Chime School

Archive for December, 2008

early intervention program

It’s every parent’s worst nightmare to find out that your child has been born with a disability. Feelings of fear, anxiety, depression, isolation and helplessness often surround new parents who don’t know where to go or who to turn to. Early intervention services are designed to quell the anxiety by providing resources and solutions to help you and your baby grow. With an early intervention, the child will foster with a large support structure and will have the best chance at normal development through specially-focused programs, while you get the emotional support you need to make it through the first few difficult years.

There are three main reasons to consider an early intervention program. First, early intervention services enhance child development. Intervention research suggests that the rate of human learning and development is most rapid in the first five years of life. Early skill development is crucial to laying the groundwork for lifelong education. Secondly, these interventions assist parents and siblings, helping them deal with feelings of stress or helplessness, while learning to maintain a positive attitude.

Families of handicapped children are found to have increased instances of divorce, suicide and domestic abuse, experts say, so an early intercession is critical to managing emotions from the onset. Lastly, early intervention services will increase the child’s developmental and educational gains, increasing his or her eligibility for future employment and self-sufficiency.

Some parents wonder, “Is early intervention really effective?” After nearly 50 years of research by the Department of Education, there is substantial evidence that early intervention services increase the developmental and educational gains for the child. Additionally, children with early interventions need less services later in life, have less instances of failing a grade and offer more long-term benefits for society. The parents who go through the intervention program are also in a healthier, happier place. One intervention study indicated that disadvantaged and gifted preschoolers benefited from an early intervention program all the way through to age 19. These benefits included more dedication to school, more college attendees, higher reading/arithmetic/language test scores, fewer instances of delinquent behavior and a 50% reduction in the need for special education services in high school (Berrueta-Clement, Schweinhart, Barnett, Epstein, Weikart, 1984).

If you’re wondering what early intervention professionals can offer you, then check the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities site for more details. Generally, intervention services may include family intervention training/counseling, home visits, special instruction/speech therapy, hearing impairment services, occupational therapy, physical therapy, psychological evaluation/therapy, medical services (if necessary), social work services, assistive living technology, transportation, nutrition services and service coordination.

Some people may scoff at the idea of Depression being an actual physical ailment, as of course all teens may at times seem moody and melodramatic.More and more experts are diagnosing teens with Clinical Depression each year.  If you suspect that there is a case of teen depression in your household, what to do?

With depression, its better not to draw any conclusions or assumptions when the first symptoms arrive.  As said, teens are often moody, withdrawn, angry, sad, and overly emotional in many ways.  This is partly due to the influx of hormones they experience while going through puberty and not necessarily a signal of actual teen depression.  It would be a mistake to assume that your angry teenager or the one that gives into crying jags is actually clinically depressed.  While these ranges of emotions are normal for teenagers, actual clinical teen depression is much more serious than this.  If you suspect that your teenager’s emotions are to the extent that he or she actually has clinical Teen Depression , it’s important to get that diagnosis from a doctor rather than making an assumption on your own.

If you have gotten a diagnosis, then it’s time to learn how to deal with teen depression.  The first is to make sure that it doesn’t swallow up your entire life or your child’s life either.Its a fine line but you want it to be made clear to your child that keeping away from people is not going to help the condition.  In some cases teen depression can be a lot like having a weight problem – it’s tempting to just give in and eat yourself sick, but this just makes things worse.  As with any other disease or condition, it’s usually best to take a proactive approach and be determined to fight it as much as possible. 

Balance is needed in this regard as well.When parents force things like social interaction onto their children or asking more that he or she can give is not a good way to work through teen depression.  Remember that this condition is not something you can just “will” away or force to be cured if you force your child to “act” happy.Make sure that your teen doesn’t feel like he or she has let you down and that their is something wrong with him or her.  Teen depression is a condition that they have little control over, acting disappointed in them is no more effective than getting angry at the child that doesn’t have much athletic ability or that struggles to understand certain subjects in school.

Be supportive of your child that is suffering from teen depression.  Keep your own positive attitude and reassume him or her that they simply have a condition and that they can learn coping skills.  Talk to your doctor as he or she will always have treatment options for teen depression.

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bike race

Mountain biking is an exciting sport that can be enjoyed by anyone who knows how to ride a bike. Compared to the average bike ride, it does present some danger. Therefore, you should master these basic skills before you hit the trails or the dirt. You can practice these beginning skills at a local park, school, bike path, or simply around your house. If you can, try to find a location with a steep hill.

Get a feel for your pedals

Practice moving your foot away from the pedal, first while sitting on your bike with one foot on the ground. Next up, release and replace your foot placement when pedaling around for a while. Those with toe clip and clipless type foot pedals will want to spend a bit more time practicing. Just remember that this is not a bike races competition.

Sit and spin for position

Simply sit on your bike and pedal around. You should keep your arms slightly bent. You should also adjust your seat height so your leg is 70 to 90 percent extended at the bottom of every stroke on the pedal. Keep your body relaxed, as there will never be a position where you should have either your knees or your elbows locked.

Shifting gears

Get a feel for shifting gears with your road bike. The higher gears are harder to pedal and will go faster while the lower gears are easier to pedal and will help you ascend hills. When approaching a more steeper hill, it is best to shift gears before reaching the hill rather than while you are on it.

Coasting

You should spend a bit of time coasting while standing on your pedals, without actually sitting on the seat. Keep your arms bent but don’t lock your knees. Now, try experimenting with shifting your body towards the rear end of the bike.

Pedal while standing

You should get as comfortable as you can with pedaling while standing on your bike. Stand on the pedals and move them around. You should try this in higher gears on flat ground then again in lower gears while on a hill.

Dropping down a curb

Try finding a curb where you can easily get to the upper portion of it. Practice at a moderate speed, standing and coasting right off the curb from the upper level to the lower level. Try this at different speeds until it becomes second nature.

You will be able to travel on feeling good on your mountain bike once you practice your techniques and get used to them. Even though it may take some getting used to, it’ll become second nature before you know it.

Sometimes back pain can be caused by an injury or trauma so that it’s best treated by a doctor with prescription medication or other options, but very often you can reduce back pain on your own with a few simple changes in your daily routine.  There are also simple treatment options you can try at home that may not completely eliminate the problem but that will almost always reduce back pain by quite a bit.  Of course everyone’s condition is different and everyone should listen to their own doctor’s advice, but usually a few small changes can make all the difference in the world.

A really good massage can Reduce Back Pain by helping these muscles to relax and loosen up.  One reason that many don’t realize how a good massage can help is that they rarely get a professional massage and instead rely on a spouse or other family member to give them a back rub.  Someone not trained in the art of massage really doesn’t know how to make the back feel better and may actually be making it worse.  Even a student at a massage school can help to reduce back pain.Local Resources can save you a lot of money on massages as a student in a massage school will cost less than one that is already professionally practicing.

Avoid strenuous exercise or overdoing it when you lift weights, but remember that regular aerobic exercise can also reduce back pain.Its true that exercise actually helps to relax and loosen up your back muscles.  If you’re having back pain after a long day at work you may be thinking that physical activity is the last thing you want to do, but in reality this can be the best thing for you.Its a good idea to start with an exercise or activity that is easy on the body and low impact so you can start slow.  You won’t reduce back pain if you overexert yourself or start lifting weights that are well out of your strength range.Even if your aren’t into yoga, you can do simple stretching at home that can really help your back pain.  Stretching your back keeps those muscles loose and healthy.  Yoga too can Back Pain Reduction if you start slow and easy as this not only loosens the back muscles but strengthens the rest of the body’s muscles also so the back gets supported at all times.

Sometimes even just a simple back brace or what is called a posture shirt can help.  These items fit under the clothes and keep you upright and supported all day and help to reduce back pain caused by poor posture, something that is more common than most realize.  You can get your doctor to prescribe a brace but many are available at local pharmacies.

Try these suggestions and see if you aren’t able to eliminate or at least reduce back pain to some extent in your case. 

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Scrapbooking adhesives come in more choices than ever.  As this hobby grows, the manufacturers are responding to the needs of scrapbookers.  Since page layouts have moved from just photos, paper and a few stickers to more complex designs like 3-D elements, metals, fabric and ribbon, scrapbookers now need adhesives that can handle the latest in scrapbooking trends and techniques.

Photo safe is the most important quality when choosing a scrapbooking adhesive.  Make sure any adhesive you choose is archival sage, especially when using them on the back of your photographs.  Scrapbookers have so many choices when it comes to adhesives.

Photo Corners: These are the first adhesives used in modern scrapbooking.  They are still very popular.  Photo corners were a great choice because they allow you to remove the item from the page, giving you a temporary adhesive.  They would very for heritage photos, and any other page elements you don’t want to permanently glue to your layout.  Check your local scrapbooking store for the variety of photo corners available.  They come in different colors, including metallic colors.

Glue: Scrapbookers love glue for its versatility.  Glue comes in pens, tubes and bottles.  You can use just a small dot of glue from a glue pen to stick even the tiniest items to your scrapbooking page.  Choose from permanent or repositionable glues, or even specialized glue for metal or fabric.

Tape Runners: These are a basic supply for most scrapbookers.  Tape runners are double-sided adhesives and come in dispensers or on a roll.  Like glue, they are available in permanent and repositionable tape.  Tape runners are convenient and fast for quick page layouts. As you run the tape along a surface, it leaves behind a continuous line of adhesive. You use only as much as you need for each item.

Glue Dots:  What would we do without glue dots for our heavy embellishments?  Glue dots are ideal for ribbon, fabric and textured items as well.  They create a strong bond, and are available in many sizes on either rolls or sheets.

Glue Sticks:  If you don’t want the mess of glue, glue sticks are a convenient alternative.  They glide on easily and allow you to cover a large area quickly.  You can still use them on small embellishments too.  Use only glue sticks that specifically state they are photo-safe.  Stay away from the ones that are for school use.

Adhesive Spray:  Scrapbookers love adhesive spray because it provides even coverage and transparency.  A perfect choice for vellum, it doesn’t show through like some other glue alternatives do.  Always cover your work space before you apply adhesive glue.  It can easily leave over spray.

Tape:  Double-sided tape is a basic scrapbooking adhesive.  Standard one-sided tape is also a must-have for scrapbookers.  Apply one-sided tape to the back of eyelets or brads to keep the prongs from catching on the paper.

Foam Tape:  Dots and squares are common shapes for foam tape.  Double-sided, this adhesive gives your page elements a dimensional effect.  Try using them with letters and titles and add some interest to your pages.

Scrapbooking adhesive is a basic supply for scrapbookers.   Stock up on a variety of glue  and adhesives before you go to any crop or workshop.  Each project may call for a different type of scrapbooking adhesive.  Choice the one that best fits your needs.

Christine Perry is an avid scrapbooker and has over 10 years of scrapbooking experience. Her favorite scrapbooking subjects are her reluctant teenagers. She invites you to her website, http://www.intoscrapbooking.com for more scrapbooking ideas and creative memories scrapbooking.

getting a divorce

The number one concern of parents who decide to get divorced is the impact of family divorce and their children’s well being. By understanding the fears of children whose parents are getting divorced, knowing what parents can do to help address and alleviate those fears, and doing those things, parents can help their children through what will probably be the roughest time of a child’s life.

The Fears

Divorcees and their children have to be concerned. Their world has been turned upside down, and their future is suddenly uncertain. Parents can reduce the uncertainty – and the stress and fear – by working out all these details before they even tell the children about the divorce, so they can answer all the child’s questions at one time.

Where Will They Live?

Kids are aware that their parents will be living in different housing from now on. The child is never going to have her mother and father instantly available to her at the same time under one roof where they all live. This knowledge is extremely stressful, especially in cases where the family home has to be sold or where parents live in different cities after the divorce.

Children fearing divorce and change get through this ordeal by ridding their stress associated and uncertainty with the help of their parents.

How Will Their Time Be Divided Between Their Parents?

Divorcing parents and their kids know about splitting the time between parents, as they probably know others who have gone through the same ordeal. Learning from these experiences, the kids will get a grasp of changes or confustion that will arise from deciding who will pick them up at school along with other parental duties.

Even when the divorced family gets along extremely well, visitation is the most stressful aspect of divorce children. After all, who among us would take a job that required us to split our time, 50/50, between two different locations? Not many. Having two homes in two different places, and having to shuttle all our stuff back and forth between the two of them, would be too stressful for many adults to undertake. Yet divorcing parents expect children to adapt and adjust.

Many divorced parents have adopted the practice of leaving the children in the family home and having the parents be the ones who move in and out of the picture. This arrangement may not be for everyone, but it is probably the best way to deal with the biggest problem of children and divorce.

More and more cases of depression in teens are being reported today by doctors and scientists.  This may be because more teens are asking for help with their condition, because doctors are getting better at diagnosing the condition, or simply because there are more and more cases to be reported.  Or it may be a combination of these various factors, but whatever the reason, Depression in Teens is not something that should be ignored.  It’s unfortunate that some extreme cases have led to tragedy, so whether you’re a teen concerned with your condition or a parent, it’s important to sit up and take note, and then take action.

The many causes of depression in teens range from physical problems internally to external circumstances that cause them to learn depression.  Depression itself is caused by a chemical reaction in the brain, where it does not regulate and release a chemical necessary for a good mood.  When this chemical is not released properly, not only is there a lack of happiness but the overall mood is sadness.Chemical imbalance in teenagers with depression is commonplace.  Other physical causes include the fluctuation of hormones that are common during puberty; sometimes these fluctuations can be so severe that depression can set it.  Some of these physical causes of depression in teens can go away over time, as they get older and those hormones level off.Don’t ever dance with the devil and ignore some of the symptoms and other issues.

It’s thought that problems such as bullying can cause Depression in Teens .  Keep in mind that often when a person feels trapped and helpless in their situation this can lead to depression, regardless of the situation they feel trapped in – a bad marriage, severe debt, a stressful job, and so on.Sometimes teens feel isolated from being able to deal with all of the problems at school, home, work as they cannot change many of those situations and they feel as if they don’t have anyone to talk to about the problems.  This helplessness and frustration with the problem, as well as the humiliation they may be suffering, can often cause depression in teens.In reality a lot of situations are similar to how a teen may feel when he or she is pressured to do something.  For instance if they live in an abusive home or even if one parent is negligent or abusive, if they are using any kind of drugs, if they have failing grades, or if they feel they are under tremendous amounts of pressure to perform academically or athletically, these factors too can cause depression in teens.

There are many ways to treat depression in teens and having a good support system is of utmost importance.  Teens should be able to approach their parents with any problem they have an know that they won’t be chastised or punished but rather will be helped and assisted, and depression should be no different.

Today there are more and more cases of Depression being reported by doctors and physicians.  Whether it’s because doctors are becoming more skilled at diagnosing the problem or if there are more cases to report, the bottom line is that any concerned parent should be concerned about the causes of depression in children in order to treat it properly.

Bullying Causes Depression in Children

Bullying has been in the news a lot lately, especially when it happens over the internet.  There have always been bullies as long as there have been humans, but for some reason today bullying has reached a point where it is no longer teasing or taking a child’s lunch money but has become downright physically dangerous.  And with the internet making it so easy for someone to bully another child in front of a large audience, it’s no wonder that it’s causing more cases of depression in children.

There are a few reasons why bullying would cause Depression with Children .  Obviously the humiliation of name calling and of having other children “gang up” on a child can make them upset and angry.  But on top of that children often feel helpless and trapped where they are.  An adult can take action against someone that threatens them but children often just don’t know what to do.  They may hesitate to approach their parents for fear of being reprimanded or because they’re afraid this might make the situation worse.  This feeling of helplessness and frustration can also contribute to depression in children when bullying is involved.

Stress and Expectations

Children today are under tremendous amounts of pressure.Sometimes children can really pick up on what’s going on with their parents and those situations that are depressing or frightening at home can get kids down in the dumps.  This puts tremendous stress on them to excel in school when it comes to academics.  Being overwhelmed can cause depression in children because they often don’t know how to handle that stress and don’t know how to put those things in perspective.  Parents too can be somewhat guilty in this regard if they have high expectations for their children either for academics or athletics.  We hear a lot about “stage parents” that push their children relentlessly to perform and excel, and this type of pushing can easily cause depression in children who then take losses and disappointments so much harder.

Treating Depression in Children

Talking to your family doctor or pediatrician is important if your child has depression.Always remember that medications are just one of the options available and aren’t always the right option.  He or she can explain things a parent can do to be supportive of their child and things that can be said or done to help them get through this.Whether the child has loving and supportive parents is a big factor in how the child deals with the depression.

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Yoga classes can benefit athletes looking to improve strength and flexibility, pregnant women hoping to stay relatively fit and relaxed, stressed out business professionals, hyperactive children who need to slow down, elderly people with chronic pain and anyone seeking spiritual happiness. You may want to phone your local gyms to see if they offer pilates or yoga classes included with membership cost, or you could attend a special fitness center for $10 – $20 per one hour session. Many centers offer package deals as well. Here is some more information on where to find the right class for you.

Before searching online for yoga classes, you may want to contemplate which style of yoga will best suit your needs.

YogaFinder, the largest internet directory of its kind, can match you up with classes, events, retreats, products, jobs and teacher training opportunities. You can get the yoga center address, phone number, website, browse available styles and read a general description of what’s offered. This directory pulls results that others may not have and worldwide retreats are listed. The site is colorful, easy to navigate and very comprehensive!

Yoga. website lists studios and classes near you by address, phone number, styles, levels, cost and certification information. You can also check out yoga vacations, read articles, browse the store and participate in forums here. It’s a simple site but can give you all the basic statistics quickly and easily.

FindYoga website is another expansive, well-designed site with multiple search engines to find yoga workshops, teachers, retreats, classes and training centers (within the US). If you’re really busy, you can even search for classes by the days and times you have available! Results are listed by school, suburb, day, time, style, level type and teacher. There are many resources for people looking to learn more about yoga, get their corporation involved in a yoga program, or to find a mentoring program.

If yoga classes seem daunting, check out some yoga videos on YouTube.com or purchase a yoga DVD to try at home before arriving in class. Since this form is generally slow and methodical, most people have no trouble getting started.

The world is a fantastic place filled with diversity and new discoveries at every turn. One of these discoveries for the Western world came in the form of Yoga. This ancient practice was known primarily in Eastern religions such as Buddhism or Hinduism but has since become a very popular form of exercise. It is more than that though. It is a process of centering the mind and body into one fluid machine that is highly aware of itself and surroundings. Yoga can be performed by anyone of any age and is great for those beginning their trek into a healthier lifestyle. If you are ready to begin your trek, click here for more information: Yoga Posture Techniques and at Yoga For Kids also at Yoga Classes

Considering how the back is involved in just about any movement a person can make, it’s no wonder that many with injuries or stresses are looking for Back Injury relief of any sort, even if it’s some minor relief at the end of the day.  Being in constant and chronic pain can lead a person to depression and anxiety; while your case may not be at that point quite yet, it’s still no wonder that so many are searching for some measure of back pain relief.

One of the first things you might consider doing is to take stock of your environment and where you spend most of your time.  If that’s at a desk in front of a computer, then back pain relief might begin with a better chair or setup.  Most office chairs put a tremendous amount of pressure on the hips and back since they usually push a person forward so he or she can see the computer.  This keeps those back muscles working overtime in a way they’re not supposed to work.  Getting back pain relief might mean putting a footstool under your desk so that you can lean back and elevate your feet.  Pull your computer and keyboard forward so that you can still see it and don’t need to hunch over it for eight or nine hours every day.

If you don’t work in an office you may wonder if Back Suffering relief is possible from your everyday chores.  Many people ignore the advice of lifting with their legs rather than their backs and often haul their groceries, sporting goods equipment, children, and other heavy burdens every single day.  No wonder they’re looking for back pain relief by the time the day is over!  Just taking proper care of your back during your everyday activities can go a long way toward you being pain-free.  Remember that while your back is very strong it’s still a bundle of muscles that need to be taken care of just like any other part of the body.Only lifting things with your arms will start to hurt and cause injury to your arms, and your back works no different.

Simple remedies for back pain relief include applying a heating pad to loosen up those muscles and encourage better blood flow.  Try putting a pillow under your knees when you lay down for support of the lower back and leg muscles.  A good massage can also go a long way toward back pain relief, so don’t hesitate to find a spa in your area.Students who are learning the art of massage can usually give massages for much much less than a spa professional.  Avoid sleeping on the floor, which is a common mistake that many people make.  This gives no support to your lower back or the back of your legs and usually just makes thing

BackSuffering.com is a new website with tons of information on back suffering. If you visit the website today you will get a free ebook with Back Suffering Tips and Tricks just for visiting! Visit BACKSUFFERING.COM now to get your free ebook.