Category Archives: Life

Earn Income, Life, Parenting

Could Online Study Be Just What You’re Looking For?

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online education, study, studying, career, advance, parenting, finance
Photo by energepic.com from Pexels

Expanding your knowledge and qualifications is vital to keep progressing in your career; however, finding the time to do this can be taxing. Thanks to technology we can listen to audiobooks while driving rather than trying to find the time to sit and read to educate ourselves. We have access to an endless stream of information and answers to our questions at the click of a button; but what about more in-depth training and studying?

Trying to fit a part-time course around a full-time job isn’t easy and if you have children, pets or parents to look after, or you have hobbies and friends to see, then studying for qualification can seem almost impossible. However, you don’t need to be put off, if you are determined, then it can be done, and you can do it from the comfort of your own home.

As the choice and caliber of online courses continues to improve, skepticism has subsided, and results have shown that online learning can be just as good as face-to-face education. Nearly three million students are currently enrolled in fully online programs, and six million people have opted for at least one online course as part of their degree. But is it for you?

Some of the benefits of online learning are obvious; it provides convenience and flexibility;  you can learn from your own home, in your own time and plan your study time around everything else. You save on travel time, and with all the course material accessible online, it’s not often that you’ll have to make a trip to the library. It enables you to have a healthier balance of work, life and study.

There is also less pressure from online courses as you don’t have to participate in class – something many students worry about. There are no class discussions, and while that might seem like a negative and something you’d miss out on, it allows for far more concentration.

To succeed in studying online, you have to be more self-disciplined which is never a bad thing. You would also have to be self-motivated and be able to manage your time which are all excellent skills to have.

There is also a more excellent choice of online courses than there is in face-to-face learning. You can go to any university in the country – and some cases even in other countries. You can study and earn a qualification from Colombia or Yale without ever having to go there physically; thus opening up a whole world of opportunity and access to courses you might never have dreamt of before.
It’s not even just the locations which widen the choices, but the topics and course lengths vary so much more online as well. For example, you could opt for an online MSW from Florida State University and choose from a two year or three-year course; you could even select a nurse midwife program. The choices are endless.

Life, Parenting, Tips

How to Prepare Your Child for College

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Starting college can be one of the most daunting times in your child’s life so you need to make sure you do everything you can to prepare them for going it alone. Here are some ideas of what you can do to help.

Scheduling

One of the biggest challenges they’ll face is organizing their own time. Most children are so used to their parents deciding what, where, and when they do things that they haven’t had chance to develop the ability to do this for themselves. Start to take more of a back seat role in their day in the run up to college to see how they handle the freedom. Most importantly, they will have a large workload at college that they will need to organize into manageable chunks. Their time at school will have given them some practice in this but they need to be aware of the leap they will be making in terms of the workload they will be facing. At college, a lot of self-study is required so they need to be able to motivate themselves with solid goals for their future in mind.

They will also need to learn the importance of staying on top of any bills they have, as well as making sure they find the time to look after themselves by doing weekly food shops for healthy produce and exercising regularly. A lot of people tend to develop unhealthy lifestyles as a result of their new-found freedom at college, so make sure your child is aware of the importance of sticking to healthy routines.

Looking After a Home

One of the most important things to teach your kids before they head off to college is how to cook and clean. If they don’t know the basics of cooking, they are likely to stick to unhealthy convenience foods which could have a negative impact on their health. If you don’t think you have the time to teach them yourself why not invest in some cooking classes for them to inspire them to try making some delicious recipes.

It is also extremely important for them to know how to clean their home properly so that it doesn’t become an unhealthy environment for them to live in. A lot of student accommodation is of a questionable standard so ideally, they need to know how to handle issues like damp. They are also about to live with other students who may live in a much less tidy way than they are used to, so it could be an idea to prepare them for this by teaching them the art of diplomacy when it comes to asking people to do their fair share of housework without offending them.

Help Them to Move

On the day of the move try hiring a van to help them move their belongings, as this can be a stressful time for them. And bear in mind that van insurance can be quite difficult to understand so take your time when you’re organizing it. When you get there, help them to set up their room as it may help them to have your personal touch if they’re worried about living away from home for the first time. Take them to do their first food shop too so that they know where to find the local shops and set a date for the next time you’re going to see them as it is not unusual for them to feel a little abandoned when you leave them to it.

Before your child heads off to college make sure you prepare them by teaching them how to schedule their time, how to maintain a healthy lifestyle and home, help them to move and make sure they know that you’re still there whenever they need you. It won’t be long before it’s difficult to get them to see you at all! For more parenting tips take a look at going-dad.com.

Going Strong, Health, Life

Looking After Your Joints – Practical tips

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As we get older joint pain becomes more common. Sometimes we push on and ignore it, but that could be the reason you end up with a hip replacement, shoulder surgery or long term issues.

Typically joint pain will start due to an injury, which is easy enough to get when you’re in the yard playing with the kids. Other times it is the onset of arthritis. Whatever happens, there are plenty of ways that you can take care of your joints.

joints, health, aging, healthy living, pain
Photo by Caroline Attwood on Unsplash

Salmon

Or more precisely – most oily fish. Tuna, sardines, or mackerel are all perfect choices. Depending on your preferences, you can find high-quality and cheap fish to eat. Additionally, fish is a healthy and nutritious source of protein. Eating fish can also help to reduce cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of certain diseases. Besides, eating fish that is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, alongside them being packed out with antioxidants, could as much as half the risk of arthritis.

It has long been noted the positive impact of fish oils on joints. If you don’t particularly like fish, then you might want to try a cod liver oil supplement. If you’re vegan, then flaxseed supplements are going to be your choice.

Move It Move It

If you sit for most of the day because of work, it might be time to work with a Pomodoro timer. This little trick will make sure that you get up and walk for at least five minutes every hour. There is also the added bonus that they make you more productive.

If you are simply at home and have more control over what you do and when you should stand up and stretch at least once every 15 minutes.

While you are standing and waiting for something, you likely (like most people) lean to one side. This causes excessive pressure in one area. Try to spread your weight across both legs for a more even distribution.

Regular exercise will also help you protect your joints. It will keep your weight in check for a start, and following on from that it will keep your energy levels up – which will avoid pain and swelling.

Joints are designed to move and move often. Try to stick to things that won’t put them under any unnecessary stress. Swimming, yoga, pilates and walking are all great places to start. Even cycling is great!

Don’t Play Hero

We all like to think that we can carry the weight of ten men from the car to the house, but in reality, that train of thought will land you in a lot of trouble. Try not to overload yourself and carry too much at once.

It might be the food shop, or it might be the big Christmas shop, whatever it is, take shorter trips or use the shopping cart all the way to your car.  

Simply put? Avoid overloading yourself, and you’ll avoid pulling a muscle or damaging your joints.

Don’t Ignore Pain

One of the quickest ways to end up with permanent damage is to ignore the initial pain. We often put things off, being absolutely sure that it is nothing serious. But, unless you’re a doctor, then you simply don’t know.

If you have a recurring pain, or an injury recently that has taken a while to feel better – get it checked out.

The quicker you are to get it checked out the sooner you will be able to treat it – if you need to.

Watch Your Weight

It might not really need to be said, but the more extra weight you carry, the more work your joints will need to do. The additional stress can cause damage over a period of years.

So work on shaving a few pounds off when you can.

Footwear

What you wear on your feet chances your posture. They should be comfortable and supportive in all the right places. When you can, head to a reputable shoe store and get your feet measured. Over the years, and even during a single day your feet will swell and change shape. Buy shoes that will accommodate that.

If you intend to run, or even walk for long periods, you should go to a specialist sports store. They will analyse your gait and instep and show you the exact shoes that will provide you with support in the arch of your foot.

It doesn’t take too much to look after your joints, small changes in your daily life and plenty of water can keep your joints in good working order for years to come. Of course, a little extra helping hand in the form of a capsule supplement is never a bad thing either! Take care of your joints, and they will take care of you too.