, and they don’t want it to be used lightly.”

You might wonder, what are these kids so disappointed in? The answer is the same as the answer to quite a few key questions the book asks: we don’t know. In a way, Braffet follows the kind of strategy used by Paul Auster in the novel glass city – a crime story, a mystery, which is unresolved and unresolved, all questions and no answers. In another way, however, it opens up an equally mysterious avenue of plot and character that depends, for its effect, precisely on our knowledge of the mystery: the CIA’s covert operations in Latin America in the 1970s and 1980s. While reading the novel of Braffet, I felt somewhat lucky to have been familiar with a major American novel about the CIA in Latin America of the 1980s, Robert Stone’s novel. a flag for the dawn, as well as Tina Rosenberg’s 1991 nonfiction short story Children of Cain: violence and the violent in Latin America, which helped me appreciate Braffet’s work much more. Braffet is excellent at just skimming the horrors that lie below the mouth of the volcano. This methodology is attractive to us as readers because we know that the author knows much more than she is letting on, that her knowledge of such things is strong enough to allow her to write about them in a minimalist way with confidence and plausibility.

Anne Cassidy is a middle-aged mother living in Arizona who moved there from the Pittsburgh area years ago when her husband Nick, a pilot employed by a shadowy and enigmatic company called Western Mountain, crashes their plane while flying on a Mission over Central America. and she was never heard from again. (Significantly, no wreckage of the aircraft is ever found.) Her rebellious daughter of hers, Miranda, originally accompanies her west, but she returns to Pennsylvania as soon as she is old enough to live on her own. There, she disappears one night after crashing her car, being picked up on the highway by a passerby named George who takes an unusual interest in her. She takes a walk with him and ends up somehow in a seaside town in Virginia.

Meanwhile, Anne, after not speaking to her daughter for many months, begins to go into a frenzy when her many calls to Miranda are not returned. The feeling of fear and threat is heightened several notches by the unintentionally mocking greeting on Miranda’s answering machine: “You know what to do.” Here, this rather common greeting goes from being a simple everyday phrase to a reminder of Anne’s helplessness: she it’s not know what to do. After a few days of frantic calls, Miranda’s phone number goes out of service and Anne gets on a plane to go find her. She finds only dead ends, and a detective named Romansky (a holdover from the detective stories of yesteryear, a powerless Sam Spade or Phillip Marlowe; say Romansky’s name very slowly to yourself) tells her that her daughter probably just has moved, there is no foul play involved. Anne won’t have it, and when she’s granted access to Miranda’s vacated apartment and she figures out how to listen to her phone messages, she finds a series of messages from a boyfriend named Jay who grow increasingly drunken and nasty. Naturally, she fears the worst.

However, us I know that Miranda is, at least in appearance and for now, fine; after some time, Braffet begins to tell the story in sequences that alternate between Anne’s search for Miranda, Miranda’s Virginia beach slums with her slacker friends, and flashbacks showing Anne, Nick, and Miranda as a family in earlier and happier times. But just as there is a high element of angst to Anne’s search for Miranda, there is also one surrounding Miranda and the town of Lawrence Beach: a serial killer has been murdering young ladies in town, their bodies washing up on the coast, and there are constant suggestions that George could be the killer. Still later, we see that George has possible connections to Miranda’s long-lost father.

Miranda and Anne are shown to often disagree, argue, misunderstand each other, frustrate each other, behave differently, and take different perspectives on Nick’s death/disappearance. Braffet points this out in two strikingly contrasting passages that symbolize the differences in the “soul content” of mother and daughter. First, about Miranda:

“When she was driving, she liked to think she was connected to some huge, powerful machine. Like science fiction: the car’s nervous system was linked to hers through the sole of her right foot.”

About Anne (who, by the way, works at a New Age store and is interested in all kinds of New Age spirituality and healing):

“She imagines herself in Sedona, barefoot on red soil, mysterious energy humming through the soles of her feet and swirling inside her, filling her with something pure and real.”

They both channel energy through their feet, making them similar, but one through the car’s accelerator, the other through the dirt, making them different, impossibly different. Your attempts to establish genuine emotional contact are perhaps doomed to failure.

This novel has some intensely interesting supporting characters, mainly among them a fellow pilot of Nick’s named X-ray and a juggler boyfriend of Miranda’s named Rainier, and it also makes very sophisticated use of scenes that aren’t really related to the main action but suggest, comment and stand next to him. To take just one example, one morning Anne finds a man dead in her car in the parking lot of the store where she works. She had been a customer the day before, buying a book titled Heal yourself with Chakras. The whole situation is by turns absurd, ironic, sad, funny in a very dark sense of humor, meditative and sensually captivating (Braffet’s writing is very auditory oriented, with soundtracks), but it works in another way: gives us the closing we yearn for, but it does so entirely incidentally and is therefore not satisfying at all. It takes some courage to write this way, and Braffet is up to the challenge.

In this novel, mood and atmosphere, in my opinion, take precedence over the desire to write a “well done story” in the Aristotelian sense, and it’s a refreshing approach that probably more authors should try. But that’s not to say it doesn’t succeed with traditional storytelling elements like characterization, because it does. And I think a mix of modern and traditional, done well like this, is always welcome.

My grandmother always said…

“One of the greatest gifts you can give your children is teaching them how to share and tithe…starting with your own family!

That’s why my 4 children share a room. Boys share a room… and girls share a room. Even mom and dad share a room!

It is very important that children learn to share and be generous in order to get along with others and be truly happy as adults.

What better way to learn to share than to have to share with your brother or sister? They also share certain toys, again learning the importance of sharing.

Doesn’t your heart warm when someone shares something special with you? It can be chocolate (my favourite!), a homemade cake, a compliment, or just a smile.

But it is difficult to teach children the importance of tithing their money.

And it’s even more challenging with young children!

Here are 3 fun games that will help your toddler understand what it means to tithe:

1. Race to give

Gather 10 items (candy, marbles, small toys, etc.) and place them at one end of the room.

Place a mat with 10 points for each item.

Now have your children run to place the 10 items on their mat.

Then ask them which of the 10 items they would like to give back to Jesus as a thank you for all their good fortune.

This teaches them to return (tithe) 10% of their blessings.

2. Count your blessed coins

Count 10 different coins for your toddlers to see.

And be sure to tell them which president or important person is on which coin!

Then ask them to choose a blessed coin that they think Jesus would like.

Now explain that they just titled God!

3. Buy to share

Play a shopping game with play money in which your child goes to the store to buy 10 items.

Then ask what item they will share with Jesus.

happy thing!

If you are looking for baby care tips for the first few months of your baby’s life, here are some practical parenting tips that you can use and really help.

Many people; Family, friends, and other moms will likely be more than willing to offer their advice, tips, and suggestions, even if you don’t particularly want it. The best thing you can do is listen to everything, you will soon decide which sleeping, snuggling and feeding methods and techniques you want to try with your baby. It will be a case of testing a few to see what works.

Research all possible resources, online e-books, directories, and support services. Go to the library or buy good books, magazines or join mom groups depending on your style. There are hundreds of resources out there, it’s just a matter of finding one you like.

Perusing books, highlighting, and annotating to find all the possible answers to your pregnancy and parenting questions is a good, hands-on way to start.

I soon realized once my baby was born that a lot of what I read would be trial and error with some techniques working brilliantly and others not.

If you swaddle or swaddle your baby, you may find this comforting for many newborns because it reminds them of being inside the womb and helps them relax, feel safe and secure.

Bonding is great for new parents. There are many different ways, lots of hugging and connection, eye contact, breastfeeding, and warm soothing voices help bond and lots of skin-to-skin contact for both moms and dads with their baby.

If you have a crying baby and are not sleeping very well there are many ways you can try to help soothe your baby, staying calm and being kind is very important and also hard to do when you are feeling a bit run down. A swing can rock your baby to sleep, a sling can hold the baby close so she can hear your soothing heartbeat, a warm bath and a massage.

Then there are music CDs, or CDs with white noise, consistent rhythmic noise. I’ve heard of moms recording the vacuum and washing machine and playing it back to their babies, which worked wonders. Other moms trust the fans. Lots of things to try and you will be able to find out which of these works for you, the mother and the baby.