Category: Family

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are two of the biggest shopping days of the year.  It’s your chance to get the best deals of the year for the things you love.

But in all of the selling frenzy, it’s easy to get caught up in the hype and to overspend when you don’t have to.  The key to a successful Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping spree is to plan and be prepared to jump on deals and they are released.

Below are 5 tips to make sure you get the best deals this holiday season.

Do Your Research

Just like buying a car, if you walk onto the lot without doing any research you are sure to overspend.  Making uninformed purchases is an easy way to waste your money.

Well before the holidays come along be sure to write out a list of things you would like to purchase.  You can then start comparison shopping across multiple websites to find a baseline price.  When Black Friday and Cyber Monday roll around you will be prepared with what you want to buy and what they cost, so you’ll know a bargain when you see it.

Sing Up Retailer’s Email Lists

For any retailers you are interested in, be sure to sign up for their email lists.  Retailers will often release deals first via email and you can get the inside track on Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals before they are released to the public.

So you don’t get overloaded with marketing emails, consider using a secondary email to sign up for all of these email lists, it’ll keep your main email account from getting bombarded with emails.

Look For Voucher Codes Online

Do you know there are websites online where you can find coupon voucher codes for thousands of retailers that can save you even more money during Black Friday and Cyber Monday?

These websites curate the best deals and online promotional codes and list them all on a single site.  For example, TVC (Top Vouchers Code), offers discount voucher codes for thousands of retailers in the UK. They offer huge savings on Black Friday Deals as well as great offers for Cyber Monday.

Comparison Shop

Once the Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals are released, don’t just jump in and start buying from the first retailer you see.  If you did your planning you will know what retailers are offering this product for sale so check all retailers to make sure you are getting the best deal before you break out the credit card.

It’s easy to get caught up in the buying frenzy, but it’s important to have some discipline when the deals start going live.

Check Social Media

Be sure to follow all of your favorite retailers across popular social media channels like Facebook and Instagram.  Like email, many retailers will launch sales first on social media before the paper flyers are delivered to the rest of the public.

Plan and Have Fun!

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are supposed to be fun times when you get to shop and get great deals.  Don’t get too stressed and get the best deals by planning early and not getting caught up too much in the excitement.  happy shopping!

When you are considering getting Lasik, one of the biggest concerns for many people is the cost of Lasik in NY. Lasik eye surgery cost in NYC is quite expensive for many people. Moreover, if your insurance does not cover the procedure, it can be quite difficult to afford the entire cost on your own. Although some insurance companies cover the Lasik surgery cost in NY only if it is considered as “medically necessary,” it is not the case for most. If the Lasik eye surgery cost is considered an elective or a cosmetic concern, your insurance will probably not cover it.

But this does not mean that you should feel discouraged about getting Lasik. When your insurance cannot cover Lasik’s cost, you can count on other alternative financing and payment methods. Here is how you can financially prepare for a Lasik surgery:

Book a consultation

The first step in financial planning for a Lasik procedure is to estimate the total cost. On average, the Lasik procedure for one eye can range from $1500 to $3000 depending on the technique, advanced technology lens, other factors, etc. But when you decide to get the procedure done, you need to plan according to the estimated cost. Therefore, you should book a consultation with a Lasik doctor in NY and get an assessment. The doctor will tell you the estimated cost for your treatment and the procedure that will be followed.

Set up a savings account

If your procedure is termed as medically necessary, then your insurance will probably cover it. However, if this procedure is elective for you after the consultation, you need to plan accordingly. One of the best ways to finance Lasik is savings. If the LASIK treatment is not required immediately, you can set up a savings account with your bank and deposit a fixed amount every month to eventually pay for your Lasik surgery.

Utilize an HSA account

If your employer provides you a high-deductible health plan that qualifies you for a Health Savings Account (HSA), you can use it to pay for LASIK. You can set aside a tax-exempt amount of money in your HSA after consulting with your employer. It will help you easily save money for your Lasik procedure compared to paying cash out-of-pocket.

Get a new zero-interest Credit Card

Another great way to easily afford your Lasik procedure is by getting a new zero-interest credit card if you are eligible for it. You need to contact your bank to know your eligibility for a zero-interest credit card.

Care Credit Financing

You might not be able to afford to pay the full amount at once and immediately need the procedure; therefore, CareCredit financing is an excellent option for you. Many Lasik centers in NY, including Dello Russo Laser Vision, provide Care Credit financing plans to the patients. In this, you can work out a convenient payment option to pay regular installments for your Lasik procedure. You can choose from a variety of payment options for a period of 12 months to 24 months while some Lasik centers even offer a more extended payment period of 3 to 5 years.

So if you decide to know more about your financing options, you can contact any laser vision center in NY for more details regarding various financing options available for you.

In the digital age, spending quality time with loved ones has become a challenge for many. This is primarily due to gadgets and modern technology constantly dominating people’s lives.

But while this has become a fact of life, it shouldn’t hinder you from maintaining healthy relationships with the people you love, especially your family. Remember that the real world offers so much more than the virtual world.

In this case, spending some tech-free vacation time might help. Traveling can serve as an excellent way to reset and disconnect in order to reconnect with the people whom you value most.

Take a moment to rethink your priorities and consider the reasons why you need to disconnect. In this article, you’ll learn about outdoor activities and ideas designed to help you reconnect with nature and, more importantly, with your loved ones.

Why You Must Disconnect

Based on research, the brain’s response to technology is similar to how it reacts to addictive substances, such as sugar and heroine. So, if you’ve tried wrestling a tablet or smartphone away from your child, then you have a clear understanding of how screen time can affect how people’s time is spent.

The fact is that people are spending a bigger chunk of their time glued to phone screens than spending time in nature or with their loved ones. Aside from being addicting, too much gadget use can also lead to poor socialization and even broken relationships.

Whatever it may be, notifications from your phone can wait. Avoid being rude by putting down your device during family gatherings, vacations, and even meals. If you don’t, you might create an atmosphere where the people you love would feel ignored or hungry for your attention since you’re mostly focused on your device.

Take dinner time, for example. When the table is set and food your family worked hard to prepare is in front of you, putting down your phone and paying attention to your meals is the best way to show you respect them. Doing this will also allow you to open up conversations and build stronger bonds with your family, especially your children.

Keep in mind that humans are social creatures, and technology won’t be able to replicate human interaction. If you’re conversing with your family during dinner, you won’t need hundreds of pictures to help them remember it. The mere fact that you’re physically, mentally, and emotionally present is more than enough.

Top 4 Vacation Ideas for Families Who Want to Reconnect

As mentioned earlier, traveling is a great way to disconnect from technology in order to reconnect with loved ones. It can also be a chance to become closer to nature and get that real-life experience no amount of social media likes can match.

To help you find the best place to do this, here are four vacation ideas you should try:

1. Go bird watching at the Al Zorah Nature Reserve

Learning new things together is a great way to bond with your kids. And what better way to do that than to discover new species of animals in the UAE?

One excellent location for this type of vacation is the Al Zorah Nature Reserve. Situated in Ajman, the reserve is home to pink flamingos that offer a lovely color contrast from the natural mangroves in the area. It also houses almost 60 other species of birds, which makes it an excellent place to go bird watching.

2. Visit the Miracle Garden

Whether you love gardening or find peace when surrounded by refreshing greenery, then a visit to the Dubai Miracle Garden would be an excellent vacation idea for you. While it’s man-made, the Miracle Garden is still considered one of the loveliest places in Dubai for people who want to reconnect with nature.

It is composed of massive floral arrangements, including one shaped like an Airbus A380. The massive arrangement is a Guinness World Record awardee for having the biggest floral arrangement, making it a great focal point of your trip.

3. Get up close and personal with wildlife in a dome

If you’re looking for a way to learn about different ecosystems without going outdoors, then getting up close and personal with wildlife in a dome is your best option in the UAE.

Home to the most intricate ecosystems, the Green Planet is an indoor rainforest located at the heart of urban Dubai. There, you’ll find scores of different species of flora and fauna, some of which came from South America and Australia. When you enter this biodome-like structure, you will have a unique experience that is akin to walking in the Amazon rainforest amidst urban structures in Dubai.

4. Explore sea life in an underwater zoo

If you want to mix up your family vacation, you might want to consider diving into the mysterious-yet-majestic life under the sea.

Inside the four corners of The Dubai Mall, you’ll find the aquarium and Underwater Zoo. There, you can have thrilling encounters with many different sea creatures of all shapes and sizes. You can even meet sharks and stingrays face-to-face when you take a dive into the aquarium.

Reconnect With What’s Important

Family is the most important thing in a person’s life. Nurture your bond with your loved ones by planning a tech-free family vacation. Make it more meaningful by visiting destinations designed for both nature lovers and those who want to rekindle their love for life.

AUTHOR BIO

Rasha El Saleh is the Conservation Education and Outreach Coordinator in the education team of Emirates Nature-WWF working on its programme, Connect with Nature. She leads the outreach and youth empowerment aspect in growing the Connect with Nature community within the UAE and providing opportunities for youth to lead in this community, in addition to supporting partnerships with vendors supporting and promoting active aspects of the programme.

Summer camps are always portrayed with pictures of children playing sports or enjoying a swim under the warmth of the sun. You won’t see a child with signs of anxiety in these pictures, even in the background.

Despite the lack of representation, most children experience anxiety, especially when it is their first time sleeping away from home or trying out a new activity. The idea of going to summer camp may be met with a mixture of the excitement of making new friends and experiencing new things and nervousness regarding the unfamiliar.

If you find that your child is reluctant to join such an activity, you might find yourself having second thoughts, too. However, every parent should realize that summer camps are ideal for challenging children and helping them learn valuable skills they may need later in life.

Whether you choose an academic summer camp or a sports or art camp, there are seven things you can try to encourage your little one to spread their wings and not be afraid of a sleepaway camp:

1. Give your child a sense of ownership

Letting your child get a sense of ownership for their first summer camp experience can help ease the anxiety they feel towards it. You can do this by involving them in choosing a camp and shopping for new gear.

It will also help if you bring them to the campsite before the summer camp begins, so they can familiarize themselves with the environment. Teaching them the different camp activities would also ease the nervousness they’re feeling and help them look forward to the activity.

2. Keep your child’s first camp experience short

For most kids, the anxiety of attending a summer camp revolves around the idea of being away from their home for an extended period. This feeling is extra difficult to manage if it’s your child’s first time to sleep in a place that isn’t your home.

To help your child manage their anxiety, you should keep their first summer camp stay short. While there’s no universal formula for this, you can try making it two weeks. This is a better compromise than canceling the trip altogether.

3. Talk to your child the right way

When speaking to your child about the summer camp, you must remember to avoid focusing on subjects that may trigger their anxiety. Avoid questions like “Are you nervous about building your first robot?” as it can trigger the feeling. Instead, rephrase your question into “How do you feel about building your first robot?”

Remember not to use statements that tend to trivialize their concerns about the camp. For example, instead of saying, “You have nothing to worry about,” you should acknowledge what your child is feeling and show empathy.

Also, try to highlight your child’s strengths when talking about the camp. It can be through a review of the great things they accomplished in the year leading to the summer camp. Then, create a connection to camp activities by telling them that these will help them hone the skills they already have. You can also shift their focus on new things they will learn, like riding a horse or swimming.

4. Don’t linger during the drop-off

Avoid lingering during the summer camp drop-off. Like when you brought your child to school during their very first day in kindergarten, you must maintain short goodbyes. This will prevent them from getting mixed feelings about the camp.

5. Keep communication lines open

When sending your child to summer camp, be sure to let them know that you’re within a phone call or email’s reach. Create a schedule for correspondence based on the camp routines and show your child how easy it is to talk to you while you’re apart from each other.

It will also help if you come up with goals for each conversation you have with your child. This will allow them to focus their thoughts on their adjustment and steer your calls away from their homesickness.

6. Help your child formulate goals for the summer camp

Having realistic goals will help your child focus on the positive experience rather than the anxiety they feel from being away. However, you should make sure that you help them come up with realistic goals that they can easily accomplish during the summer camp. This will allow them to experience the thrill of achieving success – albeit, small ones – and take their mind off their separation anxiety.

7. Hide your anxiety

As a parent, it can be difficult to help your child with their anxiety when you are feeling the same way. However, you must remember to avoid showing your own anxiety as it would only fuel the negative feelings your child has for the activity.

Remember that children can pick up on their parents’ feelings even if these emotions aren’t verbalized. Even so, you have to make sure that you say how much you’ll miss them as it would make it harder for them to go.

Instead, tell them how excited you are for everything that they’ll get to do in the summer camp. You should also express your confidence in what they can do in the camp.

The Takeaway

Helping children deal with anxiety is a task every parent must undertake whenever a new experience is at hand. Daunting as it may seem, easing your child’s anxiety over summer camp is possible, so long as you know the proper way to do it.

AUTHOR BIO

Maloy Burman is the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Premier Genie FZ LLC. He is responsible for driving Premier Genie into a leadership position in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Education space in Asia, Middle East and Africa and building a solid brand value. Premier Genie is currently running 5 centers in Dubai and 5 centers in India with a goal to multiply that over the next 5 years.

Divorce solicitors in London understand the impact that a separation can have on children, especially if the separation is lengthy and bitter. By focusing on the needs of the children and making their requirements a priority, the heart of the legal process can centre around them. Children should be of the utmost importance to all parties involved.

There are several things parents, other family members and other professionals who are associated with divorce proceedings can do to help a child deal with their emotions during this time. It is critical to minimise disruption to their normal routine and to confine negativity to private places to reduce any lasting emotional damage that the separation of their parents may inflict.

As divorce is a common occurrence, with around 42% of marriages ending in divorce, couples should learn to deal proactively with the situation rather than get caught up in feelings of guilt and stress regarding the impact that these decisions make on their children. By leading by example, the natural ebbs and flows of life can be gradually understood by children and other family members alike.

Some of the most frequently asked questions an individual has, when discussing the steps forward regarding their divorce proceedings, are those concerning their children. By committing to resolving family law disputes in a non-confrontational and constructive way, lawyers who are part of an organisation called Resolution, understand how distressing such disputes involving children can be and make it their aim to help former couples reach an agreement amicably.

It helps if couples agree to reach a consensus regarding who the children should live with, and when the other parent will be able to see them, in an understanding, respectful and kind way.  The best interests of the children are central. Whatever the reasons for the separation, children are entitled to see both of their parents if they are not put in any harm by doing so.

What if it isn’t so straightforward?

If the two parties are unable to reach an agreement for the children between themselves in discussions around the table, then lawyers can assist by offering all the alternative options that are available such as mediation and finally, court proceedings.

Whether the separating couple are both based in the UK or there is a need for cross-border arrangements to be made for international couples, experienced and knowledgeable solicitors are able to assist.

Multilingual experts are able to let all members who are affected by the proceedings to feel understood and heard. These international cases can be highly contentious due to the potential risk of child abduction and the sort.

By providing expert advice, counsel, support and representation for all parents who are negotiating international and national disputes regarding a divorce, and the subsequent matters regarding any children involved, a fair and just solution can be made. This can be done with minimal impact on the children who are involved, providing the best outcome for all parties involved.

In the U.S.A, about 90% of people marry by the time they are 50 years of age. Unfortunately, 45% of couples divorce, and as per the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) reports, about 85% of divorcees remain resilient but the other 15% struggle substantially. Even though successful marriages do exist, divorces are common across the U.S.A. Such separations affect not only the parents but also the close family members. Children, in particular, can become adversely affected. Here is a view of the health effects that divorce has on children, and how to manage them.

Mental health

A report by David Popenoe of the National Survey of Children indicated that children associated with divorce showed a higher incidence of mental disorientation citing depression, aggressiveness, and hyperactive behavior. Besides, many studies show that if divorce occurs as the children reach their teenage years (age 12-15), they end up engaging in early sexual activities and substance abuse. Other mental developments include anger, depression, hostility, and anxiety. The good news is that just like seniors can recover from separation, children as well can. Guiding kids through divorce should be every parent’s responsibility.

Physical health

Children who experience parental divorce have higher chances of contracting illnesses such as asthma and various types of cancer that are related to drug abuse. According to researchers Kari Hemminki and Bowang Chen, kids of divorced parents have higher risks of alcohol and tobacco-related cancer. Despite the fact that certain types of cancer are manageable, the result of all terminal conditions is well known to all.

Reduced longevity

Children who have witnessed the divorce of parents have a higher risk of dying prematurely. A book by Howard Friedman revealed that divorce children died 5 years earlier on average than kids from healthy families. Another 8-decade study started and spearheaded by Dr.Lewis Terman in 1921 concluded that a child’s mortality risk increases when the parents separate before reaching age 4.

How to manage them

Parents who are planning to divorce should keep heated discussions and legal talks away from their kids. However, if the damage has already been inflicted, there are many ways to help them pull through. For instance, they should talk to the minors to make them understand everything. Therapy sessions also help to restore the mental health of the affected kids. In case of any illnesses, they should contact a doctor immediately.

Thousands of kids undergo the stress of parental divorce each year. They react differently depending on personality, age, and circumstances of separation. It is the role of parents to ensure that their children are not utterly affected by the divorce. Instead, these children should move on and happily adapt to their new living situation.

Today’s technology has made TV viewing a much more pleasant experience. With cable and satellite services, you can get hundreds of channels to choose from.

You won’t have any problems finding a program or movie you want to watch, day or night. Online streaming services also allow you access to more shows, films, and documentaries, including classic and hard-to-find ones.

A quality digital TV antenna, meanwhile, lets you have a better viewing experience every time you turn on your television. It also comes with several benefits that you won’t get with cable and satellite services which include:

• Clear, continuous signal regardless of the weather
• Access to a variety of free channels
• Better picture quality
• One-time payment for the device and installation (if you want it installed by pros)
• No monthly fees

Getting the Most From Your HD Aerial

If you want to enjoy all the benefits that come with using a digital antenna, make sure you follow the tips below:

1 – Choose a good quality digital aerial

Digital antennas are not that expensive. But if you want an antenna that can last for several years and offer you a greater possibility of picking up more and better signals, choose a good-quality one that costs more than the typical HD aerials.

Before buying an HD aerial, do some research on the brands and types you are interested in.  Go online and check out various product reviews. Professional TV antenna installers can also recommend the best product that will work best in your location.

2 – Place the antenna in the right spot

Normally, the higher your antenna is placed, the more likely you are to receive more channels and better picture quality. This is why an attic or outdoor antenna tends to get more channels than an indoor one.

Placing the aerial in the right spot on the roof will also help greatly in giving you better picture and sound quality. Generally, putting it in a horizontal line view of the tower on the side of your property will give you a good signal.

If your home is surrounded by buildings, tall trees, and other large structures that can prevent your antenna from receiving a signal from the nearest broadcast tower, place your antenna near a window. The closer your antenna is to a window, the higher your chances are of receiving the best broadcast signal possible.

3 – Get an amplifier

To improve your TV reception, consider buying an amplifier.  This device boosts signal strength to enable your TV to pull in more distant channels.

However, keep in mind that an amplifier can be more harmful than helpful to your reception if you live close enough to a transmitter tower. It will simply increase noise and distortion.

To know if it is worth getting an amplifier, try scanning for channels without using this device first. If the signal isn’t great, try it again with an amplifier.

4 – When necessary, use a longer cable

If putting the antenna on the roof or near a window means the cable won’t reach the TV, get a longer coax cable. But make sure you don’t use a longer cable than is necessary. This is because extending the coax cable too much may weaken the transmission of the signal from local broadcast towers.

5 – Rescan your channels from time to time

Lastly, don’t forget to rescan your channels every week or so. Signal strength can change from time to time and an occasional rescan may result in better signals received. You can get more sub-channels when doing so as well.

In addition, whenever you move your antenna, always rescan for channels. Signal strength differs from one location to another and as such, can affect the number of channels you receive.

To get the most from your digital antenna and enjoy hours of watching on your TV, you have to invest in a high-quality HD aerial first. You will then have to find the perfect spot to place the antenna to get a good signal and more channels.

If you don’t want to waste money buying and trying different antennas and moving the aerial from one place to another to find that “sweet spot”, get help from experts that provide digital antenna installation services. You will save a lot of money, time, and effort and enjoy your TV viewing experience from the start once you choose to cut the cord.