Fortunately, many natural methods can help you or your teens cultivate calm and resilience. Let’s explore some of the best ways for your teen to de-stress and stay centered.
Monday, April 22, 2024
Cool Vibes: Discover Easy, Natural Ways for Your Teen to Find Their Zen
Fortunately, many natural methods can help you or your teens cultivate calm and resilience. Let’s explore some of the best ways for your teen to de-stress and stay centered.
Sunday, April 21, 2024
Remember That New Year’s Resolution About No More Alcohol? Here’s How to Keep It
Saturday, April 20, 2024
Frugal Family Winter Trip To Cyprus - The Itinerary - Part 2
In February, our family turned a trip to the island of Cyprus for the purpose of getting American passports for my children into an amazingly fun vacation. This is part of a series I am writing about our trip there. I've written part one of our itinerary out, what we did the first few days when we were based on the eastern part of the island, in Paralimni, and now is time for part 2, what we did when we were based on the western part, in Paphos.
On Thursday, our fourth morning in Cyprus, I wanted to leave early so we'd have plenty of time to do things while also going on our long drive to the new AirBnB, but we'd had a long day beforehand in the Troodos mountains, so it took us some time to pack up everything, clean up, and leave our AirBnb, so we started the day later than originally intended. (This was a theme on our trip, but that's ok. While I want to have fun on our trips, I would prefer to see less and be less stressed.)
Thursday, April 18, 2024
International Divorce: Legal Considerations for Cross-Border Couples
There is a maze of legal challenges, from determining jurisdiction to dividing assets across continents. Each step has rules, regulations, and potential pitfalls that can affect the outcome.
This guide offers clarity and direction through this daunting process. Start your journey towards the next phase of your life by reading this article and taking action today.
Sunday, April 14, 2024
7 Food Festivals Worth Traveling For In Europe
Here Are The Food Festivals Worth Traveling For In Europe
Friday, April 12, 2024
Taking Advantage of Some Great Prices
About a year ago, I posted about stepping into the grocery store near my physical therapist's second office (that I only go to between sessions when I have a need for an emergency session) and discovering just how cheap the groceries and especially produce there are. I calculated such a huge price difference that it would possibly make it worth spending the gas money to shop there. But I haven't done that, though.
Instead, whenever I am in the area, I make sure to shop there. Two weeks ago I needed to go to an appoitnment in between my usual sessions and was in the area, I popped in to buy some vegetables and other basics, and I was incredibly excited by the prices, especially since lately groceries have been quite expensive.
Thursday, April 11, 2024
Raising a busy kid in the old Eastern Europe - Some parenting tips from George Nikolov’s journal
George, a lifelong teacher and educator in Bulgaria, along with his wife, had taught many students and influenced their community for years, advising parents on various parenting topics. Then, a surprise baby boy arrived.
Born on a summer day coinciding with the final medal ceremony of the Moscow Summer Olympics in the USSR, George saw this as a good omen – their son arriving just in time for the medals.
By 9.5 months, their sleep-deprived and exhausted son started walking. George and his wife, feeling like zombies, envisioned him as a future athlete, perhaps even an Olympic champion.
Raising children is no easy feat, but raising a child with boundless energy can be overwhelming. As the boy grew stronger and more active, George and his wife found themselves startled, shocked, and outside their comfort zone. Their parental frustration mounted. George kept a journal for 15 years, often questioning why their pedagogical approaches weren't working. He'd write in despair, unsure of the path their fearless and perpetually bruised son would take.
In the 1980s, Bulgarian parents took pride in active children, especially boys. Roughhousing with a giant stuffed bear, sparring with relatives and friends – this was how a healthy boy was supposed to behave. However, being the child of two educators, the parents expected their son to be constantly reading. George, despite seeing his son's physical potential early on, harbored academic plans for him.
Despite loving reading, their son had little patience for quiet activities. This lack of patience extended to the musical instruments (a piano and an accordion) they owned. Sitting still drove him stir-crazy, leading him to prefer activities like leaping over furniture, climbing trees and street signs, or exercising with an expander.
Not only was the son energetic, but he also displayed a wide range of interests. To his parents' frustration, however, as George recounts, the boy was inconsistent, trying and dropping different hobbies quickly tiring of them after the initial excitement.
The only constant interest for George's son was physical activity. He loved being strong and fit, often flexing in front of a mirror or showing off his pull-ups in the neighborhood.
After George's passing, ABV Publishing had the privilege of working on his journal. Based on this journal, they published a story retold through the eyes of George's son, a now-established Bulgarian athlete, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion, and successful coach. The book, titled "Born for Medals: How I Was Getting Ready for the Top," is a children's book (ages 5-8) illustrated by the talented Bulgarian artist Elina-Melina Bondokova and available on Amazon.
George lived to see his son win his first medal during a junior wrestling competition. He wrote of his immense pride that day, filled with happy tears. His energetic son was an achiever, his muscles working hard to secure his first medal.
Many more medals followed, thanks to constant training and practice, as well as the unwavering support of George and his wife. Though they didn't always understand their son's drive, they never gave up on him. They encouraged him to try his best in his various interests and hobbies, including judo, karate, and fishing.
The story of the Olympic medal omen became a family tradition, often finding its way into the boy's dreams where he envisioned himself standing on the highest platform of the podium, raising the Bulgarian flag. This blend of "aiming-high" pedagogy, typical of the educational system where the two teachers were trained, and a touch of superstition about good omens, helped this energetic boy stay out of trouble. His energy was channeled productively – his extra energy was spent at the gym.
He didn't become a teacher, musician, or professor, but he developed his natural potential to the fullest, reaching goals in his area of greatest interest – physical activity.
Parents and educators can utilize our book, "Born for Medals" (also known as "The Medals") in several ways. Children can read it independently; the text is easy and fun, suitable for a "My-First-Book" experience. However, the text is presented in cursive to maintain the style of George's handwritten journal, and young readers might not be familiar with cursive yet. In this case, we recommend helping with the text or encouraging the reader to guess the text based on the illustrations on each page.
Another way to "read" with an energetic child is to follow the illustrations and tell the story of a busy boy growing up in 1980s Bulgaria. This would be a perfect opportunity to ask children to add their own stories and pictures.
Since the book's subtitle is "How I Was Getting Ready for the Top" and ends with the question "How are you getting ready for the top," parents, guardians, and educators involved in rearing busy children might find it useful to end the read-aloud session with a discussion about the child's plans and dreams. At this point, the child's dreams may not overlap with those of the adults in their life, but it will be a great moment for us, the adults, to learn as well, to accept the differences, and be okay with them.
Even when he was very young, George's son would dream of being on top, of being a champion. His dreams came true, why wouldn't the dreams of your little busy ones come true, too?
Saturday, April 6, 2024
Increasing Your Savings and Boosting Your Income with Bitcoins
Thursday, April 4, 2024
A Bunch of Free Books- Again!
While I absolutely have my favorite authors and genres to read, fantasy and science fiction, I enjoy most genres as long as the books are readable and at least somewhat interesting. I don't particularly want to spend money on books of all genres- these days I tend to only spend money on very specific fantasy authors (Brandon Sanderson is my all time favorite) and some self help books (Brene Brown is a favorite there). But if I don't have to pay for it? Sure, I'll give it a chance to read it.
Friday, March 29, 2024
The Primary Benefits of Owning a Home Versus Renting
The decision between buying and renting is not an easy one. Renting is much more flexible because you are likely locked into a lease only for the next year as opposed to a 30-year mortgage. Additionally, you do not have as much of a burden to take care of the property, as repairs and major improvements can be handled by the landlord or property manager.
Buying the home so that you become the owner comes with a much different list of responsibilities. However, many would argue that the benefits outweigh the costs. Let’s talk about those benefits and why they are so convincing for those who want to own a home.
Thursday, March 28, 2024
10 Tips and Strategies That Will Help You Secure the Best Deal Possible at a Car Dealership
Wednesday, March 27, 2024
Figuring Out a Solution for my PTSD Triggering Problem with Luroy Slats for my Ikea Malm Bed
Once I had my newer mattress, the flaws in my homemade bed were clear. I must not have sanded down the slats on the bed enough, because the bottom of my brand new mattress was ripped up along the slats. Whenever I needed to pick up the mattress to put on sheets or whatever, I would get so triggered and start having emotional flashbacks. I'd hear the voice of my abuser degrading me, saying things like I'm so irresponsible, I don't think things out, I destroy things, I cause money to be wasted... and I knew I couldn't continue to have that bed. The bed was triggering me a lot. So when I got approved for disability, I used some of the money I got to buy myself a new bed. A bed that wouldn't trigger me the same way.
Monday, March 25, 2024
At What Age Does Child Support End in California
But when does child support end in California? And what are the consequences if you fail to pay it? In California, determining the age at which child support obligations come to an end is based on several factors that protect the child's financial well-being. While the usual rule is that child support ends at the age of 18, there are exceptions, such as high school graduation and the presence of disabilities.
In this discussion, we will explore the various factors that can affect the duration of child support and the potential consequences of failing to fulfill this financial responsibility, highlighting the factors and considerations for parents at this significant milestone in family dynamics.